Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be watchful! Be alert!
You do not know when the time will come.
It is like a man traveling abroad.
He leaves home and places his servants in charge,
each with his own work,
and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch.
Watch, therefore;
you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming,
whether in the evening, or at midnight,
or at cockcrow, or in the morning.
May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping.
What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’”
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Thank You from the onset for all you do, “Menagerie”. I’m hoping this can just be a Christian Advent gathering as I firmly believe you were presenting a few days ago. Protestants, Catholics and Orthodox Christians need to celebrate what is common to them and also good naturedly celebrate what are really small differences between them in the whole scheme of things.
King James Bible
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. John 13:34.
The Commandments are for all. God Bless All.
To better understand the meaning, Corinthians 13 is a must read.
The meaning of “Be watchful! Be alert!” takes a must watch meaning. “He leaves home and places his servants in charge,
each with his own work”… are we doing our work? Homily
Beautiful!
Thank you so much, Menagerie, for this beautiful reminder that we are all “watchers” awaiting Emmanuel, our Jesus with us. Blessings to you, Sundance, Admin, and all Treepers at this holy time.
That is one of the loveliest renditions I’ve ever heard, but I couldn’t catch the name of the choir – Can someone tell me? I want to hear more of it! What a beautiful way to start the season. Thank you!
I can’t find it listed on the YouTube video.
Neither could I, but perhaps someone will recognize it. Thanks!
When you click on the YouTube icon of your video it takes you to the YouTube site and shows that a certain “smittysmee” is the person who posted this beautiful video. When you scroll way down through the comments, “smittysmee” acknowledges this is the source:
https://www.cph.org/hymns-for-all-saints-advent-christmas-epiphany-cd
Thanks!
Try this which does not take us to buy the album.
There are individual ones to click on or click the ‘Playlist’ link on Album Cover. Or when it starts, you can use the ‘Utube’ link to play each on uTube or use the “Play all’ there. the irritants are the ads which you have to wait for the “Skip’ to appear to stop each one. You can also download the songs. Hope this works for you.
Thank you Menagerie. I used to sing the words of this in church without much thought. Now, I cherish the words and the meaning behind them.
LOL, my mother caught me feeding the animals and singing a hymn as I did so .
“Praise God, From Whom All Blessings Flow”
Simple and short, to the point.
And I also thank my chickens daily for their being and laying of eggs, whether it was their day to lay or not.
It is the thanks for all things in life.
Now if I could just get crops to grow in this black slick oil colored mud of Texas. May have to haul in soil for raised gardens. May the Lord show me wisdom in this as well, for in this I appear the fool, sophomoric, as I am still learning.
Haul it in, raised beds save your back and don’t use your soil. Gives you less weeds, less rocks, less imbalances. Add some organic fertilizer (it can be mixed with synthetic) or compost or vermicompost (worms). That way the soil can attract the good insects to break down nutrients for your plants.
I have verticals, love them. I have big pots, necessary for bigger plants, movable, but mixed feelings. I have cloth and plastic pots. The plastic do not hold water long enough, 2 gallon. The 10 gal fabric pots work well but are too big for me to manage. I have plans for raised beds, just need to finish pulling weed fabric.
Weed fabric is a waste of time in Florida. Also, one does not need to worry much about finding insect life for your plants in Florida. The insects will find them and you. All kinds and sizes of insects, pollinators and destroyers of plants. I don’t use insecticide except on ants. I mix my onions and garlic and the well behaved mints in with all my other plantings to confuse the vermin. It helps. But, I still do manual removal of leaf cutters and hornworms. I let the ladybugs handle the aphids and the lizards clean up a lot of things too.
One of my favorite Christmas recordings. Allison Krause rode all night on a bus to record The Wexford Carol with YoYo Ma and they nailed it on the first go round!
SO ..SO.. BEAUTIFUL VOICE..
Beautiful arrangement
Absolutely beautiful and inspiring. Now my favorite rendition.
She’s an angel!
At my church [Anglican] a Nine Lessons and Carols Service has become a tradition and attracts extra instrumentalists each year. It is our gift to the community .It consists of prophetic readings from the OT each followed by sung hymns or solo and duet anthems, followed by a reflective piece of instrumental music. The effect is one of calming to the spirit and allows s one to explore the real meaning of Christmas in the holiness of the season.
such a beautiful uplifting practice! Kudos
Good morning all, I love thinking on that scripture. It gives me that longing and loving sense of expectancy and, reminds me of times ive waited eagerly to see one of my family that has been away for too long!
GOD Bless all this fine morning! (though wet.. have to go feed critters now 😉 )
Menagerie, this Christmas season, my husband and I have decided to join other Christians in reading through the book of Luke. If you read one chapter per day, you will finish the book on Christmas Eve, since there are 24 chapters. Every time I read through the bible, I find that God will highlight something new that I had not considered before.
This year, because I had a visitation from some angels while in ICU, my mind is seeing the word angels everywhere. When Zacharias the priest was ministering in the temple at the alter of incense, Gabriel sat on the right side of the alter and told him that his wife, Elizabeth, who was old and barren, would have a child, which would be John the Baptist, cousin of Jesus. Zacharius did not believe Gabriel, so God made him mute until he saw the Christ child.
Gabriel also came into Mary’s home and told her that she was going to bear the Christ child. Mary believed, but wanted to know how it would, since she was a virgin.
Another angel, standing on the ground, visited the shepherds in the field keeping watch over their flock. After that, a heavenly host appeared to the angels praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the Highest and on earth, peace, goodwill towards men.”
While I am not, in any way, suggesting that our focus should be on angels over Jesus, I love how God will use angels sometimes to speak to His people. In all three cases, the individuals were afraid. In all three cases, the angels told them to FEAR NOT.
That is the message that I think God wants His people to know today. FEAR NOT, for He is with us.
Blessings on you and all Treepers this Christmas season.
You might enjoy the Bible in a Year podcast. I’ve read the Bible through a couple of times. But in the podcast, the books are read in chronological time order, so that the story of God’s people and the history of salvation unfolds so clearly. Also, the brief commentary explaining the passages from each day adds a lot of understanding. It made a huge difference for me.
Most days the entire podcast is about 20 minutes. There’s a longer introduction to each section, but those are very infrequent. This had been one of the most productive spiritual things I’ve ever done.
Father Mike Schmitz, right? His podcast is SO good. I recommend it to everyone! His explanations are invaluable, to say the least.
God rejoices in His creations, and His creations rejoice in Him, and in us. Especially in this season. God, the pure spirit, takes on human nature, beomes a true human being yet wholy God as well. He has thus elevated our nature, and the angels, pure spirits, marvel and rejoice in this awesome Divine Incarnation.
We should rejoice with our angelic brethren, and they’ll show us how, joining our voices – and our awe – to theirs, together contemplating the Divine Glory of Our Blessed Lord’s Incarntion into human nature, and what it portends for our salvation.
We remain Watchful.
Excellent! Thank you.
Loving God, as we light the first Advent candle of hope, we ask for your presence to fill our hearts and homes. May the hope of Christ’s coming bring light to our darkness and renew our spirits. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Thank you, Menagerie for your faithfulness.
This is my favorite of all times.
The hymn that stirs me to tears – outright weeping – every single time, no matter when, where, or by whom it is offered.
I am so grateful to, and for, all of you.
Buon Natale a tutti… Joyeux Noël à tout le monde… Feliz Navidad a todos… Merry Christmas season to all, and God bless us, every one.
Absolutely stunning, thank you DG. This should come with a tissue alert, so beautiful.
breathtaking
Sharing again. Go to Familyradio.org and select the Listen Live on the upper right corner to listen to Christmas (some amazing choirs, etc.) and Christian music all day/night long during Advent. We have enjoyed this station for years.
Our family enjoys Family Radio. Especially, this time of year. Thank you Menagerie for thebeautiful post also.
I hope it’s appropriate to share this here -the Supremes affirm… restricting Christian displays at Christmas in public is no longer permitted
{ Christmas to be Celebrated Free of ‘Lemon Test’ }
More Nativity Scenes on church & public property again this year & from now on – (insert Joyful Noise)
Also not Advent-specific, but rather something that aligns, in my experience, with the Spirit of the Season and which I have loved for many years; this is Hildegard von Bingen music… it was a go-to during my work/Ministry with birthing families (I became a Minister during that time for personal and obvious reasons). This abundant play list is suitable for background music anytime
{
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one of the comments there:
“Hildegard is truly Sublime, so Other Worldly, The songs of the Heavens brought through her by God’s promptings so that the human may hear the songs of Angels.”
I hope someone here feels the Beauty of it as deeply as I do, and/or just simply feels uplifted & enjoys it during Advent & preparations for His *Arrival* (Christmas).
May God Bless us all.
The Season of Joyous Anticipation always. We keep our lamps filled and stand ever watchful.
Christmas music is the most beautiful in this world, and I look forward to it all year long. But this year especially it takes on more poignancy.
Thank you, Menagerie.
It is good to watch and and a worthy exercise to wait. I was struck as I listened to that beautiful version of O’ Come Emmanuel how inspiring and edifying it is to wait patiently. It reminds me we are people of Hope (no matter the denomination). Even as young kids, before we truly know the meaning of this season wait in joyful anticipation for the gifts.
Advent fills me with a desire to do the “work” of preparing. A yearly time of setting my eyes and my heart aright. (Something I should always be doing throughout the year).
I recently read Michael D. O’Brien’s By the Rivers of Babylon. He is one of my favorite authors. His writing has always been quite prophetic and yet very astute at placing the times in which we live in a Christian framework. BtRoB is, me thinks, one of his greatest books. It tells a fictionalized account of Ezekiel. Despite his captivity he maintains hope, works to build himself and his community and rather that resorting to cynicism turns again and again to the Lord.
May this blessed time be an opportunity for all of us to turn our eyes, minds, and hearts to our Savior. And to do the work that must be done to build up our homes and communities.
Be of good cheer and hold fast to our Good Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen Tom Little. So well said.
Truth and beauty go together.
The Poet Keats thought so too.
“‘Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.’”
Meanwhile … I see my “welcoming” Lutheran Church now has an edition of “The Bible” they can take PRIDE in …
https://www.gbnews.com/news/us/christians-pride-bible-anger-america
My local N.CA Lutheran Church will be using Rainbow-colored candles in their Advent wreath … 🤦♂️🤷🏼♂️
@Kenji: So sorry to hear it. And I thought “pride” was one of the seven deadly sins. But perhaps most of the seven have been translated into virtues in today’s America.
Oh, how awful. My deepest sympathy.
Christians should know that the Rainbow is God’s sign
ELCA? I hope you can locate another church (I know how hard, or impossible, that can be in a liberal area) or find a good church on line.
Thank You Menagerie..
I just watched this Archeologist Joel Kramer take you through the Nineveh site and explain so many biblical truths about the Prophet Jonah and what Jesus said would be His sign to an adulterous generation…
His book “Where God came down” is a thrilling read with great photos of the Holy Land.
According to Sennacharib, he made Hezekiah submit at his feet. And Hezekiah paid tribute.
Quite different than the angels of the Lord slaying his forces during the night and driving him home.
All the agreement ‘that confirms’ the Bible yet this major disagreement is left out of this presentation. It is right there on the prism.
We have no evidence to prove Sennacharib right. Or the Bible right. And Egyptian rulers are known to have lied about their foreign so called victories, so there is precedent to distrust the propaganda stories of kings.
But there is a certain level of dishonesty in the presentation to leave out the major disagreement between the stories when using the agreements to ‘prove’ the Bible. He even uses the Prism to show agreement while omitting that the prism contains the disagreement.
How perverse, being dishonest while ‘proving’ Bible Truths.
All I know is King Sennacharib did not take Jerusalem…because no one will…Jerusalem is The Lords and Christ Jesus will bring a new heaven and a new earth, when He Rules and Reigns forever!!! God Bless you Jim! Merry Christmas! I mean it!
Thanks. God bless and Merry Christmas to you too.
Babylon took Jerusalem. Whole bunches of people have over the years. Romans did. Some took it just to lose it again, Maccabees, Crusaders, as I said, whole bunches have taken Jerusalem in the last 2600 years or so.
Still, I can’t wait until the things you talk about come to pass.
Amen brother!
Interesting.
Watched it on a large screen.
Thanks for posting.
Will have to get his book….
Where God Came Down.
Joel Kramer is the real deal, He was a pastor in Salt Lake City and had a ministry to witness to the Mormons. He is a real archaeologist and preaches Jesus to all who come on tours of the Holy Land. I bought a few of his books to give to my friends. I’m glad you are interested in him, his book is really wonderful ! God Bless you Donna!
Thanks 🕊💕
One of my most favorite hymns…
Thanks for posting it.
Oh Holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us we pray
Cast out our sins and enter in
Be born in us today
We hear the Christmas angels
Their great glad tidings tell
Oh come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emanuel.
Bless you 🙏🏼
Thank You Menagerie. I look forward to these posts every Christmas. God bless everyone.
I love this site! It is clear that the followers of our God and our Lord come from His knowledge of who His sheep are. “I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep, and I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock with one shepherd.” We are one flock with one shepherd!
Yes Recordtimes!
To be Observant of the times is more important now than even two years ago, because the point is True, we do not know when His Return will be. Keep your lamp lit, Treepers.
The season of Advent is a time for rousing our minds and hearts for the Lord’s coming. As his servants we watch for his will – continually seeking him.
We watch for his word and his power – that he may act now to save and to deliver.
And we watch for his visitation – he will surely come again!
Servants of the Lord rouse yourselves!
Be vigilant, be alert, be “watchmen” for the Lord pointing the way for his coming.
This is my favorite Christmas song!
Thank you for this beautiful reminder. My sweet sister in law always says “We are all just walking each other home.”
I find great peace in that. I hope you all will, too❤️.
Great is Thy Faithfulness🙏🏻
Atrial Fibrillation.
https://orthomolecular.activehosted.com/index.php?action=social&chash=34ed066df378efacc9b924ec161e7639.300&s=04542b2da4b2c64b294a6af7089bc053
“My quarterly blood work measuring Mg/K remains within normal levels since beginning the mineral supplementation program. My local cardiologist as well as one at the Cleveland Clinic both approve of my new drug/nutrient treatment plan. And best of all since beginning this treatment plan, I have had no side effects and no more A-fib episodes whatsoever.
It is now very clear to me that my 76-year-old heart cells need extra magnesium/potassium supplementation in order to live a life free of the very debilitating disease called atrial fibrillation.”
jb, I want to share this with my Dad. He has been cooked and booked by his really good insurance plan that he has kept up and they wish that they could cancel him, but the contract still sticks??? He has had open heart surgery, crazy how he is even still alive, I am grateful for your info on this post!
When I was taking care of my mother and aunt (mom’s sister)
I noticed when they were low in magnesium they would have Atrial Fibrillation
O Come, Emmanuel
https://www2.cbn.com/news/israel/o-come-emmanuel-and-second-advent-jesus-christ
Vitamin A,
lack of this vitamin is a common dietary problem with Chinese children, where the new outbreak of Pneumonia is taken place.
Keep your immune system at peak condition. You can overdose on certain vitamins eg. Fat soluble vitamins, so be careful.
In the Western world it is not common for a person to be lacking enough Vitamin A. Beta Carotene is a good way to get Vitamin A if you do need a supplement Other wise eat colorful veggies, and carrots of course,.
Thank you. What a beautiful song with deep meaning.
These people are restoring a few-hundred-year-old chapel – Chapel of St.Joseph – on their property in France; it’s been a long time coming & slow going so far, but lately this year, the assessment & plans have been finalized and workers are really starting to make progress; now she’s got their permisson to film them working. (includes a lot of daily life & people coming & going & whatnot in between). Daily videos during Advent…
{ Removing the statue of St. Joseph & revealing this year’s Christmas Theme! }
Disclaimer – near the end they announce the beginning of a fundraiser to finish the chapel art restorations – I’m *not* sharing this to ask or even suggest anyone contribute to the fundraiser.
Only because I find their constant renovation/building projects simply interesting to watch, I thought watching a chapel restoration will probably be interesting to some here also. Something that fits well with the Spirit of this season of waiting, preparation, and Joyful anticipation.
There’s a video of their longer story on the channel – including background & context for the chapel restoration with early photos – includes a narrated timeline of other restorations of this chateau -many in fact
{ HOW YOUTUBE SAVED MY CHATEAU!!! }
elsewhere on the channel there are videos focused on the restoration of all/each of the stained glass windows in the chapel – I didn’t find those for you; it’s easy enough to search it there if interested. Enjoy.
Happy Advent, and May God Bless us all.
A search of their channel brings up everything with ‘chapel’ in the title… always peppered-in with the daily life format…
restoration of a badly deteriorated 157 year old chapel to its former Glory, by the top historic-restorers in the country and sparing no expense to bring this little jewel box of a worship space back to life… feels very uplifting
{ The Secrets of the Private Chapel! } 3 years ago
AND
{ A TERRIFYING DISCOVERY } 1 year ago
AND
{ HUGE DISCOVERY about our Chateau’s CHAPEL! | We had no idea.. } 3 months ago
Catholics should remember Friday the 8th of December is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, a holy day of obligation. Peace and joy to all this Christmas season.
TY…we also celebrated Advent today(12/03/2023). The focus was “Hope”
By No Means is May 1948 + 80 years or before May 2028. Reference Psalm 90:10 below as maximum biblical age of 70-80.
Matthew 24:34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by “no means pass away”.
Psalm 90:10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
—————–
The most important signs are the ones that relate to Israel because God uses the Jews throughout the Scriptures as His prophetic time clock. By this I mean that very often when the Lord is revealing an important event that will take place in the future, He will point to the Jewish people and state that when a certain thing happens to them, the important event will also occur.
A good example of this principle can be found in Daniel 9 in the famous “Seventy Weeks of Years” prophecy. The prophet tells us to watch for a decree to be issued that will authorize the rebuilding of Jerusalem. He then says that the Messiah will come sixty-nine weeks of years (483 years) after that decree is issued to the Jewish people.
There are two key prophecies which relate the return of Jesus to events that have occurred in Jewish history since 1948. These two events clearly established the period in which we are now living as the season of the Lord’s return.
The State of Israel
The first is the re-establishment of the state of Israel, which occurred on May 14, 1948. Jesus singled out this event as the one that would signal His soon return.
His prophecy is contained in the fig tree parable (Matthew 24:32-35) which He presented in His Olivet Discourse. The day before He delivered this speech, He had put a curse on a barren fig tree, causing it to wither (Matthew 21:18-19). This was a symbolic prophecy that God would soon pour out His wrath upon the Jewish people because of their spiritual barrenness in rejecting His Son.
The next day, Jesus reminded His disciples of the fig tree. He said to watch for it to bloom again. In other words, He said watch for the rebirth of Israel. He indicated that when the fig tree blooms again, He would be at the gates of Heaven, ready to return (Matthew 24:33).
Equally significant, He added an interesting observation: “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place” (Matthew 24:34). What generation? The generation that sees the fig tree blossom.
We are that generation. The fig tree has blossomed. Jesus is at the gates.
The City of Jerusalem
https://christinprophecy.org/articles/jesus-is-coming-soon/
—————–
Matthew 24:33-34 New King James Version
33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that [a]it is near—at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.
—————–
Matthew 24:18-19 New King James Version
The Fig Tree Withered
18 Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.
—————–
Matthew 24:32-35 New King James Version
The Parable of the Fig Tree
32 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that [a]it is near—at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
Matthew 24:32-35 New King James Version
The Parable of the Fig Tree
32 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that [a]it is near—at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
Then we will know soon enough because “before May 2028 aligns closely with the second reference of Sept or Oct of 2025”. The difference between the two dates is shown in that attached picture as 2 years 8 months and 5 days. Now let the words in Matthew 24:32-35 echo ” I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place”. Now, let’s recall how Sept or Oct of 2025 came to be. It appears to be when Revelation 6:12 occurs And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood” viewable from Israel.
So a person “mite live to be 80 years of age” and the words “by no means pass away” were made in reference to the current generation before Jesus Christ’s return.
No one is permitted to know the Day and Time when Jesus Christ will return but noting was said of the year or month!
Revelation 6
King James Version
12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
Video Clip