CRAZY FOR CHRIST

CHRISTMAS LOVE

On the very first Christmas

God sent to the world His Son

And kept the prophet's promise
A mighty Savior would come

On that cold and starry night

A Cry of life would pierce the dark

And fill the earth with Heaven's Light

Who seeks to save the darkest heart

On the first Christmas morn

Some two-thousand years ago

Eternity's Master Planner was born

So all who will believe would know

God gave His Son to live and die

Hope of everlasting peace was given

Though the world would rather forget His Time

Christmas Love is forever alive and well in Heaven

__________

 __________

CRAZY FOR CHRIST
I've seen my share of crazy
Standing firm against the wind
Chasing shadows in the light
Not concerned about their sin

I've seen my share of crazy
Standing proud without a clue
Choosing darkness over light
Unaware of me or you

I've seen my share of crazy
Standing up to share the Truth
Shining light into the darkness
Unwilling to silence being new

Yes, I've seen my share of crazy
Standing with the saints in light
Singing songs to God in heaven
Willing to be crazy for Christ
__________

__________

HOPE

Hope comes from the Lord
My joy is found in Him alone
Love waits for me in heaven
My heart longs to be at home

Peace comes from the Lord
My life is found in Him alone
Friends wait for me in heaven
My mind longs to feel at home

Faith comes from the Lord
My treasure is found in Him alone
Comfort waits for me in heaven
My soul longs to know I'm home
__________

__________

The Just Shall Live By Faith

Habakkuk 2:4

 LIVE BY FAITH

Look ahead
Yesterday must fade
Look ahead my friend
Live today by faith

The just live by faith

True Life is not positive thinking
God knows your real desire today
Choose to have a heart of freedom

 Look ahead
Tomorrow won't wait
Look ahead my friend
Live today by faith

 The righteous live by faith

Truth is not a game of positive lying
Christ has shown us the way to God
 Choose by faith to embrace His Cross

__________

__________

 Habakkuk

  [Hābăk'kuk] - love's embrace or he that embraces. The eighth of the Minor Prophets whose parentage, birthplace and era are unrecorded (Hab. 1:1; 3:1).The Man Who Caressed the People

 Although he is not much more than a mere name to us, we know that Habakkuk was a prophet of Judah and of the tribe of Levi and of the temple singers (Hab. 3:19). He is also referred to as a prophet and the last prophet before the destruction of Jerusalem (Hab. 3:11). Rabbinical tradition makes him the son of the Shunammite woman whom Elisha restored to life (2 Kings 4:16). Habakkuk prophesied the coming of the Babylonians upon Judah. This invasion took place in 606 b.c. and also in 597 b.c. and 586 b.c. "In your days" (Hab. 1:5), would indicate that he prophesied scarcely a generation before the first invasion.

 In his prophecy Habakkuk was true to his name, which means "strong embrace of God," for he caressed and comforted the people as one would embrace a weeping child until its tears are dried. A modern writer suggests that his name may have contributed somewhat to the unpopularity of the prophet. "His name is against him; its coarse gutterals, falling upon the modern ears with a forbidden ring, and creating a prejudice from the beginning."

 From the book Habakkuk wrote, we gather that he was the questioning prophet. He wants to know "Why?" and "How?" Answers were granted him. Why does God permit the destruction of His own people by a hand so cruel and unclean? The prophet waited patiently for an answer, and it came. The ungodly shall pass; the just shall live by faith.

 Then we have a chant of derision against the Chaldeans raised by their victims - a fivefold woe:

 I. Their insatiable greed.
 II. Their overreaching ambition.
 III. Their cruel tyranny.
 IV. Their shameful treatment of conquered people.
 V. Their brutal idolatry.

Then there is Habakkuk's great message of faith which gave Paul a hint of the most precious truth of the Gospel (Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38) and aided the Reformation under Martin Luther, the charter of evangelical liberty.

I LIFT UP MY HANDS