If it’s broken, YOU fix it !!

We all enjoyed at our church this morning listening to Nikki play Silent Night on her guitar.  That was how the very first playing of that great Christmas hymn was nearly two thousand years ago in a little Austrian church !    No  they weren’t trying to be “contemporary” but they were trying to be resourceful as the church’s organ had broken.   But it must’ve turned out pretty well, for soon the locals passed it on to the ruling king and in turn to other heads of Europe then later it found its way to American churches !  And today we still enjoy this wonderful Christmas song.

The story of Silent Night’s first rendition reminds us that things don’t always come about as we would plan but God can still work things out for His glory !   Think about the incarnation for a moment.  Coming to earth and taking on flesh was really not God’s “plan A”.  He made man His crowning creation as recorded in Genesis but man let God down, he sinned.  Man, like that church organ had become broken, yet God in His infinite wisdom had a plan and it was brilliant.  To satisfy the problem of sin, there would need to be an ample substitute or man would have to die and pay for his own sin.    When Jesus left heaven’s glories and took on humanity, the plan began to be set in motion to pay for our sin. He would live as a human and yet not sin one time and thus be the perfect, satisfactory Substitute for our sin.    Have you allowed Him to be your Savior ?  Have you truly admitted to Him you have sinned and asked Him to save your lost soul?  What about people you will celebrate Christmas with, are you sure they have accepted Christ?  That clerk at the store you purchase last minute gifts from and you see them weary from dealing with customers all day, will you share a gospel tract with them?     Lives all around us are like that broken organ and though we may not always see them so broken they may be and God has a plan He’s entrusted to you to share, why not this Christmas season??

How’s your smeller?

As I was preparing for the Sunday morning message this week I decided to have a little object lesson as I preach about the wise men coming to the Christ child.  So I went out and purchased some frankincense and myrrh.  How fascinating to actually see and smell these Christmas gifts to our Lord !  Smells are often a subjective thing for the most part.  My wife wasn’t particularly impressed by frankincense (though I liked it) and she liked myrrh better than I.  But her smeller is much better than mine !   But I suppose in the first century in Israel such gifts and their respective aromas were a great luxury and much sought after. Today we can walk into a  store and buy about any scent you can think of.  We’re a tad spoiled !!

The Bible uses the idea of how we sacrifice for the Lord as a sweet aroma.  Recall Paul’s words to the Philippians regarding their love offering to him while he was incarcerated for preaching the gospel: “I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.” (4:18).   Our American Christmas tradition places major emphasis upon the giving of gifts but as the holiday approaches do consider how you give !   Is what I give a “good smelling” gift to the Lord? For it’s easy to go through the motions in my giving.  As you soon will be with family, whatever your role give your best to them for His sake.  If it’s cooking do it well, if cleaning to His glory, if  decorating or planning the time together make an impact for Him.  If your the guest, be a great one and chip in well and show heartfelt appreciation to the host/hostess.  We must give out of devotion to Him Who first gave His all for us !!

Game, Set, Match to the Christmas Child & Children

Every year lately it seems there are some who want to attack the Lord and Christmas.  Recently a school in New England had the kids sing Silent Night at school but removed the words “Christ”.  A billboard erected by atheists in New York City dissed the Lord saying “Who needs Christ in Christmas? – Nobody !”.     Satan is active but he must be very frustrated for he cannot and will not win !  The Lord has already come and won the victory at the  cross.  The devil used Herod to kill the children in Bethlehem but the Lord won !   He sought to tempt Jesus in the wilderness in Matt.4 but our Savior won !  Lucifer may’ve thought as Jesus hung on that cross he finally had him but Jesus uttered “It is FINISHED !” – He WON the final victory !!

So the next time you hear of some some story where atheists seem to gain an edge by removing  a nativity scene and twist our first amendment remember as a child of God you are on the winning team !!!!!   Enjoy this special Christmas season knowing that whatever setbacks you may face, they are temporary because victory has already been secured by that Babe in the manger !!!!!!!!!!!

God With Us

Last evening at our Christmas Hymn Sing a lady attended our service for the first time and she is a friend and neighbor of one of our members.  As we spoke I was reminded she has a  famous ancestor, Edgar Allen Poe !   Poe wrote his classic “The Raven” just a mile from our church in a 19th century inn where he stayed at that time.   And as I spoke to this woman I said, “I hear you are pretty good at writing yourself !”  She modestly replied she does some poetry but her famed cousin of her grandmother was much better !    As Christmas approaches, and we think of His coming to take on flesh, He did so that we could not only be reconciled to Him but start to become Christlike ourselves.  This begins at conversion but is to continue as we grow spiritually.

Like Poe, this woman exhibits some of his traits.  It’s “in the genes” as they say !  And like Jesus Christ so should be become more like Him !   Once saved we’re “in Jesus” !!  So it’s important we spend time with Him and yes, read and pray and attend church, and fellowship with like minded believers but never neglect the simple yet powerful means of ongoing growth in staying in fellowship with Him !  One of the terms the Bible uses to describe Jesus’ first coming at Christmas is “Emmanuel”:  “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is ‘God with us'”.  (Matt.1:23).    God is with you permanently once you’re saved but your sin can sever the sweet fellowship you can have with Him.  Simply put, we must never cave in on confessing our sin and living in constant communion with Him. It is a battle for we have our sin nature but as we read, pray, obey, attend, etc we are strengthened in our spirits to WANT to live in fellowship with Him.  The spiritual side bests the carnal side and we desire more to live righteously and its then automatic, we start to think, talk, act more like Him !!!  What another great Christmas gift !!!

Christmas Love

A week from today little ones will be arising early, and I mean early, to unwrap their gifts.  Yes, we get a little carried away here in America and do a good deal of spoiling and sometimes we even run the risk in our love for them of putting a bit too much emphasis on gift giving rather than THE greatest of gifts in Jesus becoming flesh that first Christmas.  That being said let me speak to love misguided and true love.

We’ve all heard of tough love and for many of us this is tough to practice. We want to exert only “positive” love, if you will.  Parents find it hard to properly correct or listen well to what they are saying to properly render  judgment, sometimes we fail to understand where they are and come off a bit harsh expecting them to be perfect when they nor we aren’t.  When we fail to deliver a just consequence or are inconsistent in the parental role we aren’t really showing a proper love but building their insecurities.   But God’s love is always right.  Sometimes His Word encourages us, or convicts, or He even chastens us but it’s all for our benefit  because God IS love !    Even His leaving heaven’s grandeur to be born in a lowly manger and live in a sinful world as a human bespeaks His great love for it was FOR us and undeservedly so.  He full well knew what lie ahead for Him yet He saw our need: “He came unto His own and His own received Him not.” (Jn.1:11). This is love !!   Take a cue from it today, do what is right with compassion for those you love.  Treat them as you would like to be treated, love them as God does no matter what wrong they may do for God died for them and all their sins just as He did for yours !

Be still and know. . .

So its almost a week away now, got all your shopping done? How about the wrapping?  Ladies, are the menus planned and is the food all bought? Ahh, yes so much to do, so little time to do it !  Just last evening my wife and I were talking to a lady she knew who works in retail and she told us she hates Christmas so far this year because the people are so crabby now !  We knew she doesn’t hate Christmas but the attitudes some people get this time of year can sometimes rub off on us if we’re not careful.

Satan wants to take out the joy, to rob us of our peace, to get us so wrapped up in wrapping that we miss the blessings of Christmas and miss out on being a blessing to others around us !   This is why its vital that each day you take some time (as much a premium as that is now) to spend time with the Lord.   Remember you take the time to do those things you deem important, and isn’t He? Isn’t your testimony?  When both the shepherds and the wise men spent time with Jesus how were they affected? “Ok let’s get going, so much to do, gotta get some egg nog !”  Nope, the Bible says “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen. . .”(Lk.2:20) & of the wise men, “. . .they saw the young child with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshipped Him” (Mt.2:11).

Our minds get enough stress, strain & distraction. We need to seek out Jesus and enjoy some time sitting at His feet.  Often I will turn on a Christian radio station when driving and just listen to Scripture read and let it permeate my mind for a bit. I have to admit that has been some of my most productive and enriching alone time when driving some place.   I think you will find, that despite all the things that need to be done when you are like Mary not Martha, they will still get done and God will get done something good in you !

Ponder the wonderment of Christmas

What’s your favorite part of Christmas?   Kids certainly enjoy their gifts,  and adults enjoy seeing their kids happy opening their presents. We enjoy the family time and seeing folks that sometimes we only see this time of year.  The different decorations add to the luster of Christmas as well.  And who amongst could not quickly respond to our favorite kinds of food to eat this Christmas season !    Many are the blessings associated with this holiday.

I wonder what God would cite that is special to Him?   Would it be the joy of having taken on flesh to save us?  Would it be the worship He receives from us in adoration for what He’s given us?   I can imagine that when we get just a little sense of what it must mean to Him He is thrilled !  To have commenced the plan of salvation by taking on flesh two thousand years ago must’ve been thrilling to Him just as it was for the angels to have announced His birth to those simple shepherds.  Remember how excited you were when you were born again? At that first Christmas God was enacting His plan in time to save you and everyone else who has come to Christ, ever !!  So needless to say Christmas must be a tremendous joy to Him and the more we get to know Him it will be to us as well !   Spend some time for a little reflection and meditation on this today  !!

A Magical Season indeed

As a little boy I remember coming home from church on Christmas Eve night claiming I saw one star in the sky shining especially brighter than the others that evening.  My parents would humor me as parents often do their children in such cases. But as a youngster I so wanted to see and experience what those wise men did so many years ago as they journeyed on their arduous trek to see the Christ child.  There is a certain wonderment about this special holiday and while one doesn’t have to resort to fanciful beliefs in some mystical jolly figure or conjur up in their minds a special star it is very real the “magic” about Christmas !

The “magic” is that the very One these wise men sought and eventually saw is that still today we too can experience the Christ ! “. . .behold, wise men came from the east to Jerusalem, saying ‘Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” (Matt.2:1-2).  If you are truly saved, do you remember the special evidences when you were born again?  Peace is one evidence, and a thirst for spiritual things another, perhaps you took God’s name in vain before  your were saved, after it bothered you to hear someone curse His name !  There are other signs one has truly been saved but they all mean you know Him, that same One who graced a manger over two millennia ago !!  Isn’t that truly magical when you think about it?   You have something very special to celebrate about Christmas because you are in Him and He is  in you !  There will never be a greater gift to you than Him, share Him with someone this  magical season !!

Peace to Men of Good Will

The Twelve Days of Christmas in ancient tradition was typically started on Dec.25 and ran until Jan.5 with varying customs such as the giving of gifts each of these twelve days.  But I would like to start today and go until our Christmas day giving you something to ponder, to focus you more on this special time and help you through what can often be hectic as well !

So for the first day, let’s consider a “Christmas verse”, namely Luke 2:14:   “Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” As we go through the days leading up to Christmas remember that all you do, think, and say should give Him glory.  He is to have the preeminence and when He truly does, you will truly experience the rest of the verse.    Liberal theologians are always preaching the brotherhood of man, that is we are all one and we should all put aside doctrinal differences and just “love one another.”   But the angels’ pronouncement is to be better understood that they desired God’s glory and on earth peace, and here it comes, “to men of good will.” !   God doesn’t give His peace to those who choose to live as they want with disregard to the Word, but He promises peace, real peace, as an indication that you are truly submissive to Him (Gal.5).  Too many folks today seek alleviation from life’s stresses through alcohol, pills, etc. but God holds out to whosoever will want it and seek it His way !

Not long ago a sister in Christ, Sarah Palin, was verbally assaulted by a liberal commentator in an extremely graphic and repugnant way. This same commentator had a show on a network our President and first lady love and love to appear on. It’s clear who are the “good guys” and “bad guys” when you know the Bible and God’s peace.  But the commentator relented after much pressure and issued a public apology. Mrs. Palin was asked about it and her response was  not to respond in kind but to say her task is to forgive !  What a good example to our nation of moral leadership and of peace despite the lack of it in many other’s hearts these days. Show that Christmas peace yourself, let your demeanor be a gift to all around you too !!

Winter Wonderland

As I gaze out my window today, it is truly a winter wonderland !  The snow is coming down gently covering everything in sight with a fresh layer of white pristine flakes.  We were covering a part of Genesis recently in our Sunday School (you know that “archaic” part of church some adults think is only for kids since they only show up for church, ha !?).  Oh how much more  they would gain of fellowship and insight into God’s Word just by being faithful to that part of the local church ! Ok, another time on that !

Anyway, as we were studying in Genesis 8 we looked at how God promised after the flood how that “while the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” (vs.22).  We enjoy our winter wonderlands, our summertime warmth, etc. because God promised we would as long as this old planet keeps chugging along by His design. Sorry environmental extremists, you are not the ultimate caretakers of God’s creation, He is !

But the promise of the perpetual change of the seasons, the arrival of each white Christmas and the enjoyment of a warm sandy beach in July is just one little evidence that the Lord we serve sticks to His Word ! His promises are sure, His Word can be trusted.   Are you plagued with some doubt today, are you wondering where is He exactly in the equation of your problem today?  Oh He’s there alright, your job is just to take Him at His Word and wait on Him.  See, there’s more to snow than just its natural beauty, there is also a supernatural component for you as His child, His great blessing !!   Let it snow, let it snow !!!!!