New Years Eve

I would like to share these thoughts with you on the morning of this last day of 2015!! Where has the year gone? We have seen the presence of God in our lives on a daily basis. We have recognized the goodness of God in so many ways. We have offered our praises to Him and now we look forward to those opportunities that are awaiting us in the future. Let us prepare our hearts to follow God into 2016 full of hope, faith and expectation. 

Isaiah 43:16, 18-19 This is what the Lord says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." (NIV)

Later this evening there will be people all around the world who will begin a "countdown" which will take them from 2015 into 2016. This has become a common practice among people for many years. This countdown will be broadcast through various media sources all across the world as people prepare to celebrate the arrival of a New Year.

This passage of scripture in Isaiah reminds me of a "spiritual countdown" of sorts. God is moving His people from the past into the present and on into the future. He does not want them dwelling on the past but He wants them to realize that God is doing something fresh and new. And then God asks a startling question; "Do you not perceive it?" 

I must be willing to ask myself that same question; "Do I truly perceive what God is wanting to do in my life this coming year?" But once I perceive that God is preparing something fresh and new I have to be willing and ready to receive those blessings that God has prepared for me. We can and we should celebrate the victories of the past but we should never live in the past. We can not afford to be captured by our failures and neither can we afford to rest on our spiritual laurels. 

2016 will offer us a fresh start, full of new opportunities, a new day, new spiritual adventures and a fresh desire to please God. Will we be willing to join with God in that process?

Christmas Musings, Part 4

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.” (NKJV)

There will be many Christmas gifts shared between families and friends over the next few days. Many of us will gather for celebrations at various locations. Some of us will even visit multiple locations as we enjoy the cultural events associated with the birth of Jesus, our Savior. These events are not necessarily sinful or evil but we do need to make sure that we don't lose the significance of the "baby in the manger" in the midst of these events.

Can you and I even imagine the total amount of money that will be spent on food, gifts, and travel? But we also have to remember that all of the gifts that we receive are temporary. These gifts will wear out; go out of style, or break very easily. Some of them will wear out quickly and even some of them will be placed in a closet or in a storage bin never to be looked at again. We may even receive a gift that is the wrong size and it will have to be returned or exchanged. There is the possibility that we will even "outgrow" those gifts that fit us at this very moment. I am sharing these tidbits of information to serve as a reminder that any gift other than the gift of salvation is temporary. 

But there is one gift that will never wear out or stop working. There is gift that will not have to be returned for something that works correctly or fits correctly. There is a gift that will provide an eternal value and not just a brief earthly value. There is one gift that will never be forgotten or hidden away for future use. There is a gift that fulfills the promise of "one size fits all."  

Do you realize that Isaiah spoke prophetically about that gift in our scripture passage today. Notice these words from the first line of verse 9. He spoke these words, "Unto us a Son is given..." The Prophet then goes on to describe a few of the benefits that this gift would bring us if we would receive the gift that God has provided for us. Isaiah spoke that the gift would serve as a "Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." 

Now, doesn't that gift sound like one that we could call a "keeper?" I don't see any need to exchange that gift. I don't see any need to place that gift in a closet or in a storage bin for future use. I also see that this gift would be beneficial to any age group, any race, any nationality or any ethnicity, etc. Our Savior fits all people regardless of their needs or stations in life. 

But here is the major question? WILL YOU ACCEPT THE GIFT THAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO YOU?

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Christmas Musings, Part 3

Christmas is a special time of the year to say the least. There is one part of Christmas that always grabs my attention. This is a time of the year in which we turn our focus off of ourselves and turn the focus to others. We see this in the preparation of the meals for our guests. We see this in the purchase of the gifts for those on our shopping list. This especially applies to those who have children or grandchildren. They will even provide you a list of their "most desired" gifts or their most favorite item on the menu. People will scourer the countryside to make sure that they have the proper ingredients for the meals and that they purchase the most appropriate gift.

But I also see this type of attitude expressed in other ways than just meals or gifts. I see people donating money to various non-profit organizations that seek to assist people who are in need. A few weeks ago our local congregation brought various gifts that would be given to children in the Pediatric Oncology unit of a local hospital. There will always be people who are facing their own set of ""unusual" circumstances but I also believe that God will always have people who have a heart of care and compassion for their fellow man.

The Lord reminded me of something this morning during prayer time. Or maybe I need to say that the Lord encouraged me to pray for some specific groups of people as we approach Christmas. I felt that the Lord wanted me to share this reminder with you. I am confident that many of you have already prayed for some of the people that I will list. But there is no such thing as "too much prayer." This time of the year is very stressful for each of these groups that I will list.

1) Let us remember to pray for our Military personnel as well as their families. 

2) Let us remember all of the First Responders (Police, Fire, Emergency, Hospital staff, etc.) We know that these are challenging days in our world and this group of servants need our prayer covering.

3) Let us remember those families who will celebrating their first Christmas after the passing of a loved one or special friend. Our God is able to provide the comfort that each one of them need at this difficult time.

4) The Spiritual Leadership of our nation.

5) Those who are disillusioned with life and are looking for peace, hope and joy. We know that God can fill all of the voids in their lives.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Christmas Musings, Part 2

These past few weeks have found me in a dedicated pursuit of reconnecting with the true meaning of Christmas. I do not seek to cast any aspersions on our celebration of Christmas and neither do I desire to place guilt or condemnation on anyone today. BUT I DO THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR EACH OF US TO REIDENTIFY AND RECONNECT WITH THE TRUE REASON BEHIND THE CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS.  

I believe that this prophecy of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist paints a vivid picture of the true purpose behind the entrance of Christ into this world. Zechariah is like many of us, he faced his season of doubt as he began the prophetic journey of the birth of Christ. Let us remember the response of the father to be of John the Baptist when he was told that his wife Elizabeth would bear a son. Luke 1:18-20, “Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.” ¹⁹ Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! ²⁰ But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.” Haven’t each of us had those moments in which we asked God those same words, “How can I be sure this will happen?” Aren’t you thankful that God chose to send us some gentle reminders of His ability to fulfill His promise rather than remove our ability to speak?  But even the doubts, fears, and concerns of Zechariah did not hinder the purpose of the entrance of Christ into this world!!!

Let me remind you of the words of the Prophet Isaiah in chapter 9, verse 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. 

The promises of God are true and we can believe them!!

Christmas Musings

The last few days prior to Christmas are upon us. I realize that all of us have much to do as we plan and prepare for the Christmas celebration with our friends and families. The social calendar can be full with many wonderful and pleasurable activities. But what about our "spiritual calendar?" Is it as full as our social calendar or do each of us even have a "spiritual calendar?" I personally don't think listening to Christmas carols driving down the road or at work should really count unless we are specifically taking time to listen to the words or even taking time to read the words of the songs. I do believe that these songs have a powerful message to share if we will truly take time to meditate on the message. The word "message" is the key word and I am not referencing the sermon that I share on Sunday mornings although I do believe the message of the Pastor is meant to play an important role in our lives. 

Each of us need to ask ourselves this question; "Is the true message of Christ getting lost in all of the different messages that have become connected with Christmas?" I am not promoting the idea that we need to cancel the secular celebration of Christmas but I am promoting the concept that each of us need to make sure that we are keeping the spiritual revelation of Christmas alive in our hearts. I have made an effort this year to re-read the different stories that are found in the Bible concerning the birth of Christ. We have been looking at a few of them in the Wednesday evening adult time of discussion. I have been somewhat amazed at some of the story lines that I have missed through the years simply because I thought that I knew the story of the birth of Christ. But in reality I only knew the major events or learned about the major characters of the story rather than delving into the event as well as the lives of the characters. These readings have been a personal blessing to me to say the least.

I desire to encourage you to make time for Christ in your calendar. One of the stories of the birth of Christ reveals to us that Mary and Joseph found the inn full of guests. They were sent to the stable where Christ was born. What is our lives full of today? Where do we send Christ when our lives are so full of activities that we have no room for Him in our lives?  Do we take the time to worship Him on a daily basis? The story of Christmas calls us to action. Take the appropriate action and make room for Christ this Christmas season.

"Bored" Meeting

Last night was our monthly Board Meeting at New River. Board Meetings are notoriously known through such comments as "long, tiresome, boring, not profitable, petty requests, uninteresting conversations, or hidden agendas." You could probably add some other descriptive words if you have ever participated in a Board Meeting. Let me hasten to add that I do believe that these meetings are important and they do serve as a great means of accountability for the Pastor as well as means of tracking the progress or lack of progress of the local community of believers. I am blessed to be able to serve with a great Board who continues to have a heart that desires to please God and see the expansion of His Kingdom work in the lives of those individuals who attend New River.

I want to remind every individual believer that our desire should be to "participate in the expansion of the Kingdom of God in our individual lives as well as our corporate lives." We have too many "observers" and not enough "participants" in local churches scattered throughout America. But I am one of those who believe that God still has a plan to awaken the church in America so that we will arise and take our rightful place in the expansion of the Kingdom of God. 

The Spirit reminded me of something this morning during prayer time. We are nearing the close of 2015 and we are on the cusp of entering 2016. Some Christians can be compared to a little boy who can be seen kicking a can or ball down the road with no real destination or purpose in mind. Many Christians have become "Champion Procrastinators." We are always putting off the decision by "pushing" it or "kicking" it into our tomorrow and ignoring the call from the present. We must look honestly at our lives and ask this question; "How am I TRULY responding to God and His call to draw closer to Him? Our spiritual destiny hangs in the balances and is very much dependent on the correct response to God. Where is my journey taking me? Is it drawing me closer to God or is it leading me farther away from God? 

Back to the Board Meeting for a moment. I will not attempt to describe the "divine interruption" of the Spirit last night. Words of inspiration/knowledge/understanding were shared through various individuals as the Spirit worked among us. During this time the Spirit of God brought a passage of scripture to our attention. I felt led to share that with you today. There will be people who will read this post today; this passage is for you as well as for those who sat in that room last night. Read the following words with an open heart and with a hunger to please God.

Proverbs 3:5-12 (NLT)

  Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

    do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take.

7 Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
    Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
8 Then you will have healing for your body
    and strength for your bones.

9 Honor the Lord with your wealth
    and with the best part of everything you produce.
10 Then he will fill your barns with grain,
    and your vats will overflow with good wine.

11 My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline,
    and don’t be upset when he corrects you.
12 For the Lord corrects those he loves,
    just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.

The Journey of Life

John 15:5,  “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (NKJV)

I would like to share some thoughts that I wrote earlier this morning. Each of us are on our own unique journey of life. Each of us have some things in common and each of us have many dynamics in life that are very different from our fellow travelers. But we do have the commonality of the promises of God and the reality that Christ desires to be a part of our lives.

I trust that you are doing well today and focusing on the goodness of God in your life. We all face the challenge of focusing on the goodness of God from time to time. Those times happen when we encounter those moments of illness, those moments of trials, those moments of spiritual battles, etc. But we must always remember that God is working for us and not against us. Daily living brings us to those moments in which we face the opportunity to give up if we choose to do so. But it is at those moments in which we choose to dig deeper and realize that we have a spiritual connection with our Savior that will provide the Hope, Strength, Comfort, Grace, etc. that we need.

I have a strong desire and an urgent call from God to faithfully remind you of the presence and power of God week after week. I seek to do that on a personal basis as well as a public basis through this blog as well as the presentation of the Gospel message.  We are people on our own journey of life encouraging our fellow "pilgrims" on their journey of life. The connection to Christ makes it possible for each of us to encourage each other.

Read these familiar and famous Words of Jesus and allow them to speak hope to your heart today. John 15:5, "“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (NKJV)  We understand that we can do nothing without Him but the Bible also reminds us in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." NKJV)  The connection with Jesus Christ makes the difference!!!

Thankful

I Chronicles 16:8, Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!" (NKJV)

I understand that we have have "transitioned" from Thanksgiving to Christmas but I also believe that it is time for the people of God to express our appreciation to God for all of the blessings that He provides for us on a daily basis. The opinion of people toward the True and Living God has been skewered and undermined through so much negative propaganda in our society. I believe that it is a good time for the people of God to "Make known His deeds among the peoples." I am going to attempt to fulfill that Biblical mandate this morning. 

First, Ann and I enjoyed the privilege of spending some time with my parents and a portion of our family this past Saturday. We gathered to celebrate "Christmas" with each other. We certainly missed those family members who were unable to attend. We had an awesome time of food, fun and fellowship and I am certainly thankful for those moments. But my praise goes deeper than food and fellowship. The children of my parents gathered around them and prayed for them. Then my parents prayed for each of their children and their spouses. It was an unique time of intercession for one another. I am thankful that my parents were able to pray a prayer of blessing over me and my family. The enemy is fighting against the family today but God still has the family as a central part of His plan for our society. Just remember to pray for your family on a daily basis.

Second, I give God thanks for an AWESOME SERVICE ON SUNDAY MORNING at New River. I must use the following words to describe what took place in the service. We encountered a "Divine Interruption" into our plans for the service. I understand that some people may not believe in those type of services and may think that they are not Biblically correct. This post is not about debating that belief or disbelief. This post is about reminding us that He truly knows what we need. This post is about reminding us that He still can provide what we need to navigate through the traps, temptations, trials and tricks of this world. The Spirit used the songs, prayers, Pastoral exhortations and the concluding challenge (which was not spoken by the Pastor but had the Pastor's approval) to remind us that He knows that the "family", both natural as well as spiritual is under satanic attack. God is fighting for us and not against us. Will we join Him on the battlefield?  That is the question that each of must answer in my opinion. 

Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!"

Bread

I would like to share a portion of some thoughts that I sent in an email this morning to some various individuals. I would like for you to think about these ideas and realize that we are blessed to know the "Bread of Life."

John 6:35, "And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."(NKJV)

I thought today's scripture would be an appropriate one since we just concluded the Thanksgiving holiday. I am sure that many of us possibly could have over eat at least one or twice in the past few days. But it is amazing to realize that I will eat until I am full or even over filled yet still eat again the next day. We are amazingly created through the handiwork of God.

Our soul is somewhat similar to our body in that it craves something that only God can provide. The enemy of our soul offers us many substitutes for the "Bread of Life." There are many people in our world who are falling prey to the cunning tactics of the enemy and they eat at the table he has prepared week after week. But the true followers of Christ refuse to fellowship at that table of deceit and they earnestly look toward Heaven and partake of the "Bread of Life."

It is Beginning to Look a Lot Like...

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 can remember when this past weekend (Thanksgiving) would have been the "kickoff" of the Christmas season. But the major corporations of our world have made sure that our "celebration" of Christmas began several months ago when the first displays of trees, ornaments, decorations, etc. began to appear in various shopping outlets. I do not want to appear to be a "Scrooge" as I share my thoughts but it is somewhat discouraging to realize the type of celebration that the remembrance of the birth of Christ, our Savior has become. 

I fully realize that I can not change the plans of corporate America and I may not even be able to influence the attitude of my fellow human beings. BUT I do have the opportunity and ability to make sure that Christ does not get lost in all of the clutter, noise, distractions, events, meals, gifts, etc. that have become associated with Christmas. 

I also understand that people grow tired of cliche's that contain tons of rhetoric and very little substance. I can be moved to take action if I make the effort to fully understand the true substance of the baby in the manger. I can be moved to action if I take the time to re-acquaint myself with the central character of the "Christmas story." I can take action if I take time to read the Word of God and realize it reveals the plan of our Heavenly Father to provide eternal reconciliation to humanity.

That resurgence of knowledge might lead me to say "Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah" instead of "Ho-Ho-Ho."