{"id":377,"date":"2015-12-06T16:10:26","date_gmt":"2015-12-06T21:10:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newleafdesigns.biz\/thoughts\/?p=377"},"modified":"2019-03-18T23:12:17","modified_gmt":"2019-03-18T23:12:17","slug":"advent-week-2-bethlehem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newleafdesigns.biz\/thoughts\/advent-week-2-bethlehem\/","title":{"rendered":"Advent Week 2 – Bethlehem"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Bethlehem<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Father God, as I learn more and more about You, as I see the truth of Your Word, as I study history and see all You did to bring about the birth of Your Son, I stand amazed and can only cry out Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty.   You have given us Your Word to teach us who You are.  In John 1 we read that Jesus is The Word become flesh.  In Ezekiel 34 we read that You planned to come and walk among Your sheep, healing the broken, recovering the lost.  In Revelations we read how You, our Great Shepherd, have become the lamb slain for our sins.  What a mighty and wonderful God we serve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Nehemiah<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Lord Jesus, My King eternal, this is the second week of Advent when we remember Your birth place, Bethlehem.  You revealed many details concerning the where and why of Jesus\u2019 life long before His birth.  The Prophet Micah tells us:  But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.  His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.\u201d  Therefore, He will give them up until the time when she who is in labor has borne a child.  Then the remainder of His brethren will return to the sons of Israel.  And He will arise and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God.  And they will remain, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth.  And this One will be our peace.<\/em> Micah 5:2-5a.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bethlehem was the city You chose, the City of David, a city whose name means \u2018house of bread.\u2019  You, who are our Bread of Life, were born in the city whose name represented, in part, what Your birth would mean to us.  Jesus said to them, \u201cI am the bread of life, he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.\u201d John 6:35<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You Lord, our Creator, revealed yourself to us through the prophets and through Your Word, that we might know You.   Then You came to earth, born of a Virgin, (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:26-38) born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2-5a; Luke 2:1-7); You came to the outcast, the sick, the lonely (Isaiah 61:1-3; Luke 5:31-32), and made us family (Romans 8:15), healing our wounds, and loving us with Your great mercy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, we, Your children can live in peace, with joy beyond understanding even though we live in a fallen world with much pain and suffering.  Because of You, because You came and were born in Bethlehem, because You chose to come and walk among us, because You chose to die for our sins, because You love us, we are free.  Thank You My Lord and Savior. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From my Archives<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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