<TITLE>03. Par 13-19</TITLE>L-13 Let us bow our heads now for a word of prayer. Holy and gracious God, Who gave us the greatest Gift that this world has ever known of, the Lord Jesus Christ, we humbly come to Thee tonight in thanksgiving, and expressing from our innermost being the deep adorations of our heart to Thee for this marvelous Gift. We have nothing to give in return. And it was very little that You asked, just, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I'll take your burdens and your sins and set you free." Oh, what an exchange. No one could do that but Thee, our Father. And we thank Thee that Thou has did that for us. And we are Thy witnesses in this hour, that You take our burdens and sins, and give us joy and peace, instead. How thankful we are for, Lord, this inner Christian experience, Christmas in our hearts. We are so glad for this. So happy to know that we're living at the end day when we see the signs coming again like it was in that day, of His approach. We humble our hearts in Thy Presence. O great noble One, let Thy Spirit reign supremely in our heart in our lives, and strengthen us from the inside out, that we might be servants of Thine in this great and dark hour that the world is now facing.
We present this reading of Thy Word, Lord, to be for this one purpose, that out of this, the Holy Spirit might bring together a context that would be sufficient tonight as a Christmas message to Thy people that are waiting. And we are waiting on Thee. Lord, circumcise the lips that will speak and the ears that will hear. And empower and put Life in the words that goes forth, that it might bring us to a better knowledge of the Lord Jesus. For we ask it in His Name. Amen.

L-16 Writing down many Scriptures here to refer to, and so forth, I was amazed yesterday as I heard that, picked up the paper, and where there is a, what the commercial world calls, "a bumper Christmas," where that there was more money spent this time than ever been spent in many, many years, since way back many years ago. And that the crowds had gathered into Jerusalem, and how that there was a little peace time between the Arabs and the Jews, that they kind of let down their feeling to let the--the pilgrims come into the city again on this season of--of Christmas. I've often wondered why this city was ever chosen, Bethlehem.

L-18 As those folks sang just a few moments ago, the--the little fellow and his wife, and children in there. I was amazed, watching the little girl, how she was keeping the time with this, some sort of a string harp that she was playing, and how that little fellow was just--just a baby, merely, but yet was keeping the time just with the--or pick on this harp. I suppose it was called a harp. Now, and then I...

L-19 Thinking of Bethlehem, and why did it happen to be that it was chosen to be the birthplace of the King of kings? And, you know, Bethlehem is a small place, very small town. I've often wondered why God didn't choose a more religious place for it, for this great event, such as Shiloh. Shiloh was the first place the tent--the ark was set after it crossed Jordan. Or Gilgal, another great religious city; or Zion, on the mountain, another great religious city; or even the proud capital of Jerusalem, with all of its sages and saints through the age. Why didn't God choose Jerusalem?


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