It is a time of not only recognizing Jesus Suffering and obedience to His Father, but it is a time of remembering God’s Offering. God’s Offering is sometimes forgotten as we see the suffering of Jesus. God’s Offering was “His Only Begotten Son!”

Pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16

There is often sacrifice in true love! Our society today is full of love – love of the things of this world, lustful love, love for power and praise! The heart of God is still calling for pure love, as in the moment He spoke to Peter: “Lovest Thou Me?” Sacrifice is involved, as in God’s offering of Jesus; Consider the painful sensation in the heart of Abraham when God said to him, offer thy son for a burnt offering. Let us recognize afresh the desire in God’s heart for our love. His desire is not just for words, but action, as we see the day of Jesus return approaching.

I believe the saints of the Gospel of Christ see the signs of our time, but perhaps we fail to sense the urgency of our day. When you study Jesus Life, as we will note in the Message today; He warned them, blessed them, taught them, and revealed Truth to them.

The emblems of His Sacrifice opened their eyes and they knew Him. He vanished and they said: “Did not our heart burn within us!”

Usually it is in silent Prayer meditation longing to find a source of comfort for the moment. This is the message today. Bits and pieces of wisdom for the tomorrows that follow. There is always comfort in God’s Word, but sometimes it is the last place we go to be comforted. One such verse that caught my eye was in Isaiah 34:16 and almost audibly I heard the words … “Seek ye out of the Book of the Lord, and Read …”

We hear Jesus say “Launch out into the deep …” we turn to the fruit of the Spirit given to us for a deeper experience in our salvation. Not only the Fruit of the Spirit, but the simplicity of God’s Word reveals truth that will sustain us when we are toiling through a night experience! In a crisis we must do as Peter did, respond with “nevertheless at Thy Word I will...!”

May we, His gentiles worship Him! Gold, frankincense, and myrrh, the kings brought … what will we bring to worship Him in this New Year? The greatest offering we can bring is ourselves … search His Word, lift up our voices in praise and adoration, and bring unto Him the tithe of our labor.

What a wonderful season as we celebrated the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ! Now we face a new year! What will this year hold for the Christian, the people of God? There will be "plenty" of opportunities to trust the Lord, to share His goodness in a corrupt generation, to show His love as we walk among His children.

Today we look at the First Witnesses who saw Jesus beside His mother and father. The angels of heaven look on as this holy occasion begins to open … An angel of the Lord is sent to give the message to the shepherds. They are quietly watching their flock by night when the angel appears with the message: “Fear not, for, behold I bring you good tidings of great Joy, which shall be to all people! For unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord!” The shepherds were frightened as the angel appeared and the glory of the Lord shone round about them … Soon there was a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying Glory to God in the highest, and on earth Peace, Good will toward men.” Thus we have the first witnesses, “Eye Witnesses” to the Christ born in the inn, & laid in the manger.

There usually seems to be a “conformation” when we take on a faith walk for the Lord. It might be a huge conformation, or it might be a small Word of God in season coming out of nowhere, like a friend, or a statement in a sermon, we turn to a passage of scripture that pops out and speaks to us, etc. Mary’s conformation came when she visited her cousin Elisabeth.