To proclaim the new life and hope that is found in the God-man,
once a babe in a manger, Jesus Christ.
’Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ’God with us’ —Matthew 1:23
His Birth in History. ". . . that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God ( Luke 1:35 ). Jesus Christ was born into this world, not from it. He did not emerge out of history; He came into history from the outside. Jesus Christ is not the best human being the human race can boast of— He is a Being for whom the human race can take no credit at all. He is not man becoming God, but God Incarnate— God coming into human flesh from outside it. His life is the highest and the holiest entering through the most humble of doors. Our Lord’s birth was an advent— the appearance of God in human form.
His Birth in Me. "My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you . . ." (Galatians 4:19 ). Just as our Lord came into human history from outside it, He must also come into me from outside. Have I allowed my personal human life to become a "Bethlehem" for the Son of God? I cannot enter the realm of the kingdom of God unless I am born again from above by a birth totally unlike physical birth. "You must be born again" ( John 3:7 ). This is not a command, but a fact based on the authority of God. The evidence of the new birth is that I yield myself so completely to God that "Christ is formed" in me. And once "Christ is formed" in me, His nature immediately begins to work through me.
God Evident in the Flesh. This is what is made so profoundly possible for you and for me through the redemption of man by Jesus Christ.
From Oswald Chamber's My Utmost for His Highest.
Prayer Requests:
- Praise - our visit with the State-side Beards (Jon's parents) has gone wonderfully and the girls are enjoying all their new Curious George books!
- Our visit to the States from December 28th - January 19th: We will be visiting friends, supporters, churches and attending Calvary Chapel's Missions Conference. Pray that God helps us communicate the vision for RO4Y and that He grows our prayer and financial support base.
- Wisdom in planning RO4Y in Honduras and all the details and logistics in getting there, becoming residents and establishing a ministry/non-profit organization.
- We would like to purchase a used church van to both transport ourselves and various possessions to Honduras, as well as use for the ministry. (If you didn't see the video in the last post, watch it then you'll know why we want this van). There is another ministry in San Ramon that is wanting to sell one of their vans, pray that we strike a fair and ministry minded deal