Showing posts with label Bethlehem. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bethlehem. Show all posts

Friday, December 3, 2021

Come, One and All and Gather Round

This post is inspired in part by Luke 2

 Light of the Stable-Selah



  



If covid has proven anything it's that we all need
the glad tidings of great joy/grace through Jesus!
We have been challenged and most of us likely disappointed
at times at responses and attitudes of our fellow-travelers
(in this journey of life) 
during the ongoing ripple-effects of this pandemic,
making the account of Jesus birth and childhood in Luke 2 
especially meaningful and vital this year!
Luke 2:10-11
And the angel said unto them, 
Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, 
which shall be to all people
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David 
a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

1 John 3:10
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, 
that He might destroy the works of the devil.

Come, one and all and gather round
Love’s wonder to behold
Glad tidings of great joy abound
For people young and old
For Jesus, though the King of kings
Did not despise God’s call
Or flee Calvary's sufferings
To be Saviour of all

Come one and all and gather round
The manger where He lay
Jesus, not royal robed and crowned
But on a bed of hay
Come bow your head and shed a tear
Of both sorrow and joy
Behold Majesty’s meek veneer
In Mary’s Baby Boy

Come, one and all and gather near
Lest morrow is too late
The message of God’s love is clear
Destiny more than fate
For whoever believes in Him
Eternal life will gain
Death’s verdict without God is grim
And life, hopeless and vain

Come, one and all and gather round
To celebrate with joy
The hope for man, none can confound
And nothing can destroy
Come one and all, hail and adore
The Gift angels applaud
For this is more than ancient lore
This is the love/Son of God

© Janet Martin



This morning's Daily Bread Devotion
 includes this precious passage of scripture from
1 John 2:28-3:10

The Children of God
28 And now, little children, abide in Him, 
that [a]when He appears, we may have confidence 
and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 
29 If you know that He is righteous, 
you know that everyone who practices righteousness 
is born of Him.

The Command to Love
3 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us,
 that we should be called children of [b]God! 
Therefore the world does not know [c]us, 
because it did not know Him. 
2 Beloved, now we are children of God; 
and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, 
but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, 
for we shall see Him as He is. 
3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Sin and the Child of God
4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, 
and sin is lawlessness. 
5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, 
and in Him there is no sin. 
6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. 
Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. 
He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 
8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. 
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, 
that He might destroy the works of the devil. 
9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, 
for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, 
because he has been born of God.

The Imperative of Love
10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: 
Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, 
nor is he who does not love his brother.


Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Adoration Anthem




O holy night what sacred hope Love’s sympathy allowed
Come to redeem with His own blood a lost, unholy crowd
Where sacrifice of bulls and rams would never satisfy
And none amongst the Shepherd’s lambs could ever justify

O Lamb of God who knew no sin left heaven to become
The pure and perfect offering for He was God’s own Son
And though the Father knew the awful price that He would pay
He saw, after death’s sacrifice glad Resurrection Day

...there His wrath was appeased; love looked beyond the suffering
He beheld the accomplishment of life that death would bring
Of many sons and daughters to glory, victorious
Because the blood of Jesus cleanses from unrighteousness

O holy dread, where Bethlehem welcomed Calvary’s Lamb
O manger-bed thy diadem was Yaweh’s Son, I AM
O come then, one and all, where once for all Life dashed death’s sting
Salvation’s pioneer perfected through His suffering

Then let hearts leap for joy and love be bowed with tenderness
Let we who this true hope employ be filled with happiness 
And let us reason together of grace whereby we go
For though our sins were scarlet now we are washed white as snow

O holy night, what sacred joy love’s sympathy allowed
On earth Peace and goodwill to man, prone to be vile and proud
And when this life is over, death has no dominion then
If we believe we will receive eternal life. Amen


© Janet Martin


 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, 
now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, 
so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.  
In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting for God, 
for whom and through whom all things exist, 
to make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.  
For both the One who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are of the same family. 
So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. 

Sunday, December 17, 2017

The Star of Bethlehem



The Light of the world stuns our gaze with masterpieces of breaking day...

Do you ever feel the weight of your mortality?
Do you find comfort in the Light that lights the Way from mortal to immortal?

It beams its Everlasting Light
Across a dying race
In streams of Mercy, Hope and Might
And immutable grace

That Hallowed Star of Bethlehem
To all who look and see
Invites ‘the very least of them
To witness Majesty

The wise men, when they saw the Star
Come, let us follow where we are
The Light that will not dim

And though we have no gifts of myrrh
May humble joy and worship stir
A gift fit for the King

And may we fix our eyes with awe
Beyond Time’s wish and whim  
And trust the Light the wisemen saw
To lead us Home to Him

© Janet Martin

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 


Friday, November 24, 2017

Keeping Our Eyes On The Big Picture



As eyes begin to turn Christmas-ward 
may we see Bethlehem
and when we see Bethlehem 
may we see Calvary
and when we see Calvary 
may we with tender love
see our fellowman
and in humility
Love one another
in every way we can


 My heart goes out especially to those who have had a really hard year
and all we can do is trust the One who has been there
and knows the hurt of hardship
and holds all the answers in His love



Lord, help us trust You for the How when reason seems unjust
Once thorns, not roses pierced the brow of Thee who pitied us
The hands that touched and healed the sick were pierced with driven nails
But still You kept Your father’s will because He never fails

Lord, not for gain of riches vain, forbid that we aspire
But love for fellowman, let this set humble hearts on fire
And help us not to count the cost, for once on Calvary
You gave Your all to save the lost and set sin’s captive free

Lord, when faith fain would stumble beneath burdens hard to bear
When mouth is drained of answers as it lifts the heart in prayer
Protect us from prisons of doubt in spite of what we see
And turn our eyes to look upon the Love of Calvary

…for Lord, we suffer nothing that you did not suffer more
No place to lay Your head, You came, knowing what lay in store
From heaven’s throne to earthy groan Lord, King of kings You came
Author of hope, we cling to You and praise your worthy Name

© Janet Martin

 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 10:10

How flat our words of encouragement would be without living hope!


For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, 
so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures 
and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
Romans 15:4

Monday, December 15, 2014

If The Looking-glass Revealed The Truth...



Oh, if the looking-glass would show us as we truly are
Then we would blush and rush to hide beneath night’s deepest bar
And we would cry aloud, not proud, knowing our need of grace
From Heaven’s One one who gave His Son to save this wretched race

…and we would see Calvary’s tree and those thieves at His side
Would not be nameless but would look a lot like you and I
And if the looking-glass revealed what skin veils like a sheet
Then we would fall upon our knees and kiss Love’s nail-scarred feet

...and our boast would ever be the Love of Jesus Christ
Bethlehem’s Babe who came to be a Lamb of sacrifice
Once and for all; oh, is there any that can out-love He
Who laid His hands beneath the nails and died for you and me?

Yes, if the looking-glass would show us how we really are
Then we would bow and worship mercy’s bright and Morning Star
And if the looking glass revealed more than flesh-face and hand
Then we would love, knowing without God’s grace ah, who would stand?

© Janet Martin
 
 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
    O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness,
    that you may be feared. Ps. 130:3-4


May He, Jesus be the One we worship this Christmas season,
May joy not the be the tree, presents or any other reason
But may it be, as we behold Jesus the Christ-child King
An over-flowing gladness the makes heaven's joy-bells ring...


 
  

Friday, December 5, 2014

Bethlehem's Star (Today's Christmas Poem re-post)


Bethlehem’s star has not dimmed its glow
It beams clearly now as it did long ago
Into the darkness of earth’s desperate night
Bethlehem’s star still offers His light

Still now we gather in awe of His might
To wonder and worship and seek this true Light
Over each cradle and grave see it shine
Mercy and goodness and love so divine

‘Peace on the earth and goodwill to all men’
A message of hope as true now as then
Come one and all, oh, come as you are
Follow the Light of Bethlehem’s star

Janet~

“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Matt. 2:1

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

In Bethlehem



Oh, let it play,
Hope’s sacred hymn
And may its music
Never dim
Of joy and peace
Love’s diadem
Sent to mankind
In Bethlehem

Forgiveness for
Each hurting wrong
Oh, let this be
Our ageless song
As One Fair Morn
Brought hope to men
A Savior born
In Bethlehem

Oh, let it ring
And never cease
This Jesus-King
This Prince of Peace
Fills man with hope
As He did then
So long ago
In Bethlehem

Then let Love’s anthem
Reach God’s throne
And let its message
Be made known
Of Christ the Lord
He sent to men
His Living Word
In Bethlehem

Oh, fill the rift
From sky to sky
Salvation’s gift
Will never die
In manger laid
Jesus became
Hope wrapped as Babe
In Bethlehem

© Janet Martin

As I was listening to the above song these words poured through my heart...thus the same tempo:)

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

It Is Not So Different Now




It is not so different now
As it was way back then…
Believers still gather around
To praise and worship Him

It is not so different now
As it was on that night
We gaze in awe and wonder
At the glory of His light

It is not so different now
We lift our voice to sing
For the wee Babe in Bethlehem

© Janet Martin

Those who believed sought the Child and found Him…we seek still, and we find Him, still.

Friday, December 7, 2012

Bethlehem's Star (A Repost)



Bethlehem’s star has not dimmed its glow
It beams clearly now as it did long ago
Into the darkness of earth’s desperate night
Bethlehem’s star still offers His light

Still now we gather in awe of His might
To wonder and worship and seek this true Light
Over each cradle and grave see it shine
Mercy and goodness and love so divine

‘Peace on the earth and goodwill to all men’
A message of hope as true now as then
Come one and all, oh, come as you are
Follow the Light of Bethlehem’s star

Janet~


“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Matt. 2:1