December 7th- Joy to the World (Verses 3 and 4)

Joy to the World

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Joy to the World….day 2~ Love these last 2 verses, read them slowly! Oh Jesus was born and what a wonderful day but without His death, burial and resurrection there is no joy!  Apart from His finished work on the Cross, the curse has not been broken and only thorns infest the ground of our lives.  His spiritual blessing cannot flow apart from Him.  Oh Joy to the World He came to pay the price for our redemption and He paid it in full!!

He rules and He reigns…I know it doesn’t look like it and I know it doesn’t always feel like it but it is true.  He rules the world with truth and grace.  The wonders of His offered love are truly amazing!  John the beloved disciple, the one who was the closest of all Jesus’ earthly relationships saw Him. 

Revelation 1:12-18
 “¹² Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; ¹³ and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. ¹⁴ His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. ¹⁵ His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. ¹⁶ In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.
¹⁷ When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, ¹⁸ and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.”

This is our Jesus who rules and reigns!  Joy to the World! 

Here is a link to the song J  http://youtu.be/cnsk7iXFCtY

December 6th- Joy to the World (verse 1-2)

Joy to the World

Joy to the World, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

Joy to the World!  The created world rejoices….as the heavens declare the glory of the Lord! The seasons testify to the glory, faithfulness, and even the death-burial and resurrection of our Lord! 
Winter-Spring- Summer- Fall.  

Psalm 19:1-6
1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
² Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
³ There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
⁴ Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their utterances to the end of the world.
In them He has placed a tent for the sun,
⁵ Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
⁶ Its rising is from one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

Even the crop/plant/flower cycles rejoice and sing “Joy to the World the Lord is come!” as a testimony of Christ.  Jesus said in John 12: 23-24;

“ ²³ And Jesus *answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴ Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”

Jesus died and rose again purchasing the gift of salvation so that His Gospel would bear much fruit!  Now, every heart prepare Him room…..heaven and nature sing of the Glory of God and testify of the Joy of the World!  May our hearts be His with much room prepared to continue on with the praises that mankind needs….Joy to the World the Lord is come!

Here is a link to the song J  http://youtu.be/cnsk7iXFCtY

December 5th- Away in a Manger

Away in a Manger

Away in a manger, no crib for his bed
The little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus .Asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing,
The poor baby wakes,
But little Lord Jesus
No crying He makes;
I love thee, Lord Jesus,
Look down from the sky

And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever and love me, I pray!
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care
And take us to heaven to live with thee there.

 No palace.  No home.  No earthly fanfare and riches.  No crib for a bed….asleep on the hay.  Can you even imagine?  God Himself made flesh as a small poor little baby.  2 Corinthians 8:9 states; “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.”

Today take some time and read Luke 2:1-20.  Think about Jesus’ willingness to be born as a baby…small, helpless, entrusted to people…born into a harsh hateful world- away in a manger. 

Lastly, consider Philippians 2:5-11 and think of the cost…not just the cost of the Cross but the cost of being made flesh. It had to cost Jesus to leave heaven and come to earth as a babe.  He counted the cost though and came.  I marvel at how much the God of the Universe trusted Himself and His Sovereign plan to entrust a small baby to people and for people.     

Here is a link to the song today;  http://youtu.be/FnVorT14i4I

December 4th- Angels we have heard on High

Angels we have heard on High

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o'er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Come to Bethlehem and see
Christ Whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

 “Gloria, in excelsis Deo”-Latin for "Glory to God in the highest".

Glory is an interesting word…if can mean blessedness, praise, esteem, honor and renown.  One of my favorite definitions is; to give the correct opinion of something or someone.  The angels gave glory, esteem; praise to the birth of Jesus….because Jesus was born to give God the Highest Glory.  Jesus was born to give the correct opinion of the Father.  Jesus is God and seeing Jesus was, according to Jesus, just like seeing the Father. John 14:6-9;

^“6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.⁷ If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”⁸ Philip *said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” ⁹ Jesus *said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”

The angels pronounced in Luke 2:14 at His birth;

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

“Gloria, in excelsis Deo”

The coming of Jesus Christ the Messiah was the culmination of Glory- the correct opinion of who God is.  Glory to God in the Highest! Jesus!  The angels couldn’t help but reply….the angels have been doing that since their creation.  As Christ’s birth-life-death and resurrection comes full circle the angels still sing; they are even now.  Revelation 5:11-13;

^“11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, ¹² saying with a loud voice,“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”
¹³ And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying,“To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”

Christ the once baby now risen King….is to be praised.  Glory to God in the Highest! “Gloria, in excelsis Deo”.  Hark, listen for the angels…

Here is a link to the song;  http://youtu.be/0K17zGHFrKU

 

December 3rd- Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus (verse 2)

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.

This is a great song!  Today is verse 2 J  Read it and ponder. 

A child and yet a King.  King of Kings and Lord of Lords…every knee will bow someday to Jesus.  Jesus told Pilate in John 18:33-37;

“³³ Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” ³⁴ Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?” ³⁵ Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?” ³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” ³⁷ Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

Wow…everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.  Truth is; we need a rescue from the King. We need what Pilate handed Him over in this world to do; to die, be buried and raise again….conquering King!   We need Him to; “By Thine Own eternal spirit rule in all our hearts alone”.  His Kingdom is not of this world and, in Him, neither are we.  As He rules and reigns in us, who are His children, we become the hands, feet, voice, and touch of Jesus bringing His message here…the message of Truth.  Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus!  Come….

 Here is a link to the song;  http://youtu.be/xal35DgmSUs

 

December 2nd- Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus (Verse 1)

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus (verse 1)

 

Come, thou long expected Jesus,

born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee. 
Israel's strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.

Depending on the Christmas Hymn (Carol) we may spend more than one day on each- starting with this one.  Today is verse 1 of “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus”, read it slowly.  Let it soak in.

Do you know how long God had been silent between the last of the prophets in the Old Testament, which was Malachi, and the time when the silence from heaven was broken, in the temple by Gabriel the angel, to Zacharias the priest? 400 years.  God was silent….that does not mean He wasn’t working or in control or that He was not loving but He was silent.  Shhhh….can you hear the silence? 

In typical human fashion, stuff grows in silence.  Sometimes it is hope, sometimes it is fear and sometimes the stuff that grows in silence is assumptions that shift what we really know to be true- like the truth that the real freedom needed for Israel and all mankind was from sin.

From the very beginning sin was the real enemy….in Genesis 4:7b God told Cain, “sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” The problem is; no one has ever been able to master sin.  Sin is our master; we are born that way…in Adam’s likeness.

Yet God promised a Seed from the very beginning as well, way back in Genesis 3:15, in the Garden of Eden, as God spoke to the serpent who is satan; “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”  This Seed, which is Jesus Christ, will redeem and set free from the real enemy which is satan, sin and death. 

Do our hearts long to be set free?  Israel’s collective heart longed to be set free but in the long silence (and from the beginning) they wanted to be set free from the wrong thing….from Rome (and a myriad of other oppressors)  and from the oppression of this world. Doesn’t that sound familiar?  I, so often, want to be set free from my heartache, pain, circumstances, obligations, expectations or….you fill in the blank.  What does your heart long to be free from? 

What they and we need is to be set free from sin-sick selves!  “Come Thou long expected Jesus…. born to set thy people free; from our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee.” 

Jesus Christ was long-expected….they just expected something else. He truly was/is;   “Israel's strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art; dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.” May our heart long for Him and Him alone!

Here is a link to the song;  http://youtu.be/xal35DgmSUs

December 1st- O Come, All Ye Faithful...

O Come, All Ye Faithful....

O Come All Ye Faithful
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him,
Born the King of Angels;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord

Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing all ye citizens of heaven above.
Glory to God,  glory in the Highest;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Jesus is born, the King of angels and the King of mankind.  Imagine the skies on the hillside.  Come let us adore Him.  The angels adored Him first and all of creation...Read Psalm 148.
 
1Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
Praise Him in the heights!
² Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts!
³ Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all stars of light!
⁴ Praise Him, highest heavens, And the waters that are above the heavens!
⁵ Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For He commanded and they were created.
⁶ He has also established them forever and ever;
He has made a decree which will not pass away.
⁷Praise the Lord from the earth,
Sea monsters and all deeps;
⁸ Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind, fulfilling His word;
⁹ Mountains and all hills; Fruit trees and all cedars;
¹⁰ Beasts and all cattle; Creeping things and winged fowl;
¹¹ Kings of the earth and all peoples; Princes and all judges of the earth;
¹² Both young men and virgins;
Old men and children.
¹³ Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For His name alone is exalted;
His glory is above earth and heaven.
¹⁴ And He has lifted up a horn for His people,
Praise for all His godly ones;
Even for the sons of Israel, a people near to Him.
Praise the Lord!

Jesus is the horn of salvation and He was lifted up and He will be the praise for all His people….Read and ponder the first words Zacharias spoke after being filled by the Holy Spirit when John the Baptist was named!  Words about the coming of the Messiah, Jesus. 

Luke 1: 67-79
⁶⁷ And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
⁶⁸ “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,
⁶⁹ And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of David His servant—
⁷⁰ As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old—
⁷¹ Salvation from our enemies,
And from the hand of all who hate us;
⁷² To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant,
⁷³ The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,
⁷⁴ To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear,
⁷⁵ In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
⁷⁶ “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways;
⁷⁷ To give to His people the knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins,
⁷⁸ Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,
⁷⁹ To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

The angels knew exactly who Jesus was; they were faithful witnesses of the King now on earth.  They sang in exaltation as citizens of the heavenly realms…..but Jesus the Messiah did not come to redeem the angels.  He came to redeem mankind. He humbled Himself to come and to save~ Hebrews 2: 16-18 (if you have time read 2:5-18);

¹⁶ For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. ¹⁷ Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.

O Come, all ye faithful….O come, let us adore Him. Christ the Lord!  Christ is Lord.  Christ came to die a death in our place and pay the price for our sins and redemption.  The angels sang and now we can sing with the voice of our lives a joyful life-song of adoration to the Lord!  O come, all ye faithful!

http://youtu.be/RwogLAZaSkY

 

 

 

 

 

2 Things...

2 Things… Well, I can hardly believe that it’s Thanksgiving week!? Really?? Where has the time gone? I know you feel my pain…it really is true; time seems to go faster the older we get. Evidently, I’m older now! So in my colored blond-highlighted grayness (I’m really not grey, YET!) I would like to ask you to consider 2 things this week. 2 things I hope you will really think about pray about and commit to be intentional about. Ready?! 1. Think about what you think about and how you interact with others this Thanksgiving. Face it, SOMEONE with annoy you. Most, if not all (and frankly I’d consider calling you a liar if you don’t agree with “all”), have some form of “drama” or “tension” at the holidays….either outwardly or inwardly. Whether it is an expectation that goes unmet and our response to it, like the turkey not being done on time or a snarky comment made; we will ALL face something or someone that requires grace. Grace. Would you consider taking some time with the Lord and asking Him to fill you with His grace, grace to be extended to others? I’ll just be really honest with you, if I am not intentional about my walk with Jesus….about living by grace and being led of the Holy Spirit it does not just accidently happen. I’ll accidently get through Thanksgiving and be thankful that I didn’t SAY what I was thinking….maybe this year He wants to transform even my thinking into Grace-filled Holy Spirit led living (and thinking)? 2. Most of us will interact with family members at Thanksgiving and most of us have someone in our family that we love but who also needs Jesus, either to know Him for the first time or to grow in knowing Him….if you don’t give me a call! Would you consider being really intentional this Thanksgiving? Be bold. Look and even ask the Lord for an opportunity to “turn the corner” in a conversation with them, to things of the Lord? I’m not talking about beating someone over the head with a turkey drum….but my sisters, sharing our faith….sharing Biblical hope…sharing the Good News of Jesus and the truth of the Word is not only necessary but it is also our calling! Times are hard…life is hard and frankly, I really don’t think things of THIS world are going to get better. Where is the hope if not in Jesus?! Look and ask the Lord to make this Thanksgiving one filled with His Purpose…not just filled with food, fun times and memories. Those things are awesome but those things do not redeem the time and the time is short. Well, there are the 2 things to consider this week….to pray about and to decide if we will submit to the Lord. Praying for you right now….pray for me too? We are all running a faith race….may this leg of the race through Thanksgiving week be redeemed and filled with His Purposes! Don't forget....this applies to friends, family, the grocery store and Black Friday shopping :)

A day late but not a dollar short....Mother's Day thoughts

Ephesians 2:8-9 “8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.” The same grace that saves us is the same grace that grows us up into Christ’s Image. As a mom, my heart’s desire is for my children to have a personal life-changing relationship with Jesus. How in the world do I do that?!? How do I cultivate that? I have tried for years, in essence, to put that on my list of “to do’s”…clean the house, laundry, make my kids godly. As If I could. Face it, I can’t seem to do this in myself, how in the world can I believe I can do this (even if it is at the top of my “to do” work list) in my kiddos? Therein lies my problem, it is not my best effort in my life or in theirs. Why is that? So that I can’t boast…in my life or theirs. Salvation and transformation is by God’s Grace. It’s by faith. What a beautiful promise but also a great faith challenge as a “to do “woman and mom. One of my favorite quotes is from Oswald Chambers,” You cannot give someone that which you have found, but you can make them homesick for what you have.” Is my life as a mom reflecting a “homesick” life to my children? Is my faith walk with Jesus and His grace so changing me that His Life is being more and more reflected through me, to them? I cannot give them saving faith in Jesus, nor can I grow them up into His image but I can live a “homesick” life as an example, as I follow Jesus, grow up in faith, and continually change by His grace; as I mother, love, discipline and do my “to do” list from His gift of grace. How’s your love and faith relationship with Jesus doing?