December 25, 2023

Christmas Miracles–Right on Time

Hi Friend! Merry Christmas. As many struggles as this year has had, it has given me a desire to marinate on the Jesus’ birth story with a fresh perspective. He was born in such a dark time, like now. I am in awe. Let’s explore together  studying these Matthew 1 and Luke 2 miracles.

You may have already known this, but I didn’t realize between the end of the Old Testament with Malachi to the beginning of the New Testament with Matthew and the story of Jesus, there was a 400-year gap of silence. Four hundred years of God not speaking through the prophets!

It may seem like God has been silent. May we be encouraged that when God speaks and acts, He’s right on time–not too late and not too early.

Buckle up. I packed a lot in this post. 🙂

1. Birth of Jesus Christ

A. Why Bethlehem? Luke 2:1-6; Prophesied 700+ years earlier in Micah 5:2-5–incredible.

B. Why Joseph? Luke 2:4, 16, 33. Matthew 2:13, 13:55-58. Not much is written about Joseph. We know from Matthew 13 that he was a carpenter and he and Mary had seven children. God chose him as the strong, gentle, silent, loyal leader and husband.

C. Why was there no room in the inn? Luke 2:   With all the people coming from the region to register for the Roman Census, all the inns were full. I can empathize with the Inn-Keeper. He was a busy business leader who was doing his best to accommodate Mary and Joseph with a cave/stable.

  • I love this The Inn-Keeper’s Perspective from Frederick Buechner’s  book Magnificent Defeat, “The Birth” chapter: “…So when the baby came I was not around, and I saw none of it…All your life long, you wait for your own True Love to come–our destiny, our heart’s desire…When he came, I missed him. ‘Pray for me, brothers and sisters. Pray for the Inn-Keeper. Pray for me, and for us all, my own true love.'”
  • How am I like the Inn Keeper? Why do I leave no room for Jesus?
  • What can I do to make more room for Jesus in my life, my schedule, my bank account?

2. The Shepherds and the Angels

A. Why Shepherds as the first witnesses?  Luke 2: 8-14. Prophesied in Micah 4:8. Shepherds  were humble, lowly, outcasts. It’s fitting that they would be the first witnesses of His birth.  Jesus is also our Great Shepherd.

B. Why Swaddling cloths? Luke 2:7, 12.  Swaddling cloths were wrapped around sheep paws to cover the blemishes. It’s beautifully that Jesus as our Sacrificial Lamb was wrapped in those swaddling cloths.

C. Why Suddenly? Luke 2: 13. When God calls, He often does miracles suddenly. We respond suddenly and with haste. (Luke 1: 39, Luke 4:39, Acts 2:2)

  1. What  miracles has God performed suddenly in your life or in the Bible?
  2. How can I respond “suddenly” like the shepherds and tell everyone what God has done?

3. The Wise Men—Matthew 2: 1-12

A. Why them? Well-respected, well-educated members of society.

B. Why did they wait to see Jesus? It was almost two years since Jesus birth. Traveled about 1000 miles to see him at home in Nazareth.

C. Why gold, frankincense and myrrh?

  1. Read “We Three Kings” lyrics–Gold for a King; Frankincense for a High Priest/Deity; Myrrh for Sacrifice as embalming fluid to symbolize His death.
  2. What meaningful gifts can I give my loved ones? Can I give to Jesus? My heart.

D. Why did they go back home a different way? To protect Jesus from being killed by Herod.

4. Jesus Presented at the Temple–Luke 2:22-38

A. Why were there two turtledoves? Luke 2:24. A sacrificial offering for his birth.  “Twelve Days of Christmas” are all symbolic of our “True Love”–Jesus.

B. Why Simeon? Luke 2:25. Only time he is mentioned. Approx. 112 years old. Devout and righteous. The Holy Spirit prophesied through him to them. God loves to do extraordinary through the ordinary.

C. Why Anna? Luke 2:36-38. Only time she is mentioned. She was approximately 104 years old. A prophetess who prayed and fasted day and night.

  1. What set Anna and Simeon apart? A. Available to be used by God; B. Attuned to the Holy Spirit; C. Agile; D. Humble.
  2. How can God use me, an ordinary person, to do the extraordinary, like Anna and Simeon?

May we reflect on the miracles of this Christmas like never before. For an added blessing, please enjoy this Christmas Pilot episode of The Chosen called “The Shepherd.” Notice how bright the Christmas Star was to guide the shepherds to Jesus.

Merry Christmas, friends!

December 10, 2023

Christmas Miracles–Four Lessons Learned from Mary and her Relative Elizabeth in Luke 1

Happy December!  I get so excited about the Christmas season.

I also get so excited about the Christmas story in Luke 2—the angel, the manger, the shepherds, Mary, Joseph, the wise men, AND sweet baby Jesus’s birth. As we read Luke 2, I also love reading the inspiring story of Elizabeth and John the Baptist in Luke 1. I see a story of struggle and God’s miracle. The kind of story I love. The kind of story I live and can relate to.

Three of my favorite verses are found throughout this Luke 1 chapter. I never realized how much was in that chapter foretelling John the Baptist’s and Jesus’ birth.

Zechariah was a priest, and his wife Elizabeth had not been able to get pregnant. An angel appeared to Zechariah and told him not to be afraid (if I saw an angel I’d be afraid also), and that his prayer had been heard. I love that.

The angel told him he would have a son, name him John.

“He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord…and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.” –Luke 1:14, 15.

Zechariah doubted the angel, asking:

“How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” –Luke 1:18.

Ouch. How many times do I doubt God’s promises, God’s goodness, God’s faithfulness? My “soul holes” of doubt speak louder than my faith.

Because Zechariah doubted, he was struck silent for her whole pregnancy. People in the temple could tell he had seen a vision. He made signs with his hands but could not speak.

His sweet wife Elizabeth became pregnant and remained in seclusion for five months. Her response was,

“The Lord has done this for me.” –Luke 1:25.

Amen. What profound gratitude.

Six months into Elizabeth’s pregnancy, the angel Gabriel visits Elizabeth’s young relative Mary in a little town of Nazareth. The angel Gabriel told Mary she would give birth to a son named Jesus.

“He will be great and will be called Son of the most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David…His Kingdom will never end.” –Luke 1:32, 33b.

Mary asked the angel how it would happen since she was a virgin. The angel’s response is so encouraging.

“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 month. For nothing is impossible with God.”  —Luke 1:36, 37.

AMEN! Mary’s response is one of my favorite in the entire Bible.

“’I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.’ Then the angel left her.” –Luke 1:38.

Can you imagine being 13 or 14 years old, as Mary was, and having the kind of Spirit-filled faith to be that obedient? She is such an inspiring testament of faith.

Then Mary went to visit Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s voice, the baby inside of her leaped, and Elizabeth was filled with the holy Spirit. Elizabeth encouraged Mary, saying in a LOUD voice:

“Blessed are you among women and blessed is the child you will bear!….” –Luke 1:42.

Elizabeth declared another one of my favorite verses:

“Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” –Luke 1:45.

Friend, what can we learn from this passage so full of miracles and wisdom?

1) God hears our prayers. The angel affirmed Zechariah first by saying his prayer had been heard. Every prayer is heard, no matter how short the prayers are and how desperately we cry out to God.

2)Whatever in our life seems “barren,” God provides life in that barren spot. Nothing is impossible with God. For me it’s my singleness. God fills my “barren spot” and heart’s desire for a husband. You may have a “barren” relationship or a yearning for a child. God fills that soul hole, even on days that are hard, especially at Christmas.

3) May we always give God the praise. Like Elizabeth who had prayed for years to be pregnant, “The Lord has done this for me.” All comes from Him.

4) May we have the humility and faith like Mary to be totally obedient. Not only did she say she was the Lord’s servant. She declared her total surrender. “May it be to me as you have said.”

Oh, I pray so for me and you also. Total surrender.

It was for Mary. It will be for us also if we surrender our will. May Thy will, not my will, be done.

Merry Christmas, friend.

Reflect:

–What seems “barren” in your life? What seems impossible? Please comment.

–What prayers do you want God to hear? Keep praying. He hears them all.

Renew:

“And Mary said: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 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.” –Luke 1: 46-49.

October 13, 2020

I Have Missed You, Friend & Do You Want a Miracle?

Hi Friend,

I have missed you! It’s hard to believe over three months have passed since I last reached out to you. I have no excuse except that with all that has been going on in the US and our world. I wanted to listen more, learn more, love more, lament more, and lead more.

Now more than ever it’s time for our lights to shine brightly. This 2020 year has been a wild ride thus far, hasn’t it? Even with this crazy 2020, I’m so thankful to have launched a Christian Donor Development Consulting Firm Blessings Brokers in April, even in the midst of a worldwide pandemic.  We are honored to work with some incredible ministries and church.

I confess to you that sometimes my faith feels more like a flickering pilot light than a bright beacon of Light, brightly lit for Jesus much like a football stadium.

Sometimes in the midst of life’s circumstances my faith needs a second touch from Jesus. I sure believe Jesus has needed to heal me more than once until I could see Him clearly.

Recently I experienced a second (or maybe 100th touch) from the Lord.  In life it seems we can be doing ministry and working at 100 miles per hour, yet not slowing down long enough to truly hear from the Lord. To truly experience His healing.We recently experienced some restructuring at work, and I had struggled some days with the new normal.

With getting used to the new normal of working from home, changing so many plans, and getting used to pivoting, I had become “weary in doing good.”

I got away to the mountains to quieten my soul and listen. I cried out to God and He gave me clear direction.

I was reminded of this miracle in the Gospel of Mark.To set up the scene, Jesus had fed five thousand people, then later He had fed four thousand. Jesus was on a roll of miracles. Then this next miracle occurred, only recorded in the Gospel of Mark, Mark 8:22-26:

“And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, ‘Do you see anything?’ And he looked up and said, ‘I see people, but they look like trees, walking.’ Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. And he sent him to his home, saying, ‘Do not even enter the village.’”

This passage holds several rich Leadership Lessons on our faith:

  1. Some people brought their blind friend closer to Jesus (v22). Do your friends lead you away from Jesus or closer to Him? It’s a choice we have. Fortunately the blind man chose friends who led him to Jesus. May we do the same.
  2. Each of us is blind and has blindspots In our own ways, in need of Jesus’ healing (v22). Blindness in the Bible is also a metaphor for a lack of understanding. Whether it’s pride, unforgiveness, anger, legalism, or other, I am, we are, in need of our Savior’s healing.
  3. The blind man asked, actually begged, for Jesus’ healing touch (v22). Jesus can heal any of us anytime, but He wants to hear our hearts. Like the blind man, may we go to Him humbly, like a child goes to a parent.
  4. Jesus wanted to truly heal the man, not draw a crowd. Jesus walked with the blind man away from the people and outside the village (v23). He didn’t want to bring attention to Himself as He healed the man. May we serve others with pure motives, as Jesus did.
  5. After healing Him Jesus asked the blind man if he could see (v23). Jesus didn’t need to, but was wise to ask the question if His healing helped. Sometimes when we serve and give to others we assume it was helpful and/or was a blessing to them. May we be open to ask honest assessing questions to see if we are truly helping.
  6. The blind man was honest that he couldn’t see clearly (v24). This miracle is the only one recorded in the Bible where Jesus’ healing was initially incomplete. It took the blind man’s authentic answer, though, for Jesus to know the truth. If he had faked it he would have totally missed being truly healed. How many of us are truly authentic in our answers when someone asks us how we are. “I’m fine” is the most popular answer. It would be so much healthier for us to be honest and admit that we are not fully healed. Then we could be open to additional healing.
  7. After Jesus laid hands on him again, his sight was restored and he saw everything clearly (v25). When we draw close to Jesus, He wants to heal us so we see clearly. When is the last time you quietly drew close to Jesus and received clear healing or clear discernment from the Lord?
  8. Jesus sent the blind man home, not back to the village (v26). Jesus wanted to protect the newly healed man in the privacy of his home instead of facing the crowd. On occasion our healing is just between Jesus and us. All other times we are to tell the world of the Good News of Jesus.

Jesus asks the blind man, “What do you see?”

He is still asking us the same question today. May we ask ourselves:

  • Are things unclear or a little blurry in your life?
  • Do you want a fresh touch from the Master?
  • Are you ready to seek a personal encounter with Christ?
  • What do you see, and what are you going to do about it?

Friend, Jesus is the Gentle Healer. He is ready to heal us once, twice or as many times as it takes to see Him and the world around us clearly, through His eyes.

PS Please also subscribe to our new leadership blogsite with my friend Shannon Shank Reese  christianwomenleading.com. The best is yet to come!