I got to thinking about some of the Christmas greetings we hear and use.
Out in the world it has become controversial to use a truly Christian Christmas greeting. We hear people exclaim “Happy Holidays!” with great exuberance, but that greeting rings artificial for the child of God.Thoughts About Christmas Greetings
Dear reader, please have Luke 1:5-25 before you
“Silence is golden” is the old saying.
To a frazzled mom with noisy, active little ones, it is a golden time when the children are put to bed and the house is quiet. For a teacher after a long day, it is a golden time when the students go home and the classroom is silent.A “silent” lesson in the promise of Christmas
Our family has never been good about leaving home–not to mention starting on time!
It is certainly not for lack of practice. Living some 1,500 miles from “family” in the Midwest meant an almost-annual cross-country pilgrimage.
But practice never did make perfect. When we had high hopes of leaving by 7:00 a.m., maybe 8:00 at the latest, we usually had the last things stowed and the last child buckled in closer to 10:00 or 11:00 a.m.Are we ready yet?
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)
“1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power.Go to it!
Pharaoh lost control but wouldn’t admit it; enslaved Israel never was in charge of its destiny. However, since the Lord God has control over the Universe, over emperors, over history, and over His people, “The Lord brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt” (12:51). Freed after four centuries of enslavement, Israel was fashioned into a divine theocracy, which made them different from every other nation that ever existed. They were in good hands with the Almighty, and in His charge the Exodus became a golden success.Who’s in charge here?
Did you know that God’s people in the Old Testament followed two calendars—a civil calendar and a religious calendar?
The Lord instituted the Jewish religious New Year when He delivered them from Egypt (Exodus 12:2). The rest of the festivals and events of the religious calendar are laid out by the Lord for His people at Mt. Sinai (see the books of Exodus and Leviticus).The Christian Calendar
The Bible Text for our consideration is: “Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior.” (Titus 3:1-3)The last best hope of earth.
Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’” Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:1-8)The Long Wait
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)
Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal:
“The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Vessels…Useful for the Master
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”Matthew 5:13-16
In the course of His public ministry Jesus often used word pictures to present the teachings of God’s Word.Jesus’ Disciples Are Salt and Light
