Heaven and Earth
A funny thought came to me as Gay Nell and I took a drive through our subdivision, looking at beautifully decorated homes. I thought, someone must have said, "Let there be light", and there were lights, lots of lights. I heard that a lot over the years and most husbands and fathers know what I am talking about. Last Sunday Patti Maher brought me something to look at and it fits todays weekly letter. It was a Christmas sweater with this message written on it:
First this: God created the Heavens and Earth—all you see, all you don't see. Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God's Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss.
God spoke: "Light!"
And light appeared.
God saw that light was good
and separated light from dark.
God named the light Day,
He named the dark Night.
It was evening, it was morning—Day One.
God saw that light was good
and separated light from dark.
God named the light Day,
He named the dark Night.
It was evening, it was morning—Day One.
Genesis 1:1-5 (MSG)
A funny thought came to me as Gay Nell and I took a drive through our subdivision, looking at beautifully decorated homes. I thought, someone must have said, "Let there be light", and there were lights, lots of lights. I heard that a lot over the years and most husbands and fathers know what I am talking about. Last Sunday Patti Maher brought me something to look at and it fits todays weekly letter. It was a Christmas sweater with this message written on it:
THE BEGINNING OF CHRISTMAS IS CHRIST
He was the beginning of all things:
Christ Holds It All Together
(THIS IS CALLED THE COLOSSIAN ‘THEORY AND WHEN SCIENTIST CANNOT EXPLAIN SOMETHING IT IS CALLED THE COLOSSIAN THEORY)
To understand the Colossians Theory, consider these key points:
Christ Holds It All Together
We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen.
We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created.
For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him.
He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment.
We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created.
For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him.
He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment.
Colossians 1:15-20
(THIS IS CALLED THE COLOSSIAN ‘THEORY AND WHEN SCIENTIST CANNOT EXPLAIN SOMETHING IT IS CALLED THE COLOSSIAN THEORY)
To understand the Colossians Theory, consider these key points:
- The Colossians Theory posits that the Apostle Paul wrote the letter to address heretical teachings in Colossae.
- It emphasizes the supremacy of Christ over all creation and spiritual beings.
- The theory highlights the importance of faith and ethical living in response to Christ's lordship.
- It suggests that believers are united with Christ in His death and resurrection.
- The letter encourages the community to reject false teachings and adhere to sound doctrine.
- It promotes the idea of living a life reflective of one's identity in Christ.
And when it comes to the church, He organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body. He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—He is supreme in the end. From beginning to end He's there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is He, so expansive, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross.
SPOTLIGHTING THE LIGHT
Everything was created through Him; nothing—not one thing!— came into being without him.
What came into existence was Life, and the Life was Light to live by.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
The darkness couldn't put it out.
John 1:3-5
"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
2 Corinthians 4:6
He alone is the LIGHT that shines in our hearts and this light show us what the GLORY OF GOD IS ABOUT AS WE SEE THE FACE OF THE SON OF GOD.
Hallelujah! Thine the glory
Hallelujah! Amen
Hallelujah! Thine the glory
Revive us again
HOW DO YOU VALUE THIS LIGHT
HOW DO YOU VALUE THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD?
THE QUESTION IS: WHAT IF YOU GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOSE YOUR OWN SOUL. WHAT PRICE DO YOU PUT ON YOUR SOUL? IT BEGS THE QUESTION.
JESUS IS NOT ONLY THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, HEAVEN IS THE CITY WHERE THE LAMB IS THE LIGHT. JESUS IS THAT LIGHT, THAT WILL NEVER BE EXTINGUISHED.
YES, CHRISTMAS BEGINS WITH CHRIST AND IT IS IN HIM WE BEGIN OUR NEW LIFE. INNOCENCE RESTORED AND A NEW NAME WRITTEN DOWN IN GLORY. AS WE SING:
There's a new name Written down in glory,
And it's mine, (And it's mine.)
Oh yes, it's mine! (Yes, it's mine!)
And the white-robed Angels sing the story,
"A sinner has come home." (home, has come home"
OR AS SOME WOULD SING:
I saw the light, I saw the light
No more darkness, no more night
Now I'm so happy, no sorrow in sight
Praise the Lord, I saw the light
TO MUCH LIGHT, TO SIT IN DARKNESS.
WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY, HOLY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.
WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING YOU ANOTHER YEAR.
Pastors Cleddie and Gay Nell Keith
Posted in Blessing