Signs & Wonders of Christ's Arrival - - The Way In A Manger

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

THE WAY MEDLEY

A Light Like No Other

Out of millions of stars in the night skies one shone above all the others. Created to serve one purpose and one purpose only: lead the nations to the place which God had prepared for the birth of His only begotten Son. To bring the newborn King their, and our, worship and adoration. To bring the King of the Jews ourselves and lay not only the gifts in our hands at His feet, but the gifts in our hearts, as well. 

How fitting that the weather is so topsy-turvy this year. For it was not a cold winter night that welcomed the baby's birth, but a warm summer night. When the sheep could be on the surrounding hills, while their shepherds kept close watch. When the darkness of night would suddenly be illuminated by thousands, tens of thousands, of angels singing the praises of the newborn King of the Jews. A heavenly choir singing to a bunch of poor shepherds and their flocks. Calling out to them to "fear not", for this was a joyous occasion. And to Bethlehem they came. 

The supernatural star gleamed and shined forth its light over the stable where the baby lay, 'wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger'. The Bread of Life resting in a feeding trough. The Light of the world heralded with the special light which His heavenly Father had prepared for such an occasion. The Way in a manger. The Door through which all must walk through in belief that Jesus the Christ is the only begotten Son of God, who died on the cross and rose from the grave. 

In humble beginnings here on earth Jesus took His first breath, but not His last. For Christ is alive. For ever. That manger is empty and gone. That cross is empty and gone. That grave is empty, though many flock to see the tomb where it is said that He lay. I don't want to visit where He is not: I am going where He is!!

I saw that Light and I followed it to His heart. Now, I am in Him and He is in me, which is what He prayed for in the garden that night they hauled Him away like a common criminal. That Light lives in me and when I open my heart, His Light shines through. There is room for many, many more in His heart. Won't you reconsider and change your mind? And let Jesus change your heart?