Praising God

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. Luke 2: 15 - 20

Good Will Toward Men

"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."  Luke 2: 7-14

A Christmas Prayer

A Christmas Prayer
by Robert Louis Stevenson

Loving Father,
Help us remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds,
and worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate
and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift
and good desires with every greeting.

Deliver us from evil by the blessing
which Christ brings,
and teach us to be merry with clear hearts. 

May the Christmas morning
make us happy to be thy children,
and Christmas evening bring us to our beds
with grateful thoughts,
forgiving and forgiven,
for Jesus' sake.
Amen

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.  Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

Isaiah 7: 14-15

Good Tidings

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." Luke 2: 8-10

Sing, Christmas bells! Say to the earth this is the morn Whereon our Savior-King is born;  

Sing to all men,—the bond, the free, The rich, the poor, the high, the low, The little child that sports in glee, The aged folk that tottering go,  

Proclaim the morn That Christ is born,

That saveth them and saveth me!

 

Sing, angel host! Sing of the star that God has placed Above the manger in the East; Sing of the glories of the night, The virgin's sweet humility,  

The Babe with kingly robes bedight, Sing to all men where'er they be This Christmas morn; For Christ is born,

That saveth them and saveth me!

 

Sing, sons of earth! O ransomed seed of Adam, sing! God liveth, and we have a king! The curse is gone, the bond are free

By Bethlehem's star that brightly beamed, By all the heavenly signs that be, We know that Israel is redeemed;

That on this morn The Christ is born That saveth you and saveth me!

Sing, O my heart!

Sing thou in rapture this dear morn Whereon the blessed Prince is born! And as thy songs shall be of love, So let my deeds be charity By the dear Lord that reigns above, By Him that died upon the tree, By this fair morn Whereon is born The Christ that saveth all and me!

A Joyous Song

Oh, hush thee, little Dear-my-Soul, The evening shades are falling,— Hush thee, my dear, dost thou not hear The voice of the Master calling?

Deep lies the snow upon the earth, But all the sky is ringing With joyous song, and all night long The stars shall dance, with singing.

Oh, hush thee, little Dear-my-Soul, And close thine eyes in dreaming, And angels fair shall lead thee where The singing stars are beaming.

A shepherd calls his little lambs, And he longeth to caress them; He bids them rest upon his breast, That his tender love may bless them.

So, hush thee, little Dear-my-Soul, Whilst evening shades are falling, And above the song of the heavenly throng Thou shalt hear the Master calling.

THE THREE KINGS OF COLOGNE

From out Cologne there came three kings To worship Jesus Christ, their King. To Him they sought fine herbs they brought, And many a beauteous golden thing; They brought their gifts to Bethlehem town, And in that manger set them down.

Then spake the first king, and he said: "O Child, most heavenly, bright, and fair! I bring this crown to Bethlehem town For Thee, and only Thee, to wear; So give a heavenly crown to me When I shall come at last to Thee!"

The second, then. "I bring Thee here This royal robe, O Child!" he cried; "Of silk 'tis spun, and such an one There is not in the world beside; So in the day of doom requite Me with a heavenly robe of white!"

 

The third king gave his gift, and quoth: "Spikenard and myrrh to Thee I bring, And with these twain would I most fain Anoint the body of my King; So may their incense sometime rise To plead for me in yonder skies!"

 

Thus spake the three kings of Cologne, That gave their gifts, and went their way; And now kneel I in prayer hard by The cradle of the Child to-day; Nor crown, nor robe, nor spice I bring  

As offering unto Christ, my King.

Yet have I brought a gift the Child May not despise, however small; For here I lay my heart to-day, And it is full of love to all.

Take Thou the poor but loyal thing, My only tribute, Christ, my King!

The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness

 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.
 All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made.
 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
 And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not.
 There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John.
 The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him.
 He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.
 There was the true light, even the light which lighteth every man, coming into the world.
 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not.
 He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not.
 But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe in his name:
  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
  And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth.
  John beareth witness of him, and crieth, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that cometh after me is become before me: for he was before me.
  For of his fulness we all received, and grace for grace.
  For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
  No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
  And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent unto him from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who art thou?
  And he confessed, and denied not; and he confessed, I am not the Christ.
  And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he saith, I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered, No.
  They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
  He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet.  John 1: 1-23

An Olde Christmas Poem

God rest you, Chrysten gentil men, Wherever you may be,— God rest you all in fielde or hall, Or on ye stormy sea; For on this morn oure Chryst is born That saveth you and me.

Last night ye shepherds in ye east Saw many a wondrous thing; Ye sky last night flamed passing bright Whiles that ye stars did sing, And angels came to bless ye name Of Jesus Chryst, oure Kyng.

God rest you, Chrysten gentil men, Faring where'er you may; In noblesse court do thou no sport, In tournament no playe, In paynim lands hold thou thy hands From bloudy works this daye.

But thinking on ye gentil Lord That died upon ye tree, Let troublings cease and deeds of peace Abound in Chrystantie; For on this morn ye Chryst is born That saveth you and me.

A Christmas Prayer

Star of the East, the night were drear But for the tender grace That with thy glory comes to cheer Earth's loneliest, darkest place; For by that charity we see Where there is hope for all and me.

Star of the East! show us the way In wisdom undefiled To seek that manger out and lay Our gifts before the child— To bring our hearts and offer them Unto our King in Bethlehem!

Father of all men, look upon our family,
Kneeling together before Thee,
And grant us a true Christmas.

With loving heart we bless Thee:

For the gift of Thy dear Son Jesus Christ,

For the peace He brings to human homes,

For the good-will He teaches to sinful men,

For the glory of Thy goodness shining in His face.

  

With joyful voice we praise Thee:

For His lowly birth and His rest in the manger,

For the pure tenderness of His mother Mary,

For the fatherly care that protected Him,

For the Providence that saved the Holy Child

To be the Saviour of the world.

With deep desire we beseech Thee:

Help us to keep His birthday truly,

Help us to offer, in His name, our Christmas prayer.

From the sickness of sin and the darkness of doubt,
From selfish pleasures and sullen pains,

From the frost of pride and the fever of envy,

God save us every one, through the blessing of Jesus.

In the health of purity and the calm of mutual trust,
In the sharing of joy and the bearing of trouble,
In the steady glow of love and the clear light of hope,

God keep us every one, by the blessing of Jesus.

In praying and praising, in giving and receiving,
In eating and drinking, in singing and making merry,
In parents' gladness and in children's mirth,
In dear memories of those who have departed,

In good comradeship with those who are here,
In kind wishes for those who are far away,
In patient waiting, sweet contentment, generous cheer,

God bless us every one, with the blessing of Jesus.

By remembering our kinship with all men,
By well-wishing, friendly speaking and kindly doing,
By cheering the downcast and adding sunshine to daylight,
By welcoming strangers (poor shepherds or wise men),
By keeping the music of the angels' song in this home,

God help us every one to share the blessing of Jesus:

Fill the Hungry with Good Things

"He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever."
Luke 1: 51-55

Nothing Shall Be Impossible

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
And the angel answered and said unto her, 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.
 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
 Luke 1: 30 - 50

Lest we not Forget

And it came to pass, while they were there, the days were fulfilled that she should be delivered. 

 And she brought forth her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 

 And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock.

 And an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

 And the angel said unto them, Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people: for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2: 6-11

Advent Wishes

   As we enjoy all the Christmas lights and the annual Christmas parties we suddenly realize this Month is flying by way too fast. The demands of jobs and homework somehow slipped in between Christmas programs at school and the usual responsibilities. We still haven't tossed the leftover cranberry sauce from ThanksGiving and yet today marks the 3rd Sunday of Advent.

Maybe today is a Great Day to sit back and enjoy the Winter weather from the warmth and comfort of home. And a great day to be reminded of the real reason for all the shopping and festive fun.

God rest you, Chrysten gentil men, Wherever you may be,— God rest you all in fielde or hall, Or on ye stormy sea; For on this morn oure Chryst is born That saveth you and me.

 
Last night ye shepherds in ye east Saw many a wondrous thing; Ye sky last night flamed passing bright Whiles that ye stars did sing, And angels came to bless ye name Of Jesus Chryst, oure Kyng.

God rest you, Chrysten gentil men, Faring where'er you may; In noblesse court do thou no sport, In tournament no playe, In paynim lands hold thou thy hands From bloudy works this daye.

 
But thinking on ye gentil Lord That died upon ye tree, Let troublings cease and deeds of peace Abound in Chrystantie; For on this morn ye Chryst is born That saveth you and me.

What Do You Want for Christmas?

    Try to hold back the goosebumps while you enjoy this Christmas classic:

Sounds from Heaven

 

  Why do the bells of Christmas ring? 

  Why do little children sing?

 

  Once a lovely shining star,

  Seen by shepherds from afar, 

  Gently moved until its light Made a manger's cradle bright.

 

  There a darling baby lay,

  Pillowed soft upon the hay;

  And its mother sung and smiled:

  "This is Christ, the holy Child!"

 

Therefore bells for Christmas ring,  

Therefore little children sing.

Take the High Road

  "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." 

  Matthew 6: 14-15
   

    We've all felt the impact or sense of hurt, betrayal, and sadness when unfair things that happen to us. When someone treats us badly.

    When someone treats us badly - we have two simple choices:

We can choose to hold on to the hurt, feel bitter and angry, and carry around that anger to the point where it poisons us.

    Or, we can choose to let it go and give it up to God. Some might even suggest that we Thank God for this opportunity to better ourselves. Thank God for the lessons we learn and strength he gives us to endure and forgive. While none of us always find it easy to forgive when someone hurt you so badly. Our best long term option is simply "Let it go"! Turn it over to Our Lord and try to forget it as quickly as you can.

    Rremember - you don’t forgive for their sake; you forgive for your own sake. When you forgive, you are taking away their power to hurt you. But if you hold on to that offense and stay angry, you are only poisoning your own life. You are letting someone else ruin your day. Don't give in! Connect with God, Talk it over with God and ask the Good Lord to help you put this unpleasant situation behind you!

    Try to focus on your blessings. Keep your thoughts as healthy and happy as you possibly can.

Love in Our Hearts

What we need to-day is love in our hearts. Don’t we want it? Don’t we want hope in our lives? Don’t we want to be hopeful? Don’t we want liberty?

Now, all this is the work of the Spirit of God, and let us pray God daily to give us love, and hope, and liberty.

We read in Hebrews, “Having, therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.” If you turn to the passage and read the margin you may find it says: “Having, therefore, brethren, liberty to enter into the holiest.” We can go into the holiest, having freedom of access, and plead for this love and liberty and glorious hope, that we may not rest until God gives us the power to work for Him.

Let us seek to be useful. Let us seek to be vessels meet for the Master’s use, that God, the Holy Spirit, may shine fully through us.

“Know, my soul, thy full salvation;

Rise o’er sin, and fear, and care;

Joy to find, in every station,

Something still to do or bear.

Think what Spirit dwells within thee;

Think what Father’s smiles are thine;

Think that Jesus died to win thee:

Child of heaven, canst thou repine?

Haste thee on from grace to glory,

Armed by faith, and winged by prayer,

Heaven’s eternal day’s before thee:

God’s own hand shall guide thee there.

Soon shall close thy earthly mission,

Soon shall pass thy pilgrim days,

Hope shall change to glad fruition,

Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.”

Happy ThanksGiving!

Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering;   forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye:
  and above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness.
  And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful.
  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God.
  And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3: 12-17

Thanksgiving

  Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering;   forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye:
  and above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness.
  And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful.
  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God.
  And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:12-17

Set Your Sights on Your Goal and Sail!

  There is no grander sight in the world than that of a young man fired with a great purpose, dominated by one unwavering aim. He is bound to win; the world stands one side and lets him pass; it always makes way for the man with a will in him. He does not have one half the opposition to overcome that the undecided, purposeless man has who, like driftwood, runs against all sorts of snags to which he must yield, because he has no momentum to force them out of his way. What a sublime spectacle it is to see a youth going straight to his goal, cutting his way through difficulties, and surmounting obstacles, which dishearten others, as though they were but stepping-stones! Defeat, like a gymnasium, only gives him new power; opposition only doubles his exertions, dangers only increase his courage. No matter what comes to him, sickness, poverty, disaster, he never turns his eye from his goal.

In spite of the fact that nearly all very successful men have made a life work of one thing, we see on every hand hundreds of young men and women flitting about from occupation to occupation, trade to trade, in one thing to-day and another to-morrow,—just as though they could go from one thing to another by turning a switch, as if they could run as well on another track as on the one they have left, regardless of the fact that no two careers have the same gauge, that every man builds his own road upon which another's engine cannot run either with speed or safety. This fickleness, this disposition to shift about from one occupation to another, seems to be peculiar to American life, so much so that, when a young man meets a friend whom he has not seen for some time, the commonest question to ask is, "What are you doing now?" showing the improbability or uncertainty that he is doing to-day what he was doing when they last met.

Some people think that if they "keep everlastingly at it" they will succeed, but this is not so. Working without a plan is as foolish as going to sea without a compass. A ship which has broken its rudder in mid-ocean may "keep everlastingly at it," may keep on a full head of steam, driving about all the time, but it never arrives anywhere, it never reaches any port unless by accident, and if it does find a haven, its cargo may not be suited to the people, the climate, or conditions among which it has accidentally drifted. The ship must be directed to a definite port, for which its cargo is adapted, and where there is a demand for it, and it must aim steadily for that port through sunshine and storm, through tempest and fog.

So a man who would succeed must not drift about rudderless on the ocean of life. He must not only steer straight toward his destined port when the ocean is smooth, when the currents and winds serve, but he must keep his course in the very teeth of the wind and the tempest, and even when enveloped in the fogs of disappointment and mists of opposition. Ocean going vessels do not stop for fogs or storms; they plow straight through the rough seas with only one thing in view, their destined port, and no matter what the weather is, no matter what obstacles they encounter, their arrival in port can be predicted to within a few hours. It is practically certain, too, that the ship destined for Boston will not turn up at Fort Sumter or at Sandy Hook.

If you want to achieve great success - keep your eys on the goal. Focus your mind and your actions on that desired result and you too can win!

Enjoy your journey to success.

Look on the Bright Side

The man who has no money is poor, but one who has nothing but money is poorer than he. He only is rich who can enjoy without owning; he who is covetous is poor though he have millions. There are riches of intellect, and no man with an intellectual taste can be called poor. He who has so little knowledge of human nature as to seek happiness by changing anything but his own disposition will waste his life in fruitless efforts, and multiply the griefs which he purposes to remove. He is rich as well as brave who can face poverty and misfortune with cheerfulness and courage.

We can so educate the will power that it will focus the thoughts upon the bright side of things, and upon objects which elevate the soul, thus forming a habit of happiness and goodness which will make us rich. The habit of making the best of everything and of always looking on the bright side of everything is a fortune in itself.
He is rich who values a good name above gold. Among the ancient Greeks and Romans honor was more sought after than wealth. Rome was imperial Rome no more when the imperial purple became an article of traffic.

This is the evil of trade, as well as of partisan politics. As Emerson remarks, it would put everything into market,—talent, beauty, virtue, and man himself.

Small things become great when a great soul sees them. The noble or heroic act of one man has sometimes elevated a nation. Many an honorable career has resulted from a kind word spoken in season or the warm grasp of a friendly hand.

"It was only a glad 'good-morning,'
As she passed along the way,
But it spread the morning's glory
Over the livelong day."

"Only a thought in passing—a smile, or encouraging word,
Has lifted many a burden no other gift could have stirred.

Abundance

          Happy Halloween!

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father,
  from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
  that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man;
  that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
  may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
  and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God.
  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
  unto him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3: 14-21

Faith and Life

   What are the conditions upon which true happiness depends? Christ tells us in the text: If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

   This is the blessing with a double if. "If ye know," this is the knowledge which Christ gives to faith. "If ye do,"—this is the obedience which faith gives to Christ. Knowing and Doing, these are the twin pillars on which the house of happiness is built.

  The harmony of faith and life, this is the secret of inward joy and power.

  You remember when these words were spoken. Christ had knelt to wash the disciples' feet. Peter, in penitence and self-reproach, had hesitated to permit this lowly service of Divine love. But Christ answered by revealing the meaning of His act as a symbol of the cleansing of the soul from sin. He reminded the disciples of what they knew by faith, that He was their Saviour and their Lord. By deed and by word He called up before them the great spiritual truths which had given new meaning to their life. He summoned them to live according to their knowledge, to act upon the truth which they believed.

    I am sure that His words sweep out beyond that quiet upper room, beyond that beautiful incident, to embrace the whole spiritual life. Do you suppose  that He is revealing to us the secret of happy living which lies at the very heart of His gospel, when He says: "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." ?

   "If ye know,"—there is, then, a certain kind of knowledge without which we can not be happy. There are questions arising in human nature which demand an answer. If it is denied we can not help being disappointed, restless, and sad. This is the price we have to pay for being conscious, rational creatures.

     If we were mere plants or animals we might go on living through our appointed years in complete indifference to the origin and meaning of our existence. But within us, as human beings, there is something that cries out and rebels against such a blind life. Man is born to ask what things mean. He is possessed with the idea that there is a significance in the world beyond that which meets his senses.

    Happiness is often a choice - Decide to be Happy. You can enjoy a richer, balanced life filled with a greater sense of self esteem. Go here to learn more about finding balance. 

Joy and Peace

  Christ never asks us to give up merely for the sake of giving up, but always in order to win something better. He comes not to destroy, but to fulfill,—to fill full,—to replenish life with true, inward, lasting riches. 

  His gospel is a message of satisfaction, of attainment, of felicity. Its voice is not a sigh, but a song. Its final word is a benediction, a good-saying. "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."

  If we accept His teaching we must believe that men are not wrong in wishing for happiness, but wrong in their way of seeking it. Earthly happiness,—pleasure that belongs to the senses and perishes with them,—earthly happiness is a dream and a delusion. But happiness on earth,—spiritual joy and peace, blossoming here, fruiting hereafter,—immortal happiness, is the keynote of life in Christ.

And if we come to Him, He tells us four great secrets in regard to it.

1. It is inward, and, not outward; and so it does not depend on what we have, but on what we are.

2. It cannot be found by direct seeking, but by setting our faces toward the things from which it flows; and so we must climb the mount if we would see the vision, we must tune the instrument if we would hear the music.

3. It is not solitary, but social; and so we can never have it without sharing it with others.

4. It is the result of God's will for us, and not of our will for ourselves; and so we can only find it by giving our lives up, in submission and obedience, to the control of God.

For this is peace,—to lose the lonely note
Of self in love's celestial ordered strain:
And this is joy,—to find one's self again
In Him whose harmonies forever float
Through all the spheres of song, below, above,—
For God is music, even as God is love.

A Prayer for Parents

 Make me to hear joy and gladness, That the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
 Hide thy face from my sins, And blot out all mine iniquities.
 Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me.
 Cast me not away from thy presence; And take not thy holy Spirit from me.
 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; And uphold me with a willing spirit. Psalm 51: 8-12

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for giving us the greatest gift possible. Thank You for giving us your Love. And for giving us your son. Thank You for giving us children that we might Love them like you love us!

Happiness

  In the wish for happiness we are all somewhat alike. In our explanations of  happiness and in our ways of seeking it we are often different. Shall we think of this wish as right, or wrong; as a true star, or simply wishful thinking?

  If it is right to wish to be happy, what are the conditions on which the fulfilment of this wish depends? These are the two questions with which I would come to Christ, seeking instruction and guidance.

  The desire of happiness, beyond all doubt, is a natural desire. It is the law of life itself that every being seeks and strives toward the perfection of its kind, the realization of its own specific ideal in form and function, and a true harmony with its environment. Every drop of sap in the tree flows toward foliage and fruit. Every drop of blood in the bird beats toward flight and song. In a conscious being this movement toward perfection must take a conscious form. This conscious form is happiness,—the satisfaction of the vital impulse,—the rhythm of the inward life,—the melody of a heart that has found its keynote. To say that all men long for this is simply to confess that all men are human, and that their thoughts and feelings are an essential part of their life.

  Virtue means a completed manhood. The joyful welfare of the soul belongs to the fulness of that ideal. Holiness is wholeness. In striving to realize the true aim of our being, we find the wish for happiness implanted in the very heart of our effort.

  Now what does Christ say in regard to this natural human wish? Does He say that it is an illusion? Does He condemn and deny it? Would He have accepted Goethe's definition: "religion is renunciation"?

  Surely such a notion is far from the spirit of Jesus. There is nothing of the hardness of Stoicism, the coldness of Buddhism, in Christ's gospel. It is humane, sympathetic, consoling. Unrest and weariness, the fever of passion and the chill of despair, soul-solitude and heart-trouble, are the very things that He comes to cure. He begins His great discourse with a series of beatitudes. "Blessed" is the word. "Happy" is the meaning. Nine times He rings the changes on that word, like a silver bell sounding from His fair temple on the mountain-side, calling all who long for happiness to come to Him and find rest for their souls.

  Christ never asks us to give up merely for the sake of giving up, but always in order to win something better. He comes not to destroy, but to fulfil,—to fill full,—to replenish life with true, inward, lasting riches. His gospel is a message of satisfaction, of attainment, of felicity. Its voice is not a sigh, but a song. Its final word is a benediction, a good-saying. "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."

Jesus cried and said, "He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.

 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.

 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world"  John 12: 44-47

Earthly Worries

My Friends are fled from mortal eye,
   God sent the just decree;
Let us submit to him on high,
   Who made the Earth and Sea.

I hear again that death has paid,
   A second visit where,
Lately dwelt a virtuous maid,
   And parent’s tender care.

Dear Madam, let your troubled, breast,
   This Earthly comfort find;
God alone can lull to rest
   The widow’s downcast mind.

Late did your worthy partner say,
   From death no one can flee;
Ere many months are pass’d away,
   Our Nancy rests by me.

Clos’d in that spot from public view,
   I’ve pointed out the grave;
Let pious thoughts stern grief subdue,
   Jesus repentants save.

 Adieu! he cried to all around,
   That stood beside his bed;
Sweet mercies to us will abound,
   If we by grace are led.

We know that our redeemer live,
   Beside the God of all;
Who will our errors all forgive,
   If we sincerely call.

Death came mantling on his brow,
   With firmness still he prayed;
O God, on sinners mercy show,
   Ere in the grave we’re laid.

His wife and children now deplore
   Their loss with many a sigh,
And so does many labouring poor,
   With many a weeping eye.

Truly he did assistance lend,
   To those that stood in need,
The orphan in him found a friend,
   A constant one indeed.

"Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.
 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.
 I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.
 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.
 For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.
 But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God.
 My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake."  Psalm 31: 9-16  (KJV)

Mastery

"He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.
A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.
Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.
The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil."  Proverbs 19: 17-23 (KJV)

    "Teach self-denial and make its practice pleasurable," says Walter Scott, "and you create for the world a destiny more sublime than ever issued from the brain of the wildest dreamer."

  Seneca, one of the greatest of the ancient philosophers, said that "we should every night call ourselves to account. What infirmity have I mastered to-day? what passion opposed? what temptation resisted?  what virtue acquired?" and then he follows with the profound truth that "our vices will gradually be conquered if they are controlled and avoided every day."

   If you cannot at first control your anger, learn to control your tongue, which, like fire, is a good servant, but a hard master.  

Thomas A. Edison was once asked why  he was a total abstainer. He said, "I thought I had a better use for my head."

Wondrous Love

  Abraham Lincoln was a man of compassion; he was very gentle, and was noted for his heart of sympathy for the down-trodden and the poor. No one went to him with a tale of sympathy but he had compassion on them, no matter how far down they were in the scale of society. He always took an interest in the poor. There was a time in our history when we thought he had too much compassion. Many of our soldiers did not understand army discipline, and a great many were not true to the army regulations. They intended to be, but they did not understand them.

Many a man consequently went wrong, and they were court-martialed and condemned to be shot; but Abraham Lincoln would always pardon them; and at length the nation rose up against him, and said that he was to merciful, and ultimately they got him to give out that if a man was court-martialed he must be shot, that there would be no more reprieves.

A few weeks after this, news came that a young soldier had been sleeping at his post. He was court-martialed, and condemned to be shot. The boy wrote to his mother, “I do not want you to think I do not love my country, but it came about in this way: My comrade was sick, and I went out on picket for him; and the next night he ought to have come, but still being sick I went out for him again, and without intending it I fell asleep. I did not intend to be disloyal.”

It was a very touching letter, and the mother and father said there is no chance, there will be no more reprieves. But there was a little girl in that home, and she knew that Abraham Lincoln had a little boy, and how he loved that little boy; and she said if Abraham Lincoln knew how my father and mother loved my brother he would never allow him to be shot, and she took the train to go and plead for her brother; and when she got to the President’s mansion the difficulty arose how was she to get past the sentinel. So she told him her story, and the tears ran down his cheeks, and he let her pass. But the next trouble was how to get past the secretary and the other officials. However, she succeeded in getting, unobstructed, into his private room, and there were the senators and ministers busy with State affairs. 

The President saw the child, and called her to him, and said, “My child, what can I do for you?” and she told him her story. The big tears rolled down his cheeks. He was a father, and his heart was full; he could not stand it. He treated the girl with kindness, and then having reprieved the boy, gave him thirty days furlough, and sent him home to see his mother. His heart was full of compassion.

And, let me tell you, Christ’s heart is more full of compassion than any man’s. You are condemned to die for your sins; but if you come to Him He will say, “Loose him, and let him go” (John xi.). He will rebuke Satan, and the dead shall live. Go to Him as that little girl went to the President, and tell Him all; keep nothing from Him, and He will say, “Go in peace.”

God loved the world of sinners lost

 And ruined by the fall;

Salvation full, at highest cost,

He offers free to all.

Oh, ’twas love, ’twas wondrous love,

The love of God to me;

It brought my Saviour from above,

To die on Calvary!

E’en now by faith I claim Him mine,

The risen Son of God;

Redemption by His death I find,

And cleansing through the blood.

Love brings the glorious fulness in,

And to His saints makes known

The blessed rest from inbred sin,

Through faith in Christ alone.

Believing souls, rejoicing go;

There shall to you be given

A glorious foretaste, here below,

Of endless life in heaven.

Of victory now o’er Satan’s power

Let all the ransomed sing,

And triumph in the dying hour

Through Christ, the Lord, our King.

D.L. Moody

A Prayer

Most people are anxious to do what is best for themselves and least harmful for others. The average man now has intelligence enough: A better world is not far off, if the self-appointed folk who rule us, and teach us for a consideration, would only be willing to do unto others as they would be done by, that is to say, mind their own business and cease coveting things that belong to other people. War among nations and strife among individuals is most often a result of the covetous spirit to possess.

A little more patience, a little more charity for all, a little more love; with less bowing down to the past, and the silent ignoring of pretended authority; a brave looking forward to the future, with more self-confidence and more faith in our fellow men, and the race will be ripe for a great burst of life and light.

 A Prayer

The supreme prayer of my heart is not to be learned, rich, famous, powerful, or "good," but simply to be radiant. I desire to radiate health, cheerfulness, calm courage and good will. I wish to live without hate, whim, jealousy, envy, fear. I wish to be simple, honest, frank, natural, clean in mind and clean in body, unaffected—ready to say "I do not know," if it be so, and to meet all men on an absolute equality—to face any obstacle and meet every difficulty unabashed and unafraid.

I wish others to live their lives, too—up to their highest, fullest and best. To that end I pray that I may never meddle, interfere, dictate, give advice that is not wanted, or assist when my services are not needed. If I can help people, I'll do it by giving them a chance to help themselves; and if I can uplift or inspire, let it be by example, inference, and suggestion, rather than by injunction and dictation. That is to say, I desire to be radiant—to radiate life.   By ELBERT HUBBARD

Character

    Did it ever strike you that it is a most absurd and semi-barbaric thing to set one day apart as "holy?"

    If you are a writer and a beautiful thought comes to you, you never hesitate because it is Sunday, but you write it down.  

    If you are a painter, and the picture appears before you, vivid and clear, you make haste to materialize it ere the vision fades.

    If you are a musician, you sing a song, or play it on the piano, that it may be etched upon your memory—and for the joy of it.

    But if you are a cabinet-maker, you may make a design, but you will have to halt before you make the table, if the day happens to be the "Lord's Day"; and if you are a blacksmith, you will not dare to lift a hammer, for fear of conscience or the police. All of which is an admission that we regard manual labor as a sort of necessary evil, and must be done only at certain times and places.

The orthodox reason for abstinence from all manual labor on Sunday is that "God made the heavens and the earth in six days and on the seventh He rested," therefore, man, created in the image of his Maker, should hold this day sacred. How it can be possible for a supreme, omnipotent and all-powerful being without "body, parts or passions" to become wearied thru physical exertion is a question that is as yet unanswered.

    The idea of serving God on Sunday and then forgetting Him all the week is a fallacy. Salvation being free, what we place in the Offering plate is an honorarium for Deity or his agent. A priest would never speak at banquets for pay, but he would accept the honorarium that in some mysterious manner is left on the mantel. 

Sunday, with its immunity from work, was devised for workers who got out of all the work they could during the week.

    Does God cease work one day in seven, or is the work that He does on Sunday especially different from that which He performs on Tuesday? The Saturday half-holiday is not "sacred"—the Sunday holiday is, and we have laws to punish those who "violate" it. No man can violate the Sabbath; he can, however, violate his own nature, and this he is more apt to do through enforced idleness than either work or play. Only running water is pure, and stagnant nature of any sort is dangerous—a breeding-place for disease.

    Character is the result of two things, mental attitude, and the way we spend our time. It is what we think and what we do that make us what we are. Do you suppose our Good Lord cares on what day of the week we perform our work duties? Is it possible that perhaps we might be a little better off if we choose to spend a little time every day in prayer and communion with our Creator?

 

Love

    What is Love? Is that indescribable feeling every parent has for their children? That ever-present piece of your heart that both makes you smile and scares the you-know-what out of you?  The desire to protect and give them every bit of care and warmth possible? The hope that their future will be bright and free from strife?

How do you describe or define  Love?

  found this in the Bible -

"And we know and have believed the love which God hath in us. God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him.
  Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, even so are we in this world.
  There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love.
  We love, because he first loved us." 1 John 4: 16-19

Lift Up Your Eyes

Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

 Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.

 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.

 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.

Psalm 123

Just Ask!

    Sometimes you simply have to ask! If you don't ask for what you want you run the risk of never getting there.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father.

 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

 If ye shall ask anything in my name, that will I do.

 If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments.

 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever
John 14: 12-16

Give to the Poor

¹A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
 ²The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.
 ³A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
 ⁴By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.
 ⁵Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.
 ⁶Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
 ⁷The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
 ⁸He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
 ⁹He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.  Proverbs 22: 1-9 (KJV)

The Golden Rule

"But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother? or thou again, why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of God.   For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow, And every tongue shall confess to God.
  So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God.
  Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge ye this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock in his brother's way, or an occasion of falling"  Romans 14: 10-13

Character is the result of two things, mental attitude, and the way we spend our time. It is what we think and what we do that make us what we are.

By laying hold on the forces of the universe, you are strong with them. And when you realize this, all else is easy, for in your arteries will course red corpuscles, and in your heart the determined resolution is born to do and to be. Carry your chin in and the crown of your head high.

"The heights by great men reached and
kept, were not attained by sudden
flight, but they, while their companions
slept, were toiling upward in the night."
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Seeking Wisdom and Understanding

As we enjoy these last few days of Summer and prepare for yet another school year, let us not forget some simple and timeless words of wisdom from the Proverbs.

 "My son, if thou wilt receive my words, And lay up my commandments with thee;
  So as to incline thine ear unto wisdom, And apply thy heart to understanding;
  Yea, if thou cry after discernment, And lift up thy voice for understanding;
  If thou seek her as silver, And search for her as for hid treasures:
  Then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah, And find the knowledge of God.
  For Jehovah giveth wisdom; Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding:
  He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to them that walk in integrity;
  That he may guard the paths of justice, And preserve the way of his saints.
  Then shalt thou understand righteousness and justice, And equity, yea, every good path.
  For wisdom shall enter into thy heart, And knowledge shall be pleasant unto thy soul;
  Discretion shall watch over thee; Understanding shall keep thee:" Proverbs 2: 1-11

To Your Happiness

"Talk happiness. The world is sad enough
Without your woes. No path is wholly rough;
Look for the places that are smooth and clear,
And speak of those who rest the weary ear
Of earth, so hurt by one continuous strain
Of human discontent and grief and pain.

"Talk faith. The world is better off without
Your uttered ignorance and morbid doubt.
If you have faith in God, or man, or self,
Say so; if not, push back upon the shelf
Of silence all your thoughts till faith shall come;
No one will grieve because your lips are dumb.

"Talk health. The dreary, never-changing tale
Of mortal maladies is worn and stale.
You cannot charm, or interest, or please,
By harping on that minor chord, disease.
Say you are well, or all is well with you.
And God shall hear your words and make them true."

Grace and Truth

"The LORD is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness.  And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure" Isaiah 33: 5-6

And a bit from the legendary Christian author - D.L. Moody -

There is a great deal of difference between law and grace. “Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” There are three precious things here: peace for the past; grace for the present; and glory for the future. There is no peace until we see the finished work of Jesus Christ—until we can look back and see the Cross of Christ between us and our sins. When we see that Jesus was “the end of the law for righteousness;” that He “tasted death for every man;” that He “suffered the Just for the unjust”—then comes peace. Then there is “the grace wherein we now stand.” There is plenty of grace for us as we need it day by day, and hour by hour.

Then there is glory for the time to come. A great many people seem to forget that the best is before us. Dr. Bonar says that everything before the true believer is “glorious.” This thought took hold of my soul; and I began to look the matter up, and see what I could find in Scripture that was glorious hereafter. I found that the kingdom we are going to inherit is glorious: our crown is to be a “crown of glory;” the city we are going to inhabit is the city of the glorified; the songs we are to sing are the songs of the glorified; we are to wear garments of “glory and beauty;” our society will be the society of the glorified; our rest is to be “glorious;” the country to which we are going is to be full of “the glory of God and of the Lamb.” There are many who are always looking on the backward path, and mourning over the troubles through which they have passed; they keep lugging up the cares and anxieties they have been called on to bear, and are forever looking at them. Why should we go reeling and staggering under the burdens and cares of life when we have such prospects before us?

If there is nothing but glory beyond, our faces ought to shine brightly all the time. If a skeptic were to come up here and watch the countenances of the audience he would find many of you looking as though there was anything but glory before you. Many a time it seems to me as if I were at a funeral, people look so sad and downcast. They do not appear to know much of the joy of the Lord. Surely if we were looking right on to the glory that awaits us, our faces would be continually lit up with the light of the upper world. We can preach by our countenances if we will. The nearer we draw to that glory-land, where we shall be with Christ—the more peace, and joy, and rest we ought to have. If we will but come to the throne of grace, we shall have strength to bear all our troubles and trials. If you were to take all the afflictions that flesh is heir to and put them right on any one of us, God has grace enough to carry us right through without faltering.

Some one has compiled the following, which beautifully describes the contrast between law and grace:

The Law was given by Moses.

Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

The Law says—This do, and thou shalt live.

Grace says—Live, and then thou shalt do.

The Law says—The wages of sin is death.

GRACE says—The gift of God is eternal life.

The Law says—The soul that sinneth, it shall die.

Grace says—Whosoever believeth in Jesus, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in Him shall never die.