The holly and the ivy Are dancing in a ring, Round the berry-bright red candles And the white and shining King One is for God's people In every age and day, We are watching for His coming, We believe and we obey.
All people that on earth do dwell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Begz2-6KzOg
Paslm 107: 1 – 2
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, 3 those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.
4 Some
wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a
city where they could settle.
5 They were hungry and
thirsty, and their lives ebbed away.
6 Then they
cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and
he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them by a
straight way to a city where they could settle.
8 Let
them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing
love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, 9 for he
satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good
things.
10 Some
sat in darkness, in utter darkness, prisoners
suffering in iron chains,
11 because they
rebelled against God’s commands and despised the
plans of the Most High.
12 So he subjected them to
bitter labour; they stumbled, and there was no one to
help.
13 Then they cried to the Lord in their
trouble, and he saved them from their distress.
14 He
brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and
broke away their chains.
15 Let them give thanks to
the Lord for his unfailing love and his
wonderful deeds for mankind, 16 for he breaks down gates of
bronze and cuts through bars of iron.
17 Some
became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered
affliction because of their iniquities. 18 They loathed all
food and drew near the gates of death.
19 Then
they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and
he saved them from their distress.
20 He sent out his
word and healed them; he rescued them from
the grave.
21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for
his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for
mankind. 22 Let them sacrifice thank offerings and
tell of his works with songs of joy
Hail to the Lord’s anointed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkrepBvrLI4
Isaiah 8: 19 – 22
19 When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20 Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. 21 Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land; when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God. 22 Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness.
Isaiah 9: 1 – 7
9 Nevertheless,
there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In
the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
but in the future he will honour Galilee of the nations, by the Way
of the Sea, beyond the Jordan— 2 The people walking in
darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the
land of deep darkness a light has dawned. 3 You have
enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice
before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors
rejoice when dividing the plunder. 4 For as in the day of
Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that
burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of
their oppressor. 5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle and
every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will
be fuel for the fire. 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 Counsellor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of
the greatness of his government and peace there will
be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over
his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with
justice and righteousness from that time on and
forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty will
accomplish this.
O come O come Emmanuel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKu0or0t8Uw
Prayer
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
lighten our darkness For we we a
blinded by world desires
we
feel sad and lonely we are strangers in a foreign land
help us
to look forward to Christmas to know that your light shall walk this
earth
may we mourn know more but lift our hearts that we may
sing and
Rejoice! Rescue us from the grip of Satan for we know
we are sinners and have fallen from you grace save your people O lord
save us fill us with your presence.
Lord there many people that have turned that back on you many more that have never heard the message of saving grace not knowing the true meaning of Christmas and others that do not wish to offend by not the word Christmas instead using happy holiday may we this advent speak of the true meaning of Christmas that all people will come to you .that all people will know they can be saved from the depths of hell that all can receive victory over the death . So we ask that you Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And put death's dark shadows to flight Lord cheer us by your close presence-within our hearts, for we know that you have heard our prayers and forgiven us. Therefore we will Rejoice!
for you O God are with us. Blessed be your holy name. Emmanuel.
Lords Prayer.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come;
thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Come,
Thou long expected Jesus Born to set Thy people free; 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. Amen
TALK
People today more than ever need hope
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 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.
March 23rd 2013 daily bread
Although I try not to be shocked by the things I see these days, I was caught off-balance by the message on the woman’s T-shirt as she walked past me in the mall. The bold letters declared: “Hope Is For Suckers.” Certainly, being naïve or gullible can be foolish and dangerous. Disappointment and heartache can be the tragic offspring of unfounded optimism. But not allowing oneself to have hope is a sad and cynical way to view life.
Biblical hope is unique; it’s a confident trust in God and what He is doing in the world and in our lives. That’s something everyone needs! The writer to the Hebrews clearly stated the importance of hope when he wrote, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Heb. 10:23).
Having biblical hope is not foolish, because it has a strong foundation. We hold fast to the hope we have received in Christ because our God is faithful. He can be trusted with anything and everything we will ever face—both for today and forever. Our hope is grounded in the trustworthy character of the God who loves us with an everlasting love. So, the T-shirt had it wrong.
Hope is not for suckers; it’s for you and for me!
By: Bill Crowder.
On TV the other day a program showed a man Changing the old styled light house bulb which was very large and it burned many watts of electric not at all environmentally friendly, but good at saving lives. Then he showed a much smaller more powerful LED light bulb using much less electric but giving out a much brighter and almost instant light unlike the old bulb that had to warm up first. The new bulb shines through storms and fog. Giving hope to sailors and saving more live .
A lighthouse shines its beacon of light and hope into the darkness of night. ... Lighthouses have long been symbols of hope. They have served as key navigational aids throughout the ages.
In and old daily bread pamphlet there is an article by Dennis Fisher.
He writes
The Mission Point Lighthouse was built in 1870 on a peninsula in Northern Michigan to warn ships of sand bars and rocky shores along Lake Michigan. That lighthouse got its name from another kind of lighthouse, a mission church, which was built 31 years earlier.
In 1839, Rev. Peter Dougherty answered the call to become pastor of a church in Old Mission that was made up of Native Americans who lived farther south on the same peninsula. Under his leadership, a thriving community of farmers, teachers, and craftsmen worked side by side to build a better life for the community.
When believers in Christ work together in unity, their fellowship of faith provides spiritual light in the world’s darkness (Phil. 2:15-16). Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. . . . Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:14-16).
The Mission Point Lighthouse warned ships of danger, but the original Old Mission Church provided spiritual direction to all who would listen. Believers do the same individually and through our churches. We are God’s lighthouse because Jesus lives in us.
There is an old hymn that says Brighten the corner where you are, it is in the Alexander hymnal No 3 the words are:-
Do
not wait until some deed of greatness you may do
Do not wait to
shed your light afar
To the many duties ever near you now be
true.
Brighten the corner where you are
Chorus.
Brighten
the corner where you are
Brighten the corner where you
are
Someone far from harbour you may guide across the
bar
Brighten the corner where you are.
Just
above are clouded skies that you may help to clear
Let not
narrow self your way debar
Though into one heart alone may fall
your song of cheer
Brighten the corner where you are
Ch.
Here
for all your talent you may surely find a need
Here reflect the
bright and Morning Star
Even from your humble hand the Bread of
Life may feed
Brighten the corner where you are
Ch.
Bathroom light gave us hope in the darkness.
Quite a few years ago a friend and I went on holiday in Morpeth it was march time the nights came in quick we were staying on a farm in bed and breakfast chalet it was a converted cow shed. There were no street lights. And driving back from a day exploring was very, very hard. It took us ages to find the farm it was pitch black with a few stars and not much of a moon. The next day I said to my friend “before we go out to day lets leave be the bathroom light on”. When we were heading back around seven that evening the little light shone out for miles it was a good guide back to our base, and we had no problems for the rest of the week, although we had to put extras coins in the electric meter each morning.
A cow shed, what a place to sleep in, ours was well furnished and totally modern in side, but from out side it looked just as it would have done a hundred years or so ago. It made me think and it still does years later Jesus was born in a cattle/cow shed I bet this was not the sort of bed and breakfast Mary and Joseph had in mind. A painting Rembrandt comes to mind the Art historian Seymour Slive described the great Dutch artist Rembrandt (1606–1669) as the master of light and shadow, a compelling storyteller on canvas. Rembrandt’s painting The Adoration of the Shepherds portrays the darkened stable in Bethlehem where two shepherds kneel beside the manger while other people stand farther away. One man holds a lantern, but the brightest light shines not from his lantern but from the Christ-child, illuminating those who have gathered close to Him.
Seven centuries before Jesus’ birth, Isaiah used an image of light and shadow to foretell the coming of a Saviour for Israel: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given” (Isa. 9:2,6).
Each person may see a different story in Rembrandt’s painting, but perhaps each of us is represented somewhere in that stable. Are we kneeling in worship, standing back in hesitation, or hiding from the light that has penetrated our darkness?
Christmas invites us to step out of the shadows of darkness and to allow the light of Christ to shine into our hearts.
Then we can reflect Gods light and shine for him just as the full moon reflects the sun light to shine brightly in the night sky.
On our last evening of our holiday after a day on the beach we stopped for a fish and chip supper.
It was getting cold so I put the heater on and we started to talk about Sunday school and the songs we knew and Jesus bids us shine was mentioned.
After a while my friend began to doze off, in the distance I could see the little light shining as usual so I started to sing
Jesus bids us shine, With a pure, clear light, Like a little cow shed gleaming in the night.
In this place of darkness, So let us shine-- You in your small corner, And I in mine.
My friends response “ I’m too tired to shine”
In this world of darkness, So let us shine-- You in your small corner, And I in mine.
Prayer
Lord flood your world with hope.
Lord God help all people to look to the Light of hope , this advent
we pray for the war torn areas of the world we pray that your peace may flood your world with hope this Christmas. We pray for all in Sudan victims of war we pray for the peace workers for the work of Unicef.
Lord flood your world with hope.
Lord God help all people to look to the Light of hope , this advent
We pray for all in Afghanistan for Doctors and nurses medical staff that aid givers and recivers we pray that the suppies get through to where they are ugently needed quickly get through to them quickly.
Lord flood your world with hope.
Lord God help all people to look to the Light of hope , this advent
We pray for peacekeeping forces who come under fire from both sides may the leaders of the nations come together to work for peace and reconciliation
Lord flood your world with hope.
Lord God help all people to look to the Light of hope , this advent
Amen
Come thou long expected Jesus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAoIkjPVh64
Benediction
Be
people of hope. Let hope live in your heart and share the hope of
Christ with all you meet. Share hope by noticing someone else’s
humanity. Share hope by listening to someone’s story. Share hope
by praying for our world. In this Advent season, we need to see,
feel, and share hope.
As you go out into the wonder of God’s
creations, share hope with those you meet.
Amen.
Hope of the world Mary’s Child coming soon to reign.
Born in the Night Mary’s child
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujh1wxEGjOw
God bless Susannah.
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