May the Lord bless you as you worship him this weekend and as you remember the miraculous birth of our Savior.
(Yesterday on the blog: My Favorite New Songs of 2022)
The Thrilling Reversal of Christmas
Jim McCarthy explains that “thrilling reversal is what Christmas is all about. God insists on showcasing his power through weakness and his wisdom through foolishness so that we would stop and stare, wonder and worship.”
Analysing everything to death and sucking the joy out of life
Stephen Kneale may exaggerate a little bit here, but he’s worth hearing. “Christians are pretty expert at sucking the joy out of everything. You name it, we can find problems with it. Even if we can’t nail a specific issue to make you feel guilty for enjoying something, you can bet we’ll insist on a full introspective analysis of motives before you can even consider enjoying the thing.”
William Borden’s Boyhood of Material Privilege and Spiritual Development
“William Borden (1887-1913) is unknown to most Christians today. But his untimely death at age twenty-five, before he could reach the mission field to which he had been preparing to go for eight years, was mourned by believers in several parts of the world when it occurred. In his short lifetime he blessed many by his inspiring, consecrated service of the Lord Jesus and did much to help advance Christ’s Kingdom work at home and abroad.” Vance Christie reflects on his early days.
Episode 51: Should a Pastor Observe the Billy Graham Rule? (Video)
I find that Hershael York does quite a good job of answering this question.
While Mortals Sleep
Andrea wants you to “lift your eyes from the dark alleys of Bethlehem to the shining courtyards of heaven, and rejoice.”
Christmas Under the Sun
“Despite the Paul McCartney jingle echoing through our department stores this season, many of us will not be ‘simply having a wonderful Christmastime.’ Much of our Christmas joy will be met, and made to sing, shoulder to shoulder with dissonant sorrows.”
Flashback: May This Be A True Christmas In Your Heart
May this be a true Christmas in my heart. Take away all unbelief, all bitter thought and feeling, all resentment and unforgiveness, all unholy desire and give me love—love that is patient and kind, that is not provoked, that thinks no evil, that seeks not its own.
Look to Jesus this Christmas. Receive the reconciliation that he bought. Don’t put it on the shelf unopened…Open it and enjoy the gift. Rejoice in him. Make him your pleasure. Make him your treasure.
—John Piper
