ON THE WAY

ON THE WAY

CHRISTMAS AND THE FEAST OF LIGHTS

   

            Let us consider how Mary and Joseph obediently traveled to Bethlehem.    It must have been a hard journey for her, yet she did not fear, for she had been given the word of the angel that "this would be the Son of the Most High."   Along the way, they must have seen many folk traveling also.   The whole world of the Caesar was to counted...and so they were not the only ones on the move.   It must have been confusing, and it must have been a bit challenging.  They had the certain hope of God's promise that this child was the PROMISED ONE that Moses long ago had told about.    They had the sure hope that the prophets had told of the Deliverer who would come.   Matthew 1.21 The Angel told Joseph to name the Baby Jesus [Y'shua] for He shall save His people from their sins.  Y'shua also can be translated "Joshua, Ieshua, or, as it means in our language, "Jah - the Savior"  or JEHOVAH OUR SALVATION.   There was no room for them in the inn.   Yet he was born, in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes.   There was ROOM for Him, and they did discover God had His set of plans regarding THIS ONE'S BIRTH.

        Today Christmas is almost here.    I challenge you to consider

that just as Mary and Joseph had a sure and certain hope of Jesus being born, so too today, we have a certain Hope.   We need to make room in our hearts for the Lord Jesus to come and dwell.   In the Word of God Jesus tells us that He is coming again, coming to take us that we might be "where He is" so look up ! Pilgrim !   John 14. 1 - 11.  There are no signs left to fulfill,   The Promise is that He is coming !  1 Thessalonians chapter 4 tells us that "if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so thos also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him...for this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain to the coming of the Lord shall not precede those who are asleep, for the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ [Messiah] shall rise first: then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. "  I Thess 4.13 - 18     Wherefore, comfort one another with these words.   

     The Lord Jesus, as he attended the Feast of the Dedication and went to the Temple in Jerusalem, was celebrating Hannakkah - a celebration of the miracle of how God gave enough oil for the Temple to be dedicated after it was built.     Jesus - Y'shua - declared in John chapter 7. verse 37 and 38 "If anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink, He that believes on me, as the Scripture has said, out of the belly shall flow rivers of living water."    I believe that Jesus is the Light of the World, and that He made it very plain that He was the very DECLARATION in human flesh of who God Is, and He said "the one who sees me, sees the Father."  John chapter 14. verses 7 and also in verse 9.   Again, He said, "I am the Light of the world, the one who follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the Light of Life."  John chapter 8, verse 12.     

    Let us worship the Lord JESUS, the One who said "All power is given to me in heaven and in earth, you are to go therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, teaching them to observe whatsoever things I have commanded you, and Lo ! I am with you always, to the end of the Age.  Matthew 28.18 - 20.   
    Two books I recommend to you for Christmas reading are:    Max Lucado's When God Whispers Your Name, and another fine book for Christmas is  Adventuring through the Life of Christ by Ray C. Stedman Published by Discovery House, 2009.  
     A Blessed Christmas to you, and a Happy New Year all the year through.