John 1:14 reveals, “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father)….” An accurate translation of the word dwelt is tented or tabernacled.
The Amplified Bible reads,
And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we saw His glory…such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father….
The Glory of God tabernacled among us in the body of Jesus. Through His consummation of the Father’s great plan of redemption in our new birth, He becomes, “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). This is the real meaning of Christmas…Jesus in you. The Hope of Glory in you!
Autumn or Winter
For many reasons, Bible scholars know that Jesus was not born in late December. For one thing, shepherds near Bethlehem would not have had their flocks in the fields in the depth of winter when there was no food.
From Scripture and from Jewish history, we can put together that Joseph and Mary came to Bethlehem when multitudes were coming for the Feast of Tabernacles. Since she was ready to deliver, her betrothed husband looked for a place for her in an inn. There were no vacancies – no room in the small inns of the day. Mary, it is believed, went to one of the many caves in the area.
On the momentous night of Jesus’ birth, the heavens declared the Glory of God. The angel said, “I announce to you Great Joy…!” When we celebrate Christmas, we are not just celebrating the birth of a baby. We are celebrating the re-entry of God’s Glory through His Incarnated Son.
His First Coming was full of Glory. But it shall be surpassed by the far greater Glory of His Second Coming! Are you ready? If not, you can be. Give Him the gift of your life this Christmas. The Holy Spirit through Paul gave us special instruction to follow as we wait for the appearing of the Lord: “Rejoice evermore” (1 Thes. 5:16).
Rejoice For The Story Of The Glory!
Rejoice that, as a born-again believer, a seed of the Glory of God was deposited within you at your new birth. As you look in God’s Word and yield to His Spirit, the Holy Spirit will change you from Glory to Glory – from one degree of God’s manifested presence in your life to the next.
It’s the story of the Glory! It’s the meaning of Christmas! Remember it as you prepare and celebrate this holiday season.
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Billye Brim's Christian heritage is rich. She sensed the call of God in early childhood. However, it was only after an encounter with the Holy Spirit in 1967, that she as a young wife and mother of four began to follow Him to walk out her call. For almost ten years she served as Editor of Publications for Kenneth E. Hagin Ministries where she also taught at Rhema Bible Training Center.
Immediately after ordination in 1980, she traveled to Soviet Russia in what proved to be ongoing ministry there. Since then she has literally ministered around the world several times over.
Kent and Billye Brim with Lee and Jan Morgans founded a local church in Collinsville, Oklahoma. A Glorious Church Fellowship is the foundation of Billye Brim Ministries and Prayer Mountain in the Ozarks in Branson, Missouri, and the soon-to-be-built Migdal Arbel Prayer and Study Center in Israel.
When Kent passed away in 1986, Billye was led to "study Hebrew in the Land." Studying at Ulpan Akiva in Israel led to the unique Seminar Tours she has guided in the Land from 1986 to now. It also provided a pattern for the Prayer and Study Center in Israel.
"Helping Pray-ers" is a God-given directive in her life. One place this happens is at Prayer Mountain in the Ozarks near Branson, Missouri. On 200 plus acres log cabins provide places for individual prayer or small prayer groups. Corporate prayer meetings are held twice a week in the chapel.
On Wednesdays at 12 Noon Central Time, the meeting is streamed live. Pray-ers (who have named themselves World-Wide Pray-ers) join in united prayer via thousands of computers in more than 60 nations. This prayer is focused primarily on an Awakening to God. For in a corporate prayer meeting in June 2008, Billye Brim and the pray-ers were impressed with these words: One thing will save America…an Awakening to God. One thing will avail for Israel and the nations, An Awakening to God. Several thousand pray-ers from around the world gather in Branson for an Autumn Assembly of Prayer she hosts.
Billye Brim is blessed to work with others across the Body of Christ. She strongly believes in walking out what Scripture teaches that we are one Body, with one Head, one Spirit, one Lord.
First Corinthians 10:32 is foundational in Billye Brim's ministry. The "good works that He has ordained that she should walk in" involve activity among the Jews, the Nations, and the Church-all to the Glory of God.