While the people in Bethlehem were ignorant of the wonderful events happening in their town, God sent an angel to reveal the good news to some poor, humble shepherds who were outside the town on the Judean hillsides.
Luke 2:11-14 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
No doubt the angel is blazing with the brightness of Heaven and like a flash he lights up the night sky and the shepherds are terrified.
Calming them, He announces the arrival of the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One for Whom the world has waited thousands of years. He would deliver them from their sins.
What an announcement! Then a great multitude of angels join in to praise the Christ Child.
The shepherds found The Master that night and returned to their flocks rejoicing.
I was raised to believe the Christmas story. All my life I heard of Jesus being born in Bethlehem and I believed it was true.
I’ll never forget the night I met Jesus. It was downtown during a tent revival. Kneeling on hay at an old wooden altar, I believed and by His amazing grace He accepted me as I was---a sinner. I still praise Him for forgaving my sins and changing my life.
Saturday, December 9, 2017
Friday, December 8, 2017
Away In A Manger
It's hard for me to understand why the King of kings and Lord of lords was put in a manger after His birth. It was a feeding trough for farm animals. That’s no place to put a baby much less the Son of God
Luke 2:7 "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."
So there was no room in the Inn. But this was Jesus. He deserved more. Much more.
Perhaps those common, dirty shepherds could only find Him in a barn.
In the manger Jesus identified with the poverty of mankind.
2 Cor. 8:9, "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."
In the manger Jesus identified with our discomfort and struggles, and He was born to die for our sins. (Isaiah 53:3).
That humble baby in the manger reminds us that the greatest aspiration of the human soul is to seek the glory of Almighty God ahead of everything else (Matt. 6:33).
Luke 2:7 "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."
So there was no room in the Inn. But this was Jesus. He deserved more. Much more.
Perhaps those common, dirty shepherds could only find Him in a barn.
In the manger Jesus identified with the poverty of mankind.
2 Cor. 8:9, "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."
In the manger Jesus identified with our discomfort and struggles, and He was born to die for our sins. (Isaiah 53:3).
That humble baby in the manger reminds us that the greatest aspiration of the human soul is to seek the glory of Almighty God ahead of everything else (Matt. 6:33).
Thursday, December 7, 2017
Born To Die
Imagine this---the Lord of glory came into this world by virgin birth---not as a King, but as a humble Servant.
Jesus wasn’t born in a palace but in a barn, then put in a stinkin’ manger.
He understood---
• Poverty (Matt. 8:20)
• Weariness (John 4:6; Matt. 8:24)
• Hunger (Matt. 4:2)
• Rejection (John 1:11, John 19:10)
• Loneliness (John 6:15; Matt 26:29)
• Temptation (Matt. 4:1-11)
• Other trials humans face
Jesus endured all that to identify with us---to understand us---and to comfort us in our trials (Heb. 4:15-16).
In spite of all He did while here, His purpose for coming was Salvation for a lost and dying world. The Manger Baby came to die for our sins.
Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Philippians 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Jesus wasn’t born in a palace but in a barn, then put in a stinkin’ manger.
He understood---
• Poverty (Matt. 8:20)
• Weariness (John 4:6; Matt. 8:24)
• Hunger (Matt. 4:2)
• Rejection (John 1:11, John 19:10)
• Loneliness (John 6:15; Matt 26:29)
• Temptation (Matt. 4:1-11)
• Other trials humans face
Jesus endured all that to identify with us---to understand us---and to comfort us in our trials (Heb. 4:15-16).
In spite of all He did while here, His purpose for coming was Salvation for a lost and dying world. The Manger Baby came to die for our sins.
Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Philippians 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Wednesday, December 6, 2017
Trust And Praise Advice
When you can’t figure God, merely trust Him. That’s what He wants.
When you feel like crying---cry. Empty your heart of the bitterness of sorrow. In His time and in His way the good Lord will lift your burden.
Isaiah 65:24, “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.”
When He doesn’t answer immediately, Praise Him. Satan has a hard time with a praising Saint.
Praise may not erase your pain, but it will bring you into the presence of the Almighty. You may not feel like rejoicing when you start but you will before you finish.
How do you revive the spirit of praise? Do what the Bible says every day.
Psalm 145:1-2, “I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.”
When you feel like crying---cry. Empty your heart of the bitterness of sorrow. In His time and in His way the good Lord will lift your burden.
Isaiah 65:24, “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.”
When He doesn’t answer immediately, Praise Him. Satan has a hard time with a praising Saint.
Praise may not erase your pain, but it will bring you into the presence of the Almighty. You may not feel like rejoicing when you start but you will before you finish.
How do you revive the spirit of praise? Do what the Bible says every day.
Psalm 145:1-2, “I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.”
Tuesday, December 5, 2017
I'm Glad Jesus Loves Me
Throughout His ministry Jesus opened blind eyes many times, but the poor soul trapped in sin is blind to a greater darkness---a spiritual darkness that only Jesus can brighten through faith in Him.
Psalm 146:8 The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord loveth the righteous:
I’m glad God lifts the broken bowed-down backs of the weary. How many times has He lifted my burden and given me rest because he cares for me. Matt. 11:28-- 1 Pet. 5:7; Psa. 55:22.
I’m glad Jesus loves the believer. He has a special place in His heart for those who are in a right relationship with Him, Jer. 31:3.
I’m glad He loves us even when we are unlovable---in spite of our foolishness and failures. He loves us unconditionally, completely and eternally.
Psalm 146:8 The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord loveth the righteous:
I’m glad God lifts the broken bowed-down backs of the weary. How many times has He lifted my burden and given me rest because he cares for me. Matt. 11:28-- 1 Pet. 5:7; Psa. 55:22.
I’m glad Jesus loves the believer. He has a special place in His heart for those who are in a right relationship with Him, Jer. 31:3.
I’m glad He loves us even when we are unlovable---in spite of our foolishness and failures. He loves us unconditionally, completely and eternally.
Monday, December 4, 2017
Hope
Resting in the confidence that God will do as He promised---that’s the essence of hope. We all need hope.
David, having a personal relationship with God, wrote about the basic foundation for his Hope.
Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
• As Light---God delivers His people from Darkness – Colossians 1:13.
• As Light---God guides our Steps – Psa. 37:23; John 16:13; Psa. 119:105.
• As Salvation---God delivers His people from Damnation – “ John 5:24.
• As Salvation---God secures our Souls – John 10:28; 1 Pet. 1:5; John 6:37.
• As Strength---God delivers His people from Defeat – 1 Cor. 15:57.
• As Strength---God guarantees our Success – Rom. 8:37; 2 Cor. 2:14; Isa. 54:17.
Light, Salvation, and Strength---great characteristics of God--- serve to give us hope in the midst of trouble. Praise Him.
David, having a personal relationship with God, wrote about the basic foundation for his Hope.
Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
• As Light---God delivers His people from Darkness – Colossians 1:13.
• As Light---God guides our Steps – Psa. 37:23; John 16:13; Psa. 119:105.
• As Salvation---God delivers His people from Damnation – “ John 5:24.
• As Salvation---God secures our Souls – John 10:28; 1 Pet. 1:5; John 6:37.
• As Strength---God delivers His people from Defeat – 1 Cor. 15:57.
• As Strength---God guarantees our Success – Rom. 8:37; 2 Cor. 2:14; Isa. 54:17.
Light, Salvation, and Strength---great characteristics of God--- serve to give us hope in the midst of trouble. Praise Him.
Sunday, December 3, 2017
The Power Behind Christmas
What do you think is God’s greatest display of power? Creation? Miracles? The Cross? The Resurrection?
I believe the greatest expression of God’s power was when He added humanity to His deity and came to live and die among men. Think about Who was born in that manger in Bethlehem.
John 1:1-3-14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
When you consider that Jesus was the Creator of the universe, His birth as a baby becomes more amazing.
The Creator of creation humbled Himself and became a creature in creation. God became dependent upon a human mother.
Jesus stepped out of eternity, laid aside His glory and entered this world as a human baby. That is the power behind Christmas.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
That’s why this season is not about trees and tinsel; packages and parties; bows and boxes or meals and mistletoe. This season is about Jesus. He is the Maker of creation and the power that holds it all together,
I believe the greatest expression of God’s power was when He added humanity to His deity and came to live and die among men. Think about Who was born in that manger in Bethlehem.
John 1:1-3-14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
When you consider that Jesus was the Creator of the universe, His birth as a baby becomes more amazing.
The Creator of creation humbled Himself and became a creature in creation. God became dependent upon a human mother.
Jesus stepped out of eternity, laid aside His glory and entered this world as a human baby. That is the power behind Christmas.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
That’s why this season is not about trees and tinsel; packages and parties; bows and boxes or meals and mistletoe. This season is about Jesus. He is the Maker of creation and the power that holds it all together,
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