Month: December 2017
Times Of Completion ~ Our Daily Bread ~ December 30, 2017
The Christian life is continually full of challenges, and if you are anything like me, you may “camp out” more so on our continual battles rather than celebrate the victories. Here is a beautiful scripture that will keep things in perspective:
Psalm 126:5-6 King James Version (KJV)
5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
Take inventory about the blessings and success the Lord has already given you, and focus on further faithful service in the year to come. At the threshold of this new year, let it be Christian Priority Check 101. Enjoy the following year ending devotional on this theme from Our Daily Bread devotional. Happy New Year! Pastor Steve
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Times of Completion
December 30, 2017
Read: Acts 14:21–28
Bible in a Year: Zechariah 13–14; Revelation 21
They sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.—Acts 14:26
At the end of the year, the burden of uncompleted tasks can weigh us down. Responsibilities at home and work may seem never-ending, and those unfinished today roll into tomorrow. But there are times in our journey of faith when we should pause and celebrate God’s faithfulness and the tasks completed.
After the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas, “they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed” (Acts 14:26). While much work remained in sharing the message of Jesus with others, they took time to give thanks for what had been done. “They gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles” (v. 27).
What has God done through you during the past year? How has He opened the door of faith for someone you know and love? In ways we can’t imagine, He is at work through us in tasks that may seem insignificant or incomplete.
When we feel painfully aware of our unfinished tasks in serving the Lord, let’s not forget to give thanks for the ways He has worked through us. Rejoicing over what God has done by His grace sets the stage for what is to come! —David C. McCasland
Lord, as this year comes to a close, we give thanks for all You have accomplished in and through us. By Your grace, lift our eyes to see what is to come!
God is always at work in and through us.
INSIGHT: This inaugural missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas covered nearly 900 miles, much of it on foot. At first the duo met primarily with Jewish audiences. In the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch (in modern-day Turkey) Paul appealed to the Jewish heritage of his hearers. He outlined Israel’s history and clearly showed how it culminated in the coming of Jesus Christ (Acts 13:13-41). Paul’s biblical preaching so intrigued his listeners that they invited him back the following Sabbath.
So many people returned to hear him the next week that it set off a jealous reaction among some influential Jews in Antioch (v. 45). This didn’t appear to faze Paul and Barnabas, who simply turned to the Gentiles who were present and quoted Isaiah 49:6 to them: “I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.” The church grew. The opposition Paul and Barnabas faced merely resulted in the expansion of the gospel message and contributed to the overall success of their missionary journey. Tim Gustafson
Top Bible Prophecy Stories Of 2017
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ARTICLE
Top Bible Prophecy Stories Of 2017
By Jan Markell/Olivetreeviews.org December 29, 2017
Pieces of the eschatological puzzle continue to manifest daily. Even signs that are primarily Tribulation events are casting a shadow today. As I perused news stories of the year, I selected 15 items that tell us time is short. The King is coming soon. Don’t ever doubt that.
1. Jerusalem became a greater “burdensome stone” with Donald Trump’s acknowledgement that this is truly Israel’s capital and holy city. See Zechariah 12:3. Greater controversy will surround her in the year ahead.
2. The Gog-Magog alliance went on fast-forward. Iran, Turkey, and Russia are uniting with a primary goal in mind — coming against Israel as foreshadowed in Ezekiel 38-39. Turkey’s Erdogan threatened to “wipe out all Jews” after the Jerusalem announcement.
3. A new false god came on the scene and many hailed its arrival. An ex-Google executive is founding a church where artificial intelligence will be worshiped. It’s called AI for short and keep your eyes on this in 2018.
4. The scoffing of eschatology went to a new level. Many said the announcement concerning Jerusalem was received well by many Christians only because it will hasten Christ’s return. Many who love prophecy have given up finding a church that will address this.
5. Tribulation Temple talk escalated after Donald Trump’s announcement concerning Jerusalem.
6. One salacious scandal followed another in 2017 revealing that man’s character now reflects the end-time warnings of Romans 1 and II Timothy 3.
7. Israel continued pounding targets in Syria foreshadowing the day when she will carry out the prophetic verse found in Isaiah 17:1 — the destruction of Damascus.
8. The idea of micro-chipping is now so accepted that one news outlet said people will soon be eager to be micro-chipped. It was suggested that we will eagerly line up like dogs for a chip.
9. As predicted, evil is waxing worse and worse (II Timothy 3:13). Pagan gods are appearing in many places including at the U.N. The occult is more appealing than ever and Millennials are “spellbound” by the paranormal.
10. Lawlessness is growing and the ‘spirit of Antichrist’ seems to be poured out on the earth in greater ways this past year. The Antifa movement is one illustration. George Soros is busier than ever in his waning years.
11. There has been an intensification of calling evil good (Isaiah 5:20). Islamic jihad proponent Linda Sarsour made threatening comments about President Trump yet almost became Time magazine’s “person of the year.” In the mind of the Left, Islam must be celebrated.
12. The world of technology has declared war on Christians and conservatives. Google, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and more, are pulling the plug or limiting righteous comments and ideology yet they often celebrate evil. This reached new levels in 2017.
13. The terms “peace and security” are used in the Bible in I Thessalonians 5:3. It is false peace and security. The term was used with greater intensity in the last year. Donald Trump has been heralded as the president who will bring Israel “peace and security.” On December 18, Fox News said President Trump would bring peace and security around the globe. The President stated that he “has laid a pathway to peace and security in our world.”
14. In spite of world turmoil, there is a greater “business-as-usual” atmosphere particularly in America. Since Donald Trump has been President, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has closed at record highs 82 times. The Bible suggests there will be such a comfortable time on earth when Christ returns in spite of the frequent “birth pangs” which have also been record-setting.
15. There is even more evidence that only Jesus ruling and reigning from Jerusalem will provide great government. It has become evident that mankind cannot drain a swamp filled with alligators and poisonous snakes! Washington is corrupt to the core because mankind’s heart is “desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9). Draining the swamp was a great campaign slogan but 2017 showed us that first man’s heart must be made new.
We can look at a list like this and focus on ” sighs of the times” rather than realize that they are ” signs of the times.” The pieces of the puzzle continue to fall into place. Nothing is falling apart but instead falling into place.
Because of the turmoil of our times, someone said that the future is not what it used to be. Not true. The future was foretold and is playing out with a precise script and a predictable end only because it is all outlined in scripture. We can watch it in high-definition color with surround sound and even in 3D. We have front row seats!
The King is coming, perhaps today.
Originally published by Jan Markell at Olive Tree Ministries
Read more at http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=1892#RW5RgXL3PsKz3xck.99
New Internet Rules Usher In Global Control? ~ The End Of British Christianity? ~ Prophecy News Watch
Key The Following Link For Cutting Edge Updates Of Our Ever Changing World And Strides Made Towards The Coming New World Order:
http://prophecynewswatch.cc/l/IZJRxKomS3ZQy6RapRtsjg/wzoqVgnVrSM5R9fCHlwNDA/YHKLnvBoLaEL7EENRVIqbA
The End Of British Christianity?
ARTICLE
The End Of British Christianity?
By Giulio Meotti/Gatestone Institute December 27, 2017
British Christian publications have been wondering if we are witnessing the “extinction of Christianity in Egypt”, where the Christian faithful have suffered persecution and terror attacks at the hands of Islamic fundamentalists. Christian leaders also seem to be wondering if Christianity will be “extinct within a generation” in the UK, where religious people enjoy total freedom of worship and faith.
Last year, the Church of England began to formulate a religious revolution. Its canonical laws require that British churches hold their functions every Sunday. The dramatic crisis of Christianity in the UK, however, is pushing the Anglican church to rewrite those rules, in order not to officiate in empty and abandoned churches.
A quarter of the British rural parishes now have fewer than 10 regular members of the faithful on Sunday. There are no more children in 25% of the Church of England’s congregations, as new figures have just shown. On average, nine children attended each church service across all Anglican churches in 2016. Generally speaking, churchgoers have dwindled in the UK by 34,000 in just one year.
“Should we care that Britain’s lost its religion?”, Daniel Finkelstein asked in The Times. Yes. He suggests that nationalism might take its place, but what if, instead, its place is taken by another religion?
There is no need to be observant to understand the importance of a country’s cultural affiliation. If there were no mass immigration from countries with values antithetical to Western ones, the demise of Christianity would not be as potentially calamitous; society might simply become one of atheists and secularists.
Europe now, however, is experiencing a terminal decline for two reasons that are linked: mass unvetted immigration coupled with a shrinking confidence in its own legitimacy and beliefs. There seems to be shame over Western colonialism, yet no thought at all seems to be given to who are the real colonists: The Crusades were a reaction to a Muslim colonization of the Christian Byzantine Empire, North Africa, the Middle East, much of Eastern Europe, Northern Cyprus and Spain.
In Europe, the UK is now leading the same process. Britain is living through “the biggest religious transition since the Reformation of the 16th Century”, according to Linda Woodhead, professor of the sociology of religion at Lancaster University. In 2000, Anglicans were 30% of the population.
Half of them have disappeared in just seventeen years. The number of those who belong to the Church of England fell below 15%, including just 3% of English young people ages 18-24. Writing in the Spectator, Damian Thompson wondered if “the Church of England is dying”. Churchgoing dropped by 50% also in Scotland. Another report revealed that more than half the British population has no religion at all.
According to internal documents from the Church of England, Christianity is dying in Britain at such a pace that in the next three decades, Anglican congregations will halve again. Christians in the UK are on course to be in the minority by the middle of the century.
What defines Europe are its boundaries – not physical but cultural. Without its culture, Europe could not be distinguished from the rest of the world. And the pillar of this culture is based on the Judeo-Christian heritage and values.
The journalist Melanie Phillips stated that the Church of England, by embracing trendy ideological extravagances such as gender ideology, is now culturally “sowing the seeds of its destruction.” The goal of all this “inclusivity,” according to Phillips, is actually to “overthrow the Christian basis of the West”.
Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, has said that “political correctness” is bullying and undermining Christianity in the UK. “I cannot imagine any politician expressing concern that Britain should remain a Christian country; that reticence is a scandal and a disgrace to our history.”
According to a new poll, a total of 41% of British millennials, born between 1980 and 2000, said that the UK has “no specific religious identity”. As the progressive publication Prospect asked, “if we are no longer a Christian country, what are we?”. Former archbishops of Canterbury have warned that the UK will be soon unrecognizable. Rowan Williams has said that the UK is already “post-Christian”.
The existential crisis of the Church of England does not involve only the third Christian congregation in the world, represented by Anglicans. The crisis is also going to tear apart a source of the British landscape, politics and culture. Recently, The Spectator featured “The end of British Christianity” on its cover, where one elderly lady is seen as the only faithful in a cathedral.
“It’s often said,” the magazine continued, “that Britain’s church congregations are shrinking, but that doesn’t come close to expressing the scale of the disaster now facing Christianity in this country. If that rate of decline continues, the mission of St Augustine to the English, together with that of the Irish saints to the Scots, will come to an end in 2067”.
The level of atrophy in the Church of England is so extensive that Anglicanism is expected to collapse “for the next thirty years”. There are also rumors that “half of England’s Anglican cathedrals could close”.
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor said recently that in the UK, Christianity has been “nearly defeated”. If the Church of England disappears, there will be a totally different UK. The British historian Niall Ferguson has called it “the creeping Islamization of a decadent Christendom”.
Originally published at Gatestone Institute – reposted with permission.
Read more at http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=1886#xeUeOOGtVW5PtU3E.99
Priority Check At The Threshold Of The New Year
Thou art weighed in the balances, and found wanting. Daniel 5:27
The Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. I Samuel 2:3
What a sobering thought to have our lives weighed in God’s balance and then to be found that we do not measure up to His standard. What might be causing this imbalance? Perhaps unconfessed sin or neglect of God’s Word and prayer are to blame. Only by giving God first priority in our lives can this imbalance be corrected. -E.V.
Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord; Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word. -William D. Longstaff
Sword Of The Lord Newspaper ~ Dr. Shelton Smith, Editor ~ July 28, 2017
Ten Commandments Monument in Arkansas Toppled by Driver
Capitol police arrested a man after Arkansas’ new Ten Commandments monument was smashed to pieces when someone rammed a vehicle into it [June 28], less than 24 hours after the six-foot …granite statue was placed on state Capitol grounds….
The driver is identified…as Michael Tate Reed of Van Buren, Arkansas….
Arkansas’ monument fell from its plinth and broke into multiple pieces as it hit the ground….
Nearly three years ago, a Ten Commandments monument at Oklahoma’s Capitol met a similar fate, when a driver crashed his car into the statue, shattering it. The driver was identified as Michael Tate Reed of Van Buren, Arkansas. He was admitted the next day to a hospital for mental treatment and formal charges were never filed. -gopusa.com
Amen Corner
There is no having influence over the great men or the little men of this age except by being firm in your principles and decided in what you do. If you yield an inch, you are beaten; but if you will not yield – no, not the splitting of a hair – they will respect you. Charles H. Spurgeon
The vilest wretch and the most tender, gentle child stand equal before God. -John R. Rice
History tells us that appeasement does not lead to peace. It invites an aggressor to test the will of a nation unprepared to meet the test. And…those who seemingly want peace the most, our young people, pay the heaviest price for our failure to maintain our strength. -Ronald Reagan
The most critical need of this hour may well be that the church should be brought back from her long Babylonian captivity and the name of God be glorified in her again as of old. -A.W. Tozer
A committee is a group appointed by the unwilling to do the unnecessary. -Vance Havner
True religion is the foundation of society. When that is once shaken by contempt, the whole fabric cannot be stable nor lasting. -Edmund Burks
On the wall in our home is a piece of needlework which reads, “Friends are like jewels, precious and rare; but acquaintances are like leaves, scattered everywhere.” -Curtis Hutson
He whose head is in Heaven need not fear to put his feet into the grave. -Matthew Henry
There was no secret about it; he simply believed God’s Word with all of his heart and preached it with all of his might! -President James A. Garfield (on the secret of Spurgeon’s power)
The first point of wisdom is to discern that which is false; the second, to know that which is true. -Lucius Lactantius
God never made a tyrant nor a slave. -William Lloyd Garrison
It would be wonderful if it were as easy to arose enthusiasm as it is suspicion. They say people will believe anything if you whisper it.
Practice courtesy. You never know when it might become popular again.
Merry Christmas!
Thanks for the Greatest Gift
by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D. | Dec. 25, 2017
“Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” (2 Corinthians 9:15)
We who have known and sought to follow the Lord for many years have received many, many blessings for which to thank Him. “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits” (Psalm 68:19), we can pray again and again.
But there is one blessing that is so great that it cannot even be put into words—it is unspeakable! That gift is so great that when we try to comprehend it, the sense of awe and gratitude becomes so overwhelming (or at least should become so overwhelming) that our joy is also unspeakable—indescribable! That gift, of course, is the gift of the Lord Jesus Christ as our Redeemer and Savior, “whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, . . . ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8).
It is significant that the Greek word translated “unspeakable” occurs only these two times in the entire New Testament. God’s unspeakable gift to us produces unspeakable joy in us. We who deserve nothing but eternal separation from God in hell, instead will enjoy eternal life with God in heaven, and all because of that amazing and truly inexpressible gift!
To think that the mighty Creator, God the Son, would not only humble Himself to become His own creature, man, but then also suffer the unimaginable agony of the cross and separation from God the Father in order to deliver us from the just penalty of sin! This act speaks of such love and grace that all we can do is whisper softly, “Thank you, Lord, for this unspeakable gift,” and then shout it over and over again in our hearts wherever we go and share its unspeakable joy and blessing with whomever will listen to its message. “The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad” (Psalm 126:3). Thank you, Lord! HMM
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Our Daily Bread
Traditions and Christmas
December 25, 2017
Read: Luke 2:1–10 | Bible in a Year: Zephaniah 1–3; Revelation 16
I bring you good news that will cause great joy . . . a Savior has been born to you. Luke 2:10–11
As you savor a candy cane this Christmas, say “danke schön” to the Germans, for that confectionary treat was first created in Cologne. As you admire your poinsettia, say “gracias” to Mexico, where the plant originated. Say “merci beaucoup” to the French for the term noel, and give a “cheers” to the English for your mistletoe.
But as we enjoy our traditions and festivities of the Christmas season—customs that have been collected from around the world—let’s save our most sincere and heartfelt “thank you” for our good, merciful, and loving God. From Him came the reason for our Christmas celebration: the baby born in that Judean manger more than 2,000 years ago. An angel announced the arrival of this gift to mankind by saying, “I bring you good news that will cause great joy . . . a Savior has been born to you” (Luke 2:10–11).
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him. Romans 15:13
This Christmas, even in the light of the sparkling Christmas tree and surrounded by newly opened presents, the true excitement comes when we turn our attention to the baby named Jesus, who came to “save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). His birth transcends tradition: It is our central focus as we send praises to God for this indescribable Christmas gift.
Lord, we thank You for coming to join us on that first Christmas. During a time of the year filled with many traditions, help us to keep You first.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him. Romans 15:13
By Dave Branon | See Other Authors
INSIGHT
The angel Gabriel told Mary, “[Jesus] will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David” (Luke 1:32–33). The angel who appeared to Joseph said, “What is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. . . . [Y]ou are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:20–21). Mary and Joseph knew Jesus would be the Messiah, and as faithful Jews they would have known the Messiah was to come from Bethlehem, David’s hometown. Perhaps when Joseph was ordered to Bethlehem for the census he thought, So that’s how God is going to get us to Bethlehem!
How does reflecting on the miraculous events that led to the birth of Jesus fill you with renewed awe and wonder?
Adapted from Mystery of the Manger by John Greco. Read more at discoveryseries.org/hp161.
The Hope of Christmas | Day 10: One Size Fits All ~ Our Daily Bread Ministries
One Size Fits All
By: Joe Stowell
Today’s Reading: John 3:10–21
Everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
Like most children, I thoroughly enjoyed Christmas. With great anticipation, I would snoop under the tree to see what toys and games awaited my eager grasp. So I felt deflated when I started getting things like shirts and pants. Grownup gifts were no fun! Then last Christmas, my kids gave me some cool socks with bright colors and designs. I almost felt young again! Even grownups could wear these socks, as the label reassured me: “One size fits all.”
That welcome phrase “one size fits all” reminds me of the best gift of Christmas—the good news that Jesus is for everyone. The point was proven when the first invitation sent by angel choirs was to shepherds on the bottom rung of the social ladder. The news was underscored further when the VIPs—the wealthy and powerful Magi—followed the star to come and worship the Christ-child.
After Jesus began His ministry, an influential member of the Jewish ruling council came to Him at night. In the course of their conversation, Jesus invited “everyone who believes” to come to Him. The simple act of faith in Christ grants eternal life to those who trust in Him (John 3:16).
If Jesus were only for the poor and marginalized, or only for the famous and well-to-do, many of us would not qualify. But Christ is for everyone, regardless of status, financial situation, or social standing. He is the only gift truly fit for all.
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A Thrill of Hope ~ Our Daily Bread
A Thrill of Hope
December 24, 2017
Read: Luke 2:11–20 | Bible in a Year: Habakkuk 1–3; Revelation 15
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:11
Reginald Fessenden had been working for years to achieve wireless radio communication. Other scientists found his ideas radical and unorthodox, and doubted he would succeed. But he claims that on December 24, 1906, he became the first person to ever play music over the radio.
Fessenden held a contract with a fruit company which had installed wireless systems on roughly a dozen boats to communicate about the harvesting and marketing of bananas. That Christmas Eve, Fessenden said that he told the wireless operators on board all ships to pay attention. At 9 o’clock they heard his voice.
Without Christ there is no hope. Charles Spurgeon
He reportedly played a record of an operatic aria, and then he pulled out his violin, playing “O Holy Night” and singing the words to the last verse as he played. Finally, he offered Christmas greetings and read from Luke 2 the story of angels announcing the birth of a Savior to shepherds in Bethlehem.
Both the shepherds in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago and the sailors on board the United Fruit Company ships in 1906 heard an unexpected, surprising message of hope on a dark night. And God still speaks that same message of hope to us today. A Savior has been born for us—Christ the Lord! (Luke 2:11). We can join the choir of angels and believers through the ages who respond with “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (v. 14).
God, we give You glory and thank You for sending Your Son Jesus Christ to be our Savior!
Without Christ there is no hope. Charles Spurgeon
By Amy Peterson | See Other Authors
INSIGHT
Luke’s telling of the birth of Christ is a study in contrasts. We are introduced to the Son of God in the weakness of an infant, while powerful world rulers play their part in moving the family to the city of David. The shepherds were likely guarding temple flocks that would supply the sacrificial system at Jerusalem’s temple. Yet though they were treated as unclean by the religionists of their day, they are invited into the presence of the ultimate Sacrifice. From the humble to the heavenly and everything in between, these contrasts launch the journey of the Son who came from the highest place to be the Lamb of God.
In what way does the coming of Jesus touch your heart?
For further study download the brochure “10 Reasons to Believe God Offers the Perfect Gift” at discoveryseries.org/perfectgift.
Bill Crowder
The Story Behind the Christmas Carol… “O Little Town of Bethlehem” ~ December 23 2017
Written By Prophecy In The News
The Story Behind the Christmas Carol… “O Little Town of Bethlehem”
December 23, 2017
Phillip Brooks (1835-1893) the author of “O Little Town of Bethlehem,’ was a very big man. He stood six feet six inches tall and weighed in at almost three hundred pounds. After graduating from Harvard at the age of twenty-two, he struggled as a teacher of Latin at Boston’s Latin School. He knew his subject very well but could not instill in his students the desire to study as he thought they should. These thoughts caused him to believe he had failed at teaching. Finally, he left his teaching occupation. He began to look to God through prayer and Bible study to find what his future held. Eventually, he entered Episcopal Theological Seminary to prepare for the ministry. He was ordained in 1859 at the age of twenty-four and began his ministry in Philadelphia.
He was a dynamic pulpiter. He would preach at a rate of 250 words per minute. In thirty-five to forty minutes, he could deliver a sermon that would take the average minister an hour. His preaching was topical rather than expositional. There were times when he was criticized for his lack of depth in doctrine. However, he is recognized as one of America’s greatest preachers.
He had only been in the ministry six years when he was asked to preach the final rites over President Abraham Lincoln.
His ministry was also characterized by his love for children. Brooks’ study was filled with many scholarly books, papers, and journals, but it also held toys and dolls for his little friends, whom he always gave time for play.
In 1862, Brooks went to Holy Trinity Church in Philadelphia. He enlisted Lewis Redner to be the Sunday School Superintendent as well as the organist. They began their ministry together with thirty-six children enrolled in Sunday School. Within a year’s time, over one thousand children were enrolled.
In 1865, after pasturing this great church during the ravages of the Civil War, Brooks, age thirty, found himself totally exhausted. He planned a trip to the Holy Land. His congregation didn’t want to be without his leadership even for such a very special sabbatical. However, they all urged him to go. One of the church papers declared, “He will go accompanied with the prayers of thousands for his happy journeying and his safe return,”
His trip was everything he had hoped it would be. During the week of Christmas, he and his fellow travelers found themselves in Jerusalem. On December 24 he traveled by horseback from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. This is the entry to his diary about this experience, “Before dark, we rode out of town to the field where they say the shepherds saw the star. It is a fenced piece of ground with a cave in it, in which, strangely enough, they put the shepherds.”
In Bethlehem, he attended a five-hour worship service from 10:00 p.m. until 3:00 a.m. at the Church of the Nativity. He said of the event, “I remember standing in the old church in Bethlehem close to the spot where Jesus was born. The whole church was ringing hour after hour with splendid hymns of praise to God, how again and again it seemed as if I could hear voices I know well, telling each other of the Wonderful Night of the Savior’s birth.”
Brooks returned to Philadelphia and found his experience in Palestine difficult to forget. However, the song about his Bethlehem encounter was still three years away. In December of 1868, as Phillip Brooks arranged sermons and programs for the Christmas season, the special moment came. As he prepared, his thoughts again turned to his travels in the Holy Land. He wanted a Christmas song for his “Little Ones.” With his heart full of memories of that special night in Bethlehem, he wrote the words to “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”
He took the words to the church organist, Lewis Redner, and asked him to write a tune for his simple carol. Brooks wanted the children to sing the carol. Brooks wanted the children to sing the carol the next Sunday, which was Christmas Day. Brooks told Redner if he would compose a good melody he would name it after him. Redner gave much thought to the carol and tune all week long but the inspiration would not come. On Christmas Eve, he went to bed without a melody. Very late in the night, he was awakened by what he called an “angel strain” singing the melody he was to put with the carol. Early on Christmas morning, he found himself filling out the harmony for the carol. Lewis Redner said many times that the melody was a “gift from heaven.” Thirty-six children and six Sunday School teachers sang the carol for the first time on that Christmas morning in 1868, proving once again God never comes too late with too little; Brooks named the tune after his organist. To keep from embarrassing Redner, he changed his first name “Lewis” to “Louis” and called it “St. Louis.” The carol was printed in leaflets and was used locally. Then in 1874, William R. Huntington first published it in Church Porch. It has become one of the best-loved Christmas hymns in the English language.
Phillip Brooks was made Protestant Episcopal Bishop of Massachusetts in 1891. Two years later, he died in Boston at the age of fifty-seven. Brooks has been called a great preacher. He has been referred to as having a “princely form towering… as a giant.” Probably the best description of Brooks’ was given by one of his five-year-old “little friends.” When told that her big friend had gone to heaven, she replied, “How happy the angels will be.”
O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight
For Christ is born of Mary,
And gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars together,
Proclaim the holy birth,
And praised sing to God the King,
And peace to men on earth!
How silently, how silently,
The wondrous Gift is giv’n;
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His Heav’n.
No ear may hear His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still,
The dear Christ enters in.
O holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in,
Be born in us today.
Be born in us today,
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel!
Source: “Song of Christmas” and the stories behind them – by Tommy and Renee Pierce (Copyright 2008)
The Hope of Christmas | Day 9: Reclaiming the Lost ~ Our Daily Bread Ministries
The Hope of Christmas | Day 9: Reclaiming the Lost
By: Joe Stowell
Today’s Reading: Luke 19:1–10
The Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.
Luke 19:10
A few years ago, a friend of mine lost track of her young son while walking through a swarm of people at Union Station in Chicago. Needless to say, it was a terrifying experience. Frantically, she yelled his name and ran back up the escalator, retracing her steps in an effort to find her little boy. The minutes of separation seemed like hours, until, suddenly—thankfully—her son emerged from the crowd and ran to the safety of her arms.
Thinking of my friend who would have given anything to find her child fills me with a renewed sense of gratitude that God did everything in His power to seek and save us. From the time God’s first image bearers—Adam and Eve—wandered off in sin, He lamented the loss of fellowship with His people. He did everything in His power to restore the relationship, ultimately sending His one and only Son “to seek and save those who are lost” (Luke 19:10). Without the birth of Jesus, and without His willingness to die to pay the price for our sin and to reunite lost souls to God, we would have nothing to celebrate at Christmastime.
So, this Christmas, let’s be thankful that God took extreme measures by sending Jesus to reclaim our fellowship with Him. Although we once were lost, because of Jesus we have been found!
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December 23, 2017
Our Daily Bread
God with Us
Even Steven 