Saturday December 20
Samuel 7: 23-29

Music On Christmas Morning

Music I love--but never strain
Could kindle raptures so divine,
So grief assuage, so conquer pain,
And rouse this pensive heart of mine--
As that we hear on Christmas morn,
Upon the wintry breezes borne.

Though Darkness still her empire keep,
And hours must pass, ere morning break;
From troubled dreams, or slumbers deep,
That music KINDLY bids us wake:
It calls us, with an angel's voice,
To wake, and worship, and rejoice;

To greet with joy the glorious morn,
Which angels welcomed long ago,
When our redeeming Lord was born,
To bring the light of Heaven below;
The Powers of Darkness to dispel,
And rescue Earth from Death and Hell.

While listening to that sacred strain,
My raptured spirit soars on high;
I seem to hear those songs again
Resounding through the open sky,
That kindled such divine delight,
In those who watched their flocks by night.

With them I celebrate His birth--
Glory to God, in highest Heaven,
Good-will to men, and peace on earth,
To us a Saviour-king is given;
Our God is come to claim His own,
And Satan's power is overthrown!

A sinless God, for sinful men,
Descends to suffer and to bleed;
Hell MUST renounce its empire then;
The price is paid, the world is freed,
And Satan's self must now confess
That Christ has earned a RIGHT to bless:

Now holy Peace may smile from heaven,
And heavenly Truth from earth shall spring:
The captive's galling bonds are riven,
For our Redeemer is our king;
And He that gave his blood for men
Will lead us home to God again.

Anne Bronte

Sunday December 21
Isaiah 7: 10-16

“For God so LOVED the world, that He gave His only son…” John 3: 16

This picture shows a soldier returning to meet his young child for the first time. WE know the depth of the soldier’s LOVE for family and country that would cause him to serve a deployment in a sacrificial way. He is overcome with emotion built up by the months of being away. LOVE gives.

Ford Mastin

Monday December 22
Micah 5: 2-5a

46 And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”

Luke 1: 46-55 NIV

Tuesday December 23
Genesis 25: 19-28

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Colossians 1: 15-20 NIV

Christmas Eve
Isaiah 9: 2-7

A Christmas Blessing

On the eve of Christmas Day I pray the blessings of Christ upon you.
More Christ in your heart. More Christ in your mind.
More Christ in your hands. More Christ in your feet.
More Christ as you remember past transgressions. More Christ as you walk through present
struggles.
More Christ as you consider future endeavors. More Christ throughout the entirety of your life.
More Christ as you wake each day. More Christ as you sleep in peace.
More Christ as you take in the world around you. More Christ as you see those with less.
May each of you be blessed with more of Christ, full and fulfilled.
O, Lord Amen.

Pastor Justin Dunn

Christmas Day
Isaiah 62: 6-12