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In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday to be celebrated on the last Monday in May, echoing the words and sentiments of the proclamation of General John A. Logan of the grand Army of the Republic in 1868 who stated:
“Memorial Day is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion (the Civil War) and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet, church yard in the land.”
So it is that the primary purpose of Memorial Day is to strew with flowers literally and figuratively the graves and memories of America’s daring defenders. They the fallen died for freedom, liberty, for America, for us, for YOU AND ME. We were asked to remember those who died in the great American Civil War, but the day to remember now incorporates all who have given lives in defense of our country. Far too many wars, my fellow Americans, and far too many fallen defenders by the millions who believed in America, and in its fundamental principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all mankind. How grateful we should be.
We are descendants or contemporaries of patriots, men and women who cherish freedom and were willing to fight and die to defend it if necessary. These warriors lived by the words of Patrick Henry who said:
GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH.
Our nation was formed in the fight for freedom for there was no life worthwhile without it. There came our great Constitution and our incredible BILL OF RIGHTS, the rights and freedom amendments which are the finest in the history of mankind. But no matter the origin, it seems as though in so many ways the passion for freedom may have been lost today as they once had it. We seem to take for granted what they died for. And the courage, they the fallen had seems lost today in so many ways and the change in our country, produces in so many ways an America in decline, at least politically, philosophically and certainly passionately. Our ancestors fought for the Constitution, for the Bill of Rights and the freedoms those now 27 Amendments allow us. They were ready to die for them, but we the current people allow them to be watered down, interpreted away and often ignored without the fight or conviction to protect and defend them. Perhaps the freedoms of Patrick Henry are giving way to a slow but sure death. Perhaps we have failed to meet the challenge of Ben Franklin who told us that the Republic they created for us was a marvelous way of government IF we could keep it. I wonder if we can.
So, in the midst of barbeques and baseball, it is so healthy to look back and remember. Remember a George Washington, a general, a leader, a President, a warrior, a patriot. Or a Paul Revere who rode the land warning that the enemy was coming, sounding the alarm. It seems as though we need more Paul Reveres, warning us that enemies to our Constitution and way of life are coming, and in fact are HERE. We the people should be ever mindful of the threats and sound the alarm as he did, like those who energized our country once before, THE BOSTON TEA PARTY PATRIOTS and the revolution their courageous acts energized and inspired. They took a stand against taxes and so must we. Ours continue to rise, and rise to the point of confiscation and nothing but nothing destroys freedom like taxes. President John Adams reminded us that the two killers of liberty are slavery and debt. The debt of confiscatory taxation strangles freedom and that is happening at an incredibly rapid pace today. Shame on us.
It is hard for us to think back and remember the early days in America when slavery, slavery was a way of life in America to our great shame and embarrassment. We the moderns find that inconceivable, and the practice of slavery of any kind abhorrent, do we not? Right-thinking men and women fought and fell to rid America of the scourge of slavery, God bless them.
And to rid the world of despots like Hitler, evil to the core, Mussolini and those who in war would destroy the freedom and liberty of all. God bless them.
There can hardly be a family anywhere in America which has not laid a son or daughter on the altar of freedom. So many fought and fell, lives given willingly for us in war after war. And there were those who supported those who fought. We honor them. Many of our warriors and defenders came home hurt and damaged in body or mind perhaps for a lifetime. On Memorial Day, we honor these veterans of wars, these HEROES, these wounded warriors who gave us our freedom:
WE OWE THEM!
A debt we can never repay. To honor them is the least we can do, to thank them as we remember and as we encounter those in our military who follow after them. We should help and support them. They lived and died for what they believed. Whenever I encounter a member of our military, I thank them for what they did and what they do for our great country, for me, and for you, and for my friends and loved ones and all Americans whether I know them or not. But I really do know them for I know what is in their hearts and minds and I know they love America as much as I do. I will salute them as a sign of respect. I wish them to know that I will always be grateful for everything they do for me and the America I love. Perhaps YOU should do the same, not on one Memorial Day, but all days. They the heroes and defenders are the very best of us.
God bless them.
Memorial Day is always celebrated at Arlington National Cemetery, a very special place, a burial site for some of America’s bravest. At 3 PM on that Monday, a very special ceremony occurs and each grave is decorated with a small American flag. The
highlight of the celebration is a speech in honor of these brave men and women from the President or Vice President of the United States honoring their contributions to America and laying a wreath at the tomb of The Unknown Soldier. That tomb represents tens of thousands of other unknown soldiers who gave their lives in service to our country, but in death never got the recognition and respect they so justly deserved. Do remember them, my fellow Americans, do remember them as well on Memorial Day as there may be no one else, no loved one, no friend or family to do so. And as you do remember these American heroes, thank our God, the God who blesses America for all those who gave so much for us. They allowed us to be parents, to have and enjoy family, they allowed us to be workers and fully participate in the great opportunities America offers. THEY allowed us to be all that we can be because our soldiers, they were determined to be all they could be. Have a special place in your heart all week for any loved one, family or friend of yours who should be MEMORIALIZED AND REMEMBERED this day and always.
And, as we pay tribute and remember, let us become better citizens of this great country, ready more than ever to preserve, protect and defend all it stands for, all of our blessed and precious freedoms which exist like there are nowhere else in the world. Let us stand for what is right with actions, protests, town meetings, marches, debate, fact and truth at work, counteracting government spin and disinformation. Let us stand tall for the right, for truth, for all things moral and valuable. Let us resolve, we the people, we who own and control this country to do our job as citizens far better. And remember to cherish and exercise the greatest privilege which every American has. That is:
THE VOTE
There is no more powerful weapon than the vote of the American citizen. It is the most precious Constitutional right we have and for which our forefathers fought and died. Let us make certain that we vote for those to represent us who so passionately believe in these very special freedoms as we do, and they the fallen did. It is only then, when we do our part, day in and day out, that we would have the right to say with conviction and passion as our forefathers did:
GOD BLESS AMERICA
For that can not happen unless we the people do what is right, remembering whom and what went before and committing with conviction to follow in their footsteps. These men and women died for GOD AND COUNTRY and for you and me in the never-ending fight to protect and preserve:
FREEDOM
Memorialize their memories this Memorial Day and every day!
God bless America and God bless you.
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!"
