I am writing at 10:30 am on Christmas Day in this time zone. We enjoyed two Christmas Eve services last night with a total of about 700 attending from so many nations. We sat behind Filipinos, beside a Vietnamese, in front of a family from the Netherlands, walked out and spoke with people from Nigeria, Indonesia, Canada, the USA, Australia, China, etc. It is joy to work and worship among such an international group. We don't even ask but we know they also come from a large variety of denominational backgrounds.
During the days leading up to Christmas, in my personal reading I like to survey all of the prophetic passages that point toward Christ, plus the familiar Gospel accounts of our Lord's birth. I suspect many of you do the same. Have you read and thought about Micah 5 this Christmas Season?
Micah 5:2 is the well known passage that prophesies that from Bethlehem Ephrathah will come "one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient days." This was the passage the Jewish religious leaders gave to Herod when he asked them where the King of the Jews was to born. Herod in turn passed this information on to the Magi.
We are told more about the Coming One in Micah 5:4, 5. "He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be their peace."
We who know Christ as our Saviour do live securely, even in the midst of uncertain times, even dangerous times. We know our eternal security is safely in His care.
Although His Rule has not yet been fully extended over the entire world population, yet in every country there are those who acknowledge Him. We know "his greatness has reached to the ends of the earth." And for all believers, Christ is our peace!
Jan and I pray for all of you, that the peace of Christ is firmly planted deep in your heart and soul - on this Christmas Day, 2011, and will be your experience in each day of the New Year. Merry Christmas!
During the days leading up to Christmas, in my personal reading I like to survey all of the prophetic passages that point toward Christ, plus the familiar Gospel accounts of our Lord's birth. I suspect many of you do the same. Have you read and thought about Micah 5 this Christmas Season?
Micah 5:2 is the well known passage that prophesies that from Bethlehem Ephrathah will come "one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient days." This was the passage the Jewish religious leaders gave to Herod when he asked them where the King of the Jews was to born. Herod in turn passed this information on to the Magi.
We are told more about the Coming One in Micah 5:4, 5. "He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be their peace."
We who know Christ as our Saviour do live securely, even in the midst of uncertain times, even dangerous times. We know our eternal security is safely in His care.
Although His Rule has not yet been fully extended over the entire world population, yet in every country there are those who acknowledge Him. We know "his greatness has reached to the ends of the earth." And for all believers, Christ is our peace!
Jan and I pray for all of you, that the peace of Christ is firmly planted deep in your heart and soul - on this Christmas Day, 2011, and will be your experience in each day of the New Year. Merry Christmas!
No comments:
Post a Comment