While Maria and Joseph were finalizing the guest list and choosing the wedding cake, she surprised him with unexpected news – she, a virgin, was pregnant.
Assuming she was unfaithful, as any logical person would, Joseph was ready to call off the engagement. But while he was still considering his exit strategy, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife, because the child in her is from the Holy Spirit.
“Mary will give birth to a Son, and you will call Him Jesus, because He will save people from their sins.”
Matthew 1:21
This miracle was the fulfillment of hundreds of prophecies—divinely inspired predictions about the Messiah, Savior, or “Chosen One/Anointed One”—recorded in the Old Testament.
From the moment of conception, Jesus’ purpose was known: to save His people from their sins. Because even before God created the world, His plan was to save it.
Isn’t it interesting that you didn’t choose the time, place, body or family you were born into? But God has you here, right now, on purpose.
You have been inculcated into a continuous story that has been unfolding since the beginning of time. And this timeless offer of being saved from the bonds of your sin and freed from a debt you could never pay has been extended to you.
What is sin? Sin is choosing our way instead of God’s. Sin rebels against His design and His plan. And we’ve all done it—we’ve all fallen short of God’s righteous standard.
But that is exactly why He sent Jesus—because He loved us so much.
Like a soldier who gives his life for his family, friends or country, Jesus gave His life for the world.
If you have never accepted the free gift of salvation, today can be your day, and this moment can be your moment. There is nothing you can do to deserve it, but you can come to Him just as you are.
Have you ever had your hopes up for someone and they let you down? We live in a broken world and even the best people fail and hurt. But Isaiah knew that someone would come who would be different. He will be reliable, consistent and just what we need.
In Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah points to a king with four titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. But what do these names mean?
An amazing counselor is someone who is wise, intelligent, and compassionate. This is the kind of leader who provides support, advice and direction in life.
One whose title contains the word “mighty” is strong, steadfast, and ready to stand up for what is right.
This king will be the Eternal Father, the One who sees His people as His children, not servants.
And the Prince of Peace describes the One who has dedicated Himself to building bridges between different groups and ensures that everyone has everything they need for a full and healthy life.
On Christmas morning, a Son was born with all these wonderful titles. Not in a palace or a castle, but in a modest, ordinary nursery.
When we look at the life of Jesus, we see how He consistently demonstrated these qualities. He supported and gave advice to people who had questions. He was strong in the face of threats and temptations. He cared deeply for everyone he met. And Jesus gave His life to restore peace between God and people forever and ever.
Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Eternal Father, and the Prince of Peace. Have you seen Him in each of these roles in your life? How do you see the wisdom, power, kindness and constant care of Jesus in your life?
“The Lord, your God, will raise up for you a prophet from among you, from among your brothers, one like me – you will listen to him.” — Deuteronomy 18:15
“I must declare an emergency. My pilot has died.” Doug White nervously spoke these words to the controller watching his flight. A few minutes after takeoff, the pilot of the private plane in which Doug’s family was flying died suddenly. Doug sat in the cockpit with only three months of experience flying less sophisticated aircraft. He then listened carefully to the instructions of the local airport controller, who explained to him how to land the plane. Doug later said, “You saved my family from certain death.”
We have the One who alone can help us overcome life’s difficulties. Moses, addressing the Israelites, said: “The Lord, your God, will raise up for you a prophet from among you, from among your brothers, one like me – you will listen to him” (Deuteronomy 18:15). This promise indicated a succession of prophets that God would give to His people, but it also spoke of the Messiah. Later, Peter and Stephen claimed that this last prophet was Jesus (Acts 3:19-22; 7:37, 51-56). He came to give us God’s loving and wise instructions (Deut. 18:18).
During the life of Christ, God the Father said: “This is My Son… Obey Him!” (Mr. 9:7). To live wisely and not crash and burn in this life, let’s listen to Jesus as He speaks through the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit. This is of great importance.
Why is it sometimes difficult to hear the voice of Christ in this world? How can you better follow His wise and loving instructions?
Dear Jesus, please help me to hear and obey Your voice.
Author: Tom Felten
“…and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” — Matthew 1:21
What began as a normal cable car ride across a Pakistani valley turned into a frightful ordeal. Shortly after the ride began, two supporting cables snapped, leaving eight passengers—including school children—suspended hundreds of feet in the air. The situation sparked an arduous twelve-hour rescue operation by the Pakistani military, who used ziplines, helicopters, and more to rescue the passengers.
Those well-trained rescuers are to be commended, but their work pales in comparison to the eternal work of Jesus, whose mission was to save and rescue us from sin and death. Prior to Christ’s birth, an angel instructed Joseph to take Mary home because her pregnancy was from “the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:18, 20). Joseph was also told to name his son Jesus, because He would “save his people from their sins” (v. 21). Yet, while this name was common in the first century, only this child was qualified to be the Savior (Luke 2:30-32). Christ came at the right time to seal and secure the eternal salvation of all who repent and believe in Him.
We were all trapped in the cable car of sin and death, suspended over the valley of eternal separation from God. But in His love and grace, Jesus came to rescue us and bring us safely home to our heavenly Father. Praise Him!
What important mission was the Child of Mary to fulfill? What does the salvation given by Jesus mean to you?
Dear Jesus, please help me to rejoice that I was once lost and now by Your grace I am found.
Author: Marvin Williams
The prophet Isaiah wrote the words of Isaiah 7:14 almost 600 years before the birth of Jesus. At the time these words were written, the Israelites were performing all the right religious practices, but they were not doing justice as God commanded. Like many prophets of Isaiah’s day, it was a warning against such injustice. But amidst this warning was a glimmer of hope that God would be in control.
Here the prophet Isaiah gives the people of Israel a reason for hope through God’s good promise – the promise that He will give a sign and appear for us. Because that’s what Emmanuel means: God with us.
But what does “God with us” mean for us today?
This means that we can share this hope by fixing our eyes on Jesus and trusting in Him. We can believe that from the birth of Christ to His present reign in Heaven, Jesus is God with us.
He is with us in our pain when we lose a loved one.
He is with us in our anger when we see injustice and do not know where to turn.
He is with us in sorrow when we mourn for the lost.
He is with us in joy when we celebrate with others.
He is at peace with us when we are merciful to a suffering world.
And He is with us in our hope, lighting the way to a bright future.
He is with us.
No matter where life has taken you in this moment—through the good or through the bad—Jesus is with you, drawing you to Himself. He is the promised Emmanuel. He is God with us.
“Therefore comfort one another and build one another up, just as you do.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:11
A school teacher in Indiana asked students to write notes of encouragement and inspiration to their peers. A few days later, when a school tragedy occurred in another part of the country, their notes lifted the spirits of their classmates, who were struggling with the fear and pain that something could happen to them too.
Encouragement and mutual care were also on the mind of the apostle Paul when he wrote to the believers in Thessalonica. They had lost friends, and Paul instructed them to hope for the promised return of Jesus, who would bring their loved ones back to life (1 Thess. 4:14). Although they did not know when this would happen, he reminded them that Christians should not wait in fear for God’s judgment when He returns (1 Thess. 5:9). Instead, they can confidently look forward to a future life with Him. Therefore, he urged them: “Therefore comfort one another and build one another up” (v. 11).
When we experience painful losses or senseless tragedies, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by fear and sadness. However, Paul’s words are as relevant to us today as they were when they were written. Let us wait with hope that Christ will restore everything. In the meantime, we can encourage each other with written notes, spoken words, acts of service, or a simple hug.
How did others encourage you? How can you encourage someone today?
Risen Jesus, despite my problems in this world, please help me to wait for You with hope and faith, and to encourage those around me until You come again.
Author: Kirsten Holmberg
“The time will come,” says the Lord, “when I will fulfill all the good words that I have commanded the house of Israel and the house of Judah.”
Jeremiah 33:14
Many people would have laughed at Jeremiah when he said these words. Why? Because God seemed to have abandoned Israel and Judah.
At this point in biblical history, Israel disappeared—it was destroyed by an invading army. Now Judah is left alone, with another vast army standing at their gates to destroy them too. The situation could not be more hopeless.
Have you experienced something similar? Maybe it was a life-changing loss or incredibly difficult news. In such painful moments, it may seem impossible to trust God’s promises. The people listening to Jeremiah must have felt the same way. But this was not the end of their story, because circumstances cannot destroy God’s promises.
Yes, the enemy broke in and took God’s people captive for decades. But God did not abandon His people and did not abandon His promises. In time, He freed His people from captivity and brought them home.
God has not left you in your pain either. You may feel that there is no way out of your situation, or that your choices are robbing you of God’s love. But God keeps His promises.
For generations after the return from captivity, God’s people struggled. They continued to face grief, failure, crowding, and captivity. But when they least expected it, God fulfilled His promise. He sent His Son Jesus to lead everyone, including the people of Israel and Judah, to a new and better future.
God’s promise of a better future applies to you too. When we follow God with our whole lives, we find peace, strength, and contentment. And we live with confidence knowing that one day we will spend eternity with Jesus. We live a new life, believing that God has fulfilled His promise.
“And you will call to Me, and go, and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.” — Jeremiah 29:12
When Pastor Timofey wears a priest’s white collar during his travels, he is often stopped by strangers. “Pray for me, please,” people say at the airport when they see the white ribbon on his simple dark suit. On a recent flight, a woman spotted him and knelt down by his seat, pleading, “You’re a pastor? Will you pray for me?” And Pastor Timofey prayed.
A passage from the book of the prophet Jeremiah sheds light on why we believe that God hears and answers prayer. God does not care! He assured His beloved, but sinful, exiled people: “For I know the thoughts that I think about you,” says the Lord, “thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you a future and hope” (Jer. 29:11). God foresaw the time when the people would return to Him. “And you will call to Me, and go, and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me, and you will find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart” (vv. 12-13).
The prophet learned this and much more about prayer while in prison. God assured him: “Call to Me – and I will answer you, and I will tell you about great and incomprehensible things that you do not know” (Jer. 33:3).
Jesus also calls us to pray: “Your Father knows what you need, even before you ask” (Mt. 6:8). So “ask”, “seek” and “knock” in prayer (Mt. 7:7). He knows us and wants to hear us. Bring your worries to Him right now.
How often do you pray? What will you say to God today?
Dear God, Your care and knowledge inspire me to pray. Thanks for the answers.
Author: Patricia Raybon
Have you ever encountered a situation where two people should have been in agreement, but they weren’t? Maybe it was your parents, or your boss and your boss’s boss, or two friends. You had a certain question, and you got a completely different answer from one person than from another. How confusing is that?
This never happens with God and His Son, Jesus.
In the Gospel of John 3:34-35 it is said: “For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God and is filled with the Spirit of God. The Father loves His Son and has given Him authority over all things.” These verses let us know how special Jesus is to God and how much power and love God has given Him.
Jesus speaks God’s words, knows God’s will, and has God’s power. The Lord God and Jesus are always in agreement.
Because Jesus speaks the words of God, we can be sure that every word He says is true and accurately reflects the nature of God.
Since Christ has sent us the Holy Spirit, we can trust that He is in complete harmony with the will of God.
Because Jesus has the power of God, we can believe that what He says will come to pass.
God loves Jesus. God empowers Jesus. God speaks through Jesus. It means we can trust Jesus completely. He has all power and authority and speaks the Truth because His words come directly from God.
In our daily lives, we often face moments of uncertainty and darkness. Sometimes our lives become confusing or difficult because of arguments and disagreements. But no matter what, we know that God and Christ are one. Jesus was the perfect reflection of God’s heart, so His love and sacrifice teach us even more about Who God is.
So, let’s apply this message in our lives. We must fully trust Jesus, because He speaks on behalf of God and has unlimited power. Let us also try to be like Jesus by speaking the words of God and believing in His power.
Imagine: your brother has been dead for four days. Grief is so all-consuming that every part of you feels numb. Your tears have dried, but the pain is far from gone.
Then Jesus appears – your friend, who is considered the Messiah, who was prophesied, the Savior of the world, who performed amazing miracles. Only… He wasn’t there to keep your brother from dying.
But then He does something completely unexpected: He tells your brother who has been dead for four days to come out of the grave… and your brother listens. Lazarus comes out alive.
Jesus knew that the resurrection of Lazarus was only a foretaste of what was to come. In the end, he will conquer death—for good. After all, the grave will not have the last word. Those who believe in Him will never truly die, but will pass from this broken world to something far better.
This is why the very words that Jesus spoke to Lazarus’ sister, Martha, just before Lazarus’ miraculous moment, are the same words that Jesus would speak to you…
“I am the resurrection and the life! – Jesus said. – Whoever believes in Me, even if he dies, he will live. And no one who lives and believes in Me will ever die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25-26
Martha probably had a billion questions and maybe just as many doubts. But she was with Jesus, she saw His power, and she could not deny His love. And so Martha answered:
“Yes, Lord! – she said. — I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, Who was to come into the world”
John 11:27
Although our earthly bodies will die, God has more than we can imagine.
Do you believe in this?
Let our hearts echo the heart of Martha, believing that the Lord is exactly who He calls Himself. Let’s trust God more than our eyes see. Let us have faith to follow Him to the end.
