December 31, 2025

You Must Be Born Again 

Nicodemus was a Pharisee who wanted to know more about Jesus's teachings, so he met with him in the evening, when he was away from other people. Surely he didn't want anyone to know he was with Jesus; his reputation with the other Pharisees would be tarnished. They probably thought Jesus was some cult leader, but couldn't explain the miracles or the fact that he knew everything they knew, but more, and with power behind his knowledge. Jesus explained to him a hard teaching, something that ordinary people might not understand; not only was Nicodemus a wealthy man, but he was likely a philosopher. Here's what Jesus tells him:

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3

Nicodemus began to question him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?" 

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. John 3:5-7

This teaching is hard, and I understand why Nicodemus questioned it. He's an intellectual and needed a deep dive, and Jesus gave him one. Water baptism is symbolic of us leaving our past, fleshly desires behind, being reborn, and being filled with the Holy Spirit; water and Spirit. However, it's more than that; it's a change of mindset, to immerse ourselves in the ways of Jesus, leave our worldly cares behind, and be transformed into the likeness of Jesus. However, we don't know how we get it or where it comes from; the Spirit goes wherever he wants and calls whomever he wants. I'm grateful for that calling; so what if people think we are a little out of touch? We are completely in touch with our Savior, and that counts more than any worldly pursuit. 

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. John 3:8

December 30, 2025

Jesus Knows You

It is both a fearful thing and a comforting thing that Jesus knows our thoughts. The Bible gives us an example of Jesus's earthly all-knowing ability. We know he was perfect as a human, but he was also God in the flesh. 

But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man. John 2:24-25

He was in Jerusalem for Passover and performed many miracles there. He didn't trust all the people there, nor did he need them to testify on his behalf, because he knew what was in their hearts. Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves. We may think we know what is best for us, but he knows us in depth, sees what's coming, and beyond our flesh, deep into our hearts. How many times have you wanted something and didn't get it, and are grateful that God didn't answer that prayer? That prayer wasn't answered because God sees what's coming and has something better for us. But also, have you ever thought things and are grateful no one can hear them? Jesus perceives our every thought. That's why we must repent of those pesky fleeting thoughts that are sinful in nature. Where do those things come from anyway? We are sinful beings, and we sin without even trying. That's why we need Jesus and why we need to make repentance a daily habit. 

December 29, 2025

Jesus Purged the Temple

Jesus was not opposed to business. However, the temple was sacred, and the priests were corrupt and rented out space to those who were selling the animals for sacrifice to those who were coming from a long way off. God included in the law that it was legal for them to sell their animals before they came from afar and use the money to purchase their sacrifice. However, it was improper for merchants to set up shop inside the temple. Because of the corruption, Jesus didn't go to the priest to have them handle the situation, since they were financially benefiting from this setup. Jesus, being the Son of God, had every right to do what he did, and he asserted his authority over his home, the house of God. 

Before he went into the temple, he fashioned a whip from some string to help him drive out the livestock, along with the people selling them. One thing to note is that he didn't take anything from the merchants; he only made them remove their merchandise from the temple. The reason I know this is that he didn't set the doves free, but made the merchants get them out. 

And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. John 2:16

When he turned over the money tables, those people were still able to pick it up off the floor, so nobody lost anything except the priest who was renting the space. I have no doubt that they set up their merchandise somewhere outside the temple until Jesus had left. We know from other scripture that he cleaned the temple twice. 

If you think about it, this is a good example of our own temple, our body. When we believe in Jesus, we are immediately cleansed of unrighteousness. After some time, especially for those of us who were saved in our youth, we go back to our old ways because our hearts were not completely changed. Most of us eventually come back, like a prodigal child, and receive a second cleansing. The second time hurts the most because of the Holy Spirit's conviction. Because of this, we should give thanks to God for His grace. Let this be a lesson to keep your body holy because it is the temple of the Holy Spirit of God. 

This portion of scripture is where Jesus calls himself the temple, and the priests thought he was talking about the building. 

Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. John 2:19

December 28, 2025

The Wedding at Cana, Jesus’s First Miracle. Turning Water Into Wine

One question I've always had is, why would he talk to his mother in such a harsh tone? Here is the scripture I'm referring to:

And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. John 2:3-4

As a mom, I would never have allowed my child to speak to me like that, no matter how old they were. However, Mary was aware of his deity, knew the reason he was born through her, and not only respected him as her son but respected him as her Savior. However, that doesn't answer why he would use that tone. The answer: because he was God, he must not have any regard for his kindred in the flesh. She knew why he spoke to her that way and continued, not in hope of the miracle, but as if it had already happened. Jesus had respect for her because, as we knew, he never broke any of the commandments. Also, because he was already calling his disciples, some of whom were at the wedding with him, she knew he was beginning his ministry. He may have used that tone so that we would understand her place and wouldn't worship Mary, as some seem to do by venerating her as a deity. However, we should give her respect, because she was chosen to bear God in the flesh; that is commendable in itself. 

The following verse is the reason we know this was the first miracle. 

This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. John 2:11

Another point of interest in this story is that the servants were the ones who saw his first miracle, but it was later confirmed by the ruler of the wedding feast, who, I expect, was a priest or other official. But the official still didn't know where it came from unless one of the servants told him, but it doesn't record that in the Bible. 

December 27, 2025

Jesus calls out to Philip, saying, “Follow me.” He was still in Bethsaida, where he found Andrew and Peter. Philip then went to see Nathanael, telling him he had found the one whom Moses wrote about in the law and the prophets, Jesus of Nazareth, but Nathanael was skeptical because Philip said he was from Nazareth. Nathanael knew the scriptures and that they pointed to Jesus coming out of Bethlehem. When Nathanael met Jesus, Jesus clarified the truth about who he was, and that he had found them, not the other way around, as Philip had said, when he pointed out this:

Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. John 1:47-48

Nathanael knew that what Philip had said was true when he said: “Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.” 

And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. John 1:51

This verse points to what Jacob saw when he slept with his head on the rock, but what he saw was a ladder. Jesus is that ladder.  I believe that Nathanael was at Jesus’s ascension and that Jesus is pointing out what he would see. Scripture is so on-point, especially when Jesus brings the Old and New Testament scriptures together to prove that he is who he says he is, even without saying it directly. 

December 26, 2025

I knew I was going to miss something in the timeline of Jesus’s steps. To back up a step, I had to go into the Book of John. Andrew, who was Peter's brother, was the first disciple to follow Jesus, along with one other, possibly John the beloved. They were followers of John the Baptist when they came upon Jesus, and John introduced him by saying, "Behold, the Lamb of God. They must have put two and two together from the scriptures because they immediately knew he was the Messiah. Andrew found Peter and told him that they had found the Christ. Andrew brought his brother to Jesus. And when Jesus saw him, he said, "Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas," which is by interpretation, A stone. Jesus already knew who he was. So that we get the order right, the miracle of the fish from yesterday's post came after this initial meeting and after the wedding at Cana, which I will cover in a later post. They asked where he was staying; it was thought that it may have been approaching the Sabbath. Jesus invited them to stay the night with him because it was getting late. 

They heard about Jesus through John the Baptist; Jesus asked them what they sought and invited them to stay with him. Doesn't this sound like the order of salvation? Jesus already knows us; we hear and believe, and he asks us to stay. 

Living in a country whose foundation is rooted in Christ, with seasons like Christmas and Resurrection Day, celebrated in every retail outlet known to man, how could people be so dull that they don't know who Jesus is? They know who he is, but have chosen to ignore him because they like living their promiscuous lifestyle. These people don't want to hear about Jesus; we are obnoxious to them. Don't overstep; they will not submit to him until the Holy Spirit calls them. If you are telling someone the reason for your faith in Jesus and they immediately begin to reject him, walk away, shake the dust off. You may have planted a few seeds, but until they are called, your mission is postponed. 

Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. John 1:38-39

December 25, 2025 JESUS CALLS HIS FIRST DISCIPLES

JESUS CALLS HIS FIRST DISCIPLES 

Being an orderly person, I now realize that not everyone is. The reason I say this is that the writers of the gospels had a specific purpose in how they wrote their accounts of Jesus. They aren’t exactly in chronological order, which I am finding difficult because I’m trying to study the steps of Jesus. If you’re following his footsteps, then it should be in order, shouldn’t it? I may not get this exactly right, but it will be close. When I told you I would be jumping around, I had no idea that it would be this much. 

In the accounts in Matthew and Mark, Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, James, and John to be his disciples, with no explanation of what led them to trust him. My question in those accounts is, why would they leave everything to follow Jesus? Had they already heard his preaching? Why would they trust him? Then, when I read Luke’s account, I realized there was more to it than that. Jesus enters Peter’s boat to preach. The fishermen had been out all night and hadn’t caught anything. While they were cleaning up, Jesus told them to put their nets out again. They were hesitant but complied. They caught so many fish that the nets were breaking. Peter fell to his knees, realizing that he was in the presence of God. And, that, my friends, is why they dropped everything to follow Jesus!

I know these stories, but I’m telling you all of this so that when you study the Gospels, you will cross-reference the other accounts to get a complete picture. Hopefully, this study will help you if you follow along on this challenging journey.

When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. Luke 5:8

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. Matthew 4:19

December 24, 2025

Nazareth was Jesus's hometown. Right before Jesus left there, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath to be a part of the reading of scripture. They knew him because he was always there. They handed the scroll to him, and he read from the Book of Isaiah. It wasn't by chance that what he read pointed to his ministry. The following is what he read:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Luke 4:18-19 and Isaiah 61:1-2

Upon finishing, he added, "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." Luke 4:21

Some of the people there discredited him by pointing out that he was Joseph's son. He was a carpenter; how could he be fulfilling scripture? I'm irritated with those people at this point, with second-hand anger over their audacity. Jesus puts them in their place because they will see what he is going to do in other areas by healing the sick, but they themselves won't have the benefit of his power. 

And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country. And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. Luke 4:23-24

They ran him out of town and tried to push him off a cliff, but he escaped without harm.

What lesson can we learn from this: Don't be so comfortable with your relationship with Jesus that you forget that he is God. He wants to help set us free from the clutches of the enemy, but we have to acknowledge that he is the only one capable of doing that. If you don't submit to him, you may be saved, but you will live your life encumbered with burdens that you weren't meant to carry. Relinquish all that you are holding onto and let Jesus lift that weight off your back.

December 23, 2025

God introduced Jesus to the world at his baptism when the Holy Spirit came upon him, and there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Mark 1:11) Jesus then faced temptation in the wilderness and put Satan in his place for the time being. Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, so he left for Galilee. 

And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: Matthew 4:13

For anyone who has not accepted that Jesus was part of the Old Testament, Isaiah prophesied about him, and these verses directly relate to what Isaiah said. 

Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Isaiah 9:1-2

In that same portion of scripture, we hear the famous verses about Jesus’s birth:

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

We know from scripture that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, and the One True King, but the world is not convinced, nor even the Jews of that day, and they had scripture confirmation in their own text. But we are not fooled or confused; we know the truth, and He is our Savior.

Food for thought: Before Jesus called his first disciple, he began declaring to the people, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Now, here we are, supposedly two thousand years later, still waiting. I believe our timeline is off, the years have been tampered with, and history is lying to us to confuse us. Renew your mind, and let’s start thinking clearly to uncover the truth about our history. No matter what, we can never go wrong with our belief in Jesus. 

December 22, 2025

So that you know the direction I’m going with my daily devotional posts, while I was sleeping, in the early morning hours of December 7, 2025, I got the strong impression that I should “Follow the Steps of Jesus.” That was the name I remember being given in my dream. The full name of this devotional series is “Follow the Steps of Jesus, A Devotional Study of the New Testament Gospels.” My goal is to trace Jesus’s ministry in roughly chronological order, which means I will jump around in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John until I reach his days on earth after his resurrection. I started that day. For me, I will be revisiting the beginning of this journey of writing, when I had a strong impression, many years ago, to read all the red-letter text in my Bible, in context, of course. The entire Bible is about Jesus, but to experience a more personal, up-close look at his ministry, we will spend some time learning his ways and mannerisms so we might mimic his life as we live for him. On Sunday, during my pastor’s sermon, he brought up scripture that has helped me traverse a life of devotion to Jesus, and it is this:

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke iseasy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

Following Jesus is not hard, but you have to let him fight your battles. He will train you in his ways like an old bull yoked with a young bull, teaching and leading you, so that one day you will pull your own plow with the idea that you will feed others. And, much like the birds and squirrels that I toss seeds to, if you feed them, they will come. Feed the people the life-giving bread of Jesus; it’s part of your commission from him. One way for you to do that is to repost my devotionals or share scripture memes. People need to know about Jesus. Time is passing much faster than ever before, leading me to believe his return is close. Don’t let the people you love be left behind because you didn’t have the guts to tell them about our Savior, Jesus. 

December 21, 2025

Did you pass the test? Jesus was tested in the wilderness and overcame the devil's temptation. Imagine how delirious he felt after not eating for forty days and forty nights, and yet he passed the test. When I fast for three days, I'm easily tempted to eat. The first thing the devil tempted him with was food, by saying if you are who you say you are, turn these stones into bread but Jesus answered him with this:

And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. Luke 4:4

The devil didn't give up and tempted him two more times. Finally, Jesus had had enough; he resisted his temptations, and the devil left him. 

And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. Luke 4:12-13

That was the final word, because he was the Lord thy God! He put him in his place, and he left him alone. The devil knows we are not God; however, he does know we are protected by the Holy Spirit who lives within us. When you are hard pressed on every side, use that knowledge to your advantage. There will always be a way out, but it might not be the opening you want to take because it could cause you embarrassment. Be embarrassed; it's the better option than failing a test allowed by God. I would rather embarrass myself than embarrass the Father who expects my obedience. 

December 20, 2025

John the Baptist comes on the scene, preaching repentance and baptism for the remission of sin. The people were in high hopes that he was the Messiah, but he assured them that one was coming who he was unworthy of even buckling his shoes. The next day, Jesus came to where John was baptizing, and he introduced him to the people.

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. John 1:29

John baptized him, and God confirmed what John had said.

And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. Luke 3:22

The people were there, didn’t they hear God speak and see the Holy Spirit descend upon him? How much more confirmation did they need to prove that he was the Messiah they were waiting for? But, then again, we have had all our sins forgiven, are bound for glory, and yet we sometimes forget our privilege and revert to our old ways. When you venture off and mingle with society, remember whose you are, repent, and come back. Jesus will welcome you back like a lost child who was found. Jesus, always loving and quick to forgive. 

December 19, 2025

A cardinal flew into my window this morning, and it lay crumpled on the ground. I picked him up, fixed his feathers, and held him in my hands for a few minutes. He is sitting on my chair outside, recovering; I think he’s going to make it. It’s been a while since I taught in a parable, but since it was presented to me on a platter, or splatter, this morning, I will make a comparison. After munching on the snack that I had fed the birds, and just as that cardinal was minding his own business, he saw a pathway opened and decided to go for it, and ran smack dab into that fake opening. Unfortunately, the enemy is the purveyor of shiny objects that draw us in, seem light, but only lead to darkness. In our minds, it looks like a clear pathway; however, when we get excited about something that is a little off, we end up making mistakes by taking the easy way. Good things are not always easy. The wide path leads to destruction, which, unfortunately, the cardinal took. But the narrow path, with its many twists and turns, bridges, rocks, and downed trees, where you have to traverse the hard things, is the only pathway worth taking. We sometimes take a wrong turn, but because we trust in Jesus, he will be there to pick us up and soothe our weary heads once we turn back to him. We might be stunned for a while, but when we repent and turn back towards him, he will give us strength to move forward and forgive our indiscretions. Choose the narrow path!

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matthew 7:13-14

There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Proverbs 16:25

December 18, 2025

I may have mentioned this before, but I asked God to fill in the gaps of my understanding at the beginning of this year. Being someone who has diligently feasted on the Word for many, many years, I’ve been overwhelmed by how much I lacked in knowledge, but also encouraged that He continues to answer that prayer. If you want to know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God, ask Him to fill in the gaps in your knowledge, and He will answer your prayer in digestible pieces to help you form a more reliable picture. It’s not all going to come straight from the Bible, but the Bible will confirm the truth you receive from other sources. Don’t take any information as gospel without establishing it as the truth from the Bible.

Did you know that Mary’s lineage is written in Luke 3? Heli was her father, but because she was married to Joseph, they used his name as the son of Heli because the woman wasn’t supposed to be mentioned in the genealogy! I had always wondered why they were different from Matthew’s account, but I had never ventured any further to find out why. For those who know the truth about Mary’s immaculate conception, following Mary’s lineage back to King David is essential.

Submit to God’s authority, allow Him to be your source for confirmation, and He will open your eyes to all truth. 

And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli, Luke 3:23

December 17, 2025

The earliest words of Jesus were recorded by Luke after he was found in the temple when his parents headed home to Nazareth without him.

And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? Luke 2:49

As a parent, I have so many questions about this. How could they not know where he was? We had four children and never left one on vacation. To us, his response seems harsh and slightly disrespectful. However, we are not talking about a regular child; he was, and is the Messiah, and Mary and Joseph both knew this, but also, we are not privy to the nuances of the language of that day, and what we think sounds disrespectful may have been a normal tone. We should never blame the child when it was clearly his parents' responsibility to ensure his safety and keep track of him. 

Here's an interesting fact: he was missing for three days. They looked for him, and they were sorrowful when they couldn't find him. Could this have been a living prophecy of what was to happen in the years to come and the sorrow Mary would feel once again when he went to the cross? 

Next time you feel like something is missing, maybe it's because you've left Jesus behind. Go back, find him, and recover your peace. 

December 16, 2025

If you've been following along with me as I walk through the steps of the holy family and the birth of Jesus, you'll see that the stories Matthew and Luke tell have some slight differences. Nothing major, just viewed through different lenses. If we were to make a timeline, Luke would have them going home to Nazareth right after Jesus was dedicated in the temple, but Matthew has them fleeing to Egypt before returning to Nazareth. Did Luke know about their trip to Egypt? Maybe, but he chose to shorten his account. If Luke's and Matthew's timelines are both right, and we have no reason to think they aren't because the Bible is God-breathed, then we must also believe that the Magi/Wisemen met Jesus while he was still an infant. Luke's account says they left to go home to Galilee after Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day in the temple in Jerusalem, which is about 6 miles from Bethlehem. Herod sent the Magi to Bethlehem to find Jesus, but because they were following the star, could they have gone to Nazareth? Nazareth is a 90-mile walk from Bethlehem; it's not impossible, but I highly doubt it. It also says they left a different way so they wouldn't have to see Herod, which was only about 6 miles from Bethlehem. It pays to read with understanding, because for all these years I thought Jesus was a little older when the wise men came to see him, but it's more likely that it was before they fled to Egypt, shortly after his being presented at the temple in Jerusalem. However, Herod was in Jerusalem, so the Magi must have come after his visit to the temple. Right after the Magi left, Joseph had a dream telling him to flee to Egypt. I hope I didn't confuse you with my rambling. 

For years, I believed Jesus was probably a toddler when the Magi came, but likely he was still an infant. Because I believed everything I was told, I felt it was wrong to include the Magi in the Nativity, so I left them in the box. Now, I proudly display them with the shepherds and the holy family. Read your Bible to help you unlearn the fables you've been told, even if they aren't completely wrong; that way, you can then sort them out for yourself. 

And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. Matthew 2:12 

December 15, 2025

When the wise men departed from visiting Jesus, they didn’t report back to Herod as he had asked, but went home another way; God had warned them in a dream not to go back. Then an angel of the LORD appeared to Joseph in a dream, telling him to leave for Egypt because Herod planned to destroy Jesus. Herod’s actions were purely from selfish ambition. Back in the Old Testament days, children were crowned king, and he was probably worried about Jesus taking over his throne. I wonder how he feels about that now that he is living with the consequences of his sins? When the wise men didn’t follow Herod’s instructions, he sent his men to Bethlehem to do away with all the babies aged two and under. After Herod’s death an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream telling him to return to Israel. However, when he heard that Herod’s son now reigned, he took his family to Galilee to the city of Nazareth. 

And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. Matthew 2:23

And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: Isaiah 11:1

Nêtser is a Hebrew word meaning branch. It is thought that Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would come from Nazareth. It is pronounced nay'-tser, which is similar to Nazareth. 

December 14, 2025

I've always been taught that Jesus was about one year old when the wise men came. Did you know that the Bible never says how old Jesus was when they visited him to bring gifts? They use different words from Luke-"babe"-to Matthew-"young child"-to distinguish age, even though they have nearly the same meaning. They stayed in Bethlehem until after the wise men came. Now, why wouldn't they have gone home after his birth and paid their taxes? So maybe it was only a day or so after his birth that they came to visit while they were still there and waiting on Mary's recovery. It would be nice if, when we were told a Bible story, the teacher would make the distinction between what is biblical and what is speculation. Now you know that there is no biblical evidence of his age. 

Here's some food for speculative thought: What if these Magi were the ancestors of the magicians from Babylon, and they learned of the prophecies about the Messiah's birth through Daniel? I bet he taught them about the One True God; they believed and passed that information on to their children. As we begin to connect the dots, the picture becomes clearer. God is very orderly, and everything included in the scriptures has a purpose, so this idea is not too far-fetched. Another note to clarify the story: The Bible doesn't say how many Magi came to visit, only that there were three kinds of gifts. So, the three wise men idea is made up; we don't know how many came. Since we are still in speculative thought, being poor, I'll bet God had them bring all those gifts to give them the ability to move to Egypt to escape Herod's order to kill all the babies under the age of two. 

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:11

December 12, 2025

In yesterday’s post, I mentioned that the shepherds were the first evangelists to spread the news of Jesus’ birth, but I never thought about the scriptures on the subject; it must have been on my mind, though. If you don’t know this, when you begin to focus on Jesus, your life changes completely. I’m not saying that your life will be hunky dory all the time; that’s impossible because we live in evil times, but your armor is stronger, and the darts are less likely to pierce through to your heart. That great light that shone all around the shepherds, with angels rejoicing, on the night of Jesus’ birth changed them, and they couldn’t hold that glorious news inside. What could be stopping you from sharing your own experience of what the Lord has done for you? The Holy Spirit will lead you to those who are open to hearing the truth, but you have to open yourself up to his promptings. Become like the shepherds and angels bringing good tidings of great joy to those who don’t know Jesus. Then there will be more than enough blessings to go around.

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. Luke 2:17-18