“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.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
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.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Extraordinary in the Ordinary
“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”
Acts 4:13
I saw an interesting news story on the internet the other day. In the story a seemingly normal guy set out to make a documentary about getting rejected… go figure - don’t we face enough rejection in this world without having to intentionally go look for it? One day he walked into a Krispy Kreme donut shop and made an unusual request - he wanted a donut in the shape of the Olympic rings, and colored correctly. Now of course he expected to be told no, instead he found himself in an extraordinary situation. The manager of the shop was up to the challenge, did her best to meet the gentleman’s request, even googling the symbol to make sure she got the colors right. When she presented the donuts to him, he was thrilled and then it got even better. She gave him the donuts - no charge. He said he had failed in his attempt to get rejected but that the actions of the Krispy Kreme manager was extraordinary and made his heart feel good.
In today’s passage it is not that Peter and John were courageous as they preached the Good News of Jesus, it is the fact that they were ordinary men, doing something extraordinary because they had been with Jesus. For some of those they touched with their message powered by the Holy Spirit - hearts where changed, fear was driven out and healing took place. But for others, the effect was the opposite - they were afraid because two ordinary men were doing extraordinary things in the name of Jesus.
I am fairly certain that most of us get that we are just ordinary people, but I am also sure that every once in a while I catch a glimpse of the extraordinary in others and sometimes myself. What about you? Has your heart been changed by an extraordinary act of an ordinary person? Have you been the extraordinary answer to the prayer of an ordinary friend or stranger?
As we clear away the leftovers of our Thanksgiving feasts and approach the season of Advent may we experience the extraordinary in the ordinary and be made better for it.
A Prayer
Father - Thank you, for using ordinary people and circumstances to do extraordinary things in this world. Help us to be on the lookout for those extraordinary moments that will fill our hearts to over flowing and bring You glory and honor. In the name of Jesus - Amen.
Acts 4:13
I saw an interesting news story on the internet the other day. In the story a seemingly normal guy set out to make a documentary about getting rejected… go figure - don’t we face enough rejection in this world without having to intentionally go look for it? One day he walked into a Krispy Kreme donut shop and made an unusual request - he wanted a donut in the shape of the Olympic rings, and colored correctly. Now of course he expected to be told no, instead he found himself in an extraordinary situation. The manager of the shop was up to the challenge, did her best to meet the gentleman’s request, even googling the symbol to make sure she got the colors right. When she presented the donuts to him, he was thrilled and then it got even better. She gave him the donuts - no charge. He said he had failed in his attempt to get rejected but that the actions of the Krispy Kreme manager was extraordinary and made his heart feel good.
In today’s passage it is not that Peter and John were courageous as they preached the Good News of Jesus, it is the fact that they were ordinary men, doing something extraordinary because they had been with Jesus. For some of those they touched with their message powered by the Holy Spirit - hearts where changed, fear was driven out and healing took place. But for others, the effect was the opposite - they were afraid because two ordinary men were doing extraordinary things in the name of Jesus.
I am fairly certain that most of us get that we are just ordinary people, but I am also sure that every once in a while I catch a glimpse of the extraordinary in others and sometimes myself. What about you? Has your heart been changed by an extraordinary act of an ordinary person? Have you been the extraordinary answer to the prayer of an ordinary friend or stranger?
As we clear away the leftovers of our Thanksgiving feasts and approach the season of Advent may we experience the extraordinary in the ordinary and be made better for it.
A Prayer
Father - Thank you, for using ordinary people and circumstances to do extraordinary things in this world. Help us to be on the lookout for those extraordinary moments that will fill our hearts to over flowing and bring You glory and honor. In the name of Jesus - Amen.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Always Thankful
“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 1:3-6
I really like that in almost all of his letters Paul at some point - almost always by way of his greeting - says that he is thankful for the people to whom he is writing. The four verses above speak volumes about being thankful.
Like Paul each week as I write this simple devotion, hoping that it will be used by the Lord to encourage someone, I think of you, pray and thank God for each of you. Some of you reading this have been a part of my life for a long time and have been an encouragement to me throughout the years - for you I give God thanks. Some of you I don’t know as well but you have touched my life in some way, so for you I also give thanks to God. Some of you I am just getting to know and have already been encouraged and am excited to see what happens next as we journey together - I am thanking God for you too.
None of us are perfect; no relationship is without its occasional drama - that’s part of life and something to be thankful for. We are being made over, by a God who loves us and perhaps one of the greatest things we have to be thankful for is that He is not finished with us yet, but He will keep working until we are radiant and perfect. Then we will see each other, the way He sees each of us - as amazing masterpieces, one-of-a-kinds that together form an even greater masterpiece. I wonder what the portrait of the Family of God will look like then, when it is already so spectacular.
This week as you gather to feast with friends and family remember you are loved by God and so are they (even the difficult ones). I thank God every time I remember you.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
A Prayer
Father - Thank you, that you remember us and will not leave us unfinished. Thank you for the people you place in our lives to help us, to encourage us and to journey with us, they are all part of your plan. May we all give thanks every time we remember one another and especially as we remember all that You have done for us. In the name of Jesus - Amen.
Philippians 1:3-6
I really like that in almost all of his letters Paul at some point - almost always by way of his greeting - says that he is thankful for the people to whom he is writing. The four verses above speak volumes about being thankful.
Like Paul each week as I write this simple devotion, hoping that it will be used by the Lord to encourage someone, I think of you, pray and thank God for each of you. Some of you reading this have been a part of my life for a long time and have been an encouragement to me throughout the years - for you I give God thanks. Some of you I don’t know as well but you have touched my life in some way, so for you I also give thanks to God. Some of you I am just getting to know and have already been encouraged and am excited to see what happens next as we journey together - I am thanking God for you too.
None of us are perfect; no relationship is without its occasional drama - that’s part of life and something to be thankful for. We are being made over, by a God who loves us and perhaps one of the greatest things we have to be thankful for is that He is not finished with us yet, but He will keep working until we are radiant and perfect. Then we will see each other, the way He sees each of us - as amazing masterpieces, one-of-a-kinds that together form an even greater masterpiece. I wonder what the portrait of the Family of God will look like then, when it is already so spectacular.
This week as you gather to feast with friends and family remember you are loved by God and so are they (even the difficult ones). I thank God every time I remember you.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
A Prayer
Father - Thank you, that you remember us and will not leave us unfinished. Thank you for the people you place in our lives to help us, to encourage us and to journey with us, they are all part of your plan. May we all give thanks every time we remember one another and especially as we remember all that You have done for us. In the name of Jesus - Amen.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Thankful for Freedom
“So then, just as
you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were
taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”
Colossians 2:6-7
Colossians 2:6-7
This is the day when we pause to
recognize the members of our armed services and since 9/11 our first
responders. All of these men and women who daily place their lives in harm’s
way to protect our freedom and the many that have made the ultimate sacrifice
for that same cause. For this we must be ever thankful. For this we must never
take our freedom for granted.
As I was thinking about the great
privilege anyone living in a free country has, I realized that in this world
there are some who fight against freedom and I wonder why anyone do that? Why
would anyone fight to protect a tyrant or slavery? Is it fear, is it ignorance,
is it miss placed faith that drive some to surrender their lives in order to
hold freedom at bay?
But there is a greater freedom
available to everyone no matter the government they live under. It is a freedom
paid for by the blood of Jesus. For those of us who call Jesus Lord, who have
accepted his grace and his mercy, whose debt has been paid - Paul reminds us
that we should live lives of abundant thanksgiving.
Because we are free in more than one
way we have a responsibility to live free and to pray for those who live in
captivity, both on this planet and spiritually. We have a responsibility to
pray for those who have found freedom in Christ but are not free to worship
Him. We also need to heed the example of those who risk their lives to worship Him
in a captive land - for they are abundantly thankful for His sacrifice - they
do not take it for granted.
For those who fight that we may be
free - give thanks. For the freedom we have in Christ - give thanks.
A
Prayer
Father
- Thank you, that we live in lands where we have the freedom to worship you.
Thank you for the men and women who fought for that freedom and who have died
for it. Thank you for those to fight to protect our freedom still. Thank that
your Son has set us free from sin and death. Help us to be abundantly thankful
for all of the freedoms we enjoy. In the name of Jesus - Amen.Monday, November 5, 2012
Tis the Season...
“I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.”
Psalm 69:30
The season of thanksgiving that is. As I was looking for today’s verse I was struck by the idea that God has to remind his people that they need to be thankful. How well the Father knows His children, He knew that they would take the many blessings He provides either for granted or that like a spoiled child they would develop an attitude of entitlement. How easy is it for us to take our many blessings for granted or at times to feel entitled to the good things God has for us? I suspect it happens more often than we would like, I know that is the case with me.
The Hebrew word translated as thanksgiving in the Old Testament is toda and the Greek word used in the New Testament is eucharistia. Both of these words have similar meanings but something in the definition of toda really caught my eye it said: “Thanks is the speaking of the excellence of a person or object, with a focus on the personal gratitude of the speaker.” Did you catch that? When we give thanks for the people and things in our lives the attitude of how we express our gratitude is important. Do you say thank you because you are just being polite or do you give thanks from a place of sincere gratitude?
As we race toward the next “Tis the Season” may we slow down enough to truly enjoy the season of Thanksgiving and may we give thanks for the amazing God we serve, for the people in our lives who are walking on this journey with us - no matter how rough the road may get, and for the many things we have and may we give that thanks out of hearts overflowing with gratitude.
What are you thankful for? Today, as I have written this, the list of things I have to be thankful for is growing longer by the second. In fact that list is so long that I think today I am even thankful for the not so good things in life.
Tis the season for giving thanks - do so with an attitude of extreme gratitude.
A Prayer
Father - Thank you, thank you for every good thing You have given to us. Thank you for the people who have given us to share life with. Thank you for the struggles and hard times that make us stronger and make us turn to You. Thank you that you hear our prayers and long to give us good things. Thank you that You loved us so much that you sent Your Son to take away our sins and restore our relationship with you. Help us to live from a place of gratitude all year long. In the name of Jesus, who gives us a reason to be thankful we pray - Amen
Psalm 69:30
The season of thanksgiving that is. As I was looking for today’s verse I was struck by the idea that God has to remind his people that they need to be thankful. How well the Father knows His children, He knew that they would take the many blessings He provides either for granted or that like a spoiled child they would develop an attitude of entitlement. How easy is it for us to take our many blessings for granted or at times to feel entitled to the good things God has for us? I suspect it happens more often than we would like, I know that is the case with me.
The Hebrew word translated as thanksgiving in the Old Testament is toda and the Greek word used in the New Testament is eucharistia. Both of these words have similar meanings but something in the definition of toda really caught my eye it said: “Thanks is the speaking of the excellence of a person or object, with a focus on the personal gratitude of the speaker.” Did you catch that? When we give thanks for the people and things in our lives the attitude of how we express our gratitude is important. Do you say thank you because you are just being polite or do you give thanks from a place of sincere gratitude?
As we race toward the next “Tis the Season” may we slow down enough to truly enjoy the season of Thanksgiving and may we give thanks for the amazing God we serve, for the people in our lives who are walking on this journey with us - no matter how rough the road may get, and for the many things we have and may we give that thanks out of hearts overflowing with gratitude.
What are you thankful for? Today, as I have written this, the list of things I have to be thankful for is growing longer by the second. In fact that list is so long that I think today I am even thankful for the not so good things in life.
Tis the season for giving thanks - do so with an attitude of extreme gratitude.
A Prayer
Father - Thank you, thank you for every good thing You have given to us. Thank you for the people who have given us to share life with. Thank you for the struggles and hard times that make us stronger and make us turn to You. Thank you that you hear our prayers and long to give us good things. Thank you that You loved us so much that you sent Your Son to take away our sins and restore our relationship with you. Help us to live from a place of gratitude all year long. In the name of Jesus, who gives us a reason to be thankful we pray - Amen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)