“His Eye Is On The Sparrow”

“Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-31 – 2020 upended our lives. People have had so […]

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“The Kingdoms Of Our Lord & Of His Christ”

And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. Revelation 11:15 KJV – The words of the “Hallelujah” chorus in Handel’s Messiah are from Revelation 19:6, 16; […]

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Journey to Bethlehem

God spoke through the prophet Malachi who told of a messenger to come. And God was silent for over 400 years…as Israel waited in hope. Then God acted, and the journey to Bethlehem began… God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last […]

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“Somewhere In Your Silent Night”

Christmas and the holiday season are not always times that are cheery and bright. Loneliness and loss have a sharper edge then because they contrast with our longings to have Christmas be a time of warmth and love and joy. Suffering and grief can also inflict a terrible sense of alienation on our hearts. We […]

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“God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen”

God rest ye merry, gentlemen, Let nothing you dismay, Remember Christ our Saviour Was born on Christmas day, To save us all from Satan’s power When we were gone astray: O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy! In the same region there were some shepherds staying out […]

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“And the Glory of the Lord”

The libretto of Messiah is taken from numerous books of the Bible: Job, Psalms, Isaiah, Lamentations, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Matthew, Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians, Colossians, 1 Timothy, Hebrews and Revelation. If you’re not familiar with the passages selected by Jennens, you can read them at the above link. The first five verses of Isaiah […]

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Messiah!

Many people know that Handel wrote the music for Messiah, however, the man who chose the Bible passages for its libretto and gave them to Handel is hardly known at all. His name was Charles Jennens, and Messiah was born out of a tragic event in his life. Dr. Al Mohler, President of The Southern […]

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“Comfort Ye My People”

Two years ago I read a mystery by George Bellairs that opens on Christmas Eve 1940 as Detective-Inspector Littlejohn is traveling to meet his wife who has evacuated to Yorkshire after their London flat was destroyed in the Blitz. On Christmas night they visit the Methodist church in a small village to hear the choir […]

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