Posts Tagged ‘ simple man of God ’
Search out wisdom at Proverbial Thought!
I am not big on New Years Resolutions, but really good plans for the future are pretty amazing.
The best thing you can do is resolve in your heart every day to let God change your heart and mind.
search my heart
my God
know me completely
clean me out
make my heart
O God
all for Your glory
make me Yours
Keep your joy strong with wisdom from Proverbial Thought!
It is Christmas Eve! Tomorrow we celebrate God stepping into the time to redeem His Creation. There is no better explanation of that act than today’s song.
It is at least 300 years old and may be older than that. I have not been able to find verifiable information, but I have heard that it was written by a priest who was concerned with how much of the gospel message the average person actually knew. Therefore, he put the lyrics to a tune that could be heard in many pubs.
The earliest publication of the song was in 1833 by William Sandys, and one of my favorite stories, from 1843, used it: Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
God rest you 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
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 joy
From 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 Savior
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 Savior 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 I like this carol …
My first liking is that it tells the birth story of Jesus. It reminds us of the hope we have in His life and death, that He came “to save us all from Satan’s power when we had gone astray.”
My second liking comes from the title, which really means “God keep/make you joyful/content/hopeful/happy, people of God”. That is some paraphrasing on my part, but it is based on literal meanings of the words “rest” and “merry”.
This song is a reminder that God did not wait for us to achieve the impossible or seek Him out. He came to us, He redeemed us with His own life and blood, and He will return to redeem all of Creation. We should be joyful and hopeful knowing that our Lord wins and has won. He came and will come again!
Merry Christmas – Almost literally, “Joy comes from Christ’s suffering.”
Remember that is what “Merry Christmas” means, for the Christ-Mass, is the remembrance that Jesus Christ was born that He may die to bring us second birth … and He will come again!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Worship God through wisdom, some of which can be found at Proverbial Thought!
Seeing as this week we celebrate Christmas, let us do what the Magi did. Christmas is a time to remember the coming of Christ, the first time when He came to die and the second time when He returns to make all things new.
That deserves our awe, admiration, and worship.
i only want to worship You
i only want to worship You
You are the only One worthy
i cannot help but worship
for Your matchless love compels me
i will worship You every moment
through my actions and speech
i will worship You alone
until Your glory is all i see
i will worship the One True God
for You are all i need
i only want to worship You
for all of eternity
Adore the Wisdom of God by finding some wisdom at Proverbial Thought!
We continue looking at some of my favorite Christmas Carols and why.
I have taken us through several songs and poems which have touched my life in some way, but honestly it is most Christmas carols and many Christmas songs that impact my life by simply being about Christmas and, specifically, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
That is why there is the ever-slightest shift this week.
The carol this week did not have a dramatic impact on my life, but it certainly begins to explain some of what I feel and believe.
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.
Why I Like This Carol …
… is that it is a call to celebration and worship.
There is something inherently joyous and celebratory about it, many times because the music is very upbeat and celebratory. Regardless of the music, those words just draw all focus to Jesus. They are a call to sing and celebrate the Savior of the world. They are a call to worship the Lord of all.
Join with me in celebrating and worshiping our God who saves us!
Get a taste of wisdom at Proverbial Thought!
“You shall have no other gods before me” and “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them” were the first to of the Ten Commandments.
God had to give them, because … things have not changed even 3,500 years later.
During the Christmas season, to use the cliché, let us remember the reason the season: Jesus the Christ, and not our gifts and finances.
paper idol
throughout history
man has rebelled
against the One
Who created it all
they created their own
gods they could control
metal and wood
all kinds of idols
in our world now
we have our false gods
some still look the same
silver and gold
some are of wood
others of fabric
idols of flesh
and even two sticks
the idol today
that is popular
is moved around
on slips of paper
these idols have
many different
sizes and colors
and also prints
sometimes only
the evidence
of these idols
of dollars and cents
will be found
instead of a clear
and physical
legal tender
our paper idol
controls our lives
even when we
try to deny
but in opulence
and in scarcity
all people find
they are in need
though some may not
worship this thing
our culture has made
money the king
Bless yourself with some wisdom from Proverbial Thought!
This is just a small break from my favorite Christmas carols as I share this interesting item.
I am not really sure where this came from.
This was e-mailed to me about two years ago, and I saved the picture. I share it with you now.
May we remember this Christmas season, in all of the hustle and bustle, in all of the craziness that life brings (regardless of the season), in all of the things that are wrong in this world, that Christ came into this world as a baby, but He saved this world through His death on the cross. May we remember that He rose to life again, and one day He will return to redeem us!
May we remember that He has not left us alone in the mean time!
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b)
Stand tall in wisdom through some words from Proverbial Thought!
It is the holiday season. There are many things coming up and happening all around us.
It can be easy to get frustrated with so many things happening at once.
It can be easy to grow discouraged with so many people acting crazy.
It can be easy to become bitter in this season of joy with so many acts of selfishness committed to “get that perfect gift”.
This poem was not written because of the Christmas season, but it certainly applies!
stand firm
how many times do we run away
from a place or situation
that is uncomfortable or hard
when we could have led someone to salvation
Jesus never said life would be easy
but that it would be difficult
and our running from everything
leaves the spiritually dead in their rut
we must stake out our God given ground
and stand firm in the power of Christ
live out our lives in love and grace
to invite others to know what true life is like
we must stand firm in our faith
acknowledging that we are weak
but persevering for their sake
so that all may hear God speak
Discover the wisdom waiting for you at Proverbial Thought!
Here we are in the fourth week of some of my favorite Christmas carols!
The song this week was written in 1865 by William Chatterton Dix not long after he almost died of an illness. It was originally written as a poem called “The Manger Throne”, and later some of the stanzas were put to a traditional English tune called “Greensleeves” and called “What Child Is This?”
What Child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,
Come peasant, king to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
Raise, raise a song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy, joy for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
Why I Like It …
The first reason I like the song is the Olde Timey sound, but that is just because!
The most important reason I like this song is the gospel message, of course!
The song sings of the newborn Jesus in Mary’s lap, but it looks forward with the hope of the cross and resurrection which brought us forgiveness of sins, salvation from death and God’s wrath, and the hope of eternal life! It reminds us that our Lord is deserving of our utmost praise.
Repent of foolishness and find some wisdom from Proverbial Thought!
The poem today was written in a moment when I was being tempted to fall back into old sinful patterns. I recalled times when God had helped me overcome temptations and sins, and I remembered many of things found in the Bible about faith, temptation, and obedience to God.
i keep on doing what i want
instead of seeking out Your Heart
why do i do what i hate
knowing that You are the only way
i pray for my heart to mend
but do i truly repent
i need You to help me learn
to show my heart to be sure
of Your reigning Lordship
help me to believe it
fill me with Your Spirit and love
to feel that of You i never have enough
guide my every step and thought
teach my heart to bow in awe
thank You for Your holy grace
for forgiving me every day
thank You for loving this wayward son
and showing me Your matchless love
Be wise and give thanks by increasing your wisdom by reading the thoughts at Proverbial Thought!
So far this month we have looked at some of my favorite Christmas carols. However, this being the week of Thanksgiving here, I will take a moment to look at a couple of songs often confused as Christmas carols but in fact are Thanksgiving songs.
Both songs today were written about the same time, the mid-1850’s, and both in the area of Medford, Massachusetts!
First is “Over the River and Through the Woods”, originally written in 1844 as a poem by Lydia Maria Child as “A Boy’s Thanksgiving Day”. Here are the original words:
Over the river, and through the wood,
To Grandfather’s house we go;
the horse knows the way to carry the sleigh
through the white and drifted snow
Over the river, and through the wood,
to Grandfather’s house away!
We would not stop for doll or top,
for ’tis Thanksgiving Day.
- Over the river, and through the wood—
- oh, how the wind does blow!
- It stings the toes and bites the nose
- as over the ground we go.
- Over the river, and through the wood—
- and straight through the barnyard gate,
- We seem to go extremely slow,
- it is so hard to wait!
- Over the river, and through the wood—
- When Grandmother sees us come,
- She will say, “O, dear, the children are here,
- bring a pie for everyone.”
Over the river, and through the wood—
now Grandmother’s cap I spy!
Hurrah for the fun! Is the pudding done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!
Here is a modern singing for your enjoyment:
Here are some updated lyrics, as well:
Over the river and through the woods
To Grandmother’s house we go.
The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh
Through white and drifted snow.Over the river and through the woods,
Oh, how the wind does blow.
It stings the toes and bites the nose
As over the ground we go.Over the river and through the woods
To have a full day of play.
Oh, hear the bells ringing ting-a-ling-ling,
For it is Christmas Day.Over the river and through the woods,
Trot fast my dapple gray;
Spring o’er the ground just like a hound,
For this is Christmas Day.Over the river and through the woods
And straight through the barnyard gate.
It seems that we go so dreadfully slow;
It is so hard to wait.Over the river and through the woods,
Now Grandma’s cap I spy.
Hurrah for fun; the pudding’s done;
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie.
Jingle Bells was written around 1850 by James Lord Pierpont as “One Horse Open Sleigh”. It has become one of the most famous Christmas songs in the world!
Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open sleigh
O’er the fields we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bobtail ring’
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight![chorus]
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way.
Oh! what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way;
Oh! what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleighA day or two ago
I thought I’d take a ride
And soon, Miss Fanny Bright
Was seated by my side
The horse was lean and lank
Misfortune seemed his lot
He got into a drifted bank
And then we got upsot.
[chorus]
A day or two ago
The story I must tel
I went out on the snow
And on my back I fell
A gent was riding b
In a one-horse open sleigh
He laughed as there I sprawling lie
But quickly drove away.
[chorus]
Now the ground is white
Go it while you’re young,
Take the girls tonight
and sing this sleighing song
Just get a bobtailed bay
Two forty as his speed
Hitch him to an open sleigh
And crack! you’ll take the lead.
[chorus]
Why I Enjoy These Songs:
These songs are a reminder to be light-hearted during this season.
At this time of the year we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace. And we should admit it, when we are at peace we enjoy life more.
What I like about the lyrics of Jingle Bells is evidenced in the third and fourth verses: the sleigh tips over, and someone laughs at them struggling in the snow before riding off!
Why is that so great?
The final verse brings us full-circle and reminds us to HAVE FUN!
My take on that is that things happen in this life that are out of our control. Our reaction can either be to wallow in our misery or to take things as they come and realize God is in control.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4, NIV
With “Over the River” we are reminded of the importance of loved ones, that we should do what it takes to be with them and bypass distractions to ensure our time with them.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrew 10:24-25, NIV
And of course, may we always remember this:
Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:18b-20, NIV
Sing joyfully! Give thanks to God always!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
a simple man of God 