The Origins of a Great Christmas Hymn: Come, O Come, Emmanuel

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“The text has its origins in the ‘O Antiphons’—a series of refrains sung on each day from December 17-23 during the evening Vespers service. Each one focuses on a different name of Christ in anticipation of the Incarnation.” Ref21

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Johnson Amendment Repeal Removed from Final GOP Tax Bill

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“A Democratic senator announced Thursday night that the repeal included in the House version of the tax bill, which would allow churches and other nonprofits to endorse candidates without losing their tax-exempt status, was removed during the reconciliation process with the Senate version, which did not include a repeal.” CToday

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Pastoral and Personal Evangelism, or Winning Men to Christ One by One

(About this series)

CHAPTER II — PASTORAL AND PERSONAL EVANGELISM, OR WINNING MEN TO CHRIST ONE BY ONE

BY REV. JOHN TIMOTHY STONE, D. D., CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, EX-MODERATOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, U. S. A.

The story of evangelism is the specific history of the Cross of Christ. Great movements and revivals have made up much of its general history, but slowly and quietly through the years and centuries the Evangel has won, as men and women have led their fellow human beings to repentance and have by precept and example followed in the footsteps of their Lord.

Jesus Christ won most of His followers and chose His Apostles one by one. He called men to Himself, and they heard and heeded His call. The multitudes sought Him and heard Him gladly, but He sought individuals, and those individuals sought others and brought them to Him. John the Baptist said: “Behold the Lamb of God,” and Andrew his disciple heard and followed. Andrew found his own brother Simon and brought him to Jesus. Jesus the next day found Philip and bade him follow Him; Philip found Nathaniel and answered his questionings by the Saviour’s previous reply, “Come and see.” The Master called Matthew from his unworthy work, and so the other Apostles. Saul of Tarsus was arrested by the Divine individual call as he pursued his intense and terrorizing campaign against the early Christians. His “Who art Thou, Lord?” was followed by his complete surrender as he asked, “What wilt Thou have me to do?”

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Pay Yourself Second

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“I believe that the Christian version of ‘Pay Yourself First’ is ‘Pay Yourself Second.’ What this means is that, after you give to God, the very next thing you should do with your money is to use it to prepare for your own financial future.” Broke Pastor

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