When God’s speaks…Listen!
Today’s devotion is based on Week 1 of “Resolve”: Set Proper Priorities! (WATCH HERE)
When God speaks…Listen!
We have very little in the Bible about Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father. He is part of Jesus’ childhood, but his reference disappears after Jesus is 12 in the temple. It is assumed he died sometime between Jesus at age 12 and Jesus baptism around age 30. We just don’t know.
What we do know about Joseph is impressive and is not to be overlooked. In fact, sometimes the blip one has on the radar of history is what is most significant and memorable about that individual.
And the Holy Spirit preserves these short, but significant events in the life of Joseph that give us both insight and opportunity for application in our own life.
We know Joseph’s father was Jacob. Matthew 1:16 records the genealogy of Jesus, “… and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
To be honest, until writing this, the connection missed me. Joseph of the Old Testament had a father named Jacob as well. The more I reflect on it, there are a couple parallels to note.
Both Joseph’s were guided by God’s Word through dreams. We have three dreams that Joseph had that he “got up” and did as the Lord directed through the dream.
- He took Mary home to be his wife. (Matthew 1:18-25)
- He left Bethlehem with Jesus and Mary to Egypt. He stayed there until the Lord spoke again.
- He returned to Nazareth in Israel when Herod was dead.
Matthew 2:13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”
Joseph of the Old Testament was also the recipient three times of dreams (his own; the baker and cup bearer; and the Pharaoh.) Each of these dreams had a meaning from the Lord that gave direction to OT Joseph’s life. He ended up in Egypt as second in command and while he wasn’t alive when the people of Israel were delivered by Moses, he was confident the day would come and ordered that his bones be carried out of Egypt when that time came. At the end of his life, he reflected on all that had happened in his life, with his family and his leadership in Egypt, “19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them (Genesis 50:19-21).
Could Jesus’ father Joseph say a similar thing? Herod intended harm to his Son. They had to flee to Egypt, certainly not a pleasant experience. Yet all these events were part of fulfilling prophecy (Out of Egypt I called my son), and the salvation of souls, as that was the mission of Jesus, the one who came to save.
Did either of the Joseph’s fully understand the plan of the Lord at each step? Probably not. But when the Lord spoke, they listened. They followed. They trusted. They looked back in life and realized that the hand of the Lord was guiding them each step of the way.
Is this not true for us too? Listen. Trust. Follow the Lord’s lead. He will work his good, which is ultimately the salvation of your soul.
Apply: What events in your life have you been more aware of the Lord’s leading and direction? What opportunities do you have to listen and follow the Lord more closely this year?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your faithful servants of both Josephs. May our heart be like theirs that always listens, trusts and follows your lead. AMEN.
Worth Every Minute
Today’s devotion is based on Week 1 of “Resolve”: Set Proper Priorities! (WATCH HERE)
Worth every minute.
Sometimes the anticipation and preparation for an event far exceeds the experience of the actual event. I remember a trip to Greece years ago and we planned a day to see ruins of an ancient temple outside the city of Corinth. It was about an hour hike up the hill to see it. What remained was one rock of a pillar…one rock. We all kind of reacted the same, “Really? That’s it?” Now the overall trip through Europe was awesome and well worth the time and expense…but that afternoon was a bust.
On the other hand, one can spend a lot of time planning, traveling, and organizing an event and at the end you say to yourself, “That was worth every minute.” Weddings can be such events when their is months of planning, great expense, and travel of family and friends. Even though the day lasts 10-12 hours, at the end the grateful couple feels, “That was worth every penny and worth every minute. What a day.”
Imagine the planning, preparation, expense it took for the wise men to embark on their travels to find Jesus…and in some ways maybe not even 100% sure their mission would be successful. Weeks of planning, perhaps months of travel, expense for the trip all added to a great investment to see Jesus.
After a stop in Jerusalem, they followed the star to Bethlehem where it stopped over the very house where Jesus was. Imagine the anticipation as they knocked on the door and it slowly opened to let them in. There in front of them was the one of whom they had been told, the one of whom the star signaled, and the one who was more important than any earthly king…Jesus himself.
There was only one reaction: worship. There was only one response: giving gifts. It was a moment they would never forget because they had encountered Jesus, their Savior.
Here’s how Matthew records it:
Matthew 2:9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
We have no idea the conversation on the way home, but I’m sure at some point one of them had to say, “That was worth every minute!”
Do we have the same response when we encounter Jesus? Do we pursue connection with him with a focus that leads us to set aside other priorities to be with Jesus? Do we carry a mindset that thinks, “Every minute I spend with Jesus is totally worth it?” or a mindset that thinks, “Hmm, I don’t know if I have time to spend or gifts to give?”
Admittedly my heart is not always like the wise men and my guess is yours isn’t either. Life happens. Work gets busy. Needs arise. Lists get longer and time with Jesus gets short changed.
What about resolving with God’s help to prioritize time with Jesus this year?
I guarantee…it will be worth every minute!
Apply: What small change in your schedule, budget, planning will help you prioritize time and gifts to Jesus in 2025?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for forgiveness when I fail to make time with you a priority. Help me to experience and realize that every minute I spend with you and every gift I give to you is worth every penny and minute invested. AMEN.
Does that disturb you?
Today’s devotion is based on Week 1 of “Resolve”: Set Proper Priorities! (WATCH HERE)
Whenever we feel threatened, we get unnerved.
A strange sound at the door in the middle of the night…
A rustle in the trash can next to our camp while sleeping…
Word from a friend at work that you might be laid off…
It’s no fun to be disturbed by unexpected, challenging news.
Herod and all in Jerusalem were no different.
When the wise men from the east came and inquired about the one born King of the Jews, it did not sit well with Herod. He seemed to hide his real emotions pretty well, but his uneasiness spread through all of Jerusalem.
For Herod, it was a threat to his throne.
Perhaps for all the people in Jerusalem, it was the threat of being invaded yet again by the peoples from the east as they had been years ago by Babylon and Assyria. Or maybe the people were uneasy because of the paranoia of Herod to get rid of anyone he felt was a threat to him and his grasp of power.
But yet, the response of Herod knew that this wasn’t a secular invasion, he asked the chief priests, “Where is the Messiah to be born?”
This certainly implies Herod knew OF the promises of God, but had no belief that these promises fulfilled would be any good, rather a threat to him and his rule in Jerusalem.
But to answer the question, he turned to those that knew the Word of God.
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’[b]”
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” (Matthew 2:3-8)
Herod’s unnerving didn’t stop when he heard the prophecy and answer the question about where the Messiah was to be born. Although he said the wise men to return and let him know if they find him, he had no intent on honoring Jesus as the King of kings.
The Word of God fueled the disturbance in his heart. He didn’t understand the role of the Messiah and the rule he would usher in. Herod felt his throne was threatened, but really it was his heart that was threatened. He didn’t want some other authority to yield to. He, and he alone, wanted to be in charge, not only of Judah, the region, but also his own heart.
The Wise Men on the other hand received the promise of God through prophecy and followed the promise to Bethlehem and encountered Jesus, not disturbed, but overjoyed that they were in the presence of the Savior, their Savior.
So what does the Word of God do when it reaches your heart? Does it cause disruption and uneasiness? Perhaps it’s because we are not allowing or wanting our hearts to be ruled by Jesus and his truth. Does it cause rejoicing and peace? This is what it does when our hearts are changed by the Holy Spirit to receive Jesus as not just the King of the Jews, but the king of our hearts.
Apply: When the Word of God makes our heart uneasy, it is usually God’s Spirit identifying he wants to rid from us or purify us from. Notice this as you read the Word and seek God’s Spirit to let every Word be living and active inside of you to bring the rejoicing and peace God’s Word is meant to bring!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for disturbing our hearts and using that disturbance to lead us to you where we find peace in all things and reasons to rejoice at your love and grace. AMEN.
Did you notice?
Today’s devotion is based on Week 1 of “Resolve”: Set Proper Priorities! (WATCH HERE)
Just the other day our daughter commented when she saw a white Honda CRV very similar to hers, “Everyone’s buying my car.” Are they really? Or do you just notice more?
You may have experienced this phenomenon called the “Baader-Meinhof” phenomenon. It is also called the “frequency illusion.” It is defined as a “cognitive bias that occurs when something you’ve noticed or recently learned suddenly seems to appear everywhere.”*
When something is brought to our attention, our mind begins to focus on it more and begins to notice it more. Research shows that the frequency doesn’t really increase, it just your mind picks out that thing that now is more part of your awareness.
Does this happen in our faith life?
Maybe it’s not a perfect example, but the reality is God is at work every day, all around us. The Psalmist writes:
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them.
But maybe we wouldn’t notice this if the Lord is not on our mind. However, when the words of God and the presence of God are regularly on our heart and mind, we begin to notice things we haven’t noticed before.
Is this possible with the wise men as they studied the heavens? Since the beginning the heavens have declared the glory of God. However, because the wise men had the word of God in their hearts and mind, they were aware of what God was doing in the heavens. Were they the only ones who saw the star? We aren’t sure. But it is possible others saw a uniqueness in the heavens and simply noted it and moved on. But not the wise men, they saw the star and knew it was a fulfillment of God’s promise: Numbers 24:17 “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.
The Baader-Meinhof phenomenon may not be the best explanation of what happens when the Word of God becomes more part of our life, but it certainly helps us understand that the more we are reading, learning, and memorizing God’s Word and his promises, the more we notice and are aware of God’s working around us.
WIthout the Word of God, a near-miss accident is a coincidence. With the Word of God it is the angels of God watching over and protecting God’s child. Without the Word of God, every illness or “bad” thing is a set back. With the Word of God, we notice God working good in all things, even the challenges. Without the Word of God, we carry guilt and burdens that addictions try to numb. With the Word of God, we see God’s forgiveness and power to remove guilt and carry our burdens.
But we won’t notice if God’s Word is not regularly part of our life.
Like the new car you bought and suddenly you noticed it all over town is the passage that you read today that suddenly you begin to see play out in your life and others more than you ever had.
It’s just what happens to wise people when they prioritize and spend time in God’s Word.
Apply: Pick your favorite promise of God from the Scripture. Memorize it…then notice how it plays out in your life today. For example, Jesus promised, “I am with you always to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Notice how Jesus is with you today in ways you haven’t noticed before.
*https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/baader-meinhof-phenomenon.htm
Happy Epiphany Day!
Today’s devotion is based on Week 1 of “Resolve”: Set Proper Priorities! (WATCH HERE)
Happy Epiphany Day!
“The twelfth day of Christmas” has arrived! Maybe your decorations are put away, the holiday guests have left, and your vacation travels are complete. Christmas is in the rear view mirror and the New Year is ahead of you.
But let’s not move on too fast or too far.
January 6th has been observed in the Church for centuries celebrating the coming of the wise men to visit Jesus in Bethlehem.
Why is this significant?
“Epiphany” means “appearance” or “manifestation.” It is the day we mark the manifestation of Jesus to the world by the visit of the Magi, non Jews to see Jesus. The Magi were the first “world” visitors to see Jesus. Jesus came not just as the Savior for the bloodline of Abraham, but for all people.
The Magi were very possibly spiritual descendants of Daniel, and other faithful believers that were exiled in Babylon in the 500s BC. Their faithfulness made an impact on the leaders of Babylon and no doubt others in the court of the king. The impact lasted for generations and the prophecies that pointed to a “king of the Jews” were studied, remembered and in this case acted on.
Here’s how Matthew’s Gospel records it (Matthew 2:1-2):
2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
The orchestration of creation, world events and personal faith is a miraculous working of God. We see in all the Christmas accounts and now also in Matthew 2 the reality of God’s hand to bring his Son Jesus to the world. He wasn’t going to be deterred by an egocentric, maniac of a King Herod or the barrier of culture, country or mileage to ensure those he chose in eternity heard the message of Jesus, a Savior is born.
God put the pieces together for the wise men and moved them to act on the faith they were given and the knowledge they had. They didn’t know everything, but what they knew they acted on.
Perhaps this Epiphany you can reflect on two questions:
How has God orchestrated your life to connect you with him? As we begin a new year, it is beneficial to look back and see how God has guided events in your life to connect you to him. God’s heart is for all to “come and worship” Jesus. His heart is to make it evident and obvious that he loves you and wants to be with you.
What question is God prompting you to ask to seek and find more about him and his love for you? The wise men knew the King had been born, they didn’t know where and asked. What are the curiosities of your faith that you would like to pursue in 2025? Write down the questions and pursue answers through the Word, your pastor, a Christian friend or reliable online source. God uses resources around us to bring clarity to the faith questions we have and ask!
Apply: Use the two questions above and spend time today reflecting on them.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for revealing that you are a Savior for all people, including me. May the pursuit of the wise men to worship you inspire me to seek and worship you every day of 2025! AMEN.