Archive for the ‘ Gospel ’ Category
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
Romans 10:17, NASB
How can others come to faith in Christ unless we tell them?
The Father enjoys using His faithful children to spread the gospel of His Son.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Luke 2:13-14, ESV
Some teach angelic beings do not sing, or at least not anymore, since The Fall.
Is it too much to think they may have at the birth of the Son of God?
Regardless, they worship Jesus. May we join with them!
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14, ESV
Science may say it is possible that a woman could possibly conceive without a man, but how many times has it ever happened?
Just once. With genetics different from Mary (as evidenced by His being male), so that we may know God did this.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
John 3:17, ESV
In His first advent, Jesus came to seek and she the lost.
It is His second advent where those who do not believe will be under condemnation.
This is the time to believe.
In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.
1 John 4:9, ESV
The ultimate proof of God’s love for us?
He sent His only Son to die on a cross that we may be brought into eternal life with Him (by simply believing in Him.)
“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
Matthew 1:21, ESV
Trust the promises of God. Like Mary did, we can trust that the One who saves is returning!
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Romans 1:16, ESV
Do not be intimidated with sharing the gospel or that you believe.
You should be ready to explain why you believe, but it is okay (as a young Christian, at least) to admit you are not entirely sure of all of the reasons.
Just share how you came to faith.
My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you. For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
Isaiah 26:9 ESV
Do you yearn for and earnestly seek the Lord?
One of the reasons we see unpleasant things happen in this world is that He allows or even orchestrates them for our righteousness.
Case in point: Jesus was born to die on a cross.
Continuing our journey through the songs and hymns that have had an impact on my spiritual life, we now turn to another of those famous Christmas carols.
O Come All Ye Faithful
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him,
Born the King of Angels;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.O Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing all that hear in heaven God’s holy word.
Give to our Father glory in the Highest;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.All Hail! Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning,
O Jesus! for evermore be Thy name adored.
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.
In all of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it can be too easy to forget to stop and worship our King.
We must remember that this is a time of joy. Our Savior has come!
Some may get caught up in the materialism. Get past it.
Some may get caught up in the idea that angles do not sing. I like what some teach, that they did sing at Creation (Job 38:7) but stopped singing at the Fall. However, perhaps they did sing at the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:13-14), for God joined His Creation to save sinful humanity.
Regardless, let us come together and adore our Savior and King!
As we continue looking at the hymns and songs that had an impact on my spiritual life, we move into controversial territory. What is less controversial about it is that I at least waited until Thanksgiving weekend.
Yep. Christmas music! And here is one of my top all-time three.
God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Saviour
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
O tidings of comfort and joy
In Bethlehem, in Israel,
This blessed Babe was born
And laid within a manger
Upon this blessed morn
The which His Mother Mary
Did nothing take in scorn
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joyFrom God our Heavenly Father
A blessed Angel came;
And unto certain Shepherds
Brought tidings of the same:
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by Name.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
“Fear not then,” said the Angel,
“Let nothing you affright,
This day is born a Saviour
Of a pure Virgin bright,
To free all those who trust in Him
From Satan’s power and might.”
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
The shepherds at those tidings
Rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a-feeding
In tempest, storm and wind:
And went to Bethlehem straightway
The Son of God to find.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
And when they came to Bethlehem
Where our dear Saviour lay,
They found Him in a manger,
Where oxen feed on hay;
His Mother Mary kneeling down,
Unto the Lord did pray.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All other doth deface.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
Why is this one of my all-time favorite Christmas carols and songs? It is the Gospel laid out.
Words have meanings. Whether “rest” meant “keep” or “make”, or whether merry means “mighty” or “joyful”, the song still works. If it is “God keep you joyful, Gentlemen” or “God make you mighty, Gentlemen” or even “God keep you mighty” or “God make you joyful” … IT JUST WORKS!
Through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, one can be made mighty for God and joyful in grace and forgiveness. The main point of the entire song is that when we put our faith in the risen Lord, Jesus Christ, we are saved from the ravages of sin, saved from the loss of relationships with other people and with God, saved from eternal death, and saved from God’s wrath and the schemes of the Devil.
Also, it tends to be a dang happy song! (Sorry for the language.)
a simple man of God 