The Magic of Christmas

Remember how you thought Christmas was so magical

when you were a kid?

Our son sent me this photo of his boys

decorating their Christmas tree.

And now that I'm older, I realize that

It IS magical.

God in flesh appearing!

Born as a babe in a manger

To pay for the sins of His people

And give us Freedom and Hope.

O Come Let Us Adore Him!

Christ the Lord

Let us delight in the world's only Savior,

God's indescribable Gift!

The Sun Comes Up, It's a New Day Dawning

Sunrise, October 17 2012

'The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning

It's time to sing Your song again

Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me

Let me be singing when the evening comes

Bless the Lord, O my soul

O my soul

Worship His holy name

Sing like never before

O my soul

I'll worship Your holy name'

'You're rich in love, and You're slow to anger

Your name is great, and Your heart is kind

For all Your goodness I will keep on singing

Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find

Bless the Lord, O my soul

O my soul

Worship His holy name

Sing like never before

O my soul

I'll worship Your holy name'

Early Morning, October 16, 2012

'And on that day when my strength is failing

The end draws near and my time has come

Still my soul will sing Your praise unending

Ten thousand years and then forevermore

Bless the Lord, O my soul

O my soul

Worship His holy name

Sing like never before

O my soul

I'll worship Your holy name'

From Nehemiah 8

'On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak til noon ... And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law...Ezra praised the Lord, the great God, and all the people lifted their hands and responded, 'Amen! Amen!' Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground...

'Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, 'This day is sacred to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep' For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

Nehemiah said, 'go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.'

***

So I was thinking about that this morning, and what an amazing thing it is that, in spite of our sin, we can have total forgiveness, be totally cleansed and free and GUILTLESS before God because Jesus willingly took the punishment for our sin and gave us His perfect righteousness in return.

But for some who've never known that forgiveness, guilt is something that clings to us, burdens us, stifles us, binds us. When the children of Israel were read the Law, they realized their sinfulness and the sinfulness of their fathers. They mourned. They wept. But they were told to grieve no longer, go out and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks...for 'the joy of the Lord is your strength.'

There is nothing like having one's sins forgiven, to have a clean slate, no lingering guilt, because Jesus paid for it all at the Cross. And 'there is no other name under Heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved.' It's only Jesus. 

There is freedom in Christ. And when I'm tempted to fall into a pit of guilt, I remember that Jesus paid for that guilt. Then he took his cloak of righteousness and wrapped me up in it.

Romans 8:31

'If God be for us, who can be against us?'

Mine is to cling to Him and rejoice and celebrate, for the joy of the Lord is my strength!

***

You may not be familiar with the song I've been quoting.  We've been singing it in church lately, and I love the message. If you have a minute, be sure to play the YouTube clip to hear it. It just might make it to your 'favorites' list.

***

'Jesus, I'll worship Your holy name

Lord, I'll worship Your holy name

Sing like never before

O my soul

I'll worship Your holy name

Jesus, I'll worship Your holy name

I'll worship Your holy name.'

Nothing is Free

A Sign of the Times

Please believe me when I say that it's not just because I'm old and cynical that this church marquee offends me. I don't believe I wrote about the one that said, 'This blood's for you,' (I am not kidding) or one at Mother's Day which read, 'God couldn't be everywhere at once, so he made mothers.' In general, I do not like church marquees, for it seems to be far too tempting for some people to put a new message on the marquee weekly, even if it is bad theology and trivializes the Word of God.

Case in point: this sign. FREE TRIP TO HEAVEN.

Let's examine more closely this FREE trip to Heaven.

Isaiah 53:3-11 ESV

"He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrow, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned - every one - to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?

And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities."

Yes, salvation is free to us, by God's mercy and grace, but it certainly was not free to God the Father, nor to his son, Jesus Christ, who took the punishment we deserve, that through Him we might have peace with God and the 'free' gift of eternal life.