The Second Advent

The Advent season is one of my favorite times of the year. During Advent we remember the promises that God made in years past. We remember the waiting and the longing and the hope of God’s people. We remember that God kept His promise to send a Savior! 

The message of Advent doesn’t end at Christmas. Jesus came to earth to die on the cross in our place. He suffered the wrath of God so that all who believe on Him will never have to suffer God’s wrath. Jesus died and came back to life, conquering death! Now Jesus is in Heaven, and He has promised that one day He will return. The people of God are waiting again. His Second Advent is still to come!

God kept His promise to send a Savior, and He will keep His promise to return to Earth. Jesus will come again. The First Advent was missed by many. The Second Advent will be missed by no one. This time when Jesus comes, He will be coming in all of His glory. He will be bringing reward or judgement. If you know Jesus, this gives great hope. Do you know Him? Are you ready for His Second Advent? 

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.  And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. 

Revelation 20:11-15 

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 

Revelation 21:1-4 

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”  

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”  

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! 

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

Revelation 22:12-21

Joy to the World

by Isaac Watts

sung by Sovereign Grace

Joy to the World, the Lord has come!

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!

Let men their songs employ;

While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make His blessings flow

Far as the curse is found,

Far as the curse is found,

Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Top Seven Blog Posts of 2017

Hello Friends,

Thank you for reading here at Cranberry Tea Time this year. Whether I know you in real life or not, I am grateful for you, and I am glad to have you as a part of the Cranberry Tea Time community. It has been a joy to write for you and to chat with you this year.

Do you want to know what your favorite blot posts were from Cranberry Tea Time in 2017? Here are the seven that had the most views this year:

• Marriage, Chronic Illness, Christ, and the Church
• Busy Hands: Matching Cowls
• The Gift of Time to Pray
• How to Pray for the Sick and Disabled
• Just a Little Update
• Oh My Soul
• The Best Surprise

I wish you a Happy New Year, and I will see you here in 2018!

Blessings and joy,
Rachel

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! The Savior is born! I hope you have a meaningful Christmas as we celebrate Jesus coming to earth. 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.  

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 

John 1:1-14

One Still Night

by Sovereign Grace Music

One still night, Mary awoke

Stirred by an angel, she trembled as he spoke

One small child would soon be born

The King of kings will wear a crown of thorns

“Glory to God,” the angels sang

“Immanuel was born for you this day

Peace on earth, good will toward men

Immanuel has come to Bethlehem

Immanuel has come to Bethlehem”

One still night, while Joseph dreamed

He saw a vision within his troubled sleep

One small child, his bride would give

Deliverer delivered to save us from our sin

And to His kingdom there’ll be no end

And to His kingdom there’ll be no end

And to His kingdom there’ll be no end

One still night, a light was shown

That all the darkness could never overcome

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

The people who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
    on them has light shone.
You have multiplied the nation;
    you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
    as with joy at the harvest,
    as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
For the yoke of his burden,
    and the staff for his shoulder,
    the rod of his oppressor,
    you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
    and every garment rolled in blood
    will be burned as fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
    there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.  

Isaiah 9:2-7

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 

“Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. 

Luke 2:8-20

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

by Charles Wesley

sung by Boyce Vocal Band

Hark! the herald angels sing, 

"Glory to the new born King, 

peace on earth, and mercy mild, 

God and sinners reconciled!" 

Joyful, all ye nations rise, 

join the triumph of the skies; 

with th' angelic host proclaim, 

"Christ is born in Bethlehem!" 

Hark! the herald angels sing, 

"Glory to the new born King!" 

Christ, by highest heaven adored; 

Christ, the everlasting Lord; 

late in time behold him come, 

offspring of a virgin's womb. 

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; 

hail th' incarnate Deity, 

pleased with us in flesh to dwell, 

Jesus, our Emmanuel. 

Hark! the herald angels sing, 

"Glory to the new born King!" 

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! 

Hail the Sun of Righteousness! 

Light and life to all he brings, 

risen with healing in his wings. 

Mild he lays his glory by, 

born that we no more may die, 

born to raise us from the earth, 

born to give us second birth. 

Hark! the herald angels sing, 

"Glory to the new born King!" 

The Wonder of Christmas

“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21 

Jesus “emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:7-8

Every year as Christmas draws near, I marvel again that God chose to come to earth as a baby. The Lord Jesus Christ willingly took on human flesh and entered our world of suffering.

We live in a world that aches under the effects of sin and the curse. We suffer from illnesses and disabilities and the process of aging. All around the earth there are natural disasters, poverty, crime, broken relationships, and hurting people. Our biggest problem is that we are born separated from God, and we need salvation.

God did not leave us to suffer without hope in this life or in the life to come. In His great love and mercy, He sent His Son to earth to save us from our sins. We have a Savior who willingly entered into suffering on our behalf!

Jesus chose to come into our world and embrace the limitations of the human body. He became tired, hungry, and cold. He faced temptation. He was well acquainted with sorrow. He was mocked and scorned. He suffered the wrath of God on the cross so that we might never have to. He came to save us from our sins and to redeem us as His own. What marvelous truths to ponder at Christmastime!

It is easy to look at our own difficulties, or see the suffering around us, and lose hope. Christmas reminds us that Jesus knows our pain and weakness. He came to us in our suffering; He suffered with us and for us. Jesus endured more suffering than you or I ever will. We don’t have a Savior who is far-removed from suffering. We have a Savior who understands what we are going through.

It brings comfort to know that Jesus lived in a human body and faced suffering on this earth. It gives us courage and helps us to persevere. Let us look “to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted” (Hebrews 12:2-3).

In whatever suffering you face this Christmas season, remember that Jesus is acquainted with sorrows. You have a Savior who has willingly suffered for you. He understands what you are going through. This Christmas, look to your suffering Savior for courage and comfort. Rejoice and thank God for the good gift of His Son.

This article first appeared on The Irresistible Church.
Photo by Gareth Harper

O Little Town of Bethlehem

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
    one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
    from ancient days.
Therefore he shall give them up until the time
    when she who is in labor has given birth;
then the rest of his brothers shall return
    to the people of Israel.
And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,
    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great
    to the ends of the earth.
And he shall be their peace. 

Micah 5:2-5

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 

Luke 2:1-7

O Little Town of Bethlehem

by Phillips Brooks
sung by Matt Redman

O little town of Bethlehem,

How still we see thee lie!

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep

The silent stars go by;

Yet in the dark street shineth 

The everlasting Light;

The hopes and fears of all the years

Are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary,

And fathered all above,

While mortals sleep, the angels keep

Their watch of wondering love.

O morning stars, together

Proclaim the holy birth

And praises sing to God, the King,

And peace to men on earth.

How silently, how silently,

The wondrous Gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of His heaven.

No ear may hear His coming,

But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive Him still,

The dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem,

Descend to us, we pray;

Cast out our sin and enter in,

Be born in us today.

We hear the Christmas angels

The great glad tidings tell:

Oh, come to us, abide with us,

Our Lord Immanuel!

Teatime Conversations: A Peaceful and Strong Marriage

Welcome to Teatime Conversations! This is a new series on Cranberry Tea Time. I hope to continue posting these conversations for as long I have the energy and the questions keep coming. If you have a question, you can leave it in the comment section of this post, email me, or submit your question anonymously through this form.

Today we are chatting about marriage. Grab a cup of tea, and let's visit together!

Reader Question: What sorts of things have kept your marriage peaceful and strong? 

Marriage with a chronic illness is challenging, and it takes intentional effort to maintain a strong and peaceful marriage. Will and I are celebrating our 15th anniversary this month, and while we certainly don’t have a perfect marriage, I do think we have a good and happy marriage.

Here are some things that have helped us to grow closer together and maintain a strong, peaceful marriage:

• Growing individually in our relationships with the Lord. As we each grow closer to the Lord, we also grow closer to one another. As we become more like Christ, we become more loving, faithful, caring, and compassionate, and those are all things that make marriage more peaceful.
• Being quick to apologize when wrong, and being quick to forgive when wronged. This makes life much happier and more pleasant!
• Learning to overlook minor offenses and choosing not to get upset over the little stuff. Many years ago we decided that we would not get upset or start an argument over something one of us says when we are exhausted and sleep deprived. This doesn’t mean we can say anything we want when we’re sleepy. It does mean that we know the exhausted and sleep deprived person will probably realize the next morning that he or she said something unkind, and there will quickly be an apology and reconciliation. So at the moment we just let it go and choose not to be offended. Sometimes it is better to wait until both people are better rested and thinking clearly before continuing a discussion. 
• Spending time together simply enjoying each other’s company. This doesn’t have to mean going out on a date. This could be cooking supper together, watching a movie, or sitting in the backyard talking. 
• Keeping intimacy a priority. This can be a challenge with chronic illness, but it is important to keep the physical relationship strong. Intimacy may change over the years as pain, illness, medications, and other symptoms interfere in various ways. But keep trying. If you are a married couple struggling in this area, pray for wisdom and help. Talk with your doctor to see if there is anything that could help medically. Talk with a chronic illness friend who may have gone through something similar. She may have advice to share about ways to work around different challenges due to illness or pain. Keep trying, and be patient with each other through it all. 
• Praying regularly with one another and for one another.
• Cultivating gratitude for each other. Look for the good qualities in the other. Compliment your spouse. Thank the Lord for the gift of your spouse.
• Avoiding pet peeves. We talked early on in marriage about what each other’s pet peeves were, and we tried to avoid those. It might sound silly, but it was helpful! We agreed on which way the toilet paper should be put on the roll, and we decided that it didn’t matter where we squeezed the toothpaste tube. Annoying sounds, like whistling and brushing teeth with one’s mouth open, were usually avoided. Not everyone would want to make changes to minor habits like this, but we decided it was a small sacrifice that we wanted to make. In time the new practices became habits, and we don’t even think about what we “gave up” for the sake of the other.
• Remembering that we are on the same team. We may disagree or get frustrated with each other at times, but we are not each other’s enemy. We are in this together.

We don’t do all of the above things perfectly, but we keep working at it, and we are growing stronger in our marriage.


We would love to hear from you! What things have helped to keep your marriage peaceful and strong? Or what good things have you seen in the marriage of a couple whom you admire?

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

“’When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you, but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.’” In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David. 

1 Chronicles 17:11-15  

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’" 

Jeremiah 33:14-16 

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
    and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
    the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
    the Spirit of counsel and might,
    the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
    or decide disputes by what his ears hear,
but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
    and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
    and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,
    and faithfulness the belt of his loins. 

Isaiah 11:1-5

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
words by Charles Wesley
sung by Fernando Ortega

Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus
Come thou long-expected Jesus,
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear Desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a Child and yet a King.
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all-sufficient merit
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

Book Review: Picturing Heaven

A few weeks ago Tyndale sent a complimentary copy of Picturing Heaven to me to read and review. This is a new devotion book by one of my favorite authors, Randy Alcorn. This book contains short, one-page devotions, and there is a coloring page for each devotion in the book. 

This book has been encouraging to Adelaide and to me. I'm not one who likes to color very much, but my daughter loves it, so I knew this book would be a good one for us to do together. We enjoy reading the devotion and then talking together while we color the corresponding picture for that day's reading.

Heaven is a topic I have talked about often with my children over the years, especially when they were younger and first starting to grapple with the fact that they have a mom who is disabled and needs a lot of rest. Picturing Heaven is a great way to learn more about Heaven and start more conversations about life, disability, hope, Jesus, and the life to come.

       

Adelaide and I are enjoying reading and coloring our way through this book!

The devotions in Picturing Heaven will help you to set your mind on things above and encourage you to keep an eternal perspective in life. The book is filled with beautiful illustrations, and those who like to color will enjoy coloring the pictures as they reflect on what they have read.

If you want to see more pictures from the book, you can look at a sample of the devotion book Amazon. Or you can download a sample portion from Eternal Perspective Ministries website and do some coloring at home.

Imagine Heaven the way the Bible describes it—a place of exquisite beauty brimming with marvelous detail and intricate patterns; a special dwelling place free of corruption and sin; and a place of both rest and enjoyable, meaningful work. 

Let the power and majesty of Heaven fill your heart with joy as you color these 40 designs carefully interpreted from the pages of Scripture. Savor a respite from daily life as you read and meditate on devotions from best–selling author Randy Alcorn, a leading authority on Heaven. Picturing Heaven will offer you comfort and relaxation, while filling your heart with restful assurance that God prepares a special place for those who love Him.  

Randy Alcorn is an author and the founder and director of Eternal Perspective Ministries (EPM), a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching principles of God's Word and assisting the church in ministering to unreached, unfed, unborn, uneducated, unreconciled, and unsupported people around the world. His ministry focus is communicating the strategic importance of using our earthly time, money, possessions, and opportunities to invest in need-meeting ministries that count for eternity. He accomplishes this by analyzing, teaching, and applying biblical truth.

Before starting EPM in 1990, Randy served as a pastor for fourteen years. He has a bachelor of theology and a master of arts in biblical studies from Multnomah University and an honorary doctorate from Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, and has taught on the adjunct faculties of both. A New York Times bestselling author, Randy has written more than fifty books, including Heaven, The Treasure Principle, and the award-winning novel Safely Home. His books have sold more than ten million copies and have been translated into more than sixty languages.

Randy has written for many magazines, including EPM's Eternal Perspectives. He is active on Facebook and Twitter and has been a guest on more than seven hundred radio, television, and online programs.

Randy resides in Gresham, Oregon, with his wife, Nanci. They have two married daughters and are the proud grandparents of five grandsons. Randy enjoys time spent with his family, biking, snorkeling, underwater photography, researching, and reading.

Follow Randy on Facebook: www.facebook.com/randyalcorn; on Twitter: www.twitter.com/randyalcorn; and on his blog: www.epm.org/blog/

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Today is the first Sunday of the Advent season. I invite you to join me here each Sunday during Advent for a short Scripture reading and a song as we look forward to the celebration of our Savior’s birth. If you are reading this in an email, you can click over to the blog to see the video.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 

Isaiah 7:14 

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
    and they shall call his name Immanuel” 

(which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus. 

Matthew 1:18-25

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
sung by Barlow Girl

O come, O come, Emmanuel.
And ransom captive Israel;
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny;
From depths of Hell Thy people save,
And give them victory o'er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come Desire of nations bind
All peoples in one heart and mind;
Bid envy strife and quarrels cease,
Fill all the world with Heaven’s peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee O Israel.