CHRISTMAS !!!!!!! --- GREAT ARTICLES ---- 2021

The Audacity of Christmas By Mike Pohlman So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future--all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's. – 1 Corinthians 3:21-23 This Christmas millions of children (and adults) will find under their Christmas tree a Wii or Xbox or the latest Playstation. When the wrapping paper is ripped and the contents revealed shouts of joy will fill the room. (I’m planning on this as our kidsopen their Wii!) Each of these game consoles will bring countless hours of pleasure to the players. But as amazing as these machines are, they in no way compare to the audacity of God’s gift given at Christmas. Consider the staggering promise of the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:21. He says, “all things are yours” by virtue of being in Christ. And what does Paul include in “all things”? Things like the world, life, death, the present and the future. Breathtaking. How can this be? Galatians 4:4-7 shows how the Christian comes to inherit “all things.” But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. Christmas marks the “fullness of time” when God, in his sovereign freedom, “sent forth his Son.” The One who dispenses times and seasons determined that it was time to send forth the Son who had existed with the Father from eternity. Indeed, the second personof the Trinity “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Philippians2:6-7). He was “born of a woman, born under the law.” Here we have the wonder of the Incarnation: God of very God assuming a human nature. Why would the Son of God take on flesh and dwell among sinful mankind? Why would divinity take on humanity and “become obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians2:8)? He did it to secure salvation. In other words, “to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:5). Christcame into the world not only to free us from the tyranny of sin, death and the devil, but also to crown us with unimaginable glory. It is true that at the Cross Christ “redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13). But wehave not been saved only in this “negative” sense. We have been adopted into God’s family and given all the rights and privileges of legitimate heirs. Paul captures this beautifully in 2 Corinthians 2:8-9, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” And the riches that are ours in Christ are far greater than anything merelymonetary. These riches are in fact “all things” for “all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s” (1 Corinthians3:23). This is the audacity of Christmas and it is intended to redound “to the praise of [God’s] glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved” (Ephesians1:6). Intersecting Faith & Life: This Christmas I wantto think and live as one adopted. One way to do this is to let every gift given to a loved one serve as a pointer to the Gospel. And when we consider how excited we are for the new Wii or Xbox or Playstation with its temporal pleasures, let us remember theeternal weight of glory that awaits the heirs of the King. --------------------------------- By Hal Lindsey “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given….” — Isaiah 9:6, NKJV. When Isaiah the prophet said, “Unto us,” he spoke of his national family, Israel. Christ would be born a son of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But the message of “unto us” did not and does not stop there. Isaiah also spoke thosewords as a man. For that reason, the “us” to whom this Child was born includes the whole human race. The birth of a child is always an awesome event. Tragedies can occur before, during, or after childbirth. But it is the very awesomeness of birth that makes such events so unspeakably sad. Usually, the day of birth is celebrated for a lifetime. The birth of a son or daughter has turned many an atheist into a firm believer. Human birth is that remarkable, that overwhelming. But in all human history, the birth of one Child stands out. It embodies the wonder of all human birth and to that it adds the divine. And I don’t just mean adds a little bit of divinity. I mean that in this Child, God becameman and dwelt among us (John 1:14). Unto us — unto the human race — a Child was born. Why did He have to be born? Why didn’t He come into the world like Superman, riding a rocket from another world? Because the fiction of Superman was that he was not a man.He was an alien who happened to look like us. This Child was born like we are — born with human DNA to a human mother through pain and travail. He was truly one of us. Fully human… but also fully God. “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given.” A child is born to a family. In this case, He was born to the family of Mary and Joseph, the family of Israel, and to the family of man. “Unto us a son is given.” Hecame as God’s great Gift to us all. It’s not an accident that we celebrate His birth with gift-giving. It is appropriate. Each of our small gifts stands as a reminder of Him — the greatest Gift of all. At Christmas, we celebrate the first advent of Christ. We celebrate His birth and all that His birth made possible, including our salvation and redemption. But we should also remember His second advent. He is coming again(John 14:3). The work is not over. He promised to return. We can see it when we keep reading Isaiah 9:6-7 (NKJV). “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, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of Hisgovernment and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” God bless you and may you enjoy a profound, Jesus-centered holiday season this year! ----------------------------------- Despised by the World - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. �1 Corinthians 1:28 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/despised-by-the-world/- Listen I think we�ve made Christmas too beautiful. We see it through a certain lens, and as a result, we�ve lost the raw power of the original story. We�ve added so many layersof tradition to it that we�ve forgotten what it�s all about. For instance, we�ve romanticized the images of Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus with halos and tranquil facial expressions. We have the wise men arriving on their camelswearing coordinating colors. (By the way, the Bible doesn�t even say there were three wise men; it simply says they brought three gifts.) And we�ve certainly romanticized the shepherds. In the first century, shepherds were not popular people. They were very low on the social ladder. In fact, they were despised.They did the work that no one else wanted to do. They went out there and got their hands and feet dirty. So when the shepherds heard that the Savior was born in a manger, or a barn, they could relate to it. As 1 Corinthians 1:28 reminds us, �God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important� (NLT). Isn�t that true? During Jesus�s earthly ministry, that was His modus operandi. He was always going after the outcasts. In John�s gospel, for example, we see Jesus showingmercy to the woman caught in the act of adultery. And in Luke, we find him going out of His way to speak to Zacchaeus, a tax collector who didn�t have a friend in Jericho. That�s why Jesus was called the friend of sinners. God handpicked shepherds, who were at the bottom of the social ladder, to be the first evangelists with the message thatthe Messiah had come. This should give hope to ordinary people like you and me. --------------------------- Living in Frightening Times - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who isChrist the Lord. �Luke 2:10�11 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/living-in-frightening-times/- Listen The shepherds in first-century Israel were living in frightening times. Everyone was afraid, because they were under the iron fist of Rome. Rome established what was knownas Pax Romana, which had conquered most of the civilized world at that point. Many Jewish people were wondering, �Will the Romans ever leave our land? Will we ever be free again? Will the Messiah ever come?� Then suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere but right on schedule, an angel appeared one night to some shepherds with this message: �Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring yougood tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord� (Luke 2:10�11 NKV). I find it interesting that whenever angels appeared, they usually began by saying, �Don�t be afraid!� That�s because when an angel appears, people are generally pretty afraid.Angels are powerful, beautiful, magnificent spirit beings. Whatever you�re afraid of today, God�s message is this: Fear not. In fact, an important part of the Christmas message is that you can get rid of your fear and replace itwith joy. However, the condition of joy is to let go of your fear, because God came to this earth, born as a baby, in a small town called Bethlehem. But let�s also notice that the message was �to all people.� It�s for you and for me. The Bible tells us that �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�� (Matthew 1:22�23 NKJV). Wherever you are right now, God is with you. ------------------------------- On the Third Day � Randy Nettles - https://www.rev310.net/post/on-the-third-day The number 3 represents divine perfection in the Bible. It is associated with the Godhead, for there are 3 persons in God: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The first mentionof the number 3 is in Genesis 1 and describes the 3rd day of creation. � Then God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear; and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering togetherof the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good� (Genesis 1:9-10). On the 3rd day of creation, the earth was caused to rise up out of the water, symbolic of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 3 is the number of resurrection, for it was on the 3rdday (after the crucifixion) that Jesus rose again from the dead (Luke 24:7). Also on the 3rd day of creation, God caused the earth �to bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seedis in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the third day� (Genesis1:12-13). The seed is buried in the earth, dies, and is then resurrected to new life; which is symbolic of Christ, the firstfruitsof the dead, afterward those who are Christ�s at His coming (Rapture). God declared the 3rd day of creation �good� twice. ABRAHAM�S FAITH CONFIRMED AT MOUNT MORIAH In Genesis 22, God decided to test Abraham�s faith and told him to take his only son (by Sarah), Isaac, and offer him as a burnt offering to the Lord. Abraham was instructedto go to Mount Moriah to offer the sacrifice, so he cut the wood and loaded it on his donkey and set out for the place God had told him about. On the 3rd day, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He placed the wood on his young son Isaac, andtogether they made it to the designated place on Mount Moriah. It was later in the day (3rd day) that Abraham built an altar there, laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. �As Abraham stretchedforth his hand and took the knife to slay his son, the angel of the Lord (the pre-incarnate Jesus, the Son) called unto him out of heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham! And He said, Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that youfear God since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me� (Genesis 22:15-18). Abraham looked around and saw a ram caught in a thicket by his horns, so he took it and offered it up in place of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jirah,which means �in the mount of the Lord it shall be seen� (King James Version). The N.K.J. version says �in the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.� �The angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, and said, By Myself, I have sworn, says the Lord, for because you have done this thing, and havenot withheld your son, your only son - that in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore, and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies, and your seedshall all the nations of the earth be blessed because you have obeyed my voice� (Genesis 22:15-18). The author of Hebrews mentions the faith of Abraham regarding this event. �By faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promisesoffered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, In Isaac your seed shall be called, concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense� (Hebrews 11:17-19). This event foreshadowed the death of Christ in many ways and is called typology. This term has been defined as �a method of biblical interpretation by which a person, event,or type in the Old Testament corresponds to another one (antitype) in the New Testament within the framework of salvation history.� In this case, Abraham represents God the Father who is sacrificing his only begotten son. 3 times in Genesis 22, Abraham respondedto the calling of his name with �here I am.� This is a typology of a future event when God said to Moses, �I AM Who I AM. Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you� (Exodus 3:14). God told Moses His name 3 times in this one verse � I AM. Abraham, in this typology, represents God, the great I AM. Isaac represents the Son of God, Jesus, who is willing to die for his Father. Isaac carries the wood to the altar. The wood represents the cross that Jesus had to carryfor his own crucifixion. Both Isaac and Jesus� birth were genuinely miraculous, albeit in different ways. God supplied the sacrifice for Abraham, which was a ram. He also supplied the sacrifice for all of mankind, which was the perfect Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. ISRAEL AT MOUNT SINAI AND THE TEN COMMANDMENTS The next Biblical 3rd-day event is found in Exodus 19. The Children of Israel arrived at Mount Sinai on the first day of the 3rd month of Sivan, according to Exodus 19:1-2.The first thing Moses did was to go up the mountain and talk with God. Moses brought back the words of the Lord to the people and the people agreed to obey Him. The Lord told Moses to be ready for the 3rd day. �For on the third day the Lord will come downupon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people� (Exodus 19:11). Here is how Moses described that day: �Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain;and the sound of the trumpet was very loud so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpetwas very loud so that all the people who were in the camp trembled� (Exodus 19:16,18-19). On this 3rd day of the 3rd month of Sivan, God spoke to Moses (who drew near the thick darkness where God was) and the people (who stood afar off) and gave them the 10 Commandmentsverbally (Exodus 20). God would later write down the 10 Commandments on two tablets of stone, which the Hebrew people would later keep in the ark of the covenant. Some Torah scholars believe the 10 Commandments were given on Sivan 6, but this cannot be provenby scripture. They also try to declare the 6th day of Sivan as the official day of Pentecost, but this can�t be accurate for Pentecost comes 49 days after the Feast of Firstfruits, which is the Sunday after Passover. So Pentecost comes on different days ofthe months, but always comes on the same day of the week, Sunday. Moses returned with the stone tablets of the covenant law (inscribed by the finger of God) at the end of the 40 day period and fast he spent on the mountain (Exodus 31:18). Many Bible studentsbelieve the Rapture could occur on the day of Pentecost, for various reasons. On a side note to this article, I recently received an email from Sharon G. who wrote regarding Rabbi Yarov Rambsel�s work on �equidistant letter sequencing� and their decodingthrough the Hebrew language of the Tanakh. She writes: �In Modern Hebrew the word for �rapture� is �shilhuv� and hasn�t been used until recent times. Obviously, YHVH who is all-knowing would prepare His secrets for any eventually. So we see in Exodus 19:16,17,that reads: And it came to pass on the third day in the morning�. In the Hebrew text on the third day in the morning�is written b�yom hashlishi bihiot haboker. Every other letter in the Hebrew from left to right spells be�shilhuv which is the ordinary termfor �in the rapture� written in Modern Hebrew. Is this a picture of the Rapture? It fits the context! A trumpet, Moshe a type of Yahshua bringing the people to meet YHVH on His mount or throne.� I have always been fascinated with the concept of �equidistantletter sequencing �in the Tanakh. For more information on this teaching, go to https://www.rabdavis.org/a-brief-examination-of-the-rapture/ HOSEA AND HIS END TIMES PROPHECY In Hosea 5, Hosea gave the children of Israel a prophecy from God regarding impending judgment on Israel and Judah. Then in Hosea 5:15, the Lord gives Hosea a glimpse intothe future and talks about the coming Jewish Messiah: �I will return again to My place until they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; In their affliction, they will earnestly seek Me.� Hosea told the people when they repented of their unbelief,the Lord would return to them. �Come, and let us return to the Lord; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight. Let usknow, let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, the latter and former rain to the earth� (Hosea 6:1-3). I have written several articles regarding this prophecy and how it relates to the end times. I believe Hosea is talking about Jesus Christ�s return (2nd Coming) at the endof two days (2000 years). At this time the Lord will resurrect (raise up) the Old Testament and Tribulation saints and will establish His Kingdom which will last for 1000 years. On the third day, eternity will begin in which God will create the New Earth andHeavens. Another interesting decoding of scripture involving �equidistant letter sequencing involving the Rapture is found in Hosea 6:2 of the Tanakh (see rabdavis website above).The phrase (in Hebrew) �in the third day�or b� yom hashlishi... Taking every other letter from left to right starting with the letter shin to the far left in this phrase spells the letter �shilhuv� which in Modern Hebrew spells �rapture.� Starting with theword hashlishi of the same phrase and counting every 132nd letter from right to left spells �natzai� which is the ancient Hebrew word for �snatched up, rescued or saved.� DAVID AT MOUNT MORIAH Abraham�s sacrifice on Mount Moriah wasn�t the only important Biblical event that transpired on this mountain site. About 800 years later, King David bought a threshingfloor (and the land) from Araunah the Jebusite on this same location. He then built an altar to the Lord there, so that a plague God had sent upon the people (for David�s sin) would be stopped, according to 2 Samuel 24:21. David built an altar to the Lordand offered burnt offerings and peace offerings; so the Lord heeded the prayers for the land, and the plague was withdrawn from Israel on the 3rd day. (2 Samuel:24-25), after 70,000 men of the people had died. SOLOMON AND THE FIRST TEMPLE Several decades later Solomon built the First Temple on Mount Moriah at the same location that Abraham and David had built altars to the Lord. When it was finished, after7 years of construction the priests brought the ark of the covenant into the inner sanctuary of the temple to the Most Holy Place. �When the priests came out of the holy place, a bright cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not continueministering because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord� 1 Kings 8:10-11). Abraham�s name for this same location, Jehovah-jirah, was aptly named, perhaps prophetically, �in the mount of the Lord it shall be seen� (K.J. version). According to my calculations (see: Chronology of Mankind: 6,000 Years of History Pt 1 :: By Randy Nettles - Rapture Ready), the construction of the 1st Temple of Jerusalemwas finished in the year 3000 A.M. (anno mundi � the year dating from the year of creation). If a day of the Lord is as a thousand years for man, and a thousand years as one day (according to Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8), then the construction of the 1st Templeof the Lord was finished on the 3rd day of the Lord. The 2nd Temple was also built on this same location. Ironically (but probably not), the 2nd Temple was finished on the 3rd day of the month of Adar according to Ezra 6:15. However, the glory of the Lordnever filled this house of worship and sacrifice. ESTHER AND THE FEAST OF PURIM The next important Biblical event that occurred on a third day is found in the book of Esther. The events of this book take place in Persia in approximately 479 to 473 BCwhen Ahasuerus (Xerxes) was king of Persia. Esther�s family had been taken from Jerusalem when Nebuchadnezzar brought the Jews into exile. After Babylon was defeated by the Persians, the Jews were distributed throughout the kingdom. Esther had been adoptedby her older cousin Mordecai. Through some unusual circumstances (Esther 1,2) Esther eventually became the wife of King Xerxes and thus the Queen of Persia. Haman was the prime minister to Xerxes and was an evil man who hated Mordecai and the Jews. He invented a plot to gain permission from the king to exterminate the Jews fromthe kingdom. Mordecai persuaded Queen Esther to risk her life by going before (unannounced) the king and asking him to spare the Jewish people. Esther told Mordecai to gather all the Jews in Shushan and fast (for her plan) for 3 days and nights. It was onthe 3rd day of the fast that Queen Esther went before the king and set her plan in motion to rescue the Jews from certain death. Eventually, Haman�s plot was uncovered and King Xerxes issued a decree that allowed the Jews to defend themselves from attack.Haman was hanged on the gardens that he built for Mordecai, and Mordecai replaced Haman as prime minister of all Persia. The feast of Purim celebrated Esther and Mordecai�s prevention of the plot to exterminate the Jewish people. The first Purim was celebratedin 473 BC. THE TWO WITNESSES Before Jesus began his ministry, John the Baptist was preaching in the wilderness about the coming of the Lord. John and his disciples were baptizing those who would believein this message, when one day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, �Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world� (John 1:29). John bore witness of the Holy Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and remaining on Jesus. The Holy Spiritwas the One who told John to baptize with water and told him, Upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen and testified that this is the son of God� (John 1:32-34). John the Baptistand the Holy Spirit were the two witnesses to Jesus� ministry and true identity. JESUS� MINISTRY BEGINS Jesus� ministry began on a day when John stood with two of his disciples and looking at Jesus, he said again, �Behold, the Lamb of God!� The two disciples followed Jesusand remained with him that day. One of the two disciples was Andrew, Simon Peter�s brother. Andrew brought Simon to Jesus and Jesus told him, You shall be called Cephas (which is translated, a stone). The next day (the 2nd day of Jesus� ministry), Jesus added Philip and Nathanael to his growing number of disciples. On the third day, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee,and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples also attended the wedding. At some point during the wedding, they ran out of wine. Jesus� mother, Mary, told Jesus about this dilemma and Jesus told her that �his �hour� had not yet come.� Jesus reluctantlyagreed to help out, however, and translated six waterpots (containing 20 or 30 gallons apiece) of water into wine. This was Jesus� first miracle during his 3-year ministry. �This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee and manifested His glory, andHis disciples believed in Him� (John 2:11). This wedding probably occurred on the 3rd day of the week, Tuesday. It was a tradition from ancient times that Tuesday was the best day to get married. The reason for thisbelief is that Tuesday was the 3rd day of creation and the only day in the creation account in which God pronounced a double blessing (Genesis 1:10, 1:12). Therefore Tuesday is known as the day of double blessing. This makes it a great day to get married.Perhaps that is the day when the bridegroom, Jesus, marries the bride, the Church, in heaven. JESUS� RESURRECTION ON THE THIRD DAY Jesus was crucified near Mount Moriah or at its summit in the year AD 33 or in the year 3989 A.M. (anno mundi) approximately 11 years shy of the 4th day of the Lord. Paul�sout-of-body experience where he was �caught up� to heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2-4) occurred a decade later in AD 43 (as I wrote about in my previous article). This event happened on almost the exact 4th day of the Lord, 4000 A.M. The one event that surpassed (in importance) Jesus� birth and death was his resurrection. �But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of thosewho have fallen asleep. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ�s at His coming� (1 Corinthians 15:20,23). Jesus was resurrected from the dead three days after his crucifixion (which occurred on Passover, Nisan14, AD 33) on the Feast of Firstfruits, Nisan 17, AD 33. Before his death, Jesus predicted his resurrection several times to his disciples. There are 9 recordings of Jesus predicting his resurrection on the 3rd day to his disciples;3 times in Matthew (Matthew 16:21, 17:23, 20:19), 2 times in Mark (Mark 9:31, 10:34), and 4 times in Luke (Luke 9:22, 13:32, 18:33, and 24:7). On the 3rd day after his crucifixion, Jesus proved He was who he said he was, the Son of God (Luke 22:70; John 5:24-26;John 9:35-36; John 10:30, etc.), for His Father raised him from the dead and He now sits at the right hand of God. There are, however, a couple of predictions from Jesus regarding his resurrection in a sort of parable. The Scribes and Pharisees asked for a sign from Jesus to prove hewas the Christ. Jesus answered them and said, � For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth� (Matthew 12:40). Another time, after Jesus drove themoney changers out of the temple (the first time), the Jews asked Jesus, �What sign do you show to us, since you do these things?� Jesus answered and said to them, �Destroy this temple, and in 3 days I will raise it up� (John 2:18-19). As I have mentioned many times, 3 is a very important number signifying divine perfection. There is nothing more divine and perfect than Jesus� resurrection. �For if webelieve that Jesus died and rose again (on the 3rd day), even so, God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always bewith the Lord� (1 Thessalonians 4:14,17). Amen, even so, come Lord Jesus! Randy Nettles --------------------------- A Message of Hope - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org 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�. �Luke 2:15 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/a-message-of-hope/- Listen After the angel delivered the good news to the shepherds, they had a choice as to what to do. They could have said, �Let�s just hang out here and soak it in.� Or they mighthave said, �We can�t go there. We�re not dressed appropriately. Besides, no one wants shepherds around.� Instead, they essentially said, �Let�s go quickly and see this thing for ourselves.� A lot of times we miss out on what God wants to do in our lives because we don�t respond appropriately. Luke�s gospel tells us, �They hurried to the village and found Maryand Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds� story were astonished� (2:16�18 NLT). In first-century Israel, the people were hoping that someone would overthrow Rome. They were hoping for a militant Messiah to free them from their captivity. But Jesus wasn�tcoming to overthrow Rome; He was coming to die for the sins of the world. We have the same message as the shepherds did. And we, too, need to share this message, especially during this Christmas season. We all know people are hurting this Christmas.Some have lost their jobs, some are sick, some have a loved one who is sick, and some are very depressed. We need to tell people there is hope. We need to tell people that a Savior has been born. And we need to tell them they don�t have to be afraid. The reason is that Christhas come. Christ has been born. He walked this earth, died on the cross, and rose from the dead. And now He offers the ultimate gift of eternal life. We have a Savior. ------------------------- O Little Town of Bethlehem- Nathele Graham - twotug@embarqmail.com We learn Christmas songs at a young age, and most of us can sing at least one verse of our favorite Christmas carol without looking at the words. It�s good to have songsmemorized, but it�s good to understand the truth behind the songs. A favorite for many years has been �O Little Town of Bethlehem�, written in 1868 by Phillip Brooks. O little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie~ Above thy deep and dreamless sleep The silent stars go by; Yet in thy dark streets shineth The everlasting light. The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in thee tonight. Bethlehem was a small town near Jerusalem. It was the home town of King David. He spent much time in the surrounding fields shepherding his sheep. It was a quiet life, buteven at that time, there had been important events involving Bethlehem. David was the son of Jesse, and Jesse was the son of Obed, who was the son of Boaz and Ruth. Their love story is recorded in the Old Testament book of Ruth. It�s a record of the love ofa Jewish man for a young Gentile widow named Ruth. Ruth came to understand Jewish ways, and know the One True God because of her Jewish mother-in-law, Naomi. Naomi had left Bethlehem with her husband and two sons. The sons grew up and married Gentiles. Naomi�shusband and both sons died. Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem where she hoped to find a kinsman redeemer to redeem the land her husband had lost. Ruth went with Naomi. There was a near kinsman named Boaz, who owned fields around Bethlehem. Were these thesame fields where Christ was born? Boaz fell in love, and took a Gentile bride, Ruth, and redeemed the land Naomi had lost. Jesus is our Kinsman Redeemer. His mother and step-father were Jewish. He shed His blood, as our Kinsman Redeemer, to redeem what Adamhad lost. Jesus took a Gentile Bride (Christians) and faith in His death, burial, and Resurrection brings eternal life. Both Joseph and Mary trace their bloodlines through King David, so there is no doubt that Jesus is rightful heir to David�s throne. Whenthe angel came to Mary to announce she would have a child, he told her �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 over the house of Jacob for ever;and of his kingdom there shall be no end.� Luke 1:32-33. Isaiah had given a prophecy that the Messiah would be born of a virgin, and Micah had foretold He would be born in Bethlehem in Judah. �But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, thoughthou be little among thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.� Micah 5:2. So, how did a young virgin in Nazareth, who was engaged, but not yetmarried, to a carpenter named Joseph, happen to give birth to the Son of God, miles away in Bethlehem? Mary was a virgin�engaged to Joseph, but not yet married. The Holy Spirit had come upon her and she became pregnant�a virgin just as Isaiah had foretold. �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 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 of David, 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 & 3-5. It�s interesting that God chose Mary, who lived many miles away from Bethlehem,to give birth to the Messiah. Somehow, she had to be in Bethlehem when Christ was born. God used a pagan ruler to issue a decree requiring everyone to be taxed. That decree forced Joseph to travel with Mary to Bethlehem. God�s timing is perfect, and the decreewas issued when Mary was �great with child�, but still able to travel. They made it to Bethlehem �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 inswaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.� Luke 2:6-7. Movies and Sunday school plays like to dramatize their arrival in Bethlehem just as Mary is ready to give birth. That makes for exciting stories, but Scriptureseems to indicate that they were settled into the manger before Mary went into labor. For Christ is born of Mary, And, gathered all above While mortals sleep, the angels keep Their watch of wond�ring love. O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth, And praises sing to God the King And peace to all the earth. On that day when prophecy was fulfilled, most of the residents of Bethlehem were ignorant of the miracle which took place in the fields around Bethlehem. People haven�tchanged much over the years. Today, prophecy is ignored and, even though it�s unfolding daily, most people are sleeping. Long ago the angels proclaimed Jesus� birth to shepherds. I can only imagine the fear that took control of their minds. Imagine lying inthe grass looking up into a dark sky full of twinkling stars. Maybe there was some idle chit-chat about the crowds of people in town for the taxation, or talking about any new lambs that had been born. Suddenly, out of the tranquility, an angel of the Lordappeared. The shepherds were afraid. �And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone around about them: and they were sore afraid.� Luke 2:9. I�d be afraid too. �And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring yougood tidings of 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.� Luke 2:10-11. That�s the best news that has ever been proclaimed. Christ was born! How silently, how silently, The wondrous gift is giv�n! So God imparts to human hearts The blessings of his heav�n. No ear may hear his coming, But in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive him, still The dear Christ enters in. Once again, Sunday school plays and Hollywood movies dramatize what happened. The angel spoke to the shepherds. More angels appeared, but they too spoke the words. �Andsuddenly 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.� Luke 2:13-14. We usually picture the multitude of angels loudly singing the words, but Scripturedoesn�t indicate that they sang the words. It does say they spoke their praises to God. Christ fulfilled hundreds of Old Testament prophecies. Although He was crucified and buried, He arose from the grave and conquered death. Invite Him into your life, andyou will be forgiven your sins (past, present, and future sins) and gain eternal life. Receive His gift of salvation today. O holy Child of Bethlehem, Descend to us, we pray, Cast out our sin and enter in, Be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angels The great glad tidings tell; O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Immanuel! Christ�s birth is as important today as it was when the angels appeared to the shepherds. All a person needs to do to receive Christ is to humbly admit you�re a sinner andneed a Saviour. Jesus Christ is that Saviour. He is the only way of salvation. The angel�s announcement of peace on earth good will toward men is still valid. God wants people to come to Him for salvation, and we need to seek His peace by accepting His son.When the shepherds heard the announcement of Christ�s birth, they left their sheep and went to find the Baby. �And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, andsee this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.� Luke 2:15-16. They responded exactly the way everyone should when told about Jesus. Hear aboutHim, then seek Him. After the shepherds found Him, they went and told others about Him. Have you told anybody about Jesus? Have you told anyone about His free gift of salvation? When I was much younger, I would sing the words, not really understanding the reason for singing about Bethlehem. Now I know how important it is to understand the wordsto the hymns I sing. God gave us prophecy to let us know the future and see signs that prophecy is being fulfilled. Because people ignored prophecy and didn�t look for His birth, many missed Him. Preconceived ideas can cause blindness to prophecy being fulfilled.It was shepherds who first heard the joyous news and responded. I wonder what the people said who heard the shepherd�s tale of angels and finding the baby in a manger. Were they mocked? Shepherds weren�t highly respected people, so when they told of angelsappearing and finding the Messiah, most who heard their words didn�t respond with joy. The shepherds didn�t allow mockers to steal their joy. �And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it wastold unto them.� Luke 2:20. Have you heard the Good News that Christ was born? Have you responded to that news and asked Jesus to forgive your sins? Tell someone about it. If they laugh at you, don�t allow their mockery to take your joy away. By human reasoning, it would have made more sense for Christ to be born in Jerusalem, but God chose the little town of Bethlehem long before His birth. By human reasoningit would have made more sense to have the Son of God be born to a married couple. Long before Mary was born, God said a virgin would give birth to His Son. By human reasoning it would have made more sense for Jesus to be born to a wealthy family, but Immanuel,God with us, was born in a manger to very poor earthly parents. They were faithful to their Jewish faith, and on the eighth day after His birth He was circumcised, and all other Jewish Laws were fulfilled. �And after the days of her purification accordingto the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) and to offer a sacrifice according to that whichis said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.� Luke 2:22-24. Once again Sunday school plays and Hollywood have confused the story. The magi hadn�t been to visit yet. When they arrived, they gave expensive gifts of gold, frankincense,and myrrh. Had Joseph and Mary had these expensive gifts, they could have afforded an offering of a lamb, but they had to sacrifice an offering of a poor person. In God�s timing, the magi would arrive at a house, not a manger, to find the Child, not the Baby,and their gifts would pay the expenses for Joseph, Mary, and Jesus to flee to Egypt to avoid Herod�s order to kill all male children. God always provides what is needed when it is needed. During this time of year, there are so many secular pressures to buy gifts, go to Christmas parties, and bake goodies, we forget that we are celebrating the humble birthof God�s Son�our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Be sure to tell someone about the reason for the season. God bless you all, Nathele Graham twotug@embarqmail.com ron@straitandnarrowministry.com ------------------------------- Remember Why - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. �Romans 5:6 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/remember-why/- Listen All around us there are telltale signs that it�s Christmas, with lights everywhere, Christmas trees strapped to the tops of cars, and Christmas songs playing everywhere. Yet one of the easiest times to forget Jesus is during the Christmas season. With all the rushing around and numerous events to attend, we can forget all about why He cameto this earth. Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem to save us from our sin. The birth of Jesus was so there would be the death of Jesus. The Incarnation was for the purpose of atonement. The Bible tells us, �When we were utterly helpless, Christcame at just the right time and died for us sinners� (Romans 5:6 NLT). Jesus was born to die that we might live. The Son of God was born so that we might be born again. He left his home in Heaven so that we would have a home in Heaven. If you want a happy Christmas this year, then make it more about giving than receiving. Studies have revealed that people who give are happier than people who don�t give.So engage in an act of generosity for someone in need. Help someone who is hurting. Here are 10 things you should do if you don�t want to be depressed: (1) Do something for someone who is less fortunate than you, and (2) repeat the first step nine moretimes. Most of us probably can�t remember what we received last Christmas, much less the Christmas before. I�ve discovered that the greatest moments of this season aren�t the oneswe build up in our minds, like Christmas morning. Rather, they�re the in-between moments, the simple moments of worship. So make your Christmas more about giving than receiving, and make your Christmas more about His presence in your life than the presents under the tree. ------------------------------------ Unto Us�The Ultimate Gift- By Hal Lindsey - https://www.hallindsey.com/ww-12-12-2021/ �For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given�.� � Isaiah 9:6, NKJV. When Isaiah the prophet said, �Unto us,� he spoke of his national family, Israel. Christ would be born a son of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But the message of �unto us� didnot and does not stop there. Isaiah also spoke those words as a man. For that reason, the �us� to whom this Child was born includes the whole human race. The birth of a child is always an awesome event. Tragedies can occur before, during, or after childbirth. But it is the very awesomeness of birth that makes such eventsso unspeakably sad. Usually, the day of birth is celebrated for a lifetime. The birth of a son or daughter has turned many an atheist into a firm believer. Human birth is that remarkable, thatoverwhelming. But in all human history, the birth of one Child stands out. It embodies the wonder of all human birth and to that it adds the divine. And I don�t just mean adds a littlebit of divinity. I mean that in this Child, God became man and dwelt among us (John 1:14). Unto us � unto the human race � a Child was born. Why did He have to be born? Why didn�t He come into the world like Superman, riding a rocket from another world? Becausethe fiction of Superman was that he was not a man. He was an alien who happened to look like us. This Child was born like we are � born with human DNA to a human mother through pain and travail. He was truly one of us. Fully human� but also fully God. �For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given.� A child is born to a family. In this case, He was born to the family of Mary and Joseph, the family of Israel, andto the family of man. �Unto us a son is given.� He came as God�s great Gift to us all. It�s not an accident that we celebrate His birth with gift-giving. It is appropriate. Each of our small gifts stands as a reminder of Him � the greatest Gift of all. At Christmas, we celebrate the first advent of Christ. We celebrate His birth and all that His birth made possible, including our salvation and redemption. But we shouldalso remember His second advent. He is coming again (John 14:3). The work is not over. He promised to return. We can see it when we keep reading Isaiah 9:6-7 (NKJV). �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. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hostswill perform this.� God bless you and may you enjoy a profound, Jesus-centered holiday season this year! ----------------------------------------- Where�s the Peace? - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org 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, goodwill toward men!� �Luke2:13�14 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/wheres-the-peace/- Listen The message of the angels to the shepherds was, �Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!� (Luke 2:14 NKJV). Peace on earth. When we look atall the wars and conflicts in the world today, we wonder where the peace is. But a better translation of the angels� statement would be, �Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth among men with whom God is well pleased.� When our lives arewell pleasing to God, we�ll have peace. But before we can have the peace of God, we must have peace with God. If we don�t believe in Jesus, then we are, effectively, enemies of God. We�re at war with God. That comes as a shock to some people. They might say, �I believe in the manupstairs, in the good Lord.� But they�re still at war with God because their sin separates them from Him. I remember when I first heard Jesus�s words, �He who is not with Me is against Me� (Matthew 12:30 NKJV). As a nonbeliever, I looked around at the Christians in the meetingI was attending on my high school campus and thought, �Well, I�m not one of them. Does that mean I�m against Him?� I didn�t want to be at war with God. That was the day I believed in Jesus. I remember feeling like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. And for the first time in my life, I found the peace that Godpromises for each of us. Jesus came to give us life in all its fullness. He said, �I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly� (John 10:10 NKJV). He has the meaningof life. You can live life to its fullest in a relationship with Jesus Christ. VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM