“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.” – Acts 1:8a

Jesus promised the gift of the Holy Spirit and described the result as the receiving of power. The book of Acts described the Spirit’s entrance as a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm and like flames or tongues of fire. The sound was so loud that it was heard across Jerusalem and everyone came running to see what was going on.

On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!” – Acts 2:1-13

The gift of the Holy Spirit is available for us today and could make a powerful difference on what this coming year is like for us and for those around us. Imagine the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives being so “loud” that people around us take notice. Imagine how God could use us if the Holy Spirit put the words in our mouths so that those to whom we are witnessing or ministering could understand the message – not our message, but His.

Today is January 3rd – we are already into our third day of the new year. Today would be a great day to stop and consider the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives and to ask God for a fresh infilling of His Spirit. To sit in our “upper room” and simply breathe in His presence and ask Him to empty us of all that is who we are and fill us with all that is Him.

Heavenly Father, fill us with your Spirit today. Give us a spirit of wisdom to direct our words and our actions. Give us a spirit of compassion to lead our hearts in the direction you pull. Empty us of our own selfish desires and give us a heart that beats for only you. May we be witnesses of your power in our lives this year. Amen.

Resolutions – to make or not to make, that is the question. I am one of those people who like to set goals for myself, whether it is for today or for this week or for this month or for this year. Because I am wired this way, as I am guessing many of you are, I like taking time to consider what resolutions I should make for the coming year.

I know there are several things I would like to do this year – some weight I would like to lose, some new habits I would like to form, some books I would like to read, some improvements I would like to make. But beyond my own heart’s desire, I find myself asking God this morning what He would like to do with my year.

I asked God this question a year ago. I gave Him permission to direct my ways and choose my paths and OH what a year I had. The year was full of blessings but, in many ways, one of the most difficult years I have experienced so far. But that is what I signed up for, right? Whatever, wherever, whenever. But, as I sit in this place of commitment again, I must admit I sense some hesitation on my part.

Let me reveal a little something about myself – I have a love / hate relationship with roller coasters. I love the thrill of the ride…when it’s over. As I move closer to the front of the line, I get a little more nervous. As I listen to the current riders screaming and the loud sound of the roller coaster rushing by, my heart starts to beat just a little faster. I know I am going to be safe and I know I am going to get off the roller coaster with a smile on my face, but the anticipation is nerve-wracking. I sit down, buckle up, and tighten my grip on the bars.

This is much truer when I ride a new roller coaster for the first time, like I did this week on vacation. I am unsure of what to expect. The ride is about to begin, zero to 70 mph in 3 seconds. The commitment has been made, seat belts fastened, but the upcoming ride is unknown and I find myself a little nervous…okay, scared. The next two minutes of my life are now completely out of my control.

My natural tendency is to want to be in charge, I like being in control. But my natural pattern is to really mess things up when I try to do things of my own strength or follow my own plan. I hear God asking me this morning, “Do you trust me? Can I have another year?” Yes, of course I trust You, Lord. Please calm my fears and help me to loosen my grip as I place 2013 in Your hands. The commitment has been made but the upcoming ride is still unknown and I find myself nervous…okay, scared.

Imagine how nervous the disciples were when they went to the upper room in anticipation of what was next. They had just watched Jesus ascend into Heaven. They had made the commitment to follow Him but the road ahead was unknown, the anticipation great. But they did not need to ask God the question, “What would you like for me to do this year?” or “What resolutions would you like for me to make?” Jesus had already given them directions in His last few days with them. Now it was time to do what Jesus was asking them to do, just as it is time for us to do what God has already made clear to us.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” – Acts 1:8

Resolution #1 – Be a witness of Christ Jesus wherever He places me each day, a witness in my conversation, in my actions, in my attitudes.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-20

Resolution #2 – Go and make disciples, reach out and share the gospel with those who need Jesus, then disciple them as they learn what it means to be a follower of Christ.

“Feed my lambs…Take care of my sheep…Feed my sheep…” – John 21:15-17

Resolution #3 – Compassionate ministry – daily reaching out to those around me and around the world, meeting their physical needs as well as their spiritual needs.

“Peace be with you.” – John 20:19,21

Resolution #4 – Don’t be afraid. Trust God with what is ahead. Rest in His care and in His plan, sit back and prepare for the ride of your life. Loosen your grip, raise your arms in the air and enjoy the ride.

Happy New Year! If you are like me, you have spent some time yesterday and today looking back at the last year, as well as looking forward at what the new year will bring. We look back and try to understand our last year – sometimes with mixed feelings of the good and bad, the things we are thankful for and the things we regret, the things that brought joy and the things that were difficult.

In the first chapter of Acts, we see the disciples at a similar point in their lives. A chapter is coming to an end and a new chapter is beginning. They have just spent 40 days with the resurrected Christ, listening and learning from Him, gaining understanding on what His life was about, why He had to die and about what was to come. Now He is leaving them and they are caught between “straining to see him” and anticipating what He said He would be sending to them.

In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. During the forty days after his crucifixion, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.

Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, a distance of half a mile. When they arrived, they went to the upstairs room of the house where they were staying. – Acts 1:1-13

In the midst of the celebrations and parties today, I pray each of us is able to take some time to look back and look forward. Let’s look back at all God has taught us in 2012, all the wonderful times mixed with all of the hard times. He has been faithful and He has been present. The evidence of His presence can be seen in a glance but, when we take the time to “strain to see him,” we recognize His hands and feet in even more ways than we initially remembered.

Then let’s look forward in anticipation of what 2013 will hold for us. God has promises for each of us for the coming year. “John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” In the same way that He spoke to His disciples, Jesus is speaking to us – this is what you look back and realize…and this is what is coming. Here are the wonderful things I have done for you, but in a few days…

Precious Father, we thank you for your Presence in our lives this past year. You have been faithful and You have been generous with us. You have blessed us beyond our expectations and we praise You! Lord, today we sit at your feet and intentionally seek You as we end one chapter of our lives and begin a new one. Thank you for all you have done in 2012 and thank You for all You will do in 2013. We love you. Amen.

Isaiah 9:6-7
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.

Isaiah 53:4-6
Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

May you find PEACE this week by focusing on the Christ Child – finding peace in the presence of God, who says to you, “Come…give ear and come to me; hear me…seek the Lord…call on me…” If we want to find peace this Christmas, we must bring ourselves to the One whose way is perfect. We must find ourselves daily in His presence, listening and hearing. It is in the presence of our Prince of Peace, seeking His will, that we will find joy and peace – a place where we are not seeking to please men but a place where the mountains become the choir and the trees supply the applause.

Isaiah 55:1, 3, 6
1 “Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.

6 Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”- Matthew 2:1-2

We have come to worship him. What a great reminder for me this morning to check my intent when I enter into my quiet time or go to a service at Church. I think there are a lot of times when I am going through the motions instead of sincerely entering into His presence to worship Him. When I wake up, grab a cup of coffee, turn on the fireplace, and open my Bible, it would be helpful to pause and consider that this time is not about me but about Him. When I walk into the Church, it is not about who I get to see or whether or not I am going to like the song selection, I am there to worship God.

But it is so easy to be distracted by everything else going on – my own thoughts wander or I am distracted by focusing on people instead of the Savior. The wisemen could have easily been distracted as well. The wisemen came to Jerusalem intently looking for the King of the Jews. This was not something they were doing half-heartedly. They had spent years studying for this journey and their hearts were committed to this search. But there was one who tried hard to distract them – to make this search about him instead of about the newborn King.

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I may go and worship him.” – Matthew 2:3-8

This was the moment when their purpose for their search could have changed. This is the person who could have distracted them from their calling. This is time in which their quest could have become about earthly success or acclaim, but the wisemen stayed focused on their original purpose – to find and worship the King of all Kings.

After they heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. – Matthew 2:9-11a

The Message describes their reaction as “They entered the house and saw the child in the arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshiped him.” The NLT says they were “filled with joy.”

When we enter into God’s house or enter into His presence during our daily quiet time, if we have truly come to worship Him and if we block out distractions and focus on Him, we can be overcome with joy. We can bow before Jesus, open up our hearts to Him, and sincerely worship Him. Then we can empty ourselves and offer Him everything we have to give.

Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. – Matthew 2:11b

Have you picked out your gift for Jesus this year? It’s not too late. There are six more shopping days:) I can tell you what He wants from you this year. He wants YOU – all of you, focused on Him and entering into His presence sincerely intent on worshiping Him.

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared among them and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” – Luke 2:8-12

Have you ever wondered why shepherds? Why did God choose this group of shepherds to be the first visitors to the Messiah? I wonder if they had the same response – Why me? Out of everyone you could have given this opportunity, why did you choose me? I am not the smartest or the funniest or the most attractive, and definitely not the most talented. Why choose me to be a part of this big plan? I am not perfect. I have definitely made my share of bad decisions and spoken words I immediately regretted, yet you love me and have a plan for my life.

Terrified – do you know what it is to be scared to death of God’s plan? It is in those moments, like this one the shepherds experienced, that we do not fully understand what is happening. Yet God calls us to trust Him. “Don’t be afraid!” Trust me, even when it means not understanding.

“I bring you good news…” This is a good thing. There is no need to be scared, no need to worry. This new thing, this change in your life, is a good thing. You may not see it now but trust me – “Don’t be afraid!”

“And you will recognize him…” I’m not going to hide from you. Seek me with all your heart and you will find me. Look around, there is evidence of my hands all around you. If you take the time to watch and listen, you will recognize me and you will hear from me.

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others – the armies of heaven – praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in highest heavens,
And peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” – Luke 2:13-14

Lord, we praise You. You are Almighty and You are wonderful! To You be ALL the glory!!! From the humblest of hearts to the highest heaven, may Your glory be seen and recognized. Thank you, King Jesus, for the peace you allow us to experience each day. May You look down on us today and be pleased with our worship! Amen.

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. – Luke 2:16

They hurried… They did not hesitate, they did not pause. They did not go around asking for advice. They had heard from God and they hurried to do what He had told them to do. Because of this response, they did not miss out on what God had for them. And oh what a wonderful experience God had for them, what a good thing!

After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them. – Luke 2:17-20

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancé, who was now obviously pregnant.

And when they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. – Luke 2:1-7

How many times can you hear the same story and still feel something when you hear it again? It is amazing the emotions the story of Christ’s birth awaken inside of us each time we read it. The Christmas carols never grow old as we dust them off and sing them each December. Our local Christian radio station has been playing all Christmas music since Thanksgiving and I have really enjoyed the variety they have played – the fun, silly songs, the classic Christmas hymns and carols, as well as several new worship songs.

Last night at our youth-led Christmas service at church, the teens led us in a new Christmas song made popular in 2008 by a new group, Downhere. I have heard the song on the radio and even sang along with it, but last night the words touched my heart as if hearing it for the first time – really grasping the meaning of the words. As you read through the lyrics of the song “How Many Kings” by Marc Martel, I encourage you to acknowledge in your heart what God has done for us. Last week’s tragedy makes us even more aware of how broken our world is and how much we need this great and compassionate King.

Follow the star to a place unexpected
Would you believe, after all we’ve projected,
A child in a manger?
Lowly and small, the weakest of all
Unlikeliest hero, wrapped in his mother’s shawl –
Just a child –
Is this who we’ve waited for? ’cause…

All for me…
All for you…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lw3EG6kVNtI

This is how… – Matthew 1:18

A few weeks ago we were at the youth Bible Quiz in St. Louis and J.D. Saylors led a whole devotional on these three words. This is how… Everyone’s story can be started with these three words. This is how Sherry came to know Christ. This is how Scott and Sherry fell in love and married. This is how Sherry came to work for Living Alternatives Pregnancy Resource Center. This is how the Sherwood’s came to live in Pekin, Illinois.

Jesus’ story in Matthew starts in this same way. This is how Jesus was born. This is how the virgin, Mary, came to be with child. This is how Joseph decided to marry her instead of divorcing her quietly. This is how Mary & Joseph were in Bethlehem when Jesus was born. This is how Jesus was born in a stable instead of an inn. This is how shepherds and wisemen came to visit the baby Jesus. This is how Herod came to know of the birth of King Jesus. This is how the prophecy of Isaiah came to be fulfilled in the birth of Jesus.

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus. – Matthew 1:18-25

So what is your story? How did you come to know Christ? What circumstances brought you to the place in life you are today? How would you finish this sentence: This is how…

Now that we know how you arrived to where you are today, where are you going? As Paul Harvey would ask, what is the rest of the story? As we enjoy another Christmas season, open another gift, drink another cup of eggnog and sing another Christmas carol, consider where your story goes from here. As we say goodbye to 2012 and look ahead to 2013, we have the opportunity to write the next chapter of our lives.

Heavenly Father, as we bow before you this cold December morning, we ask that you would see into our hearts. Lord, see the desire of our heart to live a life that pleases you. We thank you for our story, for the way you have been with us through the great times and through the difficult ones. We ask for a special touch this Christmas as we hear again how you gave your Son to us, to be born in a manger and to die on a cross. May our hearts be open to any new insights you have for us this year. Lord, we bring to you the gift of our lives and we give you where our story goes from here. Father, take the pen out of my hand and write the rest of my story for me. I submit to your plan. Amen.

Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. Everyone who heard about it reflected on those events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way. – Luke 1:65-67

“What will this child turn out to be?” As a mother, my heart is stirred by this question because it is a question I often ponder about my own children. Don’t we all wonder what will become of our children when they grow up? Will they marry and, if so, who? What career will they have? Will they be successful? Will they be happy? Will they have children? I find myself wondering what God’s plans are for my girls and praying that today’s experiences will prepare them for tomorrow.

Zechariah spoke a blessing over his newborn son:
“And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord.
You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins.
Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.” – Luke 1:76-79

We can speak blessings over our children in the same way – teaching them at a very young age that God loves them and has a plan for their lives. I have quoted Jeremiah 29:11 to my daughters countless times: “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Daily we have the opportunity to speak blessings on our kids – whether they are small enough to crawl into our laps, old enough to ask for the keys to the car, or grown enough to be out of the house. Our children need to hear from us that we believe in them and in God’s plan for their lives. Our role as parents never ends. We can still be the one to pray over them and ask God to bless their lives and protect them.

I wonder what Zechariah and Elizabeth’s reaction was to John when he was living in the wilderness. Did they worry? Were they surprised at the details of how his ministry was rolling out? I can easily see how parents could go from being the cheerleader to the voice of doubt – how easily we can get an idea in our head of what our children should do and then end up being a discouragement to them. That’s not who I want to be. I pray that I continually point them back to God with words like, “As long as you are doing what God has asked you to do” or “Just keep listening to God and following Him and I’ll be here no matter what.”

Perhaps this Christmas would be a great opportunity to gift our children with a letter of blessing, one they can read over and over again as a reminder that we have confidence in their future – that we believe God can use them in a powerful way wherever He places them and whatever He asks them to do.

Lord, give me wisdom. Parenting is not always easy but it is such an honor and a blessing. Thank you for the privilege of this responsibility. Heavenly Father, guide me and teach me what to say and when to say it. May I always be a source of encouragement and a positive voice in the hearts of my daughters. Amen.

During his time of silence, Zechariah had plenty of time to consider what the angel had said. He had time to look over the Scriptures and remind himself of all God had promised to the people of Israel. He could take his piece of the puzzle and fit it into the big picture. But how did all of this affect his wife, Elizabeth? How did more than nine months of silence change their daily life? Okay, get the jokes out of your system…we can laugh about how great it would be to silence your spouse for a few days but we all know we would be worried when it lasted for such a long time.

Zechariah described himself as an “old man” but he was wise in describing his wife as “also well along in years.” It is not clear what her age was but she was apparently past child-bearing years. Luke 1:24 says that Elizabeth went into seclusion for five months after she became pregnant. There is no evidence that this was an Old Testament custom or command so many theologians believe that Elizabeth took time to have a spiritual retreat of sorts to honor God for answering her prayer.

Elizabeth’s experience is one of my favorite stories in the Bible – so much so that I named my first baby girl after her, Elizabeth Kathryn Sherwood. I could relate to Elizabeth’s time of infertility – what she must have felt and how it probably affected her relationships with others in her community. I wonder if people said things to her that hurt her feelings, as was my experience. “Do you not like kids?” or “Just come over to my house, there must be something in the water because I don’t have any trouble getting pregnant.”

Elizabeth’s pain was probably even stronger than mine because now women can choose a career or ministry in place of motherhood. In those days, childbearing was considered the highest calling for a woman. Infertility was often paired with a social stigma or shame, often assuming God was not blessing a woman with a baby because of some kind of sin in her life.

If I had a quote wall, Elizabeth would be on it twice. Luke‘s interview with Mary, the mother of Jesus, reveals two very profound statements that come from Elizabeth. Let’s look at the first.

“How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He had taken away my disgrace of having no children.” – Luke 1:25

Stop. Slow down and consider with Elizabeth just how kind the Lord has been to you. God is so good and so compassionate and so loving. There is evidence of His kindness all over our lives. What has he taken away from you as an act of kindness?
– Shame from a sin committed
– Regret from a word spoken
– Consequences that could have destroyed you
– Loneliness that left you feeling unloved and alone
– Pain from an unbearable loss
– Sickness or disease that was taking away your life

The list could go on. He is so kind to us. Perhaps He is willing to take something away from you but you are holding on to it instead of clinging to His kindness. Perhaps this Christmas is the time to offer everything to Him and let Him bless you with His kindness

A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the hose and greeted Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” – Luke 1:39-45

There are a few instances in the Old Testament when someone is described as being filled with the spirit of God but there are only four people that I can find who were described in the gospels as being filled with the Holy Spirit, only one woman – John the Baptist (1:16), Elizabeth (1:41), Zechariah (1:67), and Jesus (4:14).

Only a few days had passed since the angel came to Mary. Had she told anyone yet of what the angel had spoken? Did her family know yet? Did Joseph know? Now here she is, probably still trying to soak it all in, greeted by Elizabeth, who seems to already know the big news. This greeting was most likely more than Mary had even wished for. As far as we know, Elizabeth had not even been told, yet already knew, that Mary was with child. Mary was not going to be scolded or questioned or accused. Instead, Elizabeth greeted her with a blessing for Mary and for her baby.

And here is my second favorite quote. Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke what I believe Mary needed to hear – what God Himself was saying to her through Elizabeth. “You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

So here’s a question you often hear at Christmas – Do you believe? Is your faith strong enough to believe that God is going to do what He says He will do? Do you see this Prince of Peace, born in a manger, as being kind and faithful? That is what He is. The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay, was born out of the kindness and generosity of our Creator and He loves us with that same kindness today. Will you accept His gift to you this Christmas? Will you let him take away what you have been holding on to and leave faith in its place – faith that He will do what He says He will do.