Post-Christmas Day/Weekend Exaltation

 

Exodus 15:11

Who among the gods is like You, O LORD? 

Who is like You--majestic in holiness, 

revered with praises, performing wonders?

Phil.2:9-11

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

and gave him the name that is above every name,

 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

The excerpt below was the reflection/invitation

in Our Daily Bread's Christmas Day devotion;

Reflect & Pray

What would life and history be like had Jesus never been born?

What prayer or poem can you offer God to thank Him?

Jesus, thank You for making Yourself nothing so I could be forgiven.

After the laughter and excitement of gifts given and received, 

(both of the kiddos responses to the gifts

brought laughter till we cried)

of dinners and treat-trays...

 tasted...

...and dismantled

...of visitors and vacations disappeared into the dark

Joy Abides!

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. 

For unto you is born this day in the city of David 

a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Now trails upon the dark of dawn and thresholds of unknown

God’s grace and truth that leads us on from stone to stepping stone

Where fear could flaunt a cheerless taunt and dread could birth despair

But for man’s faithful confidante that hears faith’s humble prayer

The grace of God once gave to earth His only precious Son

Where the glad tidings of His birth can never be undone

Through century-to-century hope’s cornerstone abides

Salvation, wrought at Calvary, the gift God’s grace provides

Oh, praise He who fulfilled love’s plan, Heaven’s humility

Clothed in appearance as a man, yet Supreme Deity

He bore the gore of sin and shame, death on a cross, then God

Gave Him the Name above all names of Jesus Christ the Lord

…where, someday every knee will bow and every tongue confess

That Jesus Christ is Lord, the glory of God’s righteousness

Where glad tidings of greatest joy, in spite of sorrow, lives

Because the Son of God destroyed death because He forgives

Now trails upon the dark of dawn fresh opportunity

To worship He who gave his Son to set sin’s debtors free

Not to follow after the things this world exalts and hails

But to honour the King of kings and love that never fails

© Janet Martin

Happy Everlasting Exaltation!

Rejoice!

Wishing one and all a 

joyous Christmas celebration!

3.You have multiplied the nation

And [a]increased its joy;

They rejoice before You

According to the joy of harvest,

As men rejoice when they divide the spoil...

6.For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7.Of the increase of His government and peace

There will be no end,

Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,

To order it and establish it with judgment and justice

From that time forward, even forever.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Isa.9:3,6-7

Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

Psalm 2:11

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, 

and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 

Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven;

for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.

Matt.5:11-12

(This was going to be my post yesterday but due to Christmas Eve,

Christmas dinner and Sunday dinner food-prep

(with some very eager helpers/taste-testers)

...it simply didn't happen

Isn't it Wonderful?!

When it comes to the Real Gift of Christmas

no one needs to wonder, is there anything for me?

For God so loved the world

He gave his only begotten son 

that whosoever believes in him will not perish but

have everlasting life!

John 3:16

Rejoice, again I say rejoice; God works for our good

He who commissioned His own Son to do what none else could

Receive with joy the simple truth that first to Shepherds came

The joy of all mankind begins and ends in Jesus’ name

Not in the merits of this world will Mortal find true joy

But in The Word as hearts receive Bethlehem’s baby boy

In simple faith, in simply Christ, who beckons simply, come

Ah here, when we believe joy finds an everlasting home

© Janet Martin

Oh, that we older and perhaps more jaded

can once again glimpse the joy of a child's delight

sparked by something as simple as

a smiley-faced snowflake!

Joy Born at Bethlehem - Charles Spurgeon Sermon

Advent Awareness

Phil Wickham - Away In A Manger (Forever Amen) (Official Music Video)

Be always on the watch,

and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen,

and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

Luke 21:36

The Sands of Time Are Sinking...

 

Be always on thy watch and live as if today

Could be the chariot that draws thy deathless soul away

Then arm thyself with truth and seek God’s kingdom first

We all will face the Judgement booth, forever blessed or cursed

With bowed head and bent knee, thy damning sin confess

No one is righteous without He who is our Righteousness

Then as He hears our cries His sacrifice prevails

And his atonement justifies the faith that saves the soul

Time’s somber pendulum is swinging to and fro

And counting down what will become That Day and Hour, oh

Then always watch and pray; Time’s terminating wink

May draw this day of grace away without time left to think

Be always on thy guard, like a watchman alert

Though life/love is hard do not be disillusioned by the hurt

But bow before the manger, bloodstained cross, the empty grave

And think on He a stranger to His own, who came to save

© Janet Martin

God presented Him as the atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, 

in order to demonstrate His righteousness, 

because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand.

 26He did this to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time,

so as to be just and to justify the one who has faith in Jesus. 

27Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. 

On what principle? On that of works? 

No, but on that of faith.…

Rom.3:25-27

Hymn of Joy (Inspired in part by Haitian Hostage release)

Just as the morning sun dissolves night's darkness with light

So Jesus, God's Son,(The True Light) dissolves death's darkness with life

this poem is inspired in part by Luke 18, 19& 20,

by Christmas as we dwell on God's gift to humanity,

by this week's advent theme, God's love,

by today's Daily Bread Devotion,

and by listening to the account from Christian Aid

about the missionaries released after being held captive for 2 months!

(see link below)

The word 'freedom' for them, must surely have a sweeter and deeper joy than ever before!

When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives,

 the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God 

in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”[b]

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

Luke 19:37-40

In captivity the missionaries sang, Just like Paul and Silas long ago

(pray their captors too will ask like that jailer did, what must I do to be saved?)

As we begin hearing details about the missionaries who were held captive

in Haiti, we cannot help but we awed by God's faithfulness

and weep for the sheer joy of the hope we have in Him!

Christian Aid Ministry talks about the Haiti hostage release

May we continue to pray for them as they deal with the aftermath of it all!

Into the darkness of the age what joy True Light yet gives

God’s Word abides to show The Way; man’s steadfast hope yet lives

So then with confidence and peace through what we see, or not

We pray God may our faith increase for battles not yet fought

For heart-of-heart humility to obey and to trust

To eclipse the futility of worldly pride and lust

For we seek a city to come (Oh Lord, may it be so)

The perfection of Christendom beyond this world of woe

Beyond the darkness of the age, where, praise God, hope yet lives

To show the way, from page to page by the Light God’s Word gives

Then praise the one true God and keep the stones from crying out

‘He is not dead nor doth he sleep’ oh, may we never doubt

But undeterred press on to Sweet Redemption’s Aftermath

His Word a Lamp unto our feet, a light unto our path

He keeps in perfect peace the mind stayed steadfastly on He

Who is compassionate and kind and forgives you and me

Not repaying accordingly to what our sins deserve

He paid guilt’s debt at Calvary, in love without reserve

His gift of grace for everyone; what joy His True Light gives

God so loved us He gave his Son to save us; hope yet lives

Delight in the law of the Lord and he will give to thee

The full desires of thy heart, from worldly want set free

And as we gaze on He who bought our freedom with His blood

May we be awed anew by the redeeming love of God

And then, not grow disheartened but be filled with gratitude

And worship He who pardoned us, with hearts and minds renewed

To sing with joy and rejoice and again I say rejoice

Do not be silent, boys and girls but give your worship voice

The Beacon of God’s Word still gleams; what joy His True Light gives

Into the darkness of the world it streams and hope yet lives

© Janet Martin

Every so often I share this beautiful hymn because I love Jesus!

Jesus, Only Jesus

 

Of Purposed Pleasure...

If the eye does not gaze

the heart does not sigh

Venetian Proverb~

And never take for granted what dusk steals and morning frees...

Take time to be amazed and gaze at common majesties

It only takes a moment to make lifelong memories

Take time to look into the eyes of little girl and boy

And salvage from love’s sweet surprise life’s lyrics of pure joy

It only takes a moment to make lifetime memories

Then taste with purposed pleasure the measure of moment-ease

And do not let an afternoon without fond homage slip

But hark! List to the music and give humble thanks for it

Take time to look into the eyes of little girl and boy

For soon, so soon they kiss childhood goodbye, ahoy, ahoy

To blaze trails through dreamlands soon tamed and framed by shadows cast

To wonder at the way a season disappears so fast

Then, salvage from love’s sweet surprise life’s lyrics of pure joy

And join the hymn as earth and skies the praise of God employs

And never take for granted what dusk steals and morning frees

For these turn into moments that make lifelong memories

© Janet Martin

Love Possible

Somehow, as I grow older the messages etched and penned

onto and into lovely Christmas cards grows dearer.

 

Human nature tries to be wise in its own eyes; beware

It is a masterpiece of lies that leads us to despair

Without the love and grace of God we cannot be made new

The creature by one’s self cannot the creature's curse undo

Though in his very nature God, Jesus did not esteem

His reputation above what the love of God did deem

But with will meek and lowly He the love of God did prove

And calls us to be holy imitators of His love

How harsh and hard and hopeless is the heart devoid of God

Where judgement is spite’s solace and intellect, darkness-flawed

How sweet the song that fills the tongue, no longer vengeance-cursed

Love possible for everyone because God loved us first

Aha, we altogether need God’s Christmas gift of grace

The affection Mercy decreed is for all human race

Forgiveness from the debt of sin, to all who will believe

And transformation from within only love can achieve

Human nature by one’s own self cannot be overcome

Only the love of God can help after we yield, undone

Above all else then pray that He would give us eyes to see

The price love was willing to pay to set doomed sinners free

Ah, what an everlasting love song fills the heart with praise

For He who forsook heaven’s throne earth’s wretched race to save

Jesus, Jesus, oh may we never cease to bring Him laud

His blood signed the sinner’s release, sealed by the love of God

© Janet Martin

Eph.5:1-2

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.

 2And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, 

an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

Oh Come Let Us Adore Him

 

Perfect Grief and Joy

This world is full of the sorrow of

Christmases without loved ones...

My son-in-law and his family are mourning the

sudden loss Grandmother/mother

the victim in this head-on collision on Thursday evening.

My prayer is that the love and comfort of God

will be their strength and peace in the days ahead.

(will you pray too?)

and for my son-in-law as he travels home for four days to be with his family? 

I'm running a bit behind on my Luke reading's reflections

Such a treasure trove of Scriptural wealth

makes it difficult to choose just one or two gems to share...

this post is inspired in part by Luke 17, 

in part by our music and message this morning

(click link then click Sunday Service Dec.19)

and in part by this week's advent theme of love

We sang this breathtaking song this morning

(a new one for me!)

Chris Tomlin - Emmanuel (Hallowed Manger Ground) [Lyric Video]

“Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. 

Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 

‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? 

8 Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready 

and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’?

 9 Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 

10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say,

 ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

Luke 17:7-10

 

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.

 Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 

8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 

9 This is how God showed his love among us: 

He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 

10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us 

and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 

11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 

12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, 

God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

1 John 4:7-12

Unto earth’s span of toil and test

Where trouble takes its toll

God gave to man His utter best

The Saviour of the soul

This little mist of time and place

Soon vanishes away

God’s gift of salvation and grace

Succeeds faith’s cup of clay

Imagine if time’s trifling toast

Was all that we could win

But love robbed the grave of its boast

And broke the curse of sin

The love of God did not withhold

His Son from suffering

But saw the joy that would unfold

As Death loses its sting

Life’s bitter brunt of grief and loss

Is but triumph’s prelude

Servanthood’s blood and tearstained cross

Unworthy gratitude

To He who came, by Heaven sent

Counsellor, Father, Friend

The Prince of Peace whose government

Will increase without end

Who, in his very nature God

Did not refuse the call

Humility and love unflawed

Obeyed. Death, once for all

From heaven’s throne the Savior stepped

Bethlehem’s Baby Boy

While surely heaven’s angels wept

With perfect grief and joy

© Janet Martin

Joy to the World (Christmas is Far More Than Just a Happy Holiday)

How shallow a happy holiday is compared to the Christmas Celebration

of God's gift to humanity when the fullness of time had come!

This post is inspired in part by Luke 15...

Gal.3:4-5

But when the fullness of the time had come, 

God sent forth His Son, born[a] of a woman, born under the law, 

5 to redeem those who were under the law, 

that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Hallelujah!

This week's advent theme is Joy...

Joy can seem a hard-fought battle when we focus on what we see without

The world groans with oppression,

with havoc and loss through natural disasters,

with sickness and sorrow,

but, Jesus is still the true light,

Still joy unspeakable

because He is the living hope for humankind...

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,

1 Pet.1:8

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee-Chris Tomlin

Joy Has Dawned

Castles built on the sand cannot withstand life’s stormy cares

Thus, nations disregarding God, (fools, unfaith-flawed) will fall

The One who came to save us and to make us sons and heirs

Is still the Rock of Ages and the Godhead over all

He is not mocked; He who suffered and died to set us free

(Though some may scoff and buffer fear and doubt with foolish pride)

He, to his own a stranger on the earth, left majesty

Laid in a lowly manger at his birth, then crucified

All hail the True Light of the world has come, the Son of God

 Pierces the dark. A star unfurled in sympathy and grace

When all creation groaned beneath oppression's brutal rod

Jesus obeyed His Father and atoned the human race 

He fulfilled mercy’s masterplan, afflicted and despised

King of kings, rejected by man and acquainted with grief

Like a lamb to the slaughter led, eyes esteemed Him chastised

Not knowing yet that His blood shed hope’s bedrock of belief

Then let’s make Christmas more than just a Happy Holiday

Let’s worship and adore the Reason for this season’s joy

Jesus, is mankind’s Saviour still, hope’s confidence and stay

No death-fated dominion will with hate God’s love destroy

Like a banner, let’s lift the name of Jesus above all

And praise Him for the love that came to seek and save the lost

Though He could see the awful price and sorrow of God's call

He saw beyond the sacrifice and deemed us worth the cost

He welcomes home each prodigal and meets us with arms wide

He works in us the miracle of righteousness and peace

By gift of grace the soul is saved and sinner justified

Praise Jesus for the cross He braved, with songs that never cease

© Janet Martin

 'leap for joy, for great is the reward in Heaven'.

Luke 6:23

After hearing that the remaining missionaries that were taken hostage in Haiti exactly two months ago were released today I wept for joy! Pure joy! Praise the Lord!