New Year's Blessings

I have a prayer for us this upcoming year.  I am praying that each of us will see God as our solution.  When our problems loom large, God will be the one we run to.  The one we cling to.  When the direction is dark and the path rocky, I pray we will look only to the light of Jesus to find our way.  When our heart is broken, aching and empty, I pray we camp on God's promises, immerse ourselves in His Word until we feel the balm of Gilead soothe our souls.  When no change seems to be on the horizon, I pray we look past the circumstances, past the present stagnation to the One Who holds our future in His hand and promises good plans for us.  This is the season I am in now, a season of crying out for change but seeing only sameness.  And so I hold on.  And I pray you are able to do the same.  I pray that we hold onto the truths our Lord gives.  Romans 8:31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?  Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.  We are in His hands.  And there is no better place to be.  As I was doing my readings and studies this week I came across a sentence that really spoke to my heart the attitude with which the Lord wants me to go through this life. I've paraphrased it here in order to personalize it.  "I will not let myself sink to the level of the problem, instead I will make myself rise to the level of the solution.  That solution, the only solution, our only source and stay, is Jesus Christ.  When the waves of trouble come, when the doubts lash my mind and the empty happiness of the world flees my path...I will rise, coming boldly to the throne of grace....it is there that I will find my help and my hope.  In the Presence of God Himself is the fullness of joy I need to sustain me and the strength I need to overcome the weaknesses in myself.  I pray these things for us and over us this year.  And I do it in a spirit of thanksgiving and faith, knowing that He has good things for us, even when we have to unwrap them from the grave cloths of trials.  Happy New Year my brothers and sisters.  

Madeline

Dear Readers

Merry Christmas to all of you!!  We are so blessed in all the gifts we give and receive this time of year.  The greatest of these being the reason we celebrate Christmas, Jesus Himself.  As much joy as we get from blessing one another, I can only imagine God the Father's joy in giving us His Son.  God the Father gave Jesus, wrrapped as a present in human form, to ave us all.  John 3:16 tells us, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Hm shall not perish, but have eternal life."  Imagine that!!  The Creator of everything wanted our fellowship so much, loved us so much, that Jesus willingly came to earth, lived perfectly, died and rose again to bring us to Himself.  So, I pray for all of you, that during all the wonderful fun and bustle of this season, that God warms your heart with His love for you and that you remember the greatest gift of all. 

Have a great holiday.  

God's Reason

This is an article I found many years ago in a small Bible book store.  I loved it so much I still send it to my family at Christmas from time to time.  I have no idea who the author is, but they did a great job making it easy to understand why Christ came to earth all those centuries ago.  Enjoy and feel free to share!

There was once a man who didn't believe in God, and he didn't hesitate to let others know how he felt about religion and religious holidays.  His wife, however, did believe, and she raised their children to also have faith in God and Jesus, despite his disparaging comments.  One snowy Christmas Eve, his wife was taking their children to service in the farm community in which they lived.  They were to talk about Jesus' birth.  She asked him to come, but he refused.  "That story is nonsense!" he said.  "Why would God lower Himself to come to Earth as a man?  That's ridiculous!"  So she and the children left, and he stayed home.

A while later, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blizzard.  As the man looked out the window, all he saw was a blinding snowstorm.  He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening.  Then he heard a loud thump.  Something had hit the window.  Then another thump.  He looked out but couldn't see more than a few feet.  When the snow let up a little, he ventured outside to see what could have been beating on his window.  

In the field near his house he saw a flock of wild geese.  Apparently they had been flying south for the winter when they got caught in the snowstorm and couldn't go on.  They were lost and stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter.  They just flapped their winds and flew around the field in low circles, blindly and aimlessly.  A couple of them had flown into his window, it seemed.  

The man felt sorry for the geese and wanted to help them.  The barn would be a great place for them to stay, the thought.  It's warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm.  So he walked over to the barn and opened the doors wide, then watched and waited, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside.  But the geese just fluttered around aimlessly and didn't seem to notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them.  

The man tried to get their attention, but that just seemed to scare them, and they moved farther away.  He went into the house and came with some bread, broke it up, and made a bread crumb trail leading to the barn.  They still didn't catch on.  Now he was getting frustrated.  He got behind them and tried to shoo them toward the barn, but they only got more scared and scattered in every direction except toward the barn.  Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn where they would be warm and safe.  

"Why don't they follow me?!" he exclaimed.  "Can't they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm?"  He thought for a moment and realized that they just wouldn't follow a human.  "If only I were a goose, then I could save them," he said out loud. 

Then he had an idea.  He went into the barn, got one of his own geese, and carried it in his arms as he circled around behind the flock of wild geese.  He then released it.  His goose flew through the flock and straight into the barn and one by one, the other geeze followed it to safety.  He stood silently for a moment as the words he had spoken a few minutes earlier replayed in his mind: "If only I were a goose, then I could save them."

Then he thought about what he had said to his wife earlier.  "Why would God want to be like us?  That's ridiculous!"  Suddenly it all made sense.  That is what God had done.  We were like the geese--blind, lost, perishing.  God had His Son become like us so He could show us the way and save us.  As the winds and blinding snow died down, his soul became quiet and pondered this wonderful thought.  Suddenly he understood why Christ  had come.  

And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  John 1:14

What's It All About

Isaiah 9:6  

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Matthew 1: 18-25  18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.  20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”  22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:  23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”  24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

 

Micah 5:2

 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”

"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors."

The times are growning dark.  The days rushing to the inevitable final battle between good and evil (and we know who wins!)  As the church we long for the day that Christ returns.  For the day where He delivers and claims His bride.  Every time I hear this song, I think of the comparision between Israel awaiting a physical deliverance from the oppression of her enemies, and us while we await the spiritual and physical deliverance from the oppression of living in this evil world.  Our deliver Jesus, the mighty King of kings, our Savior, Redeemer, Messiah, our victor and Lord...He is coming back.  And with joy and expectation we await that day!  

Keep this in mind this Christmas season.  As the Father fulfilled His prophecies and promises the first time when Jesus came as a baby to be our Savior, He will fulfill His promise of a second return.  The promise of a victorious warrior King that will rule forever.  Hallelujah!!   

Revelation 22:20-21  He Who is the faithful witness to all these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon!"  Amen!  Come, Lord Jesus!   The grace of the Lord be with you all.  

Hallelujah!  Come, Lord Jesus!  Lord, we are filled with longing and anticipation for Your return.  Come, Lord Jesus!  

MERRY CHRISTMAS !! 

Changing It Up

Today I read Judges 16:1-31  This was the story of Samson's demise.  Samson had a weakness for the ladies.  Especially ladies that would lead him away from God.  In this chapter we read of his relationship with Delilah.  Delilah repeatedly tried to trick Samson into revealing the source of his strength so that she could collect a tidy sum upon his capture from the Philistines.  And Samson continually fell for her trickery.  

It's so easy to judge and condemn Samson.  "What was he thinking?" we say.  "I would never fall for the same thing over and over!"  But don't we?  I was thoroughly convicted of being "Samson" as I read through this passage today.  I continually fall prey to the lies of junk food.  (And there's a few more areas in life, but to keep it simple I'll just focus on the one LOL).   Just one more cookie.  Just one more day.  Monday I'll do better.  I'll start eating right tomorrow.  I'll eat a healthy dinner.  On and on and on it goes.  Day after day, month after month, year after year..  I keep repeating the same cycle.  Just like Samson did with Delilah.  

So I've decided I needed to go back to basics.  And for me, a former drug addict and alcoholic, the basics mean going back to the 12 Step program.  I need to work my way through, with my Savior's help, the basic steps that led me to freedom before.  I need to stop making excuses, stop the old habits of small victories followed by major crashes, stop the yo yo lifestyle of eating good then bad, good then bad and get down to breaking the addiction that holds me back from being all God wants me to be.  

As I walked through the 1st step today I realized a few things.  I realized how damaging this practice is.  First, for my physical health.  If I don't take care of my body, (remember, it's the temple of the Holy Spirit), I will not be up for the things I like to do, or the things God has for me to do.  Secondly, I will put stress on my finances as I have to buy new clothes.  And thirdly, and the most important, spiritually I will become weak.  If I give into my flesh's unhealthy desires I will never learn to rely on my Father to strengthen and deliver me from sin. I will not have learned to let Him lead me and help me walk in His Spirit because I will be so used to following my fleshly desires.  I will be so reliant on the comforts and pleasures of this world for happiness and fulfillment, that when they are taken away (and in the world we live in it's a very real possibility), I will not have learned to rely on God for those things.  

Now, maybe your problem isn't food.  Please feel free to substitute anything that steers you away from Jesus.  What are the habits, addictions, earthly satisfactions, fleshly emotions...what is it that you need to change up?  Jesus is here to deliver us from all things that bind.  Maybe the 12 Step isn't the "program" for you, but find one that is.  That could be a simple as doing a word study in the Bible for your particular issue.  Getting some godly books on the areas you need to work on. Doing a study on line.  Joining a local Bible study.  Whatever way you want to go about leaving your imprisonment, as long as it's Jesus centered.  Do it.  He will work with you.  

Lord, deliver us.  We all have our blindspots, our fixed habits and sins we need to leave behind.  We want to live fully and faithfully for You.  Your are our strength and our deliverer.  In You we can have the permanent, forever victory.  But not in our own strength.  Not on our own plan.  Lord, we need to prepare ourselves now for the days that are coming.  And that means breaking free of any and all sin that so easily ensnares us, sin that weakens us and our faith in You.  Show us how to walk in faith, walk in holiness and walk in Your strength to Your glory and for Your purpose.  It's on our only Savior Jesus' Name I pray   Amen.  

Pray.  Seek.  Then do it! 

Judges 16:1-31  One day Samson went to the Philistine town of Gaza and spent the night with a prostitute. 2 Word soon spread that Samson was there, so the men of Gaza gathered together and waited all night at the town gates. They kept quiet during the night, saying to themselves, “When the light of morning comes, we will kill him.”  3 But Samson stayed in bed only until midnight. Then he got up, took hold of the doors of the town gate, including the two posts, and lifted them up, bar and all. He put them on his shoulders and carried them all the way to the top of the hill across from Hebron.  4 Some time later Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who lived in the valley of Sorek. 5 The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, “Entice Samson to tell you what makes him so strong and how he can be overpowered and tied up securely. Then each of us will give you 1,100 pieces of silver.”  6 So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me what makes you so strong and what it would take to tie you up securely.”  7 Samson replied, “If I were tied up with seven new bowstrings that have not yet been dried, I would become as weak as anyone else.”  8 So the Philistine rulers brought Delilah seven new bowstrings, and she tied Samson up with them. 9 She had hidden some men in one of the inner rooms of her house, and she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” But Samson snapped the bowstrings as a piece of string snaps when it is burned by a fire. So the secret of his strength was not discovered.  10 Afterward Delilah said to him, “You’ve been making fun of me and telling me lies! Now please tell me how you can be tied up securely.”  11 Samson replied, “If I were tied up with brand-new ropes that had never been used, I would become as weak as anyone else.”  12 So Delilah took new ropes and tied him up with them. The men were hiding in the inner room as before, and again Delilah cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” But again Samson snapped the ropes from his arms as if they were thread.  13 Then Delilah said, “You’ve been making fun of me and telling me lies! Now tell me how you can be tied up securely.”  Samson replied, “If you were to weave the seven braids of my hair into the fabric on your loom and tighten it with the loom shuttle, I would become as weak as anyone else.”  So while he slept, Delilah wove the seven braids of his hair into the fabric. 14 Then she tightened it with the loom shuttle. Again she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” But Samson woke up, pulled back the loom shuttle, and yanked his hair away from the loom and the fabric.  15 Then Delilah pouted, “How can you tell me, ‘I love you,’ when you don’t share your secrets with me? You’ve made fun of me three times now, and you still haven’t told me what makes you so strong!” 16 She tormented him with her nagging day after day until he was sick to death of it.  17 Finally, Samson shared his secret with her. “My hair has never been cut,” he confessed, “for I was dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as anyone else.”  18 Delilah realized he had finally told her the truth, so she sent for the Philistine rulers. “Come back one more time,” she said, “for he has finally told me his secret.” So the Philistine rulers returned with the money in their hands. 19 Delilah lulled Samson to sleep with his head in her lap, and then she called in a man to shave off the seven locks of his hair. In this way she began to bring him down, and his strength left him.  20 Then she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!”  When he woke up, he thought, “I will do as before and shake myself free.” But he didn’t realize the Lord had left him.  21 So the Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes. They took him to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze chains and forced to grind grain in the prison.  22 But before long, his hair began to grow back.  23 The Philistine rulers held a great festival, offering sacrifices and praising their god, Dagon. They said, “Our god has given us victory over our enemy Samson!”  24 When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying, “Our god has delivered our enemy to us! The one who killed so many of us is now in our power!”  25 Half drunk by now, the people demanded, “Bring out Samson so he can amuse us!” So he was brought from the prison to amuse them, and they had him stand between the pillars supporting the roof.  26 Samson said to the young servant who was leading him by the hand, “Place my hands against the pillars that hold up the temple. I want to rest against them.” 27 Now the temple was completely filled with people. All the Philistine rulers were there, and there were about 3,000 men and women on the roof who were watching as Samson amused them.  28 Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me again. O God, please strengthen me just one more time. With one blow let me pay back the Philistines for the loss of my two eyes.” 29 Then Samson put his hands on the two center pillars that held up the temple. Pushing against them with both hands, 30 he prayed, “Let me die with the Philistines.” And the temple crashed down on the Philistine rulers and all the people. So he killed more people when he died than he had during his entire lifetime.  31 Later his brothers and other relatives went down to get his body. They took him back home and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol, where his father, Manoah, was buried. Samson had judged Israel for twenty years.

Compassion in the Dark

I've been spending a lot of time in the books of 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles.  These books tell the tale of Israel's kingdom, it's split into two separate entities and the eventually fall of both.  In the northern kingdom, Israel, it was pretty much all dark.  In the southern kingdom of Judah, there were a few bright spots of light, but they too eventually fell into the pit of complete estrangement from the God of their ancestors.  Both kingdoms chased after false gods, idols from the neighboring peoples.  The did not seek the One true God.  They abandoned their covenant with Him to bow down before foreign gods.  What are the foreign "gods" you bow down to today?   

But one thing remained steadfast.  One thing remained faithful.  It was God Himself.  All through the years, He continually reached out in love to draw His people back.  Elijah, Elisha, a myriad of prophets spoke the words of God to these stiff-necked people.  In all the darkness that plagued the hearts and land of both kingdoms, God's Presence remained and His hand was outstretched.  Sometimes that hand gave warning, sometimes discipline sometimes relief...but always God's compassion and faithfulness were in full view for them, and for us.  

Where are you in life?  In the darkness of life's trials?  In the pit of your own sinfulness?  God is still there.  He has not left nor abandoned you.  Sometimes His voice is hard to hear.  It's still and small and we must listen carefully, quieting our minds and hearts of the storms around us.  Sometimes we must humble ourselves and stop fighting the leading of our Father.   So often in life we let the tilts and turns and noise of our world blur the path to the Lord.  We get weighed down and cease seeking Him.  Jeremiah 29:13  If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.  

Just like Israel we get caught up in our own ways.  We break covenant with our God.  But don't be like Israel and continue down that path of destruction, the path to captivity.  Instead turn back to the Lord, seek Him, listen for His voice and look for His tendrils of love and compassion reaching into your life.  They are there.  He is faithful. 

This study in these books has been so enlightening to me.  I feel like I've spent a lot of time on the surface of these books, and it's so amazing to go deeper and to see God's character come to life on the pages.  To truly see that His compassions are not just for those who live life "perfectly,"  Not just for the "super saints."  But for the wretches, the mistake makers and the stubborn sinful people just like me.  What a comfort!  What a picture of God's love.  Lamentations 3:22-23 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.  23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

Lord, these passages, these books of the Bible give me such hope, such comfort.  As dark as they are Your light shines through.  If You can, not just can, but would reach out to these evil kings, then You can and will reach out to me.  Let each of us turn toward You, even when and especially when we fail.  Lamentations 3:32 Though He causes grief, yet He will show compassion according to the multitude of His mercies.  Let us accept Your discipline when it comes, seek Your mercy when we fail, and believe that even in the darkness You are with us.  Thank You for the Word You give us.  And the compassion and faithfulness that is Who You are.  It's in the Name of our risen Savior...the ultimate act of mercy came through Him...that we pray.  Amen.  

Read Lamentations 3,  2 Kings and 2 Chronicles.  Look especially for the ways God showed compassion to those who followed Him and to those who didn't.  

Vacation next week!  We are driving back to see family.  See ya in a couple of weeks.