Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Out of Bethlehem

Wednesday, December 20

Because He Came

Yet out of [Bethlehem] shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting. Micah 5:2

Recommended Reading
Luke 2:8-12

Bill Gaither wrote a beautiful gospel song, "Because He Lives," the chorus of which explains why Christ's resurrection is so important: "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, because He lives, all fear is gone; because I know He holds the future, and life is worth the living, just because He lives!"
(©1971 William J. Gaither)

But we might also go back about thirty years to Christ's birth and write another song titled "Because He Came." Think how His coming into the world changed everything. Because He came, we can know God, we can have our sins forgiven, we can know purpose in life, we can be sure of our eternal salvation, we can understand the plan and purpose for all creation, and we can live in perfect peace. The entrance of no other man or woman into this world has provided benefits such as those. But to experience the benefits of Christ's advent, we must know Him! Don't let this Christmas season pass by without discovering why He came for you.

Because Christ came, we can know that He will come again and receive us unto himself.

The fact is that the greatest mystery of all the incarnation comes at the very beginning [of faith] and is the central reason why we believe in God.
Os Guinness

Read-Thru-the-Bible
Revelation 11:1 - 13:18

From: Turning Point Online

4 comments:

Susan Smith said...

Hi Christine:

My organization has given us Friday and Monday off for Christmas here in the Holy Land. I am thankful.

The word "Bethlehem" comes from two Hebrew words... Beit (house) and Lechem (bread)... translated "house of bread"... The Messiah is the Bread of Life (see JOH 6:35). When we come to Him, then we are never hungry. Praise His Name!

Merry Christmas to my "little" sister on the West coast. God bless you, my friend. Love from Jerusalem. (ss)

Christinewjc said...

Hi Susan!

How nice! Enjoy your long weekend!

My husband is taking the entire week off and we are planning on doing several family things together. We like to attend the Christmas Eve service at 6. We go out for an early dinner before church. During the week, we will enjoy Golf, Charger game Sunday :-), bowling (haven't done that in quite a while...should be good for some laughs!) after Christmas shopping with my daughter, and I really want to see the movie The Nativity!

Thanks for sharing that beautiful piece of biblical information...I love reading things like that! Individual names and the names of places always have such deep meaning in biblical times.

Have a very Merry Christmas and blessed New Year my friend and sis from Jerusalem!

Love,
Christine

Anna said...

Hi Christine & Susan -

It's been a long time. Have a wonderful Christmas.

As you know, DH (darling husband) is back in the hospital with a recurrence of the leukemia. We're taking Christmas to him. Please keep us in your prayers.

Love,
Anna

Christinewjc said...

Dear Anna,

I am so sorry to hear that your husband had a recurrence of the leukemia. I am, and have been, keeping you both in my prayers...

Trusting in Christ,
Christine