Tis The Season

Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. 9 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. 10 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. 11 Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually. 12 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; 13 O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones. 14 He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth. 15 Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations

Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.

14 He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth.

10 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.

This particular passage of Scripture was written by King David as he celebrated returning the Ark of the Covenant to the royal city, Jerusalem, in the tent he had prepared for it. To say David was happy would be an understatement, David was overjoyed that this matter was settled and all was well with the world; or at least his world. But I can appreciate David’s sentiments because it’s the way many of us feel today or at least we should…because, and the title of this message is TIS THE SEASON!

While some were already there, for many, Thanksgiving marks the official beginning of the holiday season. We’ll see lights shining brightly; trees in lots waiting to find a home and some water; wreaths hanging on doors and walls; you’ll hear bells ringing at the entrance of every major store and mall you enter; and people you’ve never seen before and will likely never see again will smile and say hello; and for the Christian there’s never a better time to tell of the goodness of the Lord because Tis the Season!

They’ve written songs about this season, we call them Christmas Carols and we listen to them every year; we sing them every year; we teach them to our children. And while there are many there is one in particular that gives me....well joy.

It begins, Joy to the world! Now how’s that for an introduction. The song says joy to the world, not just one group, not just the rich or the poor, or white, or black, or brown, or yellow, or young or old. Joy to the world—

Why? Because The Lord is come: He came to save us. Do we really understand what that means? Do we truly understand the magnitude of this action? Many don’t. How can you say that pastor? Well, look at the way we live. Look at where we place God in the order of our day, of our week of our lives.

Unfortunately the numbers are increasing of those who have made a conscious decision to not put God first in their lives. They’ve relegated Him to a “get in where you fit in” place in their lives. Church is a checklist item to say I went and act like they did God a favor by showing up.

They schedule other activities on Sunday, forcing Christians to choose what they’re going to do, and because so many think nothing of it, the Christian is forced to make the hard choice of what to do and how to explain it to the children.

- let earth receive her King! Let every heart prepare him room and heaven and nature sing.

When and where I grew up, there were no activities, tournaments or competitions scheduled on Sunday, because that was the day people went to church. You couldn’t even buy alcohol on Sundays. When you walked into the grocery store, there was a blue tarp that covered the beer and wine section and it was called Blue Sunday. Just this last election there was a referendum of the ballot to allow restaurants to begin serving alcohol even earlier on Sundays.

For some money has become their Lord, because they’ve made a conscious decision that they will work on Sunday rather than give God glory. They are confused or they’ve forgotten that it’s God who is their sustainer; they don’t know that He’s Jehovah Jireh—my Provider—or maybe they just didn’t realize that all of their help comes from the Lord, perhaps no one has ever told them to seek ye first the kingdom of God and all those other things would be added to them. It’s jsut possible they’ve never heard that God will provide all their need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. But—Tis the Season!

let earth receive her King! Let every heart prepare him room and heaven and nature sing.

The song goes on to say, let earth receive her King! How do you receive a king, how do you receive the King of kings and Lord of Lords? Reverently, with fear and trembling, with honor, with respect, with gratitude, with love. Bow down and worship him. There will come a time when every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord. There’s no better time to begin than now.

Let every heart prepare him room. Get ready, Jesus is coming back, prepare room in your heart for Him right now. Allow Him to be the Lord of your life, to sit on the throne of your heart. There is someone or something occupying that space. Who or what is it? I don’t need to name things, just think about what it is you do instead of going to church. What do you buy instead of giving God his tenth. What do you look at when you think no one else sees? What are your thoughts when you think no one else knows? Can I just tell you this; God sees everything you look at, everything you do, everywhere you go and He hears every—thought—you—think.

So here’s what the writer tells us we need to do; and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing and heaven and heaven and nature sing. Sing! Sing unto the Lord a new song, for he has and is still doing marvellous things. Make a joyful noise all ye lands, sing unto the Lord with gladness, be thankful unto him and bless his name for the Lord is good, his mercies are everlasting and his truth endures to all generation. But we must open our mouths and tell it and the scene has been set, the harvest is ripe and the field is now ready for picking.

Read more: Christmas Carols - Joy To The World Lyrics | MetroLyrics

The heart of man is softened in the holiday season, people seem nicer and friendlier and striking up a conversation is somehow easier because we’re all standing in long lines together, looking for cards and gifts and waiting on stockers to bring more merchandise from the warehouse and while we wait, we can tell of the goodness of the Lord.

While we wait we can like David, Give thanks unto the Lord; instead of talking about the weather, or complaining about how slow the cashiers are or how rude someone was; give thanks unto the Lord, because you’re standing inside the store, you’re standing in the check out line, and you have money in your pocket to pay for what you have in your basket.

While you’re waiting in that line try, calling upon his name, and making known his deeds among the people. Share what God has done for you, what he’s brought you through and how he’s blessed you. Go on and shout in Wal~Mart, there’ll be someone who understands and can translate to those who don’t know a Holy Ghost shout when they see one. SHOUT, it’s ok, God is that God. He’s good all the time; everywhere in every circumstance. Shout to the Lord with a voice of triumph.

Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.

David says, Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, you don’t have to have a voice like Mahalia Jackson or Janet Jackson to give God praise. Your voice may be like Pookie Jackson but it’s not about the sound coming from your lips, it’s about the sincerity of your heart. Do you mean it or are you just singing it because it’s got a good beat. Do you understand the words coming out of your own mouth? Can you hear what you’re saying?

When you talk, David says to, talk ye of all his wondrous works. God is still doing wondrous works here in the earth, whether we recognize it or not. Sometimes people need to be reminded of the good so they don’t lose hope and despair about the things going around us.

In CA over 251,000 acres of land have burned, 84 reported dead, 563 still missing, more than 13,600 homes have burned to the ground, over a 1,000 people are in shelters and now the threat of mud slides looms on the horizon with the much need assistance coming from the rain. Yes this is tragic, but let me tell you what’s happening already, people are coming together to help each other.

Food and clothing drives are happening, money is being collected and no one is looking at color or nationality or are you here illegally. They see human beings in need of help and help is coming. God uses people to help; he doesn’t have to, but he allows us the opportunity, he gives us the privilege of being his hands and feet. He gives us the grace to help in time of need.

And when you do and you will, because Love Christian Center, that’s what we do, don’t pump yourself up because it’s nothing you’ve done that’s so great but, Glory ye in his holy name: It’s God who has made it all possible, who gave you the means and the heart to give.

10 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.

Some might say, why did God allow the fires to happen in the first place? Well here’s the thing, while God is indeed in control, while God does have all power, while God does know all things and while God is everywhere, he gave man freewill, not only that he gave man dominion over the earth and he never took it back. God is still active in the earth, but man is to watch over the earth and take care of it and we don’t always do such a great job.

We’re careless sometimes, we don’t think sometimes and in our quest for better, faster, stronger we don’t always look at the ramifications of our actions past a certain point. Like the fact that a cigarette butt can take 18 months to 10 years to degrade depending on the conditions and smokers toss their butts out the windows of their cars, drop them on the streets and sidewalks without a second thought.

Plastic bottles are even worse, they can take a minimum of 450 years up to a 1000 years to degrade, that’s as few as six generations and as many as 13 generations and not all plastic is recyclable.

But with the fires, comes rebuilding, renewal and regrowth. Houses will be rebuilt, man’s belief in the kindness of others will be renewed and plant life will regrow. There are some plants that have been dormant for years that will grow because the trees that once blocked their sunlight are no longer there.

And so we can let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Are you seeking the Lord? Then let your heart rejoice and be glad. If no one else can you should be able to. When you seek God with your whole heart you will find Him. Be sincere about it, be diligent about it, be deliberate about it.

Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually. When you seek the Lord and have his strength in your life, I can guarantee you your life will be better. This is not to say you won’t have trials, in fact we see in that, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. Jesus tells us straight, it’s not always going to be easy, life comes with heartaches and pains and problems, that’s what sin brought with it, but when we…

Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; when we remember that, while we may not be the seed of Israel, we are still his chosen ones, that’s what Jesus did for us when he came, when can not just remember who we are, but whose we are, we can know without a shadow of a doubt we’re going to make it.

There may be some tears, but we’re going to make it.

There may be some pain, but we’re going to make it.

There may be some loss, but we’re going to make it.

There may be some grief, but we’re going to make it.

There may be some sorrow, but we’re going to make it.

Oh, weeping may endure for a night, but joy is coming in the morning. We can have joy because we have help that will never leave nor forsake us. He’s with us forever and ever. Helping us, caring for us, leading and guiding us, loving us unconditionally. He’s that kind of God; He is the Lord our God.

There are consequences for sin and his judgments are in all the earth, so, Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.

14 He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth.

Jesus didn’t come to destroy the law, he came to fulfill it, but he also came for us, those who were not born of the tribe of Israel, those who choose to accept him as Lord and Savior of their lives.

15 Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations;

Jesus came to get us, doesn’t it feel good when someone comes just for you, they come and pick you out of the crowd. Doesn’t that make you feel special? Well Jesus came and he picked you out of the crowd and he died for your sins, so you could come and repent and confess and receive.

Come to Jesus

Repent of your sins

Confess that you are a sinner and

Receive the salvation of the Lord

It’s that simple, we find these words in the 10th chapter of Romans beginning with the ninth verse, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (We usually stop right there, because that’s enough, but there’s more good news. Verse eleven picks up and says 11 “For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved”.

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Does anybody want to call on him today? The doors of the church are open, let us stand. Tis the season to spread the Good News of the Gospel.

12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

11 Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.

15 Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations;

12 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;