–Matthew 1:24(HCSB)
——————————-
It was a little over 51 years ago.  It was midnight or after, the rain was pouring down and it was quite foggy in spots.  I was taking Annie home from a wedding we both attended.  We dated the previous spring semester in college and we met at the wedding of Gary Hines and Kathy Miller.  On the rain driven night I decided to take the plunge; I pulled over on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and asked this wonderful woman to be my wife.  No, the angels didn’t sing, and the trumpets didn’t blow or the drums beat, but I heard an affirmative word– YES!  Then the sound of my heart let out a sound, or was it just the crack of lightning.  I/We were officially engaged!
       I wrote all of that because of Joseph.  He was already betrothed to Mary.  I imagine he had dreams; he probably thought of seeing her on their wedding day ready to take their vows and become one.  But…yes, but God intervened.  There is a wonderful phrase used by Paul, “in the fullness of times.”  At one time, only one time in history would a man and woman be just, righteous, and able to handle the coming words from the Lord.  What were Joseph’s thoughts when he found out that Mary was pregnant?  Joseph was a righteous man, and could not in good conscience marry Mary, who would be thought unfaithful.  It seemed quite a dilemma.
      The Incarnation has always been a wonder to me.  I have pondered it over and over, from different aspects.  It continues to cause me to pause and think of the wonder of it all, the majesty and the mystery, the solemnness, and the integrity of Mary and Joseph along with their obedience.

               “Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.  But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.”
                              –Matthew 1:19-20 (NKJV)

Joseph most likely knew the prophecy from Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign:  Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” (NKJV)  But really, Lord not us–was probably the thoughts that went through his mind after all of the other emotions.  Joseph didn’t depend or rely upon his emotions, he started to put a plan into place, one that would not come to completion.

               “Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife.”
                             –Matthew 1:24(NKJV)

       The obedience of Joseph was immediate.  He showed his true character and in humility and integrity went through with God’s plan that was not his own.  Imagine, he had to take on the responsibility of raising Jesus, God’s Son.  He was to care for Him, nurture and discipline Him, teach Him the Torah and also a trade.  We do not know all that happened in the life of Jesus as a boy.  It is dangerous to speculate, but He was placed in Joseph’s care and keeping.
       Joseph and Mary were remarkable in their faith, obedience, and submission to God.  It was Joseph who obeyed, when on the eighth day when Jesus was presented saying that His name was “Jesus.”  These characteristics were taught to Jesus as He grew in strength, wisdom, and stature.

                    –Deuteronomy 12:10(NKJV)
———————————-
How to Live in a Pagan, Apostate, and Foolish World

Key Verse:  “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”  –1 John 5:19 (NASB)

       So many people, including believers, go through life living in fear.  They wander about wondering what is going to happen to them.  They worry about sickness, they worry about health issues, they worry about money, and they worry about dying.  Some even go so far as to have their bodies frozen so that, hopefully, somewhere in the future a cure will be found for whatever killed them and they can be brought back to life (hopefully no Christians would do this).

               “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”
                              –Hebrews 9:27(NKJV)

       Death is inevitable (unless the Rapture occurs) for all of us.  However, we should not go through this life worrying about death.  If we are abiding in Christ then we are happy to be in this world, and therefore, should be more happy about the next world.  There will come a day of judgment and we should not fear that day.  The man or woman who is abiding in Christ has no fear of the judgment for they know that the judgment of their sins took place on Calvary.  We should not be ignorant of the judgment, but neither should be fear it.  In fact, we should be looking forward to the “blessed hope,” for we are children of God.  Lloyd-Jones writes, “Love and fear are incompatible; love drives out fear; love comes into the heart of a Christian and drives out fear; so we have not right to be fearful in this sense.”
       We walk through this world knowing that Christ is with us and in us.  We do not have to fear what men or the enemy can do to us.  The sting of death has been taken away; fear has been removed because of the love of Christ.  Through the trials of this life, the sorrows, the suffering, the pain and anguish–put away fear, trust wholly in the Lord, not only go to Him, but abide in Him.  It brings to mind the first couple of phrases of my favorite song:

               “Rock of Ages cleft for me,
                Let me hide myself in Thee…”
                       –Augustus Toplady

To live in this pagan world, rest in Jesus Christ.  Hide yourself in His love, and let it drive fear away.

                   –2 Timothy 4:6-7 (Phillips)
——————————–
Eighty years ago, most of whom we call the “Greatest Generation” have now passed on.  Those who faced the hordes of Hitler and the menace of the Empire of Japan are mostly gone from the scene, their lives now over.  Yet we must remember–we must never forget their sacrifice to save, not only this nation, but the world from the evils of fascism.  Newly elected President and once Supreme Allied Commander in Europe said in his inaugural address, “In the final choice, a soldier’s pack is not so heavy a burden as a prisoner’s chains.”
       Yamamoto, the admiral who devised the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor said, “I look forward to accepting the surrender of the United States on the steps of the White House.”  Can you imagine if that had taken place?  Imagine the devastation, the savagery that would have been thrust upon the people.  The Rape of Nanking would seem to be a picnic in comparison to what would have happened here.  Yet!  What a word.  Yet we had those who beckoned to the call, not of war, but of service.  Service to protect our heritage, service to protect the future for families.
       That Sunday morning the sound came out:  AIR RAID, PEARL HARBOR.  THIS IS NOT A DRILL!   The bombs fell, the torpedoes sped toward their targets.  The naval fleet in the Pacific was devastated, the airfields were destroyed, but something else happened besides the tremendous loss of life–there was a quickening of American resolve.  There would be a price to pay–blood would drench the beaches on many islands in the Pacific, as in Italy and Normany, but the determination to defeat an evil foe began eighty years ago on December 7, 1941–a day that will live in infamy.
       In thinking of this, I am reminded that each of us should have a resolve to see this nation kept free from the growing evil of socialism, the cancel culture, and woke crowd.  They are evil, perhaps more so than the fascist nations that felt our wrath in World War II.  They are sinister, and in our country seeking to undermine our great heritage.  They strive, not only for control, but to destroy the very fabric of our society along with the souls of man.
       One other aspect that should not be forgotten as we remember this day.  Look at your life.  Now, if you haven’t already done so–RESOLVE to stand as a Christian.  Face the evil that is running rampant throughout this country.  Resolve to not compromise with the evils before you.  Look at President Eisenhower’s words and place them in a spiritual sense.  Fight, fight, never stop, for all that is waiting you are the chains rattling from the depths of the pit.  Choose the armor of God, join His army and face the foe for the world is under the control of the evil one (1 John 5:19)
       Pearl Harbor was the place where the United States began to pay the price to stop the Japanese conquest and Hitler’s march to destroy civilization.  On another battlefield years before; one in which the demons were cackling along with their leader, Satan who was dancing with glee for the Lord Jesus was hanging on a cross, His blood dripping into the rocky soil of Golgotha.  The price was being paid for our salvation.  As Yamamoto and other Japanese leaders celebrated Pearl Harbor so the devil and his horde celebrated the death of Jesus.  However, that was the beginning and end of the war.  Salvation was secured, eternal life was now for those who would follow the Savior.  Oh, battles still will be fought but the war is over.
       So today, Remember Pearl Harbor.  

                    –Louis L’Amour  (Hondo)

       “Who is this King of glory?  The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.”

                    –Psalm 24:8 (NKJV)
————————————
This portion of Psalm 68 continues to speak of victory and can be seen as a pretty harsh Psalm.  We should never forget that we are children of God and He is there to protect us and to defend us.  Since tomorrow is Pearl Harbor Day, this Psalm fits right in with that day and the bloody war that followed.  Read verses 20-23 with that terrible conflict in mind.  Yes, it was the blood of many who brought about the victory, but remember God was working behind the scenes just as He has always done with Israel and with all who are His chosen.

          15 — A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan; a mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.
          16 — Why do you fume with envy, you mountains of many peaks?  This is the mountain which God desires to dwell in; yes, the LORD will dwell in it forever.
          17 — The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of thousands; the LORD is among them as in Sinai, in the Holy Place.
          18 — You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive; You have received gifts among men, even from the rebellious, that the LORD God might dwell there.
          19 — Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation!  Selah.
          20 — Our God is the God of salvation; and to GOD the Lord belong escapes from death.
          21 — But God will wound the head of His enemies, the hairy scalp of the one who still goes goes on in his trespasses.
          22 — The Lord said, “I will bring back from Bashan, I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
          23 — That your foot may crush them in blood, and the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies.”
          24 — They have seen Your procession, O God, the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.
          25 — The singers went before the players on instruments followed after; among them were the maidens playing timbrels.
          26 — Bless God in the congregations, the Lord, from the fountain of Israel.  (NKJV)

     God doesn’t mess around when He goes to fight–to war.  There are battles raging all the time, and I am not talking about places like Afghanistan, but war in the spiritual realm.  War that we do not see, but nevertheless is real.  We need to trust God in the midst of our storms, troubles, and battles.  Within us sometimes there is a war raging for one reason or another–trust God.  Often we do not understand why we are in this fight and for some it seems to be constant–trust God.  I like what William Peterson says, “We can trust God to act with justice.  His decisions are always right, though we may not always understand them.  He decides if and when judgment will fall upon people, and we are in no place to question God’s actions.  God wants peace, but apparently it was necessary at this time to rescue His people from their enemies by allowing the wicked to suffer the consequences of their ways.”
     In the midst of your trial don’t forget to see the hand of the Lord working–trust Him.  Too often we get so worried about our troubles, too concerned about the problem at hand that we fail to see the power of God at work.  God is always working in our lives whether we realize it or not, but it is encouraging when we stop, to gather in His goodness and see His mighty power at work.

                    “Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the strife will not be long;
                     This day the noise of battle, the next, the victor’s song;
                     To him that overcometh, a crown of life shall be;
                     He with the King of glory shall reign eternally.”
                              –George Duffield