Just Another Night in Bethlehem - Greg Laurie Daily Devotion - December 20, 2016

Just Another Night in Bethlehem

Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done marvelous things! - (Joel 2:21)

On the first Christmas Eve, there were no brightly colored lights on anyone’s homes. There were no stockings that had been hung with care or any visions of sugarplums dancing in children’s heads. It was just another night in Bethlehem. The census had gone out—that command by Caesar that everyone was to be taxed. But history was about to change in Bethlehem.

All of Israel was living in a very frightening time historically. They lived under the tyrant King Herod who would execute people at will. In addition, the Jews were living in occupied territory. The Romans had taken control of their country. They were no longer free to do what they wanted and live as they wanted. They wondered if Rome would ever leave. Would the violent rule ever cease?  Would their world ever change?

Then suddenly angels appeared to the shepherds and told them not to be afraid; the Messiah had been born.

There is a lot to be afraid of in our unstable, volatile world today. It seems that at every turn, we hear about another horrific tragedy happening in our world. It can cause us to be terrified.

Then there are the personal fears: What if I lose my health? What if I lose a member of my family? What if this happens? What if that happens? A lot of things run through our minds.

Here is the message of the first Christmas—and the message for us this Christmas: Don’t be afraid. . . . I bring you good tidings of great joy.

Ray Stedman wrote, “The chief mark of the Christian ought to be the absence of fear and the presence of joy.”

Does that describe you? Fear is what Christmas came to remove—and now we can have joy in its place.

Summary sentence: Christmas puts joy in the place of fear!
Tags:  Christmas, fear, joy

Copyright © 2015 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
and
Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com.

Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.

SPECIAL OFFER

“Advance the gospel in 2017!”

Make a Year-End Donation Today.

Harvest Ministries is dedicated to introducing people to Jesus Christ and helping believers know God and make Him known. Please make a special year-end gift to Harvest Ministries in order to reach more people with the life-changing message of the gospel in 2017. Donations must be received by December 31 to be deductible for the 2016 tax year.

SHARE

Christianity / Devotionals / Greg Laurie Daily Devotions / Just Another Night in Bethlehem - Greg Laurie Daily Devotion - December 20, 2016