crafts from Christmas {wrapping paper

We made our own wrapping paper this year!

 brown packaging paper from the Dollar Tree 

 Christmas foam stamps from the same store 

[3 packs=6 stamps {ink included}]

 it was lots of fun

I think we'll do it again next year!

returning. to His rightful place! {advent}

ascend into Heaven 

Thou hast ascended on high... Psalm 68:18;

fulfilled: Acts 1:9

would sit down at the right hand of God 

The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. Psalm 110:1

fulfilled: Hebrews 1:3

This list from the past few days is by NO means every prophecy Jesus has fulfilled or will fulfill, but it is an BEAUTIFUL start to Advent. 

to bring us into the reading of the Christmas story.

beginning tomorrow!

life after death! promised by God. {advent}

would rise from the dead!

For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Psalm 16:10

fulfilled: Mark 16:6; Acts 2:31

His rejection & death foretold {advent}

Die a humiliating death 

My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent....But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.  All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,  He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him... I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me... Psalm 22 [only portions typed]

Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?  For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: ...But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. ...Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. ...and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah 53:1-12 [only portions typed]

involving:
rejection -Isaiah 53:3

fulfilled: John 1:10-11; 7:5,48

betrayal by a friend -Psalm 41:9

fulfilled: Luke 22:3-4; John 13:18

sold for 30 pieces of silver -Zechariah 11:12

fulfilled: Matthew 26:14-15

silence before His accusers -Isaiah 53:7

fulfilled: Matthew 27:12-14

being mocked -Psalm 22: 7-8

fulfilled: Matthew 27:31

beaten -Isaiah 52:14

fulfilled: Matthew 27:26

spit upon Isaiah 50:6

fulfilled: Matthew 27:30

piercing His hands and feet -Psalm 22:16

fulfilled: Matthew 27:31

being crucified with thieves -Isaiah 53:12

fulfilled: Matthew 27:38

praying for His persecutors Isaiah 53:12

fulfilled: Luke 23:34

piercing His side -Zechariah 12:10

fulfilled: John 19:34

given gall and vinegar to drink -Psalm 69:21

fulfilled: Matthew 27:34, Luke 23:36

no broken bones -Psalm 34:20

fulfilled: John 19:32-36

buried in a rich man’s tomb -Isaiah 53:9

fulfilled: Matthew 27:57-60

casting lots for His garments -Psalm 22:18

fulfilled: John 19:23-24

 BUT don't stop now!
the best is YET TO BE TOLD.

the beginning of Sorrows {advent}

would enter Jerusalem as a king 

on a donkey 

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. Zechariah 9:9

fulfilled: Matthew 21:4-9

would be rejected by Jews

The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. Psalm 118:22

fulfilled:  I Peter 2:7

even more {[Jesus' ministry]} {advent}

would minister in Galilee 

Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.  The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Isaiah 9:1,2

fulfilled: Matthew 4:12-16

would cleanse the Temple 

Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.   But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth?  Malachi 3:1,2

fulfilled: Matthew 21:12-13

ministry prophecied {advent}

would perform miracles

...he will come and save you.  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.  Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. Isaiah 35:4-6;

fulfilled: Matthew 9:35

would preach good news 

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound... Isaiah 61:1

fulfilled: Luke 4:14-21

ministry begun. promises of God. {advent}

anointed by the Holy Spirit 

And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: but with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. Isaiah 11:2-4

fulfilled: Matthew 3:16-17

Heralded by the messenger of the Lord 

(John the Baptist) 

The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: and the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. Isaiah 40:3-5

Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. Malachi 3:1

fulfilled: Matthew 3:1-3

while still a babe. prophecy. {advent}

Taken to Egypt

When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. Hosea 11:1

fulfilled: Matthew 2:14-15

Herod´s killing of the infants 

Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. Jeremiah 31:15

 fulfilled: Matthew 2:16-18

promises of place & events {advent}

Born in Bethlehem 

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Micah 5:2

fulfilled: Matthew 2:1; Luke 2:4-7

Great kings will pay homage and tribute 

to the Messiah

The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Psalm 72:10

fulfilled: Matthew 2:1-11

more promises. the line. {advent}

of the tribe of Judah 

The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Genesis 49:10

fulfilled: Luke 3:23, 33; Hebrews 7:14

of the house of David 

Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.  And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.  He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.  I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:  but my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.  According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.  2 Samuel 7:11-16

fulfilled: Matthew 1; Luke 3:31

birth prophecies {advent}

born of a virgin

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

fulfilled: Matthew 1:21-23

a descendant of Abraham

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 12:1-3

And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, and said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. Genesis 22:15-18

fulfilled: Matthew 1:1; Galatians 3:16

the plan. He knew

emnity...  between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.  

Genesis 3:15

This is the first reference to the coming Savior. Jesus. the Messiah. the Son of Man.

---
[fulfilled]...when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law...

Galatians 4:4

---

At the very beginning, God knew. what heartache that must have caused.

the plan was in place before the foundations of the world were made. [I Peter 1:18-21] And yet, He made those foundations. knowing.

We celebrate the initiation of this plan during the Christmas season. 

But today, this first day of the Christmas season, let us remember the Reason we CAN have our traditions and activities.

the Reason for Love. 

the Giver of All Perfect Gifts. 

the Giver of Life. through Himself. 

He bruised Satan's head. and gave us Life!

Let us REJOICE!

a {hallowed} night

but NOT for us! 

 the TRUTH about halloween

[I do not know anything about the author other than what is stated in this post, but she speaks the truth]. .... just something to think about since it is 'that time of year' again.

I have no desire to offend anyone by this post, but I have always been confused as to why Christians would participate in any way with halloween [all-hallows or hallowed {as in sacred} eve]. And above is an excellent post on that subject. I cannot remember 'trick or treat'ing as a child. I may have [probably did] when very young, but my earliest memories of this 'holiday' are of my mother telling me it was not for Christians but for devil-worshipers [and this is what we teach our children]. The origins of this day {see link} promote the worship of darkness in darkness with evil and wicked being glorified.

holiday = holy - day ...and this one is not for or about God in ANY way.

I also understand and realize that the main "Christian holidays" also revolve around pagan practices [Christmas & easter], but I am not going to go in depth about that right now. We have explained to our children [mostly the oldest right now] about the origins of Christmas and the fact that we really are NOT celebrating easter but Jesus' Resurrection and are trying to incorporate that into our vocabulary-Resurrection Sunday, not easter Sunday. All of my children know from their earliest understanding that neither santa clause nor the easter bunny is real. 

I would love to hear feedback on how you handle halloween [as well as Christmas and easter/Resurrection Sunday]. We treat October 31st as any other normal day and have our regular activities, including family devotions, and go to bed at normal times. I have, several different years, even forgotten that the day WAS halloween because my God tells us [in context: speaking of being a NEW man in Jesus]: Neither give place to the devil. Ephesians 4:27.

 

[These are our pumpkins from the Pumpkin Patch last year. I just took off the top and removed the seeds and as much flesh as I could while allowing it to still keeps its integrity. Then I places some fake flowers in an old jar and tied a ribbon around them-2 stacked on each other- to make a little welcome decoration outside our kitchen door. I lasted about 6 weeks before the pumpkins needed to be thrown away.]