Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all my family and friends.


The 12 days of Christmas will bring us to January 6. You may have heard that old timers in the Ozarks call Jan 6 Old Christmas. It is still celebrated as regular Christmas in many eastern countries. A pope changed it to December 25 to draw attention away from a pagan ceremony celebrated in Europe on that date.

The early church did not celebrate the birth of Jesus. Their attention was on the good news of His death and resurrection. One tradition is that they believed John the Baptist was born on Jan. 6. Later, because the Bible says Jesus was about 30 years old when He was baptized, they jumped to the conclusion that Jesus was born on Jan. 6.

Actually, it seems clear from Mary's visit to Elizabeth that Jesus was born some time after John. This would put the birthday of Jesus in the Spring.

Note that also beginning in Luke 2:22, Jesus was taken on the eighth day to the temple in Jerusalem for circumcision and for the sacrifices the law of Moses required for a firstborn son. He would indeed be circumcised. Jesus was a Jew. He was also the fulfillment of prophecy, as Simeon and the prophetess Anna recognized.

Jesus was at least a year old when the wise men came to the house where the star led them. Some believe they came from the Parthian Empire east of the Roman Empire. They had been enemies. So the wise men were probably a large group and were accompanied by a good number of soldiers. (Because they were in enemy territory) No wonder they caused such excitement in all Jerusalem. Thank God the wise men obeyed divine direction and gave opportunity for Jesus--the young child, not a baby--to escape to Egypt.

Hope you all enjoyed Christmas as much as we did.
Remember that Jesus came to die and rise again and be our Lord and Savior and Coming King.
Even so come Lord Jesus.

LISTEN TO AGTS LEGACY CHAPELS WITH STANLEY HORTON

LISTEN TO AGTS LEGACY CHAPELS WITH STANLEY HORTON


http://www.agts.edu/news/news_archives/2010_2_11horton_legacy_chapels.html

AGTS News: Listen to AGTS Legacy Chapels with Stanley Horton
www.agts.edu
Located in Springfield, MO, AGTS serves as the only seminary endorsed by the Assemblies of God for the graduate-level education of ministers. It is one of the world's leading Pentecostal seminaries and has one of the ten largest doctor of ministry programs in the nation.

The Roman Cross

Recent discoveries show more about the Roman cross.

Four iron spikes were used. One in each wrist. The wrist was considered part of the hand in both the Hebrew and Greek. Then the legs were placed on the outside of the cross and there was spike driven in each heal to connect them to hold them on the cross. These 4 spikes made it impossible for anyone to fall off the cross.

This gives a different picture than what you find in so many of the traditional pictures of Jesus on the cross but it makes more sense.

Since the Jewish laws called for death by stoning the prophecies about Jesus being lifted up could not have been lifted up could not have been fulfilled until the Romans were in control of Jerusalem.

A Facebook friend asked this question:

Hi Dr. Horton,
An A/G friend in the Philippines asked advice on which Bible is the best study Bible to order:
Holman, Zondervan, or Nelson.
She has researched online but wants advice from someone who is knowledgeable on the three. I thought of you.
If you are familiar with these I would appreciate your input. My friend is supported by friends and family here and ministers to women in prison and has adopted a boy and giving him a godly home in which to grow up.
Thank you for input.

Here is my answer:

I took part in the LIFE IN THE SPIRIT STUDY BIBLE published by Zondervan. As the FIRE BIBLE it has been translated into many languages. It will bless you. A children's version of it is also available at the Gospel Publishing House.