Today, the third and final full week of Advent begins, preceding the joy-filled celebration day! It is getting closer! We can hardly wait! Light three candles today! We are actively waiting now! Intensity grows, as does the magnitude of the hope we have, and that of the peace which is coming! This week we savor the JOY surrounding His coming to live with us! Emmanuel – is coming here because of The Father’s love for all people.
In this third week, we also remember all the proclamations made about our coming Christ-child, our Messiah, our glorious Savior; proclamations by Isaiah, by angels, by Elizabeth, by Mary, by Zechariah, by more angels, and by many others.
Luke 2:9 Just then, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people!
He is coming, not to condemn the lost, but to give them a saving light. What joy it is to know Him, having been one of those lost, now bathed in His light. And what a joy it is to know the astounding love of The Father, Who sent this generous gift of His Son!
I, the least of believers, proclaim this joy, proclaim His glory, (like it says in the header at the top) And like so many believers, so many bloggers, I repeat the sounding JOY!
Joy To the World, and Peace to ALL mankind! Let every heart prepare Him room!
Joy to the World, the Lord has come! Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room, And Heaven and nature sing, And Heaven and nature sing, And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing!
Joy to the World, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy!
No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found, Far as the curse is found, Far as, far as, the curse is found!
He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love, And wonders of His love, And wonders, wonders, of His love! ~ ~ ~
May God bless your joyous preparations, your happy, yet serious, contemplations, your thankful remembrance of His purpose for coming down, And of His all- encompassing love. He is coming, He is here, He is coming again! REJOICE!
Waiting becomes slightly more intense as we add the expectancy of hopeandpeace in preparation for our Savior’s arrival.
Of course it is a passive intensity of expectation
as we actively wait!
We light the second candle, If not on our tables, Then in our hearts. And light increases. It doubles!
We can hardly wait until the full light of His glorious presence shines upon the world, and also upon each of us!
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).
Jesus is the only One that can bring us to peace with Father God.
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).
And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to all mankind upon which His favor rests!” Luke 2: 13-14
Here’s a song that is full of hope and peace, And light too!
Come to us, Child of Glory, We can hardly wait. Come to us quickly, Your hands hold our fate.
LS<
A happy and blessed Advent season to you from your Gloryteller.
To this old codger–I use the term affectionately for myself–came an unexpected thought: “Our all-knowing Creator God knows exactly when to call us home.” Each of us elderly. Down to the second, divided by infinity. So why do we fight the moment so hard? Why do we worry ? What are we so afraid of?
In the Scriptures, God tells us not to be fearful, be anxious, or be worried. He repeats it many, many times. He tells us those emotions aren’t good for us. They cause all sorts of mental, physical, and emotional disorders. In entertaining them, we are “conforming to the world”.
What can we do to counteract our natural tendencies toward these self-destructive emotions? Trust God! Jesus tells us to “take heart” (have courage, persevere, take hope, be comforted) because He has overcome the world. He gave us “His peace”. We should receive it. In Jesus, we have freedom from the fear of eternal consequences.
Father God said He would never leave us or forsake us. Bank on that. He does not abandon His children. He also said, “Perfect love casts out fear.” Isn’t His love for us unconditional and perfect? Aren’t the effects of that Love perfect? It replaces all kinds of torment. We should believe Him and believe in Him. Trust Him. Obey Him. And “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day . . . a Savior which is Christ the Lord.” In light of all that (He is the light of the world), what’s to fear anyway?
Have a joyful day, old friends, and be free! With love, Your Gloryteller
A personal note from an old man to Father God and Jesus through the Holy Spirit, off the top of my heart:
The Bible, the Holy Scriptures, The Word of God, the Good Book, the Book of Books. It is known by various names. Between the covers you’ll find testiments–two main ones with lots of smaller ones inside. You’ll find Good News–the Gospels–and lots of ‘lesser’ good news. You’ll find sacred stories that will bring you into close contact with hope, comfort, healing, faith, and much more, but most of all, love. Within the stories, you may find yourself, but you will certainly find God Himself in all His unfathomable, glorious, complexity and also in His basic, unchanging, perfect, humanity.
My Highest Lord, I thank You for sending me Your personal Love Letter.
You begin by telling me how You love me because You created me, and how You created me because You love me and have a plan and purpose for me. You say how You spoke me into existence like the very stars. Ancient of Days, You gave me a name, a time, and a place to be.
You tell me that You were and are always with me, preserving me even when I was not qualified to be in Your presence. Yet you pointed to the Hope that was coming–the day You would rescue me. I see myself in the flawed characters –the heroes and the villains. The prophets and angels speak Your words directly to me. In many ways, Adam is me, Israel is me, David too. You insert my name upon the wayward son, his father, and his older brother as well.
You walk me without fear through the ‘valley of the shadow of death’. You remind me of Your provision and protection. Looking back, I see the times when I would have been lost without Your hand unnoticed upon my back.
You speak miracles into existence and let me see them, and let me know You through them. You make me lie down among words like grace, mercy, forgiveness, hope, faith, longsuffering, salvation, justification, sanctification, holiness, righteousness, and the most profound–love. You bid me study them, understand them, devour them.
You make promises to me. Unlike the world’s pledges, I know that Yours will be kept. That faith in You comes as a gift from the Spirit of Your Word’s words. It’s all there among Your precepts, doctrines, statutes, decrees, and principles. You wrote them down for me. They are like my food, my water, my sustenance, yet You promise even better to come . . .
And it comes as promised. The Good News of the arrival of my personal Saviour, my Rescuer. My Redeemer. You in my fleshly likeness, Oh God, and I in yours! The realm of the miraculous prevails and Your Kingdom is revealed. You reveal Yourself to me through Jesus, Your Christ! Hallelujah!
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Truth. There is only One Truth. You made me a scientist who seeks the truth. I’ve found things that are true, but the most important truth I’ve found is that You are True — You are Truth– and all truth stems from Your ‘truths’–they are the only truths.
You wrote me poetry telling my poetic heart more of Who You Are, and to Whom I belong: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 He was with God in the beginning.3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” All that, Oh Lord embodied in an innocent, vulnerable, miraculous Child. Emmanuel –‘God with me’.
You went on, Gracious God, to describe the day of my rescue in gruelling, difficult detail. My heart kneels in sorrow. I will never be the same . . . yet, once again, You do what would seem impossible. You conquer death! You make a new covenant with me–an infinitely better one! You’ve given everything for me that I might live to believe You, believe in You, and trust You as my One and only Savior God. I do. I love you too.
There’s more in Your pages. You send me an indwelling Helper. Hallelujah! You introduce me to people who’ve had encounters with You as I have. You affirm me. You build me, You lift me, You raise me. You inform and educate me with these words. You requested I write when I thought I could not. “Nothing is impossible with God, You said.” In your Word, You exposed me to writers worthy to emulate, not to mention Yourself, the Highest Author, who writes a different story for each one of His children.
And in the end, You assure me that I’ve chosen well. You have complete control. I’m old, my fate is sealed. I’m sealed in You, and You are the Victor! You tell me “These words are faithful and true”–everything between these covers. You say to me, ” . . . I Am the Beginning and the Ending”. I’m still on my knees as, with joy, I read and reread His closing . . .
All my love, dear child, dear servant and friend, Yours truly, You know Who (I Am)
You shouldn’t have read this, It’s Personal! You know I jest! Love you, dear reader, Seriously, Your Gloryteller
Words are my toys, Words are my tools, Useful for wisemen, Misused by fools. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, Whether by tongue, Or whether by pen, Words can disable, The strongest of men. Yet, also they heal, Bring kindness and peace, Oh Lord, let me love all, With words, Straight from Thee.
I’m always amazed at God’s perfect use of words and how their meanings can be changed through human attempts at translation, interpretation, and paraphrasing. One verse that comes to mind is Isaiah 9:6 in the King James Version : 6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Jesus, the Messiah in this verse, is prophesied to “be called” five different names. The first name is “Wonderful”, where Wonderful, appears as an abstract noun. In more recent translations such as the New International Version, it looks this way: 6 For to us a child is born, to us, a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. In the latter translation, “Wonderful” is an adjective modifying “Counselor”, attributing Jesus with only four names. Because of the placement of one small comma, the meaning of the verse is quite different. I happen to like the King James Version the most. To me, Jesus IS Wonderful in name and in truth! He is the embodiment of wonder and, in Him, I am completely filled with wonder! What do you think, dear Reader?
There is a pond on my property. It is more secluded than my other pond which is close to a paved road. I placed a four-foot-long, two-foot-wide boulder near the edge of the pond. It is good for pondering. Being shaped in the rough form of a car, I named it Car Rock. That’s uninspired, but the important thing is that it’s good for sitting upon to ponder by the pond. Why not give it a more personal name, Pondering Rock, perhaps? Unless the neighbor’s dogs are barking, the only sounds here are bird songs and breezes sighing through the treetops. I imagine that I’m hearing the breath of God, and in a sense, I am. He’s easy to talk with there on Car Rock, and there’s a lot to converse about, but my wondering and pondering invariably lead to questions. I have a million of them. No, more than that. They are uncountable except by the Father Himself. My most common questions are spiritual in nature, but some are scientific, such as, “Is gravity quantum in its behavior; in its design?” He has not answered that one yet, but I lean toward “Yes”—it’s purposely elusive. He answers most of my questions using Bible passages, and their corresponding commentaries are usually enlightening. Then I say: I’m ordinary, Lord. Who am I that You care so much about my well-being; that You would let me read Your Word as my own personal love letter; that You would adopt me as Your child and blood relative; that You would allow me to speak with you, ask questions, and have a personal relationship with You? Who am I? Who? It’s then that I realize I said relative. I am who I am only relative to Him! Only He knows the answer fully and completely. Apart from -away from- Father and Jesus, I am essentially nothing and no one. Yet He explains that when I received Jesus as my Savior, I became “someone”, that and much more—more than can be explained except through His Word. So I sit here in wonder and hope my “wonder” will never fade. I hope my deep respect and awe of Him which is often called “fear” will never fade. I ponder further as I look around and it occurs to me that the subject of my awe has lived on this planet and walked on this ground. Perhaps not this ground, but ground much like this. I see the trees around the edge of the pond. He has touched trees similar to these and sat in their shade for relief from the sun. He has stood under the stars and perhaps bathed in their light and the light of the moon as He looked it in the face. He stood on the surface of water much like this water and then walked upon it. He may have sat under His expansive blue sky on a rock reminiscent of the one I’m pondering upon at this moment. It hits me that He created all those things I see before me, not to mention myself, and I am even more in thankful awe that He made Himself “nothing” and came to visit. I imagine him having done those things elsewhere, that He is doing them right here! It is then that I experience His presence with me in body and in spirit, in a reality difficult to comprehend, except by merely being still and knowing it. God with us and with me. He came into His creation, once, long ago in humility, as a servant. When He went back to The Father, He left part of Himself with us along with the promise to return, not lowly but in His full power and glory! I secretly hope that happens someday while I’m standing here on Pondering Rock reaching toward the sky and smiling.
At Christmastime when I was a boy, my dad understood the relative poverty of his children, so he would give us each a small amount of money to be spent on gifts for the other family members. That was after Mom had bought all the presents for each of us, spending, most likely, “too much” money already. What was a small amount to him was a small fortune to us, as we received no “allowances”, so we each felt rich as we happily shopped with Mom and picked out trinkets and treasures for our siblings and parents. Wrapping the gifts was fun, but the best part was the excited anticipation we had for Christmas morning when the family would partake in what we children had built in our minds to be the Olympics of giving and receiving. It was as good as it gets, and after all the unwrapping, and showing, and laughing, and modeling, and playing, and cheering, and thanking, we all felt richer and more blessed than we were before. But it was Dad and Mom, I think, who felt the most blessed, for having given to us so that we could bless each other with gifts. The investment of money they gave us came back to them, multiplied, in seeing generosity, unselfishness, and brotherly love instilled into us and put into action. And so it is with God. He began giving early. In fact, long before mankind was even here to receive it, He gave us light! He gave us water and land – a nice place to live. In the water and on the land, He provided good things for us to eat – a perfect garden containing everything we would need. And if that were not enough, He gave us His love. He gave us His Spirit-presence. All He asked was that we love Him from our hearts, and display a small and reasonable amount of obedience, even that being a gift for our own good. But mankind had a hard time with that, so later, He gave us a baby – His physical presence – our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus. In that tiny presence was contained an unfathomable amount of love and light!
We celebrate His birth extravagantly on a day we name Christmas. because He is our everything! He provides all we need! He left His abundance and took on our poverty in order to bless us with abundant life! He gives lavishly out of His abundance, into our poverty, that we may graciously bless others.
Whether the gift of writing, of singing, of making music, of delivering a message, of healing, of encouraging, of hospitality, of giving time or treasures, of working or helping, of giving testimony, of sowing evangelistic seeds, of doing a kindness, of giving a hug, or a simple smile, you do have one gift – or more – that you can share with others who might be, in a sense, destitute until they receive your unique offering.
Remember: God gives to us out of His riches, The gifts we receive are to bless others, When we thus bless others, we gift back to Him A richly amplified Love Offering, Which is one of the greatest Christmas gifts The Father could unwrap.
All these good things were, and are, from God. Shouldn’t we make sure our gratitude gets back to Him through the proper channels?
Blessings for a joyous season of giving and receiving now and all through the new year, your Gloryteller.
This is the absolutely beautiful poem That amazing Kristyn Getty recites As a prelude to the beautiful song, Thou Who Wast Rich Beyond All Splendour you’ll find below:
Into the Darkest Hour By the amazing Madeleine L’Engle
“It was a time like this, war & tumult of war, a horror in the air. Hungry yawned the abyss – and yet there came the star, and the child most wonderfully there.
It was a time like this of fear & lust for power, license & greed and blight – and yet the Prince of bliss came into the darkest hour in quiet & silent light.
And in a time like this how celebrate his birth when all things fall apart? Ah! Wonderful it is: with no room on the earth, the stable is our heart.”
~ ~ ~
“Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour, All for love’s sake becamest poor; Thrones for a manger didst surrender, Sapphire-paved courts for stable floor. Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour, All for love’s sake becamest poor.
Thou who art God beyond all praising, All for love’s sake becamest man; Stooping so low, but sinners raising Heavenwards by thine eternal plan. Thou who art God beyond all praising, All for love’s sake becamest man.
Thou who art love beyond all telling, Saviour and King, we worship thee. Emmanuel, within us dwelling, Make us what thou wouldst have us be. Thou who art love beyond all telling, Saviour and King, we worship thee.”
Thanks again, to Keith and Kristyn Getty for a brilliant rendering of this song which is highly appropriate to the Advent season, or any season of a Christian’s life.
Violin played beautifully by Deborah Klemme (Music copyright 2015 Paul Campbell (BMI) (Admin. by Arlon Songs Ltd.)
A joyous Advent season to you and yours, Your Gloryteller
“I don’t know how to begin.”
“Begin with a prayer.”
“I don’t know where this is going. It’s been so long.”
“You’ll find your way. My hand will be on your back.”
A prayer. The most basic and uncomplicated childhood prayer:
Now I lay me down to sleep, (stand near?)
I ask you, Lord, my soul to keep, (stay here?)
Protect me in the dark of night, (I fear!)
And wake me with your morning light. (oh, hear!)
That’s the prayer I prayed every night until I fell off the edge of the world, figuratively speaking. I added those parentheticals today, like written emoticons. But God answered those prayers far into my future without my awareness. Awareness came long after their utterance.
BUT GOD is a mighty little phrase, is it not? Unaware of my future “falling away”, I had told him I would go to sleep spiritually. How did I know? How did I know to ask Him to keep my soul safe and protect me during the coming dark times? I didn’t. They were just prayers, often said by rote, or habit, without thinking of their meaning. Yet, what I asked, He did. He provided the knowledge and the meaning for me. Perhaps I held just a grain, a seed, of meaning in my heart that He saw. I hope that is the way it was.
He did stand by me. He did stay near when I was oblivious and should have been in terrified fear for my soul. Looking back, He was there, I know that now. He was with me, keeping my soul, through many dark nights and days that I didn’t even perceive as being dark. He heard! He protected not only my soul but my body. Through the course of “living”, I could have and should have died many times. His hand was on my back, just as it is as I write this. Even this, I could not do without Him standing close.
This is the best part: He did awaken me with His Light, and to His Light, and I shall hold that Light, who is Jesus, in highest regard forever. That’s more of my testimony and I’m telling it – yes, Glorytelling it – ere long I’m able.
Happy Advent, people!
God has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. (Ecclesiastes 3:11) (emphasis, mine)
A similar note is heard in the phrase “God imparts ‘that of Himself’ into every human heart.” Someone noteworthy said that, and I’d like to cite them, but I don’t remember who they are and my searches have been fruitless. Nevertheless, the truth in that phrase is confirmed by Romans 1:18-20 : “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness,since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” (Highlights mine)
God has set the spark of “eternal things” in the human heart, as well as what we refer to as “that of Himself”. These are difficult concepts for many people, but when one remembers that we are created in His image and likeness they become easier. Does not the master artist leave “that of himself” in every created masterpiece? Every brush stroke, every splash of color, every bit of texture, every unique nuance and technique of composition can be recognized as being “of” that master. It speaks of who he is, what he’s done, his qualities, and his nature. Our Creator has left His “prints” on our inmost being and His signature on our souls. Let us not foolishly cover them over or suppress their truths by our rebellious selfishness. That can only leave an empty place – a profoundly aching void.
~ ~ ~
Far from here, there are two other empty places. In a different sense they are not far, but close. Follow the dots on a map that designate the route (the way) to the empty cross where Jesus suffered horribly, or pick up the Bible beside you – the cross is right there close by. That cruel post and beam, being long empty of Jesus, was also the place of His profound emptiness on the darkest day. Can you imagine being completely alone in tremendous pain in the dark with no hope of rescue? Your loved ones – even those who’ve not turned their backs on you – can do nothing, and the one person you’ve always relied upon and trusted is nowhere to be found. You’re mocked, and abandoned and betrayed and forgotten. Empty. Like no one before nor since has been or ever will be . . .
Soon after, the cross itself would be emptied of His lifelessness, to stand alone, a timeless symbol of the selfless act of love, without which, we Christians would be empty of life. But there’s more. Follow the path from the cross to the place where our Saviour Lord was entombed. It’s not far, but it is a dark and lonely walk on the darkest day, for the Beloved is dead. All hope is lost. What was it He told us? In our desolation, we’ve forgotten . . .
But the tomb’s seal is broken. The burdensome stone is rolled to the side. His body is not inside. The empty clothing says He Is Risen in concert with the angel’s “He is not here”! In shock, we jump back as the whispering of ten thousand wings of light radiate out the door from a point inside, spreading in an expanding cone like that of a megaphone or the bell of a horn. It’s the beginning of a small hope being amplified and multiplied. (He told us we would see Him in Galilee)
There is a symbol in mathematics meaning “greater than”:
>
That is what the expanding hope of the empty tomb looks like. The hope of Jesus resurrected and alive is indeed greater, more than, and far better than anything that has happened so far. That hope is still flaring out, having been proclaimed first by the eyewitnesses – the men and women who first saw – and thereafter by the people who heard from them directly by their spoken and written words.
I am but one small voice in the vast cone of the ray of expanding hope of the living Jesus. I ask you to join in if you’re not here already. For as many as received Him and believed in Him, He gave them the right to become the children of God!
~ ~ ~
The cross and the tomb are empty. Like the open tomb, the sacred inner temple of the Kingdom of Heaven also stands open, its thick barrier curtain torn apart because of Jesus’ loving sacrifice. The three Persons of the Trinity invite us inside. God has left the invitation on your heart and in your soul. It is an eternal one. It comes from “That of Himself”! Please let us not ignore that wonderful invitation, or set it aside. It is clear as the light of day and we are without excuse.
Happy Resurrection Sunday, dear reader!
Be filled with the Expanding Hope of Christ Jesus,
For, He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!
With love,
Your Gloryteller
If I said to you. “God is a personal God,” what would you think? How would you picture God as being your “personal” God?
The common explanation is that God can be thought of, regarded, and responded to, as a personage (although, in this case, the highest Personage there is) with whom one can interact like a fellow human rather than an impersonal abstraction. This explanation certainly seems feasible since the second person in the holy Trinity, Jesus, was (and is) fully human (and fully God).
Exploring further, I was thinking about how we humans interact with one another. We talk together and discuss things. We do things together. We celebrate, grieve, rejoice, encourage, give gifts, serve, work, and simply be together. There is presence – we are present with one another, just as God is present with us as we do all the above things. He is not only present, but He desires to interact and participate with individuals as they navigate through life.
personal-of, relating to, or based on, the existence or presence of a person.
Why would the all-knowing, all-powerful, ever-present Creator of everything want a close relationship with an ordinary human? Because He is our creator, and He loves us intensely. (I don’t fully understand why, but He has made that fact quite clear) Before time began He drew our blueprint. He worked out all our details with loving intention and fine-tuned our design. He is the Cause, we are the effect!
Genesis 1:27 – God created mankind in His own image – male and female.
Psalm 139: 13-14 -For you created my inmost being*; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Jeremiah 1:5 – Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.
Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you not to harm you, for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Isaiah 41:10 -So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
Acts 17:27 – . . . that they should seek God and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him. Yet He is not far from each one of us.
Matthew 1:23 – Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel which means “God with us”.
Hebrews 13:5 – . . . and be content with what you have, for He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
personal–belonging to, or affecting a particular person.
We belong to the Father (not as possessions, per se, but as family members, and as His people)
Psalm 100:3 – Know that the Lord is God! It is He who made us, and we are His . . . Ephesians 1:5 – In love, He predestined us for adoption to Himself as heirs through Jesus Christ . . . Ephesians 1: 11 – In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things . . .
Matthew 18:14 – In the same way your Father in heaven does not want to lose any of these little ones.
1 John 4:19 – We love Him because He first loved us.
John 4:15 – If you love me, you will keep my commandments. (Jesus)
personal-concerning one’s private life or relationships, rather than public life. (We also have a less personal, but no less important, public life with Him)
There is a private and confidential aspect. He desires an intimate (close) interaction, association, and affiliation that need not be confided to anyone else.
You know what God has saved you from – the life He took you out of – the things you have been forgiven – the things He has intentionally forgotten and removed as far as the East is from the West.
You may choose to tell others about those things, but it’s not at all mandatory. There are things that can remain between you and God, not that they are secrets, as such, but things you confess to Him when repentance occurs.
personal– done face-to-face in person with no others involved. (This is similar to the above ideas)
I’m not an expert on personal relationships, but I’ve observed that the good and meaningful ones have some things in common, like effective communication, trust, showing appreciation, expressing gratitude, showing empathy and compassion, forgiving, and most of all, employing love, which binds all those things together.
1 Thessalonians 5:16 – Rejoice always, pray continually (be in constant communication), give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 6:18 – And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
John 4:4 – Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
James 4:12 – There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy.
2 Corinthians 5:10 – For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
Matthew 25:23 – “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
God is indeed our personal God, in His personal presence with us; in that, we personally belong to Him; in our personal private life with Him; in our face-to-face personal interactions with Him, and in other profound ways I haven’t thought of at the moment. Personally, I hope you think about it and find some other ways for yourself.
My personal best regards, dear reader. May you enjoy an increasingly wonderful personal relationship with our Mighty Personal God.
*All Scriptural italicizations and emphases are mine.
Jesus says in Revelation, “Behold, I’m making all things new.” ALL THINGS! This morning and every morning I feel new. I awake from a different world – one of dreams, or simply of unconscious nothingness. Taking up consciousness is a transition to something I consider “better”. I feel new and renewed and thankful to be so.
I’m among many people I know who at one time during their lives were made new. We were reborn into new life as believers in Jesus Christ. Transformed. Given new purpose and new hope. Treated to the Joy of Knowing the Lord. Knowing He is always present and I am no longer alone – ever. Knowing He will never leave nor forget about me. Knowing His immense love for me will always be.
The writer of Ecclesiastes said there is nothing new under the sun and all in the world is meaningless. It’s true! Without God, everything is indeed without meaning! I know because I can compare both states of existence. The before and after.
Many people ask if Jesus is “real”. Did He, does He, really exist? It’s mostly rhetorical, for they doubt He did; they are certain in their heads that He doesn’t, or if He ever did He was no more than a teacher of morality and ethics. They mockingly reduce Him to a historical figure or a fairy-tale image, not knowing what they do to themselves slandering our very Lord and Savior, miraculous healer under the Father, Emmanuel – God on earth with us, Who sacrificed Himself on purpose to pay for our sins and give us the chance to be right with God. The One resurrected to life and raised into Heaven to intercede for us and is doing so for me even as I write this.
More and more people are really wanting to know. Does He exist? Is He real? Not mockingly but with a glimmer of hope. Perhaps something about Christmas sparks curiosity. Perhaps they see something in us. Perhaps something about our lives prompts them to say “I want what they have!” To their sincere questions, I respond:
Is Jesus real? Yes! He meets all the requirements of existence. He is reality itself! In all ways Jesus is the only thing that was, is, and ever will be “real”- “real” being Truth – true reality. He spoke truth, He cannot lie, when He said “I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” (Way-The Means by which a thing can happen; Truth-the One and Only Reality; Life-the Essence of Being, the Epitome of Existence, the complete transcendence over death) Then He says, “No one comes to the Father except through me.”
I believe Him! What would it take for you to believe Him if you don’t already? You can’t know Him until you experience Him, and you can do that if you simply surrender, seek him through Bible reading or through talking with believers, attend a church where you can learn of Him through Bible study and worship, and especially talk to Him in prayer. He’s waiting. He’s listening. His greatest joy would be to hear from you. What a joyful thing it is when belief and faith take root and you begin to experience His presence in your life. I’m praying for your happy new year, but most of all I’m praying right this moment for your happy new life!
Like when I wrote this three years ago, another Christmas Eve has arrived in which we can partake. So rejoice in it! Partake of it! Rejoice in and partake of our Savior, Jesus Christ!
The last few hours of The Advent of Christ are before us. We can wait no longer and we don’t need to. Our hunger for hope, peace, joy, and love, is hard to bear; We prepare the meal we will eat tonight after church. We know we will be hungry for that food too,
but I want my hunger for Jesus to be foremost!
We can stay awake watching long into the night, or go to sleep and let Him be born in peace. Either is fine, for in the morning we will have the certainty of Jesus’ birth!
The birth that shook the earth!
About 2021 years ago, everything was in place to bring the astounding event into reality for humanity. God’s gracious, merciful plan was about to take a new turn and reach a new level.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became human. And the Word was named Jesus, He was born in a stable, wrapped in cloth, and placed in a manger to sleep . . .
Placed in a manger . . . Have you ever thought about that? A manger is a type of feed trough for animals. Here on the farm we call that a “feeder”.
It occurs to me that Jesus, lying in that feeder,
among all the other deep meaning and symbolism, seems to have made Himself a symbol
for our spiritual nourishment!
Both a symbol and a reality all at once! Is it any wonder that He told Peter, “Feed my sheep”? Is it any wonder that He called Himself “The Bread of Life”, or spoke over some bread, saying “This is my body“? He wants us to partake of Himself! To drink deeply of Him in a spiritual manner! “The Bread of Life”, and “The Water of Life”!
He, lying in that feeder, was already telling us, “I AM your nourishment, your sustenance,
your very life’s provision; Come to Me and be filled”!
This is the absolutely beautiful poem That amazing Kristyn Getty recites As a prelude to the beautiful song, Thou Who Wast Rich Beyond All Splendour you’ll find below:
Into the Darkest Hour By the amazing Madeleine L’Engle
“It was a time like this, war & tumult of war, a horror in the air. Hungry yawned the abyss – and yet there came the star, and the child most wonderfully there.
It was a time like this of fear & lust for power, license & greed and blight – and yet the Prince of bliss came into the darkest hour in quiet & silent light.
And in a time like this how celebrate his birth when all things fall apart? Ah! Wonderful it is: with no room on the earth, the stable is our heart.”
~ ~ ~
“Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour, All for love’s sake becamest poor; Thrones for a manger didst surrender, Sapphire-paved courts for stable floor. Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour, All for love’s sake becamest poor.
Thou who art God beyond all praising, All for love’s sake becamest man; Stooping so low, but sinners raising Heavenwards by thine eternal plan. Thou who art God beyond all praising, All for love’s sake becamest man.
Thou who art love beyond all telling, Saviour and King, we worship thee. Emmanuel, within us dwelling, Make us what thou wouldst have us be. Thou who art love beyond all telling, Saviour and King, we worship thee.”
Thanks again, to Keith and Kristyn Getty for a brilliant rendering of this song which is highly appropriate to the Advent season, or any season of a Christian’s life.
Violin played beautifully by Deborah Klemme (Music copyright 2015 Paul Campbell (BMI) (Admin. by Arlon Songs Ltd.)
A joyous Advent season to you and yours, Your Gloryteller
Hi, Sisters and Brothers! Tomorrow is already the third Sunday of Advent. That’s hard to believe; time is flying by. This year is as it was in 2017 when I wrote the article below – the fourth Sunday of Advent coincides with Christmas Eve Day. Perhaps you are like me in your extra-special “rejoicement” when this happens. I just want to wish you and yours a good and meaningful Advent and a joyous Christbirth celebration!
With hope, peace, joy, and love,
Your Gloryteller
First Sunday
“Advent” is here! It is today!
All Creation is pregnant with anticipation!
This is the time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of Jesus’ birth – the most unprecedented, and unequaled; the most earth-shakingevent in human history!
(Well, depending on how you perceive it, it’s definitely one of the top two!)
The word “Advent” comes from the Latin “adventus” which means coming, or arrival, of a person or thing.
In this special and absolutely unique case, Who and what is coming is rich in mystery;
profound in its implications! Excitement builds in Heaven and earth!
I find it interesting that the words “Advent” and “adventure” are so closely related, which is fitting since we are waiting and preparing for the arrival of a series of awe-inducing, exciting events :
All that surrounds Jesus’ Nativity celebration, A son is to be given, 700 year-old prophecy to be fulfilled, The imminent arrival of Emmanuel, “God With Us”,
The Kingdom of God being established on Earth,
Reconciliation with the Father,
Renewal of all things, Rescue of the perishing, Redemption of souls,
Atonement,
Forgiveness,
Abundant life,
Signs and wonders,
Miraculous acts, Great Joy will be made available to all people,
Messiah! Savior! Christ! He’s coming, already, not yet, and soon! The image of The Father will walk on earth, The advent of Love!
And more, and more, and more! And, in the fullness of time, Jesus’ long-awaited final return!
When someone important to us is coming to visit, we know we must wait. Patiently or not. Before their arrival, we must prepare as best we can. Thus, we are waiting, and prayerfully preparing, not just for events, but for the arrival of the Personage without whom there would be no experience of exciting spiritual adventure, no exploration of mysteries unknown, no real and true experience of love and life whatsoever.
But for the birth of the little Lord Jesus, I could not live. As He is born, so am I.
So are we all!
I wait and look forward to honoring His birth; to observing the amazing circumstances that surround it.
It has “happened” again and again in countless hearts and minds. It is happening now in mine,
and will again, endlessly, with passage of time.
I ceremoniously light the first candle in the Advent wreath,
the candle of hope, also, the first flame in my heart.
The expectant waiting and preparation of my heart applies not only to Christbirth,
but to Resurrection Sunday, Thanksgiving, and Jesus’ final return as well.
Advent is an important concept.
It is exciting, yet peaceful at the same time.
I want to make it part of me;
I want to live it.
Advent First Week
The first week of Advent is said to be concentrated upon the hope of the Savior’s arrival as supported by the Scriptures’ prophetic promises. There are several pertinent verses, but I chose this one :
“The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the gracious promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land.” (Jeremiah 33:14-15).
O, Jesus, We await your sweet arrival!
~~~~~~
Words and Music for Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow by Charles Wesley:
Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
1. Come, thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free; from our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee. Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art; dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.
2. Born thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a King, born to reign in us forever, now thy gracious kingdom bring. By thine own eternal spirit rule in all our hearts alone; by thine all sufficient merit, raise us to Thy* glorious throne.
The hope that we children of God have is a confident hope,
an enduring and an eternal hope. Peter tells us that the Child of God has “an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade – kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter: 1-4 )
Advent Week Two
The second week of Advent is focused on peace.
Waiting becomes a bit more intense as we add the expectancy of hope and peace in preparation for our Savior’s arrival.
We light the second candle,
the candle of peace, If not on our tables, Then in our hearts. And light increases. It doubles! We can hardly wait until the full light
of His glorious presence shines upon the world,
and also upon each of us!
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).
Jesus is the only one that can bring peace with God.
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).
And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to all mankind upon which His favor rests!” Luke 2: 13-14
Here’s a song that is full of hope and peace, And light too!
Advent Third Week
We are in the third and final full week preceding the joy-filled celebration day!
This week we savor the JOY surrounding His coming to live with us!
Emmanuel – here because of The Father’s love for all people.
In this third week, we also remember all the proclamations made about our coming Christ-child, our Messiah, our glorious Savior; proclamations by Isaiah, by angels, by Elizabeth, by Mary, by Zechariah, by more angels, and by many others.
Luke 2:9 Just then, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people!
He is coming not to condemn those lost in the dark, but to give them a saving light. What joy it is to know Him, having been one of those lost, and now having His light.
And what a joy it is to know the astounding love of The Father,
Who sent this generous gift of His Son!
(many thanks, Spadecaller, for the upload. Your art is moving!)
I light the third candle,
the candle of joy,
And light increases again.
Even the stars seem brighter,
and the moon waxes!
The candle flames have kindled
a fire of rejoicing in my heart!
I, the least of believers, proclaim this joy, proclaim His glory, (like it says in the header at the top)
And suddenly, we come to:
The Fourth Sunday of Advent Today, December 24, 2017 (four years ago) is the fourth Sunday of Advent,
which also coincides with Christmas Eve.
We light the fourth candle – the love candle,
in my book, the easiest one to light in the heart,
for Father God loved us first, and then sent His Jesus
to enable us to fully love Him.
Love rescued and love reconciled!
This candle also signifies His presence.
The Advent season is all about expectant waiting;
excited, hopeful, waiting for the Baby’s presence!
We want Him to be born soon!
We want to see Him!
He seems so close,
The air is charged.
We can almost feel angels in the air.
The Spirit of God certainly presides over our village.
Everything is poised; miraculously in position.
Mary, her Baby, Joseph, shepherds,
angels – lots of angels!
Peace and joy are closing in.
Tonight is the Holy Night – Jesus Christ’s night.
The Advent of Christ is all but complete.
Are preparations perfect? Is my heart ready for His arrival? I find myself wishing that I could be better prepared, And more ready, But, He. Was. Born. Last. Night ! ? !
Could it be?
Yes, it is:
Christmas Day
And so, the season of expectant waiting is complete!
I light the largest, purest, center candle,
the only One left. and the flame in my heart roars to life! To life! Hope is fulfilled! In our Immanuel, our Jesus,
all prophecies and promises are now reality! His name is Light of the World! His name is Peace!
His name is Son!
His name is Love! His name is Savior! His name is King! His name is Everlasting! His name is God! His presence is good news, bringing great joy for all people! His presence makes darkness flee! The Light of the World has finally come! And like so many believers, so many bloggers, I repeat the sounding JOY!
Joy To the World, and Peace to ALL mankind!
Joy to the World, the Lord has come! Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room, And Heaven and nature sing, And Heaven and nature sing, And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing!
Joy to the World, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy!
No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found, Far as the curse is found, Far as, far as, the curse is found!
He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love, And wonders of His love, And wonders, wonders, of His love!
~ ~ ~
And yet,
it is not over . . .
I must stay prepared;
keep waiting expectantly;
with confident hope,
with all the peace, joy, and love, grace can provide; The “second” Advent begins now, And all Creation is pregnant with anticipation!
I just coined a term: The “Griswold Switch”! What in the world is that?
Definition: 1. The forgotten, or yet to be discovered, solution to a major problem, or a mystery. 2. The elusive missing piece of a puzzle that is making someone crazy who can’t find it. 3. The prime factor upon which everything hinges; the thing that makes everything “work” correctly. 4. The means by which darkness is dispelled and light is brought forth, said light revealing truths which were previously hidden from “blind eyes”.
In the movie “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” *, Clark Griswold is trying desperately to make Christmas wonderful for His family despite not getting his expected annual holiday bonus. Part of his efforts include the more than 20,000-light exterior illumination of his house. He hilariously risks life and limb to create a spectacular display, however, every time he makes the final connection in the yard, the display comes on and immediately goes off, or doesn’t come on at all. He gets frustrated. He’s at his wit’s end. As it turns out, all the octopus-like circuitry for the display is connected to a certain receptacle in the garage controlled by a light switch which his mother and his wife flip on and off not knowing the consequences. By coincidence, his wife finally leaves the switch on, and Clark is able to make the connection, lighting the overly brilliant display and causing a massive power surge at his house. As I remember, the solution is only revealed to us, the audience, and not even to the Griswolds themselves.
Yes, you guessed it, that is the “Griswold Switch”!
I know people who have sought their own “Griswold Switch” all their lives and have not found it. I, myself, finally found it in the early autumn of my life. Jesus has been that “Griswold Switch” for me.
I had forgotten Him. Re-discovering Him, I found Him to be the solver of all problems, the One for whom there are no mysteries. (1.)
He is the crucial and indispensable piece central to the puzzle of life. (2.)
Jesus is the One who makes all Creation work properly. He is the Prime Factor upon whom all life hinges, including my own. (3.)
He switched me on – lit me up – Caused a glorious power surge in my circuits. His light dispelled darkness in my life, and illuminated The Truth, which is the beginning of the understanding of God’s eternal existence, and the revelation of what The Father’s love looks like through that of His Son. (4.)
I now think of Jesus as much more than my “Griswold Switch”. He is my glorious and highly revered “God Switch”!
* * *
* This is an irreverent movie. It contains a lot of profanity and misuse of the name of God and Jesus. On that basis, I can’t recommend it. However, I can’t condemn it either. If I did that, I couldn’t explain my term “the Griswold Switch”. My advice is, if you wish to watch it, watch with discretion and discernment. It is a “worldly” movie, but some parts are hilariously funny.
PLEASE TURN YOUR PHONE ON ITS SIDE AND READ “THE LONG WAY”. THE CONTENT MAKES MORE SENSE AND “READS” MUCH BETTER THAT WAY. THANKS, YOUR GLORYTELLER.
I fought God with all I had, but I had very little, Obviously, Oh, I did have foolishness on my side, Ignorance, I had my misconceptions, Doubts, “Logic”, He seemed weak, He was not necessary, I was not hurt nor killed . . . My unbelief hit Him hard, I was relentless with my personal attacks, With speech, with deeds, But especially, it seemed, when I turned my back . . .
Yet He was undeterred, He endured, And when it seemed like I had “won” (oh foolish ignorance) He sent in His best man. Bring him on, In church, I had seen him, Defeated on that cross, I attacked and struck persistently, I saw it hurt, But he only turned his cheek, He hit me only with love, I staggered backward, He struck with forgiveness, He confused me with his light, This guy cheated, he did not fight fairly, When he had almost bested me, He held back mercifully,
“Leave him alone, he is mine,” he said to whom? And he fought that enemy – my real enemy, I was ashamed when I realized, He fought using two beams of wood, After having been beaten and cruelly whipped, I thought he was done after that alone, But he persevered with a savage hammer and three vicious nails, My enemy laughed with scorn, “Oh, God, what can I do?” I groaned . . . And I obeyed the whispered “Believe and trust Him” . . .
It was horrifying, The moment He exposed His beautiful, perfect, vulnerable heart, And gave up allHis lifeblood to rescue me . . . I knew, beyond all logic and reason, That He, the Better Man, The Best of All Men, had won His battle with me – for me, At a profound personal cost, And all was wrapped in darkness, then . . . Except! , That the essence of the light of His Godly Face, Echoed in the heart of my being, And it was growing brighter every moment . . .
Until it filled me, Filled me and transformed me into my real, true, whole, most complete, and best self, Not in and of myself, but in Him, that I not be able to boast, The joy brought about by that miraculous transformation is hard to describe, And He is more than able to do the same for you, my friend, He has already won the battle of the crucifixion for us, He paid our debt and rescued us from the final “creditor/predator”, All that’s left is for Him to win the battle for your trust, For your heart, Surrender, my friend, Tell Him you do, You can only win by losing, Like He did, The Better Man won by seeming to lose, The Best Man, The One Living God, Believe me,this is the battle you do want to lose.
My dear Reader, I regret having been so absent from this site, however, I have (from my perspective) good reason. I’ve been working on and have completed another book. If you’re interested, please find it here,
It’s available in both digital and paperback editions.
There’s never a dull day! We boys have been called in the midst of our play to assemble for a surprise. We chatter excitedly, for the Father’s surprises are always most pleasant!
We are told, as we gather in the street in front of our homes, that our Rescuer is coming to see us! We’ve been told He recently did the most amazing thing in that other place, and now He’s coming to live here – here with us! Almost before I’m finished saying that, there He is! He’s just appearing several paces away, walking quickly toward us wearing a warm smile. As we most excitedly gather around Him, He wraps us in His arms and lifts us each, in turn, into a bear hug. He’s really pressing His cheek into mine! Is that a tear I feel? There is no weeping here, yet maybe He allows Himself a tear. Nevertheless, I’ve never felt anything like the love He has for me. It radiates from Him! It makes me radiant in turn! Jesus, Lamb of God! Our King! Holding me to His breast!
But . . . what? Before I can even absorb what is happening, He’s saying that He has another surprise for us, that we should be still and watch where the road curves around a forest of trees. What could it be? My mind races in anticipation. It is having quite a time being still.
Here I am with my Savior, yet I’m remembering things – like how we were whisked away before the wicked blades of evil could violate us. We’ve been told we were but babies the same age as the Savior, but He escaped and we were taken. We’ve been told that our mothers, and, of course, our fathers too, have wondered why they were not warned as well. It would sadden us for our parents if we were still in the other place, but here we are happy for ourselves, we Brothers of Bethlehem.
We’ve been told that the times were very complicated. We’ve been given a part of a scenario that we can understand, and that is this: if all of our families had been warned of the coming wickedness, we would have been fleeing in groups that would have been easily tracked down and captured. The result would have been the same, except that He, and His family, would have been caught with us. We agree that that absolutely could not happen. You know why? We’ve been told it’s because He had to live – live a perfect life – until the time was right to do the most courageous thing ever that rescued us and brought us here. A perfect life! I know I never could have lived one . . . And what was the thing? How can I say this . . . should I say it? He took the blade that was meant for us . . . I said it and it’s good. It’s the truth. He looks at me and winks. He makes me so happy!
I’m back from my brief thought excursion. Something is about to happen! My attention is back where He told us to look, and there, coming from behind the trees, rounding the corner is a woman wearing blue and white linen. She is running gracefully as a deer, and as fast! Close behind her are many other women, also wearing beautiful linens, and close behind them are their husbands supporting them with shouts of encouragement. “Faster, loves! Faster! It’s our boys!
Oh my! That’s my mother out in front, and behind her is my father! I’d know her anywhere! Her name is Rachel and she’s looking right at me! I can’t contain my excitement and begin running, myself. I hear Jesus laughing loudly as I yell, “Come on, brothers, it’s them!”
I’ll leave the rest to your imagination, but, now, I must correct myself. I said there was never a dull day here. That’s true, but it’s not enough. There is never a day without unbridled joy here! Thanks be to the Father, and to Jesus!
Feed My sheep
Said He
As awareness increases day by day
The challenge to feed
The sheep
Is to bring awareness from out
The sleep
Is to cast subjective truth away
And to coax the shallow into
The deep
Alone in the Rockies.
Gloryteller 