Life given-Life taken

“See, my servant will prosper; he will be highly exalted.” Isaiah 52:13

DAY 20- It will be a long journey to Bethlehem my friends, but we have much to discuss.  Today the Lord is leading us in a different direction, a direction that will lead us to the cross. It is the cross and the death that makes the birth so magnificent.

There are many things we celebrate, but there are two very significant celebrations that will and have changed the lives of many forever, the birth of our Son and the death of our Son.  I know this comes at a very unusual time, but it is so important that you understand just how amazing LIFE is! It is what will make the birth of our Son so much greater to each of you.

Over the next couple of days we will be hearing from our friend Isaiah and the prophecy He gave long ago about the importance of our Son’s life.

We must keep traveling, but I want to begin sharing with you a story that still impacts Mary and me so much, a story that brings bittersweet feelings to our heart. We hope that by the time we reach Bethlehem you will have a deeper understanding of just how amazing the arrival of our Son is.

“See, my servant will prosper; he will be highly exalted. Many were amazed when they saw him-beaten and bloodied, so disfigured one would scarcely know he was a person. And he will again startle many nations. Kings will stand speechless in his presence. For they will see what they had not previously been told about; they will understand what they had not heard about.” Isaiah 52:13-15

Please pardon us for being so emotional, it still humbles us every time we share this story.  You see this servant, the one who would be highly exalted, the one who would be beaten and bloodied, so disfigured He could not be recognized, would also be the one that was placed in the womb of my wife Mary. He would be the Savior that would take upon Himself, our sin so we could receive life.

So today, today we are celebrating life-life given and life taken. Do you celebrate the gift of true life?

His Amazing Timing!

“All returned to their own towns to register for this census.

DAY 19- We have made it to Nazareth! God has been so good and faithful; He led us here safely.  Today we are going to meet up with Mary and Joseph, some things are going on and I am not sure how long we will stay here.  Let’s get going they are waiting.

We are so glad you made it, we saw the Lord leading you, and we knew you would make it. You are just in time, we are getting ready to leave, a census has been decreed and we must return back to our home towns.

Let me start from the beginning I see some of you with puzzled looks on your face.

Augustus, the Roman emperor has just sent out a decree that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. So we all must return to our home towns to register for the census. Since I am a descendant of King David we must go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. (Luke 2:1-4)

So we have no time to spare, we have a 70 mile journey ahead of us, we need to get going.  We will visit on the way.

Have you ever stopped to let all of this sink in? The timing of this is amazing.  Apparently Mary was getting close to delivering and God knew exactly where He wanted His Son to be born. I mean what impeccable timing for Augustus to send out a decree. God’s amazing timing!

I think we seem to forget just how planned out our lives really are. What timing for Mary to have to travel, and ladies you know what I am talking about, 9 months pregnant, could you imagine traveling by foot, camel or donkey 70 miles? Augustus could have sent out the decree months before or after. His timing brother though hard to understand at times, is always perfect and fitting in the end.

And how wonderful for us, that we are getting to see first hand the work of the Lord.  It is all in His timing, and according to His will. Why would we choose to live according to our will and not His?

In the end when our eyes are opened, we will see how perfect His plan for us was and is.

Have you experienced God’s perfect timing and plan in your life?

A Prayer for Your Journey

“You both precede me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.” Psalm 139:5

DAY 18- Pack up camp, gather the family, we are headed to the village of Nazareth. There, we will meet up with Joseph and Mary.  Oh my goodness we are getting close! If everyone is ready let’s head out!

Lord we praise You, we praise Your mighty name.  You are and will forever be the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  We stand in awe of Your holiness.  Thank You for the wonderful privilege of being Your children.

Father thank you so much for all of our sweet friends and family that have gathered together over these last 18 days to hear the stories of Your greatness.  As they leave us to begin their journey to Bethlehem we ask that You both proceed and follow them.

Lord we ask that as they travel You will begin to do a work within them. Prepare their hearts for what they will hear and see over the next 7 days. We ask that You remove any and all distractions so they can put all their attention on You.

Go with them now Lord as they leave us to meet up with Mary and Joseph. Bless their time together Lord and again thank You, thank You for the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful journey. In Jesus name, amen.

We have enjoyed each and every one of you so much. Elizabeth and I will continue to pray for you as you journey the rest of the way. Give Joseph and Mary our love.  Just follow the light that precedes you, it is God leading the way.

He Deserves More than Leftovers!

“And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord.” Luke 1:76

DAY 17-Don’t you enjoy each day that we get to spend as a family hearing and learning about Jesus?  I hope you have been blessed and filled with more of God’s love on this journey.  Today we get to continue hearing the praises of Zechariah.

Isn’t God so good?  My wife and I cannot tell you enough how wonderful it is having all of you here with us. Didn’t you enjoy yesterday hearing how wonderful God is? Well today I want to continue sharing with you the praises of our God and of our son John.

“And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. Because of God’s tender mercy, the light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.” Luke 1:76-79

Could you imagine having such a call on your life even before you were born? Well guess what, you do, and you did, even before you were born. It is the call to help prepare others for the return of Christ. It is a call to share the Good News of the Savior that has come to redeem and save us. It is a call to join with other believers and lift your voices in shouts of praise to our Heavenly Father. And that my friends, is a great enough call to praise God about, because it is an honor to be a child of the Son of God.

I want to leave you with one last thing today. God should be praised before anything. Do you ever just go into your conversation with God asking for yourself before you praise Him for who He is?  Man I have so many times and through all of this I have learned that He should be praised, honored, and adored before a single word is spoken for me or anyone else.  

Have You Praised God Today?

“Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:” Luke 1:67

DAY 16- Today we have the wonderful privilege of hearing the praises lifted to the Lord through Zechariah.

Yesterday I shared with you the importance of the Holy Spirit; I hope that you recall all we discussed so that you will see the significance of these words.

“Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited his people and redeemed them. He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant with them, the covenant he gave to our ancestor Abraham. We have been rescued from our enemies, so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness forever.” Luke 1:68-75

Notice the very first words spoken through me were praises to God for all that He had and was going to do.  He was going to send us a Savior, a Savior that would redeem us and save us. That in its self was enough to celebrate. 

I want you to let these words resonate in your heart as we start getting closer to Bethlehem for the birth of a very special baby.

The importance of today is for you to be reminded that above all things, God deserves our praises first, before any other word is spoken.

Have you praised God today, have you lifted your voice to Him with praise and worship?  If you have not done that today would you take a moment to praise God for sending His Son to redeem and save you! 

Send it on Down!

“Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy.” Luke 1:67

DAY 15- Wow! We are 15 days into our journey, can you believe it?  It is going by so fast.  There have been so many wonderful stories shared and even more to come.  

We have enjoyed being with you over these last 15 days.  We hope you have been as blessed as we have. We look forward to each new day the Lord gives us to share of His amazing grace and love.

Yesterday we shared of the great news that spread throughout Judea. Our son’s name and my restored speech! Upon my ability to speak again I became filled with the Holy Spirit. There is so much importance in the Holy Spirit that I find it necessary to share with you just how He works.

In the book of John 14:10 “The words I say are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me.” Jesus was saying when I speak; it is the words of my Father in me not my own. And just as you and I speak on behalf of our Father it is not our words but the words of our Father that lives within us.

In Jeremiah 1:9 “Then the Lord touched my mouth and said, “See, I have put my words in your mouth!”  It is the Spirit that allows the Word of God to be in us.

When my wife was greeted by Mary she was filled with the Holy Spirit. It was the Holy Spirit that gave her the words to speak to Mary. It was the Holy Spirit who would fill our son John even before his birth, and it would be the Holy Spirit that would speak through him in the wilderness.

And the day I regained my speech I was filled with the Holy Spirit and began praising God.  I say all this in hopes that tomorrow as I share the words of praise with you that you will understand it is the words of my Father in me. It is all about Him, it is by His power alone that any of us can share the Good News. The most important of all, the conception of Jesus was from the Holy Spirit.

I want to close today with this scripture for you to think about until we meet again. It is from the book of John “If you love me obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.” John 14:15

The Word Spread and the Wonder Fell.

“I wonder what this child will turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord is surely upon him in a special way.” Luke 1:66

DAY 14-Goodness, can you believe it is day 14? I hope you are learning more about our incredible Heavenly Father. As we continue to travel, I hope you are seeing the importance of each story. It is these stories that lead up to our destination in Bethlehem.

Yesterday I shared with you the day of John’s circumcision ceremony and the moment that I regained by speech. Today I want to share with you the news that spread throughout Judea.

The moment everyone heard words come out of my mouth, their jaws dropped and their eyes widened. “Wonder fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked. “I wonder what this child will turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord is surely upon him in a special way.” Luke 1:65-66

I want to share with you what our friend Isaiah says in chapter 55:10-11-it will help you see the power and control of our Mighty God.  “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to and will prosper everywhere I send it.” Isaiah 55:10-11

It is awesome to see how that really does happen. It was my speechlessness; my son receiving the name John, and it was the moment I could speak again that sent people out spreading the news. I believe this was the beginning of just how special our son would be, and how influential he was going to be on the world. God’s purpose and reason for giving us John was so he could prepare the way for the one to come.

Did you know that you are very similar to my son John, each and everyone of you? At your birth the news spread and people rejoiced. You were brought into this world to do just as our son John did-he prepared the way for Jesus-You are here to prepare the return of Jesus. What a special privilege!  Make each day a special day, a day devoted to preparing for His return.  Most of all remember the words of our friend Isaiah and rest assured that when the Spirit speaks through you, God will take it and accomplish all HE wants it to and it will prosper everywhere HE sends it.

He is coming, yes He is coming, oh thank you Jesus, we await your coming!

Keep My Lips Sealed

“Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God.” Luke 1:64

DAY 13-Today we will be gathered by family and friends of Zechariah and Elizabeth as they join in the story of this great day, the day of John’s circumcision ceremony.

Thank you for coming, thank you for being faithful followers of our Lord.  I am elated all of our family and friends could be here as we share and remember one amazing day.

Our baby was already eight days old! As Jews, we have a law that every male is to be circumcised on the eighth day and will also receive their name on that day. Here is a little history on the importance of these ceremonies;

            It was a covenant made between God and Abraham. Abraham was to serve God faithfully and live a blameless life, and God would make him the father of many nations. Abraham’s other part of the agreement was to have every male among him be circumcised; the flesh of his foreskin must be cut off, thus bearing a sign that they accepted the covenant. It would also be a mark they would bear of God’s everlasting covenant. (Genesis 17)

Elizabeth: All our family and friends gathered for this exciting day, and wanted to name our baby Zechariah after his father. Family names were very big to us! But I knew what the Lord wanted so I said, “NO! His name is John!” You can imagine the commotion that comes next.  The whispering and outburst of questions began. “Elizabeth, what are you saying? There is no one in our family with that name.” So of course they all turned to Zechariah.

Zechariah: Remember I could not speak or hear. So there I was watching everyone when I saw all eyes turn to me and hands and arms flying around as everyone was trying to gesture to me for a name! I motioned for a writing tablet and wrote “His name is John!” And in that instant I could speak and I began praising God.

It reminds me of a verse in the book of Psalm “Take control of what I say O’Lord, keep my lips sealed.” Psalm 141:3 He did that to me. I spoke words of doubt that day in the sanctuary and from that day on He sealed my lips.  Wow, our God is amazing.

I can’t help but to wonder if there are days we speak words of doubt, hate, anger, etc that should result in our lips being sealed. Let’s trust fully in the Lord, His power, Word, and authority, and pray that in all situations He will take control of our words and keep our lips sealed. 

Complete Fulfillment

“You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice with you at his birth.” Luke 1:14

Day 12- Today is a very exciting day for all of us, today is the arrival of John also known as John the Baptist. So take off your shoes, come on in, and find your place in the living room, the baby will be here soon.

It had been a very interesting nine months I must say, being old in age sure made things a little more difficult. I did not get around as easy as the younger mothers did. I had a lot of discomfort with my pregnancy. When Mary came to visit me I was in my sixth month. She stayed with me for three months before returning home.  She was of great help and though pregnant herself, she took good care of me.

I remember them saying Elizabeth it’s time, are you ready?  I had never been more ready!  It all went as I expected and I will never forget that moment.  He was here; our baby boy was finally here.  It was the first sound of his cry that made my heart flood with joy. He was beautiful and healthy and made in the image of God. 

Zechariah: The day of John’s birth was truly a special day. It was a day our faith went from just faith to complete fulfilled faith. It was a day that the words spoken through Gabriel were fulfilled, and it was a day our hearts were both completely full. I have to say that Elizabeth and I thought we knew what love was, but this type of love, a parent’s love, it cannot be described.

That day in the sanctuary I remember Gabriel saying, “You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice with you at his birth.” Luke 1:14 and that is exactly what happened.

Upon the arrival of John, the word spread quickly to our neighbors and relatives that the Lord had been very kind to us, and everyone rejoiced with Elizabeth. (Luke 1:58) It was just as Gabriel said it would be.  It was truly an honor that the Lord found favor in Elizabeth and I and we were there first hand to see His promises being fulfilled. 

I can truly say that day was a great day. We all have been blessed! There are two days approaching that will be the greatest days for you and I. Days that will bring absolute fulfillment. We can’t wait!

I pray today will be a day you receive Jesus. I pray today will be a day that if you have already received Jesus that your heart will be filled with love and thankfulness. I pray your eyes will be open to see that Christ gave us the ultimate gift, and it is that gift that promises life.  If you are searching for hope, if you are seeking to fill a void, or to be fulfilled by something or someone, let it be Jesus! He always stays true to His Word, and will always fulfill His promises.

Confident Assurance

“So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”

Day 11- We have set up camp here in Judea as we wait on the arrival of John, the baby boy of Zechariah and Elizabeth. Today we will stay around camp, Elizabeth and Zechariah will join us here.

Thank you for allowing us to come and join you at your camp today. I want to share with you something so important, that I find it to be extremely necessary at this point of your journey. 

It is something we all have, but just think of in many different ways. What is it? Faith! I believe that it is your faith in Christ that you are on this journey today. Only the Lord knows the strength of your faith, as He did mine that day in the sanctuary.

Up to that day I was sure of my faith, it was God who saw my faith in Him, that He chose for me to be a Jewish priest; it was by faith that the Lord found approval and blessed me with my son John. But there was that one moment when I heard that my wife and I would bear a child in our old age that revealed a truth about my faith. I doubted! I doubted and struggled with believing that it could even be possible. It revealed that I allowed my human flesh and the situation to seem greater than the Lord, of whom I have faith in.

I want to share with you a very famous passage in the book of Hebrews that I believe will help you understand faith a little better. It is Hebrews 11:1-3 “What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. God gave his approval to people in days of old because of their faith. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.”

In every story you hear, they are stories of faith, they show God’s righteousness, power and complete control. Our faith should be not that of man or the world, but of God, the one who sent His Son, and whose Son will one day return. Our faith should come from the promises God gives us from His Word.  God wants us to ask all things and in asking He expects us to believe He will answer. He also wants us to understand that it is His timing and His way.

I believe, like in my situation, when I doubted, it was because I couldn’t see how we could have a child in our old age. He showed me just how unhappy it makes Him when we doubt His authority, and power. It was not about what I thought; it was about Him putting His plan into motion. All I needed to do was have faith in the Lord and believe He could do big things. I did not need to question, I just needed to accept. Now I see that His timing in all of this was for the purpose of His Son. His timing was so John could prepare the way for Jesus. It is through our faith that the Lord shows His righteousness.

We need to understand just how important faith is. Further down in chapter 11 verse 6 the writers go on to say” So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”  Our job is to have faith in Him who created us.

God will reveal to us what He wants us to know and understand. He wants our faith to be BIG and in Him no matter what.  When you face moments that seem impossible remember they are possible with God and all He requires is faith.

I hope your faith is strengthened in knowing God is in control of all things, and He understands everything. Every situation, every obstacle, every tear, every smile, every laugh, every sickness, every diagnosis, every battle, every struggle, every addiction, every decision, every thought, every prayer, everything!

So trust in Him, believe in His promises, and cling to His Word.

  

The sweetest aroma!

“For he, the Mighty One, is holy, and he has done great things for me.” Luke 1:49

DAY 10- We are ten days into our journey to Bethlehem. I hope you anticipate and look forward to each new day.  I hope you have enjoyed the time we have spent with Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph. We will be camping here in Judea for awhile as we prepare for the arrival of Elizabeth and Zechariah’s baby.  So let’s set up camp, turn the livestock out to graze, and send the children to play.

Mary: I will be leaving soon to return to Nazareth but before I leave Elizabeth and I have a few more stories to share with you. If you recall Elizabeth had just been filled with the Holy Spirit, upon my greeting, and from that these were the words spoken.

“You are blessed by God above all other women, and your child is blessed.  What an honor this is, that the mother of my Lord should visit me! When you came in and greeted me, my baby jumped for joy the instant I heard your voice! You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”  Luke 1:42-45

Mary: My heart was full and excitement does not even do justice for how I felt. So this is the best way I could describe just how honored I felt to be used by God.  The sweetest aroma to the Lord is true praise and worship.

“Oh, how I praise the Lord. How I rejoice in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and now generation after generation will call me blessed. For he, the Might One, is holy, and he has done great things for me. His mercy goes on from generation to generation, to all who fear him. His mighty arm does tremendous things! How he scatters the proud and haughty ones! He has taken princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly. He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. And how he has helped his servant Israel! He has not forgotten his promise to be merciful. For he promised our ancestors-Abraham and his children-to be merciful to them forever.” Luke 1:46-55

Has the Lord done things for you that make your cup runeth over? If you stop and think, He does something for you every day. He showers His mercy and grace upon you; He supplies all your needs for the day. He loves you unconditionally, He promises you life everlasting. He gives you hope through His Word and He provides healing for the sick. These are just a few but far more than what we deserve. Do you know what He is doing for you today? He is offering salvation!

At some point today would you lift your voice up in song and praise? Thank God for what He has done for you and those around you.  Maybe even right a song of praise, but let today be the day you lift your heart up to the Lord and offer Him the sweet aroma of worship.

I just had a wonderful friend say to me words that were so sweet and true.  “Christmas is about Jesus, it is about being adopted into His family. It is about being in need of a Savior and He is that Savior! Christmas is about Jesus and what He did. It should be a holiday not of gift giving but of Christ giving.”  Do you know someone that needs a Savior today, let that be your gift, introduce them to Jesus.

Leaped and Filled

“At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” Luke 1:41

DAY 9-We are heading to Judea to meet back up with Elizabeth and Zechariah.  I hope you are prepared; we are moving right along and over the next couple of days there will be lots of knowledge and wisdom poured out. Along with that will be lots of praise and excitement.  So saddle up folks we have some traveling to do. 

Today I want us to put ourselves in the place of these couples.  Let’s envision the meeting of these two women.

Mary: Knock, Knock-Elizabeth it’s me Mary.

Elizabeth:  OH MY!

Mary:  Elizabeth are you okay?

Elizabeth:  Laughing. Yes my baby just jumped within me at the sound of your voice.

The two hug and giggle. **At that moment Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit. (Luke 1:41)**

Elizabeth: (Her eyes filled with tears and her heart overflowing with Joy) - Oh Mary, “You are blessed by God above all other women, and your child is blessed. What an honor this is, that the mother of my Lord should visit me!” (Luke 1:42-43)

Mary: You know? (Remember Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit-of who is giving her insight)

Elizabeth: (Nodding her head up and down.) Yes and when you came in and greeted me, my baby jumped for joy the instant I heard your voice! You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” (Luke 1:44-45)

Mary: (Crying, with joy and praise), Elizabeth I do believe, I do believe and God has worked all things out, for all of us!  (Mary just received confirmation that everything she was told, was true) They hug while laughing and crying all at the same time. (Yes brothers it is possible to do both)

I have to stop here because there is one major thing I do not want us to overlook-the Holy Spirit! Stay with me everyone your about to be covered in some knowledge.

In Luke 1:41 when Mary entered and greeted Elizabeth, just from the sound of her voice the child leaped and Elizabeth became filled with the Holy Spirit.

 First of all we have to recall how Jesus was conceived, by the Holy Spirit.  So you know that the Holy Spirit is present and full of power.

Second, we have to remember what the angel of the Lord said to Zechariah that day in the sanctuary about his son “And he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.” (Luke 1:15)

Third, I want you to notice the words Elizabeth speaks to Mary in Luke 1:42-45

“You are blessed by God above all other women, and your child is blessed. What an honor this is, that the mother of my Lord should visit me! When you came in and greeted me, my baby jumped for joy the instant I heard your voice! You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

Her heart was filled with love, joy, humility, and kindness. She felt honored to be in the presence of the mother of the Son of God. She had nothing but fruit pour out of her mouth.  She was controlled by the Holy Spirit. This just re-confirms what Galatians 5:22-23 says “But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

Wow, isn’t that amazing? Power brethren, there is power in the Holy Spirit- Don’t you love the flow, the truth, and the authority of God’s Word? 

Words cannot describe how great it is when God open’s your eyes and your heart and reveals His Word to you! I hope that you will allow Him to do that for you today.  Would you surrender to the Lord and let the Holy Spirit control you?

The impossible just came possible

“For nothing is impossible with God.” Luke1:37

DAY 8- We finish our day in Nazareth and tomorrow we will be heading back to Judea with Mary to visit Elizabeth. Don’t worry with God there is no back tracking only moving forward.

Hello all of our sweet brothers and sisters. Can’t you just feel the love of the Lord upon us today?  These last few days, we have shared with you what we thought to be impossible, but how possible it is with God.

Yesterday Joseph shared his story of guidance and wisdom the Lord had given him through a dream.  Today I want to finish sharing with you the rest of the news I received from Gabriel the angel of the Lord.

Gabriel had just finished telling me the baby born to me would be holy and would be called the Son of God. He then continues to say, “What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she’s already in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:36-37)

There at that moment full of so much emotion I told Gabriel “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true.” And then he left.

You see for me it was easy, because I loved the Lord with all of my heart, and I knew that by choosing to make myself available to Him, I would be used and He would be glorified. No, I never expected to be used in such a big way, but I truly felt what my heart poured out.  I was willing to accept whatever He wanted, no matter the outcome. And later on you will hear the outcome of my son’s life.

It is our hope and prayer that each day you leave, you take more knowledge of God with you and that you will choose to make yourselves available to the Lord. We hope your thoughts are on Him and His work, majesty, and love. We want each story you hear and have heard to bring Him glory and show His indescribable love. We also want you to know that no matter how impossible you find a situation, it is not impossible to the Lord. He can do ALL things. He can turn bad to good, sorrow to joy, hurt and sickness to healing and hope, anger and hate to love and peace. He can make brokenness whole and He can provide protection and comfort in the time of deepest despair and fear. All we have to do is choose Jesus, look to Him and remember this is not about us but about our Heavenly Father.

We will meet back here at our house tomorrow and will head out for Judea.  We have spoken to Zechariah and Elizabeth and they have everything ready for our arrival. May you be completely consumed with Jesus today!

What will he think?

“Joseph, her fiancé, being a just man, decided to break the engagement quietly so as not to disgrace her publicly.” Matthew 1:18

Day 7- I hope you are enjoying being in the home of Mary and Joseph and are learning so much from their story. 

It is a beautiful day today, and Joseph and I have been praying for each of you. We hope you are enjoying your stay here in Nazareth. Just as we have been blessed, we know you too will be blessed for choosing to follow the Lord.

We must begin because we have so much to discuss.

I had just found out that I would become pregnant with the Child of God, being a virgin and engaged to be married to Joseph; I wondered how he would take such news. Little did I know at the time, God was already working it out, and I am glad because I love this man!

In our day for a man to marry a woman already pregnant would be shameful and humiliating.  You can only imagine when Joseph heard the news, what was going through his head. But my Joseph, oh where do I begin telling you how great my husband is. Joseph is a man of great integrity; he is sensitive to God’s guidance and is always willing to do God’s will no matter what the consequence is. Indeed I could go on and on, but I am going to let him share with you, his part of the story.

Joseph: Upon hearing the news, I decided it would be best if I quietly broke off the engagement, because I did not want to disgrace or embarrass Mary in anyway. (Matthew 1:19)

As I was considering my decision, I fell asleep, and an angel of the Lord appeared to me in my dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to go ahead with your marriage to Mary. For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-22) God knew exactly what He wanted, and He knew exactly how it needed to be done.

In that dream I received the exact guidance and wisdom I needed in making my decision. I received clarity and understanding of the entire situation, and it made me see Mary in a whole new way!  When I woke up I knew it would all be okay. I also realized that in taking Mary as my wife, I would become the earthly father of the Son of God.  Wow!

So I got up and did just as the angel of the Lord commanded and I married Mary. I brought her home as my wife!

Yes our situation is completely different from any other, but God’s direction for all of us is the same.  When we ask and seek Him, He will give us clarity, understanding, guidance, and wisdom to know exactly what to do. In every area of our lives we need and should seek the guidance and wisdom of God.  Solomon said it best, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

He did for me, over and over again. Would you trust Him to do the same for you?

The Only Way!

“For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 1:20

Day 6- We are six days into our journey and I hope you have enjoyed each day and every story thus far. Mary and Joseph continue to welcome us into their home in Nazareth (a village in Galilee) as they share their story of God’s love.

I hope that so far your journey has been pleasant and that you are growing and learning more about the greatness of our God. As always we love to share our story with all who want to hear.  We are at a very important part of our story today, a part that I hope will open your eyes, your heart, and your mind to absorb and see how BIG our God is. So thank you again for coming.

Mary: If you don’t mind I would like to pray with you before we begin.

 - Jesus our precious Savior, Father, and Lord, we praise You for allowing us the ability to come to You directly in prayer.  Jesus I ask that before we begin, You reach down and open up hearts, clear any hindrances and distractions so that we can take in all of what You want to speak to us today.  We hope that on this journey we will see You and Your amazing work, love, and plan for our lives. May You the Son of God receive all the praise honor and glory. Amen

Yesterday we left hearing the news that I, a virgin, would become pregnant and carry the Son of the Most High. Today as I share with you how this amazing conception would take place, I want you to understand the significance and importance of why it was to be done this way.

This child, the baby boy I would carry would be the Son of the Most High. He would be perfect, pure, holy, and everlasting. So in order for Him to come into this world as human, He would be placed in the womb of a human woman and conceived by…..well let’s listen as Gabriel tells me.

Gabriel the angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35)

This baby of who was to be named Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit. His conception was that of no other, and is what made it so historic.  It is still so breath taking, so surreal, so astounding. It is actually hard to really grasp, and even wrap your mind around.  But it is real, true, and actually shows just how big of a God we serve. It shows how meticulous, how planned out, and how all-knowing, all-powerful, and in control our God is. 

Thank you so much for being here with us, we hope you will come back tomorrow. We leave here today praying that you will think of what you have heard, and that you will understand just how wonderful this news and conception was for all of us. I close with this; this child who would be called the Son of God would be placed in the womb of a human conceived by the Holy Spirit, thus allowing Him to enter the world in human form, but be the only perfect human to live! 

How can this be?

“You will become pregnant and have a son, and you are to name him Jesus.” Luke 1:31

Day 5-Today is such an exciting day! It is day 5 and our journey has led us to Nazareth a village in Galilee.  It is the home of Mary and Joseph relatives of Zechariah and Elizabeth.  Today an announcement is made to Mary that will change not only her life, but our lives.

Joseph: We are so excited the Lord has given us another day to share our story with you. We know you will be blessed as Mary continues to share her story. She left off yesterday with the first part of the message she had received from Gabriel an angel of the Lord. Today she will continue sharing the rest of the news, and by far my favorite part! I still marvel at the work of the Lord.

Mary: I too, like my husband love to share this story with all who will listen. I am so excited to continue and be apart of this remarkable journey you are on, and am so happy we get to come along with you.

Yesterday, I told you that Gabriel an angel of the Lord had appeared before me saying that God had decided to bless me. Thinking I was already so blessed I learned the difference between being loved and being blessed. It is being loved by God that blesses me. And because of God’s love for me this is the blessing I received. One I must say that still to this day I am completely unworthy of.  Let me explain.

Gabriel proceeded to say, “Mary, you will become pregnant and have a son, and you are to name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” Joseph now interrupting, “How great is that? Wow that is awesome isn’t it?”  Mary begins laughing, he does this every time.

My mind began spinning, okay, whoa, whoa, let’s start at the beginning! Gabriel how can this be, how can I have a baby? I am a virgin! I am going to have a child and not just any child, the Son of God? Me an ordinary woman made of flesh?

Guys, this is how BIG our God is, this is how LOVED we are, you see on this day it was not just me that was going to be blessed, it was all of mankind.  It is all who will receive the good news.  I want to stop and let you ponder on the news you have just heard. The news that a child would be placed within me that would carry the name of Jesus that would be called the Most High, He would reign forever, and His Kingdom would never end! 

Tomorrow will be another very exciting day, when I share with you exactly how I would become pregnant and I promise it will blow your socks off! 

Favored Indeed

“Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” Luke 1:28

Day 4- Saddle your camels, grab the fam, we are heading out!  Today we will be saying goodbye to Zechariah and Elizabeth only for awhile, we will return for the birth of their son John. In the meantime another couple awaits us to share their remarkable story.  So let’s head out, we are leaving for Nazareth a village in Galilee. 

Zechariah:  I pray for travel mercies as you leave.  Elizabeth and I have enjoyed our time with you and will see you soon.  We send you off to Galilee to meet some relatives of ours that will bless you with their story of God’s love.  They are expecting your arrival!

Greetings our fellow brothers and sisters, we have been waiting on you and are so glad the Lord has delivered you here safely, please do come in. We hope that you have enjoyed your time with Zechariah and Elizabeth.  Just like them we too have a marvelous story of God’s greatness.

For those of you unfamiliar with who we are my name is Joseph I am a descendant of King David and a carpenter here in Nazareth.  My wife, where do I begin, she is an extraordinary woman of God who knows her Scripture. She still to this day makes herself available to God.  She is a joyous woman loved by all and has been blessed beyond words. She is the best homemaker and mother and I am blessed to be her husband. I could go on and on but for now we have so much to share.

It was the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, and God sent His angel Gabriel (the one that appeared to Zechariah in the sanctuary) here to Nazareth a village in Galilee to visit my wife Mary a virgin. Mary and I were engaged to be married when the angel Gabriel appeared to her, Mary why don’t you take over.

Mary: Thank you! It was a day I will never forget. I was tending to my daily duties when Gabriel an angel of the Lord approached me, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” I don’t know if I dropped the dishes, the food, my broom or what, but I was completely confused and disturbed and had no idea what he meant.  Gabriel being sent from God knew my reaction and said. “Don’t be frightened, for God has decided to bless you!” Bless me, I thought, I was already blessed, God has taken care of me and my family, I am engaged to an amazing man, we are healthy and happy, He wants to bless me?  If I may say I was confused, I thought I was already blessed, but that day I learned the true meaning of blessed! Being blessed meant more than just being healthy, or having a roof over my head. It meant more than being happy. I learned that blessed comes from the love of Christ. So whether we have much or little, it does not matter. It is God’s love that is our richest blessing.

I want to leave you here at this part of our story today, because I want you to really understand how loved and blessed you are.  You see our Father He loves us unconditionally always thinking of us.  His love is what sets blessings into motion.

His love is what covers us with blessings and makes us all favored!  You are not only favored but loved and blessed because you were created by Him and for Him and you received the MOST amazing gift-The blood of Christ.  Wow, would you just think about that today? Would you go and share that with someone today?  Let them know that because of our Father’s love they too are blessed!  

Speechless!

“I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news!” Luke 1:19

Day 3- We are three days into our journey to Bethlehem and so far it has been great! We are still in Judea with Zechariah, Elizabeth and soon to be John.  Today our meeting with Zechariah continues as he shares more of his amazing testimony of God’s love!

Zechariah: Thank you so much for being faithful followers of Jesus and for taking this 25 day journey with family and friends of our Savior. I hope by the end of your quest you will be filled with more understanding and love for Jesus. Remember I told you yesterday that the news would leave me speechless?  I was serious!

There I was standing in the sanctuary in the presence of the Angel of the Lord, when my true humanness took over. Hearing all that the Angel had said, I began looking at this situation as almost impossible. I think we all, at some point, maybe even on many occasions have experienced moments and thoughts such as these.

I had so many questions running through my mind; how could this be, are you sure my ears do not deceive me, we are old, is it even possible? And through all these thoughts this is what came out of my heart. “How can I know this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.” (Luke 1:18) It was just a little doubt, understandable right? NO and this is why.

The angel responded “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was He who sent me to bring you this good news! And now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you won’t be able to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly come true at the proper time.” Do you see why?  It was God that sent the angel to tell me the good news, the very Creator, the One that has no impossibilities! Ya, not a good moment! Right then as I sat in my own sea of doubt, overwhelmed by the situation rather than how big our God is I became speechless! We have all had our times of being at a loss for words, but how often have we become speechless, literally?

Back outside as the people were waiting for me to come out and announce the blessing that would be upon them (Numbers 6:24-26) they began to wonder what was taking so long. The angel left and I finally came out and but my voice did not. So I began gesturing to the people. It was then they realized I must have seen a vision. Oh, and did I, but it was more than the vision, it was the news that came with the vision. (Luke 1:21-22)

So as Jewish priest’s do, we stay at the Temple until our week of duty is through and then we return home, and I did just that, speechless and all.

My week was over and as I headed home, speechless, I wondered how in the world I was going to be able to explain all of this to my wife. I made it home, walked in the door and just as I thought she was completely surprised and had many questions, and unfortunately I could not answer them.

 Soon after my return, things settled down and Elizabeth did become pregnant just as the angel of the Lord had said.

I remember my wife saying, “How kind the Lord is! He has taken away my disgrace of having no children!” In our time to be childless was seen as a curse, so to know the favor He had upon us was great.

You see we should never doubt God’s promises. They are true, real, for sure, everlasting, and they come from Him and Him alone.  We should instead live in complete assurance of His promises.  Are you struggling with doubt?  Are you looking at your situation as bigger than God? Are you listening to your thoughts instead of clinging to the promises of God?  That is what I did, and I became speechless. We should find great joy in what He promises us, because He is the ONLY one that keeps them. 

What does He promise? One of the greatest is what He spoke through my friend Jeremiah when He said “For I know the plans I have for you, “says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look at me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me. I will be found by you.” says the Lord. (Jeremiah 29:11) He also promises us the greatest gift of all, life through His Son Jesus.  You have no life until you have accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. These are just a few, seek the Word of God it is full of promises.

Let’s go now together and share the promises of God with all who will hear! 

“All that’s required is that you really believe and do not doubt in your heart.” Mark 11:23

He will have such qualities as these….

Day 2- I am so glad you all came back to embark on our 25 day journey to Bethlehem.

We continue our journey in Judea, as Zechariah continues his amazing story of how the Lord blessed him and his family.

I am so glad you are here! Yesterday I spoke of a day that went from ordinary to extraordinary. It was a day that I was offering incense to the Lord in the sanctuary when an angel of the Lord appeared before me. In shock and complete fear he told me the message the Lord had sent, and it was that my wife Elizabeth would bear me a son.

Today I am so excited to tell you about my son, his amazing qualities and characteristics and his purpose, all which have been given to him from the Lord.  

….So as I stood there in the sanctuary in the presence of an angel I listened as he began to tell me characteristics my son would obtain.

-Would you just vision this moment with me as we hear of the qualities of this child, I know for you and I it is qualities we hope our children will posses.

The angel spoke “Zechariah the son that you will have is to be named John. He will bring you and others great joy. He will be great in the eyes of the Lord and will be filled with the Holy Spirit before his birth. He will also persuade many Israelites to turn to the Lord. He will be a man just like Elijah with spirit and power. He will change hearts and disobedient minds to accept godly wisdom, and most of all he will prepare people for the arrival of the Lord.” (Luke 1:13-17)

At this point my heart was full and all I kept thinking was that my wife and I are old in age and now we will bear a son and he will do great and mighty things for the Lord.

As crazy as this is, this is just half of the qualities and characteristics our son John would posses. The rest will come later on. It is a lot to take in and I too felt that way, so much it left me questioning his sincerity.

Every time we reflect upon this story, Elizabeth and I know it was a true honor that God wanted to bless us. But it was a greater honor that He found favor in us to bear a son in our old age, who would lead the way for the Lord.

I must stop here for now and be on my way, I have some work to finish up for the Lord.  I can’t wait to meet with you again so I can share the moment of speechlessness the good news left me in.

If there is anything we can walk away with today, it would be that we do not have to be an Elizabeth or a Zechariah or have a child like John. But we should desire to acquire the same qualities, loving and serving God wholeheartedly as they did. God wants us to be exactly who He made us to be, and he wants our children to be exactly who He made them to be. Unique children of God, created in His image, covered in His blood, and faithful followers of Him. God can and will use us to share the Word of God with the world. We all have a purpose, we all have a message to share, and we all are here to glorify the Lord. 

No ordinary day!

“Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! For God has heard your prayer, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son! And you are to name him John.” Luke 1:13

I cannot believe it has been three years since we began the 25 day journey to Bethlehem. With each New Year the Lord has brought many new faces to join us, and just as He promised, His Word has been sent out and has accomplished all that He has wanted it to. It is Him and Him alone that has led you here, and we are so thrilled you have come and brought new brothers and sisters with you.

So saddle your camels, gather the livestock, and grab the family as we head out on our 25 day journey to Bethlehem.

Let’s get going we have a lot of roads to travel and only 25 days to get there. We don’t want to miss one day of what the Lord has in store for us. I promise our journey and the place of destination will change lives.

Day 1-Our journey begins on the road to Judea. Here we will meet a couple that had a love for the Lord, who were faithful followers and who carefully obeyed the commandments and regulations of the Lord. They were old in age and had no children. Though they desired to raise a family they could not because the woman was barren.

It began as an ordinary day for us. I, Zechariah am a Jewish priest and was on duty for the week serving God in the Temple. My wife Elizabeth was at home fulfilling her duties. I loved my job and never took my calling lightly. But little did I know that this ordinary day would be a day that would change my family’s life forever, and literally leave me speechless.

To God it was NO ordinary day, it was a day He would set His plan of love into motion, and He would begin it in the lives of my wife and me. (Can’t you just hear John as his daddy tells this story; you know that he loves hearing it)

As a part of my duty at the Temple I was to enter the sanctuary and burn incense in the Lord’s presence, so as usual I did what was asked of me and entered the sanctuary and began burning the incense. As I was standing there, an angel of the Lord appeared before me. It was bright and beautiful and left me in fear and complete shock. For a moment I thought I had completely lost it and was seeing things. So there I was standing there with my mouth wide open when the angel said, “Zechariah don’t be afraid the Lord has heard you and Elizabeth’s prayers and today your wife will become pregnant and bear you a son, and you are to name him John.” You can only imagine the thoughts going through my head.

Well that is enough for now. I must get going, but please come back tomorrow, I can’t wait to tell you about my son.

Today might be another ordinary day to you, but to God it is an extraordinary day that He can and will use you to share His love with someone who needs it. 

Oh I hope you will come as we continue our journey to Bethlehem. We will meet wonderful people along the way that will bless us and as we travel this journey together I hope you will see the distinct detail, plan, and love of God. 

To pant for living water

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God." Psalm 42:1-2


Have you ever set out to search for satisfaction, completeness, happiness, and/or contentment?

Isn't it so much easier to search for all those feelings in things we can see and people we can hear? It is and that is just honesty. The world offers those things but only temporarily.

When we fall into pits of loneliness, sadness, frustration, even desperation we search and cry out for help from that which will be immediate.

The deer pants for streams of water because it's life depends on it. Yet how often do we, do I, pant for God because my life REALLY does depend on Him.

I desire complete satisfaction, completeness, happiness, and contentment in the Lord. I want to live my life longing and thirsting for Jesus as though each second depends on Him.

Yet at times I don't! I don't search or even pant for Him as though I will die if I don't receive a drink of Him.

No one or thing can satisfy our deepest thirst but the Lord Himself.

Might you pant for Jesus today as though your life depends on it. Because it does!

Jesus I long for You in the deepest way possible. Forgive me for trying to satisfy my thirst from the things that only quench it temporarily.  May I pant in the truest sense for You and the living water that only You offer. Amen

What are your motives?

“The LORD’s searchlight penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive

When we do things out of obligation or have to, does it count even if our heart's motives are wrong? I wonder how often we convince ourselves that the Lord is pleased if we just do what we are supposed to, yet our heart’s attitude is wrong.

Isn't it the heart He looks at and the motives which are in the heart?

The hearts motive, it is either true and sincere or convinced obligation and good works is enough. We might be able to say we do this or that because we are supposed to but if the motive of our heart is wrong the actions become a have to duty.

Jesus does not want our love and service to Him to be an obligation or have to; instead He wants it to be a want to that comes from a heart that loves Him.

He does not want our marriages or love and service to others to be a have to, but a want to, because it is our hearts purest desire and because we love Him.

He sees the motive in every single thing we do.

Do we love because we have to or because we want to? Jesus loved because He wanted to not because He had to.

Do we forgive because we have to or because we want to? Jesus forgave because He loved us and wanted to be with us, not because He had to.

Do we serve others because we have to or because we want to? Jesus served because He loved us and loved His Father, not because He had to.

Do we study His Word because we have to or because we want to? Jesus gave us His Word because He wanted us to know how much He loved us, who He was, and what He promises us. Not because He had to.

Do we go to church because we have to or because we want to? Jesus did not create the church because He had to, but because He wanted those who love Him, and are a part of His body, to worship Him with one heart.

Do we accept Jesus because we have to or because we want to? Jesus did not die and offer us life through Him because He had to. He died on the cross because He loved us so much He wanted to save us from hell.

Do we live a good moral life because we think it will keep us out of hell? Jesus sees the motive and a motive without Christ is the wrong motive.

Choose to serve, love, and worship Jesus, not because you have to. But because of what He did for you on the cross. For when we fully grasp His love and mercy we will then produce pure and sincere motives that are pleasing to Him.

Jesus examine my motives and reveal to me all the ones that are displeasing to You. Amen

Head or Heart Knowledge?

"What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are no the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!" 2 Corinthians 5:17


Have you ever questioned whether or not you were truly saved? Many of us, if asked, "If you were to die today, do you know without a doubt you would go to heaven?" would answer with a confident yes.

Does that yes come from a changed heart that knows, or does that yes come from our head alone?

It is very easy for us to say that we are saved and a Christian, but it is another thing for us to live it.

In 2 Corinthians 5:14-16 Paul says, "Whatever we do, it is because Christ's love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for everyone, we also believe that we have all died to the old life we used to live. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live to please themselves. Instead, they will live to please Christ, who died and was raised for them. So we have stopped evaluating others by what the world thinks about them. Once I mistakenly thought of Christ that way, as though he were merely a human being. How differently I think about him now!" 


My questions for you today are;

How do you know when your knowledge and faith has moved the 18 inches from your head to your heart?

How do you know that you are not living your faith in your mind but are living it in your heart?

Do you know for sure in your mind you are saved but in your heart question your salvation?

I believe the difference between head knowledge and heart knowledge is a life that has been radically changed for Christ. It no longer engages in the things of this world. It does not continue living as it once did, nor does it partake in the same sins. Rather it has died to it's selfish desires and now lives to please Christ, with it's heart and not just its mind.

"Those who become Christians become NEW PERSONS. They are NOT the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!" 2 Corinthians 5:17


Have you become a new person? Is your old life gone and your new life begun?

Are you living to please Christ?

Do others see the radical change that has been made in you, or do they still see your old life?

Jesus show us what You see when You look into our hearts. May we not claim to be a saved Christian yet still live our old life that pleases the flesh and blends in with the world. But may we be radically transformed living the new life that is no longer the same. Amen

A MUST See

If you have not seen Courageous it is a MUST see. 

Check out the trailer

http://www.courageousthemovie.com/themovie

Blessing Room-Baby Shower

Please join us for a Blessings Baby Shower for the Blessing Room at the East Texas Pregnancy Help Center on Sunday, November 27, 2011, 2:00 - 3:30 p.m., at the Family Life Center of First Baptist Church.  The Blessing Room is part of their ministry, and this is our opportunity to share in this ministry.

 

The center is in need of new items such as:

Baby Bottles

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Bibs

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Receiving Blankets

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Diapers

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Wipes

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Baby Oil

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Baby Lotion

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Baby Shampoo

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Baby Powder

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Baby Onesies, Sleepers, Nightgowns

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Diaper Rash Ointment

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Socks

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Clothing

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Baby Caps

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Thermometers

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Baby Bottle Brushes

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Dreft Baby Detergent

If you have questions call Sue @ 384-2764 or email thegees@joshua2415.org

One of those days

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield." Psalm 5:11-12


Today is a day when you want to run into the arms of the Lord and let Him take you away to a safe place, an accepting place, a place of love, understanding, a place where just being you is good enough; flawed and all.

Jesus as I fall into Your arms would You please whisk me away from everything that surrounds me and hide me under the wings of Your love.  Amen

Thank You...it's just not enough

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."
1 Chronicles 16:34

Thank You Jesus that Your love endures forever. You are just so good and honestly thank You is not near enough, nor does it even come close to how magnificent You are for paying the price on the cross. May we never stop thanking You or showing You how wonderful You are. Amen