Month: December 2016

Can You Hear It??

​  “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!” – Psalms 42:11 NLT

  “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.” – 1 Kings 19:11-12 NLT

Do you hear it? That stillness, and a gentle whisper from the LORD? Just as Elijah and David, we have to slow down and listen to hear what God is telling us. it’s not always what we want to hear, because we think we can plan our futures better than He is able to. We become discouraged when we don’t stay focused on God’s Will, so doesn’t it make sense that we put your hope in the LORD instead of in ourselves and other humans? If your faith is in people, you will always be disappointed. Always.God is the only thing we can believe in and not be disappointed.  

Do You Hear What I Hear 

Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy 

Do you hear what I hear? 

Ringing thru the sky, shepherd boy 

Do you hear what I hear?

What do you hear this Christmas season? Do you hear the quiet whisper of God, reminding us of the WHY of this time of celebration, or are your ears so filled with all of the hustle and bustle and noise that your mind feels like mush?

I’d just like this time to be a quiet moment of reflection about why we are doing all of this. Can you hear it?


Christmas Is Coming 

​This is what Christmas is all about:

  “So the Word became human {flesh} and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing Love and Faithfulness. And we have seen His Glory, the Glory of the Father’s One and Only Son. 

  John testified about Him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the One I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me Who is far greater than I am, for He existed long before me.’” 

  From His abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.  For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing Love and Faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. 

  No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is Himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us. 

  The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The LAMB OF GOD Who takes away the sin of the world!” – John 1:14‭-‬18‭, ‬29 NLT  (http://bible.com/116/jhn.1.14-29.NLT)

Our God, the Creator of this incredibly complex universe, left heaven and came to earth. His sole purpose was to provide us salvation from our sin-filled lives. Think on that for today.

I Once Was…

  “Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’ -but not everything is good for you. And even though ‘I am allowed to do anything,’ I must not become a slave to anything.” – 1 Corinthians 6:11-12 NLT

I once was everything that I was brought up to believe was wrong. No, that’s wrong! I have sinned, grievously, and been wronged, but I was never those things. I acted them and I thought them, but I never was them. God teaches us that we are His children, always and forever. We are not our thoughts or our actions! Just because we are created in God’s image and given the free will to decide our own individual destiny, doesn’t mean that we know better than God. Paul nailed it in verse 12: “… even though ‘I am allowed to do anything,’ I must not become a slave to anything.” 

December brings us into a joyous season for Christians. Even though we know that Jesus wasn’t actually born on December 25, it’s the day we choose to celebrate His birthday.After all, it should be a momentous day; the day He chose us over heaven. Incomprehensible. He essentially abdicated His throne to come to live with us on earth; to experience hunger and thirst and pain, blistered hands and aching muscles, to be human. Would you do that? I confess that if given that choice, odds are highly in favor of my declining!

It’s so easy to get wrapped up (pun intended!) in the gifts and parties and busyness that we take our eyes off the reason and focus on the season. It seems we have allowed the holiness to be overwhelmed by our slavery to the unimportant parts. I have gifts to be wrapped, and decorations to put up, and parties to go to, so I’m not pointing my fingers at anyone but myself. As we focus on the reality of why we do all this, realize that every person has a different reality. What I do with this season is up to me. I think that this year, I need to remember verse 12 as we approach the day we celebrate the birth of our Lord. As we celebrate with family and friends, remember those who can’t be with their families and those who don’t have families. 

Mostly, though, rejoice that the Lord of the universe took it upon His Person to come to earth to be with us; to serve us and to save us. 

  “For unto us a Child is born to us, a Son is given to us. The government will rest on His shoulders. And He will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!” – Isaiah 9:6‭-‬7 NLT 

(All scriptures from http://bible.com)

Saved by Grace

Saved by Grace

For many people, the thought of being saved because of God’s love just isn’t enough. We feel the need to do something to redeem ourselves. How could a man who has everything – eternal life, riches beyond measure, countless angels and beings to worship Him and adore Him, give it all up just for me? I’m a selfish, stubborn little human who is as flawed and imperfect as anyone ever born. I forsook family and friends to pursue my desires; I continually stumble and fall in relationships and life. I am not, and never will be, a “good” person. But hear this:

  “God saved you by His Grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a Gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” – Ephesians 2:8‭-‬9 NLT (http://bible.com/116/eph.2.8-9.NLT) 

Let me put this in a slightly different format:

  “God saved me by His Grace when I believed. And I can’t take credit for this; it is a Gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things I have done, so I cannot boast about it.”

Too many times, boasting is exactly what we do. I succeeded; I accomplished; I, I, I …. I should get what I deserve. What have I really done? In truth, if each of us received what we truly deserve, it would not be the awards and accolades that we want. Instead, if every thought and every deed were to come to light, what rewards should we have? I thank GOD – I mean really thank God – that I don’t have to receive the punishment for all of the stupid, vile, insensitive, mean things I think and do as a human being of free will! To imagine that the Son of the Most High God voluntarily left Paradise to come to earth for the purpose of suffering and dying just for me…. just for you….. how humbling is that?

  “For the Son of Man [Jesus Christ] came to seek and save those who are lost.” – Luke 19:10 NLT (http://bible.com/116/luk.19.10.NLT)

One more word for those who don’t believe that Jesus is necessary to salvation: “You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.” – James 2:19 NLT (http://bible.com/116/jas.2.19.NLT)

Don’t let the enemy drag you down! The Name of Jesus is the only way we have to vanquish the enemy. “…. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” – 1 Corinthians 6:11b NLT (http://bible.com/116/1co.6.11.NLT)

AMEN.