Rebel to Redeemed…Sharing HIS Kind of Love
Last week we discovered how righteous of a man Joseph was. He decided that he would quietly put Mary away privately. However, God had a different plan he was about to reveal to Joseph. In Matthew 1:20 “ But when he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son […]
Read more
Last week, we were introduced to Joseph, the husband of Mary. We know that Joseph was betrothed to Mary when the spirit came upon her and she was with child. Matthew 1:18-25 tells us the story of Mary, Joseph and the conception of Jesus. So, what are we told? 18 When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before […]
Read more
Last Christmas, we studied Mary, the Mother of Jesus. So in the spirit of Christmas, it only seemed natural to take a look at Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. For the next eight weeks we will explore what scripture tells us about Joseph. The only information we know about Joseph comes from three of the four gospels. Joseph is […]
Read more
We last saw Mary being rebuked by Jesus, when she came to him out of concern. Several years have passed during which Jesus was in the depths of his ministry. We’re not told which events in Jesus ministry, teaching and miracles Mary was there to witness. While she may not have been there for everything, it seems plausible that she […]
Read more
Over a decade has passed since we last saw Jesus and his parents, Mary and Joseph. The family was fleeing to Egypt the last time we checked in with them. We’re not told what happened in the intervening years. At some point the family has returned to their homeland from Egypt. We do know they returned after the death of […]
Read more
The time had come for Mary to return home after her visit with Elisabeth. One can only imagine how she must have felt. After all she was going to have to tell her parents and Joseph about her present condition. This was a situation that could not be hid for long. However, we know that from the beginning Mary had […]
Read more
Mary has arrived to see her cousin, Elisabeth, who is also with child. Upon her arrival, the child within Elisabeth jumps for joy and the “spirit comes upon her” as she delivers a blessing on Mary. Mary answers this blessing with a song of her own. As a musician, I can envision Mary singing her response and the melody just […]
Read more
Last week, we took a look at the angel appearing to Mary. He told her that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and she would be with child. Mary asked how can this be. After all, she’s only engaged and has never known a man. The angel explains that the Holy Spirit will come upon her. This is followed […]
Read more
Mary, How Did You Feel?–Part 1 You were such a young girl When it all began Sprung from such innocence Oh, Mary how did you feel? What was it like to be so young? To become engaged at just fifteen Looking to build a home of your own Oh Mary, how did you feel? Then the […]
Read more
Last week we took a look into the life of Mary. She was preparing for her marriage to a carpenter named Joseph, when an angel appeared to her. So what does the angel have to say? Luke 1:30-33 (ASV) And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive […]
Read more We’ve wrapped up our Second Chances and One Last Chance series. I began to think about how to enjoy the few weeks we have until Christmas. I thought about the one person in Jesus life that was there from the beginning to the end. That person was his mother, Mary. I soon discovered that while the majority of accounts in […]
Read moreToday is the second of our 12 Days of Christmas and it’s a joy to welcome Jennifer Car. She’s sharing a short excerpt from her book and then a Christmas devotional. Excerpt from The Lost and Found, by Jennifer Carr “As we consider the Christmas season, we are reminded of how Mary and Joseph were forced to leave the comfort […]
Read more
Thanks to Caesar Augustus’s demand for a census, which Mary didn’t mind, since it rescued her from Nazareth, Mary and Joseph trod the same crowded road Mary had six months ago. The donkey plodded along, and she recalled arranging her clothing to mask her expanding abdomen when she’d walked back into Nazareth after her visit with Elizabeth. Mary planned to […]
Read more
As we wrap up the sons in the Bible series, it is fitting to end with the ultimate son, who is also the sun. Jesus Christ is the son of God. On earth, he was the son of Mary and Joseph. His birth was foretold and he was born of a virgin. The Lord announced his arrival to the shepherds […]
Read more
Last week, we were with Joseph, as an angel came upon him in a dream and told him to take Mary as his wife. We are fast-forwarding a few months and Mary and Joseph has travelled to Bethlehem, where they found a stable and Mary gave birth to a tiny infant named Jesus. One can only imagine how the angels […]
Read more
I Saw Three Ships {Come Sailing In} is a traditional and popular Christmas carol from England. The hymn was published in 1833 by William Sandys in his book, Christmastide: Its History, Festivities And Carols. However, it is believed that earlier versions may have been around from the 17th Century. Other sources believe the hymn originated from an English folk […]
Read more
After eight days passed, Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple for circumcision and to offer a sacrifice, per Jewish custom. While at the temple, the family met two very special elders. Luke 2:25-26 (ASV) And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of […]
Read more
Luke 2:8 (ASV) And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. Shepherds stayed out in the fields tending to the flocks all year long. This could be a very mundane job at times one would think. Luke 2:9-11 (ASV) And an angel of the Lord stood by them, […]
Read more
Mary is drawing close to her time to give birth, however she has a long journey ahead of her. Luke 2:1 (ASV) Now it came to pass in those days, there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be enrolled. This is so that the prophecy would be fulfilled that the Messiah would come from […]
Read more
After a long walk from Nazareth with Daniel’s family, finally Elizabeth’s shaky soprano drifted over her wall, her words from a psalm of David Mary recognized. “You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.” The swish of her broom kept time to […]
Read more