Matthew 2:16

Then Herod, when he saw that he had been outwitted by the wise men, flew into a rage. He gave orders to massacre all the male children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, in keeping with the time he had learned from the wise men.

Herod was a madman determined to satisfy his ungodly ambition. Many scholars and medical experts believe he suffered from severe depression and paranoia, both of which exemplify extreme concentration of self. He was completely absorbed in himself and his own desires that no one else mattered. He even killed members of his own family that he suspected were trying to usurp him. When he couldn’t find the baby king, he decided to create a mass genocide to try to destroy him. I can only imagine the anguish of being a new mother at that time. Such cruelty can only be described as evil and a work of the Devil, himself.

History tells us that Herod died between 1 and 4 BC. Jesus was probably around one to four years old. Herod’s fear was that no one would mourn his death, so he ordered the death of a group of distinguished men upon his own death so the nation would display a huge presentation of grief – as if they had not already grieved tremendously the loss of a countless number of male infants from Bethlehem! Indeed, I can see how many would view his death as a time of celebration, rather than a time to mourn. Fortunately, Herod’s sons did not carry out his wishes to execute the distinguished men.

Herod’s death is believed by medical scholars to have been caused from chronic kidney failure, accompanied by gangrene. Such a condition would have caused excruciating pain, and I’m not sure anyone would have cared. To live a life of such position and influence only to be so hated and despised is such a waste, but that is exactly what evil will produce. Anything from the Devil will destroy our lives and spread his agenda. Herod gave his soul to evil influence, and it profited him nothing in the end. If only he had really sought Jesus to worship him as the wise men did, his life could have had a greater ending.

Your time on earth is temporary, and you will certainly encounter evil while you are here. Determine to seek Jesus and worship Him. The innocent will die, and the madmen will reign, but God is still in control. His plan is still in place, and no one will deter it. He will bring an end to the madness, and His Son will one day rule. Until then, keep the faith. Through sadness, sorrow, and despair, know that Jesus is coming, and His reign will be worth it all!

Have a blessed day!

Matthew 2:1-2

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of king Herod, wise men from the east arrived unexpectedly in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.

Jerusalem was the capital of Israel. The temple was located there, as well as the king. A city of great importance for the region, it flourished economically as the seat of the Jewish religion. Surely, the great King of the Jews would be known there. The wise men went to the most logical place on earth to find this great King who was so important and impressive that a star even rose in His honor. Wise men who did not know the God of Israel came to worship his Son. Yet, He could not be found in Jerusalem. They had no idea where He was, and the King feared and hated Him. 

If unbelieving wise men came into our churches today, would they find Jesus? Would they find us as clueless and antagonistic as the people and leaders of Jerusalem? Would they find us concerned only with our rituals and traditions and even unaware that Someone great had just come into the midst?  Would they find us with the same yearning desire to worship our true King as the wise men of Jesus’s day? Whether or not we realize it, the whole world is actually searching for Jesus. Are we able to properly direct them?

Where is Jesus in your life today? Are you properly worshiping Him as the great King He is, or are you busy handling your own affairs, too engaged to notice? Don’t miss the greatness in your midst. Set everything else aside this season, and worship the Son of God in all His majesty. He is the very reason we celebrate, yet we often lose him in the hustle and bustle that takes priority over His greatness. You are a child of the living God – the one true King – and everything you do should be an indicator that directs unbelievers to Christ. Just as the King of the Jews should have been known in Jerusalem, Christ should be known in Christians. 

Have a blessed day!

Matthew 2:7-8

Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared.  He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child.  When you find him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship Him.”

The wise men had come to Jerusalem in search of a child born King of the Jews because they saw His star rising in the East, and they recognized its importance. Herod, an appointed king with no legitimate right to the throne, met with them secretly to learn more about what they had seen. If his intentions had been noble, why did it require a secret meeting? Herod feared Jews learning the details of the star and realizing a legitimate king had been born – a promised king, according to the prophets. Herod needed their information, but he wanted to control how it was used. If all of Jerusalem knew what the wise men did, they might all seek to worship this child. He could not have that and maintain his throne.

Herod’s lineage as a Jew was questionable. Many did not feel he had a legal right to the throne, but he brought good economic times to the region. He executed anyone who challenged his authority, including members of his own family. A baby with a rising star in the East, Messianic prophesies foretold, and Gentile Magi seeking to worship Him certainly posed a threat to his authority. He tried to manipulate the wise men into cooperating with him by implying false intentions. He did not desire to find the baby so he could worship.  His true intentions were to kill Him!

The Devil is threatened by true worship. He often assumes illegitimate authority in our lives, and we allow him if we think we benefit from it somehow. Once he has that authority, he will seek to eliminate any threat to it – especially worship for Jesus, the only legitimate receiver of worship. Sure signs that the Devil is at work are secrecy, manipulation, and deceit. If these actions are required to maintain or establish a position, it is not a godly position. Anything from God will direct worship to Christ and will glorify Him.

Dare to be like the wise men, and be intent on worshipping Jesus with your gifts. Don’t compromise with anyone or anything that operates in secrecy, manipulation, or deceit. God made a way for these wise men, and He will make a way for you if your desire is true worship. To bow in the presence of the legitimate king is far greater than to stand with a wicked ruler. Choose to bow and be blessed! 

Have a blessed day!

Luke 1:35

The angel replied to her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.”

Mary didn’t understand how she could conceive a son if she was a virgin, so she asked the most logical question a young girl could ask who had just been told she was highly favored by God. This would be the work of the Holy Spirit in her. When God calls us to do great things, He does not expect us to accomplish them in our own strength or even by normal and ordinary means. He simply waits for us to completely submit to Him, and the Holy Spirit takes over.

When the Holy Spirit comes upon us, we are anointed to walk in our calling. His power works through us, and nothing is impossible with God, according to verse 37 of this same chapter. If God calls us to do it and we completely submit to Him, He can accomplish great and wonderful things we never imagined by His power. We simply have to be willing to allow the Holy Spirit to overshadow us, which means He becomes greater and we become smaller.

To be overshadowed by the power of the Most High, we must put aside our own desires, plans, and dreams for the future. He must be bigger in our lives than what we want. When He overshadows everything else, anything is possible.

This Christmas, make Christ bigger in your life. Determine to make Him the utmost important thing to you, and watch to see what impossible things begin to happen for you. Our answers are always found by making Him great and ourselves small. Let the power of the Most High overshadow what you do, and God’s glory will be revealed in you.

Have a blessed day!

Psalm 43:5

Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God.

David struggled with depression. If a man as great and as mighty as David would struggle with such emotional torment, we are certainly not exempt. His experience led him to see both the emotional pain and the faithfulness of God. He learned to give God the last word on the matter and placed his hope in Him.

We cannot trust our feelings, but most of us are led by them. Unfortunately, our emotions can have a greater impact on our behavior than our minds. If we don’t know the truth of God’s word, we don’t even have the knowledge to try to overcome painful emotions. If we are isolated, the matter is even worse because our emotions are our only companions. Like David, we must learn to look outside ourselves for an answer and depend upon our Creator to orchestrate the things that will bring us into our divine purpose and fulfill His promises to us.

Put your depression and your inner turmoil in God’s hands by submitting your concerns to Him. Build your faith by praising Him and thanking Him for the victories you have experienced thus far. The Devil would like nothing more than to torment you here because he knows he can’t in eternity. Don’t give him the satisfaction. Turn your cares over to God, and praise Him. In this way, you resist the Devil’s attack on you, and he will flee. Depression is praise to the Devil and fuels his effect on you. Worship, statements and songs of faith, and thanksgiving are all forms of praise to God that fuel your faith. Determine who you will praise today by putting your hope in God.

Have a blessed day!

Psalm 5:3

At daybreak, LORD, You hear my voice; at daybreak I plead my case to You and watch expectantly.

I’ve learned to recognize Psalms written by David by their personal appeal to God. You can sense David’s close relationship with the heavenly Father by his conversational stance and reverential awe. David took his concerns to God first thing every morning and just waited to see how God would work in his day. He set before us the example we all should follow in daily devotions.

Before David ever spoke a concern to anyone else, he took it to God. He saw the rest of the day as an opportunity for God to respond. He expected to get an answer from God and watched for it. Do we look to each day as an opportunity for God to speak to us while watching expectantly for Him to respond to our prayers, or do we pray prayers of desperation in response to the cares of this world while expecting the worst possible scenario?

I challenge you to try a new approach with me to your daily devotions. At the beginning of each day, take your concerns to God, and watch expectantly for how He will respond. Look for Him at every venue, and see what answers you receive. This morning I have three great concerns I’m taking to God at the break of day and just waiting to see what solutions He provides for me. These are all things beyond my control that require God’s divine intervention and my trust in Him. I expect to see my faith grow from placing them in God’s hands.

I’m convinced prayer is our best defense against enemy attacks, and our best offense toward his demise. The battles we face belong to the LORD, and it is time we let Him handle the things we cannot see while we responsibly address the matters at hand. We walk in His strength and not our own. Plead your case to God at daybreak, and watch Him break into your day!

Have a blessed day!

Genesis 17:17-18

Abraham fell to the ground, laughed, and thought in his heart, “Can a child be born to a hundred year-old man? Can Sarah, a ninety-year-old woman, give birth?” So Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael could live in Your presence!”

Abraham looked at his condition and Sarah’s and thought they were beyond blessing. If only God would just bless him through Ishmael, that would be enough for him. God had something greater than Abraham’s mind could comprehend. His plan was to give Abraham a son through his wife, Sarah, and bless his lineage through her son. What Abraham could never do on his own, God would do through him in his old age. He was not beyond blessing or being used by God.

Sometimes we might want something so badly we can taste it, but we just can’t make it happen. Regardless of how hard we try, our efforts are just never good enough. When we finally give up trying and think we are far beyond ever receiving the very thing our heart so greatly desires, God shows up to bless us. Can we receive it when His blessing comes far later than we expected?

Abraham would have been content to just receive God’s blessing through Ishmael. If God would just allow Ishmael to live in His presence and bless him, Abraham would be happy. After all, he had no faith in his ability or Sarah’s to conceive and give birth. In this event, Abraham would learn that God’s blessing came totally from God, and his efforts really meant nothing. He could accept God’s blessing or reject it.

When God intends to bless you, your ability or inability really means nothing. He will do the work, and you can receive it or reject it. God gave His one and only Son to die for us so we could have a relationship with Him. Jesus did all the work on the cross. We either receive grace through His sacrifice, or we reject it. If we try to earn that salvation in any way, we have rejected the sacrifice. Our blessing comes when we let go of our own efforts to obtain it and just believe God and allow Him to work.

God still blesses His people. He still uses those of us who think we are too old or disqualified to be effective. If He ever gave you a promise that has not yet come to pass, He will show up to bless you when you least expect it. Believe Him again, and just allow Him to work in you. You don’t have to struggle or strive to receive His favor because you already have it. Just remain in His presence and be blessed.

Have a blessed day!

Luke 1:46

And Mary said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,…

From her innermost being, Mary proclaimed the greatness of the Lord with her mind, her will, and her emotions. She could not keep her praise hidden inside; it had to come bursting forth. She knew something great was happening inside her, and God had allowed her to be a part of it. Although uncertainties surrounded her, Mary focused upon the greatness of the Lord and what He was doing in her life.

We all need to take Mary’s praise to heart. When God begins to move in greatness in our lives, the Devil will surround us with uncertainties and try to redirect our focus to negative things. What God is doing is much greater than any negative influence Satan may try to throw at you. Continue to focus upon the greatness of God, and trust Him to take care of the negativity. If you pay too much attention to the uncertainties, you will lose the joy of the blessing God is bringing your way. Let your soul proclaim the greatness of the Lord!

You may not have all the answers you need today, but God is doing something great inside of you. Praise Him for it! Christmas was God’s promise of a Savior and a relationship with Him. Celebrate with praise! God can do for us what we cannot do for ourselves, and He is greater than any external foe. Praise Him by proclaiming His greatness today! We have hope, joy, and love all wrapped up in One – Jesus. Take your eyes off the problems of this world and turn them to Him. He is God’s great gift to us!

Have a blessed day!

Watching or Taken by Surprise?

Matthew 2:1-2

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived unexpectedly in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

The wise men clearly understood the significance of the star and probably saw it rising during the pregnancy. They were fully aware that a new, special, and significant king had been born, and they had come to worship Him. They went to the most logical place to try to find Him, thinking the king of Israel would be aware of such a significant birth. Their visit, however, caught Herod by surprise and was the first alert that a threat to his cherished throne was born. If what the wise men said were true, Herod would not be the immortal king he’d hoped to be, and a new king would take his place.

Israel had been promised a Messiah and should have been looking for Him. Granted, it had been a long time since prophets had spoken in the land, and they were under political oppression. God’s promise through the prophets still stood, however, and Jesus fulfilled every word foretold of Him. When it has been a long time since we’ve heard from God on a matter, do we still believe Him for His promises, or do we lose hope and fail to see God at work in our lives? Are we like Herod and taken by surprise or maybe even threatened when God moves?

Herod didn’t want a Savior; he wanted the glory and the immortality of the promised King. By desiring a glory that was never his to take, he tried to destroy the hope of Israel and the hope of the world. Christ’s glory would come through His sacrifice – a price Herod could never or would never pay.

Realize that every act of glory and honor comes with a sacrifice. No one takes it by force or with ease. To receive a reward of immortality, you must die at some point. Christ died for us so we might share in His inheritance, but we must die to ourselves in order to receive it. If only Herod had understood his reign on earth would be so short, perhaps, he would have considered life in eternity. We should all consider such a thought and realize that there is only One true King, and His name is Jesus. We should follow the example of the wise men and be intent upon finding Him so we can worship Him, too!

Have a blessed day!

Luke 1:18-20

“How can I know this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “For I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.” The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and tell you this good news. Now listen! You will become silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

Zechariah did more than just question the news of a son. He questioned the reliability and trustworthiness of the messenger, who was sent from God. Zechariah doubted God’s ability to deliver based upon his own physical limitations. In order to prevent Zechariah from speaking more doubt upon the promise, the angel silenced him until the birth.

Proverbs 18:21 instructs us that the power of life and death are in the tongue. God would not allow Zechariah to speak death through doubt over what He was doing. James 3:2 explains that farmers put bits in horses’ mouths in order to control their whole bodies. Gabriel in effect placed a bit in Zechariah’s mouth in order to bring him into full obedience to God’s word. If Zechariah, the priest with a powerful promise, was doubtful, those who heard his words of doubt would doubt, too. In order to increase Zechariah’s faith and to bring forth the promise, God silenced him.

Speak words of faith over your life, and don’t succumb to the temptation doubt brings your way. Stand upon the promises of God’s word, and know that He is working all things together for your good and His glory. If He has given you a promise, speak that promise in faith. I’ve been encouraged by a saying I’ve seen recently: “She believed she could, so she did.” Whether you believe you can or you can’t, you are correct. Speak faith over those things God has placed in your heart, and believe Him to do what seems impossible.

Have a blessed day!