Bethlehem

Where is Jesus?

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

Our local neighborhood nativity scene had the Christ child stolen from the manger right after Christmas.

So I began to speculate as to who in the world would do such a thing and what would they do with baby Jesus.

If it was a thief who would buy Him?

If it was a believer how could they steal Him?

If it was an occult type how did they think they could harm him?

Then I relaxed and realized that in over 2000 years nothing has changed. King Herod and his like still do all they can to eliminate Jesus. But God knows in advance their plans and has people ready to keep him hidden in their hearts and safe from all attacks. God bless them and bring them to the real Jesus and may they know the joy of bringing Jesus home!

Gifts of Mercy

/ pastorpete51 / 4 Comments

Because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high Luke 1:78

Mercy may seem like a small thing, to someone who is an outside observer, but to the one who is receiving it, Mercy is the most necessary thing on the planet!

While we are busy shopping, celebrating and giving gifts it is important to remind ourselves that the most important gifts are unlikely to be found in stores. The gifts of greatest value can only be given after our own hearts have been touched by God’s mercy. In Bethlehem’s manger God chose to come and visit us and for 33 years He stayed until the day when His blood was given as His sacrifice of mercy. Remembering that amazing gift, then what gifts of mercy can we give to others today?

A Gift of Mercy Can be

A pint of blood for someone we don’t know

A handful of tissues when tears start to flow

A silent embrace when someone’s world falls apart

A light at the door when we come home after dark

A kiss of acceptance from someone we’ve hurt

A check in the mail when we’ve been out of work

Angel songs in the night when we’re out in the field

And the Babe in the manger before whom we kneel!

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Gift of Rest

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls Matthew 11:29

In all our hurry towards Christmas, it is easy for us to forget to rest for a moment at the manger. Remember how He waited the unhurried nine months in the waiting room of Mary’s womb. Then at His birth the shepherds were the first to know as they rested with their flocks.

For the next 30 quiet years Jesus lived in the tiny village of Nazareth. He didn’t burst forth with proclamations of greatness instead he worked in the back of Joseph’s carpenter shop. He had brothers and sisters with whom He shared a straw mattress on the floor and the same meals that Mary cooked for everyone. Never do we hear of a complaint an attitude of frustration.

He simply waited and rested in the place where God had put Him. It was there in Nazareth that He learned to give thanks for bread and fish. In the ordinary circumstances of His life He learned how to wash feet, celebrate weddings and how to handle wood and nails.

Whenever we feel the push to get into the holiday swing of things we need to stop and take a deep breath. Then in a moment of calm remember that the same Jesus who rested in the storm has also invited us to come and rest our souls in Him!