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"KING OF KINGS"

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called ( Read more... )

"GOD'S CHOICE"

When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a Son. And he called His Name Jesus. (Matthew 1:24-25)

Jesus suffered a great deal in His life; but there is one area in which God made sure He had the very best, and that was in His earthly ( Read more... )

"TWO FATHERS"

But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son, and you shall call His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:20 ( Read more... )

"AN ORDINARY SHAME"

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with Child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. (Matthew 1:18-19)

It amazes me that God ( Read more... )

"IN THE WILDERNESS"

And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel. (Luke 1:80)

Luke tells us that John lived in the wilderness before he began his public ministry, getting people ready for Jesus Himself. I wonder why?

By birth John was a priest, like his father Zechariah ( Read more... )

"SUNRISE"

[Zechariah said] "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness ( Read more... )

"WITHOUT FEAR"

And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people ... that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers ... that we, being delivered from the hand of our ( Read more... )

"BACK IN GOD'S SERVICE"

And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. (Luke 1:63-64)

At least one good thing came out of the community fuss over the baby's name; Zechariah had a second chance to respond to God's good gift ( Read more... )

"WHY NAME HIM THAT?"

And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his mother answered, "No; he shall be called John." And they said to her, "None of your relatives is called by this name." And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. (Luke 1: ( Read more... )