Christmas

Joy

Kenneth1 Comment

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Along with Joy to the World, Hark the  herald angels and Away in a manger I think I have got to admit that Who is He is my favourite carol I like playing in my Corps Band because for me it is a carol that speaks volumes. It’s a carol that tell us Jesus was a ‘special baby’ he was to be a baby that grew into a man and to perform miracles before he was crucified on the cross to save us from our sins.

Verse 1
Who is He in yonder stall,
at Whose feet the shepherds fall?
Chorus
‘Tis the Lord!
O wondrous story
‘Tis the Lord,
the King of Glory!
At his feet we humbly fall,
Crown Him, crown Him
Lord of all!
Verse 2
Who is He in deep distress,
fasting in the wilderness?
Verse 3
Who is He
to Whom they bring
all the sick and sorrowing?
Verse 4
Who is He on yonder tree,
dies in grief and agony?
Verse 5
Who is He Who from the grave
comes to heal
and help and save?
Verse 6
Who is He Whom from His throne
rules through all the world alone?

Christmas dinner for homeless

Kenneth3 Comments
Image result for Euston Station on Christmas day

1. Matthew 25:34-40

“Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, my Father has blessed you! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me into your home. I needed clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you took care of me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “Then the people who have God’s approval will reply to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you or see you thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you as a stranger and take you into our homes or see you in need of clothes and give you something to wear? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “The king will answer them, ‘I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you did for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did for me.’

The people of this country never cease to amaze me, when I seen the news on ITV on Christmas Day I heard about the idea that a couple of railway workers had which resulted in London’s Euston train station being filled with the homeless for a Christmas Dinner I thought this was brilliant. They also said that this may be a thing that may be repeated each year, let’s hope so. Let’s also pray that it may catch on in our major cities throughout the country as well.

Questions For You and Me

By Jacob Folger

Stuffed and overflowing stockings hanging by the fireside

Pretty plastic candlelights glowing in the night

Sticky candy canes hanging from pine tree boughs

This all presents questions, I will in this poem pose.

When a little kid with Christmas time coming round

The joyful music, it seemed was the only sound

But really, I wonder now what it all means to me

Is it all about that perfectly shaped and lighted Christmas tree?

Little, sweet baby Jesus sleeping in some straw

It seems to me that someone might notice a little flaw

What is the difference between that dirty man without a home

And the King of Kings that almost all of us must have known?

And tell me what was that message that He gave to you and me

Before His life was ended on that old and lonely tree?

Was it all about just taking care of little, selfish me?

Or is there more here, more for all of us to see?

I asked a lot of questions in this poem this Christmas Eve

I guess this time of year, the cold, and the suffering that I see

Fills my head and heart with old and sad memories

I am hoping that maybe from it all we will not always flee.

Little, sweet baby Jesus sleeping in some straw

It seems to me that someone might notice a little flaw

What is the difference between that dirty man without a home

And the King of Kings that almost all of us must have known?

Clean Water

KennethLeave a comment

John 7 New International Version

Photo by Creative Vix on Pexels.com

37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”[c] 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

I suppose you as well as myself will have noticed the number of appeals that went out from different charities over the Christmas period for different things.

Photo by Jimmy Chan on Pexels.com

The other night I seen this appeal on TV for clean water and it showed the difference it could make to the lives of those in poor countries

The thing that has really stuck in my mind about this advert is the joy on some of the children’s faces when they were drinking ‘Clean tap water’ for the first time

Verse 1
Life is a journey; long is the road,
And when the noontide is high
Souls that are weary faint ‘neath their load,
Long for the waters, and cry:

Chorus
The well is deep and I require
A draught of the water of life,
But none can quench my soul’s desire
For a draught Or the water of life;
Till one draws near who the cry will heed,
Helper of men in their time of need,
And I, believing, find indeed
That Christ is the water of life.

Verse 2
Life is a seeking, life is a quest,
Eager and longing desire;
Unto the true things, unto the best,
Godward our spirits aspire.

Verse 3
Life is a finding; vain wand’rings cease
When from the Saviour we claim
All we have longed for, solace and peace,
And we have life in his name.

Christmas Card’s

KennethLeave a comment
Photo by Jill Wellington on Pexels.com

I don’t know about your house this year but my house is looking rather bare where Christmas card’s are concerned. Normally we have at least one wall covered in card’s, we have even had to stick them on internal doors in the main living room.

My own thoughts are that people are starting to send Christmas messages through Facebook, Twitter etc, I have received some of these greetings already and sadly they don’t mention the reason for the season I find that a bit sad.

Unlike the messages I’ve been getting through Social Media the ‘Proper card’ that is either delivered or given to you can have the message That ‘Jesus is the reason for the Season’

The Christ in Christmas

Kenneth2 Comments

I wonder how many of us will get Christmas cards with the two different terms on them 1. Merry Christmas and 2. Happy Xmas.

According to the dictionary the meaning of Merry Christmas is: The real meaning of “Merry Christmas” is, to be full of absolute joy because God Himself, knowing none of us could *ever* get free of sin ourselves, provided the way for our salvation. It is only through God that we can obtain Holiness because none of us are able to cleanse ourselves to the point of pleasing God.

Whereas Xmas (also X-mas) is a common abbreviation of the word Christmas. It is sometimes pronounced, but Xmas, and variants such as Xtemass, originated as handwriting abbreviations for the typical pronunciation. The “X” comes from the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of the Greek word Christós (Χριστός), which became Christ in English. The suffix -mas is from the Latin-derived Old English word for Mass.

Personally I prefer the first one of the two

A lot of kids these days are brought up to believe that Santa and toys are ” The reason for the season” We must remember as Christians that Jesus is ” The reason for the season”

Homeless at Christmas

Kenneth8 Comments

It’s that time of year again when we think of the homeless people especially at night when the temperature drops very low, very often to freezing or below.

Let us spare a thought for those who will not be able to afford a Christmas dinner as we sit down to ours on Christmas day .

I also admire those volunteers from many organisations such as The Salvation Army who give up their day to cater not just for the homeless but for the old and people on their own.

Matthew 25:34-40 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?