Monday, December 28, 2009

The Beginning of Christmas?


♫ “Silent Night” ♫
♫ “Angels We Have Heard On High” ♫
♫ “O Come All Ye Faithful” ♫

Whenever we talk or sing about Jesus’ birth, we usually begin with shepherds in the field or a stable or wise men seeking the baby. But the story began long before that – before the first light shone forth from any star, before any planet was given shape, God the Creator made the decision to redeem a Creation he had not yet even fashioned. He would redeem it with the only gift, the only sacrifice which was capable of covering the wickedness which the Creation, and you and I, would create … the gift of Himself


~ I Pet 1:18-20


~ Eph 1:3-4

And immediately after man fell in the garden, the decision made long before was proclaimed as a promise to all of creation …


~ Gen 3:14-15

The LORD’s plan to fulfill that promise included setting aside one special nation, Israel, to teach them about His holiness, about sacrifice, and to make them utterly dependent on Him. Over and over again He reiterated the promise of the coming Savior to Israel …


~ Jer 23:5-6

It was further revealed that the Offspring promised to creation in the garden would be made known as a child …


~ Isa 7:14


~ Isa 9:6-7

And so Israel waited for the fulfillment of the Covenant and the promise…

♫ “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” ♫
♫ “Covenant of Love” ♫
♫ “Days of Elijah” ♫

But before that child could be born in that stable, another decision had to be made by the Son – to empty himself of his pure nature of divinity …


~ Heb 1:2-3


~ Phil 2:6-8

♫ “Ivory Palaces” ♫
♫ “If That Isn’t Love” ♫

And when the fullness of time had come, and the Son was sent from His glory in heaven, and the baby was born – (as one writer put it) “God Came Near”


~ John 1:14

And the fulfillment of the promise made before time began could be seen as the “Light of God” by those who were looking, like Simeon was when he saw the child being brought to the Temple to be presented to the LORD …


~ Luke 2:29-32

♫ “Jesus, Name Above, All Name” ♫
♫ “Shine on Us” ♫

And now we, too, are the beneficiaries of the promise made before time began which was fulfilled in the advent of the Son of God!

♫ “You Are My All In All” ♫

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Come Before Him


We Stand Before Him

Therefore thus says the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: "Jacob shall no more be ashamed, no more shall his face grow pale. For when he sees his children, the work of my hands, in his midst, they will sanctify my name; they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob and will stand in awe of the God of Israel. ~ Isaiah 29:22-23
♫ “I Stand In Awe Of You” ♫

Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him; sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! ~ 1 Chr 16:8-10
♫ “I Sing Praises” ♫


We Bow in Reverence Before Him

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure"-- for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. ~ Rev 19:6-8
♫ “Great is the LORD Almighty” ♫

Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed." ~ Rev 15:4
♫ “Glorify Thy Name” ♫


We Praise Him and Offer Our Thanksgiving

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield. ~ Psalms 5:11-12
♫ “O Worship The King” ♫

Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul! I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. ~ Psalms 146:1-2
♫ “Praise Him, Praise Him” ♫


We Glory in His Grace and Mercy

He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. ~ Isaiah 53:3-6
♫ “Hallelujah, What a Savior!” ♫ (v1-4)


We Await His Return

♫ “Hallelujah, What a Savior!” ♫ (v5)

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me! ~ Job 19:25-27
♫ “I Know that My Redeemer Lives” ♫

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. ~ 1 Cor 15:51-57
♫ “There’s a Stirring ” ♫

Light!



Nehemiah 9:6

Psalms 4:6-8

♫ “All The Heavens” ♫
♫ “Shine On Us” ♫


Nehemiah 9:10

♫ “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah” ♫


John 1:1-5 | John 1:9

John 8:12

♫ “Fairest LORD Jesus” ♫
♫ “Here I Am To Worship” ♫


Psalms 146:7-10

♫ “Be Thou My Vision” ♫


Psalms 139:9-12

♫ “Your Name” ♫


♫ “Where No One Stands Alone” ♫



Psalms 104:1-3 | Psalms 104:31-33

♫ “How Great Is Our God” ♫

Monday, December 7, 2009

12 "P"s In a Pod


Our PRAYER
I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies ... The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation-- the God who gave me vengeance and subdued peoples under me, who delivered me from my enemies; yes, you exalted me above those who rose against me; you rescued me from the man of violence. For this I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations, and sing to your name. ~ Ps 18:3 | Ps 18:46-49
♫ “I Will Call Upon the LORD” ♫

Your POSITION
The house that I am to build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods. But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him? ~ 2 Chr 2:5-6
♫ “Highest Place” ♫

Your PRESENCE
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." ~ Ps 91:1-2
♫ “Abide With Me” ♫

Your PROTECTION
O LORD, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God. Selah
But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah
I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the LORD sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to the LORD; your blessing be on your people! Selah ~ Ps 3:1-8
♫ “A Shield About Me” ♫

Your PROVIDENCE
And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. ~ Ex 13:21
♫ “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah” ♫

Your PROMISE
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. ~ 2 Cor 1:19-20
♫ “Thank You, LORD” ♫

Your PARDON
... I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb ... And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth." Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!" And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" and the elders fell down and worshiped. ~ Rev 5:6-14
♫ “Worthy Is the Lamb” ♫

Your PAIN
And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him. ~ Matt 27:28-31
♫ “O Sacred Head” ♫

Our POSITION
You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah ~ Ps 32:7
♫ “You Are My Hiding Place” ♫

Our PORTION
Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the LORD. There are many who say, "Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O LORD!" You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. ~ Ps 4:5-8
♫ “Shine On Us” ♫

Our PRAISE
Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. ~ Heb 13:15
♫ “You Are Worthy of My Praise” ♫

Our PEACE
"Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" ~ Ps 46:10
But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him." ~ Hab 2:20
But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?" And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" ~ Mar 4:38-41
♫ “Still” ♫

Invited to the King's Table



Mephibosheth - 2 Sam 9:1-13




2 Sam 4:4

2 Sam 9:1-3





Ex 2:23-24

Gal 3:8-14

Rom 4:16



♫ “Covenant of Love” ♫


2 Sam 9:4-5




Acts 17:26-27 | Luke 19:10

Rom 5:6-8 | John 12:32-46



♫ “O Draw Me, LORD” ♫

♫ “Softly and Tenderly” ♫




2 Sam 9:6

 


John 10:2-14 | Isa 43:1

Matt 8:2-3 | Luke 7:38-39



♫ “Jesus Paid It All” ♫

♫ “I Will Change Your Name” ♫

2 Sam 9:9-13




Luke 22:15-18 | Luke 22:29-30

Rev 19:9 | Matt 8:11 | Luke 12:37



♫ “How Deep The Father's Love” ♫ (v1,2)

♫ “Come To The Table” ♫


2 Sam 9:8






2 Sam 16:1-4

2 Sam 19:26-28

Eph 2:1-9

♫ “How Deep The Father's Love” ♫ (v3)

♫ “Just As I Am” ♫

♫ “My Love and My Light” ♫

Your Grace Still Amazes Me!




♫ “Wonderful, Merciful Savior” ♫