Advent 2020 In Closing – Sharp Devotional

Friends,

I want to thank you all for sharing these past thirty-nine days and for sharing these devotionals with friends. Our prayer as always is that we are drawn closer and deeper in our encounters with the Lord through his word. More than simply reading a passage, may we develop a daily pattern of hearing the voice of the Lord as we read. I trust the music and prayers have likewise encouraged and edified you. Blessings on you all and thank you for your kind words of encouragement.

I also want to thank you for subscribing this year. I want to mention something to you if the Lord so moves you. Doing these devotionals is not without actual cost―e.g. getting the material into the proper format and year-round monthly rentals to the email host. I checked into setting up a 501c (3) and found it wasn’t feasible for writing these devotionals. If you would like to help with expenses, you can make a donation which is not tax deductible. The subscriptions are always and always will be completely free. There is certainly no obligation to contribute, but if you would like to, please make your check to: Dan Sharp, 4017 Isle Vista Ave, Belle Isle, FL 32812. Or you can also contribute via my PayPal account. dansharp9@gmail.com

As the Advent and Christmastide season closes, I would like to thank all of you who contributed to the devotional ministry. May the Lord bless you in this coming year.

Plus there is an additional feature this year. You will be receiving a devotional each Sunday, beginning next Sunday, January 10th, and for the next six weeks until Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 17th at which time, the Lenten devotionals begin going from Ash Wednesday all the way through Pentecost on May 23rd. You do not need to resubscribe.

I’ve enclosed the list of music links for each day for your enjoyment beneath the list of source books for the prayers.

THE SOURCE BOOKS FOR THE PRAYERS

The Pursuit of God, AW Tozer, Christian Publications

The Book of Uncommon Prayer, ed. Constance and Daniel Pollock, Word Publishing

Early Christian Prayers, ed. Hamman, Regnery Publishing

The Oxford Book of Prayer, ed. Appleton, OUP

Valley of Vision, ed. Bennett, Banner of Truth Pub.

Prayers Ancient and Modern, Mary Wilder Tileston, 1897

A Diary of Private Prayer, John Baillie

Eerdmans’ Book of Famous Prayers, compiled by Veronica Zindel

Celtic Daily Prayer, Andy Raine and John Skinner Northumbria Community

The Quiet Corner, ed. Shirwood Wirt, Fleming H. Revell

Book of Common Prayer, Episcopal,1979, 1928 (BCP)

Peter Marshall’s Lasting Prayers, Droke House Publishers

THE MUSIC LINKS FOR ADVENT 2020

Nov.29 “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” arr. Alice Parker

Nov.30 “Lo He Comes with Clouds Descending” Litchfield Cathedral Choir

Dec.1 “Joy to the World” John Rutter and Cambridge Choir

Dec.2 “O Little Town of Bethlehem” Salt Lake Vocal Artists These 8 minutes will help you be quiet. Just listen. It’s gorgeous!!! Arr. Dan Forrest

Bonus: beautiful!

“Wake, Awake, for Night is Flying” Nordic Choir of Luther College

Dec.3 “The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns

Dec.4 “Children, Go Where I Send Thee” Home Free with Kenny Rogers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7GR-c8-tKI DO NOT MISS THIS!!!!!

Dec.5 “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus” Geneva Christian Choir

Dec.6 “Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord” from the musical “Godspell”

Dec.7 “Advent Hymn” Christy Nockels

Dec.8 “Benedictus” Karl Jenkins Beautiful music almost beyond belief!

Dec.9 “God Rest You Merry Gentlemen” Libera

Dec. 10 “Go Tell It on the Mountain” Home Free ―an energetic setting!

Dec.11 What Child Is This? Home Free

Dec.12 “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” Caitelen

Dec.13 “Glory to God In the Highest” Messiah

Dec.14 “I Wonder as I Wander” Simon Khorolskiy

Dec.15 ““O Come, Let Us Adore Him” Voctave (I admit, this is a repeat from last year!)

Dec.16 “Behold the Lamb of God” from Messiah Mogens Dahl Chamber Choir

Dec.17 “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” Mississippi College Choir

Bonus: (Leave it to the Mormons . . . except for the theology!!)

“Angels from the Realms of Glory” BYU Idaho Dept. of Music

Dec.18 ““Infant Holy, Infant Lowly” Chris Rupp and the Fox and the Hound

Bonus: Interesting fact. Chris Rupp a former member of Home Free (below) went out on his own (Infant Holy, Infant Lowly) though he still sings with Home Free sometimes.

“Angels We Have Heard on High” Home Free (I know, a repeat from other years. But in case you missed it then. This is really one of the best versions. Not over produced IMO.

Dec.19 “Long Ago Prophets Knew” A British Christian Music Programme

Would this ever happen in the states???

Bonus: “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” King’s College Choir Spectacular Brass and Cathedral setting, don’t miss it.

Dec.20 “The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came” All Angels

Dec.21 “Silent Night”

Sissel Kyrkjebϴ This Norwegian lady has one of the most beautiful soprano voices you will ever hear. Effortless!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK3_Kr2nLtA&list=RDuK3_Kr2nLtA&start_radio=1&t=127&t=0

Bonus: “Silent Night” Libera -Exquisite Boy Choir The Brits know how to do Christmas!!! Don’t miss this either!

Dec.22 “Hannah’s Prayer Edmund and Gisela Bullock

Dec.23 “Magnificat” JS Bach GLORIOUS!!! At the end of every piece he wrote, he put S.D.G. Soli Deo Gloria, “to God alone be glory.”

Translation:

My soul magnifies the Lord,

And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

For he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden:

for behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo1x-62WmrI

Bonus:

You can watch and listen to the entire Magnificat about 35 minutes long at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YHf3CtEi8E

Dec.24 “Fanfare and Carol, O Come, All Ye Faithful” arr. David Wilcocks Phillip Jones Brass Ensemble and Bach Choir

Bonus: “Mary, Did You Know?” Vocative with Mark Lowrey, (the guy who wrote the song) DON’T MISS THIS!!!! Best setting of this I’ve ever heard. Astounding voices.

Dec.25 “On Christmas Night All Christians Sing” The Brits again!

Bonuses!:

“Good Christian Men, Rejoice” King’s College Choir

www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4yYb6yCNws

“Good Christian Men, Rejoice” Wissmann family

“I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In”

Dec.26 “Angels We Have Heard on High” Robert Shaw Chorale gorgeous choral singing. Terrific arrangement!

Bonus: “I Wonder as I Wander” The King Singers and London Symphony

Dec. 27 “This Little Light of Mine” arr. Moses Hogan The National Lutheran Choir

Bonus:

“Jesus, What a Wonderful Child” Christ Church Nashville

Dec.28 “Away in a Manger” Libera Angelic!

Bonus: “Away in a Manger” Home Free Beautiful video with original tune

Dec.29 “Sing We Now of Christmas” The Singers Matthew Culloton

Bonus: (Had this one from last year. Didn’t think you’d mind!)

“Sweet Little Jesus Boy” Mahalia Jackson She is singing to Jesus and we get to listen! Don’t miss this. There was only one of her. The very best.

Dec.30 “Star Carol” Nathan Pacheco

Bonus: “A Spotless Rose” Paul Mealor

Dec.31 “Mary Had a Baby” Nathaniel Dett Chorale Love it!

I thought these last few days of this year’s devotionals, I’d include a few of the secular classics, not for their theology, but for their beauty, and God loves music and beauty.

Bonus: “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” Home Free Video Get ready to shed a tear!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=no2ErxNojyo

Jan.1 “Now Let Thy Servant Depart in Peace” Robert Shaw Festival Singers As you listen to this, watch the text below. If you have ear phones, put them on to listen. Though it is sung in Russian (it’s from Rachmaninoff’s Vespers) you will be able to follow. The soloist sings what you are looking at! Also listen very carefully at the end and you will hear the world famous low Russian basses- in this case Americans! By the way, this is the music sung in the Eastern Orthodox worship services. They are not big on overhead screens! All singing is a cappella. Just the human voice singing to God.