The Word Became Flesh
“All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” (John 1:3)
Hi Men:
In just a few days we celebrate Christmas. Let’s try to get our heart and mind around those amazing verses above. How do you effectively describe them? On top of that, He has come to “live in us” (Gal 2:20) Jesus is truly INDESCRIBABLE!
Last week I inserted this quote by J.I. Packer:
“The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity – hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory – because at the Father’s will Jesus Christ became poor, and was born in a stable so that thirty years later He might hang on a cross.”
If Jesus hung on a cross to save your wretched soul, here are two questions worth asking yourself:
- Are you willing to obey anything the Bible clearly says to do (or not do), whether you like it or not?
- Are you willing to trust God in anything He sends into your life, whether you understand it or not?
If you can’t answer these two questions in the affirmative, you may believe in Jesus in some general way, but you may have never truly reflected on this sobering verse: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21
This Christmas, let us ask God that our attraction to the things of this world become less and our attraction to the One that is preparing an eternal home for us, becomes more.
Merry Christmas Men!
Until Our Nets Are Full,
Dan
(Gal 2:20)
**Let’s re-visit this once more**
The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1) Note: Mary knew clearly that she was the bondslave of Christ. Greek word for bondslave: doulē = female slave. Mary was the willing slave to Jesus!
In the lyrics to the song, “Mary, Did You Know?” …… I love the line: This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you (Listen to the song performed by Clay Aiken)
GREAT NEWS!
Zion Boot Camp 2023 messages are all uploaded and online
Go to our Media Page: E2Vegas.org/media
I might suggest you start with Bill McCurine’s opening talk on Friday Night:
“HELL”
Men: Lie #1 – “God does not want you to fear Him”
One of the biggest problems in the church today: They have lost their Fear of the Lord…
Lies Men Want to Believe – Red Book Day 352
The purpose of these devotionals is to help you think Biblically
Solomon said, “As a man thinks, so is he”
Matthew 10:28
THE HIGH PRICE OF GRACE
by Jerry Bangert | Dec 18, 2023
Men: Make sure your read Jerry’s end of the year letter on “The High Price of Grace” Here are a few lines from his letter. Will you or will you not accept God’s whole curriculum?
Consider the offer to a student of a full scholarship to his favorite university. The university must extend the offer but the gift is not received until the student accepts it by enrolling and completing the prescribed curriculum.
Grace is like the scholarship. To accept it is to “enroll” in God’s family and complete the curriculum. Once the gift is accepted, the Lord defines the curriculum.
The question we must ask ourselves is whether we have accepted forgiveness or grace from God. The one who accepts grace also receives forgiveness, and the whole of God’s curriculum. For the one who accepts only forgiveness, there is no curriculum. But then, that is another Gospel.
Go to MIMWorldwide.com to read Jerry’s letter
Christmas Thoughts
(Maybe a good devotional to discuss at Christmas Dinner)
Christmas is a time of hope and blessings, a celebration of life and salvation. The Scriptures teach us that children are a blessing from God. It has also been said that the birth of each new child is a sign that God has not yet given up on this world.
That was never more true than the night two thousand years ago when the Son of Man was born in Bethlehem; born to bring the hope of salvation and the blessing of eternal life. When the Christ Child came into the world, his cry pierced the night and split all of human history in half.
During a message in 1926, James Allan Francis summarized the profound impact of life of Jesus Christ. No doubt many of you will recognize his words written in One Solitary Life:
Here is a man who was born in an obscure village as the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another obscure village. He worked in a carpenter shop until he was thirty and then for three years was an itinerant preacher.
He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never owned a home. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never put his foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place where he was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness.
He had no credentials but himself. He had nothing to do with this world except the naked power of his divine manhood. While still a young man the tide of popular opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied him. Another betrayed him.
He was turned over to his enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon the cross between two thieves. His executioners gambled for the only piece of property he had on earth while he was dying, and that was his coat. When he was dead, he was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.
Nineteen wide centuries have come and gone and today he is the center of the human race and the leader of the column of progress.
I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that were ever built, and all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon the earth as powerfully as has this one solitary life.
No one can predict what will occur in the weeks and months ahead, but we can rest assured that one day every head will bow and every knee will bend before the King of Kings. (Philippians 2:9-11)
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There is No Escape for procrastinators. The following verse from Hebrews 2:3. This should be one of your memory verses:
“How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard.”
SILENT NIGHT! HOLY NIGHT
Men:
I thought you might like to sit back for a few minutes and reflect on the words from the song, Silent Night. Here is a very peaceful arrangement performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra (Cello Octet) (YouTube 3 minutes)
Of course there’s always this Chris Tomlin and Kristyn Getty version.
Silent Night, Holy Night
Lyrics by Joseph Mohr, 1818.
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 afar,
heav’nly 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!
Silent night! Holy night!
Wondrous star, lend thy light;
with the angels let us sing
“Alleluia” to our King:
“Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the Savior is born.”
Handel’s Messiah
Live from the Sydney Opera House
Men: Every year I encourage you to put this performance on your calendar. It’s 2hr 30min, but so uplifting. Almost as uplifting as a college football game which according to the NCAA, the average game is now 3hr 22min. I know, I couldn’t help myself.
This was performed December 2019. My wife and I watch it every year. Impressive indeed………
(See below for a condensed excerpt about George Frideric Handel – he wrote it in less than 25 days!)
Handel’s Messiah (YouTube 2hr 30mins)
Handel’s Messiah. It first premiered in Dublin, Ireland in 1742. George Frideric Handel was born in Germany. He was a large, awkward man, rough, and hot-tempered that earned him the nickname “The Great Bear.” Handel was also deeply religious. Divinely inspired, this two-and-a-half hour composition took less than 25 days to write! When it was completed, he sobbed and said, “I think that I did see all heaven before me, and the great God Himself!” He was 56. Handel utilized vast portions of Scripture from 14 books of the Bible, including “For unto us a child is born…and the government shall be upon His shoulders…His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God…the Prince of Peace.” Beethoven said, “Handel was the greatest composer that ever lived.” On his grave at Westminster Abbey is “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth.” What would Christmas be without Handel’s Messiah and the Hallelujah Chorus? Hallelujah to the King of Kings.
DOES THIS POEM CONVICT YOU?
