The Hope of the World

"Nothing and no one is holy like God, no rock mountain like our God. Don't dare talk pretentiously—not a word of boasting, ever! For God knows what's going on. He takes the measure of everything that happens. The weapons of the strong are smashed to pieces, while the weak are infused with fresh strength. The well-fed are out begging in the streets for crusts, while the hungry are getting second helpings. The barren woman has a houseful of children, while the mother of many is bereft.  God brings death and God brings life, brings down to the grave and raises up. God brings poverty and God brings wealth; he lowers, he also lifts up.  He puts poor people on their feet again; he rekindles burned-out lives with fresh hope, restoring dignity and respect to their lives—a place in the sun! For the very structures of earth are God's; he has laid out his operations on a firm foundation. He protectively cares for his faithful friends, step by step, but leaves the  wicked to stumble in the dark. No one makes it in this life by sheer muscle! God's enemies will be blasted out of the sky,  crashed in a heap and burned. God will set things right all over the earth, he'll give strength to his king, he'll set his anointed on top of the world!"  1 Samuel 6:5-7 (The Message)

"Pay attention, my people. Listen to me, nations. Revelation flows from me. My decisions light up the world. My deliverance arrives on the run, my salvation right on time. I'll bring justice to the peoples. Even faraway islands will look to me and take hope in my saving power. Look up at the skies, ponder the earth under your feet. The skies will fade out like smoke, the earth will wear out like work pants, and the people will die off like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my setting-things-right will never be obsolete."  Isaiah 51:4  (The Message)

"Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face."  Job 13:15 (NIV)

"Why are you in despair, O my soul?  And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence." Psalm 42:5 (NASB)

"For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.   Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."  Romans 8:24-28 (ESV)

Point Of Grace - One King

The World is not a Stage/Pray with Simplicity

Don't miss out on both versions of the Lord's Prayer!  The Message has an interesting perspective but I couldn't leave out the traditional NIV version.  Comparing translations is also a very good exercise!

 

Matthew 6:1-15 (NIV)

Giving to the Needy

 ¹Be careful not to do your "acts of righteousness" before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.  ²So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. ³But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Prayer

 ⁵And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. ⁶But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ⁷And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.  ⁹This, then, is how you should pray:
  "Our Father in heaven,
   hallowed be your name,
 ¹⁰your kingdom come,
   your will be done
      on earth as it is in heaven.
 ¹¹Give us today our daily bread.
 ¹²Forgive us our debts,
      as we also have forgiven our debtors.
 ¹³And lead us not into temptation,
   but deliver us from the evil one."
¹⁴For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 6:1-15 (The Message)

The World Is Not a Stage

 ¹ Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don't make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won't be applauding. ^2-4When you do something for someone else, don't call attention to yourself. You've seen them in action, I'm sure—"playactors" I call them— treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that's all they get. When you help someone out, don't think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.

Pray with Simplicity

 ⁵And when you come before God, don't turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?  ⁶Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.
 ^7-13The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They're full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don't fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:
   Our Father in heaven,
   Reveal who you are.
   Set the world right;
   Do what's best— as above, so below.
   Keep us alive with three square meals.
   Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
   Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
   You're in charge!
   You can do anything you want!
   You're ablaze in beauty!
      Yes. Yes. Yes.
 ^14-15In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can't get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God's part.

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I'm Waiting For You - Michael W. Smith

No Turning Back

There comes a time when you can no longer walk away.  You know too much.  You've seen too much.  You've felt the blessing and the hand of God upon you and you know that now no matter what happens, you will never walk away.  You're in too deep.  You're too far gone... And you can now say, "God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from.  True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.  Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I'm not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure.  You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing.  Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life.  I'm back home in the house of God for the rest of my life."  Psalm 23 (The Message)

When I first became a Christian, I didn't plan to walk away.  No one does.  But people do walk away and I was sure that none of them planned to walk away either.  So what happened?  Why would someone who has been seemingly changed chuck it all and go back to their old, lost way of life?  You've heard the saying, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." That can mean two things.  One being that when things are tough, the tough continue on and find a way through it. Or two, when things get difficult, the so called "tough" flee to the easier road.  Well, no one said the life of a follower of Christ would be easy or simple.  Life is hard and even with the Lord walking beside you, behind you and in front of you, it is still hard.  Sometimes people give up too soon.  They can't see the light at the end of the tunnel so they throw in the towel because it's so dark and they cannot see.  The problem is that it is always darkest before the dawn.  Don't give up before the light comes.  Hang on!  Help is on the way!  Sometimes God is an 11th hour God.  There are things we need to learn, things He wants to teach us and there may be no other way for us to learn them than for us to trudge though the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

"Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them.  Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'"   Isaiah 3-:20-21  (NIV)

In the valley, we often learn what is truly important and what is superfluous.  It also says, "So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, 'You must be holy because I am holy.'  And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as 'foreigners in the land.' For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days.  Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.  You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters.  Love each other deeply with all your heart.   For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. As the Scriptures say, 'People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades.  But the word of the Lord remains forever.'  And that word is the Good News that was preached to you."  1 Peter 1:1-15 (NLT)

So if you have decided to follow Jesus, make it a permanent decision,  a commitment that you will  not go back on.  Decide to continue.  Decide to dedicate your life to Him.  Keep walking forward, away from the darkness and toward the light.  "The crowd responded, 'We understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. How can you say the Son of Man will die? Just who is this Son of Man, anyway?'   Jesus replied, 'My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going.  Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.'"  John 12:34-35 (NLT)  

"This, in essence, is the message we heard from Christ and are passing on to you: God is light, pure light; there's not a trace of darkness in him.  If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we're obviously lying through our teeth—we're not living what we claim. But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God's Son, purges all our sin."  1 John 1:5-7 (The Message)

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.  John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, 'This was he of whom I said, "He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me."' From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another."  John 1:14-16 (NIV)

 Dear Lord,  If we are not already there, please get us to the place where we have seen Your light and beheld Your glory such that we are no longer able to do anything but continue to follow You.  Thank you for Your great love which brought the true light into the world.  Help us to hear Your voice that says, "This is the way; walk in it!" 

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Gabriel's Message Jars Of Clay

Would You Say "Yes"?

Song Of Angels by Bouguereau

I posted Mary's song out of Luke Chaper 1 the week before last and then while I was listening to the song "Gabriel's Message" by Jars of Clay this morning, I found this video from You Tube of the same song also posted here today.  Please listen and watch and then read these lyrics all the while thinking of whether you would be so willing to say "Yes" as Mary did more than 2,000 years ago.

Gabriel's Message  Basque Christmas Carol c.1582

The angel Gabriel from Heaven came
His wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame
"All hail", said he, "thou lowly maiden Mary
Most highly favored maid"
Gloria

"For known a blessed mother thou shalt be
All generations laud and honor thee
Thy Son shall be Emmanuel by seers foretold
Most highly favored maid"
Gloria

Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head
"To me be as it pleaseth God", she said
"My soul shall laud and magnify His holy name"
Most highly favored maid
Gloria

Of her Emmanuel, the Christ was born
In Bethlehem all on a Christmas morn
And lowly men throughout the world forever saved
Most highly favored maid
Gloria  

What would have happened had Mary said "No" to God?  Mary's willingness to say "Yes" was the beginning of God's planned salvation for mankind.  Of course, He knew she would say yes, which was probably one of the reasons He chose her.  I've said this before but I think my heart was most touched by the Christmas message the first Christmas after my first child was born.  Mary was asked to give birth to the long awaited Messiah and she said "Yes!" with a willing heart.  I feel fairly certain that she didn't know all that she was saying "Yes" to.  I'm sure at the time, she didn't realize how her Son would suffer and die.  I'm also sure, although she was only human, that she still would have said,  "Yes, Lord.  Be it done to me according to Your will."  When God asks something of you, do you say "Yes" with a willing heart?  Would you still say "Yes" even if you knew that it would be painful and difficult?  Only through surrender and obedience can you get to the place where you would say, "Yes, Lord.  Be it done to me according to Your will."

Dear Lord,  Make us Your  willing servants no matter what You ask of us...

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I Believe - Natalie Grant

Michael W. Smith - The Promise

The Promise

Please be sure to watch and listen to the You Tube video by Michael W. Smith entitled "The Promise" also posted today.


Immanuel, our God is with us!

"Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD:  though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."  Isaiah 1:18 (ESV)

Isaiah's Commission  - Isaiah 6:1-7

"In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.  And they were calling to one another: 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.'  At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.  'Woe to me!' I cried. "'I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.'  Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, 'See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.'"  (NIV)

A Sign - Isaiah 7:14

"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."  (KJV)

The Birth and Reign of the Prince of Peace - Isaiah 9:2-7

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.  You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder.   For as in the day of Midian's defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.  For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.   Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.  He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this."  (NIV)

The Righteous Reign of the Branch - Isaiah 11:1-10

"A green Shoot will sprout from Jesse's stump, from his roots a budding Branch. The life-giving Spirit of God will hover over him, the Spirit that brings wisdom and understanding, the Spirit that gives direction and builds strength, the Spirit that instills knowledge and Fear-of-God.  Fear-of-God will be all his joy and delight.  He won't judge by appearances, won't decide on the basis of hearsay.  He'll judge the needy by what is right,  render decisions on earth's poor with justice. His words will bring everyone to awed attention.    A mere breath from his lips will topple the wicked. Each morning he'll pull on sturdy work clothes and boots, and build righteousness and faithfulness in the land.  The wolf will romp with the lamb, the leopard sleep with the kid. Calf and lion will eat from the same trough,and a little child will tend them.  Cow and bear will graze the same pasture, their calves and cubs grow up together, and the lion eat straw like the ox.  The nursing child will crawl over rattlesnake dens, the toddler stick his hand down the hole of a serpent.  Neither animal nor human will hurt or kill on my holy mountain. The whole earth will be brimming with knowing God-Alive, a living knowledge of God ocean-deep, ocean-wide.  On that day, Jesse's Root will be raised high, posted as a rallying banner for the peoples. The nations will all come to him. His headquarters will be glorious."  (The Message)

Thanksgiving Expressed - Isaiah 12:1-6

"Then you will say on that day, 'I will give thanks to You, O LORD; For although You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, And You comfort me. Behold,  God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid;  For the LORD GOD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation.'  Therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation. And in that day you will say, 'Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; make them remember that His name is exalted.'  Praise the LORD in song, for He has done excellent things; Let this be known throughout the earth. Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel."  (NASB)

Dear Lord,   This Christmas, I won't forget that I am nothing without You...

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Let the "Why" Become Unimportant

“It is only as we have been through the darkness with Him that… the ‘Why?’ becomes unimportant… we believe that God can and will redeem the pain for our good and His glory.... When I put the sovereignty of God beside His unfailing love, my heart can rest.” Verdell Davis

I had another post recently entitled, "Why Me?"  We all wonder why things happen as they do at times but sometimes we get stuck in the "Why" and  never move past it.  We can get to the point where the "Why" becomes unimportant in light of "Who" God is in our lives.  This is one of the most difficult concepts to explain and understand and the way to get to that place is also difficult to explain and understand. 

A long time ago I became a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Savior.  This didn't happen until I finally came to the realization that although I thought I was a Christian, I was not.  I think a lot of people are confused by the term "Christian".  Saying you are a Christian does not make you one.  Going to church does not make you one. Growing up in a Christian home does not make you one.  Living in the United States of America does not make you one.  There is only  one way to become a "Christian" or a Christ follower and that is to follow Him!  You cannot pick and choose which of His statements to follow.  You need to be earnestly seeking to follow all of His statements, even the difficult or uncomfortable ones.  But in order to follow these statements, you need to spend time getting to know what these statements are by reading His words and meditating on them.  If you begin to seek Him in earnest, you will find Him...and the more you seek Him the easier it will become to follow Him.

Someone said to me once, "You need to become so close to God that your will and His will become one will."  This can never happen if you don't know who He is.  Our whole purpose in this life is to know Him and to do His will.  If we get to the point where we are no longer concerned about what we want and we are only concerned with what He wants, then we will be on the road to the "Why" becoming unimportant.  We will be at the place where our trust in Him, His sovereignty, and His love will overshadow our own desires, our own fears, our own inadequacies.  He uses broken vessels.  He is a master at making broken things whole, perfect, and complete.  But the key to this for us is complete and total surrender of ourselves to Him.  Oswald Chambers said, "After surrender – what? The whole of the life after surrender is an aspiration for unbroken communion with God."  Unbroken communion with God is the place we want to be.  It is the place where the "why" becomes unimportant.

Placing our trust in Him is a continual, every day affair.  We can't do it once and consider it done.  We have to keep placing our trust in Him daily, and even moment by moment.  We have to make a conscious, purposeful effort to do this and we cannot take it lightly. "And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; the God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.  I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies."  2 Samuel 22:1-4 (KJV)

"To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul; in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.  No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse."  Psalm 25:1-3 (NIV)

"Light, space, zest— that's God! So, with him on my side I'm fearless, afraid of no one and nothing. When vandal hordes ride down ready to eat me alive, those bullies and toughs fall flat on their faces.  When besieged, I'm calm as a baby. When all hell breaks loose, I'm collected and cool.  I'm asking God for one thing, only one thing: To live with him in his house my whole life long. I'll contemplate his beauty; I'll study at his feet.  That's the only quiet, secure place in a noisy world, the perfect getaway, far from the buzz of traffic. God holds me head and shoulders above all who try to pull me down. I'm headed for his place to offer anthems that will raise the roof! Already I'm singing God-songs; I'm making music to God.  Listen, God, I'm calling at the top of my lungs: 'Be good to me! Answer me!' When my heart whispered, 'Seek God,' my whole being replied, 'I'm seeking him!'  Don't hide from me now!  You've always been right there for me; don't turn your back on me now. Don't throw me out, don't abandon me; you've always kept the door open. My father and mother walked out and left me, but God took me in.   Point me down your highway, God; direct me along a well-lighted street; show my enemies whose side you're on.  Don't throw me to the dogs, those liars who are out to get me, filling the air with their threats.   I'm sure now I'll see God's goodness in the exuberant earth. Stay with God!  Take heart. Don't quit.  I'll say it again: Stay with God."  Psalm 27 (The Message)
   
"Patience is more than endurance. A saint's life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, and He stretches and strains, and every now and again the saint says--'I cannot stand anymore.' God does not heed, He goes on stretching till His purpose is in sight, then He lets fly. Trust yourself in God's hands. Maintain your relationship to Jesus Christ by the patience of faith. 'Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him."  Oswald Chambers  

The "Why" will become unimportant when we understand that the only important thing is the "Who" that we entrust our lives to. "Some trust in chariots and some in horses,  but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." Psalm 20:7 (NIV)

Dear Lord,  We entrust our lives to You no matter what happens. Help us to stay with You, God, even when we don't understand the "Why".  Help us to get to the place where the "Why" becomes unimportant and help us to understand that the only thing that really matters is knowing You and serving You.

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Glory

Please don't miss the You Tube video "Glory in the Highest" by Chris Tomlin also posted today.  You could even hit the home button at the top of the page and listen to it while you read Luke Chapter 2:1-20.

Luke Chapter 2 is the Christmas story we have read for years with our children every Christmas morning.  I never tire of hearing it and am always brought to tears when I think of the King of Glory giving up His heavenly crown to come down here to earth for me.  Now I know I'm not special...but He thinks I am!  This is the great dichotomy of the Kingdom of God.  All my righteousness is but filthy rags and yet He, the Lord of all creation, cares about me, so much so that He was willing to suffer and die that I might live.  He has done this for you, too.  He cares about you.  He loves you.  No matter what you've done or where you've been, what you've been through or who you've hurt, He came to give you a new and different life.  He came to seek and save that which was lost.  "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Luke 19:10 (KJV)

 Luke 2

The Birth of Jesus
 ¹In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ²(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³And everyone went to his own town to register.  ⁴So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

 ⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."  ¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
 ¹⁴"Glory to God in the highest,
      and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
 ¹⁵When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
 ¹⁶So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

 "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.  Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice."  1 Chronicles 16:8-10 (NIV)

Dear Lord,  Thank you that You love us so much that You were willing to send Your precious Son, Jesus, so that we might have everlasting life.  Let our lives bring You glory.

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Chris Tomlin - Glory In The Highest

Beyond Infinity

You've heard Buzz Lightyear say, "To infinity and beyond".  Well, where is God in all of this?  He is, of course, infinite.  We are finite.  But what does this mean?

Infinite by definition means not limited, extending indefinitely (endless or beginningless!), boundless (without boundaries), immeasurably or inconceivably great or extensive,  inexhaustible. (Merriam-Webster)  When we apply this word to God (who is by the way, indescribable) we can sum it up by saying that He is not limited by time or space.  God is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent.

Omniscience is the state of knowing everything (all-knowing).  When we say that God is omniscient, we mean that  His knowledge of things is unlimited.  "Not only does God know everything that will happen, He also knows all things that could have possibly happened."  (gotQuestions.org)  You cannot hide anything from God, nor is there anything that He is unaware of.  He is imminently qualified to be ruler and judge over all.

"Great is our Lord and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite."  Psalm 147:5 (NASB)

"Take a long, hard look. See how great he is—infinite, greater than anything you could ever imagine or figure out!"  Job 36:26 (The Message)

"For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things."  1 John 3:20 (KJV)

Omnipotence means that God is all-powerful.  His power is limitless!  "Nothing can stop His decreed will from happening, and nothing can thwart or stop His divine purposes from being fulfilled." (gotQuestions.org)

"He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God."  Joshua 4:24 (NIV)

"Look around you: Everything you see is God's—the heavens above and beyond, the Earth, and everything on it. But it was your ancestors who God fell in love with; he picked their children—that's you!—out of all the other peoples. That's where we are right now. So cut away the thick calluses from your heart and stop being so willfully hardheaded. God, your God, is the God of all gods, he's the Master of all masters, a God immense and powerful and awesome."  Deuteronomy 10:14 (The Message)

"God! Let the cosmos praise your wonderful ways, the choir of holy angels sing anthems to your faithful ways! Search high and low, scan skies and land, you'll find nothing and no one quite like God. The holy angels are in awe before him; he looms immense and august over everyone around him. God-of-the-Angel-Armies, who is like you, powerful and faithful from every angle? You put the arrogant ocean in its place and calm its waves when they turn unruly. You gave that old hag Egypt the back of your hand, you brushed off your enemies with a flick of your wrist. You own the cosmos—you made everything in it, everything from atom to archangel. You positioned the North and South Poles; the mountains Tabor and Hermon sing duets to you. With your well-muscled arm and your grip of steel— nobody trifles with you! The Right and Justice are the roots of your rule; Love and Truth are its fruits. Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise, who shout on parade in the bright presence of God. Delighted, they dance all day long; they know who you are, what you do—they can't keep it quiet! Your vibrant beauty has gotten inside us— you've been so good to us! We're walking on air! All we are and have we owe to God, Holy God of Israel, our King!"  Psalm 89:5-18 (The Message)

"Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. You show love to thousands but bring the punishment for the fathers' sins into the laps of their children after them. O great and powerful God, whose name is the LORD Almighty, great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to all the ways of men; you reward everyone according to his conduct and as his deeds deserve."  Jeremiah 32:17-19 (NIV)

Omnipresence means that God  is everywhere, He is always present.  He always has been and He always will be.  God is eternal.  He had no beginning and He has no end.  He has always existed.  Consequently, you cannot escape His presence.  There is nowhere that you can hide from Him.  He is always with you.  Oh, you can ignore Him but that doesn't mean that He is not there...

"Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths,  you are there.   If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."  Psalm 139:7-10 (NIV)

As humans, we find it so hard to understand a realm that is not physical.  We are so bound by this physical world and our physical bodies that limit us.  I used to explain this to kids in my classrooms this way.  We are finite but God is infinite. We are limited but God knows no limits.  We have a beginning and an end.  God had no beginning and has no end.  He actually is the beginning and the end as it says in Revelation 1:8, "'I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending,' saith the Lord,' Which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.'"  God is so beyond even our concept of infinity that I decided to call this post "Beyond Infinity".   If God had not revealed Himself to us, we would not understand who He is or what He is like at all.  Thankfully, He did reveal Himself to us, first through His creation and our conscience, and then through His word and His Son, Jesus Christ.  "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"  2 Corinthians 9:15  (NASB)

"When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, 'Who then can be saved?' Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'"  Matthew 19:25-26 (NIV)

Dear Lord,  Thank you that You are all-knowing, all-powerful, and always present.  Please make me aware of the finiteness of my own mind, and thankful for the infiniteness of Yours...  Thank you that with You, all things are possible.

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O Come, O Come Emmanuel by Selah

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus.wmv

The More I Seek You - Kari Jobe

This Love is so Deep

Please listen to Kari Jobe's song "The More I Seek You" also posted today.  This is such a beautiful song!  I pray that it will take you to the heart of worship...

"Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."  Jeremiah 29:12-13 (NIV)

"I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me."  Proverbs 8:17 (NASB)

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."  Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV)

"I'm thanking you, God, out in the streets, singing your praises in town and country. The deeper your love, the higher it goes; every cloud's a flag to your faithfulness. Soar high in the skies, O God! Cover the whole earth with your glory! And for the sake of the one you love so much, reach down and help me—answer me!"  Psalm108:3  (The Message)

"'Master, come and see,' they said. Now Jesus wept.  The Jews said, 'Look how deeply he loved him.'"John 11:34-36 (The Message)

The More I Seek You by Kari Jobe

The more i seek you,
the more i find you.

The more i find you,
the more I love you

I wanna sit at your feet
drink from the cup in your hand.
Lay back against you and breath,
hear your heart beat

This love is so deep,
it's more than I can stand.
I melt in your peace, it's overwhelming

The more i seek you,
the more i find you.

The more i find you,
the more I love you

I wanna sit at your feet
drink from the cup in your hand.
Lay back against you and breath,
hear your heart beat

This love is so deep,
it's more than I can stand.
I melt in your peace, it's overwhelming

I wanna sit at your feet
drink from the cup in your hand.
Lay back against you and breath,
hear your heart beat

This love is so deep,
it's more than I can stand.
I melt in your peace, it's overwhelming

I wanna sit at your feet
drink from the cup in your hand.
Lay back against you and breath,
hear your heart beat

This love is so deep,
it's more than I can stand.
I melt in your peace...

Dear Lord, Thank you for Your deep, deep love.  Help me to seek You and You alone for it is there in Your arms that I will find true peace.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Artwork courtesy of Photobucket.com.

Breath of Heaven

My Soul doth Magnify the Lord

Luke 1:26-55 (KJV)

 ²⁶And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
 ²⁷To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
 ²⁸And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
 ²⁹And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
 ³⁰And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
 ³¹And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
 ³²He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
 ³³And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
 ³⁴Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
 ³⁵And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
 ³⁶And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
 ³⁷For with God nothing shall be impossible.
 ³⁸And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
 ³⁹And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
 ⁴⁰And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
 ⁴¹And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
 ⁴²And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
 ⁴³And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
 ⁴⁴For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
 ⁴⁵And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
 ⁴⁶And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
 ⁴⁷And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
 ⁴⁸For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
 ⁴⁹For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
 ⁵⁰And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
 ⁵¹He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
 ⁵²He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
 ⁵³He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
 ⁵⁴He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
 ⁵⁵As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

Small Bites

I don't mean small plates of food!  I'm talking about the small bites the enemy takes out of us little by little, day by day.  I always used to say that if the enemy took a large bite out of us, like biting off our arm,  we'd notice that, wouldn't we?  Instead, as wily as he is, he takes a little bite here, and a little bite there.  We are less apt to recognize what is going on if he keeps a low profile.  He doesn't want to shock us out of our sin.  He doesn't want to stop our progression, he wants to accelerate it!  What better way than to convince us, one tiny bite at a time, that everything is really okay, we haven't really done anything wrong...Soon our arm is missing and we didn't even notice it disappearing.

Now granted, sometimes we are convincing ourselves that what we've done is okay.  And boy are we masters at that!  We convince ourselves so heartily that we believe our own lies to ourselves.  Do you have any ongoing situations where that has happened or is happening?   Just a little of this won't hurt!  Or a little of that won't change anything!  Ha!  May it never be.  If you feel that still small voice nagging, or that queasiness in the pit of your stomach, that is your warning sign that something is wrong.  Heed it!  Don't push it away or sweep it under the rug! Don't rationalize and lie to yourself.  Take care of business and take care of your sin!  Having unconfessed sin in your life is not a good way to live.

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."   James 4:7-10 (NIV)

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.   Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings."  1 Peter 5:8-9  (NIV)

"This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.  If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.  If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."  1 John1:5-10 (ESV)

"Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves."  Matthew10:16 (ESV)

"Jesus said to them, 'If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you?  Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!'"  John 8:42-45 (NIV)

"Don't become partners with those who reject God.  How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That's not partnership; that's war. Is light best friends with dark? Does Christ go strolling with the Devil? Do trust and mistrust hold hands? Who would think of setting up pagan idols in God's holy Temple? But that is exactly what we are, each of us a temple in whom God lives. God himself put it this way: 'I'll live in them, move into them; I'll be their God and they'll be my people. So leave the corruption and compromise; leave it for good,' says God. 'Don't link up with those who will pollute you. I want you all for myself. I'll be a Father to you; you'll be sons and daughters to me.' The Word of the Master, God."  2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (The Message)

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."  Philippians 4:6-8 (NASB)

 Dear Lord,  Make us a people without compromise.  Help us to see our sin and not lie to ourselves about it.  Help us to confess it to You and receive Your forgiveness.  Help us to resist the enemy and  make us strong in Your word so that we might be victorious in You.

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The Bread of Life

Jesus the Bread of Life

 ²⁵When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?"  ²⁶Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. ²⁷Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."
 ²⁸Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"
 ²⁹Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
 ³⁰So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? ³¹Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
 ³²Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
 ³⁴"Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."
 ³⁵Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. ³⁶But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. ³⁷All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. ³⁹And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁰For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
 ⁴¹At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." ⁴²They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"

 ⁴³"Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. ⁴⁴"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁴⁵It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. ⁴⁶No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. ⁴⁷I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. ⁴⁸I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. ⁵⁰But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. ⁵¹I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
 ⁵²Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
 ⁵³Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁵⁵For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. ⁵⁶Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. ⁵⁷Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. ⁵⁸This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." ⁵⁹He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.  John 6:25-59 (NIV)

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I Heard the Bells on Christmas Ring by Jars of Clay

Christmas Bells

 Please be sure to watch and listen to the You Tube video also posted here today entitled, "I heard the bells on Christmas Day", sung by Jars of Clay.

The song, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day", is from the Poem seen below by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow written in 1864.  The poem was rearranged and set to music in 1872 by John Baptiste Caulkin.  The original poem, "Christmas Bells",  was written by Longfellow in response to several tragedies that had occurred in his life over the span of several years.

His wife, Fanny,  died in an accident in their home on July 10, 1861. She was working with sealing wax and  unknowingly spilled several drops onto her dress.  A breeze came through the window and ignited the burning wax into flames which quickly engulfed her.  Henry tried to save her by using a rug but when that didn't work, he wrapped himself around her trying to put out the flames.  She died the next day; he himself was bed ridden with severe burns to his hands, arms, and face.

For several years he was filled with grief and that first Christmas after Fanny's death he stated, "How inexpressibly sad are all holidays." A year later he wrote, "I can make no record of these days. Better leave them wrapped in silence. Perhaps someday God will give me peace."  Since the United States Civil War started in 1861, Longfellow received more bad news nearly a year later that his oldest son, Charles, who was a lieutenant in the Army of the Potomac, had been severely wounded in Washington, D.C.  He rushed down to bring him home and after a lengthy search finally found Charles barely alive.  Charles did not die that Christmas, but lived.  It was Christmas of 1864 that Henry Wadsworth Longfellow penned the words of the poem, "Christmas Bells" after coming out of an extremely difficult period in his life.  President Lincoln had been reelected and there was hope that the war would end soon.  Longfellow's final stanza, "Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: 'God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!  The Wrong shall fail,  The Right prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men!'" was loudly proclaiming that even when things are difficult and hope seems lost, God is still sovereign and He shall be victorious!

"Christmas Bells"

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
(The original poem, complete with all seven stanzas)

"I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!"

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Sanctus - Ana Laura

Sanctus by Ana Laura

I love when things are sung beautifully in other languages especially Latin.  This song sung by Ana Laura is one of the most beautiful.  It makes me think of this verse, "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."  Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV)

This rendition of Sanctus can be found on the "Come Let Us Adore Him" CD.
The English translation:
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Artwork courtesy of Photobucket.com.

All is Well - Michael W Smith

Prepare Him Room

"If you prepare your heart, you will stretch out your hands toward Him."  Job 11:13 (ESV)

This is the time of year that I begin to prepare my heart for the holiest of seasons.  Over the next several months, I will be sharing some of my favorite Christmas music with you,  music that takes me directly to the throne room of the Most High. I pray that you would really listen to them with the intent of preparing your own hearts for His coming, both for His coming this Christmas and for the ulimate culmination of God's amazing plan, His final return when all things will be set right at last....

"He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God."  John 1:10-13 (NASB)

"And now, children, stay with Christ. Live deeply in Christ. Then we'll be ready for him when he appears, ready to receive him with open arms, with no cause for red-faced guilt or lame excuses when he arrives."  1 John 2:28 (The Message)

"The sacred writings contain preliminary reports by the prophets on God's Son. His descent from David roots Him in history; His unique identity as Son of God was shown by the Spirit when Jesus was raised from the dead, setting Him apart as the Messiah, our Master. Through Him we received both the generous gift of His life and the urgent task of passing it on to others who receive it by entering into obedient trust in Jesus. You are who you are through this gift and call of Jesus Christ!"  Romans 1:1-6 (The Message)

"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen."  1 Timothy 1:15-17 (NIV)

"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."  James 1:11-12 (NIV)

Dear Lord,  Prepare us for the celebration of Your birth. Touch our hearts with the amazing love that You have for us, love that was willing to sacrifice everything including Your very own Son.  Transform us in the days leading up to Christmas and fill us with wonder.

Artwork courtesy of Photobucket.com.

You've Touched My Heart

We all have a heart.  Our hearts beat and pump blood throughout our bodies, providing oxygen and nutrients.  Without our hearts, we would not be alive.  In our culture you can be hard-hearted, cold hearted, broken-hearted, good-hearted, etc.  The list goes on and in English, we think of the word "heart" as the center of emotion and kindness.  The Hebrews, however, had a broader meaning for the word "heart".  It goes beyond the Western cultural idea of it being the center of emotion and kindness to including a person's thoughts, reason, and logic, in essence, the "mind" is included with the word "heart".  So a heart can think, understand, and be intentional.  A heart can be a storehouse for God's word.  It can be full of deceit.  It is capable of love and hate, joy and sorrow.  Here is a word study on these aspects of the word "heart"  in God's word.

The heart is capable of understanding:

"Since you have closed their hearts to understanding,  therefore you will not let them triumph."  Job17:4 (ESV)

"For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul."  Proverbs 2:10 (NIV)

The heart is where you can store scripture:

"Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them."  Deuteronomy 4:9  (NIV)

"Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."  Psalm 119:11 (KJV)

The heart is capable of deception:

"'How long? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy falsehood, even these prophets of the deception of their own heart, who intend to make My people forget My name by their dreams which they relate to one another, just as their fathers forgot My name because of Baal?  The prophet who has a dream may relate his dream, but let him who has My word speak My word in truth. What does straw have in common with grain?' declares the LORD."  Jeremiah 23:26-28  (NASB)

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"  Jeremiah 17:9  (KJV)

The heart can be intentional:

"When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.  Acts 11:23 (NIV)

"The anger of the LORD will not turn back until He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart; in the last days you will clearly understand it."  Jeremiah 23:20  (NASB)

"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart."  Hebrews 4:12 (NASB)

"Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart."  Ephesians 6:6  (NIV)

The heart is capable of love and hate:

"Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart."  1 Peter 1:22 (NIV)

"He turned their hearts to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants."  Psalm 105:25 (ESV)

The heart is capable of joy and sorrow: 

"A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken."  Proverbs 15:13 (NASB)

"But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart."  John 16:6 (NASB)

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27  (ESV)

In closing, we want to have the heart of God within us as it says in Exodus 34:5-7, "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations."(NASB)  And we need to be ever conscious of the fact that our hearts reflect who we are.  "As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man."  Proverbs 27:19  (ESV)  And we need to be aware that God looks not at our outward appearance but at our hearts.  "But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.'" 1 Samuel 16:7  (NIV)

Dear Lord,  We ask that You shape and mold our hearts.  Let our hearts be as Yours, full of kindness and compassion, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and truth. 

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