Now the other side of the story of the virgin conception, comes to with a dream, for after all Mary is found to be pregnant. Imagine the thoughts running through Joseph's head upon discovery of his betrothe being pregnant. How he must of felt, the word Holy Spirit conception not even common event either. Had Mary gone to the Priest by her parents or Joseph we do not know. Was she made to drink a bitter drink to see if she was lying about the conception of the Holy Spirit, we do not know. Ancient laws of bringing your wife before the religious leaders either for divorce or to put one's wife away either publicly or quietly made no difference. The drink would make the belly swell, and was bitter, either causing her to loose the child and die or if she found to be telling the truth no harm would come to her. Now this practice was related to the wife and not necessarily to a betrothe? Joseph was about to divorce Mary. What did it mean to be espouse/betrothe but a promise of marriage, yet the woman was consider married or belonging at this point to the man, though the wedding has not taken place. The engagement would last about a year. The man would begin to prepare the financial part of establishing a home or place to live, and the woman's dowery would include the things she had made or bought for their new home as well as a gift from her family. In regard did Mary have to drink the bitter drink perhaps not because they were under Roman law but she did come from a priest family line, which might make it possible, depend on her future husband Joseph beliefs as well. However I believed she may of gone through a test of some sort or it may of been announced only by the Holy Spirit, because Elizabeth even testified of it. Truth is the evidence was that the Holy conveyed the news of this virgin birth to his people. Yet there is evidence because Joseph wanted to put is wife away privately, becaue he had heard the story of virgin conception and had not believed, until the dream he had and the Lord speaking to him and declaring him not to be afraid, because this conception was of the Holy Spirit.

In both the story of Joseph and Mary learning about the child, would also come with the knowledge of the name Emmanuel and he would be called Jesus. I did not mention the name when going over Luke 1 when Angel Gabriel spoke to Mary. Now Joseph is encouraged by the Lord not to be afraid. I be truthful despite the words don't be afraid and with the knowledge this was God's son, might of caused more fear, I mean your talking to the baby's father in this dream, that is mighty and more powerful then man. Not only that but Holy. What a gift for a wedding but also the trust and care of taking care of God's only begotten Son. Yet Joseph knew not his wife until after Jesus was born. In simple english he waited til after the baby was born to touch Mary. He had a responsibility of importance to take care of the royal family of God and to care for his bride the mother of His Lord. What an awesome responsibility.

What is our responsibility as believers when we carry the Messiah in our hearts? Perhaps if our response of Mary and Joseph would be one of submission to the responsibility we we go a lot further in faith. Yet we say the words Jesus is in my heart and do we grasp the royal acknowledgement of carrying the greatest gift of God in our hearts. No we live our life the best we can and never think on this Royal Spirit living within us. We walk we talk, and forget the King lives within our hearts, never moved by his presence. This Christmas season let us concentrate on how we respond, speak, live while carrying Christ in our hearts. Let it not just be at Christmas but all year round. Are we worthy of carrying Christ, only through his sacrifice on the cross, because we believe he paid the price for our sin. Worthy only because God tells us we are worthy to hold Christ in our hearts and be his dear Children. Worthy because we opened the door of our heart and allowed Jesus to enter in.

Emmanuel means God with us. God is with us not against us but fighting for us daily in the world of sin, temptation and against our rebel spirit that does not always follow in the footsteps of Christ in obedience to Him. Yet as beleivers we are called holy and peculiar people, we are called his child, and we cry Abba(Father). God called Joseph and Mary because of faith, not their perfection. Called them because they would believe him and obey his will in their life concerning this child. Let us reflect on the fact we carry Christ, and are we carrying Him knowing that to do God's will in our life, is to carry Christ in our hearts and in submission to him.

Dear Heavenly Father as we allow Christ first into our hearts through faith, let us not forget we are carrying the most precious gift you could give us and that is your Son Jesus. Help us to carry your Son in submission to your way and will for our life. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Revelation 3:20 KJV
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

1 Peter 2:9 KJV
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Galatians 4:5-7 KJV
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Ancient law of unfaithful wife: Numbers 5:12-31 KJV
12 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man's wife go aside, and commit a trespass against him,
13 And a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and she be defiled, and there be no witness against her, neither she be taken with the manner;
14 And the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled:
15 Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance.
16 And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before the LORD:
17 And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water:
18 And the priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and uncover the woman's head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse:
19 And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say unto the woman, If no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness with another instead of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curse:
20 But if thou hast gone aside to another instead of thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and some man have lain with thee beside thine husband:
21 Then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman, The LORD make thee a curse and an oath among thy people, when the LORD doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell;
22 And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.
23 And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water:
24 And he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water that causeth the curse: and the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter.
25 Then the priest shall take the jealousy offering out of the woman's hand, and shall wave the offering before the LORD, and offer it upon the altar:
26 And the priest shall take an handful of the offering, even the memorial thereof, and burn it upon the altar, and afterward shall cause the woman to drink the water.
27 And when he hath made her to drink the water, then it shall come to pass, that, if she be defiled, and have done trespass against her husband, that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot: and the woman shall be a curse among her people.
28 And if the woman be not defiled, but be clean; then she shall be free, and shall conceive seed.
29 This is the law of jealousies, when a wife goeth aside to another instead of her husband, and is defiled;
30 Or when the spirit of jealousy cometh upon him, and he be jealous over his wife, and shall set the woman before the LORD, and the priest shall execute upon her all this law.
31 Then shall the man be guiltless from iniquity, and this woman shall bear her iniquity.