Poor Elvis And His "Blue Christmas"

"....good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people."  (Luke 2)

That is, if, "all the people", will receive the One of the, "good tidings."  History reveals that, "all the people", are not of the Carol's, "where meek souls will receive Him still the Dear Christ enters in."  Everyone on the Planet throughout history has sought, "great joy," yet the all-time Best Seller tells us that, "great joy," is a "fruit" of the Indwelling Christ Jesus.

Elvis sang that it would "a blue Christmas without you."  There are many who are singing the same song, and perhaps for the same reason.  Sadness plagues so many at this time of year.  This does not have to be.  That Heavenly declaration so long ago is still to all who will hear and "go to" Bethlehem.  Philosophers and psychiatrists attempt to help people find joy, happiness and fulfillment in life in anything other than in that, "feeding trough."  Everyone of their sessions should begin with Luke 2, "For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior Who is Christ the Lord."  I wonder if it ever occurred to anyone that Jesus is, "a Savior," from sadness. 

Maybe Elvis should have been singing, "Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning; Jesus, to Thee be all glory given!  Word of the Father now in flesh appearing!  O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!"

"Jesus, to Thee be all glory given!"  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"Tidings Of Comfort And Joy"

"I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people." (Luke 2:10b)

And the, "good tidings of great joy," is?  "For there is born to you this day...a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord."  The old Carol says, "God rest, ye merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay.  Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas day to save us all from Satan's power when we were gone astray.  O, tidings of comfort and joy!"

"Comfort and joy"-- This is the "product" of the, "good tidings," announced that first Christmas.  The angel told the shepherds, "Do not be afraid."  Now we know that the context here is the appearing of, "an angel of the Lord," with, "the glory of the Lord," shining around the shepherds.  At such a sight, fear is understandable. 

But what about that, "greatly afraid," which causes so much "dismay" in so many today?  It is the power in Jesus Christ, His shed Blood, His Death, His Resurrection, Ascension and soon Second Appearing which is the power behind, "Let nothing you dismay."  If anyone will "Remember Christ our Savior," the power of fear, anxiety, loneliness and all else which is to man's "dismay" is neutralized. 

Come on, my friend, "let nothing you dismay.  Remember Christ our Savior," and never stop remembering, celebrating, declaring that our Lord Jesus Christ, "was born on Christmas day to save us all from Satan's power...."  Done, as in, "It Is Finished!"

Father, in Jesus' Name, I say with some of those so long ago who saw You caring for people, "He has done all things well"!!  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"This Man"

"And this Man shall be the peace...."  (Micah 5:5)

....because as Ephesians 2 tells us, Jesus, "is our peace."

The Christmas Carol says, "Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light.  The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight."  This is Biblical Truth.  Perhaps the "hopes...of all the years" have been for deliverance, literal salvation, longing for that, "peace which passes understanding," yet has alluded mankind since the Garden.  As for "fears," Jesus dealt "fears" the triumphing destructing blow in His Cross and Resurrection.  As Colossians tells us, "....He...nailed it to the cross." 

"This Man shall be the Peace", that "peace" which the world just could not discover.  Our Lord Jesus "....nailed...to the cross", anxiety, frustration, fear, everything which is out to "nail" you, destroy you, rob you of peace, joy, happiness, hope.  You may be going through  "dark streets" today.  But, "This man...the Peace," our Lord Jesus Christ, "the Light of the world,'" I remind you today, is in you.  And, "Greater is He Who is in you than he who is in the world"!

Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray for my friend here that your glorious Light will shine in any "dark streets."  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

Ern Baxter - Thy Kingdom Come

I have debated as to whether I should send this to you or not.  Not lost.  I was in this meeting back in September of 1975.  It is too bad that much of the men's response was edited out.  To say the gathering of leaders in the Renewal in Kansas City that year was "monumental" is an understatement.  I would like you to listen to this and give  me any feedback that you might have.  Btw, there is a prophecy shared in the message which is yet to be fulfilled.  It could have been, I believe, but Christendom preferred "tambourines, choruses, and goose bumps" to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in, "Thy Kingdom Come."  We wait upon you, Lord Jesus.

https://youtu.be/2H65nX8Ueok

"What Chid Is This....?"

"Then the angel said..., You will find a babe...."  (Luke 2)

The angel had just told the shepherds, "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."  They knew what the term, "Lord," meant.  And, if they were super spiritual like so many of us, they probably thought they were going to find some royal type environment, but, no.  He would be found in a, "manger," literally, "feeding trough, stall."

"What child is this, who, laid to rest On Mary's lap is sleeping?" says the Christmas Carol.  Indeed, "What child is this...?  Perhaps the most confounding aspect of this reality is that He Who was "on Mary's lap...sleeping" was, "Emanuel, God with us." It was, "a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks," and, it is still, to this day, for the majority of humanity.  God on a young girl's lap, surrounded by animals, shepherds, and, in a smelly stable!  I would greatly discourage any in the Church from thinking that in this present age our "origin" and, I might add, our continuation as the People of God is anything different.  

Who is the God you are looking for today?  If you and I are to know the, "Only True God," He is found on "Mary's lap...."  The revelation in the Book of Revelation is yet to come.  In the mean time, the Church is to be People of "Mary's lap," serving the Babe of the, "feeding trough," in a lost world.  No doubt, "Jesus Christ is Lord," and the Revelation reveals that He is, "King of kings, and Lord of lords."  Yet there is something about that, "feeding trough," that animal, "stall," which reveals an attitude which you and I must still keep before the world: "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness"------- and His first "sighting" in a, "feeding trough."

Farther, in Jesus' Name, I pray I reveal You as much as in a, "feeding trough," as, "on the Throne."  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"Where Meek Souls Will Receive Him Still...."

  "....because there was no room for them in the inn."  (Luke 2)

It "started" with Joseph and Mary, went to a stable, then declared to shepherds.  This is classic "humble beginnings."

Our Lord Jesus says, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."  John D. Rockefeller once quipped, "That's the only way they'll get it."  Yet no matter the triteness of Rockefeller's statement, there is no doubt about it, and, I might add, the Carol is very Biblical, that only, "Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in."  Whatever the fullness of the meaning of, "inherit the earth," without "the Dear Christ enters in," I have nothing in the Godhead to, "inherit."

Meekness has been often described as "strength under control."  I would be wary of that.  The very mention of "strength" in the definition tells me that someone may still want to hold on to "strength," remind everyone that they are not a "pushover."  Perhaps meekness is like humility, even as the Bible tells us of love, "does not insist on its own way."  People who allow life's seeming contradictions, the myriad questions of humanity to turn them from Jesus, need to accept that perhaps inherent in meekness is humility, love, and submission to Jesus, no matter what they don't "understand," the unanswered questions.  Pride has no place here.

"The Dear Christ" still "enters in," for those who will come to a stable, stand with a humble carpenter, a very young mother, and smelly animals---- though they were looking for a palace.  And what a glorious truth we find in That manger.  It is not just in some future sense, but even now, "The Tabernacle of God is with men," yes, "Immanuel, God with us," in that "meek" atmosphere of a stable, coming to dwell in all the "meek souls."

Father, in Jesus' Name, "I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice....Draw me to Thy precious Bleeding Side."  Amen.

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When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2