December 2024 - Creation Beckons

God Is My Strength

Psalm 73:26 God Is My Strength

“My health fails; my spirits droop, yet God remains! He is the strength of my heart; he is mine forever” (TLB).

Have you ever been at the end of your rope? I have, and it’s not a good feeling. But Jesus Christ says, “If you’re at the end of your rope, just let go. I’ve got you. There is no end to my rope. In fact, I don’t have a rope. I use a net. That way wherever you fall from, I can catch you. Just call for me. I’m always there.” (I used quotation marks, but it’s actually a paraphrase.) I paraphrased it from the Bible. The specific reference is Genesis1:1—Revelation 22:21.) Just look. You’ll find it in there. The whole Bible is about God and His love for us. Jesus came to earth to personalize God’s love, care, and promises. “Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand.” (Psalm 37:24 NLT)

Psalm 46:1-3 says, “God is our refuge and our strength an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging” (NIV). In today’s world, bad news is broadcast on every radio and television station numerous times each day. Flip through facebook and bad news shows up every page or so. My source of strength is my God. He is my source because he says He is, and I believe what He says. Look through your past and count the times that God has been your strength. He will be so again and again and again, if only we will ask and ask and ask. He doesn’t mind if we keep asking for His help. In fact, He loves helping us; He is pleased when we do ask.

The mountains in the picture give a real picture of strength. They are made of rock, and God is my rock that is stronger than any rock seen on earth because He created them all. Thank you, God, for being my strength at the end of my rope.

Quiet Time and Rest

Mark 6:31,32 Quiet Time and Rest

“Then Jesus said, ‘Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.’ He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. So they left by boat for a quiet place where they could be alone” (NLT).

I’m sure most of us can relate to Jeus and His apostles as described in the verse above, but in different circumstances. Jesus and His disciples had been ministering to crowds of people and had difficulty getting away for even a few hours. The Christmas season is always busy, especially for Christians, because we take time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the real reason for Christmas celebrations.

This year we sang in our church’s Christmas musical presentation and enjoyed a puppet program put on by our youth the same evening. It was a great evening of celebration and joy. And, of course we spent time in rehearsal for the program. We had two services at a local retirement home, including one with communion and one singing Christmas carols. Norma and I baked cookies—I helped more this year because of Norma’s broken arm. (I think they turned out all right.) We had Christmas dinner at our house for our son who lives in Tucson and his family. Phone conversations with our sons and their families who live in Colorado Springs and in New Kensington, Pa, were happy times on Christmas Day. We decorated the house—I should say Norma decorated the house inside until she fell and broke her arm which entailed one hospital visit, and two doctor visits so far. We did Christmas shopping, most of it on-line this year, Soooo, like everyone else I know, we need some rest.

I don’t know that we were as busy as Jesus and His disciples were in the Scripture above, but we do need rest. Unlike Jesus and His disciples, we did have time to eat, and we took good advantage of that time, as we always do at Christmas. One other difference between us and Jesus and His disciples—we are not going anywhere on a boat. But we will take time to rest, time to spend in the Word and in long conversations with our Lord. Whether we do that quietly at home or spend a few days away doesn’t matter as long as we take at least a few days to draw away from the world and focus on the one whose birth we just celebrated. If we are too busy at Christmas time to focus on Jesus Christ ,we have not celebrated appropriately. We expect to have time of joy, time of rest, and time of peace with Him for the next few days. I suggest that you do the same. Rest in Him!

The Same Yet Different

Romans 12:6-8 The Same Yet Different

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us If your gift is, prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, then do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully” (NIV).

The five roses above are alike. They are all miniature roses, but they are all obviously different. No two are the same, but each one is beautiful in its own right. We, in the church of Christ are similar, in that we are all alike, but we are all different. Each of us shines with the light of glory of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We are all alike in that God loves each of us the same, and Jesus paid the same price for each of us.—death on the cross of Calvary.

In the church, we are all different. The Holy Spirit has endowed us with different gifts because we are called to different missions. Once He calls us for a task, He gives us the special abilities to perform the task, and He grows the abilities as we use them, so that we get better and better and are of more and more use to His Kingdom as we grow in them. There are certain gifts needed in each church, and some churches may have different combinations of gifts in their membership. Because of our differences, our churches have different personalities and different specific assignments.

Ask God to show you your gift, and then ask Him to develop it in you. Then allow Him to fit you into your church in the way that will help your church perform its assignments in the best manner it can. Together we bring glory to His name.

Be Prepared; Be Ready to Be Used by God

2 Timothy 2:15 Be Prepared; Be Ready to Be Used by God

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (NIV).

The hay has grown, and it is now being gathered in a convenient form to be collected along with other hay to provide food for the cattle. We can see the farmer at work, and we can see the delineation of the grain that has been gathered and that still waiting to be joined with other grain into a useful and convenient form.

As we live our Christian lives, we grow until we are of useful purpose for the Lord. Then we are gathered together with others to provide spiritual food for our brethren. Just as hay bales are stacked in a barn to be used later, Christian lives are gathered in the local church to be released into the world as spiritual food for those who do not yet know the blessings of Jesus Christ. It does my heart good to realize that I have reached the place where I am of use in His Kingdom, to be used along with others to bring blessings to the world at large. Lord, help me to be worthy of your trust.

Genesis 1:1–Revelation 22:21

This is the day that we celebrate the greatest gift ever given, and it was given by our Father God. The gift was and is His Son, Jesus, and Jesus, in His turn, gives His gifts of love, peace, joy, and most importantly, the forgiveness of sin. God the Father and God the Son offer these gifts to us, to you, to you, to you, to you, and to me. Bless yourself eternally by accepting these gifts, by receiving these gifts in your heart.

MERRY

CHRISTMAS!

God So Loved the World

Luke 2:1-20, John 3:16 God So Loved the World

Silent Night

Josef Mohr Franz Gruber

Silent night, holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and Child.
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heav’nly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!
Silent night, holy night!
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.
Silent night, holy night!
Wondrous star, lend thy light;
With the angels let us sing,
Alleluia to our King;
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!

Sing this beautiful song in anticipation all day.

He Gave up His throne for You

Philipians 2:6-7 He Gave up His Throne for You

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness” (NIV).

I had never heard this Christmas hymn, “Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne” sung, but I found it in Tabernacle Hymns Number Five on page 388. I almost passed it by because the nature of the language is quite different from today’s normal speech or written words. But I found it sung by George Beverly Shea on YouTube. I listened and was captured by the depth of his voice and the meaning he gave to the words. I suggest that you go to YouTube and search for “Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne” George Beverly Shea. It will be well worth any effort it takes. George sings only verses one, two, and five, but they are the ones that focus on Jesus’ birth and finally on our going home to spend eternity by His side because there is room for us there.

Verse one tells us that Jesus left His throne to go to a place, Bethlehem, where there was no room in the normal places, especially for a woman about to give birth. The angels sang and heaven’s arches rang when Jesus’ came to earth to His lowly birthplace. Verse three tells us that animals and birds had homes in the forest, but Jesus was born closer to bare earth. The lyricist then takes us to the time of Jesus’ ministry when he brought freedom to His people only to be scorned. Finally in verse five, we find the angels singing and the heaven’s ringing again when Jesus proclaims His victory and calls us to be by His side for there is always room for us there.

Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne

Emily E. S. Elliott Timothy R. Matthews

Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown,
When Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem’s home was there found no room
For Thy holy nativity:

Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus!
There is room in my heart for Thee;
Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus, come,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

Heaven’s arches rang when the angels sang,
Proclaiming Thy royal degree;
But of lowly birth cam’st Thou, Lord, on earth,
And in great humility:

The foxes found rest, and the birds had their nest
In the shade of the forest tree;
But Thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God,
In the deserts of Galilee:

Thou camest, O Lord, with the living Word
That should set Thy people free;
But with mocking scorn, and with crown of thorn,
They bore Thee to Calvary:

Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus!
Thy cross is my only plea;
Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus, come,
Thy cross is my only plea.

When heaven’s arches shall ring, and her choirs shall sing
At Thy coming to victory,
Let Thy voice call me up, saying, “Yet there is room,
There is room at My side for thee!”

And my heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus!
When Thou comest and callest for me;
And my heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus!
When Thou comest and callest for me.

The Christ Child Grew

Luke 2:40 The Christ Child Grew

“And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him” (ESV).

Although hymn singing was frequent in eastern Europe, few hymns from the area have been translated to English. One of the traditions in Poland was for the priest to go from home to home often accompanied by a group of singers during the Christmas season. Carrying a star on a pole and a Nativity scene, they sang Christmas hymns and also enacted Nativity plays—the beginning of Christmas caroling. One of the songs often sung, and one of the few translated into English, was “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly.

This holy and lowly infant slept in a cattle stall, hearing animal noises while angels sang, “Christ the babe is Lord of all.” Yes, this tiny infant had lowly beginnings, but He was also holy. The song was sung by angels to the shepherds, who watched their sleeping flocks. The shepherds were the first to hear the Good News, and after seeing the Christ Child, they spread it abroad to those they saw as they walked back to their flocks. As the song says, “Christ the babe was born for you.” I’ll repeat that, as we all should repeat it to the whole world, “Christ the babe was born for you and you and you and you and you…and you. And me! “Thank you, Lord, for giving to me thy great salvation so rich and free.” (Seth and Bessie Sykes c1940)

Infant Holy, Infant Lowly

1 Infant holy, infant lowly,
for His bed a cattle stall;
oxen lowing, little knowing
Christ, the babe, is Lord of all.
Swift are winging angels singing,
noels ringing, tidings bringing:
Christ the babe is Lord of all!
Christ the babe is Lord of all!

2 Flocks were sleeping, shepherds keeping
vigil till the morning new
saw the glory, heard the story,
tidings of the gospel true.
Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow,
praises voicing, greet the morrow:
Christ the babe was born for you;
Christ the babe was born for you.

His Name Is Wonderful

Isaiah 9:6 His Name Is Wonderful

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (NKJV).

What an amazing prophesy Isaiah had. It pointed not only to the birth of the Baby Jesus, but it spoke far into the future when Jesus will be called: “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting father, Prince of Peace” for all of eternity.

This song, “His Name Is Wonderful,” was written by Audrey Mieir during a Christmas worship service. The service included a Christmas pageant put on by the children of the church, and, like all of those pageants worldwide, the presence of the Lord drew near. After the pageant, her brother-in-law, the pastor of the church read the prophetic scripture in Isaiah concerning the birth of Jesus, After reading it, He closed His Bible and said, ”His name is wonderful!” Audrey said that a musical chorus came to her mind and she wrote the words, “His name is wonderful. His name is wonderful. His name is wonderful, Jesus my Lord.” This song was birthed that night, and it remained a short chorus of four lines for a few days until she added the remaining portion. Sounds like a move of the Holy Spirit to me. I, for one, am very glad that she was obedient to the nudging of the Holy Spirit that night in church.

Jesus, my Lord, certainly is wonderful. In her song, Audrey called Jesus the “Mighty King,” not just a king, but a Mighty King, the One who is “Master of everything.” Certainly, He is the master; He created it all. She next contrasts the “Great Shepherd” with the “Rock of All Ages”—from the watcher of sheep who rescues any single lamb who strays, to a rock to lean on through all ages. He is Almighty God! And how do we react to this little baby who will become the “Rock of all Ages?” The proper reaction is to bow down, to worship, to adore Him because His name is Wonderful, and He is “Jesus, my Lord.” In a few short words, Audrey Mieir takes us from the Baby Jesus to “Almighty God.” And that’s who Jesus was from time uncountable before He became Baby Jesus, and it is who He will remain for eternity.

His Name Is Wonderful

His name is wonderful
His name is wonderful
His name is wonderful
Jesus my Lord.

He is the mighty King
Master of everything
His name is wonderful
Jesus my Lord.
He’s the Great Shepherd
The Rock of all ages
Almighty God is He

Bow down before Him
Love and adore Him
His name is wonderful
Jesus my Lord.

Visiting Royalty

Matthew 2:1,2 Visiting Royalty

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him’” (ESV).

These men were the first Gentiles to recognize Jesus for who He was, and they came to worship Him. They must have suspected that Jesus was to become more than the “King of the Jews,” else why would they have worshipped Him? When God put a special star in the sky that they could follow, He was letting them know that something of great import had happened. It’s interesting that they did as Abraham did, they followed the leading of God, but there the following ended for them. They returned to their own lands, but not before they had seen the one born King of the Jews, given Him gifts, and then worshipped Him.

The Christmas carol, “We Three Kings,” was written by John Henry Hopkins Jr. in 1857. The song takes us from the birth of Jesus, the Messiah, through His earthly ministry, His crucifixion, and finally to His resurrection. It is particularly important that this song uses the voices of these three wise men—gentiles—to follow the life of the One who was and is the Savior of all mankind. At this very early time in the life of Jesus, we have the recognition of Jesus as more than just the “King of the Jews.” He was recognized first by those of His nation, Jewish shepherds, but then later by those outside the nation of Israel, just as He was during His ministry and the ministry of His close followers—first to Israel and then to the Gentiles.

The chorus that follows each verse “O star of wonder, star of night, Star with royal beauty bright, Westward leading, still preceding, guide us to the perfect light” tells of the journey of the magi who followed the “Star of wonder” and “Star of night” until that star guided them to “the Perfect Light”—the star having royal beauty, Jesus. We may not have a visual star in the sky to follow, but I am convinced that God puts something in all of our hearts that will lead us to Jesus just as surely as those wise men of old were led to the child who was to become the “King of the Jews.” All we need to do is emulate the magi and follow the leading given by Almighty God.

We Three Kings

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

Refrain:
O star of wonder, star of light,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.

Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again,
King forever, ceasing never,
Over us all to reign.

Refrain

Frankincense to offer have I;
Incense owns a Deity nigh;
Prayer and praising, voices raising,
Worshipping God on high.

Refrain

Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone cold tomb.

Refrain

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

Refrain