Pastor Mary Haley

Intro: For our Advent season this year, I have chosen to enjoy the Jesse Tree by sharing a 24-day practice to prepare us for the celebration of Christ’s birth; the event we celebrate and honor at Christmas. From the root of Jesse’s stump, we will discover or rediscover the people in the family Tree of Jesus Messiah who were instrumental in bringing the presence of God near to us in order to revive the Spirit-led family of faith. With each day’s reading, we will add a new symbol—an ornament—to our family tree.

Today, is day twenty-four of our journey and our symbol is the Baby in the Manger.

I have truly enjoyed the time we have spent together these past twenty-four days studying the many ways God has moved throughout history by drawing near to His human creation in order to reveal His plan, purpose, and promise to love us into His glory. We were created to bring glory to God and if we do not know what is required or understand what pleases Him, we will fail. The Word and the Spirit lead us to the Truth—Jesus, is the Christ for the world.

In our lesson today, we receive the Good News about the Baby in the Manger—Immanuel—God with us. God’s love came down to save us; to kiss the world and draw us all to Himself. The prophets told about our need for a Messiah, but it seemed unlikely that God would send the Messiah to such humble beginnings. Therefore, many missed the beauty of God’s gentleness and compassionate nature for ALL people; we have ALL sinned and fallen short of revealing God’s glory. The penalty for our sin is death; we need a sacrificial Lamb. So, the Glorious One came down to show us the Way and to be the Light of Truth to bring victory to our lives.

We have learned many things through our lessons from the Jesse Tree and the Righteous Branch. God’s plan for redemption includes unlikely people used in unexpected ways for the work of salvation which fills us with great Hope. We have learned God’s Peace is His purpose and gift to bring us wholeness that mends our wounded hearts and restores our broken lives due to sin. We have learned joy is a choice and an act of obedience in response to Christ’s grace and what he has done for us, so we must pursue and dwell in His presence where we find fullness of Joy. And lastly, we have learned God’s Love is faithful and unending and is best seen through His merciful act of sending the Baby in the Manger—the One who would mature and show us how to live in a way that pleases the Father—as well as, be the Messiah who would die for our sins.

God’s love—salvation—is offered in Christ, but we must connect to Him in order to receive the bounty of grace and glory that awaits our lives. The Baby in the Manger is the same Man who hung on the cross. May our response to the Christ be like the faith of Simeon and allow God’s work through His Son to make us spiritually alive, vibrant, and whole. Simeon did not need to see Christ’s crucifixion, but He allows the Spirit to lead him and knew the Messiah when He saw Him. In the Spirit, we know Him, too. Jesus, the Christ, is our Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love and we are the sinners who desperately need Him. Thank You, Son of God, for rescuing us from sin and making us sons and daughters for your glory!

Isaiah 7:14 NLT All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

Matthew 1:21-23 NLT 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:
23 
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
    She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
    which means ‘God is with us.’”

Luke 2:25-33 NLT The Prophecy of Simeon
25 At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him 26 and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, 28 Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,
29 
“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace,
    as you have promised.
30 
I have seen your salvation,
31 
    which you have prepared for all people.
32 
He is a light to reveal God to the nations,
    and he is the glory of your people Israel!”
33 Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him.

John 3:17 NLT God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

1 Timothy 1:15 NLT This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for leading us by the Spirit into your glorious presence and salvation. We praise you for being our Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. Give us a heart to love and direct others to your fountain of Life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Note: I will be taking a break from writing daily devotionals and teaching Bible Study during the holidays in order to enjoy a time of restoration with family and friends, as we continue to celebrate our King and His glorious Kingdom of extravagant Love. Yet, please stay in the Word of God in your personal study time each day. I will get back to sharing daily devotionals with you on January 2, 2024 and teaching through Bible Study starting January 10, 2024. I love you all. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Intro: For our Advent season this year, I have chosen to enjoy the Jesse Tree by sharing a 24-day practice to prepare us for the celebration of Christ’s birth; the event we celebrate and honor at Christmas. From the root of Jesse’s stump, we will discover or rediscover the people in the family Tree of Jesus Messiah who were instrumental in bringing the presence of God near to us in order to revive the Spirit-led family of faith. With each day’s reading, we will add a new symbol—an ornament—to our family tree.

Today, is day twenty-three of our journey and our symbol is the Lamb.

So, ponder this: the greatest announcement that would ever be made for the greatest event to ever take place in the world was not reserved for the religious, political, or wealthy elite who exalted and paraded themselves before the people they were positioned to serve. In fact, it is the humble shepherds tending their flocks on the fields near Bethlehem who are the first to hear the good news of Messiah’s birth. Why shepherds with sheep?

God always does things purposefully; so, involving shepherds of sheep is an image God will continue to use to help people understand His purpose. Shepherds watch for enemies that might attack or steal the sheep, take care of the wounded in their flock, and search for the lost or trapped sheep who, on their own, have no hope of being found. Sheep need a shepherd to lead them or they wander and die. The Son of God came to shepherd humans who, like sheep, are prone to wander and die in sin.

Therefore, there is an even bigger picture here than just the shepherds. The image of sheep is important. Many theologians believe these shepherds supplied the lambs for the Temple sacrifices that were performed for the forgiveness of sins; a temporary covering. The Son of God came into the world to be the final sacrificial Lamb who’s blood would cover sin and offer eternal salvation to those who would identify with Him; belong! The Lamb reminds us the shepherds were the first to welcome the Good Shepherd AND the Lamb of God into the world.

It was an angel who introduced the shepherds to the Lamb of God. I can’t even imagine what a host of angels—the armies of heaven—would look like, but it was obviously terrifying for the shepherds. They had the capacity to be filled with awe at the sight of the heavenly glory breaking through the darkness. Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love had come to be enthrone on human hearts. And, can you imagine the power behind their glorious praise? May we join with the choir of heaven and praise our Savior and King!

Luke 2:1-20 NLT The Birth of Jesus
1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.
6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

The Shepherds and Angels
8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
14 
“Glory to God in highest heaven,
    and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

Matthew 2:1-6 NLT Visitors from the East
2 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”
3 King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. 4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”
5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:
6 
‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
 are not least among the ruling cities of Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
 who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the shepherds and angels, as well as their message for the world announcing your birth. Such Good News for our hearts! We have a clearer understanding of Your astounding greatness and love, as well as identifying ourselves as humble recipients. Thank you for tenderly taking care of us, as well as delivering us from sin. We know your Voice and are ready to follow. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: For our Advent season this year, I have chosen to enjoy the Jesse Tree by sharing a 24-day practice to prepare us for the celebration of Christ’s birth; the event we celebrate and honor at Christmas. From the root of Jesse’s stump, we will discover or rediscover the people in the family Tree of Jesus Messiah who were instrumental in bringing the presence of God near to us in order to revive the Spirit-led family of faith. With each day’s reading, we will add a new symbol—an ornament—to our family tree.

Today, is day twenty-two of our journey and our symbol is the Hammer.

My husband, John, loves working with wood. He’s not a carpenter, but he is creative and has made many beautiful things for me out of wood over the years. Working with wood requires certain tools, a plan, precise measuring, and a lot of patience to make things fit together well.

God builds His story throughout Scripture fitting all the pieces of writing together like a Master Architect. In the Old Testament, Jeremiah is sent by God to prophesy to Israel that one day He will send them a righteous ruling King and Messiah through the line of David. Then, in our New Testament lesson today, Matthew introduces us to Joseph, a descendant of David, a righteous man, and a carpenter by trade who will unexpectedly participate in the advent of Messiah.

Joseph is in love with a young maiden named Mary and he wants to marry her. He has a plan to build a life with her, but suddenly things do not play out according to Joseph’s proposed structure and design. Surprisingly, even though Mary is betrothed to Joseph, she is pregnant with a child he did not father. Joseph considers breaking his engagement to Mary, but he loves her and knows she and the child will struggle to survive alone. Joseph wrestles with these new and confusing chain of events and wonders how to move forward.

Things become a lot clearer for Joseph when an angel appears to him in a dream and shares the Lord’s plan for Mary and her child. Joseph is to name the child, Jesus, and raise the Son of God as his own. Joseph will be instrumental in building a spiritual home that will prepare Jesus for his mission—to save the world by building the lives of people for the glory of Father God. The Hammer reminds us that Joseph—a carpenter whose name means God will add—was chosen and used by God to be the earthly father of Jesus whose name means God Saves. The Good News is all about God’s addition of His Son and what He will do to save His world.

Jeremiah 33:14-15 NLT 14 “The day will come, says the Lord, when I will do for Israel and Judah all the good things I have promised them.
15 
“In those days and at that time
    I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line.
    He will do what is just and right throughout the land.

Matthew 1:1, 16-25 NLT 16 Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.

17 All those listed above include fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah.

The Birth of Jesus the Messiah
18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.
20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:
23 
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
    She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
    which means ‘God is with us.’”

24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this amazing lesson from Joseph. Like Joseph, please help us to allow your plan to overshadow our own plans. May we also respond with grace and love when life takes a sudden turn. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: For our Advent season this year, I have chosen to enjoy the Jesse Tree by sharing a 24-day practice to prepare us for the celebration of Christ’s birth; the event we celebrate and honor at Christmas. From the root of Jesse’s stump, we will discover or rediscover the people in the family Tree of Jesus Messiah who were instrumental in bringing the presence of God near to us in order to revive the Spirit-led family of faith. With each day’s reading, we will add a new symbol—an ornament—to our family tree.

Today, is day twenty-one of our journey and our symbol is the Lily.

Abundant scientific research shows, human beings think faster than they speak; which for many folks is a good thing. If everything entering our minds came out in our words, we would need rolls of duct tape for our mouths each day. Otherwise, a path of self-destruction could be the result.

The average person can speak about 125 words per minute. However, according to wikipedia, a person listens to 400+ words per minute. How much of what we listen to actually engages our understanding? Most people actually hear and comprehend about 150-160 words per minute. And on an average, we maybe remember only about 25% of what we actually hear. The spiritual battlefield is the mind, because we are to choose to “think” on whatever is pure and praiseworthy to the glory of God (Phil 4:8).

The symbol of the Lily is a sign of purity—only Jesus, born of a virgin and Fathered by the Spirit of God can bring us purity. In our passages for today, our focus is on this purity and how what we are told by God’s Word—the Message—and how we comprehend the words we hear. Mary has an encounter with the angel Gabriel. Mary is told—similar to Zechariah—that God is going to bring forth new life in a Son. This is a seemingly impossible and tremendously unexpected event in the life of Mary who has saved her purity for marriage. How is she to interpret what she has heard? The answer is to comprehend that God is with her and this Son is Holy.

I can only image how this news must have registered in Mary’s mind as she heard it, but this would definitely remain with her as things she would always remember. I love how Dr. Luke writes and tells us Mary, as young as she is, comprehends how babies are made and what she hears makes no sense. Yet, she pauses and ponders the words carefully. She looks for a bit more information. She remembers the Word of the Lord that came to her relative, Zechariah, was fulfilled, because her elderly aunt is pregnant. Therefore, Mary thinks carefully and responds, “May everything you have said about me come true” (Luke 1:38).

God’s Word has been planted in the hearts of believers in order to save our souls; however, our minds do not have the ability to perfectly comprehend spiritual things. Our flesh starts sending messages to our minds and the enemy start chirping with evil messages that contradict the Word of the Lord. We must struggle to silence all those words that would lead us into disobedience to the Lord or do not glorify God. Jesus’ brother James tells us we must tame our tongues [which act like a rudder] in order to turn from evil and turn toward pure righteousness; to pay attention to listening and our talking (James 1:19).

Isaiah 7:14 NLT 14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Listen carefully, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will call his name Immanuel (God with us).

Luke 1:26-38 NLT The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”
29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. 37 For the word of God will never fail.”

38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.
Prayer: Father, thank you for the purity of our King, Jesus. Thank you for Mary and her purity to be a vessel you inhabit, as well as her obedience to say and affirm the Word over her life. Help us when we do not understand spiritual things and give us the purity of heart to see you and your Kingdom before us each day. We know you are with us. As well, help us to keep a watch over our minds and our words, because we set ourselves up to reap what we sow. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

BTW, word count for this devotional: 999 words to remember (smile).

Intro: For our Advent season this year, I have chosen to enjoy the Jesse Tree by sharing a 24-day practice to prepare us for the celebration of Christ’s birth; the event we celebrate and honor at Christmas. From the root of Jesse’s stump, we will discover or rediscover the people in the family Tree of Jesus Messiah who were instrumental in bringing the presence of God near to us in order to revive the Spirit-led family of faith. With each day’s reading, we will add a new symbol—an ornament—to our family tree.

Today, is day twenty of our journey and our symbol is the Grasshopper.

While I was baking cookies, Monday, our sixteen-month-old granddaughter, Amana, came over to stay for a few hours with us while her parents worked. She became fascinated with the old metal measuring spoons I was using that had belonged to my grandmother. So, after I was done with them, I handed the spoons to Amana. Seconds later when I turned to check on her she did not have the measuring spoons in her hand. I looked everywhere around us for the spoons. Lost. Sometimes when we are looking for something we lost, it can be right in front of us and we still do not see it.

Yesterday, we got reacquainted with Zechariah, the elderly Temple priest, and his startling encounter with Gabriel—the angel who delivered a message of hope, peace, and joy in the coming of Messiah. The angel proclaimed that Zechariah and Elizabeth [Mary’s maternal aunt] would have a son late in life; they were to name him, John. All of this came to pass as the angel had said because God was writing John’s Story to introduce His Son—the Savior for the world.

In our passage today, John is grown and knows his mission to serve the purposes of God as a messenger to call people to repentance. John lives in a prepared state—even in the wilderness—and he readily proclaims his message about God’s faithfulness to the covenant He made with Israel to send a Redeemer. The Kingdom of God is at hand and John is a living parable of repentance. He separates himself from the hypocrisy of the corrupt and defiled—the Jewish leaders who prefer their flowing robes, prestige, and palaces. However, John never exalts himself; rather, he points the lost to the coming holy One who can deliver them from evil and cleanse them from the filth of the world. Jesus Messiah open their eyes to the reality of the spiritual Kingdom right in front of them, so they can find their Way back in relationship to God.

The symbol of the Grasshopper [a special kind of locust] reminds us John the Baptist’s message is of great importance; it prepares us for spiritual change. John’s diet of locust and wild honey reminds us he lived off the land, but was sustained and led by God’s Spirit. John’s message prepares the Way for you and me. Sin blinds us, so we must turn from it by turning toward God. Evil may try to eat our spiritual “lunch” [destroy our hope, peace, and joy], but the grace of God will sustain the obedient ones and fulfill the purpose He has for our lives. Just keep walking by faith!

Isaiah 40:3 NLT Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting,
“Clear the way through the wilderness
for the Lord!
Make a straight highway through the wasteland
for our God!

Malachi 3:1 NLT The Coming Day of Judgment
1 “Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me [Messiah]. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
Malachi 4:5 NLT
5 “Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives.

Mark 1:1-8 NLT John the Baptist Prepares the Way
1 This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. It began 2 just as the prophet Isaiah had written:
“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
and he will prepare your way.
3
He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming!
Clear the road for him!’”

4 This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. 5 All of Judea, including all the people of Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. 6 His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey.

7 John announced: “Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”

Matthew 11:5-15 NLT 5 The blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.” 6 And he added, “God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.”

7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. “What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind? 8 Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people with expensive clothes live in palaces. 9 Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. 10 John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say,

‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
and he will prepare your way before you.’

11 “I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is! 12 And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people [violent forces] are attacking it. 13 For before John came, all the prophets and the law of Moses looked forward to this present time. 14 And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come. 15 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!

John 1:19-23 NLT The Testimony of John the Baptist
19 This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, “Who are you?” 20 He came right out and said, “I am not the Messiah.”
21 “Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?”
“No,” he replied.
“Are you the Prophet we are expecting?”
“No.”
22 “Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?”
23 John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah:
“I am a voice shouting in the wilderness,
‘Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!’”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for coming to save us. We were the lost and now we are the found. Please continue to open our blind eyes to the provision of grace in front of us each day. Help us Holy Spirit to obediently follow you into provision. Satan has no power to destroy what your Word has put into motion. Therefore, we turn to praise, clear the sin from our lives, and live the gospel message. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: For our Advent season this year, I have chosen to enjoy the Jesse Tree by sharing a 24-day practice to prepare us for the celebration of Christ’s birth; the event we celebrate and honor at Christmas. From the root of Jesse’s stump, we will discover or rediscover the people in the family Tree of Jesus Messiah who were instrumental in bringing the presence of God near to us in order to revive the Spirit-led family of faith. With each day’s reading, we will add a new symbol—an ornament—to our family tree.
Today, is day nineteen of our journey and our symbol is the Writing Tablet.

Angels of the Lord are mentioned many times in Scripture. Sometimes they are described as having an image that is hard to comprehend. For example, some angels have six wings and animal-like features called Cherubim and Seraphim; others are described as having no wings and human-like features with names like Gabriel and Michael. Regardless of how different angels may be described or sometimes appear, one thing is for sure, angels are mysteriously supernatural and whenever humans encounter them it provokes a response of fear. We tend to be fearful of what we see, but do not understand.

Zechariah, well advanced in age, was a Levitical priest (tribe of Levi like Moses, Aaron, and Ezra). It was a priest’s great honor—chosen by lots—to take care of the Temple of the Lord and by offering sacrifices for the sins of the people. As well, the priests kept the incense on the golden altar burning [signifying the prayers of the people/priests asking for forgiveness]. To be able to serve in the Temple for a two-week duration was a great honor, because there were so many priests at the time within the twelve tribes of Israel.

Zechariah and the priests followed the Mosaic Law while they waited and prayed for the Messiah to come. God used centuries to prepare His people for the coming of the Holy One who would atone and save His people from their sins. In the meantime, the only way for the people to approach God was with a blood sacrifice of an animal. The sinner could not bring a sacrifice and meet with God, everything was offered through the priests.

Joy erupted in Zechariah when his name was called to serve in the Temple for his allotted two weeks. While there, Zechariah has an encounter with an angel who brings startling news. He is in a holy place and doing God’s holy work, but he is filled with fear when he is confronted with a message from the angel, Gabriel. What’s the message? He and his elderly and barren wife, Elizabeth [Mary’s maternal aunt], are going to have a son and this will begin to fulfill the prophecy of the coming Messiah.

Zechariah struggles to receive this good news from the angel and because of his disbelief, the angel causes Zechariah to be mute until he can get into agreement with God. Yet, agreeing with God is exactly what Zechariah does and at the birth of his son, this joy-filled priest obediently pens the words on a Writing Tablet, “His name is John!” John whose name means “God is gracious” will prepare the way for his cousin, Jesus.

Like Zechariah, we can all struggle trying to grasp God’s unfathomable love for us, as well as understand the power of His Word. God blesses us with the blood atonement for our sin when we place faith in Jesus Messiah, but He also blesses us with every good and perfect Gift from above. That should leave all of us speechless.

Psalm 111:9 NLT He has paid a full ransom for his people. He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever. What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!

Isaiah 9:2 NLT The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.

Luke 1:11-20, 57-68, & 76-80 11 While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. 12 Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. 13 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. 14 You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. 16 And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. 17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”

18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”

19 Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! 20 But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”

The Birth of John the Baptist
57 When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son. 58 And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her.

59 When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60 But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!”

61 “What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” 62 So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him. 63 He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.” 64 Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God.

65 Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. 66 Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.

Zechariah’s Prophecy
67 Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:
68 
“Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
    because he has visited and redeemed his people.
“And you, my little son,
    will be called the prophet of the Most High,
    because you will prepare the way for the Lord.

77 
You will tell his people how to find salvation
    through forgiveness of their sins.
78 
Because of God’s tender mercy,
    the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,
79 
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    and to guide us to the path of peace.”
80 John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the lessons from Zechariah, his walk of faith, and the gift of a son who enters into your plan of salvation. We can identify with Zechariah and his struggle with doubt. You pour out your blessings on us and we are overwhelmed. Yet, today, may we proudly proclaim our adoption as your sons and daughters and receive every spiritual blessing with great joy! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: For our Advent season this year, I have chosen to enjoy the Jesse Tree by sharing a 24-day practice to prepare us for the celebration of Christ’s birth; the event we celebrate and honor at Christmas. From the root of Jesse’s stump, we will discover or rediscover the people in the family Tree of Jesus Messiah who were instrumental in bringing the presence of God near to us in order to revive the Spirit-led family of faith. With each day’s reading, we will add a new symbol—an ornament—to our family tree.
Today, is day seventeen of our journey and our symbol is the Fish.

One of my favorite restaurants has a glass aquarium that fills one whole wall; it contains a variety of fish and sea life. According to Scripture, fish were created by God on the fifth day; the number five being symbolic of grace. As well, fish and Jesus are mentioned together many times in the gospels and the connection always involves grace. So, I imagine fish have an awareness of their Creator’s authority and power. Now, some of the fish in the restaurant aquarium tank can be pretty good size, but nothing compared to the big fish God had arranged to be waiting for Jonah.

For just a minute, think about the big fish God had ready [like a life-saving Ark] to give a disobedient Jonah a ride back to the beach—a ride that would take three days and three nights [the number three represents growth and wholeness]. I imagine there was a whole lot of praying going on in the fish belly, don’t you? The fish gets a lot of attention for being Jonah’s transportation, but the true focus of the story should be God and sinners…not Jonah…and not specifically the fish. The Fish is a symbol for us, today, to remember that God is the all-powerful and merciful Creator who sustains and uses everything in creation for His glory. God loves people. And, in our lesson, God reveals His greatest desire: to save as many people as possible from spiritual brokenness and death by His life-saving grace. For this reason, Christ makes his disciples “fishers of men.”

God is rich in compassion; however, Jonah does not want God to spare or redeem Nineveh from judgment. Jonah hates the people and wants justice against the warlike Assyrians. But, God deeply loves the people and wants to offer them a chance to turn from wickedness. So, God uses a spiritually immature but growing Jonah to call the people to repentance and then grace moves. The people mourn their sin, fast, and ask God for forgiveness. When this happens, Jonah’s attitude tanks further into unrighteous anger, but God’s beautiful love continues to work the Truth in Jonah’s heart. Obedience brings transformation. The lesson of Jonah causes us to look at Jesus and the love He demonstrates for sinners by laying down His life and fulfilling prophecy [spending three days and nights in an earthen tomb] so we can know, grow, and commune with God. Hallelujah! Immanuel, God with us!

Jonah 1:1-6, 11-17 NLT Jonah Runs from the Lord
1 The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.”

3 But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.

4 But the Lord hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart. 5 Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship.

But all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold. 6 So the captain went down after him. “How can you sleep at a time like this?” he shouted. “Get up and pray to your god! Maybe he will pay attention to us and spare our lives.”

Matthew 12:38-41 NLT The Sign of Jonah
38 One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority.”
39 But Jesus replied, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
41 “The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for this lesson that reveals the proper response to share your call for repentance and salvation. Thank you for reminding us of the depths of your love; it fills us with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Help us to share our joy with others, as well as invite them to share life with you through repentance and transformation. In Jesus’ name.

Intro: For our Advent season this year, I have chosen to enjoy the Jesse Tree by sharing a 24-day practice to prepare us for the celebration of Christ’s birth; the event we celebrate and honor at Christmas. From the root of Jesse’s stump, we will discover or rediscover the people in the family Tree of Jesus Messiah who were instrumental in bringing the presence of God near to us in order to revive the Spirit-led family of faith. With each day’s reading, we will add a new symbol—an ornament—to our family tree.

Today, is day sixteen of our journey and our symbol is the Crown.

The word Crown is found over seventy-five times in Scripture. In the Old Testament, a crown is used as a symbol of joy, honor, wisdom, a virtuous woman, and righteousness, as well as royalty. In the New Testament, a crown is used as a symbol of victory, ruling power, spiritual authority, rewards, as well as mockery [the crown of thorns].

In biblical times, it was unusual for a woman to wear a royal crown or posses power, but in our lesson today we meet a woman with both: Queen Esther, a descendent of Jesse, who rises in unexpected success to save her people while they are far from home [Israel] exiled in Susa, Persia. Queen Esther’s crown reminds us that sometimes God picks people to serve in His work who do not “fit” social or religious norms. Sometimes God uses the weak to shame the strong; He is sovereign.

In our passage, Mordecai, a Jew and government official to the King, convinces his cousin, Queen Esther [a young Jewish woman] to ask the King for a favor. She is hesitant to do so, until Mordecai says, “Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” At that moment, courage spoke louder than fear and Queen Esther approached the King without being summoned.

Queen Esther asked the King to reverse the edict Haman tricked him into putting into place; a plan to kill the Jews. But, because the King was considered a god by many, the edict could not be changed. So, the King allowed Mordecai, the privilege of writing another edict that would help right a wrong. The Jews would be allowed to defend their lives and loved ones if anyone first attacked them on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month—the day set for their destruction. The Jews rejoiced and celebrated, because Hope had come.

Racial hatred is sinful and we must always take a stand against it. Every person, whether they believe it or not, has been made in the image of our God; therefore, every person has worth and value. A spirit of genocide is evil. Christ would take issue with racial hatred and we must take a stand against it, as well. Fear tries to keep the righteous silent, but we need to place our confidence in God’s promise to be our righteous and victorious crowned King.

Esther 4:9-17 NLT
9 So Hathach returned to Esther with Mordecai’s message.
10 Then Esther told Hathach to go back and relay this message to Mordecai: 11 “All the king’s officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter. And the king has not called for me to come to him for thirty days.” 12 So Hathach gave Esther’s message to Mordecai.

13 Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. 14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.” 17 So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.

Esther 8:4-11, 16a NLT
5 Esther said, “If it please the king, and if I have found favor with him, and if he thinks it is right, and if I am pleasing to him, let there be a decree that reverses the orders of Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, who ordered that Jews throughout all the king’s provinces should be destroyed. 6 For how can I endure to see my people and my family slaughtered and destroyed?”

7 Then King Xerxes said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “I have given Esther the property of Haman, and he has been impaled on a pole because he tried to destroy the Jews. 8 Now go ahead and send a message to the Jews in the king’s name, telling them whatever you want, and seal it with the king’s signet ring. But remember that whatever has already been written in the king’s name and sealed with his signet ring can never be revoked.”

9 So on June 25[a] the king’s secretaries were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Mordecai dictated. It was sent to the Jews and to the highest officers, the governors, and the nobles of all the 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia.[b] The decree was written in the scripts and languages of all the peoples of the empire, including that of the Jews. 10 The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring. Mordecai sent the dispatches by swift messengers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king’s service.

11 The king’s decree gave the Jews in every city authority to unite to defend their lives. They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, and to take the property of their enemies.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this lesson from Queen Esther. Help us to be bold and courageous for righteousness; to take a stand with you. You have called us a royal priesthood; may crowns of rewards await your children. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: For our Advent season this year, I have chosen to enjoy the Jesse Tree by sharing a 24-day practice to prepare us for the celebration of Christ’s birth; the event we celebrate and honor at Christmas. From the root of Jesse’s stump, we will discover or rediscover the people in the family Tree of Jesus Messiah who were instrumental in bringing the presence of God near to us in order to revive the Spirit-led family of faith. With each day’s reading, we will add a new symbol—an ornament—to our family tree.
Today, is day fifteen of our journey and our symbol is the Staff.

We don’t hear much about a shepherd’s Staff or rod being used in our present culture, but the word is used frequently in Scripture. A staff is a long, slender stick with a hook at one end. A shepherd typically used a staff in one of three obvious ways: 1) to gather sheep together, 2) to grab or guard a lamb for protection, closer inspection, or needed care, and 3) to guide the sheep safely forward to the next destination or to stop them from wandering.

In the Old Testament, the term ‘shepherd’ refers to not only a person who uses a Staff to tend sheep, but also refers to national leaders holding the Staff or rod of power. These leaders were appointed to gather the people of their nation in worship of the Lord, to guard the people from danger, care for their needs and comfort them, as well as guide the people into secure places by modeling obedience to the commands of God. According to the prophet Samuel, the nation of Israel was in need of a new king, because God had rejected king Saul for failing to be an obedient shepherd. So, Samuel was sent by God to find and anoint the next king for Israel; a leader who would allow God to shepherd him.

In our passage from 1 Samuel, after meeting seven likely leadership candidates for Israel, we are introduced to Jesse’s youngest son, David—a shepherd boy who faithfully tends his father’s flock of sheep and goats. David is the youngest and most unexpected candidate. In fact, we know he is not even considered a possible candidate, because Jesse leaves him out in the field caring for the flocks of animals when Samuel arrives. Yet, God knows the heart of every person and David is a man after God’s heart, so David is anointed with the oil of the Holy Spirit and will one day be made king; he will use a Staff of power to love and shepherd God’s people.

Even though king David struggled with sin, he loved and served God and His people well. However, the kings in David’s lineage who followed him, were rarely loving shepherds of God’s people who gathered them in worship, guarded them from evil, or guided them according to God’s commands. Again, in God’s appointed time, He sent the only Holy One filled with the Spirit to hold the Staff and be the forever Shepherd. The Staff reminds us of our Shepherd, Jesus.

As we celebrate this advent season, let’s remember the shepherds—in the field guarding their flocks—were the first to receive the announcement of the Good News and the arrival of King Jesus. He was born to hold the Staff of power and to perfectly shepherd God’s people—to gather, guard, and guide believers by faith toward Kingdom Living in the grace of God. Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd, because He sacrificially loves the people who put their faith in Him. May we let the joy of having King Jesus as our eternal Shepherd rise up in us, today, and may we not be afraid of the Staff He uses to keep us from wandering!

1 Samuel 16:1, 10-13 Samuel Anoints David as King
1Now the Lord said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.”
10 In the same way all seven of Jesse’s sons were presented to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” 11 Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?”

“There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats.”
“Send for him at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”

12 So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes.
And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.”

13 So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.
Isaiah 40:11 NLT He will feed his flock like a shepherd.
    He will carry the lambs in his arms,
holding them close to his heart.
    He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.

Ezekiel 37:24 NLT  “My servant David will be their king, and they will have only one shepherd. They will obey my regulations and be careful to keep my decrees.”

John 10:11-16 11 NLT “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 12 A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. 13 The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep.14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, 15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.

1 Peter 2:25 NLT 25 Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.

Revelation 7:17 NLT For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being our Good Shepherd; for using your Staff in gathering your children out of the world, guarding us from being destroyed by evil, and for guiding and keeping us true to your commands of love. Eternity awaits us, so continue to lead us by your power into the joy of our salvation found only under your rule. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: For our Advent season this year, I have chosen to enjoy the Jesse Tree by sharing a 24-day practice to prepare us for the celebration of Christ’s birth; the event we celebrate and honor at Christmas. From the root of Jesse’s stump, we will discover or rediscover the people in the family Tree of Jesus Messiah who were instrumental in bringing the presence of God near to us in order to revive the Spirit-led family of faith. With each day’s reading, we will add a new symbol—an ornament—to our family tree.

Today, is day fourteen of our journey and our symbol is the Stump.

I enjoy outdoor flowering trees and plants. God must enjoy them too, because He created seed-bearing plants and trees with seed-bearing fruit on the third day and saw it was good! Colorful trees and plants add so much to the beauty of God’s world. Most of the time, I am successful in providing an environment for the plants around our home to thrive. Yet, some places in the yard are just not conducive in providing the needed oxygen, water, or soil nutrients to the roots of plants.

If a plant does not look good at the surface level, I know there is a problem at the root level. The root system is the cornerstone of plant function and occupies more space than the plant it grows and supports. Taproot systems are those with many smaller roots branching off a single, main root. Diffuse or fibrous root systems [absent of a taproot] are made up of many thin roots which draw from even thinner and smaller roots. Certainly, both of these root systems are a part of physical plant growth, but also share a spiritual lesson for God’s created fruit-being family.

In our lesson today from the prophet Isaiah, Israel’s spiritual roots are being dominated and corrupted by diffuse sin; the spiritual soil is inadequate and faithfulness to God is lacking. Therefore, these unrighteous roots grow in all directions and begin to anchor themselves to the world; Israel cannot produce the righteous fruit God intended for His family. Unhealthy spiritual roots lead to unhealthy and fruitless lives. Israel’s sinful choice to turn from God caused their family tree to be cut down; their diffused roots took them all over the world.

Only a remnant of God’s covenant people stay anchored to the taproot of His love by allowing the roots of righteousness to spiritually sustain their lives. A once spiritually great nation was brought down to a religious Stump. Yet, our God is so faithful and Isaiah reminds us of the Truth; God made a Way. God had already planned for a Righteous Branch of Life to grow from this Stump of Jesse’s family; a Tree of Life to form a Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy without end. God is the only one who can grow life from dead things and He does that through a small Righteous Branch who unexpectedly comes in the form of a baby and grows into the Savior who dies on the tree for the world—Jesus.

Isaiah 11:1 NLT A Branch from David’s Line
1 Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot—
yes, a new Branch [from Jesse] bearing fruit from the old root.

Jeremiah 23:5 NLT
5
“For the time is coming,”
says the Lord,
“when I will raise up a righteous descendant
from King David’s line.
He will be a King who rules with wisdom.
He will do what is just and right throughout the land.

Romans 15:4-13 NLT 4 Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

5 May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. 6 Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory. 8 Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors. 9 He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercies to them. That is what the psalmist meant when he wrote:

“For this, I will praise you among the Gentiles;
I will sing praises to your name.”
10 And in another place it is written,
“Rejoice with his people,
you Gentiles.”
11 And yet again,
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles.
Praise him, all you people of the earth.”
12 And in another place Isaiah said,
“The heir to David’s throne [root of Jesse] will come,
and he will rule over the Gentiles.
They will place their hope on him.”

13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for helping us understand the Righteous Branch of Life as it connects to the Stump of Jesse, David’s father. Jesus is our Taproot and Cornerstone, so Holy Spirit please keep us connected and thriving. Restore and revive our spiritual system of roots with your holiness and power so our lives bring glory to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.