Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 

 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 

 And everyone went to their own town to register. 

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 

He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 

and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. 

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 

This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 

When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 

and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. 

Thought for the Day

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about : His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.

 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). 

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 

-Matthew 1:18-25

Thought for the Day

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

-Isaiah 9:6-7

Thought for the Day

 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,

 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 

You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.

 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 

 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

-Luke 1:26-35

Thought for the Day

 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

 He was with God in the beginning.

 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

-John 1:1-5

Thought for the Day

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 

The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD— 

and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;

 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.

 Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist. 

-Isaiah 11:1-5

Thought for the Day

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. -Proverbs 17:22

Thought for the Day

The one who lays up treasure for herself (or himself) is not rich toward God.  Luke 12:21 (paraphrased)

Thought for the Day

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.       -Luke 14:11

Thought for the Day

Always pray and do not lose heart.

Thought for the Day

The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

Luke 6:45

From My Prayer Journal...

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence, 
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Amen.

-Psalm 51:10-12 

What is Gratitude?

What is gratitude?

Is it simply a glad heart?

No, I think it is so much more.

It is an attitude

That is thankful for all things

The good, the bad, the up, the down.

The beautiful and the ugly

Through it all it still says,

Thank you.

I’m so blessed.

I’m so grateful.

For it all, the good times, the hard times,

The lessons learned, the sickness,

The healing, the hunger, the feast

The disappointment, the celebration

The exclusion, the inclusion

The hellos and the good-byes.

Simply a living continual thank you!

That is gratitude!

Thought for the Day

I came across this on pinterest today. It is something to consider....

Sometimes you think you're being buried, 

when you're really being planted. 

God is using this season to grow you.

-Unashamed Impact