Herod was a master builder, thinker, strategist, and a manipulator. To win the favor of the Jews, he tore down Zechariah’s temple and build a third temple.  This temple would be label as one of the eight wonders of the ancient world.  Nothing compared to this building in all the Roman empire.  The Jewish people were proud, especially the religious leaders, of their temple.   This one act gave Herod the ability to manipulate the Jewish leadership.  He did. 

 

When Jesus was born, Herod was in the midst of several building projects.  All because he was afraid of losing his kingdom.  The Jewish people supported his projects, after all he gave them a glorious temple.  The Wise Men showed up asking for information of a new king, the Jewish leadership gave away the prophecy and their souls all because Herod had built them a new temple.

 

It is interesting how easily people are manipulated.  Mark Twain once said, “It is easy to make people believe a lie, it is difficult to make them believe the truth.”   It is that way in our society today, in our churches today.

 

Do not listen to people, even me.  Always check everything against the writing in red in the Bible.  Those words are Jesus’s and they are never wrong.  Think about it.

Joseph paid a price for being the husband of Mary.  It was costly.  It shook the core of his manhood.  It tested his identity and character.

 

Now, you may be asking what are you talking about?  Follow with me for a moment Beloved.  Mary was pregnant.  Her first child would not be his.  That is a huge hit to a man’s identity.  His wife was no longer pure.  Add to the fact that after the marriage ceremony, there would be no physical relations for at least 9 months. He would have to overcome in his soul some very difficult feelings and facts. Add to this the social aspect.  Living in a small town there would be the gossip, the snide looks, the rejection in the man groups.  You get the idea.  It would be tough for him to get work.  It would be tough for him to hold a normal position within the town held by men.  Yet, no word is recorded from Joseph.  No word of the difficulties he faced.  All we are told is that He obeyed. 

 

Men, today in our society, it is difficult to get a good woman.  Like Joseph, we face many challenges that have never existed.  Most women are not pure anymore.  They come with baggage, problems, attitudes, perceptions.  We pay the price.  We wonder is it worth it anymore to even date a woman?  I cannot answer that question for you.  Yet, if God brings a woman into your life and you know that God did.  Stay the course.  It will be tough.  It cannot be helped today in this society.  Women make it very difficult (subconsciousness;y or consciously). 

 

Bring that woman before God, men.  Let HIM show you if she is the one.  Then HE will give you the strength to do what needs to be done as HE did with Joseph.  Think about it.

Joseph is visited by an angel.  This angel tells Joseph what is happening with Mary, with him.  He follows the angel’s directions which come from God.  Silently, which was mentioned yesterday.

 

After the angel leaves, Matthew quotes an Old Testament Scripture, Isaiah 7:14.  We hear this verse at Christmas all the time.  We know it.  “Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means God with us).” 

 

Why did Jesus come to this earth?  To die for our sins, you would say.  Is it?  What if He came to fulfill God’s prophecy through Isaiah?  What if He came to complete God’s plan for HIS creation?  Yes you say.  But He came to die for my sins.  That is the problem.  Jesus came first and foremost to complete GOD’S prophecy and GOD’S plan.  It is not about us.  We benefit from the sacrifice, the death, the resurrection.  It is not about us.

 

It is about GOD being with us.  NOTICE it is about GOD.  Beloved, we get so caught up in so much that we forget it is about GOD the Father, GOD the Son, GOD the Holy Spirit.  What about you, the church you attend, the activities you pursue, is it about GOD being with you?  Think about it.

Many people go through life, living.  No fanfare.  No great presentations.  No fireworks.  They just live.  Take Joseph.  He is to marry Mary.  She is found pregnant.  Not to disgrace her, he decided to silently end the arrangement.  God comes along through an angel and tells Joseph to marry her anyway.  He does.

 

In Matthew’s account all we see of Joseph is a silent man who obeys the word of God. He does not speak.  There is no great dialogue between him and God.  No great repentance event. No great vision.  He listens.  He obeys.  Just that simple.

 

Yet in his silent obedience, he raises the Son of God.  What are we missing here?  Simple.  It is not the drama of the fight.  It is not the conferences, the retreats, the great music, massive meetings, it is simply about obeying.  Jesus stated, whoever does not obey the Son will never see life(John 3: 36).   Faith and obedience goes hand in hand.  Many times without words.

 

You may go through life thinking nothing great has happened.  No great repentance event.  No great visitation from God. What if for just a moment it is not about the events, it is just about simply obeying?  What if it is just that simple?  Then life is simple.  Well, let’s put it this way, it will become more interesting.

 

Think about it.

 

 

Listed within the linage of Jesus are three women.  Two of the three women are Gentiles.  Yes, that is correct.  Let’s look.

 

Rahab was the woman who hid the spies at Jericho.  She knew that God had given the city to the Israelites.  All she wanted was to be saved with her family.  Her and her family were saved when Jericho was destroyed.  She married Salmon.  Rahab betrayed her own people to save the spies.  Interesting note.

 

Ruth was a Moabite who married a Jew.  All the man in the family died leaving only the women.  Naomi told her daughter in laws to return home.  Ruth stayed.  She helped take care of Naomi.  Finally she met Boaz who was her Kinsman Redeemer.  He bought Naomi’s field also getting Ruth in the process.  He took her as his wife.

 

Bathsheba was the wife of Uriah.  When David saw her, they had an affair.  He had her husband killed to get her.  She had a son that died seven days after birth.  Then she had Salomon by David. 

 

These three women are in the linage (my opinion, Beloved) because God will use anyone at any time, His way. These women were important because of what they did, how they acted, and what they believed.  The grandmothers of Jesus stand out.  They leave an example. 

 

Think about it.

Today, we begin a one year study of just the four gospels.  The reason is to focus on Jesus and Jesus alone.  I have done this before.  It is incredible what happens when one is focused on just the four gospels. 

 

Matthew begins with the genealogy of Joseph.  Genealogies in the Jewish world was important.  It was your identity.  That is why male offspring were important, because the genealogy was through the male child (first born).  The genealogy of Jesus begins with Abraham who is the father of the Jewish nation.  Luke will begin with Adam because his audience was mainly Gentile.  Luke would go back to the first man, Adam.

 

Abraham was a man of faith.  However, he was a lair, survivalist,  and at times afraid.  Yet, God made a choice to use this man to start a nation which would bring forth the Savior of the World.  God uses anyone HE chooses, the way HE chooses at any time.  That is God.  He sees what can happen verses what we see. 

 

As you walk through this day, be reminded God will uses you, if you let HIM.  He will use you in a way that you might not understand.  Let HIM use you.

 

Think about it. 

Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 

 

 

 

Since yesterday morning this song has been playing over and over in my head.  It is titled “You’ve Already Won” by Shane and Shane.  The first verse goes like this:

There’s peace that outlasts darkness, hope that’s in the blood,

 

 

The greatest love story in the Bible is that of the prophet Hosea and his wife Gomer, who was  a prostitute.  He married her.  They had a child.  She went back to prostitution.  He went and brought her back home.  Another child.  She runs off again.  He buys her back.  Many Hollywood movies are based on the life of Hosea and Gomer.  It is also symbolic God’s love for HIS people.  HIS decision to love HIS people no matter what they do to HIM.  No matter the pain that HE suffers because of their disobedience.

 

To the men: finding a pure, innocent, upright woman today is difficult.  Most women have been with another man, before they leave high school.  Most women come with children, attitudes, expectations, and we realize that if they leave they take the children and half of what we have.  So in our minds, it is not worth the risk.  Yet, when we decide to love (for us it is a decision), it is a risk.  We understand.  We accept.  We love her despite what she has in the past.  Hosea.   Today, it takes a very strong man to love.  Don’t give up.

 

Ladies, understand that men know that women instigate over 85% of all divorces.  They understand that most women have baggage, hardships, and personal demons.  They understand the risks.  They accept you for who you are at that moment, looking to the future.  Don’t take for granted what men give.  Men as in Godly men.  Respect for a man is love.  Loyalty is to some degree foreplay.  When God brings a man who decides to love you, take the chance.  You may not have it again.

 

Thought for the day.  Thought for life.  God’s loves us to the point HE paid our debts.  When Hosea loves Gomer, a love story takes off.  what a love story that will be, Beloved.

I Timothy 1:15, Paul writes to a young preacher of 40 these words:

 

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,