Luke 2:11
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
A Savior Is Born
December 25, 2014No Room?
December 24, 2014Joseph must have been frantically looking for a place to stay for the night. Mary was probably already in labor. She was young, it was her first child and she was going through the same pain in childbirth that every mother has when giving birth.
Bethlehem was full of travelers. It was a small village with a very limited number of inns. Maybe only one, and the was no room. The innkeeper took pity on Joseph and Mary and allowed them room in his stable.
Most people look at the innkeeper as unfeeling but if you think about it he really did an act of kindness, plus scripture was being fulfilled.
If the innkeeper had known who was to be born in his stable, maybe he would have given up his own room for JESUS.
JESUS wants the best from us. Our gift to Him this Christmas should be giving Him every room in our heart.
Luke 2:7
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Journey to Bethlehem
December 23, 2014
The journey to Bethlehem took Mary and Joseph about 4 days. It was not an easy journey for a woman about to give birth. Tradition says she rode on a donkey but that is not in the Bible account. She may have had to walk that distance.
Today take a few minutes from your busy Christmas preparation and think about the obedience of Joseph and Mary. They were willing to sacrifice time, ridicule, and hardship to bring JESUS into the world.
Two humans that made a difference to everyone from that time for all eternity.
Luke 2:4
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:)
Christmas Condensed
December 22, 2014“If we could condense all the truths of Christmas into only three words, these would be the words: “God with us.” We tend to focus our attention at Christmas on the infancy of Christ. The greater truth of the holiday is His deity. More astonishing than a baby in the manger is the truth that this promised baby is the omnipotent Creator of the heavens and the earth!”
John MacArthur
Matthew 1:23
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Caesar Augustus
December 21, 2014All those even vaguely familiar with Luke’s Christmas story have heard of Caesar Augustus and his famous decree. It was this decree that sent Mary in the ninth month of her pregnancy 80 miles south to Bethlehem, along with husband Joseph.
Caesar Augustus reigned as emperor of the Roman empire from 27 B.C. to 14 A.D. 41 years in all. His decree had two purposes, for an accurate census and to determine taxation.
Caesar Augustus’s reign was marked by peace and security.
Augustus was very interested in the number of citizens in his empire; he was especially interested in whether that number was growing.
Augustus was so concerned about the declining marriage and birth rate in his empire, that he passed legislation that made promiscuity a crime, which penalized bachelors in their right to inherit, and which bestowed political advantages on fathers of three or more children. Because of his demonstrated concern about marriage and birth rate in his empire, it is likely that one of the reasons that Augustus authorized the censuses was to see whether his legislation was working, or, at the very least, to see if the birth rates increased.
Each Citizen had to return to the place of their birth fulfilling God’s prophecy that The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.
Luke 2:1
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
Shepherds
December 20, 2014At the time Jesus was born, sheep farmers were seen as low or little value by other people. The sheep that they bred would have probably been used as sacrifice animals in the temple in near-by Jerusalem. They were quietly getting on with their own business when suddenly Angels appeared to them. It is not surprising they were afraid!
The angels words to them told them of Jesus and his amazing birth and how they could recognise him in a very crowded town. The song of the hosts of angels is very similar to the words sung during a sacrifice service in the temple when there were three blasts of the temple trumpets. This is only the second time in the whole Bible that a group of angels rather than one angel had appeared to people, so this proved that they had a very important message to give to them. We don’t know the names of the angels or how many there were of them, but in the Bible it says that there are millions of angels – so it would have been an amazing experience!
Being curious as to what the angels meant, they went down into Bethlehem, maybe leaving a shepherd or two behind to keep guard on the sheep.
When they had found and told Mary and Joseph what had happened to them, it says that ‘The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.’ The people they told probably weren’t just the people they saw on the way back to hills, but friends and relatives in Bethlehem and Jerusalem and the people they met in the temple when they took their sheep to be sold.
Luke 2:15
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, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
Ronal Reagan Quote on Christmas
December 19, 2014“Christmas can be celebrated in the schoolroom with pine trees, tinsel and reindeers, but there can be no mention of the man whose birthday is being celebrated. One wonders how a teacher would answer if a student would ask why it was called Christmas.”
Ronald Reagan
Most children in the USA will be having “holiday” parties in school today, as the school will close for Christmas break. What a tragedy that we have come so far in our country that the true meaning of Christmas cannot be taught or mentioned in our public schools.
Our country was founded on Christian principles. Freedom OF religion not freedom FROM religion.
Our greeting should be Merry Christmas, not Happy Holidays. Let us continue to keep Christ in Christmas.
Luke 1:14
And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
Joy to the World
December 18, 2014
Christmas would not seem like Christmas without signing and hearing the hymn ” Joy to the World”. Written in the 1700’s by Isaac Watts, it was not intended to be a Christmas Carol but was published in Psalms of David Imitated.
Watts intended the verses to honor Jesus second coming rather than His birth, but over the years the focus has been on the joy that Jesus was born.
The melody is by George Fredrick Handel.
In this troubled world today we need to sing songs of joy. Jesus was born to bring salvation to the world. He was born, died, rose again and IS coming again. JOY to the World.
Luke 2:10
And the angel said unto them, Fear not:for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
Candy Canes
December 17, 2014
Candy Canes are something that we usually only see at Christmas time. Another tool that can be used to present the gospel.
Candy Canes are inexpensive, most people like them and they are rarely refused if offered as a gift. At the Flea Market last week there were plenty of candy canes to give to the people who passed by.
A smile, a greeting of Merry Christmas and then a question, “Are you 50, 75, or 100% sure if you died today you would go to Heaven?
The results, 5 people trusted Jesus as their Savior.
Why not buy a box of candy canes as you are shopping and use them as a witnessing tool? That would give you 12 opportunities to present the gospel.
SOS soul winners will be at events between now and Christmas. Pray with us for souls.
Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Santa
December 16, 2014What do you do with Santa?
You can’t ignore him because he is pictured everywhere. Your children will see and hear about him. Other children will be excited and talk about him.
Do you really want your children to find out you did not tell them the truth?
In our home, having a large family, we did talk about Santa this way.
Santa is pretend. A fairy tale like Cinderella or Snow White. Fun to think about but they are not real.
They were allowed to sit on Santa’s lap and have their picture taken but they knew that he was just a man pretending to be Santa.
The gifts they receive come from Daddy and Mommy because God gives blessings of being able to work.
We had fun with our children and played make believe with them about Santa but always told them the real meaning of Christmas is because it is Jesus birthday.
The manger scene was always in a prominent place in our home. (Still is)
We celebrated His birthday with a cake. Also, taught the true joy is in giving not receiving.
Did this hurt our children? No. They really enjoyed Christmas but never had the pain of finding out that Santa is not real and that their parents had not told the truth.
We always told them not to tell their friends because their Mom or Dad must tell them when it is time for them to know.
Have fun with your children this Christmas. Make some memories that are uniquely yours.
John 8:32
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
