The Wonder and Awe of the Christmas Story

Friday, December 12, 2014

 “For a child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah. 9:6).

Hey Gang, There is no doubt that the Christmas story is filled with wonder and awe. It fills young and old with delight that is even more enjoyable and amazing because it is all true! I found the following quips about Christmas somewhere in my travels, and would share them with you this morning. 

Shepherds, at the bottom of the social fabric of that time, were entertained and blessed by a choir of angels that filled the night with glory and hope. Mysterious Wise Men from the East followed a star that brought them to Bethlehem, where they worshipped and presented gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the newly born King.

Then there is the centerpiece of the story: A young couple, probably still teenagers, were uniquely chosen to bring the Christ-child into the world. They faced a challenge of faith and courage that was undergirded by angelic visitations! Mary, the young virgin maiden, was with child without ever knowing a man before marriage; an outward looking scandal, by any stretch of the imagination. Then there was Joseph, age unknown, who had to endure the gossip and “whispering” in a community that knew nothing of the angelic announcement heralding the birth of Jesus.

More sinister still was Herod’s plot to kill the child and, and, if successful, would frustrate the will and purpose of God for world redemption. The Christmas story is truly beautiful, amazing and thought provoking. For Christians, it teaches us:

       1.BIrth of Christ, date unknown, is worth celebrating, since all of Heaven did so and gave beautiful voice to the wondrous events as they were unfolding in Bethlehem. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke devote lengthy passages to this story of wonder and great joy. We should do the same.

       2. Christmas is the hope of the world. God became man/flesh and did so to save us from our sins and give us a new beginning. The message is ever the same - peace and goodwill to all the world; a peace and goodwill which has to be appropriated individually by repentance and faith in the finished work of the Son of God on the cross.

      3. Christmas has a unique message in the gifts delivered to the Christ-child by the Kings from the East: Gold was a tribute to his identity as King of the Jews and the King of kings of all the world; Frankincense, a priestly connection meant his life would be pleasing to God and sinless; Myrrh foreshadowed that he would die for the sins of world – for all who would repent and accept His salvation. This is because myrrh was a burial ointment that was used to prepare the body for its final resting place.

     4. Christmas reminds us of a conflict that ever rages over the souls of men; Dark forces were at work on that beautiful, awe inspiring night. They sought to destroy the babe born to Mary and Joseph and thus they ultimately sought the destruction of all of humankind. This battle continues!

Soooo good buddies, we would do well then to gather our families together and carefully read this wonderful narrative from the Gospels. Worship and prayers of thanksgiving and joy should ascend to Heaven and sweet carols of years gone by should bathe our souls in the wondrous love of God. We would do well to visit the House of God on Christmas Eve or morning and there, together with all the family of God, give thanks for the gift of all gifts that became ours on Christmas Day.

Blessings,

Gramps

Gma: From Daniel Partner's Devotional Book: The Wonder of Christmas:

 Christmas- the white hot moment when Eternity melted into Time! 

The Creator became the Created!

Mary's obedience gave Christ His humanity!

The Living God lives a human life!

Mary's obedience gave Christ His humanity! 

All God needed to say, He spoke through Jesus!

--

Every Good and Perfect is From Abo

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

 “He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”  (John 1:2-3).   “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”  (James 1:17).

Hey Gang: Dr. Adrian Rogers wrote in A Family Christmas Treasury. “As we rejoice in the arrival of the Christmas season, let us celebrate the constancy of the LIGHT that shined into the world when Jesus was born of the virgin Mary". 

John tells us that Jesus was “with God in the beginning”.  Furthermore, Jesus is the Creator God without whom “nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:1,3), Jesus is the eternal God!

God cannot change.  He declared through the prophet Malachi, “I am the Lord, I do not change” (Malachi; 3:6).  James made this wonderful statement: “Every good and perfect gift is from above coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17).

We will soon welcome in a new year.  And since our world is a very uncertain and perilous place, we have this certainty to lean on: “His compassions (mercy) fail not.  They are new every morning: great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations. 3:22-23).

Keep in mind we do have the constancy of Jesus to depend on for today, but someday we are going to be made just like Him.  "We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is" (I John 3:2).  We will bask in the direct rays of His glorious LIGHT forever!  Praise God for the constant LIGHT of the Lord Jesus Christ!  Does that get your thumper to thumping?

Soooo, to all my friends, if your name is not written in the Lamb's Book of Life and you are awaiting your invitation to the Marriage Feast of the Lamb, give yourself an eternal Christmas present right this moment! Fill that void in your chest cavity with One who loves you so dearly, that He is the sacrificial Lamb for your sins and mine- Yeshua Hamashiah. 

Blessings,

Gramp

Be A Power Broker for God

 

Friday, December 5, 2014

 “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory”.  (Isaiah 6:3,   Read 6:1-8) "And blessed by His glorious name forever; and may the whole earth  be filled with His glory.  Amen and Amen"  (Psalm72:19). 

 In this day, when everything that can be shaken is being shaken, it may not seem like the earth is filled with His glory, but rest assured it is – For the Bible tells me so! (Hebrews 12:26b-28)

 Hey Gang, can you say, Wow!  is it not neat to know that the whole earth is full of His glory?  True, the news would seem to indicate that the earth is not filled with His glory.  But keep in mind, we are not to judge by what we think or see, but by what God has given us in His Word. He did say: “I will be with you always!” Matthew 28:20

 In recent months I have gained a new appreciation for the book of Habakkuk.  It begins with a cry to God: "How long, O Lord, will I call for help, and You will not hear? (Hab. 1:2).  God's response is found in verse five when He said: "Look among the nations!  Observe! Be Astonished!  Wonder!  Because I am doing something in your days - You would not believe if you were told." 

 Now skip over to Chapter 2, verses 13-14 and tucked in the midst of four "woes" we find these words: "Is it not indeed from the Lord of hosts that peoples toil for fire, and nations  grow weary for nothing?  For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”  

 Would it not be awesome to see God's glory covering Michigan and all the world as the waters cover the sea?   Is it not awesome to know that is exactly what is going to happen one day- in the not-too-distant future for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose?

 Toni Evans wrote in his book Our God is An Awesome God that holiness is the center piece of God’s attributes.  In other words, at the center of what God is, is His holiness and to understand His holiness is to unlock the door to understand Him better and better.

 I like Peter’s words when he asked the question, “Do you want to learn to know God better?”  His answer, “Then work hard”.  To get things handed to us on a silver platter is to forget as quickly as we close the Word.  Returning to the words of James who said: it is the trials and wilderness experiences that opens the door to a deep understanding of God.

 Soooo, my challenge to you today?  Do something sacrificially to honor Father God.  Plant a seed in someone’s heart who needs to feel the Lord’s touch.  Paul said be an imitator of me – a bond servant for Jesus.  Do you think it would be fan-tab-u-lous to be like Paul?  Call someone – tell them you are thinking about them and praying for them.  What joy that will bring to their heart!

Blessings,

Gramps

Are You Giving Gifts That Have Eternal Value?

 Monday, December 8, 2014

 “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

 Hey Gang:  When was the last time you shut down all the things that cloud your mind from looking at the more important things of life?  Gar Trusley, who did time studies for corporations, identified the three top things participants would do if the doctor said: “You have one month to live”. By a large percentage, those he studied said, “Seek the Lord- make sure they were in good relationship with the Lord, make sure they were in right relationship with spouse and family, and repair all the breaches that might exist between them and their neighbors.

 It was interesting to note that, when he asked them to list the ten things in which they tended to invest their time and energies, these three things were are the bottom of the list. Soo, they knew that the things that brought real joy into their heart was not making a buck, climbing the corporate ladder or becoming something super special in the eyes of man!  

 A recent study discovered that, in our culture, suicides are increasing by leaps and bounds, and each year depression is the number one plague among a growing number.  As we move God further from the life of our country, despair and hopelessness grow in equal proportion.

 We go to great pains to fill that vacuum that is just the size of God in our chest cavity.  We just experienced another ‘Black Friday’ –which began on Thanksgiving.  The world's retailers spread the good news that they have the very thing that will fill that vacuum.  People lined up hours in advance to make sure they were the first in line to purchase that aphrodisiac that would give them a moment or two of joy.  

 I vaguely recall a song of years gone which told us that we seek the things that give us peace in all the wrong places.  I believe the Psalmist knew something about that when he wrote these words, “But let all who take refuge in You be glad. Let them ever sing for joy; And may You shelter them, That those who love Your name may exult in You.  For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O Lord, You surround him with favor as with a shield.” (Psalm 5:11-12).

 Soooo, my young lassies and lads, am I saying the giving of material gifts is wrong?  In no way! But, keep in mind the gift will be probably be forgotten in due season but the intent behind the gift will never be forgotten.  God’s Gift to us, His only Son, is eternal.  Be sure and share this with all of your family and friends;  His return to claim His own grows closer each day… as seen by what is happening daily in the world!

  Blessings,

 Gramps