Christmas Fortnight Day 7 A Word from THE WORD! #419

18 Thursday Dec 2025

Posted by in 'Tis The Season?, Christ IN YOU, Christ IS Alive!, Christmas, Christmas IS Jesus, Christmas IS?, Christmas Ponderings, His Mercies Are New Every Morning, Holiness, Holy, Holy Living, HOPE, Jesus IN You!, Jesus IS Lord--bow before Him!, Jesus is our peace, Jesus IS The Gift!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus Knows YOUR Storm, Jesus lives today!, Jesus Never Fails, Jesus Saves!

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Christmas Fortnight Day 7  A Word from THE WORD! #419

As we continue looking at Jesus and His birth, let’s think about the ‘manger’.  A cattle trough, a feeding container for cattle, horses and other livestock.  What is the import of the “manger”?

Luke speaks of the manger 3 times. Why 3 times? Let’s look.

“And she brought forth her firstborn son,

and wrapped him in swaddling clothes,

and laid him in a manger;

because there was no room

for them

in the inn.”  Luke 2:7

Luke goes on with even more insight for us, as he recounts the testimony of the shepherds.

 “And this shall be a sign unto you;

Ye shall find the babe

wrapped in swaddling clothes,

lying in a manger.”  Luke 2:12

“And they came with haste,

and found Mary, and Joseph,

and the babe

lying in a manger.” Luke 2:16

First, we see that Mary, “laid him in a manger”.  This precious young mother, chosen by God, had nowhere to lay her newborn baby but in a trough.  Her humility and faithfulness are overwhelming to me.  Nothing is recorded of Mary complaining, whining or being dissatisfied with her lot.

Philippians 2 says that Jesus also chose to humble himself, how about you and me?

“And being found in fashion as a man,

he humbled himself, and

became obedient unto death,

even the death of the cross.”  Philippians 2:8

This King of kings accepted a manger for HIS bed.  What about us—what are we unwilling to accept from God’s hand?

Then we see the angels, giving the shepherds instructions to look for a babe ‘lying in a manger’.  Christ’s first ‘cradle’ wasn’t a surprise to God.  He KNOWS where You are as well.

Lastly, we see that the shepherds found Him in that very ‘manger’.  They didn’t scoff at this strange tale, nor hesitate to obey.  How about you and me?  Do we respond to God in similar manner? Or do we hesitate at what may seem to us the “strange ways” of God?

Remember His ways aren’t our ways, nor are our ways His.  Thoughts to ponder in this Christmas season.  Think about ‘CHRIST’mas, and let’s make sure our focus is on Jesus The Christ, not just the trappings of this ‘holiday’ –let’s keep it a Holy Day!!!

Amen and Amen!!!

Christmas Fortnight Day 6 A Word from THE WORD! #418

17 Wednesday Dec 2025

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Call To Look Unto Jesus!, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, Choosing Jesus or The World?, Christ IN YOU, Christmas, Christmas IS Jesus, Christmas IS?, Christmas Lights, Christmas Ponderings, GET READY, Giving and Sharing, Giving or Getting, Giving Or Taking?, Gospel, Grace, JESUS, Jesus Is Coming Again., Jesus IS Lord--bow before Him!, Jesus IS The Gift!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus IS Truth!!!, Jesus lives today!, Jesus Never Fails

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Christmas Fortnight Day 6 A Word from THE WORD! #418

We’ve looked at lights and ornaments, today let’s look at money.  Well, not exactly ‘money’ but ‘accounting’.  Most of us think of money when we think of accounting but God may have something different to say. Christmas has become very commercial; there is no doubt but that’s not my focus.  We all have a debt to pay, regardless of what we spend at Christmas.

“For he hath made him to be sin for us,

who knew no sin;

that we might be made the righteousness of God

in him.”   2 Corinthians 5:21

The sinless Lamb of God came to pay my sin debt so I could be ‘accounted’ righteous before God.  As someone said, “He paid a debt he didn’t owe, I owed a debt I couldn’t pay...”   Praise God for that precious sinless babe—He came to pay MY sin debt.

“For the WAGES of sin

is death,

but the gift of God is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord”, Romans 6:23

James also reminds us that Jesus’ death offers you and me the opportunity to receive the righteousness of God through faith in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for sin!

“And the scripture was fulfilled which saith,

Abraham believed God,

and it was imputed unto him

for righteousness:

and he was called the Friend of God.”  James 2:23

Abraham like you and I, had a sin debt, and God exercised an accounting transaction for him by faith in the coming Messiah—the One who would pay for sin of all who will believe—by grace through faith (See Ephesians 2:8-10). Imputed means ‘to credit to an account’, God imputed righteousness to Abraham by faith in this coming Messiah and we are saved the same way.  We are made righteous by faith in the sacrifice of Jesus, our Messiah as payment for sinners like me!  We sinners can receive the ‘gift’ of salvation to PAY for our sin, all through this baby born to die for sin—yours and mine.

Well, that ought to give us something to celebrate at Christmas time and all year long.  Like I tell people, ‘I love Christmas, because I love Jesus’, and if I belong to Jesus then I can—no I should—celebrate Jesus/Christmas all year long.  I have received a credit to my account, and I need to share it!!!

How?  By letting that ‘light’ we talked about shine through me.  By being an ‘ornament’ of grace that spreads His love and kindness to all those in my path–

At the gas station—

At the bank—

At the grocery store—

In the checkout line—

At church (even there!)–

Everywhere and

all the time

being “God so loved the world that HE gave”

to all.

“Let your light so shine before men,

that they may see your good works,

and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”  Matthew 5:16.

Amen and Amen!!!

Christmas Fortnight Day 5 A Word from THE WORD! #417

16 Tuesday Dec 2025

Posted by in 'Come unto me, 'Tis The Season?, Christ IN YOU, Christmas, Christmas IS Jesus, Christmas IS?, Christmas Lights, Christmas Ponderings, the hope of glory!, The Joy of The Lord!, The Light of The Word IS Jesus, The Light of The World, The Love of God, The manger leads to the cross, The Mind Of Christ

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Christmas Fortnight Day 5   A Word from THE WORD! #417

I love the music of Christmas, and we often attend the ‘Living Christmas Tree’ at the FBC in Lawton; while we were unable to attend this year, all I can say is Hallelujah at the beauty of their presentation.  It always brings 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 was speaking this of Himself.  He was, is and ever shall be

The creator of light,

For HE is light,

and when we follow HIM, we can

not only SEE light

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.  People ought to see Jesus IN us—in our lives, our actions, our testimony—which usually comes out of our “tests”.  As I heard someone say once, “If you’ve never had a trial or a test, then all you have is the ‘monies’!  How true!  What do you have?  Who is in you?

“…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 God’s 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 HIS LIGHT to bring us LIFE –

and His Life gives us Light.

As Matthew reminds us,

EMMANUEL—God with us!

Is He with YOU?

“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.”   2 Corinthians 4:4

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?

Do you need a light?

Our job?   To be a reflection of His light in us, before a lost and dying world!

“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;”                Philippians 2:15

HIS light shining through US!

So,

look to the light,

believe in HIM,

and when you do, you can be HIS ornament that shines HIS story to the world.

Amen & Amen!!!

Christmas Fortnight! Day 4 A Word from THE WORD! #416

15 Monday Dec 2025

Posted by in 'Come unto me, Christmas, Christmas IS Jesus, Christmas IS?, Christmas Ponderings

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Christmas Fortnight! Day 4  A Word from THE WORD! #416

What a wonderful time of year.  A time to think of Jesus’ birth. Today let’s think about being those “ornaments” that we talked about earlier.  What kind of an ornament am I?  Am I reflecting the glory of Jesus or of this world?  Christmas time seems like just the right time to examine my life in consideration of all that God has done for us in giving the greatest gift of all—Jesus!

“Therefore doth my Father love me,        

because I lay down my life,                                         

that I might take it again.

18 No man taketh it from me,

but I lay it down of myself.                                     

I have power to lay it down,                                     

and I have power to take it again.

This commandment have I received                          

of my Father.”  John 10:17-18

Scripture has so much to encourage us to be that salt and light that the world needs so desperately; and as much as we recognize the need for light, we also need to understand that without the salt of truth and the preservative of salvation, we have missed the target (in my opinion!)

“Blessed are ye,

when men shall revile you,

and persecute you,

and shall say all manner of evil

against you falsely,

for my sake.

12 Rejoice,

and be exceeding glad:

for great is your reward in heaven:

for so persecuted they the prophets

which were before you.

13 Ye are the salt of the earth:

but if the salt have lost his savour,

wherewith shall it be salted?

it is thenceforth good for nothing,

but to be cast out,

and to be trodden

under foot of men.

14 Ye are the light of the world.

A city that is set on an hill

cannot be hid

15 Neither do men light a candle,

and put it under a bushel,

but on a candlestick;

and it giveth light

unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine

before men,

that they may see your good works,

and glorify your Father

which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:11-16

Peter and John give us a picture of the nature of an ornament that pleases the Father.  May we go forward as ornaments of glory to our King Jesus!

“While they behold your chaste conversation

coupled with fear.

3 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.”1 Peter 3:2-4

And in closing a word from the Apostle John.

“Love not the world,

neither the things that are in the world.

If any man love the world,

the love of the Father is not in him.”  1 John 2:15

And to truly be an ornament unto Jesus, we must heed to His Word!

“If ye love me,

keep my commandments.”  John 14:15

May our lives truly be an ornament reflecting our Lord—He who went from the manger to the cross for me!  For you!

Amen and Amen!!!

A Christmas Fortnight! A Word from THE WORD! #416

12 Friday Dec 2025

Posted by in 'Tis The Season?, A Father's Love, A Form of godliness?, All About Jesus!, Choosing Jesus or The World?, Christ IN YOU, Christmas, Christmas IS Jesus, Christmas IS?, Christmas Lights, Christmas Ponderings, Ornments of God's glory.

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Christmas Fortnight   A Word from THE WORD! #416

What a wonderful time of year.  A time to think of Jesus’ birth. Today 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 simply hanging and placing ornaments around you or are you being an ornament as well?

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 ornament of 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?

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!!!!!