Christmas Fortnight Day 10 A Word from THE WORD! #422

21 Sunday Dec 2025

Posted by in 'Come unto me, Abundant Life In Jesus, All Sufficient God!, Approved Unto God, Baby in the manger, Be not conformed to this world, Gifts of the Spirit., Giving and Sharing, Giving or Getting, Giving Or Taking?, Giving Thanks to God!, Glitz, Glory To God, God's Ability for our Inability!, Jesus IS Lord--bow before Him!, Jesus is our peace, Jesus IS The Gift!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus Is Truth

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Christmas Fortnight Day 10   A Word from THE WORD! #422

Here we are –only a few days until Christmas Day.  A question.  Which do you enjoy most, giving or receiving gifts?  Of course we all love to receive gifts, it’s nice to know that someone cares about us enough to give a gift.  But when I give, why do I give?  To receive, to be noticed, obligation??

I think the key is to remember the GREATEST GIFT!!

John 3:16 reminds us,

“For God so loved the world,

that HE GAVE

HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON,

that whosoever believeth in HIM

should not perish,

but have everlasting life.”

God loved us and gave HIS SON to die for us.  What do we give?  Some of us choose and give the perfect gift for each person according to their needs or likes.  Others of us buy a dozen of some great bargain and give one to each person on our list.  Now each style of giving has it’s positives and negatives.  But what is important?  Money, self, time?

1 Peter 4:9-10 says,

“Use hospitality

one to another

without grudging.

10 As every man hath received the gift,

even so minister the same

one to another,

as good stewards

of the manifold grace of God...”

This refers to spiritual gifts, but I think we can learn a lot about giving here.

We are to be hospitable-‘friendly & welcoming to strangers and friends’.

We are to give as we have received,

“For unto whomsoever much is given,

of him shall be much required….” (Lk 12:48b).

In a word—YOURself.   God gave Jesus–I can give ME!!

Don’t get caught up in “price” or “vogue”.  Is there someone who’d love to hear your voice, spend time with YOU, have your help for a difficult task?   Maybe just a visit from YOU?

Think about it!! Is there someone on your list who just needs YOUR time?  Is there someone you need to call today?  Is there someone who needs a token of your LOVE?

Stop!!  Think!!  Listen to your heart!! 

Then just DO IT!

 As Jesus Himself said to us before He went to the cross, so may we live for HIM!

“Greater love hath no man than this,

that a man lay down his life

for his friends.”  John 15:13

And Paul said it better than I.

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live in the flesh

I live by the faith of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”  Galatians 2:20

Amen and Amen!!!

Christmas Forthnight Day 9 A Word from THE WORD! #421

20 Saturday Dec 2025

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Call To Look Unto Jesus!, Christ IS Alive!, Christmas IS Jesus, Christmas IS?, Christmas Ponderings, Holiness, Jesus IS Lord--bow before Him!, Jesus is our peace, Jesus IS The Gift!, Jesus IS Truth!!!, Power of The Cross, Praise Encourages our Heart, Praise God Today!, Time, Time Is Grace!, Times and Seasons, To Me To Live Is?, TODAY

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Christmas Fortnight Day 9   A Word from THE WORD! #421

Ornaments, lights, a manger and even trees—we’ve looked at all of these during this Christmas “Time”.  We are a culture of “Time”.  Clocks, watches, alarms, appointments, deadlines, punctuality!!!   All things related to time, so let’s take a ‘minute’ to talk about “Time”.  We mention Christmas ‘time’ as a special ‘time’ to reflect on the incarnation of our Messiah, our Savior, our Lord, yet is this not something that we should reflect on, celebrate and share all the ‘time’?

Philippians 2:7-8 says of Jesus,

“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.” 

Jesus stepped into “Time”,

He took on Himself the ‘likeness of men’.

He ‘humbled himself’,

took on servant hood

and walked to the cross for me and you.

Born to die!!!  It all goes together.  We should celebrate Jesus’ incarnation every day, for He came to “save His people from their sins”.  Jesus, God in the flesh, who (Father, Son and Spirit) exists irrespective of ‘time’. After all, He created ‘time’.

Time is set as a tool not a dictator.  Are we so hung up on ‘times’ and ‘seasons’ that we forget to use our ‘time’ celebrating and sharing the love of God each and every day. Christmas and Resurrection go together.  Jesus is LORD of all ‘Time’.

The Apostle Paul tells us how to celebrate Jesus in this same section of his letter to the Philippians believers.

 “…work out your own salvation

with fear and trembling.

13 For it is God which worketh in you

both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

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;

16 Holding forth the word of life;…”                Philippians 2:12b-16a

 JESUS! JESUS! JESUS! “Christ in you, the hope of glory..”

May we ever remember that in time, on time, every time is our LORD Jesus!  We need to remember to “abide” in HIM!

“I am the vine,

ye are the branches:

He that abideth in me,

and I in him,

the same bringeth forth much fruit:

for without me ye can do nothing.”  John 15:5

So?  As someone said, ‘Just do it’…  Let’s celebrate Jesus all the “Time”—everyday, everyway ALL days!!!  In time, on time, every time!  He is worthy of our praise, always!

“I will bless the LORD

at all times:

his praise shall

continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1

Amen and Amen!!!

Christmas Fortnight Day 8 A Word from THE WORD! #420

19 Friday Dec 2025

Posted by in Christmas, Christmas IS Jesus, Christmas IS?, Christmas Ponderings, Humility, Hungry for The Word, I Know Whom I Have Beleived, Take Up YOUR Cross, Teach The Children, The Blood of Jesus Cleanses from SIN, The greatest gift!!!, The Word

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Christmas Fortnight Day 8   A Word from THE WORD!  #420

We’ve looked at ornaments and lights and even the manger.  Let’s look today at ‘trees’.  Not Christmas trees particularly, just trees—let’s stack some “wood”.

Galatians 3:13 says,

“Christ hath redeemed us

from the curse of the law,

being made a curse

for us:

for it is written,

Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree”.

Jesus took our curse— “For the wages of sin is death”!!  (Ro 6:23a)

Deuteronomy 21:23b,

“(for he that is hanged is accursed of God;)

that thy land be not defiled,

which the Lord thy God giveth thee

for an inheritance.”

Jesus became our curse, by hanging on a tree.

Born to die on a tree, for you and for me.

“…He humbled himself

and became obedient unto death,

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

Romans 15:12,

“…There shall be a root of Jesse,

and he that shall rise

to reign over the Gentiles;

in him shall the Gentiles trust.”

Isaiah 11:1

“And there shall come forth a rod

out of the stem of Jesse,

and a Branch

shall grow out of his roots:”

He came to die for me.

What a gift.

Remember from day 5, that Jesus not only gives light, but that He IS light.  Similarly,

He is the ‘root of Jesse’,

also ‘a rod out of the stem of Jesse’,

and yet He is also a ‘Branch” growing out of the root.

An oxymoron of sorts, Jesus—

creator of trees—

is our tree, He became our curse.

Yet He gives us life when we trust in what HE did on that tree called Calvary.

 He purchased my salvation there.

My ‘Christ’mas tree?

So?  Jesus calls— ‘take up your cross’ and follow ME!!!

The manger is humbling but the cross saves.

Yes, worship the ‘newborn king’,

but don’t stay in the barn—

take up your cross and FOLLOW HIM.

YOUR cross???

YOUR calling???

Will YOU follow HIM?

It’s YOUR choice!!

Be sure and choose wisely, there is a test!!!

“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”  Revelation. 22:12.

Amen and Amen!!!

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!!!