Christmas Fortnight Day 5

After experiencing the ‘Living Christmas Tree’ at the FBC in Lawton, all I can say is Hallelujah and WOW.  It brought to mind the beauty and glory of the story of Jesus—all the story–that Jesus is THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.

 “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”  John 8:12.

Jesus said this of Himself.  He,

The creator of light,

 is light,

 and when we follow HIM we

 not only SEE

 but also HAVE light!!!

Wow!!  When Jesus lay in that manger there wasn’t a “hallow” of light around Him,  but there was the glow of His nature of light.  The same kind of glow that we see on the face of a precious saint of God who devotes themselves to loving and serving Him with their whole heart.

 “…Christ in you the hope of glory….” (See Col 1:27)

 In John 9:5 Jesus said,

“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 

His very presence brought light into the world.  And John 1:4 tells us that,

“In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” 

Jesus brought LIGHT to bring us LIFE –

and His Life gives us Light.

EMMANUEL—God with us!

Is He with YOU?

2 Cor. 4:4, “ In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

 Jesus came to make that LIGHT available to all—

to bring light into the darkness.

 Do you have Light?

Do you SEE?

HIM?

Light?

Life?

Choose LIFE! Choose JESUS!

His children then, are ‘ornaments’ of His light—

 Matt 5:14a  “Ye are the light of the world…..” 

His blood changes darkness into light.

 Have you been changed?

 Need a light?

Our job?

Phil 2:15, “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;”.

HIS light shining through US.

So,

look to the light,

believe in HIM,

when you do,

be HIS ornament that shines HIS story to the world.

Christmas Fortnight Day 4

What a wonderful time of year.  A time to think of Jesus’ birth. Let’s think about “ornaments”.  Many are buying and hanging ‘ornaments’ on their trees, placing them about their homes and offices.  What about ornaments?  What about you?  Are you hanging and placing ornaments around you or are you being an ornament as well using them?

1 Peter 3:3-4 says this,

“Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” 

What does God value as ornamentation?

A meek and quiet spirit—

it “is in the sight of God of great price”. 

Wouldn’t you want to have an ornament that God values?

Well, we are to BE one!!!

Proverbs 1:8-9, in reference to God’s laws and godly parents declares,

“My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: 9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.” 

God values obedient learning.

Obedience is the real sign that we have learned.

Are we wearing God’s grace?

Are we HIS ornament to the world?

Proverbs 25:12 has a different twist.

“As an earring of gold, and an ornamentof fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.” 

Giving and heeding good, godly, scriptural advice is as “an ornament of fine gold”.  But, are we being good and godly advisors and obedient listeners?

So, today as you are out and about determine to be an “ornament” to God!

To be an ornament of His grace to the world around you!!

The most glorious of Christmas ornaments –

a reflection of the babe born to die for US!

       JESUS!!!!!

Christmas Fortnight Day 3

As we continue with our Christmas Fortnight, I was thinking of a line from a McKamey’s Christmas song.  Referring to the message the shepherds received from the angel, it says, “they always knew men went to heaven, but now God had come to earth”.  What an awesome thought!!!!  God come to earth. He did once—He is coming again.

Philippians 2:6-8 says this of Jesus, “6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” 

 Placed in a manger-

destined for a cross.

Willingly,

lovingly,

obediently—

for You and Me.

Do you see that?  Jesus laid aside

His privilege,

His heavenly home,

He took on flesh,

He came as a servant,

He left His Father’s physical presence,

and humbled Himself unto DEATH,

even the death of the cross.

Why? He did it for us—You and Me.  As a lovely Christmas song says, “What a strange way to save the world”. Oh, how I thank God for His plan.  Not the way we would have chosen, but it is the way God chose. It was/is God’s way! We still must come God’s way!

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:18, 21,

“ For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God…. 21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

The preaching of the cross—

from a manger bed

to a cruel,

Roman cross

for ME.

The world scoffs at Jesus, but embraces Santa Claus.  They want the gifts without the sacrifice.  What are you embracing?  The real gift of ETERNAL LIFE? God’s precious babe-His son, to deliver you and me.  Celebrate Jesus!!

Christmas Fortnight Day 2

In lieu of BB’s today I am just doing the Christmas Fortnight.  As I sit here this morning watching the sun move up on the horizon over the still snow-covered ground, I am reminded of Jesus.

This child born in a barn, instead of a palace–

placed in a manger bed instead of an elegant cradle–

greeted by shepherds rather than statesmen and kings—

surrounded by the lowing and bleating of animals rather than orchestral masterpieces.

The one worthy of praise,

“From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord’s name is to be praised.”  Psalm 113:3.

Our “Sun” rising in the sky, which Isaiah 60:1-4 paints a picture of so beautifully.  This rising “SUN” is Jesus,

“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. 4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.”

May Isaiah’s words challenge each of us

to “Arise”,

to “Shine” and

to be the reflection of this “LIGHT”,

whom God sent into our world so long ago–the babe born to die for you and me.

Let His light, that dwells within those who belong to Him, Shine in us as we go about today.

Don’t just keep ‘Christ’ in Christmas but let the ‘Christ’ in YOU be seen

in all you do,

every where,

every day.

If you’re HIS act like it…………. that’s Merry Christmas.

Christmas Fortnight:  Day 1

After such a positive response to the Thankfulness Train, I thought it would be nice to spend this two weeks up to Christmas sharing some of the joys of Christmas.  I’d like to start with the very reason that we celebrate this time of year, without getting into all of the debate about whether or not Christians should even celebrate during this time. I’d like us to simply share the ways that we celebrate Jesus.  Each individual must choose for themselves if and how they will celebrate Christmas.  I celebrate the gift of God’s Son, born of a Virgin, according to the scriptures, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”  Isaiah 7:14  The promised birth of Jesus was the sign that God’s Messiah would arrive on planet Earth and meet the need for Redemption of fallen man.(see Matthew 1:21) God with us, to save us from our sin.   All for me—a sinner!!!  How could we not rejoice that the God of the universe loved us so much that He had “Pre-planned” the solution for our sin even before Adam fell.  Oh, how it takes my breath away to know that I am loved that much.   That Jesus restrained His glory to put on human flesh, to be born, live and die for me.  As the angels declared “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:14.  Smile today—celebrate Jesus!!!