The Long ago Birth in a Bethlehem Stable

Jesus our Savior and righteous king, was born long ago in a Bethlehem stable,
Born both to die, and to live in majesty forever, and our sin from us he came to sever.
Greater than any skilled surgeon he cuts to the heart, to bring healing and wholeness and not just a new start, but God’s love and forgiveness within us to enable.

The angels gathered round to watch in awe, as God, born of man in that earthly stable,
Come to break the power of sin and death,
and reveal God’s spirit in man with a heavenly breath.
A story foretold in part by the prophets of old, proved to be so much more than a forgotten fable.

Mary did you know that the child you bore, laying comfortably swaddled in that rickety manger, would for us bare God’s wrath and his righteous anger?

Were you amazed as the lowly Shepherd’s from a nearby field shared their exciting story?
Of the message from God sent by angles while the field around them shone in heavenly glory?

Did you know that his hands would heal the sick and the blind?
That his words would bring freedom to all who believe and evil spirits would bind?

Did you know that the words of his mouth would raise the dead?
That with five loaves and two fish, five thousand hungry disciples would be filled and fed?

Did you know that your creator born there from your womb?
That he, your son was soon to bare God’s wrath and your horrible doom?

Did you know he would suffer and die and until the third day,
His body wrapped and prepared for the grave, in a rich man’s tomb would lay?
Or that you with his friends and followers in fear would be clustered away?

Did you know he would rise up with the sun on that glorious third morn?
Or that a new covenant with God and heavenly kingdom were soon to be born?

I’m sure it’s a lot to imagine while giving birth in a Bethlehem stable,
But that awesome story will likely be shared in heaven around the marriage feast table.

Heaven and earth are to be remade and joined by him in the final hour, and we'll be formed anew in heavenly flesh much like God joined with earthly flesh in Mary's womb, and was born long ago in a Bethlehem stable.

By Jim Wilday


It seems quite interesting when you think about it that God would choose a stable for the birth place of the Lamb of God while both shepherds and royalty came to worship. I believe God was making a statement about his Son. Even royalty in a threesome reminds of the Holy Trinity, Father Son and Holy Spirit represented there in that manger in little baby Jesus.

But only God could remake the Creator into a child, and the Shepherd into the Sacrificial Lamb. No wonder the angels were watching in awe to see the omnipresent and Almighty God step down from on high to take on the limitations and vulnerability of human flesh to complete a task that only God himself could possibly complete.

As Max Lucado put it...
Ponder the achievement of God. He doesn't condone our sin, nor does He compromise His standard. He doesn't ignore our rebellion, nor does He relax His demands. Rather than dismiss our sin, He assumes our sin and, incredibly, sentences Himself. God's holiness is honored. Our sin is punished...and we are redeemed. God does what we cannot do so we can be what we dare not dream; perfect before God.
[In The Grip of Grace] Max Lucado
Copyright [Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1996]
Used by permission

Thanks Father God for New Life and Unity in Christ

Thy Name be raised on high this day,
In the presence of thy majesty, we bow and pray…

In Thee oh Lord our hearts unite,
In one accord to win the fight,
Against each heart’s own scar and blight,

You have unveiled sin’s disguise,
And opened up our sinful eyes.

We look to you on high oh Lord,
Toward our great undeserved reward.

You are our God, our Father and Friend,
In you new wonders have no end.

No boundary to block Your praise from our heart,
Your Spirit flows forth to give life a new start.

In the Father, the Spirit and Son,
Our broken hearts have been made one.

One with the Father, and one with the Son,
One with the children of God, our heart he’s won.

Our unity in Christ is a wonderful part,
Of which this life is only a start.

Each new day brings promise anew,
Of God’s paradise restored in you.

When darkness flees to find its cover,
Many new wonders we are soon to discover.

Yes each new day so sunny and bright,
Reminds of His glory His power and might.

And even dark clouds rolling in with thunder
Remind of his wrath toward those who with evil hearts do plunder

If we put feet to our faith through the rest of our life,
God will grant us peace and an end to our strife.

Praise be to the Father and to the Son,
And praise to the Spirit who unites us as one.

His breath of life is fresh to our core.
Pour out your Spirit Lord, new life to restore,

Yes, pour out your Spirit Lord, please fill us more.
More of your wisdom, more of your grace,
More of your loving Holy Spirits embrace.

Blessed be the Lord God Almighty, how awesome is Thy story.
Let people everywhere on bended knee proclaim Thy wondrous glory.

by Jim Wilday.

Please know that I don’t mean to make it sound as though the Christian life is all fun and games. It’s not. We still live in a world contaminated by sin. And since we do, we need to remember that though we have victory in Christ through the cross, there is still a battle of wills being fought. As Paul puts it in Ephesians 6:11 & 12: Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. And in 1 Peter 5:8-9: Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

But as we stand firm in the spirit through humble worship of God our father in prayer and praises in song verbally lifted to him on high, and through a careful and diligent study of Gods word bringing faith to our hearts, and with it the power to remain obedient to Gods individual calling, and with obedience through faith we will receive in our joyful heart a little bit of heaven on earth.

Stand firm my brothers and sisters and know assuredly that one day our work and struggles will be done and we will find ourselves in the glorious presence of God our Father as joint heirs with Christ.

Go in his peace and the grace of God through Jesus, the Christ, our Lord
Jim

The Holy Bible

This book explores;
the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners and the happiness of believers.

Status;
Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.

Why;
Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the travelers map, the pilgrims staff, the pilots compass, the soldiers sword, and the Christians character.

Far reaching benifits;
Here paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is its grand object, our good is its design, and the glory of God its end.

Your CHOICE;
It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully.

NOT your choice;
It is given you in life and will be opened in the judgment and will be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

Anonymous

Like the Heart of a Child?

Lord I come to you in all humble supplication,

and may my prayers bring to you glory not my own gratification.

But as I speak in honest truth with each word from my lips,

please melt away these horrid pounds that have clung to my hips.

I bring to you my evil and earthly desires and fears,

And set them at the foot of the cross where your blood’s mixed with my tears.

Lord thank you for this car you’ve given me,

though it’s as old as some of the reused Rose Parade floats,

and seems to be held together with nothing better than butter n bolts.

I bring it to you with thanks, not a spirit that gloats.

Lord thanks for this house though it’s as old as the hills,

and what would happen to it if the termites stopped holding hands in prayer still gives me the chills.

Though the pipes still rattle with rust and age throughout,

It’s still filled with your love as I trust in you, not my bank account with no clout.

Lord grant me a small bit of faith as I kneel on these old arthritic knees,

and ask for your healing and a small block of cheese.

Lord I come to you with a broken heart that’s old and outdated,

like these socks that I wear full of holes and aren’t mated,

I ask for your grace not for me but for others some of which I admit I have hated,

open their eyes to your love if only because they are ones you’ve created.

Lord I don’t mean to burden you with these same old problems, that may seem far fetched and a bit wild,

please train this old heart to fully trust in you more like the heart of a child.

Now I’ll get up off these old knees if you please which I mentioned before,

because these old stiff ligaments are stretching and beginning to get sore.

Amen.

by Jim Wilday

LOL. Maybe we ought to model our prayers after the “Lords Prayer” in Mathew chapter 6 rather than this one, God tends to use our trials and tribulations like a refiners fire to burn away the unwanted attributes of our old nature. So long as you walk with me through the fire Lord, bring it on so that my heart may emerge shinning more like the heart of God, a heart of the purest gold refined in your word and with a unique blend of your Holy Spirit.

Nevertheless God knows our heart and wants our honesty with him in prayer above all. He knows our heart anyway so there’s no reason to hold our dark thoughts back so long as we keep a perspective of who we are next to Almighty God. He wants us to release our fears and frustrations to him rather than dump on those around us. We have the example of the Psalms in this regard. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t supposed to share our earnest concerns with those we love and trust. We should bare one another’s burdens in faith trust and love. The Psalmist wrote down many of his concerns to share even with us.



Only ONE

One God - (in three persons) Father, Son and Holy Spirit

One Plan - for man’s redemption, He made us, we sold out, so He purchased us back at great cost.

One time - the past looks forward, the future looks back ( to a sort of time zero) to the….

One Birth - prophesied thousands of years before, and observed by angels in awe

One Man - Jesus. He is God in human flesh to unite both God and man and heaven and earth

One death - of Jesus, for the redemption of all who believe, for all time

One resurrection - Of Jesus the Christ in the flesh, not just in Spirit. In Him we can all have eternal life.

One King - Jesus, seated at the right hand of God in the throne room of heaven

One Spirit - His, freely given to those who believe.  His Spirit brings Peace with God, Eternal life, truth, vision, power, unity, Spiritual fruit and healing. His Spirit brings unity with God and oneness with others who also submit to his deity.

One heavenly kingdom - to which we all belong, all that are made ONE in Him. And if we are in Him while He is in heaven we can experience a little bit of the peace of heaven in the midst of our troubles here on earth. His being in us brings newness of life and unity in Spirit with other believers. A separation or division in the flesh can still exist as we fail to submit to his superior will and design for our lives like children demanding our own selfish way. But we can experience the fruits of the spirit in our lives to the extent that we are submissive and obedient to Him our Lord and King. As the Apostle Paul said in Galatians 5:22-26 “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. “

Praise Him on high! There was no need for alternate plans to what God has designed. There are no dressed rehearsals, He has made no failed plans or sorry excuses, He has done it all in Christ, and left nothing for us to improve upon. We are only to honor and worship Him in obedience, allowing Christ to carry out His plan in us throughout all of our days in our many different ways, our many different tongues, each individual part brought together as many stray notes into perfect tune and harmony, into One.. A-cord.

And as Paul says in Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me…” so our harmony, for all of us who are following Jesus is real, due to the One life that we all live. It is the very resurrection and life of Christ lived in us by the Holy Spirit. God in man like a heavenly breath, we are not only a Christian organization, but underneath it all we are a spiritual organism with Christ the head. Without Him we are spiritually dead.

God the Father considers you special, enough that He spared His Son. And Jesus temporarily gave up His glory to humbly serve you even to the death, and the Spirit of God lives in you as a gift of God to help you with the renewing of your mind. He is in the business of transforming us into the children of God that we might become heirs with Jesus, who is the Christ, the Messiah, the Holy One of God. This is something to ponder each Christmas season and all through the year.
If you don't know Jesus as your personal Lord and savior, please take a few minutes to look at  https://www.godlife.com/en/gospel   or  http://www.4spirituallaws.com/ or http://godlovestheworld.com These few minutes may turn out to be the best spent minutes of your life.

Ask God now to reveal the the truth to you in a way that you will believe and recognize the deity of Jesus His Son. Open the door to Him and let Him take His rightful place in your heart. God is patient but time is short so don't delay. If you were to die in a car accident today would your soul be ushered into the waiting arms of Christ? Or would you end up in a dark and lonely place? Would you be forever separated from a loving God who is calling to your heart while there is still time to respond? A decision to wait is to choose rejection. Please don't make a fatal mistake. Release your grasp on pride and take his hand, he'll lead you up the right path into life and light and joy of knowing God in a personal and meaningful relationship. That is what is meant by John 1:12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. (Past tense is used there which means it is done, the right to become children of God has at that moment been sealed by the gift of the Holy Spirit who will guide you into all truth found in the word of God the Bible. Read it and believe.)

Your friend and brother in Christ,
Jim

Dusty Jar of Clay

(Prayer for Renewal and Worth)

In all these things renew your way,

in all that I do from day to day…

As I look to the heavens, may I see your design,

May I give you the praise, and all glory be Thine.

When I lift up Thy name, in prayer and in praise,

Please grant me Thy wisdom in each word and phrase.

As I read Thy word from day to day,

Please guide my path that in thee I may stay.

As I speak of your faithfulness, May I be bold and not mumble.
Yet as I bow in the presence thy majesty may I always be humble.

Jesus, you’re king of the Jews by all rights, a heavenly king in the throne room of God,
I set my troubles and temptations before you, under your feet to be trod.

May I cast my every worry at your feet and not give them a thought,
For by your blood spilled at Calvary every one of them was bought.

As I go through each day, may I live it your way,
And to others be a witness, not lead them astray.

As I live from this day forth for the God of old,
May I bring someone with me into thy fold.

As it was with Adam on the eve of creation
May I trust in you without resignation.

You are my rock, in You I belong,
Strengthen my faith that I may stand strong.

Though my life be shaken to its very foundation,
May I trust in you, not just your creation.

May you be well pleased when I’ve passed the test,
And from this life I have at last come to rest.

And as I pass through the earths sullen haze,
May I fully trust in your proven ways.

Your will in all things, but may it be thus,
That my life be lived, to the glory of Jesus.

Whether I'm in the midst of the city or out in the jungle,
May I be so much more to others than a mixed up jumble.

I don’t know how you can do it Lord, it just blows me away,
That you can make anything useful of this dusty jar of clay.

by Jim Wilday





Dusty jar of Clay

 

  











May my present life in this earthen vessel be ever available to God through the redemptive power of the precious blood of Jesus his Son and through the guiding hand of his Holy Spirit, be always available to him for the grafting of new life to be transplanted from pot to pot into the lives of others day after glorious day. 

Take this dusty pot and clean it up, make it shine for thee.

Remember Whose You Are

As a humble child of God, you are an extension of his hand,
You’re a song from his heart to harmonize with, and boldly vocalize the melody of the band.

You are a comfort to those who mourn,
Whose lives have been severely torn.

You bring a taste of the savior, to those who hunger and thirst after God,
An encouragement to those who seek him if nothing but a smile and a nod.

You’re the salt of the earth, to those who seem to have lost Gods favor,
As they open up their heart, you’ll bring into their lives a little more of a welcome flavor.

You are a gift of freedom to those in chains,
Who through God’s love in you their hatred drains.

When you bring God’s peace to a rival heart,
As a child of the King you’ve made a royal start.

To some you may be the only picture, of the smile upon God’s face,
As a true reflection of him you’ll be a truly beautiful picture, of God’s amazing grace.

So let his light shine from the heights to a world gone dark,
You’re on the path to the mountain of God not just a walk in the park.

Don't let your spiritual brokenness rest on the mantel for all to see and behold,
rather believe on the one who gave you the breath of life, submit to him in the Spirit of righteousness,
for He alone has the power to make all things new and to endow you from within with the Spirit of Truth He alone is the Way to the kingdom of heaven.  Believe in Him and watch as new life from within you begins to unfold.

By Jim Wilday  - Inspired by Matthew 5

We should always remember that we who are in Christ were bought at high price from the ruler of darkness whom by our sin we sold out to. We are representatives of Christ, our redeemer to a dying world.  While we are on the job he is also teaching and training us for the job he has prepared for us to do.  Therefore we should not complain too harshly or worry so much when we go through all kinds of trials and troubles, but know that it is all part of our training so that we can be a blessing or witness to others who find themselves in the same predicament. Though it may not seem like it at the time He makes everything work together for good to them who are the called according to his purpose, those who love him.  That doesn't mean bad things don't happen, and it certainly doesn't mean He is the author of evil, but He the master of all that is good and beautiful can and will eventually work the destruction from the evil one into a glorious work of art.  He who sees all things and knows the final outcome will do this and I want to be a part of it.

Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest! John 4:35