Advent Devotion / Jesse Tree Day 9 - A God of Many Colors

Now Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. Genesis 37:3

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. Genesis 50:20

Monday: God's Providence

Bible Reading: Genesis 37:1-36

Jesse Tree Symbol: coat of many colors (go to Jesse Tree ornaments)

The story of Joseph is so rich with meaning and lessons for all of us: God's protection and plan for Joseph, although so many times the outlook was bleak; Joseph's trust in and obedience to God despite persecution and hardship; God's use of His well-placed man to affect the greatest nation at that time; forgiveness of others no matter what has been done and the dangers of parental favoritism...just to name a few.

God allowed evil to befall Joseph in order to bring great good for many. This evil, however, may never have begun if Joseph's father, Jacob, had not shown such blatant favoritism to his son. Now Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. Genesis 37:3 

God is not that way. One of the things that truly sets Christianity and our Savior apart is that His love is universal… His sacrifice is offered to all nations, all tribes, all languages and all people. Jesus calls all men and women to Himself. The blessing of His death and resurrection is for all the nations.

Thus, the coat of many colors can remind us that our God is a God of many colors. And we should be a people who love, not just our family and our neighbors and our nation, but the people of the world. They will be our brothers and sisters in Heaven.

The above commentary on Genesis is part of a 4-week Advent Reflection for the Jesse Tree. The Jesse Tree is similar to an advent calendar. Every day you will read a Bible passage to your child(ren), discuss what it means to them in personal terms and color an ornament to hang on your Jesse Tree. A fuller description of this can be found at The Jesse Tree

When you are finished today, you might want to discuss how Christmas is about giving much more than getting. One way that your family can give is through their daily prayers. This might be a good time to pray for a specific country or for a group of people who do not know about Jesus. Today, over 2 billion people, 1/3 of the earth's population, have never heard the Gospel message. They don't know about a God who loves them, made them unique and celebrates who they are. They need our prayers. 

Two great websites to help you do this are:

Unreached of the Day

Operation World  go to Featured Nation and click on Country Profile

Another way to give is by giving a gift to those, throughout the world, who have very little. It might be a chicken, or sheep or a goat...maybe you can help pay for the digging of a well or provide a sewing machine to a widow so she can provide for her family. There are many ways to help this Christmas. Visit  Gospel for Asia and take a look at their Christmas Catalog. 

Advent Devotion / Jesse Tree Day 8 - A Great Light

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned...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 9:2, 6-7

Sunday: A Great Light, the 2nd Sunday in Advent

Bible Reading: Isaiah 9:2-7

Jesse Tree Symbol: candle (go to Jesse Tree ornaments)

"Last year I had a dream.. I remember seeing a white bright light, as bright as the sun.. But the funny thing is it wasn't hurting my eyes at all!! I could look into this light with great comfort. The light warmed me with love and joy!! I felt happy!! Then appeared Jesus Christ.  He stood in the light wearing a long white robe. He glowed with light. He was holding a book in his hand and on the book stood a white  dove. I felt so loved and like I didn't have a worry in the world. I felt joy, peace, happiness and so much of love. I had so many questions to ask him but at that time I felt like I knew every answer to my every question. Jesus looked at me and then the dream faded away and I awoke to darkness. I am born into the Hindu faith but all my life I have never felt that connection to the Hindi deities. My heart didn't feel like going into doing all the Hindu prayers. I have a Bible and my family knows I believe in Jesus Christ...I have asked Jesus Christ for forgiveness of my sins."

Those are the words of a young girl named Melisha who lives in South Africa. I know this because she wrote them to me. She was writing to me because I am an online missionary with the Campus Crusade outreach Global Media Outreach

Melisha has "seen a great light," just as Isaiah talks about. She was "walking in darkness," "living in the land of the shadow of death," but now "a light has dawned" for her. Now she knows who Jesus Christ is and has accepted Him as her Lord and Savior. 

It is not easy. Her family is Hindu. Her brother is angry that she now worships Jesus. She does not have a car so can not go to a worship service this Sunday morning. But Melisha can worship Jesus in her heart. She can read her Bible. She can know Him as "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Jesus came to Earth to bring light into this dark, dark world. He did this 2,000 years ago and He does it today, every moment, all over the world, into every heart that will accept Him. 

May the lights of Christmas, this year, remind you of the child that was born to be the light of the world.

The above commentary is part of a 4-week Advent Reflection for the Jesse Tree. The Jesse Tree is similar to an advent calendar. Every day you will read a Bible passage to your child(ren), discuss what it means to them in personal terms and color an ornament to hang on your Jesse Tree. A fuller description of this can be found at The Jesse Tree

When you are finished today, you might want to discuss how Christmas is about giving much more than getting. One way that your family can give is through their daily prayers. This might be a good time to pray for a specific country or for a group of people who do not know about Jesus. Today, over 2 billion people, 1/3 of the earth's population, have never heard the Gospel message. They don't know about the way God provided for them through Himself as our ultimate sacrifice. They need our prayers. 

Two great websites to help you do this are:

Unreached of the Day

Operation World  go to Featured Nation and click on Country Profile

Another way to give is by giving a gift to those, throughout the world, who have very little. It might be a chicken, or sheep or a goat...maybe you can help pay for the digging of a well or provide a sewing machine to a widow so she can provide for her family. There are many ways to help this Christmas. Visit  Gospel for Asia and take a look at their Christmas Catalog.

Advent Devotion / Jesse Tree - Second Sunday in Advent - When Heaven Opened

"He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

There above it stood the Lord, and he said: "I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying.

Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.

I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."

Genesis 28:12-15

Saturday: Jacob's Ladder

Bible Reading: Genesis 27:41 - 28:22

Jesse Tree Symbol: ladder  (go to Jesse Tree ornaments)

Jacob, the "deceiver," a man who had just lied to his father Isaac in order to take his twin brother's inheritance and was on the run from this brother who wanted to kill him. He arrived at a desolate, lonely, barren place. Nothing there to suggest to Jacob that God was with him. Alone, scared, possibly sorry and guilt-ridden for what he had done, he lays his head on a stone and dreams an incredible dream.

"A stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to Heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. There above it stood the Lord" Gen. 28:12-13 What an incredible dream! Jacob had a glimpse into Heaven. He saw the way to get there but sadly, when he woke up, that way was gone.

"When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it." He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven." Genesis 28:16-17 What Jacob did began to understand, at that moment, was that God was with him. Even though he had sinned greatly, even though he was far away from his home and in a desolate, desert region, God was with him.

Though Jacob would never see Heaven again, until after his death...Heaven did open up again and this time it was not in a dream.

It opened when the Holy Spirit came upon Mary and conceived in her Jesus Christ. Jesus said, I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." John 1:51 It opened when the angels came down to the shepherds to sing to them of Jesus' birth. It opened when Jesus was just beginning His ministry. At His baptism, "heaven was opened and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Him. And a voice from Heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love, with Him I am well pleased."' Matthew 3:16-17 It opened again when Jesus ascended into Heaven after His earthly ministry was done. And it will open once more when He returns to take all those who believe in Him to Heaven. 

Through Jesus Christ, Heaven and earth are joined, reconciled and access is given. He is the ladder that Jacob dreamed of. He is our means to enter Heaven.

The above commentary on Genesis is part of a 4-week Advent Reflection for the Jesse Tree. The Jesse Tree is similar to an advent calendar. Every day you will read a Bible passage to your child(ren), discuss what it means to them in personal terms and color an ornament to hang on your Jesse Tree. A fuller description of this can be found at Beginning Advent with a Jesse Tree

When you are finished today, you might want to discuss how Christmas is about giving much more than getting. One way that your family can give is through their daily prayers. This is a good time to pray for a specific country or for a group of people who do not know about Jesus. Today, over 2 billion people, 1/3 of the earth's population, have never heard the Gospel message. They don't know about the way God provided for them through Himself as our ultimate sacrifice. They need our prayers. 

Two great websites to help you do this are:

Unreached of the Day

Operation World  go to Featured Nation and click on Country Profile

Another way to give is by giving a gift to those, throughout the world, who have very little. It might be a chicken, or sheep or a goat...maybe you can help pay for the digging of a well or provide a sewing machine to a widow so she can provide for her family. There are many ways to help this Christmas. Visit  Gospel for Asia gift catalog and take a look at their Christmas Catalog.

Advent Devotional / Jesse Tree day 6 - God Provides

Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son."

Genesis 22:8

Friday: Offering of Isaac

Bible Reading: Genesis 22:1-19

Jesse Tree Symbol - ram (go to Jesse Tree ornaments)

This is a difficult story for children. It's a difficult story for adults, especially if you are a parent. What faith Abraham had in God. He believed. from the beginning, that God would fulfill HIs promise through Isaac. In Genesis 22:5 Abraham tells his servants that he and Isaac will go on ahead and "then we will come back to you." 

"By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."  Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death." Hebrews 11:17-19

Abraham's faith was tremendous, but I'd like to focus today on the name Abraham called the place where he almost sacrificed Isaac. "So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, 'On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided." Genesis 22:14

The Hebrew name for "The Lord will Provide" is Jehovah-jirah. He did provide an animal for the sacrifice that day...a ram. But He also provided a sacrifice for a day in the distant future.

"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29

Just as Isaac walked willingly up Mount Moriah, carrying the wood for his own sacrifice (Gen. 22:6), Jesus walked willingly up Golgotha (within sight of Mount Moriah where the Temple now stood), carrying the wooden cross for His own sacrifice.

But unlike Isaac, no Angel of the Lord intervened this time. No voice from Heaven called out "Jesus! Jesus!" Instead, the voice of Jesus was heard calling "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"-which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Mark 15:34

Can we begin to comprehend how the Lord provided that day? Can we begin to understand the sacrifice Jesus willingly made for us?

May today's reflection help us to understand a bit more of the Father's heart of love for us. He is 

Jehovah-jirah, the God who provides.

The above commentary on Genesis is part of a 4-week Advent Reflection for the Jesse Tree. The Jesse Tree is similar to an advent calendar. Every day you will read a Bible passage to your child(ren), discuss what it means to them in personal terms and color an ornament to hang on your Jesse Tree. A fuller description of this can be found at Beginning Advent with a Jesse Tree

When you are finished today, you might want to discuss how Christmas is about giving much more than getting. One way that your family can give is through their daily prayers. This is a good time to pray for a specific country or for a group of people who do not know about Jesus. Today, over 2 billion people, 1/3 of the earth's population, have never heard the Gospel message. They don't know about the way God provided for them through Himself as our ultimate sacrifice. They need our prayers. 

Two great websites to help you do this are:

Unreached of the Day

Operation World  go to Featured Nation and click on Country Profile

Another way to give is by giving a gift to those, throughout the world, who have very little. It might be a chicken, or sheep or a goat...maybe you can help pay for the digging of a well or provide a sewing machine to a widow so she can provide for her family. There are many ways to help this Christmas. Visit  Gospel for Asia gift catalog and take a look at their Christmas Catalog. 

Advent Devotional / Jesse Tree day 5 - Abraham's Faith

The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.

"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran.

He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.

Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.

The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

Genesis 12:1-7

Thursday: The Promise

Bible Reading: Genesis 12:1-7, 13:2-18

Jesse Tree Symbol: Tent (go to Jesse Tree ornaments)

Abraham is called the "Father of Faith" and it is no surprise when we think about the promises He believed...the faith He put in God.

"By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God." Hebrews 11:8-10

Abraham didn't know where he was going. God just told him to go. He didn't know what it would be like when he arrived. He didn't know anyone there. He stepped out in faith, not because he was looking forward to his new destination but because he was looking upward at the God whom he trusted and obeyed. That is faith!

This move, however, was not the only step of faith God asked Abraham to take. The next one might have been even more difficult.

No children and no hope of children...Abraham and Sarah were close to 100 years old. It's not physically possible. Their dreams of children had been buried long ago in the desert sands. But God had something else in mind. You see, with the God of the Universe, nothing is impossible. And Abraham believed that. He believed even though everything in his human nature was screaming disbelief. Even his own wife Sarah laughed at the thought of ever having a child (Genesis 18:12).

Not Abraham. "By faith Abraham, even though he was past age-and Sarah herself was barren-was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore." Hebrews 11:11-12

"Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." Romans 4:18

Abraham believed God instead of what the world said, what his wife said and what his own body said. He not only believed God for a child, but he believed the incredible thought that through this child all the nations would be blessed. How? Abraham was just one man, one family...he wasn't even a nation. How would all nations be blessed through him?

The blessing for all nations is peace with God and eternal salvation. The bearer of this blessing -- Jesus Christ, Abraham's distant descendant. "May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. All nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed." Psalm 72:17

"All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him," Psalm 22:27

God fulfilled His promise to Abraham beyond his wildest dreams. He is still fulfilling that promise today. He is fulfilling it through you, your children and throughout the world. We are part of that promise, children of Abraham: "heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, "Romans 8:17.

"And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, 'Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed." Acts 3:25

As part of God's family, we carry on the promise God made to Abraham so many years ago. It is our duty, our privilege, to tell others about Jesus so they can join His family, so they can become part of the blessing. "He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit." Galatians 3:14

When you are finished today, you might want to sing a couple of Christmas carols, then discuss how Christmas is about giving much more than getting. One way that your family can give is through their daily prayers. This is a good time to pray for a specific country or for a group of people who do not know about Jesus. Today, over 2 billion people, 1/3 of the earth's population, have never heard the Gospel message. They don't know about the promise that God made to Abraham, that they would be blessed. They need our prayers. 

Two great websites to help you do this are:

Unreached of the Day

Operation World  go to Featured Nation and click on Country Profile