Celebrating Christmas

     I've been giving some thought to the true meaning of Christmas and it really is an amazing day that we celebrate as Christians.

     Think about this; Jesus left His home in glory to willingly come to earth, He became one of us and entrusted His glorious life into the hands of those He created. In order to be our savior, He had to become one of us.

     That His glorious birth would be announced by heavenly angels was to be expected, but for those angels to announce His birth to shepherds (the lowest of the low) was indeed remarkable, but also very fitting.

     Everything about His birth points to the reason for His life. He is the good shepherd and we are His sheep. As the Word of God, incarnate, it wasn't just a coincidence that He was placed in a manger when He was born. When you think about the purpose of a manger, it is understandable. A manger is a place where sheep come to eat. We, as the sheep of His pasture, come to the manger to feast on the Word of God.

     His birth not only drew the shepherds, those of low position, but also wise men from distant lands. His life on earth served as a bridge for all mankind and He still, today, welcomes all who seek Him into God's Kingdom.

     A star accompanied Him into the world, shining into the darkness, just as His life on earth has done. He is the earthly reflection of God's glory, a light to the Gentiles.

     "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.'
     Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.'
     When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.'
     So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them." Luke 2:8-18

     Yes, the birth of Jesus Christ is indeed something to celebrate. The world had never experienced the God of creation becoming a part of creation and it was a monumental day. As you celebrate the birth of Christ this year, thank Him for humbling Himself, stepping down from His throne on high and becoming Emmanuel - God with us! 

It's not too late to work in God's field

     “God’s kingdom is like an estate manager who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. They agreed on a wage of a dollar a day, and went to work. “Later, about nine o’clock, the manager saw some other men hanging around the town square unemployed. He told them to go to work in his vineyard and he would pay them a fair wage. They went. “He did the same thing at noon, and again at three o’clock. At five o’clock he went back and found still others standing around. He said, ‘Why are you standing around all day doing nothing?’  “They said, ‘Because no one hired us.’ “He told them to go to work in his vineyard.

     “When the day’s work was over, the owner of the vineyard instructed his foreman, ‘Call the workers in and pay them their wages. Start with the last hired and go on to the first.’" 

   Those hired at five o’clock came up and were each given a dollar. When those who were hired first saw that, they assumed they would get far more. But they got the same, each of them one dollar. Taking the dollar, they groused angrily to the manager, ‘These last workers put in only one easy hour, and you just made them equal to us, who slaved all day under a scorching sun.’

     “He replied to the one speaking for the rest, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair. We agreed on the wage of a dollar, didn’t we? So take it and go. I decided to give to the one who came last the same as you. Can’t I do what I want with my own money? Are you going to get stingy because I am generous?’ “Here it is again, the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last first.”

Matthew 20:1-16 (The Message)

Some versions of verse 16 add the phrase  "many are called but few are chosen."

     I have often wondered about this scripture - who was Jesus referring to when he said the first would be last and the last would be first?

     I understand the part about the wages that all the workers received. God's grace is for everyone and even those who wait until their dying breath to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will receive the same wages as those who accept His gift of salvation when they are young. Eternal life is the same for everyone who believes in Jesus as the Son of God. We will all enter God's kingdom and live with Him forever. No one is going to get short-changed because they failed to put their faith in Christ while young.

     But what did Jesus mean when He said that the last will be first and the first will be last? I've done some research by reading what some of the world's finest theologians interpreted from this scripture and the answer that makes the most sense to me is this: Jesus was referring to the Jews and the Gentiles. The Jewish people were God's first choice to take the message of salvation to the world. They were the first workers hired by God, the owner of the world (or the vineyard). Those who came to work in the vineyard later in the day are those who have come to a saving faith because of Christ Jesus. We are His followers who willingly sacrifice our own lives to work for Christ in the world, doing whatever He commands. 

     I suppose that the Jewish people have a difficult time accepting the fact that "Gentiles" will enter God's Kingdom and receive salvation yet, their own prophets tried to tell them. Isaiah is referring to Jesus Christ, the Messiah, in this passage.

Isaiah 49:5-7

And now the Lord says—he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord and my God has been my strength—

he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

This is what the Lord says—the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel—to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers:
“Kings will see you and stand up, princes will see and bow down, because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”

God also told Abraham that through his offspring all the nations of the earth would be blessed. Jesus Christ was Jewish and had Jewish ancestry, yet His biological father was God–the God of the universe–the God who wanted His son to shine His light also for the Gentiles (those who do not have Jewish ancestry).

God had a plan from the beginning of time to draw people to Himself and reward those who came to Him. It's never too late to respond to God's call. Until the day of Jesus' return, He will continue to seek workers to join Him in the harvest field and all those who do will receive the same pay – eternal life!

The mystery of spiritual life

     The spirit realm is a very mysterious place. It's not a tangible place that we can see or touch which makes it seem unreal, but according to the Bible, it is more "real" than what we experience here on this earth.

     The Bible teaches us that God is Spirit and His worshippers must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. Since we are made in His image, it stands to reason that we are also Spirit beings. Mysterious and yet true.

     When Jesus Christ rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, he told the believers that they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit. 

     Acts 1:7-8 - "He (Jesus) said to them (His disciples), 'It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth'."

     The Holy Spirit was gifted to believers as a guide and a connection to God the Father. He speaks to the spirit within each believer through the Holy Spirit and it always, always points us toward Jesus and God. The Holy Spirit knows exactly what God's desires are and He is the one who directs believers to pray in accordance with God's will. He also serves as a check within us when we sin or are tempted to sin. He is the one who convicts us of sin and urges us to repent.

     Just as there is only one true God and only one Savior, there is only one Holy Spirit which connects all believers to one another. That is the reason Paul told the believers in Corinth that the church was considered the "body of Christ". Another mystery – how can people who serve Christ around the world be connected to one another? This is possible through the Spirit of God. Whether we acknowledge the fact or not, it's true. 

     Whatever God has created is eternal - that means it will always exist. Do you doubt that? Consider nature for just a moment. From the grass of the fields to our earthly bodies. The grass may wither and die, it may be burned up or decay, but then it only takes on another form. That form may be smoke which goes into the atmosphere or decay which goes back into the soil, but it doesn't cease to exist. Our earthly bodies are the another example – when we die, our bodies as we know them cease to be, but the spirit within our bodies take on a new form.

     "But someone may ask, 'How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?' How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.

     So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." 1 Corinthians 15:35-44

     When these earthly bodies are gone, the Spirit within them continues on in a different form. Even those who are non-believers will have eternal life, but they will not dwell with God in eternity. For them it will be a life of eternal separation from God – endless darkness and torment will be their eternity.

     There are other spirits in this world which are evil. These evil spirits are constantly in opposition to the Holy Spirit and their purpose is to steal, kill and destroy.

     The spirit realm is indeed very "real." It is a mystery that we may not see, but we can be sure that it is there. 

     Elisha was a prophet of God. The king of Aram didn't like what he was prophesying and set out to destroy him. 

     "Go find out where he is," the king ordered, "so I can send men and capture him." The report came back: "He is in Dothan." Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.

     When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city, "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked.

     "Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

     And Elisha prayed, "O Lord, open his eyes so he may see." Then the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.   2 Kings 6:13-17

     Elisha was given spiritual eyes to know that God was protecting him. He had the assurance that God was greater than his enemies and we serve the same God as Elisha. We may not see the protection which God has provided for us, but as we serve Him daily, those horses and chariots of fire are around us.

     Thanks be to God who lives forever and His provision for us. Because of His great love for us and the precious blood of Jesus, we will live with Him throughout eternity.     

There is power in God's Word

Since my retirement, I have been experiencing a time of dryness in my faith walk. I've been feeling useless and of little value to God or my fellow man. The enemy has been filling my mind with his propaganda but this scripture was part of my devotions today. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 New International Version (NIV) Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

There is power in God's Word and it's up to us to share God's Word with those who do not know it. God depends on us to share His Word with those who need encouragement. We need to be about the business of sharing God's Word any way possible.

Each week more than 140 people read this blog searching for a truth in God's Word and I've been failing to do my part in sharing His love with others. If only one person each week is encouraged and blessed by what I post here, it's an encouragement to me also.

Isaiah 55:8-13

New International Version (NIV) 

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts. 

As the rain and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 

so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

You will go out in joy
    and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
    will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
    will clap their hands.

Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
    and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,
    for an everlasting sign,
    that will endure forever.”

Did you hear that? The words that come from God's own mouth (that is, the words from the Bible), will not return to Him empty, but will achieve the purpose for which He sent it. His Word is powerful!

When we hide God's Word in our hearts, it can be used as a sword against the enemy. Jesus did just that when He was tempted in the wilderness. (See Matthew 4:1-10) We too can stop Satan in his tracks when we speak God's Words. God's Words can help us stand firm in the midst of the trials and hardships we face in this life. 

We have been given a wonderful gift from God - the Bible. It is filled with stories of the lives of ordinary people who were used by God to carry out extraordinary assignments. These stories can help grow our faith and teach us that we, as ordinary people, can also be used by God - right where we are.

Regardless of our circumstances, position or education, God calls us to be witnesses of His love to those we come in contact with , if we ask Him to use us.

I can't stress enough how important it is to read and study God's Word. The more of His Word that we have hidden in our hearts, the more we can share that word with others. And we know that His Word will not return to Him without achieving the purpose for which He sent it. 

It happened to me today, when I read a devotional book with His Word printed as a reminder to me that I need to focus, not on my failures, but on the promise that I have eternal life through Christ Jesus.

The plain and simple Easter story

From the time I was a small child, I knew that Easter was a special day. Our family was not wealthy and there were six children in my family, but each year we would get new church clothes for Easter. I know it cost my father a huge portion of his paycheck to get dresses and shoes for six girls.

The Easter service at church was always special, too. There would be lilies filling the altar and trumpets and kettle drums would join with the pipe organ in the most beautiful music. The choir always sang the Hallejuah chorus and by the time we left church, we knew that we had celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I grew up knowing that we recognized Good Friday as the day that Jesus was crucified and that Easter Sunday was the day we celebrated his resurrection from the dead. It was part of my life and it continues to be a part of my life.

The other day I thought about all the people in this country who don't have that heritage. Those folks who have never set foot inside a church on Easter or any other Sunday. What do they think Easter is all about? What does it mean to them? If they get off work for Good Friday do they understand why?

Some things that we, as Christians, just take for granted may be complete mysteries to those who don't know Jesus.

I'm going to try to explain the mystery. But before I can explain Easter, I have to remind you of Christmas. Christmas is the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus. He was no ordinary baby. Jesus had an earthly mother, her name was Mary, but his father was God. God sent his Holy Spirit to impregnate Mary and he entrusted her and her husband, Joseph, with the responsibility of raising his son.

Since Jesus was the son of God, he was a very special man, with supernatural powers. The Bible tells some of the miracles that Jesus performed while he lived on earth. God sent him to earth as an example for us. He was like the epitome of what God created each one of us to be.

God had a specific purpose for sending Jesus to live on the earth. A blood sacrifice was needed to make amends for the sins of the world and the only blood that would satisfy a Holy God was sinless blood. Jesus was the only person on earth who had that type of blood and he knew that his mission was to sacrifice his blood for all of mankind.

When he was crucified on the cross on Good Friday, his blood took care of the sin issue in the world once and for all. That is why Christians call it Good Friday. He paid the price for our sins, that should have been us on the cross but because we are all sinful we couldn't pay the price ourselves.

But that isn't the end of the story. Jesus was placed in a borrowed tomb after his death on the cross. The Jewish rulers were concerned that his followers would remove his body so they placed a large stone across the entrance to the tomb and had Roman soldiers stand guard.

On the third day, early in the morning, women who had been followers of Jesus and his disciples went to his tomb to anoint his body with spices. When they arrived at the tomb, the large stone had been rolled away and his body was gone. They met a man nearby and asked him if he knew where the body had been taken. It turned out that the man was the resurrected Jesus, he knew them by name.

God had raised his son from the dead. Jesus was now a resurrected savior. Forty days later, Jesus ascended into heaven to be with his father.

There is even more to the story. Ten days after he ascended into heaven he sent his Holy Spirit to live inside his believers. That is his connection with us today. It is a mystery and it is supernatural, but all of us who believe that Jesus died for our sins, that he is truly the son of God and that he arose from the dead have his spirit living in us.

The Bible tells us that all who believe, will one day be like Jesus. We too will have resurrected bodies and eternal life and that, my friend, is what makes Easter such a special day.

Need some encouragement?

One doesn't have to look too far to find stories of discouragement, hatred and selfishness. Just read a newspaper or watch the evening news and you're sure to be discouraged. 

But where can we look for words of encouragement? We need to hear stories of love and unselfish attitudes - we need to know that there is hope in this seemingly hopeless world. We want to believe that not all people are murderers, rapists and child abusers, but we seldom hear about the good things that people do.

Recently within our city, the mayor held a meeting with church leaders. He wanted to enlist the aid of Christian people to meet the needs in their neighborhoods. There are many homes in need of repair because the residents are too old to climb ladders and fix their gutters, they don't have the finances to pay for their homes to be repainted and many of them physically can't do the yard work necessary for their homes to look nice anymore. These are simple tasks for those who are physically able, but impossible for those who are disabled or elderly. 

You won't find many headlines about people taking a casserole dish to a neighbor and rarely do you read about someone stopping to help a stranded motorist. Yet these are everyday occurrences. When a flood or tornado causes widespread damage we watch a news crew reporting on the devastation, but they seldom go back to report on the people who arrive for the cleanup. It's dirty work cleaning up after a flood, it's back breaking work to rebuild a home after it has been hit by a tornado, but those who respond to those in need don't help because they want notoriety. They do so because they are encouragers.

We often hear that it's the little things that we do that make the biggest difference. Jesus told His disciples the parable of the Good Samaritan for a reason. He expects His disciples to administer mercy to those in need. (read the parable in Luke 10:30-37)

God has been in the encouragement business forever. Psalm 10:17-18 reads: "You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more."

Are you afflicted? Are you fatherless? Are you oppressed? Have you be crying out to God for help? Then listen, really listen for His response. He may be asking you to be the encouragement for someone less fortunate than yourself. We never have to look too far to find someone who has more problems than we do. Maybe when we respond to a basic need of one of our neighbors, we can change their life forever.

Years ago my husband and I went to church with a young couple who had six children. They struggled financially and although we didn't have much ourselves, we were able to help with small things like a meal now and then, giving them used clothing and buying little gifts at Christmas. We loved them and wanted them to know that we cared for them. 

Fast forward about 10 years and my husband and I were in a financial bind of our own. That young couple provided us with the money for a house payment at Christmas as a way of encouraging us. 

We just never know when we may be the recipient of God's grace and mercy. In Hebrews 10:23-25 the author tells us, "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Yes, the world is in sad shape, entire countries are going bankrupt; major companies are closing their doors; people are out of work, homeless, hungry and destitute. We can't change the direction the world is heading, but we can make a difference in our own family, in our own neighborhood and in our own congregation. Who do you know who needs some encouragement? Offer whatever you can because it is the little things that matter to God and He sees whatever you do for others as doing it for Him.

Overcoming the world

Do you feel trapped? Does it seem that the life you are living leaves something to be desired as if something is missing? Are you in a rut, doing the same things day-in and day-out? Where can you go to experience freedom? Where can you hide from the people who just want to take from you and never give back?

I think most people have felt this way at some point in their life. The feeling of utter helplessness and hopelessness caused by the circumstances that surround us can bring us to a point of despair.  We often don't have a choice about the situations we are in, but we do have a choice about how we live through those situations. 

When Jesus Christ entered into the world, He was sent for a particular reason. He was sent here on a mission. God, the Father, sent His son, Jesus Christ, into the world not to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life." John 3:16

What does it mean to believe in Christ and how do we go about it when the world around us shouts that Christians are weak and misguided? 

If you believe that Jesus Christ is truly the Son of God, who willingly died for the sins of world and you put your faith in His precious blood as the atoning sacrifice for your own sins, you are forgiven and have become a Christian. You have been born again, not in the physical sense, but in a Spiritual sense. The Spirit of God has taken up residence in you, making you a new creature in Christ. You are now adopted into the family of God the Father and you begin to view the world around you through Spiritual eyes. 

The teachings of Jesus are contrary to the ways of the world because He came into this world to overcome the world. If we live according to Jesus' teachings, we will desire to love God and be obedient to Him. "This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God." 1 John 5:3-5

Christians aren't weak and misguided - we are over comers. It's not easy to be an over comer, but Jesus assures us with these words; "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

We can expect trouble, we can expect adverse conditions, we can expect sickness, pain, heartache and financial set backs, because the ruler of this world is Satan and we are told that he is a liar and the father of all lies. Satan is roaming about the earth seeking to steal, kill and destroy - that is his mission. 

But when Jesus arose from the dead, He overcame death itself and because He did, we, as believers, will have eternal life with Him. "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body." Philippians 3:20-21

Jesus is coming back for all who believe in Him. We don't know when, but we know that He said it and we can believe Him because He is trustworthy. 

When the world seems to be getting the best of you, when you experience despair and depression, remember these words: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?" "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35, 37-39

"He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus." Revelation 22:20