Advent Devotion / Jesse Tree Day 10 - Obedience

But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it."

Exodus 4:13

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Philippians 2:8

Tuesday: Obedience

Bible reading: Exodus 3:1 - 4:20

Jesse Tree Symbol: Burning Bush (go to Jesse Tree ornaments 2 and look for burning bush) 

Obedience - it can be done willingly or it can be done reluctantly. We ask our children to be willingly obedient and God expects the same thing of us.

The story of the burning bush and God's call on Moses' life shows us an unwilling follower, at least initially.

Moses had already lived a life set apart. Set apart from all the other Hebrew boys who had been killed, protected by the mighty hand of God; set apart from all the other boys as a prince in the house of the most powerful man in the world; set apart because the God of the Universe was now speaking to him from a burning bush; yet he was still reluctant.

"Who am I?" (3:11)

"What if they do not believe me or listen to me?" (4:1)

"I am slow of speech" (4:10)

"Please send someone else" (4:13)

It's easy to judge Moses and think we would have done differently. If God were speaking to me from a burning bush, surely I would obey readily. But would we?

We may not hear a voice from a burning bush, but we have something that Moses did not have. If we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, we have the Holy Spirit living within us. "I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16

We have the fire from the burning bush within us. The Holy Spirit is often compared to fire (Acts 2:3, Isaiah 6:6-7, Hebrews 1:7). That fire will not fade like the burning bush must have done once Moses left.

We also have the entire Bible. It clearly tells us what God expects of us. And we can learn much from His Word, including what a picture of willing obedience looks like. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Philippians 2:8

Jesus learned obedience. Obedience to God's will is something which we all have to learn over a period of time. Christ also had to go through this process of learning obedience to his Father, as any son has to. "Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him" (Heb. 5:8,9). 

Life, from the time we are children learning obedience to our parents through adulthood as we learn obedience to God, is about our daily choices. Like Moses, we have a "burning bush" experience regularly whenever the Lord speaks to us from His Word or through His Spirit...an all-consuming fire.  We can choose the path of willing obedience that Jesus shows us through His life, or the path of reluctant obedience that Moses showed at the burning bush. May we ask the Holy Spirit to help us choose well!

And just as food for thought: we have no idea what God has in store for us when we obey His call. 

Did Moses have any idea what he was getting into when he agreed to take the Lord's call? Could he see the Egyptian army closing in, and God parting the Red Sea through Moses' hand? Could he see the song of victory, the water from the rock, the manna from heaven, the battles won through prayer? Could he see the vision of God on Mount Sinai, the voice of God from heaven, the tablets of stone, the golden calf? Could he see the tabernacle built, the priests consecrated? Could he see the spies sent forth into Canaan, the response of unbelief, and a thirty-eight year sentence to wander the wilderness? Could he see a lonely climb to the top of Mount Pisgah, where he would die looking out over the land of promise? Could he see the honor of sitting beside the Lord on the Mount of Transfiguration? Did Moses have any idea what he was getting into?

However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" 1 Corinthians 2:9

The above commentary on Exodus 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. We need to step out in obedience and pray for them as God asks us to. 

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 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.