A MESSAGE OF HOPE

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9

Text: LUKE 2:6-7

Today's Devotion By Pastor E. A. Adeboye

<i>Jesus came into this world in the most unusual way for a King. The circumstances surrounding His birth alone is a message to the whole world.

The Christmas message is a message of hope. It is a message which says that God can bring greatness out of a manger. It doesn’t matter how humble your background is; Jesus had a worse background just to show that you can soar high and rule notwithstanding your background. I am a living example of how Jesus can transform a nobody into somebody.

When I was growing up in my village, we were so poor that even the poor people in the village called us poor. When my father bought an umbrella, the entire family celebrated; that is how poor we were. I never wore shoes until I was eighteen years old, and those I wore on that day were borrowed. But today, because I met Jesus and I am doing His will, people celebrate me all over the world. There is nothing I want to eat or wear now that I cannot afford.

I tell you: the message of Jesus’ birth is a message of hope that your tomorrow shall be alright. Jesus could have chosen to come from the best tribe and place in Israel, but He chose Nazareth. Nazareth was the lowliest place in Israel, the slum as they would say in modern parlance.

Jesus coming from Nazareth tells us that God does not discriminate against the lowly so He made sure His son came from one of them. John 1:46 says: "…can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Some may have asked, "Can anything good come out of your family?".  The answer you should give them is “Yes, I am the good thing that is coming out of my family”.

Nazareth has become popular all over the world now because of Jesus. You will bring fame and blessings to your family in the mighty name of Jesus. The wise will tell you that if you want to achieve what someone has done before, then you should copy that person.

Copy Jesus. Read all that is recorded in the Bible about Him and just copy Him. Your greatness is assured in the mighty name of Jesus.

Prayer

Lord, help me to emulate the very character of Jesus during His earthly ministry.

Source: openheavensdaily.com