WHAT IS CHRISTMAS TO YOU?

Since the middle of October there has been Christmas decorations in the stores. People started their Christmas shopping and Black Friday officially started the Christmas season. Cities across the world are having lighting ceremonies. Stores are having sales for that special Christmas gift. Little children live in great anticipation of Santa coming with that special gift they can't live without.  There are the Christmas parties, families traveling from afar to spend this special day together, Christmas caroling, and schools and churches having Christmas or holiday pageants. In September ones start counting down to this one day. But why?
What does this day, this time of year mean to you? What does this little babe wrapped in swaddling cloth represent to you? This little babe is not just a doll wrapped in a blanket, He is God, He is Savior. Seven hundred years before this baby was born a man predicted his birth. Isaiah is not just a book in the Bible but he was a human no different than you or I. Listen to what he said, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace..."
The One who created this universe, who knew you in your mother's womb before she even knew you were there, came to this earth as a "little babe in swaddling cloth". This babe will grow to be the man who bore your sins on a cross he was forced to carry to a place called Calvary; this Man suffered being whipped so by His stripes you are healed, this Man sacrificed Himself on this cross so you could have an everlasting relationship with God.
If you are celebrating the birth of your Savior this season, let it be a season of joy, a season you draw closer in your relationship to this little one called Jesus. If you don't know this little one, let me introduce you to him; this is Jesus. The Man who sacrificed himself as an atonement for your sins so you can have a relationship with God by believing this little babe is the Son of God. For "if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." Let this little babe be your "special gift" this Christmas for he is God's gift to you and I.
Come, celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, Son of God, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace...CELEBRATE!!!

LOVE ONE ANOTHER

 When asked by a Pharisee what is the greatest commandment, Jesus replied: LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND...AND THE SECOND IS LIKE IT: LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.  And yet we have hatred, we have strife,  we have dissension, we have hopelessness. Why? Is not the same God on His throne as has always been there? Has He abdicated? I write this not only for the American people but also for the people around the world who follow me on this site.
The same God who was on His throne last week, last month, last year is still on His throne today. He is the one who is in control. Amazingly, it is NOT Washington, DC or who is sitting there or will sit there as President, or as Senator, or as Representative, or as Judge. It is not the leader of France, or Germany, or Russia. It is not the leader in your country.  It is God. The God who created us, the God who so wanted a relationship with us He gave His only begotten Son as a sacrifice for OUR sins, the same God who cries out to you "Come" cries out to you "Love your neighbors as yourself".
No matter what nation you live in, we all must remember it is God who sets up kings and deposes kings. The One who changes time and controls the seasons, who determines whether it will rain or snow is Sovereign over ALL. Stop your protesting!! Stop your killing!!! LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.

IT'S SO SIMPLE YET SO HARD

We humans take the simplest thing and make it difficult!! Lately, I've been reading Scripture from THE MESSAGE by Eugene H. Peterson. I'm reading Romans. Listen to this excerpt from Romans 2:

This makes it clear, doesn't it, that whatever is written in these Scriptures is not what God says about others but to us to whom these Scriptures were addressed in the first place! And it's clear enough, isn't it, that we're sinners, every one of us, in the same sinking boat with everybody else? Our involvement with God's revelation doesn't put us right with God. What it does is force us face our complicity in everyone else's sin.
But in our time something new has been added.  What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us.  And not only for us but for everyone who believes in him.  For there is no difference between us and them in this.  Since we've compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us.  Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.
God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin. Having faith in him sets us in the clear.  God decided on this course of action in full view of the public-to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins he had so patiently endured. This is not only clear, but it's NOW-this is current history! God sets things right.  He also makes it possible for us to live in his rightness."

What more is there to say? Jesus came to make things right between you and God. Sin is sin. One sin is NOT greater than the other. Bottom line: God wants a relationship with YOU!! How do you get a relationship with Him? The same way you get to know anyone else. You talk with Him. Tell Him what is in your heart. He loves you and wants to hear from you!!

ARE WE FOCUSING ON THE WRONG WINDOW?

This week-end I visited relatives close to me in Florida. Due to hurricanes they have hurricane shutters on their house to protect their windows. The first night I was taken into the bedroom I'd be staying in for the next two nights. The room has two windows; one where the hurricane shutter is only opened enough for air to come in the window when opened, the second is on the back of the house and opens out onto the lanai. Behind the lanai was a fence and the backyard neighbor's house.
My cousin assured me no one could see in the side window. Since it was late and dark outside I felt reassured I could get in my nightgown unobserved by anyone. In the morning I again focused my attention to the side window thereby reassuring myself I could get dressed unseen. However, I never paid any attention to the back window until I was putting my bra on and looked up to see clearly the backyard fence and neighbor's sliding glass door neatly within my view.
Immediately I thought, "How many times is our focus on the wrong window? Spiritually, how many times is our focus on the wrong thing and not on God?" Psalm 16:8 is one of my favorite verses, "Keep your eyes always on the Lord; with the Lord at my right hand, I will not be shaken." These few words are the instructions for us to overcome any trial we may face during the span of our day. Paul tells us in Philippians that "we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us". So, friends, don't  focus on the wrong window but on Jesus Christ "the propitiation for our sins..." (1 John 2:2a)

GOD'S WORD

"The way we treat the Word of God is the way we treat the God of the Word." Warren Weirsbe

This was a quote from our sermon notes yesterday. It reminded me of my great-aunt's Bible. As you can see, it's very well worn and very much written in. One can see her Bible was a very good friend as was the Author of the Bible. She knew the God of the Word well. He was, is, and will be the one true God. Most of all, He was her Best Friend.

In this age of electronics we are able to have the Bible with us no matter where we go. How worn is your Bible? Do you have verses highlighted, favorite verses you pray everyday, notes electronically notated? Most of all, is the God of the Word your personal Friend, Savior, Counselor, Prince of Peace, Almighty One, Mighty King, Lord of lords. He is trustworthy. He is love. He is Truth. My great-aunt knew her eternity was secure. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last.

Please allow the Word of God become the God of Word in your heart. He is the Best Friend you will ever have in this sin-filled world and in the sin-less world to come.

MOUNTAINTOPS VS. VALLEYS

We as Christ-followers love our mountaintop experiences!! However, sitting in church yesterday the Lord impressed upon me mountaintops  are barren of vegetation, difficult to traverse, and more often than not immersed in the clouds making it difficult to see great distances. On the other hand, valleys are where the food for surviving is found; there are rivers, lakes and streams to give us the necessary water to sustain life; the terrain is easier to traverse; and, usually easier to see greater distances. It is where our living happens. While mountaintop experiences are nice for short-term experiences, the valleys are where we spend the majority of our time. The same is true with our walks with Christ--we learn more in our valley time; we receive our life in the valley times. Even people who live in the mountains don't live on the mountaintops. They are usually places viewed from afar. Hopefully, this gives another perspective on valley-living. Whether you are in your valley-time or mountaintop-time, may you feel God's love surround you, His peace permeate you, and His food sustain you.

GOD'S DIFFICULT LESSONS

First of all, I'd like to apologize for not posting for a very long time. In truth, it seems like forever but it has only been five weeks. I'm not trying to minimize my misdeed at all. I ask for your forgiveness. I'll not promise this won't happen again but I'll try my very best to be regular.
There are ones reading this post who have had loved ones die or injured in bombings, injured or killed in senseless shootings, injured or died in earthquakes and mudslides, raped and murdered senselessly by terrorists, had their homes destroyed by floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, and mudslides.  The largest followers after the United States are countries who have been affected by each of these disasters in the last three months. To the ones who have found comfort here may God be praised. They are not my words but His. The path I have walked these past few weeks in no way compares to what you have endured; however, please let me share a few things He has taught me--especially this past week.
As I've shared with you in previous posts,  in the summer of 2003 God gave me the gift of evangelism. Before I could utilize this gift God had to heal my heart of many areas the Enemy had used to  impriston me.  The prison doors were unlocked the winter of 2004-5 by the Great Healer Himself through the Bible study by Beth Moore, BREAKING FREE. Through the years He has continued to unlock the doors of those cells caused by abuse, death, divorce, and life using words of pastors, friends, Bible studies, and most importantly His Word. This past week, I've learned where God has healed the only person who can take that healing away is ME. He has reminded me, "...the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." Am I completely healed? NO. That will not happen until I see Him face to face. Am I discounting doctors, Christian counselors, pastors, psychologists, or psychiatrists? NO. All of these people have been gifted by God for His purposes.
This picture was taken outside a friend's house this week. When I showed her and two other friends who had walked by them on there way into the house for dinner none of them could tell me where these flowers were located. All week I prayed for answers and all week in my quiet place was a journal He was prompting me to pick up and read. Several times I glanced at it and quickly dismissed it. Finally, last night, I picked it up. In the journal was the answers to the prayers I had been desparately praying all week. Sometimes His beauty is hidden in plain sight...sometimes right under our noses...
NOW TO HIM WHO IS ABLE TO DO IMMEASURABLY MORE THAN ALL WE ASK OR IMAGINE, ACCORDING TO HIS POWER THAT IS AT WORK WITHIN US, TO HIM BE GLORY IN THE CHURCH AND IN CHRIST JESUS THROUGHOUT ALL GENERATIONS FOREVER AND EVER! AMEN. (Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV)