Gifts

Gifts 

During the Christmas season we celebrate the birth of Jesus – the greatest gift God ever gave us. He made such an extreme sacrifice to send His son into a world where He would endure such terrible suffering and pain. Just so WE could be saved from the suffering and pain brought on by our own sin. 

The celebration of the birth of Jesus has become a bit tainted by the world. We’ve turned it into a month long celebration of all the shiny things. Kind of like a competition of who can give the biggest, most expensive gift. We get caught up in the hype for about a month and then when December 26th comes, we go back to our normal lives and don’t think about giving or helping others until next Thanksgiving. We just stop the celebrating and the gift giving for another year- we feel like we’ve done enough. 

Have you ever thought about God’s gifts? Have you ever stopped to realize that He doesn’t go by what the calendar says? He gave us this great and awesome gift of Jesus and yet He didn’t stop there. He continues to give us gifts each and every day. Stop and take a look at your life. Do you have people who love you, a home to live in? God is responsible for your every blessing and He just keeps on giving. He is working on your behalf right now and you don’t even know it. You may not know the wonderful things He has planned for you for years to come, but He is always working. 

As we celebrate Christmas, let’s not stop there. On December 26th, let’s continue to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior by spreading His love and helping those around us throughout the year. Merry Christmas! 

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17

Bah Humbug?

Bah Humbug?

Every year the struggle becomes more and more real-the Christmas struggle that is. Every year I have to stop and ask myself if my observation of Christmas is one of loving Christ and honoring Him or getting caught up in the hype and the falseness that is promoted by retailers, TV commercials, etc. At what point are bigger and better gifts just promoting idol worship instead of showing people we care about them?

There is one great gift that can’t be wrapped in a pretty bow – that is the love of Christ. It is the most important thing that we can share with others during this time of year - and it can’t be bought. It was paid for many years ago and it is freely given now. Christ was born in a manger and there was nothing fancy about it. What makes us believe that giving big expensive gifts can have anything to do with Christmas or that it would be what Christ would want to happen in celebration of His birth? 

How do you think Christ would like to celebrate the day of His birth? Would He want to go volunteer at a homeless shelter or find a way to help others? During His time on earth that is how He spent most of His time, so that would probably be at the top of His list. How does He want us to spend it? He might want us to share His story with those around us. The love of Christ is so powerful and yet overlooked during the most important time of the year. Every American knows what Christmas is, but does every American know why we celebrate this holiday? That’s really sad that there are people who might be celebrating Christmas and don’t even know about Christ. It’s time we tell them, don’t you think?

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.”

Isaiah 9:6-7

Under the Influence

Under the Influence

We’ve all heard the term “under the influence” when referring to someone driving while intoxicated. It is a broad term that can include either alcohol or drugs. Basically, it means that the person cannot make clear decisions while driving because their judgment is being clouded by some type of substance. In life our judgment can be clouded not only by substances but by the influence of those around us.

Several years ago I was fortunate enough to meet a man that knew the Lord. Then I was lucky enough to get him to go out with me! Soon we were married and since then my relationship with the Lord has grown. Would I have had this relationship with the Lord if I hadn’t met and married my husband? I’m not sure what the answer is to that question. My husband has been a great influence on my spiritual life. He has led me in a patient and loving way to be a better Christian. Through his support and prayers, I have come to know the Lord on a much deeper level. In a way, I think we have led each other there. We read together. We talk about the Lord. We pray for one another. Yes, we still have arguments like every married couple, we aren’t perfect by any means, but we have a foundation set on the Lord and He is the center of our marriage. So, we continually influence one another to grow stronger in Him. Because of this, I count myself among the blessed.

On the flip side of this coin, is the possibility of being influenced away from the Lord. We look at the world around us and there are a LOT of negative influences out there. A huge part of our population is addicted to something – drugs, alcohol, pornography, etc. Often it is impossible for someone to get away from these things because it has a great hold on them. They become like a prisoner to their addiction and the people they call “friends” are caught up in the same addictions. Even if they break free from the addiction, when they return to their life these addictions are right there waiting for them to return. Seriously, the only way to break free is to move away and start a new life. 

Even if you aren’t addicted to something, there can be people in our lives that lead us away from God. They may not be intentionally leading us away, but if they are influencing us in a way that leads us away from the Lord, then we have two choices - we must become the influence and lead them to the Lord, or we need distance ourselves from them. Satan is a sneaky character. He knows how to pull us away from the Lord and he often uses the people around us to do it. Little things can add up to a big fall from God sometimes. We look at something and think, “everyone else is doing it”, and that is the beginning of the end. Being one of God’s children means being different than the “world”. 

Jesus was a great influence on those around Him. If you read through the gospels, He continually encouraged those around Him to be more. His words were always meant to help us grow closer to Him, and to live as God wants us to live. If you are caught up in an addiction or you are under the influence of those around you, reading the Bible can help. Start in the book of Matthew and read and listen to what Jesus wants you to hear. Let the Lord be the one to influence you instead of those around you.

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

1 Peter 5:8

Unmasked

Unmasked

This week most of us have watched little ghosts and goblins trek around local streets hoping for some candy. Halloween means dressing up in costumes and many times wearing masks. For the children, this is only one day a year. For many of us, the masks get donned more often than this. These masks become a part of our normal wardrobe, just like the clothes we wear every day.

I can tell you a lot about this mask, because I’ve been a wearer in the past. Let me tell you about my own mask and then ask yourself if you have a mask of your own. In the past there were two different masks I would wear. One mask was worn on Sunday morning. This mask was a mask of perfection. It was what I thought people expected of me, but it was a false face. During the rest of my life I wore a different mask, one that was not so perfect. 

One day, I realized that I was cheating myself, and God, by wearing these two masks. By wearing the first mask I was not allowing myself to truly be known, to be seen, to be honest with my fellow church family members. I was hiding from them and from a God that wanted to love me wholly and to forgive me for my sins. By wearing the second mask I was cheating not only myself but others that would look to me as a Christian and find me lacking. This mask was hurting the Lord as well as those who might come to Him. 

Taking off the mask and allowing myself to be known by the Lord, allowing Him to reside within me and shine through me has been the greatest decision I’ve ever made. Instead of being half a person all of the time, I’ve become a whole person all of the time. Are you wearing a mask? Halloween is over – time to take off the mask!

“For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.” Luke 8:17

Flint Rocks

Flint Rocks

When I was a little kid I used to love to go without shoes. We lived on a farm and had a big yard, so most of the time going shoeless was not a problem. Of course, eventually I would have to cross the gravel driveway and it never failed, I would step on a flint rock. If you don’t know much about flint rocks, then you might not know that they have some pretty sharp edges and they can be really painful on bare feet! 

Our sins can be kind of like these flint rocks. As humans we tend to bury our sins deep inside. There are times when we have committed such a life-altering, heart-wrenching, satan-driven sin that it tears our insides up – especially if we keep it hidden from the world. Keeping it hidden and thinking that we are able to deal with it can make the cuts from the edges of this “flint rock” of sin that much deeper. There comes a time when we all have to face our sin, ask the Lord’s forgiveness, and move on from it. Sometimes, that is easier said than done! Actually pulling the rock out and looking at it, addressing that it exists, is the most difficult part of all. We may have been living in denial for years and not wanting to even admit that we have committed the sin in the first place. Yes, it will hurt to pull those sharp edges out from deep inside, but turning to the Lord and allowing Him to take the “rock” from us and throw it away from us – as far as the East is from the West – will finally allow the healing process to begin. Then we can walk away with the freedom that only the Lord can give us!

You want to know something kind of awesome about flint rocks? They can start a fire! Once you have felt the amazing grace given freely from the Lord, especially if you have felt the scars that the sharp edges were leaving, then you’ll know what being on fire for the Lord is all about. The Lord might just start a fire inside of you with that flint rock!!

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 

Romans 5:8

Remodeling

Remodeling

HGTV is one of my favorite stations of all time. I really enjoy watching all of the remodeling shows. Of course, in the beginning of each of these shows, the house is usually totally disgusting and filthy. Then after they get the house cleaned out, the true work begins. Most of the time, the designers have to completely gut the inside of the house before they can make repairs.

Finding Christ and allowing Him inside our hearts is a lot like a complete remodel. First, we have to clean out all of the dirt. Basically, we have to gut the inside of our hearts and put all that junk in the dumpster! Only then can we allow the Lord to rebuild and redesign what’s on the inside. 

It’s not a simple process, though. Have you ever lived in a house while it was being remodeled? It’s not so much fun when it is all torn up, is it? Thinking that it will be easy and these changes will happen overnight is not realistic. We are all just a work in progress, really. Luckily, the Lord is the VERY BEST designer. No matter how messed up the inside is, He can fix it. He is the only one who can. If we turn to Him and allow Him to transform us, then the end result will be amazing. In order to experience the amazing part, though, we must be willing to give up the junk. We can’t hold on to the old stuff and truly enjoy the new.

Imagine a completely remodeled home that still has the stained and tattered 1970’s carpet on the floor. That wouldn’t make any sense, would it? What if we completely furnish the home with all new appliances and then go to the dumpster and dig out our old, nonworking refrigerator and swap it for the new one. We definitely would never see that on HGTV! In our spiritual life we might equate that to accepting Christ and then going back to our sinful lifestyle. So, we must allow ourselves to truly be a living sacrifice by giving all that we are and all that we have to Him.- allowing Him to completely change us from the inside out. 

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”

Romans 12:1

Weary

Weary

Doing good is not always easy. It seems that no matter what we do there will always be people that won’t understand why you are doing good. Maybe they have never set out to just intentionally do something good for someone else. Maybe they are the receiver of the good that you are doing, and they have never been on the receiving end of a deed such as this. No matter what others may think, do not grow weary! Continue to do these good deeds and spread the Lord’s love to all of those around you. 

You may sometimes question your own sanity at continuing these acts of love and kindness when you just keep getting dumped on and badmouthed by those who don’t understand. Just because the world may think that you have some kind of ulterior motive and you can’t possibly just love the Lord so much that you want to spread His word and His love, doesn’t mean that the Lord doesn’t understand. Jesus sees you and He knows you. He knows your heart and He knows those that are His TRUE FOLLOWERS. He knows the difference between those that love Him and those that just say they are His.

It is easy to grow weary. Earlier this year, I had the awesome opportunity to take a mission trip to Haiti. Before you start to think that I am going to gloat about being in the mission field, I want to clue you in that this is about my own failings! After what seemed like a never-ending ride in the back of a dump truck and visualizing the true poverty of this country, I was weary and just kept thinking, “This place is beyond help.” I was seriously asking myself (and my husband), “Why are we here?” “What good can we do?”

The very next morning, we went to breakfast and the pastor shared a devotional with us. The first words out of his mouth were: “Do not grow weary in doing good.” I was so moved that tears came to my eyes! It was as if God was speaking directly to me. As the week went on, I realized in so many ways that God was speaking to me. So many amazing and wonderful things happened that week. God was there in that place! His presence was so strong that when the last day came, I didn’t want to leave. 

 I’m so thankful for these words:

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Galatians 6:9