Sunday, June 23, 2013

Day 1 - Week 94 - Jesus has arrived!

We are in the series of verses regarding our Savior's first and second comings.  The first five verses have to do with His first advent...the next three will herald His second!  The earth received great news over 2,000 years ago, but when Christ returns and this world comes to its destined end, then the good news of that silent night in Bethlehem will be completed.

So far in this series we have learned:


Isaiah 9:6  "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be on His shoulders.  And His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor,The mighty God, The eternal Father, The Prince of Peace."


Luke 2:10   "But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all the people.' "


Now we add to Luke 2:10 with Luke 2:11, the next words coming from the angels to the shepherds in the fields close to Bethlehem,


"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord."


According to Old Testament prophecy, the Messiah would come from Bethlehem...the angels made sure their pronouncement included the affirming testimony that Christ's birthplace was right on target to fulfill the prophetical pronouncements made centuries before.


Micah 5:2  "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from old, from ancient times."


God's pronouncements are always completed just as He has proclaimed...Christ did come out of Bethlehem.  He came on the exact day that God had known from the beginning of time would be the day...and He will coe again on the day that God has always known He would send Him to redeem those who know Him.


The prophets of old were correct --- and yet many people missed Christ's arrival, many missed His ministry, and many missed His death and resurrection.  Sometimes we wonder how they could have been there and missed it.  Yet we have been given God's written Word, we have access to everything we need to know His message and His voice calling to us, and there are still so many who are missing Him and so many others who are satisfied in keeping their knowledge of Him on a very minimal level.


He came, He lived, He died, He rose again and He lives now!  He is knowable through God's Word and through His Spirit, available to all those who believe.  He wants to know us deeply and intimately.   I pray for the desire to know Him on an increasingly intense level.


Christ came to a manger in Bethlehem - angels announced His coming.  I believe deep within each of us His Spirit announces His readiness to come into our individual hearts, to be born within us just as He was born in that manger.  Listen to the angels' words as if they were addressed to you personally...


"To YOU, this day, is ready to be born in your heart, a SAVIOR, which is CHRIST THE LORD."