The Third Week Of Advent-JOY

Hello Blogging Friends ,

This is the third week of Advent ,In which the emphasis is on the Good News of Great JOY . Those shepherds some 2000 years ago were the first to hear , But it has been relayed countess times by Joyful Hearers around this earth.

" And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping watch over their flocks by night . An angel of the Lord appeared to them , and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were terrified .But the angel said to them , " Do not be afraid . I bring you good news of great JOY ,that will be for all people .Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord . This will be a sign to you. You will find a baby wrapped in cloths lying in a manger. " Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel,praising God and saying :

" Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests ."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven,the shepherds said one to another." Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened , which the Lord has told us about . " So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him ,they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds had said to them . But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.. The shepherds returned , glorifying and praising God for all the thing they had heard and seen ,which were just as they had been told.

Luke 2: 8-20

This news the angel said was to impart to the hearer great JOY ,so much so that all of heavenly host broke out into praise .At first , the shepherds' reaction was fear.But after receiving the good news and hurrying off to see the Child and Mary and Joseph, the scripture said they had two responses : telling others and praising God . I love the expression " Merry Christmas , but a better greeting for christians may be Hallelujah , Christ is Born ! It is clear that this time of celebrating his birth can be a time of Joy in our lives and telling others the reason for that Joy.May we, this third week of Advent, concentrate on spreading the JOY of the good news of the Birth of Christ!

This is a beautiful rendition of" Silent Night "by Sixpence None the Richer

I am linking to Spiritual Sundays and Then Sings My Soul Saturdays, Caroling Blog Hop

Hallelujah, Christ is Born !

Love & Blessings,

~Myrna

Spiritual Sunday & Then Sings my Soul Saturday

Spiritual Sunday &Then Sings my Soul Saturday

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Author: Elisabeth Elliot

Source: A Lamp For My Feet
Scripture Reference: Exodus 13:17-18

Wastelands

There are dry, fruitless, lonely places in each of our lives, where we seem to travel alone, sometimes feeling as though we must surely have lost the way. What am I doing here? How did this happen? Lord, get me out of this!

He does not get us out. Not when we ask for it, at any rate, because it was He all along who brought us to this place. He has been here before--it is no wilderness to Him, and He walks with us. There are things to be seen and learned in these apparent wastelands which cannot be seen and learned in the "city"--in places of comfort, convenience, and company.

God does not intend to make it no wasteland. He intends rather to keep us--to hold us with his strength, to sustain us with his sure words--in a place where there is nothing else we can count on.

"God did not guide them by the road towards the Philistines, although that was the shortest...God made them go round by way of the wilderness towards the Red Sea" (Ex 13:17,18 NEB).

Imagine what Israel and all of us who worship Israel's God would have missed if they had gone by the short route--the thrilling story of the deliverance from Egypt's chariots when the sea was rolled back. Let's not ask for shortcuts. Let's keep alert for the wonders our Guide will show us in the wilderness.

Hugs& Blessings,

~Myrna

THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY & SPIRITUAL SUNDAY

Then Sings My Soul Saturday & Spiritual Sunday

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Ye have not yet resisted unto blood , striving against sin . Hebrews 12:4

What is the meaning of Christian suffering ?Unless we are called to martyrdom, our resisting and striving against sin has not reached the point of bloodshed. Nevertheless, we deplore our lot. Do we expect to have a prosperous road in this life ---to wear a white linen garment and walk leisurely on a golden street leading to a pearly gate?

God has arranged all kinds of environment , all sorts of happenings and many sufferings,all with a view to creating in each of his children a certain character which will glorify Him. To be scourged may be the evidence of His approval. Chastisement is love's arrangement . Love measures and love plans . God may not deal thus with everyone , but He certainly does so with those whom He has accepted as sons (& daughters ). Watchman Nee

I love this song.

Hugs & Blessings,

~Myrna

THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY & SPIRITUAL SUNDAY

THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY & SPIRITUAL SUNDAY
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..........The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. Romans 8:26


Our understandings are weak, particularly in the things of God our desires are weak; our prayers are weak. We know not - Many times. What we should pray for - Much less are we able to pray for it as we ought: but the Spirit maketh intercession for us - In our hearts, even as Christ does in heaven. With groanings - The matter of which is from ourselves, but the Spirit forms them; and they are frequently inexpressible, even by the faithful themselves.------John Wesley

I am so glad He is my Strong Tower !


Blessings,
~Myrna

THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY & SPIRITUAL SUNDAY

THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY & SPIRITUAL SUNDAY
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Today I would like to share this beautiful poem .

Most Fine Gold
By Amy Carmichael

I thought I heard my Savior say to me :
"My love will never weary, child, of thee."
Then in me whispering doubtfully and low :
How can that be?
He answered me,
"But if it were not so,
I would have told thee."

O most fine Gold
That naught in me can dim,
Eternal Love, that has her home in Him
Whom seeing not, I love,
I worship Thee!

I thought I heard my Saviour say to me:
" My strength encamps on weakness-----So on thee."
And when a wind of fear did through me blow___
How can that be?
He answered me ,
" But if it were not so,
I would have told thee."

O most fine Gold
That naught in me can dim,
Eternal love that has her home in Him
Whom seeing not, I love ,
I worship Thee!

I love this Song by Avalon because He is everything to me .

Blessings,
Myrna

THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY & SPIRITUAL SUNDAY

Then Sings My Soul Saturday & Spiritual Sunday
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Happy Resurrection Day ! Praise Jesus ! Jesus died and was raised so that we may live forever !

He(Jesus )is not here;he (Jesus) has risen! Luke 24:6

“A metropolitan (bishop) of the Orthodox Church in Russia was
faced with an atheist in the congregation who loudly declared,
‘Today nobody believes in the resurrection of Christ.’

“Instead of answering the claim, the metropolitan cried out,
‘Christ is risen!’ and the hall, which was supposedly filled with
atheists, responded with a roar, ‘Indeed* He is risen!’”
— Elisabeth Elliot

*definition of indeed: Without a doubt; certainly, In fact; in reality



Hallelujah ! Have a Happy, Blessed Easter !
~Myrna

THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY & SPIRITUAL SUNDAY

THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY & SPIRITUAL SUNDAY

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Gethsemane

Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane , and saith unto his disciples , Sit ye here , while I go pray yonder.And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee ,and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful even unto death:tarry ye here , and watch with me . And he went a little farther , and fell on his face ,and prayed ,saying, O my Father , if it be possible let this cup pass from me , nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. Matt. 26 :36 -39

We need to pay attention to the prayer that our Lord is praying here. "This cup" evidently represents His cross, and the contents are the sins of the whole world . More than the death itself and the terrible suffering of crucifixion is something else that we do not see to realize . It is this :Jesus,holy harmless, and separate from sinners,was made sin for us . There on the cross the sin of humanity was put on Him ---not in some forensic or academic manner, but in reality. We cannot even imagine the horror He felt when that sin was placed upon Him . It was a horrendous experience for this One who was holy .Notice that He was not asking to escape the cross, but He was praying that God's will be done . It is impossible for you and me to enter into the full significance of Gethsemane , but I think it was there that he won the victory of Calvary. Undoubtedly , he was tempted by Satan in Gethsemane as truly as he was in the wilderness. Notice verse 42 : "He went away again the second time , and prayed , saying , O Father , if this cup may not pass away from me , except I drink it , thy will be done . " He was accepting it . To say say our Lord was trying to avoid going to the cross,is not exactly true . In His humanity he felt a repugnance and the awful horror of having the sins of the world placed on Himself, and he recoiled a moment from it . But He committed himself to to the Father"s will.
Commentary By : Dr. J. Vernon McGee

I love this poem by Amy Carmichael

No Scar?

Hast thou no scar?
No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand?
I hear thee sung as mighty in the land;
I hear them hail thy bright, ascendant star.
Hast thou no scar?

Hast thou no wound?
Yet I was wounded by the archers; spent,
Leaned Me against a tree to die; and rent
By ravening beasts that compassed Me, I swooned.
Hast thou no wound?

No wound? No scar?
Yet, as the Master shall the servant be,
And piercèd are the feet that follow Me.
But thine are whole; can he have followed far
Who hast no wound or scar?


Here is Keith Green singing , There is a Redeemer !

Have a Blessed day !
~Myrna

SPIRITUAL SUNDAY & THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY

Spiritual Sunday & Then Sings My Soul Saturday

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" Because I live , Ye shall live also. " John 14:19

Today, I have a devotion by Watchman Nee.

God has given to us his son to be our life as well as our substitute on the cross. To understand this ,we must first be clear on what life is . When someone who is difficult calls on you, you know at once the situation requires you to be patient, but whence does your patience originate ? To supply it , you know you must draw from your very life . Often to be patient , you must call forth the very best that is in you . You know this all too well. Or let us suppose you have a big task ahead, and you feel you should be diligent and not be slothful. To be diligent ,too, calls you to put forth all your energies. Or again , someone is in trouble and you know you should show them love and helpfulness. But where does your power to help come from ? It is your life, your nature , that causes you to love . The drain upon you is immense as again and again you exercise your very life to meet outside demands . And here is the wonderful thing : God has given Christ, with the purpose that He should be to you , your Life.



Here is a graphic poem by Amy Carmichael on the subject of Christ our Life .

DUST AND FLAME

But I have seen a fiery flame
Take to his pure and burning heart
Mere dust of earth ,to it impart
His virtue, till that dust became
Transparent loveliness of flame.

O Fire of God , Thou fervent Flame
Thy dust of earth in Thee would fall,
and be lost beyond recall.
Transformed by Thee, its very name
Forgotten in Thine own, O Flame .


Here is Brian Littrell singing In Christ Alone

SPIRITUAL SUNDAY&THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY

SPIRITUAL SUNDAY & THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY
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It is no longer I that live , but Christ livest in me.Galatians 2:20

Today's devotion is by Watchman Nee.

God has not constituted Christ our Example to be copied . He is not giving us his strength to help us imitate Christ .He has not even planted Christ within us to help to be Christ like. Galatians 2:20 is not our standard for record breaking endeavor.It is not a high aim to be aspired through long seeking and patient progress. No,it is not God's aim at all, but God's method.
When Paul says , " Christ liveth in me "he is showing us the life that gives God satisfaction in the believer, and there is no substitute. "Not I, but Christ, means Christ instead of me .When Paul uses these words ,he is not claiming to have attained something his readers have not reached to. He is defining the Christian life. The Christian life is the Christ-Life. God gives Christ to become my life and to live his life in me.

I also have In Christ Alone by Newsboys . I love this song.



I pray you have a Blessed week!
~Myrna

SRIRITUAL SUNDAY & THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY

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Near the Cross, A devotion by Joni Eareckson Tada

" When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake , a large crowd gathered around him" "Mark 5 :21

Jesus never enjoyed much elbow room during his public ministry. There was always a multitude , pushing and shoving to get close . When he taught in the temple, there was hardly space to breathe. When he taught in a home ,people stood wall-to-wall,spilling put the front yard and hanging from the roof. And when He tried to escape the crowd in a boat, He dropped anchor on the other side only to find another horde awaiting him. No room for Jesus--His life even began that way at the crowded inn.
There was one place, however , where where Jesus had more than enough room, almost too much space.It was a place where nobody was shoving to get close, no one wanted a ring side seat. There was plenty of room near the Cross.
Sadly , it's true today. Many Christians are satisfied to remain at a safe distance from the Cross.
Yet if we are to see real and lasting change in our lives, if we are to reckon ourselves dead to sin, it requires keeping near the Cross.


Here is Mercy Me singing Undone , (one of my favorite songs)which further testifies of the necessity of keeping near the Cross.



Blessings,
Myrna

SPIRITUAL SUNDAY & THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY

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......God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."Hebrews 13:5


When I was a little younger , I registered to win a wind surfer from a local store & to my amazement , I won . My husband & I took it to our nearby lake and tried many times to master windsurfing , but I never became very good at it at all. But it was an interesting experience. I noticed the few times I was successful at actually sailing , that there was a sensation of standing still, & a sort of isolation.I think this was because of being one with the wind ,I no longer felt it blowing against me.
I have in my spiritual & prayer life at times felt the same sort of feelings. Times when I was greatly in distress, but finding a silence from God .But I know that Jesus was always there with me because I have the assurance of his word ,that "He would never leave me or forsake me ". In those times, Faith is what carried me through . I believe if we have assurance that we are His , Then we know He is there always & hears us..

Here is a wonderful poem by Amy Carmichael.

The Age -Long Minute

Thou art the God who slept upon the pillow,
Thou art the God who smoothed the furious sea,
What matter beating wind and tossing billow
If only we are in the boat with Thee ?


Hold us in quiet through the age-long minute
While thou are silent , and the wind is shrill:
Can the boat sink while Thou dear Lord, art in it ?
Can the heart faint that waiteth on Thy will?

The song I have for today is, He Is by Mark Schultz. It really spoke to my heart as I listened to it on the radio last week.



Blessings,
~Myrna

SPIRITUAL SUNDAY & THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY

Hi Blogger Friends,
Welcome to my SS& TSMSS Posts for this week. To visit our SS Host & other Spiritual Posts,Click HERE. To visit our TSMSS Host & other Inspirational Songs click HERE.

This is a devotion from Joni Eareckson Tada 's Devotional book, Diamonds in the Dust.It is entitled:

Things Above

Since then , you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above , where Christ
is seated at the right hand of God,. Set your minds on things above, not on earthy things .
---Colossians 3:1-2

In this verse we are twice commanded .First, we are to set our hearts , then second set our minds on things above . In other words , Things above are to capture our imaginations, emotions, thoughts, feelings ,ideas,and on and on.
Most of us consider this command to be not necessary as other mandates in Scripture. But it is ! When you consider that the first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord with all your heart and mind , it follows naturally that we should set our hearts on things above " where Christ is seated at the right hand of God."
C. H. Spurgeon once said , "Some of you ,right now ,could not be happy if you were allowed to enter Heaven. Shall I tell you why ?It is because heaven is a land of spirit and you have neglected your spirit."
It is the spiritual person who can readily set his heart and mind on Heaven.So,live in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit,abide by the Spirit,pray in the spirit,and you can't help but glean a real and deep longing for heavenly glories above.
What enriches your spirit?
Filling your heart and mind with whatever is true ,noble ,right,pure, lovely,admirable,or anything excellent or praiseworthy. what enriches your spirit? Accessing the means of grace through prayer, worship, the reading of God's word, and fellowship. what enriches your spirit? Trusting and obeying your lord.

She ends with this Prayer.
I want to be a truly spiritual person, Lord, so help me to keep in step with your spirit today. May my flesh diminish and my spirit increase as I set my heart and mind on things above.

Here is Mercy Me ,singing My Heart is Spoken For





Thanks for joining me today & have a Blessed Week!
~Myrna Lee