O Holy Night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear’d and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
O little town of Bethlehem how still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight
Mid January 4 BC, Chang’an, China Day 1 I can’t believe we are doing this. When the star first appeared nearly three weeks ago, everybody was in an uproar. Of course, many in the courts tried to toady up to Emperor Ai by saying it was a propitious sign for his reign. Jiao Guangqi knew…
Sometimes I think it is cute how warped our traditional story of Christmas is.
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf. (Micah 5:2) Read: Micah 5:1-7:20, Revelation 7:1-17, Psalm 135:1-21, Proverbs 30:5-6 Relate: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a…
Read: Zechariah 4:1-5:11, Revelation 14:1-20, Psalm 142:1-7, Proverbs 30:21-23 Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin. (Zechariah 4:10) Relate: Small beginnings. Zechariah is talking about the beginning of the rebuilding of the Temple when God makes that prophesy through him. Those old enough were able to remember the former Temple. Those too young to…
THE RIVER WALK 