Christmas - 2007

Just over 2000 years ago, a unique birth occurred in history that would mark a change that would last for all of eternity.

Unnoticed by most, witnessed by few, the birth of Jesus Christ was foretold for many centuries, right down to the very day of His birth.

The angels sang and the shepherds listened with curiosity. The priests were indifferent and the public was preoccupied with their daily comings and goings. The magi traveled from far off and foreign lands, while the nation of Judah forgot the purpose of their heritage.

Noah foretold of a devastating rain and flood, and for one-hundred and twenty years, people ignored and mocked his warnings.

The scriptures foretold of the birth of a savior, and yet for four hundred years immediately prior to his birth, indifference drew only silence from God.

The feasts and offerings foretold of His sacrifice at Passover, and yet people spit and mocked Him while He hung from the Cross.

The next significant date in history is the Rapture, and now we have no date certain to look to. And why should there be? No one would consider it important just as people of the past disregarded important dates of the past.

Even the end of the Millennium, a one-thousand year period, will be ignored as masses of people will rebel against Christ as that calendared date grows near.

The innkeeper was too busy to make room for the parents of the humanity of Jesus, and so off to the barn and a quite birth without fanfare, and without notice, a helpless infant was born to poor parents and an indifferent world.

The King wanted to kill Him. But he did not want to take the two hour trip south to Bethlehem to find the child. The city was preoccupied with the taxation process being imposed on them by Rome on that very day of the worlds transition.

If Jesus would only remain the gentle and mild person that the world wants to know Him by. If He would remain a dreamer, a prophet, and man of history for which stained-glass windows are made. Then He would not pose so much trouble in the lives of people, such that they could live their lives in accordance with the way in which they have defined their own life.

But not so. Man has no command over his own beginning or his end. Man has no power to define and guide his own environment let alone his future.

And so we have only our volition with which to determine our destiny. Not technology, not science, not philosophy, nothing we can imagine or invent can help us beyond our certain death.

And so belief in Christ, a commitment to a daily study program, and a commitment to Him whom we have never seen, is all that we have and need, in order to secure for ourselves the best possible life and future imaginable.

While the world will continue to be preoccupied with its daily business, so too you should be preoccupied with you spiritual investment. The world ignored the flood and paid the price. The world ignored a birth, and will continue to pay the ultimate price.

You should take a moment and consider the insignificant moment, of His birth, and just how significant in your life, it really is.

'Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.'

I wish to thank each and every one of you for your ongoing and continued support, and dedication to the Daily Bible Study.

From my family here in Oregon, to your family in all corners of the world, through this wonderful technology we have in our current day called the Internet, which gives us all a very unique opportunity to study the Word of God together, though we do not see each other, we wish all a very merry Christmas.

Keep in the Word, Isa. 41:10.

Isaiah 41:10

Fear not for I am with you, be not dismayed for I am your God, I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

And now to Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you without blemish before the presence of His Glory, with exceeding joy, to the only wise God and savior, even Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be glory, and majesty, dominion and power forever and ever. Amen!