Today, December 12, is the last publishing day of Gateway News in 2025. We will be back on January 12 2026. I wish you a wonderful, Jesus-filled Christmas and a New Year overflowing in hope as you experience the endless love of God cascading into your heart through the Holy Spirit who lives in you.* See Romans 5:5 TPT
I am always glad to hear from our readers and invite you to email me at andre@gatewaynews.co.za if you have any news, testimonies, comments or requests for me to follow up next year.
At this time when I pen a year-end message to our readers, my thoughts invariably go to Luke 2:10 – the verse I have used as the headline for this page. As the editor of a Christian news platform my attention is grabbed immediately by the reference to “good news”. Even more so when the news is brought by angels (God’s heavenly bearers of breaking news). And, intriguingly, this joy-bringing breaking news is not delivered to the high and mighty of Bethlehem who were asleep in their mansions (and full inns) but to lowly shepherds who were watching over their sheep in a field. I could imagine a 21st century version of this moment in which angels entrusted this world-history-changing good news to humble security guards watching over the safety of the sleeping residents of a luxury gated community.
Luke 2 begins with the news that the most powerful man in the world had ordered a census of his multinational kingdom, requiring everybody to return to their home town to be counted. Little did that world leader, Caesar Augustus – who claimed the title “Son of God” as the adopted son and heir of Julius Caesar, who was deified after his assasination — know that his census would record the birth of the real Son of God in an animal feeding trough in an insignificant town in his domain. How wonderful that some 2 000 years ago, our all-powerful, all-loving Heavenly Father used the world-leader’s self-glorifying census to fulfil a prophecy given some 700 years before:
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans] of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2 — NIV)
- Advertisement -
God was in control at the birth of Jesus when mighty Rome was oppressing His people. He is still in control. He will always be in control. The good news entrusted to those Bethlehem shepherds – “Don’t be afraid, for I have come to bring you good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard! And it is for everyone everywhere! For today in Bethlehem a rescuer was born for you. He is the Lord Yahweh, the Messiah” (Luke 2:10,11 — TPT) – is still good news.
Take heart. No matter how dark and discouraging the news of the world may seem. it is the report of the Lord that has the final say. Let us end 2025 in awe and wonder and abounding hope, together with those shepherds, ordinary people like us, entrusted by God to receive and share the good news of Jesus in our circumstances:
For today in Bethlehem a rescuer was born for you. He is the Lord Yahweh, the Messiah. You will recognize him by this miraculous sign: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in the feeding trough!”13Then all at once in the night sky, a vast number of glorious angels appeared, the very armies of heaven! And they all praised God, singing: 14“Glory to God in the highest realms of heaven! For there is peace and a good hope given to the sons of men.” (Luke 2:11-14 — TPT)
Please help us to keep on publishing news that brings Hope in Jesus:
>> Donate >> Become a Super Subscriber
VISIT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/gatewaynews100
COMMENTING GUIDELINES
You are welcome to engage with our articles by making comments [in the Comments area below] that add value to a topic or to engage in thoughtful, constructive discussion with fellow readers. Comments that contain vulgar language will be removed. Hostile, demeaning, disrespectful, propagandistic and off-topic comments may also be moved. This is a Christian website and if you wish to vent against Christian beliefs you have probably come to the wrong place and your comments may be removed. Ongoing debates and repetitiveness will not be tolerated. You will also disqualify yourself from commenting if you engage in trolling.
