What Is Christmas without Christ?

What is a Christmas without Christ?

A shopping frenzy, a food indulgence.

Drinks of all types, a sobriety divulgence.

One upmanship over last year’s choices.

Hearing children parroting commercial voices.

“I want, I need, everyone has it, please intercede!”

Then when they see it, it is not what they need!

No returns or exchanges until after New Year.

When you go to exchange the shelves are all clear!

Just giving them money, seems a crass thing to do.

They could buy it themselves and forget about you!

If we could forget about stores; we should try,

Walk on by the Malls that entice you to buy.

Just for one year wipe buying off your slate.

Determine to make gifts, don’t even hesitate.

Send your money to Missions for the needy.

Just tell the family it is a lesson on “Greedy”.

Instead of “things” they are bound to return,

Or some gift they keep but secretly they spurn.

Tell them this year they bought part of a goat

We’re not responsible to keep the economy afloat!

Revert to the old days, one gift under the tree,

A love letter to each other, are you all with me?

It has grown into a charge card that is out of hand.

Explain post-Christmas sales, they’ll understand.

Things they really need can be bought out of hand.

The charge cards stay home, what freedom that will be,

Take a picture of the homeless and put it under the tree.

Volunteer as a family to serve dinners to the destitute.

They will feel the joy of being able to contribute.

We all need a wake up call to the blessing of a giver

The same principle applies to the one who is a forgiver.

                                                                                        

Acts 20:35 ~ “In every thing I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

People Are Ready

The fields are ripe and ready unto harvest.

But are we ready to sow the seeds and to reap!

Have you prayed and prepared the ground to plant?

Have you watered and fertilized with God’s word?

Did you work on developing a relationship first?

Yes, be ready to give an answer to everyone that asks,

Couch your comments worthy of a question from them!

Take care, to live your life with an urgency of spirit.

Everyone wants and needs a hope to grasp on to.

Through you may Jesus Christ be their hope today.

                          Amen

I  Peter 3: 15 ~ “But sanctity Christ Jesus in your hearts, always being ready to make a defence to every one who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.”  NSA

We must not be afraid of the unsaved and what they might do to us. God must be our fear “Sanctify the LORD of hosts Himself, and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread”    Isaiah 8:13

SANCTIFY is a command, the only command in 1 Peter 3:15.  (Be ready) may carry the force of an imperative but it is not strictly an imperative. Notice that the word BE is in italics. The believer is told to set apart the Lord in his heart. This is the key phrase of the verse.

GOD has sanctified us (!Corinthians 1:2, 6:11. 

We in turn are to sanctify God. God has set us apart, we in turn are to set God apart. God has sanctified us, set us apart for Himself in a special way, called us to be His SAINTS (set apart ones, holy ones) what then does it mean for us to sanctify God?

“Hallowed be Thy Name!”  Lord, let your Name be set apart! Let Thy glorious Person be adored and held in reverence! To sanctify God means that we treat Him as holy.

IF you are going to communicate with man rightly you must first have communion with God. If you are going to connect with another person you must have a right connection with God. Before you speak to men about God you need to speak to God about men.

Living Your Life

Life cannot always be lived on a mountain top.                                                                             

The higher one lives, the swifter becomes the drop.

Living below, amidst the darkened forest floor,

You will beg for light wanting to breathe more.

A roller coaster ride can be scary and to some fun. 

A continuous ride will make you sick, the ride to shun.

You need to look for stability in the midst of change

Ask God to help you to know just what to rearrange.

God says He will show you the right path to follow.

He will skim off the futile  and show you what to follow.

Psalm 25:4 - 12 ~ “Show me the right path, O Lord, point out the road for me to follow....

Who are those who fear the Lord? He will show them the path they should choose.

Psalm 37:5 ~ “Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him, and He will help you.”

Proverbs 16:17 ~ “The path of the virtuous leads away from evil; whoever follows that path is safe.”

What You Sow You Will Reap

Lord, teach me to think before I act,

And open my ears to hear before I judge.

May I be ever ready to forgive my enemies,

So that You, O Father will forgive me.

If I choose to be candid and frank

Ensure my words are softened with love.

Remind me to lift up a fallen brother,

And not to think more highly of myself.

Holy Spirit give me sympathy for the afflicted

For I may walk their path one day myself.

Holy Spirit help me to think before I speak,.

Close my ears that I hear no gossip that passes by.

And seal my lips so no gossip passes from me.

I want to be loyal to my church and its principles,

And I desire to stand by the truths in your word.

If my tongue becomes slanderous, bridle it Lord.

I desire to have a clean heart with pure thoughts.

May I be courteous and kind to all that I meet,

For one day I will stand at Thy judgment seat,

May I not be ashamed of how I have lived for Thee.

                             Amen

Nahum 1:7 ~ “The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in Him.”

Hebrews 10:23 ~ “ ”Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise.”

The Fruit of the Vine

We are the branches, and Jesus is the vine.

God tells us this parable to give us a sign.

If we the branch bear no fruit in our time, 

The barren branches Jesus will cut off.

Is this so that others might bear more fruit?

This parable is fearful, and does not suit!

Am I a branch that is torn from its root?

I want to bear fruit, and be so prolific.

Lord, help me not to be a branch that is sick.

Change my priorities, please make it quick!

I want to be securely attached to the vine.

I desire to blossom to show others a sign.

I gave myself to Christ, I’m no longer mine.

        In Jesus name, Amen

                                                                                  

John 15: 1 - 5 ~ “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it might bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

Getting Serious

Sometimes you have to get serious with YOU.

But first ensure you know what you need to do.

Be honest with God, He knows you deep inside.

There is nothing you have done that you can hide.

Recounting your fears, hiding tears and shame.

Confessing all to Him, He forgives in Jesus name.

Now go deeper still and ask what you should do.

Lies told, deceits foiled, never corrected save You.

The more you ask God to show you the deeper you go.

The Spirit brings more to mind, you cannot say no.

Finally the Spirit urges me to “Rise up and go”.

You sins are forgiven and I have buried in the sea.

Your freedom has been bought and pardoned by Me.

You need to make peace with those you have hurt.

Those you have walked by and been mean and curt.

No dissensions found in Christ’s body the church.

If you gossip someone’s name you could besmirch.

Anger has a way of cutting and hurting someone deep.

You need complete resolution their friendship to keep.

Apologies are difficult for the person who is proud.

Words that are humble are often demeaning said aloud.

You are preparing your house, the corners swept clean.

Feeling such relief, deep inside you will feel so serene.

All is right with your world, you’ve done what you can.

The Spirit has led, surely this was His Master plan!                                                                                                   

Proverbs 16:3 ~ “In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success.”

Proverbs 3:6 ~ “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans with succeed.”

John 14:15 & 16 ~ “If you love Me and obey Me; and I will ask the Father and He will give you another Comforter, and He will never leave you.”

Psalm 97:10 ~ “Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for He guards the lives of His faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.”

Psalm 146:8 ~ “God lifts the burden from those bent down with their loads.”

Psalm 32 1 & 2 | `` What happiness for those whose guilt has been forgiven! What joys when sins are covered over! What relief for those who have confessed their sins and God has cleared their record.``

The Secret Place

‘Tis a secret place where ‘ere sit with Thee.

Father, Confessor I would’st have none but Thee.

My sins I confess, but I leaveth with Thee.

The burdens Thou lifteth and threw in the sea.

Oh what a wonder Thou forgiveth e’en me.

Thou seeth the turmoil that around me doth grow,

 Only Thee can’st settle; this I doth know.

I ask for discernment, Thou giveth I know.

The world doth sink into depravity so rare.

When looking at this world it depresses me so.

I know Thou weepest, and tell some to go.

Others are committed to stay and to show, 

The very essence of Thee to strangers that seek,  

Some hath not heard, it constrains us not to be weak.

Let me sense darkness when Satan draweth near.

Then giveth me your power that He recoils in fear.

‘Tis a secret place; I can’st stay and look on Thy face.

I thank Thee O Father for Thy amazing grace.