The Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Joseph was a righteous man and didn’t want to expose Mary publicly and disgrace her, he decided in his mind to divorce her quietly.  Before he could do this an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said ‘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 son.’

When Joseph woke up he went to Mary and took her as his wife, he did not sleep with her until Jesus was born.

Before Jesus was born both Joseph and Mary had to go to Judea as Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world, and each person should go to the place of their birth.  Now Joseph and Mary were getting ready to leave, Joseph woke up early and went outside and prepared the fire, he took some water and placed it in a clay pot and warmed the water for his wife Mary.  Bring the water to her so she could wash and get ready for the long walk to Judea.

‘Good morning my love, did you sleep well?’  Joseph asked as he walked over to Mary where she was sleeping in her bed.

‘Hmm, yes thank you and how was your night?’ Mary asked as she lay watching her husband put the warm water down on a table next to her bed.  She sat up and put her feet on the ground, taking the blankets off as she moved to the table and poured warm water into a basis.  Joseph looked at her and then turned and walked out of the house.  Mary washed and got dressed, after making her bed and Joseph’s bed she walked out of the house and looked for Joseph.  He was busy getting all the provision together for the long walk to Judea.

Taking his staff and walking next to Mary they left their home and walked to the main road.  It was still dark outside there were a couple of people walking with them, the company started to grow as the day grow older.  With the sun beating down on them they took refuse in the shade of the olive trees alongside the road.  Every now and then a garrison of soldiers would come rushing past them on their way to Judea.  These patrols were out to make sure there were no muggings or murders during this time.  

Finally Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem and it was packed to the rafters, people were all over the place, you couldn’t find an open spot.  The stood in long queues waiting to register and then be on their way.  Both Joseph and Mary stood in the queues registration took a while and the people had to have their own refreshments with them to sustain them.

While they were in Bethlehem Mary started her labour pains, Joseph looked for somewhere they could stay but the places where full, there was no place for her to give birth to her son.  That night in the square she went into labour and her son Jesus was born.  After she wrapped Him in cloths and placed him in a manger. 

There were shepherds living in fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  As an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, ‘do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you:  You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.’

In awe the shepherded stood and saw the angel leave back into heaven they said one to another ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’

Show me Your purpose for my life Lord God.

Good morning Darlings.  Hmm I love the sound of the birds singing in the trees, the sound of their happy songs fill my heart with peace and joy.  God made these little birds to sing early in the morning proclaiming a new day, bright and pleasing to man and God.  How awesome it is to wake up again and enjoy the peace and quiet early in the morning.  The children are still sleeping, the kittens popped by to say hello, the sky is blue with beautiful white clouds hanging around, the sun peaked out but is undercover by the white clouds.  I was reading 1 Kings 3: 4 – 28.  King Solomon was sleeping and God came to him during the night while he lay sleeping.  Speaking to King Solomon in his dream God asked King Solomon ‘Ask for whatever you want me to give you.’  Then Solomon spoke to God and he answered God ‘You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart.  You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.  Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David.  But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.  Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.  For who is able to govern this great people of yours?’

It is my desire to truly know what God has placed within me, and how much am I able to bear.  I am constantly wanting to know what my purpose in this life is.  Who should I be and Lord God I want to ask You plainly what is Your plan for my life at this stage in my life.  

I pray Father God to please reveal to me the plans You have for my life, what is my purpose in this life and do I have enough strength to bear the burdens You have place on me.  Lord I pray;  please answer me quickly, O LORD, my spirit fails me.  Don’t hide Your Face from me or I will surely die.  Lord God show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul.  Teach me Lord to do Your Will, for You are my God, may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.  For Your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life, in Your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.  I ask this in Your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.  In the Holy Name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.

My cup overflows!! Praise the Lord

King David wrote in Psalm 23 ‘You (The Lord God) anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life.’

God is wonderful and His mercy is new every day.  When God anoints our heads it means His supernatural favour is on us.  This oil makes it easy for us to move forward in life, with God’s anointing on my life I am able to face each day and enjoy the blessings He has in store for me.

Joel Osteen mentioned that with oil we can make things fluid and because it is fluid they flow.  Imagine you are actually fluid because of God’s anointing on your head.  

It is my prayer that you will have a blessed day and that all the supernatural favour of God will be on You today.  We can only be grateful for God’s supernatural favour in our lives, thank You Lord in the name of Your Son Jesus Christ.  You are awesome Lord.

John's birth

Mary laughed and started to sing:  ‘ My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.  From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me – holy is his name.  His mercy extends to those who fear him.  He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.  He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.  He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.  He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.’

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for four months, during this time Elizabeth gave birth to John the Baptist.

Elizabeth gave birth to her little boy John and all her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

Little baby John was circumcised on the eight day and they were going to name him Zechariah but Elizabeth spoke up and said ‘No! He is to be called John.’

Her friends and relatives said but there is no one in your family called Johan.

Zechariah’s mouth opened and he said “praise God” their friends were amazed and filled with awe.

Thank you Lord

Come Lord Jesus, Come we pray!

This month I want to focus on the Lord Jesus Christ birth and the knowledge that we are saved by grace through the Lord Jesus Christ.  I want to think about what it must be to have the surety that when we move on into the eternal life we are in God’s house with the Lord Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit and Father God.

John 1:  12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God –

A meeting was called in heaven and God had it minuted that the Angel Gabriel was to go to earth and speak to the young virgin girl Mary who was pledge to be married to a man named Joseph.  Mary was cleaning the house when she heard a knock on her parents front door.  On opening the door she saw the Angel Gabriel.  ‘Greeting, you who are highly favoured!  The Lord is with you.’ Gabriel greeted her.  Mary ‘good day sir, please come in and sit down.  May I offer you something to drink.’  The angel came into the house and sat down. ‘Mary don’t be afraid, you have found favour with God.  You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name of Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, his kingdom will never end.’  Eyes wide Mary said ‘How can that be I am a virgin?’  Blushing as she looked at the angel Gabriel.  Gabriel looked at her and said ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.  So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.  Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth mount.  For nothing is impossible with God.’

Mary answered ‘I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said.’  The Angel Gabriel smiled at her and said he needed to leave.  

Mary quickly got ready and left her home to go and visit Elizabeth.  When she got to Zechariah’s house she called out ‘Good afternoon Elizabeth.’  When Elizabeth heard Mary’s voice the baby in her womb leaped.  Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and in a loud voice she exclaimed ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed I the child you will bear!’  She turned and looked at Mary ‘why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for you.  Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.’

We are going into the season of joy and I want to encourage you today to keep your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  We are His children bought by His blood.

May you have a blessed day and may the peace, joy and love of the Lord follow you this month and the coming year.