Every Day with Jesus (36 page)

Even true believers try to find natural explanations to the miracles of the Bible to make it more palatable to unbelievers. They try to reconcile the Genesis account of creation with evolution and have the children of Israel crossing the “Reed” Sea instead of the “Red” Sea. However, there is simply no way to explain away the supernatural fact of the virgin birth. Without it, there is no Christian faith.

Aren’t you glad that the Bible is true, and you don’t have to make any apologies for it? Your new life in Christ is proof that your sins were paid in full by the spotless Lamb of God, who is your Lord and Savior today.

December 15: What Do You Expect?

Luke 1:26-38

And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

Luke 1:29

The angel Gabriel didn’t say anything negative or derogatory to Mary. He just told her to rejoice because she was highly favored of God, the Lord was with her, and she was the most blessed woman who had ever lived. What was so disturbing about that?

The reality is that most of us aren’t accustomed to praise, and we are too focused on our faults. We may consider it rude for others to mention our shortcomings, but we can relate when they do. Praise, on the other hand, is uncomfortable. It causes us to blush, and when it comes from God it can be frightening! Why is that?

We don’t know how to handle praise because we have a wrong image of God. We tend to see Him as harsh, demanding, and condemning instead of the loving Father He is. We expect judgment, not mercy, from Him—and certainly not praise. The Bible says that God is love. (1 John 4:8.) That doesn’t mean He overlooks sin, but as His children, He forgives us and inspires us not to sin.

Like Mary, we don’t tend to see ourselves as God sees us. If Gabriel had rebuked her, she probably wouldn’t have been as troubled. She would’ve said, “It must be God.” But Gabriel did nothing but praise her, and in the end she received all God had for her. Recognize today that all believers are blessed and highly favored of the Lord—and that includes you!

December 16: It’s a Heart Issue

Luke 1:26-38

Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

Luke 1:34

Contrast Mary’s encounter with the angel to Zacharias’ encounter just six months earlier. Gabriel told Zacharias he would have a son by a miraculous birth, and Zacharias asked him how a thing like that could be, since both he and his wife were beyond childbearing age. Zacharias’ unbelief angered Gabriel, and he struck him dumb until the birth of his son. (Luke 1:18-20.)

Mary asked a similar question, but Gabriel’s response was much kinder. Since God is not a respecter of persons (Rom. 2:11), we can assume the heart motivations behind their questions were different. Zacharias asked his question in unbelief, a statement of scorn rather than a true inquiry. Mary asked her question to gain information not because she did not believe what the angel said.

When God tells us something in His Word, by His Spirit, or even by an angelic messenger, there is nothing wrong with asking questions. Questioning God is not wrong if you have the right heart attitude. After all, if Mary had not asked Gabriel how this child was going to be conceived, she might have assumed He would come through the natural union between Joseph and her.

All of us have trouble understanding the ways of the Lord from time to time. He told us, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Is. 55:8,9). Today, you need wisdom that only God can give. He doesn’t mind you asking questions, as long as your heart is in the right place.

December 17: All Things Are Possible

Luke 1:26-38

For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Luke 1:37

The virgin birth is inexplicable except as a miracle. There’s no possible way for a virgin to have a baby, but with God all things are possible. The Bible reveals, however, that there are some things that are impossible: Hebrews 6:18 says that it is impossible for God to lie; it was impossible for Satan to keep Jesus in the grave (Acts 2:24); it is impossible for anyone who was once born again, fully enlightened, and then rejects Jesus Christ to be “born again” again (Heb. 6:4); and it certainly is impossible to please God without faith. (Heb. 11:6.)

The Amplified Bible translates this verse as, “No word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.” In other words, anything that God has promised in His Word is possible. His Word not only proclaims what He’s willing and able to do, but it also carries His power to accomplish it.

God’s Word becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy when mixed with faith. The one word, “Come,” from the lips of Jesus had enough power in it to enable Peter to walk on water. (Matt. 14:29.) The word of the Lord Gabriel brought to Mary had the power to produce the virgin birth. When she believed it, her faith set God’s Word into motion.

What has God spoken to you? It doesn’t matter how impossible it may look. The only question is, “Lord, is this really from You?” If so, then the power it takes to accomplish the task is contained in the Word itself. Mix it with faith, and nothing that God has promised you is impossible!

December 18: The Word Became Flesh

Luke 1:26-38

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Luke 1:38

Everything about Jesus’ birth was natural and normal except one thing: A man didn’t provide the seed. The Holy Spirit of God placed the seed in Mary’s womb. First Peter 1:23 calls God’s Word the “incorruptible seed,” and the Greek word translated seed is spora. This comes from the same root from which we get the word sperm. God’s Word is His seed or sperm. (Mark 4:14.)

Gabriel took the Word of God that had been spoken through prophecy about the Messiah and brought it to Mary. Then the Holy Spirit moved upon her as He did over the waters of the earth in Genesis 1:2. He took God’s seed and impregnated Mary with it. Therefore, John’s description of this is very accurate. “And the Word was made flesh” (John 1:14).

A similar process is involved in every miracle we experience. In a very real sense, we must become pregnant with God’s Word. The Word must be received into our hearts and nurtured over a period of time before there is actual manifestation of the miracle. A woman goes through stages of pregnancy. Likewise, when God’s Word first takes root in our hearts, it’s not always obvious—even to us. Eventually, it begins to show that His Word is working in us. Finally, there’s the birth of what we have believed. This could be anything from growing in faith to becoming more responsible to prospering in our health and finances.

No one but Mary has ever had a virgin birth, but even that birth took a seed to make it happen. You must conceive (receive and believe) God’s Word in your heart to give birth to your dreams in the natural realm. Put His Word in your heart today, and get ready to receive your miracle!

December 19: Choose to Rejoice

Luke 1:46-56

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

Luke 1:46-47

Gabriel told Mary that her cousin Elisabeth was in the sixth month of a miraculous pregnancy too. No doubt, Mary went to see her because she hoped Elisabeth might understand that she was pregnant without having had sexual relations with any man, including Joseph. Mary was bound to be apprehensive. How could she expect anyone to believe she was pregnant without a sexual relationship? These verses reflect the absolute joy Mary felt when her cousin confirmed all that had happened before she told her anything.

Mary had already rejoiced in her spirit. She believed Gabriel and experienced the Holy Spirit overshadowing her and conceiving Jesus. Now she rejoiced with her soul too. This is very important. Sometimes people criticize believers for their outward display of emotion toward the Lord. They say, “They aren’t in the Spirit.” The truth is that rejoicing in the spirit and rejoicing in the soul are two different things. Our born-again spirits always have the fruit of joy in them, but our souls only rejoice at certain times. Rejoicing in our souls is our choice, and when you think about it, it’s actually hypocritical not to magnify the Lord with our souls when our born-again spirits are already rejoicing.

The whole concept of being under the control of the Holy Spirit when we dance, lift our hands, or speak in tongues has kept many people from doing these things. Actually, our spirits are always rejoicing and praising God, and we can praise Him with our souls and bodies whenever we choose to do so. Like Mary, we can choose to rejoice and magnify Him with our whole being.

Follow the lead of your spirit today, and rejoice with your soul too!

December 20: Think About This

Luke 1:39-45

And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost.

Luke 1:41

This story has become so familiar to us that it’s easy to miss the miracles!

Mary and Elisabeth were cousins. (Luke 1:36.) They knew each other. Surely Elisabeth was aware that Mary was engaged but not yet married. She was just a teenager, yet Elisabeth prophesied about Mary being pregnant with the Messiah. That could not have come out of Elisabeth’s mind. She never would have said those things because they were illogical.

Elisabeth also referred to Jesus as her Lord (v. 43). He had just been conceived. Today, He would have been called a fetus, yet she recognized Him as Her Lord and Savior. Many others proclaimed Him Lord at His birth (Luke 2:11) and after His birth, but Elisabeth proclaimed He was Lord from the moment of conception.

It is interesting to note that John the Baptist, who was just a six-month-old fetus at the time, leapt for joy in his mother’s womb. This means that a six-month-old fetus has emotions. It is also when he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Before he was viable outside of the womb, God considered him a person and filled him with His Spirit!

Elisabeth spoke these words without reservation. She placed a blessing on Mary for believing what the Lord had told her and then reassured her that it would surely come to pass. (v. 45.) What an encouragement and confirmation this must have been to Mary. Meditate on these wonderful insights as you go about your day.

December 21: The Power to Serve

Luke 1:39-56

The babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost.

Luke 1:41

Upon hearing the greeting of Mary, John the Baptist leaped for joy inside his mother’s womb. (v. 44.) A six-month-old fetus experienced unbridled emotion, voluntarily leaped for joy, and was actually filled with the Holy Spirit.

It is no coincidence that the man Jesus called the greatest of all Old Testament prophets was the only man in the Bible to be filled with the Holy Ghost in his mother’s womb. (Luke 7:28.) The anointing of God that breaks every yoke is simply the manifest presence and working of the Holy Spirit. (Isa. 10:27.) The Holy Spirit is the part of the Godhead that empowers us for service.

God is not asking us to live for Him. He is asking us to let Him live through us. (Gal. 2:20.) The Christian life is not a changed life but an exchanged life. This can only be accomplished when the Holy Spirit is leading and empowering us.

Even Jesus didn’t begin His ministry until he was anointed with the Holy Spirit, and He was the sinless Son of God. How much more do we need to depend on the power of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives?

Today, be conscious of the presence of the Holy Spirit in you and expect Him to supernaturally guide you and empower you. If you ask, you will receive. (Luke 11:9-13.)

December 22: Make God Bigger

Luke 1:46-56

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord.

Luke 1:46

Magnify means “to make greater in size, extent, or effect.” How could Mary make God any greater in any of these ways? Furthermore, God is who He is regardless of what we think about Him. Our unbelief doesn’t diminish who God is, but it can diminish how much of Him and His provision we receive. In that sense, we can limit (Ps. 78:41) or decrease His ability to move in our lives. Every time we think, Can God? we make Him smaller in our own minds. How can we change that?

“I…will magnify him with thanksgiving” (Ps. 69:30). That’s what Mary was doing here. Thanksgiving magnifies God in our lives. Through thanksgiving, we exercise the power of our memory to recount all the times He has supernaturally saved us, healed us, delivered us—as well as all the prayers for others He has answered. Our memories stir us up (2 Pet. 1:13), and thinking about God’s goodness and faithfulness builds our faith. (Col. 2:7.)

Whatever our minds focus on is what gets magnified. Too often we focus on the bad memories of the past or our fears about the future. Sometimes Satan puts no more than a toothpick in our path, but by the time we get through meditating on all the different ways it could hurt us, that toothpick has increased to the size of a log that completely blocks our path. We need to magnify the Lord by reminding ourselves that no log can stop Him if we just choose to believe.

Mary magnified the Lord and brought the greatest miracle into the world that’s ever happened. You can see your miracle come to pass too. Start magnifying the Lord, and watch your perception of God’s greatness increase today.

December 23: Joseph: Man of Great Faith

Matthew 1:18-25

Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife.

Matthew 1:24

So many amazing things happened at the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ that the faith of Joseph is often overlooked. Think of how much faith he had to have operated in.