THE EMPTY THRONE

The trumpet alerted the angels to come

To gather together before the White Throne
The Father announced a miraculous plan
That Jesus would take on the flesh of a man.

Amazement and wonder were seen in their eyes

A virgin would birth heaven's infinite Prize
The ones who were chosen to break the Good News
Appeared to some shepherds, the lowliest of Jews.

“All Glory to God!” was the theme of their song

Lasting peace, was the Gift awaited so long
Emanuel’s coming to Bethlehem's stall
Was God's only Son with salvation for all.

The shepherds and magi who worshiped this King

Saw Him as Messiah; their freedom He'd bring
The path from the stable was marked by a cross
They did not see then, how much it would cost!

While angels rejoiced at the birth of God's Son

Redemption for man through His death would be won
Each sinner partaking the Savior's new birth
Brings praise from the angels in heaven and earth.
B. Pent

A CHRISTMAS PRAYER

O God of Love, we stand amazed
That One so pure in radiant Light
Should stoop to offer saving grace
To our rebellious human race.

O Lamb of God how can it be
That flesh should clothe Your Deity
And birth from Mary's womb, a Plan
Your Blood, the Gift, for sinful man!

O Breath of God, Whose Spirit fills
The barrenness of our human heart
Remove all dross, ignite the flame
That we might glorify Your Name!

O Church of God, the hour's near
The Bridegroom soon will call us Home!
Proclaim His Word, we soon shall meet
To cast our crowns at Jesus' feet!
B. Pent

A CHRISTMAS PRAYER

O God of Love, we stand amazed
That One so pure in radiant Light
Should stoop to offer saving grace
To our rebellious human race.

O Lamb of God how can it be
That flesh should clothe Your Deity
And birth from Mary's womb, a Plan
Your Blood, the Gift, for sinful man!

O Breath of God, Whose Spirit fills
The barrenness of our human heart
Remove all dross, ignite the flame
That we might glorify Your Name!

O Church of God, the hour's near
The Bridegroom soon will call us Home!
Proclaim His Word, we soon shall meet
To cast our crowns at Jesus' feet!
Ben Pent
 

GOD'S AWESOME PLAN

O God of Love, we stand amazed

That One so pure in radiant Light

Should stoop to offer saving grace

To our rebellious human race.

O Lamb of God how can it be

That flesh should clothe Your Deity

And birth from Mary's womb, a Plan

Your Blood, the Gift, for sinful man!

O Breath of God, Whose Spirit fills

The barrenness of our human heart

Remove all dross, ignite the flame

That we might glorify Your Name!

O Church of God, the hour's near

The Bridegroom soon will call us Home!

 Proclaim His Word, we soon shall meet

To cast our crowns at Jesus' feet!

Ben Pent

THE CHRISTMAS MYSTERY

A LITLE SEED WAY BACK IN TIME
BEFORE THE WORLD WAS FLUNG IN SPACE
BECAME THE SUBJECT OF GOD'S PLAN
FOR RESCUING THE HUMAN RACE.

OMNISCIENCE SAW THE FALL OF MAN

WITH ALL THE CONSEQUENCE OF SIN
THERE WAS NO HOPE OF ANY KIND
BECAUSE OF DEATH THAT REIGNED WITHIN.

SO GOD DEVISED A METHOD RARE

AND HAD THE PROPHETS WRITE IT DOWN
A VIRGIN WOULD CONCEIVE A CHILD
IN BETHLEHEM'S SMALL JUDAH TOWN.

THE SEED IN MYSTERY WAS REVEALED

THE HOLY SPIRIT, THREE-IN-ONE
COMBINED IN FLESH THE LIVING WORD
AND PLACED IN MARY'S WOMB, A SON.

HOW STRANGE THE VIRGIN MUST HAVE FELT

ON HEARING GABRIEL SHARE THE NEWS
BUT JOSEPH'S DOUBTS WERE NOT AS CLEAR
SINCE IN HIS HEART WERE OTHER VIEWS.

WHEN GOD'S PREDESTINED MOMENT CAME

ETERNITY WAS PRESSED IN TIME
THE SEED BECAME AN EMBREO
AND HEAVEN'S STAR BEGAN TO SHINE.

WHAT MUSIC MUST HAVE FILLED THE SKY

AS ANGEL CHOIRS ANNOUNCED HIS BIRTH
SO WHEN THE SHEPHERDS SAW HIM THERE
PROCLAIMED HIS COMING TO THE EARTH.

THIS CHRISTMAS MYSTERY ONCE CONCEALED

IS OFFERED AS GOD'S GIFT TO ALL
SO EVERY PEOPLE-GROUP ON EARTH
CAN KNOW THE SAVIOR WHEN THEY CALL.
--B. Pent

WHO IS THIS CHRIST?

"Jesus came from the bosom of the Father to the bosom of a woman. He put on humanity that we might put on divinity. He became son of man that we might become sons of God. He was born contrary to the laws of nature, lived in poverty, was reared in obscurity, and only once crossed the boundary of the land in which he was born and that in his childhood. He had no wealth or influence and had neither training or education in the world's schools. His relatives were inconspicuous and uninfluential. In infancy he startled the king. In boyhood he puzzled the learned doctors. In manhood he ruled the course of nature. He walked upon the billows and hushed the seas asleep. He healed the multitudes without medicine and made no charge for his services. He never wrote a book, yet all the libraries of the country could not hold all of the books about him. He never wrote a song, yet he has furnished the theme for more songs than all songwriters together. He never founded a college, yet all the schools together cannot boast of as many students as he has. He never practiced medicine, yet he healed more broken hearts than the doctors have healed broken bodies. This Jesus Christ is the star of astronomy, the rock of geology, the lion and the lamb of zoology, the harmonizer of all discord, and the healer of all diseases. Throughout history great men have come and gone, yet he lives on. Herod could not kill him, Satan could not seduce him, death could not destroy him, and the grave could not hold him. This is our Christ the pre-eminent One."
(author unknown)