Glory To A Newborn King

Our growth in Christ is not an easy one, BUT it is one that we rejoice in. Christ is fluid, but at the same time He is never changing...HE is the same today as He was yesterday and will be a million years from now, but He keeps moving forward. So it is up to us to modify our beliefs, our patterns of thought, our actions to the will of God's. And the rewards are, and will be great...never ending and His children will all come to live at that place called heaven someday. I went to church today at a different church than I normally do. I am out of town, and not close enough to go to my normal church to venture over to it.

The pastor and the congregation are a little different than the church I normally go to, but in this case - the change is good (NOT all change is good - if you haven't checked the papers lately). The congregation as a whole is "happy" to be near God, and in His home. They were a blessing for me to be around. The pastor; while not like my usual pastor - who is a mighty solider of God, was in his own right; also a mighty solider of God. And it was so very refreshing to enjoy his sermon and know I was in the presence of another brother of like mind in Christ. And he delivered a great sermon. A small portion of his sermon revolved around "how Mary's life changed once she received word from God that she was going to be the bearer of His son incarnate." She accepted this role - thank God; for all of us, even though she could have very easily been stoned to death, or shunned from her family and village. Which would have been a slow death, because she was promised to Joseph, and she showed up pregnant. The point of this was to show how once we accept Christ into our lives in initially things may "not" be so good for us, and that these may come from the people that are closes to us. BUT in time through Christ - we will be led to that place of peace in our lives, and complete the things in our lives that He has set out for "us" to do.

Another point that he made was that "our" God belittled Himself to become a mortal baby, and He experienced the same life that we live from our birth to the day we die. He did this so that He could experience everything that we will/would have to experience in our life, but mainly (always putting us first) He wanted to give us an example of how we should live our life's. Thank you Jesus!

Since this is the Christmas season, one of the other things that he did - that really stood out in my mind was to sing the song "Hark The Herald Angles Sing"...not that I have never sang the song, but he took it a step farther, and broke it down...and pointed out things about the song that I had never taken into consideration. I've included the lyrics below for you to review, and maybe you will see things that you have never seen...it may possibly be that I am a Christian this year; while I wasn't last year, Or maybe that I am closer to God than ever before...I know that I have grown in our Lord during this past year, and I know that I will continue to grow in Him...He has chosen me/us for a reason...and I have so much to learn...it gives me goose bumps to think about all that I have yet to experience and learn, and I long for the chance to continue growing, learning and becoming closer to you Father...I love you Father, Abba, Jehovah - Jireh.

As I mentioned we kind of dissected "Hark The Herald Angles Sing", and it has a totally new meaning to me now...here is the entire song, but my favorite passage has to be part of the second verse (and the third verse just drives it home). Where Charles Wesley (brother of John Wesley founder of the Methodist church in 1739) really describes what God...OUR God; has done. Like I said I have never looked at it like this, but it is so beautiful now that I have seen what God had done for you and me...he became a baby for us, so that we would have an example to follow, He didn't have to go through any of the hardships that he inevitably did on His way to Calvary, and during His crucifixion. Go ahead and take a look at the song below...hopefully you will be able to see the meaning of the song from a new perspective as well.

Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled"
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
"Christ is born in Bethlehem"
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ by highest heav'n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin's womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris'n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"


Father God we come to you during this time of the year; as we do everyday to recognize You and You alone as OUR Lord and Master. May we all as a nation, as a world, as a race come to know you better, and to be molded by You in Your likeness Father. Thank for coming to us, and being the
God that You are. We will never be able to repay You, but as we grow closer to You we will Lift you up higher and higher ever try to become more like You Father. These things I pray in Jesus' name, Amen!