All About the Lights?

As I was driving the other day, actually the 27th ...noticing all the Christmas lights,  a question came to mind "When did Christmas become all about the lights?"
They are everywhere! Almost every house has something for lights.
Some simple; one color strands,
Single lights in the window, a tree or two in the yard with lights.
Then there is the more extravagant;
A house totally outlined in colored lights and every tree in their yard has lights up the trunks and in the branches. A half dozen inflatable lit up Christmas figures on one lawn, from Mickey Mouse to the Grinch.
We have one house not far from where I live that has radio station call numbers lit up and when you tune to the station Christmas music is playing and the lights dance in time with the rhythm!
There is one house that is uplit green with white lights..simple and beautiful.
And not just in the yard, but in our homes, our trees lit with all varieties of colored lights as well as wreaths, candles, nativities, and much more, all lit up.
There is me..I love lights...little white lights..and I like mine all year round.  I have a single strand of white around  my yard, well, on the front of my house now. But they are up all year ..as well as little strands of white lights through out my house. Love the lights!

But again...When did Christmas become all about the lights?
Well, as I though about it, I realized...  it always has been...

📖 We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:2
The wisemen saw a star, but not just any ordinary star, one that they had learned and studied from prophecy. 
📖 “I see him, but not now;
    I behold him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob;
    a scepter will rise out of Israel.
He will crush the foreheads of Moab,    the skulls of  all the people of Sheth. Numbers 24:17
and it wasn't just any star, because this one caused them great joy!  They knew that it was pointing the way to the King.  It wasn't an ordinary star, just brighter than the rest, it was a special star, created with purpose and much brighter than any star that had ever been, or ever will be!

📖 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.  When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2:9-11

Light was present that first Christmas in more places than that star. 

^📖  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. Luke 2:9   
The GLORY of the LORD, I am guessing, was bright and shining! A great light that lit up the whole field the shepherds were in, it "shone all around them!"
And when a multitude of heavenly hosts appears, the heavenly light must be almost blinding.

📖 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:13-14

Jesus came and fulfilled prophecy....He knew that He was here for a purpose....

📖 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:

“Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
    the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
    Galilee of the Gentiles—

the people living in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death    a light has dawned." 

 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." Matthew 4:12-17

He came to be the LIGHT of the world...
 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 

📖 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

SO When did Christmas become all about the lights???  It always has been ….about the ONE true LIGHT!
So as we see all the Christmas lights and even as they are being taken down and stored for another year, let them remind us that the reason we celebrate Christmas and the reason we should celebrate every day.... is the LIGHT of the WORLD came to us on that first Christmas night! The BEST CHRISTMAS LIGHT!

The Wood

As I seem to do on Christmas mornings these last several years...I sit with my coffee in quiet anticipation and contemplate,  meditated, muse...
This year my mind has been dwelling on the cross...the subject of my advent series this year.
And what I have written, as a result, is really the culmination of the last 4 blogs.
Thank you for reading...I pray all of advent has moved a heart or two.

The wood
rough and gnarled
Formed to hold a bed of hay
Used to cradle a tiny body wrapped in cloth; a little head with soft downy hair...little hands that reach out..little feet that kick
To hold the innocence...the love

The wood
rough and gnarled
formed to punish the quilty
Used to hold the body stripped of clothes and beaten;
the head with the angry crown of thorns,
The hands that healed, loved,
 served; nailed through
The feet which traveled to tell the good news, that were washed with oil, tears and love; pierced to the wood.

The wood..rough and gnarled...is there beauty in it?
Maybe not in their design but there is beauty in their purpose.
That ugly wood built something serviceable....God used it for something beautiful.
To cradle the Christ child sinless and pure
To hold the sins of the world in the body of Christ.
But He didn't need the ugly wood again!
And we dont need it either...because what Christ did was once for all!

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. Romans 6:6-10

So as we celebrate Christ's birth, I am constantly reminded of the cross and ALL that means, and it makes Christmas even sweeter!

May your day be filled with all things life and love!

I had to include this song!
(Thank you Aunt Dawndy for sharing it with me!) The music and Lyrics are by the Ball Brothers
but the video arrangement and pictures are mine.

Merry Christmas!

Love In the Cross

Because the baby that came into this world with His first bed a manger, so that He could grow up to die on a cross for our sins, to be raised from the dead three days later....

BECAUSE of THAT 

He gives us...(Light each candle)

Hope in the cross
📖 Show me your ways, Lord,
    teach me your paths.
5

Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,

and my hope is in you all day long.
6 Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old. Psalm 25:4-6

Peace in the Cross
📖  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

Joy in the Cross
📖  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:11

Love in the Cross
📖  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17

Christ...(light the Christ Candle)

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,  and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.  Roman's 5:1-8

Because of THAT cross; a baby came into this world .....that is LOVE

Because of THAT cross; He bled and died, taking the punishment for our sin so that we would not have to suffer that Cross.... that gives us PEACE

Because of THAT cross; He died, but rose again three days later... that brings us JOY

He will return, and will not have to suffer THAT cross again..in that we have HOPE

So at Christmas time the Cross is just as relevant as the manger!
🙏 I pray this Christmas we celebrate all Christ's  Hope, Peace, Joy and Love given to us. Amen!
Have a Hopeful, Peaceful, Joyful, Loving Christmas❤✝️

Joy In the Cross

There is Hope in the Cross (light 1st purple candle)
There is Peace in the Cross (light 2nd purple candle)

The image of the cross of crucifixion seems contradictory to the idea of Joy...
But, if we think about it ...BECAUSE of the cross we are able to have joy.
(Light the pink candle)
Joy that first came with the birth...
📖  And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:8-12

There is joy promised if we remain in His love and keep His commands
📖   “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  John 15:9-13
He even alluded to the length in which He would go in His love for us.

Jesus Himself felt joy, being filled with the spirit
 📖 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. Luke 10:21

Before He was led to the cross to die He prayed...wanting Joy ... His Joy.. for His disciples and ultimately for all of us who follow Him.
📖 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.  John 17:13

Jesus knew He was going to die on that cross...but also knew He wouldn't stay that way....He would rise again and we would be filled with joy...
📖 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. John 16:22

Because HE is JOY...
No one..not even death can take Him away from those of us who believe!
HE is what makes true Joy possible, full and complete!
AMEN!!

🙏My prayer for you; no matter your circumstances this season you find true Joy, you find Him, in all you do.
❤

Peace In the Cross

As I said last week ..doing something a bit different this year with advent.  All the elements of Advent are tied to the cross..
1st Sunday was Hope (light the first purple candle)

2nd Sunday of Advent..PEACE ( light the 2nd purple candle)

There is PEACE in the cross.

📖 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. John 14:27-28

Jesus was/IS able to pass on the peace He Himself was going to gain because of the cross.  Because He knew His Father's will would be accomplished with His death and resurrection.

 ^📖“Do you now believe?” Jesus replied.  “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:31-33

Our PEACE  comes through Christ.

 ^📖  You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. Acts 10:36

Christ, who knew no sin became our sin and died for us on the cross.
📖 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21

Through our faith in His death on the cross and in His resurrection into life, we are justified and find peace.

 📖 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1

And don't we all want that....peace, that is beyond our comprehension!

📖 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

Amen!

Hope In the Cross

The season is upon us....ADVENT!  Preparing our hearts for the coming of Christmas.
Since first starting this blog I have had you follow along with what we do at church on Sunday mornings during the Advent Season, encouraging you to do your own advent candles each week.
On my way to church this past Sunday, the First Sunday of advent, which is HOPE ..the thought came into my mind...."There is Hope in the Cross"....💡 and then "There is PEACE in the Cross"!  💡💡OH boy did I get excited! BUT there wasn't enough time to go with this new idea, I was three minutes from church!

BUT….my blog could be a sneak peak into what might be next year's church advent!
SO here you go!

There is hope in the Cross, peace in the Cross, joy in the Cross,  love in the Cross.
The celebration of  Advent builds up to the culminating event of the birth of the Christ child....
Life in a manger and the culmination of that Life was death, death on a cross.
The Birth is tied to the Cross...so all the elements of Advent can also be tied to the Cross.

THERE IS HOPE IN THE CROSS
 (if you are doing your own advent candle ceremony)  Light the first candle which is HOPE 

✝The prophecy of HOPE that a savior would come and suffer (on the cross) for our transgressions.
🕮 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.  Isaiah 7:14

🕮 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
    one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,  from ancient times.” Micah 5:2

🕮 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
    Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
    for the transgression of my people he was punished.

He was assigned a grave with the wicke
    and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Isaiah 53:8-9

✝HOPE that the child born in such a lowly manner, would come to take on the sins of the world through His sacrifice on the cross.
🕮 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,  and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. Luke 2:6-7

🕮 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,  and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” Luke 1:30-33

🕮  Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:2

✝HOPE in our own Salvation through His death on the cross.

🕮For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.  Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

✝Our HOPE IS His coming again, because the cross...death... could not keep Him.

🕮For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,  who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. Titus 2:11-14

✝Through His death on the Cross we have a LIVING HOPE!  Because He was ressurected from that death!

🕮 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:3-9

Can I get an AMEN?!

Our HOPE this season can be seen in the Cross.
 🙏My Prayer for you as you prepare for the coming of Christmas is that you may feel that HOPE, and may it keep the meaning of Christmas close to your heart.