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DARK DAYS IN ISRAEL
And Tough Times For A Young Couple From Nazareth!

    In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. [2] (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) [3] And everyone went to his own town to register.
    [4] So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. [5] He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. [6] While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, [7] and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. _^[NIV]

    When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord [23] (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"), [24] and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons." _^[NIV]

    " 'When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. [7] He shall offer them before the Lord to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceremonially clean from her flow of blood.
    " 'These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl. [8] If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.' " _^[NIV]

    Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli, _^[NIV]

DARK DAYS TODAY
When Jesus Shows Up

    strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said. _^[NIV]

    A righteous man may have many troubles,
        but the Lord delivers him from them all; _^[NIV]

    Wait for the Lord;
        be strong and take heart
        and wait for the Lord. _^[NIV]

    Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered _^[NIV]

    He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. [12] Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- _^[NIV]