Need a Good Reason to Celebrate Christmas?

A friend from Northwest Arkansas posted a little video of her boys, ages 6 and 3. She asked them what Christmas was all about.  They got very animated and said toys, gifts, fun!  Off camera you could hear her saying “and it’s Jesus’ birthday”.  They got wide eyed and whispered “Jesus birthday?”  and then they both said, “Happy Birthday Jesus!” They just smiled at each other and you could tell they liked the idea that it was a birthday.  The reason for the Season is easily lost in all the hubbub and celebration of the stuff we get, the places we go and the food we enjoy.  

But the truth about Jesus is all around us during this time of year.  There are the ornaments on the tree. Full of crosses and angels, along with stars atop shining brightly for the world to see.  There are the gift exchanges, signifying the giving of gifts by the Magi to the Christ child.  The evergreen tree reminding us that Jesus is the eternal, everlasting God. 

I saw a sign that I really liked and I think it says it all.  “Jesus is Not Just the Reason for the Season – He’s the Reason for Everything”.  Think about it. He’s the reason we live and move and have our being. We’re not here by accident but by divine decision. He’s the gift that keeps on giving. We receive Christ as our Savior, but that’s not the end of it. He continues to give us a reason to live every single day of our life, no matter what. And if God allows us another day on this earth, it is there to glorify the one who gives us breath.

We look for fulfillment probably more at Christmas than any other time. And yet, more people are sad and lonely and depressed at this time of year than any other. If Jesus is the Reason for the Season, then surely there must be more than this. It must be more than the gifts under the tree, the fellowship among friends, the hugs of family and the expenses incurred. It surely is more than the sorrow we’ve had, the sickness we’ve been through and the rejection, the pain, the loss and the questions that we are going through.

Look beyond the star and into the manger. Behold the Lamb of God! Behold the Christ who came to be all you will ever need! In Him is all your heart has ever desired. In Him is the meeting of every need you will ever face, every Truth you seek and every blessing you long for. This Holy season is a magnificent reminder that Jesus is the Reason for Everything.

Oh beloved, while you are rushing around trying to meet your own needs and the needs of every other person you have to buy for, impress and deliver to, there is Christ! He’s calling you to greater fellowship with Him. He’s calling you to be in tune with His heart so that your heart won’t grow cold in this season of stuff. There will never be another person, relationship, provision or source that can meet your deepest need. But He’s calling you to give you so much more than those gifts. He’s giving you Himself. And that, beloved, is all you will ever need. Let Him love you, let Him speak His truth into your heart, and let Him give you His rest and joy as you fellowship with Him. He will make your Christmas and every single of the 364 other days the most magnificent days as you lean on Him, learn of Him and live for Him.

Christ the Lord is your Savior and He loves you and He’s for you and He is your reason for living for Him all the days of your life.

Colossians 1:13-20  For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,  and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

John 10:10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). (Amplified)

Open the Gifts of God - Straight from the Father's Heart

At our grandson Blake’s birthday party Sunday, we all had a great time. There was a big crowd of family to friends.  Everyone had so much fun. Everything Blake got was something he really liked. As he was putting some of his toys on the kitchen cabinet before they went out to play he looked at me and asked if we had gotten him a certain gift. I replied yes that’s what Popaw and I got him.  He was tickled because as he said “I’ve always wanted one of those”.  

Later that afternoon he was over at our house with another gift, washable markers and an Iron Man spiral notebook to write and draw in. He looked at me and asked if that was from us too. I told him it was. He responded, “This too? I like it.”

Although he got many different gifts, he was appreciative of each one.  Not only that, he was amazed that his grandparents had gotten him more than one gift that he really liked!  

God speaks to my heart. Aren’t we like that?  We accept the gift of salvation and we’re so appreciative to God for His mercy and grace. It’s just the gift we all are asking for. We all want to be forgiven and have a new start. But there’s more! He doesn’t just give us the security of heaven. He gives us the security of every single day of our lives! Not one thing happens that God is unaware of or unprepared for. No matter how things look in the natural, in the spiritual realm you have the gift of full security in Him.

And there’s even more. He gives us grace to help in time of need. He tore the veil and gave us an open door to contact Him 24/7 in prayer. There’s the gift of strength for the weary, rest for the worried, peace for the storm tossed and hope for the hopeless. He gives each of us various gifts for the body of Christ, all of which are very important. Your gift is outstanding and just for you!  He gives us all a basket full, running over and over of fruit, so that our lives will be healthy in Kingdom living as we share His fruit with others. 

He even gives the right friends at the right time for the right help just when we need them. Each friend is also a gift from God.  He gives us a sound mind! So that we can rightly know what God is saying in His Word, every single one of us! He gives us peace - not the kind the world gives, which is false peace – but the kind that will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.

There are so many gifts that belong to the child of God that it’s like your birthday every day! You are His most favored child and as such He desires you to know Truth in the inner recesses of your heart so that you can call upon that Truth when things look bad, times turn rough or life hands you significant turmoil, trouble or pain.  

There’s more and more and more and each time you open another gift, you are blessed and surprised! This too, Lord? This surprise of blessings gives you a thankful heart and a mouth full of praise. And the gifts flow on from the Father to the Son to you His child and then on to others.

Oh beloved, reach into the Birthday bag of blessings, the Word of God! It’s all yours by reason of being Born Again! The promises to set you free, the promises to help you bless others and the promises to get you to heaven – are all there! Keep reaching in and pulling those gifts out. Keep showing them to others and sharing His bountiful ways with everyone you meet. 

Praise the Lord and thank Him this morning for He is Your Exceedingly Abundant God! He’s the Father of Lights who gives no shadows or mystery or doubt. His Faithfulness to you is Great! His Mercies are new to you each and every day!  Why? Because He loves you and He’s for you and that’s the greatest gift you’ll ever receive!

John 14:27 I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 12:11 It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

2 Corinthians 5:18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to Himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him.

1 Peter 4:10 God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

2 Peter 1:2-3 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;  seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

Life is a Gift! Thank Him for It!

When I was a teenager, an older cousin bought a horse. Since we had a couple of fenced acres, the horse was kept at our house. I rode her often. I had always loved horses so I was very happy to have to care for “Freckles”. I brushed her and fed her.

I learned how to saddle her, lead her and care for her. One of my best friends had horses too, so I rode with them through the woods and in the pastures near their house. Although she was a tall horse I was never afraid when riding. She kept a good steady pace and behaved well. We had fun together. Not everything about rider and steed was perfect. She could be obstinate and stubborn. She could kick and nip. She liked to mash me up against the stable wall. She didn't always like being saddled. But we kept riding and I kept enjoying her.

Eventually my cousin traded her off and I got married. I still have many fond memories of riding that horse. But that’s not the end of the story.

Recently while visiting with family, I talked about the horse that my cousin had bought. That same cousin was there and he said, “Yeah, I knew Rebekah loved horses so I thought she ought to have one”. I was shocked. Although I said nothing, I had never known the reason why he got that horse. The reason was me. I just thought it was a fluke and an accidental blessing. I enjoyed the blessing of that time with a horse not knowing it was a gift of love. It made me love my time with that horse more and it made me love the giver of the gift even more.

Did you know that your life is a gift of love? Every single day has been purchased by the Blood of the Lamb, because God loves you. You were planned for, prepared for and delivered into this world by earthly parents. But God Himself gave you the breath of life. Before you were even discussed on earth as a possibility, God knew you. He has established every single day for you. You have been given a gift bought with love, paid for at the cross and redeemed at His resurrection.

Oh beloved, you may have been enjoying your life, not giving the Giver of the Gift a second thought. Today is the day to thank Him for this unspeakable gift! Enjoy it. Quit crying over things you cannot change. Quit wishing for something else, when you have the best. Quit hoping for a better day and enjoy today! God knows your struggles, your trials, and the tight places you are in. The One Who ordained your first breath has also ordained every single day for you. He’s even ordained the last breath you will ever take.

Run to Him this morning and ask Him to give you a new appreciation for what He has done. Enjoy today, love the Lord, love your spouse, love your family, love your friends, thank God for every single gift He’s given you and rejoice that you are planned for, prepared for and cared for beyond your wildest imagination. God loves you and He’s for you and that’s a gift no one can take from you.

Ecclesiastes 3:13 And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God NAS

James 1:7 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

Psalm 139:14-16 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them. NAS

Psalm 79:13 So we Your people and the sheep of Your pasture Will give thanks to You forever; To all generations we will tell of Your praise. NAS

Need a Good Dose of Gratefulness?

I’ve been blogging for years and now I find myself branching out onto other social sites just a little. Yesterday by a simple twist of fate while looking at blogs, I found that one of an old friend’s daughters had passed away in December. She was young, maybe 40. I also found that she used to blog and be on another social site as well. I found her blog, which is still up. It was profound. It seems that she had suffered from fibromyalgia and other illnesses they could not diagnose. She had been a traveler and enjoyer of life – going all over the world using her gifts and talents. But she had become totally house bound because of illness – unable to work, unable to enjoy life or build relationships.




Her last blogs were pleas of sorts. Pleas to God really – for distant family to be closer, for pain to go away, for Dr.’s to be more sympathetic and comforting, for meds to work and more. She was a talented, poetic and artistic person, even in the last days of her life.



We who are here on earth really take things for granted. Sunrises and sunsets. Meals and desserts. Driving cars and riding motorcycles. Wind in our hair. Mosquito bites and cheesecake bites. We have everything. Don’t we. Our poor is another country’s rich. Today we feel wonderful and we just expect it. Our marriage is good and we just expect it. Our kids love us and we just expect it. We grow used to good and only until something is gone do we find that it was magnificent.



How is it with you today? Are you living with the pain? Perhaps it’s physical, but maybe it’s emotional. Yesterday was wonderful but today all the things you took for granted seem a distant shadow. Maybe you’re living the good life and how could that possibly ever go away? Perhaps it’s all just too perfect and you’re so busy enjoying perfection that you forget the One Who gives and blesses your life. After all, it’s expected isn’t it?



It could be that someone stepped on your toes, acted without sensitivity or just plain lost it with you. You’re the recipient of another’s rage or anger. You can’t do anything about it, you can’t make it right, you can’t see through to the other side of the problem.



Oh beloved I encourage you today to live the good life of gratefulness! Along with gratefulness I appeal to you to embrace humility for today is a gift and anything good in it is a gift from the Lord. My prayer for you is that you will embrace God’s heart of forgiveness and mercy and gentleness with all you love and with all you hold dear. Everyone is worth forgiving simply because we were forgiven. I pray also that you will be forgiven by those who have been holding anything against you. I am asking God to remind you every day that this life may have its ups and downs, but Heaven is real and it will be oh so very wonderful! I pray most of all that you will know how incredibly loved and adored you are by Father God and that you will feel His embrace during the sorrows as well as the joys of this life. He loves you, beloved and He’s for you and that’s all that really matters.



Colossians 3:12-13 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.



Psalm 34:18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.



Ephesians 4:32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.



Matthew 5:7 God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.



Psalm 63:3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!

It's Your Greatest Love Story!

Today is a celebration of love day. All over the country people are paying respects to those they love. From tiny little paper cards in Kindergarten to a dozen roses and boxes of chocolates, everyone has the opportunity to feel special and loved on this one day alone.  I usually get a little tickled because if I wait too long to get that special card for my beloved, all the husband cards are about gone! But still, it’s a great day to celebrate love and to give something special to one who means so much to you.

The only problem with Valentine’s Day is the some folks get left totally out of the whole love thing. It costs money so the ones who have to count every penny would just as soon leave it alone.  It costs time so the ones who are overcommitted find very little time to get a card for anyone.  It costs feelings for it’s really hard to buy a card or get flowers or give a heartfelt gift to someone when you’re holding things against them.

I’ve been on the receiving end of roses, candy, cards and more! I still have a dozen roses in a long white box in my cedar chest! No kidding!  I’ve kept them for 40 years because I love the one who gave them to me.

I’ve also been on the receiving end of unforgiveness and rejection. No love lost there. I’ve had problems and issues and dealings with unloving, critical, harsh and unforgiving people. I’ve also wanted to be unloving, critical, harsh and unforgiving.  I’ve even had problems forgiving myself. Can you relate beloved?

But every time I look at situations that are out of my control and hurts that make me want to cringe and climb into the closet of life to stay there forever, I look into the mirror. There I see Christ. I see my hurts and rejection taken on by Him as He stood in Pilate’s court while those who had promised to love Him forever cried, “Crucify!”  And I see Him walking up the Calvary’s hill, dragging my sins all the way- such a heavy load.  There in the mirror of His Word I see hope – hope for me, hope for those I love, hope for the unlovable, hope for the lost – as Christ Himself rose again! I can forgive, I can be forgiven, I can walk in newness of life as His mercies are renewed every morning!

Oh beloved, open up your heart and run to the only One Who will ever love you unconditionally, without reservation. He holds none of your mistakes against you; He holds back nothing of His nature, His love, His compassion, His forgiveness from you. Because He is Love! And because He is Love, He will be with you forever, even unto the end of the age! Not only that, but He will help you forgive, heal you of your hurts, give you everything you need and get you through it all.

Hide your soul in the depths of His love this morning! Read the greatest Love story ever written, contained in God’s Word for it’s all about you and the Savior! Hold His Words close to your heart and dance with your Beloved in fields of Grace! And have a blessed, blessed day in Jesus!

 

Ephesians 2:4-5  But God—so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us, Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ. (Amplified Bible)

I John 4:9-11 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.

Romans 5:2-5 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.

Jesus is the Greatest Gift!

 Not all of my presents are under the tree. Some are still in the store. I am reminded of the old shows where the boy is peering through the Christmas store window at the red wagon. Others are hidden in strategic locations, waiting for wrapping and bows. I’ll admit I’m a Christmas junky. Nothing does my heart better than sitting in the early morning watching the Christmas tree. I love presents! The more the merrier! They don’t have to be expensive. It’s the surprise I enjoy the most. I love the look of wonder on my grandchildren’s faces as they open each package. I especially relish Danny opening his packages. Finding just the right gift for the love of my life is important to me. His response makes me so happy! Gifts are a wonderful expression of love.

God is the best gift Giver ever! As we peer into the window of the Word we are filled with delight at all the splendid gifts available to us who are believers! Jesus, God’s very best gift to us, is the greatest gift ever given. Because of this incredibly gracious and merciful gift, nothing we could warrant on our own, we have more incredible gifts.  Whatever your need, God has gifted it to you through His Son, The Savior of the World.

I know every day doesn’t feel like Christmas.  There are hurts and anxieties and troubles and arguments and oh so much more. There may be more month at the end of the money. There are uncertainties in this world. Things and people you may have counted on may be no longer available.  If we focus on those things, we won’t be able to receive gifts that we need from the Lord. Everything you and I need, dear hearts, is found in Him.

Oh beloved, snuggle up with the Lord! Feel the warmth of the fire of His love! Feel the comfort of His beautiful blanket of care! Drink freely of the cup of His anointing and let it wash over you. His Word says you are lovely. His Word says you are worthy. His Word says you are justified freely.  His gift of Salvation makes you totally justified. His gift of the Holy Spirit sets you apart for Him and the gift of His Word will help you live a life without regrets and full of His wisdom. And the gift of Heaven promises you eternal life in His Magnificent presence! Oh how He loves you! Oh how He’s for you! Oh what a Savior!

Romans 5:15-17 But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.  And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins.  For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.

Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

James 1:17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. (NAS)

2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

 

 

All of our Needs are Met in the Gift of God and His Word!

One Christmas I gave one of our daughters a gift certificate for a pedicure.  It was pretty expensive but I wanted her to have something personal, something just for her. I found out later she never used it. She said she didn’t think she’d like a pedicure; she preferred manicures. 

Little did she know that she could have been used it for anything in the shop. Because she didn’t know the truth about the gift, she wasted it.  She never really received the reward for it.  She didn’t use it, but I didn’t waste it because it was bought with love.

The Word of God is our gift certificate. All of God’s gifts, tools and resources are given to those who call on the name of Jesus to be saved.  The Entire Gift Catalog is ours. His Word is a gift and like all gifts we can choose whether we want to receive it or just leave it sitting on a shelf un-used and wasted. But Christ, who gave the Ultimate Gift of Himself has wasted nothing.  Unlike the gift certificate which lost its value after a while, God’s Precious Gift always holds its value and is there for you whenever you call upon Him.

Oh beloved! Maybe you have been saved and you don’t need the gift of salvation again. But you need a way to live a new life in Christ. Or you need a way to make it through the storms of life. Do you find that you need more power than a mere human can muster to live life victoriously? Run to the Lord this morning and open His Gift of the Word of God! Inside those pages, which are God breathed, you will find the answer to all your problems, the outcome of all your struggles and the way to live as an overcomer all the days of your life! Don’t waste a minute trying to figure things out in the flesh, for surely the flesh, even your own, will fail you. But the Word of God will never fail you, will never go out of fashion and will always hold its value for you. Because, beloved, you are valued by God and are loved beyond measure!  That’s why we say Hallelujah to the Lamb!

Joshua 23:14 Not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you.  All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed”

Romans 11:29  For God’s gifts and His call can never be withdrawn.

I Corinthians 1:14 I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts He has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 4:8  That is why the Scriptures say, “When He ascended to the heights, He led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to His people.”

James 1:17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. (NAS)

All You Need is Wrapped Up in the Gift of God's Son!

We had a hard time having babies.  Our first daughter was born after total bedrest the first trimester. Our second daughter was born after fertility issues. Our only son was born after the doctors said there’d be no more babies.

As like all young married folks, we wanted to reproduce little Dannys and Rebekahs.  We fed them, clothed them, played with them and provided for them. To see our grown children now, you would say they indeed look like us.  When our oldest daughter was six years old I gave my life to Christ. We spent the next 18 years attempting to reproduce again. Only this time we wanted to reproduce our life in Christ in the lives of our children. We became focused on spiritually feeding, nurturing and clothing them in Christ and the Word of God.  It is an ongoing work and even though they are grown now, we look for any similarities to Christ being reproduced in their lives.  We pray for them daily, we seek God’s face on their behalf and every chance we get we speak Truth into their lives. We are not perfect parents, but Christ’s heart in us helps us focus on the realities of God’s promises in our own lives and in the lives of our children and our children’s children.

Oh beloved, are you struggling with your past? Maybe you didn’t know that you could live a life that was pleasing to God. It could be no one spent time sowing Truth and Love into your life. Maybe now someone is attempting to beat you down or make you give up. Run to the mirror of His Word and see! If you have given Christ your heart and walk in newness of life you can be sure that your Father in Heaven is reproducing Himself in you! When He sees you He sees His Son and our likenesses are growing more and more like Him as we get closer and closer to Heaven. He speaks to you this morning and He says, “You are my child. I have all you need wrapped up in the gift of My Son. Won’t you open this gift today? Won’t you let Me love you and speak Truth into your life? Won’t you believe Me, The Lord of Heaven and Earth? I love you and I’m on your side and I have even prepared an eternal home for you. Come and fellowship with Me and see. I will take what was pronounced as destruction over you and resurrect you to a new and living way! Trust Me and live! Trust Me and let Me finish the Work I have had in mind for you for eternity!

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Ephesians 5:1  Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children.

Ephesians 2:10  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

1 Corinthians 15:49  Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.

Colossians 3:10  and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.

2 Corinthians 3:18  But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.