The Dayspring from on high has visited us. Luke 1:78 [NKJV]
Has it occurred to you that God foresaw the eventual worldwide celebration His Son’s birth would bring about? He did! Contrary to the debunker’s refusal to enjoy a holy spirit of celebration, God seems to delight in creating festive times for His people. An entire “string of lights,” so to speak, was assembled by Him in the Old Testament where He ordered feast-times on an average of every two or three months!
Of course, carnal and commercial celebrations miss the point of Christmas—we all know and acknowledge that. But do not let the Scrooge spirit overthrow the Holy Spirit’s desire to awaken fresh expectancy and joy in your heart at this precious season.
God has visited us! That “the Word became flesh” brought about a new day. “Dayspring” means “dawn,” and as we approach Christmas this year, do so by welcoming the Holy Spirit’s rise with fresh joy, hope, and love.
Hayford, Jack; and Middlebrook, Sam, Living the Spirit Filled Life, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1992.
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Monday, December 21, 2009
Back to Bethlehem
But you, Bethlehem… out of you shall come a Ruler. Matthew 2:6 [NKJV]
Even its pronunciation is musical—“Bethlehem.” The name itself sets the imagination aflame again, as we all experience the symphony of thoughts about this tiny, yet mightily historic site. Bethlehem was destined for significance by the Almighty God Himself. He whispered His intent to His prophets, and in our text we hear Micah quoted more than seven hundred years after he predicted Bethlehem would be the Messiah’s birthplace.
It is a good thing to go there—at least in our imagination; and especially at Christmastime. The fact that God would interest Himself in so tiny a village, and ordain its place and high purpose in His plan of redemption, tells us something about God and His ways.
He delights to take the ordinary and do the extraordinary there. He loves to take people like us and do wonderful things for them, to them, and through them. It is His mind and His pleasure to do great things at simple places, with plain people! Just as we sing, so let us act: “Come to Bethlehem and see!”
Hayford, Jack; and Middlebrook, Sam, Living the Spirit Filled Life, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1992.
Even its pronunciation is musical—“Bethlehem.” The name itself sets the imagination aflame again, as we all experience the symphony of thoughts about this tiny, yet mightily historic site. Bethlehem was destined for significance by the Almighty God Himself. He whispered His intent to His prophets, and in our text we hear Micah quoted more than seven hundred years after he predicted Bethlehem would be the Messiah’s birthplace.
It is a good thing to go there—at least in our imagination; and especially at Christmastime. The fact that God would interest Himself in so tiny a village, and ordain its place and high purpose in His plan of redemption, tells us something about God and His ways.
He delights to take the ordinary and do the extraordinary there. He loves to take people like us and do wonderful things for them, to them, and through them. It is His mind and His pleasure to do great things at simple places, with plain people! Just as we sing, so let us act: “Come to Bethlehem and see!”
Hayford, Jack; and Middlebrook, Sam, Living the Spirit Filled Life, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1992.
Christmas Kings
Of His kingdom there will be no end. Luke 1:33 [NKJV]
From the time of Jesus’ conception a stream of promise begins to flow: a new government is coming to the souls of men! The issue was not political, but spiritual. The King Himself verifies this: “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36).
But He is King, a king like no other. Look at the descriptions of His kingly role in God’s Word:
• “The King eternal” (1 Tim. 1:17)—as such, the endlessness, the unchanging durability of His rule is declared.
• “A king will reign in righteousness” (Is. 32:1)—as such, His completely just, even-handed, considerate and life-releasing method is forecast.
• “King of peace” (Heb. 7:2)—as typified in Melchizedek and fulfilled through His rising to His first throne, the cross, where He secured out peace (Eph. 2:14–18).
• “King of the saints” and “King of kings” (Rev. 15:3; 19:16)—forever praised as our saving King, and all history’s ultimate Ruler!
Hayford, Jack; and Middlebrook, Sam, Living the Spirit Filled Life, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1992.
From the time of Jesus’ conception a stream of promise begins to flow: a new government is coming to the souls of men! The issue was not political, but spiritual. The King Himself verifies this: “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36).
But He is King, a king like no other. Look at the descriptions of His kingly role in God’s Word:
• “The King eternal” (1 Tim. 1:17)—as such, the endlessness, the unchanging durability of His rule is declared.
• “A king will reign in righteousness” (Is. 32:1)—as such, His completely just, even-handed, considerate and life-releasing method is forecast.
• “King of peace” (Heb. 7:2)—as typified in Melchizedek and fulfilled through His rising to His first throne, the cross, where He secured out peace (Eph. 2:14–18).
• “King of the saints” and “King of kings” (Rev. 15:3; 19:16)—forever praised as our saving King, and all history’s ultimate Ruler!
Hayford, Jack; and Middlebrook, Sam, Living the Spirit Filled Life, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1992.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Taking Down Christmas
This article really spoke to me. I hope it touches you, too. - Dale
Taking down Christmas
by John Fischer
This is always a difficult part of the holiday ritual: taking everything down and packing Christmas away for another year. It seems like every year, the house never looked better, or the tree was never so perfect, and it all becomes so empty when it's gone. Like the guy on a "car-talk" radio program I heard recently who explained the hole in his dashboard left by someone who "borrowed his car stereo without asking" as "nothing but torn wires and sadness." I thought it was such an apt description that I jotted it down, and now I'm feeling a little like my house is all about torn wires and sadness.
There is a depression that sets in after major events in our lives. We struggle with getting back to normal. What can help us move on?
First, we can remember that we take the risen Christ of Christmas with us into the New Year. On Christmas, we focus so much on a baby in a manger that we sometimes forget the baby grew into a man who conquered death once and for all and now sits at the right hand of God the Father where He intercedes for us constantly. That means you and I have continuous representation at the highest level. All these decorations celebrated His birth, but walking into whatever our lives hold for us on January 6, 2009 is a celebration of resurrection and of power. We will never walk alone.
Second, I suggest you do like we do: leave something up -- some little reminder of the season. Maybe an ornament on a mantle, or the wreath on the door. In areas of New England and especially Pennsylvania, many homeowners leave a single light in their windows throughout the winter. I always wondered why they did that, and now I may have come up with at least my own reason.
The light Christ has brought into our lives has forever dispelled the darkness. Nothing will ever be the same. Maybe it would be good to leave a little light on around the house that wasn't there before, just to remember what remains from Christmas. The whole point of His birth into our torn world was to show the lengths He would go to in order to get to us. And now He is here. That is the point.
We might take down Christmas, but Christ remains in our lives, and no one can ever take Him away!
For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made His light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6)
Taking down Christmas
by John Fischer
This is always a difficult part of the holiday ritual: taking everything down and packing Christmas away for another year. It seems like every year, the house never looked better, or the tree was never so perfect, and it all becomes so empty when it's gone. Like the guy on a "car-talk" radio program I heard recently who explained the hole in his dashboard left by someone who "borrowed his car stereo without asking" as "nothing but torn wires and sadness." I thought it was such an apt description that I jotted it down, and now I'm feeling a little like my house is all about torn wires and sadness.
There is a depression that sets in after major events in our lives. We struggle with getting back to normal. What can help us move on?
First, we can remember that we take the risen Christ of Christmas with us into the New Year. On Christmas, we focus so much on a baby in a manger that we sometimes forget the baby grew into a man who conquered death once and for all and now sits at the right hand of God the Father where He intercedes for us constantly. That means you and I have continuous representation at the highest level. All these decorations celebrated His birth, but walking into whatever our lives hold for us on January 6, 2009 is a celebration of resurrection and of power. We will never walk alone.
Second, I suggest you do like we do: leave something up -- some little reminder of the season. Maybe an ornament on a mantle, or the wreath on the door. In areas of New England and especially Pennsylvania, many homeowners leave a single light in their windows throughout the winter. I always wondered why they did that, and now I may have come up with at least my own reason.
The light Christ has brought into our lives has forever dispelled the darkness. Nothing will ever be the same. Maybe it would be good to leave a little light on around the house that wasn't there before, just to remember what remains from Christmas. The whole point of His birth into our torn world was to show the lengths He would go to in order to get to us. And now He is here. That is the point.
We might take down Christmas, but Christ remains in our lives, and no one can ever take Him away!
For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made His light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6)
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