Asides

Weekly Podcast being reworked

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As much as I’ve enjoyed experimenting with the weekly PODCAST, there has not been enough interest in the feature to justify the extra time it takes to produce. The target audience for the podcast hasn’t found tuning any easier than reading the blog posts. For those who read the blog posts, there is little reason to tune into the podcast. So, we are suspending the weekly podcast while we consider taking the podcast feature in a different direction. Any feedback on the matter would be most appreciated.

I thank the Lord for each of you, and for the opportunity to share our family devotions with the web.

In Christ Jesus,
Jorge

“Popular” Christmas Minimizes Christ

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As a bit of a side note, I wanted to share a reminder that while it seems like a good thing that the whole world embraces this holiday season of Christmas, they don’t honor Christ. The world hates Him. Not all Christmas songs honor Christ, most of them just celebrate celebration itself.

Billboard Holiday 100 Songs

  1. Mary, Did You Know? — Pentatonix
  2. All I Want For Christmas Is You — Mariah Carey
  3. Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree — Brenda Lee
  4. The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You) — Nat King Cole
  5. Last Christmas — Wham!
  6. Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24) — Trans-Siberian Orchestra
  7. Santa Tell Me — Ariana Grande
  8. Feliz Navidad — Jose Feliciano
  9. White Christmas — Bing Crosby
  10. It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year — Andy Williams
  11. Jingle Bell Rock — Bobby Helms
  12. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer — Gene Autry
  13. Do You Want To Build A Snowman? — Kristen Bell, Agatha Lee Monn & Katie Lopez
  14. A Holly Jolly Christmas — Burl Ives
  15. Baby It’s Cold Outside — Idina Menzel Duet with Michael Bublé
  16. Silent Night — Kelly Clarkson Feat. Reba McEntire & Trisha Yearwood
  17. Wonderful Christmastime — Paul McCartney
  18. It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas — Michael Bublé
  19. Happy Xmas (War is Over) — John Lennon & Yoko Ono
  20. Christmas Canon — Trans-Siberian Orchestra

In the top 20, only 3 make an attempt to reference the Birth of Christ. While the first song is good, we saw in our last Christmas Gospel post that the song kind of ignores a great deal of what Scripture makes clear that Mary knew. Christmas Eve Sarajevo get’s a pass because there are no words, but the melody begins with “what Child is this” (We’ll be looking at this song next Tuesday). Silent Night is a good song as we discussed in today’s DiM Post, but it got trumped today by Matt Maher’s version.

Remember that Jesus came to a world that was fallen and was not truly looking for Him. The World isn’t celebrating Him, nor is it seeking Him. We aren’t here to make the World acknowledge our holidays; rather, we preach Christ and Him crucified so that those who believe in Him will be saved out of the world and into eternal life in Christ Jesus.

John 1:1-18 (ESV) | The Word Became Flesh

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life,and the life was the light of men.5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as awitness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

Colossians 3:16-17 (ESV) 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Amen.
In Christ Jesus,
Jorge

‘Tis the Season of Interrupted Schedules

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My weekend plans were made null by an unexpected family trip. December and January will be very busy for our family, so we will be dialing back our Faithful Stewardship posting schedule somewhat. For the time being, we’ll be focusing our Bible study efforts on DiM Tuesday and Gospel Wednesday, while continuing to share a Friday Sermon. OT Thursdays will be placed on hold for a bit until after the new year, should the Lord tarry.

During this holiday season, if you have any questions or suggestions for study topics please feel free to contact us, we’d love to hear from you. In the meantime, stay focused on what this season is purportedly to be about, despite all of the non-Biblical trappings. For our Gospel Wednesday study, we will be working through the Gospel of Matthew. Last year, we spend a great deal of time in the Gospel of Luke. Links to those posts can be found here.

2 Timothy 4:1-5 (ESV)| Preach the Word

4 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

In Christ Jesus,
Jorge

Thanksgiving Thursday 2014

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The First Thanksgiving 1621, oil on canvas by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris (1899)

The First Thanksgiving 1621, oil on canvas by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris (1899)

For those in the United States, Happy Thanksgiving!

Colossians 2:6-7 (ESV)| Alive in Christ

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

2 Thessalonians 1:2-4 (ESV) | Thanksgiving

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.4 Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.

Revelation 7:9-14 (ESV)

A Great Multitude from Every Nation

9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” 13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

OT | Water in the Wilderness (Exodus 17:1-7)

For those who’d like to continue in our Old Testament study, the next portion of our text has already been covered once back in September. In the meantime, may the Lord Bless and keep you this day.

Today’s Study: The Bread and Water of Jesus

Next week we will begin our Christmas (Advent) study in the Book of Matthew.

In Christ Jesus,
Jorge

 

Our First Year

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Today marks our first year of sharing Bible Studies here at Faithful Stewardship. As I look through the posts over the year, I see a lot of growth in my walk and the walk of our family. I hope that as you look back over the past few months you can see similar growth. I look forward to sharing more time in the Word of God and in fellowship (albeit online) with one another.

God bless, and Take care.
In Christ Jesus,
Jorge