What do I want for Christmas today?
I want everything I say and do today to be for the honor and glory and praise of God my Savior Jesus Christ; and for others to come to Him.
“Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” Zechariah 8:23 (NKJV)
What do I want for Christmas today?
I want to always be aware, watching and knowing that the answers God gives to life’s perplexing questions are of greater value than any that men, women or their philosophies can give.
“I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected.” Habakkuk 2:1 (NKJV)
What do I want for Christmas today?
I want peace to reign always in my heart; and in my home, family, friends, and in the world; I want the world to know the peace that comes only through faith in Jesus and His death, burial and resurrection, and that He is coming again and all will be made right.
But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths.’ For the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it. For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.” Micah 4:1-5 (KJV)
What do I want for Christmas today?
I want to be blessed by God in telling someone about Jesus Christ, and His cross, death, burial and resurrection; and to see that person call on the name of the Lord for salvation, receiving eternal life.
Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!”For behold, He who forms mountains, and creates the wind, who declares to man what his thought is, and makes the morning darkness, who treads the high places of the earth— The LORD God of hosts is His name.” Amos 4:12-13 (NKJV)
“Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 Jesus (KJV)
What do I want for Christmas today?
I want to be a good and godly steward of all that God has blessed me with; including my fellowship with God, my wife, home, family, friends, and caring for finances, house and land; and in that order of importance.
“Thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to My servant Jacob. And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the LORD their God.” Ezekiel 28:25-26 (KJV)
What do I want for Christmas today?
I want the world to know that …The LORD is God, and that there is no other; that He has revealed Himself in His creation, and in His written Word and in the Living Word which is His Son; and that no man, woman, boy or girl is without excuse, and without Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior you stand no chance for eternal life in the presence of God; and that you may know that God will fulfill every word He has spoken.
“And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth. Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words. Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll: but he would not hear them.” Jeremiah 36:23-25 (KJV)
What do I want for Christmas today?
I want to always hold the word of God in great respect, to live according to what is written in its pages; and I want the pastors, and people of every Christian congregation to proclaim, and believe the word of God; and I want a leadership in our nation who will who will have great respect and a fear of God and His Word; and I want all who will hear the Word of God to receive the redemption for our sins which have been given us by the death, burial and resurrection of His only Son Jesus Christ.
“Am I a God at hand,’ says the LORD, ‘and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?’ says the LORD. ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth?’ says the LORD.” Jeremiah 23:23-24 (KJV)
How far away is GOD? Is He near? Is He far away? There is only one answer to those questions. YES! You cannot hide from GOD. He is All-Present.
What do I want for Christmas today?
I want to live the day fully realizing and knowing that God is here with me, and that He is with you too; and in knowing that to better know His Word, and His Son Jesus through His Word and His Spirit who lives in me because of the cross of Jesus, and He lives in all who come to the cross, believing in His death, burial and bodily resurrection.
You cannot get away from Him. Even though you may say, “I do not believe in God”. Yes! He is near, and He is far away.
“Fear not; for you shall not be ashamed: neither be you confounded; for you shall not be put to shame: for you shall forget the shame of your youth, and shall not remember the reproach of your widowhood any more. For your Maker is your husband; the LORD of hosts is His name; and your Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall He be called. For the LORD has called you as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when you was refused, says your God. For a small moment have I forsaken you; but with great mercies will I gather you. In a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on you, says the LORD your Redeemer.” Isaiah 54:4-8 (KJV)
What do I want for Christmas?
I want to daily rest in the arms of the Maker who is loving, merciful, forgiving GOD of grace; and do know that He is everlasting, His love is everlasting, and though I may at times be unfaithful to Him, He is always faithful to me, and to all who have called on His name; that He is my Redeemer.
“For My name’s sake I will defer My anger, and for My praise I will restrain it from you, so that I do not cut you off. Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; for how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another.” Isaiah 48:9-11 (NKJV)
What do I want for Christmas?
Knowing from Scriptures that GOD is a loving, gracious, yet holy, righteous, and unchanging God; I want to always trust that He has me in His hands, protecting, caring, correcting, disciplining, and guiding me in His ways; and not for my sake, but solely for His name’s sake.
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’” Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)
To deny that there are things which would make us fearful is a frivolous way of dealing with life. To continually live with crippling fear is, well, crippling, and hinders us from accomplishing great things.
To deny the truth of evil, and decay is in fact deceit, self deceit, and a lie.
What do I want for Christmas?
As a born again, blood bought child of the King; I want to live knowing that God is always with me; that I will not be afraid in this wicked world; that I will be strengthened in the Lord, daily, knowing that He will help me in every trial, trouble, and situation of my life, my home, family, Church, Nation and the world; and that He upholds me with His righteous right hand.
““O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. Truly, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands—wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them. Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the LORD, You alone.”” Isaiah 37:16-20 (NKJV)
The verses above speaks of what godly leaders do when their people and nation are threatened, by a supposedly invincible enemy.
What do I want for Christmas?
I want a godly leader for our nation – the United States of America – one who is not afraid to pray in the midst of chaos, and attacks for enemy forces, one who will live before God and the people not with empty words of “faith”, but with conviction, and believing God (Not politics, and policies) is our only hope for deliverance, and influence in the world.
What do I want for Christmas?
It really alarms me that those of us who live in the land of the free and the home of the brave are growing so limited in our freedoms; with firefighters in one city who have been ordered not to fly Old Glory on their fire trucks, because it looks like ISIS terrorism. Really?
I want us to be free to fly the flag of of the United States of America when ever and where ever we choose to fly it in a proper fashion, always honoring the sacrifice of those who have fought for our freedoms. I want God to bless the United States of America.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance. The LORD looketh from heaven; He beholdeth all the sons of men. From the place of his habitation He looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. He fashioneth their hearts alike; He considereth all their works. There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.” Psalm 33:12-16 (KJV)
Many years I have heard sermons, Bible lessons, and teachings on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but it seems the Bible deals with the death, burial and resurrection; and usually in concert with one another.
Maybe I am off track on this, but I have had this on my heart and mind quite often in the past year or two; so today I write dealing with the subject of “The Burial of Christ”. The burial of Christ proves that He was dead; not swooning or faking death. I do believe the Roman guards knew death when they saw it. Thus, He was buried.
Now reading in 1 Corinthians we read…
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures…” 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (KJV)
When we read the accounts of the Gospels we read of His burial, not just His death and resurrection. So why is it so important to remember His burial as part of the presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
It is in its very meaning a necessity of our salvation, our living now, and for eternity.
Here is one place I get my meaning for the need of the burial. In the book of Leviticus and chapter sixteen is the ceremony on the day of Atonement, and the lesson of the scapegoat. One goat is taken, the hands of the priest is laid on the goat representing the sins of the people placed on it, then that goat is slain, and its blood is taken and poured on the mercy seat in the tent of meeting. We must understand that all of Scripture points to Jesus, and that all is saying that there is one way to God, and that is through the blood of His Son Jesus the Christ.
Just for note: I will not cover every detail of the scapegoat ceremony, but the scapegoat is the one which lives; chosen by lot; and then taken, and released in the wilderness, and some believe maybe slain in the desert; never to return again.
Let us for a moment think on the death, burial and resurrection of Christ like this; 1. The death of Christ is our past; 2. the burial of Christ is our present; and 3. the resurrection of Christ is our future.
Those who believe in Him are saved from sin, and its eternal torment. That leads us to the “burial of Christ” and the present. When Jesus died and was buried He carried all our sins, shames, condemnations, guilt, and death on the cross, and to the grave. He carried them away; like the scapegoat -into the wilderness; never to be seen again.
He left all that baggage of sin, shame, condemnation, guilt and death in the grave. He came out alive.
Knowing that He carried all of that away, and left it there should cause us; the Christian; to live without that baggage in our lives – once we have asked for His cleansing and forgiveness.
Because He was buried and risen we need not live in fear of His appearing, but with joy we do look for Him.
What do I want for Christmas?
Today being the final day of Youth Camp at Baptist Hill in Mt. Vernon, Missouri; I want the Camp Cooks to continue to be blessed through this day, and they are being; and that the youth at camp have been brought nearer to Jesus than they were previously, and all who will might find faith in Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.
Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save He which is of God, He hath seen the Father. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” John 6:43-51 (KJV)
What do I want for Christmas?
I want the Youth at camp to hear the clear presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that the Holy Spirit would speak to their hearts and minds to understand, know and believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God who died on the cross, was buried and rose bodily from the grave; and is to return to take us to Himself.
And He said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto Me, except it were given unto him of My Father. From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” John 6:65-69 (KJV)
What do I want for Christmas?
I want the Camp Cooks, Bible Teachers and CGL’s [Cabin Group Leaders] to dedicate themselves to the work of the Lord, work for Him and to be the witnesses of Jesus Christ that we should be.
Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” [Jesus Christ] Luke 24:46-49 (KJV)
What do I want for Christmas?
I want the first day of Barry County Baptist Association Youth Camp at Baptist Hill, Mt. Vernon, Missouri to be a fruitful, spiritually rewarding one where Christian youth are inspired, encouraged, filled with the Spirit of Christ, and grow in love with Jesus during this week.
Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:22 (KJV)
“Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12
What do I want for Christmas?
I want my family, friends, neighbors, and U. S. of A. citizens to remember those who died for the freedoms that we have today; and to drive carefully as you travel back to your homes.
Have a blessed and safe Memorial Day, and remember everyday the One who died to free you from sin, and death; Jesus Christ.
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” 2 Corinthians 3:17 (KJV)
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Galations 5:1
What do I want for Christmas?
When I wrote yesterday of the Exclusiveness of Christ; I noted that the numbers of readings and likes from the day before was considerably less. I pray that was because the readers did not come rather than they did not like the teaching.
I want today for you to realize that if the exclusiveness of Christ is not so, then the words of Jesus in John 14:6 – 7 are not true, that Jesus would be a liar, and could not be trusted; then, He would not be a good teacher, a good man, but a deceiver; and no one would then have any hope.
I want you to know today, that Jesus is everything He claimed to be. He is the Son of God, and God the Son. Every word He has spoken and speaks is Truth.
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John 3:36 (KJV)
“Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him— the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.” John 12:44-50 (NKJV)
What do I want for Christmas?
I want to think, and I want every man who aspires to be godly; to think on the LORD and His Word, to love his wife, and children; and to care for them as a husband and father ought; and to put the things of this world on the back burner; and to thank God every day for His blessings on us.
Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: for as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.” Proverbs 23:6-8 (KJV)
“But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.” [Jesus Christ] Matthew 15:18-20
What do I want for Christmas?
I want to love what God loves, and to hate what God hates.
I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.” Amos 5:21 (KJV)
“But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him. He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked.” 1 John 2:5-6
“Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love Him, because He first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” 1 John 4:17-21
What do I want for Christmas?
I want always when I have a feeling of fear to go to my Lord and Savior and find rest and peace in Him; and to no longer fear, anything but Him.
What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.” Psalm 56:3 (KJV)
“In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.” Psalm 56:11“But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.” [Jesus Christ] John 6:20
My wife and I went to spend some time with our son in Arkansas, and to celebrate the fifth birthday of their youngest daughter. I had intended to do some post automatically, but I went off and forgot; so that is why there has been no Christmas countdown on Friday May 20, or Saturday May 21. Back to the countdown.
What do I want for Christmas?
This is another LORD’S Day; so I want Jesus to always be my treasure, and for nothing to come between my love for Him.
There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.” Proverbs 21:20 (KJV)
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” [Jesus] Matthew 6:21
What do I want for Christmas?
It is a couple of days late in coming, but since Saturday May 14 was the 68th Anniversary/Birthday of Israel returning as a nation; I want them to be blessed by God, protected, and encouraged to come to the Truth of the Christ.
May YHWH bless His people in that land, and bless the land again.
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-3 (KJV)
“And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in Mine anger, and in My fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God: and I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear Me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: and I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from Me. Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with My whole heart and with My whole soul. For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them. And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans. Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the LORD.” Jeremiah 32:36-44
The Fire and Hammer 