12/21 Matthew 2:5-6
“In Bethlehem,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote: 6 ‘O Bethlehem of Judah, you are not just a lowly village in Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’ ”
SHEPHERD
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He is seeking to equip us to live a Godly, blessed life. Spend time with Jesus. Read the Bible with Him that He might show you His promises to you. Before you were born Jesus knew you and He is seeking you this very moment.

12/20 Matthew 2:3-4
Herod was deeply disturbed by their question, as was all of Jerusalem. 4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law. “Where did the prophets say the Messiah would be born?” he asked them.
WHY?
Herod was looking for Jesus to kill Him. He had no interest in God or anyone else. Jesus is interested in you. He wants to be involved in your life, every aspect of your life and every moment of your life. Jesus is Lord and He is looking for you.

12/19 Matthew 2:1-2
Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We have seen his star as it arose, and we have come to worship him.”
PAGANS
These wise men from the East were pagans. They believed in science to the exclusion of God. God called them to honor His son Jesus early in His life. God can do anything and use anybody to achieve His goals. What can make us whole? God incarnate living in us and walking with us as we live our life. Dealing with life is always a challenge but if we don’t walk with Jesus it is impossible.

12/18 Luke 2:21
Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived. 22 Then it was time for the purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.” 24 So they offered a sacrifice according to what was required in the law of the Lord — “either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
WORLD
The world is a hard place. Each one of us has enough pain and heartache for the rest of us-nothing is ever easy. Christ gives us the ability to deal with our life-we each can have victory and joy undergirded by peace.

12/17 Luke 2:18-20
All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said.
TRUTH
This is the truth: Christ came to Earth as the Gospel accounts describe. He lived a perfect life. He was crucified on the Cross in Jerusalem and was raised from the dead by God and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father ever interceding for us. Jesus is Alive and He is more than able to give you life and light for living. Call upon Jesus, the truth of God and ask Him to save you and give you His GRACE- what you need and cannot earn.

12/16 Luke 2:16-17
They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.
CHILD
The Son of God was lying in a manger. Where would you have birthed the CHILD? This was the plan of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost before anything was. Amazing because the Lord knows the end from the beginning. He knows you, all about you and He loves you without reservation. Jesus loves you.

12/15 Luke 2:13-15
Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others — the armies of heaven — praising God: 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors. ” 15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Come on, let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
INTERESTING
It is interesting how the shepherds responded. They were ignored in Jerusalem by the religious leadership but here in the fields next to Bethlehem the Lord sent His angels to announce the birth of His son Jesus. The vast hordes of angels were desperately seeking to know how this birth would turn out and were praising the Lord God Almighty. The Bible tells us that God favors you. His word to you is that Christ came into your world and under the same constraints that you are lived a perfect life by faith. You have access to the Father. Praise Him, trust Him and step out in faith to live like Jesus-one step, one day at a time. Your life is precious and you are favored of God in Christ.

12/14 Luke 2:12
And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!”
WHAT
No trappings of power and at the mercy of the world, Jesus was born in Bethlehem. His parents trusted the Lord. This birth had been planned since before anything began and the Lord chose this birth. Jesus was in every way fully man. He knew difficulty and powerlessness just like we do. In every way Jesus was fully God and as such His faith conquered every obstacle He faced. Let us learn faith one day at a time. Jesus is alive. Jesus is Lord of all.

12/13 Luke 2:8-11
That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! 11 The Savior — yes, the Messiah, the Lord — has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David!
UNLIKELY
Bethlehem is an unlikely place for the king of the Universe to be born. It is in a way like us. Most of us are ordinary to a fault. I am certainly not exemplary in any way. Yet the Lord can use any one of us to accomplish His will. TODAY I want to be used by the Lord to accomplish His purpose. Use me Lord. I will not be afraid.

12/12 Luke 2:6-7
And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.
LIFE
All of us are seeking to live life. The tragedy is that too many people are waiting for life to happen. It happens every minute of every hour of every day. Life is the time that is passing while we are here on earth. No one at the birth place of Jesus knew that the world was fixing to change but it was. His birth divides history- Before Christ came and after His birth. Live your life with quality and insight. Ask Jesus to give you wisdom, mercy, grace and understanding. He will and YOU will be better equipped to live the minutes of your life. Rejoice our king has been born in a manger in Bethlehem.