Pause, and calmly think on that.
I really enjoy this song so I added two verses which I’ve inserted as Verse 2 and 3. You can find the chords at Ultimate-Guitar.com [Note: Linked original version, not mine, as it’s not approved yet. Will fix link when approved. Link now works.]. Here’s a plain-text version for now.
Here’s the song, including new verses…
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Heard this while listening to a James MacDonald sermon today, “Big God, Small Me,” on the account of Paul (formerly Saul) watching over the stoning of Stephen,
“You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him—you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it.”
When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. Acts 7:51-60
What’s the big deal?
Where ever we read in the bible about Jesus, after his ascension, we are always told that Jesus is “Seated” at the right hand of the Father in Glory. But here, for Stephen, we see Jesus, “Standing” at the right hand of God. If You Stand For Jesus, He’ll Stand For You
Stand for Jesus and He’ll stand for you.
Selah.
Saeed Malekpoour: A Canadian on Iran’s death row:
In the 1,232 days and nights since his arrest, Saeed Malekpour has asked himself that question. Each day takes him no closer to the answer, but closer to the enigma of his death.
For most of his 36 years Malekpour was a problem-solver, a man with a workaround mind. His family’s troubleshooter. The cleverest in his class.
The Canadian resident, top-ranked engineering graduate, software designer is now awaiting execution in Iran’s Evin Prison.
Write your MP. Find your MP.
Merry Christmas to you and yours! May this season bring you happiness and joy in Jesus Christ and his victory over sin and death! Christmas, celebrating the birth of the Saviour, marks but the beginning of his Victory over sin and death!
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
Isaiah 9:6-7
Jesus Christ, God’s own Son, came to save sinners like you and I.
The good news is joyously simple…
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
It’s been a week since mom left us. In a blur of hurry we made arrangements for visitation, reception and funeral. Two visitations on Sunday went by quicker than I thought they would. Monday’s service took a long time to approach but the day passed on in a rush. It is now a few days after the funeral. I’ll be going back to work Monday. My brother and sister have begun heading back into their lives. Dad will begin the time when it feels like there should be someone standing beside you, but you reach out and there is only empty air. I miss you mom.
It’s been a week since mom left us. In a blur of hurry we made arrangements for visitation, reception and funeral. Two visitations on Sunday went by quicker than I thought they would. Monday’s service took a long time to approach but the day passed on in a rush. It is now a few days after the funeral. I’ll be going back to work Monday. My brother and sister have begun heading back into their lives. Dad will begin the time when it feels like there should be someone standing beside you, but you reach out and there is only empty air. I miss you mom.
I don’t know how death and being lifted up to heaven works but I bet it probably works like sleeping. It doesn’t feel like any time has past. Mom will think she hasn’t lost any time at all and she’ll open her eyes and she’ll be greeted by the splendourous unknown.
Thus, our mourning is turned into morning for mom. And from that we who remain have reason to hold onto hope.
Early this morning I received a call from my dad telling me mom had passed away. My mom was an amazing person, an incredible Christian and an inspiration to so many people she touched over her lifetime.
Early this morning I received a call from my dad telling me mom had passed away. My mom was an amazing person, an incredible Christian and an inspiration to so many people she touched over the years.
The only thing I’ll say for now is thank you mom and thank you Lord that you blessed me with such a great mother.
My brother wrote a blog about mom that says a lot of what I would say if I had written something like that. It’s too small to really tell you about my mom but it does highlight a lot of exceptional qualities in her.
I am happy for my mother. Her pain is gone and I can imagine her in heaven with Jesus singing and playing praises with a dozen instruments she always wanted to play and playing them perfectly.
And probably watching us from heaven as we mourn her passing but recognizing we also feel joy because our loss is her gain now that she is with Jesus.
I miss you already mom.