Merry Christmas
[23 :1] “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD. [2 ] Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the LORD. [3 ] Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. [4 ] I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the LORD.
[5 ] “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. [6 ] In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’ (Jeremiah 23:1-6 ESV)
[8 ] And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. [9 ] And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. [10 ] And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. [11 ] For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. [12 ] And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” [13 ] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
[14 ] “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
[15 ] When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” [16 ] And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. [17 ] And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. [18 ] And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. [19 ] But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. [20 ] And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
[21 ] And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. (Luke 2:1-21 ESV)
[18 ] Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. [19 ] And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. [20 ] But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. [21 ] She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” [22 ] All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
[23 ] “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”
(which means, God with us). [24 ] When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, [25 ] but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-25 ESV)
[1 :1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1 ESV)
[14 ] And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 ESV)
[15 ] The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. (1 Timothy 1:15 ESV)
Merry Christmas to you all! Let us focus on Him and the reason why He came to the world!
Let us continue to eat His Word!
Hungry to eat His Word,
'Guerite~BoldLion
