As His Wife

“But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:  ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’).

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.  But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son.  And he gave him the name Jesus.”

Matthew 1:20-25

Joseph had decided to move forward with what he thought was the best thing to do.  Then God intervened.  Once again the veil between heaven and earth was lifted so the divine could explain to flesh and blood the supernatural activity that was abounding.  There are more dreams and angel appearances in the first coming of Jesus than any other story in the Bible.  Do you understand why?  It is because this is the most important thing that ever happened to mankind.  God sent His angels to help people understand the significance.

The angel told Joseph to not be afraid to take Mary as his wife.  She was not an adulterous and unfaithful woman.  He could trust Mary to be faithful to him.  The angel explained that the child conceived in her womb was from the Holy Spirit.  This child was from God Himself, God’s own Son.

Then the angel told Joseph to name the child the same name that the angel had told Mary to name Him.  Joseph was to name Him Jesus.  In the account of the angel telling Mary the child’s name, the angel does not tell her the reason why.  But the angel tells Joseph.  He says, “Because he will save his people from their sins.”  Once again, we see that Jesus did not come to save from a political tyranny or military power.  He came to save not just the Jewish people, but all people from our fiercest enemy.  He came to save us from our sins.

The angel said that Jesus was fulfilling the prophecy from Isaiah 7:14.  All of this was taking place to fulfill this prophecy that said, “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” – which means “God with us.”  Jesus was God with us, God cloaked in the flesh.  The first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew concludes with the promise of the coming of Immanuel, “God with us.”  The last chapter of Matthew concludes with Jesus’ promise at His ascension, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  Since Jesus’ first coming, we have never been left alone.

For Joseph, the decision was no longer difficult now that he knew what God wanted him to do.  Joseph obeyed immediately as the angel had told him…Without Hesitation…Without Doubt…Without Denial…Without Analysis.  Did he walk calmly to Mary’s home, or did he race through the streets until he stood outside her home?  Inside, Mary could have chosen despair over her circumstances, but I believe that even though it seemed hopeless that she chose to keep believing her God.  I wonder if she prayed something obedient like, “I don’t know what You are doing, but I trust You, Lord.  I must not need to know yet.”

Joseph told Mary the angel’s message.  He believed the child was from God and told her they were not going to separate.  He would provide for Mary and her baby.  Did her hands go first to her heart that suddenly began to beat quickly, then to her face as tears rushed to her eyes?  Did Joseph tenderly hug her?  They married.  Later, she gave birth, and they gave Him the Name that the angel told Joseph.  It is the Name that welcomes, comforts, mends, divides, and soars believers’ spirits.  It is the Only Name by which we are saved!  JESUS!  Sweet Jesus!

Pray with me:  O, Almighty God!  How stunning it is to know how You work in the lives of man.  We praise You for Your divine intervention.  You knew to send the angel to proclaim the good news.  You knew Joseph would do the right thing by Mary and for Your Son Jesus.  It must have been such a tender moment when Joseph told Mary about the angel.  How we can’t wait for You to play it for us on Your home DVD recordings!  Mary’s heart must have been filled with relief.  She trusted You to take care of her and You did.  You provided Joseph who obeyed You without doubt or question.  He believed You and trusted You so obedience was easy.  May we also be so filled with Your presence that we know Your will and obedience comes easier for us, too.  It’s in the Name above all names, in Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, we pray.  Amen.

Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study

As You Say, Lord

“ ‘How will this be,’ Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’

The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.’

‘I am the Lord's servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May it be to me as you have said.’ Then the angel left her.”

Luke 1:34-38

While this was monumental news that sprung up on her in one day, God always knew this day was coming. God had chosen Mary before she was born. He waited until the time was right. He chose the time after her betrothal so her husband would be preparing for her. Yet, if she had been fully married, then she would not be a virgin. The virgin birth was the only possible way that God could become human and at the same time remain God. Mary gave Him His human flesh and human nature.

Did you notice how Mary reacted to Gabriel’s message? This message would make the strongest knees knock and mightiest legs tremble. Yes, it was glorious news, but think about it. The Holy Spirit would come upon her and the power of the Most High will overshadow her. My first thought would be “could I live through it?” I would wonder if I was dreaming. How did she get her mouth to move to say anything at all?

She simply said, “I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." The Greek word for “handmaiden” in verse 38 is the female version of the word doulos which means “slave, bondswoman. One who is in a permanent relation of servitude to another. One who gives service to be used by Jesus to advance His cause among men. One who gives herself up to another’s will. Devoted to another to the disregard of one’s own interests.” Mary was able to give her interests to God, knowing that He had something much better for her. We will know we have finally accepted this fact when we submit to God’s will fully and live like God’s interests are for our good. Mary was able to say to the angel, “May it be to me as you have said” because she knew her life belonged to God. She was His servant, and He could do with her whatever He pleased.

Instead of reacting with a counter plan including a few “tweaks” to God’s plan to make it more convenient for her, Mary reacted with worship. Sadly, many times, God has told me to do something, and I have purposely tweaked it or have had a casual attitude toward total obedience. Remember, partial obedience is not what God requires. I am learning to accept His plan completely and to leave my hands off. What about you? Have you ever tried to tweak God’s plan for your life? Do you reject God’s plan or fully accept and totally obey? Or are you still lobbying for modifications to His plan?

My precious friend, Mary’s reaction reveals to us much about her so we could understand why God chose her. She simply obeyed His Word - fully and completely. Let’s have her heart to obey Him, too, for whatever He calls us to do even if it stretches us and complicates what we have planned. We are not the master of our lives, and if we want the best life possible on this side of heaven, it is time to the let the Master have His way and for His servants to follow.

Pray with me: Father God, You chose the right generation, the right lineage from David, the right woman, and the right timing in her betrothal process with Joseph. How beautiful that You chose for Jesus to be born by a woman, taking our flesh. Help us to remember that nothing is impossible with You! 

Lord, help us to accept Your complete plan for our lives. We don’t want our tweaks and resistance to rob us of Your best plan. We know Your character and that You have great things in store for us. You don’t desire to harm us but to prosper us with Your spiritual blessings. Teach us to live by, “As You say, Lord. As You say.” It’s in Your precious Son’s Name, Yeshua’s Name, we pray. Amen.

Birth of a King

Birth of a King


By Shirley Mitchell

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Luke 2:1-7
Joseph and Mary barely knew each other months ago. Now they were quickly learning about each other. The 90-mile journey through the hills and over the mountains aided that process - nothing like a road trip to get to know someone. I imagine Joseph was patient and gentle with Mary as she was full with child. Since they were both trusted by God with an unprecedented, huge responsibility, they had to trust each other.
From this Scripture, we see that Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of the city of His birth. In order to fulfill prophecy, the Messiah must be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2.) God who holds the future willed for the Roman ruler Caesar Augustus to call a census that required each man to return to the town of his ancestors. Joseph was from the line of David. David’s hometown was Bethlehem, which means “house of bread.” The Bread of Life was born in the city of bread.

Also in this Scripture, we see the glory of heaven enter the world through a lowly stable. His birthplace was not a palace…No designer clothes for a King here…No bassinet from the best store in the village…He was born into the rough, calloused hands of a Jewish carpenter. His first smells were animal manure. Nothing looked to human eyes to be divine here.

It makes me wonder how many times I have experienced the majesty of God’s hand in my life in the mundane days of my life. I have experienced God in the commonness of my life - not with angels proclaiming the way or a holy glow to settle in the room that is visible to my eyes. God has never worked in the grand way of a Hollywood movie in my life. I’ve had to train my spiritual eyes to see Him. The little bit that I have seen makes me long for more of His presence in the ordinariness of my life. I pray that you and I are willing to worship Him in our daily lives. I pray that we grab hold of all the time available to spend with God – while we vacuum, drive, wash the dishes, apply our make-up, bathe the children, or mow the yard. May we have the spiritual eyes to recognize when the divine wants to pervade our lives. May we recognize that this baby who came as the lowest of servants came to bring hope to every man of every economic and social status. May we also recognize that He is coming back in all of His splendor as the King of Kings! One day everyone will see Him in all of His glory.

Pray with me: Dear Heavenly Lord, what a wonderful story of Your Son’s birth. As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, help us to remember why we celebrate - because 2,000 years ago, You so loved the world that You sent Your one and only Son. He came as a human to be just like us. The human eye could not detect all that You had divinely arranged. He was born into poverty. His first smells were the stench of the stable. He was a lowly servant. He experienced everything that we experience so He would be acquainted with our sufferings and our temptations. You know what it is like to hurt, to be hungry, to be wronged, to be treated unfairly, and to fight our flesh nature that leads us to sin. You overcame all of these things and redeemed us! Hallelujah! Thank You so much, Jesus, for all that You have done! It’s in Your Name that we pray, Yeshua’s Name. Amen.

Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study

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