Monthly Archives: January 2013

Mothers, think back to what it was like when you gave birth to your firstborn child – the fears, the insecurities, the feelings of inadequacy.

Now imagine that when you did give birth, it was not in the clinical cleanliness of a hospital room or birthing center.

Imagine you were in a cave, dark and alone, unsanitary to the extreme, no nurse, doctor, or midwife to help you, and you are all of 13 or 15 years old, in what was essentially a foreign country, away from your family, with only your fiancé to help you.

Add to all of that the political climate of the world Mary was living in – a world of crushing oppression fueled by a brutal and barbaric military occupation.

Furthermore, if we discover nothing else from the birth narratives in both Matthew and Luke, we at least learn this: There are some people in this world who are without a doubt the very incarnation of evil.

Such was the power of Rome, and so was the person of Herod.

From this point on in all four Gospels, every miracle that Jesus performs, every lesson that Jesus teaches, every person whom Jesus meets, every action that Jesus completes will all be done under the watchful and wary eyes of Rome, the imperial power to whom Herod had sold his soul.

With that in mind, can we even begin to imagine the world into which Mary gave birth to her son?

You will learn so much more about that world as you listen to this podcast.

You can hear it by clicking here, or through the podcast player on the right. Enjoy!!!

Tonight a dear friend of mine asked me for a copy of my paraphrase of Psalm 2, graciously telling me that it was a blessing especially for her dad. So here it is with my prayer that it will also be a blessing to you. 

Why are the nations of this world in an uproar? Why are the people of this world planning and plotting and conniving such worthless plans?

The world’s leaders have set themselves against God and are determined to defy Him in every decision they make.

But God will not be mocked. His ultimate rule in the world will not be shaken. Indeed, He will make a make a mockery of them as He declares for one and all to hear, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain.” (And I would add, not by the vote of the people, but by the divine appointment of Almighty God.)

To My Son I say these words — words that the world had best never forget — To Jesus I say, “You are my Son. Today I have begotten You. Just ask, and I will give You the nations as your inheritance; the four corners of the world are Yours to possess.

“The day will come, sooner rather than later, when You will break them with a rod of iron; You will dash them to pieces like pottery.” 

So to every world leader I say, “Serve the Lord with reverent fear. Rejoice at your God-given privilege, yet tremble in His holy presence. Bow your knee and kiss His Son’s hand, fully submitting to Jesus’ sovereign rule. Otherwise, if you don’t, you run the risk of kindling the fire of His wrath that one day will destroy you.”