Credit for digital music: "Come Fill My Heart" by Elton Smith, Larry Holder and Steve Israel/Songs of Praise)
+ + + + + + +
Words
From the Well!
A Weekly Devotional
by
Peggie C. Bohanon
The Joy of the Savior: Gift from Heaven!
A Hurting Word...
This "smiling saint in cyberspace" has been Christmas shopping this week--and so have all of you, according to the traffic out there! It's a busy, dizzy world as everyone looks for the "perfect" gift..admit it--you do it too! And what's hot this year? There's Barbie, Sing & Snore Ernie, Real Talkin Bubba, Giga Pets, and more! Trendy toys that keep moms and dads scurrying around town to grab the last one--it's ridiculous, isn't it! But what mom and dad hasn't done it for the child they love! I've "been there; done that," and so have you!
Remember the "laugh" toys? You turned them upside down, and canned laughter came rolling out...on and on and on... Haven't seen them lately--and I suppose that's a relief--but could it be we are laughing on our OWN now? A good sense of humor beats the laugh-in-a-box--and if you don't have one (a sense of humor, silly, not a laugh-in-a-box!!), I'd suggest you dig down deep and find the one you've lost! Discover something FUNNY about yourself (YOU and I can be pretty funny, you know!), your family (now THEY can be REALLY funny...grin..)... dig deep enough and you can find something to bring a silly smile, even in the hard stuff of life. Try it--you might discover a delightful sense of humor you didn't know you had!
God has a wonderful sense of humor--look around at the animals He made, so unique and sometimes, quite strange. Look in the mirror--He made YOU--with a long nose, big ears, fun freckles, a tilted smile, or whatever YOUR uniqueness might be! A good sense of humor is one of God's delightful gifts--but it's not His Christmas gift! For you see, God's gift to the world at Christmas brought MORE than laughter--and MUCH more than the canned laughter toy of our childhood! The angels announced JOY to the world--and there's a BIG difference. Come to the Well and let's find out!
A Helping Word...or Two!
I LOVE angels--and it was an angel who announced this wondrous gift to lowly shepherds on a Judean hillside. I'm sure they had little laughter in their humdrum, hard lives, let alone JOY! The angel changed all that with his message, "Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great JOY, which shall be all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:20 KJV)." The gift of Christmas--God's wonderful joy--and it's for us today too! Keep unwrapping...
Suddenly, the routine work of the shepherds became easy and less stressed. A new sense of strength must have filled their bodies, as they busily prepared for the journey to Bethlehem. Joy in the soul becomes strength to weary bodies and worn-out souls! And that same strength--that same joy of the Lord--is available to us today. Far beyond laughter, it is His gift to you--a deep and empowering strength; it lifts the soul out of weakness into HIS wonderful strength. Let His joy bring strength to your life today!
The Joy of the Lord is Our Song!
"Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God...(Luke 2:13 KJV)." Did they praise Him in song? I'd like to believe they did--with joy, a contagious joy! I can just hear the shepherds, unlearned in the fine music schools of Israel, begin to hum along--to feel a song of joy bursting from within their hearts as well. The joy of the Lord brings a song--whether you can sing beautifully, or not hold a tune in a bucket. It may surprise you, when in grief and darkness, you suddenly sense a song deep within. That's the Holy Spirit bringing comforting joy to you--receive it with gladness! For far beyond laughter, it is His gift to you--a deep and lasting song; it fills your heart with good things. Let His joy bring a song to your heart today!
The Joy of the Lord is our Salvation!
"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." A joyful promise to a weary world. A Savior for the shepherds--a Savior for us all! The fun, happiness, thrills and laughter of this world are exactly that--OF THIS WORLD--and they will pass away. The soul who finds the Savior finds His joy. It's that simple! As you live in His presence, you can know His joy. Even in the hard times, when the laughter won't come, HIS joy will remain--deep and abiding. For you are His CHILD. He endured sadness beyond our comprehension--that we might know JOY beyond our comprehension as well! For far beyond laughter, it is His gift to you--a complete, eternal salvation; it fills your soul with assurance, confidence, and joy. Let the joy of your salvation bring a deep, inner gladness to your heart today!
The joy of the Lord is His Christmas gift to you--it's your strength, your song, and most importantly, your salvation. As you wrap (and do it the easy way--gift-bag!) your gifts this week for the family and friends you love, remember that HE has given you the best gift of all--His Son, the Savior of the world. He comes into YOUR world this Christmas to bring you love, peace, and joy unlike any other you have known. Receive His gifts with outstretched arms and open heart--they are free and for you today--straight from a loving Father's heart! Have a wonderful, blessed Christmas!
And that's just a NOTE or two--from my heart to yours!
His Healing Words
"Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift (2 Corinthians 9:15 KJV)."
"Lord, YOU are my JOY--my strength, my song, and my salvation. May I be aware of this precious gift in my life as I celebrate your wondrous birth this week. In Jesus' Name, Amen."
Note: As of 11/30/15, sites will no longer be checked for dead links. Please contact owner at peggiesplace.com due to tremendous amount of links.
Celebrating God's goodness . . .. . . 16 million and more!
Note: Counter keeps a running total of "hits" (which include images and people "hitting" any page or pages), erroneously identified by me as "page views" for the
entire site. --It jogs around the world and around the clock--to find
YOU!
This Christian home has been visited a zillion times
since December 26, 1995! Well, not quite, but there HAS been a houseful--and
STILL room for one more--YOU! The Christian Counter scans the entire site--and there's plenty of chocolate for everyone--so enjoy!
Most of the music playing at Peggie's Place originates from Songs of Praise.
Additional (previously named) original source for some midis: Gilberto Barreto.
Visit this great Web site to hear beautiful tunes by many talented artists. CDs are available.
All Scriptures on this website, including all applications, etc., are from the King James Version of The Holy Bible, public domain, unless otherwise noted.
+ + + + +
Please note that while I strongly adhere to major tenets of the
evangelical Christian faith, I may not personally agree with every specific doctrinal belief set forth in other
Christian pages.
A safety tip: Internet links and material may include other links and/or material which do not reflect my views or yours, Christian or otherwise. Please choose wisely and use with discretion! And if you find an ugly spider hiding in a dark corner,
you may smash it with a broom--I hate offensive stuff too!
A Hurting Word...
