The Day After Christmas -- A Christian Perspective -- The Joy Begins.

Verne Strickland Blogmaster / December 25, 2011



Arlington Christmas: God Is Nigh

Dr. Vance Havner (1901-1986) shares the following,

The day after Christmas
Is a day of broken toys, opened boxes,
Torn packages, threads of ribbon galore,
The surprises all over, thank yous all said.
A long time coming and so soon gone!
But, when Jesus Christ is born in your hearts,
There are no sad days after,
No waiting a year,
No putting away the thank yous
For another twelve months.
Every day is Christmas
When the Savior lives within,
The same today as yesterday.
Each day brings fresh gifts from above,
Not a holiday but a holy day.
And we are not merely the recipients,
We give because He gave,
We love because He loved,
And we want to share Him with everybody.
Once-a-year Christmas
On the calendar is precious,
But there is no ‘day after’
When we cannot say, ‘Christ dwelleth in me.’

Traditional Christmas Bible Verses: 20 Great Quotes

Verne Strickland Blogmaster / December 25, 2011

MERRY CHRISTMAS, WONDERFUL FRIENDS. GOD BLESS YOU EACH AND EVERY ONE.

By Pam on October 7, 2011 · 6 comments ·  Print ·  Email

 

Christmas is not a word that you will not find in the Bible. However, you will find the birth of Jesus and all that it represents in the Bible. Two New Testament books mention the conception of Jesus, but only one New Testament book gives details of that first Christmas. Matthew, chapter 1, lists the genealogy of Jesus tracing it all the way back to Abraham.

Did you know that we can also see the foretelling of the birth of Jesus, the Messiah, all throughout the Bible, even in the Old Testament? Old and New Testament scriptures line up to tell us the meaning of Christmas.

Christmas is a memorial to the time when Jesus stepped down to earth to be born as a baby and then willingly give His life to deliver us from the wages of sin. God gave us Jesus because He is merciful and gracious. 

Here are twenty great quotes from the Bible about Christmas: the birth of Jesus Christ; the promised Deliverer.

Christmas in the Bible

Old Testament – Prophesied	New Testament – Fulfilled
Born in Bethlehem
Micah 5:2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.	Luke 2:4-7 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn
Jesus, The Son of God
Proverbs 30:4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name? Surely you know!	Luke 1:31-33 “…And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Jesus, Name Above All Names
Isaiah 9:6  For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.	Philippians 2:9-11 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus, The Anointed One
Daniel 9:25-26 Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.	Matthew 2:1,16 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem … Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.
Jesus, The Seed of a Woman to Destroy Satan
Genesis 3:15 “…I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”	1 John 3:8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
Jesus, Born of a Virgin
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.	Matthew 1:21-23 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:  ”Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
Jesus, Seed of Abraham
Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”	Matthew 1:1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Jesus, Seed of Isaac
Genesis 21:12 But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named.	Hebrews 11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
Kings Bow Down to Jesus
Psalms 72:10-11 May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands render him tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts! May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him!	Matthew 2:9-11 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
Born to Die and Rise On the Third Day
Jonah 1:17 And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.	Matthew 12:40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

A Savior Who is Christ the Lord: Christmas in Matthew 1:23

By Jeremy Myers on December 6, 2011 in Christmas with 0 Comments

 

Click the image above for more Scriptures on Christmas.

One of the most famous Scriptures on Christmas is Matthew 1:23, which speaks volumes about the birth of Jesus and why He came. The Scripture says this:

Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

This is actually a quote from Isaiah 7:14, and the verse in that context meant something different than the way that Matthew is using it here. But this is okay, because Jesus ads more meaning and significance not only to all things in life, but to Scripture and it’s fulfillment as well.
This Scriptures reminds us that God cares about us, and even though we have rebelled against Him, He took the initiative to restore the relationship, and return to us.
In the context of Isaiah 7, King Ahaz is getting some very bad news, the the enemy nation of Assyria is coming down upon them, and will destroy them. But God tells King Ahaz through Isaiah that a remnant will be rescued (Isaiah 9:3), and that even in the midst of defeat and judgment, God is with His people.
When we are going through times of hardship and trial, we can remember that God has sent to us Jesus Christ, Immanuel, which reminds us that God is with us, and He will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb 13:5).

One of the real travesties is that, while Ilario Pantano has been twice exonerated (once in a military proceeding, and more recently via an exhumation of the remains of the two Iraqi Islamic radicals and a scientific forensic study) the local North Carolina media still hold the story hostage, perpetuating a lie by the sin of omission. I called a Pat Gannon, who covers this beat for the Star-News, and asked him why this major story has not been reported. He said he was holding it for use closer to the election. Why? This is not about politics. It's about truth and honor. It is pure yellow journalism.and cruel in the extreme. Pat is an honorable man. Who is pressuring him to do this?   He should ashamed. Verne Strickland.    

New policy will allow hijabs, turbans in JROTC. Oh, and gold lapel pins with the Cross of Jesus would be nice too.

Verne Strickland Blogmaster / December 23, 2011

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has announced that the Department of Defense (DOD) will begin allowing Muslim and Sikh to wear an Islamic head scarf (hijab) or a turban as they participate in the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC).

In October, the Washington-based Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization wrote to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta after a 14-year-old Muslim student at Ravenwood High School in Brentwood, Tenn., was forced to transfer out of a JROTC class when her commanding officers told her she could not wear hijab while marching in the September homecoming parade.

SEE: JROTC's Head Scarf Rule Keeps Tenn. Girl from Parade
http://tinyurl.com/3ckva3x
JROTC Examines Rules After Headscarf Complaint
http://tinyurl.com/6msmfsf
Video: Tenn. Muslim Student Not Allowed to Wear Hijab in JROTC (CAIR)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3PTFCBUf1k
CAIR requested constitutionally-protected religious accommodations for the girl and for future Muslim JROTC participants.
SEE: CAIR Letter to DOD
http://tinyurl.com/lettertodod

In a December 19 letter sent to CAIR, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army Larry Stubblefield wrote:
"I have been asked to respond on behalf of the Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta to your October 13, 2011 letter concerning Miss Demin Zawity's request to wear a religious head covering (hijab) while participating in an Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) event at Ravenwood High School.

"Based on your concerns, the Army has reviewed its JROTC uniform policy and will develop appropriate procedures to provide Cadets the opportunity to request the wear of religious head dress, such as the turban and hijab. This change will allow Miss Zawity and other students the chance to fully participate in the JROTC program.

Additionally, a representative from the U.S. Army Cadet Command will contact Miss Zawity and provide her the opportunity to rejoin the Ravenwood High School JROTC unit.

"The Army prides itself in being a diverse organization, comprised of individuals from many faiths and religions. We appreciate you bringing this matter to our attention."

"We welcome the fact that Muslim and Sikh students nationwide will now be able to participate fully in JROTC leadership activities while maintaining their religious beliefs and practices," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad.

CAIR press release, 22 December 2011

Poverty scandal -- NC 10th poorest state. Robeson poorest county in state. This is McIntyre country.

Verne Strickland Blogmaster / December 23, 2011

STARTLING STATS: NC 1Oth POOREST STATE, ROBESON POOREST COUNTY. MIKE WORKS FOR YOU.

First Posted: 9/15/11 02:24 PM ET   Updated: 9/15/11 02:47 PM ET

The U.S. Census Bureau recently released two pieces of widely followed data  — one on poverty and the other on median income for 2010. The most interesting findings in this release were the state-by-state figures, especially when compared to national averages. 

A closer look at the statistics shows that a relatively small number of states suffer such widespread levels of low income and poverty that they skew the national numbers downward.

The national poverty rate last year was 15.1%. That is up from 11.3% in 2000 and is the highest it has been since 1993. Over 46 million people lived below the poverty line in 2010. The cut-off for that line is households of four people who made under $22,314.

The other troubling news was that median income per household nationwide was an inflation-adjusted $49,445. This is about the same as in 1989 and down 2.3% from 2009. Economists fear that Americans are not consumers. It is easy to tell why when their real income has been frozen in place for more than two decades.

The problems of poverty and low income are as much local as national. The poverty rate is 21% in Mississippi. The state also has the lowest median income at $36,850. Mississippi is among the states with the worst education systems, highest obesity levels, highest unemployment, and lowest rates of health insurance coverage.

The state is an economic black hole, and it shows in the way people suffer there. And, as is true with black holes, it is nearly impossible for the residents of Mississippi to escape their difficult financial situations. There is a dearth of federal programs that target specific states and cities based on local economic need.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed census data from all 50 states on median income, poverty rates, unemployment, and lack of health insurance. We then identified the ten states that have the lowest median income. We also looked at why low-income households are concentrated in these states and what, in some cases, has been done to reverse the difficult situations.

These are the poorest states in America, according to 24/7 Wall St.:

10. North Carolina in Top Ten -- in poverty! Are we proud or what?

Median income: $43,275

Poverty rate: 16.1% (tied for 9th highest)
Without health insurance: 16.7% (13th highest)
Unemployment: 10.1% (9th highest)

North Carolina has one of the lowest median incomes in the country. It does not perform much better on other metrics related to poverty. There have been a number of programs implemented to help combat poverty in the state recently. One example is the No Kid Hungry program which aims to end childhood hunger in North Carolina by 2015. According to information from the program, "more than 1 in 4 children in North Carolina do not get sufficient food."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/15/americas-poorest-states-_n_964058.html?icid=maing-grid7|maing6|dl1|sec1_lnk3|96106 

America's Poor , America's Poorest Cities , America's Poorest States , US Poverty , Census Poverty , Joblessness , Slidepollajax , Us-Poverty-Rate , Business News From 24/7 Wall St.:

WHAT ARE THE 5 POOREST NC COUNTIES?

 Answers.com > Wiki Answers > Categories > Travel & Places > Countries States and Cities > US States Cities and Territories > North Carolina > What are the 5 poorest counties in North Carolina?

Answer:

 

The five poorest counties in North Carolina are (by poverty rate):

1. Robeson (23.8%)
2. Tyrrell (23.5%)
3. Halifax (23.2%)
4. Warren (21.8%)
5. Edgecombe (21.5%)

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_5_poorest_counties_in_North_Carolina

BROKE? HUNGRY? JOBLESS? WONDERING WHERE TO TURN? GO HERE FIRST:
 
 www.MikeWorksforMe.com

And as your Seventh District NC Congressman, he has been working for you since 1997, give or take a few evictions, foreclosures, crop failures, and trips to the local soup kitchen. Do you hope the day will come soon when he's not working for you anymore?

        Mike McIntyre

              From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mike McIntyre
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 7th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 1997