Books
New Release! Soaring Servants: Women in God's Service by Linda Sedrick Pearson is now available at PS Publishing.
How Important is Discipleship?
Did you know that there are 257 verses and 274 times within those verses that the word disciple or disciples appears? This means that disciples and discipleship training must be a very important aspect of the Christian life. Or at least God must think so. Why else would He have mentioned about disciples so many times in His word – the Bible.
The first mention of disciples is in the Old Testament, Isaiah 8:16. Although God was talking to Isaiah and the houses of Israel and Judah, He was also talking to us and commanding us to teach the ways of God to others.
“Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples” (King James Version). Continue reading
Joseph – What a Great Man
Today I wonder about Joseph. This was a man who loved a woman so much that even when she became pregnant (not by Joseph), he stood on his faith and believed that she had conceived from God. Can you imagine? What a man he was. Here they were, the couple had just become engaged. They had no sexual relations.
Custom was that when a couple became engaged, the future bride had one year in which to visit and say goodbye to her family. Approximately six months into that year, Mary became pregnant by God through the Holy Spirit. There still was no sexual relations. The Holy Spirit implanted the Holy Seed – Jesus Christ – into her womb. I imagine that Mary was frightened. Afraid of what people would think of her. But, what a blessing to have been chosen by God to carry the child – God’s Child – inside of her so that He could be born part man and part God.
Joseph had every right to make Mary a public example because she had become pregnant – and not by him. And, I’m sure it did cross his mind. But, because of his great love for Mary and for God – Joseph believed Mary and the angel. Instead, they had a private wedding ceremony. From that day, Joseph did everything he could to protect this Child of God.
He also took it upon himself to train Jesus in hand crafts and taught him how to shape the wood into beautiful things. He trained him how to work with his hands and how to respect others. In other words, Joseph raised this Son as his own. He loved him as his own.
Not much is really said about Joseph after the birth. We can assume that he died before Jesus was crucified on the cross because Mary was there, but not Joseph. I’m sure that Joseph would have been there had he still be living. These thoughts this morning are to give reverence to a great man – Joseph – the earthly father who God chose and appointed to raise His Son on earth.
Thank you, God, for choosing such a great man to take care of our Savior on earth. Without such a Godly man for an earthly father, who knows what may have happened to Your Son and our Savior. Thank you, Father. Amen
