Your Faith Has Made You Whole: Christmas Story - The Promises of God Fulfilled

The Christmas Story

The Promises of God Fulfilled

by Kathleen D. Riley

Scripture quotations marked “KJV” are taken from the King James Version. Public domain.

Contents

Chapter

Title

Page

The Stage Was Set

A Priest Named Zacharias

The Tabernacle

Casting of Lots

Zacharias and Elisabeth “Cursed”?

He Shall Prepare the Way of the Lord

Hebrew Calendar

Lineage of Jesus

“Hail Mary, Thou Art Highly Favored!”

“His Name is John”

Mary’s Dilemma

The Birth of Jesus the Messiah

Angels Appear to the Shepherds

Jesus Dedicated at the Temple

Wise Men From the East

A Voice Was Heard in Ramah

Mary Treasured These Things

God is Faithful to Keep His Promises

All Things Are Possible With God

Fear Not

The Gifts God Has For You

You Can Receive Salvation

Bibliography

About the Author

Chapter 1

The Stage Was Set

The key themes of the Christmas Story are:

- Joy

- Redemption and Salvation

- God is faithful to fulfill His promises

- Fear not

- Nothing is impossible with God

- God speaks to us in dreams; listen to Him

God has a perfect season and timing for everything in our lives. “For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry” (Habakkuk 2:3 NKJV).

God's Word is filled with precious promises. Have you asked the Lord to do something specific in your life and you know deep in your heart that He said “yes” and made a promise to you that He would do it?

He may have quickened a Scripture that pertains to your situation or maybe He dropped a promise into your heart. Perhaps a prophetic message was spoken over you and it bore witness in your spirit that it was of God, and was a confirmation of what the Lord had been speaking to your heart.

What is your circumstance? What are you believing God for?

When God first promises something to us there is the feeling of being overjoyed and a sense of expectancy. It seems like the promise will come to pass right away. In some cases it does, but in most instances a period of time elapses between the moment the promise is first given and the time it comes to fulfillment.

Many times months and years go by and the promise still has not happened. Have you ever experienced that feeling of disappointment that just when it seemed like the promise was finally going to come to pass, there was a sudden turn in the road?

Proverbs 13:12 (NKJV) says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.”

The devil uses these opportune times in our lives to taunt us with words like: “It will never happen” ... “Did God really say that?” ... “It's too late for you”.

God's delay in answering prayer does not necessarily mean denial. God's promises are “Yes” and “Amen” (2 Corinthians 1:20). Though the promise tarry it will surely come to pass and not prove false. God wants us to have faith and to trust Him.

Psalms 145:13 (NIV) tells us: “The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV) says, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.”

Even in the timing of the birth of Christ, the Messianic promises had been spoken hundreds and thousands of years before Christ became flesh. Why did God wait so long to send His Son? The answer: Because the stage had to be fully set first.

In looking back on history, God waited until certain things were in place before sending Jesus to earth. For instance, roads had been built by the Romans.

The Romans ruled much of the known world during that time, and they had built wide highways and roads going every direction from Rome to the Middle East, Africa, Far East and European countries. Because the roads were built, travel to almost any destination was possible.

Besides roads for land travel, there were technological advances in sea travel with ships to transport people to almost any coastal destination, including the isles of the sea.

Jesus said to make disciples of every nation, and with access to land and sea travel, it was now possible for His disciples to fulfill Jesus’ commission and to spread the Gospel to every nation in the known world.

Another important factor which set the stage for the coming of Christ is that during that time in history, Greek was the universal language. While every country and region spoke their own native tongue, all nations also spoke Greek. The New Testament was written in Greek so that everyone could understand the Gospel. Business and foreign relations with other countries was possible since everyone understood the language.

Unlike centuries prior, most people in the known world were able to read and write in Greek. Most street signs were written in Greek, as well as public announcements from the Romans. With everyone knowing Greek, and most people able to read and write in Greek, communication was possible so that the Gospel could spread to the ends of the earth.

The political climate was ripe for the Messiah to come. There had been Jewish revolts taking place, the most notorious being the Maccabean revolts. There was conflict over Judaism and Hellenism. The Seleucid Empire persecuted the traditional Jews and tried to eradicate their religion and religious practices altogether.

The lifestyle of the Greco-Roman world was incompatible with that of the Jews. Because the Greco-Roman influence was so heavy, the younger generation of Jews began to adopt many of the ways of the pagan culture and abandon Judaism.

The revolts were also to rebel against Roman rule over their country Israel, and the heavy taxation. Israel had been an independent nation, having had possessed the land thousands of years before. Now their nation was being taken over by Roman rule.

There was tremendous upheaval and unrest.

Roman soldiers could be very brutal with citizens and everyday life posed many dangers.

A forerunner was needed to “prepare the way of the Lord” (Luke 3:4, Isaiah 40:3-5, Malachi 4:5-6). He was born six months prior to Jesus’ birth.

The fullness of time had come for the Messiah to come to earth and the stage was completely set in place.

In our own lives, sometimes the promises of God are not fulfilled until the stage has been set in place. The Lord takes us through a period of preparation. He is at work behind the scenes getting everything ready. When it is God’s timing, things begin to fall into place.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.”

Chapter 2

A Priest Named Zacharias

The Christmas story begins with a priest named Zacharias. He lived in a town in the hill country of Judea, which is located in the region within the vicinity of Jerusalem. The specific town is not mentioned, but Smith’s Bible Dictionary says it was probably Hebron, the city of priests.

His wife’s name was Elisabeth, who was also a Levite and a descendant of Aaron, who is the father of the line of the Levitical priesthood.

The time in history took place during the reign of Herod, king of Judea, around 3 BC.

Zacharias was a member of the 8^th division of the Temple priesthood, known as the division, or course, of Abijah. Hundreds of years prior to the birth of Christ while David was king, David had divided the priesthood into 24 divisions or courses—each course serving in the Temple for one week twice a year (1 Chronicles 24).

In addition to serving their one week duty bi-annually, all 24 divisions were also required to serve during the three most holy feasts:

Unleavened Bread which is in the month of Abib-Nisan, the first month of the Hebrew year, which is in March/April

Pentecost (also known as Feast of Weeks) which is 50 days following Unleavened Bread in the month of Sivan, the third month of the Hebrew year, which is late May/early June

Tabernacles (or Booths) and also known as Feast of Ingathering of the Harvest, which is held in the month of Ethanim-Tishri, the seventh month of the Hebrew year, which is September/October

Deuteronomy 16:16 (AMP) says:

Three times a year shall all your males appear before the Lord your God in the lace which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. They shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed.

These three holy feasts are very significant in the birth of the early church. The Feast of Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread is actually one long feast (or two feasts back to back—Passover and then Unleavened Bread immediately following).

Jesus was crucified and rose again during the season of the feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread. Fifty days after the offering of the barley sheaf at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Day of Pentecost and the early church was birthed (Acts 2).

The Feast of Tabernacles, or known as Booths, is the final feast of the Hebrew year. It is held on the 15^th day of the month of Tishri (5 days following the Day of Atonement, which is held on the 10^th of Tishri). This is the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar, around September/October.

It is believed by Bible scholars that Jesus was born during this time of the year. Many Bible theologians believe that when Jesus returns for the second time as Conquering King, marking the beginning of the Millennium, that it will be during the Feast of Tabernacles.

Zacharias’ division, and every other division, had just finished serving in March/April during Passover and Unleavened Bread.

The first “regular” assigned week for the course of Abijah happened to fall on the week prior to Pentecost at the end of May/early June.

After Zacharias served his first regular assigned week, he had to remain at the Temple for several extra days to carry out his priestly duties during the Feast of Pentecost (and the other 23 priestly divisions were required to come to Jerusalem during Pentecost to serve in the Temple). Zacharias’ second “regular” week of service was scheduled several months later in the year.

It was approximately in the month of May or early June while Zacharias was ministering in the Holy Place in the Temple that the angel Gabriel appeared to him, announcing that he and Elisabeth would bear a son in their old age, and his name was to be John.

It was approximately the month of June, after Zacharias had fulfilled his duty of service in the Temple, when Elisabeth conceived.

She was in her 6^th month of pregnancy (around December), which is the month of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar, when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary announcing that she was chosen to be the mother of the Messiah.

Mary’s immaculate conception took place during the month of Kislev (December). Jesus’ cousin John was born three months later in March (or Abib-Nisan, the first month of the Hebrew year).

Chapter 3

The Tabernacle

There were many duties for the priests to carry out in the Tabernacle—not only spiritual duties but also ministering to the needs of the people.

The Tabernacle consisted of three sections:

Outer Courtyard

Holy Place

Holy of Holies

The outer courtyard consisted of the brazen altar where animal sacrifices were performed, as well as the brass laver filled with water for purification of the priests.

The Holy Place and Holy of Holies was enclosed in a separate structure, and only certain chosen priests could enter into that restricted area because it was hallowed.

Anyone who was unauthorized to enter into the Holy Place, and especially the Holy of Holies, was struck dead.

If a priest was authorized to minister in the Holy Place, or the High Priest in the Holy of Holies, but had not properly purified himself with the sprinkling of blood and the washing with water, he could be struck down dead.

It is not that God struck a priest down out of wrath, but rather that the priest had come into contact with God’s holiness, glory and power—which is like electricity—without being properly covered by the blood, or the priest had demonstrated irreverence (much like Aaron’s sons offered up strange fire and were struck dead).

Carnal flesh cannot stand in God’s presence. We can only approach God by being covered with the Blood of Jesus, and showing Him reverence and respect.

God is so Holy that sin, or anything that defiles, cannot survive in His Presence. The Lord is merciful and gracious, and He instituted atonement by innocent blood. It used to be animal sacrifices until Jesus offered Himself as the Lamb of God to make eternal atonement of sin.

When God first instituted the Levitical priesthood, He gave specific instructions about how to approach His Presence, as well as specific instructions about cleansing, purification, the sprinkling of blood, the ingredients used for the incense and the duties of the High Priest and the priests.

Aaron’s two sons may have formulated their own ingredients for the incense and offered it to the Lord—thus producing strange fire—and that is why they were killed.

As long as the High Priest and priests obeyed the Lord’s instructions exactly, they were safe. The Lord had strict standards in place to teach respect and reverence for the Tabernacle and His Presence.

We now live in the era of grace because Jesus gave His life for us, and now we can come boldly to the Throne.

At the present time, there is not the same level of respect and honor for the things of God, and for the House of God, as there once was back in the day.

This grieves the Holy Spirit. To come into the Greater Glory, there needs to be a greater level of reverence for the Presence of God.

Bells and a rope were tied around the ankle of the priest chosen to minister in the Holy Place or the High Priest to go into the Holy of Holies. Just in case he fell down dead, the other priests could drag his body out of there.

Chosen priests ministered daily in the Holy Place, the area which consisted of the seven-branched Menorah, Table of Shewbread and Altar of Incense.

Every day priests burned the holy anointed incense on the altar.

In addition, fresh loaves of bread and wine were laid out on the Table of Shewbread, and the wicks of the Golden Lampstand (also known as the Candlestick or Menorah) were trimmed and the pipes of the Lampstand were kept filled with oil so that it continually burned 24 hours a day.

Only the High Priest was allowed to enter into the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement. The Holy of Holies was separated from the Holy Place by a thick veil behind the Altar of Incense.

Beyond the veil was where the Ark of the Covenant rested with two golden cherubim on either side of the Ark facing one another with their wings outstretched overshadowing the Mercy Seat.

Inside of the Ark of the Covenant, three items were placed there:

Ten Commandments

Jar of Manna from the wilderness

Aaron’s rod that budded

The Mercy Seat was the lid of the Ark, made out of a slab of pure gold. The High Priest would sprinkle the blood of an animal on the Mercy Seat on the Day of Atonement for the propitiation of sin for the entire nation and for himself.

The Day of Atonement took place during the September/October time of the year on the 10^th day of Tishri.

Ark of the Covenant

Ark of the Covenant in Black and White

Graphic by ShareFaith^TM (www.faithclipart.com), Letters and Arts, Inc.

Used by permission, according to the terms set forth for registered members

I’ve gone into detail about the Tabernacle for a reason. If you look at the picture on the following page of the layout of the Tabernacle, what shape do you see from an aerial viewpoint?

Yes, it’s the shape of a cross. The Tabernacle is all about Jesus, foreshadowing Him. Jesus said in John 14:6 that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Him.

In other words, Jesus was saying that He is the Outer Court, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies. That is because the Jews call the Outer Court “The Way”.

They call the Holy Place “The Truth” and they call the Holy of Holies “The Life”.

The Holy of Holies depicts the Throne Room of God where His glory dwells, and cherubim surround His Throne (Psalms 99:1, Isaiah 37:16).

The Father is depicted by the Ark of Covenant in the Holy of Holies. To get to the Ark in the Holy of Holies, the priests had to pass through the Outer Court and Holy Place first. To get to the Father, one must go through Jesus and be sprinkled with His Blood.

The Ark was a carrier of the Presence and Shekinah Glory of God. The Shekinah Glory is the tangible, visible, manifested presence of the Lord.

The Veil signifies Jesus’ Body and Blood (Hebrews 10:19-20). Through the Blood of Jesus, we now have access to enter boldly beyond the Veil into the Holy of Holies to come before the Father’s Throne, and find grace in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16, 10:19-20).

At the moment that Jesus died on the Cross, the Veil in the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom (Mark 15:38), thus signifying that there is now no more barriers between God and mankind, but the way has been made for us to come freely to the Throne.

Only God could have torn the Veil in two because it was said to have been over three feet thick. It was made out of many layers of cloth, and the layers overlapped.

The Layout of the Tabernacle (Shape of a Cross)

The gate, with the curtain of four colors, represents the four gospels. Purple represents Matthew, written to the Jews, depicting Jesus as King of the Jews.

Crimson represents Mark, written to the Romans, depicting Jesus as suffering servant. White Linen speaks of Luke, written to the Greeks, depicting Jesus as the perfect Universal God-man (Jesus is fully God and fully man).

Blue speaks of John, written to all, depicting Jesus as the Son of God, Divinity. The four gospels speak of the salvation message. The gate is the entrance into the Christian life (initial salvation).

The Brazen Altar represents Jesus, the Lamb, being slain and His Blood shed for the redemption of mankind. The four horns on the Altar represent the four corners of the earth (North, South, East and West). Jesus died for the whole world.

The Brazen Altar also speaks of dying to our flesh (carnality). It speaks of sanctification.

The Laver represents water baptism, consecration and the washing with the water of the Word (Ephesians 5:26).

The Laver was made out of the mirrors of the women. The Word of God is like a mirror. As we look intently into the Word, we begin to see ourselves for who we really are. The more we look into the mirror of the Word of God, we are transformed into His image from one degree of glory to another.

Second Corinthians 3:18, in the Amplified, says: “And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continue to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.”

The priests used the laver to wash their hands and feet before entering the Holy Place. Hands speak of our deeds and feet speak of our walk with God. The Lord wants to cleanse our walk and our deeds so that we may enter into the Holy of Holies being blameless in His sight.

The five pillars speak of grace. We are saved by grace, and by grace we may enter into the Holy Place and Holy of Holies. Grace is unmerited favor, mercy and pardon. The Father has lavished grace upon us because of the shed Blood of His Son Jesus Christ.

The five pillars also represent the five-fold ministry mentioned in Ephesians 4:11-12—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. They are the pillars of the Body of Christ. Their job is to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry and to bring the Church to full maturity in Christ and in the Word.

The door to the Holy Place speaks of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, mentioned in Acts 2.

The Bible mentions three baptisms:

Water baptism (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:19)

Baptism in the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11, Acts 1:5)

Baptism into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13)

The Table of Shewbread, which is the bread and the wine, speaks of Holy Communion or the Eucharist. It also represents Jesus being the Bread of Life (John 6:35), and that God’s Word is manna (Revelation 2:17).

The Table of Shewbread also represents koinonia, which is sweet fellowship with the brethren.

Fellowship, in the Bible, usually took place around the dinner table.

The seven-branched Candlestick (Menorah) represents the seven Spirits of God, which is the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11:2-4, Revelation 1:4, 3:1, 4:5, 5:6). It also speaks of revelation (Ephesians 1:17), illumination (Ephesians 1:18) and the seven churches (Revelation 1-3).

The Altar of Incense speaks of intercession, prayers, praise and worship ascending to the Throne of God as a sweet-smelling fragrance, which is pleasing to the Lord (Revelation 5:8, 8:4). The smoke it produces speaks of the Shekinah Glory of God (Revelation 15:8).

Psalms 100:4 teaches us the protocol for entering the presence of the Lord. We come before the Lord with thanksgiving and praise.

When we worship the Lord, we invite God’s Glory to come down into our midst.

In the original tabernacle, which Moses built, there was a fence of white linen with a silver cord running along the top of the fence.

Also, one of the layers of the roof of the Holy Place and Holy of Holies was made from rams’ skin dyed red.

The fence of white linen represents righteousness.

The silver cord running along the top of the fence speaks of redemption.

The roof of rams’ skin dyed red represents that we are covered by the Blood of Jesus.

In Moses’ Tabernacle, holding up the tent were ropes of goat hair with the tent pegs half way in the ground and half way out. The goat hair symbolizes judgment. Jesus took our judgment on the Cross. The tent peg half way in the ground and half way out symbolizes Christ’s resurrection. He was only in the grave for three days and then rose to life.

There was a scapegoat. The priests laid their hands on the animal, transmitting all the sins of the nation and the people onto the scapegoat, and then turned it loose in the wilderness.

This represents that Jesus became the scapegoat, with every sin of the world placed on Himself, and He has separated our sins from us as far as the east is from the west (Psalms 103:12).

There is so much more symbolism in the Tabernacle, which is a whole other teaching.

Many Christians live their lives in the Outer Courtyard.

They have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior, and have been water baptized, but that’s as far as they have gone in their Christian walk. They are still babes in Christ. There is so much more they could experience in God.

You have to have the hunger and thirst to want more of God.

The Holy Place is the place in our lives where we become more developed in our walk with God. It’s the place where we receive illumination and revelation of the Word of God, and thus grow from infancy to spiritual maturity.

The Holy Place is the place where we worship the Father in spirit and in truth.

The Holy of Holies is the place of intimacy with Jesus (intimacy in spirit and soul). It’s the place of oneness with God. It is also the place of being filled with the Glory of God and His Glory being released through us.

Jesus is a High Priest

Jesus was, and is, a Great High Priest. Though He was not of the priestly tribe of Levi, He was related to it. His mother Mary and Elisabeth were cousins.

Elisabeth was from the tribe of Levi.

Also, in the lineage of Mary, her ancestors were from both the line of Judah and the line of Levi. This is significant because the kings came from Judah and the priests came from Levi. Kings could not be priests and priests could not be kings. The exception was Melchizedek, King David and Jesus Christ—all three are both kings and priests.

Jesus fulfilled the Levitical priesthood, in His distinct priesthood of the Melchizedek order (Jesus is a Priest in the order of Melchizedek—Hebrews 6:20). The Melchizedek priesthood is an eternal priesthood mentioned in Hebrews 5:6-7, 6:20, 7:1-28.

Melchizedek, in the Old Testament, was a type of Jesus Christ. There were several similarities in their priesthoods.

The Easton’s Bible Dictionary says the following concerning Melchizedek:

The name “Melchizedek” means: king of righteousness and king of Salem (Salem means “peace”).

Jesus is also called the King of Righteousness and King of Peace.

All we know of Melchizedek is recorded in Genesis 14:18-20. He is subsequently mentioned only once in the Old Testament, in Psalms 110:4.

The typical significance of his history is set forth in detail in the Epistle to the Hebrews, chapter 7.

The writer of Hebrews points out the superiority of Melchizedek’s priesthood to that of Aaron (the Levitical priesthood) in these several respects, (1) Even Abraham paid him tithes; (2) he blessed Abraham; (3) he is the type of a Priest who lives forever; (4) Levi, yet unborn, paid him tithes in the person of Abraham; (5) the permanence of his priesthood in Christ implied the dissolution of the Levitical system; (6) he was made priest not without an oath; and (7) his priesthood can neither be transmitted nor interrupted by death: “this man, because he continues ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.”

The question as to who this mysterious personage was has given rise to a great deal of modern speculation. It is an old tradition among the Jews that he was Shem, the son of Noah, who may have survived to this time. Melchizedek was a Canaanitish prince, a worshipper of the true God, and in his peculiar history and character an instructive type of our Lord, the great High Priest (Hebrews 5:6-7, 6:20, 7:1-28).

The Aaronic (Levitical) priesthood was all about judgment. The Melchizedek priesthood is all about grace. We now live in the dispensation of grace.

Hebrews 4:14-16 (KJV) tells us:

14 Seeing then that we have a Great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

15 For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Chapter 4

Casting of Lots

The custom during the time of Zacharias was that lots were cast to determine which priest would be chosen to burn incense in the Holy Place before the Lord.

The use of the lot was a common practice of the priests and Jewish leaders in ascertaining the will of Jehovah in various matters—spiritual, business and personal matters.

A lot could be a piece of wood, a pebble, a piece of pottery, etc. Whomever the lot fell on, that was an indication of who Jehovah selected, or the revealing of His will regarding a matter.

The last time it was recorded in the Bible that lots were cast to determine the will of God was in Acts 1:26 when the apostles appointed two candidates, Justus and Matthias, to take the place of Judas Iscariot.

After praying and asking the Lord to reveal which man He had chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, they cast lots and the lot fell upon Matthias. However, once the Holy Spirit was poured out to earth on the Day of Pentecost, the use of the lots were done away with because now everyone can be filled with the Holy Spirit and hear from the Lord for their own selves.

The lot happened to fall upon Zacharias. This indicated that Jehovah had sovereignly chosen him to minister in the Holy Place that day.

It was a once in a lifetime honor to be chosen to serve in the Holy Place, as there are said to have been twenty thousand priests in Christ’s time.

Before entering the Holy Place, Zacharias went through the normal rituals of purification—washing with water from the laver, being properly dressed in white linen, the blood of a sacrificial animal being sprinkled upon his body and clothing, as well as blood sprinkled on the articles they used (tongs, pots, pans, etc.). He was anointed with holy anointing oil. Bells and a rope were tied to his ankle, and he very reverently entered into the Holy Place.

The other priests must have been just as shocked and puzzled as Zacharias was that he was chosen by God to minister in the Holy Place. After all, wasn’t he … “cursed”? How could God be pleased with Zacharias?

The priests tied the bells and rope around his ankle extra tight because they didn’t know if he would survive in the Holy Place, since he was “cursed”.

He and Elisabeth had no children because she was barren, and now they were too old anyways to bear children. In that day, the mindset was that barrenness was considered to be a curse.

Chapter 5

Zacharias and Elisabeth “Cursed”?

The Hebrew meaning of Zacharias is “Jah has remembered”. (Strong’s Old Testament #2148 is the Hebrew origin of Strong’s Greek New Testament #2197.)

The Hebrew meaning of Elisabeth is “God of the oath”. (Strong’s Old Testament #472 is the Hebrew origin of Strong’s Greek New Testament #1665.)

Just imagine that Zacharias’ hands must have been shaking, his heart pounding and racing, and beads of sweat dripping from his forehead … because this mantle of responsibility weighed heavily upon his shoulders.

He was selected to stand before the Altar of Incense to burn the anointed incense—the ingredients being frankincense, stacte (myrrh), galbanum, and onycha (Exodus 30:34-35). Even if the incense was not handled properly or used for common purposes, a priest could be struck down dead because an anointing was in the incense.

When the incense touched the hot altar, the Holy Place was filled with the smoke and aroma. Zacharias trembled as he began to minister to Jehovah in worship. Would God accept his worship? He was chosen to carry the prayers of the people before God.

Would Jehovah accept his intercession for the people as well as his own personal prayers? He felt inadequate. After all, why was he chosen for this responsibility when he was … cursed of God? Or so he thought.

Zacharias and Elisabeth were childless. They had prayed for many years for a child, but Elisabeth remained barren. Now they were both old and beyond childbearing age.

The Hebrew thinking was that a person was blessed and had the favor of God if they had children, and the more children the better, especially sons. A person was thought to be cursed by God if they did not produce children.

In their cultural mindset, barrenness was a sign that you did not have God’s favor, that He was angry and displeased with you, that you had disappointed God in some way, that there was sin in your life—that for some reason you had done something wrong for God to curse you.

Elisabeth had the most difficult time in dealing with their “curse”. She was the target of the gossip, and was a victim of the taunting and reproach by the other village women.

Zacharias painfully remembered the many times he had tried to console his grieving wife. He had witnessed Elisabeth’s inner heartache as each of their relatives and neighbors gave birth to children and celebrated their birthdays.

Zacharias and Elisabeth had become weary from their years of mourning. They had given up on the hope of ever having a child.

They were confused because of a contradiction existing in their lives. It’s recorded about them that both of them were righteous before God, kept all of the Lord’s commandments, and were blameless in the sight of God (Luke 1:6).

Yet if that was true, then why were they cursed (or so their culture thought it was a curse) because Elisabeth continued to remain barren?

Why didn’t God answer their prayers and grant the desires of their hearts? Did He not promise in Psalms 37:4 that if they delighted themselves in the Lord that He would grant the desires of their hearts?

What about the Scripture that says that no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly (Psalms 84:11)?

This contradiction in their life made no sense to them and to those closest to them.

Sometimes we face contradictions in our lives as well. We love God and are doing our best to serve Him with our whole hearts, and yet why are certain circumstances out of alignment in our lives?

Often it seems like nothing is happening even though many prayers have been lifted up.

For Zacharias and Elisabeth, it was not the end of the story yet.

Chapter 6

He Shall Prepare the Way of the Lord

As Zacharias stood before the Altar burning incense and offering up to God prayers and worship, a throng of people were praying in the outer court.

Out of the corner of his eye and through the heavy smoke of Glory in the Holy Place, Zacharias suddenly noticed some movement to the right side of the Altar. He was gripped with fear at the appearance of the angel of the Lord.

The angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elisabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

“For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:13-17, Malachi 4:5-6 NKJV).

The name John, in Hebrew origin, means “Yehovah has favored or Yehovah has graced”.

Zacharias replied, “By what shall I know and be sure of this? (Zacharias was basically saying “What you say is impossible!”) I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years!” (Luke 1:18 AMP)

Then the angel replied, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God and I have been sent to talk to you and to bring you this good news.

Now behold, you will be and will continue to be silent and not able to speak till the day when these things take place, because you have not believed what I told you; but my words are of a kind which will be fulfilled in the appointed and proper time” (Luke 1:19-20 AMP).

Then Gabriel departed from him.

Zacharias was made mute because of his unbelief and the Lord had to close his mouth so that he would not cancel out, with his own negative and doubt-filled words, what God wanted to do.

Proverbs 18:21 says that death and life are in the power of the tongue. The words we speak contain creative power for good or bad. We shall have what we continually say.

Sometimes God has to shut our mouths, so that when we are tempted to say something negative and doubtful concerning promises God has spoken to us, that we just cannot say it. It is our tongue that gets us into the most trouble in life, and especially in relationships.

A tongue of continual complaining and unbelief can cancel out, or delay, many of the good things God wants to do in our lives.

Another reason Zacharias was struck mute is because he doubted Gabriel, thus doubting Yehovah too. The word from the Lord was not delivered in person by a human being (as even the most seasoned of prophets only “see through a glass darkly” and may miss it at times). Gabriel ministers in God’s very Throne Room, face to face with Yehovah.

There are ranks, or levels of authority, among the angelic hosts of Heaven. Gabriel is one of the highest ranking chief archangels in Heaven who serves around God’s Throne taking his orders directly from the Most High God.

There is no possibility that he could have made a mistake in hearing from the Lord.

Zacharias had the faith to pray and believe for a child for many years. However, hope deferred makes the heart sick (Proverbs 13:12).

Too much time had gone by. His heart became hardened and closed off to receiving. He had lost all hope many years prior, and now he and Elisabeth were too old to have children.

He had come to a place of acceptance—that he and Elisabeth would never have a child.

Gabriel’s message stirred up old desires and hopes in Zacharias’ heart, and disappointments, which was painful, because he had already accepted the fact that it would never happen.

Zacharias is a prophetic picture to us. When God first drops a promise in our heart, or gives us a prophetic word, we are filled with joy. But after years of delay, hope deferred makes the heart sick. The temptation is to give up and relinquish the word.

While many have strong faith to believe for a long time for their promise, due to delays, when the promise finally comes, they think they have no strength to give birth to the promise.

Isaiah 66:9 (NKJV) says, “Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?” says the Lord. “Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?” says your God.

Birthing prophetic promises is likened to giving birth in the natural. When the time comes for the promises to be fulfilled, then the labor pains and travail begins.

Once the labor begins, the birthing is imminent.

Travail represents intercession. When you intercede, it leads to desires and promises being birthed.

Often when a promise comes to pass, it first begins as a seed and then it grows until it is complete. Therefore, when prophetic words come to pass, often it happens over a process in stages.

Often a prophetic word or promise fails to come to pass because of passivity. I used to think that when a word was spoken that if it was truly God, that it would automatically come to pass.

However, I’ve been learning that we have a part to play in prophetic promises coming to pass in our lives. We have to birth the promise in prayer, confess the promise and sow towards whatever it is that we are believing God for.

We have to learn to wait patiently on the Lord. Hebrews 6:12 (NKJV) says, “That you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

We have to cooperate with God by taking appropriate steps of action to bring the promise to pass. James 2:20 says that faith without works is dead.

Zacharias was in the Holy Place much longer than usual. The priests outside in the Outer Court waited a long time for Zacharias to come out and began to wonder why he was delayed.

Thoughts raced through their minds. “Why is he taking so long? Is everything okay?”

Finally, Zacharias walked out of the Holy Place and remained speechless, unable to talk. Zacharias beckoned to them in gestures and then the priests realized that he must have seen a vision.

When the days of Zacharias’ service in the Temple were complete, he returned home. Shortly thereafter, Elisabeth conceived just as God had said.

They kept the pregnancy quiet for five months before telling their relatives and neighbors the joyful news.

Then Elisabeth declared, “The Lord has done this for me! In these days He has shown me His favor and taken away my disgrace among the people” (Luke 1:25 NIV).

Our God is a good and faithful God who fulfills His promises!

Chapter 7

Hebrew Calendar

Jewish Month		Time of Year
1.	Abib / Nisan	Mar - Apr	Birth of John
2.	Zif / Iyyar	Apr - May
3.	Sivan	May - Jun	Conception of John
4.	Tammuz	Jun - Jul
5.	Ab / Av	Jul - Aug
6.	Elul	Aug - Sep
7.	Ethanim / Tishri	Sep - Oct	Birth of Jesus
8.	Bul / Marheshvan / Heshvan	Oct - Nov
9.	Kislev / Chislev / Chisleu	Nov - Dec	Mary conceived Jesus
10.	Tebeth / Tevet	Dec - Jan
11.	Shebat / Shevat	Jan - Feb
12.	Adar	Feb - Mar

Chapter 8

Lineage of Jesus

In the ninth month of the Hebrew year, which is Kislev (November/December), Gabriel was sent by Yehovah to the town of Nazareth in the region of Galilee (about 75 miles north of Jerusalem) to a virgin named Mary.

Mary was betrothed to a man by the name of Joseph who was of the house of King David.

Mary was also of the lineage of King David.

Joseph was a descendant from the line of David’s son Solomon, while Mary was a descendant from the line of David’s son Nathan.

The lineage of Joseph is mentioned in Matthew 1:1-17. The lineage of Mary is mentioned in Luke 3:23-38. Bible scholars believe that Luke’s account applies to the lineage of Mary and that Heli was Mary’s father, and Joseph’s father-n-law.

Lineage of Joseph		Lineage of Mary

Abraham		God
Isaac		Adam
Jacob		Seth
Judah		Enosh
Perez		Kenan
Hezron		Mahalalel
Ram		Jared
Amminadab		Enoch
Nahshon		Methuselah
Salmon		Lamech
Boaz		Noah
Obed		Shem


Lineage of Joseph		Lineage of Mary

Jesse		Arphaxad
David		Cainan
Solomon		Shelah
Rehoboam		Eber
Abijah		Peleg
Asa		Reu
Jehoshaphat		Serug
Joram		Nahor
Uzziah		Terah
Jotham		Abraham
Ahaz		Isaac
Hezekiah		Jacob
Manasseh		Judah
Amon		Perez
Josiah		Hezron
Jeconiah		Arni
Shealtiel		Admin
Zerubbabel		Amminadab
Abiud		Nahshon
Eliakim		Salmon
Azor		Boaz
Zadok		Obed
Achim		Jesse
Eliud		David
Eleazar		Nathan
Matthan		Mattathiah
Jacob		Menna
Joseph		Melia
Jesus		Eliakim
		Jonan
		Joseph
		Judah
		Simeon

		Lineage of Mary

		Levi
		Matthat
		Jorim
		Eliezer
		Joshua
		Er
		Elmadam
		Cosam
		Addi
		Melchi
		Neri
		Shealtiel
		Zerubbabel
		Rhesa
		Joannas
		Joda
		Josech
		Semein
		Mattathias
		Maath
		Naggai
		Esli
		Nahum
		Amos
		Mattathias
		Joseph
		Jannai
		Melchi
		Levi
		Matthat
		Heli
		Mary
		Jesus

Chapter 9

“Hail Mary, Thou Art Highly Favored!”

In the sixth month of Elisabeth's pregnancy, around November/December, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to Nazareth.

He entered the house where young Mary was (Luke 1:26-38) and declared in Verse 28 (AMP), “Hail, O favored one [endued with grace]! The Lord is with you! Blessed (favored of God) are you before all other women!”

When she saw him, she was greatly perplexed at his saying, and pondered what kind of salutation this was.

The Lord says the same thing to us today: “Hail, you who are highly favored! I am with you!”

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

Gabriel said to her (Luke 1:30-32 NKJV), “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And, behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son, and shall call his name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Then Mary said to the angel (Luke 1:34 AMP) “How can this be, since I have no [intimacy with any man as a] husband?”

Mary did not ask this question in a reply of unbelief as Zacharias had done when Gabriel announced that he and Elisabeth would bear a son.

Rather, Mary was sincere in her heart wanting to know how a virgin conception was possible. Gabriel explained exactly how it was going to happen.

He told Mary (Luke 1:35 NKJV) “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the Power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”

The word “overshadow” in the Greek is the word episkiazo, which means to cast a shade upon; to envelop in a haze of brilliancy, and figuratively speaks of being invested with preternatural influence.

This word is used figuratively of the Holy Spirit’s extending creative energy upon the womb of the Virgin Mary, in the same way that the Spirit of God was brooding over the face of the waters in Genesis 1:2.

A use of the word “overshadow” is drawn from the familiar Hebrew idea of a cloud (referring to the Shekinah Glory Cloud) as symbolizing the immediate Presence and Power of God.

This dimension of Jehovah’s Presence is called the kabowd, meaning “weighty or heavy”, a realm where God’s Presence can be tangibly experienced with the five senses.

The phrase “The Power of the Highest” means that the body of Jesus would be created by the direct power of God.

The word power in Luke 1:35 is dunamis, meaning force or miraculous power, where we get the word dynamite.

The phrase “Shall be called the Son of God” is spoken in reference to the human nature of Christ. Jesus is fully God and fully man.

The divine nature could not be born of a virgin; the human nature was born of her. The divine nature had no beginning, it was God manifested in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16).

Jesus was the Word which was with God, being equal to God, in the beginning for an eternity (John 1:2), and afterward became manifest in human nature and He tabernacled among us (John 1:14).

One reason Jesus was called the Son of God was because He was begotten in a supernatural manner. He is also called the Son of God on account of His resurrection (Romans 1:4, Acts 13:33, Psalms 2:7).

Gabriel went on to build up Mary’s faith to receive this miracle by telling her in Luke 1:36-37 (NKJV) “Now indeed, Elisabeth your relative (Elisabeth and Mary were cousins) has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God, nothing will be impossible.”

Although Mary was faced with the impossibility of a virgin conception, her response was one of faith.

Her reply to Gabriel was, “Behold, the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38 NKJV).

Then the angel departed from her.

This is a prophetic picture of how the Holy Spirit overshadows us and plants seeds of promise in our spiritual wombs.

Often what God reveals to us of the dreams and plans that He has for us is beyond our imagination. In the natural we don’t know how it is going to happen.

May our response be like Mary’s faith-filled reply: “Be it unto me according to Your Word”, and invite the Holy Spirit to come upon us and overshadow us.

To be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit is to invite the Shekinah Glory Cloud to rest upon us.

Jeremiah 33:3 (AMP) says, “Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand).”

Nothing is impossible to those who believe.

Luke writes about Mary in Luke 1:45 (NKJV), “Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

We are to carry and nurture those spiritual seeds and dreams that the Lord has planted in our hearts, and at the time appointed by God, give birth to those promises.

When we have dreams in our heart, the devil, and even people who don’t believe in our dreams or are filled with jealousy and spite, will be critical and laugh at us, trying to convince us that it won’t happen.

But may we carry those seeds planted in our hearts to full maturity by standing in faith, confessing the Word, speaking into existence those promises daily, and sowing towards those promises.

Sowing can be in the form of monetary giving, or in other forms. The point is that you have to make deposits or investments into whatever it is that you are believing God for.

If you need healing, then a way to sow is to pray for the sick as well as give offerings to ministries where people are being healed and delivered.

If you want a baby, then a way of sowing is to bless others who are having a baby … give gifts or bless them with a baby shower.

If we continue to stand in faith for our promises to come to pass, the Word says that we will reap in due season if we faint not (Galations 6:9).

Chapter 10

“His Name is John”

After Gabriel’s appearance to Mary, she hurriedly got ready and a few days later left Nazareth for the journey (approximately 115 miles) south to the highlands of Judea, to the town where Zacharias lived.

When she arrived, she entered the house and greeted Elisabeth. When Elisabeth heard Mary’s salutation, the baby leaped in Elisabeth’s womb, and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:41). Also, the baby John was filled with the Holy Spirit as Gabriel had said in Luke 1:15.

Elisabeth cried out with a loud voice and said to Mary, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored 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 joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” (Luke 1:42-45 NIV)

As the Christ (the Anointed One) in Mary’s womb—just His mere Presence—caused the baby in Elisabeth’s womb to leap for joy, this is a prophetic picture of how that when we are touched by the Lord’s Presence and Anointing in a powerful way, that the seed or dream in our spiritual womb leaps for joy.

After Elisabeth had said, “Blessed is she who believed, for there shall be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord”, Mary replied:

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and Holy is His Name.

“And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.

He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever” (Luke 1:46-55 NKJV).

Mary stayed with Elisabeth for three months until John was born, and then returned to her home in Nazareth.

When the time came for Elisabeth to give birth, she gave birth to a son just as the Lord had said. Her relatives and neighbors heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy towards her and they were rejoicing with her.

They used to feel sorry for Elisabeth, and some said unkind remarks about her. Yet now they were rejoicing with her.

People can change like day and night. When you are down and out, some friends are nowhere to be found. But as soon as you become successful, they are your best friend. Elisabeth showed them grace and put the past behind.

On the eighth day (as it was the Jewish custom to circumcise male babies at eight days old), the relatives and friends came for the circumcision ceremony. At the circumcision ceremony, the child was officially given his first name.

The relatives and neighbors all assumed the child would be named after his father Zacharias. But Elisabeth answered and said, “No indeed; but he shall be called John.”

And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.” So they asked the baby’s father. Zacharias motioned for them to bring him a writing tablet.

(He still was mute after Gabriel’s departure a little over nine months prior.) Zacharias wrote on the tablet, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished and marveled (Luke 1:59-66).

Immediately when Zacharias wrote on the tablet, “His name is John”, his mouth was instantly opened and he could speak again. His tongue was loosed and he began to praise God.

Fear (holy reverence) came upon those around him and news of what had happened spread throughout the hill country of Judea.

All those who heard this pondered it in their hearts, asking “What is this child destined to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him (John).

Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to prophesy over his son John, saying:

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come and has redeemed His people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David (as he said through His holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.

“To show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, the oath He swore to our father Abraham. To rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.

“And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace” (Luke 1:68-80 NIV).

Then the child (John) grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel.

Many of Jesus’ disciples were originally disciples of John the Baptist.

John the Baptist is a prophetic picture of the Bride of Christ being a forerunner of Jesus’ second return, declaring to the world: “Prepare ye the way of the Lord”, “Repent for the remission of sins”, “Be ready for Jesus’ appearance”, “Are your robes washed in the Blood of the Lamb?”, “Are you prepared and ready to meet the Bridegroom and enter into the Marriage Supper of the Lamb?”

The ministry of John the Baptist was also to “go before Him (Jesus) in the spirit and power of Elijah, turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the upright—in order to make ready for the Lord a people prepared” (Luke 1:17; Malachi 3:1, 4:5-6; Isaiah 40:3).

John was considered to be the greatest prophet who ever lived (Luke 7:28), second to Jesus. Jesus was more than a prophet—He is God made flesh.

Chapter 11

Mary’s Dilemma

The time came when Mary had to tell her fiancé Joseph that she was with child. She tried to explain to him how the conception occurred:

The archangel Gabriel appeared to her in person, he announced that she was chosen to be the mother of the Messiah, the Holy Spirit overshadowed her and she conceived, and the child she is carrying in her womb is the Son of God.

Of course, how could Joseph believe such a preposterous story? It sounded ludicrous. How could a mature, logical and sensible man like himself buy such a story? After all, every young woman dreamed of being chosen to give birth to the Messiah.

Just imagine all of the tumultuous emotions that Joseph was feeling. He was betrothed to Mary and in love with her. He had dreams and plans of spending his entire life with her, but now his dreams of the two of them having a future together was dashed on the ground into a thousand pieces.

He must have felt betrayal, anger, confusion, hurt, rejection, deep pain, disappointment and grief. He felt jilted. He had been cheated on, or so he thought. He was brokenhearted.

He must have felt rage in his heart, wondering which man it was that took advantage of Mary who was a young teenager, using her for his own selfish desires. If he found out who the man was, he was probably ready to kill him.

Song of Solomon 8:6 (NKJV) says, “Love is as strong as death; jealousy as cruel as the grave.”

Proverbs 6:32-35 (TLB) states: “But the man who commits adultery is an utter fool, for he destroys his own soul. Wounds and constant disgrace are his lot, for the woman’s husband will be furious in his jealousy, and he will have no mercy on you in his day of vengeance. You won’t be able to buy him off no matter what you offer.”

In that culture, the betrothal period was just as legally binding as the marriage itself, and it appeared that Mary had committed adultery.

Joseph could not believe such a bizarre story of how Mary supposedly conceived. He had the legal right to have her stoned to death in the town square before the religious leaders and the people. However, he was a just and righteous man, and he was in love with Mary.

Although Joseph was hurting, he did not want to expose Mary’s shame or see her go through public humiliation and a brutal execution. So he had it in his mind to divorce her quietly (Matthew 1:18-25).

While Joseph thought on these matters, 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 sins” (Matthew 1:20-21 NIV).

All of this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 7:14 NKJV):

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (which translated means God with us).

Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him. He took Mary as his wife, but had no intimate relations with her until she had given birth to her firstborn son (Matthew 1:24-25).

The Lord was faithful to fulfill what He said to Mary. Just as God promised, spoken through Gabriel, she was overshadowed with the Holy Spirit and conceived a son—being a virgin. For with God all things are possible (Luke 18:27).

Joseph is depicted as a man of honor and character, a man who obeyed the voice of the Lord. What a great man that God chose to be Mary’s husband and Jesus’ adoptive father!

Chapter 12

The Birth of Jesus the Messiah

In those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census be taken of all the inhabited world.

The King James Version says “taxation”, while other versions say “census”. Maybe it involved both things.

This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.

Everyone was on his way to register, each to his own city of lineage.

Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of King David. (King David’s birthplace is Bethlehem.) Joseph registered, along with Mary who was in the later stages of pregnancy.

While they were there in Bethlehem the days were completed for her to give birth.

There were no rooms available in the inn since there were so many people in Bethlehem during that time to register for the census.

The only available shelter they found was a stable or cave where the animals were kept. Mary gave birth to her firstborn son; she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger—a feeding trough (Luke 2:7).

In the same way that there was no room in the inn for the Messiah to be born, many people today make no room for Christ in their lives.

They have room for others and for things, but no room for Jesus. May we make room in our hearts for the King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus should take first place in our lives.

Jesus was born in “humble” surroundings although He is a King. He was not born and raised in a palace like kings of this earth. He wasn’t even born in a hospital or a house.

He was raised in Nazareth and worked in the family business as a carpenter along with His father.

Nazareth was a lower middle-class area. He was a King, but was not raised in a wealthy and influential family. He did not grow up in a prestigious neighborhood. God chose who His parents would be not based on economic status, but on their blameless character and righteous living.

Jesus’ disciple Nathanael said in John 1:46 “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

The city of Nazareth was held in great contempt by the people of Judaea, because the people of Galilee spoke a crude dialect and were less cultivated.

Also, the Galileans were held in disrepute because they were largely influenced by the Gentile heathen who mingled with them, and also because of their lower type of moral and religious character.

Jesus left the wealth of Heaven to come to earth. He experienced what it is like to grow up in poor conditions, in an area where the people received less of a formal education. Nazareth was unlike Jerusalem, which boasted of wealth, the Temple, universities and libraries.

Most of Jesus’ disciples were from the region of Galilee. They were rough around the edges, but the Lord used them powerfully.

On the Day of Pentecost, the 120 who gathered in the Upper Room were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in languages they had never learned before.

In Acts 2:7, devout Jews from every nation who came for the feast of Pentecost were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?”

The Galileans were uneducated and yet began to speak fluently in languages they had never learned before. Another significant thing is that the Galileans, who usually spoke rough and rude, began to speak with eloquence and gracefulness.

This goes to show that God can raise up a person who feels like a nobody from nowhere—from any neighborhood or economic situation—and prosper them and use them for His glory.

Jesus understands the financial pressures that most people go through.

God wants us to be blessed and walk in abundance, having all of our material needs met and be able to pay all of our bills, because He bore the curse of poverty on the Cross.

Second Corinthians 8:9 (AMP) says, “For you are becoming progressively acquainted with and recognizing more strongly and clearly the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (His kindness, His gracious generosity, His undeserved favor and spiritual blessing), [in] that though He was [so very] rich, yet for your sakes He became [so very] poor, in order that by His poverty you might become enriched (abundantly supplied).”

Jesus was not always poor though. In his ministry he had a treasurer handle the money. Jesus also lived in a house in Capernaum of Galilee, which was a prosperous area. When Jesus died on the Cross, lots were cast for His tunic.

If we be Abraham’s seed, we are heirs of the promise or the covenant (Galations 3:29).

In the Abrahamic Covenant, one part of it is that God would bless us and that we would be a blessing to others. You can only bless others if you have it to give. God is Jehovah Jireh, our Provider. He wants to bless us.

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:8 (AMP): “And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation].”

Chapter 13

Angels Appear to the Shepherds

Mary had given birth to her firstborn son, Jesus, and used a manger as a crib to lay Him in.

Meanwhile, in the same country there were shepherds out in the fields keeping watch over their flocks by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone brightly all around them, and they were greatly afraid (Luke 2:8-9).

Then the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign to you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger” (Luke 2:10-12 KJV).

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude (a countless number) of the heavenly hosts (angels) praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14 KJV)

So it was, when the angelic hosts had gone away from the shepherds into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us!” (Luke 2:15 KJV)

Church history records that when the mass angelic choir appeared to the shepherds in the fields at night, the whole sky lit up like the noonday sun and the singing was heard for miles away by the villagers.

That must have been awesome to experience.

All the angels worshiped Jesus at His birth. Hebrews 1:6 (NKJV) says, “But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: ‘Let all the angels of God worship Him’.”

In the same way in which the angels appeared in the sky to herald the first coming of the Messiah (with loud singing, shouting and praising God), that when Jesus appears in the clouds to catch His Bride away (some call it the rapture, some refer to it as being translated to heaven, while others call it the catching away of the saints), that He will be heralded by the angels and saints.

Gabriel will sound the alarm by blowing a shofar. Then millions of angels will begin blowing trumpets (and I’m sure other musical instruments as well), and the angels and saints will begin rejoicing and praising God as they meet the Lord in the air.

I personally believe that the rapture will not be silent as movies portray—where people suddenly disappear—but the whole world will hear the trumpets blowing, the singing and victorious shouting.

Those who are left behind will visibly see the saints who are ready for the rapture, begin to ascend straight up into the air like a rocket into the clouds, in the same manner that Jesus ascended into heaven.

Matthew 24:30-31 (NIV) says, “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn.

They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.

And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”

The Son of Man is a name that refers to Jesus.

The four winds are in reference to the four corners of the earth (North, South, East and West). This means that the rapture will be a worldwide event where His elect are caught up to heaven from every part of the world all at the same moment.

In regards to Jesus’ second return—which is a separate event from the rapture—when He comes riding triumphantly on a white horse and touches the Mount of Olives, many Bible theologians believe that the second return will probably take place during the month of Tishri (the seventh month of the Hebrew year during September/October).

During this time of the year is the Feast of Trumpets, followed by the Day of Atonement, and then followed by the Feast of Tabernacles (Jesus tabernacling with us or making His home with us).

The Feast of Tabernacles is also known as the Feast of the ingathering of the harvest. This harvest is not about harvesting crops, but a figurative harvest—a worldwide harvest of souls.

It is important to be ready for Christ’s return. No man knows the day or the hour that Jesus will return—not even the angels, nor the Son of Man (Jesus). Only the Father knows (Mark 13:32).

In the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13), five were wise and five were foolish. The wise virgins were prepared when the bridegroom arrived and were ready to enter into the Marriage Supper. They had oil for their lamps.

The five foolish virgins ran out of oil, and while they went to go purchase some more, the Bridegroom came and they were not ready and prepared. They were not able to go in to the Marriage Supper because the door had been shut. Although they knocked, the door was not opened.

Could this parable possibly be saying that when the rapture takes place, that only half, or one group, of the Body of Christ will be ready to ascend to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb?

It is not enough to just have said an initial prayer of salvation and been water baptized. God is looking for good fruit (the fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galations 5:22-23 and John 15) in our lives.

He is looking for holiness and walking in the fear of the Lord. We cannot have one foot in the world and another in Christ.

He is looking for those who seek to have a close relationship with Him and who love Him.

It is possible to be in the church and even be involved in ministry, and not even be saved. To be saved means that you are a new creature in Christ Jesus—the old is gone and the new has come.

To be saved means that you are walking according to God’s Word, not according to the ways of this world. It means a transformation of the heart, with corresponding actions following.

We do not know the exact date that Christ will return. We just know the season. It is important to be ready at all times—not only should the rapture occur in our lifetime, but also because we do not know with positive certainty when we will take our last breath.

It’s important to be right with God and to have a clean heart, and a conscience that is free from guile and has been purified by the Blood of the Lamb.

If you need to get right with God, just call out to Him. Confess your sins, and He will be faithful and just to forgive you of all of your sins (1 John 1:9).

Ask Him to cleanse your heart and conscience with the Blood of Christ. Invite the Holy Spirit to come and fill you to overflowing and to transform you into Christ’s image. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh.

The Word says to not be deceived, God is not mocked (Galations 6:7). Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. He who sows to the carnal nature (fruits of darkness such as hate, jealousy, envy, strife, malice, unkindness, injustice, fraud, selfishness, immorality, corruption) shall reap what they sowed.

He who sows to the Spirit (love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, patience, self-control, faith, gentleness, truth, honesty, integrity, the Golden Rule, fairness, just weights and balances, righteousness) he will reap what he has sowed.

Ask the Lord to bring you into a closer relationship with Him, and that you want to know Him. To know Him is to love Him more and more as the years go by.

In Luke 2:15-20, the shepherds came with haste and found Mary and Joseph in the stable or cave, and the baby lying in a manger.

Now when they had seen the babe, they spread the word concerning what had been told to them concerning this child.

All those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Notice that God sovereignly chose to have the hosts of angels appear to shepherds to announce the birth of Christ. Then the shepherds in turn, told everyone about the good news.

Taking care of sheep was considered to be a lowly job, and shepherds did not have much of a voice in society. They were considered to be less important and of low-ranking status. Yet they were given the honor of seeing and hearing the angels herald the birth of Christ and the honor of announcing to the whole community the birth of the Son of God.

God could have sent His angels to announce the birth of Christ to the elite. The world we live in equates socio-economic status with importance and degree of favor shown. The prominent and wealthy have the most voice in society. This is all based in pride, and God abhors pride.

The Lord is a God of equality. He views everyone with equal importance and value. He shows favor to whomever He chooses. He enjoys raising the needy out of the ash heap and empowering them to prosper.

The Lord will often take people who had major setbacks and disadvantages, and raise them up to become very successful. God often chooses those who others think are the least qualified and uses them mightily.

God looks for those who are available to Him—regardless of status or education—and who say “yes” to God.

Chapter 14

Jesus Dedicated at the Temple

When the baby Jesus was eight days old, He was circumcised (Luke 2:21).

At the circumcision ceremony, Mary and Joseph named Him JESUS, the name given by the angel Gabriel when he appeared to Mary in person and later on appeared to Joseph in a dream.

The Greek name translated into English as Jesus, is the name Iesous (pronounced ee-ay-sooce, Strong’s New Testament #2424). It is of Hebrew origin (Strong’s Old Testament #3091) from the name Yehowshua, or Joshua, meaning “Jehovah is Salvation”.

When the days of Mary’s post-birth purification had been completed, according to the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem to be dedicated to the Lord (Luke 2:22-24).

In the Barnes’ Notes Bible Encyclopedia, it states that among the Hebrews, a mother was required to remain at home for about forty days following the birth of a male child and about eighty days after the birth of a female child. During that time she was reckoned as impure, and was not permitted to go to the Temple or to engage in religious services with the congregation (Leviticus 12:3-5).

A sacrifice was required when dedicating the firstborn son at the Temple. Mary and Joseph brought a sacrifice to be offered. As it is written in the law of the Lord (Exodus 13:2), every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord. And in keeping with the law of the Lord, a sacrifice must be offered of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

At the temple, there was an elderly man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon (Luke 2:25-40). This man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel (a name for the Messiah), and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

It had been revealed to him by the Holy Ghost that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ (the Messiah).

So he came by the Spirit—he was led by the Lord to come—into the temple that exact particular day that Mary and Joseph were there with baby Jesus.

When the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, Simeon took Jesus up in his arms and blessed God and began to prophesy over Him saying:

“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your Word. For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32 NKJV).

Joseph and Mary marveled at those things which were spoken of Him (Jesus). Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, the mother of Jesus: “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:34-35 NKJV).

Now there was a prophetess named Anna, who was the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (Luke 2:36-38).

She was 84 years old. When she was young, she was married to her husband for seven years and became widowed. She never did remarry but remained single the rest of her life.

She remained at the Temple for all those years, serving God with fastings and prayers night and day.

When she saw the baby Jesus, at that very moment she came up and began to give thanks to God, and continued to speak of the newborn Messiah to those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Chapter 15

Wise Men From the East

When Jesus was born, there were wise men (also called magi or astrologers) in the East who saw His star and they journeyed to Jerusalem to find the One who was born King of the Jews so they could worship Him (Matthew 2:1-2).

The wise men inquired of the leaders in Jerusalem as to where the newborn King of the Jews was located.

When King Herod heard about this, he was troubled, as was also all Jerusalem (Matthew 2:3). Herod was the king of the Jews and felt threatened by the idea of someone else being born to replace him as king of the Jews.

Herod gathered the chief priests and the scribes (religious lawyers) together, inquiring where the Messiah was to be born (Matthew 2:4-6). So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet ‘But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting’” (Micah 5:2 NKJV).

Herod secretly summoned the wise men to his palace to question them, to determine when the star first appeared (Matthew 2:7-8).

Then Herod sent the wise men to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child, and when you have found him, bring word back to me—that I may come and worship Him also.”

In his evil heart, Herod had no plans of worshipping the Christ Child, but of murdering Him.

The wise men departed from King Herod’s presence, and the star that they had seen in the East went before them leading them to the place where Jesus and His parents resided.

The star stood over a house where the young child was (Matthew 2:9-10). When the wise men saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy!

From the time that the wise men first saw the star, they didn’t arrive in Bethlehem until two years later.

By the time they left for their journey and traveled hundreds of miles to Jerusalem and were detained there, when they finally arrived in Bethlehem, Jesus was around two years old.

Joseph, Mary and the toddler Jesus were living in a house and remained in Bethlehem until Jesus was about two years old.

Although the wise men are depicted today as being three in number because they presented Jesus with three gifts, it was probably a whole caravan of magi that came.

In those days travelers journeyed in caravans for safety purposes, as there were robbers along the side of the roads.

When the wise men came into the house, they saw the young child with Mary His mother. The wise men fell down and worshipped Jesus.

They had brought costly gifts for Him that are suited for a king. When they had opened their treasures, they presented Him with gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11).

Gold symbolizes Divinity and Eternity. The gold is representative of the fact that Jesus is God, who was in Heaven with His Father and sent to earth to take on human flesh to ransom mankind. Gold also represents the wealth of a King.

Frankincense is a sweet perfume, symbolizing the sweet fragrance of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14-15).

Song of Solomon 1:3-4 (NIV) says, “How pleasing is the fragrance of Your perfume; Your Name is like perfume poured out … let the King bring me into His chambers.”

Frankincense speaks of Jesus being our bridegroom and king. Frankincense also speaks of worship and prayers that are offered up to God ascending to the Throne as a sweet-smelling aroma that is accepted by the Father. Frankincense symbolizes the Shekinah Glory of God.

Myrrh is a sweet smelling, but bitter resin, used for cleansing and burial of the dead. Myrrh symbolizes Christ’s sufferings and His death on the Cross. Myrrh also represents the sufferings we go through, and dying to the fleshly nature (Galations 2:20, 5:16-25).

The wise men were divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod. So they departed for their own country another way.

When the wise men had departed, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream saying, “Arise, take the young child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young child to destroy Him” (Matthew 2:13 NKJV).

When Joseph arose, he took the young child and Mary by night and departed for Egypt. They remained in Egypt until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying “Out of Egypt I called My Son” (Hosea 11:1).

Chapter 16

A Voice Was Heard in Ramah

King Herod, when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him and were not returning, was exceedingly angry.

He sent soldiers to Bethlehem, and all its surrounding districts, to slaughter all the male children two years old and younger, for the wise men had told him that the star first appeared two years before.

This brutal massacre fulfilled the words of the prophet Jeremiah, who said: “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted because they are no more” (Jeremiah 31:15).

Rachel is used figuratively to represent the city of Bethlehem. She was the mother of Joseph and Benjamin, the wife of Jacob, who was buried near Bethlehem. Ramah was a small farming community about 10 miles away from Bethlehem.

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Arise, take the young child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead” (Matthew 2:20).

So he arose and took the young child and Mary to the land of Israel.

However, when he heard that Archelaus, the son of Herod, was now reigning over Judea, he was afraid to go there. Being warned by God in a dream, he took Mary and the young child to the region of Galilee and dwelt in the town of Nazareth.

This is where Jesus grew up, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene” (Matthew 2:23).

The Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him (Luke 2:40).

Chapter 17

Mary Treasured These Things

Three times in the Christmas Story it is mentioned that Mary pondered and treasured these things in her heart.

The first time was when the shepherds came and told her everything the angels had said to them concerning her son.

The second time was when Simeon prophesied over her son at the Temple.

The third time was when Jesus was twelve years old and had been missing for three days.

Yearly, the whole family, including extended family, went up to the Temple in Jerusalem to observe a feast.

After departing Jerusalem to head back home, they discovered He was missing (Luke 2:42-52). Many relatives were traveling in a caravan, and one thought He was with the other and vice versa.

They came back to Jerusalem and searched for Him. Mary and Joseph found Him at the Temple sitting with the teachers. When His parents expressed how distraught they were in searching for Him, Jesus said, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49 NKJV)

Mary has been honored for centuries for being chosen to give birth to the long-awaited Messiah and to be the mother of the Great I AM.

The prophecy spoken by Simeon at the temple about a sword piercing her soul came true when she witnessed her son being beaten, scourged with 39 stripes, a crown of thorns being placed upon his head, Jesus carrying the heavy cross to Calvary and collapsing under the weight of the heavy load, being crucified, being spit on and ridiculed, being stripped naked on a cross and finally dying.

Her sorrow was turned to joy when she saw Him alive again after His resurrection. Then she felt grief and loss again when 40 days following His resurrection He ascended into Heaven. It would be years before they would be reunited in Heaven.

Mary was among the 120 people waiting in the Upper Room for ten days following Jesus’ ascension. He told them to wait until they were endued with Power from on High (Luke 24:49). When the Day of Pentecost was fully come, the Holy Spirit was poured out. They spoke in languages they had never learned before. The early church was birthed (Acts 2).

The sword also pierced Mary’s soul as it related to the family situation. Jesus’ family was not believers prior to the resurrection. Therefore, the family was divided and Mary was caught in the middle.

While Jesus was still hanging on the Cross, He entrusted the care of His mother over to John the Beloved disciple (His cousin). John was the brother of James and son of Zebedee. Jesus said, “Mother, behold thy son” … “John, behold thy mother” (John 19:26-27). From that day forward, Mary lived in John’s home for the rest of her life.

Normally, the custom was that one of her other sons would take care of his mother for the rest of her life. However, Jesus chose John. He knew that His mother would be the best cared for by John.

It is recorded that Jesus had four brothers: James, Joseph, Simon and Judas. He also had sisters, although their names, and how many sisters, are not mentioned (Matthew 13:55-56).

At the time of Jesus’ death, his siblings were not believers yet. However, they eventually became believers and even leaders in the church. The most well-known of Jesus’ brothers is James, who was a leader in the Jerusalem church, who wrote the Epistle of James.

Jesus, who foreknew the future, knew that His brothers would become martyrs for the Gospel’s sake. John was the only one who was not martyred and lived to be a ripe old age (around 97).

It is believed that Mary died in Ephesus where she and John were living.

Mary was a woman of courage, grace and strength.

She endured many years of scandal and people whispering and gossiping about her and Joseph.

Those around them believed that she and Joseph had conceived a child out of wedlock. That is what it appeared to be.

Joseph married her sooner than they originally planned, and when doing the math, it was obvious that Mary gave birth to Jesus less than nine months after she and Joseph were married.

Only a few in Nazareth believed that Jesus was the Messiah. To most people in Nazareth, He was just the son of a carpenter.

To be a vessel used by the Lord, like Mary, you may have to drink a bitter cup. There may be reproach and suffering that you have to go through in order to carry Jesus to the world. You may have to put your life on the line for the Gospel’s sake. However, a blessing will be yours for an eternity.

Chapter 18

God is Faithful to Keep His Promises

The theme of God keeping His promises is interwoven throughout the entire Christmas Story.

The Lord was faithful to His words to Mary, Joseph, Zacharias, Elisabeth, the shepherds, Simeon and Anna. God did for them exactly what He had said He would do.

There are 332 Messianic promises and implications in the Old Testament regarding Christ’s first coming. God fulfilled every single Messianic promise when Jesus came to earth—from His conception up until His resurrection and ascension into heaven.

For a complete list of every Messianic prophecy regarding Jesus’ first coming, I would highly recommend a book entitled Lamb of God: Yesterday, Today and Forever (Clarion Call Marketing, 2004) by Benny Hinn. Please go to his website at www.bennyhinn.org.

If God has spoken prophetic promises to you, or that of a loved one, just know that He will be faithful to fulfill those words in His perfect timing.

Numbers 23:19 (NIV) declares, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?”

God has promised us many things in His Word. Also, many of us have received prophetic promises that were spoken over us.

We want to receive our promise or healing. We know that God is able to do it, but for some reason or another, many are not completely ready to receive their promise or healing at this moment.

We have to get to the place where we not only know that God is able to do it, but that He will do it.

In John 5:5-9, Jesus came by the pool of Bethesda and found a lame man who had suffered with an infirmity for 38 years. Jesus said to him, “Do you want to be made whole?”

Rather than the man instantly saying “yes”, he gave Jesus the reasons why he hadn't been healed in the past. Plus, the man was stuck in the mode of blaming others for his condition.

When the man decided to take responsibility for his own life and stop blaming others and making excuses, then he was able to receive his healing.

If prophetic words were spoken over you and it bore witness with your spirit and is in agreement with the Bible, then trust God to perform His Word.

May we prepare our hearts to receive all that God has for us. May we make whatever changes God tells us to make, so that we are ready to receive.

It is time to cross over into our promised land and receive what we have been believing God for. May we not let fear, doubt and other issues get in the way of receiving our promise.

Romans 4:17 says that God calls those things that are not as though they already were. That is what we need to do … begin calling those things in our lives that are non-existent as though they already were in existence. Then we will begin to see those things come into manifestation.

God wants to do something in our life that's bigger than us. He wants us to believe for the impossible. He's able to do miracles, even creative miracles.

Jeremiah 32:27 (KJV) says, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for Me?” In verse 17 Jeremiah declares, “Ah Lord God! Behold, Thou hast made the heaven and the earth by Thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for Thee.”

When Zerubbabel (mentioned in Haggai and Ezra) had faced opposition to restoring the temple in Jerusalem and work had been suspended for several years, the situation looked bleak.

However, God spoke through the prophet saying, “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a [level] plain” (Zechariah 4:6-7).

We can personalize this for our own lives. Replace the name Zerubbabel with your name or that of a loved one. Declare aloud, “The Word of the Lord comes to __________ saying, It's not by your might, nor by your power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.

Who art thou, O great mountain? Before __________ thou shalt become a leveled plain.”

Matthew 21:21 says that if we speak to our mountain and tell it to move out of our way, and do not doubt in our hearts, that it would obey us.

What is the mountain (the obstacle or problem) in your life that stands in your way and tries to intimidate or taunt you?

You have to speak to it, telling it to get out of your way.

Luke 3:5 speaks of Jesus, saying that He would cause every valley to be filled and exalted, every mountain to be made low, every crooked path to be made straight, and every rough way to be made smooth.

God wants us to keep our focus on Him, and see Him as powerful and mighty and awesome. Who else is like unto Him? Who else can do what only He can do? There is none like Him!

Hebrews 11:11 says that Sarah received the promise because she considered Him faithful who had promised. Like Sarah, we need to believe that God is faithful to fulfill everything He said He would do even before we see it happen.

Mary said to Gabriel, “Be it unto me according to thy word”, and then she conceived. May we have the heart of Mary and say to the Lord when He speaks something to us, “Be it unto me according to Thy word.”

This is a season of leaving the wilderness and crossing over into our promised land. There are giants there—new challenges and new devils to contend with, but God will conquer every giant.

Although the old can be miserable, it's familiar. The new seems scary because it's a place of the unknown.

God has a “promised land” for each of our lives (a place of blessings, joy, abundance and fulfilled dreams). The Lord will lead us there if we take His hand, and be willing to leave the past behind.

Chapter 19

All Things Are Possible With God

“Behold, I am Jehovah, the God of all flesh; is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27)

Jesus is the God who does the impossible. Luke 18:27 says that the things which are impossible with man are possible with God (see also Matthew 19:26 and Mark 10:27). Mark 9:23 says that all things are possible for those who believe.

The New Testament Greek word translated into English as “possible” is dunatos. It is defined as:

Powerful

Capable

Mighty

Possible

Able

Strong

To have power and ability to do something

On the contrary, the Greek definition of the word “IM-possible” is: to be weak, without strength or power, unable, not capable, a thing which cannot be done.

There are things in this life that are beyond man’s ability or power to do. However, since God is GOD, He is not weak, nor incapable, nor unable, nor without power to do something. God can supersede the natural course of events.

Throughout the entire Bible, God gives illustration after illustration of His mighty deeds. The examples of God’s power displayed throughout the Word of God helps to build our faith to believe God to do the impossible in our own lives.

The issue of waiting on the Lord’s timing for Him to act on our behalf or bring a promise to pass often trips us up. God’s timing is usually not our timing. There is time in Heaven, but it’s different than we tend to think of time here on the earth. We usually think of time as the ticking away of the clock.

There are two primary Greek words in the New Testament that refer to time:

Chronos – the ticking away of the clock; seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years; it’s where we get the word “chronological”, such as chronological events of history.

Kairos – the appointed time; the appointed season; the set time for something to happen; the proper time.

God operates in both chronos and kairos time, but most often He works in kairos time.

The Lord did the impossible in the lives of Mary and Elisabeth. In His kairos (appointed) time, God gave each of them a son by a divine miracle. Mary was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and conceived being a virgin. Elisabeth used to be called “The Barren One”, but conceived a son in her old age when she was past childbearing years and her husband was old.

There are other people in the Bible, who are in the lineage of Jesus Christ, who were faced with impossible situations, but God did a miracle for them.

Abraham and Sarah

In the life of Abraham and Sarah, God promised to give them a son. God said that their descendants would be as numerous as the sand on the seashore and as the stars in the heavens.

At the time the promise was first given, Abraham was 75 and Sarah was 65 years of age. Sarah was barren, and besides that, both her and Abraham were beyond childbearing age.

Abraham’s name was originally “Abram” and Sarah’s name was “Sarai”. Abram means “exalted father” and Sarai means “princess”. The Lord changed Abram’s name to Abraham, meaning “father of a multitude” (even though he had no children yet). God changed Sarai’s name to Sarah, meaning “a female noble, a head person of any rank or class”.

God calls those things which are not, as though they already were (Romans 4:17).

After the initial promise was established, God reaffirmed the promise many times thereafter to keep their faith alive. They had waited for 25 years for the promise to come to pass. By this time, Abraham’s body was as good as dead, and Sarah’s womb was dead.

Romans 4:19-22 (AMP) states: “He (speaking of Abraham) did not weaken in faith when he considered the [utter] impotence of his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old, or [when he considered] the barrenness of Sarah's [deadened] womb.

No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God, fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised.

That is why his faith was credited to him as righteousness (right standing with God).”

When Abraham was 99 years old and Sarah was 89, God appeared to Abraham in Genesis 18 and announced that the set time had come for the promise to be fulfilled, and by this time next year, Sarah would give birth to a son.

In Genesis 21, the Lord visited Sarah just as he had said, and she conceived and gave birth to a son at the (kairos) time appointed by God. Abraham and Sarah named their son Isaac, meaning “laughter”. God turned their mourning into joy, and He restored the dew of their youth.

When Sarah died, Abraham remarried and had six more sons (Genesis 25:1-2).

Jesus came from the line of Abraham. Abraham was the father of the Jewish people.

Abraham’s son Isaac had a son Jacob, who had twelve sons. His twelve sons were referred to as the twelve tribes of Israel. The tribes of Israel are: Reuben, Simeon, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Manasseh and Ephraim. Jesus comes from the tribe of Judah (the kingly tribe), although is related to Levi (the priestly tribe). Levi is not a tribe in the sense of land allotted to them. Their portion was the Lord. They served in the Tabernacle, or Temple. The twelve tribes of Israel would not have come into existence if Isaac had not been born.

Israelites Leaving Egypt and Crossing the Red Sea

God demonstrated His miraculous power when the Israelites left Egypt and came to the Red Sea. They were hemmed in from mountains on the left and the right, and an uncrossable sea stood in front of them. Their enemies were to their backs pursuing them and they had nowhere to flee. They were cornered in and trapped. The situation looked impossible. The only way out was forward through the sea.

Are you facing a situation that looks impossible, and you feel hemmed in, cornered and trapped? Be encouraged that God can open a road in the sea for you to cross over on dry ground to the other side.

In fact, the Egyptian army did finally catch up with the Israelites and would have captured them and taken them back into captivity, except that the Lord separated the Egyptian army from the Israelites with a dark thick cloud.

God’s word to the people in Exodus 14, and His word to us today in circumstances we are facing, is:

Fear not. (Be of a strong mind.)

Stand still. (Remain stable and calm.)

See the salvation of the Lord. (The Lord shall intervene on your behalf.)

The Lord shall fight for you. (He is your deliverer, protector and defender.)

You shall hold your peace. (You are to remain silent before God and not lift a finger—let God fight this battle for you. Psalms 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.”)

Go forward. (Walk forward in faith and confidence. Expand your faith to believe God to do the impossible.)

For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. (The obstacles you face today will become a thing of the past. Demonic enemy forces opposing and harassing you will be defeated.)

I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians … then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharoah, his chariots, and his horsemen. (As God destroyed the entire Egyptian army in the sea, God also sends confusion to the enemy camp and gives us the victory. God will receive the glory, honor and fame when He defeats your enemies and performs miracles in your life.)

God will be honored in the sight of the Israelites. (The Lord will receive all the glory and credit for doing such wondrous miracles in your life. Others around you will know that only God could have done that for you.)

With God, all things are possible. Absolutely nothing is too difficult for Him. He can intervene in any situation and turn things completely around. Do you need a miracle in your health (or that of a loved one), finances, workplace, marriage and family?

We can be confident that God will answer our prayers and perform those miracles in our lives that we are believing for. John 14:14 (NKJV) says, “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” God says that we can ask for anything.

John 15:7 (NKJV) says, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”

Mark 11:24 (NKJV) says, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” You have to believe that you have already received whatever it is you desire before you see it happen. Believing that you have already received is like placing an order and you are just waiting for it to arrive. Your miracle is on the way.

Second Chronicles 16:9 (TLB) says, “For the eyes of the Lord search back and forth across the whole earth, looking for people whose hearts are perfect toward Him, so that He can show His great power in helping them.”

God is searching for a person who will believe Him for the impossible and allow Him to display His mighty power in his or her life. He’s looking for someone who will receive that miracle or healing that He wants to do for them. He’s looking for someone who will give Him all the credit and glory for intervening on their behalf.

God delights in doing even more for us than we expected. Ephesians 3:20-21 (AMP) says, “Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]—to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).”

Mary had childlike faith when she declared, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word.” Mary had no doubt or unbelief in her heart. She accepted the word of the Lord sent through Gabriel and she received a miracle that superseded natural laws.

Mary is an example to us of the kind of faith God wants us to have. When the Lord confirms a promise to us, He wants us to take Him at His Word. He wants us to have faith like a child. A child, in most cases, will believe whatever a parent or teacher tells them.

Mary also had a heart of expectancy. She expected to conceive a son supernaturally and to be the mother of the long-awaited Messiah. God wants us to expect to receive those things we pray for (or when the Lord speaks to us, to receive whatever it is He said).

Chapter 20

Fear Not

Five times in the Christmas Story fear is mentioned.

Zacharias was told to fear not—that his prayer was heard, and his wife Elisabeth would bear him a son in his old age.

Mary was told to fear not—for she has found favor with God and would conceive in her womb and bring forth the Messiah.

Joseph was told to not be afraid to take Mary as his wife, for what is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

The shepherds were told to fear not when the angels appeared and the glory of the Lord shone brightly all around them.

Joseph was afraid to go to Judea when he heard that Archelaus, son of Herod, was now reigning.

Scriptures on fear

2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Luke 12:32 (NKJV) Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Mark 5:36b (KJV) Be not afraid, only believe.

Isaiah 35:4 (KJV) Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you.

Isaiah 41:13 (NKJV) For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’

Psalms 56:3 (NKJV) Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.

Fear of the Lord Brings Healing.

There is a connection between healing and fearing the Lord.

God tells us in His Word that fearing the Lord prevents sickness and promises healing. Proverbs 3:7-8 says, “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.”

The fear of the Lord prolongs our life. Proverbs 10:27 says, “The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.”

When we fear God, things will go well for us and we will see and enjoy many good days upon the earth.

The Hebrew word for “fear”, as it relates to fearing God, is the word yare. It implies reverence and showing God the utmost respect and honor. It's having awe for Him, holding Him in high esteem and obeying His commands. It is loving Him.

In the Unger's Bible Dictionary, the fear of the Lord is defined as:

“This kind of fear has its spring in love, and prompts to care not to offend God and to endeavor in all things to please Him. It has virtues of godly character. It is produced by the Holy Spirit, and great blessing is pronounced upon those who possess this Christian trait.

This kind of fear dreads God's displeasure, desires His favor, reveres His Holiness, willingly submits to His will, is grateful for His benefits, sincerely worships Him, and conscientiously obeys His commandments.”

Fearing the Lord does not mean that you have to be frightened by God's Presence (with the thinking that God is mean and harsh, ready to strike you if you make a mistake). The Lord is very tender, gracious and kind. He is more loving and gentle than a mother who has compassion for her nursing child.

There is an element of feeling the terror of God in the Hebrew definition of the word “yare”. If He appeared to any of us in person and revealed His Holiness to a greater degree than our earthly minds can comprehend, we may fall down in terror and trembling at His mighty Presence. However, terror of God’s Presence is usually referring to those who rise up against God, those who are His enemies and do evil and do not have a repentant heart even after a long period of grace. The judgment of God is a terrifying thing. However, the judgment of God is a last resort after a person has been given every opportunity to repent.

I wanted to clarify the meaning of the “fear of the Lord”, because many people have a wrong view of Father God. Many see God as being an angry dictator, ready to punish them for the least little thing. This kind of thinking creates a distance between them and God, as well as a lack of complete trust in God. They live under a dark cloud of guilt and condemnation (except that the condemnation is both self-inflicted and devil-influenced). Or in other words, they believe the deception of the enemy who tries to make them believe that God is cruel.

A distorted view of the Father could occur because of an upbringing in a legalistic religious atmosphere, or if they were fatherless or their father (and/or other male authority figures) were abusive. God is not like man. Often times, His reputation gets marred when people try to compare Him to their earthly relationships. God is a loving Father, and He wants the best for us.

Jesus, who is God, walked in the fear of the Lord toward His Father (reverencing Him, obeying what the Father said, showing Him honor and respect, in awe of God, loving Him, and wanting to please His Father in every way).

Isaiah 11:1-3 is a Messianic prophecy that speaks of Jesus saying, “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him (Jesus), the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. And shall make Him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD.”

Jesus is our example of how to fear Father God.

HEALING PROMISES TO THOSE WHO FEAR THE LORD

God promises in His Word healing and health to those who fear Him.

Malachi 4:2 states: “But to you who fear My Name, the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings” (“wings” being defined as the hem of the garment, edge of the cloak).

Proverbs 3:7-8 says, “Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones.”

Proverbs 14:27 tells us that the fear of the LORD is a fountain of life.

Prolonged years is promised to those who fear the Lord. Proverbs 10:27 says, “The fear of the LORD prolongs days.” xref Deuteronomy 6:2.

Proverbs 9:10-11 tells us that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding. For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.

Proverbs 19:23 declares that the fear of the LORD tendeth to life. And he that hath it shall abide satisfied. He shall not be visited with evil.

100 BENEFITS TO FEARING THE LORD

Benefit #1 of fearing the Lord: Beginning of wisdom (Psalms 111:10; Job 28:28; Proverbs 2; Proverbs 9:10; Proverbs 15:33)

Benefit #2 of fearing the Lord: Beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7)

Benefit #3 of fearing the Lord: Deliverance from your enemies (Exodus 23:27, 2 Kings 17:39)

Benefit #4 of fearing the Lord: Dwelling in safety and not oppressing anyone (Leviticus 25:17-18)

Benefit #5 of fearing the Lord: The land will yield its increase and you will eat its fill (Lev 25:17-19)

Benefit #6 of fearing the Lord: Live upon the earth and teach your children and grandchildren (Deuteronomy 4:9-10)

Benefit #7 of fearing the Lord: That it might be well with you and your children forever (Deuteronomy 5:29)

Benefit #8 of fearing the Lord: Preservation of life (Deuteronomy 6:24)

Benefit #9 of fearing the Lord: Declared righteous (Deuteronomy 6:25)

Benefit #10 of fearing the Lord: Enter into your promised land (Deuteronomy 8:6-10)

Benefit #11 of fearing the Lord: God will do great and awesome things for you (Deuteronomy 10:20-21)

Benefit #12 of fearing the Lord: Prevent one from thinking they are better than others (Deuteronomy 17:19-20)

Benefit #13 of fearing the Lord: Prevent one from turning aside from God’s laws (Deuteronomy 17:19-20)

Benefit #14 of fearing the Lord: Prevention of sicknesses and plagues (Deuteronomy 28:58-61)

Benefit #15 of fearing the Lord: Healing of diseases and sicknesses (Malachi 4:2)

Benefit #16 of fearing the Lord: Living in Divine Health (Proverbs 3:7-8)

Benefit #17 of fearing the Lord: Your offspring learn to fear the Lord (Deuteronomy 31:12-13)

Benefit #18 of fearing the Lord: God will hear the cry of the afflicted (Psalms 22:23-24)

Benefit #19 of fearing the Lord: God will hear your cry, and save you, and preserve you (Psalms 145:19-20).

Benefit #20 of fearing the Lord: God will fulfill the desires of those who fear Him (Psalms 145:19)

Benefit #21 of fearing the Lord: Eye of the Lord is upon those who fear Him (Psalms 33:18)

Benefit #22 of fearing the Lord: “The friendship of Jehovah is with them that fear Him” (Psalms 25:14, ASV).

Benefit #23 of fearing the Lord: God makes His covenant known to them who fear Him (Psalms 25:14b)

Benefit #24 of fearing the Lord: God will release your feet from the snare (Psalms 25:14-15)

Benefit #25 of fearing the Lord: The Lord will instruct us in the way chosen for us (Psalms 25:12)

Benefit #26 of fearing the Lord: God’s great goodness is laid up for those who fear Him (Psalms 31:19)

Benefit #27 of fearing the Lord: God will hide you in the shelter of His Presence from the plots (KJV says “conspiracies”) of man (Psalms 31:19-20a)

Benefit #28 of fearing the Lord: God will keep you safe in His pavilion from accusing tongues (Psalms 31:19-20)

Benefit #29 of fearing the Lord: Secret of the Lord revealed (Psalms 25:14, KJV). God confides in those who fear Him (Psalms 25:14, NIV).

Benefit #30 of fearing the Lord: He will deliver you from death (Psalms 33:18)

Benefit #31 of fearing the Lord: He will keep you alive in famine (Psalms 33:18). Miraculous supply!

Benefit #32 of fearing the Lord: The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and delivers them (Psalms 34:7)

Benefit #33 of fearing the Lord: You will lack nothing (Psalms 34:9-10)

Benefit #34 of fearing the Lord: You will see many good days (Psalms 34:11-14). Life will go much better for you.

Benefit #35 of fearing the Lord: God will raise a banner for you (Psalms 60:4)

Benefit #36 of fearing the Lord: Salvation is near to them that fear Him (Psalms 85:9; Acts 13:26)

Benefit #37 of fearing the Lord: Your soul is delivered from the lowest hell (Psalms 86:11-13)

Benefit #38 of fearing the Lord: God will regard the prayer of the destitute (Psalms 102:15-17)

Benefit #39 of fearing the Lord: Longevity of life; years added; days multiplied (Deuteronomy 6:2; Proverbs 9:10-11, 10:27)

Benefit #40 of fearing the Lord: Abundant mercy (Psalms 103:11)

Benefit #41 of fearing the Lord: God forever separates our sins from us (Psalms 103:11-12)

Benefit #42 of fearing the Lord: The Lord’s great compassion is on those who fear Him (Psalms 103:13-14)

Benefit #43 of fearing the Lord: Lovingkindness and mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon those who fear Him (Psalms 103:17)

Benefit #44 of fearing the Lord: The Lord’s righteousness is unto your children and grandchildren (Psalms 103:17-18)

Benefit #45 of fearing the Lord: Generational mercy (Luke 1:50)

Benefit #46 of fearing the Lord: Your descendants shall be mighty upon the earth (Psalms 112:1-2)

Benefit #47 of fearing the Lord: You shall increase more and more, you and your children (Psalms 115:13-14)

Benefit #48 of fearing the Lord: Qualified and God-appointed to be a leader (Exodus 18:21-22, 2 Samuel 23:3-4)

Benefit #49 of fearing the Lord: God gives food and provision to those who fear Him (Psalms 111:5)

Benefit #50 of fearing the Lord: Wealth and riches (Psalms 112:1-3).

Benefit #51 of fearing the Lord: Riches and honor and life (Proverbs 22:4)

Benefit #52 of fearing the Lord: You shall dwell in prosperity and your seed shall inherit the earth (Psalms 25:12-13)

Benefit #53 of fearing the Lord: To the upright, light arises in darkness (Psalms 112:1-4)

Benefit #54 of fearing the Lord: God is your help and shield (Psalms 115:11)

Benefit #55 of fearing the Lord: Blessing for both small and great (Psalms 115:13)

Benefit #56 of fearing the Lord: A woman who fears the Lord shall be praised (Proverbs 31:30)

Benefit #57 of fearing the Lord: Hate evil, pride, arrogance and perverse mouth (Proverbs 8:13)

Benefit #58 of fearing the Lord: The Lord will answer you in distress, and set you in a large place (Psalms 118:4-5)

Benefit #59 of fearing the Lord: The Lord establishes His Word to His servant (Psalms 119:38)

Benefit #60 of fearing the Lord: God will fulfill the desire of them that fear Him (Psalms 145:19)

Benefit #61 of fearing the Lord: The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him (Psalms 147:11)

Benefit #62 of fearing the Lord: Be secure, without fear of evil (Proverbs 1:29-33)

Benefit #63 of fearing the Lord: The upright shall dwell in the land (Proverbs 2:21)

Benefit #64 of fearing the Lord: Strong confidence (Proverbs 14:26)

Benefit #65 of fearing the Lord: That you would sin not (Exodus 20:20)

Benefit #66 of fearing the Lord: You will not be visited with evil (Proverbs 19:23)

Benefit #67 of fearing the Lord: When you walk through darkness and can’t see your way, your trust is in the Lord (Isaiah 50:10)

Benefit #68 of fearing the Lord: Your children shall have a place of refuge (Proverbs 14:26)

Benefit #69 of fearing the Lord: There is hope for you, and your expectation shall not be cut off (Proverbs 23:17-18)

Benefit #70 of fearing the Lord: Things will be well with them who fear the Lord (Ecclesiastes 8:12-13)

Benefit #71 of fearing the Lord: When the enemy comes in like a flood the Spirit of God shall raise up a standard against him (Isaiah 59:19)

Benefit #72 of fearing the Lord: For the good of you and your children (Jeremiah 32:39-41)

Benefit #73 of fearing the Lord: Multiplication (Acts 9:31)

Benefit #74 of fearing the Lord: Perfecting holiness (2 Corinthians 7:1)

Benefit #75 of fearing the Lord: Submission to one another in the fear of God (Ephesians 5:21)

Benefit #76 of fearing the Lord: Noted as a man or woman of faith (Hebrews 11:7)

Benefit #77 of fearing the Lord: Offering to God pleasing service and acceptable worship (Hebrews 12:28)

Benefit #78 of fearing the Lord: Depart from evil (Proverbs 16:6)

Benefit #79 of fearing the Lord: Entering into God’s rest (Hebrews 4:1)

Benefit #80 of fearing the Lord: Judgment avoided (1 Peter 1:17)

Benefit #81 of fearing the Lord: Great reward (Proverbs 13:13; Revelation 11:18)

Benefit #82 of fearing the Lord: As a witness to the unbeliever (1 Peter 3:2)

Benefit #83 of fearing the Lord: When you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you (Psalms 128:1-2)

Benefit #84 of fearing the Lord: Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine, your children like olive plants around your table (Psalms 128:1-4)

Benefit #85 of fearing the Lord: You shall see your children’s children (Psalms 128:6)

Benefit #86 of fearing the Lord: One who fears the Lord will avoid all extremes (Ecclesiastes 7:18, NIV)

Benefit #87 of fearing the Lord: The fear of the Lord is clean (pure, unadulterated, uncontaminated, holy, morally innocent, sound), enduring forever (Psalms 19:9)

Benefit #88 of fearing the Lord: The fear of the Lord is a Fountain of Life (Proverbs 14:27)

Benefit #89 of fearing the Lord: The fear of the Lord is to depart from the snares of death (Proverbs 14:27)

Benefit #90 of fearing the Lord: The fear of the Lord tends to life (Proverbs 19:23)

Benefit #91 of fearing the Lord: He that fears the Lord shall abide satisfied (Proverbs 19:23)

Benefit #92 of fearing the Lord: God will teach you how to choose the best (Psalms 25:12, Living Bible)

Benefit #93 of fearing the Lord: Following Jesus’ example—He feared the Lord (Isaiah 11:1-4)

Benefit #94 of fearing the Lord: Happy is the man who fears God (Proverbs 28:14)

Benefit #95 of fearing the Lord: The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, and before honor is humility (Proverbs 15:33)

Benefit #96 of fearing the Lord: Identity in His Name (Deuteronomy 6:13)

Benefit #97 of fearing the Lord: Visitation from God (Acts 10:22)

Benefit #98 of fearing the Lord: Habitation from God because he/she has set his/her love on Me (Psalms 91)

Benefit #99 of fearing God: The Sun of Righteousness will arise with healing in His wings—wings defined as hem of a garment (Malachi 4:2)

Benefit #100 of fearing the Lord: Health to your flesh, and strength to your bones (Proverbs 3:7-8)

Chapter 21

The Gifts God Has For You

Christmas is a time of giving. We give gifts to express our love and appreciation. Children, and adults alike, enjoy receiving gifts.

Children are filled with so much excitement at the anticipation of Christmas Day and can hardly wait to open their presents. Their faces light up with joy when they receive the toy or bicycle they wanted so very much.

First John 3:1 says, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.”

Galations 4:6-7 states: “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba Father. Wherefore, thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”

Matthew 7:11 tells us that in the same way that parents enjoy giving good gifts to their children (though they be evil compared to God’s goodness), then how much more does the Father delight in giving good gifts to those who ask Him.

Every good and perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of Lights, with whom is no variableness or shadow of turning (James 1:17).

The Lord has many good gifts to give to us. All we have to do is just receive by faith and thank Him.

His gifts are so many, but include:

Salvation and Eternal Life

Forgiveness

The Holy Spirit

Health and Healing

Abundant Life

Overflowing Provision

Peace of Mind

Love and Joy

Family, Friends and Children

God’s Anointing and Presence

Favor of God

Gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12

The Desires of Your Heart

Reconciliation in Family Relationships

Every Blessing From Heaven

All these gifts are for you with your name on it!

Chapter 22

You Can Receive Salvation

In John 10:10, Jesus said that the thief (Satan) comes only for to kill, steal and destroy. But He (Jesus) has come to give us life, and life more abundantly, to the full, until it overflows.

The best gift that anyone could ever receive is salvation and eternal life. Romans 6:23 (KJV) says, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Through Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross and His resurrection, anyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved.

Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV) says, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

In Revelation 3:20, Jesus is knocking on the doors of our hearts. If we will open the door, He will come and sup with us and us with Him.

The Lord is knocking on the door of your heart right now just waiting for you to let Him come in. If you do not know Jesus as your personal Savior, you can be saved right now. You can pray your own prayer from your heart, or you can pray this simple prayer. Just say:

“Dear Jesus,

I acknowledge that I am a sinner in need of a Savior. I believe that You rose from the dead. I accept You into my heart as my Lord and Savior. I repent of my sins.

Forgive me and wash me clean by Your Blood. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for writing my name in the Lamb’s Book of Life. I want to serve You all the days of my life. Help me to become the person You want me to be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

If you prayed this prayer for the first time, where is Jesus right now? Do you feel His presence in your heart?

You are now a child of God and are accepted in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6).

I would encourage you to find a good Bible-believing church to help you grow in your newfound faith. I would also encourage you to be water baptized as a declaration that you are now following Jesus.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Corinthians 13:14 NKJV).

May you have a joyful Christmas season.

Kathleen Riley

Bibliography

Ruffin, C. Bernard, The Twelve: The Lives of the Apostles After Calvary (Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.), 1997

Vincent, M.R., Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers), 1985

It is God's will that no one should perish (end up in hell), but that ALL should come to repentance.

For God so loved this world that He gave His only begotton Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

God did not send His Son into this world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him would be saved.

The thief (Satan the devil) comes only for to kill, steal and destroy. But Jesus has come to give us life, and life more abundantly, until it overflows.

I urge you to come to the Cross today and receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord. He will wash away all your sins and make you as clean and white as fresh snow.

Just pray this prayer and mean it with your heart:

Dear Lord Jesus (if you are not able to call him Lord yet, then just say "Jesus")

I receive You as my Savior and Lord. I give my life over to You. I believe that You died and rose again, and that if I call on the Name of the Lord I shall be saved.

I accept you into my heart right now, and confess that You are Lord and have risen from the dead and forever live to make intercession for me.

Thank You for washing my heart pure and clean and making me whole, and for giving me peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Thank You that now I am a new creature in Christ Jesus. The old has gone and the new has come.

And there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh (carnality and sin), but walk after the Spirit. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

If you prayed this prayer, I believe you got born again and are now heaven bound and will be with the Lord forever and have eternal life. Your sins are now forgiven. You are accepted in the Beloved.

I would encourage you to find a good Bible based local church to help you grow in your faith, to learn the Word of God, to praise and worship Him, and to have fellowship with the saints.

Serving Christ is the best decision you will ever make.

God bless you!!!

Monday, April 29, 2024

Christmas Story - The Promises of God Fulfilled