December 23, 2024

Come On, Ring Those Bells

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Everybody likes to take a holiday
Everybody likes to take a rest
Spending time together with the family
Sharing lots of love and happiness.
Come on, ring those bells, light the Christmas tree,
Jesus is the King born for you and me.
Come on, ring those bells, everybody say,
Jesus, we remember this is Your birthday.

Celebrations come because of something good.
Celebrations we love to recall
Mary had a Baby boy in Bethlehem
The greatest celebration of all.
Come on, ring those bells, light the Christmas tree,
Jesus is the King born for you and me.
Come on, ring those bells, everybody say,
Jesus, we remember this is Your birthday.

Come On, Ring Those Bells ~ Evie Tornquist

*  * * * *

Isn’t it true—everybody loves to take a holiday, a rest from our normal busy schedules of life. Even our five year old granddaughter said after the Thanksgiving weekend, “We go back to school tomorrow!?”  She loves preschool, but she was loving the relaxed time with the family too.

That weekend we also celebrated “something good,” or should I say “something(s) good.” We had three family birthdays between the end of October and Thanksgiving that we hadn’t had time to celebrate, so all four celebrations were packed into one day. It was a full and fun day!

The greatest celebration of all, though, is to celebrate the birth of Baby Jesus. Why is the birth of a little baby in a dusty, smelly stable so important that we should celebrate? The answer is in this carol—Jesus is the King born for you and me !

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.
And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David,
and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever,
and of His kingdom there will be no end.
Luke 1:32-33

Jesus came for you and me! He came to rule and reign in our individual lives so that we can be reborn into new life—a living relationship for all eternity with God. I do believe that is worth ringing the bells and lighting the Christmas tree!  I do want everyone to say, “Happy birthday, Jesus!  We remember this is Your birthday.”

Let’s make a point of teaching our children and our grandchildren that Christmas isn’t about the gifts under the tree.   More importantly, it’s about God’s gift—Jesus as King and Savior—to us.

Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because He has come and has redeemed His people.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us….
Luke 1:68-69

Then let’s teach them that they can give the gift of themselves to God as they submit their lives to Jesus.

His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
Luke 1:50

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom.
One generation will commend Your works to another;
they will tell of Your mighty acts…
They will celebrate Your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
Psalms 146:3-7

Come on and ring those bells with me, and light your Christmas tree!
JESUS IS OUR REASON TO CELEBRATE!

Born To Die

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Almost every day there are precious little babies born to families all over the world,  but one day,  there was one special baby that was born FOR the world…His name was Jesus.

This Baby came with a purpose!   And that purpose was “to die” for me and you. This is the ultimate gifts of gifts we have ever, or will ever, receive in our lives.

Think about His birth for a moment and the three gifts that were brought to Him.  One of those gifts was “myrrh.”    Have you ever studied about these gifts?  Well, check this out!

Myrrh was a gum-like substance that was sometimes used to embalm the dead.  (You are now saying, “WHAT????”    Yes, this is one of the gifts brought from the wise men to the little Baby Jesus.    They recognized that He was the little one that was “born to die” for us all.  Not sure if they truly knew the significance behind the gifts they were bringing; but oh, how fitting that they would bring this one gift that was a representation about why He came!!!   Listen to the beautiful words of this song and let it open your heart to the understanding of why God gave us this precious little baby!

Shepherds gaze in wonder while angel voices sing
This night of nights has come, and brought the world  the long-awaited King.
The earth is filled with gladness, and yet the heavens weep.
For heaven’s eyes can see  He was born to die for me.

Jesus, Baby Jesus, is that a tear in Your eye?
Jesus, sweet Baby Jesus, You must know that You were born to die.

It must have broken God’s heart, for the future He could see.
Yet He formed the hands and feet knowing one day, they’d be nailed to a tree.
So all the world could know Him—a gift came from above
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.

Jesus, Baby Jesus, with a tear of love in Your eye.
Jesus, sweet Baby Jesus, You knew You were born to die.

So, Jesus, thank You, Jesus, for Your gift of eternal life.
My Jesus, Jesus, ‘cause for me You were born to die.

 From the day of His birth the reason was known!

Bethlehem happened so Calvary could happen!

O Holy Night

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For over 150 years, “O Holy Night” has been performed all over the world.  The history of this song began in the 1800’s in France, when a priest asked a poet named Placide Cappeau wrote a poem for a Christmas mass. He was an unlikely man to write these lyrics—he was a wine merchant who was known for his poetry (not his church attendance). Later he broke with the church all together and joined a socialist movement in France. In a carriage, on the way to mass, he went over the lyrics and fell in love with God all over again. The words, still today have that effect on all who listen. It begins with this:

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear Saviors birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
‘Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
The thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn…

Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born.
O night, O Holy Night! O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
So led by light a star is sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from out of the Orient land,
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our Friend.

He knows our need—to our weakness is no stranger.
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His Law is love and His Gospel is peace
Chains He shall break, for the slave is our brother
And in His Name all oppression shall cease!
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name!

Christ is The Lord! O, praise His Name forever!
His pow’r and glory ever more proclaim!
His pow’r and glory ever more proclaim!

We see the birth of Jesus, from a heavenly point of view. His birth awakened the world that was dying. “But yonder breaks, a new a glorious morn…” all things new, regardless of what we have done or will do, we have a new morning, a new day with Jesus as our Savior. Hope beyond our wildest imagination was born that day, and a weary world has hope wrapped in swaddling clothes. As Mary embraced Him, we, too, embrace Him, and He comes close to us. Naturally, we fall to our knees as we worship the King. Can you even imagine being there on that night?

Truly He taught us to love one another, His law is love and His Gospel is peace…” He calls us to love each other as He loves us; a truly impossible task if we aren’t staying in constant contact with Him. And because of this love, “chains He shall break…” and we will be free from any and all afflictions. Addictions, shame, guilt, anything that holds you will shatter at the sound of His Name. “Jesus,” love and freedom and because of the hope we have and freedom He gives, we will forever proclaim to all who will listen. “His power and glory ever more proclaim…” and “With all our hearts we praise His holy name…” and we cannot praise Him enough.

* * * * *

Let this season be about Him and doing for others. His birth changed this dying world and we will never be the same. Merry Christmas and may He forever be praised!

 

We Three Kings

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We three kings of Orient are;
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.

Every year our six grandkids and I put on a skit depicting a portion of the story of the Nativity.  (I’m the narrator.)  One year it’s the story of the shepherds and the next year it’s of the wise men/the kings.  As I thought of the wise men skit, naturally I thought of this old Christmas carol.  But I was stopped at the second line and the first two words—“bearing gifts.”

They (the wise men) entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary,
and they bowed down and worshiped him.
Then they opened their treasure chests
and gave Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Matthew 2:11

Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again,
King forever, ceasing never,
Over us all to reign.
Frankincense to offer have I;
Incense owns a Deity nigh;
Prayer and praising, voices raising,
Worshiping God on high.
Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
Sorr’wing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone cold tomb.

When I think of bearing gifts to this Christmas Child, I have to wonder exactly what “gifts” do I give?  What part of my life do I give that is as the gift of gold which crowns Jesus as King of my life?  Does my life of prayer, praise, and worship have the sweet smell of frankincense rising up to my God?  And is my reverence for my Savior as the perfume of myrrh?  Lastly, I have to ask myself if I’m taking the time with the grands to instill in them the importance of bearing gifts to Jesus?

I’m still pondering exactly what my gifts are and will be.  It doesn’t seem that anything I can give Him is enough, and yet all He asks of me is myself.

O, Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise.
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
Psalms 51:15-17

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God
a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess His Name.
And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
Hebrews 13:15

Glorious now behold Him arise;
King and God and sacrifice;
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Sounds through the earth and skies.

I pray that you will join me in bearing gifts to Jesus this season and everyday. “Alleluia, Alleluia,” sings my soul to my King, my God, and my Savior—The Perfect Light.

Welcome to Our World

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My family is big on Christmas music. Scratch that, the women in my family + my daddy are big on Christmas music. I’d like to think we get it from my dad. I will always remember him singing Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas” at the top of his lungs. I smile every time I think of the time I came home from school only to hear Celiene Dion’s Christmas album blaring from the basement with my dad accompanying her in perfect harmony! Christmas music is all you will hear in our home from the day after Thanksgiving until we finally take the Christmas tree down. I cannot even begin to imagine how many Christmas songs I have listened to in my lifetime.

Two years ago, I heard an old song in a new way and it forever changed my life. I believe this Christmas season, God wants you to hear something “old” in a new way. I believe with the same old way we do Christmas each year, He is desiring to show you something new about who He is to you. The following is my something new…

Fragile finger sent to heal us
Tender brow prepared for thorn
Tiny heart whose blood will save us
Unto us is born…unto us is born

 Amy Grant ~ Welcome to Our World

This song is one I have heard over and over again for the past 10+ years of my life. Not once until that moment two years ago, did my heart feel ever so gently touched by the sound of these words. Two years ago, I started to understand Christmas as more than traditions and trees and presents. I started to understand the One Whom this holiday is truly about. This revelation changed me and it changed the way I heard this song. I actually cried big tears while listening to this song because these words struck a chord in my heart. I was blown away by these words as I listened. How beautiful, how precious is our Savior.  “Tiny heart whose blood will save us…”—and it has, and it will, for evermore.

How blessed I am to have accepted such a sacrifice. I thank the Lord for bringing me to the point where I am today; as hard as it was. I am to the point where I understand that I will never fully know in this lifetime the depth of those words, the pain and love behind every one of them. One day we will know; and, oh, what a day that will be!  Until then, it is my prayer that as you listen to the same old songs, and do the same old Christmas traditions with your family, you take the time to find the newness of Christ in the midst of it all. Open your heart to the One who will gently remind you of the true Glory of this time of year found in that tiny heart sent for you and me.

 

Mary’s Little Boy Child

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Mary’s boy child, Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day.
And man will live for evermore because of Christmas Day.
Long time ago in Bethlehem—so the Holy Bible says—
Mary’s boy child, Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day.
Hark, now hear the angels sing ‘a King was born today!’
And man will live for evermore because of Christmas Day.
Mary’s boy child, Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day.
While shepherds watch their flocks by night,
They see a bright new shining star,
They hear a choir sing a song, the music seemed to come from afar.
Hark, now hear the angels sing, ‘a King was born today!’
And man will live for evermore, because of Christmas Day.
Now Joseph and his wife, Mary, came to Bethlehem that night,
They found no place to bear her child, not a single room was in sight.
And then they found a little nook in a stable all forlorn,
And in a manger cold and dark, Mary’s little boy was born.
Hark, now hear the angels sing, ‘a King was born today!’
And man will live for evermore, because of Christmas Day.
Mary’s boy child, Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day.

Mary’s Little Boy Child ~ Mandisa

Aren’t we just so thankful for those words: “…and man will live for evermore because of Christmas Day….”?  I remember when I first heard this song, and the thankfulness I felt in my heart because of Jesus’ birth as a Savior…a Savior for you and for me. A baby born in the humblest of circumstances. Humble in a sense that He was born in a stable full of animals and yet His birth radiated Glory!  It was revealed to shepherds in a field by angels.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men
Luke 2:14

From the manger to the Cross… Oh, how thankful I am for that (and I bet you are too…)!
As we enter this Christmas season, may we keep our eyes focused on The One Who came in the humblest of circumstances to then endure the Cross to save you and me.

 

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

Hark, now hear the angels sing ‘a King was born today!’
And man will live for evermore because of Christmas Day.
Merry Christmas!

How Suddenly a Baby Cried

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“How suddenly a baby cried and all forever changed.
Through history soul by soul have come to find His healing grace.
He filled my troubled heart with peace, with hope of endless worth.
My voice will join the song of praise that tells Messiah’s birth.”

How Suddenly a Baby Cried ~ Keith and Kristyn Getty

A baby’s first cry gets the attention of everyone around, yes? At the very moment of birth, all in attendance pause to hear a baby’s first cry—expectant parents, other relatives and loved ones, the nurses, doctors, and other caregivers—and then sigh with joy, with relief and with thankfulness at that wonderful sound! When the baby Jesus was born, His cry, too, brought great joy to his parents, Joseph and Mary. Think of the setting:

And while they were there, the time came for her delivery,
And she gave birth to her Son, her Firstborn;
and she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger,
because there was no room or place for them in the inn.
Luke 2:6 and 7

Joseph and Mary had traveled many, many miles to come to Bethlehem to register in the census. Upon their arrival, there was nowhere for them to stay but in a stable…and this is where Mary birthed her firstborn, Jesus, God’s Son. Not the best surroundings! So I would think baby Jesus’ first cry meant oh-so-very much to them!

But, remember, both Joseph and Mary were fully aware of just Who this tiny Baby was! Both had been told of the significance of this Baby’s life by angels. (Read the records here: Luke 1:26-38;  Matthew 1:18-25). They each had contemplated, wouldn’t you think, for the entire duration of Mary’s pregnancy the magnitude and the awesome, eternal implications of just Who their Son would be! Think for a moment…place yourself in their sandals…when the baby was birthed and took His first breath and released a cry, can you only imagine the praises that must have welled up out of their hearts? Can you imagine the look they must have exchanged as they realized that the promises that the angel had made to each of them came forth into fruition? That initial cry of baby Jesus truly changed the world! Perhaps Mary remembered the words she spoke when she was visiting her cousin Elizabeth:

Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
…because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and His name is holy.
His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear Him.
Luke 1: 46-47 and 49-50

And so we do also exclaim and praise! Even now, don’t we love to sing these beautiful carols and anthems and songs that tell of Jesus’ coming and His birth. We are reminded of all that first little cry meant as it sounded out that the Savior was born! He had come…just as promised throughout the ages!

As the words of this beautiful song say,
“How suddenly a baby cried and all forever changed.
Through history soul by soul have come to find His healing grace.
He filled my troubled heart with peace, with hope of endless worth.
My voice will join the song of praise that tells Messiah’s birth.”

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

May your voice rise up in praise and thankfulness to your heavenly Father!  Because of His great love for you, He sent His Son to redeem and save you; to rescue you and make available to you a relationship with Him for all eternity.  Never—don’t ever—doubt His love!

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38 and 39

God bless you!    ♥    Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving

At this time of year we come upon a day we call “Thanksgiving.”    We will play games, watch football, and watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

We will get together with our families and eat (turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, pumpkin or pecan pie) and much more…yumm…I’m getting hungry already.

Sometimes before we begin our meal, everyone in the family will tell one thing they are thankful for.   And then after we are all through eating, playing, talking, checking out ads for Black Friday shopping, everyone proceeds to go home—with Thanksgiving now being just a memory in our minds until next year.

Something we all must ingrain on our hearts and minds is that Thanksgiving is not just a one-day-a-year event.

Thanksgiving is a daily opportunity to speak out and express to God how grateful we are.

The Bible tells us we are to “Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

When we make thanksgiving a daily part of our life we will find that our life is much richer and fuller.  When we take time to stop and thank God we will find we have a much softer heart, that our relationship with Him will grow, and our desire to spend more time with Him will increase.

One of the all-time best things we can say thanks for is to God for giving us His Son to die for our sins and allowing us an opportunity to receive salvation and live with Him forever!

Can I stop here and say “WOW”, and “THANKS!

You can track throughout God’s Word the many times Jesus gave thanks to His Father; here are some: (Matthew11:25;  John 11:41;  Matthew 15:36; John 6:11; Luke 22:17-20;  1 Corinthians 11:23 and 24).   How many times do we give thanks to our Father, Jesus Christ?

 Thanksgiving is not the only day we can say thanks to Him.  I encourage each of you before your feet hit the floor each morning to sit in your bed…and…

Speak out to God your daily thanksgivings!

 

Let’s Pray: 

Dear God,

I pray that each of us will let “Thanksgiving” be a daily prayer not a yearly event.  In your name I pray, Amen!

Joy IS Possible…Right Where You Are

Surely the Lord is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it

Genesis 28:16

November 22,2011.  There was a note, and a knock, and some boxes; and our lives were packed in two cars and a U-Haul. It was Thanksgiving Eve and we were in a hotel room overlooking the Pensacola Bay. Not a plush hotel room or a suite, just two double beds and some orange carpet and 1970’s curtains. Musty smells replaced turkey smells and loud noises outside replaced the familiar sound of family. No Charlie Brown Thanksgiving playing on TV or parades…but we still had each other.

We got creative and played games. The kids had a blast as they were so excited to be in a hotel for the first time. They had no idea what was really going on. See, as long as their father (and mother) were there, they felt safe. Thanksgiving came and we broke out the Pringles and gummy worms and had a feast. We thanked God for all we had and for being together and for loving each other. God was still blessing us and loving us. We took walks outside and watched some movies and prayed and fellowshipped. Kyle and I continued to pray for a miracle. We never once wondered where God was in all of this…we knew He had to be up to something.

Just as we were thinking this was the end of a beautiful season of living in a dream place, God was starting something new here. We received a call from a friend and in that call was a huge dose of hope! Shortly thereafter, we loaded the kids back in the car and drove back over the bridge to a precious house on the beach and we have been there ever since. God knew all along and He had a plan. And it was much better than we could have ever imagined.

When you praise Him through it all and thank Him for all you do have, it opens up the heavens for more blessings. God works in mysterious ways and His ways are not always understandable. But He is always trustworthy. If you are wondering why you are where you are today or you are wondering where God is at this moment—He is always with you.  He always loves you.  He always keeps His promises. There is hope today and there is always something to be grateful for. Remembering to give thanks is what causes us to trust and to believe.  Live the prayer of Thanksgiving and you will always live the power of trusting God.  Joy is always possible right where you are.  And just like my children, when we are with our Father, we know we are safe, no matter where we are.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving and be a blessing to someone today!!

Let us pray: Dear Heavenly Father, We thank You for all the blessings You bestow on us daily, hourly, every minute of the day we are blessed by Your grace. Lord, You give so much and we take so much for granted. Help us to remember that this is not all there is. And that we are living for eternity and we are not Home yet. Help us to keep our eyes open and ears open to see and hear of anyone who is in need and may we not hesitate to give until it hurts for it was in someone being obedient to You that saved our family years ago. Comfort those who are hurting today and draw especially close to them during this season. You sustain us and You keep us in perfect peace. We love You and we praise You. In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

His Love Endures Forever

 

Don’t you just love to sing this praise anthem?!!?  The words give our hearts such an awesome way to acknowledge God’s goodness and praise Him for His enduring love!

This praise-filled phrase—He is good; His love endures forever—is recorded in many places throughout the Old Testament.  One of the most outstanding records, in my opinion, is found in the 2nd Book of Chronicles, specifically chapters 5-7.

We see (2 Chronicles 5) King Solomon calling the elders of Israel, the leaders, the heads of the tribes (along with all the people of Israel) to accompany the Ark of the Covenant to its long-awaited proper home in the Temple. (It had been his father, David, to whom God has given the vision and provision for the building of the Temple, which was never accomplished in his lifetime.)  The priests brought the Ark to its proper, anointed place in the Holy of Holies.  Surrounding the altar were the Levites and the priests ready to praise in unison with all their instruments and their voices.

The trumpeters and singers joined together to praise and thank the LORD with one voice.
They raised their voices, accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and musical instruments,
in praise to the LORD: For He is good; His faithful love endures forever.
The temple, the LORD’s temple, was filled with a cloud.
And because of the cloud, the priests were not able to continue ministering,
for the glory of the LORD filled God’s temple.
(Verses 13 and 14)

The record of the dedication of the Temple continues (chapters 6 and 7) as Solomon prays and blesses the people.

As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven
and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices,
and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.
2 Chronicles 7:1

The peoples response?

When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down
and the glory of the LORD above the temple,
they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground,
and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying,
“He is good; His love endures forever.”
Verse 3

And throughout the continued sacrifices and the ceremony of dedicating the Temple, continual praise “His love endures forever” was offered to God by the priests and the people along with the sacrifices of animals.

And, as such, this <without the animal sacrifice!> should be our continual praise. We are oh-so-very blessed!  The provision and supply that our great God brings to our lives deserves our continual exclamation, “He is good! His love endures forever!”  Just as the psalmist communicates in every single verse of Psalm 136, our conversation and our communication  should always include this praise.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His (steadfast) love endures forever.
Verse 1

As we thank God for His goodness our hearts should overflow with words of gratitude and praise confessing that truly, “His love endures forever!” … Perhaps in your celebration of Thanksgiving with your friends and loved ones, you could have a time of praise and worship and use these same words that David, and Solomon, and the Israelites used to declare God’s goodness.  Because no matter what the age, the situation, the circumstance, the season, the time, the day or the hour… ‘He is good! His love endures forever!

Here are a few different ways this glorious praise is written in different translations:

  • His love endures forever (NIV)
  • His faithful love endures forever (NLT)
  • His lovingkindness is everlasting (NASB)
  • His mercy endureth for ever (KJV)
  • His steadfast love endures forever (ESV)
  • His love is eternal (HCSB)
  • His loyal love endures (NET)
  • His mercy and lovingkindness are everlasting (AMP)