Handel's "Messiah"

Go here to listen to Handel's Messiah on NPR.org. Everyone should listen to this around Christmastime.

Holiness - Part 3 (Merry Christmas Eve!)

I am still plugging away through Holiness, and the book is definitely becoming one of my all-time-favorites.  It's a book that you don't want to read through too quickly because you want to savor the journey and saturate your mind with as much of it as possible; I know there will be still more to be gained from this book once I finish, so at some point in time a second reading will definitely be in order.

Again, the main premise of the book is this: modern Christianity is very weak and tepid (at least in more Westernized cultures), and a great reason behind this lukewarming of Christendom is the lack of fervor in the fight for holiness.  

Two nights ago I finished the chapter dealing with assurance.  Ryle makes the claim that assurance of faith in the life of the Christian is very much to be desired, and cannot occur as it should if one is not fighting to leave behind every sin.

Now assurance goes far to set a child of God free from this painful kind of bondage (doubt and the resulting pains), and thus ministers mightily to his comfort.  It enables him to feel that the great business of life is a settled business, the great debt a paid debt, the great disease a healed disease, and the great work a finished work; and all other business, diseases, debts and works are then by comparison small.  In this way assurance makes him patient in tribulation, calm under bereavements, unmoved in sorrow, not afraid of evil tidings, in every condition content, for it gives him a fixedness of heart.  It sweetens his bitter cups; it lessens the burden of his crosses; it smooths the rough places over which he travels; it lightens the valley of the shadow of death.  It makes him always feel that he has something solid beneath his feet and something firm under his hands - a sure friend by the way, and a sure home at the end.

From chapter 7.

Advent - part 2.

My wife and I kept our Advent observances tonight - the theme was the birth of the Messiah.  This is a good year for Christmas - there's lots to think about and lots to do, but God is gracious in granting us a good deal of focus and perspective about the Christmas season.  I feel like our mindset is truly on Christ, and that's when the season becomes really great.  Nothing can give you an empty feeling like Christmas lights and Christmas trees when your sentiments are all misplaced.  

Tonight's Advent Scripture readings:

Isaiah 49:1-7; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-2:7