Morning by Morning, December 17, 2025 – Honoring Joseph the Stepfather of Faith Good morning, Lord Jesus. Arise in my heart with Your Spirit as I seek to begin my day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit. ... As I continue to meditate on the Gospel accounts of the Christmas story this season, the example and the faith of Joseph comes to mind: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 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. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’ “So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’ “Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus” (Matthew 1:18-25). We don’t really hear that much about Joseph, maybe because he’s not mentioned again in Scripture after the birth and early years Christ. But he is set forth in Scripture as “a just man” and a man of faith and obedience. Nothing critical is said of Joseph at all—except maybe the day he and Mary forgot and left Jesus behind in Jerusalem when they started the journey back to Nazareth when Jesus was twelve! (Luke 2:43) Joseph was a man of honor and character, compassion and mercy. He was a man with prophetic dreams and supernatural encounters, willing to make life-changing decisions based upon his faith in God and seeking to discern the will of God above his own. We think of Abraham as the father of faith (Romans 4:16). And maybe we should think of Joseph as the stepfather of faith. In a sense he was the stepfather of Jesus. He, of course, wasn’t the biological father because Jesus were conceived by the Holy Spirit rather than by any human father. But Joseph was chosen and entrusted by God to “father” Jesus as His earthly father. Like many men of these times, I’ve had the blessing of my heavenly Father, my earthly father, and also stepfather. Like many, I’ve also had the blessing, along with the honor and responsibilities of being both father and stepfather to the children entrusted to me in our blended families. I’ve needed and I believe I’ve received Your Father heart of God through those who “fathered” me and for those I’ve “fathered.” It’s not always been easy in both the challenges and the blessings of these relationships. I’ve needed Your mercy and grace, Your guidance and love all along the way. But I do pray that by the grace of God, I can “father” like Joseph as a man of faith and obedience, honor and character, compassion and mercy, led by the Holy Spirit with the Father heart of God to be a godly influence in the lives entrusted to me. I pray the same for each of us, especially for every father and stepfather joining in this prayer, called to be an expression and extension of the Father heart of God in our world through these times. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My friend, may you be filled and led by the Spirit to walk in faith as an extension and expression of the heart of God in every relationship entrusted to you, in Jesus' name. God bless you, my friend! And you have a great day!
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Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries 502 North Milam Street Fredericksburg, Texas 78624
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