Over The Years, I Have Collected 1,000s Of Spirit-Filled Devotionals and Inspirational Articles,
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Happy Reading, Richard
We were
the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Erik in
a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly sitting and
talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, 'Hi.' He
pounded his fat baby hands on the high chair tray. His eyes
were crinkled in laughter and his mouth was bared in a
toothless grin, as he wriggled and giggled with
merriment.
I looked around and saw
the source of his merriment. It was a man whose pants were
baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of
would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed
and unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard
and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road
map.
We
were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he smelled..
His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists.. 'Hi there, baby;
hi there, big boy. I see ya, buster,' the man said to
Erik.
My
husband and I exchanged looks, 'What do we
do?'
Erik continued to laugh and answer,
'Hi.'
Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at
us and then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance
with my beautiful baby. Our meal came and the man began
shouting from across the room, 'Do ya patty cake? Do you know
peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek-
a-boo.'
Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was
obviously drunk.
My
husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence; all except
for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the
admiring skid-row bum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cute
comments.
We finally got through
the meal and headed for the door. My husband went to pay the
check and told me to meet him in the parking lot. The old man
sat poised between me and the door. 'Lord, just let me out of
here before he speaks to me or Erik,' I prayed. As I drew
closer to the man, I turned my back trying to sidestep him and
avoid any air he might be breathing. As I did, Erik leaned
over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's 'pick-me-up'
position. Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself
from my arms to the man.
Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young
baby consummated their love and kinship. Erik in an act of
total trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head upon the
man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and I saw tears
hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain,
and hard labor, cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his back.
No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a
time.
I stood awestruck. The
old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms and his eyes
opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm commanding
voice, 'You take care of this baby.'
Somehow I managed, 'I
will,' from a throat that contained a
stone.
He
pried Erik from his chest, lovingly and longingly, as though
he were in pain. I received my baby, and the man said, 'God
bless you, ma'am, you've given me my Christmas
gift.'
I said nothing more than
a muttered thanks. With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My
husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so
tightly, and why I was saying, 'My God, my God, forgive
me.'
I had just witnessed
Christ's love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who
saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and
a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was
blind, holding a child who was not.. I felt it was God asking,
'Are you willing to share your son for a moment?' when He
shared His for all eternity. How did God feel when he put his
baby in our arms 2000 years ago. The ragged old man,
unwittingly, had reminded me, 'To enter the Kingdom of God ,
we must become as little children.'
If
this has blessed you, please bless others by sending it on.
Sometimes, it takes a child to remind us of what is really
important. We must always remember who we are, where we came
from and, most importantly, how we feel about others. The
clothes on your back or the car that you drive or the house
that you live in does not define you at all; it is how you
treat your fellow man that identifies who you
are.
This one is a keeper.
'It
is better to be liked for the true you, than to be loved for
who people think you are......'(Amen!
I believe we could all take lessons
from God’s little children!!!
“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today
of its strength.”
The Christmas Story Unplugged By Pres Gillham
"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be
taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took
place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And every-one went to his
own town to register.
"So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea,
to Bethlehem the town of David. because he belonged to the house and
line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to
be married to him and was expecting a child."1
Not far from Bethlehem, bivouacked in the Judean hills with his hoards
of demons, Satan contemplated Joseph's journey. In the spiritual battle
for the hearts and lives of humankind, this inconsequential couple,
pregnant out of wedlock, an embarrassment, were the avenue by which God
would initiate His coup de grace of mankind's redemption. While the
world took no notice, Satan knew, God knew, the demons and angels knew,
and Joseph knew Mary was pregnant with the Messiah. With His birth, it
would be Christmas.
God was not perturbed or anxious. His plan was working just as He had
conceived it from before He laid the foundations of world. Although not
visible to Joseph and Mary, an elite corps of angelic, special agents
guarded their every move. The hosts of heaven stood ready to trumpet
their praise to God with a celebration second only to that planned for
the End of Time. The archangel, Michael, and the armies of heaven stood
at "red alert" should God issue them a command. Christmas must
not be deterred. Meanwhile, Satan paced, spat, and cursed to himself,
brooding, There must be a way.
While Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem, "the time came for the baby to
be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in
cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them
in the inn."
With the sound of Mary's labor pains, Satan stalked closer, determined
to destroy and devour the child, the hope of mankind, the light of the
world, the Crown Prince of heaven's kingdom. His was a desperate plan
conceived for a desperate moment. In Satan's war of rebellion, this
birth was the harbinger of a heavenly weapon unparalleled in the
universe and was without equal in all of hell's arsenal. In the
intimate quiet of this Middle Eastern stable, in a stall filled with
fresh straw, Mary labored while all around her the demons lurked and
the devil poised for a fatal blow to her helpless child. Christmas was
imminent.
The ranks of angels in heaven's army waited in disciplined anticipation
for a command from Michael, whose eyes were fixed on God. Before them
was an earthly scene not unlike any other birth. But from a spiritual
perspective, a great initiative was about to be launched. Awaiting the
birth of Jesus was an anxious man, Joseph, and a great, red
dragon-Satan-having seven heads and ten horns and a tail that twitched
from side to side doing violence throughout the universe as if to
destroy the stars in the sky.2 His rage
at this young woman was controlled only by his anticipation of her
giving birth to the Son of God, the heir to the throne, a seat he
wanted for himself.
1 Reference Luke 2:1-20 (NIV)
2 General reference to Revelation 12: 1-17 (NASB)
With one final push the baby was born and the enormous dragon lurched
forward. The heavenly hosts broke into praises to God accompanied by
trumpets and cymbals. God nodded. Michael and the armies of heaven
leaped at His bidding and there was war in the heavens between Michael
and his angels and the dragon and his demons. The tide turned quickly
against the serpent of old, the great dragon, the deceiver of the
world. It was Christmas morning.
As the world slept placidly Mary cradled her new-born. Joseph
methodically tended to his family and freshened the straw in the stable
while the cattle chewed their cud. "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.'''
On this night, the course of history changed. Earth, hell, and heaven
would never again be the same. In a placid Judean town, nestled in the
hills, in a simple feeding trough for livestock, a helpless boy-child
with an olive complexion was wrapped in rags and laid to rest on fresh
straw. God had invaded earth, the seat of the dragon's bastion. All
around the spiritual world convulsed with the ebb and flow of combat.
The great dragon did signs and wonders, children were murdered, and
Joseph and Mary eventually fled to Egypt for safety. Michael and the
army of heaven carried them as though on eagle's wings. While the hosts
of heaven declared the glories of the Lord and his grace, the dragon
dragged the very stars from heaven and flung them angrily about.
In Bethlehem, a baby was born. In heaven, a spiritual revolution
established an earthly beachhead that would forever change the course
of history and reclaim the hearts of mankind. Christmas had come. The
angels filled the universe with their songs. God had become a man.
We live in parallel worlds, and as Philip Yancey says, "One world
consists of hills and lakes and barns and politicians and shepherds
watching their flocks by night. The other consists of angels and
sinister forces and somewhere out there places called heaven and hell.
One night in the cold, in the dark, among the wrinkled hills of
Bethlehem, those two worlds came together at a dramatic point of
intersection. But the few eyewitnesses on Christmas night saw none of
that. They saw an infant struggling to work never-before-used lungs.
Unflinching in His determination, God continues to execute His plan of
reconciliation. It is His all-out, last ditch effort to once again
state in words we can not mistake, in words that echo from the lips of
an angelic envoy in the Judean hills, down to the pits of hell, up to
the ramparts of heaven, and into the hearts of every man, woman, boy,
and girl: "I love you. Merry Christmas."
As Christmas draws near, our focus is on two very important truths.
First, the fact that the eternal Son of God became incarnate in a human
body. Second, what He accomplished in His sinless body.
The fact that the Son of God was destined to become incarnate in human
flesh was prophesied in the Old Testament. The Spirit of God says in
Isaiah 7:14: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and
shall call his name Immanuel." In Matthew 1:23, the Holy Spirit applies
this statement to Mary, adding that the name Immanuel means God with us.
The Holy Spirit also applies what He said through the prophet Micah,
hundreds of years earlier, to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, that
"out of you One shall come forth to be a ruler in Israel, whose goings
forth have been from of old, from everlasting" Micah 5:2. The
incarnation of the Son of God in a human body is also affirmed in the
New Testament. The Holy Spirit says in Matthew 1:18, prior to a
conjugal relation between Joseph and Mary, "she was found with child by
the Holy Spirit."
This was a great shock to Joseph, a Jew imbued with the high moral
standards of the Law! As he reflected on the counsel given to him, that
he should secretly separate from Mary, the Lord said to him through an
angel, Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your woman, for
the one conceived in her is out of the Holy Spirit" (cf. Matt. 1:20).
This verse certainly affirms that the Holy Spirit produced in Mary's
womb the body which the Son of God was to occupy!
The Holy Spirit via Luke gives us a very graphic picture of how God
produced the physical body for His Son to inhabit on earth. The angel
of the Lord told Mary: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the
power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the one who is
born will be called holy, the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). How could
language more explicitly declare that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the
Son of God?
Now let us consider the second important truth, which is based on the
fact that the conception and birth of Jesus was produced by God via the
Holy Spirit. As the Mediator between the holy God and sinful men, the
Person of Jesus Christ had to be both true God and true man. As the
eternal Son of God, He is true God, and as a result of the Holy Spirit
producing Mary's conception, He is true man, void of Adam's sin.
In the book of Hebrews, this same truth is confirmed regarding Jesus
Christ's relation to God and to men. First, the Spirit says that He is
a "Great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son
of God . . . who has been tried as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:1
4-15).
Second, since He came to rescue flesh and blood sinners, "He Himself
also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless
him who had the power of death, that is, the devil" (Heb. 1:14).
Furthermore, "He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that
He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to
God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people" (Heb. 2:17).
Grateful to Him for the sacrifice of His perfect, sinless body for our
sin,
Devotions taken from the messages of Adrian Rogers.
BIBLE MEDITATION
“And the angel said unto her, ‘Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor
with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth
a Son, and shalt call His name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be
called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the
throne of His father David…and of His kingdom there shall be no end.’
Then said Mary unto the angel, ‘How shall this be, seeing I know not a
man?’ And the angel answered and said unto her, ‘The Holy Ghost shall
come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee:
therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be
called the Son of God…. For with God nothing shall be impossible.’” Luke 1:31-37
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
There are people who sneer at the idea of a virgin birth. “Ha!” they
say, “How could this happen?” The angel said to Mary, “With God nothing
shall be impossible.”
Do you believe that? “With God, nothing.” If you have trouble with the
virgin birth, your real trouble is with God. Be reasonable. If God
could make the first man without a father or mother, don’t you think He
could bring His Son into this world in a virgin birth?
If you don’t believe in the virgin birth, you have some character problems.
The character of Mary. If Mary had a child out of wedlock, then Mary was an impure woman.
The character of Jesus. If Jesus had not been born of a virgin, he
would have been the son of Adam, and in Adam all die. Jesus Christ would
have had the same human proclivities you and I have, who are by nature
the children of wrath.
The character of the Word of God is flawed, because the Word of God clearly, plainly teaches it.
ACTION POINT:
Think about this today: Your salvation is inextricably interwoven with
the virgin birth. No virgin birth, no deity. No deity, no sinless
life. No sinless life, no sacrificial death. No sacrificial death, no
salvation. No salvation, you’re going to hell. Jesus came to earth
that we might go to heaven; born of a virgin that we might be born
again. Thank God for the virgin birth.
YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY DANIEL 3:28B, ROMANS
6:13,16,19; 12:1 Several avenues in our city have signs located at their
intersections which read: 'YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY.' This
means that we must slow down as we approach the
intersection, and give the cars which are coming at right
angles to us first place. Failure to observe this command
may bring tragic results!
This is God's demand upon every individual whom He has
been pleased to save. It is plainly this: 'YIELD YOURSELVES
UNTO GOD......PRESENT YOUR BODIES....... UNTO GOD.' What
does this involve? Simply this: because God has graciously
saved me through the death and resurrection of His beloved
Son, and because by His Spirit He has brought me into an
eternal union with Christ, and because I am no more my own,
I repudiate all known sins in my life and deny the right to
old self to be king any longer within me, and I yield my
entire self with my body and its several members unto this
loving Father as a 'living sacrifice.' This is a definite,
once-for-all transaction, as the tense of the words 'yield'
and 'present' indicate. Just as I definitely received Christ
into my life as Savior and Lord once for all, so I am now
just as definitely to yield or present myself to God for His
own use and glory.
Suppose I were to give you a check from our checkbook,
and then tell you, 'Just fill in any amount you wish; I have
signed my name already to it!' Knowing that I had informed
you that I had unlimited financial resources, you would be
free to write in any amount you felt you needed.
Likewise intelligently and lovingly turn your entire
being and life over to the God who loves you far more than
you'll ever understand, and say, 'Lord, here I am; body,
soul, and spirit; mind, emotions, will; eyes, ears, lips,
hands, and feet; weaknesses, frailties, habits, sins,
problems, circumstances, finances; take me just as I am; do
what You will both in me and through me; and cause me ever
to cleave with purpose of heart unto you until either death
or 'the catching away'!'
And God will never turn down an offer like that! Do it
meaningfully today!
MERCY AND GRACE TO THE “CHIEF” OF SINNERS
by Russell S. Miller
When the world was ripe for the judgment of God to fall,
indeed now seems overripe and long overdue, the Lord Jesus
Christ reached down in mercy and grace to save “the chief of
sinners,” as Paul later calls himself in I Timothy 1:15.
In saving Saul of Tarsus, God has “shewed forth all
longsuffering”to this lost and dying world. Consequently, the
Lord’s words to Ananias concerned Paul’s conversion, his
apostleship and commission, and also speaks of God’s grace to
us all when the very next prophesied event was the
judgment of God. Contrary to the Great Commission, then, Acts
9:1-6 marks a new beginning as to the administration of God in
the affairs of men today:
“…for [Paul] is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name
before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for My
name’s sake” (Acts 9:15,16).
Notice that the order of Paul’s commission is the reverse of
that given to the Twelve! Saul of Tarsus, the one who had
persecuted the followers of Jesus Christ, is specially
“chosen” of God through whom “God’s Son” is to be revealed to
“all nations.” Since the favored nation had rejected Messiah
and refused“the Kingdom of Heaven” on earth under their
so-called “Great Commission,” God sent forth the Apostle Paul
to all nations with a new message and ministry, “to testify
the Gospel of the Grace of God” (Acts 20:24), from the moment
of his conversion.
“And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for
that He counted me faithful, PUTTING ME INTO THE MINISTRY; who
was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious; but
I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
“AND THE GRACE OF OUR LORD WAS EXCEEDING ABUNDANT WITH FAITH
AND LOVE WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS.
“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation,
THAT CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS; of whom
I am chief.
“Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first
Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, FOR A PATTERN
TO THEM WHICH SHOULD HEREAFTER believe on Him to life
everlasting” (ITim.1:12-16).
Have you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior? He
will make a real difference in your life, if you will just ask
Him to save you. Won’t you do it today?
Young Boy With Cancer Loses Health Insurance Thanks to Obamacare
by Steven Ertelt | Washington, DC | LifeNews.com | 11/28/13 12:25 PM The family of a young boy in Texas
has less to be thankful for this Thanksgiving — because their
cancer-stricken little boy has lost his health insurance due to
Obamacare.
Hunter Alford is described by his parents as a “wild, fun loving,
zombie-killing boy who loves the military and police.” However, he was
born with a rare form of cancer and lost his health insurance just after
Obamacare went into effect, according to a report in WND.Sadly, Hunter is one of many cancer patients who are losing their health care due to Obmacare’s rules and regulations. A woman with stage four gallbladder cancer is one of the millions of
Americans who are losing their health insurance thanks to the rules and
regulations that are a part of Obamacare. Edie Littlefield Sundby details her plight in a new article the Wall Street Journal published earlier this month. Meanwhile, Debra Fishericks
is a grandmother living in Virginia Beach, Virginia who suffers from
kidney cancer but she is the latest victim of Obamacare. She recently
learned that her health insurance plan will be dropped due to Obamacare
and she is unable to afford any alternatives. WND tells the story of Hunter and what he and his family are dealing with: Americans were told the health-care law was designed to
help children just like Hunter, born with a deadly pre-existing
condition and little means to pay for expensive treatments. The Affordable Care Act was not supposed to take away the insurance
these most-vulnerable children already had and leave them utterly
defenseless against a life-threatening disease. Ron and Krista Alford’s two children, Hunter and his sister, Makayla,
were both born with an extremely rare form of cancer called Plexiform
Hishocyne Neoplasm. The parents said their children “have known nothing other than hospitals, doctors, sickness and pain.” Makayla is currently in remission, but Hunter is in the second fight of his young life against cancer. He is hospitalized and needs another round of chemotherapy, which
will cost $50,000 without insurance, leaving his parents at their wit’s
end.
The Problem With Thanksgiving (By Charles Tucker, Jr.)
You know the
story of
that very first Thanksgiving Day in the English colonies, right? You know,
the
one where Captain John Woodlief and those 38 colonists who had just had
arrived
in the Virginia colonies from Berkeley, England and set aside a day of
giving
thanks to God at the Berekley Hundred (later renamed Berkley Plantation) on
December 4, 1619 where Woodlief proclaimed--
"Wee
ordaine that the day of our ships arrivall at the place assigned for
plantacon
in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perpetually keept holy as a day
of
Thanksgiving to Almighty God."
Oh, you haven't
heard
that story? That's because those Johnny-come-lately Pilgrims from
Massachusetts
arrived at Plymouth Rock with a publicist, so that now everyone just "knows"
that the first Thanksgiving was in Massachusetts with the Pilgrims after the
whole colony almost froze to death following that first bitter winter in
1622.
But the very FIRST Thanksgiving Day was in Virginia. OK, so actually the
first
Thanksgiving in the New World was one led by Spanish explorer Juan de Onate
held
near one El Paso, Texas in 1598, but that one doesn't count because it was
in
Texas! They probably had chili and burritos and guacamole or something
(actually, that sounds pretty good).
At
any
rate, the idea of a Thanksgiving Day was not held as a "perpetual"
celebration
in either Massachusetts or Virginia. Thanksgiving Day was never more than a
local and sporadic event until Abraham Lincoln made it an annual national
holiday observance in 1863. Which means that "first" thanksgiving in
Massachusetts took place after a bitter winter almost destroyed a whole
colony,
and the first national Thanksgiving Day was observed DURING the tragedy of
the
Civil War that almost destroyed our nation. We still observe Thanksgiving
Day,
but it has little to do with struggle and more to do with eating ourselves
silly
and then complaining about how stuffed we feel!
But that's not
the
real problem with Thanksgiving. The real problem is that we set aside this
one
day to reflect on and give thanks for our blessings (in which we
overindulge)
and then ONE DAY later... we rush out for "Black Friday," the biggest
shopping
day of the year. We forget all about Thanksgiving Day in our rush to run out
and
get more stuff. The idea of Thanksgiving was born from struggle and the
awareness of God's goodness despite our difficulty and hardship. Now we seem
to
believe that we deserve all the good things we have, and we can't even have
a
day of reflection on Thanksgiving without turning it into an excuse to shop
until we drop getting more, more, more. Will Rogers drew this contrast
between
Thanksgiving Day then and now:
"In the days of
our
founders, people were willing to give thanks for mighty little, for mighty
little was all that they expected. But now neither government nor nature can
give enough but what we think is too little. In the fall of the year, if the
founders could gather in a few pumpkins, some potatoes, and some corn for
the
winter, they were in a thanking mood. But if we can't gather in a new car, a
new
radio...and some government relief, why we feel that the world is against
us."
It's ironic that
the
more and more we have for which to be thankful, the harder and harder it
seems
to get to be truly thankful. As the late Andy Rooney would say, "Why is
that?"
"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t and life can’t. The angels can’t and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away." Romans 8:38, NLT
We can find ourselves separated from much in our lives. It could be because we are hospitalized or imprisoned, because of war, persecution or distance. A thousand reasons can cause us to be unable to be in contact with those we love or go where we wish.
But let this promise encourage you. Nothing can separate you from His love, but nothing! If you ever feel all alone, and like dying, weeping, hurting or hopeless, this promise you can hold on to. We may be parted from everything else but never His love.
I was listening to a prisoner in the Isle of White, who had rung Premier radio and was experiencing this promise and was surrounded by God’s love, his spirit being lifted up in praise, whilst being in jail. For wherever you are, in every circumstance, His love can reach you and hold you.
In the 1960’s a friend of mine was just doing her washing one day, when she suddenly experienced the love of Jesus coming upon her, filling her with His Spirit. God is always looking to bless us. All she knew was an overwhelming love. So even a busy Mum, perhaps stressed with the world’s problems on her shoulders is not separated from His love. It’s not just words, but a powerful revelation of Gods holy, love filling your being, that raises your spirit into His presence.
Beloved and Blessed, The Fathers’ pure delight, Redeemer, Sustainer, You’re my passion and my prize. My brother, my comforter, My shepherd and my friend, My ransom, my righteousness, The streams that never end. You’re unchanging, magnificent, You’re all I could desire. You’re my breath of Life, Son of righteousness, You’re the love that satisfies. Stuart Townend
Prayer: We pray for anyone we know, who is insecure and fearful. We pray that You would dispel their doubts and enfold them with Your presence, that they would know Your inseparable love in their lives, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
"Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein." – Luke 18:17
On
Thanksgiving Day when I was five years old, snow started to fall. This
was unusual for our area, and it stirred my young heart with excitement.
I remember jumping up to catch the flakes in my hand, not the least bit
worried about the roads becoming slick, although my dad would have to
drive on them later and he was probably concerned. I just trusted that
he would get our family safely home from my uncle's house after our
holiday dinner.
When I went into the kitchen, I found my mom
checking on the amount of food and worrying that there would not be
enough mashed potatoes to go around. Others seemed
concerned about where everyone would sit. However, I once again simply
enjoyed the coziness of my uncle's small house and basked in the
mouth-watering aromas coming from the delicious dishes
being prepared. I was quite sure there would be enough potatoes, and I
was content to sit on the floor if need be. While others worried, I
explored my uncle's glass bookcase filled with treasures.
Seeing through the eyes of a child with simple trust and faith has countless benefits. As Christians, we have many Bible promises
of God's care and provision, yet we may occasionally still find
ourselves worrying about matters. Sometimes these cares even consume our
thoughts. If this happens, we need to channel our inner child and
remember that God, our Heavenly Father, will never leave us alone or
without help. Just as I was able to place complete trust in my earthly
father, we can put our complete trust in our Heavenly Father. He has
everything under control and He never fails in His love, care, and
understanding toward us.
The Lord has done so many wonderful
things for us. He provided for our salvation, He loves us
unconditionally, He is able to meet any need we bring to Him, and He has
prepared a home for us in Heaven. Why would we worry over details that
God has promised to handle, when we could just trust in Him and enjoy
all that He has provided? While we celebrate and give praise to the Lord
during this Thanksgiving season, let us be as little children in our
trust and devotion to Him.
"The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are
God's
children." Romans 8:16 (NIV)
The moment we found out a beautiful gift might be
coming
to our family will forever be etched on my heart. My daughter and son-in-law
were about to receive something they had desired for over three
years.
We'll never forget the day they heard they'd been
chosen
by a birth mother to receive the gift of her child. A whirlwind erupted as
we
all came together to create a nursery and buy the necessities. Five days
later a
perfect little baby boy was born, and Josh and Melissa brought their long
awaited, beautiful miracle home.
Walking with them through the adoption process made me
treasure even more these words in Romans 8:15: "For
you
did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the
Spirit
of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father"
(NKJV).
Initially, we didn't know the baby's name, what he
might
look like, or even his ethnicity. We didn't know how old he would be, or
whether
he would be a bubbly little boy or a sweet baby girl. All we knew is that
long
before my daughter and son-in-law held him in their arms, we loved
him.
Now that the gift of this precious baby being adopted
into
our family is a reality, his parents are changing diapers and slogging
through
sleep-deprived nights. It's not easy, but he is worth every bit of sacrifice
they're making.
No matter how exhausted they are, Luke is still
wanted.
Still treasured. Still loved. Still a miracle in every
way.
Sometimes we may look at God and wonder if we are a
bother. After all, we're a work in progress. We get busy and forget to
treasure
our times with Him. We promise ourselves we'll grow spiritually and then
lose
our temper with a loved one. Why would God choose to love us, even when we
mess
things up?
The answer appears in Romans 8:16, "The Spirit
himself
testifies with our spirit that we are God's children." Perhaps today
you
struggle with accepting God’s love. You don't have to fear rejection,
because
you are adopted. God loves you just like Josh and Melissa love their son
Luke,
but in a God-like measure.
Romans 8:14-16 promises that God's love for you is
irrevocable. You are signed, sealed, and officially His child. Today, as His
adopted child, ask the Holy Spirit to gently remind you one more time of
Whose
you are and how very loved you are by Him!
Dear Lord, You are my Abba Father! Today I place all fear
aside
and place my trust in You. I walk into Your arms where I am welcome. Thank
you
for adopting me. Help me to rest in the assurance of knowing I am Your child
Amen.
"Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of
praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And
do
not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is
pleased."
Hebrews 13:15-16 (NASB)
Enough. That's what I have. Really, more than
enough.
More than enough clothes in my closet. Food in my
fridge.
Shoes spread on the floor. Cans in the cupboard.
My children have books, warm jackets, tennis shoes,
pencils, and opportunities for more. I have clean sheets, soft pillows, a
kitchen table, and indoor plumbing.
My husband and I have never taken our provisions for
granted. Every day we are thankful for the blessings of our home and family.
Yet
eight years ago we were increasingly aware of what Luke
12:48b tells us, "When someone has been entrusted with much, even more
will
be required." (NLT) We felt an obligation to do something more
with
our blessings.
So in 2005 our family of five put a plan in place to
share
what we had. We had enough home, enough time, and enough love. Our gratitude
to
God for His blessings couldn't be kept to ourselves any more. We started
with
some rearranging. Two of our three sons moved furniture around so they could
share a room, Then we bought two little white beds, pink curtains, and some
dolls. I bought matching calico comforters and guessed at sizes of
dresses.
After months of planning to share what we had, two
little
orphaned sisters stepped off a plane gripping the hands of their new daddy
and
walked into our hearts and homes.
They wore "African suits" bought from the place of
their
birth, brightly colored dresses that hung on tiny bodies. So proud they were
to
own their first new pieces of clothing, wanting to greet their new family in
their best. As we wrapped our arms around these little girls, our family of
five
became seven.
As weeks turned into months, and typical family issues
mingled with trauma from our daughters' pasts, we learned God's call to
share
isn't always easy. Oh, at first it was great, before the first blush of
excitement wore off. But the magnitude of sharing our lives with two wounded
little girls was harder than we ever imagined.
When worry about the future threatened to overwhelm
me,
God quietly reminded me that He didn't ask me to have the answers. That's
His
job. My job is just to share what He has given me–my love, my home, my
life–with
two not-so-little girls now who call me Mama. With a heart of thankfulness,
and
an open hand of generosity. That's all He's asking me. That's what blesses
Him.
God's Word confirms what pleases Him. Hebrews 13:15-16
teaches us that we must link thanksgiving with sharing. But it also says it
will
be a sacrifice: "Through Him then, let us continually offer up a
sacrifice
of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.
And
do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is
pleased."
(NASB)
As we walk together as a family, we continue to learn
that
showing thanks to God involves sharing, and sharing involves sacrifice. God
still calls us to share out of our abundance, and it still involves
sacrifice.
But when we share our lives, our homes, our money, our hearts, our skills,
and
our time as an outpouring of thanksgiving, God is
pleased.
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your generosity with me. I
don't
deserve Your favor, and my heart overflows with thanksgiving. Help me to
show my
gratitude through words and actions that are pleasing in Your sight. In
Jesus'
Name, Amen.
"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who
can
understand it?" Jeremiah 17:9 (NIV)
The white snow clouds shadowed the faces peering down
on
me as I lay flat on the freezing ground. Squinting up at the group, my
thoughts
whirled: How did this happen? Are my bones broken? Did I take anyone
down
with me?
Four winters in the mountains, coupled with countless
sightings of others falling down, had taught me to watch where I stepped. I
had
gingerly led my Freshman Orientation group across campus as we picked our
way
through snowy sidewalks. But the brick steps outside the English building
got
the better of me.
After carefully standing up, and gathering my book bag
and
pride, I spotted the culprit. A small patch of ice—that I thought was melted
snow—winked up at me.
Losing our footing happens, even when using caution.
Stepping lightly isn't always a sufficient safeguard when walking into a
potentially slick situation, especially one that involves our heart. Jeremiah 17:9 warns, "The heart is deceitful above all
things
and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (NIV) My friend Mia
learned
this truth at her first job.
In her new position, Mia often collaborated with
people in
other departments. She enjoyed getting out of her office and breaking up the
day-to-day routine. There was one thing she most looked forward to though:
meetings with her co-worker, Paul.
Though their jobs were serious in nature, meetings
with
him were light-hearted. An hour of shuffling paperwork disappeared in
laughter
and conversation.
Weekly meetings soon seemed like an eternity apart. To
fill in the gaps, Paul and Mia emailed each other funny anecdotes. They'd
catch
a few minutes on the phone to tell about a snippet in their day. Eventually
Mia
and Paul shared lunches, inside jokes, and personal stories. When in a
crowd,
they'd gravitate to each other and sit together at staff
meetings.
I'd heard so much about Paul I wasn't surprised when
Mia
brought him up one morning over coffee.
"I think I have a problem," she said. "I have a crush
on
Paul."
Honestly, I wasn't surprised after all she'd told me
about
him—everything but one incredibly important fact: "He's
married."
In that moment, we both saw how little conversations
and
small confidences shared led her to fall for Paul. She'd stopped looking
carefully where she was stepping and convinced herself they were "just
friends."
But Jeremiah 17:9 tells us our hearts are deceitful
and
sly. The word "deceitful" in the original Hebrew language is 'aqob,
meaning slippery and insidious. In other words, our own hearts can cause us
to
lose our footing before we're even aware it's happening.
When we fail to keep our guard up, we're at risk to
fall
down. And after the realization that we've gone too far, we may find
ourselves
asking: How did this happen? Are any marriages broken? Did I take anyone
down with me?
Looking back, if I had re-routed my tour around
campus, I
could have avoided the fall. And that's just what Mia did. She asked God for
forgiveness and wisdom. Then she determined to change her pattern at work.
Mia
stopped spending time alone with Paul and limited their non-work
interactions.
It took time for her feelings for him to go away, and she admitted it was a
bit
awkward at first. But after a while they settled in to a professional
relationship—nothing more, nothing less.
Sometimes we don't recognize slippery spots on our
own.
But God does and if we ask, He will reveal these to us. Let's pause before
taking another step in our friendships to ask the Lord for guidance. We
might
just spare our heart and avoid a damaging fall!
Dear Lord, thank You for the gift of friendship … Yours and
others. I want to point others—and myself—to You by my actions, words, and
deeds. Help me do this by testing my heart and removing anything that could
put
me at risk of slipping. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
WHEN THE ROLL IS CALLED UP YONDER
When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and time shall be no more,
And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair;
When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.
Refrain
When the roll, is called up yonder,
When the roll, is called up yonder,
When the roll, is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there.
On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise,
And the glory of His resurrection share;
When His chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.
Refrain
Let us labor for the Master from the dawn till setting sun,
Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care;
Then when all of life is over, and our work on earth is done,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.
"See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and
that no
bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many." (Hebrews 12:15
NIV)
How dare she ask this of me?
I reread her email, which only fueled my fury. Rather
than
reply immediately, I decided to forward the note to my husband for his
advice.
Any words I would've written to her at that moment would not have been
kind.
Bitterness took root as I typed a note to my husband,
spewing out my frustration. When I finished, I reviewed my message with
great
satisfaction. I'd expressed myself well to a safe person. Then I pressed
send.
In that moment, I glanced at the "to" box. I was
horrified
when I realized I'd hit "reply" instead of "forward." My heart sank. All my
hurtful words and anger were now en route to her, not my
husband.
I felt sick. What should I do? I picked up
the
phone and called my husband at work. We both agreed I needed to email her,
explain what happened, and ask forgiveness. It was the hardest email I've
ever
written.
Her gracious response astounded me. She thanked me for
my
apology and closed her response with these words, "I forgive you, so let's
just
put this behind us." Her words of forgiveness melted the bitterness that had
consumed my heart just an hour before. I'm sure she was hurt. My words were
harsh. Yet she chose to overlook and pardon my offense.
It's easy to forget that we have choices when we're
offended. We can surrender our hurt or hold on to our hurt. We can extend
grace
or harbor bitterness.
Bitterness is like poison that infects our lives. The
author of Hebrews compares bitterness to a root that overtakes our hearts
and
causes trouble in many other areas of our lives (Hebrews 12:15). Although
our
feelings of bitterness, anger, and resentment may seem justified, they are
not.
Instead, they're hurtful and destructive—to ourselves as well as to the
person
who hurt us.
God's Word teaches us to forgive and instructs us not
to
let the sun go down while we're angry. When we do, we give the devil a place
to
work in our hearts and relationships. Instead of allowing the enemy room to
plant relational weeds between us, my friend chose forgiveness, extended
grace,
and prevented a bitter root from taking hold.
She became a living example of the apostle Paul's
words to
the believers at Ephesus:"Be kind and compassionate
to
one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you"
(Ephesians
4:32). Her wise example helped me
move
beyond my anger. My friend's gracious decision modeled humility. Her choice
to
forgive salvaged our friendship and changed how I react toward others who
offend
me. From that day forward, I've prayed that God's grace would flow through
me,
leaving no room for bitter roots.
Dear Lord, search my heart. See if there is any bitterness in
me.
Lead me to forgiveness. Enable me through the power of Your Holy Spirit to
let
go of all bitterness and to extend Your amazing grace. In Jesus' name,
Amen.
"The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for
those who trust in him." Nahum 1:7 (NIV 1984)
Recently a moving truck pulled up to my friend's
house.
Sometimes moving signifies something exciting and new. Sometimes it
doesn't.
This move signified an end. A few hours into the
process
of emptying her home, the movers carried out her wedding portrait and asked,
"Are you taking the photographs separately?"
"Yes," she said, the irony not escaping her.
Separately. That was how she'd be living now. Separate from their
neighborhood. Separate from her husband. Separate from the way she thought
life
would be.
She took the wedding portrait and through her tears
she
called me and said, "I don't know what to do with this portrait. What do you
do
with things that have no place anymore? We built a life together and now
there's
no more together."
I knew better than to throw out something just to fill
the
uncomfortable silence. Trite sayings weren't going to curl up in bed with
her
and hold her unglued heart.
Maybe you've been there. You were the one sitting in
the
midst of confusion or the one trying desperately to know what to say. In
these
difficult moments, we have to place our feet on the only solid ground there
is—God's truth.
His truth won't shift with
feelings.
His truth won't drown in a sea of
tears.
His truth won't leave you even when your gut honest
cries
don't sound so Christian.
I finally said, "I don't have answers, but I do have
prayers. And I'm going to write out conversations I have with God so you'll
know
He's not being silent right now. He sees you. He hears you. And through His
truth He will comfort you."
I pulled out my Bible and poured out the hurt and
sadness.
"God, please show me the right truths. Use my hand to write out some comfort
from Your Word for my friend."
Me: Lord, it's hard to watch my friend hurt so much.
She
begged You to help save her marriage and honestly we're confused why it
still
fell apart.
The Lord: Does Job 17:11
express the way you're feeling? "My days have
passed, my
plans are shattered, and so are the desires of my heart." (NIV
1984)
Me: Lord, don't You see her tears? If seeing her
sadness
breaks my heart, it must break Yours too.
The Lord: Recall the beauty of trusting the only One
who
can see what is and what is to come. Nahum 1:7... "The
LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in
him." (NIV 1984)
Me: I do trust You. But for everything to end like
this is
so hard. It just seems pointless.
The Lord: Nothing I allow is pointless. Even in the
midst
of hurt I will work good. Proverbs 19:20-21...
"Listen
to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise. Many are
the
plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." (NIV
1984)
Me: Why does she have to go through
this?
The Lord: You don't have to have answers. You just
need to
trust. Isaiah 55:9b... "My ways higher than your
ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts." (NIV
1984)
Me: What about the desires of her heart
Lord?
The Lord: I am the only one who knows the full scope
of
those desires. Just encourage her to trust Me and make wise choices. Psalm 37:3-4... "Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in
the
land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give
you
the desires of your heart." (NIV 1984)
I sent this written out conversation with God to my
friend. My note didn't fix her hurt or answer her questions. It didn't give
her
a place to put those things that seemed to have no place right now. But it
did
get her to open up God's Word and start having conversations with Him for
herself. And as she moves on, this is a good first step to
take.
"So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days.Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me; I told no one what my God had put in my heart to do at
Jerusalem; nor was there any animal with me, except the one on which I
rode" (Nehemiah 2:11-12 NKJV).
It is more than 10,000 miles by
air from my home in Alabama to South Asia, to where I have traveled
this past week. There is twelve hours difference (twelve time zones)
between Alabama time and Bangladesh time. In other words they are
exactly on opposite sides of the earth.
Jet lag is a concept
with which I am very familiar. After flying for about 26 hours of actual
time in the air over an elapsed total time of 36 to 42 hours onaverage,
I am always tired and physically confused. My mind may say "It is
morning, let's get to work." My body however responds, "I am tired; it
is time to
sleep."
When Ezra the scribe led a company of Priests and Levites
from Babylon to Jerusalem, the journey required exactly four months (
Ezra 7:7-9). We do not know how long Nehemiah and his guards took to
make the same trip, but it was certainly a long and arduous journey.
Similarly, we are not told just why it was three days after arrival in
Jerusalem before Nehemiah began his mission. My own personal experience
suggests he may have required a little resting time. Perhaps he was
suffering from "Camel Lag" from his long trip across the desert.
Time is a valuable resource, yet our use of it must reflect physical
reality. Nehemiah's example leads us to a few reasonable guidelines
which will help us become good stewards of our time.
First, do not
hesitate to use necessary time for restand recuperation. When the
disciples returned from the limited comission Jesus invited them to
"Come aside
by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while" ( Mark6:31). He
understood the body's demands. It is not a waste of time for us to get
the rest which is required for good health and strength.
A recent
news report suggested that in America there is an epidemic of sleep
deprivation -- too many people just don't get enough sleep to be
healthy.
However, the body's need for rest however in no way
justifies laziness and idleness ( Proverbs 24:30-34; 2Thessalonians
3:10).
Second, Nehemiah shows us that when rest has been acquired,
promptness and careful haste are appropriate. Certainly his arising in
the night was partially in order to preserve secrecy for his mission.
Yet there is also the inescapable conclusion that Nehemiah wanted to
waste no available time. His task was urgent. He moved decisively and
quickly.
The New Testament teaches us, "Behold, now is the
accepted time; behold, now is
the day of salvation" (2Corinthians 6:2). We are to "Walk
circumspectly, . . .redeeming the time, because the days are
evil"(Ephesians 5:15, 16). Time is one of God's gifts to us. Let us be
good stewards in its use.
Third, Nehemiah made excellent use of
the time which he was given. When he asked the king of Persia to be
appointed governor of Judah, the King said, "How long will your journey
be?" (Nehemiah 2:6). Nehemiah wasconscious of a limited time-frame in
which to act. He worked swiftly therefore without delay or hindrance.
When enemies of Israel sought to distract him from his labors he
responded, "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why
should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?" (Nehemiah
6:3). As a result of his determination, the wall of Jerusalem was
completed in a remarkable span of only 52 days(Nehemiah 6:15).
There are physical limitations within which we all
must work. Yet we must also give an account for the way we use our
time, as is the case with all our possessions and resources. Nehemiah
teaches us to be time conscious. In so doing, we too can accomplish
great works for the Lord.
Onward, Christian Soldiers
1. Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
with the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
forward into battle see his banners go!
Refrain:
Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
with the cross of Jesus going on before.
2. At the sign of triumph Satan's host doth flee;
on then, Christian soldiers, on to victory!
Hell's foundations quiver at the shout of praise;
brothers, lift your voices, loud your anthems raise.
(Refrain)
3. Like a mighty army moves the church of God;
brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod.
We are not divided, all one body we,
one in hope and doctrine, one in charity.
(Refrain)
4. Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise and wane,
but the church of Jesus constant will remain.
Gates of hell can never gainst that church prevail;
we have Christ's own promise, and that cannot fail.
(Refrain)
5. Onward then, ye people, join our happy throng,
blend with ours your voices in the triumph song.
Glory, laud, and honor unto Christ the King,
this through countless ages men and angels sing.
(Refrain)
