A Christmas Devotion #14

Isaiah 7:14; "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a Son, and she will call His name Immanuel".

During the course of these Christmas devotions we have looked at many aspects of the importance of Christ’s incarnation. From the fulfilment of prophesies to the response and obedience of many characters we see in our nativity scenes. Today I would like to look at one of the most important parts of the Christmas narrative. The Virgin Birth. In Christianity there are certain things that are at the core of our faith, that must never be compromised. The Virgin Birth, Christ's Death and Resurrection and the His Ascension are some of these essentials. They are what I call the 4 pillars of Christ life. We must able to defend and understand why these are factual truths. Unfortunately the doctrine of the virgin birth has been both twisted or outright denied by many.

The book of Romans speaks quite clearly of the sin nature that we are born into due to the sin of Adam. Every person that is born is born into this sin, whether this is palatable or not, that is the reality of all our beginnings. Since we are born into sin it means that it is impossible for any of us to be 100% sinless. The wrath of God would only be satisfied by a perfect, sinless offering. No man born from a man and a woman could perform such an act, due to their inherited original sin. No angel could be our substitutional sacrifice. And neither could God defy His words to Adam that ‘the day you eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you will die’ and simply create ‘another Adam’. There was ONLY ONE WAY. It had to be Jesus Himself coming to earth via supernatural means, thus avoiding the seed of original sin. If the Virgin Birth was not true, then ALL of Christianity crumbles. This is how important this event is. No one else has been born in such a way. Unfortunately, when you read the Catechism of the Catholic Church (490-493) it attributes the same avoidance of the inherited sin of Adam to the highly blessed Mary. This is called the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. To put anyone, even a women as great as Mary on the same level as or Lord is an erroneous. Neither is it correct to suggest that the ‘Perpetual Virginity’ of Mary is accurate either (499). The Gospel writer, Matthew quells this issue in Matthew 13:55.

This Christmas let us be in awe of the miraculous event that made our salvation possible.

No other person, no other way. Jesus Only.

A Christmas Devotion #13

Matt 1:21; “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He save His people from their sins”.

‘Save people from their sins?’….. I have often found that many people think that they are ‘good people’ and live ‘good lives’ and don’t believe that they need rescuing from their wrongdoing. I am sure that this is not an alien concept to you either; you must have heard people say the same thing. Unfortunately, the reality is devastatingly different. We are all sinners at our very core and the seed of original sin is in each and everyone one of us from birth. Our hearts are naturally dark and evil and yet many people refuse to recognize this fact. They will observe that they have not committed any great sins, that they have not hurt people intentionally and are in no need of a savior.

Sin is ingrained in us so much, that even the youngest amongst us are susceptible to it. I remember when I was growing up that mam and dad wanted to teach me, Jonathan and Rachel a lesson in self-control. They bought each of us a plastic barrel with a twist top. Mine was blue, Jonathan’s green and Rachel’s was pink. Placed in the ‘biscuit barrels’ were 21 varied biscuits. (Cookies for the American’s amongst us). We were told that we could have free access to these biscuits, BUT, once they were gone, there were no more until the following week. Three biscuits a day should’ve been sufficient, right? Oh, there was one more thing; if you made it through the week and you had one or more biscuits left, you would receive a special individually wrapped chocolate biscuit. Well, I certainly failed this lesson in self-control. I think by Tuesday, all mine had ‘vanished’. Gluttony never tasted so good. However, I quickly understood that I had just forfeited my chocolate biscuit reward. Or, had I? I devised a plan that included me telling my siblings that I suspected biscuit thievery was happening and that if they allowed me to ‘watch over’ their biscuit barrel, I would make sure that none would go missing. Being the oldest I banked on them feeling safe under my watchful supervision. Mission accomplished, more for me. If only my parents weren’t smarter than me, I would have got away with it. This may be a comical family story but it shows once again that we ALL need saving from our sins, regardless of age, morals or lifestyle.

Today we have so many movies being churned out by Hollywood where the main character is a ‘Superhero’. Someone that comes and saves the day and usually mankind. Let us not forget that there is really only one Superhero.  His name is Jesus.

A Christmas Devotion #12

Luke 2:11; “For today in the city David there has been for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord”.

In 1847, Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure was the commissionaire of wines in a small French town. Known more for his poetry than his church attendance, it probably shocked Placide when his parish priest asked the commissionaire to pen a poem for Christmas mass. Nevertheless, the poet was honored to share his talents with the church. Using the gospel of Luke as his guide, Placide imagined witnessing the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Thoughts of being present on the blessed night inspired him to write was then called “Cantique de Noel”. So happy was he with his poem that he felt a need to find a musician to do what he could not. So he contacted his friend Adolphe Charles Adams for help.  Adolphe was able to add the music to the poem just in time for the song that we now call “O Holy Night” to be performed on Christmas Eve. Fast forward now to Christmas Eve 1906, and to a man called Reginald Fessenden. Using a new type of generator, Fessenden spoke into a microphone and, for the first time in history, a man's voice was broadcast over the airwaves: "And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed”.  After reading from Luke 2 he picked up his violin and place a full rendition of ‘O Holy Night’. So, the first words ever transmitted over the air, were words from the Bible. And the first song, a song about the birth of Christ the Lord. How wonderful it is know that God’s Word went forward first on that Christmas season.

It makes me think of the ‘Bible App for Kids’ that went forth on Thanksgiving Day. To see that God’s Word was the number 1 kids and educational app download on a day such as Thanksgiving, has echoes of the night that Fessenden read from Luke 2 and picked up that violin. To see the App reach well over 1 million kids in just six days is simply astonishing. From the printing press, to the airwaves, to the digital age, may God’s truth that Christ is the Lord receive pre-eminence in everything.

"Truly He taught us to love one another;

His law is love and His gospel is peace.

Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;

And in His name all oppression shall cease.

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,

Let all within us praise His holy name.

Christ is the Lord! O praise His Name forever,

His power and glory evermore proclaim.

O night divine, O night, O night divine"

A Christmas Devotion #11

Matthew 1:20; “But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit".

As we come to the close of the year, do you find yourself at a crossroad? A moment when the tantalizing prospect of something new is just around the corner, yet you know it largely relies of you choosing the right path. If you are not experiencing this I am sure you remember a time when you were in the very position? When a single decision could very well shape the rest of your life or at the very least the next chapter in your life. The thing that I find interesting about a crossroad is that it has numerous options for us to take. Do we go to the left, do we go to the right or do we keep going straight forward. This is very different to a Cul-de-sac, that looks like an road that leads somewhere to find out that it is a dead end street. Sometimes when we arrive at these pivotal moments in our life we have a tendency to treat them like a Cul-de-sac and think that all hope is gone and that we have reached a dead end. What if Joseph had looked at this chapter in his life as a dead end? What would the outcome have been??? But, he did not view it so, he saw it as it was….a crossroads. Here we see Joseph wondering what type of action to take as Mary is now supernaturally pregnant. (No man in history has been in his situation). Which road was he going to take? Was he going to disgrace her or hide her? Well, we all know what his decision was. He planned to put her away secretly. The Word of God tells us that whilst at this crossroad in his life, he ‘considered what he would do’, and when he did this the Lord sent an angel to him in a dream and reassured him everything was going to be alright. And told him which road to take.

Take this example of Joseph to heart, understand that what ever the crossroad is that you may find yourself at, it does have options, there is hope, it is not a dead end. It is up to you to consider your options and seek the Lord. He will give guidance to you just as he did to Joseph. You can turn a crossroad from being something that is daunting into something that is exciting and wonderfully blessed.

And most importantly, look at what the angel said to Joseph, "do not be afraid".

A Christmas Devotion #10

Matthew 2:1-2;"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him".

When is something that looks same, not the same? if you have ever been to New York City you probably have come across 'street vendors' selling their 'Louis Vuitton' bags. Bags that look the same but are a cheap imitation at best. Here, in our text today i think we have a good example that falls into this very category. Look at the difference in the text we have read from the gospel of Matthew: 'Herod the king' and 'He who has been born King of the Jews'. Now, even though the Greek word of king (βασιλεύς - basileus) is the same word that is used in both instances, i like what most English translations have done by capitalizing the word 'King' for Jesus. For there is a galaxy-sized chasm between their kingship. You see, Herod may have been 'king' of Judea put he doesn't come close to Jesus, King of the Jews. When we read through the Gospels we see many facets of Jesus and His character. We see a Friend, a Healer, a Teacher, the Son of Man, the Son of God, the list could go on. This started me on a train of thought about how many times we look at Christ and only see an aspect of Him that we want to see? The side that embodies Love, the side that Delights in us, the side that sees Him as our Best Friend. Don’t get me wrong these are all great things that we see in Christ, but it is just a part of who He is. HE IS KING! We must never forget that He is the King of Kings and the Lord or Lords, the One in Revelation Chapter 1 with the snow white hair, eyes of like fire, feet like bronze, a voice like the sound of many waters, and a face like the sun shining in it's strength. Couple that with Revelation 19 where we see a Christ coming on a white horse, clothed in a robe dipped in blood. This is a part of Christ also. The word awesome is often misused in our conversations today, but it is definitely the appropriate word to use when describing our King, He truly is Awesome in every sense of the word. To understand Christ, is to know Him and everything that He is, from Friend to Coming King. Let us not forget that this is the Man that will Judge all of mankind. The Only One who is qualified to do so.

He is King! Whether Pilate did it from a place of truthful sincerity or if he was adding insult to injury, what he had written on Christ's Cross; "This is Jesus, The King of the Jews", was incredibly accurate.

As the world looks to 'their kings' today, let's remember our King. The Christ-Child.

Glory to the King.

A Christmas Devotion #9

Micah 5:2; "But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity".

I have found that there is a common perception that ‘small’ often equals ‘worthless’. I disagree. I have learned both through text and experience that God is at work in the small things. Many of us can tell stories of when God has worked mightily in our lives. Not only in what we perceived to be the ‘big things’, but also in those ‘little things’ that we did not put much stock in at the time. Then, when we looked back, we realized that it was God's Hand that started the whole thing.

The bible is full of scripture that points out that God is in the details, and that something big usually has small humble beginnings. We are told not to despise the day of small things, we hear the parable of the mustard seed, that although regarded as meaningless amongst the seeds, when it is planted and grown it becomes greater than all the other herbs and grows branches to lodge the fowl of the air. Again we read, that if you are faithful in little, you will be faithful in much. This list could be endless. As you know Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophesies in His first coming and this one found in Micah 5:2 is one of my favourites. I come from a small town in England that if I were to mention the name, the majority of people (In England) would have no idea where it was or that it even existed, a town that housed no more than 30,000 people is a small place indeed. (Perhaps you come from a town not too dissimilar to mine) So, I relate to the mention of Bethlehem Ephrathah being too little to be even classed among the clans of Judah. Many people may have seen this as a 'nothing' city. Only when Christ was born in Bethlehem do we really see this small town come to the forefront of history. I doubt very much that we would be able to find a person in our circles that has never heard of a small town in Israel called Bethlehem. Such was the magnitude of the event that took place there, that the name Bethlehem will be forever remember at this time of year. I even find the name Bethlehem Ephrathah interesting. Bethlehem means "House of Bread" and Ephrathah means "Place of Fruitfulness". Wow! To come from a city that means that, now that is a place worthy of birthing the King of Kings.

So when you look at the workings of God in your own life, know that He is in the small things, know that you are in the Hands of One who comes from a 'Place of Fruitfulness'. Ask the Lord for the spiritual discernment to see when God is working in the details of your life so that you may know Hos ways better.

I will finish on something that my dad taught us as children, he said, "Big Doors open on Little Hinges". How true. If we simply scoff at what looks to be a 'little hinge' we might be overlooking the magnitude of the 'door' that God wants to open for us.

Never overlook those Small Hinges.

A Christmas Devotion #8

Gal 4:4-5: “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons”.

Have you ever known anyone that has been adopted? I have had the privilege of knowing a few people who were adopted over the years. One friend of mine when I was at school stands out in particular. I will spare the details but when it boils down to it, my friend was given the chance of living a life full of everything that his childhood mind could imagine. Every birthday, every Christmas, the feeling of love he must have felt must have been overwhelming. He knew he had been given something that was a blessing to him. When we look at Christ being born for us so that we might be adopted as sons of the living God, it makes the true greatness of an earthly adoption pale in its comparison. To think that we were born into sin and lived in the darkness of that sin for a time; did we really deserve to have that feeling - and more importantly, position; of being adopted into a love that we can not comprehend? The answer of course is, No! But that is the beauty of being saved by grace and through this act, being adopted into the Kingdom of God as sons and furthermore, heirs of God through Christ. Heirs! Wow! As an Englishman the word heir carries a very special meaning. For instance, Prince Charles will not become the King of England because we voted him in, he will become the King of England because it is his birth right. He is the heir to the throne and no democratic process in the world can stop the theocratic ruling. Praise the Lord that in a much grander way it is the same with us. We are heirs also due to our birth, our new birth in the Spirit. A true theocratic position that no vote can alter. Now we get to experience a love that far surpasses the great love that an earthly adopted child receives.

So be thankful to the Christ-Child this Christmas, that he was born for you, so that you might have a life that you don't deserve at all.

Isn't it great to know that we have all been adopted into the same family! We are all brothers and sisters!

What kind of love is this? It is Christ's Love.

A Christmas Devotion #7

Luke 1:35; "The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God".

When I think about Christmas time and the Incarnation of Jesus Christ I am always filled with wonder at just who Jesus Christ actually is; He is the Son of God. In the practice of apologetics we defend our faith from all types of attacks upon the scriptures and most specifically upon our Lord, Christ Jesus. To know what we believe and why we believe it is important in an age when so many other religions infiltrate our cultures. The dividing line between Christianity and cults can be found in the answer to one simple question, "Who do you say that Jesus Christ is?". If the answer is anything other than Jesus Christ is God and the only Son of God, you can quickly surmise that you are dealing with a cult. This is why it is so important to know the scriptures which point to Jesus Christ’s deity and human nature. The GodMan, ‘In whom dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily’. And because of what the Son of God did at the Cross and in that Judean Tomb, we who are found in Him are now are called the sons of God. Mind Blown!!!

To know that it wasn't just any baby born in Bethlehem that night, but the Son of God, fills my soul with delight. Every Christmas time I marvel at the love that God has for us, that He would send His only begotten Son to die for me. Let us not forget just what an awe inspiring event this was. The whole of history came to a crossroads the day the Son of God took on the form of human flesh and dwelt with us.

"Our Good Shepherd,

With His Staff and Rod,

Incarnated for us,

The Son of God" 

A Christmas Devotion #6

Luke 2:13-14; And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased".

Several years after the angels had proclaimed this, Peter and John were on their way to the temple and as the past through the Gate called Beautiful they saw a lame beggar asking for alms. We all know the story, that this beggar was healed in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. When all the people saw this miracle they were amazed, but it is what Peter said that really catches my attention. He said to the people ‘why do you look so intently at us, as if by our own godliness we made him walk, it is by the name of Jesus Christ that this was possible’. It was Peter's intent to make sure that all the Glory goes to God. This is a good example for us today. We now live in what is quite possibly the most narcissistic and self-glorifying age yet. An epoch of time where the spirit of man is so strong that the words ‘I did that’ or ‘I deserve this’ seem to come from people thinking that is their inalienable right to be number one. Apparently it is so easy to take credit for something that we have been a part of, when really the credit and the glory should go to God and to God alone. It was Isaiah who wrote, ‘I am the Lord, that is my name; I will not give My Glory to another’. Sometimes we can quickly forget just how 'Awesome' God truly is and that He is the Maker of all things and one day every knee shall bow before Him. This is the God that we serve, a God of supreme Sovereignty, an all powerful God. Let us not forget this fact.

If God has said He will not share His Glory with another, let us remember that when God does something through us of Eternal significance, that we are merely a willing tool in the Hands of an almighty God. Through our obedience we become that piece of clay that Jeremiah talks about, being molded by our Creator into a shape and a design for His purpose. I say that there is nothing more satisfying in life than to know that you have made yourself pliable in the Hands of our Lord. He is the One who has done the great things in our lives today.

So, be like the angels heralding Glory to God and be like Peter and John and make sure that the people who witness the Power of God through you, see Jesus and not you.

"Glory to God in the highest".

A Christmas Devotion #5

Isaiah 9:6,7 “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of Peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this”.

What an unbelievable portion of scripture this is. There is so much prophecy in this Messianic text that we could delve into but it is the phrase, "There will be no end to the increase of His government or of Peace" that we shall fix our gaze upon. If there is anything that the enemy will try to rob us of, it is peace. Unfortunately, at this time of the year many people are losing their peace and getting stressed over things. Whether it is looking for that perfect gift for someone, only to find someone else got the last one or worrying about the financial implications of the season, a lack of inner tranquility seems to raise its ugly head. It is saddening that our peace can be taken from us, in what should be the most peaceful season of all. We sometimes need to take a step back and look at who is the ‘reason for the season’ and who it is that we joyfully serve. It is a Lord whose increase of Peace will never cease in its expansion. Peace ever-increasing! That is something we simply can’t understand. I say, ‘thank the Lord for the fact that we can’t fathom His Peace’. The Word of God tells us that the Lord will give us the Peace that surpasses all understanding. Just take a moment to think about that. If God gave us a peace that we could understand via our own intellect, it would not really be the peace we need. It has to be a peace that surpasses understanding, a peace that we can’t bring under the submission of our own knowledge. This type of peace we can truly rest in, knowing that the Lord’s Peace to us is a gift that is far above anything we can comprehend.

The 1^st Century writer Epictetus said this: "While the emperor may give peace from war on land and sea, he is unable to give peace from passion, grief, and envy; he cannot give peace of heart, for which man yearn for more than even outward peace."

Don't let your Peace be robbed from you this Christmas season but look to the Ancient of Days who will never cease to increase in Peace.

A Christmas Devotion #4

Luke 2:10-11; But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord".

Have you ever felt special? Have you ever had that moment when everything is about you? Where all of the affection in your world seems to be directed towards yourself…..

Well, growing up I felt special every time December 25th rolled around. Waking up Christmas morning in a home full of joy, love and excitement. Trying my hardest to get to the presents as fast as I could only to be prevented by the Christmas routine of looking in every room but the room with the tree in, just in case there had been presents left there. This childlike frustration/anticipation only added to the growing glee with my heart. Whether I was unwrapping all of the He-Man Figures that I had asked Santa for, or as I grew older and saw the love that my family showed, by picking out gifts that they knew I would love, I always felt special. Opening these gifts as a child felt like the best time of my life because I felt so loved. I felt special at the dinner table wearing my tacky paper hat, sitting next to my granddad as we would all partake in the meal and Christmas pudding that my mam had made for us. As a child I felt like that day was just for me. Sure my brother and sister had a great time too, and the day was for them as much as it was for me, but, I felt like it was all done for me. This feeling that I have had over the years on this day (which I am sure many of you share) was an overwhelming sense of joy and personal elation.

Now, as the years pass by these feelings find a new deeper root within the very citadel of my soul when I read passages such as Luke 2:10-11. "Today in the city of David there has been born for you a Saviour"; this blows my mind. The angel from the Lord was very specific when he said "born for you". It tells us of the very deliberate plan of Christ, that He came to this earth as a Saviour for you and for me. Verses such as these only go to add to the already highly personal plan that God has for our lives. You can imagine how special these shepherds felt when the angel came to say these things to them? As we read on in the text we see something extraordinary happen. A heavenly host, a multitude of angels appeared proclaiming peace on earth and goodwill to all men. Around 1264, Thomas Aquinas penned these words in a hymn; “Panis angelicus, fit panis hominum, Dat panis cœlicus”. (Bread of the Angels, Is made bread for mankind; Gifted bread of Heaven). Truly, in this moment the ‘bread of Angels’ was given to us….. Our true Bread of Life, Christ Jesus.

My prayer this Christmas, is that you will feel like the special chosen person in Christ that you are and that you will have great joy this Christmas season because there has been a Saviour born for YOU!

A Christmas Devotion #3

Isaiah 42:1; "Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My Elect one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations".

In England we have a chocolate covered variation of Turkish Delight which is one of sweetest and most delicious bars of sugary goodness I have ever tasted. As a child entering into the confectionery shop it would always be the candy bar that would carry a unique ‘aura of specialness’. To the point that if you purchased it over any other candy, you would leave the local shop feeling giddy. And yet, although my young taste buds delighted in consuming my sweet purchase, it was a delight that lacked depth and gone as soon as it had arrived. However, if I could bottle the delight I felt and magnify it several thousand times, I may scratch the surface of the depth of delight that we find here in Isaiah, as he pens words about the coming Messiah.

What a blessing it must have been for the Father to say this about His Son. The part of the verse which stands out to me here is, "My Elect one in whom My soul delights". This really gives us a picture of how the Father feels about His Beloved Son. Not only does it state that Jesus was the Elect One, the only one that could come to this earth and give Himself as an offering on our behalf to save our lives, but also, that the Father delights in His son. This reminds me of Jesus' Baptism, where the Spirit of God descended upon Jesus like a dove and a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased". Notice that this statement from the Father comes before Jesus had started His earthly ministry. This is a proud Father indeed.

For all of us that are found in Christ, this principle applies to us. No matter what we do here on earth, whether it be good acts that we do or in the times that we stumble, it does not change the fact that we have a God that loves us beyond our wildest comprehension. Not only this, but I am convinced that His soul delights in those who are found in Christ, who have been chosen to be the Fragrance of Christ. (That notion is still a mystery to me. Why the Father would choose us to play a part in making Christ ‘smell good’).

God can delight in us due to the obedience of His Son, Jesus Christ, that came in the flesh and dwelt among us. Let us be joyful together this Christmas season that Jesus Christ our Lord has given us this opportunity to delight God's Soul. 

A Christmas Devotion #2

Luke 2:6,7; “While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the Inn.”

The world can be a pretty cruel place sometimes and rejection is one of the things that many of us struggle with. It is not hard to have a rejection complex if for instance, as a child you grew up without one or even any of your parents around. Or, if you had friends that pushed you aside in favour of their own needs and desires. These events in our lives leave their mark. It's so easy for us to just give up and quit trying when everything seems to be going against us. This fruitless path of least resistance seems to be one that we choose with peculiar regularity.

Now, on this particular night everyone was rejecting Joseph and Mary as they searched for a place for Mary to give birth. As a husband and father of two, I could only imagine the frustration and rejection I would feel if nobody would provide a place for one of my children to be born. However, this birth that Luke is talking about isn’t just any child that was going to be born, it was the Christ, the Saviour of the World; even so, rejection was not far away. Like a lion waiting for the moment to strike his prey, Satan was readying his assault. And in the midst of all the rejection of this evening, the scriptures never point out that Joseph and Mary lost control and simply decided to throw in the towel, they simply kept looking for somewhere that would accept them, rather than reject them. We must remember that the nature of this fallen planet and the evil prince that is at work here, WILL always offer us the hand of rejection rather than acceptance. It was Jesus himself that told us ‘not to be surprised when the world hates us, because the world first hated Him’. This is what we deal with every day. But, thanks to our Lord, we are more than conquerors and can accomplish all things in Christ who strengthens us.

When you find that there is 'No Room' for you, turn to Christ your redeemer and you will find more acceptance than you could ever imagine.

A Christmas Devotion #1

Matthew 2:10,11; “When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshipped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh”. 

Don’t you just love starting a new journey? I remember as kids how excited we would be sitting in the back of the car playing our imaginary musical instruments as we waited for our destination. I have often wondered what the Magi were thinking as they started out on their journey to find a King. Full of excitement and a knowledge that something great was just ahead. 

After seeing the Star in the sky that would guide them to the birth place of this King we are told that they ‘rejoiced greatly’. What a great journey this was turning out to be for them. Although it was a long journey and many scholars suggest that Jesus would be around 2 years old when they arrived in Bethlehem; this must have been a journey where every step was worth it's weight in gold. Surely the Magi could not be blamed if they had been looking for a palace to find this King, after all where else would a King be born. A palace of some grandiose proportion would be fitting, and yet, it seems that they find the Child with His mother in a regular Judean house. The place that they found the Child was obviously not important to the Magi, just look at what was really in their hearts when they eventually arrived at the birth place of Jesus. "They fell down to the ground and worshipped Him". These wise men, were just that, wise. They weren't bothered where this star led them, as long as it led them to the King. The Bible does not say that these men fell to the ground in the presence of Herod, even though he was at the height of his ‘royal grandeur’. Worship belongs to God and God alone. Man, angel or demon does not deserve nor warrant our worship. After worshipping Christ they presented their treasures. Notice that they humbled themselves and laid themselves down before presenting their gifts. It is the same with us too. Every man must humbly submit himself to Christ first and when we have done this we will have no problem laying down our treasures before him. After all, the crowns that we receive when we move on into eternity will be most glorified at His feet. 

When was the last time we fell to the ground and worshipped Him and did what these wise men did? This should be something that we should do more often, not just at Christmas time when we are reminded of these scriptures, but throughout the year. We might be surprised at the dreams, visions and words that God will give us when we humble ourselves like the Magi. Who, let us not forget, also  received divine intervention from God about their journey back home. 

Never be ashamed to fall on the ground before your maker.