The second chapter of Luke tells us that Christ was born in a stable because there were no rooms available in town. The book of Revelation says that Christ stands at the door of our hearts and knocks. Salvation will come if we invite Him in. The question is, have we made room for the Savior.
I started doing this Christmas Marathon ten years ago because I wanted to do something to focus on the true meaning of the season. Our society has become laser focused on the season, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday, college and pro football and time spent with family. Time spent with family is priceless but it is not the reason we celebrate Christmas. Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Savior of the souls of mankind. Some days we find ourselves asking, “Where are you Christmas?”
For a follower of Christ, who has experienced the forgiveness of sin and salvation through faith in Christ their spiritual eyes have been opened and they have seen God’s salvation in the person of Jesus Christ. Glory to God in the Highest.
I love stained glass. Where ever we travel, if there is stained glass, I try to get access to photograph it. There is just something special about the colors when the sunlight is shining through the glass and telling the story of the birth of Christ to everyone within the building.
“So it was, that while they were athere, the days were completed ffor her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:6-7
Christmas has always been the favorite holiday in our home and the excitement has been passed down to the grand kids. The oldest grand daughter is now 24, married, and they have just purchased their first home. She has her tree up and it looks like her mom or her Nana could have done it. The unhappy little fellow on my lap is now over 6 feet tall. The joy these youngsters have brought into this family is immeasurable.
The greatest joy that can be brought to the human heart is the joy of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. It is a blessing just to be able to celebrate His birth with friends and family each year. May the joy of Christmas light up you home and life this season.
So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shpherds said to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” Luke 2:15
From the very beginning, God made it clear that salvation would be available to everyone who sought out the Savior. Shepherds were among the lowest of professions and not highly valued, yet God chose to reveal the birth of His Son and our Savior to these men first. It was their faith that moved them out of the hills and into the presence of Jesus. In Matthew 28:19-20, again in Mark 16:15 and Luke 24:44-49 Christ reminds His followers that we are to tell the world about the sweetest gift of all. Go Tell It On The Mountain!
Thanksgiving has come and gone. Black Friday and Shop Small Saturday are things of the past. While today is Cyber Monday for shoppers it is also Day 4 of my 2019 Christmas Music Marathon so if you’ve missed the first three days, just scroll back and take a listen. If this past week-end wasn’t enough of a reminder…It is Christmas Time again.
In some circles there is a bit of a debate whether Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays is the correct greeting of the season. I am not offended by either. Some would tell us that there are multiple holidays spanning a plethora of spiritual concepts, so they cover all of the bases with “Happy Holidays”. That’s okay, but I am a follower of Jesus Christ and I want to identify with the specific reason for my celebration. I am celebrating the birth of a Savior and the holiday carries His name. Therefore, you will hear me wish you a Merry Christmas. Today’s selections cover a range of Christmas thoughts and wishes. Enjoy and have a blessed week. Stop by every day for new music between now and Christmas Day!
There is no doubt that Christmas is the favorite holiday in our family. It is the most wonderful time of the year.
Scholars tell us that Mary and Joseph were probably both in their teens when they were betrothed and it was discovered that Mary was going to give birth. Scripture tells us that an angel of the Lord visited Mary and gave her the news. When Mary asked how was it possible for her to give birth to a child when she was still a virgin, the angel reminded the mother of our Savior that all things are possible with God. God had promised to provide a Savior in the book of Isaiah, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign; Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14) That promise was fulfilled in Luke 1:34-35, “Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Hholy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.” It is hard to imagine that Mary was able to comprehend all that she had been told. What would the future hold for her and Joseph? Mary, did you know?
What about Joseph? After all, it wasn’t his child.
What about Joseph? By law, Joseph had every right to dissolve the relationship with Mary. After all, she was going to give birth to a child that he had not fathered. Again, an angel appeared to the young husband and informed him that Mary was carrying the Son of God. Matthew 2:24 tells us “Then Joseph, being aroused for sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and to to him his wife. This is a divine picture of a young couple placing their faith in God, even when they don’t understand all that lies ahead of them. Have a blessed Christmas.
Welcome, welcome, welcome to the 10th anniversary edition of my annual Christmas Music Marathon. Each year, beginning on the Friday after Thanksgiving, I will post a new image and video celebrating Christmas. The purpose of this marathon is to give you an opportunity to take a few minutes out of your day and focus on the true meaning of the season. You will see and hear some of your favorite classic Christmas melodies and I feel pretty confident that you will be introduced to some new-to-you songs as well. So sit back give a listen and plan on stopping by each day until Christmas. I have been known to extend the celebration until the new year. One tradition within the tradition is the first song in the marathon.
Over the next few weeks all of us will be surfing the net and visiting local retailers looking for gifts for friends and family. At times, it can get pretty hectic. On that first Christmas the focus was on finding a room for the night and paying taxes. The citizens of Bethlehem and the world were unaware that their lives were about to change forever. On one night, in a stable the Savior of this world would be born and mankind would have direct access to the throne of God. Forgiveness of sin would be available to everyone, through faith. After a day of walking through malls and big box stores, pause for a few minutes and take a walk through Bethlehem. Let the celebration begin…Merry Christmas!
Like many of our holidays, Thanksgiving as evolved into a celebration of food, sports, family & friends. The day is more about celebrating than focusing on the core of the holiday. Of all the American holidays Thanksgiving is the one day that we have the opportunity to be thankful for all of the blessings that this great nation enjoys and be mindful of the source of all blessings. First we can be thankful for another day on this planet. It is absolutely awe inspiring to think that God spoke this universe into existence and we are given the privilege of living on planet earth and in the United States of America. Consider all of the places in this world where you could have been born and raised that have never been at peace, never been able to feed the population, never had adequate health care, and never had the freedom to choose the direction of ones life. Many of us believe we are the masters of our own destiny, when in reality, we had no choice in our gender, who our family is, where we were born, what native language we speak, the color of our eyes or hair, our height and the list goes on. We do have a choice in our relationship with our Creator and Thanksgiving gives us the opportunity to pause and simply say, “Thank you Lord for all that you have done.” Have a blessed day.
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