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December 30th, 2019

12/30/2019

Keeping Christ in Christmas
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. (Luke 2:16)

(Edited from Morning Minute – December 27, 2005)

“CHRISTMAS" (Click on “Christmas” to read article in Wikipedia) is the annual festival celebrating the birth of Christ and is observed on December 25 in the western church. The word is a compound word meaning “Christ’s Mass,” the taking of the Eucharist, or Lord’s Supper. Old English Crīstesmæsse, a phrase first recorded in 1038 followed by the word Cristes-messe in 1131. The crèche, the babe in the manger with Mary and Joseph is the universal symbol of Christmas.

SINCE WE WERE TODDLERS we have known something about Christmas and each of us had it defined for us according to our family and church traditions. Church pageants in which children dressed up in robes and head dress and interacted with the manger and baby Jesus on stage, this taught us the basics. At home our family traditions taught us that Christmas was special. There was special food, decorations, and however many toys the family could afford. There was an evergreen tree with lights and beautiful ornaments, and gifts under the tree.

WITHE THAT GREAT VARIATION OF CHURCH-HOME INFLUENCE on our understanding of Christmas, we still came out with the common knowledge that it’s the birthday of the baby-Jesus. For the past several years those who feel strongly that “Jesus is the reason for the season” have been offended by merchants who want our Christmas money but want to sell us “holiday gifts” instead of “Christmas gifts.”

MERCHANTS HAVE CREATED A LOT OF ILL-WILL AGAINST THEMSELVES by trying to side-step Christmas celebration by calling it “The Holiday Season.” We won’t have it! And we have pushed back. In some areas the merchants are in a bind because Jewish Hanukkah (Celebration of Lights) occurs on December 25. And now Muslims want a special day. However, the Christian Christmas celebration is the one season that brings in the big bucks, not the other celebrations.

THE COMMERCIALIZING OF CHRISTMAS, removing “Christmas” from sight in the stores, and forbidding clerks from wishing customers “Merry Christmas” is where most Christians feel that Christ is being taken out of Christmas. However, having said that, we need to look deeper in recognizing that if we focus primarily on the symbols of Christmas, i.e. shopping, feasting and going crazy in general over the symbols, we have goaded ourselves into removing Christ from His own birthday celebration by our wild frenzy of celebration. In short, we have begun to celebrate celebration for its own sake.

MAY I SUGGEST A FEW THINGS THAT WILL HELP US ENJOY CHRISTMAS and direct our attention toward the real purpose of Christmas? The first suggestion I have is a radical one. You may want to forget the Santa Claus thing altogether. If he must be part of your family, explain that he is a “pretend” figure and not real. Limit his activity to filling a stocking with fruit, chocolate candy and nuts that you can devour before Christmas breakfast. All the other gifts are from family members in honor of Christ’s birthday. Santa Claus knows all things and can do “all things.” Therefore, he is omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipotent (all-powerful). Only God is omniscient and omnipotent. Therefore, Santa is claiming traits that only God has.

PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR: start planning your family Christmas on December 26 of this year. This will help control your Christmas giving and other activities. Early planning can be a rough-draft of what the family can do and help avoid Christmas bankruptcy and insanity. Last-minute Christmas thinking and Christmas shopping make your Christmas an expensive night-mare. Taking advantage of after-Christmas sales can cut your cost of Christmas in half. Christmas cards cost less on December 26. Of course, food for Christmas and last-minute adjustments will have to be purchased in December just before Christmas.

AVOID FINANCING CHRISTMAS GIVING WITH CREDIT CARDS except what you can pay off in 30 days without incurring interest. If all the Christmas buyers in the family understand and practice this principle, the pain of Christmas will not last through the following year. This simple practice would transform the family Christmas of millions of families. In my opinion, nothing takes Christ out of Christmas like credit cards and the self-imposed pain of unnecessary debt.

MAKE AS MANY OF YOUR GIFTS AS POSSIBLE if there is a knack for making things in the family. Nothing is as personal as things made by the hands of the gift giver. Things made in the kitchen are personal. Be aware of this: a big fruit cake can cost you twenty bucks. Make fruit cakes in smaller baking pans and add fruit and nuts to add variety and savings. Mini-size fruit cakes are appreciated and enables you to size your fruit cake giving to the family size and taste. Encourage young children to begin making Christmas cards for family and their friends. If possible, involve your children in Christmas cooking and giving.

DECIDE EARLY HOW MANY OUTSIDE GROUPS you are going to exchange gifts with. Some church groups play “Dirty Santa” in church Christmas parties. Take a small gift, even a terrible gift and it is swapped around the circle 2-3 times; much fun, low cost. Don’t forget a little tin of goodies for the mail carrier, garbage carrier, hair-dresser, etc. Planning ahead will help you size your Christmas giving and hold down the costs.

SOME CHURCHES ADOPT A FAMILY OR TWO at Christmas time and post the sizes of the children on the church bulletin board. The family can also adopt a needy family or a needy individual. This is how the Saint Nicholas thing got started and served a good purpose before it got out of hand and he started coming down chimneys and stovepipes, and started living at the North Pole. Reindeer are real critters but keeping and feeding them all year is costly. Also, the kind of reindeer that fly tend to be temper mental and a bit pushy.
Avoid giving expensive gifts at Christmas. Consider buying larger gifts on birthdays when it is more appropriate. A new Toyota for Christmas may be a bit awkward, especially trying to explain it to the children.

HAVE SEVERAL DAYS OF CHRISTMAS. Advent is the period of four Sundays and weeks before Christmas (or sometimes from the 1st December to Christmas Day!). Advent means 'Coming' in Latin. This is the coming of Jesus into the world. Christians use the four Sundays and weeks of Advent to prepare and remember the real meaning of Christmas.

READ THE CHRISTMAS STORY FROM MATTHEW 1-2 AND LUKE 2 EVERY YEAR over a period of days. Study references to Christ’s birth from the Old Testament. Sing Christmas carols every day. Stand at the dining table, hold hands and sing before you are seated. Light two red or white candles on the dining table at one or more meals. Pray at mealtime and include the names of people who are sick or have some other special need for prayer.

PRAY FOR YOUR PASTOR AND FOR AT LEAST ONE MISSIONARY. Pray for America. Below is a link that gives you a more comprehensive picture of how many Christians observe the Christmas season. You may find ideas that fit you and your family. You will need to plan ahead several months if you wish to observe the Advent (coming) of Christmas. https://www.whychristmas.com/customs/advent.shtml

Read Through the Bible in a Year
DECEMBER 31, 2019 - TUESDAY
A.M. Malachi 1-4 P.M. Revelation 18
(Bible Gateway will read this to you if you like. Look for the speaker icon.)

A Good Verse to Memorize:
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. (Matthew 1:18)

Song for Today:
Unto Us a Son Is Given (4:15) – (Korean?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn5Tjo_8IlE (One day, all the nations who know Him will sing.)
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Health Tip:
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables with color. Eat more fruits and vegetables raw; eat something raw at every meal.
(This article is a total of 1378 words).

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we have seen his star

12/26/2019

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We Have Seen His Star
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him (Matthew 2:1-2.)

This article is edited from its original post of December 16, 2015.

WISE MEN. Much time and scholarship has been devoted to these “wise men.” It was common practice for kings in the area of Babylon and Persia to assemble a body of men from the smartest they could find who were masters of accumulated philosophy and “professionals” at studying the stars and heavenly bodies. They grasped for any straw of connection to any existing deity “out there anywhere” who could guide them in exercising the controls and expansion of their kingdoms. That is the background.

HOWEVER, MIXED WITH THIS is the fact that, as Jews, they were conquered and forced into exile among these conquering kingdoms to the east, first Babylon and then Persia (modern-day Iraq and Iran). They took with them a firm belief in the one true God who had given them their land and their sacred books. They were highly educated in their sacred books and their influence had oozed out into their conquerors.

IT IS BELIEVED BY SOME OF OUR BEST-EDUCATED SCHOLARS of the Old Testament and the Middle East, that the knowledge of the Wise Men who followed a star to Jerusalem, gained their knowledge from Jewish captives, deported to Babylon. When Babylon (Iraq) was conquered by Persia (Iran) the Jewish captives then had access to the scholars of Persia.

THE SACRED JEWISH BOOKS HAD TOLD THEM of One promised to come to Israel who would be a governor. The wise men of Babylon and Persia were interested in this and learned it.

APPARENTLY, THE WISE MEN WHO SHOWED UP IN JERUSALEM, were officials of government in that they had considerable wealth and also, they could be counted by their government as making a justified excursion to follow a strange star they had been studying.

THEIR INQUIRY WAS NOT ABOUT A SUFFERING SAVIOR who would save people from their sins, but about a New King born to the Jews. If a Jewish king was being born in Israel, he would have to be approved by Persia and submit to Persian policies. That would be reason enough for the Persian government to finance the trip of the Wise Men to Jerusalem.

IT IS HARD FOR ME TO IMAGINE THESE MEN TRAVELING ALONE, carrying a fortune in treasure, unguarded and preparing their own food. An entourage of 15-20 men and camels would more easily have “troubled” all of Jerusalem with Herod than a mere three men. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. (Matthew 2:3)

HEROD, WHO WAS A VASSAL KING UNDER PERSIA, had an even stronger and more personal reason to know about a Jewish king baby. Herod was real picky about protecting his throne and had one of his ten wives killed, along with three of his sons. Wikipedia has an interesting article on the Wise Men. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_Magi

BUT APPARENTLY, THE WISE MEN HAD A CONNECTION WITH GOD that their government did not have. God does as He pleases and on His own time schedule. These Wise Men made a long journey to find the Christ. Wise men still seek Him today. Have you sought Him for yourself? The Christmas video: “The Nativity” includes interesting portrayal of the Wise Men. We watch it every year.

McGee POINTS OUT THAT "WHILE THE WISE MEN WERE IN EAST, THEY SAW the star. They did not see a star east of where they were located. If that had been the case, they would have ended up in India or China. No, the wise men were east of Jerusalem, probably in Persia (modern day Iran) and saw a star that was west of them and followed it. But that does not address the question of why they followed such a strange star.

“WHY DID THEY CARE IN THE LEAST ABOUT THE SMALL NATION OF ISRAEL? Why were they interested in Israel’s king? Why did they associate Israel’s king with a star? Please allow me to throw in an opinion here that the star was no ordinary star, not a NOVA star, etc. The star was low enough to move along and be followed and it stood still over the house of the child (not the baby but the child – different words are used for baby and child).

“WHAT THEY CALLED A STAR WAS A SPECIAL LIGHT provided by the Lord that moved and hovered. OK, why did the Wise Men associate a new king of Israel with a star? They got that information from somewhere. There’s a strong suspicion that it came from Jewish Scripture and Jewish scholars.

“BALAAM WAS A MISFIT PROPHET WITH A DIVIDED HEART. He wanted to serve God, but he also wanted money and the favor of political power. In spite of his wicked heart and his miserable track record as a prophet, God showed him some things and put up with him until at last He killed him. Balaam wrote: …there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. (Num 24:17) This prophecy was about Israel and it was about a star (figurative and literal).

McGee CONTINUES TO WRITE: “Notice that the prophecy says a Star shall come out of Jacob—that is, the nation Israel. And a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel. The star and the sceptre go together. That is the only place I know where they are put together in prophecy in the Old Testament. The wise men in the East had that prophecy, and so they came out of the mysterious East seeking a king. This did disturb the city of Jerusalem and old King Herod.” (McGee)

WALVOORD AND ZUCK- (BIBLE KNOWLEDGE COMMENTARY) agree with the idea that the Wise Men may have been informed from their contact with Jewish prophets or scholars. We remember that some of the best minds of Israel were transported to Babylon (final deportation in 586 B.C.) and remained there for 70 years. That gave plenty of time for the scholarship of Israel to ooze out in the surrounding area. Then Persia conquered Babylon and that influence extended into Persia from which the Wise Men most likely came. We remember also that it was the Persian king: Cyrus that later allowed the captured Jews of Babylon to return home and gave them money and protection to rebuild the Temple that had been destroyed.

THE BIG PICTURE OF THE BIRTH OF JESUS, THE CHRIST (JEWISH MESSIAH) is that the entire Old Testament says repeatedly: “He’s coming!” Beginning with Moses and continuing to Malachi, reference is often made to God’s promised one. The New Testament summarizes it: But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons (Galatians 4:4-5).

Good Verse to Memorize:
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah. 9:6)

Read Through the Bible in a Year
DECEMBER 27, 2019 - FRIDAY
A.M. Zachariah 4-6 P.M. Revelation 18
(Bible Gateway will read this to you if you like. Look for the speaker icon.)

A Good Verse to Memorize:
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. (Matthew 1:18)

Song for Today:
The Hallelujah Chorus (4:15) – (English Concert Choir and Orchestra – Sept.3, 2010- 1,002,571 views)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5Xjz6ZuVk0&pbjreload=10
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(This article is a total of 1377 words).

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joseph's turn on the stage

12/26/2019

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Joseph’s Turn on the Stage…
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 bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:20-21)

THE ANGEL OF THE LORD APPEARED TO MARY (Luke 1:31-33) and told her that her baby was going to be a ruler. The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in Matthew 1 and told him that Mary’s baby was going to be a savior. Is there a conflict? No conflict. Mary’s baby was going to be a savior and then he would be a ruler. The Christmas season is only a month long, so we are hitting a few high spots of Old Testament and New Testament readings for Jesus’ Bible roots. Today, it is Joseph’s turn on the stage.

JOSEPH WAS NOT A SIMPLETON and neither was he a cruel man. His fiancé was pregnant and he was totally in the dark. He knew it wasn’t his baby. What was he to do except show her the greatest possible kindness? He certainly could not marry such a loose maid of 15. He was older and respected as an established carpenter and must maintain that respect in order to provide for his family. It would take a special act of God to convince him to marry his pregnant fiancé, which is exactly what happened──an angel from God.

IN HIS DREAM, THE ANGEL ADDRESSED HIM AS “Joseph, thou son of David.” This connected him to King David as a legal heir, qualifying him for the throne of Israel. God knows our fears and knows our limitations in making decisions. When we need the Lord, He is there. We feel less threatened when we read something than when we are desperate for an answer. God intervened at the exact moment; not a day early and not a day late. He did not tell him everything, just what he needed to know. The Spirit of God is the father of the child in Mary’s womb. That’s the only time God ever did that and that is why Jesus was called the “only begotten Son of God.” (John.1:18; 3:18; 1John. 4:9.)

SURELY JOSEPH REMEMBERED the prophet Isaiah’s words: Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14) The scholars of Israel knew this passage. They knew that He would be born in Bethlehem. They knew many other prophecies about him, but when was He coming? The angel told Joseph to name the baby: Jesus (Joshua, savior). Joseph learned just enough to convince him to go ahead with the actual marriage.

AN ANGEL HAD ALREADY TOLD MARY a lot more than Joseph knew at the time. 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 over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:31-33)

JESUS HAS BECOME OUR SAVIOR and one day He will sit upon the throne of his father David and rule over the house of Jacob forever and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Not only so, but He will be the King of kings, and Lord of lords (Revelation. 17:14; 19:16).
Psalm 2 adds an important page:

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. (Psalm 2:1-9)

THIS IS ALL PART OF WHAT WE CALL "CHRISTMAS." Jesus came as Savior two thousand years ago, and He is coming back to the earth soon as King. The angels told Joseph and Mary a little about it. Today, those who have a Bible know so much more about the whole picture than did Joseph and Mary. He is coming and He will rule the world from Jerusalem! Ω

Read Through the Bible in a Year
DECEMBER 26, 2019 - Thursday
A.M. Zachariah 1-3 P.M. Revelation 17
(Bible Gateway will read this to you if you like. Look for the speaker icon.)

A Good Verse to Memorize:
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. (Matthew 1:18)

Song for Today:
Solo and Group: Mary Did You Know? (Author: Mark Lowry & Group)
(Performed at Rollins College in Concert Hall by 11 singers in acapella – On Facebook, scroll down to black & white picture)
https://www.facebook.com/voctavesings/videos/1022397161220040/
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jesus, savior AND KING

12/24/2019

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Jesus, Savior and King
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11) Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. (Matthew 2:1-2)
ONLY LUKE AND MATTHEW (of the Gospels) tell of Jesus’ birth; see chapter 2 in each book. Back up a little in Matthew. “Jesus” is His name. “Christ” is His title.

This article edited from “Jesus, Savior and King” posted December 26, 2016

I WAS ALMOST GROWN BEFORE I REALIZED that God’s role for Jesus as Savior and King were not the same. I had gone to church since I was in my mother’s womb but my preachers didn’t get around to it. I learned to read early and had a Bible but I didn’t get around to it. The Jews were ready for a Messiah King to drive out the Roman soldiers and tax collectors. Jesus offered them a kingdom but not on their terms. They were not ready for a Messiah Savior who would be a suffering Messiah and tell them to repent of their sins.

CHRISTIANS LEARN ABOUT THE BIRTH OF CHRIST from church pageants, Sunday school lessons and sermons. The pageants are usually short and cannot present the full picture of the coming Messiah. They do a good job of saying that Jesus was born to die for the sins of the world. Sunday School lessons could do a better job with this subject but somehow do not. Sermons generally deal with how to be saved and live the Christian life and seldom go beyond these two important things. The books of the Old Testament could well be labeled: “The Forgotten Books of the Bible.” For thirty years, the first Christians had only the Old Testament.

A SERIOUS FACT: Most Christians do not read or study their Bibles. The home is an ideal place to learn a lot about the Bible but it is a busy place and the Bible tends to be neglected. I’m afraid that our electronic gadgets have helped in causing the Bible to gather dust in the home. The solution is to park the “secondary stuff” long enough to do first things first. I recommend that parents read The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes by Ken Taylor to their young children ages 4-8 (Moody Press). Then have a 15-minute Bible reading and prayer time at one of the meals when the family is together. We do not climb hills and learn math and reading by accident. Bible learning is the same way. God gives us 24 hours every day. Let’s manage it!

WHEN THE ANGEL OF THE LORD CAME TO THE SHEPHERDS at night, he told them about a savior being born. When the wise men came to Jerusalem from modern-day Iran (Persia), they were looking for a newborn king. They were not looking for a savior.

ALMOST A YEAR BEFORE the angels' appearance to the shepherds in Bethlehem, an angel appeared to Mary, about 15 years old. 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 over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:30-33) The angel does not mention to Mary that Jesus will be the Savior. The message from the angel to Mary is about Jesus’ coming as a king.

WHAT ELIZABETH KNOWS. Shortly after the angel met with Mary, she went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist. When Mary entered Elizabeth’s house and called her, Elizabeth answered in excitement and ended her statement with: And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. (Luke 1:45) Elizabeth knows that Mary believed the angel and that God will perform to Mary what He promised her. Elizabeth knows that Mary is the mother of Elizabeth’s Lord. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? (Luke 1:43)

WHAT MARY KNOWS. (A Review) What did God promise Mary? Nothing about her son being born as the coming Savior. The promise to Mary is about her unborn son being a king that would sit on the throne of his father (ancestor) David and that the kingdom would never end. That’s fine but it’s not the whole story. Mary must tell her father and mother that she’s pregnant by the Holy Ghost and she must then face Joseph and the women at the community well and perhaps the elders of her synagogue.

WHEN THE STORY SPREADS IN THE COMMUNITY, the eggs will hit the fan! She could be stoned to death for being found in the situation she’s in. Mary is blessed of the Lord and will pay a price for it. She illustrates the fact that some of God’s callings are different and difficult and not of high approval by family and the public in general. Don’t expect people to pat you on the back for God’s place for you.

WHAT JOSEPH KNOWS. Joseph is a good man and wants to do the kindest and most merciful thing he can. He knows he is not the father of Mary’s child. So, he decides to quietly divorce her from the relationship he has with her, being espoused to her for the upcoming marriage.

BUT, GOD INTERVENED AND AN ANGEL APPEARED to Joseph in a dream: 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 bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:20-21)

MARY KNOWS SHE'S GOING TO GIVE BIRTH TO A KING and her husband-to-be knows nothing about that. Joseph knows about the baby saving his people from their sins and Mary knows nothing about that.

SOME OF OUR BETTER CHRISTMAS HYMNS written many years ago, are rich in Bible knowledge. Joy to the World says: “Joy to the world, the Lord is come; let earth receive her king.” It also refers to savior. Hark the Herald Angels Sing says: “Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the new-born king; Peace on earth and mercy mild; God and sinners reconciled.” This hymn is one of the richest and most comprehensive Christmas hymns and combines king with savior. Silent Night! Holy Night! (written by Joseph Mohr, a Catholic priest) combines savior with king.

THE SAVIOR IS THE LAM SLAIN BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD and relates to sinners by persuasion. He does not force Himself on anyone. The Holy Spirit pleads and strives with people to be saved. But He does not demand anyone to be saved. The King is not on a mission to save anyone. He is on a mission to rule over the kingdom of God. The king is not a lamb. The king is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. The King will rule by coercion, with a rod of iron. This has not yet taken place.

TO BE SAVED, ONE MUST WILLINGLY EMBRACE CHRIST as Savior and Lord. Jesus has not yet exercised His role as king but is going to. When He is king of the whole earth and reigning from the throne of his father David, in Jerusalem, he will rule with a rod of iron (Psalm. 2). Today, He is the lamb of God slain for the sins of the world and invites everyone to come to Him to be forgiven and saved. When He rules the earth, He will rule, not as a lamb, but as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Consider Psalm 2.

Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. (Psalm 2:6-12)

THIS IS THE BABY BORN TO MARY and laid in a manger in Bethlehem. Today He pleads as the Savior of the world. As a King, He will rule the world with a rod of iron and we who are saved will reign with Him a thousand years. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6)

AFTER THAT TIME, there will be a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. (2Peter 3:12-13) Ω

Read Through the Bible in a Year –
DECEMBER 24, 2019 – MONDAY
A.M. Zech 1-3 P.M. Rev. 17
(Bible Gateway will read this to you if you like. Look for the speaker icon.)

Good Memory Verse:
And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:27)

Background Verses:
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Song For Today:
Solo, Choir & Orchestra: Silent Night 3.39 ( 1st Bap. Jax, Fl)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TDmoL-oLuA&index=3&list=PLyNDhlNwd3vlwd3q-Rqg2zX1xv9DPFd_i

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December 16th, 2019

12/16/2019

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Mary’s Bible…
And, behold, thou (Mary) 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 over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:31-33)

DID MARY WRITE IT ALL DOWN so she wouldn’t forget it? Probably not. Mary was already Bible-informed from her Jewish home background, her few trips to the Temple, and her many meetings at the local synagogue.

MARY WAS YOUNG, perhaps not over 15. But at that age, she knew some of the writings of Moses and other prophets. What the angel told her was a reminder of the Old Testament scriptures she already knew. The message was probably not new to her. It was new to her that…SHE… was to be the earthly mother of this King of Israel.

WE TEND TO FORGET that when Jesus was born, the total Bible consisted of what we call “The Old Testament.” But they didn’t call it the “Old Testament.” They just called it “the Scriptures.” There were no Christians. There was no New Testament. After Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead, it would be another 30 years before the New Testament would begin to be written; perhaps the book of James. If we want to know how Mary thought and how the early Christians thought, we’ll have to become familiar with the Old Testament.

WHEN JESUS SOUGHT TO TEACH HIS DISCIPLES about Himself, He said: And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. Luke 24:27 The Old Testament speaks of the coming Christ through plain statements by Isaiah and other prophets. It also speaks of the coming Christ through “types and shadows” and figures of speech?

HE WAS ALSO PORTRAYED BY THE LIVES of certain people, such as Joseph, who was sold for pieces of silver and no evil was ever charged against him. Mary may not have known of all those things. But she surely knew about the Jewish scriptures pertaining to Christ and “the son of David.” We would do well to study Mary’s Bible if we would know the whole counsel of God.

READING THE BIBLE REGULARLY provides a helpful background in memorizing. We have more Bible than Mary had. From our Bible reading, words and phrases “stick” to our memory and we don’t even know it at the time. Some phrases recur repeatedly, and we memorize some of them without trying. Reading the Bible regularly is more important than memorizing. We don’t have to choose between reading and memorizing because hearing, reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating are all Bible-related methods of taking in the Word of God.

HIDING THE WORD OF GOD IN OUR HEARTS is the same thing as memorizing except it goes further than the brain. Hiding the word of God in our hearts includes embracing the truth as a part of our being. Merely memorizing words does not go that far and is inferior to hiding the Word in our hearts. It is evident that Mary knew exactly what the angel was talking about except she didn’t know how it was going to be done.

Read Through the Bible in a Year
DECEMBER 16, 2019 - MONDAY
A.M. Amos 7-9 P.M. Revelation 7
(Bible Gateway will read this to you if you like. Look for the speaker icon.)

Good Verses to Memorize:
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (Luke 2:13-14)
Song for Today:
Beautiful Star of Bethlehem (3:41) (Ben Speers/Gaither)

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