Manger

Higher Ground – Video

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Luke 23:52-53 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.

When Jesus was born, Mary wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid him in the manger because there was no room for him in the inn. At His death Joseph of Arimathaea took him down from the cross and wrapped him in clean linen and put him in Joseph’s own tomb, because Jesus did not have His own. From birth to his last breathe on earth it was clear that there was nowhere on this planet that Jesus belonged, because His true home was in Heaven and in our hearts. When we put our faith in Him for salvation, what was true for Jesus becomes true for us. We lose our acceptance on earth but we gain a citizenship in heaven where Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us. We are called to higher ground! I pray you will be blessed by the video today and that you will be encouraged as you remember that we are called by faith to stand on heaven’s tableland!

Silent Night – Mary’s Treasure

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Luke 2:19-20 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Of all the songs that I relate to Christmas I find that Silent Night is the one that brings me closest to that scene with Mary, Joseph and the Shepherds gathering in amazement and awe around the child sent from God, lying in a manger. In that hush (Though I am skeptical about the line “No crying He makes) there is the true worship that God intended when He sent the Good News of great joy. I pray you will have a wonderful Christmas season sharing that joy with neighbors, friends and family. We now have the job the angels have so today consider going out and looking for some shepherds who are out in the fields and invite them to come and worship Christ the new born king! I hope you will like my rendering of this song written 200 years ago in German by Joseph Mohr with music from Franz Gruber. Its simple beauty still stirs my heart every time I sing. Have a blessed week-end everybody!