Merry Christmas Eve!!!
Today, I hope you have time to relax, spend quality time with family and friends and, find the opportunity to do some Bible reading. Personally, I believe there is no better quality time spent than reading what God wishes to communicate to us through His inspired word. With that in mind, sometimes it can be overwhelming to figure out what to read. I mean think about it. There are 31,102 verses making up 1189 chapters that make up 66 books (39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament). Where do you begin? While the possibilities are endless and there are no restrictions for what you can read. God would have you read anything and everything in the Scriptures. Nevertheless, perhaps today, on this Christmas Eve we would could read these powerful pericopes:
Isaiah 6:9 – For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 7:14 – Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 11:1 – Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear fruit.
Micah 5:2 – 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.”
Zechariah 9:9 – Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Matthew 1:21 – She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Luke 2:8-20 – In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.
For further understanding open your bible and read all the verses around all these verses.
I love you, and merry Christmas!
Alex