UNWRAPPING THE MIRACLE OF CHRISTMAS

“A Million Little Miracles”
Gary Hoyt – December 3, 2023

Luke 1:37 (NASB) — For nothing will be impossible with God.

Matt 1:18 (NLT) — This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant….through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Matt 1:19 (NLT) — Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

Matt 1:20 (NLT) — As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary AS YOUR WIFE. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Matt 2:13-15 (NLT) — After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod’s death.

Matt 2:19 (NLT) — When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.

Matt 2:20 (NLT) — “Get up!” the angel said. “Take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.”

Matt 2:21 (NLT) — So Joseph got up and returned to the land of Israel with Jesus and his mother.

How to Discover More of God’s Miracles

1. Make a conscious effort to REPLACE an ethos of ENTITLEMENT with a mindset of GRATEFULNESS.

Luke 1:46-48 (NLT) — Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed.

2. Make it your daily habit to LISTEN for God’s WHISPERS and then to ACT when He NUDGES.

Matt 1:20 (NLT) — As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary AS YOUR WIFE. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Matt 1:24 (NLT) — When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.

3. If you want to experience more of God’s “WOW”, AIM your GAZE where He is ALREADY WORKING.

Luke 2:15 (NLT) — When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”