Monday, December 19, 2016

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2016 December 19

"Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth "(Micah 5:1-4).

Today's Morsel: There have been many great leaders that have come from small cities and towns.  Scripture says, "Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see" (John 1:44-46).  They knew through scripture that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, as nothing had been mentioned of Nazareth.  And so, when Phillip said, Jesus of Nazareth, Nathanael rejected it until Jesus told him, "Before Phillip called thee under the fig tree I saw thee."   Bethlehem was the city of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz, where Obed was born; Obed was the grandfather of King David, who was the lineage line to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Therefore, Jesus was often referred to as the son of David.  And because God had chosen this lineage line, it would be only right that He come to earth in the city where the King He had chosen after His own heart had lived.  Jesus wants to be born in your city, your church, and your home, so don't think that it is too small for Him.

Sing:  O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie; above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by: Yet in the dark street shineth the Everlasting Light; The hopes and fears of all the years, are met in Thee tonight.

Thought For Today:  Don’t despise the day of small things.

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