Tidings of Comfort and Joy
'Twas the Night Before Jesus Came (anonymous)
'Twas the night before Jesus came and all through the house
Not a creature was praying, not one in the house.
Their Bibles were lain on the shelf without care
In hopes that Jesus would not come in there.
The children were dressing to crawl into bed,
Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head,
And Mom in her rocker with baby on her lap
Was watching the Late Show while I took a nap.
When out of the East there arose such a clatter,
I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash!
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But angels proclaiming that Jesus was here.
With a light like the sun sending forth a bright ray
I knew in a moment that this must be THE DAY!
The light of His face made me cover my head
It was Jesus! Returning just like He had said.
And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth,
I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself.
In the Book of Life which He held in His hand
Was written the name of every saved man.
He spoke not a word as He searched for my name;
When He said, "It's not here," my head hung in shame.
The people whose names had been written with love
He gathered to take to His Father above.
With those who were ready He rose without sound
While all of the rest were left standing around.
I fell to my knees, but it was too late;
I had waited too long and thus sealed my fate.
I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight.
Oh, if only I had been ready tonight.
In the words of this poem the meaning is clear;
The coming of Jesus is soon drawing near.
There's only one life and when comes the last call -
We'll find that the Bible was true after all!
The Christmas Story (Luke 2:1-20)
"In those days, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
"So 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. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and 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.
"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.
"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." When the angel had left them, 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."
"So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told."
The Candy Cane
Of all the beautiful traditions of Christmas, few are so ancient in meaning and rich in symbolism as the simple candy cane.
It's shape is the crook of the Shepherd, one of the first who came.
The lively peppermint flavor is the regal gift of spice.
The white is Jesus's purity, the red His sacrifice.
The narrow stripes friendship and the nearness of His love
Eternal sweet compassion, a gift from God above.
The candy cane reminds us all of just how much God cared,
And like his Christmas gift to us, it's meant to be broken and shared.
The Gift of Heaven (Camp Kirkland)
The House of Bread
For God so loved the world that He gave. He gave light to those in darkness. He gave hope to those without hope. He gave life and joy and love. He gave Jesus. In the mystery of His marvelous grace, God spoke through His prophets to a world in need of a Savior. A virgin would bear a Son conceived of the Holy Spirit; the Word would become flesh and dwell among us, and His name would be called Emmanuel, God with us. And in that same mysterious plan, God would choose one of the smallest, most out-of-the-way places for the Savior of the world to be born: Bethlehem, tiny Bethlehem. They called it the House of Bread. Strangely appropriate, for from the House of Bread would come the Bread of Life, Jesus, who would give the gift of life to all.
The Ways of God
The appointed place was Bethlehem. The chosen parents were a young maiden named Mary and a poor carpenter named Joseph. They were engaged to be married when an angel came to them and turned their world upside down. Mary was with child. "How can this be?" she asked the angel. And the angel replied, "With God, nothing shall be impossible." These were the words of hope that Mary and Joseph would embrace, and believe. And as they followed God in His sovereign plan, surely the words of Isaiah the prophet also rang in their hearts. For Isaiah spoke the words of God, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways." In the midst of the unbelievable, still Mary and Joseph believed.
When Hope Was Born
So Joseph took Mary to Bethlehem, and while they were there, she gave birth to her firstborn Child. She wrapped Him in cloths and laid Him in a manger. On a cold, winter's night, to a world without hope, the gift of hope was born.
Repeat the Sounding Joy
The Christ Child was born, and the joy that filled heaven spilled over to the earth. There were shepherds near Bethlehem keeping watch over their flocks of sheep that wondrous night. Suddenly, without warning, an angel appeared to them. They were terrified, but the angel said to them, "Don't be afraid. I have good news that will bring you great joy. Today in Bethlehem, the Savior you've been waiting for has been born." And the world was given the gift of joy. Joy to the world! The Lord is come!
They Came to Worship
God, in His marvelous grace, gave. In His mercy, He gave a Savior. In His love, He gave the most precious gift of all - His Son, Jesus. How could we ever repay Him? What gift could we possibly give that would be worthy of the King of kings and Lord of lords? We can give Him our heart. We can give Him our life. And like the magi of old, we can give Him our worship.
From the Cradle to the Cross
As we bring Jesus the gift of our praise, we remember the wise men and their gifts - gifts worthy of a king. The gold represented deity, and the frankincense purity, but perhaps the most significant gift of all was the myrrh. For as a spice used in burial, it symbolized the very reason this King was born. He was born to die. This infant King who lay in a manger would one day hang on a cross as our Savior, and all who believe in Him will receive God's greatest gift of love. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
These are just a few ways I reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. I have a wonderful network of friends and relations, and their message of God's truth and love has influenced me in countless ways. I wanted their voice to be displayed on this journal entry, my last one before Christmas, the day that marks the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I owe them a great deal for the person I am today and will hopefully become in the future. But most importantly, I owe it to God for creating me, and for loving me enough to send His only Son to die a painful, agonizing death on a cross for my sins, and then rise again after three days so that I might be redeemed in the light of God's grace. This kind of mercy can never be earned; it is only made possible by the unconditional love of God. He gave Jesus, the gift of Heaven, the gift of eternal salvation for all of mankind.
Merry Christmas, everyone! May God's joy and peace warm your hearts throughout this holiday season.
Song of the Day: Chris and Diane Mechen - "When Hope Was Born"
Quote of the Day: "You'll shoot your eye out, kid. Merry Christmas. Ho. Ho. Ho." - Santa Claus, "A Christmas Story"
Verse of the Day: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." - Isaiah 9:6
'Twas the night before Jesus came and all through the house
Not a creature was praying, not one in the house.
Their Bibles were lain on the shelf without care
In hopes that Jesus would not come in there.
The children were dressing to crawl into bed,
Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head,
And Mom in her rocker with baby on her lap
Was watching the Late Show while I took a nap.
When out of the East there arose such a clatter,
I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash!
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But angels proclaiming that Jesus was here.
With a light like the sun sending forth a bright ray
I knew in a moment that this must be THE DAY!
The light of His face made me cover my head
It was Jesus! Returning just like He had said.
And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth,
I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself.
In the Book of Life which He held in His hand
Was written the name of every saved man.
He spoke not a word as He searched for my name;
When He said, "It's not here," my head hung in shame.
The people whose names had been written with love
He gathered to take to His Father above.
With those who were ready He rose without sound
While all of the rest were left standing around.
I fell to my knees, but it was too late;
I had waited too long and thus sealed my fate.
I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight.
Oh, if only I had been ready tonight.
In the words of this poem the meaning is clear;
The coming of Jesus is soon drawing near.
There's only one life and when comes the last call -
We'll find that the Bible was true after all!
The Christmas Story (Luke 2:1-20)
"In those days, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
"So 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. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and 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.
"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.
"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." When the angel had left them, 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."
"So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told."
The Candy Cane
Of all the beautiful traditions of Christmas, few are so ancient in meaning and rich in symbolism as the simple candy cane.
It's shape is the crook of the Shepherd, one of the first who came.
The lively peppermint flavor is the regal gift of spice.
The white is Jesus's purity, the red His sacrifice.
The narrow stripes friendship and the nearness of His love
Eternal sweet compassion, a gift from God above.
The candy cane reminds us all of just how much God cared,
And like his Christmas gift to us, it's meant to be broken and shared.
The Gift of Heaven (Camp Kirkland)
The House of Bread
For God so loved the world that He gave. He gave light to those in darkness. He gave hope to those without hope. He gave life and joy and love. He gave Jesus. In the mystery of His marvelous grace, God spoke through His prophets to a world in need of a Savior. A virgin would bear a Son conceived of the Holy Spirit; the Word would become flesh and dwell among us, and His name would be called Emmanuel, God with us. And in that same mysterious plan, God would choose one of the smallest, most out-of-the-way places for the Savior of the world to be born: Bethlehem, tiny Bethlehem. They called it the House of Bread. Strangely appropriate, for from the House of Bread would come the Bread of Life, Jesus, who would give the gift of life to all.
The Ways of God
The appointed place was Bethlehem. The chosen parents were a young maiden named Mary and a poor carpenter named Joseph. They were engaged to be married when an angel came to them and turned their world upside down. Mary was with child. "How can this be?" she asked the angel. And the angel replied, "With God, nothing shall be impossible." These were the words of hope that Mary and Joseph would embrace, and believe. And as they followed God in His sovereign plan, surely the words of Isaiah the prophet also rang in their hearts. For Isaiah spoke the words of God, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways." In the midst of the unbelievable, still Mary and Joseph believed.
When Hope Was Born
So Joseph took Mary to Bethlehem, and while they were there, she gave birth to her firstborn Child. She wrapped Him in cloths and laid Him in a manger. On a cold, winter's night, to a world without hope, the gift of hope was born.
Repeat the Sounding Joy
The Christ Child was born, and the joy that filled heaven spilled over to the earth. There were shepherds near Bethlehem keeping watch over their flocks of sheep that wondrous night. Suddenly, without warning, an angel appeared to them. They were terrified, but the angel said to them, "Don't be afraid. I have good news that will bring you great joy. Today in Bethlehem, the Savior you've been waiting for has been born." And the world was given the gift of joy. Joy to the world! The Lord is come!
They Came to Worship
God, in His marvelous grace, gave. In His mercy, He gave a Savior. In His love, He gave the most precious gift of all - His Son, Jesus. How could we ever repay Him? What gift could we possibly give that would be worthy of the King of kings and Lord of lords? We can give Him our heart. We can give Him our life. And like the magi of old, we can give Him our worship.
From the Cradle to the Cross
As we bring Jesus the gift of our praise, we remember the wise men and their gifts - gifts worthy of a king. The gold represented deity, and the frankincense purity, but perhaps the most significant gift of all was the myrrh. For as a spice used in burial, it symbolized the very reason this King was born. He was born to die. This infant King who lay in a manger would one day hang on a cross as our Savior, and all who believe in Him will receive God's greatest gift of love. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
These are just a few ways I reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. I have a wonderful network of friends and relations, and their message of God's truth and love has influenced me in countless ways. I wanted their voice to be displayed on this journal entry, my last one before Christmas, the day that marks the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I owe them a great deal for the person I am today and will hopefully become in the future. But most importantly, I owe it to God for creating me, and for loving me enough to send His only Son to die a painful, agonizing death on a cross for my sins, and then rise again after three days so that I might be redeemed in the light of God's grace. This kind of mercy can never be earned; it is only made possible by the unconditional love of God. He gave Jesus, the gift of Heaven, the gift of eternal salvation for all of mankind.
Merry Christmas, everyone! May God's joy and peace warm your hearts throughout this holiday season.
Song of the Day: Chris and Diane Mechen - "When Hope Was Born"
Quote of the Day: "You'll shoot your eye out, kid. Merry Christmas. Ho. Ho. Ho." - Santa Claus, "A Christmas Story"
Verse of the Day: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." - Isaiah 9:6
posted by david @ 11:04 AM
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