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Topic: Christmas Gift. The reason for the season
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Carol Swenson
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posted
Michael,
Yes. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the light of hope shining in our hearts.
He is this, and much more.
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Michael Harrison
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quote:
The Christmas deception/seduction can be very subtle. Christmas takes the focus off of Christ’s atoning death and the sinfulness of sin.
Christmas is most precious. Ask any woman if the birth of a child is not so. If you have ever seen it in her face you will surely without asking, know. So is the notion of the hope of the world being born.
It is a sign to unbelievers throughout this world, the hope of the gentiles, heretofore not so much so. It is the blessedness of life, a beacon of light, a heavenly promise of some place to go, when no way of escape appeared to us though.
And though they suffered some pain, when the hope was distained, He rose in new birth, after the curse, and into the heart of man.
2Pe 1:19 "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:"
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Carol Swenson
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Gifts to build up the church.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
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WildB
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posted
Pss.68
[18] Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.
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That is all.....
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WildB
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posted
From what I read....
Eph.4
[8] Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
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That is all.....
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Carol Swenson
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…the real message of Christmas is not the gifts we give each other. Rather, it is a reminder of the gift that God has given to each of us. It is the only gift that truly keeps on giving, so I want to point out four things about it.
First, it is surprising . When Christmas rolls around, you often try to figure out if certain people have bought that gift you really wanted. Maybe you already know what they bought, because they didn't hide it very well. Or maybe you uncovered it by accident—or maybe not. But when the day comes and you open the present, you have to pretend you're surprised. Yet all along, you knew what it was. God's gift to us, however, was a complete surprise. It was not expected and, as you examine it more carefully, you realize how great a gift it actually was.
Second, God's gift came to us in the humblest of wrappings. What would you think if you saw a gift under your Christmas tree that was wrapped in newspaper and tied up with string? At first, you would probably assume that a guy wrapped it.
But think about God's gift to us. Jesus was not born in a palace of gold; He was born in a stable. He was clothed in rags. He was laid in a feeding trough. Yet these things do not, in any way, diminish the story of Christ's birth. If anything, they help us realize the great sacrifice God made for us. God's gift to humanity, the ultimate gift of eternal life through His Son, Jesus Christ, came in the simplest and humblest of wrappings.
Third, we don't deserve this gift. At Christmas, we give gifts to the people we care about, the ones who have been kind to us over the past year, or the ones who have given us a gift first. We don't give gifts to the person who has been slandering our name, or to the angry neighbor who never has a kind word to say. Yet God gave us His gift when we were His enemies. He didn't give this gift to us because we deserved it. In fact, it was just the opposite. The Bible tells us, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8 NKJV).
Fourth, the gift tells us something about the giver. When you want to give someone a gift, you start thinking about it ahead of time. Hopefully, you try to find what that person wants or needs. When God decided to give us the gift of eternal life, it wasn't something that He just thought of on the fly. Long before there was a town called Bethlehem, a garden called Eden, or a planet called Earth, a decision was made in eternity that God would send forth His Son, born of a woman, to redeem those who are under the law.
The Bible says that He was slain from the foundation of the world (see Revelation 13:8). Make no mistake about it: this gift that God has given to us was the most sacrificial thing He possibly could have offered.
So Christmas isn't about those gifts that you have under your tree right now. All of those things will be gone one day. All that will be left after this life is the human soul, and that will live forever. We will put so much stock in what we have, but this is all going to pass away.
Life is about what happens beyond the grave. Life is about knowing the God who made you and who gave you the greatest gift you will ever receive.
Greg Laurie
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WildB
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"definition of terms"
and ?
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That is all.....
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Carol Swenson
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Dear becauseHElives,
The stories are cute, aren't they?
I think our only disagreement is a definition of terms. How do we define Christmas?
I completely agree that we should not, must not, give in to peer pressure and do what we know is wrong just to please the majority. I respect and agree with your belief that we must not allow others to tell us what to celebrate and when to celebrate.
I want no part of all the shopping, or Santa Clause, or the office parties, or other aspects of commercialized Christmas. But neither do I want to feel anger, hatred, and prejudice.
To me, Christmas is all about the peace, and the beauty, and the wonder, and the joy of Messiah fulfilling prophecy by coming to live among us. The miracle of it all.
The Nativity story is not my story…I didn’t make it up. God chose the manner of His earthly birth, and He recorded it for us to know. I love this story as much as other stories in His Word.
This is a matter of the heart.
Of course I celebrate Him everyday of the year, but why should I NOT celebrate Him on this day also? Why should this day be one of wrath? If I don’t know the exact day of His birth, how does this change the beauty of His love?
Why would I want to give this day over to pagans when I would rather claim everyday, everyplace, and every person for the cause of Christ? Take every opportunity to proclaim His kingdom?
The second definition we may not agree on is that of a moderator.
If I choose to feel love, peace, and joy…is this not a personal matter? And, are we not allowed to share our joy with others at this church who also love the Christmas story? Because if we are all required to agree to a single expression of faith, this should be made known in the beginning as a condition of membership.
becauseHElives, surely Sir, it is not your intention to institute an environment of tyranny and oppression here?
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becauseHElives
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And how do those cute little stories change the whole falsehood of the Pagan Rituals of Babylon established by the Great Wh!ore the Roman Catholic Church?
1) SCRIPTURE TELLS US TO REMEMBER THE LORD’S DEATH, NOT HIS BIRTH
1 Corinthians 11:24-26 “And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.”
The Christmas deception/seduction can be very subtle. Christmas takes the focus off of Christ’s atoning death and the sinfulness of sin.
Instead of focusing on the risen King of Kings, Christmas focuses on the “infant Jesus.”
The spotlight is on baby Jesus, Mary, & Joseph, the “holy family” of the Roman Catholic Church.
When my husband was in Catholic school, he had to write “JMJ” at the top of all his assignment papers. So at Christmastime we have little Jesus, big Mary. By celebrating the birth of Jesus we are doing the exact opposite of what Jesus said we should be doing. That fact made me do some thinking.
Jesus told us to remember His atoning death not His birth.
Should we, as born again Christians, add to God’s word?
(2) PERPETUATING A LIE
James 4:17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
The celebration of Christmas is of pagan origin, not biblical. The Roman Catholic Church took a popular pagan winter festival (the winter solstice) and changed it’s name to Christmas.
The word Christmas is an abbreviation of the words “Christ’s Mass.” In the Roman Catholic Church, the Mass is called “the holy sacrifice of the Mass.” It is called that because during each Mass Christ’s sacrifice is repeated. Rome teaches that, during the Mass, the communion bread is changed into the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ. The communion bread, called the host, is then worshiped and adored. This is idolatry, and an abomination. With a broken heart I tell you that multitudes are under the influence of this deception. Unless they repent of believing Rome’s sacramental/works gospel, and believe the true gospel, they will perish in hell forever.
How can I, in good conscience, go around saying Merry Christmas when I know what these words mean?
As I said before, it seems to me that there is something supernatural “surrounding” this holiday, there’s something “robotic” about it. December comes, and everyone seems to take their appointed place, perform their appointed tasks, and say their appointed words.
Who is the initiator of this day called Christmas?
Is it Jesus?
Would Jesus perpetuate a lie?
In addition, unsaved people belonging to various religions see the idolatry and frivolity associated with Christmas and it hinders them from coming to the Lord.
(3) UNEQUAL YOKING WITH UNBELIEVERS
2 Corinthians 6:14-18
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:
for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
and what communion hath light with darkness?
And what concord hath Christ with Belial?
or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?
for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
Celebrating Christmas causes Christians to yoke unequally with unbelievers. These are just a few of my thoughts on this. If we witness as we should, including both the love of God and wrath of God, would the unsaved really want to celebrate Christmas with us?
My experience has been no, they would not. If we don’t witness as we should, how can we joyfully celebrate the birth of Christ with unbelievers, knowing the wrath of God is upon them? Are we giving them the right message when we do that? Are we leading them to think they are fine just the way they are?
(4) PRINCIPLES FROM PILATE’S LIFE
There are certain principles to be gleaned from the life of Pilate. Years ago as I was seeking the Lord about celebrating Christmas I was led to study the following. I believe the principles apply. There are many reasons why we don’t do what we know to be right. The following are study notes from the New Life Application Bible:
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“For Pilate there was never a doubt about Jesus’ innocence. Three separate times he declared Jesus not guilty. His fear of the pressure the Jews would place on him controlled his decision to allow Jesus’ crucifixion. Pilate went against what he knew was right. We share a common humanity with Pilate. At times we know the right and choose the wrong. He had his moment in history and now we have ours.
What have we done with our opportunities and responsibilities?
What judgment have we passed on Jesus?
In fairness to Pilate, he really didn’t want Jesus to be crucified. In fact, he even tried to set him free. But in the end Pilate gave in to the insistent shouts of the bloodthirsty crowd. Pilate’s sin was merely to turn away and give them what they wanted - his was the sin of complicity.
Pilate chose the easier path rather than standing up against the crowd. There are times when we would all like to just blend into the crowd. Sometimes holding to a belief or an opinion that sets us apart is just too threatening - just a little too exposing. We long for the warm approval of our peers, the welcoming slap on the back and the feeling that we are part of the “collective” - and sometimes even at the cost of truth and justice.
Pilate caved in under political pressure. He abandoned what he knew was right. When we lay aside God’s clear statements of right and wrong and make decisions based on our audience, we fall into compromise and lawlessness. God promises to honor those who do right, not those who make everybody happy.
Pilate’s greatest sin was compromising what he knew to be true and right for the sake of position, status, and personal gain.
Pilate wanted to release Jesus, but the crowd loudly demanded his death, so Pilate sentenced Jesus to die. No doubt Pilate did not want to risk losing his position, which may already have been shaky, by allowing a riot to occur in his province.
When the stakes are high, it is hard to stand up for what is right. Had Pilate been a man of real courage, he would have released Jesus no matter what the consequences. But the crowd roared, and Pilate buckled. When you have a difficult decision to make, don’t discount the effects of peer pressure. Realize beforehand that the right decision could have unpleasant consequences: social rejection, career derailment, public ridicule. Then think of Pilate and resolve to stand up for what is right no matter what other people pressure you to do.
Pilate had no good excuse to condemn Jesus, but he was afraid of the mob.
In making no decision, Pilate made the decision to let the crowds crucify Jesus. Although he washed his hands, the guilt remained. Washing your hands of a tough situation doesn’t cancel your guilt. It merely gives you a false sense of peace. Don’t make excuses - take responsibility for the decisions you make.”
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So there it is. This is what I believe the Lord is showing me. I know He is showing similar things to other believers. I hope I have given you some food for thought. My prayer is that we, as God’s children, will allow Him to continue guiding us into all truth.
Jesus said “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” John 7:17
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Strive to enter in at the strait gate:for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ( Luke 13:24 )
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Carol Swenson
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Immanuel
The King walked over and reached for the book. He turned it toward Lucifer and commanded, “Come, Deceiver, read the name of the One who will call your bluff. Read the name of the One who will storm your gates.”
Satan rose slowly off his haunches. Like a wary wolf, he walked a wide circle toward the desk until he stood before the volume and read the word:
“Immanuel?” he muttered to himself, then spoke in a tone of disbelief. “God with us?” For the first time the hooded head turned squarely toward the face of the Father. “No. Not even You would do that. Not even You would go so far.”
“You’ve never believed me, Satan.”
“But Immanuel? The plan is bizarre! You don’t know what it’s like on Earth! You don’t know how dark I’ve made it. It’s putrid. It’s evil. It’s…”
“IT IS MINE,” proclaimed the King. “AND I WILL RECLAIM WHAT IS MINE. I WILL BECOME FLESH. I WILL FEEL WHAT MY CREATURES FEEL. I WILL SEE WHAT THEY SEE.”
“But what of their sin?”
“I will bring mercy.”
“What of their death?”
“I will give life.”
Satan stood speechless.
God spoke, “I love my children. Love does not take away the beloved’s freedom. But love takes away fear. And Immanuel will leave behind a tribe of fearless children. They will not fear you or your hell.”
Satan stepped back at the thought. His retort was childish. “Th-th-they will too!”
“I will take away all sin. I will take away death. Without sin and without death, you have no power.”
Around and around in a circle Satan paced, clenching and unclenching his wiry fingers. When he finally stopped, he asked a question that even I was thinking. “Why? Why would You do this?”
The Father’s voice was deep and soft. “Because I love them.”
From An Angel's Story by Max Lucado
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Carol Swenson
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GABRIEL’S QUESTIONS
GABRIEL MUST HAVE scratched his head at this one.
He wasn’t one to question his God-given missions. Sending fire and dividing seas were all in an eternity’s work for this angel. When God sent, Gabriel went.
And when word got out that God was to become man, Gabriel was enthused. He could envision the moment:
The Messiah in a blazing chariot.
The King descending on a fiery cloud.
An explosion of light from which the Messiah would emerge.
That’s what he expected. What he never expected, however, was what he got: a slip of paper with a Nazarene address. “God will become a baby,” it read. “Tell the mother to name the child Jesus. And tell her not to be afraid.”
Gabriel was never one to question, but this time he had to wonder.
God will become a baby? Gabriel had seen babies before. He had been platoon leader on the bulrush operation. He remembered what little Moses looked like.
That’s okay for humans, he thought to himself. But God?
The heavens can’t contain him; how could a body? Besides, have you seen what comes out of those babies? Hardly befitting for the Creator of the universe. Babies must be carried and fed, bounced and bathed. To imagine some mother burping God on her shoulder—why, that was beyond what even an angel could imagine.
And what of this name—what was it—Jesus? Such a common name. There’s a Jesus in every cul-de-sac. Come on, even Gabriel has more punch to it than Jesus. Call the baby Eminence or Majesty or Heaven-sent. Anything but Jesus.
So Gabriel scratched his head. What happened to the good ol’ days? The Sodom and Gomorrah stuff. Flooding the globe. Flaming swords. That’s the action he liked.
But Gabriel had his orders. Take the message to Mary. Must be a special girl, he assumed as he traveled. But Gabriel was in for another shock. One peek told him Mary was no queen. The mother-to-be of God was not regal. She was a Jewish peasant who’d barely outgrown her acne and had a crush on a guy named Joe.
And speaking of Joe—what does this fellow know? Might as well be a weaver in Spain or a cobbler in Greece. He’s a carpenter. Look at him over there, sawdust in his beard and nail apron around his waist. You’re telling me God is going to have dinner every night with him? You’re telling me the source of wisdom is going to call this guy “Dad”? You’re telling me a common laborer is going to be charged with giving food to God?
What if he gets laid off?
What if he gets cranky?
What if he decides to run off with a pretty young girl from down the street? Then where will we be?
It was all Gabriel could do to keep from turning back. “This is a peculiar idea you have, God,” he must have muttered to himself.
Are God’s guardians given to such musings?
Are we? Are we still stunned by God’s coming? Still staggered by the event? Does Christmas still spawn the same speechless wonder it did two thousand years ago?
I’ve been asking that question lately—to myself. As I write, Christmas is only days away and something just happened that has me concerned that the pace of the holidays may be overshadowing the purpose of the holidays.
I saw a manger in a mall. Correct that. I barely saw a manger in a mall. I almost didn’t see it. I was in a hurry. Guests coming. Santa dropping in. Sermons to be prepared. Services to be planned. Presents to be purchased.
The crush of things was so great that the creche of Christ was almost ignored. I nearly missed it. And had it not been for the child and his father, I would have.
But out of the corner of my eye, I saw them. The little boy, three, maybe four years old, in jeans and high-tops staring at the manger’s infant. The father, in baseball hat and work clothes, looking over his son’s shoulder, gesturing first at Joseph, then Mary, then the baby. He was telling the little fellow the story.
And oh, the twinkle in the boy’s eyes. The wonder on his little face. He didn’t speak. He just listened. And I didn’t move. I just watched. What questions were filling the little boy’s head? Could they have been the same as Gabriel’s? What sparked the amazement on his face? Was it the magic?
And why is it that out of a hundred or so of God’s children only two paused to consider his son? What is this December demon that steals our eyes and stills our tongues? Isn’t this the season to pause and pose Gabriel’s questions?
The tragedy is not that we can’t answer them, but that we are too busy to ask them.
Only heaven knows how long Gabriel fluttered unseen above Mary before he took a breath and broke the news. But he did. He told her the name. He told her the plan. He told her not to be afraid. And when he announced, “With God nothing is impossible!” he said it as much for himself as for her.
For even though he couldn’t answer the questions, he knew who could, and that was enough. And even though we can’t answer them all, taking time to ask a few would be a good start.
Max Lucado - When God Whispers Your Name
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becauseHElives
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Christ-Mass
This is exactly where this belongs in the Exposing False Teaching…
I enjoy life and a good joke as well as anyone but I do not jest or make light of the Word in any degree.
Multitudes of men and women are departing this life because people that are supposed to be Christians (like Christ) are trying to be funny with the scriptures.
Christ-Mass has nothing to do with Yeshua / Jesus…
Christ-Mass is a tradition of men, adopted from Pagan Religion Babylon…
The True History of Christmas
by Jim McCutchan
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" -Colossians 2:8.
How did December 25 become the designated day and season of the birth of Jesus Christ? Rather than being the time of our Savior's birth, it was the very day and season on which the pagans for centuries had celebrated the birth of the Sun-god. In the fifth century, A.D., the Roman Catholic Church commanded that the birth of Christ be observed on December 25 - the day of the old Roman feast of the birth of Sol - one of the names of the sun-god.
This winter festival was called 'the nativity' - the nativity of the SUN as well as Osiris, Horus, Hercules, Bacchus, Adonis, Jupiter, Tammuz and other sun-gods who were supposedly born at the time of the winter solstice, which is now called - the 'Christmas' season. The pagan winter solstice was celebrated with great feasts, revelry, and drunkenness; the same way many celebrate it today!
When this winter festival came to Rome, it was known as the Saturnalia - Saturn being another name for the sun-god. The name of the seventh day of our week, Saturday, also comes from a sun-god. How about the first day of our week - Sun-day?
This winter solstice was the most vile, immoral feast that ever disgraced pagan Rome. And it was from this very feast at Rome that the merry-making of this season passed into the Roman Catholic Church and on into all Christendom, with few exceptions.
Christmas - The "Christ Mass"
The word Christmas derives from 'Christ Mass' which has its origin in the Roman Catholic Church. The word catholic means universal. The Roman Universal Church was founded by the Roman emperor Constantine about 313 A.D. Constantine was fighting in a civil war for the Roman throne. On the day before the battle of Milvian Bridge, Constantine prayed to his sun-god and we are told that a cross appeared in the sky with the inscription; 'In hoc signo vinces', which means, 'In this sign conquer.' The next day, Constantine went to battle behind a standard portraying a cross. He was victorious and he then professed conversion to "Christianity." After securing his throne as emperor of the Roman empire, he declared that his "Christianity" was the 'universal religion' of the Roman empire.
Pagan temples became 'churches.' Constantine's Roman universal (catholic) church became a religion mixed with paganism (Babylonianism) and given New Testament names. The old Babylonian mother-son cult of Tammuz and Semiramis became known as Jesus and Mary, with divinity also ascribed to Mary. Many years ago Alexander Hislop wrote THE TWO BABYLONS which gives a detailed account of the old Babylonian Pagan religion and its basic doctrines as the foundation of the Roman Catholic "Church".
The Holy Spirit, appropriately and with exactitude, calls the universal harlot church of the last days, "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH" -Revelation 17:5.
Needless to say, Christ Mass, which has been shortened to Christmas, is not found anywhere in the Bible. According to THE HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS, a very good presentation shown on the History Channel; Christians in the United States only began to celebrate Christmas in the mid 1800s. A few years ago Christmas also fell on a Sunday as it does again this year in 2005. On that Sunday the pastor of a large Baptist church delivered his Sunday sermon dressed as Santa Claus! Truly, apostasy abounds in these last days.
Sola Scriptura
Nowhere in the New Testament are Christians ever told when Christ was born, nor are we told to celebrate His birth. But rather, we are explicitly commanded to celebrate His death; and we are told how to do it:
"And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. And in the evening he cometh with the twelve" -Mark 14:16 & 17.
"And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them. This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many" -Mark 14:22-24.
Christ's apostle Paul also wrote:
"For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's DEATH till he come" -I Corinthians 11:23-26.
Also, water baptism by emersion, pictures the DEATH, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Should Christians celebrate 'Christmas' or the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you want to obey our Lord Jesus or pagan tradition via Romanism? The Scriptural answer is obvious: Christ Jesus is not the reason for the season!
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" -Colossians 2:8.
Some Questions to Ponder:
Dr. Al Mohler offers another view on this issue at his blog. Read Dr. Mohler's insights here.
One quote from Dr. Mohler's article by respected author and World Magazine's indispensable culture editor, Gene Edward Veith, "sets the record straight" on December 25 in the magazine's December 10 issue.
"According to conventional wisdom, Christmas had its origin in a pagan winter solstice festival, which the church co-opted to promote the new religion. In doing so, many of the old pagan customs crept into the Christian celebration. But this view is apparently a historical myth--like the stories of a church council debating how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, or that medieval folks believed the earth is flat--often repeated, even in classrooms, but not true."
And further,
It is true that the first evidence of Christians celebrating December 25th as the date of the Lord's nativity comes from Rome some years after Aurelian, in A.D. 336, but there is evidence from both the Greek East and the Latin West that Christians attempted to figure out the date of Christ's birth long before they began to celebrate it liturgically, even in the second and third centuries. The evidence indicates, in fact, that the attribution of the date of December 25th was a by-product of attempts to determine when to celebrate his death and resurrection."
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Strive to enter in at the strait gate:for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ( Luke 13:24 )
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Carol Swenson
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Hark! The herald angels sing
‘Glory to the newborn King;’
Peace on earth and mercy mild;
God and sinners reconciled.’
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
join the triumph in skies;
with angelic host proclaim,
‘Christ is born in Bethlehem!’
Hark the herald angels sing,
‘Glory to the newborn King.’
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It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold:
‘Peace on the earth, good will to men,’
From heav’n’s all-gracious King.
The world in solemn stillness lay,
To hear the angels sing!
Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long,
Beneath the angel strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love song which they bring:
O hush the noise, ye men of strife,
And hear the angels sing!
All ye, beneath life’s crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow,
Look, now! for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing:
O rest beside the weary road,
And hear the angels sing!
For lo! the days are hast’ning on,
By prophet bards foretold,
When with the ever-circling years
Comes round the age of gold;
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendors fling,
And the whole world give back the song
Which now the angels sing!
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Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King.
Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room,
And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n and heav’n and nature sing.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, and wonders of His love.
Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007
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Michael Harrison
Advanced Member
Member # 6801
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posted
And very much to you also Carol, Merry Christmas, as well as to Wildb.
Jesus lives!
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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Carol Swenson
Admin
Member # 6929
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posted
Michael...
Merry Christmas, my dear brother in Christ!
I wish you a day filled with peace and blessings.
God bless you, God bless you, God bless you,
Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007
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WildB
Moderator
Member # 2917
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posted
Mike Post "I am come to give them Life, and more abundantly." Our Lord!
"Good Tidings and great joy, for unto you a child is given!"
What the hell....What bible are you reading?
You are one mixxed up dude.....
From the text>>>>>
John.10
[10] The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
(has nothing to do with the subject)
Luke.2
[11] For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
The only CHILD statement is.......
Luke.2
1. [34] And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
More Fuzzy sillynes.....
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That is all.....
Posts: 8775 | From: USA, MICHIGAN | Registered: Mar 2004
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Michael Harrison
Advanced Member
Member # 6801
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posted
"I am come to give them Life, and more abundantly." Our Lord!
"Good Tidings and great joy, for unto you a child is given!"
Merry Christmas. Thought you might like to see this cool clock!
http://home.tiscali.nl/annejan/swf/timeline.swf
Live, oh life of Christ, that i may also with you.
Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law [trying to do] but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith [not OF law, but the faith OF Christ, OF God, in otherwords IMPUTED, which imputed state can be the experience of the believer, as stated most plainly by Paul in the next verse]:
Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, [THAT I MAY KNOW HIM in THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION HERE ON EARTH] and [also] the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death [me dead, him alive];
Php 3:11 [That] If by any means [He is making available] I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead [that final day].
Php 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, [looking back at verse eleven, where attained "resurrection from the dead," is what is stated here] either were already perfect [which is referring to the irreversible perfection of resurrection wherein he could no longer fall from grace]: but I follow after [that he may make it to the end of the race for that crown of eternal life in its finality] if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus [which is the same, the complete assimilation into eternity, sealed salvation]
WE talk about taking a single passage of scripture and building a doctrine of behavior upon it, but something not mentioned anywhere that I am aware, is the taking of a whole chapter out of context, or maybe even two whole chapters! This is what happens frequently with Romans chapters seven and eight. To combat it, here are some neat extracts with amplifications out of the precious and durable Mike's study reference guide!
Rom 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. [You don’t say?] By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. [Having! If He does it, how can we take credit? Boasting comes from pride. Pride comes from self sufficiency, or doing, supposing it to be obedience.]
Rom 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith [having] without the deeds of the [doing] law. [The important thing here is not to mutually exclude the having together with the doing, which is what all people by nature do. Jesus is completely in, 'the having'. As an heir of God (See Galations) HAVE! Have and walk in. It takes FAITH to have! That faith is honored by the doer]
Rom 3:30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith [their having by believing], and uncircumcision through faith.
Rom 4:2 FOR IF ABRAHAM WERE JUSTIFIED BY WORKS, he hath whereof to glory; [yes he does but ] but not before God. [He cannot add to]
Rom 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; [he staggered not but received i.e. by believing ] but was strong in faith [recognizing], giving glory to God;
Rom 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he [God] had promised, he [God] was able also to perform [and Abraham was not able to perform it, but he knew that God would, though he did eventually become discouraged, and try, and messed totally up! We suffer for it today].
Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? [so why do you think that because I said that it is no longer me, but sin that is in me that does it, that therefore I must surrender to sin and have the best of both worlds?]
Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk [presently] in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: [Present tense! Your living gift, Jesus, the Way, the Truth, the LIFE, your life! “I Am resurrection.” We shall be, as in now, in the likeness of His resurrection, else our faith is in vain.]
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Rom 6:8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: [at the present time]
Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. [for the lusts are the very sin, if obeyed, and]
Rom 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of [His]righteousness. [Servants of the life of Christ who is in you, not sin, which you say that you are condemned to ‘try’ for a lifetime to overcome.]
Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your FRUIT UNTO HOLINESS, and the end [the end, ‘lo and behold – see the Philippians 3 post] everlasting life.
Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, [try in my strength to do the will of God] evil is present with me [and I fail because trying will not accomplish what God has done, and is doing].
Rom 8:2 [BUT] the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me FREE from the law of sin and death [Free from the requirement of sinning, not just the penality see vs. 6:18].
Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die [present tense]: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live [immediamente].
Rom 8:32 [SEE] He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? [Victory, overcoming, living above failure of failed choices]
Rom 9:11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth [performeth])
Rom 9:15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
Rom 9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. [Which mercy lifteth up, and edifieth the believer unto life]
Rom 9:30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith [actually having because they simply believe].
Rom 9:31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
Rom 9:32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the [doing the] works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
Rom 10:3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness [by self effort and exaltation, not receiving the gift of God], have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God [which He will impart to the believing].
Rom 10:20 But Isaiah is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof. [The fruits of any vestiges of unbelief]
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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