25 Days to Christmas - Day 1

I am so excited about the Christmas season!  It truly is the most wonderful time of the year.  I love the lights, smells, sounds, and the singing of Christmas carols!  

This year, I'll be preaching a series at Bridges of Hope Fellowship called: CAROLS.  We'll kick it off tomorrow, December 2nd, as we talk about "O Holy Night."  I can't wait!  If you don't have a place that you regularly attend for worship, I sure wish you would come and check us out.  It's a great time to get your life on track for 2013!  If you can't be with us, you can watch it LIVE online each week on Sunday at 11 a.m. (Central Standard Time) or you can go back and view archived sermons.  All can be found at www.GetHope.info and click on "Church Online."

During this series, I want to encourage you to check back daily for my blog on the 25 Days of Christmas...Carols, that is.  Each day leading up to Christmas, we'll be talking about a different Christmas Carol, it's origin, meaning, etc.  So, don't miss it and be sure to share it with your friends!

Today, we're talking about "Joy To The World."

Joy to the World, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King.

Isaac Watts wrote ""Joy to the World" in 1719. Since then, every Christmas season, carolers cast those words into the air like a lifeline out into the ocean of humanity. And every ""fish" surely finds something inviting and worth nibbling at. The thrill of hope within the message spools out to touch a weary world with anticipation of tasting something really good!

Joy came to the world because God our great Creator loved His creation so much that He sent His Son to reveal His story, and so that over time, His character and ultimate good will toward mankind would be recognized. The impact on earth of Christ's birth will never diminish despite enemies' attempts to stop it. John 21:25 says that the world would not be able to contain the books that could be written about what the Lord did while on earth. Since then many more testimonies of His transforming love have been and will be written.

Nehemiah 8 records that Nehemiah, the leaders and the people celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles with great joy, after sharing God's Word. Rejoice in God's Word and thoughts of the Savior's birth, His purpose and His inheritance.

What do you plan on rejoicing about during this Christmas season?