Passion Points

Here are some good posts to read as we wrap up 2016 and look towards 2017:

My Top 10 Theology Stories of 2016 – Collin Hansen (TGC)

10 Ideas and 10 Tips for Family Devotions in 2017 – Tim Challies

Bible Reading Plans for 2017 – Nathan Bingham (Ligonier)

5 Bible Inputs To Grow, Grow, Grow – Colin Adams

Book Collection

What will you read in 2017?  Here is a collection of favorite books from some other bloggers to give you some ideas.

My Top Books of 2016 – Tim Challies

10 Favorite Reads of 2016 – Trevin Wax

My Top 10 Books of 2016 – Jared Wilson

Top Ten Books of 2016 – Kevin DeYoung

2016 TGC Book Awards – Collin Hansen & Ivan Mesa (TGC)

50 Books J.I. Packer Thinks You Should Read – Matt Tully (Crossway)

I Wonder

MusicNotes

I wonder as I wander out under the sky
How God became human just like you and I
Our God in a manger – hear the baby cry
I wonder as I wander out under the sky

I wonder as I wander out under the trees
How our God could now dwell within our bodies
We walk with our Lord, He walks with you and me
I wonder as I wander out under the trees

I wonder as I wander out under the sky
How God took on our flesh so that he could die
The sinless became sin for you and for I
I wonder as I wander out under the sky

I wonder as I wander out under the trees
How a holy God could forgive one like me
If only I believe no more penalty
I wonder as I wonder out under the trees

I wonder as I wander out under the sky
How the King of Kings in a manger did lie
His kingdom’s forever, His coming is nigh
I wonder as I wander out under the sky

I wonder as I wander in my wanderings
In awe I will worship my glorious king
I’ll live for his honor, of his grace I’ll sing
I wonder as I wander in my wanderings

Borrowing from the first verse and using
the tune of “I Wonder As I Wander”

Christmas Collection

Here is another collection of good Christmas posts:

The Irrepressible Christ of Christmas – Sam Storms

Why I Changed My Mind on Nativity Scenes – Alistair Begg (TGC)

Christmas Songs Are Freedom Songs – Stephen Miller (TGC)

10 Things You Should Know about the Incarnation – Stephen Wellum (Crossway)

10 Things You Should Know about Christmas – Andreas J. Köstenberger (Crossway)

The Fullness of God Dwelled in a Womb – Jared Wilson (FTC)

Hope you have a wonder-filled Christmas celebrating the birth of Jesus!

 

Forgotten Verses

Here are the forgotten verses of one more Christmas carol:

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
Author Unknown
Written around the 12th Century
As found in the Cyber Hymnal

Forgotten Verses

Here are some forgotten verses from another Christmas carol:

Still through the cloven skies they come
With peaceful wings unfurled,
And still their heavenly music floats
O’er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lowly plains,
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever over its Babel sounds
The blessèd angels sing.

Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love-song which they bring;
O hush the noise, ye men of strife
And hear the angels sing.

“It Came Upon The Midnight Clear”
Edmund H. Sears
Written in 1849
As found in the Cyber Hymnal

Christmas Collection

Here are some good posts for Christmas:

Jesus Isn’t Threatened by Your Christmas Gifts – Tim Challies

10 Ways to Be a Christian this Christmas – Kevin DeYoung

How to Show Your Kids Grace This Christmas – Jessica Thompson (Crossway)

3 Ways to Become a Christmas-Loving Pastor – Ronnie Martin (TGC)

Forgotten Verses

Here are some more more forgotten verses from another familiar Christmas carol:

True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal,
Lo, He shuns not the Virgin’s womb;
Son of the Father, begotten, not created;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

See how the shepherds, summoned to His cradle,
Leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze;
We too will thither bend our joyful footsteps;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Lo! star led chieftains, Magi, Christ adoring,
Offer Him incense, gold, and myrrh;
We to the Christ Child bring our hearts’ oblations.
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Child, for us sinners poor and in the manger,
We would embrace Thee, with love and awe;
Who would not love Thee, loving us so dearly?
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

“O Come All Ye Faithful”
John F. Wade
Written around 1743
As found in the Cyber Hymnal

Forgotten Verses

Yesterday I started a week-long feature sharing forgotten verses from some of our favorite Christmas carols.  Here is the second installment:

Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring Seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
Now display Thy saving power,
Ruined nature now restore;
Now in mystic union join
Thine to ours, and ours to Thine.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface,
Stamp Thine image in its place:
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.
Let us Thee, though lost, regain,
Thee, the Life, the inner man:
O, to all Thyself impart,
Formed in each believing heart.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

“Hark the Herald Angels Sing”
Charles Wesley
Written in 1739
As found in the Cyber Hymnal

Why He Came

whychristcameIn Christ’s first coming, He implemented a rescue plan conceived in the mind of God before the foundation of the world. He did not come to promote holiday cheer, boost end-of-year sales, or serve as the central figure in a nativity scene. He came to save sinners.

– Joel Beeke & William Boekestein in Why Christ Came