“Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, ‘You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?’”
Matthew 16:8-10
Remember - such a simple word and yet it can take us back in time when we hear it. This simple word appears 165 times in the Bible, not to mention all of its variances found there as well. It always takes the people back, often times to something God did or said - to something Jesus did or said.
As we stand on the threshold of another new year it is good to look back and remember all that God did in our lives, all that he provided in His love and faithfulness. Taking time to remember those times when He carried us because we had grown too weary to go on. Those times when He shielded us from the brunt of the storm we were facing. What about those times when He provided us with our version of “loaves and fish?” We should remember those as well and we must remember how He was faithful to save us even when we were not faithful.
None of us know what we will face in the New Year - we are praying for blessings and those in abundance. Yet, there is little doubt that we will face some struggles there too and when we do we should remember what we know from experience to be true. God is faithful, He will provide and protect. He will be our light when we only see our dark world. He will carry us when we grow weary. He will put people in our lives to travel with us so we are not lonely. He will be there each day of the year - laughing with us, singing with us, crying with us and molding us into His image.
I suggest that as we step into to this New Year that we take time to remember and take those remembrances with us into the future.
My Prayer For You
Father, thank you for the many blessings you have given us over the last year. Thank you for Your faithfulness in providing all that we needed. Thank you for loving us. As we begin this New Year we ask for Your blessing and continued care. We desire the year to be free of trials but we know we will face some and when we do may we remember You are with us. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Monday, December 24, 2012
Make Room
“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn”
Luke 2:6-7
Joseph and Mary had traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem - the City of David for the census and when they arrived they found the city full of people and not a spare guest room to be found. Why was there no room for them? Scriptures don’t make it clear - perhaps the city had too many people in it, maybe they were being shunned. I suspect that if the “why” had mattered we would have been given the answer. The point is there was no room - no room in the city, no room in the hearts and minds of most of the people - there was just no room for the child foretold by the angel Gabriel and the prophets.
We don’t know what was going on in the city that day and night, had it turned into a big party, were politicians debating, and Roman soldiers patrolling the streets? What we can be sure of was no one was really interested in a baby that had been born and lay sleeping in a manger. No one, that is except the shepherds who had witnessed a marvelous sight and heard amazing news. They were not too busy, they made room in their activities to go and see this thing - this child they had been told about.
It is so easy to get caught up in the activity of the season, in the “celebration” or the struggles that we can, whether we intend to or not, crowd out the very reason for the season and celebration. Is there room at your house and in your heart for Jesus? In our modern world if Joseph and Mary were to show up at your door, would you let them in?
This year, amidst the family gatherings, gifts and food make room for Mary’s baby. Make room in your heart and life for the Son of God, make room for Jesus.
MERRY CHRISTMAS - may your celebration be filled with the peace, hope and love found only in Jesus.
My Prayer For You
Father, as we celebrate Christmas, help us to make room for Your Son since He is the reason we Celebrate. May we feel His presence in a new way as we gather with our families. In the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Amen.
Luke 2:6-7
Joseph and Mary had traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem - the City of David for the census and when they arrived they found the city full of people and not a spare guest room to be found. Why was there no room for them? Scriptures don’t make it clear - perhaps the city had too many people in it, maybe they were being shunned. I suspect that if the “why” had mattered we would have been given the answer. The point is there was no room - no room in the city, no room in the hearts and minds of most of the people - there was just no room for the child foretold by the angel Gabriel and the prophets.
We don’t know what was going on in the city that day and night, had it turned into a big party, were politicians debating, and Roman soldiers patrolling the streets? What we can be sure of was no one was really interested in a baby that had been born and lay sleeping in a manger. No one, that is except the shepherds who had witnessed a marvelous sight and heard amazing news. They were not too busy, they made room in their activities to go and see this thing - this child they had been told about.
It is so easy to get caught up in the activity of the season, in the “celebration” or the struggles that we can, whether we intend to or not, crowd out the very reason for the season and celebration. Is there room at your house and in your heart for Jesus? In our modern world if Joseph and Mary were to show up at your door, would you let them in?
This year, amidst the family gatherings, gifts and food make room for Mary’s baby. Make room in your heart and life for the Son of God, make room for Jesus.
MERRY CHRISTMAS - may your celebration be filled with the peace, hope and love found only in Jesus.
My Prayer For You
Father, as we celebrate Christmas, help us to make room for Your Son since He is the reason we Celebrate. May we feel His presence in a new way as we gather with our families. In the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Amen.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Light in the Darkness
“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world, whoever follows after me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”
John 8:12
The prophet Isaiah speaking about the coming Messiah says: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned” (Isa. 9:12). From the time of the first act of disobedience, our world has been cloaked in darkness. But God’s plan was to infiltrate the darkness with His own light.
Jesus the Son of God, entered into this dark world to bring the light of life and love. Born into the darkness of his time, he would push back the darkness and with everyone who believed and made the choice to follow Him and call Him Lord the darkness was pushed back more.
We can see the darkness all around us, and yet for those of us who are followers of Jesus, followers of “the light of the world” we by our prayers, by our love for one another and our compassion for those around us, help hold back the darkness.
Jesus was born in to an era when no doubt the people thought it couldn’t get any worse. A tyrant king was ruling in the land, the Roman government was oppressive and violent. In his efforts to rid himself of the One called “the king of the Jews” this king had all the male children killed - put to death by the sword.
Today we live in a world equally dark, the weapons may be different but tyrant rulers still kill and imprison those who they fear and mankind can be cruel beyond the imaginable. But there is hope even still - even in the midst of tragedy, because life giving - life changing light it still present. We who call ourselves followers of Jesus bear that light within our very beings - we must allow it to shine as brightly as we can, inviting others into its comforting glow.
This time of year as we celebrate the coming of Jesus, we celebrate the coming of God’s light and love into our dark world. Be the light today. Shove back the darkness to reveal an abundant life of joy, peace, and love.
My Prayer For You
Father, thank you for sending your light into the world through a child. Thank you that Your Son imparts His light to us through Your Holy Spirit. Lord, how hard it is for us to comprehend the evil we witness in our world and yet we are called to shine Your light - Help us especially now to be the beacons that will show others the way to You. In the name of Jesus, the light of the world. Amen.
John 8:12
The prophet Isaiah speaking about the coming Messiah says: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned” (Isa. 9:12). From the time of the first act of disobedience, our world has been cloaked in darkness. But God’s plan was to infiltrate the darkness with His own light.
Jesus the Son of God, entered into this dark world to bring the light of life and love. Born into the darkness of his time, he would push back the darkness and with everyone who believed and made the choice to follow Him and call Him Lord the darkness was pushed back more.
We can see the darkness all around us, and yet for those of us who are followers of Jesus, followers of “the light of the world” we by our prayers, by our love for one another and our compassion for those around us, help hold back the darkness.
Jesus was born in to an era when no doubt the people thought it couldn’t get any worse. A tyrant king was ruling in the land, the Roman government was oppressive and violent. In his efforts to rid himself of the One called “the king of the Jews” this king had all the male children killed - put to death by the sword.
Today we live in a world equally dark, the weapons may be different but tyrant rulers still kill and imprison those who they fear and mankind can be cruel beyond the imaginable. But there is hope even still - even in the midst of tragedy, because life giving - life changing light it still present. We who call ourselves followers of Jesus bear that light within our very beings - we must allow it to shine as brightly as we can, inviting others into its comforting glow.
This time of year as we celebrate the coming of Jesus, we celebrate the coming of God’s light and love into our dark world. Be the light today. Shove back the darkness to reveal an abundant life of joy, peace, and love.
My Prayer For You
Father, thank you for sending your light into the world through a child. Thank you that Your Son imparts His light to us through Your Holy Spirit. Lord, how hard it is for us to comprehend the evil we witness in our world and yet we are called to shine Your light - Help us especially now to be the beacons that will show others the way to You. In the name of Jesus, the light of the world. Amen.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Christmas Lessons from the First Disciple
In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Luke 1:26-28
Writing about Mary, Timothy George says: “Mary was a disciple of Christ before she was his mother, for had she not believed she would not have conceived.” Later in Luke’s Gospel Jesus tells the crowd what the marks of a disciple are when he says: “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice” (Luke 8:21). So what can we learn from Mary - the first disciple that we can apply to our celebration of Christmas?
Have and keep the faith. Unlike Zechariah who did not believe Gabriel when he said Elizabeth would have a son, Mary does believe when Gabriel tells her she is going to have a son, and acts on that faith even though she does not fully understand how it will happen. Mary understands the potential dangers and says yes to God’s plan anyway. No matter what you are facing during this season of Christmas, hold fast to your faith and say yes to God’s plan.
Worship! Her act of obedience is an act of worship. The song she sings when she visits Elizabeth is another act of worship. Sing this Christmas season! Turn your radio, mp3 player, tablet or computer up and sing. Sing, to worship the One who came to give you peace and joy.
Reflect. “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart: (Luke 2:19). Take time this Christmas season to slow down or better yet to stop completely to reflect on all that God has done and is doing in your life. Have you seen Him in the storms? Have you felt His victory? Mary was human like us - she said yes to God without really knowing what would follow, so when out of the ordinary things happened she pondered it all in her heart.
This Christmas take some pointers from the first disciple: keep the faith (He will never leave you), worship by answering his call and singing of His goodness, and reflect - stop and ponder in your heart all that He has done for you, your family and your friends.
My Prayer For You
Father, Thank you for the celebration that we call Christmas. Help us to keep the faith, to be obedient. May we worship You with every fiber of our being. In the midst of our busyness as we prepare to celebrate the greatest gift, help us to stop and reflect on all You have done. Thank you for the examples set by those who have gone before - may we learn from them what it means to be a follower of Your Son. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Luke 1:26-28
Writing about Mary, Timothy George says: “Mary was a disciple of Christ before she was his mother, for had she not believed she would not have conceived.” Later in Luke’s Gospel Jesus tells the crowd what the marks of a disciple are when he says: “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice” (Luke 8:21). So what can we learn from Mary - the first disciple that we can apply to our celebration of Christmas?
Have and keep the faith. Unlike Zechariah who did not believe Gabriel when he said Elizabeth would have a son, Mary does believe when Gabriel tells her she is going to have a son, and acts on that faith even though she does not fully understand how it will happen. Mary understands the potential dangers and says yes to God’s plan anyway. No matter what you are facing during this season of Christmas, hold fast to your faith and say yes to God’s plan.
Worship! Her act of obedience is an act of worship. The song she sings when she visits Elizabeth is another act of worship. Sing this Christmas season! Turn your radio, mp3 player, tablet or computer up and sing. Sing, to worship the One who came to give you peace and joy.
Reflect. “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart: (Luke 2:19). Take time this Christmas season to slow down or better yet to stop completely to reflect on all that God has done and is doing in your life. Have you seen Him in the storms? Have you felt His victory? Mary was human like us - she said yes to God without really knowing what would follow, so when out of the ordinary things happened she pondered it all in her heart.
This Christmas take some pointers from the first disciple: keep the faith (He will never leave you), worship by answering his call and singing of His goodness, and reflect - stop and ponder in your heart all that He has done for you, your family and your friends.
My Prayer For You
Father, Thank you for the celebration that we call Christmas. Help us to keep the faith, to be obedient. May we worship You with every fiber of our being. In the midst of our busyness as we prepare to celebrate the greatest gift, help us to stop and reflect on all You have done. Thank you for the examples set by those who have gone before - may we learn from them what it means to be a follower of Your Son. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
What Christmas Should Be
“I bring you good news of great joy!”
Luke 2:10
I don’t know about you, but I strongly dislike Christmas in its current modern form at least. I dislike that there are a few that want to make it a secular, consumer driven event – an opportunity to bolster the economy by spending money we don’t have to buy stuff that nobody needs or wants. Another excuse to over indulge in food and alcohol - did you know that more people die from alcohol related incidents during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays than at any other time of the year? That is not what Christmas is supposed to be about. I know, I haven’t created a very pretty picture of this sacred holiday, but let’s face it folks, even those of us who call ourselves Christians fall into the trap of “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.”
So what should Christmas really be? Webster defines Christmas as: “A Christian feast celebrating the Birth of Christ.” Then should only Christians celebrate it? In Luke 2:10 the angel tells the shepherds, “I bring you GOOD News of GREAT JOY!” and in verse 11 “A Savior has been born.” These two simple phrases tell us Christmas should be filled with joy and hope, not stress and hopelessness. How many of you feel joy while you were fighting the crowds at the mall? Christmas should be a time of Joy - the kind of joy you feel when you see a new born baby, for those of you who are parents – do you remember that feeling? Christmas should be a time of hope, the birth of Jesus the Christ was in many ways a new beginning, new beginnings bring hope. Christmas should be about peace. God decided to come to earth, not in a blaze of glory, not with a grand entrance, not even as a rich man. He chose to come, as a baby – born to a poor earthly family, born in a stable. I don’t know if any of you have ever been in a barn at night, I have and it is a peaceful place, the animals are resting, it is quiet and there is warmth. There in the Bethlehem stable, Mary, Joseph and the baby whose purpose was to restore man’s relationship with God were at peace. John 3:16 puts the final touch on what Christmas should be – it should be about love – “For God so LOVED…” We live in uncertain times, times that are not joy filled, where we can and do lose hope, where there is violence instead of peace and hate or at least indifference instead of love.
But we can change that – we can keep our focus on the real reason for the season – JESUS. He was born of God’s love. His birth brought good news and hope. The circumstances of His birth show us we can have peace no matter what. If you call yourself a Christian, make Christmas what it should be, a time of celebration, joy, hope, peace and love. If you are hopeless today, if you want Christmas to be something different, accept the greatest gift that was ever given – Jesus. Open his gift and find the true meaning of Christmas.
My Prayer For You
Father, I know that some who are reading this are having a hard year, they are facing painful and stressful circumstances in their lives. I ask that as we draw nearer to the celebration of Your Son’s birth that we may each receive the gifts of joy, hope, peace and love, In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Luke 2:10
I don’t know about you, but I strongly dislike Christmas in its current modern form at least. I dislike that there are a few that want to make it a secular, consumer driven event – an opportunity to bolster the economy by spending money we don’t have to buy stuff that nobody needs or wants. Another excuse to over indulge in food and alcohol - did you know that more people die from alcohol related incidents during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays than at any other time of the year? That is not what Christmas is supposed to be about. I know, I haven’t created a very pretty picture of this sacred holiday, but let’s face it folks, even those of us who call ourselves Christians fall into the trap of “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.”
So what should Christmas really be? Webster defines Christmas as: “A Christian feast celebrating the Birth of Christ.” Then should only Christians celebrate it? In Luke 2:10 the angel tells the shepherds, “I bring you GOOD News of GREAT JOY!” and in verse 11 “A Savior has been born.” These two simple phrases tell us Christmas should be filled with joy and hope, not stress and hopelessness. How many of you feel joy while you were fighting the crowds at the mall? Christmas should be a time of Joy - the kind of joy you feel when you see a new born baby, for those of you who are parents – do you remember that feeling? Christmas should be a time of hope, the birth of Jesus the Christ was in many ways a new beginning, new beginnings bring hope. Christmas should be about peace. God decided to come to earth, not in a blaze of glory, not with a grand entrance, not even as a rich man. He chose to come, as a baby – born to a poor earthly family, born in a stable. I don’t know if any of you have ever been in a barn at night, I have and it is a peaceful place, the animals are resting, it is quiet and there is warmth. There in the Bethlehem stable, Mary, Joseph and the baby whose purpose was to restore man’s relationship with God were at peace. John 3:16 puts the final touch on what Christmas should be – it should be about love – “For God so LOVED…” We live in uncertain times, times that are not joy filled, where we can and do lose hope, where there is violence instead of peace and hate or at least indifference instead of love.
But we can change that – we can keep our focus on the real reason for the season – JESUS. He was born of God’s love. His birth brought good news and hope. The circumstances of His birth show us we can have peace no matter what. If you call yourself a Christian, make Christmas what it should be, a time of celebration, joy, hope, peace and love. If you are hopeless today, if you want Christmas to be something different, accept the greatest gift that was ever given – Jesus. Open his gift and find the true meaning of Christmas.
My Prayer For You
Father, I know that some who are reading this are having a hard year, they are facing painful and stressful circumstances in their lives. I ask that as we draw nearer to the celebration of Your Son’s birth that we may each receive the gifts of joy, hope, peace and love, In the name of Jesus, Amen.
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