Responding to “If”

Have you ever gotten trapped in the maze of “what if”? At one point or another I think we all have. There are all sorts of “if” questions; some are personal, others are intellectual or career oriented and others are more philosophical.

What if: I were taller, smarter, my nose were smaller…What if: I had continued with college, become a doctor instead of a plumber…What if: there is life in outer space. And then there are the what if’s that are related to Scripture.

In yesterday’s blog, we saw how Satan used one of those what if’s in the garden with Adam and Eve. He introduced an element of doubt into Eve’s thinking. Did God really say? What if He doesn’t want you to be as smart as He is?

“⁴But the snake said to the woman, “You will not die. ⁵God knows that if you eat the fruit from that tree you will learn about good and evil, and then you will be like God!” Genesis 3:4-5 ERV

When we begin to study the Bible and see what God says to us Satan will try to use the same tactic on us.

What if: God isn’t real, He’s just a myth, His Word isn’t true, there is no heaven or hell, you don’t need faith. All of these are doubting thoughts that I have had at one point or another.

When these thoughts occur the first thing we should do is realize we aren’t the only ones having them. Christians who came before us and millions who come after us will all be plagued with thoughts of doubt.

How do we deal with doubt? I’m glad you asked. As always, Jesus is our perfect example.

“ Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit to a desert. There He was tempted by the devil. ²Jesus went without food for forty days and forty nights. After that He was hungry. ³The devil came tempting Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to be made into bread.” ⁴But Jesus said, “It is written, ‘Man is not to live on bread only. Man is to live by every word that God speaks.’”

⁵Then the devil took Jesus up to Jerusalem, the holy city. He had Jesus stand on the highest part of the house of God. ⁶The devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. It is written, ‘He has told His angels to look after You. In their hands they will hold You up. Then Your foot will not hit against a stone.’” ⁷Jesus said to the devil, “It is written also, ‘You must not tempt the Lord your God.’”

⁸Again the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain. He had Jesus look at all the nations of the world to see how great they were. ⁹He said to Jesus, “I will give You all these nations if You will get down at my feet and worship me.” ¹⁰Jesus said to the devil, “Get away, Satan. It is written, ‘You must worship the Lord your God. You must obey Him only.’” ¹¹Then the devil went away from Jesus. Angels came and cared for Him.” Matthew 4:1-11 NLV

There are three important “if” issues in these verses. Satan questions the deity of Christ, “If you are the Son of God”. Satan is a crafty enemy, one we are incapable of defeating on our own. He came to Jesus when He was at one of his weakest moments. Jesus had been fasting for forty days and now He had begun to hunger.

The important thing to see is that Jesus didn’t react rashly in His weakness, instead He let God’s word answer for Him. The power to resist temptation came from God’s word. We will overcome our temptations the same way.

“So anyone who thinks they are standing strong should be careful that they don’t fall. ¹³The only temptations that you have are the same temptations that all people have. But you can trust God. He will not let you be tempted more than you can bear. But when you are tempted, God will also give you a way to escape that temptation. Then you will be able to endure it.” I Corinthians 10:12-13 ERV

In the second temptation the devil quoted Scripture to give his argument validity. Jesus didn’t take the bait; he didn’t need to prove who He was. He left that up to God, the Father. And He countered with Scripture.

Satan had been cast from heaven because he wanted to be greater than God. He coveted a position of honor. He wanted God’s Son to bow down at his feet.

” ¹³You said in your heart, ‘I will go up to heaven. I will raise my throne above the stars of God. And I will sit on the mount of meeting in the far north. ¹⁴I will go much higher than the clouds. I will make myself like the Most High.’ ¹⁵But you will be brought down to the place of the dead, to the bottom of the grave.” Isaiah 14:13-15 NLV

One more time Jesus used God’s word as a weapon and landed blows of defeat on His enemy. This time it was too much for the devil and he fled. This is what we need to do each and every time temptation comes.

” ⁴We do not use those things to fight with that the world uses. We use the things God gives to fight with and they have power. Those things God gives to fight with destroy the strong-places of the devil. ⁵We break down every thought and proud thing that puts itself up against the wisdom of God. We take hold of every thought and make it obey Christ.” II Corinthians 10:4-5 NLV

And here is what God gives us to fight with.

” ¹¹Wear the full armor of God. Wear God’s armor so that you can fight against the devil’s clever tricks…¹³That is why you need to get God’s full armor. Then on the day of evil, you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing.

¹⁴So stand strong with the belt of truth tied around your waist, and on your chest wear the protection of right living. ¹⁵On your feet wear the Good News of peace to help you stand strong. ¹⁶And also use the shield of faith with which you can stop all the burning arrows that come from the Evil One. ¹⁷Accept God’s salvation as your helmet. And take the sword of the Spirit—that sword is the teaching of God. ¹⁸Pray in the Spirit at all times. Pray with all kinds of prayers, and ask for everything you need. To do this you must always be ready. Never give up. Always pray for all of God’s people.” Ephesians 6:11-18 ERV

Our sword in this battle is the word of God. It is sharp enough to cut all the “what if’s” out of our lives. We will be able to stand strong and never give up when we are standing on God’s word!

January 2, 2019January 2, 2019

A Promise Is A Promise

Let’s start the new year out with a strong reminder. Here it is. When God makes a promise He keeps it!

“God is not a man; he will not lie. God is not a human being; his decisions will not change. If he says he will do something, then he will do it. If he makes a promise, then he will do what he promised.” Numbers 23:19 ERV

As many of you know this is my life verse. If this verse isn’t true then there is no reason to put our faith in any of the other verses in the Bible. I know that’s a strong statement but that’s the truth.

Look at it this way, if God could lie or change His mind after He says something how would we know what we could believe and what was subject to change? The other day I did a teaching on the solid rock foundation that we have in Christ. But if God can lie or change His mind then our foundation is as unstable as the sand on the beach when the tide recedes. We are doomed to fail.

“Whoever hears these teachings of mine and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house. And it fell with a loud crash.” Matthew 7:26-27 ERV

God is not a liar! His promises are true. They are more certain and absolute than anything else we can put our trust in. There was a time when Jesus’ ministry was being questioned. People thought He was trying to change the Old Testament laws. This was His response.

“Don’t suppose that I came to do away with the Law and the Prophets. I did not come to do away with them, but to give them their full meaning. ¹⁸Heaven and earth may disappear. But I promise you that not even a period or comma will ever disappear from the Law. Everything written in it must happen.” Matthew 5:17-18 CEV

We live in a world where everything changes. “The experts say” that butter is harmful and so margarine was invented. Now margarine is harmful and butter is good. “They say” that we had to stop using paper bags in the grocery stores and so we started using plastic and that is now more harmful than paper production. Every day there is a new study with new and conflicting results.

But God…

“¹See how much I love your instructions! Lord, I know your love is true, so let me live.
¹⁶⁰Every word you say can be trusted. Your laws are fair and will last forever.” Psalm 119:159-160 ERV

“Your kingdom will never end, and you will rule forever. Our Lord, you keep your word
and do everything you say. ¹⁴When someone stumbles or falls, you give a helping hand. ¹⁵Everyone depends on you, and when the time is right, you provide them with food.” Psalm 145:13-15 CEV

“Grass dies and flowers fall, but the word of our God lasts forever.” Isaiah 40:8 ERV

There is no greater truth that I can impart than this, God’s word is true and He is worthy of our trust!

The very first thing that Satan did was get Adam and Eve to doubt God’s word and He’s been trying to get us to doubt His word ever since.

“The snake was the most clever of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. The snake spoke to the woman and said, “Woman, did God really tell you that you must not eat from any tree in the garden?” Genesis 3:1 ERV

Make the commitment that this year that you will trust God and His word like never before. Each day find a promise in God’s word and live it.

“Lord All-Powerful, you are God. You have promised me some very good things, and you can be trusted to do what you promise.” II Samuel 7:28 CEV

December 30, 2018December 30, 2018

Standing On Solid Rock

It’s interesting to look back. Yesterday I was in the hot tub with our oldest daughter Kim and two of her friends. I was telling them about when we first got our hot tub. It was four years ago on December 26.

So why am I using an image of a rock pile this morning? I’m glad you asked. Talking about that reminded me it was only a few days after the hot tub was in that we took delivery of 20 tons of rock. We then spread it across our front and back yards. I’m not sure how anyone else would relocate and spread 20 tons of rock but we did it by filling the wheelbarrow, literally hundreds of times, dumping it and then leveling it with a rake. It was one of the hardest physical project I have ever done.

It took days!

When we are going through things like this, things that try our patience and our stamina , we sometimes loose sight of the big picture. We are tempted to complain, take short cuts and quit. But if we persevere, if we continue to labor on, the rewards are great!

The same holds true for our spiritual lives. God has chosen to do a work in us and He won’t quit, He won’t give up until He has accomplished what He set out to do.

“And whenever I mention you in my prayers, it makes me happy. ⁵This is because you have taken part with me in spreading the good news from the first day you heard about it. ⁶God is the one who began this good work in you, and I am certain that he won’t stop before it is complete on the day that Christ Jesus returns.” Philippians 1:4-6 CEV

This is the good work that God is doing in our lives.

“God loves you and has chosen you as his own special people. So be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient. ¹³Put up with each other, and forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you. ¹⁴Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together.

¹⁵Each one of you is part of the body of Christ, and you were chosen to live together in peace. So let the peace that comes from Christ control your thoughts. And be grateful.” Colossians 3:12-15 CEV

These verses from God’s word are the foundation that we should be building our lives on. Jesus said that His word was the solid bedrock for our existence and that when we are built on His word we will be able to stand secure in life’s storms.

“Anyone who hears and obeys these teachings of mine is like a wise person who built a house on solid rock. ²⁵Rain poured down, rivers flooded, and winds beat against that house. But it did not fall, because it was built on solid rock.” Matthew 7:24-25 CEV

When God makes us a promise it will last forever. God cannot lie and once He has given His spoken Word he doesn’t change.

“God cannot tell lies! And so his promises and vows are two things that can never be changed. We have run to God for safety. Now his promises should greatly encourage us to take hold of the hope that is right in front of us. ¹⁹This hope is like a firm and steady anchor for our souls.” Hebrews 6:18-19 CEV

Let me take you back to that 20 tons of rock that we had delivered. Before it was brought in, our yards were a mess after every rain. The soil in our area is clay based and so it makes a very sticky mud. It’s almost impossible to wash it off your shoes when you walk through it. However, once the rock was spread over it that has no longer been a problem. We have sure footing even in the heaviest monsoons of the year.

“I love you, Lord God, and you make me strong. ²You are my mighty rock, my fortress, my protector, the rock where I am safe, my shield, my powerful weapon, and my place of shelter. ³I praise you, Lord! I prayed, and you rescued me from my enemies.” Psalm 18:1-3 CEV

Take time to look back today. What areas have been a sticky mess for you? Let God’s word be your rock, claim His promises which last forever, and stand firm in the storms.

December 20, 2018January 7, 2019

Worth Bragging On

I have had a number of occasions to overhear compliments on my children when people didn’t know who I was or even realize that I was standing close enough to hear. Those have been special times! It’s one thing when people come up to tell you something good about your kids and to thank you for “raising them right” but it’s entirely different when you overhear something complimentary in a conversation that you aren’t involved in.

Now put yourself in God, the Father’s, place. He knew the angels would come heralding the birth of His Son. He made sure it was announced properly. A light show filled the entire sky and the angelic chorus never sounded better as they sang His praises. Then those shepherds went to find His Son – they stood before the manger and oo-ed and awed when they saw Him for the first time.

“Everyone was surprised when they heard what the shepherds told them. 19 Mary continued to think about these things, trying to understand them.” Luke 2:18-19 CEV

Then there were those wise men that traveled so far to find the child. All along the way, I’m sure folks asked where they were going and heard the story of how they had seen the star and now they had to find the child.

“Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea during the time when Herod was king. After Jesus was born, some wise men from the east came to Jerusalem. 2 They asked people, “Where is the child who has been born to be the king of the Jews? We saw the star that shows he was born. We saw it rise in the sky in the east and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:1-3 CEV

There’s one more testimony of Jesus I want us to look at this morning.

“41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. 42 When Jesus was twelve years old, they went to the festival as usual. 43 When the festival was over, they went home, but Jesus stayed in Jerusalem. His parents did not know about it…46 After three days they found him. Jesus was sitting in the Temple area with the religious teachers, listening and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and wise answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they wondered how this was possible. And his mother said, “Son, why did you do this to us? Your father and I were very worried about you. We have been looking for you…”51 Jesus went with them to Nazareth and obeyed them. His mother was still thinking about all these things. 52 As Jesus grew taller, he continued to grow in wisdom. God was pleased with him and so were the people who knew him.” Luke 2:41-52 CEV

Can you imagine the religious leaders talking among themselves? Who is this young boy, he has such amazing knowledge of God? He talks like someone who knows God personally – how can this be?

The Father was pleased with His Son, Jesus! Jesus said that the whole reason He came was to please the Father! We can only assume how great the love between the Father and the Son is. But now think about this, the Father loves us with that same great love. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…”

We didn’t hear it but for all eternity, Jesus and the Father had been talking about us in heaven. Talking about how much they loved and how much it hurt that they didn’t have the relationship with us they desired to have. They wanted us to be close in spirit – they wanted us to come home on holidays, to talk with us daily, to share their thoughts and their love with us the way they did with Adam in the garden.

So they came up with a plan…
“ But Christ died for us while we were still sinners, and by this God showed how much he loves us. 9 We have been made right with God by the blood sacrifice of Christ. So through Christ we will surely be saved from God’s anger. 10 I mean that while we were God’s enemies, he made friends with us through his Son’s death. And the fact that we are now God’s friends makes it even more certain that he will save us through his Son’s life. 11 And not only will we be saved, but we also rejoice right now in what God has done for us through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is because of Jesus that we are now God’s friends.” Romans 5:8-11 CEV

We’re not just friends but we have been adopted by the Father and called His sons and joint heirs with Jesus!

Now let me ask a question. Have you ever bragged about a gift you’ve received? Maybe it came from your spouse, your kids, your grandkids or a dear friend. It’s a gift that is so special and you feel so loved that you just have to brag about it, even when you don’t think the one who gave it to you is listening!

Well, I hope that’s how you feel about this wonderful gift, the gift of the Son. We need to brag on what God the Father has given us! One of the most performed songs at Christmas praises God for His wonderful gift.

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
‘Til He appears and the Spirit felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees; O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

[Verse 2]
Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here come the Wise Men from Orient land
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend
He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend

[Verse 3]
Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise His holy name
Christ is the Lord; O praise His name forever!
His power and glory evermore proclaim
His power and glory evermore proclaim

Merry Christmas Father!! Merry Christmas Jesus!! Merry Christmas Holy Spirit!!

December 13, 2018December 13, 2018

With Is Better

For the last several days we have been with our son, Koy, and his girlfriend, Kym, in California. We knew that we wouldn’t be together at Christmas so he flew us out a couple weeks early.

We’ve had a great time of being with each other. Phone calls and video chats are good but actually being with the ones we love is the best.

God enjoyed being with Adam and Eve each day in the garden; they would walk and talk – it was a special relationship. But when Adam sinned that fellowship was broken. However, God had a plan for restoring what had been lost. It was important to Him to be with us.

“Joseph was a good man^[a and did not want to embarrass Mary in front of everyone. So he decided to quietly call off the wedding.

²⁰While Joseph was thinking about this, an angel from the Lord came to him in a dream. The angel said, “Joseph, the baby that Mary will have is from the Holy Spirit. Go ahead and marry her. ²¹Then after her baby is born, name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

²²So the Lord’s promise came true, just as the prophet had said, ²³“A virgin will have a baby boy, and he will be called Immanuel,” which means “God is with us.” Matthew 1:19-23 CEV

God wanted a way to be with us so He sent His Son. One of the things that means the most to us as parents is knowing that our kids want to be with us. God is no different.

“When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world.^[a The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new! ¹⁸All this is from God. Through Christ, God made peace between himself and us. And God gave us the work of bringing people into peace with him. ¹⁹I mean that God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold people guilty for their sins. And he gave us this message of peace to tell people.” II Corinthians 5:17-19 CEV

It’s a whole new world when we have life with Christ. We aren’t alone. God is with us – in the car going to work; in the kitchen baking cookies; helping our kids with their homework; Christmas shopping; sitting beside the bed of a sick friend; sitting alone looking at the checkbook and the bills that need to be paid.

God with us – His purpose in coming was to be “with us”. In fact, Hebrews 13:5 tells us that He will NEVER leave us or abandon us.

We are also told that He promises to provide all our needs, heals all our diseases and forgives all our sins. Psalm 103

I didn’t always realize that God wanted this type of relationship with me but I can say that when I realized “God is with us” it has certainly changed the outcome of my life for the better – the best.

When we focus on all “we” have to do and how it’s all up to us, we become self absorbed. We make a very small package. When we realize, truly realize, that God’s purpose is to “Be with us”, when we unwrap the present of His presence in our daily lives, our world changes dramatically.

” What can we say about all this? If God is on our side, can anyone be against us? 32 God did not keep back his own Son, but he gave him for us. If God did this, won’t he freely give us everything else?” Romans 8:31-32 CEV

“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” Psalm 16:11

The Christmas carol today is one that was written in the 12th century.

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, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,
In ancient times did’st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

I know the Old English is a bit hard to understand but the basic message is one of God’s desire to be with mankind, who He created, and bring them deliverance in each situation. Just remember, He’s a loving Father who wants nothing more than to be involved in His children’s lives.

God wants to spend time with us; with is better!

December 9, 2018December 9, 2018

A Man of Honor

For the last several days I have been thinking about Joseph.

He must have been a wonderful man; a man of honor. We don’t know much about him but Scripture gives us insight of his love for Mary and for God.

“This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah happened. His mother Mary was engaged to marry Joseph. But before they married, he learned that she was expecting a baby. (She was pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit.) ¹⁹Mary’s husband, Joseph, was a good man. He did not want to cause her public disgrace, so he planned to divorce her secretly.

²⁰But after Joseph thought about this, an angel from the Lord came to him in a dream. The angel said, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to accept Mary to be your wife. The baby inside her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹She will give birth to a son. You will name him Jesus.^[a Give him that name because he will save his people from their sins.”

²²All this happened to make clear the full meaning of what the Lord said through the prophet: ²³“The virgin will be pregnant and will give birth to a son. They will name him Immanuel.”^[b (Immanuel means “God with us.”)

²⁴When Joseph woke up, he did what the Lord’s angel told him to do. He married Mary. ²⁵But Joseph did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And he named him Jesus.” Matthew 1:18-25 ERV

The woman Joseph loved, the woman he had planned to marry was pregnant. The baby wasn’t his! This was disgraceful. We know that Joseph didn’t want Mary to be subjected to public ridicule and scorn. He loved her; he wanted the best for her even though he was dealing with a great emotional struggle.

Joseph was wrestling with what he should do when the Lord sent an angel to him in a dream and gave him a plan. Yes, he was an honorable man. The perfect man to help raise God’s son.

I can just imagine what it must have been like to be Mary. She had to tell Joseph she was pregnant. Did she explain to him that this baby she was carrying was the Messiah? How did her family react? These questions aren’t answered in Scripture but they make for interesting conjecture.

The past few days as I have been baking and decorating I’ve also been listening to Christmas Carols. There are carols about Jesus, Mary, the angels, the shepherd, the wise men and the night but I haven’t heard one about Joseph. So, I did a search and found a couple songs which have been written from Joseph’s viewpoint. For whatever reason they haven’t gotten much air play. Here’s one called Joseph’s Song, by Michael Card. (click the link to hear the song)

How could it be this baby in my arms
Sleeping now, so peacefully
The Son of God, the angel said
How could it be
Lord I know He’s not my own
Not of my flesh, not of my bone
Still Father let this baby be
The son of my love
Chorus 2
Father show me where I fit into this plan of yours
How can a man be father to the Son of God
Lord for all my life I’ve been a simple carpenter
How can I raise a king, How can I raise a king

He looks so small, His face and hands so fair
And when He cries the sun just seems to disappear
But when He laughs it shines again
How could it be

These lyrics speak to my heart. they reflect my own feelings as I ask the Lord where do I fit into Your plan. How can I best represent Jesus through my life?

Father, thank you for honorable men and women who are willing to do the right thing regardless of their circumstances. Thank you that they represent You and your love to this world.

December 8, 2018December 8, 2018

Light The Way

There is a tradition in the Southwest that I dearly love. When I was a child and we lived in northern New Mexico, it was there I saw the luminarias at Christmas for the first time.

Originally, luminarias were small signal fires of pinyon pine branches which lit the courtyards and the way to the church during the celebration at Christmas. These small fires were replaced with the farolito, small paper bags with sand and candles. This is what I remember.

After Dave and I were married we lived in Las Cruces, NM. The homes there, and in El Paso, were adorned with these flickering lights. It added such a special sense of wonder and reverence to the neighborhoods.

The image above was taken at a mission near our home in Southern Arizona. Each year Tumacacori Mission is illuminated like this. Simplistic and humble lighting lines the path that leads to a place where we worship the King.

Lighting the way for Christ.

God, the Father, did that when He placed the star in the heavens and the wise men’s caravan came from the East with gifts for the Christ child.

” Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea during the time when Herod was king. After Jesus was born, some wise men from the east came to Jerusalem. ²They asked people, “Where is the child who has been born to be the king of the Jews? We saw the star that shows he was born. We saw it rise in the sky in the east and have come to worship him…
⁷Then Herod had a private meeting with the wise men from the east. He learned from them the exact time they first saw the star. ⁸Then he sent them to Bethlehem. He said, “Go and look carefully for the child. When you find him, come tell me. Then I can go worship him too.”

⁹After the wise men heard the king, they left. They saw the same star they had seen in the east, and they followed it. The star went before them until it stopped above the place where the child was. ¹⁰They were very happy and excited to see the star.

¹¹The wise men came to the house where the child was with his mother Mary. They bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened the boxes of gifts they had brought for him. They gave him treasures of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹²But God warned the wise men in a dream not to go back to Herod. So they went home to their own country a different way.” Matthew 2:1-12 ERV

The wise men assumed that someone whose birth had been announced with such a majestic star in the heaven’s was royal. Surely, His birth had taken place at the palace in Jerusalem. They stopped there seeking the child. Herod, the king, was threatened by this news. He wanted the child found. Herod instructed the wise men to return to him when they found the child because, he said, that he also wanted to worship Him. This was a lie; Herod wanted to have the child killed. The Lord warned the wise men of Herod’s evil plan so they returned home by another route.

God is still lighting the way for people to come to Christ. We are the ones that He is using. Like the small paper bags that house the candles and line the path, we have the light of God within us.

“The Scriptures say, “God commanded light to shine in the dark.” Now God is shining in our hearts to let you know that his glory is seen in Jesus Christ. ⁷We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us.” II Corinthians 4:6-7 CEV

God is wanting to use us to show His light and His glory to the world. Oh Lord, I want your light to shine brightly through me!

We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder star

Refrain: O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy Perfect Light

Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again
King forever, ceasing never
Over us all to reign
(Refrain)

Frankincense to offer have I
Incense owns a Deity nigh
Prayer and praising, all men raising
Worship Him, God most high (Refrain)

Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes of life of gathering gloom
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb
(Refrain)

Glorious now behold Him arise
King and God and Sacrifice
Alleluia, Alleluia
Earth to heav’n replies (Refrain)

May our light lead, not just to the baby born in a manger, but also to the empty tomb and the risen Lord!

December 2, 2018December 2, 2018

Give Your Best

Dave and I were talking last night and I asked him which Christmas Carol he really liked. What do you think he said?

Little Drummer Boy. No where in Scripture do you find the story of a little drummer boy. But all through the Bible we find that God gave His best. Since He did, should we give anything less than our best to Him?

Our best is relative. Jesus pointed that out to His disciples one day as they were in the temple.

“Jesus was sitting in the temple near the offering box and watching people put in their gifts. He noticed that many rich people were giving a lot of money. ⁴²Finally, a poor widow came up and put in two coins that were worth only a few pennies. ⁴³Jesus told his disciples to gather around him. Then he said:

I tell you that this poor widow has put in more than all the others. ⁴⁴Everyone else gave what they didn’t need. But she is very poor and gave everything she had. Now she doesn’t have a cent to live on.” Luke 12:41-44 CEV

I’ve had people tell me that they’d give God a million dollars but they just don’t have it. That’s a wonderful thought however, the true test of the heart isn’t in what we desire to do but what we do with what we have. There have been times that giving a dollar was harder to do than giving one hundred.

I remember when the kids were in school and came home with a note asking all the parents to give canned goods for the food drive. Our kids wanted to be a part of doing something special for those who were needy. What they didn’t realize was that we would have been considered the needy. I opened the cupboard and took out half of the cans on the shelf. Some went to Kim’s class and the rest went to Koy’s class.

We gave from the heart, desiring to bless others because there were folks out there who really did have less than we did. These are the words I heard in my head.

“For I was hungry and you gave Me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave Me water to drink. I was a stranger and you gave Me a room. ³⁶I had no clothes and you gave Me clothes to wear. I was sick and you cared for Me. I was in prison and you came to see Me.’

³⁷“Then those that are right with God will say, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You? When did we see You thirsty and give You a drink? ³⁸When did we see You a stranger and give You a room? When did we see You had no clothes and we gave You clothes? ³⁹And when did we see You sick or in prison and we came to You?’ ⁴⁰Then the King will say, ‘For sure, I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of My brothers, you have done it to Me.’ ” Matthew 25:35-40 NLV

We can be like the widow who gave to the Lord all she had. She gave out of the love in her heart. When we consider that each and every thing we give we give as if we are giving it to the Lord, we should give generously. What a joy to be able to give!

So here we have the premise of the song, Little Drummer Boy.

The Little Drummer Boy

Come they told me
Pa rum pum pum pum
A new born King to see
Pa rum pum pum pum

Our finest gifts we bring
Pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King
Pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum

So to honor Him
Pa rum pum pum pum
When we come

Little baby
Pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too
Pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring
Pa rum pum pum pum
That’s fit to give our King
Pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum

Shall I play for you
Pa rum pum pum pum
On my drum

Mary nodded
Pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time
Pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him
Pa rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him
Pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum

Then He smiled at me
Pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum

What is it you have in your hand? Drum sticks, a sewing machine, a bowl of flour, cash, knitting needles, baby sitting skills, IT knowledge, a warm dinner, any type of home crafts – leather, jewelry, decorating; all of these can be used by the Father to meet the needs of others.

Whatever it is we give Him, we must give Him our best – it’s the least we can do. He was willing to give us His very best, Jesus, His Son.

““And I give you all the best olive oil and all the best new wine and grain. These are the things that the Israelites give to me, the Lord. These are the first things that they gather in their harvest. ¹³When the people gather a harvest, they bring all the first things to the Lord. ” Numbers 18:12-13 ERV

I’ll play my best for Him, Pa rum pum pum pum!

November 28, 2018

Tired & Cranky

You understand what I am saying here, tired and cranky? We all have those times when we just want to throw a fit and get away with it. Right?

Monday morning I received a text from our youngest daughter telling me that our little granddaughter had just cut 3 new teeth. My first response was “that explains her mood on Thanksgiving, she was hurting”.

We excuse some crankiness when children are little and don’t know how to tell us what’s going on. But we should be giving them instruction that selfish actions aren’t right. The problem comes when we are teenagers or adults and we have these same outbreaks of self-centered frustration.

“Remember this: There are some terrible times coming in the last days. ²People will love only themselves and money. They will be proud and boast about themselves. They will abuse others with insults. They will not obey their parents. They will be ungrateful and against all that is pleasing to God. ³They will have no love for others and will refuse to forgive anyone. They will talk about others to hurt them and will have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. ⁴People will turn against their friends. They will do foolish things without thinking and will be so proud of themselves. Instead of loving God, they will love pleasure. ⁵They will go on pretending to be devoted to God, but they will refuse to let that “devotion” change the way they live. Stay away from these people!” II Timothy 3:1-5 ERV

These verses are a description of many of the attitudes and actions that are going on in society today. There’s an entitlement mentality that says I deserve it; I should have more and better things, not because I have worked hard or sacrificed but because I’m entitled to better.

I really wanted to be cranky yesterday. I did. I was tired, hadn’t slept much the night before and I “felt” that I deserved to be treated with more consideration. I wanted to be entitled. I was being selfish. I was thinking about me and what my needs were and what I wanted.

It only took a few minutes for the Lord to step in and correct me.

“If then you have been raised with Christ, keep looking for the good things of heaven. This is where Christ is seated on the right side of God. ²Keep your minds thinking about things in heaven. Do not think about things on the earth. ³You are dead to the things of this world. Your new life is now hidden in God through Christ.” Colossians 3:1-3 NLV

and

“Whoever wants to be first must serve the rest of you like a slave. ²⁸Do as I did: The Son of Man did not come for people to serve him. He came to serve others and to give his life to save many people.” Matthew 20:27-28 ERV

Pity parties have a very small guest list; me, myself and I. When we look at Jesus and how he lived, keeping our minds focused on how things are done in heaven, we will see that we have been given a higher assignment. We are to be an example of self-control and self-sacrifice.

“God’s Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, ²³gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways. ²⁴And because we belong to Christ Jesus, we have killed our selfish feelings and desires. ²⁵God’s Spirit has given us life, and so we should follow the Spirit. ” Galatians 5:22-25 CEV

Probably no one else has to deal with keeping their feelings, emotions and thoughts in line but just in case you are like me I thought I would share this with you today.

Let’s live like the Apostle Paul said here in verse 25. Let’s follow the Spirit. Life will certainly be better.

November 24, 2018

Rest, Sweet Rest

Last night I told Dave that I was tired and just wanted to sleep in this morning. I said I wasn’t sure that I would get up to write the blog. He laughed and said, “Honey, there has never been a morning that you haven’t gotten up early. You’ll write the blog.

Ok, so he was right and I was up earlier this morning than I have been in a while. I hoping to be like this little puppy later today and just lay down for a bit and rest.

One of the things I have learned from years of constantly being on the go is the Lord takes no delight in us being exhausted and weary. Burn out is not God’s plan! Let me encourage you to rest.

I found sound instruction in Psalm 23 this morning.

“The Lord is my shepherd. I will always have everything I need. ²He gives me green pastures to lie in. He leads me by calm pools of water. ³He restores my strength. He leads me on right paths to show that he is good.” Psalm 23:1-3 ERV

The Lord knows that we need rest. He didn’t design our bodies or our minds to be constantly on the go. We need to have our strength renewed and restored. He invites us to lie down and rest. He’s a gracious, loving Shepherd and He watches over us attentatively.

When we’re tired we lose focus, our concentration decreases and we can even weaken our health. However, when we wait, cease from labor, our strength with be restored.

“He helps tired people be strong. He gives power to those without it.
³⁰Young men get tired and need to rest. Even young boys stumble and fall.
³¹But those who trust in the Lord will become strong again. They will be like eagles that grow new feathers. They will run and not get weak. They will walk and not get tired.” Isaiah 40:29-31 ERV

The word trust in verse 31 can also be translated “wait”. Trusting the Lord is a form of waiting. Trusting means to expect, look for, hope in and rely on. There is waiting attached to each and every one of those words. When we are weary there is a place of rest that never disappoints.

“Come to Me, all of you who work and have heavy loads. I will give you rest. ²⁹Follow My teachings and learn from Me. I am gentle and do not have pride. You will have rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29 NLV

God’s Word gives us instruction on how to live and keep things in proper order. It promises us rest. Jesus’ life was filled with constant activity. He walked from town to town, ministered to people daily, and resolved interpersonal conflicts. This is what He did when he needed to be strengthened and rest.

“Then Jesus made the followers get into the boat. He told them to go to the other side of the lake. He said he would come later. He stayed there to tell everyone they could go home. ²³After Jesus said goodbye to the people, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. It was late, and he was there alone.” Matthew 14:22-23 ERV

“Very early the next morning, Jesus got up and went to a place where he could be alone and pray.” Mark 1:35 CEV

“But the news about Jesus spread more and more. Many people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. ¹⁶Jesus often went away to other places to be alone so that he could pray.” Luke 5:15-16 ERV

Jesus committed himself to prayer and there He found rest. He took time to be alone.

I enjoy doing those word search puzzles. So I am going to give you some letters and ask you to find the hidden word. You can only use each letter once. Here they are. T-S-E-S-R-S. What word did you find?

If you found the word STRESS, you can’t have rest. But if you chose the word REST you won’t have stress. Just saying!

Take a day and enjoy some time of rest.