Work is good. Work is necessary for the fulfillment of every human being. Work is required of every person according to his or her capabilities and talents, so sayeth the Scripture. All of us must work to survive, live, grow and profit and be all that we can be and as God intended us to be.
Our very own America was built on hard work, and is in fact itself a work in progress. The progress depends upon us, we the people, how hard we work and how we make things happen. The majority of we the American people are hard workers. And, the harder and the better we work, the better America and all of us are. To be sure, nothing comes easy in this life, nothing. Everything we have or enjoy is the product of hard work by someone, whether you, or me, or someone else. You and I must do our share, accomplish our calling for the very short time we have on this precious earth. Life, said the wisest man of old King Solomon, is but a vapor here today and gone so soon tomorrow. We should make every working day count to the fullest.
Pioneers built our country. They were men and women who did little but work hard morning till night. They farmed land never before productive. They raised animals and used them for work and feed. They built houses, and churches, and City Halls. They built roads and bridges. They built autos and trucks. They built hospitals and invented medicines. They designed and manufactured clothing. They created places for entertainment and worship. They built elaborate and majestic campuses for education and things theological. They built laboratories and science centers and they sent us deep into space. They were then and we are now the workers who made America great, America, the most exciting, creative human and social experiment in all of history. You and I should be proud of them and we should be proud to be workers like they were. The more we work, the better we are, caught up, energized and thrilled by the spirit of America, our exceptional opportunity to pursue our dreams and to build our future. America and those who believe in what it stands for are indeed EXCEPTIONAL and we have been blessed by EQUALLY EXCEPTIONAL opportunity. As we work, we should do everything possible to protect and defend the opportunities, lifestyles and freedoms which America offers.
How wonderful it is that the talent and ability of every individual God-Made is different, unique. It is marvelous indeed that every single person has talent and gifts which are in fact different. That is true divine diversity. None of us are better at least not in the sight of God, but different only. Each of us has our own special CALLING. So, no matter who you are, YOU are special and it is your right but every bit as importantly your duty to utilize those God-given talents to the fullest. It is your duty to fulfill your calling. So then, we should not be concerned with what others think nor should we judge what we do and how we work by the standards of others. Nor should we be inhibited by their criticism. For we need to know ourselves, be true to that special self and soul which God has created and through prayer and meditation, come to a full recognition of those talents and be the very person God intended that you and I be. We can fail, but we can bounce back. The opportunity for growth and change is still available in America, thank God. Ignore rejection and focus on your calling.
So then, my fellow Americans, you may be called to be a mother. Be all that you can be as a mother for the sake of your children and do your God-given calling with all of your might. Or perhaps you are secretary, or babysitter. Perhaps you clean for a living. Recognize all such work as a calling and do your calling with all of your might. Or perhaps you are plumber, electrician, landscaper, restaurant worker. Do your calling with all of your might and as you can, as unto the Lord. Or perhaps you are lawyer, accountant, radio salesperson, financial planner. Do your calling with all of your might. And if you are the President of anything, including the President of our great United States, you perhaps have a calling with higher standards, duties and demands. No one should do a calling better than you WITH ALL OF YOUR MIGHT!
So, we work, we produce and as we do, we should expect return which of course includes money and profit. We work for economic growth and benefit, for the fruit of our labors. We follow the biblical prescription that we can expect even with minimum work product the return of that work one for one. Or perhaps, five to one. Or even as Scripture indicates, perhaps as much as ten to one or more as we diligently develop and exploit those talents and capabilities through hard work. The money return from our work, efforts, creativity and initiative is blessed by Scripture. That money return is right, as we become work men and work women worthy of our hire. We plant, as Scripture says, and Mother Nature waters and it is GOD who gives the increase so the Scriptures say. It is a good thing to make money and to be rewarded for our work. Money supports. Money helps others. Money creates opportunity. The best of us at work, hard work, is exactly what this world of so many ENTITLED needs now more than ever. In fact, hard and productive work is so necessary for this world of entitlements in which we live in order for it to survive and continue. It is well and good indeed to help those all in real need. But all who can, any and all including those receiving entitlements, should work as they can.
But today, unfortunately it seems, there are those supposedly progressive in thinking who wish to tell us that profit is wrong, especially in excess. That profit made is the result of GREED at work. Profit they say is not as a result of hard work or special skills, but rather the exploitation of others. Ignore them. You are worthy of the profit and gain of anything you produce at any level of life. The more you invest as a mother, the better your child, perhaps better than others. Enjoy the fruit, the profit of your labors. When you build something, revel in the fruit of your labors and do it with all of your might, and better than others. For no matter what progressives or others would say, YOU DID IN FACT BUILD IT, and you did build it yourself. In fact, so much of what is built would not have been built without you or me. Revel in, enjoy and profit from anything and everything YOU BUILT!
But work produces much more than money. Those who understand the value of work realize full well that the doing well of anything is the reward itself! The satisfaction, the fulfillment, the full expression of the self among mankind and before God are THE BEST REWARDS. They are indeed more valuable than money for money comes and goes. But the rewards of work well done last a lifetime and are in fact eternal. We create an earthly balance sheet, personal financial and loss statements here and now, but it is the ETERNAL balance sheet which really counts. Nothing goes with you, no matter what you leave behind, but only the heavenly balance sheet you create. For there is always something more, often much more than the work itself or the profit therefrom. There is good, often enormous good in work well done and even very spiritual good. See that clearly as part of the goal of your calling and WORK which only adds to the return and the enjoyment.
So, the work we do can be not only for money, or profit, but for non-profit. For worthy causes. For the good of society in which we live. For all humanity, especially those in need. For the Christian Church and for the Christ we love and serve. For blood drives. For HIV awareness and treatment. For feeding and sheltering the homeless. For carrying the message of the Gospel to forsaken and needy parts of America and the world. Shepherding and guiding children. Tending to the needs of the elderly. Visiting and comforting those in prison.
THE WORK OF THE LORD AT WORK FOR ALL MANKIND, AS WE ARE CALLED.
All of these things make us what we should be before the Lord and our fellow man.
So many of us are people of faith. But our faith, sayeth Scripture, without works is dead. Whatever you believe, whatever your faith, there is no way for anyone to know whether or not it is real except by your works. Talk is cheap. But by the fruits of your labors your fellow human beings will know you. If there is in fact a work of God in you, a CALLING, a life objective, the works that you do will prove to others who you are. What you and I do not do also proves who we are. The great thinking Dietrich Bonhoeffer said that not to act is to act. Negative actions, doing nothing, can be as potent negatively as actual action itself.
Unfortunately, there are those who do deceitful works and works of iniquity. They are known for their fraudulent and deceitful acts. They work not for the good of mankind, but only for themselves, for ego, for elicit gain in a deceitful way. Their works and their lives are in vain. William Shakespeare said that the evil that men do lives after them, the legacy they make and that evil is the only thing remembered here and in eternity.
So, it is our duty to study, to grow ourselves in our career and constantly make ourselves better, so that we can show ourselves approved as work men and women, understanding the objectives, values and priorities which are ours, always growing in our understanding, especially the Scriptures so that we can be approved by God before him as well as man. Learning, whether a trade or in law, or by gaining experience and growing or by learning from others, or the school of hard knocks, and by mistakes, learning standards of excellence to which we can aspire so that we can be all, ALL we can be, working with all of our might knowing in this world that indeed the night is coming where no man can work. Work while you can and the best you can.
In this life, we slow down, age or perhaps lose interest or motivation, and of course energy and our ability to work dissipates or even ends. With that ends opportunity and potential and we may not have finished what we are called to do. Some retire, or quit, or are forced to retire prematurely. Some of us are fortunate enough to finish and accomplish our objectives and purposes, while others can not. For us, we are fortunate that even Jesus of Nazareth said in John’s Gospel that he had in fact finished the work for which the Father had sent him. He had accomplished His objectives, fulfilled His purposes and He did so to His last dying breath. Our goal, like HIS should be to finish our work, the work for which we were sent by God and meant to do. That is the greatest fulfillment this life can offer.
We are called upon by God Almighty to live every day to the fullest. CARPE DIEM my fellow Americans, seize the day. It is the day which the Lord hath made and for you to work and be productive. Worry not about tomorrow, or the criticism, expectations or even the rejections of any man. It has its own problems-evil-which you can not control or do anything about. But, rather think in terms of how precious every minute of every hour of every day is, and rejoice in that. Maximize the opportunity that minute brings and, whatever your hand finds to do, YOUR CALLING, do it with all of your might. Every God-given minute is indeed an opportunity there once never to return. So that everything we do, everything no matter how menial works together for good. The joy of living is so special. We are told by our Lord that He is come that we might have life in its most ABUNDANT form and that our joy, OUR TOTAL JOY may be full. There is joy in every moment, as we work, as we rest, as we play, as we love others and as we understand who we are and:
BE ALL THAT WE CAN BE
Those who love to work and love as much to be productive and make things happen know that the ultimate reward for such work is:
THE VERY WORK ITSELF
No matter the accolades of man, or profit, or any other earthly benefit, the ultimate reward, the ultimate satisfaction is the work itself. Nothing feels better to any right-thinking person than a job well done, having done the best you can with all of your might.
So then, for the Christian, there is something even greater than works. There is GRACE, saving grace. And no manner of works can ever equal that. The grace at God at work trumps the works of any man, but when added to works, leads to the complete fulfillment of that life. We can and should be proud of the works we do, but the work of God in Jesus Christ, saving grace through Him is the greatest work of all. The combination of grace producing work, the right work is the very best thing in life.
So, my fellow Americans, work hard. Work well, with purpose. Know your calling. Do what you were CALLED to do, and do it in each and every minute, hour and day of your life. Do what your Creator would have you do and you will find fulfillment in that work and in your life. It matters not whether you are housewife or President, millionaire or middle class, never forget that:
YOU AND YOUR WORK ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT
YOU AND YOUR WORK ARE UNIQUE, DIFFERENT FROM ALL OTHERS
We need not the approval or recognition of mankind however enjoyable that may be. We need to work to be approved by God, who knows us, our every thought and deed. His approval is all that matters.
I and the Crawford Broadcasting Company honor all of the men and women in America who work, and work hard, and make America, family and friends, and all of us so much better and especially those who work as unto the Lord. Find the work you love to do, really love to do and you will never work a day in your life!
God bless you work men and women worthy of your hire and it is because of you that:
GOD WILL BLESS AMERICA
Here he comes, AGAIN. And for the last time. Four more and no more. Trump will do everything possible to make his mark, leave his legacy, and do what’s right for America.
Conservatives and Christians are, or should be, gratified, thankful that Trump prevailed over Harris, for there is a far better chance that the real America, the true America, under sabotage in so many ways by the Biden administration, will be once again revived, born again. MAGA will be the lodestar of the Trump administration for he has promised to:
MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.
May it be so. Don’t you agree?
We will also get to know JD Vance. In the first Trump administration, Vice President Pence was of little influence or importance. It is perhaps possible that Vance will play a more active role, have more responsibilities, and especially in the last two years of the Trump administration, be more visible as a potential republican candidate for President in 2028.
Many do not like Donald Trump personally, even many who voted for him. He is indeed a polarizing personality. But he was in so many ways the very best candidate for President, and perhaps Americans, and especially conservatives and Christians learned that they and we all vote for a president and a politician, not the personality of a pastor. There is none who take that office who have ever been morally perfect but the real question in terms of morality and character is whether or not as President, that candidate will honor the promises and vows made in seeking election and otherwise be a respectful, forthright and strong president of WE THE PEOPLE. May it be so, don’t you agree?
Many believe that Donald Trump will be more mature in the second four years. Trump they feel will have no reason to make enemies, confront, or criticize. Most believe that his decisions will be more rational, thought out, mature, and made with the advice and consultation of people expert in the field. May it be so.
Trump has promised to do away with the swamp. He has said he never realized how deep, pervasive, and all entwined (murky to the eye) the swamp was, and consequently, did not finish the job. This time around, so he says, he will. May it be so, don’t you agree?
That includes doing away with certain of the agencies which control so much, like the DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (DOE). That is a woke, progressive, liberal organization-agency and America will be better without it. Trump also indicated he would move agencies out of Washington. Decentralize much so as to control the unregulated power of so many. He stands openly against woke, DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) and the radical, even anti-American aspects of the Federal Government will be done away with. May it be so.
Trump has vowed he will make things happen, and where necessary, he will issue EXECUTIVE ORDERS which will in fact make things happen. Because of the inaction of congress in so many ways, the orders of the executive have become a political way of life. It remains to be seen how aggressive Trump will be.
He has promised to stabilize the Middle East. Unlike Biden, Trump will be a strong supporter of Israel. Trump will not authorize or enforce the treaty-agreement with Iran. He will stand up to North Korea, and Russia. And most especially, Trump knows the threat of China and he has promised, with tariffs, military action where necessary, as in the Chinese promise to take over Taiwan, curtail the influence and threat of China. May it be so, don’t you agree?
Trump has promised to strengthen the military. That should start with the Navy, with submarines, nuclear warfare capability and protection, a reprioritizing of military purposes and the strengthening of American defenses. May it be so.
And the financial. Trump has promised to deal with inflation, and no new taxes, unlike Biden and the Democrats, to control the interest rates, to work on reducing the American debt, something he did not do in his first term. Now comes the DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY (DOGE) headed by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. If these two men are allowed to do their job, they will be able to eliminate so much waste in spending and how wonderful that would be for America. May the actions of DOGE be real and for the benefit of our beloved America.
Trump will undoubtedly appoint one or more new justices of the Supreme Court. May he have the wisdom to put the very right people in such a critical position, with so much authority over WE THE PEOPLE. His first appointments were good for America and may it be so, should he have the additional opportunity.
Trump brings hope, hope for change, change back, hope for making America great again. It is our duty as American citizens and Christians to pray for Donald Trump. To pray that with the incredible problems and opportunities which his administration will face, he will be guided by divine wisdom and do what is right for WE THE PEOPLE. We should pray that Trump will reestablish our love and respect for our constitution, and rule of law, which especially includes protecting our borders, dealing with illegal immigration and making certain that American citizens are protected, that our police are respected, and that we may, as the Apostle Paul has admonished us, pray for our President and live peaceful lives. May it be so.
Trump comes January 20. May that coming be the beginning of a new, revived, and born-again America. May it be so.
We live, my fellow Americans, in the greatest nation in the history of mankind. There is not, nor has there ever been, a nation like:
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Never.
It is a nation conceived in freedom. It treasures and fosters democracy. It is a constitutional nation, and it is a nation where, as Dr. Martin Luther King so well said, if in fact its citizens live up to its constitution, treasure it, believe in it, and enforce it, all men and women who are created equal can live a life to the fullest.
AMERICA. What is America to you? Do you understand your country, your nation, its history, its purpose and meaning, the reality of the:
REAL AMERICA?
Do you? Right-thinking men and women thank God every day, EVERYDAY, for the privilege of living in America and being an American. Do you? Are you a grateful citizen, are you proud to be an American, and since this great country can do so much for you, remember the words of President John F. Kennedy, who admonished us to:
ASK NOT WHAT AMERICA CAN DO FOR YOU
ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR AMERICA!
That in my opinion should be the motto of every real American.
THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTION. Please read it. Do your best to understand it. Study anything which helps you understand the incredible rights, privileges, and duties which are yours as a citizen and as an American. Think always about the First Amendment to that Constitution, perhaps the finest words, rights, privileges, opportunities, and expressions of freedom ever written in the history of mankind. The First Amendment of America’s Constitution allows you full and unabridged freedom of:
RELIGION
SPEECH
PRESS
ASSEMBLY
PETITION
These precious freedoms are the very best that can be offered to any human being and they are essential, priorities, GUARANTEED to every man and woman by this Constitution and its very precious First Amendment. Read it, know it, treasure it, and thank God for it.
RULE OF LAW. It is watered down, ignored, or even eliminated in this woke and radical, anti-American day and age. Lawlessness in the end times, says the scripture, prevails and runs rampant. That is happening today. Stand up, my fellow Americans, to lawlessness and insist upon the rule of law, insist upon the concept of:
JUSTICE FOR ALL.
There is risk in so doing, but the reward is well worth the risk.
RIGHT AND WRONG. There are those today that think there is no such thing as right and wrong. There is no absolute truth. This is the day and age of:
THE LIE.
We live in an age which many describe as:
POST TRUTH.
That is, we live in a culture where there is no such thing as absolute truth and consequently, the lie, that which is not truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, is the law of the land. WRONG, dead wrong. There is right and wrong, there is truth, and never forget in this great year 2025, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ:
I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE!
I AM THE TRUTH!
Believe in Him and you will know the truth indeed.
STAND. Stand tall for America. Protect it. Founding Fathers were willing to die for it. Are you? Am I? Are there enough Americans left who are willing to do whatever is required to protect and defend the greatest land in the history of mankind?
So much of the world despises, even hates America. Perhaps that is because we live hypocritically, we do not stand tall for our ideals, our freedoms, and our way of life, and we are not consistent, constantly compromising, and so often not holding individuals and nations accountable for their actions. We the People need to redefine who we are as a nation, make those ideals, values, and standards clear, and stand for them no matter the cost, now more than ever in the great year 2025.
POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT. We the People need to be far more politically involved. Especially Christian citizens. We need to be active in government. We need to take positions of authority locally and to make certain our neighborhoods, towns, and
cities, are safe, law-abiding, and true to American ideals, its constitution, rule of law, and way of life. WE THE PEOPLE NEED TO STAND UP! We need to make certain right-thinking and right-acting men and women are elected to office, who will truly represent us, and even more importantly, our Constitution, rule of law, and all that America should be. WE THE PEOPLE NEED TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT HAPPENS! If not, we need to speak out critically so, aggressively, withhold financing, and our vote, and where necessary, exercise the process of recall and do whatever we can to get elected or appointed officials unworthy of citizen trust out of office and authority. WE THE PEOPLE NEED TO STAND UP BEFORE ITS TOO LATE!
WOKE, THE PROGRESSIVE, THE ANTI-AMERICAN. They are everywhere, EVERYWHERE! They are determined to effectuate radical change or even in so many cases, the destruction of the American way of life. They would water down or eliminate much of our Constitution, curtail our freedoms, control family and education, and change the way we live, think, and believe. DON’T LET IT HAPPEN MY FELLOW AMERICANS, DON’T LET IT HAPPEN! Time is short. America needs right-thinking Americans in action now more than ever.
PRIDE. Be proud 2025 to be an American. Be proud to be a citizen of the real America, the constitutional America, with its freedoms, and be proud to stand tall as America beckons, asking you now more than ever to be a soldier in the fight for freedom.
Wear the flag, salute the military, proudly sing, and respect the National Anthem:
STAND UP FOR AMERICA.
Pray that God will bless America, convicted of its wrong doings, and once again make it the city on the hill, the shining light among nations, a country safe and protected for us today and for our descendants tomorrow. Let us proudly sing in 2025:
GOD BLESS AMERICA
LAND THAT I LOVE!
"Now comes the time when we resolve. Right-thinking Christians and Americans, determined to live life better, and in the new year 2025, be better soldiers of the cross and better citizens of the greatest nation in the history of mankind."
"So, on to DIFFERENT AND BETTER 2025."
"LIFE. Only one life and that will soon be past. Treasure every moment. Our Lord Jesus Christ came to bring us life more abundantly. Live 2025 in an abundant life. Live as HE said joyfully, live as HE would have you live, that your JOY might be full. Life is good no matter. ENJOY EVERY MOMENT."
"WORRY. Nothing is more negative. Worry is wrong, perhaps rising to the level of sin. Give no thought at all, my fellow Christians, to the TOMORROW. It is a day with its own good and evil and to worry about a day not yet come ruins this day, the day which the Lord has made.
THE FIGHT OF FAITH. Stand up for your faith. Stand tall in the Lord. Never compromise your faith in any way by thought, word, or deed. NEVER!"
"RESIST EVIL. Here comes evil 2025, the devil at work, more aggressive than ever. Resist evil and it will go away, the devil will flee. Resist it with all your Christian might, armor, and strength. Do what is right, and fight back. Never give up. NEVER! In the words of the Apostle Paul:
PRESS ON FOR THE PRIZE OF THE HIGH CALLING OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS."
"PRESS ON!"
"SALT AND LIGHT. Let you light, my fellow Christians, so shine before all mankind, that all may see your good works, know what you believe, and glorify not you, but:"
"HIM."
"Whether word or deed, a deed seems to be more lasting and effective than a word in so many ways. Flavor this world with Christian love and forgiveness (salt) and let your light so shine before men. Let it shine brighter than ever."
"EDUCATE. Now comes a radical, woke, progressive agenda seeking to transform, really destroy so much of America, a culture, system, and group of priorities which is thoroughly and completely:
ANTI-AMERICAN."
"It is wrong. Say so and stand up.
YOU. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Care for it, nurture it, preserve it. Live healthy as God would intend and respectfully in the flesh that God has given you.
PRAYER. Pray without ceasing. Be guided by the Holy Spirit. Pray always, everywhere. Live in a prayerful environment, where the Holy Spirit rules and you are in constant communication, prayerful communication with your Lord Jesus Christ. Prayer works wonders, whether it comes from the closet, all alone, even with groanings which are interpreted by the Holy Spirit, or in mass assemblies. God hears and answers HIS
WAY, at His time, and always for your good."
"THANKS. In all things give thanks. ALL THINGS. There is no such thing as luck, but only the will of God at work, whether we are aware of that or not. All things happen as HE would will and no matter what they are, good or bad in our opinion, they are His will at work, and in all such things we should be:
THANKFUL."
"And especially, we should be thankful for His: UNSPEAKABLE GIFT,"
"A gift that cannot be adequately described in words: OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
LOVE. No matter how hateful the world is, no matter how alone you may feel or be, the love of our Lord is with you. Christ, closer than a friend or brother, is with you, by your side, even if no one else is, as our Lord was with the Apostle Paul in his final days, all alone in a dungeon. Christ died for you and there is no greater love than that of a man who lays down his life for a friend:
YOU AND ME.
2025 is the year which the Lord has made. Let us be glad and rejoice therein. Let us resolve to live this great year joyfully, and more productively, and work in his behalf for the night is coming when no man or woman can work.
A very blessed New Year’s greeting from all of us at the Crawford Broadcasting Co. and
may you and yours have a year with the full blessing of our Lord Jesus Christ."
"With God, all things are possible. ALL THINGS!"
"Even an event like THE VIRGIN BIRTH.
Some 2,000 years ago, an angel was sent by God to the tiny town of Nazareth in the Galilee area. The area was small, the inhabitants few, and a popular saying of the day was:
CAN ANY GOOD THING COME OUT OF NAZARETH?"
"Perhaps not before, but after the visit by the angel Gabriel to an unknown Mary, from Nazareth would come the Savior of the world.
Mary the Virgin was pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The angel Gabriel said to her:
GREETINGS, YOU WHO ARE HIGHLY FAVORED! THE LORD IS WITH YOU."
"Gabriel went on to say:
DO NOT BE AFRAID, MARY. YOU HAVE FOUND FAVOR WITH GOD. YOU
WILL BE WITH CHILD AND GIVE BIRTH TO A SON. YOU ARE TO GIVE HIM THE NAME JESUS."
"HE WILL BE GREAT AND WILL BE CALLED THE SON OF THE MOST HIGH."
"THE LORD GOD WILL GIVE HIM THE THRONE OF HIS FATHER DAVID AND HE WILL REIGN OVER THE HOUSE OF JACOB FOREVER. HIS KINGDOM WILL NEVER END!
And, rightly so, Mary was troubled and she said to the angel:
“How will this come about since I am a virgin?”
To which the angel responded:"
"THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL COME UPON YOU AND THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH WILL OVERSHADOW YOU."
"So the Holy One to be born would be called the SON OF GOD."
"The natural man scoffs at angels but the spiritual man knows that with God all things are possible, including angels.
Mary, now with child, the Holy Ghost having come upon her, went to the home of Zechariah and Elizabeth, relatives, and when she arrived, Elizabeth knew of this Immaculate Conception and Elizabeth said to Mary:
BLESSED ARE YOU AMONG WOMEN, AND BLESSED IS THE CHILD YOU WILL BEAR!
Elizabeth knew that Mary would be the mother of her Lord and ours as well. So, the world was about to change because of that event in Nazareth. Jesus of
Nazareth would soon be born in Bethlehem of Judea and this Nazarene, this SON OF
THE MOST HIGH would soon be known as THE SAVIOR, the Prince of Peace, the Christ of Glory.
When Elizabeth had finished, Mary began her very own song of praise:
MY SOUL MAGNIFIES THE LORD
AND MY SPIRIT REJOICES IN GOD MY SAVIOR!
FOR HE HAS BEEN MINDFUL OF THE HUMBLE STATE OF HIS SERVANT. FROM NOW ON ALL GENERATIONS WILL CALL ME BLESSED
FOR THE MIGHTY ONE HAS DONE GREAT THINGS FOR ME HOLY IS HIS NAME!
Such powerful praise and adoration this Magnificat of Mary was. Mary, the virgin, so humble in spirit, thought of herself as the HANDMAIDEN of the Lord, perhaps still puzzled as to why she was chosen to bear the King of Kings, but willing and obedient to do the will of God.
And the Babe of Bethlehem grew within her. Fiancé Joseph, of the lineage of David, sought to put her away but again, an angelic message explained to him what had happened, foretold the birth of this Son and the instructions to him that His name would be Jesus. Thereafter, Mary would be wife and mother for Joseph. It is incredibly difficult to imagine how this man 2,000 years ago would react. Nothing like this in human history had ever happened before. He, Joseph was chosen to supervise and support the birth of the Savior of the world. That would be impossible for any man to comprehend but Joseph, obedient like Mary, accepted the angelic explanation and this divine drama proceeded.
Surely, Joseph could see the remarkable changes in Mary. For those precious months,
Mary’s soul glorified the Lord. She told all that her spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
Surely that glorifying and rejoicing was well noticed, even participated in by Joseph."
"Mary, the humble servant of the Lord knew what great things God had done for her and she was perhaps the first to live in a brand new, revolutionary state of praise and worship. Soon, that would be available to all mankind.
Then came the decree from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. Joseph, who belonged to the house and lineage of David therefore went to Bethlehem of Judea to register with Mary, since Bethlehem was the City of David. But the town was full and there was no room in the inn so that Mary and Joseph slept in a manger. And there, in that manger, Mary gave birth to a son and as a proud and loving mother, she wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger. Such were the humble circumstances of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, the Babe of Bethlehem, the Prince of Peace, and the Savior of the world.
AND THAT IS THE REAL MEANING OF CHRISTMAS! That birth of the Savior of the world is what we celebrate at Christmas! This rabidly secular world of ours wishes to de-spiritualize this event and take CHRIST OUT OF CHRISTMAS. We who believe must never let that happen but rather band together in glorious praise and worship to the Babe and especially to the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let not, my fellow Christians, the secularists abandon the Christ of Christmas.
So, Christ was born and there began the spreading of the Word:
AND THERE WERE SHEPHERDS ABIDING IN THE FIELDS KEEPING WATCH OVER THEIR FLOCKS BY NIGHT
AND LO THE ANGEL OF THE LORD APPEARED TO THEM AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD SHONE ROUND ABOUT THEM
AND THEY WERE SORE AFRAID BUT THE ANGEL SAID TO THEM DO NOT BE AFRAID
I BRING YOU GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY THAT WILL BE FOR ALL PEOPLE THIS DAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID
A SAVIOR HAS BEEN BORN FOR YOU HE IS CHRIST THE LORD
THIS WILL BE A SIGN UNTO YOU
YOU WILL FIND THE BABE WRAPPED IN SWADDLING CLOTHES AND LYING IN A MANGER
AND SUDDENLY THERE WAS WITH THE ANGELS A HEAVENLY HOST OF ANGELS
PRAISING GOD AND SAYING GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST
AND ON EARTH PEACE AND GOODWILL TO ALL MANKIND
How interesting that shepherds were chosen as the first to hear this angelic enunciation. Shepherds were watchmen, observant, especially at night as they made certain to protect their sheep. They knew the heavens, the stars and their movements. They were familiar with the night and they could, like wise men and kings, identify and follow the STAR OF WONDER, the star which shone brightly that night over the City of
David, the blessed Bethlehem of Judea, where the Prince of Peace was born."
"And those shepherds left immediately and they found Mary and Joseph and the Babe lying in the manger. And when they had seen him, they were the very first evangelists, spreading the word of this miraculous and marvelous birth, the message they had been told by the angel about this Babe. And that was the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. From then on, the shepherds glorified and praised God for all the things they had heard and seen even as we who believe do so today. We well say today as the shepherds and angels did then:
GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST
AND ON EARTH PEACE, GOODWILL TOWARD ALL MANKIND"
"Men and women search today for truth even as the shepherds did. The search is everywhere but the truth, the ultimate truth was revealed to mankind in a manger in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago. Wise men and women, who truly seek him, will find him there. Those who scoff, mock a virgin birth, the concept of angels, and the creation of a God–man will never, ever know that:
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD
Nothing.
But to find HIM is a most joyous, wondrous discovery. It is an epiphany like no other. The finding of the Babe is the finding of the world’s greatest treasure. The power, the love, and the understanding which results from finding HIM is life–changing then and forevermore. That finding allows us to become as a little child, open and transparent, filled with love and compassion, fully understanding the GRACE of God and that gracious gift which changed the world 2,000 years ago. That faith in the Babe of Bethlehem is the key to entering the Kingdom of God, humbly trusting and believing even as Mary did of old. Women become handmaidens of the Lord as Mary did. Men become servants of the Lord as the shepherds did.
So that, on Christmas Day, we discover the greatest present, the greatest gift one could ever find:
THE BABE OF BETHLEHEM"
"The gifts we give to others at Christmastime can never begin to equal the gift of God to us. We should celebrate that gift FIRST and wherever possible, give the love of that gift to others. That is what Christmas is all about and that should never change.
And we, like the shepherds should spread the news, the Good News. That is true evangelism and we who believe must never let that message die not only at Christmas but every day. The wise men of old found Him and the wise men and women of today, the truly wise who search will find Him. For in Him, it is all that God is. And that, as the angels well said, are indeed the glad tidings and the great joy for all.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son to all humankind so that those who believe could have life abundant here and life eternal there. For those who"
"received this gift of God, there comes the power of God making them sons of God and daughters, life all brand new. Women praise the Lord like Mary of old. Men glorify the Lord as the shepherds of old. And that, and only that can bring peace to the world.
The message of that Babe is the only message which can spread the goodwill of God and transform the lives of all mankind. May it be yours.
We the Crawford Broadcasting Company, all of us, wish you a very happy, merry, blessed Christmas centered around the Babe of Bethlehem, and may the love of God in Jesus Christ be your very special gift this Christmas season. Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace and goodwill for all.
CHRIST IS BORN!"
