Pastor Joseph J. Reine's two new books.


" Unlocking The Mysteries Of Prayer"

This short ebook could change your thinking about prayer, forever!


and

"SALVATION We Are Not Afraid!"

Catholicism Versus The Word Of God.

Traditions Of Men And What Saith The Lord.

Read first hand what your Bible says, you'll be

surprised to learn The Truth!

This book was written for thousands of people

to be liberated from ecclesiastical prisons.


http://www.amazon.com


Thursday, December 22, 2011

Bethlehem


Bible Questions Answered:
“What was so special about the place bethlehem over the others?”
Brandon/ Birmingham, United Kingdom

Bible Answer:

It was special for several reasons.
First of all it was a time of Roman Census taking. The purpose of most Census taking was for the raising of taxes and or military placement. Rome had as its custom, census taking every 14 years.

Luke 2:1-5 NLT
1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 
2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 
3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 
4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 
5 He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant.

Bethlehem was the city of David (House of bread).

Prophecy had predicted the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem some 700 years B.C.

Micah 5:2 KJV
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.

(Did Mary bring Jesus Christ into existence? Never, He is, always was, and always be God, with the Father and Holy Spirit. Was Christ a created angel? Never, He is, always was, and always will be God, with the Father and Holy Spirit.)

Isaiah 9:6,7 KJV
6 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

This prophecy referring to Christ, says what of Him? “ His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Did you notice the title “Everlasting?”

Bethlehem, a village 5 miles south west of Jerusalem, it was here that the prophet Samuel anointed David to be King of Israel.

I Samuel 17:12 NLT
" Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem in the land of Judah..."

I Samuel 16:13 KJV
Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward..."

Luke 2:6,7 NLT
6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 
7 She gave birth to her first Child, a Son. She wrapped Him snugly in strips of cloth and laid Him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

On the hills of Bethlehem, are caves, and shepherds put stables in them for their animals, for protection against weather, robbers and, wild animals.  The manger in which Jesus was born, no doubt was one of these cave stables.

In the year 328 The Church of the Nativity was built by Helena, mother to Emperor Constantine. It was built over the spot which was believed to have been Christ's birth. In the years 527-565 Emperor Justinian rebuilt the church.

Luke 2:8-20 KJV
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this Child.
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

The hills surrounding Bethlehem, abound with vines, almonds, olives, and figs, but something far, far more wonderful, Bethlehem was home to the Bread of Life.

John 6:35, 47-51 KJV
35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the Bread of Life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst.
47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.
48 I am that Bread of Life.
49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
50 This is the Bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
51 I am the Living Bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this Bread, he shall live for ever: and the Bread that I will give is My Flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

All who receive the Lord Jesus, have everlasting life.

John 3:16-18 KJV
16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Have you received the Father's Gift?
Have you eaten of this Bread of Life, is the Lord Jesus Christ your Saviour?