HEBREWS 1:8 - BABY BORN TO BE KING

Baby Born to be King

By Susie Hale, February 10, 1983

A long time ago in Bethlehem

A tiny Babe was born,

The King of kings and Lord of lords

On earth in mortal form.

What did it mean for Christ to come

To walk on earth as man?

And what is the significance

Of this part of God’s plan?

I’ve often thought it interesting

That Christ came as a child,

A little, tiny baby,

Helpless, meek and mild.

But since He came in just that way,

I know He understands

Every small frustration

Of living as a man.

He understands the growing pains

Of our own little ones

Although when He was twelve years old,

He knows just how it feels

To go through difficult teen years.

He knows the loss of friends through death.

He knew pain, and he cried tears.

My Jesus knew temptation

And yet remained sin-free.

He was the perfect sacrifice

Who died for you and me.

So, we celebrate each year

The coming of our King.

Because He came with love for us,

His praises we will sing. 

JOHN 1:6-8 PROPHET OF THE LIGHT

Prophet of The Light

By Susie Hale, Precious Jewels Ministries

What ever happened 
to the baby boy

who in his mother’s womb, 
jumped for joy,

making his mother 
completely aware

that the Son of God 
was visiting there?

Though Jesus Himself 
was in Mary’s womb,

At the sound of her voice, 
John was consumed

by the Holy Spirit 
and jumped with glee,

praising the Messiah 
sent for you and me.

John the Baptist had been 
that embryo

and as an adult 
let all the crowds know

that the One who would 
come after him

would be a light in a world 
so terribly dim.

The True Light had come 
to our world dark with sin

to shine in the hearts 
of all who trust in Him.

LUKE 1:42b-44 JOHN JUMPS FOR JOY

John Jumps for Joy

by Susie Hale 

Precious Jewels Ministries

Unborn baby in the womb, 

at Mary’s greeting, John jumped for joy.

Filled with the Spirit from conception, 

he knew Messiah’s mother’s voice.

The Holy Spirit filled Elizabeth’s heart 

and enabled her to know

the presence of her Lord and Savior 

in a holy Embryo.

Yet today’s society justifies 

the murder of an unborn baby,

debating when embryo becomes a person, 

with no thought that maybe

since children are a gift from God 

and the fruit of the womb a reward,

A fertilized egg, an embryo 

is declared a human soul by the Lord.

If you have already had an abortion, 

you will find no judgment here.

Mary’s baby was born to redeem you. 

Forgiveness is yours - draw near

to Jesus who bore our sins on the cross, 

the Lamb of God, our sacrifice.

Raised to life, He conquered the grave. 

Come to Him for everlasting life!

TENDER SURRENDER - LUKE 1:38

Tender Surrender

       

Mary had been overwhelmed by the appearance of an angel. Her heart must have been pounding in her chest; she could probably hear it in her ears. She was probably filled with awe and wonder and some understandable fears. Would anyone believe her? Would Joseph stand by her side? Who was she to raise the Son of the Most High? Would the Spirit that overcame her abide?

        As the thoughts raced through her mind, Mary became determined. She had faith in Jehovah God and would submit to all He asked of her. She referred to herself as His servant, His handmaiden, His slave. In humility, she surrendered to God’s will for her rather than running away.

        As we trust Jesus as our Savior, He may call us to unusual tasks. Surrender in humility to Him. Do whatever He asks. You may feel trepidations pounding in your chest, but His Spirit empowers you; for your Father always knows best.

LUKE 1:13-15 - BARREN NO MORE

Think about the barren women in the Bible. Sarah conceived in her old age and gave birth to the child through whom all nations would be blessed. Rachel’s sister outdid her in the giving birth category, but when the Lord opened her womb, he blessed her with Joseph who would save his people from famine. Hannah prayed for a son and promised to give him back to the Lord, and Samuel became the last judge and a prophet who would anoint Israel’s first and second kings. God directed Samuel to choose David as Saul’s successor. Ruth thought she might never have children not due to her own barrenness but because her husband died, leaving her childless. God provided the kinsman-redeemer Boaz, and she gave birth to the grandfather of King David. Elizabeth was barren, and like Sarah, was too old to conceive. However, the Lord opened her womb and she gave birth to John the Baptist, the one who would prepare the way of the Lord!

Perhaps you are feeling “barren,” not literally but in your usefulness to the Lord. Keep praying. When He does give you a mission, obey Him, and be prepared for Him to do great things!

JOHN 1:4-5 - THE LIGHT BORN IN A STABLE

The Light Born in a Stable

by Susie Hale, Precious Jewels Ministries

A baby was born in Bethlehem,
In a simple stable, a humble birth. 
What a way for our Lord
To arrive on His earth!

Angels told shepherds a King was born
But was wrapped in cloths, in a manger laid.
What a way for our King
To be displayed!

Wise men traveled from the east,
Saw His sign in the heavens, followed a star. 
What a way for our God
To bring men from afar!

King Herod was jealous, consumed with hate,
And ordered the slaughter of baby boys.
What a tragedy to accompany
The world’s greatest joy!

Evil will always try to dim the Light. 
Satan still works in the hearts of men.
What a fallen world
Today like back then!

But the Light shines in darkness
And cannot be overpowered.
What grace upon men
Has been showered!

As we surrender to Christ
His light through us shines.
What marvelous love
Came that night most divine!

CHRISTMAS CONTEMPLATION - HEBREWS 7:25

ADOPTED BY FATHER GOD - GALATIANS 4:4-5

ESTHER 4:14 - FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

     Like Esther, we sometimes find ourselves in positions or places we never would have dreamed were possible – good or bad. God, in His providence, may have moved you there for a specific purpose. Perhaps you have been elevated to a supervisory position even though you thought yourself unqualified. God may use you to minister to a coworker or even bring an innovative idea to the table that those “trained” individuals with more experience would never dare to try. Perhaps you are at an all-time low. Take heart, for that, too, may be in God’s sovereign plan for you. When my mother passed away, I thought, surely, I would find rewarding, fair-paying, full-time work immediately. After all, I had my M.Ed. and seven years’ experience in dealership accounting. However, months went by with no full-time position. Had I been working, I would have never had time to be Susan’s facilitator in researching our pastor’s sermons. That grew into what is now Precious Jewels Ministries. The rest, as they say, is history. But in reality, it was HIS story for our lives! Place your trust in your sovereign Lord Jesus because He has a plan and purpose for your life. (Susie Hale)

GOD'S SOVREIGNTY SEEN IN THE WOMEN OF CHRISTMAS

GOD’S SOVREIGNTY SEEN 

IN THE WOMEN OF CHRISTMAS

By Susie Hale, Precious Jewels Ministries

Eve ate the fruit because she was deceived, 

but God already had a plan in place.

The serpent would bruise the heel of her seed, 

but her Seed would stomp Satan’s face.

Sarah was barren and came up with a plan 

to have Hagar bear Abraham a son.

But God said to Abraham, you don’t understand. 

Sarah’s son will be the chosen one.

Tamar pretended to be a prostitute 

and by her father-in-law, bore a son.

Although her ways were of ill repute, 

God prevented Judah’s line from being done.

In Jericho, Rahab was known as a harlot, 

but she hid the spies Joshua sent.

Our sovereign Lord saved her from a tight spot: 

the rest of her days as a Jew were spent.

Rahab had Boaz by Salmon of Judah’s line. 

Boaz redeemed and married Moabitess Ruth,

loyal to Naomi with determined mind. 

She was the grandmother of King David in truth.

Bathsheba was King David’s mistress,

 and he even had her husband killed.

But God in mercy forgave their big mess, 

and her son Solomon the king’s shoes filled.

Esther was a simple young Jewish girl, 

but God raised her up to be queen of Persia.

With bravery to make your head swirl, 

she saved her nation from a cruel plot’s inertia.

Elizabeth, like Sarah was barren and old. 

Her husband prayed, incense rising higher,

An angel appeared and their baby foretold, 

a baby named John, forerunner of Messiah.

Mary was a peasant girl, but favored; 

for God chose her to bear His Son.

Each moment surrounding His arrival she savored, 

for her baby was the Promised One.

Anna, a widow, had served in the temple 

and had longed to see the Anointed.

When she saw Baby Jesus, so tiny and simple, 

others toward the Messiah, she pointed.

BIBLE STUDY

BE SURE TO ALSO READ OUR BIBLE STUDY AT WWW.BIBLESTUDY-PJM.BLOGSPOT.COM 

WE ARE CURRENTLY STUDYING "THE WOMEN OF CHRISTMAS" INCLUDING
EVE, SARAH, TAMAR, RAHAB, BATHSHEBA, RUTH, ESTHER, MARY, ELIZABETH, AND ANNA.

PSALM 51:8, 12, 14 - INTIMATELY ENGAGED WITH GOD

Day 13 – Intimately Engaged with God

 Psalm 51:8, 12, 14 (NASB)

Make me to hear joy and gladness,

Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation

And sustain me with a willing spirit.

Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation;

Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.

            In Psalm 51, David puts all his cards on the table, lays his heart completely open, transparent to the Lord, within David’s own humanity. Not only did David commit adultery with Bathsheba, but he conspired to have her husband, Uriah, murdered. Even though he knew that the Lord was aware of his sin, he openly and humbly confessed it in agreement with God’s view of things. David had eager anticipation that God would bring him back into fellowship with Himself. David needed to be restored in order to be fit for holy service, and for habitation by the Spirit. Then he would have the capacity to joyfully praise God because God and David would be intimately engaged once again.

            Have you committed an overt sin in the past or a failed to obey God completely, thus hindering the joy of your journey? Confess it, and by the power of His Spirit, turn back to the Lord. He will forgive you and cleanse you (1 John 1:9). He will restore your joy of being in right relationship with Him and bearing fruit for His glory.  

PSALM 32:11 - RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD BRINGS JOY

The following is an excerpt from Susan Slade's upcoming devotional book titled A Life's Symphony of Joy.

Day 7 – Right Relationship with God Brings Joy

Psalm 32:11 (ESV)

Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones;

And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.

            David is laying everything out on the table, prostrating himself before divine court for mercy. He had an adulterous relationship with Bathsheba and orchestrated the murder of her husband, Uriah the Hittite, who was one of David’s mighty men. When David’s sin and God’s holiness were contradictory to one another, he experienced ailments, and his strength was draining away to immeasurable proportions. But when he admitted the sins God was addressing, he was met not with retribution but with redemption. In this psalm, David celebrates the undeserved forgiveness that his gracious Father extended with no strings attached.

            Lack of obedience is disobedience which is sin. God had called me (Susan Slade) to be his teaching preacher. I knew in 1982 that this was what I was supposed to do, but I was resistant and, therefore, disobedient because of tradition. At that point, I was willing to let the tradition of  male ministers only take precedence over God’s authority in my life. Something transpired in my life in 1988 that caused me to say, “Okay, God, whatever You want.” I am not implying that God caused what happened, but I am saying that because of what happened, it made me want to be sure that God and I were on the same page. When I said, “Yes,” to God completely, I knew that whatever happened, because I was obedient to God, He would have my back.

            Are you resisting God’s prodding in a particular situation? You will experience freedom once you surrender to His authority. He will then enable you to do all He has called you to do.

REVELATION 22:16 - THE BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR

The Bright and Morning Star

By Susie Hale, Precious Jewels Ministries

The wise men traveled from the east

to Bethlehem in Judea afar.

The reason they began their journey?

They were following a star.

A star appeared in the heavens

And guided them on their way.

They had never seen one like it,

A marvelous display.

It guided them and then hovered

Over a humble man’s home,

But these magi knew without a doubt

In the presence of God, they had come.

Could it have been His own glory

That led them to travel so far?

For Jesus declared Himself to be

The Bright and Morning Star.

Psalm 127:3 - Children Are a Gift From the Lord

     Naomi’s arms had been empty, but God filled them with her grandson, Obed, who would be counted as her son Mahlon’s heir due to the levirate marriage of Ruth to the kinsman-redeemer, Boaz. Susan has never married and has not children, but she has been blessed with several god-children she treats as if they were her own. I have never given birth, either; but the Lord richly blessed me with teenagers in my early forties who “adopted” me as their mom. Children are truly a gift from God, no matter how He chooses to give them to us. Parents, cherish your children and pour into them the grace that God has extended to you. Childless people, find a young Christian and devote time to mentoring them as your child in the faith as Paul did with Timothy. As mature Christians, we can surely find at least one or two people who are younger in their relationship with Jesus and need a godly “bonus parent.” However, if the Lord has blessed you with biological or adopted children, praise Him and value them. Be sure they know they are a gift from God!

PSALM 147:16-18 - CONTEMPLATION ON AN ICY DAY

 

Hebrews 4:15 - EMMANUEL

JOB 19:25 - FAITH IN MY REDEEMER

Click on the link to listen to Nicole C. Mullins sing "Redeemer" 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj-pZQ_XjyU

PHILIPPIANS 2 CHRISTMAS POEM

ISAIAH 54:5 - OUR REDEEMER

OUR REDEEMER

By Susie Hale & Susan Slade, Precious Jewels Ministries

Israel was often in captivity

due to their rebellious sin,

But when it seemed all hope was gone,

The Redeemer entered in.

The Lord Himself as their husband

Would rescue them from their foes

Like a kinsman-redeemer would buy back slaves

or save a widow from financial woes.

Boaz in redeeming Naomi’s land

And marrying the widowed Ruth

Was a foreshadowing of our Husband, Jesus,

the Way, the Life, and the Truth.

We were in need of redemption.

Our sin had us deeply enslaved.

Jesus paid the price to free us,

Dying that we might be saved.

Christ will not leave us abandoned.

When we entrust our lives to His grace,

He becomes our protector, provider;

That no other man can replace.

PROVERBS 31 WOMAN

COMMITMENT - RUTH 1:16

COMMITMENT – We talk about commitment in the marriage relationship, but Ruth’s commitment was to her mother-in-love. Perhaps this was an extension of her love and commitment to her husband or because she admired and loved Naomi, not just as a mother-in-law but as a friend. Her commitment extended not just to Naomi but to the Lord. It was a commitment for the rest of their lives, until death parts us.

COMMITMENT – It is difficult to find that type of commitment today. The divorce rate, even among Christians, has skyrocketed. Very few people have “life-long” friends. Susan and I have something extremely rare and precious – a commitment to be Mother-Sister-Friends depending on what each of needs at the moment. When Susan came to live in my apartment, I knew this would be a commitment for the rest of her life or mine depending on which one the Lord receives home first (Susan always says we hope we go together, leaving neither behind). However, I did not truly understand the level of love God has given us for each other until we stepped out in faith to be roommates.

COMMITMENT – Sometimes extremely difficult but ultimately soooooooo worth it!

HEBREWS 13:5B - YOU WILL NOT FORSAKE ME

You will not forsake me

You say You’ll never leave.

I can put my trust in you:

Your word does not deceive.

You have never failed me;

I know You never will.

Help me trust You more, O Lord,

To be strong in faith until

You come again!

Photo by Jo Sutton

Poem by Susie Hale, 2/16/88

Isaiah 9:2 and John 8:12 - THE GREAT LIGHT

The Great Light

By Susie Hale, Precious Jewels Ministries, 2016

A light led the magi to Bethlehem.

Men have tried to explain away.

Perhaps it was a super nova

Or a comet, the scientists say.

But could it have been God’s shekinah glory

Lighting up the sky?

For the Child they sought, the Messiah,

Is The Light for you and I

To lead us out of sin’s darkness

And into His glorious light.

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory,

The Word that makes my path bright. 

ISAIAH 7:14 - IMMANUEL - EMMANUEL

EMMANUEL

“God with us.” Let that soak in a bit – GOD WITH US, God with me!

Emmanuel – I was about four or five, wearing my little leg braces, and I told my granddad that I wanted Jesus to be mine forever. We walked down to the altar, and that was it – I believe He was, and is, and forever will be mine.

Emmanuel – It was the summer before my sophomore year in high school when I realized that even though I was active in the youth group at my church, I did not have the relationship with God that others had. I asked my youth minister, Ray Young, to talk with me; and he led me through the Roman Road of Salvation. I prayed to receive God’s free gift of grace, and immediately Jesus was with me.

Emmanuel – When I had 200-300 stitches down my back after the surgeons corrected a 98° curvature of my spine to about 35° at the age of 16, I was in drastic pain, but Jesus was with me. In 2006, I was in the hospital awaiting a procedure. My doctor felt an urgency to check on me and found me unresponsive and not breathing. While I was on the ventilator for three weeks, God was with me and specifically told me to minister to His shepherds. When I both of my legs had to be amputated above the knee, I coded again. Once again, the presence of the Lord sustained me.

Emmanuel – When my husband left me five days before our first wedding anniversary, I yelled at God; but God was with me and led me that Sunday (our first anniversary) to a church family that saw me through my divorce and discipled me to walk more closely with the Lord. When my daddy went to be with the Lord after a battle with cancer, I found I could “dance like a child” in God’s presence even though my heart was hearting. As I cared for my mother for six years, Jesus was with us every step of the way.

Emmanuel – When I graduated twice from ORU and when I was ordained as a minister, God was with me. When I celebrated entering my “golden decade” when my life expectancy had been 24 years, Jesus celebrated the continued life He gives me. Jesus has been with me mightily through every high and low in my life. I trust that He will continue to be my Emmanuel, God with me, until He receives me home. My desire is to be a living gift of His presence to those I encounter.

Emmanuel – When the Lord blessed me with “adopted” teenagers in my forties, I knew Jesus was with me. God had given me many Christian friends who are “Jesus with skin on” and through them, He has hugged me so many times. Jesus brought Susan and me together and has enabled us by His grace to form Precious Jewels Ministries, and we are keenly aware of Emmanuel, God with us, every day as we study His word.

EMMANUEL – GOD WITH US  

REFLECT ON HIS PRESENCE IN YOUR LIFE TODAY!

ISAIAH 9:6 - HIS NAME

HIS NAME
By Susie Hale & Susan Slade, Precious Jewels Ministries

A living gift – God’s Messiah, the Hope of Israel, the long-awaited one entered our world as a tiny baby. His hair still wet from being born, He was already great, the greatest Gift ever bestowed upon human-kind. This baby was born to be the King of kings and Lord of lords, and in the future, He will reign over all the earth. He is already sovereign over everything, but not all people recognize the fact. In that day, when He returns to our world again, it will be obvious to all, and everyone will bow to Him.

But even now, those who believe and trust in Him know Him by His many powerful names. Jesus is my wonderful counselor – One who listens and advises wisely to guide me through the maze of experiences to reach the Father. He is the mighty God – He is my strength and enables me to stand firm as He holds me up. The Promised One is my everlasting Father – His parenting is a forever commitment, and I am privileged to be His child. Jesus is ever-present and never-failing – He is always there for me, will never let me down, and will never disappoint. The Messiah is the Master of Wholeness, the Prince of Peace – the Hebrew word for peace, shalom, is synonymous with wholeness meaning “nothing missing, nothing broken.” Jesus takes my broken pieces and makes me whole, enabling me to experience that true peace that passes all understanding. (Philippians 4:6-7) Jesus is the Potter, and I am the clay. I am my Master’s masterpiece.

Isaiah 64:8 (KJV) But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.