Today’s Devotional |
Today's Devotional
- Memory Verse
- And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together (John 4:36).
Early one morning, William Gladstone was at his desk at No. 10 Downing Street, London. A timid knock on the door called him from preparing an important speech he was to deliver that day in Parliament.
Standing at the door was a little boy whose friendship Gladstone had won by little deeds of kindness. The boy said, “My brother is dying. Won’t you please come and show him the way to heaven?”
Leaving his important work for the most important work any Christian can do, Gladstone went to the bedside of the dying boy. In a matter of moments, the boy was rejoicing in his newly found Saviour!
Returning to his office, Gladstone wrote at the bottom of the speech he had been preparing: “I am the happiest man in London today!” He had been the human instrument in the hands of God, to lead a boy to the Saviour.
Gladstone was there in the hour of reaping and rejoiced. Some, however, miss the moment of reaping, yet share in the winning of lost people. They are the sowers.
Sowers may have difficulty finding courage or words for the moment of decision in soul wining, but they faithfully witness and give out the gospel. Some sowers mail scores of letters with enclosed tracts. Other sowers live consistent Christian lives and show compassion to those in need.
In the harvest, the sowers and reapers rejoice together! (See John 4:37,38.)
Daily Devotionals
“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God…”
Psalm 42:1, 2
“Soul Food” is a daily devotional written by Dr. Jack Van Impe that brings God’s Word to life.
“The Tender Touch” is a weekly devotional from the heart of Dr. Rexella Van Impe.
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- Memory Verse
- But that which ye have already holdfast till I come (Revelation 2:25).
The church at Thyatira contained some bad people. The Lord’s letter warns them of coming judgment. Nevertheless there was a faithful remnant there. And the Lord lets them know that they have not been overlooked. He knows His own sheep.
Nearly every church has a faithful few who serve the Lord because they love Him and are not upset by the failures and compromises of other members. If there are two groups in your church, join the faithful few.
Chester Shuler’s, “The Faithful Few,” concludes:
“God bless, I pray, the faithful few,
And may their tribe increase —
They must be very precious to
The blessed Prince of Peace.”
George Eliot shared his secret of remaining faithful as follows:
“I will try this day to live a simple, sincere and serene life, repelling promptly every thought of discontent, anxiety, discouragement, impurity, self-seeking; cultivating cheerfulness, magnanimity, charity and the habit of holy silence; exercising in expenditure, generosity in giving, carefulness in conversation, diligence in appointed service, fidelity in every trust, and a childlike faith in God.
“In particular I will try to be faithful in those habits of prayer, work, physical exercise, eating and sleep, which I believe the Holy Spirit has shown me to be right.
That all my powers with all their might To God’s sole glory may unite.”
- Memory Verse
- Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God (Revelation 3:2).
The church at Sardis was dead. Active, but dead.
C. H. Spurgeon once said: “Have you ever read ‘The Ancient Mariner?’ I dare say you thought it one of the strangest imaginations ever put together, especially that part where the old mariner represents the corpses of all the dead men rising up to man the ship — dead men pulling the rope, dead men steering, dead men spreading the sails. I thought what a strange idea that was. But do you know I have lived to see that time. I have gone into churches, and I have seen a dead man in the pulpit, a dead man as a deacon, a dead man handling the plate, and dead men sitting to hear.”
Paul wrote that the last days would be characterized by dead religion instead of living faith: “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof” (II Timothy 3:5).
The Gospel gives life but just going through the motions brings death. Jesus did not come to found social clubs, organizations to fill the time of members to keep them from boredom or religious corporations given to successful money raising. He came to save the lost... to impart spiritual life to those who were dead in sin. And He gives life to those who trust Him: “...I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10),
If your church is dead, start sharing the Gospel with others. When people are saved through your faithful Gospel witness, the church will come alive!
- Memory Verse
- Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake (Luke 6;22).
Pastor J. H. Crowell, when about sixteen, shipped on a sailing vessel where he was the only Christian in a crew of twelve. Before leaving his mother he promised to meet her three times a day at the throne of grace, and so he regularly went below and prayed knowing that his mother was praying at the same time at home beside her bed.
The other crew members were furious over his praying and persecuted him severely. They threw wood at him and poured buckets of water over him, but they could not put out the fire in his soul.
Finally, they tied him to the mast and laid thirty-nine stripes on his back. Still he prayed on. At last, they tied a rope around him and threw him overboard. He swam as best he could, and when he took hold of the side of the ship, they pushed him off with a pole. When his strength gave way and he thought he would die, he called out: “Send my body to my mother and tell her I died for Jesus.”
The wrath of the angry sailors seemed finally to be exhausted and they pulled the young Christian up on the deck and left him there unconscious. Shortly after he revived, conviction began to seize his companions on the ship. Before night, two of them were saved. Within a week, everyone on board, including the captain, had been born again.
The persecution was difficult, but J. H. Crowell met it as a Christian, counting it joy to suffer for Christ. The Lord rewarded him with the conversion of his persecutors.
Can you rejoice in opportunities to suffer for the Lord? (See 2 Timothy 3:12.)
- Memory Verse
- Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love (Revelation 2:4).
The last book of the Bible records seven letters from Jesus to seven local churches. They contain truths for churches of all ages.
The church at Ephesus was commended for a number of excellent qualities. This was a fundamental church; sound in doctrine, faithful, separatist in position, not afraid to expose false teachers and labouring in God’s name.
Interestingly, the Lord commended the church before raising any word of criticism. One commentator explains that the Lord loves to number our accomplishments by His grace. There is a lesson here: we ought to look for the best in our fellow Christians. That is the way of love.
The Lord’s criticism of the church at Ephesus was a serious one: “thou hast left thy first love.” Diminishing love is always critical. When love reigns there is communication, consideration and compassion. When love declines all service becomes mechanical, a burden... vain.
The cure prescribed for the church was plain. They were to remember, repent and return: “do the first works.”
One day Henry W. Grady, the great newspaperman, left his editorial room and went to see his aged mother. He told her he was confused religiously and asked her for help. She told him to sit beside her as he had done as a child while she told him the story of Jesus again. That night she had him sleep in his old bed and pray his childhood prayer. In the morning, when he came down to breakfast, Mr. Grady said, “It’s all right, Mother. I’m back with God again.”
Remember, repent and return!
- Memory Verse
- Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth (Proverbs 5:18).
Here is a good test for married couples. Estimate the number of years you have left together. Figure the number of hours that totals. Divide the number by three and subtract the answer from the total to find the number of waking hours together. Now divide the remaining amount by two to arrive at the approximate time apart because of work. How do you intend to spend the hours that remain?
How many hours do you intend to spend arguing? In hand-to-hand combat? Pouting? Administering the “silent treatment”? Grumbling? Finding fault? Putting one another down? Criticizing one another before friends? Being apart unnecessarily? Now that you’ve removed the clutter, what will you do with the time that is left to invest?
How many hours have you reserved for expressing your love for each other? Holding one another? Complimenting? Walking together? Laughing? Sharing projects of mutual enjoyment? Relaxing together? Planning new adventures? Enjoying your children or grandchildren? Praying together? Studying the Bible? Attending church services? Telling others of God’s blessings?
Generally, we do not think about how quickly life escapes. The Bible speaks about the importance of “redeeming the time.” Unless priority is given to rejoicing together, as God intends, couples may waste most of their lives in unpleasant tasks or sour attitudes, thereby missing God’s will for their lives.
“Rejoice with the wife of thy youth.” And enjoy your husband while he’s with you. It’s the Bible way to live!
- Memory Verse
- But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another (Galatians 5:15).
Many a missionary has come back from the foreign field with thrilling stories of the power of the Gospel to change cannibals to Christians. Missionary books abound with like accounts. That kind of transformation in people gives proof of the reality of salvation. How wonderful to think of a man feeding his soul on the Word of God, who once fed his body on the flesh of his fellowman?
Interestingly, Paul speaks of another kind of cannibalism.
The Galatian church had once been a center of dynamic Christianity. Paul, himself, had ministered there. The Gospel had been presented clearly and the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the people had been evident. The love of Christ was an active force in personal relationships. Paul said they had loved him so much that they would have been willing to pluck out their eyes and give them to him to improve his poor vision, if that had been possible.
Sadly, things changed. The church became legalistic and love left. Paul lamented their spiritual poverty.
Observing their bickering and infighting, he warns that if they keep eating away at one another they will eventually consume one another. They had become Christian cannibals.
There is no room for cannibals among Christians. Instead, we are to “...love one another with a pure heart fervently” (I Peter 1:22).
When Christians conquer their spiritual cannibalism, another great missionary story will be told. Those observing real love among the people of God will turn to the Saviour. The church will fulfill its mission at home. And this will enlarge its missionary ministry the world around!
- Memory Verse
- I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil (Psalm 119:162).
In our youth, most of us have fancied finding buried treasure. As adults, millions buy lottery tickets or gamble in other ways in the hope of receiving great treasure. The psalmist valued God’s Word far more than any earthly bonanza.
If you have difficulty rejoicing today, praise God for the Bible. Think about its worth. Dwell on its riches. Apart from this divine revelation, we would know little of the personality of God. We might conclude that He is powerful and the Creator, for “the heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork” (Psalm 19:1), but we could never understand His love and would therefore miss life’s greatest blessing.
The Bible reveals God’s plan of the ages. We do not have to stumble through life ever questioning the direction of history and fearing the future. God has explained His plan. History is His story. We do not fear what the future holds because we know the One who holds the future. And it has been revealed to us in the Bible.
The earth has some traumatic days ahead. Christ is coming. The dead will be raised. Christians will be raptured. Tribulation will overtake the earth. Political and religious chaos is sure to come. But none of these things will take God by surprise, and students of the Bible have been given a preview of these events.
Christians who read God’s Word are “in the know.” They are better informed than the world’s most able news analysts.
What a book! Rejoice in it. Praise God for it. Let its message rule your life today!
I shall never forget the first time I saw Israel!
There I was, newly married and already
traveling to the land I had learned to love as a
little girl in Sunday school.
Israel wasn't modern then. I remember
thinking that the land looked just as it must
have in ancient times. Yet, it seemed to me to
be almost a bridge... between the past and
the future.
Surely, Israel is the most exciting nation in
the world. Its very existence seems to
culminate all Bible prophecy. My husband has
often remarked that Israel is the key to all
Bible prophecy.
I Remember My
First Impression of Israel!
Wandering through the narrow streets of
Jerusalem during my first visit, everything I
saw and experienced seemed so far removed
from modern times! In fact, some of the shops
I entered seemed to be just as they were 2,000
years ago.
My first impression of Israel, however, was
not just of a land rich in ancient history, but a
land that had been stripped and starved.
Not too many years prior to my first
pilgrimage, Jews from all points of the globe
had begun to flood back into their homeland,
fulfilling ancient prophecies with their arrival.
As a people, the Jews had been persecuted,
beaten, and deprived. Many were survivors of
Hitler's horrible death camps, having lost their
entire families as well as all earthly possessions
to the atrocities of Nazism during World War II.
Thousands of Jewish refugees arrived in
Israel with literally nothing more than the
clothes on their backs... and a fierce
determination to make their Israel bloom!
I Remember the Diversity of Israel!
When Jack and I returned to Israel a few
years later, I was truly amazed! Israel had
undergone an almost unbelievable
transformation! I could see the fulfillment of
Isaiah 35:1... the desert shall rejoice, and
blossom as the rose.
The Jews, with their innovative genius, had
installed irrigation systems throughout their
entire land... instantly transforming arid
deserts into fruitful, productive orchards and
gardens. And the desolate land shall be tilled,
whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that
passed by. And they shall say, This land that was
desolate is become like the garden of Eden
(Ezekiel 36:34, 35). I witnessed this!
Construction in the cities had also begun
to move forward, and amid the treasured
antiquities were now high-rise buildings with
every modern convenience.
Throughout the land, I was struck with the
diversity I saw everywhere! It was not unusual
to see a man leading a little donkey loaded
down with burdens alongside a busy street
teeming with trucks and cars. Nor was it
unusual to see a supersonic jet roar over the
head of an Arab riding a camel.
I discovered that in this incredibly diverse
20th century Israel, I could:
- Visit Qumran, where the Dead Sea scrolls
were discovered... or tour the Department
of Nuclear Physics at the Weizman
Institute. - Experience the coolness of the mountains
and pastures of Galilee... and the parched
deserts of the southern region near the
Dead Sea. - Learn about the rich heritage of the Jewish
culture... discover more about the Arabs
and their predominant religion, Islam...
and also worship Jesus with other
Christians.
I Remember the Sights of Israel!
Today, as I reminisce about Israel, I can still
see the fishermen casting their nets into the
Sea of Galilee... the shepherds caring for
their flocks in the fields... the barren desert
where Jesus endured the devil's temptations...
I can envision modern Jerusalem, with the
ancient wonders of old Jerusalem entwined
within it... the Jews praying at their Wailing
Wall... the tomb of Lazarus... the field of
Boaz, where Ruth and Naomi gleaned wheat
and where the shepherds later received the
angel's message of the Messiah's birth...
I remember the Garden of Gethsemane,
where Jesus' sweat was as drops of blood...
and Golgotha, where He suffered the shame
and the agony of the sum of mankind's sins.
Of all the places we visited, I can say that
the Garden of the Resurrection, where our
Lord first revealed himself as risen from the
dead, was the most profound place for me! In
fact, I was moved to tears as I sat quietly, just
praying.
I recall the awesomeness of the Valley of
Megiddo, or Jezreel, where the battle of all
battles -- ARMAGEDDON -- will take
place. It's such a vast, open area, and a place of
such prophetic destiny.
As we winded our way through the teeming
streets of Tel Aviv, I could not help but realize:
"This land means EVERYTHING to the Jews!"
For them, Israel is their home, their life,
their honor, and their purpose. Apart from
Israel, the Jew believes he hardly has an
existence.
I Remember the People!
I have many fond memories of the Jewish people!
My husband and I taped many television
specials and programs there. Many people
opened their hearts and homes to us! They
knew we were Christians, but they could also
sense that we loved THEM! Jack and I were
even welcomed to tape inside the Jewish
Knessett building! The members I
interviewed were so very kind and gracious!
I remember the openness of Israel's
President Yitzhak Navon. He was such a
magnetic personality, and will always live in
my memory as one of the most genuine, kind
men I have ever met. He knew his Old
Testament thoroughly and easily conversed
with Jack about Bible prophecies. We were
invited to his private residence, where he and
Jack discussed the Bible, end-time events, and
the role of Israel in the last days.
On another occasion, we were invited to
dinner at the home of the late Prime Minister
Menachem Begin. The dinner, however, was
canceled suddenly -- due to the assassination
of Egypt's President Anwar Sadat! Prime
Minister Begin had to leave immediately for
Tel Aviv and an emergency meeting of his
cabinet -- so I did not get to interview him
after dinner, as planned.
I was fortunate to interview Abba Eban,
former Israeli Ambassador to the United
Nations who was often called "the Voice of
Israel." And I met and interviewed Moshe
Arens, who then was Israel's Ambassador to
the United States.
I also remember the beautiful, innocent
children. On one of my videos, I taped songs
with a group of them. They sat on my lap, we
talked, we laughed and played together. When
I think of the war that has gone on constantly
there, and when I think of what the Jews as a
people have gone through, it tears at my heart.
The Jews of Israel are only a heartbeat away
from disaster!
I have a very dear friend -- Estee Levine --
with whom I have corresponded regularly for
many years. Her residence is in Jerusalem, and
she is responsible for preparing the
accommodations for thousands of tourists
who visit Israel each year.
During the Desert Storm operation, Israel
was frequently under attack by Saddam
Hussein's air raids. During those war-torn
months, Estee wrote me about the birth of her
granddaughter. She wrote: "We had a time of
great rejoicing! And we could rejoice -- even
in the midst of rocket attacks!"
I've always found that kind of optimism
among the Israelis -- even among the
children. They have such a valiant attitude of spirit!
It's as if God has instilled His own
optimism into His people, because they are
ultimately going to win. Micah 4:3 says, And
they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and
their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not
lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they
learn war any more. That day of peace is coming!
I Remember Jesus!
Seeing the places where He walked,
recalling the events of His life, even receiving
communion in the place of His Resurrection
made me feel so much closer to Jesus!
Time and again, Jack and I found ourselves
retracing the steps of Jesus and the disciples.
There was Capernaum, where we explored
fascinating ruins and again traced the steps of
Jesus, who taught the multitudes there. I
almost expected to see the throngs described in
the Bible, pressing closer and closer in, to hear
the words of life! When we walked along the
Via Dolorosa, we could not help but painfully
recall Christ's final steps before Calvary.
We served communion to those of our tour
group in that quiet garden, and I was
emotionally stirred by the experience! I shall
never forget that from where I was sitting, I
could look up... to see Golgotha, the place of
the skull, where His crucifixion took place...
and I could also look down... at the stone
which had been rolled away from the tomb
that could not hold Him. What a powerful
contrast!
Experiencing Israel in all her diversity and
splendor has added more depth and
dimension to my faith, and has given me
many wonderful memories.
An artist sat at his easel creating a gripping,
powerful painting. Using dark, somber hues,
he drew dreary, empty fields framed by stark,
skeleton-like trees, under a cold, snow-laden sky.
In one corner of the canvas he sketched a
lonely, desolate house, its stark lines fading
into the shadows of the night. Then the artist
paused to contemplate the bleak and
melancholy scene he had created. After a few
moments, he picked up his brush to add a
finishing touch.
With a dab of bright yellow paint, he put a
warm, glowing light in the window of the
house. And suddenly, magically, the whole
scene was transformed -- that single light
overcame all the darkness and spoke of hope
and life!
This story reminds me of the impact the
birth of Jesus made on the world and the
entire history of mankind. As the Apostle John
declared, In Him was life; and the life was the
light of men (John 1:4).
The light in the sky
For 400 years before the birth of Jesus there
had been no new Word from God, no
prophetic voice, no new revelations. Man's
attempts to control his own destiny had
brought confusion and disaster. The shadows
of sin and hopelessness had settled over the
land of Israel, and the whole world had sunk
into the dismal depths of unbridled sinfulness
and despair.
Then, with a stroke of God's hand, He
brightened the landscape of history and gave
hope again to a dreary world. He put a light
in the sky! The star of Christmas lit up the sky
and captured the attention of all men in all
nations.
Why a star? Why a light? The Almighty
could just as easily have spoken to mankind as
He did to the shepherds through the choir of
heavenly angels. Why was such a momentous
event as the birth of Jesus marked first by a
light in the sky?
I believe it was because when God flung
back the curtains of heaven and opened His
throne room directly to earth ... light poured
through as the Son of God made His entrance
into the world.
The earth was dreary, dark, and lonely. But
with a single stroke, God changed the picture
-- He put a light in the window.
The light in the stable
In Rembrandt's famous painting of the
nativity scene, all the light in the stable is
centered around the Christ child. This is a
fitting depiction, for He is the Source of all light.
It is no accident that the Son of God came
to a stable rather than a palace. He came, not
just to the rich, the privileged, the powerful
alone, but to all men -- even the poorest and
most humble.
Yet, the wealthy were not excluded from
His presence. Those Wise Men who sought
Him were obviously men of means, since they
brought rich gifts of gold and precious spices.
When they sought Him, humbling themselves
to come where He was, they, too, were welcomed.
Jesus said, I am come a light into the world,
that whosoever believeth on me should not abide
in darkness (John 12:46).
The shepherds were the first to arrive on the
scene (see Luke 2:8-20; Matthew 2:11).
Sometime later there came the "kings," or
magi, from afar. Have you ever wondered why
they all didn't arrive at the same time to
worship Christ?
I'm told there is a prophetic significance to
the timing of those events -- that Christ came
to the Jews first, then to the Gentiles.
But all who came to find the Source of light
in the stable were received joyfully.
The light in our hearts
Today there is no single brilliant star
lighting up the sky. Nor do pilgrims to
Bethlehem find a divine light still emanating
from the place where once a rude stable stood.
Where, then, is the light of the world? It
still burns ... in the hearts of those who believe
in Jesus Christ and who receive Him as their
Lord and Savior. We are His luminaries in
today's world. If the people around us are to
see the light of Christ, they must see it in you
and me!
We ourselves don't have the ability to be
lights -- but we can be reflectors of the Light.
When we allow Christ's light to come inside
our hearts, the Holy Spirit, the transformer,
makes us lamps through which the light
shines.
God, through the Holy Spirit, transforms
the stable of men's hearts into the temple of glory!
The same Jesus who said, I am the light of
the world (John 8:12) also says to us, Ye are the
light of the world (Matthew 5:14). And we are
to let our light -- His light -- shine forth.
He said, If I be lifted up from earth, [I] will
draw all men unto me (John 12:32). As we
allow Christ to be lifted up in our lives, He'll
do the illuminating. He'll attract others to Himself.
How often have you met a person who had
such a glow around him that you knew he was
a child of God even before you were
introduced to him? There is a kind of peace
and tranquility, a love that just radiates to
others. And people are drawn to such a person
because it is natural to be drawn to light.
In the neighborhood where Jack and I used
to live, the people on our block all decided to
put out luminaries as decorations at Christmas
time. A luminary is a simple brown paper bag
filled with enough sand to keep it from
blowing away... with a small candle inside.
A single candle didn't give off much light by
itself, but when the whole street was lined with
these luminaries, the whole neighborhood was
bathed in a soft, beautiful glow!
One of the ongoing themes of this ministry
is "Lighting New Fires of Revival,
Redemption, and Reconciliation" through our
outreaches. And I believe the way to kindle
those anew is to allow the
light of the Lord to shine through each of us.
I'm not talking about the fires of fanaticism
that break out of control and wreak havoc and
destruction wherever they go. Instead, I'm
talking about the glow, that divine light that
softly shines through and combines with the
light shining from other believers about us.
We must be faithful. We must not fail. A
world dying in darkness is looking for the
Light.
In the words of the familiar chorus:
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine!
What a special time of the year!
Thanksgiving and Christmas are more precious to me
than any other holidays, and they so beautifully
go hand in hand.
More and more, I realize the importance
of being grateful for the true essence of
Christmas -- that God became flesh. He came
as a baby, humbling himself to a manger and,
one day, to Calvary's tree for you and me. Oh,
what love!
I wonder if we can really understand the
emotion in heaven and the joy on earth as
Mary and Joseph made their way to Bethlehem
just prior to the birth of Christ.
An historic journey
Can you see them as they wearily make
their way through the narrow streets of
Bethlehem? Mary, tired from the long journey, sits
on the little donkey as Joseph leads it along.
Their journey is almost over, and none too
soon. They stop in front of one of the inns in
Bethlehem. With a tender word, Joseph
comforts his wife and then strides quickly toward
the inn door.
Have you ever wondered what Mary was
thinking as Joseph knocked at the innkeeper's
door? Perhaps she was remembering what her
cousin Elizabeth had said to her some time
before. Blessed art thou among women, and
blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence
is this to me, that the mother of my Lord
should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the
voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears,
the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
And blessed is she that believed: for there
shall be a performance
[fulfillment] of those
things which were told her from the Lord
(Luke 1:42-45).
Mary knew how blessed she was for, out
of all the women in the world, God had
chosen her to give the world this baby. This
wasn't Joseph's baby; He was the Son of God,
produced by the Holy Spirit, waiting to be
born in Bethlehem (see Luke 1:35 and
Hebrews 10:5).
Mary knew about the promise that
foretold: But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though
thou be little among the thousands of Judah,
yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me
that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth
have been from of old, from everlasting
(Micah 5:2).
Mary's mind didn't dare leap ahead to
contemplate the rest of those words. It was
enough for her to know that she was, at this
very moment, in Bethlehem (ancestral home
of King David, Joseph's forefather) and that
her time to give birth was at hand.
Mary looked at Joseph, footsore and
fatigued from walking alongside the donkey all
the way so that she could ride. She knew how
blessed she was to have this good and just
man as her husband. He had handled the
situation so well. He had shown her nothing but
love and concern. More than once he had told
her, "I know, beloved wife, that this child has
been conceived in a special way. The angel
laid all my fears to rest."
Joseph had learned of Mary's pregnancy
after she returned from visiting Elizabeth. For
six months they had marveled at the conversations
they had each had with the angel. It
must have been awesome for them, realizing
that the Holy Ghost had visited Mary and that
the child she carried was a divine original.
"Oh, Joseph," I can hear Mary saying, "He
is to be called 'the Son of God.'"
"Yes, Mary," Joseph responded, "and His
name is to be called JESUS, for He shall save
His people from their sins."
The prophecy
Did they recall the words of Isaiah? Did
they repeat those names? Behold, a virgin
shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call
his name Immanuel...For unto us a child is
born, unto us a son is given: and the government
shall be upon his shoulder: and his
name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor,
The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The
Prince of Peace (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6).
Perhaps Mary remembered those
conversations as her husband knocked at the
innkeeper's door. She was so tired. The journey
had been long and hard. But now, at last, they
had arrived in Bethlehem.
For us, today, a journey to Bethlehem is
still not easy. In the hustle and bustle of the
season, there are many things to deter us.
We've all heard that we should keep Christ in
Christmas, but let's be sure that we keep
ourselves in Christmas, as well! If we are not
careful, we can become so busy with Yuletide
activities that we are exhausted before we get
to Bethlehem -- and miss the real Christmas
altogether.
Knock...knock...knock! Joseph knocks at
the innkeeper's door. A Baby is about to be
born -- the most important Baby ever to be
born on this earth. "Let us in...let Him in...out
of the cold and darkness of the night." But the
Bible tells us there was no room for them in
the inn (Luke 2:7).
No room! Those are heart-rending words.
Would we have said that? Yet, isn't it being
said every day? We are all innkeepers, with
room for many things, but do we have room
for Him? In our lives -- shabby stables that
they are -- He may be cradled, but we must
give Him room.
Joseph, the rugged carpenter of Nazareth,
a just man whose faith transcended his
misgivings, enfolded Mary's helplessness in his
strong arms as he lifted her off the back of the
little donkey. Someone had tapped him on his
sagging shoulders and said, "There is a place,
if your wife won't mind. I know I can fix it
and make it clean. It will be quiet there...and warm"
Lowly beginnings
Joseph had ministered to Mary's needs in
that weary pilgrimage to Bethlehem; but his
husbandly duties had not yet ended. Mary in
a stable? The Son of God born in a barn?
How his mind must have reeled. Remember,
he was very human.
Husband, would you like for your wife to
give birth to her firstborn in a stable? What
lowly circumstances! The Lord of all heaven
and earth was about to make His human
presence known in the world -- but in a barn? This
was not the birthplace Joseph had imagined
for JESUS.
Barns smell, not just of clean hay, but of
animals. Barns are not always sanitary. Oh,
the lovely Nativity scenes that we see at
Christmas do not begin to portray what Joseph
and Mary must have experienced in those
prebirth moments, as they contemplated their plight.
One wishes we could push back the pages
of time and make it different -- different,
perhaps, like the school Christmas play I heard about.
One little boy had been asked to play the
role of the innkeeper in the play. His parents,
schoolmates, and teachers were so excited and
pleased for him because he wasn't quite "normal"
like the other boys and girls. Still, they
wanted to include him in the performance.
Seven little words
His were simple lines. When Joseph knocked
at the door and asked for a room, he, the
innkeeper, would say, "There is no room in the
inn." Seven words. And that was all.
The big night came. Practice perfomances
had gone well. Then came that moment.
Knock...knock...knock -- Joseph knocks at
the inn door. With great emotion and convincing
reality, Joseph presents his case to the
innkeeper. His wife is very pregnant. In fact, the
baby is due any moment. Won't the innkeeper
please let them in?
The little boy who had rehearsed his lines
so very carefully, listened patiently, and then
said the seven words loud and clear: "There is
no room in the inn."
Joseph turned, his shoulders sagging. But
before he could leave, the innkeeper opened
the door, thrust his head out, and said, loud
and clear, "Wait...wait! You can have my room."
It wasn't in the script. Nor was it in the
script on that first Christmas. And so it was,
that...she brought forth her firstborn son, and
wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid
him in a manger; because there was no room
for them in the inn (Luke 2:6,7).
As we recall this short resume of the most
beautiful story ever given from God, may your
heart be reminded of the importance of
remembering, not just the gifts that are to come,
the families we are to see, and the loved ones
we shall enjoy, but remembering the true
message of Christmas -- God's love for us. And
may we not get so distracted by the many
activities of the holiday season that we never
even reach Bethlehem.
Dr. Van Impe and I are grateful for the
opportunity to share the saving message of
God's love for the world in these closing days
of time. Thank you for your prayers and support.
I can't even begin to imagine how Mary
must have felt on the day the angel told her
the Holy Spirit would come upon her and that
she would become the mother of the Messiah.
No doubt many Jewish girls dreamed of
being chosen for such an honor, but they had
no idea of what price would have to be paid
by the maiden who became the mother of
Jesus. How many virgins would have had the
faith and steadfastness in God to receive this
unique ministration of the Holy Spirit? And
how many would have had the strength of
character to endure the shame of being found
with child before her marriage?
What a remarkable person Mary must have
been. No doubt she was the ultimate of
womanhood or God would not have chosen her to
bear His Son. And surely her unswerving
faith and devotion to duty are unexcelled in
the pages of human history.
What a profound inspiration and influence
her life of humble trust in God must have been
for the boy Jesus as He increased in wisdom
and stature (Luke 2:52) during His growing-up
years in Nazareth. The Lord must have
come to know His mother in a very special
way during the nearly 30 years He lived with
her and Joseph.
At the end of His life and ministry, Jesus
must have remembered many things about His
mother. No doubt He recalled her loving con-
cern and patience when she traveled back to
Jerusalem to find Him, at age twelve, still in
the Temple with the elders.
And He must have remembered her trusting
faith and her recognition of His divine
nature at the wedding in Cana. Although He
did not promise to remedy the shortage of
wine (fruit of the vine), Mary confidently told
the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do
it (John 2:5).
Jesus knew Mary's gracious spirit all of
His life. With His divine nature, He could
also see her heart, for He knew all of mankind.
And yet Mary continued, with dignity, to be
His mother. What a pure life she must have had.
Jesus remembered and respected His
mother. On the cross just before He died, He
looked down and saw her there, when so many
others had forsaken Him. And in the hour of
His greatest agony, carrying the awful burden
of the sins of the world, He remembered Mary
and made provision for her care. Seeing the
Apostle John near her, He said, Woman,
behold thy son! And to John, Behold thy mother!
(John 19:26,27).
Precious memories
I remember my mother with every bit of
admiration and respect that I think Jesus had
for His mother. So much of who I am and
what I am is a result of her loving guidance
and positive influence. I first learned love at
Mother's knee through her touch, her care.
Then she pointed me to the love of Christ, and
I was reared in a Christian home.
It was from Mother's voice that I first
heard music, which has been such an
important part of my whole life and ministry. In one
of my earliest childhood memories, I am in
her arms and she is singing! I have no doubt
that my love for music came from her -- I started
singing when I was 5 years old.
I learned the discipline of my life from
Mother. She never allowed me to sing in
public unless I had my song memorized. I did not
play the piano for others unless I had
practiced.
Humility was a quality Mother taught me
by example. To this day she has the most
beautiful, unassuming spirit of anyone I know.
To me she is a perfectly blended combination
of the biblical sisters, Mary and Martha. She
always spent time worshiping the Lord -- I've
walked into her bedroom many times and
found her on her knees or reading her Bible.
But her personal devotions were always
balanced with service to others.
My Mother was -- and is -- a servant of the
Lord and people. She goes out of her way to
help, and nothing is ever too much for her to
do. I've watched her bake for her friends, do
laundry for a sick person, or make phone calls
to encourage others when she was weary
herself. She always would take time to send
cards for funerals, birthdays, or other
occasions when a friendly note would be appreciated.
I remember Mother taking me to church
revivals where I had been invited to sing.
When we walked inside together, she would
say to me, "Go ahead, honey, serve the Lord."
And she would stay near the back of the
church, not wanting to be noticed.
To this day, at age 83, Mother stays busy
serving the Lord. The staff at our Jack Van
Impe Ministries office love to have her come
around. "Things are just better when she's
around," they say. "She lightens the day and
brings an extra measure of love and harmony."
Inner beauty
From Mother, I learned the secret of inner
beauty -- of filling my heart and mind with
love and wholesomeness and letting them
permeate my entire being. And I also learned the
importance of always trying to look my best
and having my home clean and in order.
Mother always kept herself beautifully
groomed and modestly dressed, and her home
immaculate. She taught me that appearance is
important because it reflects the kind of
person one truly is inside...and is a testimony --
good or bad -- for the Lord.
There are so many other qualities my
mother taught me -- tenderness, a sense of
duty, a living expression of the gifts of the
Holy Spirit. Space doesn't permit a listing of
even half the good things she imparted to me
by instruction and example.
But I must mention one more -- I learned
wisdom through my mother. Wisdom comes
from the Lord, according to the Book of
Proverbs. But Mother certainly was a living
symbol of that divinely-given quality. She
almost always had the answers to my
questions, always knew the right thing to do in
every situation, always seemed to know when
to act and when to wait.
And although she didn't have the opportunity
to complete school when she was young,
later in life she went back to school and took
some business courses. She did it on her own,
just because she wanted a little better formal
education -- and because there were still some
things she wanted to know about!
Like Ruth and Naomi
Not only was I blessed with a wonderful
mother, but my mother-in-law and I had a
beautiful relationship as well. I appreciated
her so much. We never had the conflicts that
many women seem to experience. We had
more of a Ruth and Naomi relationship.
My mother-in-law has a very keen sense of
humor and a love of life, which my husband
shares. And she also displays a sweet sense of
trust and faith.
My husband's parents returned to
Belgium, their homeland, as missionaries, when
their only child, Jack, was 17. He had just
entered Bible school to prepare himself for
the ministry. There were no other Van Impe
relatives in America, and my in-laws had no
money to leave with their young son.
It must have taken a tremendous amount of
faith for Mother Van Impe to leave her only
child and go so far away. She had to commit
him into the hands of God and trust that he
would be all right.
I've also respected the fact that my
mother-in-law was never concerned about earthly
possessions. As missionaries, their income
was very limited, requiring many sacrifices,
but she was content. No one ever heard her
complain, or express a desire for a better
house or home furnishings, or clothing. Her
priorities were straight -- she was working for
eternal rewards. She has always been precious
to me personally.
A legacy of love
What a tremendous legacy both Dr. Van
Impe and I have received from our mothers.
Each Christmas season when we celebrate
the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, I especially
remember Mother. Let us all remember our
mothers, how they have helped the living
Christ to be born in our hearts.
We can never forget what she has meant to
us. Every day in some way her positive influence
lives on in our lives. As the Prophet
Isaiah wrote, And thine ears shall hear a word
behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in
it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye
turn to the left (Isaiah 30:21).