Unto us a child is born unto us a son is given

Unto us a child is born unto us a son is given....

There are a couple things that we do know about His birth. Number one is that He was not born in the winter because the Word says the shepherds were in the fields with their flocks.  Secondly we know that He was not born in the center of "organized religion", Jerusalem.   

There is no place on the earth more religious than Jerusalem.  Here the Christians all have the roots of their religion along with the Jews and of course the Muslims. All are laying claim to Jerusalem as the mother of their religion.  Every one in the world lays claim to their religious birth place as Jerusalem and Jerusalem is the center of their religious activities, except for one.

It should be a curious fact for us to observe that He was not born in the center of religious activity.  He did not ride in on fiery chariots in the same manner as Elijah left out.   He did not come from a royal linage of High Priest or human kings.  He was not herald  from the street corners of Jerusalem: "the King is born".  

It has always amazed me that when someone claims to be a believer in Yeshua he is automatically labeled "religious".  Being a believer and being religious are as far apart as night and day.  I have spent the last few days expressing the historical origins of our modern day religious traditions and I want to assure you that all believers are NOT steeped in religion.  You need not be religious to be a believer.

Seems to me the God in His Wisdom made a startling revelation to us in the birth of Jesus.   In stead of the Son being born in the center of world's religion, in Jerusalem, He was born 6 miles south of "organized religion" in a tiny town called Bethlehem.  Bless God in His Wisdom! 

Paul talked to us in Hebrews about the necessity of us going to Him "outside the camp" (organized religion) and  The Book of Revelations warns us to come out of Her (Secret Babylon) and be not a partakers of Her sins.  Coupled with the fact that Jesus was not born in Jerusalem,  what is God trying to say to us?

Seems the handwriting is on the wall and there for all who have eyes to see.  The finger of God has taught us that being a believer does not make us "religious".  Some of us live 6 miles south of religion.

Be blessed, Billy and Jan 

Found Faithful

Found Faithful

Abram, later Abraham, was called of God to separate from his land, home and family and to follow God to a new living way.  He was found faithful in that he obeyed.

Our question as Christians is not are we religious but are we true followers?  There are many roads in life and many seem to be the right road, but that was never the question with God.  The question has always been: will you leave all and follow Me?  

Abraham left father and mother and struck out in search of a city with foundation.   He never found that city in his mortal life but that did not deter his determination to be a follower of God.  He was found faithful.

We live in an age of the "lukewarms",  where following is never the question but where sitting more accurately describes us.   Our lives should not be consumed with brick and mortar but with a Living Experience of God.  

As Don Williams said in one of his songs:  I dont believe that God waits only for those who congregate.

Let us leave off the traditions of our fathers (leave father and mother and lands) and follow the Spiritual leading of God in the the Land of Promise (the Spirit-led life). 

Be blessed, Billy and Jan