Tag: Devotional

  • Morning & Evening

    Rend your heart, and not your garments. — Joel 2:13 Garment-rending and other outward signs of religious emotion, are easily manifested and are frequently hypocritical; but to feel true repentance is far more difficult, and consequently far less common. Men will attend to the most multiplied and minute ceremonial regulations—for such things are pleasing to…

  • IT CAME UPON THE MIDNIGHT CLEAR

    Amazing Grace Edmund H. Sears, 1810–1876 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests. (Luke 2:13) The peace of Christmas, proclaimed by the heavenly chorus, is one of God’s greatest…

  • Morning & Evening

    I remember thee. — Jeremiah 2:2 Let us note that Christ delights to think upon his Church, and to look upon her beauty. As the bird returneth often to its nest, and as the wayfarer hastens to his home, so doth the mind continually pursue the object of its choice. We cannot look too often…

  • THE FIRST NOEL

    Amazing Grace English carol, before 1823 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. (Luke 2:8) Although no Christmas season would be complete without the melodious singing of this tuneful carol, very little is known about its origin. It is believed to have had its rise…

  • Morning & Evening

    Come unto me. — Matthew 11:28 The cry of the Christian religion is the gentle word, “Come.” The Jewish law harshly said, “Go, take heed unto thy steps as to the path in which thou shalt walk. Break the commandments, and thou shalt perish; keep them, and thou shalt live.” The law was a dispensation…

  • HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING

    Amazing Grace Charles Wesley, 1707–1788 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for Me One who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from old, from ancient times. (Micah 5:2) Christmas carols as we know them now were abolished by the English Puritan…

  • Morning & Evening

    Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. — Ruth 1:14 Both of them had an affection for Naomi, and therefore set out with her upon her return to the land of Judah. But the hour of test came; Naomi most unselfishly set before each of them the trials which awaited them,…

  • ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH

    Amazing Grace Traditional French Carol Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests. (Luke 2:14) As vast numbers of angels swiftly descended toward earth through the star sprinkled sky, the leading angel halted them with a sign. They hovered with folded wings over a silent field…

  • Morning & Evening

    They go from strength to strength. — Psalm 84:7 They go from strength to strength. There are various renderings of these words, but all of them contain the idea of progress. Our own good translation of the authorized version is enough for us this morning. “They go from strength to strength.” That is, they grow…

  • ANGELS FROM THE REALM OF GLORY

    Amazing Grace James Montgomery, 1771–1854 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. (Luke 2:9) All my heart this night rejoices as I hear, far and near, Sweetest angel voices. “Christ is born” their choirs are singing, Till the air everywhere now…