Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 226
Sign: miracle, attestation of God's divine presence and interposition (mediation)
Matthew 1:23
"Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel" (which means, "God with us").
On the surface of the Scripture a person may wonder what this verse and the many verses we will touch on this month have to do with being born again. Christ is our foundation of living. Without His arrival to this world there would be no born again experience. The world would still be awaiting God's promise of a Messianic kingdom to be set up.
THE WAY
To be born again is to believe that Jesus Christ is God's Messiah, that God's plan of salvation is enacted in Him and through Him. He is the gospel of salvation. He is the Way (John 14:6a): the Way in which we are to walk out our daily lives (Isaiah 30:21), the Way which God has provided for us to reach The LORD God Himself (John 14:6d).
John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am The Way and The Truth and The Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
IN A MANGER
Luke 2:11, 12
11. Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord!
12. And this will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
15. When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
16. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the Baby, who was lying in the manger.
THE LIGHT
He was born on this Earth of humble birth. After all, what could be a more humble birth than to be born in a stable, a barn? Mary had prepared for the birth of her son by bringing the necessities required to wrap him up after His birth, but the place of one's birth can never really be planned for.
Babies are born in taxicabs, hotel lobbies, hospitals, at home; very seldom are human babies born in a barn stall surrounded by sounds of barn animals. But this was a special baby, this was The Light of God's Love given to a dark world. It is only fitting then, that He should be born in a dimly lit stable.
John 1:5
And The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John 8:12
Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, "I am The Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have The Light of Life."
John 9:5
"While I am in the world, I am The Light of the world."
Has The Light of God's Love made Himself at home in Your heart? If not, are you ready to believe in God's Messiah, to have The Light take up residence in the darkness of your hearts?
Dear God,
I believe that Jesus Christ is Your Son. Please forgive me of all my sins and help me to walk in Your Way, in Your Light. Come live in my soul: in my heart, in my thoughts, in my emotions, my attitude. Lead me through Your precious Holy Word into Your marvelous Light. Forgive me, Father, of all my unrighteousness; forgive me for trying to do things my way, instead of Your Way. To You, O Lord, I surrender my all.
As in days of old, when they who had been forgiven much by kings of the realm, I pledge my allegiance to You. May my feet go where You lead. You have promised never to leave nor forsake Your people. I would that I were one of Your people. Come live in me that I might live in You. Forever.
In Jesus' Precious Name, I pray,
Amen
