I want to share an amazing organization with you. 

I was blessed to recieve a video and braclet for Christmas from the “Invisible Children.

You can check this out on www.invisiblechildren.com

They call themselves “storytellers.”  They about the war affected children in east Africa.  And yet they are so much more.  They build schools, teach, mentor and much more. 

You can be a part by becoming aware of the situation in Uganda, praying and, if the Lord moves you to donate then you could do that too.  I am still learning about it and it is heartbreaking and yet exciting what is happening for this precious children of God.

I pray that God will bless all of your New Year.  I pray that hearts who don’t know Him will soften and come into His presents to accept Christ as their one and only Savior.  I lift up the governments of the world and pray that the Holy Spirit will desend upon them and guide them.  I pray that we who walk with the Lord will be bold and strong for Him and His will here on earth.  May we put our relationship with Christ first and walk with Him daily.  I pray that all of humanity will bend their knee in thanksgiving and praise for what God has done in their lives.  I also pray for protection for all who are being and will be persecuted by the evil one.  May we stand strong and remember that the battle belongs to the Lord.  Amen.

Please add to this prayer for all of us. 

I was thinking about the new year coming and all of a sudden I was reminded of the book of John.  I was inspired to start the new year by reading the first chapter in which he wants us to know that Christ was with God in the beginging, and it was through Him that all things were created and that He was God.  Then out of the goodness of His heart he came to save all of us who were lost so we could spend eternity with Him. . .if we believed.

John 1:1-18  In the beginning was the Word(Jesus), and Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John (the baptist).  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor the will of man, but of God.

And the Word (Jesus) was made flesh, and dwelt among us. (and we beheld his glory, and the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John bare witness of him, and cried saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.  And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.  For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.  No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 6:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

As I kept reading the sayings of Jesus, I could go on and on with things that he said.  I would just encouage you to spend some time in the gospels and read the words of Jesus.  For I believe that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

thy greatness is unsearchable, thy goodness infinite, thy compassions unfailing, thy providence boundless, thy mercies ever new.

We bless thee for the words of salvation.  How important, suitable, encouraging are the doctrines, promises, and invitations of the gosple of peace!

We are lost: but in it thou hast presented to us a fell, free and eternal salvation; weak: but here we learn that help is found in one that is mighty  poor: but in him we discover unsearchable riches  blind: but we find he has treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

We thank thee for thy unspeakable gift.

Thy Son is our only refuge, foundation, hope, confidence;

We depend upon his death, rest in his righteouosness, desire to bear his image;

May his glory fill our minds, his love reign in our affections, his cross inflame us with ardour.

Let us as Christians fill our various situations in life, escape the snares to which they expose us, discharge the duties that arise from our circumstances, enjoy with moderation their advantages, improve with diligence their usefulness,

And may every place and company we are in be benefited by us.

The United States State Department estimates that there are 10,000 Messianic Jews (a Jew that believes Jesus is the Messiah and who follows the teachings of both the Old and New Testaments) in Isreal and Palestinian territories.  These Messianic Jews have reported incidents of intimidation and harassment from ultra-Orthodox Jewish organizations including Yad L’Achim. (an organization whose stated goal is “fighting Christian missionaries.”)

Persecution in Isreal and the West Bank:

May 15, 2008:  Residents of Or Yehuda publicly burned hundreds of New Testaments in front of a synagogue while students danced around the burning books.

May 1, 2008: Two Chief Rabbis cancelled their Internation al Jewish Bible Quiz after they learned a 15 year old finalist was a Messianic Jew.

March 20, 2008:  Ami Ortiz, a dual American-Isreali citizen and son of a messianic Jewish pastor, was seriously injured when a bomb exploded in his home in the West Band settlement of Ariel.

November 8,2007:  A group of Austrian bishops were barred from the Western Wall, because they refused to remove crosses they wore.  the chief Rabbi said the crosses were ‘insulting and provocative.”

October 23, 2007:  Arsonists firebombed a church in West Jersusalem shared by Baptists and Messianic Jews.

Let us keep this brothers and sisters in Christ in our prayers.

“Merry Christmas”

Image by Curtis McCormick via Flickr

. . . thou shalt call his name JESUS . . . Matthew 1:21

Hard Candy:  Reminds us that Jesus is like a “rock”-dependable

Peppermint Flavor:  Is like the gift of spices from the Wise Men

White Candy:  Stands for Jesus as the holy, sinless Son of God

The Letter “J”:  Stands for Jesus, our Savior

Cane:  Is like a staff used by shepherds in caring for sheep.  Jesus is our “Good Shepherd”

The Color Red:  Is for God’s love that sent Jesus to give his life for us on the cross

The Stripes:  Remind us of Jesus’ suffering-his crown of thorns, the wonds in his hands and feet; and the cross on which he died

Genesis 12:3 (NIV)  “I will bless those who bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

Matthew 1:1 (NIV) A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham:

Acts 3:25 (NIV) And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers.  He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’

Galatians 3:16 (NIV) The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed.  The Scripture does not say “And to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.

Also see Galatians 3:16

Genesis 17:9 (NIV)  Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after your for the generations to come.

Genesis 21:12 (NIV)  But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant.  Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.

Matthew 1:2 (NIV)  Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

Luke 3:34 (NIV) the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,

Hebrews 11:17-19 (NIV)  By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice.  He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, (18) even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” (19) Abrahan reasoned that God would raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

Christ is All

O Lover to the Uttermost,  May I read the meltings of thy heart to me in the manger of thy birth,  in the garden of thy agony, in the cross of thy suffering, in the tumb of they resurrection, in the heaven of thy intercession.

Bold in this thought I defy my adversary, tread down his temptations, resist his schemings, renounce the world, am valiant for truth.

Deepen in me a sense of my holy relationship to thee, as apiritual bridegroom, as Jehovah’s fellow, as sinners’ friend.

I think of thy glory and my vileness, thy majesty and my meanness, thy beauty and my deformity, thy pruity and my filth, thy righteousness and my iniquity.

Thou hast loved me everlastingly, unchangeably, may I love thee as I am loved’

Thou has given thyself for me, may I give myself to thee;

Thou hast died for me, May I live to thee, in every moment of my time, in every movement of my mind, in every pulse of my heart.

may I never dally with the world and its allurements, but walk by thy side, listen to thy voice, be clothed with thy graces, and adorned with thy righteousness.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  John 3:16

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:  John 1:12

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.  Ephesians 2:8,9

For God sent not his Son into the world to comdemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  John 3:17

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.  John 3:36

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.  Revelation 3:20

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.  I John 5:11-13

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.  Matthew 10:32

But what saith it?  The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shat be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  Romans 10:8-10

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:  Romans 5:12

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;  Romans 3:23

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Romans 6:23

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Romans 5:8

Moreover, Brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;  By which also ye are saved if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures;  I Corinthians 15:1-4

I have really enjoyed writing out these hymns and really reading the words.  So often we only learn the first verse, but, when you continue to read the entire song it is amazing the thought, love and spirit that has been poured into them.  I hope you enjoy reading them.

Silent night! Holy night! All is calm, all is bright-Round yon virgin mother and Child, Holy Infant, so tender and mild-  Sleep in Heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night! Holy Night! Shepherds quake at the sight; Glories stream from heaven a far, Heavenly hosts sing alleluia-Christ the Savior is born!  Christ the Savior is born!

Silent night! Holy night!  Son of God, love’s pure light-Radiant beams from Thy holy face-With the dawn of redeeming grace-Jesus, Lord at Thy birth, Jesus Lord at thy birth.

Love

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.    Romans 5:8

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlsting life.    John 3:16

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God: and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.  In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his onlly begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.  No man hath seen God at any time.  If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.    I John 4:7-12

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.  God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.  We love him, because he first loved us.    I John 4:16, 19

As the Fther hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commndments, and abide in his love.  These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.  This is my commandment.  That ye love one another, as I have loved you.  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.  these things I command you, that ye love one another.    John 15:9-13, 17

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love.  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height:  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullenss of God.    Ephesians 3:17-19

I love them that love me; and those that see me early shall find me.    Proverbs 8:17

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee.    Jeremiah 31:3

And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgement, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies.    Hosea 2:19

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is tht loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and i will love him, and will manifest myself to him.    John 14:21

Yet the Lord will command his loving-kindness in the day-time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.    Psalm 42:8

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these if charity.    I Corinthians 13:13

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.    Romans 8:38,39

I want to thank all of you who came to my web site, enjoyed and left comments.  I am very humbled as I started this as a fun way for me to learn, stay in God’s word and be creative.

It has been a long and very busy, weary year but I have some new things that I want to share and will start working on that.

I also want to wish all those who celebrate, a Happy Thanksgiving.  We all have so much to be thankful for.  If we sat down and made a list it would be amazing. 

God is so good.  Remember He said in “all” things give thanks.  Yes, even the trials.  Those help us to grow.  Just like the piece of coal that has to be put under tremendous pressure to become a diamond.

Thank you again and God bless