Birthplace of A King

 

MICAH 5:2

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be Ruler in Israel; Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

    If I had no other verse than Micah's on which to base my faith in God, I would still be a believer. For in this verse we see Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son. Knowing my Bible as I do, I am keenly aware that this is Whom Micah is speaking of. 

    The prophecy is spoken over the town of Bethlehem, which translates to House of Bread. A few hundred years later Jesus would refer to Himself as The Bread of Life, The Mana from heaven which God had sent down for people to partake of. We do this when we believe on The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation.

    But in this comparatively small town The Ruler of Israel would be born. He was sent from heaven by God to accomplish God's purpose until His return to God. The Bible tells us that "God's Word does not return void to Him" (Isaiah 55:11). Christ is The Word (John 1:1;14). And He is not void, empty. He is Truth. He is Life. He is Love. 

    As Ruler in Israel, He is also Governor (Isaiah 9:6), and reigns with Justice. His kingdom is wherever He is and He is in the heart of every believer for we have partaken of His salvation and in His salvation is His suffering, His anguish at the task which God had set before Him and now sets before us. In His salvation is God's mercy and compassion for the lost and the dying. This, too, is in the heart of the believer when Christ lives there. 

    His 'goings forth from of old, from everlasting' is just one of the most peaceful verses I know. For Jesus Christ is The Beginning (Revelation 1:4,8; John 1:1-3; Proverbs 8:23; John 8:58; John 17:5; Revelation 22:13). Age to age, beyond the realm of time is Christ The Messiah. And He's coming soon to reward His faithful, His righteous people and to punish the unfaithful, the unrighteous, the unbeliever (Revelation 22:12-17). 

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO     (I keep singing this one. It is in my thoughts when I close my eyes and with me in my dreams. I awaken and it is still there. My spirit worships even when I am in the unconscious dream realm).

JESUS MESSIAH - Chris Tomlin 

Signs & Wonders of Christ's Arrival - - Bethlehem

 

Luke 2:4

So Joseph also went up from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, since he was from the house and line of David.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 965

Bethlehem: house of bread

From the Greek word 'Béthleem' (pronounced bayth-leh-em'). In the Old Testament this word Bethlehem was two words:  Beth Lechem (pronounced bayth leh'-khem). "Beth" means "house" and "Lechem" means bread.  Bethlehem: House of Bread

I've been pronouncing it wrong my whole life. 

In The HOUSE OF BREAD The BREAD OF LIFE is Born.

THE HOUSE OF BREAD

Micah 5:2

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel--One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.

Matthew 2:6

'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a Ruler who will be the Shepherd of My people Israel.'

Luke 2:11

Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord!

THE BREAD OF LIFE

John 6:33, 35

33. "For the Bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

35.Jesus said to them, "I am the Bread of Life; the one coming to Me 

never shall hunger, and the one believing in Me never shall thirst at any time."

John 6:47, 48, 50, 51

47. "Truly, truly, I tell you, he who believes has eternal life

48. I am the Bread of Life.

50. This is the Bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die.

51. I am the Living Bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this Bread, he will live forever. And this Bread, which I will give for the life of the world, is My flesh.”

To Eat the Bread of Life is to Hear and Believe The Word of God

John 5:24

Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.

John 3:36

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.

John 11:25, 26

25. Jesus said to her, “I am The Resurrection and The Life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies. 

26. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Still this question lingers in the air. Do you believe this? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is The Resurrection and The Life? Do you know that you know that you know? Only you can answer that. Don't leave The House of Bread without having tasted The Bread of Life. 

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

John 11:27

“Yes, Lord,” she answered, “I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”

Matthew 5:6

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."

Psalm 107:9

For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM classic North American Christmas carol

I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE by Jaime Thietten

FILL MY CUP, LORD by The Nashville String Machine

FILL MY CUP by Andrew Ripp

PORTION by Isla Vista

Today's Blessing - A Bountiful Eye

BLESSED BOUNTIFUL EYE
Proverbs 22:9
"He that has a bountiful eye shall be Blessed; for he gives of his bread to the poor."

What does 'bountiful eye' even mean? When we realize that God has a bountiful eye and He directs that eye on us, we begin to understand it even more so: 

The LORD has a bountiful eye and is Blessed; for He is our Bread and has given Himself for us.
Jesus answered, "I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst." John 6:35

As Christ's ministers, we are to give of this Bread to the poor in spirit, the lost and undone, the lonely of heart, the naked soul: basically everyone we meet whom the Holy Spirit directs us to. Not everyone is meant to preach to large crowds, most encounters are one-on-one. 

There is more than enough of God's Bread of Life to go around. This bountiful eye shared His Bread with the whole world, when He sent His Son to die on the cross for us. Though there are more people on the face of the earth now, there is still enough Bread for each one. 

2 Corinthians 9:7-8, 11 "Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for loves a cheerful giver. .. And God is able to make all grace abound towards you; that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work ... Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causes through us thanksgiving to God."

We are to give of what God has given us with a cheerful heart. Not grudgingly, as if we don't want to give, but we will anyway. That way? Not the right way, nor will God accept it as a gift to Him. But because we choose to share our bounty with others in a joyful manner, God makes all grace abound towards us, and what we have given away is multiplied to us. God's math is higher than our math.

And because we have given cheerfully, we are 'enriched in every thing to ALL Bountifulness'. We have more than enough, more than enough bread (storehouse/pantry) that the stomach requires, and more than enough Bread that the soul requires. 

It is this bountifulness in us through our obedience to Him that causes our soul to give spontaneous thanksgiving to God. "Always rejoicing" 1 Thessalonians 5:16 & Philippians 4:4.

As the man said in John 6:34, "Sir, give us this Bread at all times."