Sharing.... Moments With God. Twelve Days of Christmas Day 6 December 30 On the 6th day of Christmas my true love gave to me... Six Geese A-laying The six days of creation. (Genesis 1)

Please click the Jukebox to select music. The first thing I thought of when thinking of the 12 Days of Christmas was a song I heard several years ago on Christian radio while driving to work 1. On the first day of Christmas, Jesus gave to me: Salvation full and free. 2. On the second day of Christmas, Jesus gave to me: everlasting life, and 3. On the third day of Christmas, Jesus gave to me: peace in my heart, and 4. On the fourth day of Christmas, Jesus gave to me: love for all men, and 5. On the fifth day of Christmas, Jesus gave to me: Joy in my soul, 6. On the sixth day of Christmas, Jesus gave to me: Power from on high, 7. On the seventh day of Christmas, Jesus gave to me: a God glorified, 8. On the eighth day of Christmas, Jesus gave to me: a robe and a crown, 9. On the ninth day of Christmas , Jesus gave to me: mansions above, 10.On the tenth day of Christmas, Jesus gave to me: streets of pure gold, 11.On the 'leventh day of Christmas, Jesus gave to me: 1000 tongues to sing, 12.On the twelfth day of Christmas, Jesus gave to me: an eternity to praise, What has Jesus given to you, no not just 'things', but what has He given to you? Let's take a look at the verses above, just one at a time. 'Salvation full and free', do you rejoice in your salvation? As Psalms 21 says: 'We will rejoice in your salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners!' Did your banner (your life) show your salvation this Christmas? 'Everlasting life', when I sing these words, it reminds me of John 3:15-16, 'that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.' Without Christmas, we wouldn't have Easter! Isn't God good? 'Peace in my heart', 'Peace, peace, wonderful peace, coming down from the father above! Sweep over my spirit for ever, I pray, in fathomless billows of love'. Do you have the peace, the hope, that Jesus gave us on that first Christmas day? Romans 15:15 says; 'Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit'. 'Love for all men', 'The love of God is Greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell; it goes beyond the highest star, and reaches to the lowest hell.' Deuteronomy 10:19 says; 'Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.' So, don't be a stranger, let us, let the love of God reach you, that you may reach others. 'Joy in my soul', 'I have the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart, WHERE!, down in my heart!, down in my heart!, down in my heart to stay!' The kids used to sing this a lot in Sunday school. They would sing it, shout it, and have big smiles on their faces just like when they opened that present you bought them for Christmas. Isn't it neat that a child can show the 'joy' in their soul. I pray that you will have this same 'joy' in your heart. 'Power from on high', 'There is pow'r, pow'r, wonder working pow'r in the precious blood of the Lamb.' Psalms 21:13 says; 'Be exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength! We will sing and praise Your power.' This power, is a power that can fill your life, a power that can change you forever! 'A God glorified!', John 14:13 says; 'And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the father may be glorified in the Son.' As 'Christians', sometimes we don't glorify our Lord and Savior. This Christmas, let's give God the Glory! If you ask, Give God the Glory no matter what happens, it will change your life. 'A robe and a crown', 'O worship the King, all glorious above, and gratefully sing, His wonderful love; our shield and defender, the ancient of days, pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise'. 'I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its bud, As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.' Isaiah 61:10-11. Let God plant that seed in your life, that your life can spring forth with a renewed vigor. 'Mansions above', John 14:2 puts it this way: 'In my fathers house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.' Jesus. Hey! it's going to be Christmas all the time! Like another song says; 'This world is not my home I'm just a pass'n through'. We've got a great God! '1000 tongues to sing', When we all get to Heaven! O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer's praise! I love to sing (if you have not noticed) Maybe, if I had a thousand tongues to sing, this voice would sound better, Oh what a day that will be! 'An eternity to praise', Revelation 7:9-12: 'After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb". All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, saying: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen" Man, won't it be great to be a part of that crowd! Now that you've read the above, try and sing it to the tune 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'. You'll have a new appreciation for these words. It took me over a week to get the words written down (at least I think I got them the way they were sung) because as I listened my mind was going through what each line meant to me. You can even have a little fun and change the words to what Christmas means to YOU. Ruben Ackerman Great Falls, Montana, USA * all references are from the New King James Bible Let us pray. Lord, This is a busy time of year for us all. Now that Christmas is over and we observe the 12 days after until Epiphany, manifest your love in our lives that we may be better Christians to those around us. Give us that Power from on high, that we may share your salvation though love to all men. As we were taught as children: "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever." Amen Suggested Daily Scripture Reading [Psalms 20,21:1-14] [I Kings 17:17-24] [Revelation 1:9-20] [John 7:53-8:11] You may send e-mail comments or suggestions to Yvonne Edwards. Edited: Dec. 29, 1999 7:15 a.m. Page designed by: Cecil Wallace The background set is provided by In His Image Copyright © 1999 NazNet All rights reserved. International copyright secured.