December 12 - Raised To Be Bold.

Luke 1:57
“Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.”
 
Mary had stayed with Elisabeth for three months before returning to her own house.
Shortly after she departed, Elisabeth gave birth to a son in her old age.
 
Luke 1:58
“And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.”
 
She was the mother of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ.
She knew that there was something different about her son.
 
Luke 1:66
“And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.”
 
His father, Zacharias, was filled with the Holy Ghost and proclaimed that their child had a specific purpose.
 
Luke 1:76
“And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;”
 
Matthew 3:1-2
“In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
 
She raised him to have boldness for the Lord.
He was the voice in the wilderness proclaiming that Christ would come.
 
Matthew 3:7
“But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”
 
She raised him to point others to Christ.
He never drew attention to himself, but always led his followers to look for the One Who was truly worthy.
 
Matthew 3:11-12
“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
 
John 1:29
“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
 
John 3:30
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
 
If you have children, consider how Elisabeth raised her son to be used by God and what we can learn from her example.
 
Sometimes our greatest ministry is in not what we do, but who we raise.
 
 
Bible Reading:
Hosea 4-6   |    Psalm 131