So then you are no longer strangers...

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. -Ephesians 2:19-22

... stooping very low, He engraves with care

His Name, indelible, upon our dust,

And, from the ashes of our self-despair,

Kindles a flame of hope and humble trust.

He seeks no second site on which to build,

But on the old foundation, stone by stone,

Cementing sad experience with grace,

Fashions a stronger temple of His own.

-Patricia St. John

And this is eternal life...

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. -John 17:3

Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life’s problems fall into place of their own accord.  -JI Packer

Show me your ways, Lord...

Show me your ways, Lord,

    teach me your paths.

 Guide me in your truth and teach me,

    for you are God my Savior,

    and my hope is in you all day long.

-Psalm 25:4-5

The Wexford Carol

 

The Wexford Carol-12th Century Irish Christmas Carol 

Patrick Dexter/Cello

Angels From Realms Of Glory

 

Angels From Realms Of Glory 

We Are Messengers

When the song of the angels is stilled...

When the song of the angels is stilled,

When the star in the sky is gone,

When the kings and princes are home,

When the shepherds are back with their flock,

The work of Christmas begins:

To find the lost,

To heal the broken,

To feed the hungry,

To release the prisoner,

To rebuild the nations,

To bring peace among people,

To make music in the heart.

-Howard Thurman

Christmas Day

 

Christmas Day 

Chris Tomlin & We The Kingdom

Joy to the world

On a night like no other

Emmanuel 

God is with us

Beggars and kings

Let us come and adore Him

Rest in His peace

And bow before Him

Sing all you people

The Lord almighty reigns

Sing every creature of God

Come bless His name

For He is good, for He is good

He was born to conquer the grave

Light of the world

The reason for Christmas Day

Stars we have seen

Over deserts and oceans

The darkness was deep

But never hopeless

Redemption came

And His name is Jesus

From the mountains

We will shout it out

For the Lord our God 

Almighty reigns

He is with us

He is with us now

For the Lord our God

Almighty reigns

Welcome! All wonders in one sight!

 For to us a child is born,

    to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

    and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

 Of the increase of his government and of peace

    there will be no end,

on the throne of David and over his kingdom,

    to establish it and to uphold it

with justice and with righteousness

    from this time forth and forevermore.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Isaiah 9:6-7

Welcome! all wonders in one sight!

Eternity shut in a span!

Summer in winter, day in night!

Heaven in earth, and God in man!

Great little One, whose all-embracing birth

Lifts earth to heaven, stoops Heaven to earth!

-Richard Crashaw

Prayer is to faith what breath is to the body...

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Faith is to the soul what life is to the body. Prayer is to faith what breath is to the body. How a person can live and not breathe is past my comprehension, and how a person can believe and not pray is past my comprehension too.  -JC Ryle

The most significant event in the whole course of human history...

By far the most significant event in the whole course of human history will be celebrated, with or without understanding, at the end of this season of Advent... What we are in fact celebrating is the awe-inspiring humility of God, and no amount of familiarity with the trappings of Christmas should ever blind us to its quiet but explosive significance... God’s insertion of himself into human history came about with an almost frightening quietness and humility... As millions will testify, he will come once again with the same silence and the same devastating humility into any heart which is ready to receive him.    -J.B. Phillips

Manger Throne

 

Manger Throne 

 Phil Wickham

You could have stepped into creation

With fire for all to see

Brought every tribe and nation to their knees 

Arriving with the host of heaven

In royal robe and crown

The rulers of the earth all bowing down 

But You chose meekness over majesty 

Wrapped Your power in humanity 

Glory be to You alone

King who reigns from a manger throne 

My life, my praise, everything I own

To Jesus the King on a manger throne 

You could have marched in all Your glory

Into the heart of Rome

Showed them splendor like they’d never known 

But You wrote a better story

In humble Bethlehem

Creator in the arms of common men 

You will die for our redemption 

And You’ll rise so we can live 

Glory be to You alone

King who reigns from a manger throne 

My life, my praise, everything I own

To Jesus the King on a manger throne 

From heaven to the cradle 

From cradle to the cross

Let heaven and nature sing 

This is our King

But the grave couldn’t hold Him 

Our God has overcome

Let Heaven and nature sing 

This is our King 

All hail the King 

All hail the King 

All hail the King 

Glory be to You alone

King who reigns from a manger throne 

My life, my praise, everything I own

To Jesus the King on a manger throne 

My life, my praise, everything I own

To Jesus the King on a manger throne 

To Jesus the King on a manger throne

Christmas hope...

The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity—hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory—because at the Father’s will Jesus Christ became poor, and was born in a stable so that thirty years later He might hang on a cross. -James I. Packer

We must remember that it is God's will, and not our own will...

We must remember that it is God's will, and not our own will, that we must do, for he that doth His will shall abide forever, even as He abideth forever. Therefore, with mind entire, faith firm, courage undaunted, love thorough, let us be ready for whatever God willeth, faithfully keeping the Lord's commandment, having innocency in simplicity; peaceableness in love; modesty in lowliness; in ministering, diligence; in helping them that toil, watchfulness; in succoring the poor, mercifulness; in standing up for the truth, firmness; in keeping of discipline, sternness; lest we be found wanting in every good work. -Venerable Bede Image

For the word of God is living and active...

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. -Hebrews 4:12

As in paradise, God walks in the Holy Scriptures, seeking man.

-St. Ambrose

We have great reason, O Lord, to be humbled before you, on account of the coldness and insensibility of our hearts, the disorder and irregularity of our lives, and the prevalence of worldly affections within us. Too often have we indulged the tempers which we ought to have subdued, and have left our duty unperformed. O Lord, be merciful to us for your Son Jesus Christ’s sake. Produce in us deep repentance, and a lively faith in that Saviour who has died for our sins, and risen again for our justification. Amen. -Henry Thornton

The root of Jesse will come...

And again Isaiah says,

“The root of Jesse will come,

    even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;

in him will the Gentiles hope.”

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 15:12-13

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared...

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. -Titus 3:4-7

Rejoice!

 

Rejoice! 

Sovereign Grace

VERSE 1

All the earth rejoice 

Your Creator reigns 

As the only awesome God 

The Alpha and the Omega 

Who was, is, and is to come 

Let the oceans roar and the mountains sing 

He provides for all He has made

So be comforted as He rules with grace

Rejoice, all the earth, rejoice 

VERSE 2

All the world rejoice 

For the baby comes 

As a humble prince in the night

The Word made flesh, Emmanuel 

The Everlasting Light 

Let the warmth of heaven reach the coldest heart 

With the gospel of His grace 

For His heel will bruise the serpent's head 

Rejoice, all the world, rejoice 

VERSE 3

All the church rejoice 

For your King returns 

On a white horse wearing a crown

He will break the sky with the angel's shout 

Descending from the clouds

Then the dead will rise from the land and sea 

All His people will ascend

We will reign with Him for eternity

Rejoice, all the church, rejoice

“Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom..."

Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” 

-Jeremiah 9:23-24

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness...

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. -Romans 8:26-27

It is not necessary to maintain a conversation when we are in the presence of God. We can come into His presence and rest our weary souls in quiet contemplation of Him. Our groanings, which cannot be uttered, rise to Him and tell Him better than words how dependent we are upon Him. -O. Hallesby