O holy night! The stars are brightly shining, It is the night of our dear Saviour's birth. Long lay the world in sin and error pining, 'Til He appear'd and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! O hear the angels' voices! O night divine, O night when Christ was born; O night divine, O night, O night Divine.
Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming, With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand. So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming, Here come the wise men from Orient land. The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger; In all our trials born to be our friend.
He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger, Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend! Behold your King, Before Him lowly bend!
Truly He taught us to love one another; His law is love and His gospel is peace. Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother; And in His name all oppression shall cease. Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, Let all within us praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! O praise His Name forever, His power and glory evermore proclaim. His power and glory evermore proclaim.
O Holy Night. Ours is a Holy night. about 2000 years have passed since that faithful night. Yet God's Holiness in no less Holy than that night. We act as if there is one day higher than another. Yet consider this very night has been redeemed of God. What will you do with it.
Long Lay the world in sin and error pining. Lets face it we have been enlightened in many ways. Cars, computers, food handling, public works, waste treatment, and all manner of gadgets have changed the way that we live our lives. We have technology that allows for me to type words on the screen and within 24 hours have people from all over the United States, and far off places from me like Russia, Malaysia, and Poland read it. We are lucky to have food in bounty.
And yet if we open our eyes the sin and consequences of sin keeps the world in bondage. There is no reason that any child should go hungry tonight. We have the technology, transportation, and the resources, what we lack is the will. To allow a child to go to sleep hungry is a sin. This is just one of many examples that I could give that sin is alive and well.
Till a soul felt it's worth. Jesus still enlivens the soul of those that trust in Him. He transforms and changes the person from the inside out if he or she will let him. Yet so many of us feel worthless. This is a particular confusion to me. Why should any soul with so many Christians in the world fail to feel it's worth. Perhaps we have failed to shine the light.
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morning. Praise God for new mornings. Everyday, every moment of the day has the potential for new and glorious redemption. Even this moment that you are reading this is a new opportunity for God's Grace and Mercy to flow through. That is flow into your life and into the life of another. What a glorious morning awaits us the moment that we put action to our faith and minister to those in need.
Fall on your knees! I was in meditation and God as clear as one can say he speaks said in my spirit, "Worship is the heart of obedience." Obedience out of a hope to gain something is desire (sometimes selfishly) for some feel good moment. Obedience out of avoiding some punishment is fear, (sometimes selfishly) or some from of self-preservation. In either case obedience is self-focused. Obedience that is centered in worship is characterized by love, devotion, hope, reverence, and thankfulness.
My prayer is that we would have a worshipful Christmas. Thank You Lord for Your Son Jesus Christ. I pray that during this time of year that You will fill our hearts and renew our minds. That we not only be recipients of the gifts of love, grace, mercy, and hope, but we in fact would become vehicles of love, grace, mercy, and hope. That the Light that You have placed in us would illume the world. In Name of Our Savior Jesus Christ. AMEN
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