His Story, Not Mine Revisited

His Story, Not Mine

I often forget that this life is not all about "Me". The author and perfecter of my faith is also the author and perfecter of my life. The story is His and I have a small bit part in it! My purpose is to shine His light into this dark world, not to shine the light on myself so I receive glory and praise. All glory and honor and praise belong to Him.

I think the problem with us is that we put too much emphasis on this life and not enough on the next. This life is a flash in the pan. It is very, very temporary. This is where we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). This is where we are to become a mirror image of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

"Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away." James 4:14 (NASB)

"Man is a mere breath; his days are like a passing shadow." Psalm 144:4 (NASB)

"O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!" Psalm 39:4

"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NASB)

And yet the God of the Universe cares about every hair on our heads. He even knows how many there are at any given time. He wants to give us the desires of our hearts which doesn't mean He wants to answer every prayer the way we want it. It means that He wants to put the desires that He wants us to have in us. His plans are much larger and better than we can even comprehend.

"Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

Dear Lord, Thank you that I have a part, however small, in Your Story! Please use me to further Your Kingdom and to shine Your light. Make me into Your image and let others see You in Me. Please help me to put this life in proper perspective and to realize that You must increase and I must decrease. Less of me and more of Thee, please...

Originally posted April 13, 2010. 

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'Let There Be Light' live performance video from Joshua Dunson on Vimeo.

Peace on Earth

 I've been trying to capture my little dog looking out the window at one of the squirrels that live in our back yard for weeks now.  This morning I had my camera close by and caught a rare moment of peace on earth.  Now if we could only have the Jack Russell Terrier befriend the squirrel without the glass between, we'd have true peace.  If there were no glass, our dog, Cammie, would have chased it up a tree by now.  She spends hours looking out the window for squirrels...  She chases them in her sleep, too!

Isaiah 11  (The Message)

A Green Shoot from Jesse's Stump

 ^1-5 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.

A Living Knowledge of God

 ^6-9The 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.

 God's Covenant with David

"Now, therefore, thus shall you say to my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people Israel, and I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.  And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall waste them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover, I declare to you that the LORD will build you a house. When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.   I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you, but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever."  1 Chronicles 17:7-14 (ESV)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Avalon - Don't save it all for Christmas Day - w/lyrics

Prince of Peace

Isaiah 9

 ¹Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—
 ² The people walking in darkness
   have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
   a light has dawned.
³ You have enlarged the nation
   and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
   as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
   when dividing the plunder.
⁴ 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.
⁵ Every warrior’s boot used in battle
   and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
   will be fuel for the fire.
⁶ 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.
⁷ Of the greatness 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)

Build Your House Upon the Rock Revisted

Build Your House Upon the Rock

The faithfulness of God is the unshakeable ground we build our lives upon.  Kay Warren

I saw a segment on TV last night about the multi-billion dollar self improvement industry today. I was struck by people's eagerness to plunk down thousands of dollars to listen to some self-help guru explain how you, too can be healthy, wealthy, and wise. The only problem is the credentials of the so called guru. In many cases they are charismatic, uneducated charlatans who really don't care about the people they purport to help and the only wealth that is being created is their own...

On the other hand, the Bible is true and reliable and without cost. It is God's personal Word to us and is how He has chosen to reveal Himself to us. It doesn't cost thousands and offers real answers to life's toughest questions. I find it odd that people would rather pay big money to bad people than to pick up and read the only true source of wisdom. They'll spend 9.6 billion on books, seminars, programs, retreats, etc. where someone without real wisdom will tell them what they want to hear rather than read what they need to hear from the One who made them.

The facts are that we all need a road map. Psalm 119:19-20 says, "I am but a pilgrim here on earth: how I need a map--and Your commands are my chart and guide. I long for Your instructions more than I can tell." (TLB)

Oswald Chambers said, "Never water down the word of God, preach it in its undiluted sternness; there must be unflinching loyalty to the word of God; but when you come to personal dealing with your fellow men, remember who you are-not a special being made up in heaven, but a sinner saved by grace."

You may have tried to read parts of God's word in the past and you may have had difficulty with it. Once you've begun your journey of faith in Christ, it becomes your personal letter from God and the Holy Spirit helps us understand it and take it to heart. I've heard it said, "I couldn't pick it up before, and now I can't put it down."

"The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward." Psalm 19:7-11 (NIV)

God's word is an accurate road map for life, your life. It tells us how to walk, where to walk, and what to expect. It is our true source of knowledge about who God is and who He wants us to be. His word reveals His heart. God's heart loves people with an everlasting love. But God's word isn't just about knowledge. D.L. Moody said, "The Bible was not given to increase our knowledge but to change our lives."

"There's nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us." 2 Timothy 3:15b-17 (The Message)

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV) The "big idea" in this passage is to hear God's word and put it into practice. So pick up God's manual on how to live and begin to build a life on His solid foundation.

Dear Lord, Thank you for Your word, Your personal word to us that reveals who you are and guides us in Your paths. Please correct and expose those things in us that need to be changed, realigned, reshaped. Change our thinking, Lord, through the power of Your truth and help us to walk in it.

Originally posted June 30, 2010.

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Casting Crowns: I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day

PlusOne - A Prayer For Every Year

Welcome to Our World - Amy Grant

Maybe You Think I'm Whimpy...

I don't know about you but I need a Savior.  Maybe you think I'm wimpy.  Maybe you think you're stronger than that or better than that or smarter than that, but honestly,  having a Savior makes me stronger, better, smarter.  I am positive that I am living a better life with Him than I would be without Him.  So call me weak, worse, stupid.  I would never change my mind.  I would never turn back.

A few days ago I wrote a post entitled, "What Does Jesus Teach?"  Jesus teaches us a better way to live.  Most people live for themselves and never find real peace.  Those who follow Jesus live for Him and to serve Him.  Oh, this doesn't make us perfect, but it does give us a worthy goal: to be like Him!  A life lived in pursuit of Jesus Christ is a better life indeed...

We need a Savior to save us from spiritual poverty, despair, hopelessness, sin, selfishness, self-destructiveness, evil, hatred, strife, deceit, condemnation, loneliness, meanness, depravity, fear, pride, haughtiness, immorality, slander, envy, greed, ungodliness, unrighteousness, gossip, malice, insolence, arrogance, disobedience, foolishness.   If you don't see at least one of those issues (usually there are many) plaguing your life then you can say, "Pashaw!"  But Honestly, you'd be lying to yourself.  The nature of humankind is bent and it is not bent in the right direction.  Jesus rebends us, he reshapes us into a figure resembling Himself.  Our job is to let Him do His work in our lives.

We all need a Savior and there is only one given as it says in John 14:6, "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" (NIV)  And  "And now to him who can keep you on your feet, standing tall in his bright presence, fresh and celebrating—to our one God, our only Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Master, be glory, majesty, strength, and rule before all time, and now, and to the end of all time. Yes."  Jude 1:24-25 (The Message)

"So, friends, confirm God's invitation to you, his choice of you. Don't put it off; do it now. Do this, and you'll have your life on a firm footing, the streets paved and the way wide open into the eternal kingdom of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:10-11 (The Message)

Dear Lord and Savior,  Thank you and welcome to our world. 

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Awesome God - Michael W. Smith

Serenity Revisited

Serenity

This prayer was given to me when I was a young girl by my paternal grandmother. It is one of the very few things that I ever received from her as she was quite poor and generally sent two dollars in a card for my birthday every year (which I always looked forward to eagerly). For years, I had the plaque propped on my dresser and only recently did I put it away in a box. (I intend to go in search of it very soon!) The Serenity Prayer is as follows:

God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference. by Reinhold Niebuhr

The definition of serenity is: the quality or state of being serene; calmness; tranquility. I find that accepting the things I cannot change is freeing, and allows me to move on. But I don't find freedom just because I accepted something, and I don't move on because I accepted it either. I accept it because I have a God who knows more than I do, because I can trust Him with all things and because "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." Colossians 1:15-17 (NASB) I can feel God's calmness and tranquility because I know He is in complete control. Now that does not mean that things will be perfect or even wonderful, but it does mean that I can trust that whatever happens, good or bad, it will be okay because He is in control.

One of my favorite verses, Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." This does not mean that everything will be "good"! Far from it! The Bible says, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33 (NIV) What it does mean is that God will use all the things that happen in our lives (both good and bad) for our good and the good of those around us, if, we love Him and are called according to His purpose. I try to stay focused on my part of the promise: loving Him and being called according to His purpose. Then I assume that He will be working all things (both good and bad) together for our ultimate good. The thing that sometimes frustrates us is that we can't always see that or figure out what our "good" is. That is where our trust in Him comes into play again. We trust Him that He does know and that that is all we need to know!

So I have accepted the things that I cannot change because God can be trusted and He is in control. The next part of that prayer says that I should change the things I can and ask for the courage to do so. The one thing I can definitely change with God's help and His courage is my own behavior and incorrect attitudes. I have many choices and I can make "good" choices or "bad" ones. The decision is up to me... I can choose to do the "right" thing or my "own" thing. God's word says, "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7 You see, when His power and strength rest in us, we can discipline ourselves to make good choices and to do the right thing. He also says in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (KJV) Joshua 1:9 says, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." (ESV) God will give us the courage we need and we can be assured that He will be with us along the way, wherever we go. In the Old Testament, God says to be strong and courageous in 13 verses that are fairly close together. He says it 4 times in Joshua chapter 1 alone! I think he wanted Joshua to get the message, don't you? God wanted Joshua to know that this should be his attitude and that the Lord, Himself, would be with him and would give him the strength that he needed to do what the Lord had asked of him. He will also give us the strength that we need to do what He has asked of us.

The last part of this prayer asks for the "wisdom" to know the difference between the things we cannot change and should accept, and the things we can change and should act upon. The important thing to ask for is "wisdom". "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind." James 1:5-6 (NASB) "Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom." Psalm 51:6 (NASB)

"My son, if you will receive my sayings, and treasure my commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; for if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will discern the fear of the Lord, and discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice, and He preserves the way of His godly ones. Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity and every good course, for wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul..." Proverbs 2:1-10 (NASB)

"How much better to get wisdom than gold!To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver." Proverbs 16:16 (ESV) We need to pursue wisdom and understanding and that is found in God's truth. We should invest our time in His word so that we might gain the knowledge of Him so that we might walk as He walked. "The one who says, 'I have come to know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked." 1 John 2:4-6 (NASB)

Dear Lord, Grant me Your peace so I can be content even when things don't go the way I think they should. Grant me Your peace when I realize that I can't change something. Give me courage, Lord, to do what You have asked me to do, when You have asked me to do it. Help me to be transformed into Your image by the renewing of my mind through Your Word. And grant me the wisdom and understanding that can only come from You.

Originally posted May 26, 2010.

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Jesus Born on This Day

One Child - The Nativity

Wise Men Still Seek Him

Matthew 2

The Magi Visit the Messiah

 ¹ After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem ² and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”  ³ When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵ “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
 ⁶ “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
   are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
   who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
 ⁷ Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. ⁸ He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
 ⁹ After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. ¹¹ On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. ¹² And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Defining Moment - NewSong

The Christmas Hope by Newsong

4Him - Season Of Love (Christmas song)

Resist the Urge...

Resist the urge to be negative!  Resist the urge to gossip!  There is little that is more detrimental to our own health and the health of others than negativity and gossip!  Dwell on the good!  Accentuate the positive!  Eliminate the negative!  That old song has it right...  We harm our relationships and ourselves when we continually talk about what is wrong with people.  It doesn't mean we don't see it; it means we don't say it.  I find that the more I speak negatively about others, the nastier I feel inside.  Negativity breeds more negativity.  

In Philippians 4:8 it says, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."  (NIV) Look for the good in others and focus on the beauty in God's amazing world.  Let's speak words of hope and affirmation, love and forgiveness.  Let's make this a beautiful, positive weekend and a holy and love filled Christmas!

Dear Lord,   Forgive us when we slip into bad habits.  Help us to focus on the good things in people and in Your world and help us to speak words of hope and kindness always...

Have a Wonderful weekend!

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This is Love...

"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. "  1 John 4:10 (NIV)

"What a stack of blessing you have piled up for those who worship you, Ready and waiting for all who run to you to escape an unkind world. You hide them safely away from the opposition. As you slam the door on those oily, mocking faces, you silence the poisonous gossip. Blessed God! His love is the wonder of the world. Trapped by a siege, I panicked. "Out of sight, out of mind," I said. But you heard me say it, you heard and listened. "  Psalm 31:19-22 (The Message)

"Do not be like the horse or the mule,  which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.   Many are the woes of the wicked,  but the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him."  Psalm 32:9-10

"He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD."  Psalm 33:5 (ESV)

"God's love is meteoric, His loyalty astronomic, His purpose titanic, His verdicts oceanic. Yet in His largeness nothing gets lost; Not a man, not a mouse, slips through the cracks."  Psalm 36:5-6  (The Message)

"By day the LORD directs His love, at night His song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life."  Psalm 42:8 (NIV)

"So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open, drinking in your strength and glory. In your generous love I am really living at last! My lips brim praises like fountains. I bless you every time I take a breath; My arms wave like banners of praise to you."  Psalm 63:2-4 (The Message)

"Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.  For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.  Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace."  Psalm 86:4-6 (ESV)

"Train me, God, to walk straight; then I'll follow your true path. Put me together, one heart and mind; then, undivided, I'll worship in joyful fear. From the bottom of my heart I thank you, dear Lord; I've never kept secret what you're up to. You've always been great toward me—what love! You snatched me from the brink of disaster! God, these bullies have reared their heads! A gang of thugs is after me— and they don't care a thing about you. But you, O God, are both tender and kind, not easily angered, immense in love, and you never, never quit. So look me in the eye and show kindness, give your servant the strength to go on, save your dear, dear child! Make a show of how much you love me so the bullies who hate me will stand there slack-jawed, As you, God, gently and powerfully put me back on my feet."  Psalm 86:11-17 (The Message)

"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."  John 3:16 (NASB)

"I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul."  Psalm 31:7 (NIV)

"Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:  Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.   They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."  Lamentations 3:21-23 (NIV)

Dear Lord,  Thank You for Your great Love!  Thank You for Your great faithfulness!

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What Does Jesus Teach?

What does Jesus teach?
He teaches peace instead of strife.
He teaches forgiveness instead of condemnation, Hope instead of hopelessness.
He gives love unconditionally, He provides a way of escape.
Jesus is generous and never stingy.
He teaches truth and cannot lie.
He is trustworthy and kind, never mean or hateful.
He gives wisdom and understanding.  He will guide and shape you.
He gives freely to all who will come.
Jesus calls mankind to Himself.
He teaches a better way; He is a better way.
He is never selfish; He puts others ahead of Himself.  (How amazing is that?)
He is never busy;  He always has time for everyone.
He will never leave you or forsake you. He will always be there for you.
Jesus teaches us how to live and how to live more abundantly.
He teaches us to abide, to stay by His side, to walk with Him.
He brings fellowship into our lives.  We need never be alone again.
He brings us His word and asks us to bring it to others.
He gives us a reason to live that is outside of ourselves.
We become better people because of His touch.
We are more accepting and kind towards all men.
Our differences are now treasured instead of feared because of Him.
Jesus teaches us Kingdom Living, living that is other centered instead of self-centered.
Jesus is the Master of change.  He changes hearts. He changes lives.
He offers a way out from the bottom of the pit, from the baseness of this world.
He gives us a brighter day, a river of life, shelter from all storms.
He loves righteousness, justice, and mercy.
He teaches us to follow and to lead with humility.
Jesus teaches us to count the costs, to serve faithfully, and to suffer for His name's sake.
He began teaching the moment He was born that Christmas morn so long ago.
He taught the shepherds to rejoice, the wisemen to seek, Joseph and Mary to trust.
For  more than 2000 years He has been teaching the world to walk on water, to expect miracles, to cast our cares upon Him.
And He, the Lord of all creation, teaches us to love with His love which is far superior to our own.

Dear Lord,  Let us learn what You have to teach us.  Please let us learn it well.

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The Song of Christmas

MercyMe - Joseph's Lullaby

"This Baby": Steven Curtis Chapman Christmas Video

Rose of Bethlehem

A Fragrance Much like Hope

"Hope is that thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops... at all."  ~Emily Dickinson

"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 2:6  (The Message)

"Don't put your life in the hands of experts who know nothing of life, of salvation life. Mere humans don't have what it takes; when they die, their projects die with them. Instead, get help from the God of Jacob, put your hope in God and know real blessing! God made sky and soil, sea and all the fish in it. He always does what he says— he defends the wronged, he feeds the hungry. God frees prisoners— he gives sight to the blind, he lifts up the fallen. God loves good people, protects strangers, takes the side of orphans and widows, but makes short work of the wicked. "  Psalm 146:3  (The Message)

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life."  Proverbs 13:12 (ESV)

"Even youths grow tired and weary,  and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;  they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."  Isaiah 40:30-31  (NIV)

"Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is."  Jeremiah 17:7  (KJV)

"For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope."  Romans 15:4  (NIV)

"So reach out and welcome one another to God's glory. Jesus did it; now you do it! Jesus, staying true to God's purposes, reached out in a special way to the Jewish insiders so that the old ancestral promises would come true for them. As a result, the non-Jewish outsiders have been able to experience mercy and to show appreciation to God. Just think of all the Scriptures that will come true in what we do! For instance: Then I'll join outsiders in a hymn-sing; I'll sing to your name! And this one: Outsiders and insiders, rejoice together! And again: People of all nations, celebrate God! All colors and races, give hearty praise! And Isaiah's word: There's the root of our ancestor Jesse, breaking through the earth and growing tree tall, Tall enough for everyone everywhere to see and take hope! Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!"  Romans 15:7 (The Message)

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."  Romans 15:13 (ESV)

Dear Lord,  Let Your hope dwell within us!  Let this season bring us hope and not only to us but for the whole world.  Let us be ready to give account of the hope that we have in You today and always...

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Mystery - Selah with lyrics