F4S: Try worship this CHRISTmas season.

Monday, December 8, 2014

Try worship this CHRISTmas season.

"Woman with child
And an inn with no room
Born in a manger
Foretelling a tomb
This is how
The story goes
But it is more than a fable
And it's more than a fairytale
And more than my mind can conceive
I believe...
Two thousand years
Still the story lives on
God's gift to us
Sent to earth wrapped in flesh
His only son
His only son
And the heartbeat of heaven
Confounded our wisdom
But it's still the simple truth
That sets me free
I believe.
The wise men saw
The baby boy..
The angels called the son of God 
Heaven's child
The great I am
Born to take away my sins
through nailed pierced hands
Emmanuel has come
And I believe.
Precious child How can it be that
God's great plan
For history.
I believe in a cross, I believe He came for one, He came for all
Heavens child became a plan, gave his life for me
In spite of all I am, I believe, I believe, oh I believe.
Christmas lives in me.
I believe." ~ Natalie Grant

Have you been up or been feelin' down ..this holiday season? Christ was born down here to take away our sins. God cares - He gave His best for you. Draw close to Him, and He will to you. Try worship. Commit to a lifestyle of that.


Try countin' your blessings. Try givin' thanks in all circumstances (not for all) and, "Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones! Praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning."

The One who was born in a manger did his share of hurting too.. for you. And He can indeed relate to you. He can still help. The Bible says...

"He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.."

If you and I just muse over His first virgin-birth-arrival, if we muse over His ride down into the city of Jerusalem on a li'l donkey's colt, if we muse over His Cross and empty grave.. I just don't think we'd be the same. Sure, think about how that ride fulfilled the Bible prophecy of Zechariah (see 9:9). You and I have reason to rejoice in Him! 

His great salvation delivered and still delivers what all of God's creation has been deeply longing for (see Rom. 8:19-20). Fulfillment, forgiveness, friendship, freedom, fellowship, and filling! 

Weeping may endure for the night, but Paul says, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God." (See Rom. 8:18-39). 

"When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son." —Galatians 4:4

“When God stepped out of heaven above and came down to this earth, He clothed Himself in human flesh—a Child of lowly birth.” —D. De Haan

As Christ was sent to earth as God's first missionary.. He basically volunteered for us ..so that we could one day go to heaven ..with Him.

So, let Him get your doubt out - it'll make ya wanna shout! 

Makes me want to worship. Too many people think that eternal life kicks in after one dies. Nope! It'll kick in the moment you simply repent (turn from sin) and believe in Jesus. Sure, Christmas should bring us to the end of ourselves, and then into Christ's embrace - yes, humbly to the beginning of grace. 

But what's grace? 

G.R.A.C.E. = God's riches at Christ's expense. It's an incarnation Christmas kind of Gift. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich" (2 Cor. 8:9 nlt). Just ask 

Freely we receive and freely we give. Perhaps you're notorious for re-gifting this season (just might get caught. I've done it before). Well, re-gift the Gift of all gifts this year - Christ the hope of glory! Re-gift His love and Message. Re-gift His words; they're so Tweetable

And we can re-tweet em. 

"I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out" (Luke 19:40).

With all that is in me, I encourage you to praise the Lord and go tell. We can commit to Him in this. 

Yo, no matter if you wear a fro, are a pro, or even if yo name is Joe. No matter how slow.. or where you go, who you know, or where with your hound are right now.. or in the future are bound.. "No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found." —I. Watts 

I'm not much of a rhymer, but have you been hurting this holiday season? Have you been feelin' down as you go around.. to all the social events? Get alone and try worship of Jesus. facebook.com/shareJesus