Peace Of Christmas

 Let Us Go to Bethlehem and Find the Peace of Christmas

 

 

 

2:8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
2:9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
2:12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
2:15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
2:16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
2:17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
2:18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
2:19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
2:20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. — Lk 2:8-20

Let us go to Christ this year and accept peace. Not as the world offers but everlasting peace.Christ brought peace into the world and It is up to us to accept the gift of Christ or turn it away. When accepted, we have peace like a river. 
 Let Us Find the Peace of Christmas today!

Christmas in Bethlehem

I will never forget when we visited Bethlehem and seeing all the famous places. The birth place of Jesus took place there. He is the Saviour of the world.
Christ was born to save the world from their sins. What joy to behold the birthplace of our Lord, but it is greater joy to know that we can have Him live in our hearts.

THE SHEPHERDS VISIT JESUS

When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.”  So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.  When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.  And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.  But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.  The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.
-Luke 2: 15-20
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Birthday Of A King

CHRISTIMAS IS A TIME TO REACH OUT
Christmas is a time of reaching out and helping those less fortunate. Sending cards is one way of reaching out. Christmas messages about the baby Jesus is sharing the good news of the Saviour’s birth.  Another way is to invite one who is lonely to share in the festivities. Visiting someone in a convelesent home is another way to show love.

~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^

And the peace of God, which passes all understanding,
 shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Phil 4, 7
 

In the little village of Bethlehem
There lay a child one day
And the sky was bright
With a holy light
O’er the place where Jesus lay.

Alleluia
O how the angels sang!
Alleluia
How it rang!
And the sky was bright
With a holy light
‘Twas the birthday of a King.

Humble birthplace
But Oh
How much God gave to us that day!
From the manger bed what a path has led
What a perfect holy way.

Alleluia
O how the angels sang!
Alleluia
How it rang!
And the sky was bright
With a Holy light
‘Twas the birthday of a King.

-by William H. Neidlinger in 1890.

~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~

The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~

Christ, The Messiah

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. -Luke 2:11

Christ Jesus is our Savior.  Jesus was God in the flesh.

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.(1 Tim. 3:16

The word “Christ” comes from the Greek word “Christos” and means the same as the Old Testament Hebrew word “Messiah,” which means “anointed.”

Did You Know?  The term “Christ” which is used 570 times in the New Testament

.

They Worshipped Him

“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon you, and his glory shall be seen upon you.” -Isaiah 60: 1-2

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”

    When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

They Worshipped Him

“They worshipped Him”–in breathless awe
   The wise men knelt before Him;
They traveled far with gifts of gold,
   Their purpose to adore Him.

They worshipped, for in Him they saw
   The hope of all that’s human;
The Son of God–the Son of Man–
   The Scripture’s great denouement!

“They worshipped Him”–Lord, make us wise
   As once again this story
Is caroled to a needy world,
   Lest blinded to His glory.

We miss the meaning of His birth
   So occupied with giving,
With tinseled tree and mistletoe,
   With merriment and living.

We fail to see the Gift of God,
   Christ crucified–Christ risen;
And failing to discern His Cross
   We miss the way to heaven!

-Gene Farrell

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

   

Where is Jesus

‘Where is the One who has been born king of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.’”

 Matthew 2:1-2
Jesus lives in my heart. I feel Him every day. I love Him and would not want to live with out Him. He is my dearest friend

God is Lord Almighty, Omnipotent King, Lion of Judah, Rock of Ages, Prince of Peace, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Provider, Protector, Leader,
Ruling Lord and Reigning King of all the universe.

He is Father, Helper, Guardian and God. He is the First and Last, the Beginning and the End. He is the keeper of Creation and the Creator of all He keeps. The Architect of the universe and the Manager of all times.

He always was, is, and will be: Unmoved, Unchanged, Undefeated, and never Undone. He was bruised and brought healing. He was pierced and eased pain. He was persecuted and brought freedom. He was dead and brought life. He is risen and brings power. He reigns and brings Peace.

FROM THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS

 
From the eastern mountains, pressing on, they come,
Wise men in their wisdom, to His humble home;
Stirred by deep devotion, hasting from afar,
Ever journeying onward, guided by a star.

Light of life that shineth ere the worlds began,
Draw Thou near, and lighten every heart of man.

There their Lord and Savior meek and lowly lay,
Wondrous Light that led them onward on their way,
Ever now to lighten nations from afar,
As they journey homeward by that guiding star.

Thou Who in a manger once hast lowly lain,
Who dost now in glory o’er all kingdoms reign,
Gather in the heathen who in lands afar
Ne’er have seen the brightness of Thy guiding star.

Gather in the outcasts, all who’ve gone astray,
Throw Thy radiance o’er them, guide them on their way.
Those who never knew Thee, those who’ve wandered far,
Guide them by the brightness of Thy guiding star.

Onward through the darkness of the lonely night,
Shining still before them with Thy kindly light.
Guide them, Jew and Gentile, homeward from afar,
Young and old together, by Thy guiding Star.

Until every nation, whether bond or free,
’Neath Thy starlit banner, Jesus, follows Thee.
O’er the distant mountains to that heavenly home,
Where nor sin nor sorrow evermore shall come.
-Godfrey Thring, 1873

Come Let Us Worship the Lord

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD. And all the families of the nations will worship before You. For the kingdom is the LORD’S And He rules over the nations. 
Psalm 22:27-28

Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. 
I will praise thee; “I have sworn by Myself, The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance. Isaiah 45:22, 23

What is worship? Worship is to feel in your heart and express in some appropriate manner a humbling but delightful sense of admiring awe and astonished wonder and overpowering love in the presence of that most ancient Mystery, that Majesty which philosophers call the First Cause, but which we call Our Father Which Are in Heaven. -A.W. Tozer

In the Bible they worshipped God in the synagogue-worship. The recitation of the shema`, composed of Deuteronomy 6:4-9 – 11:13-21, and Numbers 15:37-41, and beginning, “Hear O Israel: Yahweh our God is one Yahweh”. They had prayers, and possibly following some set form, perhaps repeating some psalm or the readings of extracts from the Law and the Prophets selected by the “ruler of the synagogue. In later years we find Jesus reading in the Temple. 
There are many individual forms of worship we read of in the Bible. Mary sits at Jesus’ feet in her home. Luke 10:39. Andrew leads his brother to Christ in John 1:41, the entire family of the nobleman accept Christ in John 4:53. Home, the best place to show piety as we see in 1 Timothy 5,4
The Wisemen Came to worship. O Come let us worship God today. He is worthy!

The Invitation

You are cordially invited to

A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!!!

Guest of Honor: Jesus Christ

Date: Every day. Traditionally, December 25
but He’s always around, so the date is flexible…

Time: Whenever you’re ready.
(Please don’t be late, though, or you’ll miss out on all the fun!)

Place: In your heart…. He’ll meet you there.
(You’ll hear Him knock.)

  

Attire: Come as you are… grubbies are okay.
He’ll be washing our clothes anyway. He said something about
new white robes and crowns for everyone who stays till the last.

Tickets: Admission is free. He’s
already paid for everyone…
(He says you wouldn’t have been
able to afford it anyway…
it cost Him everything He had. But
you do need to accept the ticket!!

Refreshments: New wine, bread, and a
far-out drink He calls “Living Water,”
followed by a supper that promises to be out of this world!

Gift Suggestions: ; Your life. He’s one of those
people who already has everything else.
(He’s very generous in return though.
Just wait until you see what He has for you!)

Entertainment: Joy, Peace, Truth,
Light, Life, Love, Real Happiness,
Communion with God, Forgiveness, Miracles, Healing, Power,
Eternity in Paradise, Contentment, and much more!
(All “G” rated, so bring your family and friends.)

 

R.S.V.P. Very Important!
He must know ahead so He can
reserve a spot for you at the table.
Also, He’s keeping a list of His friends for future
reference. He calls it the “Lamb’s Book of Life.”

Party being given by His Kids (that’s us!!)!
Hope to see you there! For those of you whom I will
see at the party, share this with someone today!

 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. — 2 Cor. 9:15

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

One Solitary Life

One Solitary Life
Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher.
He never owned a home. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never put His foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself…

While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves. While He was dying His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth – His coat. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Nineteen long centuries have come and gone, and today He is a centerpiece of the human race and leader of the column of progress.

I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that were ever built; all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that one solitary life.

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

But let all those that take refuge in thee rejoice,
Let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them:
Let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
For thou wilt bless the righteous;
O Jehovah, thou wilt compass him with favor as with a shield.
-Psalm 5:11- 12

Christmas Praise

Praise God

Praise God for Christmas.
Praise Him for the incarnation, for the word made flesh.
I will not sing of shepherds watching flocks on frosty nights,
or angel choristers.
I will not sing of a stable bare in Bethlehem,
or lowing oxen,
wise men trailing star with gold,
frankincense, and myrrh.

Tonight I will sing praise to the Father
who stood on heaven’s threshold
and said farewell to his Son
as he stepped across the stars
to Bethlehem and Jerusalem.
And I will sing praise to the infinite, eternal Son,
who became most finite, a baby
who would one day be executed for my crime.
Praise him in the heavens,
Praise him in the stable,
Praise him in my heart.

-Joseph Bayly

GOOD NEWS FROM GOD’S WORD TO US:

Fear Not

In the Christmas narratives, there are several “fear not’s.”

1. The “fear not” of salvation: “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings…which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10,11).

2. The “fear not” of the humanly impossible: “Fear not, Mary, … the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: …For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:30, 35, 37).

3. The “fear not” of unanswered prayer: “Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John” (Luke 1:13).

4. The “fear not” of immediate obedience: “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife. … Then Joseph … did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him” (Matthew 1:20,24 )