Another year rolls by and with time the years seem to roll forward at increasing speed. Babies are born, knees are skinned, fenders bent, vows are made, clocks are punched, taxes paid, prescriptions filled. Then one day someone calls you Gramps or Me-Maw and there’s a shorter distance to the end than the beginning, but it’s all good and good to remember and to think back.

One day my Grandma contemplated about her storied life. She was married as a young teenager, to a strapping lantern jawed young man who would demonstrate what it was like to live on the wild side so to speak, and it wasn’t always fun. He ruled like a dictator and his word was the end of the story. When he said jump you jumped, and didn’t ask how high but jumped with all your might. Thinking back about her life she once said, “You know, I’ve had three lives, one short life before Pop, one life with Pop and one since he’s gone, and I liked the last one the best! No more packing lunch, my house remodeled, I got to travel, I enjoyed my kids and grandkids and I didn’t have to get Pop off to work or worry what to cook.”

Grandma always summarized her year at the end of her diaries like this entry: “1970 was a very good year for me. I count my many blessings. In April I got my teeth fixed by a very wonderful dentist. Totty took me and she really deserves the credit. And in July we were given a new minister to our church, Rev Gary Epler. He is a very dedicated man. Two new grandsons were born this year Jared & Eric Wolfe, 2 sweet babies! Thanksgiving and Christmas were very good days. My family gathered together and we had a good feast. Larry had a narrow escape Dec 24th. His car was demolished. He got out with a few scratches. Thank you Lord for all the wonderful days you have given me. Amen.”

Another closing activity usually on the back page was to list all those who passed from this life into eternity that year. Sounds kind of morbid but if you knew Grandma it really wasn’t. You see, she treasured people and the lives they lived. She knew bad times and good times and she knew that they were just like her, plus she cared for each one in her own way. It was her way of giving a memorial, remembering, that’s it remembering! We all want to be remembered don’t we?

We’ve raised three wonderful sons and I can still remember when our oldest left home (for the last time:) to be married to his wonderful bride. We were carrying things from his bedroom to the loading truck, back and forth, back and forth, until finally he stood before me holding the last box and said, “Well, this is it!” It was like a flash through my mind, this WAS it, twenty some years all wrapped up in this one last box! Another “three-lives” story turning a page.

Well folks, these true life stories tend to touch the heart, make you reminisce and maybe even make you a bit sad, but we must also remember that in the LORD all is good! Living with HIM in your life is the abundant life and putting your faith in Him leads to an eternal life with Him! He gives year after year so faithfully and then greets us in His presence with rejoicing on streets of gold. Let’s rejoice in Him in 2017! May you have a Happy and Blessed New Year!

Next story: “Grandma A Pearl of Great Price!” below:

Grandma, A Pearl of Great Price

A friend asked me what I thought he needed to defend his home.

I suggested a 9mm, a couple clips, and a box of shells.

A few days later, he sent me this picture and asked how to make it work.

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Are You An Old Geezer?

An old geezer became very bored in retirement and decided to open a medical clinic.

He put a sign up outside that said: “Dr. Geezer’s clinic. Get your treatment for $500, if not cured, get back $1,000.”

Doctor “Young,” who was positive that this old geezer didn’t know beans about medicine, thought this would be a great opportunity to get $1,000, so he went to Dr. Geezer’s clinic.

Dr. Young: “Dr. Geezer, I have lost all taste in my mouth. Can you please help me?

Dr. Geezer: “Nurse, please bring medicine from box 22 and put 3 drops in Dr. Young’s mouth.”

Dr. Young: “Aaagh! — This is Gasoline!”

Dr. Geezer: “Congratulations! You’ve got your taste back. That will be $500.

Dr. Young gets annoyed and goes back after a couple of days figuring to recover his money.

Dr. Young:  “I have lost my memory, I cannot remember anything.”

Dr. Geezer: “Nurse, please bring medicine from box 22 and put 3 drops in the patient’s mouth.”

Dr. Young:  “Oh, no you don’t, — that is Gasoline!”

Dr. Geezer: “Congratulations! You’ve got your memory back. That will be $500.”

Dr. Young (after having lost $1000) leaves angrily and comes back after several more days.

Dr. Young: “My eyesight has become weak — I can hardly see anything!”

Dr. Geezer: “Well, I don’t have any medicine for that so, here’s your $1000 back (giving him a $10 bill).”

Dr. Young: “But this is only $10!”

Dr. Geezer:  “Congratulations! You got your vision back! That will be $500.”

Moral of story — Just because you’re “Young” doesn’t mean that you can outsmart an “old Geezer.“

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Young unmarried man shares this story …

Old people at weddings always poked me and said, “You’re next!”

So, I started doing the same to them at funerals, “You’re next!”             (Ouch, that’s not funny!)

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Psalm 126:2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!

 

 

 

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2015 annual report for my blog. Take a look!

My theme verse for my blog is Psalm 45:1 “My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning my King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.”

Here’s an excerpt of the report:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,700 times in 2015. If it were a cable car, it would take about 28 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…. God thought of the word “Church”. The angels and heavenly beings had no clue what it meant but His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit knew, and fully embraced God’s plan and so should we because it was something created for our benefit from start to finish!

So what is church? And what does it have to do with me? Those are good questions as we prepare to welcome the year 2016! Especially since one day we will all meet God and He will wonder what we did about His Church. Jesus, as He walked on earth, was God in the flesh so what did he have to say about the church? Let’s take a look.

The first mention of the word “church” in the Bible was from Jesus own lips when in the book of Matthew chapter 16:18 He is recorded as saying, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” Some pretty strong words! So Jesus is the builder which means it is a VERY important thing He is building and we should take The Church seriously. At the end of His ministry on earth he commissioned His disciples to go to the ends of the earth and preach His Good News so that His Church would be formed and all people would have an opportunity to be saved.

So let’s be clear, nowhere in the Bible will you find Jesus telling His disciples to gather together the bricks and mortar for a building project because the Church was people! We can see this in Romans 16:5 where the Apostle Paul sends a greeting, “Likewise greet the church that is in their house”. The Church Jesus was creating was not a building but was a group of believers joined together by the Holy Spirit to do His will. The mistake that has been made down through the ages is when we treat the building as the Church. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with a church building, and in fact they began to be built and were a convenient place for the believers to meet once they outgrew the home churches that quickly sprang up after Pentecost.

So what is the Church supposed to do? We see the work of the Church summarized in the book of Acts which is the book in which we find the most references to the church. The below verses give a checklist of the activities of the church. (One aside, the Temple was not the church. There was only ONE Temple and the Body of Christ’s actions would quickly supersede all the activities that once went on in the Temple.) Here is how it came about and what they did after Peter’s Spirit filled preaching at Pentecost.

“Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:41,42,46,47).

So the church is the Body of Christ on earth and that body has a purpose. In fact, it has multiple purposes among which are meeting together to hear from God, worshiping God & acting for God. These believers gathered to worship, hear the teachings from God’s Word, have fellowship, pray for one another, meet the needs of the poor, the widows & orphans, and spread the message of Jesus. They were a people in whom God chose to manifest Himself so the world could see Him and hear of His message of righteousness and salvation.

But many people today say that they don’t need church. They say it’s a place full of hypocrites, or they just want my money! Or they say they can worship God in the mountains, in creation, on the golf course or on a lake fishing, and so they can! But God’s Word specifically says to “not forsake the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another so much the more as we see the Day (of His return) approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).

Jesus fulfilled His Father’s will by dying on the cross and then proclaiming He would build His Church and the gates of Hell would not be able to withstand the onslaught of the Good News of the Gospel being proclaimed by His church! That is, people who are being held captive by the devil and his fallen angels can be rescued by the Church when they share the Good News of the Gospel!

So then my question is, what are you doing in regards to this mission? First of all, are you a called out one? Meaning, have you trusted Christ as your savior and joined His spiritual body the church? See my blog “Guaranteed Reservation in Heaven” for more on this.

Guaranteed Reservation in Heaven!

Secondly, are you hearing from God through your personal actions of seeking Him and then from attending the gathering of His Church (in a local church building) where His Word is preached? Thirdly, are you worshipping God by confessing your sins, forgiving others and offering your life as an offering of praise to Him? Lastly, are you acting for God by serving Him within your community and circle of influence?

Jesus needs you to be an integral part of His Church. He needs you to do your part in His body the Church. We all have a role to fulfill and unless we do, the Church will not be the Church God intended it to be. May the Force be with you!

Glory is a God word. The angels proclaimed it on a lonely hillside outside of Bethlehem to shepherds guarding their sheep, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace good will toward men” they said. Merriam-Webster defines it as “worshipful praise, honor and thanksgiving” and that is what it was.

The angels were announcing a pivotal event that would change the world! The Savior had arrived and unlike ever before the Lord of Glory, the Creator God Himself, the Alpha and Omega was on Earth in human form as a vulnerable little baby in a manger!

He did not have to come to earth, he owed nothing to mankind, but nevertheless he came as the song says, “Down from His glory, ever living story, our God and Savior came, and Jesus was His Name. Born in a manger to His own a stranger, a man of sorrows, tears and agony”. Why the sorrow, tears and agony? Because He grew up to be “Despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and aquainted with grief” (Isaiah Chp 53:3) and He had His sight set on a hill called Golgotha where His work as Savior for us would culminate.

Psalm 24 declares His position as Creator proclaiming, “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the waters.” It also refers to His purity, “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place?”

Glory is a God word. The Triune God will not share His glory with lowly sinful man unless as Psalm 24 goes on to require,“He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, And righteousness from the God of his salvation.” The clean hands and pure heart come as a result from the cleansing and forgiveness of the New Birth when one receives Christ as Savior. “If any man be in Christ he is a new creation, old things are passed away, behold all things become new” (2 Cor 5:17). But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Cor 3:18).

So this Christmas let us join with the Angels and the Psalmist proclaiming, “Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory!”

Yes, Glory is a God word, but God want’s the Glory of His Son to be spread around the world in lives transformed by his Grace, Love and Forgiveness. So let us “Shine Jesus shine, Fill this land With the Father’s glory. Blaze Spirit blaze, Set our hearts on fire. Flow river flow Flood the nations With grace and mercy. Send forth Your word Lord And let there be light!”

Make your heaven reservation here: Guaranteed Reservation in Heaven!

It was a “holy night” when our Savior was born. Be blessed by this message from my brother.

PREPARING FOR THE BIRTH OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
“THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL”
by Evangelist Larry Wolfe
The prophet Isaiah throughout his writings entitles the coming Messiah–our Lord Jesus Christ–the “Holy One” although he uses this significant name interchangeably for God the Father. This title, Isaiah’s favorite, is used a total of twenty-nine times beginning in the very first chapter of his most significant prophecy, most significant because of its intense focus on the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior and Hebrew Messiah. This attribute of the character of God is in fact more than just an attribute, for holiness is the primary word used to describe the very essence of the God of the Bible.
It is not surprising therefore that the preparation for the Holy One’s birth would be saturated in holiness as described in Luke chapter one. From the very outset, when Zacharias was visited by the holy angel as he was ministering in the holy place at the altar of incense, God’s holy angel underlined the fact that Zacharias’ son would ‘Be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.’ (Luke 1:15)
Another of God’s holy angels, Gabriel, would then visit the Virgin Mary bringing the good tidings of great joy, telling her that she would ‘Conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS'(Luke 1:31). He explained to her that ‘The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God’. (Luke 1:35)
Mary then visits Elizabeth, her cousin, the wife of Zacharias who was already miraculously with child as the holy angel had told her husband. When Mary greeted Elizabeth ‘The babe[John the Baptist] leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost’ and immediately ‘Spoke out with a loud voice'(Luke 1:41, 42) and blessed Mary, recognizing that Mary would be the mother of her Lord!
Mary, following Elizabeth’s words, magnified the Lord, rejoicing in spirit for what God her Savior was doing in her life. She rightfully ascribed to Him the name ‘Holy’ in verse 49! She continues her magnification of the Lord by listing His mighty actions toward men and His people Israel. Later in the chapter, the birth of John the Baptist is recorded.
And at that time his father Zacharias was ‘Filled with the Holy Ghost'(Luke 1:67) prophesying of God’s great working in visiting and redeeming His people, bringing salvation through the house of David by the Lord Jesus Christ just as He had spoken through his ‘Holy prophets’. Zacharias continues by underlining the fact that God remembers His ‘Holy covenant’ performing the mercy He promised to the fathers.
The last reference to holiness comes in v.75 where Zacharias encourages and exhorts those who would read his prophecy in the ages to come. He reminds us all that we must serve the Lord without fear, in ‘Holiness’ and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. This holiness which we need in order to ‘See the Lord’ (Hebrews 12:14) is provided by the Lord Jesus Christ when we receive Him as our personal Savior. The provision of personal holiness is just one of the many benefits we receive when we are ‘Born again’ by turning from our sin and putting our faith in His death, burial and resurrection. However, the holiness we receive is provisional and we need to live holy lives in our daily experience.
This first chapter of Luke’s Gospel, which gives the surrounding circumstances of our Savior’s birth, is saturated in holiness, a fitting preparation for the miraculous incarnation of the Son of God, the Holy One of Israel in chapter two! Have you received the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? If you have, are you serving Him in ‘holiness and righteousness’? The greatest gift you can give the ‘Holy One’ this Christmas is yourself, dedicated to serving Him in ‘Holiness and righteousness’…all the days of your life: “I beseech ye therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1)
Chaplain LEWolfe http://www.btmi.org I-85 Exit 35 SC ‘McPilot’

George Bailey in the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” got a picture of what it would have been like in his town if he would have never been there to do the good deeds for which he was known to do. You and I, just like him, are leaving an imprint in our world as well. Did you ever take a meal to a needy family or someone recuperating from a health condition? Or maybe take Christmas cookies to your neighbors? Or provide gifts for those who otherwise would have none? Did you ever surprise someone in a restaurant by paying for their meal? Whatever the deed, people are very appreciative when they are the focus of an act of unconditional love and generosity, and often times are motivated to do the same for others. Sometimes we call that paying it forward and I have tried it a few times myself, and I noticed that you get some wonderful reactions and responses.

Just like the other night when I was in a Turkey Hill store and as I passed by the cashier’s counter I overheard a man say to the cashier, “Sorry, I left my wallet in my car, I’ll be right back!” I saw it as a right place at the right time situation, and since I believe God orchestrates all events in our lives I quickly stepped over and paid the man’s bill before he returned. His response was classic, “Wow! Thanks for doing that for me!” he said. I responded with “Merry Christmas” and handed him my blogger business card which contains the link to my blog and a Gospel message and he was on his way. Who knows what that act of kindness and planting of a seed will produce for eternity? Only God knows!

My grandma Margaret Anspach paid it forward in her own ways. She didn’t pay peoples bills since she had very little in the monetary realm, but she somehow (especially at Christmas) found ways to show the love of God to those in her family and those in close proximity to her. See below her entry in her diary after a busy Christmas Eve in 1971.

Friday, December 24, Cloudy 40 degrees. I arose at 7 and looked over my Xmas boxes (gifts she was gathering for others). Snack came and we went up to Billy S. and gave him a mince pie. Up to Pop and gave him a shirt and cookies. Then to Verna’s store. Snack and I got a cart full of groceries for Wayne and Floss. Then we went to Ellie K., she was happy and thankful. We were at Nora K. and she received us nicely. Then to Mary B. and I really had a nice box for her but she wasn’t home. Then to Wayne and Floss, no thank you’s there. This evening all my kids and grandkids came home and we exchanged presents. I really got a lot! Irene is better and she was pleased with her nightie. I got 3 toasters! Good day!

We can all pay it forward for someone. Grandma showed kindness to her nextdoor neighbor Billy, her father-in-law, her brother-in-law’s family who was much poorer than anyone in our family. (My mom would take us there when we were feeling sorry for ourselves and we’d come away thinking we were rich!) Grandma noticed when people were happy and thankful and even when gratitude was not shown. She knew the joy in giving and God returned many a blessing back to her as He is faithful to do as kindness done in His name brings eternal results.

You know, our Heavenly Father came up with the ultimate pay it forward story when He sent his Son Jesus down to us to be born in a humble cattle stall and be placed in a lowly manger. He left the glories of heaven where he was worshipped continually by a heavenly host of angels and created beings. The Apostle Paul described it perfectly in Philipians chapter two when he said, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

Yes, that little baby Jesus of whom we think fondly at this time of year was on a mission that would take him to the Cross where he would shed His blood for you and me so that we, one day, could be with Him. Life is SO short! The older I get the more this truth hits home. Many people don’t even make it to my age! I was watching the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” the other night and it hit me that there are probably very few people in that movie (made 69 years ago) who are still alive on earth today! Eternity is right around the corner!

Jesus is the Ultimate and only Savior who had the right and the power to pay it forward for all of mankind. Paul went on to say, “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

“For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son that whosover believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) Now that’s paying it forward for all eternity! That’s where my grandma is, enjoying eternity with Jesus. I pray your faith is in Jesus. He is the ULTIMATE gift to RECEIVE and the GREATEST gift to GIVE at Christmas.

Next story “Grandma Remembers” below:

Grandma Remembers!

You may or may not have known it but in your achievements you took advantage of some absolutes in our world that when followed bring success. And so today I’d like to talk about the “absolutes around us” and highlight how important they are to our success as a society.

Absolute: Complete in itself, Unconditional, Existing independent of any other cause, as God is absolute. (Noah Webster 1828)

Let’s start with the BIG picture! I’m a creationist so I believe that God created the heavens and the earth. When He did it He was VERY creative! You have big planets, small planets, colorful planets, those with rings, and without, some made of gasses and others of rock, some with other planets orbiting them, all orbiting another planet, etc. etc.

There are orbits and planets and distances which if changed would exterminate life on earth as we know it. We depend on the seasons, the tides, the weather, the air, water, wind and all these are provided through the absolutes God put in place!

A person who believes all of this could happen by a big bang or by chance needs more faith than to just believe that God did it!

Consider these laws which God has created:

• The Laws of Science
• The Laws of Medicine
• The Laws of Mathmatics
• The Laws of Nature
• The Laws of Aerodynamics
• The Law of gravity

Would you go to a doctor who didn’t believe in the laws of medicine? Would you use a bank that didn’t practice the laws of accounting? Would you use a garage who didn’t understand the laws of mechanics? Would you fly in a plane that wasn’t built on the laws of aerodynamics? Would you plant a garden in the corner of a dark cellar? Would you jump out of a second story window and say I can fly?

Of course not, would be your answer to each of these questions because you inherently know these laws and the results of not following them.

So here are some timeless absolutes related to God’s laws for life: (I believe most of these, if not all, are sayings of Dr. Bob Jones)

The right road always leads to the right place; therefore, get on the right road and go as far as you can on it. Wrong means, do not lead to right ends. There is only one thing to do about anything; that is the right thing. Do right.

Happiness is not found by looking for it. You stumble over happiness on the road to duty. When duty is hard and we do not feel joy in doing it, we should still do it, and pray that in the doing it the joy would be given.

The door to success swings on the hinges of opposition. Remarkably, this saying implies that opposition is not just a natural accompaniment or antecedent of success, but that it is a means by which the door opens.

God in the right place in my life fixes every other relationship of life. If God is the blazing center of the solar system of our lives, then all the planets will be held in their proper orbit. But if not, everything goes awry. It is never right to get the right thing in the wrong way — like good grades, wealth, power, position. Don’t sacrifice your principles.

Don’t quit. Finish the job. God can’t use a quitter. Anything you do that hinders your progress for God is wrong. Maximize your progress in knowing and serving God. Beware of any society or situation in which you feel compelled to hide your principles.

So in closing, let us be thankful to God for His creation and the world in which we live. Let’s be thankful for the security of the absolutes in our physical world. Then let us personally seek to incorporate His moral absolutes in our lives and families and our society!

Is all calm with you? Do you have the “heavenly peace” spoken of in this famous Christmas carol? Or this Christmas, are you again caught up in the whirlwind of activity and buying just for the sake of it with no recollection, or maybe just a faint remembrance, of what this holiday is really all about? It’s an old saying but very important, “Jesus is the reason for the season”.

A virgin conceived the Savior through the power of the Holy Spirit and since He inherited no sin nature from Adam, He could be born and grow up to be OUR Savior! He was a “Holy Infant” so tender and mild. He never sinned, was God in human flesh, and shined “love’s pure light” for all the world to see. The Age of Grace dawned on the human race. The offer of redemption was proclaimed and the final stage was a cruel, rugged, Roman cross where the Savior bled and died for our sins.

Here is a review of the song Silent Night from the website “A Godly Heritage”.

What is it about Christmas songs that we love so much? Maybe it’s that we only play them for a short period of time every year. Maybe it’s that we can’t remember the first time we heard them which has lead to them being ingrained into our very soul. Maybe it’s that in the midst of Christmas shopping, wondering where we’ll spend the holidays, trying to keep all of the family happy with the perfect tradition, and attempting to avoid a wreck every time we’re on the road, when we hear the familiar words of a Christmas carol, it puts a smile on our face and a peace in our heart.

Many tales and legends have been spoken about how this beloved tune came into being. Some say that mice chewed through the organ pipes so that on Christmas Eve the music leader had to frantically write a new song that could be sung to a guitar. Others believed that the man who claimed to write the melody could not have possibly done so. They believed that the fine tune was written by Mozart or some other widely acclaimed musician.

However, the truth to Silent Night is a simple one. Just as the song is uncomplicated, the story behind it is plain itself.  They lyrics to this hymn were written in 1816 in German by the Austrian priest, Father Joseph Mohr. Two years later he asked Austrian Franz Xaver Gruber to compose a melody to the song on guitar for the choir to preform that evening, Christmas Eve, 1818. The popularity of this song passed slowly from one person to another. While no romantic back story exists for this song, the impact of this lowly tune is worldwide.

Having been translated into over 44 languages, Silent Night could very well be the most popular Christmas hymn of all time. Nearly 100 years after its composition, on Christmas Eve in 1914, during World War One, the French and German soldiers celebrated the holiday by declaring a truce for the day. These enemies came together on no man’s land, exchanged presents, buried their dead, and ended the night singing Silent Night together in their own language (as one of the few hymns they both new).

When I was young I heard a story of a lady who had escaped communist Russia to flee to America in the 1980′s. As a Christian, she was awed by the freedom we have in America. She arrived here around Christmas time. As a young seven year old, I listened to her vividly recount her first exposure to a grocery store in America. She said she walked in and heard the famous Christmas song, Silent Night, coming through the speakers as people shopped. Standing there weeping, she thanked God for allowing her to be in a free country.

This year, regardless of whether you love Christmas music or have a deep loyalty to these carols, don’t just casually play them in the background of your home or tune them out while you’re running errands. Listen to the words that speak of our Savior, the tiny baby so tender and mild, the Son of God, and Love’s pure light, and thank God for those who have gone before us to write songs that point us to His perfect gift. Also thank God that we live in a country that still allows us to publicly proclaim Jesus as the reason for the season.

Silent night, holy night!
All is calm, all is bright.
Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child.
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight.
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia,
Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the Savior is born.

Silent night, holy night!
Son of God love’s pure light.
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth.
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth

LOBO: Yes, it was a Silent Night, a Holy Night, with YOU in mind. Have you trusted Jesus as YOUR Savior? If not, do it today and HE will be your greatest Christmas gift ever received, and this will be the greatest Christmas of your lifetime!

Go here to see a…. Guaranteed Reservation in Heaven!

Hark the Herald Angels Sing remains one of the most well known, and the most theologically filled Christmas carols. This song was written in 1739 by Charles Wesley, brother of John Wesley, who founded the Methodist denomination. Charles still holds fame for writing over 6,000 hymns along with the lyrics of over 2,000 more. Some you may recognize include: And, Can it Be that I should Gain?; Christ the Lord is Risen Today; Jesus, Lover of My Soul; and O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing, among others.

When Charles first wrote this hymn for a Christmas Day service, he arranged the lines of the song differently, had slightly altered lyrics, and wanted the tune to consist of slow, solemn music. A few years later, in 1753, Charles’ friend, George Whitfield, changed a few of the words from Wesley’s original, “Hark, how the welkin (heaven) rings, Glory to the King of king” to the now famous words, “Hark, the herald angel sings, Glory to the newborn King.” He further cut the last two verses which few people include currently in the song. The pattern was also turned from ten, four line verses to a eight line verses with a chorus. Charles Wesley was not pleased with another person, even a friend, altering his hymn. But what was done, was done, and the song would probably not be as popular today without these changes.

In 1840 Felix Mendelssohn wrote a cantata in honor of the anniversary of the invention of the Gutenberg press. Several years later, organist Dr. William Cummings put these lyrics and this music together to form what we now know as “Hark the Herald Angel Sing.” The first publication of the current version of the song occurred in 1856.

Whether placed at the end of movies such as Charlie Brown’s Christmas or It’s a Wonderful Life, or used in a church service or heard on the radio, this Christmas song is certainly a staple at this time of the year. This song reminds us that Jesus, the “newborn King,” is “Prince of Peace,” “Sun of Righteousness,” “Everlasting Lord,” “Incarnate Deity,” and, best of all, “Emmanuel” — “God with us.” It speaks of Jesus coming as the “second Adam” to be born that we as mere men may no longer face death! God Himself was veiled in human flesh. What wonders this song shows in its few lines!

Hark! The Herald Angels sing,
“Glory to the new-born King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations, rise.
Join the triumph of the skies.
With th’ Angelic Hosts proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the new-born King.”

Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting lord
Late in time behold Him come,
Off-spring of a Virgin’s womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
Hail, the incarnate deity
Pleased as Man with men to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the New-born king!”

Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace,
Hail, the Sun of Righteousness
Light and life to all He brings,
Risen with healing in His Wings.
Now He lays His Glory by,
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the New-born king!”

Come, Desire of nations come,
Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the Woman’s conquering Seed,
Bruise in us the Serpent’s head.
Adam’s likeness now efface:
Stamp Thine image in its place;
Second Adam, from above,
Reinstate us in thy love.
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,
Glory to the Newborn King.

(from the website “A Godly Heritage”)