Looking Forward

It has been a few days since I posted any thoughts on the blog. I can tell you that I have had plenty of thoughts but little time to post them. The days since Christmas have been very hectic from a Pastoral perspective. We have dealt with illnesses, accidents and even the death of a precious lady that I had the honor of serving as Pastor several years ago. I was blessed by the family as they asked me to share in her homegoing celebration on Monday. I make these comments to let you know that our listening for the Voice of God can come through different venues which cause us to listen from a heart that is softened through tragedy, trials, illness, death or even everyday problems that we encounter. I will confess that there have been times in my life in which God had my "complete and undivided attention" because of what I was facing at that moment. Has God ever had your undivided attention because of the set of circumstances that you were facing? 

But there are a few things that God continues to place in my spirit and these thoughts continue to be a part of my daily prayer and daily meditations.

1) I must continue to seek for more of God. I must not expect others to seek God and not see that same need in my life.

2) I must continue to seek for a "fresh anointing" of the Spirit both personally as well as ministerially. God desires to "fill me with His Spirit." That may raise some eyebrows of those who know me.

3) God continues to remind me that I should not operate as a hireling but as a sincere "under-shepherd of Christ. 

4) God continues to call me to a more deeper, passionate love and concern for the unsaved of our generation.

5) God continues to call me to "action" rather than just talking about theories, plans, and proposals.

I will stop now and go to work on those things that I have already heard from God.

Will you join me in doing those things that we know we ought to do????

Merry Christmas

This Christmas season has been a wonderful and I believe "life-changing" experience for me. I have sought to reconnect with the true story/meaning of Christmas from the perspective of the Word of God concerning the mission of Christ. I asked the Lord this morning to help me keep this connection in my heart so that it will not just become a fleeting moment of inspiration. I had other words to share this morning but I read a devotional that spoke to my heart and I would like to share a portion of it with you today. It is based on the song O Holy Night. 

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!

O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His Name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy Name!

Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever!
His pow'r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow'r and glory evermore proclaim!

These words were written by a wine seller named Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure in 1847. His parish priest had asked him to write a poem for Christmas. Later his friend composed the music and it became the great hymn of Christmas.

The words are perfection and have been sung by the finest voices every Christmas Eve. I hope reading the words will be a powerful time of praise for you today. Christmas is a reminder of what God knew your soul was worth – his Son. I hope that knowledge gives you a thrill of hope and causes you to fall to your knees in a chorus of grateful praise.

Christmas Eve is a divine night, a Holy night. As you gather with your family, your church family and with friends, remember that Jesus taught us to love one another. His law for you is love, his gospel message is peace. Maybe you will be able to encourage someone with that message today, and their chains will be broken.

Sing sweet hymns of joy. Raise a grateful chorus. Praise the Holy name of Christ.

The holiday is a holy day. Proclaim his power and glory – forever.

Praise

Luke 2:20, "And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them." (KJV)

There are many "stories" contained within the story of Christmas. Each of the characters of the Christmas story had their own personal encounter with God. These encounters are lived out on the pages of the Bible for us through the actions that these individuals took as a result of their encounter. We may need to pause the writing and reading of this blog and ask our selves some very pertinent questions. "How do I respond to the encounters with God? What actions do I take as a result of that encounter? Is my (your) life changed/transformed as a result of that encounter?" Feel free to add your own questions regarding your encounters with God.

Today's passage is taken from the shepherds encounter with the Christ child. First, they encountered a group of Angels that shared with them a challenging and life changing revelation. Let us remind ourselves of the words spoken by the Angels. "And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Luke 2:9-14 (KJV)

Let us notice the response of the shepherds to this encounter with the message that came from God through the voices of the Angels. "...Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us." Luke 2:15b (KJV)

Did you take time to read the word "now?" They did not wait until tomorrow. They did no place it on their "to do list." They did not place it on their "bucket list." They made an immediate response to this declaration/invitation from God. They heard the Word, they received the Word and they obeyed the Word. I believe that is one of the "messages" of Christmas. God is looking for those people who will hear the Word, respond to the Word and obey the Word. Will you (I) be one of those individuals who will continue to take those steps of obedience and faith?

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Scripture Passage

I realize that all of us are very busy and there are times that it is challenging to take time to read from the Word of God. The scripture passages that reference the Birth of Christ have taken on new meaning for me this year. The Holy Spirit has encouraged me to read them through the "lens" of the Great Commission. I sense that the Spirit is calling me to re-connect with the "complete" story of Christmas. Yes, the Spirit wants me to remember and identify the baby in the manager but I also need to remember that the baby Jesus grew into the man Jesus who would die for the sins of the world. Now, that part of the story is just as amazing as the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. Would you take a moment and meditate on the great and precious promises that are declared in this passage from the book of Matthew?

Matthew 1:18-25, "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.

20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.

22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

23 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.

24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:

25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus." (KJV)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Room in the Inn?

Luke 2:7, "And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." (NKJV)

This passage of scripture made an impression on my mind and in my spirit as I read them over this past weekend. We have often thought of the inn keeper as we read the events surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ. We have talked about his reaction to the opportunity to serve as host for the birth of the Savior of the world. In our thought process we may describe this man as crass and cruel! Who would turn away a young woman who is very near the time of bringing her child into this world? Who would not make an effort to find a room some place in his inn for her to find a place to rest and go through the process of delivery? Why didn't he offer to take them home with him so that they would be comfortable during this challenging process of birth?

I could continue offering these various scenarios of his possible reactions. But the truth of the matter is found in the fact that Mary and Joseph did not find any room in the inn. Now, lets stop thinking about the inn keeper for a moment and start thinking about us. 

Jesus is not being carried in the womb of Mary today BUT HE IS AWAITING OUR RESPONSE TO HIS ENTRANCE INTO THIS WORLD AND INTO OUR LIVES. We have to ask ourselves, "WILL WE MAKE ROOM FOR HIM TODAY?" The inn keeper looked at his directory of rooms and could not find a room. I reached the conclusion this morning during prayer that the enemy will always work to keep me from finding room for Christ BUT I WILL NEED TO DECIDE TO MAKE ROOM FOR CHRIST IN MY LIFE. Each of us are very busy with the "affairs of daily living" and it is very possible that we will never "find" any room but we can make the bold decision to make room for Christ in our daily lives.

Have we (I) been guilty of not making room for Christ in my life? Have we (I) been content to ignore or even disobey the invitation of Jesus Christ? Have we (I) been content to offer the "appropriate" praise, adoration, worship and surrender to the King of Glory that constantly calls me to draw closer to Him? 

Take a moment today and make sure that you (me) are MAKING ROOM FOR CHRIST IN OUR LIVES!!

Praising God

Isaiah 7:14, "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." (NKJV)

I believe that the Lord gives us sign posts that he uses to remind us that He is with us (Immanuel). These may not always be prophetic signs such as the one that Isaiah referenced in this passage of the book that he wrote under the influence of the Spirit. But I do believe that these "signs from God" can make a significant impact on our lives if we will stop long enough to discern the voice of the Chief Shepherd of our soul.

The New River fellowship was able to host the Wayside Mission Choir from Louisville last night. Wayside Mission offers rehabilitation to those homeless individuals who are captured by drug or alcohol addiction. The stories of success are lived out daily in various communities across this region of the country. I have been privileged to be with the choir in previous services but last night was a little different. I sensed the presence of the Lord as the choir sang and shared their testimonies. I also sensed the Holy Spirit speaking to them during the offering of their individual praise to God.

I wanted to share a few "signs" that the Spirit revealed to me last night.

1) You can be thankful, respectful, and honorable during the difficulties of your life.

2) You can be honest with people and declare your struggles so that others can pray with you and pray for you.

3) You can be bold enough and strong enough to encourage others not to make the same mistakes that you have made.

4) You can offer sincere praise to God even as you are walking through your challenge. 

5) You can admit that you have fallen but you can also declare that you do not plan on staying down and being tagged as a failure.

6) Jesus Christ offers HOPE TO EVERYONE!!

I saw numerous other signs but I will either keep them private or share them at a later date.

Look for God to show you something today!!! Don't overlook it and don't ignore it. 

Choices

Joshua 24:15, "And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (NKJV)

During my devotional time I read something that challenged my thinking. Church Swindoll was writing about choices and he made reference to an idea that continues to stir in my spirit. I want to share the following thoughts with you that came into my heart as a result of the words that I read and the whisper of the Spirit that I heard. 

We are all faced with choices that can and do affect our daily lives. BUT we can faithfully make the correct choice if we have made the initial choice to follow Christ to the best of our ability. The choice to follow Christ sets in motion the ability to make the correct choice (s) on a daily basis. The people of Israel were faced with the option of serving different "gods" but their correct choice began with their personal choice to "serve the Lord." 

It is difficult to make the correct choices if we have not made the choice to surrender our lives to God. The choice to serve God serves as the primary decision and the other decisions of life are based off the choice to serve or not to serve God. We find ourselves in trouble when we ignore or put off the decision to serve God. The choice to serve God provides the strength, guidance, direction and desire to make the other correct decisions when they appear in our lives. 

Have you made the right choice to serve and follow God and the path that He has laid out for your life? It is not too late to make the right choice/decision concerning your relationship with God!!

Obedience

I want to share a thought that the Spirit  placed in my heart this morning during prayer. Or maybe I should say that this thought is a continuation of what I have been feeling over the past few weeks of prayer. I am convinced that God is calling me to take a "fresh" look at the "true" Christmas story. The message of Christmas goes far beyond the the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. The message of Christmas moves us from Bethlehem to Golgotha. The question that I may need to ask is the following; "Am I willing to make the journey with Him?"

Am I willing to move from Golgotha out into the harvest field which we identify as the world in which I (we) live? Jesus told us to pray for laborers for the harvest field. Have I (you) became comfortable with being a spectator rather than a laborer? Have I (you) become comfortable with being an "owner" rather than a laborer? Have I (you) became comfortable with being an investor rather than a laborer?  There are many positions that appear far more attractive than a laborer but none of these provide the same fulfillment that comes from being a "soul-winner" in the Kingdom of God. 

Each of us must be willing to put on our work clothes and offer our willing service to Christ in the harvest field. The reward will far outweigh the investment that service will require us to make.  Let us offer our lives to God in full surrender and obedience. You and I were designed and called to make a difference in this world. Will we be willing to bring our lives under the authority and guidance of the Holy Spirit? I truly believe that the Spirit is leading the church into the fields that are ripe for harvest. 

Will we follow our Shepherd into the harvest fields? 

Lights in Darkness

Philippians 2:15, "so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky." (NIV)

I was struck by the strong challenge that this translation of Philippians 2:15 offered to us. Many of us who read this blog can readily accept the statement about "warped and crooked generation" but can we accept the challenge "shine among them like stars in the sky?" Now that is truly a statement that is full of challenge and opportunity at the same time. 

We understand that we are living in the times of prophetic fulfillment. But we must also understand that the church has a divine mandate to shine forth and share the message of the Gospel in a world where many people appear to be moving away from God. Some may be choosing to move away but many believers are making the choice to draw closer to God in a more personal, intimate relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Each of us have to make the choice and choose to live out that choice in the midst of this challenging world. I want to make the correct choice on a daily basis so that my life will be lived pleasing to God.

Isn't it time for the church to "shine like stars in the sky?" The enemy seeks to bring corruption, division, discouragement, and even heresy among the family of God. Doesn't the enemy do this so that the light of the church will appear tarnished, smudged, and in some cases hidden from the view of this world? But God has a greater plan for those who will choose to follow Him in full commitment and surrender. 

Do you hear the voice of the Shepherd calling you closer to His side? Follow that voice. Obey that voice. Trust that voice. His plan and purpose can not be thwarted by the plans of the enemy. 

Post-Thanksgiving Reflections

John 1:14, "So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. (NLT)

I trust that you were able to take some time this past weekend and reflect on the "unfailing love and faithfulness of God." The problems, challenges, and the daily stress of life can have a tendency to move us away from our memories regarding the faithfulness of God. It is so easy to become overwhelmed with the attacks of "darkness" that the "light of God" becomes hidden or displaced by the darkness. But the light prevails and we fully understand that we are not alone in our set of circumstances. 

I enjoyed our time of family celebration this year. We began a tradition several years ago that we have tried to carry out each year following our meal time. We ask each family member to share some of the things of which they are thankful. There are times that the words spoken contain some of the common themes; family, God, friends; etc. But there are those times in which the family members make reference to specific events or situations in their lives in which they felt and saw the active participation of God. We heard about some of those on Thursday. Testimonies of healing, protection, and provision were shared by the adults as well as the children that were present. 

I felt led to start this type of interaction so that our grandchildren as well as our children would remember the blessing of talking out loud about the goodness of God. I don't think that we verbalize our praise and thanksgiving enough. I don't think we speak out and speak up enough concerning the daily presence of God in our lives. We do not seem to have a problem speaking about a wide variety of subjects and I believe this statement is applicable to each of us. We are a very opinionated generation of people to say the least. I would like to encourage you not to just share your opinion about the things of life BUT I would encourage you to share your testimony/personal witness about the "unfailing love and faithfulness" of God. The presence of human beings is limited but God is always present in our daily lives.

Let us continue to develop a LIFE OF THANKFULNESS, APPRECIATION, AND RECOGNITION of the goodness and graciousness of God!!