Follow the Star

INTRODUCTION

Billions of them dance across the night sky diamonds in the darkness, points of light against a canopy of endless black. They have shone for ages and ages, lending their glow to the night for millions of years. Venture outside the city, away from the street lamps and neon signs shining in shop windows downtown, away from the pollution, and look up. They will shimmer and glimmer as if they ve been freshly hurled across that dark expanse by the hand of God Himself. They are the stars most of them nameless, few of them ever noteworthy on their own. Except one. In the history of the universe, one star outshines the rest. That star made a statement. That was the star that heralded hope for all who would ever gaze heavenward again. Perhaps it began as an ordinary star and grew brighter and brighter until all others seemed dim. Or perhaps it burst against an ebony backdrop like a flashbulb in a dark room. Whatever the case, it hung like God s favorite ornament in the sky that night and it commanded the attention of the mere mortals below. I could write the story myself, in my own words, but I could never express it as dignified and grandly as Matthew did in the Gospel that bears his name.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him. . . . And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also. When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. MATTHEW 2 : 1 2 ; 8 10

This star called the wise men to worship and caused them to rejoice. But it was

T. D. Jakes is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than forty books and is the CEO of TDJ Enterprises, LLP. His television ministry program, The Potter's Touch, is watched by 3.3 million viewers every week. He has produced Grammy Award-winning music as well as hit films such as Heaven Is For Real, Miracles from Heaven, and Jumping the Broom. A master communicator, he hosts MegaFest, Woman Thou Art Loosed, and other conferences attended by tens of thousands. He lives in Dallas, Texas.

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Ground-breaking...Jakes argues that high aspirations andachievements are not incompatible with love, marriage, andsacred duty. People