'Twas the night before Christ was born

'Twas the night before Christ was born
by Tim McKeown

'Twas the night before Christ was born and all through the land
A tax was decreed for every child, woman and man...
Everyone went to his city. Joseph and Mary were there
In Bethlehem the city of David, with her child she would bear

Joseph, a just man, was all snug in his bed
When a dream of an angel came into his head
“Joseph, son of David, fear not when you wake from this nap
to take Mary as your wife despite all the flap:

For her Child conceived is of the Holy Ghost.
You shall call him JESUS, who shall save to the uttermost,"
So away to Bethlehem they went like a flash,
Without a place to stay and with very little cash

Now in the same country, shepherds were abiding in the field,
keeping watch o’er their flock by night, which was calm and still
When what to their wondering eyes should appear
The angel of the Lord, and they were filled with such fear

The glory of the Lord shone round about them that night
The angel brought good tidings of great joy, to relieve their fright
“Unto you is born a Savior, Christ the Lord, and a sign God chose.
You shall find the babe in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes.”

Suddenly there appeared with the angel a heavenly host
Praising God, saying, “Glory to God in the highest most.
And on earth peace and good will to all men.”
When the angels left, the shepherds went straight to Bethlehem.

They found Mary, Joseph, and the babe in a stable within
They laid him in a manger; because there was no room at the inn.
Now all this was done, to fulfill the prophet of the Lord
“A virgin shall be with child, and be brought forth to the world
and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which means God with us.”
But his other name means Savior and that name is JESUS.

Now later there came wise men from a far
They came to Herod and said “We have seen His Star.
Where is he that is born to be the King of the Jews?”
They came to worship him but for Herod ‘twas not good news.

He sent them to Bethlehem to find the Christ child
The star led them to Him as He laid meek and mild
They fell in his presence, and worshipped the king
Their treasures, gold, frankincense, and myrrh, did they bring

And when they had seen Christ, they made known abroad
Great tidings of good news of the newly born Son of God.
And all who heard it wondered at those things which were told
By shepherds and kings, by young and by old,
All these things were pondered by Mary in her heart.
This is the true Christmas story, as told from the start

If you wish to be like the shepherds and kings, then search for Christ
And be like a manger, place him in the heart of your life.
You will be a true child of God and be precious in His sight,
So Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

Gospel of John Update

The Gospel According to John--One Day At A TimeMount Arbol at the Sea of Galilee, where the gospel begins and ends.

Several have asked if I was going to add any more to the Prayer portrait and the answer is yes, but I am coming down to the wire on the Gospel of John for New Believers and to be honest I have had to devote virtually all of my non-ministerial hours to finish up the editing.

Being a self-published book, I have solicited other editors to help me and many have but even with that, I found myself editing and re-editing my work, trying to take out anything that is not just right.

Most recently, my editor has sent some further revisions of my revisions, so I will be busy with this and after my final copy is in, I will put in the final five sessions on prayer to complete that series (yes I hope that also becomes a published work as well).

Pray for the following

* Visual Bible will grant use of pictures from the film "The Gospel of John" to be used similarly to the way that it was used on johnoneday.blogspot.com .

* That all flaws and misteaks misstakes mistakes will be found before publication.

* That I will know the difference between preferences which don't need to be changed and the smallest details that will encourage new and not-so-new believers to grow in their faith through reading the Gospel of John.

* That God will open up opportunities that will convince Lifeway or another publisher to grant national distribution for the glory of God.