Dear Compatriots and Friends,

I pray that each and every one of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. As I write this, we are now in the beginning of the Christmas season, my favorite holiday time of the year. For this is the time when we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!

Did you know that there are over 600 Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah? These include prophecies of His birth, His ministry, His death, and His resurrection. Unfortunately, churches all over the world no longer teach from the Old Testament, having determined it to be outdated, irrelevant, and full of children’s stories and fairy tales. But, if not for the Old Testament and its prophecies, we would not have a full understanding of the teachings of the New Testament, especially the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and we would not understand that most of the Old Testament prophecies have been fulfilled. Consider this – the book of Genesis states that the Messiah would be the Son of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And, the book of Jeremiah states that the Messiah would be of the House of David. These prophecies came true with the birth of Jesus Christ, which proves the Old Testament is still very relevant.

One of my favorite Old Testament prophecies can be found in Isaiah 9:6-7 –“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, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 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.”

Although the writers of the four gospels each give a little bit different account of the life of Jesus, they are each factual. And, each of them shows fulfillment of the Old Testament prophesies. My favorite version of the Christmas story can be found in the Gospel of Luke.

Taking into consideration everything I have said above, I have a Christmas Bible challenge for you:

During the month of December, starting Sunday, December 1, read one chapter of the Gospel of Luke. The Gospel of Luke has twenty-four chapters. So, if you read one chapter per day, you will read the twenty-fourth chapter on Christmas Eve. If you complete this challenge, you will have read the enter story of Jesus, according to Luke, by Christmas Day.

I wish you and your families a very merry Christmas!!

In Christian Service,

James E. Bozeman
Texas Division Chaplain