Dear Father in Heaven: I love You very much. Thanks for helping all of us that ask, and thanks for leaving us the comforter in the Holy Spirit. Lord, please place Your healing hand on Your servants Patsy, David, Dolores, and Grant on this day. Lord, please bring calm and peace in our cities. Lord, be with the Harrisburg mother whose son was murdered last night. Comfort them, Lord, please comfort them. Please, Lord, help me with the message and then to get it dispatched. In Jesus' Wonderful Name, I pray. Amen.
My dear, dear brothers and sisters, I greet you in the Name of our Mighty Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, whom I love very much and pray you all do likewise. As a little side note here, I did copy and paste the scripture today, as my hands are not working smoothly today. Patsy Emig needs prayer. Patsy lives in a retirement home and is a great witness for Jesus. People come to her room for prayer. She is being checked for pneumonia. Dolores is still very, very tired and needs your prayers. She was at the doctor's yesterday and he just told her to "take it easy." I pray you are enjoying the big trip. Let's get moving on it.
Tuesday: December 23, 2014: The Big Trip (Day Thirteen)
The Birth of Jesus
Luke 2:1 - In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a Child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the Baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a Baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests."
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this Child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (NIV)
A lot of the above scripture we have covered; however, for the next few days we are going to be using this same scripture. Let's get the bus warmed up and go on ahead of Joseph and Mary and watch as they come to Bethlehem. Let's watch. Be quiet now, here they come. I am going to shut the bus off.
Wow, there are a lot of people. The Bible talks of course about Mary and of our coming Savior, but think here, lots and lots of people got the word about signing up to pay their taxes. Look now, they are coming up to the Bethlehem Hilton (stop it, Dan) ... okay, to that little Inn, and Joseph is taking Mary down from the donkey. Look how petty Mary is even after that long ride, and look how gentle Joseph is taking Mary off that donkey. Remember Mary is about to deliver a Child. Look, they are walking into the Inn hand in hand, so sweet. Look, Joseph opened the door for Mary. I would think they would get a room and after Joseph takes care of Mary would come out and take care of the donkey.
Look, look, Joseph is coming back out now and look, Mary is with him. I wonder what went wrong. Look, Joseph is putting Mary back on the donkey, and they are talking about there were no rooms left for them. If all those who got rooms would have known that a Baby was about to be born and that Baby would be Jesus, The Savior of The World, they more than likely would have given Joseph their room. Let us watch where they are going. They are going around the back of the Inn, and going into "the barn," "the stable." Wow, the donkey gets to stay inside, and those other animals, the camels and horses are lying down outside. It is getting really quiet. Joseph is putting hay together making a bed for Mary. He must know the hour is near for the Baby to be born because He is now making a manger out of one of the feed boxes. After Mary is lying quietly we see movement. Mary is, wow, is Mary giving birth now? The animals are all still, the time has come. OUR LORD JESUS IS ABOUT TO BE BORN.
Time to sing, and on this song we are looking ahead. As we wait at the manger, let us sing about that day when we will meet Jesus face to face. Wow, What a Day That Will Be!!
There is coming a day when no heartaches shall come,
No more clouds in the sky, no more tears to dim the eye:
All is peace forevermore on that happy golden shore.
What a day, glorious day that will be.
What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see
And I look upon His face, the One who saved me by His grace,
When He takes me by the hand and leads me through the Promised Land,
What a day, glorious day that will be.
There'll be no sorrow there, no more burdens to bear,
no more sickness, no pain, no more parting over there;
And forever I will be with the One who died for me.
What a day, glorious day that will be.
What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see
And I look upon His face, the One who saved me by His grace,
When He takes me by the hand and leads me through the Promised Land,
What a day, glorious day that will be.
Tomorrow we will watch and learn. Here are a few questions. This is not a trick question. How many kings were at the manger? What gifts did the kings bring for the Baby?
Tomorrow, more on that Baby "Who was born to Die, So We Might Live."
Now go forth and share your blessings. Love ya. Please share my love with others.
Pastor Dan
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