(…continued) God would much rather deal with us by speaking softly than with a stick, and how could this be made more clear than in the Christmas story? Nowhere else in the Bible does God speak more directly or more clearly than when he comes to earth himself in the person of Jesus. Imagine […]
966) Speak Softly, and Carry a Big Stick (c) Read More »
Above images: Isaiah 11:6; 65:25 —————————- (…continued) God’s intention was to do without the big stick. The Bible makes it clear that God would much rather deal with us by love and mercy and soft words. That is God’s preferred way of working with us, and that is probably the way all people
965) Speak Softly, and Carry a Big Stick (b) Read More »
Theodore Roosevelt at the Minnesota State Fair, 1901 ————————– Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) was a brilliant and courageous man, eager to change this nation and the entire world. As president from 1901-1909, he was a major player on the international scene. On Sept. 2, 1901, while still Vice-President, Roosevelt gave a speech at the
964) Speak Softly, and Carry a Big Stick (a) Read More »
By Chuck Colson (1931-2012), for the Breakpoint radio program, December 25, 1995. Chuck Colson served as special counsel to President Richard Nixon from 1969-1973. He spent nine months in prison (1974-75) after pleading guilty to charges of obstruction of justice. Colson’s life fell apart during the Watergate investigation, and during that time gave his life
624) Bessie’s Last, and Best, Christmas Read More »
One of the first things that the coming of Jesus did was that it brought people together. When Joseph first heard the news of Mary’s out of wedlock pregnancy, he had decided to break off the engagement. The angel’s message to Joseph of how God was going to work in their lives brought
623) Getting Together for Christmas Read More »
By Mark Tooley at: www.juicyecumenism.com A new Pew survey shows overwhelming majorities of Americans believe in the historical actuality of the Christmas story, including the Virgin Birth, the angels appearing to shepherds and the Wise Men following the star to Bethlehem. These majorities include young and old, Catholic and Protestant, black and white, male
620) Christmas is Undefeatable Read More »
By Curtis Meier, nurse in a British hospital; posted December 4, 2014 at: wwww.plough.com The Acute Medical Unit is a high-octane environment, a tangle of clinicians engaged in the frantic battle to save lives. End-of-life care has never been its forte. On a cold, dark October evening, an eighty-four-year-old man named Mark
603) Christmas in the Emergency Room Read More »
Above: An engraving of the Nativity from a 15th century hand-copied devotional book, created around the time of Luther’s birth and just before the widespread use of the printing press. ***************** From ‘ Sermon for Christmas Day’; Text: Luke 2:1-14; by Martin Luther (1483-1546) …Behold how very ordinary and common things are to
258) God’s Perspective on the First Christmas Read More »
A Christmas meditation and prayer by Henry Van Dyke (1852-1933); American author, educator, and Presbyterian clergyman It is a good thing to observe Christmas day. The mere marking of times and seasons, when folks agree to stop work and make merry together, is a wise and wholesome custom. It helps one to feel the
248) Keeping Christmas Read More »
