Debbie's Perspective

Just my thoughts of the day.

Dec 3

30 Days in the Christmas Story: Day 9

by Debbie

As I said on Day 8, before the angel visitation to Mary and Joseph, there was a visitation a few months earlier. This visitation was proclaiming the birth of a child as well, and he would be important in preparing the way for Jesus. There were prophecies written about this child, too.

“Behold, I am sending My messenger, and he will clear a way before Me. And the Lord, whom you are seeking, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of armies.” Malachi 3:1 (NASB2020)

Today we will look at the parents of this special child, Zechariah and Elizabeth. In verses 5-7, Luke tells us that during the time of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah from the priestly division of Abijah. Zechariah’s wife was also in the priestly line of Aaron. They were both righteous in God’s eyes and observed all His commands and decrees without fault. They were the perfect couple, right, but there was one problem, they couldn’t have a child, and they were both really old.

Since I’ve read ahead and know the end of the story, I know that Luke bringing up Herod here isn’t just to let us know when all this took place, this is an introduction to the villain who will have a part to play in this whole unfolding story. Also, letting us know that Zechariah is a priest from the division of Abijah is important as well. I love how God doesn’t leave out the women in the story, He lets us know that she is from a very important priestly line, too. But then you read that they are childless and have been for a long time because they are very old. Since I already let the cat out of the bag and told you that they were going to have a son that would prepare the way for Jesus, you already know about the first miracle in this Christmas story. So how did it begin?

“Once, when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.” Luke 1:8-10 (NLT)

You might think that Zechariah going into the Temple and burning incense was something that he did on a regular basis, but the truth is, a priest might only get to serve once in a lifetime like this. The priests who served in the Temple had to be from a certain lineage. Since there were so many of them by this time, they used a lot system to determine which priest would serve when, and how. There were more jobs in the morning and evening sacrifices than burning incense, and burning incense was very special. The priest would go in with the other priests into the Holy place, once the other priests finished their jobs, the other priests would leave. The priest offering the incense would put the incense on the altar and offer up prayers for the nation while the people would be on the outside praying. This was what was happening on this day. Tomorrow we’ll unpack what happened next.

Today’s truth is that you may think all the details in your life are random, just like the lot system, but God has a plan for your life and the details matter.

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Dec 2

30 Days in the Christmas Story: Day 8

by Debbie

Let’s back up just a little bit. After visiting John chapter 1 and finding out Jesus existed as the second person in the Godhead before time began and then heading over into Isaiah to check out the prophecies foretelling the birth of Jesus, we jumped into Matthew. Matthew began the story with Jesus’ genealogy and went straight to Joseph and Mary. But there was an angel visitation a few months before Joseph and Mary had theirs. So, we are going to head on over to Luke and do some digging there. We will examine the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth for a few days. There are too many details to dig through to give it just one day. Today, though, we are going to look at how Luke begins his book.

“Since many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, it seemed fitting to me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in an orderly sequence, most excellent Theophilus; so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.” Luke 1:1-4 (NASB2020)

He’s not about to tell us some fairy tale stories. They aren’t made up by someone. No, these are real people with real lives who experienced incredible things. Luke is telling us that he carefully searched out and investigated all the events he shares in this book from the very beginning.

Luke was a doctor. He had experience examining evidence, but in case anyone thought he was just a regular guy doing some amateur sleuthing, he wrote these first four verses in technically beautiful Greek. It was written in classical Greek, in the same way that classical Greek historians would open up their histories. By writing in this way, Luke was letting everyone know that he knows his stuff. He’s a scholar. Then, in verse five, he starts talking in common street Greek. He establishes his credentials as a scholar with legitimate research and investigation chops and then writes a story for everyone.  

Why does that matter? Well, as I said above, these weren’t made-up stories. Luke examined the evidence and wrote the exact truth that could be backed up by those who lived it. It enables us to read these accounts with confidence in what we’ve been taught. As he tells Theophilus, he’s writing this book so that we may know the certainty of our faith in Jesus Christ.

Today’s truth is that the Christmas story details we are examining over these 30 days are real events we can base our lives on. We can be certain that the things we have been taught out of these scriptures are the exact truth.

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Dec 1

30 Days in the Christmas Story: Day 7

by Debbie

The angel told Joseph that the child within Mary was conceived by the Holy Spirit, that she would have a son, and that he was to name Him Jesus because He would save His people from their sins. This was already big news, but then what the angel said next was even more amazing.

“So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet saying: ‘Behold, the virgin will be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’” Matthew 1:22-23 (NKJV)

Not only were Joseph and Mary supposed to wrap their head around the fact that she was carrying a child conceived by the Holy Spirit while she was still a virgin, but it’s happening just as Isaiah prophesied it over 700 years before. They would have known this prophecy, but here they are a part of its fulfillment.

“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 1:24-25 (NLT)

When Joseph woke up, he could have thought, “Wow, that was a crazy dream,” but he didn’t. He did just what the angel of the Lord commanded him to do. The angel didn’t just ask him to do these things, he commanded him to do them. That could have played a part in Joseph getting up and actively obeying.

Remember, we read that Joseph was a righteous man, well, that word in Greek is dikaios, meaning righteous, observing divine laws, virtuous, and keeping the commands of God. Used of him whose way of thinking, feeling, and acting is wholly conformed to the will of God. He wasn’t just a good guy; he was a guy who was going to do what God told him to do. It’s a good thing, too, because Joseph was going to have a few more encounters with that angel, and it wasn’t going to be an easy road ahead.

When the angel said to take Mary as his wife, it meant he was to bring her home to live with him. He was going to be responsible for her and the child now. Did Mary tell her parents? Did they believe her? Did Joseph tell them about his dream with the angel? Or were Mary and Joseph talked about by their village as a couple who just couldn’t wait for the ceremony? Since Joseph took Mary as his wife, they had to think that he was the father of the child she carried.

Their reputations were probably ruined. Gossip about them was surely rampant. But this young couple was so committed to this incredible journey God had put them on that in the face of all this, they remained true to their mission and kept Mary a virgin until the birth of Jesus.

Today’s truth is that you can be smack dab in the big middle of the perfect will of God, and life can be incredibly hard around you. I wonder if Mary was the first one to tell James, Jesus’ brother, to “count it all joy when you fall into various trials?” (James 1:2a)

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Nov 30

30 Days in the Christmas Story: Day 6

by Debbie

Crisis averted. Mary is pregnant, but now Joseph knows that all she told him is true. It took an angel coming to him in a dream to change his mind, but Joseph needed to be fully on board with this plan. He had to know it was real, and he needed to be told what he was supposed to do. Mary had to carry and give birth to the Messiah, but Joseph had his part to play in all of this, too.

“And she will have a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through His prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a Son, and they will call Him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” Matthew 21-22 (NLT)

“…you are to name Him Jesus” Jesus was a common name at that time, but it meant “The salvation of Yahweh.” Peter says in Acts 4:12, “there is no other name under heaven by which men must be saved.”

He was to be named Jesus, the salvation of Yahweh, because “He will save His people from their sins.” He was coming as a savior. That was His purpose. It had been God’s plan from the beginning.

As we talked about on day three, the people were looking for a Messiah that would come and liberate them from their oppressors, but here the angel makes it clear what Jesus was coming for, He was coming to save them from their sins. Another man might be able to defeat their foes, but only Jesus could save mankind from the grip of sin and death.

In Romans 5, Paul tells us that through one man, Adam, sin and death entered the world. Sin and its consequence spread to everyone. It was now a part of our DNA. We were helpless enemies of God because of that sin. That is why Jesus had to come into the world as a human. He had to die to take our place so that through His death and resurrection, we would receive God’s wonderful grace and His gift of forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

The mother of the Messiah had to be a virgin who conceived by the Holy Spirit because the corrupt seed of Adam could not be passed on to Him. He was truly Immanuel, God with us! The angel was letting Joseph know that the child Mary carried was the very child foretold by the prophet Isaiah. His mind had to be blown.

Today’s truth is that the Christmas story isn’t a sweet story about a tiny baby born in a manger. It’s an incredible story of a promise fulfilled, and grace and forgiveness poured out as God became one of us to save us from our sins.

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Nov 29

30 Days in the Christmas Story: Day 5

by Debbie

Day Four was a page-turner. Mary, a virgin contractually bound to marry Joseph, comes up pregnant. He is not the father. Joseph could have had her stoned for adultery, but he is kind and righteous and is contemplating his plan to break off the engagement quietly. I wish I knew more about their love story. Did he love Mary, or was he just the kind of guy who always wanted to do the right thing? He didn’t have to love her. With arranged marriages, we don’t know if he really knew her at all. All we know is that he was a righteous man with a really big problem to solve.

“As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. ‘Joseph, son of David,’ the angel said, ‘do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 1:20 (NLT)

Joseph planned to quietly break off this engagement because how could he believe what Mary probably told him about the angel and how she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit? Did she tell him about all the things the angel had told her about the child? If she did, he had to be thinking that this girl had some imagination. Maybe that’s why he planned to do this quietly because he thought she was a little crazy. Wouldn’t you? Then he has a dream.

Joseph was in the midst of trying to fix what he thought was broken, but God wasn’t going to leave him there in the dark. He sent Joseph an angel of his own to let him in on the plan. The angel lets him know that Mary isn’t crazy, so he doesn’t have to be afraid to go ahead and marry her. He also let him know that she was telling the truth about conceiving by the Holy Spirit.

Also, did you notice that the angel addresses him as Joseph, son of David? This is important. Even though Joseph wasn’t the true father of this child, it was still legally critical for him to be a descendant of David. He doesn’t know it yet, but this is also his ticket back to Bethlehem at just the right time for Jesus to be born there; another prophecy He will fulfill that we’ll examine later.

Today’s truth is that our plans are not always God’s plans. God can give us strategies and answers in our trouble or crisis situations that take us on His path in the purposes and plans He has for us. We must take time to seek Him today for those answers.

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Dec 19

Announcement

by Debbie

Of course we all know the different characters of the Christmas story, there’s Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, and the Wisemen. If we really know the story well, we know Simeon and Anna, too. But, what about the people who heard the announcements shared by these — the men and women on the street as the shepherds told their amazing story to anyone who would listen or those who heard the Wisemen’s stories?

Each one of those people had an opportunity to accept or reject the announcement that the Messiah, the Savior of the World had been born. Some would have dared to believe the story, while others would have scoffed and shook their heads at the ridiculously improbable tale.

Throughout the ages the same announcement has been shared with mankind — Jesus, Emmanuel, God with Us, came into the world to save us from our sins. God came as a baby born in Bethlehem, grew up and laid down His life on a cross to take our place. Then, with only God’s resurrection power, He rose again from the dead. Even now, it’s an amazing story!

When you hear the story, which one are you?

The one who dares to believe and receive this wonderful gift of salvation?

The one who scoffs and shakes their head at the absurdity of believing such a tale?

Or, already believing, will you share the announcement like the shepherds?

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NLT

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Romans 5:1 NLT

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Dec 19

Expectation

by Debbie

My lack of expectation could have cost me the child I had longed for. Decades of dashed hopes and the disgrace of barrenness had hardened my heart and caused me to lose hope that my prayers would ever be answered. Now as I stand here holding this miracle of God, I think back to that life changing day.

It started out as any other day with my order of priests on duty for the week. I had been chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. I hadn’t been in the Holy of Holies for long before he appeared, a huge angel of the Lord standing right there to the right of the incense altar. I was so overwhelmed by fear that I almost couldn’t stand. He told me not to fear and called me by my name, Zechariah. Then he started telling me the wildest story – Elizabeth was going to give me a son and we were to name him John. He went on to describe the boy and all he would do. It sounded incredible, but didn’t he realize how old Elizabeth and I were? How could this possibly be true?

I realize now that he could have struck me down dead right then and there. What a fool I was. How was I doubting this when I was looking right into the eyes of this angelic being? Instead of striking me dead, he let me know that he was Gabriel and he stands in the very presence of God. God Himself had sent him to tell me this good news. But now that I had not believed him, I would be made silent and unable to speak until the child was born. It didn’t matter that I had my doubts, God was still faithful to His promise and this would be fulfilled in its proper time.

The other priests were waiting on me, and had begun to worry that something was wrong. When I walked out and couldn’t speak, they knew something had happened. I finally got them to understand I had seen a vision. I’m thankful my merciful God gave me the time to regain my faith. Now I stand here holding the son He promised we would have.

John, his name is John, and I wait with great expectation to see all that the angel told me about him come to pass.

Luke 1:5-25; 57-79 NLT

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Dec 6

The Encounter

by Debbie

“Gabriel, it’s time for you to go and announce My Son’s birth.”

“Yes, Lord. Where do you want me to go, the palace, the temple, where?”

“No, I want you to go to a group of shepherds in a field outside of Bethlehem.”

The night was dark except for a strange star that hung over the small village of Bethlehem. The shepherds sat around a small fire laughing and talking as the long night stretched before them. All of a sudden the sky ripped open and there before them was a huge angel in bright shining light. The very glory of God shown all around them. The men fell on their faces terrified by the sight. 

“Do not fear! I have come to bring you news of great joy for all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! You will know him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

Suddenly blinding light and sound erupted as angelic beings, the very armies of heaven, filled the night sky. They were all joyfully praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 

 One moment the shepherds were paralyzed by the display and in another the joy was so overwhelming they wanted to jump and skip like a young lamb. How could this be happening to them? They were mere shepherds with nothing to offer, and yet God had sent His angels to declare the birth of the Messiah to them. Then, just as quickly as they had appeared, the angels were gone. The night sky was silent and dark once again. 

The shepherds looked at each other, and one said, “Did that really just happen?” Then they all started talking at once saying let’s go into the village and find this baby lying in a manger.

The stable was quiet and dim as the shepherds entered. The young mother before them looked tired but so peaceful as she held her swaddled child. The father stood watchful behind her as the rag tag group of shepherds came to see and then worship the newborn baby. The shepherds excitedly shared the amazing angelic visitation they had received proclaiming this child’s birth. The Messiah, He was the Messiah they had waited for their whole lives, and so many generations before them. And now they stood here in His presence, a tiny baby.

The shepherds reluctantly left the small stable, but the news inside them was too hard to contain. They must go and tell everyone they could see that the Savior of the world had come. Nothing would be the same again. They would never be the same again. So they went along telling everyone they encountered about the tiny child, lying in a manger, who would one day save them all.

Luke 2:8-20 NIV

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Jul 17

The Runaway

by Debbie

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ~ Philippians 4:6

The cell phone rang beside the bed waking us both up. I looked at the clock; 5:15 am. Van answered with a strange voice. I could tell he knew the caller but was cautious, then a strained, “Where are you?”

It was our seventeen year old son who has autism. This past year we’ve had problems with him sneaking out in the middle of the night to go to the school down the street to touch doors. Apparently the beeping that alerts us to a door or window didn’t wake us up. How did he escape this time; a door left unlocked or through a window? Windows are his new escape route. We knew it wouldn’t be long before he figured out all he had to do was open the window and push out the screen.

“Pearson Ranch,” Van said incredulously. My mind screamed, but that’s a mile away! Our son was in his pajamas a mile away headed to a major highway. Van told him to wait and he’d be right there to get him, and then ran to get dressed and leave. I looked around to see how our son had gotten out. It was the garage door, the deadbolt was unlocked. One of us had gone through that door and left it unlocked. In anyone else’s house it wouldn’t have been a big deal. Before this past year it never was a big deal in our house either. That door was never locked. Now with its keyed deadbolt and locking key keeper beside the door, it’s supposed to remain locked at all times. The hard part is that most of the time it really doesn’t matter if it’s locked because Carson is fine and doesn’t want to leave the house, but when it matters, it matters so we can’t take the risk. We left it unlocked, and now our sweet innocent boy who doesn’t understand danger is standing on the side of the road a mile away in the dark.

My husband left and I slipped onto my knees beside the bed. “Oh Lord, keep my baby safe. Thank you that he took his phone with him, and thank you that he knows where he is and called us.” I prayed as anxious thoughts bombarded me with what ifs. I prayed out of need for comfort from my Heavenly Father, but I also prayed out of obedience. I could stand there wringing my hands with worry letting my anxious thoughts race or I could take every thought captive and bring it back to God’s truth. His word tells me not to be anxious, but to bring my petitions to Him with thanksgiving. Not thanksgiving for this calamity at the moment, but thanksgiving that He is the one who can do exceedingly abundantly more than I could think or ask. Then, when I’ve been obedient to come to Him in my distress, He will give me the peace I long for. My heart calmed and I sat on the side of the bed listening for the car.

Lord, I don’t understand why this is happening with our son. I don’t know what to do to make him safer, but You do. I will keep coming to you daily taking it step by step as you lead us through this valley. Amen.
2 Corinthians 10:5, Ephesians 3:20

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Jul 22

Stuck at the Pool

by Debbie

Do you have a situation or a need you’ve prayed and prayed for God to fix, but days, months, even years have gone by and your miracle still hasn’t come? When this happens it’s easy to start thinking it might be too late, but you keep on praying and making excuses why it hasn’t happened, holding on to the slightest sliver of hope that maybe it still could.

While I was studying the passage in John 5:1-9a, 14 about the miracle Jesus did for the man at the Pool of Bethesda, I saw some things that have given me a fresh hope for my miracle.

Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches waiting for a certain movement of the water, for an angel of the Lord came from time to time and stirred up the water. And the first person to step in after the water was stirred was healed of whatever disease he had. One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” John 5:3-6

  • Even in a crowd of people, Jesus still sees me individually. I’m not lost in the multitude of other’s needs. 
  • There is no statute of limitations on God working a miracle in my situation. Just because He hasn’t, doesn’t mean He won’t. 
  • God won’t automatically meet a need He knows I have until He shows me what it is, and I’m ready and willing for Him to do something. I have to know what I need and want to change.

“I can’t sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.” Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” Instantly the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! John 5:7-9a

  • I can make excuses for why my situation hasn’t changed, but that isn’t what God wants from me. My excuses could keep me from getting my miracle. 
  • My idea of how my situation can or will change isn’t necessarily how God is going to do it. God doesn’t need a formula. 
  • I can’t rely on someone else to get it done for me—someone else’s prayer, someone else’s faith.  Others can come along side me and join with me in prayer and faith, but ultimately I’m responsible for seeking, praying, and believing. It’s my faith and my relationship with Jesus that are key.
  • I must be obedient when Jesus tells me what to do in my situation. When Jesus gives me a command He will give me the ability to get it done, so just do it.

But this miracle happened on the Sabbath, so the Jewish leaders objected. John 5:9b

  • Not everyone will be happy with my healing or the way God met my need. Rejoice and don’t worry about other’s agendas.

But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.” John 5:14

  • When my healing comes and this situation is fixed, it can reveal hidden things that also need to change. When God reveals what I need to change, it’s in my best interest to do it.

I believe miracles still happen and healing still comes for all the various needs we have – physical, mental, emotional, relational, etc. My desire is that the hope God has given me through these insights will also bring renewed hope to you in your situations.

With God all things are possible.

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