God's Truth In Love

Archive for the ‘Birth’ Category

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Christ for Christmas

In Birth, Christ, Christ Birth, Christmas, Christmas Star, Jesus on December 20, 2022 at 5:25 pm

For the next month, we will forgo our regular blog study of Proverbs to pursue postings that center around Christmas and New Year’s.

If you get the blog entries via email you will receive each entry as it is posted without delay. If you go to the site to read each entry there will be no further notices of those entries, but the following titles will be released between now and the new year.

A Candymaker’s Witness – November 26th

An Old Man’s Christmas – December 3rd

Precious Baby /Christmas Star Lecture – December 11th

Merry Christmas / Christ for Christmas – December 20th

A New Year’s Thought / Living the Righteous Life – December 27th

Merry CHRISTmas everyone!

Praise God for His Glorious Gift to mankind, Jesus, in the form of a precious baby.

Take a moment as you celebrate Christmas to remember the true meaning and purpose of Christmas and read the wonderful Truth found in Luke 2 and Matthew 2.

Luke 2:1–35 (NKJV)

Christ is Born

2 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Angels Announce Jesus to the Shepherds

8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 “Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

The Shepherds Visit Jesus

15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Christ is Circumcised

21 And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

22 Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Simeon’s Prophecy

25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, 28 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

29 “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,

According to Your word;

30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation

31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,

32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,

And the glory of Your people Israel.”

33 And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against 35 (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Matthew 2:1–12 (NKJV)

Visit of Wise Men

2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;

For out of you shall come a Ruler

Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

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Precious Baby /Christmas Star Lecture

In Birth, Christ, Christmas, Christmas Star, Jesus on December 11, 2022 at 9:00 am

For the next month, we will forgo our regular blog study of Proverbs to pursue postings that center around Christmas and New Year’s.

If you get the blog entries via email you will receive each entry as it is posted without delay. If you go to the site to read each entry there will be no further notices of those entries, but the following titles will be released between now and the new year.

A Candymaker’s Witness – November 26th

An Old Man’s Christmas – December 3rd

Precious Baby /Christmas Star Lecture – December 11th

Merry Christmas / Christ for Christmas – December 20th

A New Year’s Thought / Living the Righteous Life – December 27th

Precious Baby

A bit of Christmas trivia for you. Many people do not think about it, or either do not know, but Jesus may not have been born on December 25th but it is the day we have chosen to honor His Miraculous birth. Many scholars have debated the facts over the years regarding dates, age, and time frame but here are a couple of widely accepted details.

There is a good chance Jesus was born in April or September, not December. He was also not born in 1AD but instead was born sometime between 7-2BC according to scholars. To me that is quite a gap in time and many people debate those five years but I tend to believe it was about 3-2BC when Christ came to this earth to redeem it from the power of darkness. Additionally, the wise men were not present at Jesus’ birth they came to Jesus, directed by the heavenly star, which marked the birthplace, and their travels took them some time as they came from faraway lands. When they arrived, Jesus would have been about two years old, which is why Herod had all the babies two and under killed [Matt. 2:16-18] in an attempt to kill the Messiah. Nevertheless, the precious child was born and we praise God that He was willing to come to this earth and bring us the ability to have joy and peace in Christ at Christmas time.

The second portion of this post will include details from a lecture done by Barry Setterfield regarding Jesus’ birth and the study of the Star of Bethlehem. Although none of us can truly pinpoint every detail of Jesus’ birth and the Wise Men’s journey, I find the following teaching to be quite creditable.

The Christmas Star Lecture

Barry Setterfield – Teaching 1993

Based on 28 years of research by historians, astrologers, and astronomers who studied of the Star of Bethlehem.

All of the following dynamics tie into pinpointing when Jesus was born and when the Wise Men would have arrived to worship Him.

Mary and Joseph both came from the line of David.

A woman giving birth would have been considered unclean because of the blood involved. If the woman was in a house during this time, the whole house would have been considered unclean and this was during a time of religious ceremonies. Hence, the use of a stable for birth.

Shepherds were in fields at night only twice a year, in spring and fall. Therefore, Jesus was born in the spring or fall of 3BC. [My note: This could be why some believe Jesus was born in April.]

Autumn 3BC Jesus was born. Between the 10th and the 25th of September.

Jesus is born September 12th then on His eight day He was circumcised, which would have been September 20th the Jewish Day of Atonement thus Jesus was shedding His first blood on the Day of Atonement. Then on September 25th, the Feast of the Tabernacle would have taken place.

If Jesus were in fact born around this time, September 10th – 25th, then His conception would have been close to the 25th of December, the previous year.

The Wise Men, the men who set out to find the New King of the Jews.

The star in the sky that announced Jesus’ birth remained in the sky for a couple, to several, years and moved guiding the Wise Men. When the Wise Men got to Jesus they went into the “house” to worship Him, house not stable [Matt. 2:11]. Above Bethlehem the star, the planet Jupiter, stopped moving and stood still for six days over the Christ Child, the day it stopped moving would have been December 25th 2BC – on that day the Wise Men arrived.

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Christ of Christmas–Christ of Scripture

In Bible, Biblical Principles, Birth, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christ, Christ Birth, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Christmas, Christmas Star on December 24, 2020 at 9:02 am

Merry CHRISTmas everyone!

Praise God for His Glorious Gift to mankind, Jesus, in the form of a precious baby.

Take a moment as you celebrate Christmas to remember the true meaning and purpose of Christmas and read the wonderful Truth found in Luke 2 and Matthew 2. –

Luke 2:1–35 (NKJV)

Christ is Born

2 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Angels Announce Jesus to the Shepherds

8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 “Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

The Shepherds Visit Jesus

15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Christ is Circumcised

21 And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

22 Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Simeon’s Prophecy

25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, 28 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

29 “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,

According to Your word;

30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation

31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,

32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,

And the glory of Your people Israel.”

33 And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against 35 (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Matthew 2:1–12 (NKJV)

Visit of Wise Men

2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;

For out of you shall come a Ruler

Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

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Precious Baby

In Birth, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christ, Christ Birth, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Christmas, Christmas Star on December 18, 2020 at 11:47 am

Precious Baby

A bit of Christmas trivia for you. Many people do not think about it, or either do not know, but Jesus may not have been born on December 25th but it is the day we have chosen to honor His Miraculous birth. Many scholars have debated the facts over the years regarding dates, age, and time frame but here are a couple of widely accepted details.

There is a good chance Jesus was born in April or September, not December. He was also not born in 1AD but instead was born sometime between 7-2BC according to scholars. To me that is quite a gap in time and many people debate those five years but I tend to believe it was about 3-2BC when Christ came to this earth to redeem it from the power of darkness. Additionally, the wise men were not present at Jesus’ birth they came to Jesus, directed by the heavenly star, which marked the birthplace, and their travels took them some time as they came from faraway lands. When they arrived, Jesus would have been about two years old, which is why Herod had all the babies two and under killed [Matt. 2:16-18] in an attempt to kill the Messiah. Nevertheless, the precious child was born and we praise God that He was willing to come to this earth and bring us the ability to have joy and peace in Christ at Christmas time.

The second portion of this post will include details from a lecture done by Barry Setterfield regarding Jesus’ birth and the study of the Star of Bethlehem. Although none of us can truly pinpoint every detail of Jesus’ birth and the Wise Men’s journey, I find the following teaching to be quite creditable.

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A Candymaker’s Witness

In Bible Study, Birth, Candy Cane, Christ, Christ Birth, Christian Living, Uncategorized on December 12, 2020 at 1:19 pm

This came to me in the form of a Christmas greeting decades ago printed on a 4×7 laminated sheet with a candy cane attached.  I loved it and have passed it on each year ever since. 

A Candymaker’s Witness

Original source/author unknown

A candymaker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would be a witness, so he made the Christmas Candy Cane. He incorporated several symbols for the birth, ministry and death of Jesus Christ.

He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy. White to symbolize the Virgin Birth and the sinless nature of Jesus, and hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the foundation of the Church, and firmness of the promises of God.

The candymaker made the candy in the form of a “J” to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. It could also represent the staff of the “Good Shepherd” with which He reaches down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs, who like all sheep, have gone astray.

Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candymaker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received by which we are healed. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life.

Unfortunately, the candy became known as a Candy Cane – a meaningless decoration seen at Christmas time. But the meaning is still there for those who “have eyes to see and ears to hear.” I pray that this symbol will again be used to witness TO THE WONDER OF JESUS and HIS GREAT LOVE that came down at Christmas and remains the ultimate and dominant force in the universe today.

This year try hanging your candy canes, on your tree, upside down so that they form the letter “j”. It will be a small way to remind all who see them the real reason we celebrate Christmas.

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A Candymaker’s Witness

In Birth, Candy Cane, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christ, Christ Birth, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Christmas, Christmas Star on December 7, 2019 at 3:23 am

This came to me in the form of a Christmas greeting decades ago printed on a 4×7 laminated sheet with a candy cane attached.  I loved it and have passed it on each year ever since. 

A Candymaker’s Witness

Original source/author unknown

A candymaker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would be a witness, so he made the Christmas Candy Cane. He incorporated several symbols for the birth, ministry and death of Jesus Christ.

He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy. White to symbolize the Virgin Birth and the sinless nature of Jesus, and hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the foundation of the Church, and firmness of the promises of God.

The candymaker made the candy in the form of a “J” to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. It could also represent the staff of the “Good Shepherd” with which He reaches down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs, who like all sheep, have gone astray.

Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candymaker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received by which we are healed. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life.

Unfortunately, the candy became known as a Candy Cane – a meaningless decoration seen at Christmas time. But the meaning is still there for those who “have eyes to see and ears to hear.” I pray that this symbol will again be used to witness TO THE WONDER OF JESUS and HIS GREAT LOVE that came down at Christmas and remains the ultimate and dominant force in the universe today.

This year try hanging your candy canes, on your tree, upside down so that they form the letter “j”. It will be a small way to remind all who see them the real reason we celebrate Christmas.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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Christmas–The Real Story

In Birth, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christ, Christ Birth, Christmas, Christmas Star, Jesus on December 22, 2018 at 8:00 am

Merry CHRISTmas everyone!

Praise God for His Glorious Gift to mankind, Jesus, in the form of a precious baby.

Take a moment as you celebrate Christmas to remember the true meaning and purpose of Christmas and read the wonderful Truth found in Luke 2 and Matthew 2.

Luke 2:1–35 (NKJV)

Christ is Born

2 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Angels Announce Jesus to the Shepherds

8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 “Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

The Shepherds Visit Jesus

15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Christ is Circumcised

21 And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

22 Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Simeon’s Prophecy

25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, 28 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

29 “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,

According to Your word;

30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation

31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,

32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,

And the glory of Your people Israel.”

33 And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against 35 (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Matthew 2:1–12 (NKJV)

Visit of Wise Men

2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;

For out of you shall come a Ruler

Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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Precious Baby – Christmas Star – A Candymaker’s Witness

In Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Birth, Christ, Christ Birth, Christmas, Christmas Star, Jesus on December 15, 2018 at 8:00 am

Precious Baby

A bit of Christmas trivia for you. Many people do not think about it, or either do not know, but Jesus may not have been born on December 25th but it is the day we have chosen to honor His Miraculous birth. Many scholars have debated the facts over the years regarding dates, age, and time frame but here are a couple of widely accepted details.

There is a good chance Jesus was born in April or September, not December. He was also not born in 1AD but instead was born sometime between 7-2BC according to scholars. To me that is quite a gap in time and many people debate those five years but I tend to believe it was about 3-2BC when Christ came to this earth to redeem it from the power of darkness. Additionally, the wise men were not present at Jesus’ birth they came to Jesus, directed by the heavenly star, which marked the birthplace and their travels took them some time as they came from faraway lands. When they arrived, Jesus would have been about two years old, which is why Herod had all the babies two and under killed [Matt. 2:16-18] in an attempt to kill the Messiah. Nevertheless, the precious child was born and we praise God that He was willing to come to this earth and bring us the ability to have joy and peace in Christ at Christmas time.

The balance of this post will include details from a lecture done by Barry Setterfield regarding Jesus’ birth and the study of the Star of Bethlehem. Although none of us can truly pinpoint every detail of Jesus’ birth and the Wise Men’s journey, I find the following teaching to be quite creditable.

The Christmas Star Lecture

Barry Setterfield – Teaching 1993

Based on 28 years of research by historians, astrologers, and astronomers who studied of the Star of Bethlehem.

All of the following dynamics tie into pinpointing when Jesus was born and when the Wise Men would have arrived to worship Him.

Mary and Joseph both came from the line of David.

A woman giving birth would have been considered unclean because of the blood involved. If the woman was in a house during this time, the whole house would have been considered unclean and this was during a time of religious ceremonies. Hence, the use of a stable for birth.

Shepherds were in fields at night only twice a year, in spring and fall. Therefore, Jesus was born in the spring or fall of 3BC. [My note: This could be why some believe Jesus was born in April.]

Autumn 3BC Jesus was born. Between the 10th and the 25th of September.

Jesus is born September 12th then on His eight day He was circumcised, which would have been September 20th the Jewish Day of Atonement thus Jesus was shedding His first blood on the Day of Atonement. Then on September 25th, the Feast of the Tabernacle would have taken place.

If Jesus were in fact born around this time, September 10th – 25th, then His conception would have been close to the 25th of December, the previous year.

The Wise Men, the men who set out to find the New King of the Jews.

The star in the sky that announced Jesus’ birth remained in the sky for a couple, to several, years and moved guiding the Wise Men. When the Wise Men got to Jesus they went into the “house” to worship Him, house not stable [Matt. 2:11]. Above Bethlehem the star, the planet Jupiter, stopped moving and stood still for six days over the Christ Child, the day it stopped moving would have been December 25th 2BC – on that day the Wise Men arrived.

A Candymaker’s Witness

Original source/author unknown

A candymaker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would be a witness, so he made the Christmas Candy Cane. He incorporated several symbols for the birth, ministry and death of Jesus Christ.

He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy. White to symbolize the Virgin Birth and the sinless nature of Jesus, and hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the foundation of the Church, and firmness of the promises of God.

The candymaker made the candy in the form of a “J” to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. It could also represent the staff of the “Good Shepherd” with which He reaches down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs, who like all sheep, have gone astray.

Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candymaker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received by which we are healed. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life.

Unfortunately, the candy became known as a Candy Cane – a meaningless decoration seen at Christmas time. But the meaning is still there for those who “have eyes to see and ears to hear.” I pray that this symbol will again be used to witness TO THE WONDER OF JESUS and HIS GREAT LOVE that came down at Christmas and remains the ultimate and dominant force in the universe today.

This year try hanging your candy canes, on your tree, upside down so that they form the letter “j”. It will be a small way to remind all who see them the real reason we celebrate Christmas.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 3:7-8 – Evil Destroys Health

In Abuse, Advice, Anger, Anxiety, Bible, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Birth, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Confusion, Decision Making, Depression, Devotional, Discretion, Evil, Exhortation, Fear, Godliness, Godly Counsel, Health, Holy Spirit, Humanism, Illness, Peace, Proverbs, Prudence, Sickness, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom on February 9, 2018 at 2:59 pm

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. 8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

Evil Destroys Health

These two verses seem very straight forward. Evil will damage or even destroy your heath, physically, mentally, emotionally, and/or spiritually. However, the verses stand as a warning by giving wise guidance for the cure. The approach of the writer is how to become healthy or recover one’s health not a list of health risk.

To indulge evil is to invite poor health. The person who constantly stays in a state of worry and anxiety instead of casting their concerns on God to take care of ends up with stress related health problems, emotional upheaval, and mental anxieties they can no longer control. The person who overworks themselves ends up with a heart attack. The person who constantly focuses on revenge, vengeance, hurting people, murders, killings, etc. is sure to develop a psychotic personality. The person who does not balance their eating habits but instead indulges excess in the areas of sugar or fat can end up with diabetes. The person who drinks too much, too often, can destroy their liver. The person who uses drugs can damage their heart and liver. A person who only focuses on what is wrong in life to the exclusion of what is good will become depressed, and if that state is continued in long enough will damage the brain chemistry in their mind. The person who smokes can end up with lung cancer. The person who is lazy and never exercises their body can end up with heart problems. A person who continues in habitual sin or anger toward God will slowly but surely spiritually die. The person who eats too much and is obese can develop heart problems or have a heart attack. The list could go on and on, but my point is made.

I am a firm believer that health can be recovered through repentance and change of one’s habits. After all is that not the first think thing a doctor tells someone to do. Stop doings A, B, and C and start doing X, Y, and Z.

The word “health” in the Hebrew language actually means “a cure, to mend (by stitching), cause to heal, repair, × thoroughly, make whole.” Therefore, departing from evil and undertaking God’s godly way[s] of doing things will bring healing to a person’s life.

“to thy navel” in the Hebrew language means “(specifically) the umbilical cord (also figuratively as the center of strength).” The core of our strength is found in departing from evil and instead turning toward God’s Way of living, this brings wholeness and healing to all areas of a person’s life. Therefore, it is wisdom to choose godliness over indulgence, to choose righteous living over sin.

It is not up to us to decide for ourselves what is right or good for us, God has already determined that in His Word. Being wise in our own eyes will end in only what we can accomplish for our health and wellbeing but having enough godly fear and respect for God to do things God’s Way will place us in a state of Divine health and healing.

Throughout this study if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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Merry CHRISTmas everyone!

In Bible, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Birth, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christ, Christ Birth, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Christmas, Christmas Star, God's Voice, Renewal, Truth, Uncategorized on December 23, 2017 at 6:00 am

Praise God for His Glorious Gift to mankind, Jesus, in the form of a precious baby.

Take a moment as you celebrate Christmas to remember the true meaning and purpose of Christmas and read the wonderful Truth found in Luke 2 and Matthew 1-2.

Luke 2:1–35 (NKJV)

Christ is Born

2 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Angels Announce Jesus to the Shepherds

8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 “Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

The Shepherds Visit Jesus

15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Christ is Circumcised

21 And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

22 Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Simeon’s Prophecy

25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, 28 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

29 “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,

According to Your word;

30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation

31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,

32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,

And the glory of Your people Israel.”

33 And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against 35 (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Matthew 2:1–12 (NKJV)

Visit of Wise Men

2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;

For out of you shall come a Ruler

Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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Precious Baby

In Agape Love, Birth, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christ, Christ Birth, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Christmas, Christmas Star, Jesus, Truth, Uncategorized on December 14, 2017 at 12:53 pm

A bit of Christmas trivia for you. Many people do not think about it, or either do not know, but Jesus may not have been born on December 25th but it is the day we have chosen to honor His Miraculous birth. Many scholars have debated the facts over the years regarding dates, age, and time frame but here are a couple of widely accepted details.

There is a good chance Jesus was born in April or September, not December. He was also not born in 1AD but instead was born sometime between 7-2BC according to scholars. To me that is quite a gap in time and many people debate those five years but I tend to believe it was about 3-2BC when Christ came to this earth to redeem it from the power of darkness. Additionally, the wise men were not present at Jesus’ birth they came to Jesus, directed by the heavenly star, which marked the birthplace and their travels took them some time as they came from faraway lands. When they arrived, Jesus would have been about two years old, which is why Herod had all the babies two and under killed [Matt. 2:16-18] in an attempt to kill the Messiah. Nevertheless, the precious child was born and we praise God that He was willing to come to this earth and bring us the ability to have joy and peace in Christ at Christmas time.

The balance of this post will include details from a lecture done by Barry Setterfield regarding Jesus’ birth and the study of the Star of Bethlehem. Although none of us can truly pinpoint every detail of Jesus’ birth and the Wise Men’s journey, I find the following teaching to be quite creditable.

The Christmas Star Lecture

Barry Setterfield – Teaching 1993

Based on 28 years of research by historians, astrologers, and astronomers who studied of the Star of Bethlehem.

All of the following dynamics tie into pinpointing when Jesus was born and when the Wise Men would have arrived to worship Him.

Mary and Joseph both came from the line of David.

A woman giving birth would have been considered unclean because of the blood involved. If the woman was in a house during this time, the whole house would have been considered unclean and this was during a time of religious ceremonies. Hence, the use of a stable for birth.

Shepherds were in fields at night only twice a year, in spring and fall. Therefore, Jesus was born in the spring or fall of 3BC. [My note: This could be why some believe Jesus was born in April.]

Autumn 3BC Jesus was born. Between the 10th and the 25th of September.

Jesus is born September 12th then on His eight day He was circumcised, which would have been September 20th the Jewish Day of Atonement thus Jesus was shedding His first blood on the Day of Atonement. Then on September 25th, the Feast of the Tabernacle would have taken place.

If Jesus were in fact born around this time, September 10th – 25th, then His conception would have been close to the 25th of December, the previous year.

The Wise Men, the men who set out to find the New King of the Jews.

The star in the sky that announced Jesus’ birth remained in the sky for a couple, to several, years and moved guiding the Wise Men. When the Wise Men got to Jesus they went into the “house” to worship Him, house not stable [Matt. 2:11]. Above Bethlehem the star, the planet Jupiter, stopped moving and stood still for six days over the Christ Child, the day it stopped moving would have been December 25th 2BC – on that day the Wise Men arrived.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.