Hi Sweet Morgan,
The pictures G-Dad made of you and your dad when you were baptized are precious. Your young face showed sincerity as your voice declared that you believed that Jesus is the son of God. Several people gathered, your family and your church family, to witness and “be glad” that you chose to allow Jesus to save you by taking your sins for his own. When you were added to God’s family, you became a son of God, adopted to receive the promised inheritance. When Jesus was baptized he was already THE son, but he humbled himself to obey the Father.
We don’t know for sure how much time Jesus spent with John when they were kids. Probably not much, but their mothers may have visited and they may have tossed a goat skin ball or chased one another in a game of tag. John was a “joy and delight” to his parents just as you are, but he had an assignment from birth. He was to drink no wine or fermented drink and would be filled with the Holy Spirit from his birth. His job was to be a messenger telling everyone who would listen that the one who would take away the sin of the world was Jesus!!! So when Jesus walked down the path toward the Jordan River where John was preaching and baptizing, John was not surprised. There he was!! John knew him and told the listeners, “ Behold (look there!!), the lamb of God.”
John was surprised, however, that Jesus wanted to be baptized. “Me? Baptize you? You haven’t sinned!! But I have, so you baptize me!” he probably thought and tried to reverse the request. But Jesus was firm; John should baptize him because he wanted to obey his Father! Then Jesus was put under the flowing water of the Jordan River and raised back up completely wet to hear the voice of the Father claim him as his own. Won’t it be wonderful to hear the voice of God claim you and say, “Come on in!”
Matthew 3:17 (NKJV) And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Possible prayer: “My Father who is in heaven, glorious is your name. Thank you for adopting me as your son!!!”
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
Greeting of unborn John to unborn Jesus
Good morning, sweet Riley,
Or afternoon, or midnight, (whatever is where you are)
Are you trying a bunch of Mex/Tex foods? Lots of good eating to try but I hope you don’t burn your tongue too much. One of the best meals your G-dad and I remember is fried chicken and honey that we ate just a short time into Texas coming back from Mexico. Probably because we were so hungry. Maybe you will even try locusts and honey. Nah, not the locusts…but kids in some countries would.
You know of course that the locusts and honey were eaten by John who knew Jesus even before he was born. In Luke’s account of the births of John and of Jesus, he tells of Mary going to visit John’s mother, Elizabeth who was her cousin. Elizabeth was much, much older but she was pregnant, too, and soooo happy that God had allowed her body to conceive at last. When Mary greeted her, the baby inside Elizabeth jumped in recognition, also, beginning his work, even before the birth, of declaring the son of God!! Both mothers in waiting knew they were FAVORED by God and were thrilled by it. Both Zacharias and Joseph knew that they had been chosen to help raise the boys for the work God had planned for their adult lives.
Riley, you are also chosen, as God’s adopted son to spread the news of Jesus. No work on earth is as important!! It has eternal consequences for any who choose to teach and the ones who listen. Also teaching someone who decides to become a Christian is very exciting work! Telling the story of Jesus to someone who doesn’t know it, makes it seem new to the teller again!! So wherever you go, whatever you do, whenever you can, talk about your Savior.
Luke 1:41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
Suggested prayer, “Thank, dear God, that John went about teaching of the coming of Jesus. I pray that I will also have the opportunity to tell others about our Savior.”
Or afternoon, or midnight, (whatever is where you are)
Are you trying a bunch of Mex/Tex foods? Lots of good eating to try but I hope you don’t burn your tongue too much. One of the best meals your G-dad and I remember is fried chicken and honey that we ate just a short time into Texas coming back from Mexico. Probably because we were so hungry. Maybe you will even try locusts and honey. Nah, not the locusts…but kids in some countries would.
You know of course that the locusts and honey were eaten by John who knew Jesus even before he was born. In Luke’s account of the births of John and of Jesus, he tells of Mary going to visit John’s mother, Elizabeth who was her cousin. Elizabeth was much, much older but she was pregnant, too, and soooo happy that God had allowed her body to conceive at last. When Mary greeted her, the baby inside Elizabeth jumped in recognition, also, beginning his work, even before the birth, of declaring the son of God!! Both mothers in waiting knew they were FAVORED by God and were thrilled by it. Both Zacharias and Joseph knew that they had been chosen to help raise the boys for the work God had planned for their adult lives.
Riley, you are also chosen, as God’s adopted son to spread the news of Jesus. No work on earth is as important!! It has eternal consequences for any who choose to teach and the ones who listen. Also teaching someone who decides to become a Christian is very exciting work! Telling the story of Jesus to someone who doesn’t know it, makes it seem new to the teller again!! So wherever you go, whatever you do, whenever you can, talk about your Savior.
Luke 1:41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
Suggested prayer, “Thank, dear God, that John went about teaching of the coming of Jesus. I pray that I will also have the opportunity to tell others about our Savior.”
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Angel to Zacharias...John
4th set of blogs to all the kids
Hey Sweet Alden,
These days you like to look a certain way….good! Or funny as with those checked golf pants, very attention getting. No doubt you got lots of notice from the girls and other golfers when you wore those. How did that affect your playing? Jesus had a cousin who dressed in an unusual way and ate in an unusual way, John. He wore clothes made of camel’s hair, not for a fashion statement, well, I actually don’t know why he did. Maybe because there was no way to go shopping and the river was his laundry. Camel’s hair lasts a long, long time but it may be kinda itchy.
John’s birth was a miracle, too, but very different from the birth of Jesus. John had a mother and an earthly father who were both old, too old for a woman to be having a baby, but God renewed their bodies to a younger functioning capability and made it happen. In this case, the angel, Gabriel, came first to Zacharias, the father. Zacharias, who was a priest and very familiar with the idea of angels, reacted just like everyone else who saw an angel, he was scared!! Gabriel told him not be afraid and that his prayer had been heard. (Don't you love it that God hears prayers?!!!)
Like most men, Zacharias had wanted a son, but at this age it seemed unattainable. Even the angel saying it would happen was not convincing so Zacharias wanted a sign. So the angel gave him a sign, one he would not soon forget, at least for nine months! Zacharias could not speak until the child was born. No matter that he wanted to rush home and shout, “Elizabeth!!!!! We’re going to have a son!!!’ He could not say a word….but he could write. After trying with sign language to relate the news, and enough time passed, the baby was born. Zacharias wrote that his name was to be “John” as the angel had told him.
Jesus called him John. We often call him John the Baptist…because he was a baptizer…but that’s another writing. Gabriel had said that John would go before the Lord, indicating that he would tell people of Jesus ahead of Jesus. So John was born first, began his ministry first, and was killed first, but John will be resurrected the same day you are
.Luke 1:13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.”
Possible prayer, “Dear God, thank you for blessing Zacharias with a son in spite of his doubting the possibility at first. I pray that I, too, will tell people what I know about Jesus.”
Hey Sweet Alden,
These days you like to look a certain way….good! Or funny as with those checked golf pants, very attention getting. No doubt you got lots of notice from the girls and other golfers when you wore those. How did that affect your playing? Jesus had a cousin who dressed in an unusual way and ate in an unusual way, John. He wore clothes made of camel’s hair, not for a fashion statement, well, I actually don’t know why he did. Maybe because there was no way to go shopping and the river was his laundry. Camel’s hair lasts a long, long time but it may be kinda itchy.
John’s birth was a miracle, too, but very different from the birth of Jesus. John had a mother and an earthly father who were both old, too old for a woman to be having a baby, but God renewed their bodies to a younger functioning capability and made it happen. In this case, the angel, Gabriel, came first to Zacharias, the father. Zacharias, who was a priest and very familiar with the idea of angels, reacted just like everyone else who saw an angel, he was scared!! Gabriel told him not be afraid and that his prayer had been heard. (Don't you love it that God hears prayers?!!!)
Like most men, Zacharias had wanted a son, but at this age it seemed unattainable. Even the angel saying it would happen was not convincing so Zacharias wanted a sign. So the angel gave him a sign, one he would not soon forget, at least for nine months! Zacharias could not speak until the child was born. No matter that he wanted to rush home and shout, “Elizabeth!!!!! We’re going to have a son!!!’ He could not say a word….but he could write. After trying with sign language to relate the news, and enough time passed, the baby was born. Zacharias wrote that his name was to be “John” as the angel had told him.
Jesus called him John. We often call him John the Baptist…because he was a baptizer…but that’s another writing. Gabriel had said that John would go before the Lord, indicating that he would tell people of Jesus ahead of Jesus. So John was born first, began his ministry first, and was killed first, but John will be resurrected the same day you are
.Luke 1:13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.”
Possible prayer, “Dear God, thank you for blessing Zacharias with a son in spite of his doubting the possibility at first. I pray that I, too, will tell people what I know about Jesus.”
Monday, January 16, 2012
A Long Trip
Hi Addie,
Today, you are on a long trip. It takes a long time in the car to get to Atlanta. It will take a long time to get back home today. But I know what you do….you watch movies. The time still seems so long. You say, “How long? Wheeeeen will we get there?” Jesus took a long trip, too, but he did not have a van or a car or a truck! He walked, or rode a donkey, or, maybe, even a camel. If he rode a camel, he was way up high!
The Bible does not tell us what he rode or if he walked all the way. If the Bible does not tell us then we can not know for sure. But we do know that when Mary and Joseph went way down to Egypt Jesus was too little to walk. But two years later when they came back he could walk. Probably, he got to ride on a donkey most of the way. That would have been a bouncy, slow ride and his little legs must have hurt. Joseph and Mary moved to a town called Nazareth. Jesus lived there until he grew up.
Joseph was a carpenter. That is a person who makes things out of wood so little boy Jesus must have stacked blocks and piled sawdust. Then he probably started hammering and banging; then he learned to hand things to Joseph and be a good helper. He probably learned how to make boxes and even houses. Joseph did every good thing that his mom or dad told him. He probably raced through the streets of Nazareth with the other boys his age. He also had little brothers and sisters to play with and he probably watched them to keep them from running too far from home!
You are learning to help Mom and Dad, too. You can pick up your toys and go get things for her. Soon you will be answering the phone in a nice way. When you do what Mom and Dad tell you, you are showing them that you love them. Helping Mom and Dad shows that you love Jesus, too.
Matthew 2:21 ….an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel….Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.
Please pray, “Dear God, Thank you for keeping us safe on our trip.”
Today, you are on a long trip. It takes a long time in the car to get to Atlanta. It will take a long time to get back home today. But I know what you do….you watch movies. The time still seems so long. You say, “How long? Wheeeeen will we get there?” Jesus took a long trip, too, but he did not have a van or a car or a truck! He walked, or rode a donkey, or, maybe, even a camel. If he rode a camel, he was way up high!
The Bible does not tell us what he rode or if he walked all the way. If the Bible does not tell us then we can not know for sure. But we do know that when Mary and Joseph went way down to Egypt Jesus was too little to walk. But two years later when they came back he could walk. Probably, he got to ride on a donkey most of the way. That would have been a bouncy, slow ride and his little legs must have hurt. Joseph and Mary moved to a town called Nazareth. Jesus lived there until he grew up.
Joseph was a carpenter. That is a person who makes things out of wood so little boy Jesus must have stacked blocks and piled sawdust. Then he probably started hammering and banging; then he learned to hand things to Joseph and be a good helper. He probably learned how to make boxes and even houses. Joseph did every good thing that his mom or dad told him. He probably raced through the streets of Nazareth with the other boys his age. He also had little brothers and sisters to play with and he probably watched them to keep them from running too far from home!
You are learning to help Mom and Dad, too. You can pick up your toys and go get things for her. Soon you will be answering the phone in a nice way. When you do what Mom and Dad tell you, you are showing them that you love them. Helping Mom and Dad shows that you love Jesus, too.
Matthew 2:21 ….an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel….Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.
Please pray, “Dear God, Thank you for keeping us safe on our trip.”
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Recognizing Jesus
Hi Kat,
Sometimes when girls have red, curly hair it draws a lot of attention. Someone wants to reach for a curl and let it wrap around their finger. When you had your hair straightened for a few days, you still got a lot of attention. Granddad or I might say, “Who is this little girl??? Where is Kat?” But of course we knew it is you…..that you just looked different but you were still our wonderful granddaughter. We recognized you at first glance but we just wanted to tease you a bit. When Jesus was just about 40 days old, two people recognized him who had never even seen him before.
Mary and Joseph took baby Jesus to the temple to obey the law of God. When they entered the courts of the temple a man named Simeon came up to them. He took baby Jesus in his arms and praised God because God’s spirit had told him this baby was the Christ!!
And then another strange thing happened. An old lady named Anna had been at the temple for years and years. God had told her that she would see the Savior from God. So she waited, and waited and waited. When she saw baby Jesus she came up close to Mary and Joseph and began praising God. This was the One she had been waiting to see!! She was a prophetess and told Mary and Joseph others in the temple area that this was the Savior!!! Can you imagine those two people looking at the baby and saying, “Thank you!! Thank you!! Thank you!!” to God!
They were both so happy to see God’s son, Jesus. Mary and Joseph were amazed that these two people knew baby Jesus and were praising God for him. Let’s praise God for sending Jesus like they did. Let’s sing, “God is so good, God is so good, God is so good, He’s so good to me.”
Luke 2:25 ……there was a man Simeon, and this man was just and devout, . And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus……28 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God…
36.…. there was one, Anna, a prophetess….,38 And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him...
You might pray, “Thank you soooo much, dear God, for sending baby Jesus to earth to help us.”
Sometimes when girls have red, curly hair it draws a lot of attention. Someone wants to reach for a curl and let it wrap around their finger. When you had your hair straightened for a few days, you still got a lot of attention. Granddad or I might say, “Who is this little girl??? Where is Kat?” But of course we knew it is you…..that you just looked different but you were still our wonderful granddaughter. We recognized you at first glance but we just wanted to tease you a bit. When Jesus was just about 40 days old, two people recognized him who had never even seen him before.
Mary and Joseph took baby Jesus to the temple to obey the law of God. When they entered the courts of the temple a man named Simeon came up to them. He took baby Jesus in his arms and praised God because God’s spirit had told him this baby was the Christ!!
And then another strange thing happened. An old lady named Anna had been at the temple for years and years. God had told her that she would see the Savior from God. So she waited, and waited and waited. When she saw baby Jesus she came up close to Mary and Joseph and began praising God. This was the One she had been waiting to see!! She was a prophetess and told Mary and Joseph others in the temple area that this was the Savior!!! Can you imagine those two people looking at the baby and saying, “Thank you!! Thank you!! Thank you!!” to God!
They were both so happy to see God’s son, Jesus. Mary and Joseph were amazed that these two people knew baby Jesus and were praising God for him. Let’s praise God for sending Jesus like they did. Let’s sing, “God is so good, God is so good, God is so good, He’s so good to me.”
Luke 2:25 ……there was a man Simeon, and this man was just and devout, . And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus……28 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God…
36.…. there was one, Anna, a prophetess….,38 And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him...
You might pray, “Thank you soooo much, dear God, for sending baby Jesus to earth to help us.”
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Warning Joseph
Hey Reese,
On those shows you watch, like Scooby Doo, the kids are always running from some danger or trying to solve a mystery. Sometimes it seems S-C-A-R-Y!! but it always ends with the kids being saved and the mystery is solved. Did you know that in REAL life, baby Jesus was threatened and Joseph had to sneak away with him and Mary?
Mean old King Herod had learned from the wise men that a baby was born who would be the a king. King Herod was scared baby Jesus would grow up and take his place or his son’s place as king. King Herod was very, very angry when the wise men obeyed God and did not go back and tell him where the baby was. He was so furious when he knew the wise men had outsmarted him that he ordered for all the baby boys in Bethlehem and the nearby towns to be killed….dead! He was such a horrible man that he wanted little baby boys dead. He thought if he had all of them killed that the one that was predicted to be king by God’s prophets would be killed.
King Herod did not consider the power and love of God, however. Again, God sent an angel to warn Joseph in a dream and Joseph knew to obey!! While it was dark in the night, Joseph got up, and awakened Mary. “Mary, Mary!!!!” He must have whispered, “We have to go….hurry!!! God has sent an angel to warn me! We have to go!!”
They took baby Jesus and sneaked out of Bethlehem without the soldiers seeing them. How quickly they must have packed a few things, wrapped baby Jesus carefully, and hurried quietly out of Bethlehem. They rushed through the night and the next few days to reach another country where King Herod’s murdering soldiers could not come. Whee!! They had crossed to border and were safe in Egypt because Joseph and Mary obeyed God‘s warning! (Read more of the story in Matthew 2.)
Reese, even when you are scared, even terrified, God knows and cares. Talk to Him every day and tell him what you are doing and what scares you.
Matthew 2:13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”
Maybe you will pray, “Dear God, thank you for being with me wherever I am, like you were with Joseph and Mary and baby Jesus. Please help me to feel safe.”
On those shows you watch, like Scooby Doo, the kids are always running from some danger or trying to solve a mystery. Sometimes it seems S-C-A-R-Y!! but it always ends with the kids being saved and the mystery is solved. Did you know that in REAL life, baby Jesus was threatened and Joseph had to sneak away with him and Mary?
Mean old King Herod had learned from the wise men that a baby was born who would be the a king. King Herod was scared baby Jesus would grow up and take his place or his son’s place as king. King Herod was very, very angry when the wise men obeyed God and did not go back and tell him where the baby was. He was so furious when he knew the wise men had outsmarted him that he ordered for all the baby boys in Bethlehem and the nearby towns to be killed….dead! He was such a horrible man that he wanted little baby boys dead. He thought if he had all of them killed that the one that was predicted to be king by God’s prophets would be killed.
King Herod did not consider the power and love of God, however. Again, God sent an angel to warn Joseph in a dream and Joseph knew to obey!! While it was dark in the night, Joseph got up, and awakened Mary. “Mary, Mary!!!!” He must have whispered, “We have to go….hurry!!! God has sent an angel to warn me! We have to go!!”
They took baby Jesus and sneaked out of Bethlehem without the soldiers seeing them. How quickly they must have packed a few things, wrapped baby Jesus carefully, and hurried quietly out of Bethlehem. They rushed through the night and the next few days to reach another country where King Herod’s murdering soldiers could not come. Whee!! They had crossed to border and were safe in Egypt because Joseph and Mary obeyed God‘s warning! (Read more of the story in Matthew 2.)
Reese, even when you are scared, even terrified, God knows and cares. Talk to Him every day and tell him what you are doing and what scares you.
Matthew 2:13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”
Maybe you will pray, “Dear God, thank you for being with me wherever I am, like you were with Joseph and Mary and baby Jesus. Please help me to feel safe.”
Friday, January 13, 2012
Good Gifts
Hi Paul,
Every Christmas and birthday you want the same thing…..Lego sets. You are saving your gift money and money you earn to buy…let me guess….a really big Lego set. "Yes!" you shout most of the time when you rip off the wrappings. However, if G-mom tries to substitute in a different brand, then you try to be happy, and you smile with good manners, but I can tell the non-Lego gift just didn’t hit the mark. If we discover the gift doesn’t work or if you already have that set, then back to Walmart it goes. Someday you will realize that the greatest gift anyone will ever, ever, ever get is the gift of being saved that comes through Jesus.
When the wise men followed the star and came right to baby Jesus, they were overjoyed to find him! They had traveled a boo-coo of miles, probably by camel, to find him and they did not come empty handed. Probably the camels were loaded with food, bedding, tents, and other things needed for camping along the trip. We know they brought gifts for the new King…..GOLD, FRANKINCENSE, AND MYRRH. Can you imagine that little baby looking up at the men who stared at him, squirming as best he could, grunting little baby sounds, maybe even making one of those little newborn smiles? The wise men actually fell down and worshipped the baby Jesus.!!
The Bible does not tell us how Mary and Joseph chose to use the very expensive gifts. They may have been sold. Gold, used for money, was probably used when Joseph, Mary and Jesus had to escape from mean King Herod and travel to Egypt. They also needed supplies for living in Egypt until Joseph could manage to earn some money. Frankincense (incense) was something that smelled goooood that was used in worship. Myrrh was also a smell-good (aromatic) item but it was also used as medicine. They could not have returned them to Walmart, so, for certain, they were very important for the family to have. Don’t you just love those wise men who worshipped our Lord and brought him wonderful gifts?
Matthew 2:11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their
treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Perhaps you will pray, “Dear Lord, Thank you very, very much for Jesus coming to earth.”
Every Christmas and birthday you want the same thing…..Lego sets. You are saving your gift money and money you earn to buy…let me guess….a really big Lego set. "Yes!" you shout most of the time when you rip off the wrappings. However, if G-mom tries to substitute in a different brand, then you try to be happy, and you smile with good manners, but I can tell the non-Lego gift just didn’t hit the mark. If we discover the gift doesn’t work or if you already have that set, then back to Walmart it goes. Someday you will realize that the greatest gift anyone will ever, ever, ever get is the gift of being saved that comes through Jesus.
When the wise men followed the star and came right to baby Jesus, they were overjoyed to find him! They had traveled a boo-coo of miles, probably by camel, to find him and they did not come empty handed. Probably the camels were loaded with food, bedding, tents, and other things needed for camping along the trip. We know they brought gifts for the new King…..GOLD, FRANKINCENSE, AND MYRRH. Can you imagine that little baby looking up at the men who stared at him, squirming as best he could, grunting little baby sounds, maybe even making one of those little newborn smiles? The wise men actually fell down and worshipped the baby Jesus.!!
The Bible does not tell us how Mary and Joseph chose to use the very expensive gifts. They may have been sold. Gold, used for money, was probably used when Joseph, Mary and Jesus had to escape from mean King Herod and travel to Egypt. They also needed supplies for living in Egypt until Joseph could manage to earn some money. Frankincense (incense) was something that smelled goooood that was used in worship. Myrrh was also a smell-good (aromatic) item but it was also used as medicine. They could not have returned them to Walmart, so, for certain, they were very important for the family to have. Don’t you just love those wise men who worshipped our Lord and brought him wonderful gifts?
Matthew 2:11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their
treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Perhaps you will pray, “Dear Lord, Thank you very, very much for Jesus coming to earth.”
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