December, 2016 Wingspread


Return Home	Current Wingspread	Wingspread Archives	Contact Us


	*Christmas, 2016* There have been a lot of debates throughout the years as to when Jesus was really born. No one knows, although some facts point to His birth happening in the fall. But December 25th is as good a time as any to stop and take notice of what God really did for us on that most sacred day. To quote Dr. Scott: “To believe in the VIRGIN birth and the Resurrection is to believe in God’s supernatural power.” And who really believes in those two events? We all say that we do, but few show any proof of a real trust and faith in the supernatural power of God. Jesus’ birth was foretold many times in the Old Testament, the most famous one being in Isaiah 9: 6-7: “For unto us a child is born. Unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” Every person has two genealogies: one through your father, and one through your mother. This is also true of our Lord. The line through His father Joseph is recorded, beginning at Matthew 1:1. Starting at Luke 3:23 is the record of His genealogy through his mother Mary. For those of us who have the time and the desire to study God’s Word there is ample proof of who Jesus was and where He came from. But in the end we still have to believe in supernatural events that cannot be proven. For instance, we can’t prove that an angel spoke to Mary. But in Luke 1:26 thru 38 we read that the angel Gabriel came to Mary and told her that she would conceive and bear a child who would be called the Son of God. There is a lot of worship of Mary. The angel said, “You have found favor with God,” and she had. But so had JOSEPH, obviously. Matthew 1:19 says he was a “just man.” And he didn’t want to make Mary a public example when he found out that she was pregnant. Just think how he must have felt and the kind of thoughts he must have had. It was not a small matter in that age to be pregnant and not married. God had mercy on him and gave him a dream where an angel told him that what was conceived in Mary was of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 1:20-21 Mary and Joseph both had a trust and faith in God and His Word, or none of this could have happened. But God, who knows and sees all things, had this genealogy made up from the time Adam sinned. And He saw to it that down through time this bloodline would survive, and through it His Son would become one of us, with all the same feelings, sorrows and joys and weaknesses. Yet He did not sin as we all do. The angels sang for joy that night. They knew what was happening. This had been God’s plan from the time that Adam and Eve ruined His perfect world. They lived in a world where there were no weeds, bugs or pests. The animals ate grass and did not kill each other. All was peace and beauty. We all long for such a world. God knew that satan would try to ruin everything. He had already tried to ruin heaven and take over God’s throne. And he has never given up in trying to destroy God’s creation. But God had a plan. He never wanted perfect beings (He has the angels already); He wanted a people who would of their own free will love, trust and worship Him. Revelation 13:8 speaks of Him who was slain from the foundation of the world. So all of heaven knew what would happen. It was in the plan. The Son of God would come and be born as one of us. He would go through all the steps of childhood, obedient to His parents, becoming a part of His creation, feeling the kinship with us, the humanity He had always known. We are His creation! That staggers the mind, or at least I hope it does. We know that at age 12 Jesus knew who He was, because He stayed behind in the temple and told His parents that He had to be about His “Father’s business.” So He knew then that God was His Father, not Joseph. But I think He always knew. We have a clue that may prove that in Luke 1:39-45, when the angel visited Mary and told her that she would conceive and bear a Son. The angel also told her that her cousin Elizabeth was 6 months pregnant and would also bear a son, who was John the Baptist. So Mary went to visit Elizabeth. As soon as Elizabeth heard her voice the babe in her womb “leaped for joy.” The reason he leaped for joy in the womb is because he was aware of being in the presence of the Christ He was to proclaim. John was born 6 months before Jesus’ birth. My point is that if John knew in the womb that Jesus was the Christ, then surely Christ Himself knew who He was. John the Baptist was called to a special life that had no other meaning but to proclaim Christ’s coming. We don’t hear a lot about John. He lived a hard life and in the end was beheaded for who he was and the message he had. Jesus always knew who He was. He was born as a helpless babe into a world that He had created. “Colossians 4:16 says: “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.“ He endured it all, from birth to death. He came in obedience to His Father and for His great Love for us all. Most of the world will this day be thinking of decorations, gifts, and a festive dinner, family and friends. And that’s all good. God doesn’t mind us having a good time. But the birth of His Son should be remembered every day, and a word of thanks spoken to Him each and EVERY day. And if we believe in His supernatural birth and life, then we can also believe in the supernatural deposit of His Spirit within us, which is God expressing His life in us. - Margaret & Rodney \| December, 2016 Wingspread \| November, 2016 Wingspread \| October, 2016 Wingspread \| September, 2016 Wingspread \| July, 2016 Wingspread \| June, 2016 Wingspread \| May, 2016 Wingspread \| April, 2016 Wingspread \| March, 2016 Wingspread \| February, 2016 Wingspread \| January, 2016 Wingspread \| \| Year 2019 Wingspreads \| August, 2016 Wingspread \| 2016 Wingspreads \| 2014 Wingspreads \| 2013 Wingspreads \| 2012 Wingspreads \| 2011 Wingspreads \| 2010 Wingspreads \| 2009 Wingspreads \| 2008 Wingspreads \| 2007 Wingspreads \| 2006 Wingspreads \| 2005 Wingspreads \| 2004 Wingspreads \| 2003 Wingspreads \| 2002 Wingspreads \| 2001 Wingspreads \| August, 2001 Wingspread \| November, 2001 Wingspread \| December, 2001 Wingspread \| 2000 Wingspreads \| 1999 Wingspreads \| 2015 Wingspreads \| Year 2017 Wingspreads \| 2018 Wingspreads \| Year 2020 Wingspreads \| Year 2021 Wingspreads \| Year 2022 Wingspreads \| Year 2023 Wingspreads \| \| Return Home \| Current Wingspread \| Wingspread Archives \| Contact Us \|