Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

by Greg Wooddell

December 17, 2012

Scripture Reading: Matthew 1:18-25

God gives each of us gifts and trusts us to do His will.  If He calls us, we are to obey.  We are to give an account to God as to how we used His gift.  As for Rebecca and I, we tried for 5 years to have a baby; and with lots of prayer and faith, we now have Jacob. As Hannah committed Samuel to God in

I Samuel 1:11, so Rebecca and I have committed Jacob. Our son has been a blessing to our lives and has provided us with a testimony to God's grace and power. 

In February 2012, Jacob became very ill and was admitted into CHKD.  Numerous procedures and blood tests were performed, and by the morning of day 6, the doctors told us that the latest test results looked very bad and that Jacob may not live. The doctors were at a loss, but after consulting with the infectious disease specialists, they thought that Jacob may have contracted Kawasaki's Disease. After a long consult, and as a last resort, a spinal tap had to be performed for further testing, along with a 12 hour infusion of IVIG treatment.  They told us the IVIG treatment was not guaranteed to work; and if the diagnosis was incorrect, it could harm Jacob further.

     So we were left with a very hard decision—to either let things go as they were and pray for the best, or to try this treatment that could go either way. The doctors told us we needed to make a decision very soon as we were approaching a critical time window. If we didn't act, it would be too late.  We prayed for God to make the decision for us and not to leave it up to us.  We prayed for God to present us with an answer, that in our hearts, would tell us what to do.

Within the next couple of hours, God would show us the answer through many signs and wonders. Scriptures came to Rebecca's remembrance that helped affirm our decision. In addition, several doctor shared that if this were their child, they would have the IVIG treatment done.  All of these signs were the answer we were waiting for.  God spoke directly to us through His scripture and through the doctors responses, and we chose to go through with the treatment.

The spinal tap was done, and the IVIG treatment began that night. We were told that we would see results of the treatment by the next morning but that did not happen.  This was day 7 and Jacob was not improving at all and again, the doctors were at a loss.  They were considering beginning a second treatment of IVIG as they did not know of anything else to try. We put out the word of what was happening and asked our family and friends to pray for Jacob's healing. 
 

Jacob continued to decline for the couple of hours but then all of the sudden, about 9:30 am, we noticed Jacob starting to improve.  He was actually asking for food (which he didn't want any part of before) his color started to return, and he wanted to get out of bed and play in the window seat of his hospital room.  We were in awe and praised God for this miraculous turn of events.  It wasn't until later, we discovered that Calvary Baptist Church held a prayer service for Jacob shortly after receiving news of the failed IVIG treatment. 

When Jacob didn't respond to the IVIG treatment, we sent out a plea for everyone to pray. What we didn't realize was that the entire Sunday School and Worship Service was then dedicated to prayer for Jacob. Little did we know that when the whole church began praying for Jacob, that was the exact moment of his miraculous recovery. So with our faith in God and with support from our christian family and friends, I can truly say that prayer for Jacob worked where no man's medicines or doctors could heal him. With our faith in God that He would see us through this, Jacob began improving and did not need any further treatments.  Jacob had his ups and downs after that and remained in the hospital for 2 more days but recovered enough for him to be released on the 9th day. 

We owe everything to God as He is the ultimate healer.  Without God in our lives and the lives of our friends, I do not believe things would have turned out as they did. We must entrust God with our lives. 

There was one man that God entrusted with the life of His own Son, and that man was Joseph.  When Joseph discovered that his future wife was with child (Matthew 1:18-25), Joseph was heart broken at this news; but rather than put Mary through public disgrace (Deuteronomy 22:23-24), he decided to divorce her quietly.  After much unrest, when Joseph finally did sleep, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

When Joseph woke up, he believed God and did what we are all supposed to do—to trust in the Lord, to have faith in His works, and to obey. Joseph took Mary as his wife and she gave birth to our Savior on Christmas morning. Rebecca and I both did what the Lord commanded and prayed and had faith in God's healing powers (James 5:15).

Just as Rebecca and I can now use this life experience as a testimony to God's power, love , and grace; do not doubt that whatever you may be going through in life, may be used in the same way someday. May we all have the faith of Joseph, to trust and obey in situations that don't make sense to us or to others, but that are clearly outlined in God's big plan!
 

Flashlight: A Look into Passover

December 16, 2012

Today's Scripture Reading: Exodus 12:1-14

Have you ever given your children hints about their gifts under the Christmas tree? Let's face it, we all like a hint! It's part of human nature—inquiring minds want to know! This fact fuels much of the media, magazine, and tabloid industry. People want that juicy bit of gossip, or that spoiler, or the down-low on the most recent scandal. In fact, wasn't it this desire that first got Eve on Satan's hook? In Genesis 3:5, he told her, “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Fortunately, God who made us, understood well the human inclination for clues about upcoming events. For that reason, the Old Testament is wrought with signs of the coming Redeemer and what he would do for those who put their faith in Him. Those clues are like the beam of a flashlight shining into the future, creating a “shadow” of what is to come, and perhaps, the greatest of these shadows came with the institution of the Passover.

In our previous studies, we have already looked at the events that led up to the slavery of Israel in Egypt. Now, as slaves, the Israelites are holding tight to the promise given long ago—the promise of a deliverer. God sends that deliverer in the person of Moses, and through the obedience of Moses, he provides the sign of the passover. The passover pointed to the the ultimate deliverer, Jesus Christ.

The passover took place as the last plague of Egypt was about to strike. Because Pharaoh would not let the people go, God was going to send the angel of death to take all of Egypt's first born. In order that the children of Israel would be spared, they were to kill a lamb and spread it's blood with hyssop over the lentils and doorposts of their homes. When the angel of death saw this sign, he would “pass over” that home. In addition, the passover was to take place at sunset and proceed until the end of the next morning. By the end of that time, all of the lamb was to be consumed.

So how is the passover a “hint”? Consider these similarities.

Hint 1) When John the Baptist saw Christ approaching, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) During the passover, a lamb was slain in each household, providing an individual portion for each person. When Christ was killed for us on the cross, he provided each individual an opportunity to be freed from sin, if they would only repent of their sins and accept Him into their heart and life!

Hint 2) The blood of the lamb was spread with hyssop over the doorposts and lentils. The angel of death saw this sign and “passed over” each marked home. Likewise, when a Christian faces death, Christ blood is visible over his heart, and he is spared the deserved punishment for his sins.

Hint 3) The use of hyssop is also a clue. In Psalm 51:7, David writes: “Cleanse me with hyssop and I will be clean, wash me and I will be whiter than snow.” Hyssop is a strong smelling herb that is associated with healing. Christ's blood, when applied to our hearts, heals us from sin.

Hint 4) The times set for the passover are mirrored by the suffering and death of the Lord. The meal of the passover lamb was to be taken at sunset. Christ took the passover meal with his disciples. Later that night the soldier's took him. The passover meal was to be entirely consumed by the end of the following morning. Just before noon on the day He was crucified, Christ cried, “It is finished!”

How blessed we are to have a Heavenly parent who gave us such marvelous insights of His love for us. These insights took place throughout Biblical history, and then were mercifully recorded for all generations, through His holy and inspired word ,the Bible. Don't miss this hint! If you haven't already, follow the flashlight's beam to the gift of Christmas. Accept Jesus Christ personally today!

Advent Lullaby

December 15, 2012

Scripture Reading: Philippians 2: 5-11

Advent Lullaby

by Sarah Jinright

(1)

Little Baby, light of the world,

How dark this world must seem.

Did You paint Mary's womb with stars

To warm You while You dreamed?

Did You cry at the cold of the midnight air,

Creator of the sun?

Did Your baby eyes know the future of all,

Little Holy One?

(2)

Little Baby, You are the door

Through which all men must pass,

To know the mystery of time

That's been like a darkened glass.

When the shepherds came, did You feel a chill

Through the drafty, open stall?

For only wrapped in swaddling clothes

Lay the Holy Lord of all!

(3)

Little Baby, Master of all,

A servant You've become.

When Joseph held Your tiny form,

Did You long for Your Father at home?

As You drifted to sleep, did You dream of the day

Your earthly work was done?

When You would return in glory and power—

Jesus, Holy One!

(refrain)

Ten thousand angels sang at Your coming,

And a star shone Your infinite light!

Ancients asleep in the temple

Woke from their dreams that night.

“Messiah!” rang the hilltops.

“Salvation! God Most High!”

Sleeps in a bed of animal's hay—

Sleeps among men nearby.

The Christmas Afghan

The Christmas Afghan

A personal story

by Sarah Jinright

December 14, 2012

Scripture Reading: Luke 6:20-38

The project hadn't started out related to Christmas at all; in fact, my family called it “the millennium blanket” because the afghan took me three years to crochet. This king-sized monstrosity kept my fingers busy during most of my college breaks, until finally, after the New Year in 2000, I finished it. Months later, I packed it into a box and loaded it onto the moving truck that would take me to my first real job as a high school teacher in Virginia.

The afghan assumed a proud place in my new home. Folded over a loveseat where it caught the streaming afternoon sun, I often came home from teaching and smiled to remember my distant family. Seeing the afghan there reminded me of all the love and laughter that had surrounded me while I stitched its many, many rows. In that way, it rescued me from home sickness, and before I knew it, the Christmas season had arrived. My new church had an interesting tradition. Every year, members donated crafts to a silent auction and had a “Christmas for Others” dinner. The proceeds from the auction were divided amongst the church's missionaries in a bonus Christmas check.

Though I had not been prepared for the first auction, I decided I would participate in the next. I bought yarn in country red, blue, and off-white; and began an ambitious American Flag pattern. Then, about a third of the way through my project, Walmart discontinued my yarn colors. Consequently, my project fell by the wayside, and before I knew it, it was Christmas time again.

On the day of the “Christmas for Others” banquet, I walked into my bedroom and shrugged. It really was too bad I didn't have anything to donate. And then my eyes fell on the millennium blanket.

A still, small Voice said, “Oh yes, you do.”

And I answered the Voice out loud, “Oh no, I don't.”

A battle of the heart ensued. For most of the afternoon, I fought the notion that I knew the Lord had placed in my heart. Finally, I gave in. My four roommates witnessed quite a scene. I marched the afghan out onto the back porch to air it, tears streaming down my face. With shame, I recall that my gift that year, was not given graciously.

Nevertheless, the afghan went for a good price. What was done was done, and Christmas rolled into New Years without too much more thought on the matter. When I returned to Virginia after a pleasant Christmas with family, my roommates and I gathered around our little tree to exchange late holiday surprises. When my turn came, my roommates grinned like four Cheshire cats, and presented me with one large box.

Inside, the box was the Christmas afghan! Apparently, they had conspired with someone in the church, to use their funds to buy the blanket back for me. From that moment on, the afghan's significance changed for me.

I was stunned with this thought—this simple, well known, trivialized thought: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his ONLY BEGOTTEN SON.” At Christmas time we celebrate God's great gift to mankind. God gave his best and his only Son for us. Thirty-three years later, Christ returned to Heaven as only He could, in VICTORY, having conquered sin and left mankind with hope—not just for eternal redemption, but for intimacy with Himself.

A decade later, the Christmas afghan continues to remind me of God's great gift and of His goodness toward me. Every time I look at it, I am also reminded that anything given to God will always be returned far better than I could imagine it.

In September 2011, I got the Christmas afghan out early, on September 5^th, to be exact. It was the day my husband kissed me and our children goodbye, the day he put his hand on my belly and spoke love to our unborn son, the day he headed off to Navy boot camp. Though my heart was absolutely certain that Wade was following God's plan for our family, seeing him go was indescribably difficult. He was (and is!) the most precious thing that I have in this life, but by God's grace, I'd let him go—not grudgingly—but with a willing heart.

That night, as I draped the afghan over my bed, I thanked God for a life lesson, given at Christmas time more than a decade before. The lesson it represented had been recalled again and again through the coldest seasons of my life. “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:38)

God loves a cheerful giver! This Christmas, give to all and especially to God with a willing heart, and trust Him to return your gifts to you with eternal dividends!

Prayer for Belief in a Dark World

December 13, 2012

Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:1-12, 38-48

Prayer for Belief in a Dark World

by Ceceilia Jones

Father,

We live in a dark world—

a world of evil.

Help us

to rightly remember

the birth of JESUS

that we may share in the song of the angels,

the gladness of the shepherds,

and the worship of the wise men.

Close the doors of hate

and open the doors of love all over the world.

Deliver us from evil,

by the blessing that CHRIST brings,

and teach us to be merry

with clean hearts.

Amen.

The Greatest Promise Ever Kept

The Greatest Promise Ever Kept

A Christmas Meditation

by Sarah Jinright

December 12, 2012

Scripture Reading: Matthew 1

“But Mom! You PROMISED!” Have your children ever said this to you? Much to our chagrin, our children often remind us of our own words. Then, we are inclined to act on promises made foolishly and casually—sometimes, so much so, that we say something like this: “I don't remember even talking to you about that!”

Do you ever get to a genealogy in Scripture and become bored? I've been guilty of this many times; however this year, when I read over Matthew 1, I was struck by the scope of time that these genealogies represented.

God promised Abraham that through his future generations, the redeemer would be born, and all the nations of the earth would be blessed. Abraham waited almost 20 years for the son of that promise. Then the wait for Christ the Redeemer began. Abraham lived long enough to see Isaac have twin sons. Isaac lived long enough to meet Jacob's 12 sons. Jacob lived long enough to bless Joseph's sons who had been born in Egypt.

The promise then passed through 400 years of slavery, through the years of wilderness wanderings, through the years of prophets and judges, and finally to King David. At that time, the promise was renewed, when God promised David that the throne would never pass from his blood line. That promise was kept in the person of Christ, but not for another 28 generations, during which time Israel passed through doubt, disobedience, and several captivities.

Often, I've wondered why Israel couldn't “just believe” God's Word and His promises, but recently I've realized that I should not be so quick to judge! Every year at Christmas time, we celebrate that “the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise . . .” Yet the saints of the Old Testament waited hundreds of years for the story that we take for granted. We never have had to a consider a winter season without remembering Mary and Joseph hovering in awe over the gift of their newborn son, or the shepherds left stunned on a hillside having just seen the sight of their dull lives, or the wise men dredging through desert sand to give gifts to a King that was prophesied by a star.

I'm reminded of a story I loved as a child—The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe—in which C.S. Lewis wrote that Narnia had become a land where it was “always winter but never Christmas.”The Israelites lived through life times of winters that had no Christmases, and they were fallible in their ability to believe through a long period of waiting. They're not so different from us, are they?

The good news is that God is God, and He never changes! Hebrew 13:8 says “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” We may forget God's promises, but He never does, no matter how much time passes.

Hebrews 11:13 gives this shining report of the Old Testament saints, “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.”

As these men and women looked FORWARD with faith in God's promises, may we look BACK and take note of how God has faithfully kept his promise through the gift of His Son. Having received the “new promise,” may we move ahead, trusting that God will continue to keep His promises to us every single day!

Great Expectations

Great Expectations

by Rebecca Wooddell

December 11, 2012

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:30-33

Mary was described in scripture as highly favored in the eyes of God and because of that, she was given an amazing charge.  She was to be the mother of God’s own son!  The responsibility and implications are staggering. What if God had asked you?  Mary was obedient and willing, truly a beautiful spirit. Mary was charged to raise Jesus in a manner pleasing to God and worthy of His calling. 

As Mary was charged in the rearing of Jesus, so are we charged in the training up of our own children and future generations.  God blesses us with little ones, just as He blessed Mary, and He has great expectations.  Like Mary, we should be obedient and willing to follow God’s lead in the direction of our children’s lives.  Every child that crosses the path of our lives does so with a purpose, whether it be our own children, grandchildren, students, neighbors or church youth.  We are responsible to do everything in our ability to point them in the direction of their Heavenly Father. 

Trusting in God and in His plan, we must consider the future of those children in our care. Just as Mary must have been in awe at the future of Jesus, God also has great plans in store for those He loves and calls. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

We must look to God for guidance just as the wise men looked to the star that night so long ago.  The bright star was a brilliant symbol of God’s hope, promise, and love.  As Mary held the Light of the World in her arms, with her heart bursting with love and joy, she must have gazed at that star and felt the great expectation of His life. 

The star may no longer be visible in the sky to lead others to Christ, but we are visible.  We are called to be beacons of light in a dark world. Matthew 5:14-16 says, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they many see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Let us shine for Jesus this season, being obedient to His call, and vigilant to His direction.  Let us also trust God in the beautiful plan He has for each of our lives, and let us hope in the future of every child that God allows to touch our lives.