Tag: #Thankful

The First Christmas

The following is from “Prepare Your Hearts: Christmas Devotions,” day 10, available on YouVersion, the Bible, at https://bible.com/bible ….

“Your First Christmas”

Christ’s first coming surprised everybody.

Zechariah was surprised. Mary and Joseph were surprised, first by the angelic announcements and surprised again at the terribly inconvenient time that Mary’s labor pains began. Third-shift shepherds were surprised by the sound and light show that they alone experienced. As they knelt at the manger and peered in at the little bundle on the straw, their worship of God would never be the same.

I guess you aren’t surprised at the coming birthday celebrations this December 25–you’ve had all year to prepare. But what you may not have expected is the satisfaction that comes from worshiping Jesus as though this were your first Christmas. There before you, wrapped in his little strips of cloth, is the ultimate paradox: God and man, Co-Creator and yet begotten, helper and helpless, frail and mighty, brand-new and ancient. There before you lies your salvation–the One who would put himself, his body, between you and death. How can you not love him?”

Do you think much about how the first Christmas came to be? Before anything else could happen, GOD had to make the momentous decision to walk away from heaven, where angels and celestial beings worshiped Him constantly. He made the choice to leave the perfect place and existence, to become human. He didn’t even come as an exalted son of a king, born into a palace, so that He could be pampered in this life. He came as the child of a poor carpenter, to be born in a stable and facing a life of physical hardships from day one. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t give up luxury to live in poverty if I had the choice….

“Though He was GOD, He did not think of equality with GOD as something to cling to. Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, He humbled Himself in obedience to GOD and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, GOD elevated Him to the Place of Highest Honor and gave Him the Name above ALL other names, that at the Name of JESUS every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that JESUS CHRIST is LORD, to the Glory of GOD the Father.” – Philippians 2:6‭-‬11 NLT

Just as Jesus surprised everyone by the time and method of His birth, He will surprise us all when He returns, even though we have had millennium to prepare.

“…. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with Power and Great Glory… However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the SON Himself. ONLY the FATHER knows.” – Matthew 24:30‭b,36 NLT

Celebrate His birth with gratitude and thanksgiving, and spread the word that JESUS has come, and that He will return for His people…. soon. Amen.

15 Days and Counting

Today is the 10th of December, and it is 15 days until the madness ends and adults around the world can take a deep breath and relax. The shopping chaos will end, and the credit card bills and debt collectors will start rolling in. When did the day we choose to celebrate the birth if our LORD, Jesus Christ, become such a retail mob scene? There are people who make it their mission to have the best and the brightest every year, and others who are determined to get the best deals, no matter how early they have to start or how far they need to go. Price, for still others, is no object, as long as they have the biggest, most glittery, most expensive. When did the celebration of the God of the Heaven’s birth on earth become the season to outshine with lights and to outspend; the season to be the gaudiest and the most glittery?

As children, television abounded with things we wanted to be like our tv heroes: a Lassie dog, real or stuffed, holsters and guns and cowboy outfits like Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, the Lone Ranger and Tonto, Gene Autrey…. a Lamb Chop puppet, an Easy Bake oven, a doll the cries and wets. There were Cabbage Patch Dolls and Power Rangers, there are Dragon Ball Z and Legos and Fisher Price, and on and on, ad nauseam. Apparently, people spend, on average, $1400 each buying things for Christmas. $1400.00. You may not be surprised by this figure, and you could be one who spends much more. Like most people, I love being on the receiving end of gifts, and even more, l love to be the giver. Of the many things I have gotten over the years, the ones I keep and remember best are not the biggest and brightest, but the things that people have made for me. There is a shoebox among my Christmas decorations that is stuffed full of those things. My bedroom walls are covered with framed cards that my artist cousin made and sent to me. The time spent in the thought and creation, and the bits of themselves that go into the handmade gifts – those things, to me, show the love that Christmas should be about.

The best gift we can ever give to anyone at Christmas is to share the Hope and the Joy and the Peace that only comes from Jesus. Your gift may be serving dinner once a week at a homeless shelter, delivering food and meals to someone who is home bound, or spending an hour at a retirement center and singing carols. These are just a few suggestions. There are tremendous opportunities out there, and we have 15 days till the Big Day.

“And the ONE sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then He said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And He also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the Springs of the Water of LIFE. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their GOD, and they will be My children.” – Revelation 21:5‭-‬7 NLT

We Are Messengers

“Look! I am sending My Messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. Then the LORD you are seeking will suddenly come to His Temple. The messenger of the Covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” – Malachi 3:1 NLT

People have been on tenterhooks for eons, waiting for the messenger of the LORD. If we would only realize that He has already arrived! First, the LORD sent dozens of teachers and preachers and prophets, ending the succession with the man known as John the Baptist. Then John announced the Messiah, JESUS, to us:

“Look! The LAMB of GOD Who takes away the sin of the world! …. Then John testified, “I saw the HOLY SPIRIT descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon Him. I didn’t know He was the ONE, but when GOD sent me to baptize with water, He told me, ‘The ONE on Whom you see the SPIRIT descend and rest is the ONE Who will baptize with the HOLY SPIRIT.’ I saw this happen to JESUS, so I testify that He is The CHOSEN ONE of GOD.” – John 1:29‭-‬34 NLT

Last, JESUS, in His turn, brought us Salvation through His Grace and Sacrifice. Before Jesus left this earth to return to His Father in Heaven, He promised us we would not be alone, ever, again.

“Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged. …. So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that Joy. At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the FATHER directly, and He will grant your request because you use My Name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using My Name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant Joy. …. Do you finally believe? But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving Me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me.” – John 16:11‭, ‬22‭-‬24‭, ‬31‭-‬32 NLT
“For we live by believing and not by seeing.” – 2 Corinthians 5:7 NLT

When JESUS, Messiah, Counselor, King of ALL kings, left this earth, He sent the HOLY SPIRIT to dwell with us and within us, so that we can be the messengers of the Saving Grace of our LORD and our SAVIOUR. Can you get off the tenterhooks today, and let Him into your heart? I can promise you that you won’t be disappointed!

Discouraged, Sad?

Why do we walk around discouraged? Why are we sad? When we remind ourselves of God’s Truth, we should realize that we have no reason – none, zero, zilch! – to be anything but joyful. When I get down, whether because of circumstances or a poor choice and it’s consequences, my friend likes to say to me: “Who’s in control?” Who do you think is in control?

“The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” – Exodus 14:14 NLT

I can always answer “Not me!” because I know the Truth of Who is in control. He lets us drive until we voluntarily hand it over to Him. He’s a gentleman and won’t ever force us to choose Him.

“This is the message of Good News: There is peace with GOD through JESUS CHRIST, Who is LORD of ALL.” Acts 10:36 NLT

Life is SO much simpler when we let God “drive”!!

“Honor the LORD, you heavenly beings ; honor the LORD for His Glory and Strength. Honor the LORD for the Glory of His Name. Worship the LORD in the Splendor of His Holiness. The Voice of the LORD echoes above the sea. The GOD of Glory Thunders. The LORD Thunders over the mighty sea. The Voice of the LORD is Powerful; the Voice of the LORD is Majestic. The Voice of the LORD splits the mighty cedars; the LORD shatters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon’s mountains skip like a calf; He makes Mount Hermon leap like a young wild ox. The Voice of the LORD strikes with bolts of lightning. The Voice of the LORD makes the barren wilderness quake; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. The Voice of the LORD twists mighty oaks and strips the forests bare. In His Temple everyone shouts, “Glory!” The LORD rules over the floodwaters. The LORD reigns as KING Forever. The LORD gives His people Strength. The LORD Blesses them with Peace.” – Psalms 29:1‭-‬11 NLT

AMEN!

All My Hope

There’s a song by an amazing artist, Crowder, called “All My Hope.” It was written for a friend that was being released from years behind bars, and who had found Jesus while incarcerated. It’s a beautiful song, speaking of redemption and being released from the bars and chains that hold us. In it, he says “All my Hope is in Jesus, Thank God that yesterday’s gone, All my sins are forgiven, I’ve been washed by the Blood…. ”

Jesus is our shelter in the storm, our Rock. He invites us to be washed of our sins so that we can share eternity with Him, and we know there is only One-Way to achieve this. All our Hope, all our Strength, all our PEACE comes from one place, one-way, from Jesus. Simple, yet hard. You say “I don’t want to give up my freedom,” or “Too many rules to follow,” or even “I’m a good person. I don’t need Jesus.” Oh, people! This is such disfunctional and error-filled thinking. Don’t you realize that by saying that Jesus was just a good man or a prophet, you are saying He was insane? Think about it. Jesus claimed to be the Son of the Immortal and Almighty GOD of the universe. How can anyone claiming to be GOD in the flesh, GOD Incarnate, the Living GOD be sane, if it is not true? Look at all of Jesus’ contemporaries who witnessed His death, who saw Him buried, and then saw Him again in the flesh after He came out of the tomb after 3 days. Our contemporaries, David Koresh and Jim Jones, both claimed to be the son of GOD, and we called them insane. They committed suicide with many of their followers…. and they are dead. No resurrection or salvation.

Followers of Jesus know that He is the True Son of GOD. We don’t just believe it, we KNOW it is true. How do we know? Aside from all the eyewitness testimonies of His contemporaries, we know it in our hearts; we feel it in His Strength, and we see His Grace in our lives (even in the bad stuff). I wish that the people who think they are “good enough” to go to heaven weren’t so misguided by the enemy. There is no “good enough” to spend eternity with our LORD, because He is the ONLY One good enough. He is the ONLY One to live a sinless life? Not “good enough,” not a “good” man, and not a prophet. He is the ONE-Way, the ONLY-Way, to GOD.

Are you washed by the Blood of Jesus?

“Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But GOD showed His GREAT LOVE for us by sending CHRIST to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.” – Romans 5:7‭-‬9 NLT

AMEN!!

Thanks Giving; Giving Thanks….

There is much to be thankful for.

The turkey is in the oven, the fixin’s for the dressing and the gravy are ready to put together and finished. Condiments and sides and desserts are being prepared by my sisters and their kids; ready to share a beautiful dinner with most of my Oklahoma family, and missing all those who aren’t here.

Just a few short years ago, I struggled to be thankful for anything. I was faced with a drug addict, alcoholic, verbally abusive, unfaithful husband. The verse Paul wrote springs to mind: “And we know that GOD causes everything to work together for the good of those who love GOD and are called according to His purpose for them.” – Romans 8:28 NLT

Because my ex’s addictions, I found myself in a Christ-centered group that dealt with ALL addictions, including relationship addictions. On my own, I couldn’t see any way out. It seemed hopeless. In the process of learning what an addiction/insanity is (Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result), I found my way back to Jesus. The recovery Pastor told me several times that “When you get sick and tired of being sick and tired, you’ll do something about it.” I finally did get sick and tired of the lies and the cheating and his breaking the law. (So did the DA, and he is – hopefully! – in prison for the rest of his life.) The point is that despite the ugliness and hopelessness of tne situation, I learned that there is ALWAYS something to be grateful for, even if the only thing you can think of is toilet paper. It’s easy to be thankful for the simple, everyday things when our lives are full of garbage.

Today I have so much to be thankful for. Topping the list is my LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ. I am so thankful to have a family who welcomed me back with no recriminations for my actions. I know how very blessed I am! I have a man who loves me, a warm and beautiful home, family and friends, my pups and pets, and I am surrounded by lots of good memories in my things. I was born in America, still the greates country in the world; I am an American. Yes, I am TREMENDOUSLY Blessed! There will be some who read this who are in the midst of great trials. Loss of a loved one, illnesses, incapacitated, loss of their job and/or (Me, too, 2 years ago and still unemployed 😐 )….. struggling with their own addictions, children who are lost to their parents, grief and sorrow. If tne only thing you can be thankful for is toilet paper, then HALLELUJAH, be Thankful! No shame in that! Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers that you will find something to be thankful for today, something that can lift you out of the mess.

That “something” is JESUS. When we are so far down that we cannot pick ourselves up out of the muck and the mire, He is able to pull us out and carry us. There is nothing, no sin, no situation, that is too much for Him to lift or carry. I am thankful for HIM!