OzThoughts – Christmas Day 2009.

OzThoughts – Christmas Day 2009.

This Christmas may our Saviour
enfold you with His Love;
May He fill your heart
with gladness
and blessings from above.

Ray and Denice
OzThoughts Internet Ministry




How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.
Ephesians 1:3-6 (The Message)

[Listen: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_3359.mp3 ]

All our hearts rejoice this morning,
On this happy Christmas day;
Praise and joy to God we're sounding,
Love and peace have come our way.
Jesus Christ, our loving Saviour,
Came to earth with gifts sublime;
Let us join our voices singing:
What a glory, he is mine!

2.
All the angels told the story
On the hillside long ago
Of the babe who came from Glory
Bringing peace in endless flow.
Angels, shepherds, wise men worshiped,
Bowed before the child sublime;
Let us join our voices singing:
What a glory, he is mine!

3.
Let us hear again the story
Of the angels' glorious song,
Hear again the message ringing:
Christ will triumph over wrong.
His salvation freely given
Is his gift to all mankind;
Let us join our voices singing:
What a glory, he is mine!
The Salvation Arm,my Song Book: Song Number: 74
Author: Ernest Henry Parr

Psalm 96

1-2 Sing GOD a brand-new song! Earth and everyone in it, sing!
Sing to God—worship GOD!
2-3 Shout the news of his victory from sea to sea,
Take the news of his glory to the lost,
News of his wonders to one and all!
4-5 For GOD is great, and worth a thousand Hallelujahs.
His terrible beauty makes the gods look cheap;
Pagan gods are mere tatters and rags.
5-6 GOD made the heavens—
Royal splendor radiates from him,
A powerful beauty sets him apart.
7 Bravo, GOD, Bravo!
Everyone join in the great shout: Encore!
In awe before the beauty, in awe before the might.
8-9 Bring gifts and celebrate,
Bow before the beauty of God,
Then to your knees—everyone worship!

10 Get out the message—God Rules!
He put the world on a firm foundation;
He treats everyone fair and square.

11 Let's hear it from Sky,
With Earth joining in,
And a huge round of applause from Sea.

12 Let Wilderness turn cartwheels,
Animals, come dance,
Put every tree of the forest in the choir—

13 An extravaganza before God as he comes,
As he comes to set everything right on earth,
Set everything right, treat everyone fair.

Luke 2:1-7 (The Message)
1-5About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David's town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant.
6-7While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.


Listen: Choir: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music3/mus_4793.mp3
Or
[Listen: Band: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_453.mp3 ]

Christians awake, salute the happy morn
Whereon the Saviour of the world was born!
Rise to adore the mystery of love,
Which hosts of angels chanted from above;
With them the joyful tidings first begun
Of God incarnate and the Virgin's Son.

2.
Then to the watchful shepherds it was told,
Who heard the angelic herald's voice: Behold,
I bring good tidings of a Saviour's birth
To you and all the nations on the earth;
This day hath God fulfilled his promised word,
This day is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord!

3.
O may we keep and ponder in our mind
God's wondrous love in saving lost mankind!
Trace we the babe, who hath retrieved our loss,
From his poor manger to his bitter cross;
Tread in his steps, assisted by his grace,
Till man's first heavenly state again takes place.
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 78
Author: John Byrom (1692-1763)


Luke 2:8-20 (The Message)
8-12There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God's angel stood among them and God's glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you're to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger."
13-14At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises:

Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.
15-18As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. "Let's get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us." They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.
19-20Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they'd been told!
[Listen: Songsters; http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_3196.mp3
or
Band: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_457.mp3 ]

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 the angelic host proclaim,
Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Chorus
Hark! the herald angels sing:
Glory to the new-born King.

2.
Christ, by highest Heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of a virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail the incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with man to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel.

3.
Hail the Heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings.
Mild 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.
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 82
Author: Charles Wesley (1707-88)

PRAYER:

Thank you, our Heavenly Father, for Jesus. Today we think of his birth and we see clearly your love for us. I pray that we might experience that love in a special way today and having experienced it, pass it on as a gift to others. Amen.

[Listen: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_3367.mp3 ]

Down from His glory, ever living story,
My God and Saviour came, and Jesus was His name;
Born in a manger to His own a stranger,
A man of sorrows, tears and agony!

Chorus
Oh how I love Him! How I adore Him!
My breath, my sunshine, my all in all!
The great Creator became my Saviour,
And all God's fullness dwelleth in Him!

What condescension, bringing us redemption,
That in the dead of night, not one faint hope in sight,
God gracious, tender laid aside His splendor,
Stooping to woo, to win, to save my soul!

Without reluctance, flesh and blood His substance,
He took the form of man, revealed the hidden plan;
O glorious myst'ry sacrifice of Calv'ry!
And now I know He is the great "I AM"!

Words by William E. Booth-Clibborn
Music by Eduardo di Capua
1921
John 6:38
"For I came down from heaven, not to do mine
own will, but the will of him that sent me."

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