Christmas traditions and decorations tell the story of Christ ‘s birth and of those who have served him through time. Christ is in Christmas. Do not buy into stories about how Christmas does not belong to Christians. Nor allow the commercialism of Christmas to steal from you the joy of His coming or the peace of our knowledge of Him. Starting December 1—Traditions of Christmas: Telling the Story of Christ and His Church.
Month: November 2012
My Thanksgiving playlist
El Shaddai Amy Grant I Can Only Imagine – Ultimate Power Anthems of the Christian Faith
What A Friend We Have In Jesus Amy Grant Legacy…
I Love To Tell The Story Barbara Mandrell Precious Memories
In the Garden Barbara Mandrell Precious Memories
Glory, Glory, Glory Bishop Noel Jones & The City of Refuge Sanctuary Choir Welcome to the City
Victory In Jesus Bo Steele Victory In Jesus – Single
The Little Drummer Boy Burl Ives Have A Holly Jolly Christmas Holiday
Love Song for a King Caleb Rowden Love Song for a King
Sing Carpenters The Singles, 1969 – 1973
Praise You with the Dance Casting Crowns Casting Crowns Inspirational
The Old Rugged Cross Chris Rice Peace Like a River: The Hymns Project
Amazing Grace Elvis Presley Elvis – Ultimate Gospel
Psalm 118: Easter Alleluia (For the Great Vigil, With Easter Gospel According to John) Gary Daigle, Rory Cooney & Theresa Donohoo This Very Morning
Cry Of My Heart/Lord I Lift Your Name On High Highland Village, TX Baptist Church Worship Band Songs From The Village 2000
Cry Of My Heart Invitation Music The World’s Most Loved Classic Worship Songs
Psalm 118: This Is the Day John Angotti Joy Beyond Our Dreams
Altar of God Josh Bates Glory Revealed
I Love You, Lord The Maranatha Singers Songs 4 Worship: Holy Ground
Oh Happy Day The Oak Ridge Boys Oak Ridge Boys Collection Inspirational
Revelation Song Phillips, Craig & Dean Fearless
O, How I Love Jesus (LP Version) Randy Travis Glory Train, Songs of faith, worship & praise
Hallel Richie Furay In My Father’s House Inspirational
Give Thanks to the Lord Richie Furay In My Father’s House
Lord, I Lift Your Name On High Rick Warren The Invitation
Psalm 23 2:38 Steve Ivey 30 Celtic Hymns
Family of Love, Family of God Take 6 Songs for a purpose driven life
The Heavens Declare (Psalm 19:1-4, 7-9) Todd Fields Word of God Speak: The Worship Session
Victory In Jesus Travis Cottrell Jesus Saves (Live)
We Bow Down Twila Paris Twila Paris – Greatest Hits
The Heavens Declare (Psalm 19: 1-4, 7-9; NIV) Word Of God Speak
Pulling it all together to live a life of Thanksgiving
Be a person who cries out to Jesus, who calls on the name of Jesus.
Start by accepting Christ as your savior and as the Lord of your life.
Place your worries and and fears on the alter before Christ and do not pick them up again.
When God acts in your life, answering prayers, or providing blessings, recognize what He has done and thank Him,
Record the answered prayers and remember them when you face troubles. Pray to God reminding yourself of all He has done in the past to strengthen you faith for the present.
Remember the deeds of God in the Bible and hold to them as evidence of what God can do in your life.
Tell people in your life what God has done. Your personal testimony of answered prayers.
Sing praises to God for His mighty deeds. Sing of your Lord’s loving kindness.
Celebrate His love and the gifts He has given you. Like David dance for joy.
Fall to your face and worship God for He is worthy to be worshipped.
Bring offerings of Thanksgiving to Him. Give Him the best of you time, your talents and your resources. Give Him what He wants most. Love others as Christ loves you.
This is not a one time event but should be a way of life.
Exercise
Plan a time to share with other Christians. Create a time when you can share with one another what Christ has done in your life. Make it a party, a party with singing and praising God. Make it a party Celebrating the blessings of God on your life.
Then take this love that is in your heart, take the talents, time and resources and love those who cross your path. Love them as Jesus loves you.
Thanksgiving is a Celebration of all God has done for you. Thanksgiving requires faith. But a person who focuses their lives on recognizing the gifts given by God and on giving God praise for those gifts will grow into a mighty person of faith.
If I am to bring an offering what does Jesus want?
So in the ancient times the people offered sacrifices of thanksgiving to God. We no longer have a specified offering. But Jesus did tell us what He wanted from us if we loved Him.
John 14
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Now we know what Jesus wants is for us to keep His commandments. But what does that mean? How do we keep the commandments of Jesus? What are these commandments? A few verses later, Jesus tells us.
John 15
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
A simple command and yet maybe the hardest command that exists. What Jesus wants from us is for us to love one another as He loved us. He loved us enough to come from heaven to earth. He loved us enough to give his life on the cross as a sacrifice for us. He loved us enough to send the Holy Spirit as a comforter and teacher. He loves us enough to hear and answer our prayers.
And if we want to show our thanks for all Jesus has done, He asks us to love one another.
Exercise
What do you think it means to love someone like Jesus? Does it mean forgiving them when they mess up? Does it mean caring for others even when we might not want to do so? We are told by Jesus when we feed the hungry, cloth the naked and care for the prisoners we are doing these things for Jesus.
Yesterday we looked at our time, and money and talents as something we could give God.
Today look at who you could show love, the kind of self sacrificial love Jesus gave to you. Make a plan for how you can be more loving to another person.
Playlist song
Family of Love, Family of God Take 6 Songs for a purpose driven life
Level 4 Thanksgiving Sacrifice
An overview of Giving to God in response to all He has done for you.
David’s instructions in regard to giving to God.
1 Chronicles 16
28 Give unto the Lord, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength.
29 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
The Israelites were provided with specific instructions regarding a thanksgiving sacrifice. God gave them a list of the hows and whats if they wanted to show him their gratitude.
Leviticus 7
11 “‘These are the regulations for the fellowship offering anyone may present to the Lord:
12 “‘If they offer it as an expression of thankfulness, then along with this thank offering they are to offer thick loaves made without yeast and with olive oil mixed in, thin loaves made without yeast and brushed with oil, and thick loaves of the finest flour well-kneaded and with oil mixed in. 13 Along with their fellowship offering of thanksgiving they are to present an offering with thick loaves of bread made with yeast. 14 They are to bring one of each kind as an offering, a contribution to the Lord; it belongs to the priest who splashes the blood of the fellowship offering against the altar. 15 The meat of their fellowship offering of thanksgiving must be eaten on the day it is offered; they must leave none of it till morning.
16 “‘If, however, their offering is the result of a vow or is a freewill offering, the sacrifice shall be eaten on the day they offer it, but anything left over may be eaten on the next day. 17 Any meat of the sacrifice left over till the third day must be burned up. 18 If any meat of the fellowship offering is eaten on the third day, the one who offered it will not be accepted. It will not be reckoned to their credit, for it has become impure; the person who eats any of it will be held responsible.
Today it’s different
We do not offer sacrifices on a physical alter. We do not leave bread and animals on the alter. But the concept remains the same. We have money, time, and talents which we can lay on the alter for our Lord out of gratitude for what he has done for us.
Exercise
List in your journal what you have that could be given to God as a gift. I think God appreciates our time as much as He does anything. I run around busy all the time. I struggle with making time just to spend with God in prayer and meditation and yet we are told this is really important. Could you offer a few moments a day to just spend talking and listening to God. Or do you have some money, maybe you give up a coffee a day for a month, to make a donation to God above what you normally give.
Think about what you have, what God has given you, that you could give back to the Lord as a gift.
Playlist
This Christmas song for kids has a great message for us as we think about what we can do for God.
The Little Drummer Boy Burl Ives Have A Holly Jolly Christmas Holiday 8
Closing verse on giving to God.
Mark 12
41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks
Saw the King and I–the Rogers Hammerstein musical-the other day. Throughout the play, the issue of servants prostrating themselves before their king is discussed. The Western Anna resists the act while those raised in Siam readily show this level of respect. In the end Anna wins and the new king ends the practice. But I am going to suggest that here in the West we should consider falling down at our King’s feet.
Prostration demonstrates either submission or adoration. In the case of our healed leper, he ran back to the man who healed him. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet out of love for what Jesus had done. I think this man would have been ready to completely submit himself to Jesus. Christ gave this man back his life. Before he was a prisoner of his illness; trapped inside a rotting body. Jesus freed him to live a life among healthy people. Jesus freed him to love and be loved; to work, to play, to live.
We owe Christ our greatest Thanks, but so seldom do we actually contemplate just how much. We belong on our faces praising Christ and thanking for our salvation, for the fact he hears our prayers, for the miracles in our lives, and for the Holy Spirit who is always with us.
In reality, we treat all Jesus has done for us as our birth right. We go through life to some degree just accepting God’s gift like spoilt kids who think His gift of Grace is no big. We owe him our everything, but we are like the 9 lepers who did not return to think Jesus.
Luke 17
17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
Exercise
1) Has your faith made you whole? Have you thanked Jesus for your Salvation and for the answered prayers in your life. We have been writing and thinking about what God has done in our life. Review what you have written and add other reasons you are thankful. Now find a quite place for the next few days and fall prostrate before God both in submission and admiration. Thank Him for what He has done and ask Him to give you a greater faith.
2) Write in your journal does your gratitude to Jesus reach the level of servitude and admiration. Would you do anything for the one who saved you? Or you more like the other nine?
Playlist
We Bow Down Twila Paris Twila Paris – Greatest Hits
What the heck does this mean?
Last instruction in level two ‘Glory in His name” Research was required. What does it mean to glory?
Well, I have the answer. We do it a lot more often then you would think. Just maybe not for God.
Visualize the Super bowl champions when they return home. The excitement, the joy, the pride, the praises we shout for the winners. We glory in our team; we rejoice in their victory. We celebrate their accomplishments.
Now lets think about what that would look like if we Glory in His name. Think of the phrase in His name as sort of meaning who He is and what He does. So glory means to exult; to rejoice in triumph. I have two perfect examples of what I think it looks like.
David:
1 Chronicle 15
25 So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obededom with joy.
26 And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of theLord, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams.
27 And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen.
28 Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps.
29 And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, that Michal, the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart.
My second example is back to our one leper in Luke 17
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
Exercise
Have you ever had a moment of this type of exuberant joy over a blessing from God. Did you dance and sing and fall on your face before God? If you have not, why not? Has God done things in your life deserving this level of celebration? Think about holding a Party or a Thanksgiving Celebration where you would exult God for who He is and what He has done. Plan a celebration glorifying God. Maybe it will be just you and your family, you and a friend, or just you. But celebrate God for who He is and what He has done. Include Dancing, singing and shouting praises.
Play list
Glory, Glory, Glory
He came from Heaven to Earth
God’s Deeds laid out in the old Testament provide us with a foundation to know God is mighty, God keeps His promises, and God disciplines and forgives His people. Praise God, His Love Endures Forever. Thank you God for giving us these detailed explanations of what you did in the past because it reassures us that you are the same today.
But moving forward.
Thank you God for the New Testament which shows us just how much you loved us.
Jesus left heaven where the angels worshiped and obeyed his every command. He left heaven for one purpose. He left heaven to seek those who were lost.
Through Jesus the whole world was created. Yet he came to earth in the form of a baby subject to parents and other adults. He followed the rules and studied with the Rabbis. Jesus played and worked and lived in the world he created. Then at the appropriate time, he taught us what it meant to live as one with Him, with the Father.
I am thankful he cared enough to step down out of heaven for my sake; for your sake. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have ever lasting life.
Thank you God for coming to show us the way, coming to be our sacrifice, coming to create a bridge where we can be one with You,
Thank you: the baby in the manger, the great teacher, the passover lamb, the risen savior, the Holy Spirit
John 1
King James Version (KJV)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Exercise
Write in your journal what you think heaven is like. Do you think it was a big deal for Jesus to leave heaven to come to earth and to live in human skin? Write a thank you note for what Jesus did by stepping down from heaven to become a sacrifice covering your sins if you have asked Him into your life. Write a detailed note expressing true feelings.
Playlist (what else could it be)
Lord, I Lift Your Name On High Rick Warren The Invitation
Last but not least Psalm 107
107 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.
4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.
5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.
6 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.
7 And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.
8 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;
11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:
12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.
13 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.
15 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
16 For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.
17 Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.
19 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.
20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
21 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
24 These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.
25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit’s end.
28 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
31 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
33 He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground;
34 A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
35 He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.
36 And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;
37 And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.
38 He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.
39 Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.
40 He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.
41 Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.
42 The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.
Continue Outline Psalm 106
Psalm 106
King James Version (KJV)
106 Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
2 Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? who can shew forth all his praise?
3 Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.
4 Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;
5 That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.
6 We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.
7 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea.
8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.
9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.
10 And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
11 And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left.
12 Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.
13 They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:
14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.
15 And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.
16 They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the Lord.
17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan and covered the company of Abiram.
18 And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked.
19 They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.
20 Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.
21 They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;
22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea.
23 Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.
24 Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:
25 But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord.
26 Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness:
27 To overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands.
28 They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.
29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them.
30 Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed.
31 And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore.
32 They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:
33 Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.
34 They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the Lord commanded them:
35 But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.
36 And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.
37 Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,
38 And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.
39 Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.
40 Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.
41 And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them.
42 Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand.
43 Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity.
44 Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry:
45 And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.
46 He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives.
47 Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.
48 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord.
Fourth Day Adventures 