Christmas '08: It's a Wonderful Life!

I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency].

(Philippians 4:13 - Amplified Bible)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

any, many thanks to all of you bloggers, especially those of you who post regularly here at BLOGINTHENOW. At this special time of the year, I want to express my love and sincere gratitude to those of you who contribute to this cyber-community on a continual basis. Your words, ideas, thoughts, insights, interpretations, musings, exchanges, humor and revelation are valuable and greatly appreciated by this blogmaster, and I believe the connection that we have all made here in cyber-space this year is real and important. Welcome, Welcome, Fah who rah-moose, Welcome, Welcome, Dah who dah-moose, Christmas day is in our grasp, So long as we have hands to clasp...

very day I look forward to hearing from you on the comments page, and I always find your feedback to be both thoughtful and inspirational. The need for communication is basic to all of us, and it is very gratifying to me to see that this website has become a nexus (I'm not sure that I'm using the word correctly, but I want to use it anyway) for daily authentic and life-affirming interaction. Oh, tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, Oh, tidings of comfort and joy!

EAL PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE REAL GOD IN THE REAL WORLD®...this trademark of Church In The Now has definitely become applicable to BLOGINTHENOW, and, even though the blog reaches way beyond the borders of the local church community, the concept that began in a geographical location (Conyers, GA) is now extended to the expanse of the infinite internet. As CITN has a global pulpit, BLOGINTHENOW has a universal voice. Let every heart prepare Him room, and heaven and nature sing...and heaven and nature sing...and heaven, and heaven and nature sing!

eading your posts every day is a joy...in no particular order, Avatar, Peacemaker, Erik, Iris, Crownjewel, Son of Zadok, Pastor Dennis, JB, Donald, Elle, Izumi/JOY, Nothing To Lose, Friend4Life, Linda, Tracy, Karl, Sweepea, Nancy, Clark Kent, Disciple, Teezy313, Bro Lar, Laura, The Centurion, G8TRGRL, Mystic, Brenda, Disciple, Kettly, SCRIBE, Lisa, River, dgm2007, Ebony, Speaking Spirit, Doubleback Alley, Pamela T., Typical Blurker, Abraham, Yvonne, Yve, vaughn, Water Walker, Reign!, Sheri, Creme Brulee, Leesa, Mayflower, Mayam, Heart after Him, JR, P. Debbie and sometimes P. Debye, and all of the hundreds and hundreds of Anonymi (plural for Anonymous)...people from all over the map (literally and figuratively), many of whom have never even been ITB@CITN...everyone makes a valid contribution (if I left your name/handle out, forgive me)...even the blurkers...we feel your presence...Oh, come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant...

ou are all unique and special...many of you are actually gifted writers in your own right, and you express yourselves with intelligence and great sensitivity. Some days your revelation just blows me away...and I enjoy the little glimpses into your personal lives when you share anecdotes...and I pray for you when you have a prayer request...and you make me laugh. Always your support is appreciated. For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne, We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, For auld lang syne.



onnectivity (kŏn'ĕk-tĭv'ĭ-tē) 1. The quality or condition of being connected or connective.
2. The ability to make and maintain a connection between two or more points in a telecommunications system: a phone company that offers excellent Internet connectivity...these are some of the definitions of the word, but I believe that we are writing a new definition here every day, line upon line, precept upon precept...a definition with a deeper meaning...one that taps into the truth and revelation of the ultimate reality...the reality that is THE CHRIST (What then, brethren, is [the right course]? When you meet together, each one has a hymn, a teaching, a disclosure of special knowledge or information, an utterance in a [strange] tongue, or an interpretation of it. [But] let everything be constructive and edifying and for the good of all. - I Corinthians 14:26 AMP)...Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me, Let There Be Peace on Earth, The peace that was meant to be, With God as our Father, Brothers all are we, Let me walk with my brother, In perfect harmony...

ave yourself a merry little Christmas, bloggers. Regardless of what you went through in 2008, the fact is that you made it, and you have lived to see another holday season, and you need to enjoy it...every bit of it. God is good, and He has been good to you this year in ways that you can't even see right now. I'm sure that I'll say more about this as we approach the new year, but I'll say it here now...whatever is in the past is in the past...if you have a praise report for '08, then share it with us here on the blog...if you have complaints about the last 12 months, then just make the decision to forget those things which are behind. If you have positive/prophetic words for 2009, share them here, as well. As I used to say every day on the CITN blog: LEARN FROM THE PAST, LIVE IN THE PRESENT, CREATE THE FUTURE...but most importantly, get the most out of the Christmas experience in the next few hours. It's the most wonderful time of the year...

evelation (rĕv'ə-lā'shən)
1. a. The act of revealing or disclosing;
b. Something revealed, especially a dramatic disclosure of something not previously known or realized.
2. Theology: A manifestation of divine will or truth.
3. the act of making known a truth which was previously secret
4. a fact newly made known
5. a person or experience that proves to be different from expectations: New York State could prove a revelation to first-time visitors
6. Christianity: God's disclosure of his own nature and his purpose for mankind
7. A daily occurence on BLOGINTHENOW...
That's what it's all about...Christmas, that is...the Word made flesh...and every day, the Word continues to be manifested here through insight, agreement, sometimes the occasional absurdity of a confirmation through a blog word verification (hmmm..."word verification"...that's an interesting phrase to explore) ...Do you hear what I hear?

n a word, we not only have every reason to be thankful for all of our blessings throughout the year...including the blessing that is BLOGINTHENOW (and now AW4W) with all the connectivity and revelation that comes with the cyber-community experience...we also have every reason to enjoy the holidays...to have a Merry Christmas (Jesus is the reason for the season), a Happy New Year...even a Happy Hanukkah (Shalom, y'all)...and an awesome Kwanzaa! Why not celebrate it all?! Why limit Thanksgiving to a single Thursday in November?! You don't have to have a turkey to remind you to celebrate and to be grateful and to rejoice! The holiday season...especially Christmas...is a state of mind...an attitude...a realizaion...a remembrace that God is good and life is good, and life in Him should be appreciated and cherished and valued, regardless of what may or may not be happening in the world around us...Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? What the gladsome tidings be Which inspire your heavenly song? Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

o I am praying for all of this cyber-community to grasp this (just like the little monk praying over there on the altar that forms the letter "S"), but my prayer is really just a declaration of faith...an affirmation...a blessing that I now pronounce over you and your household and your family and your loved ones...a blessing over all that you are, and over all that you will become in the new year...I bless your dreams...I bless your vision...I bless your spirit and your soul and your body...I bless your memory of Christmas past, and your imagination of Christmas future...most of all, and most importantly, I bless your paradigm of Christmas present...Christmas in the NOW! A thrill of hope, The weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks A new and glorious morn. Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices! O night divine, O night when Christ was born! O night divine, O night, O night divine!

is the season to be jolly...and thankful...and positive...and proactive...and open and optimistic and full of faith for the future! It's time to reflect on the journey, and to look back over all of it with absolutely no regrets. It's the season to expect the unexpected...to re-connect with the wonder of childlike belief. Call it magic or miracle, the truth of it is that this is the time when we open up our hearts to believe that the clunky and clumsy logic of natural laws is done away with...and suddenly we dream a world of possibilities where angelic choirs serenade shepherds, and eastern astrologers are led by celestial lights, and virgins conceive, and birth is given to the impossible! And every mother's child is gonna spy to see if reindeer really know how to fly!

ay your days be merry and bright! I speak joy to your world, and say that all of your nights are silent, so that you may sleep in heavenly peace. No matter what lies ahead for you, let nothing you dismay...remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day...and because He was, the only things that you need to concentrate on are tidings of comfort and joy! The hopes and fear of all your years are met in Him tonight! He deserves all of your praise. He knows our need, Our weakness is no stranger, Behold your King, before Him lowly bend, Behold your King, before Him lowly bend!

nd so, as I come to the end of my BLOGINTHENOW Christmas message and blessing, I await your responses on the comments page (this has taken many hours to complete, and already there are 29 comments posted as I finish this up)...I know we're all busy, but if you have a minute or two, and this blog has meant something to you, take the time (if you haven't already) to express your thoughts and Christmas wishes for the rest of the blog community (yes, even you blurkers). What you write doesn't have to be poetic or profound...it just needs to be real. My BLOGINTHENOW Christmas wish would be that this post would generate this most comments ever! We wish you a Merry Christmas,We wish you a Merry Christmas, We wish you a Merry Christmas...and a Happy New Year!

ELAH! GOD BLESS US, EVERY ONE!

Luke In The Now

Hey bloggers,

Don't worry...I'm not working on Luke In The Now yet (I'll have MITN XII posted ASAP), but I did this passage for Christmas. It's one of my favorites in the Bible. Also, I think that these different artists' interpretations of The Anunciation are very interesting.

26. In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth

27. to a little teen-age girl who was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, who was a descendent of king David. The young girl was a virgin, and her name was Mary.

28. The angel just went right into her house and said to her, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29. Mary was not only startled by his appearance, she was also troubled by his declarative words and wondered what he meant by his greeting.

























30. But Gabriel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, I am here because you have found favor with God.

31. “You are going to conceive today, and in a few months will give birth to a Son, and you are to name and call Him Jesus.

32. “And your baby will become great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David,

33. and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom will never end…it will exist in the eternal now.”

34. After collecting herself and gaining her composure, Mary asked the angel, “How can I conceive a child today? I am engaged to a man, but I am a virgin; I have not slept with my fiancé or any other man, nor do I plan to!”

35. But the angel answered, “You are about to have an unprecedented encounter with the Holy Spirit that is going to affect your natural body and, when that happens, the power of the Most High will literally overshadow you and permeate your entire being. This encounter will cause you to conceive, so that the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God!

36. “And your cousin Elizabeth is also going to have a child, even in her old age. She has never been able to conceive throughout her whole life, but she is already sixth months pregnant!

37. “I know that this seems impossible to you…and, in fact, it is biologically and naturally impossible. But, with God, nothing in any realm is or ever will be impossible!”

























38. Then Mary said, “You must understand that I can't even begin to comprehend or process all this with my mind, but in my spirit I say ‘Here I am, may it be to me, not according to logic or reason, but according to your word! I submit myself to the eternal, now Word of God that makes all things possible!' And when Mary said that, the angel left her.


Luke 1:26-38

Celebrate Jesus Today!

And the eternal Word morphed into flesh – into a manifested incarnation with human attributes and authority in the natural world – so that He could live with and among us human beings. And He did live with us here in our world, limiting Himself to the constraints of the human condition without reservation, but we could still plainly see His eternal, divine glory. It was obvious that He shined with the glorious light of a unique, firstborn son who was miraculously like His Father who had sent Him. The illumination from that glory revealed that He was literally filled with grace and that He overflowed with absolute truth.

John 1:14, John In The Now