He Deserves Better Than A Manger

For centuries, the debate has been that since Jesus was to be the King of the Jews, He should have been born in a palace rather than a stable. So, why would God the Father allow His royal Son to be born in such a manner as this. After all, this added to the confusion because the Jews were, in fact, looking for someone who would come and sit on David's throne and remove them from the Roman domination. They had heard of the glory days of the past and were anxious to get back to such prestige again. But, Jesus came to this wicked world, it was to fulfill the purpose of God and not the plan of man. Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies of the ceremonial lamb that was slain on the day of Atonement each year, so it was only fitting that He should enter this world beside those sheep and be recognized first by the shepherds, who knew a perfect lamb when they saw one. Thirty years later, when his cousin John was baptizing in the river Jordan, Jesus Himself came to be baptized. When John saw Him approaching, he could easily and rightly have said there is my cousin Jesus, or even here comes the Messiah. But rather than either of those, John very simply said "Behold the Lamb of God" - signifying His purpose rather than His person. Paul speaks of the fact that Jesus humbled Himself and became a man. Yes, in the minds of man Jesus certainly deserved better than a stable. But, that straw filled manger suited the purpose of God just fine.

The Chosen Shepherds

We usually just think of Mary as having been especially chosen to bear the Christ Child and she was. But, God, in His infinite wisdom, saw several others who were specifically picked to be used of Him during this time. The first that comes to mind is John the Baptist and his parents. John was chosen by God, before he was born, to be the fore runner of the Messiah. His parents had to submit to God's divine leadership, as did John when he was older. Of all of the Magi in the East, why these particular ones? What made them so special? No doubt there were others that had studied Daniel's writings, as well as the prophecies of the Hebrew nation, who may have been just as curious. But they didn't follow "His star". And what about those shepherds out on the hillside that night? Why did God see fit to send His Angel to them with the wonderful glad tidings of great joy? Questions we will never know the answer to. But, I think that when we get to Heaven and have a moment to sit down with them, they will tell us a story that will surpass our feeble imaginations of today. These humble men of no particular worth to those who knew them, were picked by God Almighty to be a part of His master plan. They were privileged to go into Bethlehem and find "the babe lying in a manger", just as the angel had said. They were so moved by this experience that they went everywhere telling people that the Messiah had come. Now, let's bring this up to date and realize that you and I have also been privileged to receive the message that the Messiah has come. And just as the shepherds had the responsibility to pass the news along, so do we. The chosen shepherds and "the chosen US".

Mary Pondered - What Do You Ponder?

It is always interesting to hear people discuss Christmas. Some people are very excited about this special holiday while others can't wait until it is over. For some, Christmas is filled with fond memories of their childhood and that is a good thing. But, when you think about Christmas, what is it that comes to mind. I like to visualize the stories in the Bible and as I think of the passage in Luke 2 telling us of the shepherds coming to the manger to find Mary there holding the Christ child, I often wonder what must have been going through her mind. Luke uses an interesting word when he says that she pondered these things in her heart. Can't you just see this young lady who has just given birth to the very Son of God incarnate, as she caresses Him close and deeply considers what lies ahead for Him. Though we don't know for sure where her thoughts took her, we can be somewhat confident that she considered the fact that He would be thought bad of and scoffed at because His mother was not married when he was born. No mother likes the idea of her child being the target of ridicule and scorn. I am quite sure she also began to contemplate His fate. As God's only begotten Son, He came to this world with a purpose and that was to die for the sins of the whole world. We could go on and think of many other possibilities, but what is more important today is, what do you think about at Christmas time? Have you been swept up in the traditions of the season or do you allow you heart to take over and see the Truth of the Christ Child? Take a moment and allow the precious Holy Spirit to fill your heart and mind with the joys of Christmas.

Christmas Time Is Coming

It is hard to imagine that December has already arrived. Which means the Christmas season is really here. I hope you are celebrating this wonderful time of year in the proper manner. Okay, let met get it off of my chest early and say how very much I despise "Xmas". You don't know how hard it was for me to even it put it there. But, when commercialization has taken over and the focus is on a jolly old fat man rather that God's marvelous gift to mankind, it is no wonder that people leave Christ out of Christmas. I have noticed lately that it is getting more and more difficult to find good Christmas cards with a message to the world about the birth of Christ. I just read in the paper that one major retailer has completely banned the use of Christmas and gone to the less "offensive" happy holidays. Well, I guess you have to decide who you want to offend. Personally, I don't want to offend God, since He has done so much for me. But, that is a decision every person will have to make on their own. I hope that this Christmas season you will keep the emphasis where it belongs and keep Christ in Christmas. After all, Christmas just isn't Merry without Christ.

How Important Is Light To You?

I'm not real fond of darkness. When I was much younger, it was very common for us to travel at night in order for us to take advantage of the limited time we had to be with family. Now, I want to drive in the day light hours. I like being able to see what is around me. An interesting truth that I came to realize long ago is that darkness is simply the absence of light. And light dispels darkness. Jesus said "I am the Light of the world". We are also told that "the entrance of His Word giveth light". The Wisemen were given direction by what the Bible calls "His Star" and they followed that light which led them to the Messiah. If we may say it like this, it led them from darkness into light. The shepherds, on that Christmas morning, saw the light of the Glory of God, as they heard the Angel proclaim the birth of Christ. That light gave them hope and as they responded to the light and the message, they found Emmanuel, God with us. Most people will put a big lighted star on the top of their Christmas tree signifying that star that the Wisemen saw. During this Christmas season, don't miss seeing the grandest light of all, that which God shines into your heart. He wants to lead you out of darkness and into His glorious light. As Jesus was speaking to Nicodemus, He told him that men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. Allow God to dispel the darkness in your life that you may enjoy the light of His presence.

We Are Coming. Should Be There Any Time Now

I really enjoy the Christmas pageants that are put on each year. Some are on a grand scale with music and actors doing a fantastic job. While my favorites are those with the little children playing the parts because you never know just what is going to happen. Regardless, one constant in all of these is that in order to get everyone involved, they must take some liberties with the time frame from Scripture. You will almost always see the shepherds and the Wisemen gathered together by the manger worshiping the baby Jesus. When in reality, it is probably about 18 months after the Christ's birth that the Wisemen finally make their way to Bethlehem. The shepherds came to the manger the night of His birth, but in Matt 2:11 we are told that the Wisemen came to a house and saw a "young child", not a baby. Though there are distinct differences in the arrival of the shepherds and the Wisemen, there are some commonalities as well. Both were led to the place where Jesus was by a messenger of God. The shepherds were told by an angel just where they were to go. The Wisemen were led by a "His star" (Matt 2:2, 10) until they found the Messiah. Both groups of men were led to God's Son in their time and both had to decide to accept this leading from God, receive the Truth and worship Him as Lord and Savior. As God takes you to the truth, in His own timing, receive it and worship Him.