Prayer, Song and Thought for the Day

Prayer for the Day  

I thank you Lord for sending the wise men to seek and worship You long ago.  Help me to be a wise man and seek you today and throughout this Christmas season.  Help me to truly worship you during this Christmas season.  May I never lose the wonder of your journey to earth to save my soul from the fires of hell.  Thank you that you came all the way from heaven to find me and give me life everlasting.  These things I pray.  Amen.   

Song for the Day “Wonderful Story of Love” by J.M. Driver      

Thought for the Day

It is no joke that wise men still seek Christ.  Are you a seeker after God?

 

Astrologers on a Journey of Faith

Astrologers on a Journey of Faith

Matthew 2:1-2 states, “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews?  for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”

       These astrologers who were kings came from the east to worship Christ.  Before Christ was born in Bethlehem, these Gentile kings started their very long journey from the east.  They weren’t Jews, but somehow they knew about the ancient scrolls that contained prophesies of the birth of a Jewish king.  Somehow they must have read the Isaiah scroll that stated, “Arise shine for thy light has come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.  For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.  And the Gentiles shall come to the light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising” (Isaiah 60:1-3). 

       These Eastern kings understood the meaning of this passage from the Isaiah scroll in with a different understanding based upon their knowledge of the study of the stars.  Somehow when Christ’s star appeared in the heavens at night it sparked faith in them to seek out the Christ child and worship Him.

       If God can who spoke worlds into existence can call Gentile kings from the east to come to worship Christ, He can cause those in the community around your church to come to your Christmas presentation.  He can make it possible for them to hear the clear message that Christ came to earth to save sinful men and women from their sins.  Chief musician do not get discouraged.  It is your job to preach Christ crucified with your Christmas presentation and it is the work of the Holy Spirit to convict men and women of their sin.  So, go tell it on the mountain top.  Tell them that Christ was born to forgive them of their sins.   You must take courage because you have a great job to do this Christmas season.

Prayer, Chorus, and Thought for the Day

Prayer for the Day
       I want to thank you Lord for coming to be with us.  Thank you for leaving the splendors of heaven to be born of a virgin so that you could dwell with us.  I Thank you heavenly Father that we can trust you to always keep your promises to us.  Thank you for coming all the way to the eastern Kansas camp meeting in Fort Scott Kansas to forgive me of all my sins.  Thank You for finding me on an eighty acre farm and convicting me of all my dark and awful sins.  Thank you for giving me a praying mother who wept and prayed over her wayward son until God for Christ’s sake brought me to a place of repentance on July 23, 1967.  Thank you Lord that I am experiencing Your presence right now as I write this little devotional prayer to You.  Thank you for giving me the witness that You dwell in my heart right at this moment.  Thank you!  Thank You!  Thank you!  Amen.

Chorus for the Day “Emmanuel” by Bob McGee  

Thought for the Day

It doesn’t make any difference  to me whether my generation believes in Christ as a personal Savior or not, I know that he is because He has forgiven me of all my sins and sanctified me holy and that is enough evidence for me!

God really Is with Us

God Really Is With Us
Isaiah 7:14 states, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and thou shall call his name Immanuel.”
       St. Matthew 1:23 quotes Isaiah’s prophesy and further explains that Emmanuel means “God with us”.  To a people long ago who were in great darkness, God promised to send His son to be with us!  It was a long time after Isaiah’s prophesy before Christ was born, but god always keeps His promises
       Christian musician be sure to remind everyone who takes part in your Christmas musical ministry that Christ’s coming to earth in space and time was a fulfillment of God’s promise to mandkind that God really would come to earth to dwell with us.  Although you, as a music minister, may believe that all those who minister musically with you know all about the story of Christ’s coming to earth—tell them again!  
       I get blessed just thinking about the fact that God was and is with us.  We are not alone on this earth.  We may not be able to see Him, but we can experience His presence very, very near us at this time of Christmas.  Christ came to abide with us—not just visit us.  He came to tabernacle with his children.  Be sure to invite all who minister with you to experience Christ in a special way as they music unto Hi.   That will make their musicing real and very special this Christmas season.

Thought and Scripture for the Day

Thought and Scripture for the Day 
We should take advantage of this Christmas season to thank our heavenly Father for the plan of salvation.  We should not forget to be thankful that, “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).”

God's Clock Keeps Perfect Time

God’s Clock Keeps Perfect Time 

Galations 4:4-5, “But when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”

       For centuries the world had been in need of a savior.  Surely the people were in darkness and sin.  In these dark times God the father sent His only son to come to earth that were under the law.  God knew that the wages of sin is eternal death, but God also knew that only the giving of His son Jesus could bring eternal life to this sin cursed world.  All those who loved and served Jehovah that lived during Old Testament times looked forward to the coming of the Messiah.  They must have wondered why they were left without the promised Emanuel. 

       I cannot imagine what it would have been like to have been born during those dark times.  It is amazing to me that many of the Jewish church leaders, who knew the prophesies about the coming of Christ, were not looking for a Savior who would be born in obscurity, humility, and poverty in a stable in the little town of Bethlehem. 

       But when God’s clock said that it was the right time, He sent His son to this earth so that we would be able to receive remission of sins and be adopted into the family of God.  Although we do not understand why the time was right for our Savior to be born, we know that he did come and that He came to save us from sin.  Praise God that His clock does keep perfect time.  Because it does, we are the benefactors of this great salvation. 

Prayer for the Day

Prayer for the Day

I am asking you heavenly Father to protect my daughter Deanna and her husband Mark today as they prepare for the Christmas season.  Lord, please bless their ministry there in northern Ireland and make their ministry fruitful.  Please make them prophets to the nations.  Also, please comfort the hearts of all those who minister musically around the world and are separated from their families at this Christmas season.  These things I am praying in your wonderful name.  Amen.

In the Will of God at Christmas

In the will of God at Christmas

Jeremiah 1:5 states, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”

       Today is my firstborn daughter Deanna’s birthday.  At the time I am writing this devotional, she is thousands of miles away from us today.  She is a pastor’s wife in northern Ireland.  Before she was born God knew who she was and what He wanted her to be doing right now.  He sanctified or “set her apart’ and ordained her to be a minister’s wife who would minister to the nations.

       You may have loved ones who are ministering far, far from home today.  You and I need to constantly be reminded that God is awake.  Nothing slips up on Him.  There is no luck, happenstance and nothing startles God, because, in His awesome wisdom, He always knows what is best.

       I would rather have my children thousands of miles away from me serving God than to have them all around my table but out of the will of God for their lives.  With that in mind, we will celebrate the birth of God’s son Jesus Christ with joy and full confidence that He is working out his purpose in our lives.  My heavenly Father sent His only Son to Die.  I only sent my daughter to serve Jesus Christ. 

 

Prayer, Song, and Thought for the Day

Prayer for the Day
Lord, here I am again.  It seems that I am your “doubting Thomas” musical servant.  Forgive me for doubting that you will take care of all my stress and perplexity during this Christmas season.  I am asking you to please help me to take my eyes off of “Ahab” and “Jezebel” and place them upon you who are the source of my strength and salvation.  Lord please take care of me and all the situations that currently tend to depress me.  Strengthen me with strength and lift me up above my troubles so that You will be able to help me to trust your mighty power.  I am asking you to lead me out of the wilderness of depression and back into the place where I will be able to music unto you with joy and thanksgiving.  Thank you for coming to this earth as a baby in a manger and for dying for my sin.  Amen.

Song for the Day “One Day” by J.Wilbur Chapman

Thought for the day

Musicians who are never criticized are those who never do anything for others or never music unto God.

Under the Juniper Tree at Christmas Time

Under the Juniper Tree at Christmas Time

I Kings 19:4 states, “But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.”  

       Elijah was depressed after Jezebel had slain the prophets.  Chief musician are you depressed now that it time for all the activities of Christmas.  Are you depressed?  How did you get in this mess this close to the blessed time of Christ’s birth?  Is jezebel after you because you didn’t give her a solo in the Christmas program?  Are some of the tight wad board members complaining that you have spent too much money?  Did God hear you say this morning,”It is enough, I quit”?  Are you, at this moment, looking for a juniper tree?  Have you gone about a day’s journey into the wilderness of depression? 

       Elijah had forgotten that Jehovah had just answered his prayer by fire from heaven and that God had sent a great rain upon the land. When Elijah had prayed a simple prayer and God had answered and now Elijah was soaked in self-pity and was deeply depressed.  How could he have been so depressed as to wish to die?

       Are you catching on?  How can we, as chief musicians, wonder how Elijah could have been so depressed, but we get depressed over much smaller issues than Jezebel killing God’s prophets.  So, learn from the story of Elijah that we must never forget what god has done for us time and time again throughout our Christian walk with Christ.  Do not let a current situation keep you from enjoying this Christmas season.