DIG for Friday the 2nd of December…..Mary asked questions, she did not question; there is a difference…..Luke 1 v 34

We all have questions that we needed answering, I’m sure we have all asked God some difficult questions at time.

This does not mean that we have a lack of faith or that we doubt, we just need to have assurance sometimes.

Mary was like this when she was told she would have a baby and that this baby would be the Messiah, that He would be Jesus (Luke 1 v 31, 32 and 35).).

Mary had a really simple question to ask; she wanted to know how she could become pregnant, as she had never ‘known‘ a man (Luke 1 v 34).

This is of course a blindingly obvious question, a question that needed to be asked.

Mary was told nothing was impossible for God (Luke 1 v 37).

Mary believed this and spoke out her faith, and I believe at that second became pregnant (Luke 1 v 38).

Mary asked God a question, she did not question God, and there is a difference.

She required clarification and when that came she believed what the Lord had said and came into line with it, acting accordingly.

What a great picture of how to be in relationship with God.

If there is something you do not understand as a question, don’t just think that the impossible cannot happen.

There is one other thing you must commit to do when asking a question though.

Once God answers you, there is a need to act accordingly.

Mary believed and said, “Be it unto me according to thy word”; she spoke out her faith and understanding.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord for your guidance, and thank you that we can ask You questions”.

Luke 1 v 34…..Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

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DIG for Thursday the 1st of December…..not the normal Christmas verse to start with…..Colossians 2 v 8

Well, it is December already, another year just about over and Christmas just about upon us.

As we are in December I thought I’d start writing about the “Christmas story” and I want to start with a verse that describes what we see, read, hear and speak about Christmas.

This verse is Colossians 2 v 8.

A lot of what we believe about the account of the birth of Jesus (that for me is the “Christmas story” by the way) is traditions of men (Colossians 2 v 8).

Much of what we think is true about Jesus’ birth is not actually Biblical.

This actually is in common with a lot of things we see in the Christian life, like dragging up sin and asking for forgiveness in communion and like thinking God sends illness and disease on us for example.

These two “truths” like much of what we “know” about the birth of Jesus are not actually Biblical truths but traditions of men.

I will cover a lot of truths in the run up to December the 25^th, but I will also make you aware of what I consider to be traditions and not Biblical truths.

For example Jesus did not come to bring peace on earth, there is nothing in the Word that says Jesus was born in a stable, the Bible does not tell us that the wise men visited Jesus at His birth and also says nothing about how many of them were eventually in His home approximately 18 to 24 months after His birth.

Much of what we see in a “traditional” Nativity scene should be removed!

The Bible is our account of all things about Jesus and we should read this and study this to find out about all aspects of His life, including His birth.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord for your Word and thank you for the truths about Jesus held within”.

Colossians 2 v 8…..Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ

DIG for Wednesday the 30th of November…..the ultimate act of service…..John 19 v 30

In the last few DIGs I’ve written about the service Jesus bestowed upon His disciples.

Today we look at the ultimate act of service for the whole of mankind.

On the cross Jesus took the sin, pain and sickness of the whole world (Isaiah 53 v 4 and 5).

Prior to the cross He was despised, ridiculed and scourged.

The “bruising” (check out this Hebrews word from Isaiah 53 v 10) began even before this; it began in the garden where Jesus was sweating blood.

This came about due to extreme stress that He was under, he was fully man remember and (because he was fully God) knew exactly what was coming His way.

Coming His way was pain, pain and more pain, excruciating pain.

There was something far worse coming for Jesus though, He was going to have to be separate from God the Father for a period of time; something that He had not experienced before.

Yet He still went through with this, because like His disciples He loved us unto the end.

He loved us with all He had and would do anything and everything for us.

Do not exclude yourself from this ultimate act of service, Jesus sweated drops of blood, Jesus was scourged and Jesus went to the cross for YOU.

This is the ultimate act of service and something we should all give thanks for.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that we can look to the example of Jesus and see how to serve our neighbours”.

John 19 v 30…..When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost