The story of the wise men shows how God speaks uniquely to people. These men were most likely the scientists of their day and were trained in astrology. Most Greeks, Romans, and even Jews respected astrological predictions in this time period. [1] God has used many unique ways to speak to His people over time. …
Scripture promises that God goes ahead of us. Deuteronomy 31:8 Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.[1] So how did God go ahead of the wise men or magi of Matthew 2? Who Were the Magi? Matthew …
Most people don’t understand that our worship affects others. Many people choose a church for what they can get from a church service. By definition, worship is “the reverent love and devotion accorded to God or the ceremonies, prayers or other religious forms by which this love is expressed.”[1] So, by definition, worship is what …
In our youth-orientated culture, we rarely see the value of the older generation. This is unfortunate because the older generation has much-accrued wisdom. Many times, the potential contributions of older folk are ignored. At the time of Jesus, the Jewish culture highly respected their elders. As Mary and Joseph went to the Temple to obey …
It won’t be easy. Would you continue a task if you received this warning? If the mission isn’t important, probably not. But if the job is critical, you would buckle down and move forward despite the hardships. As Simeon blessed Mary and Joseph, they were amazed at what he said. Jesus will fulfill the prophecies. …
Jesus rejected? How could that be? The people during that first Christmas were anxiously looking forward to a Messiah. Why would they reject Him? They would reject Him because Jesus would come in an unexpected way. The scholars of the day thought they had it all figured out from the prophecies. First of all, they …
God had chosen to work through His nation of Israel, the Jews, so they could be a light to the Gentiles, the non-Jews. The nation of Israel was at the crossroads of the ancient world. God placed them there to influence all the people traveling through the country. Moses had let the people in on …
In this week’s story, Simeon seems to be hearing from God for others. Mary and Joseph had come to the Temple to perform the firstborn’s redemption and the mother’s purification after the birth of Jesus. There they meet Simeon, and he recognizes that Jesus is the Messiah. Who was Simeon? Luke 2: 25 At that time, …
After the birth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph followed the Mosaic law concerning a newborn. I think they saw their obedience as worship. Both Mary and Joseph had supernatural encounters as God communicated with them before Jesus was born. They recognized the greatness of God and responded in the way they knew by following the …
Meditating on the goodness of God is uplifting and builds us up. Over the years, as I have spent time with the Lord in my devotions, it is always uplifting. I may start in a bad mood, but after spending time with the Lord, He lifts me out of the muck and the mire. The …