CHRISTMAS DEVOTIONALS AND MORE: 12.25.20

GodGave Himself For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should notperish, but have everlasting life.” (John3:16) It is singularly appropriate that we look at this greatest of all verses on Christmas Day, for it records the greatest of all gifts. The theme of giving is very prominent in the Bible, with such words as “give,” “gift,” “gave,” etc., occurring more than 2,100times. The first is Genesis 1:16-17 when God created the sun, moon, and stars “to give light upon the earth,” and the last is Revelation 22:12 when Christ will return with His rewards to “give every man according as his work shall be.” “He...gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons,” as well as “life, and breath, and all things” (Acts14:17; 17:25). But the greatest gift, clearly, was when God gave Himself for a lost and undeserving world. It was the greatest gift because it met the greatest need, revealed the greatest love, and had the greatest scope and purpose of any gift that could ever be conceivedin the heart of an omniscient Creator. That was not the end of His giving, of course. “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans8:32). “Trust...in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy” (1Timothy 6:17). This great gift of God is abundantly sufficient to provide salvation and everlasting life for the whole world. But a gift only becomes a gift when it is accepted, and the greatest of all tragedies is that this greatest of all gifts has been spurned and evenridiculed, or—worst of all—simply ignored by multitudes who need it so much. When they brazenly refuse God’s free gift of everlasting life, they can only perish in everlasting death. God did all He could do when He gave His Son; for when He gave His Son, Hegave Himself. HMM Wonderful God- by Greg Laurie www.harvest.org You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations. Psalm 77:14 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/wonderful-god/- Listen Bertrand Russell claimed that the fear of boredom causes at least half the sins of mankind. We've never been more advanced technologically. We're constantly flooded withnew developments, trends, and discoveries in science and technology. Yet amazingly, we still get bored. For instance, you might get the latest and greatest gadget and be thrilled with it. But after a couple of weeks (or maybe even less),you become bored with it. Or a new model hits the market that suddenly makes your version outdated. We need to realize this world doesn't have what we�re searching for. God created us to know Him. The Bible says of Jesus, the Messiah, And His name will be called Wonderful (Isaiah 9:6 NKJV). In contrast to the passing things of this world, Jesus is wonderful. There's nothing this world has to offer that will satisfy our desire for wonder, our desire to knowmore than what we're experiencing. In fact, a lot of our technology can dull our senses to the extent that we fail to enjoy how wonderful life is. The psalmist David wrote, When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers the moon and the stars you set in place what are mere mortals that you should thinkabout them, human beings that you should care for them?ï (Psalm 8:34 NLT). As I contemplate this wonderful God and the sacrifice He made for us, it gives me a sense of awe, wonder, bewilderment, and yes, worship. The fact that God would love usin spite of our shortcomings and sinfulness should cause us to bow in worship. When you know this wonderful God, He will satisfy the deepest needs of your life. Do you know Him in that way? Keeping Christ in Christmas by Sarah Phillips "'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight...' " Mark 1:3 Here in America, Christmas is almost over. We only have a few more days before the radio stations switch to their normal mix and abrubtly stop playing the same five Christmas carols over and over again.How do you feel about this year's preparations? Do you feel ready? Do you feel stressed? Do you wish it was easier to focus on the reason for the season? For me, this year held a lot of firsts - firsts that forced me to reflect on how I celebrate Christmas and why. I got married this November, so melding family holiday traditions was the first project wetackled as a married couple. It's been a pretty fun process, but also a learning experience. Here's lesson #1: You can be the same religion and still experience that religion very differently! Although we haven't decided exactly how we'll celebrate Christmas every year from here on out, a friend shared an article with us that outlined the traditional German Christmas centered on Christkind ("Christ child"). We are definitely considering implementing some of these ideas in the future because it seems to combine the joyful festivities with the sacredness of the season so well.Here are the basics: In this tradition, it is not Santa Claus who brings gifts but the Christkind himself. Now, many families who celebrate Christkind still have a version of jolly, ol' St. Nick, but he arrives on his official feast day, December 6th, bearing gifts more modest than our American Santa Claus. The miraculous Christmas day arrival of Christkind requires a slow build-up throughout the month of December. Advent is observed carefully; Christmas decorations can wait. Family members take turns lighting the Advent candles as the entire family sings O Come, O Come Emmanuel every evening before dinner. Children also focus on developing virtue to prepare their hearts for the coming of Christkind. Throughout December, every time a child acts virtuously, he or she can place a piece of straw into the humble, empty manger. Inthis way, children can tangibly participate in "making the paths straight" for Christ's arrival. When Christmas finally comes, the family participates in prayer and the youngest child places a replica of baby Jesus into the manger filled with loving acts performed by the children. Then the parents reveal the stunning glitter of Christmas decorations and gifts left by the Christkind. The celebration of Christkind's arrival continues through January 6th- the day marked to commemorate the arrival of the Magi. Doesn't this sound peaceful? Doesn't this sound focused? Doesn't this sound appropriately paced? I certainly wish we had more than 24 hours to celebrate Christmas here in the U.S.! And I can practicallyhear the hushed Advent prayers leading up to the glorious unveiling of Christkind's arrival. The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown- Pete Garcia - https://www.rev310.com/2020/12/the-cradle-the-cross-and-the-crown-3 First published December 1st, 2014. Updated for 2020. After the year we�ve had, it is time we enjoy this hard-earned Christmas Season. 2020 has definitely been an exceedingly difficult year for many. As we reflect on the propheticpromise fulfilled in Christ�s first coming let us take hope in His promise to come again. It is often fitting for Christian households and churches to focus on the first coming of Jesus Christ. In times past, and perhaps, not as much anymore, there used to besome common signs that we were in the season of our Lord�s birth. The sight of manger scenes in town squares all across America, and also in front of churches from all denominations. Christmas cards bearing the Star or the three Wise menwere passed amongst believers during this season. Preachers preached mostly from Matthew 1-2 or Luke 1, while churches held their annual cantatas, and the sounds of �peace on earth, goodwill toward men� filled the ears of believers around the world. Bethlehem,Israel, once again becomes the focus of the world stage, as Christians flock to see the Church of the Nativity, which is currently being held hostage by the Palestinians. However, by 2020 standards, our westernized way of life has largely become post-modern and post-Christian. The gaining worldview is that Christ is too controversial. Christianityis too exclusive and divisive. Christians are too intolerant. Thus, everything is watered down so as not to offend. Furthermore, paganism is on the rise again and rivals everything we thought we knew about the season with the offerings of Saturnalia and thewinter solstice. Controversy sweeps in as Christian families become divided over things like gift-giving, Christmas trees, and whether we keep up pretenses about �Old Saint Nick.� This controversy was not a surprise to God. Jesus said, �Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to �set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother,and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law�; and �a man�s enemies will be those of his own household. Matthew 10:34-36 But the world will only tolerate two forms of the real Christ. The first is Christ as a baby. The second is a Christ dying on a cross. The former, because babies are deemedhelpless. The latter, because it presumably shows Christ�s defeat. However, as believers, we know this is far from true. Even as a newborn babe, Jesus (Yeshua), was already fulfilling numerous Old Testament prophecies (Isaiah 7:14, Micah 5:2, Jeremiah 31:15,Hosea 11:1, etc.). The Incarnation (God putting on flesh) in the form of Jesus through a virgin birth, was the only hope mankind had for redemption. It was the four-thousand-year-old fulfillment of the first prophecy/promise God made in the Bible. In the Gardenof Eden, God said this to the Serpent (Satan); And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel. Genesis 3:15 The Cradle But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive theadoption as sons. Galatians 4:4-5 When the fullness of time had come�is a phrase so packed with meaning that it would not be possible to break it all down in the limited space (or ability) I have at my disposal.But it speaks to the eternal purpose of God�s plan for the redemption of mankind, and of all the created order. It speaks to the specific moments on mankind�s timeline, where (and when) God would intervene in a supernatural and visible way, to put feet toHis plan. Dr. Andy Wood�s makes much use of this phrase in his teachings, and really brought to my mind, the preciseness and purpose for why God chose that particular time frame for Christ�s first coming. Consider these points: � Since Alexander the Great, Koine Greekhad become the predominant language in the Mediterranean. Koine Greek is a very precise language which is perfect for capturing the original intent and meaning of the Scriptures�no matter which language they get translated into in the future. � The Roman republic form of governmentends under Julius Caesar and he creates a total dynastic dictatorship under what would become the rule of the Caesars. Christ was born and dies under the reign of a Caesar, and will return one day when another Caesar (Antichrist) who has set his empire upover the entire world. � The Romans perfected the creationof the road networks, which spanned the boundaries of the Mediterranean, Asia Minor, Europe, and even up into Britain. � Israel remained under the subjugationof Gentile powers (as described in Daniel 2:31-45, 7, 8, & 11) which had played out from the time of their exile to Babylon (605-539BC) � Looking at it from a holistic pointof view, there is a lot of commonalities for why Christ came when He did. There was a common language (Koine Greek), an advanced network for travel (all roads lead to Rome), a dominant pagan world power (fertile fields no doubt), and Israel in the final yearsbefore her diaspora. While there is still some debate as to exactly which year Christ was born in, all we know for sure is that when He was born, the nation of Israel wasn�t expecting it. Weknow from the world�s perspective, the birth of Christ in some backwater province of the Roman Empire, did not even register as a blip on their geopolitical radar. We know Christ lived up unto the age of 30 virtually as an unknown, before exploding onto the scene to present the world with 3 � years of God in the flesh, ministry. Atthe end of that, He managed to make the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Zealots mad enough to trump up false charges and have Him brought before the Sanhedrin to be tried as a political prisoner. The Cross In Genesis 49, we see Jacob blessing his sons who would become the heads of the 12 tribes of Israel. When Jacob came to bless Judah, he gave him an interesting prophecy; The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people. Modern Jewish scholars today will refute that Christ is the Messiah because their argument is that the �scepter� departed from Judah back in 605BC when the Babylonians underNebuchadnezzar laid siege to Jerusalem. Furthermore, from then, until 1948, the Jewish nation had been under some form of Gentile domination. All that is true. But what is also true is that the Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans allowed the Jews to have a form of semi-autonomous rule over themselves (Zerubbabel, Ezra, Maccabeus)up until King Herod Archelaus was removed from power by Julius Caesar in 6AD (Josephus, Antiquities 17:13). That�s when the Jews lost any remaining semblance of autonomy and were subject to a series of Roman procurators with Pontius Pilate being the most famous. When Christ came, the Jews were either not anticipating the coming of their Messiah, or had largely ignored the literal fulfillment of the prophecies pertaining to His coming(Matt. 2:3-8). They thought they had lost their right to wield capital punishment on Him, which is partially why they no longer believed the Messiah would come. This is why when they finally did get the chance to kill Him, they had to turn it over to Pilatefor the official sentencing. Now, that didn�t stop them previously from trying to stone Him to death on a couple of prior occasions when they were riled up, but He always managed to allude them (John8:58-59, 10:30-33). They (the Sanhedrin) didn�t want to crucify Him on Passover because of the negative publicity, but again, the timing was such that God orchestrated everything to coincide with exactly the Passover Feast. (Mark 14:1-2; 1 Cor. 2:6-8) Also, in Numbers 24:17, the prophet Balaam prophesied that this same scepter would be accompanied by a Star, by which the wise men (Matt. 2:2) would later use to know wherethis One born King of the Jews, would be found. �I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult The victory at the Cross represented something much more significant than a literal kingdom on earth (which is still to come), but that Christ conquered death and hell.(Rev. 1:18) Because Christ had to be a man to die for the rest of mankind as our Kinsman Redeemer, Christ willingly endured the joy set before Him, in order to pay the price for OUR salvation. (Lev. 25; Heb. 12:2; Rev. 5:6-10) It would be equivalent to Godrigging a game that placed all of the burden and rules against Himself so that by His losing, we win. Christ trading His own perfect holiness, for our sinful and corrupted lives, is oft referred to as the most lopsided trade in all of recorded history. Andyet, that is exactly what transpired. We don�t think about it this way, but God the Son, traded His former estate, to take on forever, that of God in a glorified human body. The Crown I�ve often heard Amillennialists and Preterists state emphatically, that Christ will not return to rule and reign on earth because they say that we are in the Kingdom already.I couldn�t disagree more. The Scriptures tell us, that this world, is currently (and temporarily) under the sway and control of Satan himself (Luke 4:5-6; 1 Peter 5:8; 1 John 5:19; Rev. 2:13). And as much as these Christian-skeptics might wish, the Cross didn�tusher in some Edenic age where lambs lay down with wolves, children play with cobras, and nations beat their swords into plowshares (Isaiah 2:4, 11:2-8). Any theological interpretation or hermeneutic that detracts from the certainty that God Himself will right all the wrongs, and restore nature back to its original order,is heresy. Any teaching that states anything less than the literal fulfillment of Christ�s kingdom on the earth, is to depart from the plain reading of the text and making it allegorical folly. It was to King David that God said, �And it shall be, when your days are fulfilled, when you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your seed after you, whowill be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom.� (1 Chron. 17:11) God states over and over, that the Kingdom Come is not established by man or by earthly efforts, but by God Himself (Dan. 2:44-45; Psalm 2; Rev. 19:11-16). Christian liberals and skepticshave introduced this idea that the Kingdom is purely spiritual, and they ignorantly argue that the Kingdom is now in play, however, only in the heavenly realms. They do this by taking several texts out of context such as Luke 17:20-22 and Romans 14:17. Ifthose who deny the coming, literal Millennial Kingdom on earth had their way; Christ would only come to earth to die, and not to reign; for Christ to be born �King of the Jews�, but to not actually become �King of the Jews�; for Him to ride a donkey,but not a white horse; for Christ to be spat on, beaten, and hang naked upon a cross of shame, but not to return in triumphal glory coming on the clouds with the armies of heaven behind Him. If Christ doesn�t return, then He remains defeated on the earth thatHe spoke into existence, that God�s word does not mean what it says, and that God can break unbreakable promises. The reason that men and women promote these heretical teachings, is because man-made religion, be it Roman Catholic or Protestant, has become too invested in the thingsof this world. They want life to continue on in some endless cycle of man rising and falling (2 Peter 3). They depart from a plain reading of the text and insert their own interpretations, which supplants God�s promise to return in victory and claim what isrightfully His. Not only to claim what is rightfully His, but also that every knee should bow, whether it is in heaven, on earth, under the earth. Throughout all of creation, all will confess that Jesus Christ is King (Philippians 2:9-11). So are these skeptics and liberals (who deny that Christ will literally return and rule on the earth) saying that Christ is free to rule everywhere, but the earth? The Christ-rejecting world, as well as those Christians who have fallen into spiritual slumber, will be astonished in that Day when Christ comes for His Church. Becausethat Day opens the window of time for Daniel�s 70th Week (the Tribulation) to begin. The Rapture doesn�t begin the Tribulation, but it clears the path for it, as the Church must be removed prior to the start of that final week of years. After the Rapture, perhaps a few days, weeks, months, years after, the seven-year Tribulation will begin just as it has been foretold in Daniel 9:27. The final seven-yearswill be the most horrifying, ferocious, and disturbing time humanity has ever experienced (Matt. 24:21-22). God will accomplish two things by it; first, He disciplines the nation of Israel, and secondly, He destroys all the Gentile nations round about her,by bringing the whole Babylonian system crashing to the ground (Jer. 30:7-11). It is noted by the Old Testament Prophets, that THAT DAY will begin in unimaginable calamity, perhaps masking the Church�s departure. The prophet Joel records��The sun shallbe turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.� Paul writes that �For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, �Peace and safety!� then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.� 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4 Make no mistake that the Lord will return and will come with the clouds and in great power and glory. Christ will come and reclaim that which was lost with Adam. He hasthe title deed to the earth. He no longer wears the crown of thorns, but now wears �many crowns�, meaning He has ALL authority. When the prophet Isaiah saw the throne room, he was undone. When the holy prophet Daniel sees the throne room, he was shaken. WhenJohn sees the glorified Christ in all His splendor, he falls over as dead. How much more traumatized will an unrepentant, Christ-rejecting world be when it sees the sky splitting open and Christ returning in power and glory? The whole world will mourn (Rev. 1:7). The world at this moment doesn�t care. The religious academics try to minimalize or explain-away His soon coming with fanciful wordsmithing.Those actively opposed to Christ, who loathe Him, are filled with anger because they know deep down that this age is coming to an end. Thus, they are ramping up their evil plans in these final moments� But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life,to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keepthis commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ�s appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light,whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen. 1 Timothy 6:11-16 Christmas Reminds us of the Integrity of Scripture � JonathanBrentner - https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/https/jonathan-brentner-g8fgsquarespacecom/config/2020/12/19/christmas-affirms-the-integrity-of-scripture Christmas provides us with the opportunity to celebrate the Father�s gift of His Son to the world. The story of our redemption begins with Jesus virgin birth, finds itsbasis in His death on the cross, burial, and resurrection, and will reach its climax when Christ appears to take us home to the place that He�s prepared for us. This Christmas, I am particularly mindful of the integrity of God�s Word because in the story of our Savior�s birth we see the beginning of many of the prophecies Jesusfulfilled during His stay on earth. My conviction regarding the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture rests on these four truths, which include fulfilled prophecy: Jesus� resurrection from the dead. If Jesus rose from the dead, and He did, that means we can trust all that He claimed and told us. This includes His verification of theOld Testament Scriptures as well as His promise of future revelation to His disciples (John 16:12-14). The incredible fulfillment of prophecy. When one considers the astounding number of prophecies Jesus� fulfilled with just His first coming, how can one not trust the wordswe read in our Bibles? The incredible supernatural fulfillment of prophecy also confirms the integrity of God�s Word and its message to us. The inner witness of the Holy Spirit. I grew up in a Bible-believing home and ever since I can remember, I have had a consistent inner conviction that what I read in Scriptureis true. I do not attribute this in any way to myself or to my parents, but to the work of the Holy Spirit who continually bears witness within me to the truths of Scripture. The amazing cohesiveness and unity of Scripture. Despite being written by many human authors over a period of about 1,500 years, the unity and cohesion of the Bible�s messageis miraculous; there�s no other way to describe it. From Genesis through to the end of Revelation, the consistent message points to Jesus as our Redeemer and King. I could write at length about any one of the above topics, but for now I will write about the amazing fulfillment of prophecy that occurred with Jesus� first appearanceon the earth. CHRISTMAS REMINDS US OF FULFILLED PROPHECY Imagine the entire state of Texas covered two feet deep with silver dollars. If you have ever spent any time driving in Texas, you realize this is an extraordinarily largenumber of coins. Texas is a huge state; it�s second in size only to Alaska and comprises over 268 thousand square miles. California, another large state, lags far behind Texas in land mass. Let�s say someone puts one coin, painted red, somewhere in the state amidst all the trillions of other coins. What are the odds that someone, with a blindfold covering hisor her eyes, could walk into Texas and pick up the red silver dollar on the very first try? The chances of doing so would be exceedingly low, nonexistent for all practical purposes. Peter W. Stoner, the former Chairman of the Departments of Mathematics andAstronomy at Pasadena City College, placed the likelihood of doing so at 10 to the 17th power. �What does this have to do with fulfilled prophecy?� Let me explain. Dr. Stoner joined with Robert C. Newman to write the book Science Speaks in which they calculated theodds of any one person in history fulfilling just eight key prophecies regarding the birth, life, and death of Jesus. Their calculation came out to the number equal to the odds of a blindfolded person walking into Texas and picking up the red silver dollaron the very first try amidst the entire state covered with the coins, an impossible task.[i] Here are the eight prophecies they considered for their calculation of the odds. 1. Jesus� birth in Bethlehem, Micah 5:2; Matthew. 2:1-6. 2. Someone to prepare the way for Jesus� ministry. Malachi, the last prophet of the Old Testament era, wrote this, �Behold, I send my messenger, and will prepare the waybefore me� (Mal. 3:1). John the Baptist fulfilled these words with his ministry calling people to repentance and announcing Jesus as �the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world� (John1:29). 3. Jesus� entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey, Zechariah 9:9 and Matthew 21:1-10 4. Jesus� betrayal by a close friend. The Old Testament predicted Jesus� betray by a friend. Zechariah 13:6 speaks of the wounds inflicted upon him �in the house of my friends.� Psalm 41:9 also refers to Christ�s eventual betrayal by a �close friend.� 5. The payment of thirty pieces of silver for betraying Jesus. Zechariah 11:12-13 and Matthew 26:14-15 6. Judas throwing the thirty pieces of sliver back into the house of the Lord. Zechariah 11:13 and Matthew 27:3-9 7. Jesus� silence while on trial for his life. Isaiah 53:7 says this, �He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter,and a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.� See Matthew 26:57-66. 8. The piercing of Jesus� hands and feet. Psalm 22:16 says this about manner of Jesus� death, �For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have piercedmy hands and feet.� Remarkably, David accurately predicted Jesus� death by crucifixion centuries before it existed as a form of execution. Do you see how remarkable it is that the prophets could be so accurate regarding Jesus� birth, early life, and death on the cross? By the time Jesus began calling his disciples,He had already fulfilled many things written about Him in the Old Testament. In all, Jesus fulfilled forty-eight specific Old Testament prophecies. It�s utterly impossible that this could be a coincidence. FULFILLED PROPHECIES AFFIRM OUR HOPE IN JESUS� SOON APPEARING Christmas reminds me that God keeps all His promises. Just as the Lord fulfilled many prophecies beginning with Jesus� birth in Bethlehem, so also, He certainly will fulfillall His promises and prophecies that have to do with the end times includes His return to take us back to His Father�s home and the Second Coming. Indeed, we now see so the beginning of so many yet unfulfilled prophecies, which tells us they will certainlybecome a reality in the near future. If such a being as the �spirit of Christmas future� exists, it would remind us of the certainty that God will keep all His promises contained in yet unfulfilled prophecies.It would point us to the imminent return of Jesus at which time we will receive our immortal and glorified bodies (Phil. 3:20-21; 1 Cor. 15:51-55). The �spirit� would assure us of the Lord�s promise in 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, �For God has not destined us forwrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.� We will not experience the wrath of the day of the Lord. Of course, there�s no such thing as the �spirit of Christmas future;� however, we have something much, much better. We have the words of Scripture upon which we can restour hopes and dreams of a glorious eternity because it�s the very words of God to us. In contrast to the heartache and despair most of us have experienced in 2020, the incarnation we celebrate each Christmas reminds us that God keeps His promises. He sentHis Son, the Messiah, into the world just as He promised long, long ago. In the same way, our hope in the rapture, our glorious immortal bodies, and our reign with Jesus in His kingdom are just as sure as the sunset today or the sunrise tomorrow. Those inChrist will experience this glorious future. Your take-away blessing this Christmas season may vary from mine, but for me the story of Jesus� birth reminds me that we can absolutely trust the words of Scripture regardingour future. He may make us wait a little longer, but He will not fail to come for us at just the right time. Our journey here below may grow even darker and more menacing in the weeks and months ahead, but the Christmas story reminds us that the Lord will keep His promises andsomeday, hopefully very soon, we will fully experience the gift of eternal life that we already possess in Christ. Maranatha! CelebrateJesus - Nathele Graham - twotug@embarqmail.com Today we have many concerns and tomorrow is uncertain. We worry about a virus, wars, elections, and many things that can affect life for years to come. Prophecy seems tobe running on fast-forward, but no matter what happens tomorrow, an event that happened many centuries ago should bring us peace. I�m talking about the birth of Jesus Christ. That event changed the course of history, yet many who claim to be Christians havenever read the account of His birth from Scripture. When Christmas comes around, we make sure our children believe there�s a guy up in the North Pole who has a workforce of elves making toys and we see his supposed picture everywhere. Is that what Christmasis really about? You and I both know that only Jesus Christ is the true meaning of Christmas�God�s gift to us. Let�s take time right now and turn our attention to God. There�s a verse that I quote many times and it�s probably the best-known verse in Scripture. �For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.� John 3:16. Think about that verse and then think of the way in which God�s Son entered His creation. He was bornhumbly in a manger. That�s the truth we need to instill in the hearts of our children. The Gospel of Matthew gives Jesus� genealogy through His step-father, Joseph, who was a direct descendent of King David through the royal line of his son Solomon. The Gospelof Luke gives the genealogy of Jesus through His mother Mary, who was also a descendent of King David, but through a different son, Nathan. The Gospel of John also contains the genealogy of Jesus, God incarnate. �In the beginning was the Word, and the Wordwas 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. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darknesscomprehended it not.� John 1:1-5. This passage informs us that Jesus existed in the beginning and created everything. Parents, be sure you teach this truth to your children. Evolution is as fictional as Santa Claus, and you�re responsible for teaching yourchildren truth. �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.� John 1:14. We know that Jesus was born in a manger, but His beginning was long before thatevent. Actually, He had no beginning, but was the beginning of all things. Instead of reading some fictional story to your children about a jolly fat man coming down the chimney and leaving gifts, read the truth of the birth of God in the flesh.The Gospel of Luke tells us about the virgin birth. Mary was young, but had been betrothed to a man named Joseph; they would not come together as man and wife until after they had been married. In those days, if a woman became pregnant prior to marriage shecould be stoned. God is serious about marriage and families. Her life would soon take a miraculous twist. Her cousin Elizabeth already had a miracle of her own. She was past child bearing age, but after her husband encountered the angel Gabriel, Elizabethbecame pregnant. This child would be known as John the Baptist and fulfilled a prophecy in Isaiah �The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.� Isaiah 40:3. The miraclethat Mary experienced was even more spectacular. �And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubledat his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.� Luke 1:28-29. It was Gabriel�s words that troubled Mary. The Greek word is diatarasso which means �to agitate greatly, trouble greatly�. This is the only time this word is usedin Scripture. Mary wasn�t terrified of Gabriel, but troubled by his words. �And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.� Luke 1:30-33. In 2 Samuel 7:12 et seq, God promisedDavid that his kingdom would be eternal and Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise. �Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power ofthe Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.� Luke 1:34-35. Mary was obedient to God and only wanted to know how this miracle was to be accomplished. If she had any worries overthe result of her obedience to God, she didn�t express her doubts. Would Joseph want to marry her? If he didn�t, how could she raise the child alone? It was the husband�s responsibility to provide for the family and a woman had no way of earning a living.In spite of all the things that could go wrong, Mary trusted God to provide for her. Whenever we choose to obey God, we run the risk of ridicule from family and friends, but we can learn from Mary. If we�re obedient to God, we can trust Him. �And, behold,thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible.� Luke 1:36-37. Be sure your children understand this. God is full of miracles and nothingis impossible for Him. �And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.� Luke 1:38. Mary seems like a very sweet person, and her obedience to God is an example to all of us. The Gospel of Matthew tells us how Joseph reacted to this situation. He had no idea of the circumstances of the pregnancy and could only assume Mary had been unfaithfulto him. �Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man and not willing to make her a publickexample, was minded to put her away privily.� Matthew 1:18-19. Joseph didn�t want her stoned, but he couldn�t marry her if she was carrying another man�s child. God knew Joseph was considering releasing Mary from their betrothal and He put Joseph�s mind atease. �But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bringforth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring fortha son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.� Matthew 1:20-23. The name �Jesus� means Jehovah is salvation, and �Emmanuel� means God with us. Jesus was God incarnate, is our only means of salvation, and is with usalways. �Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: and knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.� Matthew 1:24-25. Joseph was a God-fearing manwho was also obedient. He and Mary were the perfect couple to raise God�s only begotten Son. There was still more prophecy to be fulfilled. The Messiah had to be born in Bethlehem. �And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus,that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city ofDavid, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.� Luke 2:1-5. This fulfilled Micah 5:2. That journey must have been difficult for Mary, and Joseph must havebeen very concerned for her and the Baby. Plays and movies usually show them getting to town just as she was about to deliver. Joseph desperately looks for lodging, but is forced to take her to a stable. That�s not exactly what Scripture describes. There weremany people in Bethlehem for the taxing, so chances of getting a room wasn�t good. Also, if there had been family there, they surely wouldn�t be pleased to take in Mary who wasn�t married, but �great with child�. So, they lodged in a stable. While they werethere, Jesus was born. �And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no roomfor them in the inn.� Luke 2:6-7. I�m sure Mary would have rather given birth to the Son of God in a better place, but if God had wanted that to happen, He would have made a way. As it was, the humble birth of God�s Son is an example of His life. He didn�tcome to us in order to be the King of kings, that�s still in the future, but He did come to teach us humility, love, and to serve others. It also allowed the lowliest of people to be the first to worship Him. �And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the gloryof the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.� Luke 2:8-9. The shepherds had a very different reaction to seeing an angel than Mary. They were truly frightened. �And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidingsof great joy, which shall be to all people. 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 therewas 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.� Luke 2:10-14. What a sight to see and a sound to hear! The shepherds went immediately and found Jesus, justas the angel said. Then, they shared the Good News. �And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.� Luke 2:18. Shouldn�t we tell everyone the Good News that Jesus Christ was born? Shouldn�t we celebrate Jesus insteadof Santa Claus? Jesus� birth meant that God had come in the flesh to bridge the chasm of sin that separates humanity from Him. Today and every day, celebrate Jesus�and share the Good News. God bless you all, Nathele Graham The Story of a Gift - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, EverlastingFather, Prince of Peace. �Isaiah 9:6 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-story-of-a-gift/- Listen The first Christmas was not a gift to a child; it was the gift of a Child. The story of Jesus Christ coming into this world is not so much the story of a birth as much asit�s the story of a gift. For us, it was the entrance of Jesus to Planet Earth. But for God the Father, it was the departure of a Son from Heaven. �For unto us a Child is born,� the Scriptures say. �Unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor,Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace� (Isaiah 9:6 NKJV). We sometimes think that when Jesus was born into the human race in Bethlehem, He essentially made His entrance into the universe. But that isn�t true at all. Jesus is God. Therefore, He is eternal. He has always existed. The Bible says, �But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. Godsent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children� (Galatians 4:4�5 NLT). His birth was His entrance into the world as the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world. The prophet Micah said, �But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel,whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting� (Micah 5:2 NKJV). The words from everlasting could be translated �from the vanishing point.� Micah was revealing by the Holy Spirit that the Messiah, God in human form, would be born in amanger. This is the great miracle of Christmas: God became a man. A Revealed Savior by Katherine Britton "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." - Jeremiah 29:13 I wish I could ask the Magi what it was like after they returned to their homeland. After watching the skies for years, journeying for weeks, and seeing Jesus with their own eyes, how did they return to the life they once knew? Did they ever hear about therest of Jesus's life? Did they realize the Jew who was killed on the tree was the same child to whom they offered gifts befitting a king? Did they understand that his birth was a precursor to a far greater event? We don't know much with certainty about these men. They brought three gifts�gold, incense, and myrrh�but there may have been dozens of Magi who went on that journey. These wise men were certainly Gentiles, probably from Persia. They acted as something closeto astrologer-priests in their homeland, we think, marking the movements of the heavens to find out its impact on man. Judging by their gifts and their titles, their status and wealth came close to royalty. Now consider what we definitely know about them: these Magi considered it worth their time, efforts, riches, and worship to come worship at a Bethlehem house. "When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they openedtheir treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh." - Matthew 2:10-11 These pagans searched for the Messiah as no one else did. Their adventure is an extraordinary tale of God's grace mixed with man's hunger, as they followed the star God set up in the heavens with single-minded devotion. They were on a search for God, who hadgiven them the signs to find him. I think these men, who knew so much less than I do about the Messiah, sought him harder than I ever have. Consider Matthew Henry's commentary on what transpired: "They might have said, �If such a prince be born, we shall hear of him shortly in our own country, and it will be time enough then to pay our homage to him.' But so impatient were they to be better acquainted with him, that they took a long journey on purposeto enquire after him. Note, Those who truly desire to know Christ, and find him, will not regard pains or perils in seeking after him." Personally, I don't think the Magi were ever the same after their encounter in the Bethlehem house. They invested themselves to finding the King of the Jews, and he revealed himself to them. I think all other stars must have paled in comparison. Intersecting Faith & Life: Like the psalmist sings, the "heavens declare the glory of God" (Psalms8) to each one of us. Those signs are God calling us to seek him with our whole heart, so he can reveal himself to us more and more. This Christmas season, I want to follow the Magi's example. I want to find the mystery of the Gospel so incredible that I pursue it with all my heart, and all my strength, and all my soul. I pray this mystery captivates your heart this Christmas! Maryand the Grace of God �And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.� (Luke1:30) This announcement by the angel Gabriel to the virgin Mary, that she had been chosen as the mother of the coming Savior, contains the first mention in the New Testament of the Greek word for grace (charis). Mary was chosen, not for anything she haddone, but because she had �found grace.� In a remarkable parallel, certainly implying divine inspiration, the first mention of grace in the Old Testament is also associated with the coming of a new dispensation in God�s dealings with men. �But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD� (Genesis6:8). Just as Mary found grace, so Noah had found grace. Grace is not something one earns or purchases; grace is a treasure that is found! When a person finally realizes that salvation is only by the grace of God, received through faith in the saving work of Christ,he or she has made the greatest discovery that could ever be made, for it brings eternal life. But there is an even greater dimension to the grace of God. When we do �find� grace, it is actually because God in His infinitely precious grace has found us and revealed to us the Savior of our souls. Just as God found Moses in the desert and found Paul onthe road to Damascus, then saved and called them to His service, so He finds us, and then we also find His saving grace. Mary�s discovery of God�s grace in salvation, through the coming of the �seed of the woman� into the world, is revealed in her Magnificat: �My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour� (Luke1:46-47). This could well have also been the testimony of Noah long ago, and it surely should be the testimony of each of us who has found grace today. HMM VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM