"Predictions for the New Year"

I’m sure you’ve noticed that each year almost all the major newsmagazines put out an issue with special pictorial sections recalling people and events that made news during the previous year. Many of the magazines also include articles by experts predicting what they expect to see happening in the years ahead. A few of these predictions have proven amazingly accurate, while others couldn’t have been more wrong. I remember my senior year in high school, experts predicted that by 1985 technology would have taken over so much of the work we do that the average American work week would be only 22 hours long and that we would work only 27 weeks a year. As a result, one of our biggest problems would be in deciding what to do with all our leisure time. Well, I don’t know about you, but that prediction certainly missed the mark as far as my life was concerned!

In fact, most of us seem to be very busy people. We’re always in a hurry. We walk fast, talk fast, and eat fast. And after we eat, all too often, we stand up and say, "Excuse me. I’ve gotta run." Someone observed, "We’re the only country in the world that has a mountain named `Rushmore.’" Steve Wright, a comedian, says that he bought a microwave fireplace, and now he can spend a whole evening in front of the fire in only 8 minutes.

So here we are, beginning the first full week of 2011. I wonder how we’ll do this year? Will we be as busy? Will we make any better use of our time? In 365 days, when it is all over, will we be looking back with joy, or with regret? Will we be looking at the future with anticipation, or with dread? There is a passage of Scripture that I believe can be of help to us as we look forward to the year

“So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do.” (Ephesians 5:15-17 NLV).

I think that in this passage the Apostle Paul presents some important lessons that we need to consider. Let me suggest two practical things to do this year. First of all, we must be very careful how we live because our time on this earth is limited. The Psalmist also tells us to number our days so that we will develop a heart of wisdom. Time is the only irreplaceable resource we have. Once it is spent, it is gone forever. Use your time wisely in the pursuit of His will and purpose in your life.

Second, we must make the most of every opportunity without becoming overloaded. We’re overloaded with commitments. We’ve committed ourselves to go here and there, to take part in this activity and that social function. As a result we soon begin meeting ourselves coming and going because we have overloaded ourselves in the area of commitments. The same is true with our possessions, work, and even information. We simply can’t absorb it all. We need to simplify our lives. We need to slow down. Join me in making these two principles realities in our lives this year!

"How Does It Look To You Now?"

New Year’s Eve, 2010 is the beginning of a new decade. If you are at all like me you may be thinking how quickly the last decade has passed! Like every New Year, it is a new beginning. How we face that time in our lives has a lot to do with the way we will experience the joy our Lord desires for us. I have chosen an obscure passage from the Old Testament for our study this morning. It is

"`Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? But now be strong O Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. `Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord,` and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’”(Haggai 2:3-7 NLV).

I would like you to notice the question in the middle of the third verse, "How does it look to you now?" That’s the question to ask during the first few weeks of a New Year, "How does it look to you now?" Look back at the past year. It probably looks a little different than it did back at the beginning of 2010. We can look back and see all the pounds we lost and then regained. We can see the promises we broke. We can see all the hopes, dreams, disappointments, and sorrows. It is always easy to look back, isn’t it? But, the real key to happiness is in looking forward. What do you see? Do you see clouds, or sunshine? Do you see despair, or hope? What do you see as you look forward?

Behavioral scientists have discovered that we usually see things that we are prepared to see. All this is centered in a network of nerve cells called the "Reticular Activating System." The Reticular Activating System works like this. Once something has been brought to our attention, we have been prepared to see it, and we’ll see it virtually everywhere we go. For example, if you decide to buy a new car and you make up your mind that you are going to buy a certain brand, a certain body style, and a certain color, all of a sudden you’ll see those cars everywhere. You’ll see them on the roads, in TV advertisements, in newspapers and magazines. They’re suddenly everywhere. They were always there, but the moment you were prepared to see them, your Reticular Activating System kicked in and suddenly you saw them everywhere.

It happens in other areas of life, too. We see what we are prepared to see. If we are prepared to see doom and gloom this year that’s what we’ll see. If, on the other hand, we have prepared ourselves to see sunshine and opportunities, then that is what we are going to see. Do you remember Flip Wilson on TV? Dressed up as Geraldine, he would say, "Honey, what you see is what you get!" Well, that may not have been exactly true as far as Geraldine went, but psychologists tell us that if we see ourselves as successful, if we see ourselves as strong and healthy, chances are good that that’s what we’ll be. On the other hand, if we see ourselves as failures, if we see ourselves as weak and sickly, chances are pretty good that that’s what we’ll be. Jesus said, “I have come that you may have life, and that abundantly!” This year, perhaps as never before, believe it! Claim that wonderful promise of life today!

"Where Is Your Faith?"

There is a season in our faith just as there are seasons in the year. During the “spring” of our faith, we feel alive and full of growth. Life seems to bloom all around us. During the “summer” of our faith, it is not unusual to feel the pressures and demands of life in such a way as to dry our spirits. The “fall” of faith is a time when we begin to sense the slowing down of the pace of life. And, of course, there are those “winter” times of our faith when we seem to be lying dormant. Every believer will pass through these seasons of faith at one time or another.

While it is true that we all go through these times, some of them are more difficult to deal with than the others. Especially during the “winter” we need to be encouraged and nurtured with the example of others in the faith. People of faith are always an encouragement to be around. Through the Scripture God has placed many of these faithful in our path. Abel, Enoch, Noah, Joshua and a host others faith will challenge and encourage our faith. Today, we can look at one of them. Abel is such an example to us. Listen to the writer of Hebrews:

“By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.” (Hebrews 11:4 NIV).

The thought that really speaks to me is "being dead still speaks." The book of James tells us that faith without works is dead. Abel's life was full of works that gave testimony of his faith even after his death. This is not to say that somehow Abel earned his eternal life through his good works. Eternal life is only possible through the gift of God’s grace in Jesus Christ. However his life centered in good works that were a result of his faith. These allowed him to live above and beyond the trials he faced.

A century ago, Robert Louis Stevenson devised a number of rules to help people to live happier, more productive lives. These rules may be a century old, but they are still excellent guidelines. They are practical ways to center your life on faithful good works.

 Make up your mind to be happy. Learn to find pleasure in simple things.
 Make the best of circumstances. No one has everything, and everyone has something of sorrow.
 Don't take yourself too seriously. Learn to relax; it really will be OK.
 Don't let criticism worry you. You can't please everybody.
 Don't let your others set your standards. Be the person God wants you to be.
 Do things you enjoy doing, but stay out of debt.
 Don't borrow trouble. Imaginary things are harder to bear than actual ones.
 Since hate poisons the soul, do not cherish enmities and grudges. Avoid people who make you unhappy.
 Have many interests. If you can't travel read about places.
 Don't hold postmortems or spend time brooding over sorrows and mistakes.
 Don't be the one who never gets over things.

2011 is but a day away. Make your commitment to these principles for this New Year!

"Increased Faith"

One of the most perplexing problems every Christian faces at one time or another is that of maintaining a steady faith. It reminds me of a little story. It seems a man fell off a cliff, but managed to grab a tree limb on the way down. He believed in God and it was natural to cry out for help. “Is anyone up there?” “I am here. I am the Lord. Do you believe me?” “Yes, Lord, I believe. I really believe, but I can’t hang on much longer.” “That’s all right, if you really believe you have nothing to worry about. I will save you. Just let go of the branch.” There was a long moment of pause, then the man said: “Is anyone else up there?” The writer of Hebrews poses the question rhetorically in chapter eleven:

“What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.” (Hebrews 11:1 NLV).

For the very reason that faith provides proof of those unseen things, it is also is the most intangible of all things in our life. For most of us, believing is seeing and seeing is believing. Our culture has so conditioned us to that kind of scientific behavior. Perhaps you have heard of the story of the young college student who was asked to prepare a lesson to teach his speech class. He was to be graded on his creativity and ability to drive home a point in a memorable way. The title of the talk was “The Law of the Pendulum.” He spent 20 minutes carefully teaching the physical principle that governs a swinging pendulum. The law of the pendulum is: A pendulum can never return to a point higher than the point from which it was released. Because of friction and gravity, when the pendulum returns, it will fall short of its original release point. Each time it swings it makes less and less of an arc, until finally it is at rest. This point of rest is called the state of equilibrium, where all forces acting on the pendulum are equal. He attached a 3-foot string to a child’s toy top and secured it to the top of the blackboard with a thumbtack. He pulled the top to one side and made a mark on the blackboard where he let it go. Each time it swung back I made a new mark. It took less than a minute for the top to complete its swinging and come to rest. When he finished the demonstration, the markings on the blackboard proved his thesis.

He then asked how many people in the room BELIEVED the law of the pendulum was true. All of his classmates raised their hands, so did the teacher. He started to walk to the front of the room thinking the class was over. In reality it had just begun. Hanging from the steel ceiling beams in the middle of the room was a large, crude but functional pendulum (250 pounds of metal weights tied to four strands of 500-pound test parachute cord). He invited the instructor to climb up on a table and sit in a chair with the back of his head against a cement wall. Then he brought the 250 pounds of metal up to his nose. Holding the huge pendulum just a fraction of an inch from his face, he once again explained the law of the pendulum he had demonstrated only moments before. The student said, “If the law of the pendulum is true, then when I release this mass of metal, it will swing across the room and return short of the release point. Your nose will be in no danger.” After that final restatement of this law, he looked him in the eye and asked, “Sir, do you believe this law is true?” There was a long pause. Huge beads of sweat formed on his upper lip and then weakly he nodded and whispered, “Yes.”

He released the pendulum. It made a swishing sound as it arced across the room. At the far end of its swing, it paused momentarily and started back. You never saw a man move so fast in your life. He literally dived from the table. Deftly stepping around the still-swinging pendulum, the student asked the class, “Does he believe in the law of the pendulum?” The students unanimously answered, “NO!”

Faith has to do with actions. We’ll explore this subject a little more in the next few days. When our faith seems to fail, it is usually due to the fact that it is not as strong as the apparent evidence we are experiencing through our physical senses. Increasing our faith means increasing our ability to see our experiences from a spiritual perspective. Today, rest in the knowledge that God does not expect or require a perfect faith. Ask Him to help you strengthen the faith you have. He promises that He will.

"The Floodlight on Christ"

"If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.” (John 14:15-17 NLV).

These words were spoken to comfort and encourage the disciples in the face of Jesus’ imminent death. It was a promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity. There are many things that the Holy Spirit accomplishes in the world today. He convicts unbelievers of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8-11). He regenerates or causes us to become believers (John 3:1-8; Titus 3:5, I Peter 1:23-25; James 1:18).
He indwells and baptizes the believer (I Corinthians 6:19; Romans 8:9; John 14:16; I Corinthians 12:13). He seals us (Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30). He imparts gifts (I Corinthians 12:7-11). He fills the believer (Ephesians 5:15-21; Galatians 5:16). And, He causes us to bear fruit (Galatians 5:22-23), which are the characteristics of Jesus Christ. However, the Holy Spirit’s distinctive role is to fulfill what we may call a floodlight ministry in relation to the Lord Jesus Christ. So far as this role was concerned, the Spirit “was not yet” while Jesus was on earth. It would be only when the Father had glorified him (John 17:1, 5) that the Spirit’s work of making men aware of Jesus’ glory could begin.

In the courtyard of the last church I pastored, there is a seventy-foot tall white cross that serves both as a steeple and landmark. I was once asked why the cross was so tall. The answer seemed so evident that I hardly knew what to say. It needed to be seen by everyone, since it was the central focus of our message and ministry. And, yet without light, at night it would nearly be invisible. Of course we had floodlights placed so that it would continuously be lit in the dark hours of the night. The intended effect is to make it visible when otherwise it would not be seen for the darkness, and to maximize its dignity by throwing all its details into relief so that you can see it properly. It also struck me that this perfectly illustrates the Holy Spirit’s new covenant role. He is, so to speak, the hidden floodlight shining on the Savior.

Or think of it this way. It is as if the Spirit stands behind us, throwing light over our shoulder on to Jesus who stands facing us. The Spirit’s message to us is never, “Look at me; listen to me; come to me; get to know me,” but always, “Look at him, and see his glory; listen to him and hear his word; go to him and have life; get to know him and taste his gift of joy and peace.” The Spirit is the matchmaker, the celestial marriage broker, whose role it is to bring Christ and us together and ensure that we stay together.

It is so tragic that so few believers accept the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Sometime back the Associated Press carried this dispatch: “Glasgow, Ky.—Leslie Puckett, after struggling to start his car, lifted the hood and discovered that someone had stolen the motor.” Are you trying to start your “car” without your “engine”? Let Him light up your life today!

"Jesus the Son"

I recently saw a list of headlines that actually appeared in newspapers which were funny, because they were so obvious. Here are a few:

 Study Finds Sex, Pregnancy Link, Cornell Daily Sun;
 Survey Finds Dirtier Subways After Cleaning Jobs Were Cut, The New York Times;
 Larger Kangaroos Leap Farther, Researchers Find, The Los Angeles Times;
 Alcohol ads promote drinking, The Hartford Courant;
 Official: Only rain will cure drought, The Herald-News, Westpost, Massachusetts;
 Teen-age girls often have babies fathered by men, The Sunday Oregonian;
 Fish lurk in streams, Rochester, New York, Democrat & Chronicle;
 Tomatoes come in big, little, medium sizes, The Daily Progress, Charlottesville, Virginia;
 Scientists see quakes in L.A. future, The Oregonian;
 Bible church's focus is the Bible, Saint Augustine Record;
 Lack of brains hinders research, The Columbus Dispatch. What a grasp of the obvious!

I almost feel as if I am stating the obvious when I say that Jesus is the Son of God. Yet, there is so much we may learn from this simple statement. As we continue to examine the Trinity, the second Person is “the Son.” When Jesus asked the disciples who they thought He was, a very revealing principle of truth was given:

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" "Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets." Then he asked them, "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. (Matthew 16:13-17 NLV).

The truth that Jesus is “the Son of the living God,” fully God and fully man, has some wonderful implications for us practically:

 First, Jesus knows. This text tells us emphatically that Jesus knows our human condition. It is not something that he has heard but something he knows. We may approach him confidently as our High Priest because he knows. He has done and experienced the same kinds of trials and challenges that we have in our lives.
 Second, Jesus identifies with us. Only the one who resists temptation knows the full strength of it. Some say we need to experience sin in order to know what sin is. How foolish! Only he who does not yield knows the full force of temptation. Every one of the temptations we had ever had or will have, He has already faced and conquered. He is not a mere observer, but a fellow participant in life. This makes Him all the more trustworthy.
 Third, Jesus is the means for our receiving mercy. We can appear before the throne of his grace and receive mercy. Because of who He is and what He has done, we now may have perfect assurance that mercy is available to us. He has won the victory on our behalf. Because He was human, He became the perfect sacrifice for our sin. This is how we may receive grace. It was essential that we have a “Son” revealed to us!

"I Do"

“And the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a companion who will help him.’ So the Lord God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep. He took one of Adam's ribs and closed up the place from which he had taken it. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib and brought her to Adam. ‘At last!’ Adam exclaimed. ‘She is part of my own flesh and bone! She will be called 'woman,' because she was taken out of a man.’ This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Now, although Adam and his wife were both naked, neither of them felt any shame.” (Genesis 2:18, 21-25 NLV).

Today, forty-one years ago, in Bryan, Texas, Mary and I said, “I do.” They have been wonderful years! I could share many experiences from those years, however, this morning I want to draw your attention to the Scripture and the promise of life. Marriage is a definite part of God’s plan for providing us with lives full of joy. Yet, with many people, joy is the last word they would use to describe their relationships with their spouses.

Perhaps the college students in an English class were correct. It seems the professor wrote the words “woman without her man is a savage” on the blackboard and directed his students to punctuate it correctly. The men wrote: “Woman, without her man, is a savage.” The women wrote: “Woman! Without her, man is a savage.” Big difference isn’t it! It serves to remind us there is a vast difference between a man and a woman and their individual views of what a marriage ought to be. Certainly you have heard of the man, who at work decided to show his wife how much he loved her, and before going home, showered, shaved, put on some choice cologne, bought her a bouquet of flowers. He went to the front door and knocked. His wife answered the door and exclaimed, “Oh no! This has been a terrible day! First I had to take Billy to the emergency room and get stitches in his leg, then your mother called and said she’s coming for two weeks, then the washing machine broke, and now this! You come home drunk!”

How can we ever find the way to joy in our relationships? What is the key? While I do not claim to have all the answers, there are some that we may find and apply in our lives. Marriage loses its joy when one or both of the partners feel devalued or less than fully alive. They are bored. Overburdened. All of us have a child’s deep longing to be touched, caressed, held, hugged and kissed, whether we admit it or not. We all want happy surprises. That might mean a sentimental unexpected gift every once in a while. Though, more importantly, it is the dependable gift of time and caring. The present of shared ideas, experiences, stories, nonsense and games. We want the world to butt out. We want a loving friend, a pal who isn’t judgmental. We want someone to convince us we’re still loved, lovable and very special. For a little while, now and then, we want out from under the grown-up responsibilities that have become predictable, dreary and difficult. By working together to accomplish these things in our relationships, we can become the kind of “companions” God intended us to be toward one another. This is true love, the kind of love that does things for the other person. In marriage two become one, but the one isn’t you. It’s the other person. You love this person more than you love yourself. This means that you love this person as she or he is. We ask ourselves frankly what that impulse is that makes us want to redesign a person. It isn’t love. We want the other person to be normal like us. But does that love the other person or us? Love brings out the best in people. They can be themselves without hypocrisy. People who know they are loved glow with beauty and charm. I am thankful for knowing such love. I pray you will know it in your marriage as well! Happy Anniversary Mary! You have given me great joy!

"O Worship the King"

Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We have seen his star as it arose, and we have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1-2 NLV).

I read about a palace in Rome, which has a huge, high dome. Inside that dome, way up high, there is a painting by Guido Reni, known as the CAWN. In order for visitors to see this masterpiece there is a table directly under the dome with a mirrored top. When someone looks into that mirror, he sees that majestic painting high up above. In many ways it is a picture of the birth of Christ. Jesus of Nazareth is the mirror image of God. Jesus is not merely a baby in a manger. There is so much more to His life than that. He taught, preached, and healed many people. Through all of this, He showed us what God is like! Then, after His ministry and crucifixion and resurrection He returned to the throne of glory, where He waits to come back for the Second Advent to gather His church.

Perhaps you have heard of the famous parable of the birds by Louis Cassels. It was Christmas Eve and a man's wife and children were getting ready to go to church. However, he was not going. He said to wife, “I simply can't understand what Christmas is all about.” It had been snowing all-day and becoming harder as the man's family rode off without him to church. He pulled up a chair beginning to read the newspaper. A few minutes later there was a thudding sound at the kitchen window. When he went to see what it was, he found a flock of birds out in the back yard. They had been caught in the storm. In a desperate search for shelter, they were trying to fly through the kitchen window. He was a good and a kind man. He tried to think of something that he could do to keep the birds from freezing. He put on his overcoat, boots, and stomped out through the deep snow thinking to himself: "The barn, that will give them a nice shelter". So he opened the barn door and turned on the lights; however, the birds wouldn't go in. Then he thought food might bring them in. So he tromped back to the house, got some crumbs and sprinkled a trail with them on into the barn. But the birds ignored the crumbs and went right on flopping around helplessly in the snow. He started walking around, waving his arms, trying to guide them into the barn, but they scattered in every direction except into the warm, lit barn. The man thought to himself, "They find me a strange and terrifying creature. I can't seem to think of anyway to let them know that they can trust me". So, puzzled and outdone he thought about that fact for a little while. Then he thought, "If only I could be a bird myself for a few minutes I could lead them to safety. If only I could be a bird myself.”

Later that night he finally realized what Christmas was all about! We have such a marvelous opportunity to worship Him. Through all of the activities we participate in, place Him above all else. He truly is “the way, the truth, and the light” leading us to eternal life. Christmas is the greatest story of God’s grace apart from the cross event. Like the Apostle John we all can marvel and say, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that whoever believes on Him might never die, but have eternal life.” O, worship this King!

"Mistletoe Magic"

Yesterday I broached the subject of Christmas traditions. Have you ever wondered where some of our Christmas traditions originated? For example, where did kissing under the mistletoe originate? The first mention of mistletoe comes out of the ancient practice of the Druids. They considered the mistletoe to be a sacred plant and believed it had miraculous properties, which could cure illnesses, serve as an antidote against poisons, ensure fertility and protect against the ill effects of witchcraft. Later in history we see another tradition emerging. Whenever enemies met under the mistletoe in the forest they had to lay down their arms and observe a truce until the next day. It is from this tradition that we arrived at the practice of hanging a ball of mistletoe from the ceiling and exchanging kisses under it as a sign of friendship and goodwill. There is a great truth to be learned from this Christmas tradition.

Jesus said, "You have heard that the Law of Moses says, 'Love your neighbor' and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and on the unjust, too. If you love only those who love you, what good is that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48 NLV).

Forgiveness is an essential part of the Christian’s life. The forgiveness we have received from God in Christ ought to motivate us to extend the same to others. Tragically, we are often very slow in forgiving others. If you live in a large city you know the frustration of dodging non-yielding motorists while trying to exit from the freeway. On the frontage road there are two yield signs to remind drivers that the exiting freeway traffic has the right of way to any lane on the frontage road. Technically you can exit from the freeway and take out any car that fails to yield. Unfortunately, though, such vindication brings damage to your car too. That's the way forgiveness works. When someone fails to observe our rights we are tempted to inflict "justifiable" pain. Yet, like the freeway, such action brings personal loss as well. Forgiveness is a much better option!

Even when we are “justified” in our feelings, it is always better to forgive. Imagine yourself under the mistletoe with those people who have hurt you. Can you bring yourself to forgive them? Perhaps the following prayer ought to be yours today:

Father, there are those who have hurt me deeply. I know you love me. And, I know you love them. You sent your Son, Jesus, for all of us. Through His work on the cross you have provided all that is necessary to be forgiven. So now, I, too, forgive those who have hurt me. I release them from all debt.

Real freedom comes from real forgiveness. Is it time for a little “mistletoe magic” in your relationships with others?

"Is Santa a Man or a Woman?"

Humor is one of the cornerstones of life. With that fact in mind, I offer the following story. It seems that someone has published a very careful and thorough research paper determining that, in spite of what we have been led to believe, Santa Claus is probably a woman. "I think Santa Claus is a woman," the investigator writes. "I hate to be the one to defy sacred myth, but I believe he is a she. I can buy the fact that other mythical holiday characters are men. Father Time shows up once a year unshaven and looking ominous - definite guy. Cupid flies around carrying a weapon, typical male behavior. Either of these individuals could pass the testosterone screening test, but not St. Nick. Not a chance." And then the report goes into a lot of technicalities and complexities, which, I've summarized with the eight reasons why Santa is probably not of the male gender.

1. No way a guy could pull off a warm, fuzzy, nurturing, social event like Christmas all by himself.
2. A male Santa would get lost in a snowstorm somewhere and then refuse to stop and ask for directions.
3. A guy wouldn't be caught dead in that red velvet suit.
4. Santa couldn't be a man because men can't pack a bag.
5. Men also don't answer their mail.
6. Santa’s not a guy because being responsible for Christmas requires a commitment.
7. Hanging out with elves is too threatening to a sense of masculinity.
8. And, the number one reason to conclude that Santa is probably a woman: If Santa was a "he," all the reindeer would be dead, gutted, and strapped to the rear bumper of the sleigh!

I do hope you at least giggled a bit. It is humorous, but the point of all this is that it's very easy to get so attached to a tradition that you don't really think about it. Traditions, whether they are Christmas traditions, family traditions or even church traditions, are like a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they add meaning to life because they call us to remember significant people or events and that's good. On the other hand, they can become so much of our routine that they wind up being little more than just "going through the motions." We do the church routine because, well, we've always done the church routine. We do the family stuff because we've always done the family stuff. And we do the Christmas thing every year because we've always done the Christmas thing. There's no real meaning attached and that's not good. In fact, the Scripture has a word to say about those kinds of traditions. At one point in the history of Israel, the tradition of worshipping God had become so routine for the people they actually lost touch with God:

The Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away. And their worship of me amounts to nothing more than human laws learned by rote.’” (Isaiah 29:13 NLT).

There is meaning to Christmas traditions. Begin to rediscover the true meaning of all you do this Christmas. Look for the symbolism in the customs of Christmas. Try to find Christ in all that's going on around you. He's there if you'll look for Him. For example, how could you connect Christ with buying and decorating a Christmas tree? Is there any way that could communicate Christ to you? It does to me. When I see a Christmas tree, it reminds me somewhat of the cross that Jesus died on. It was made out of a tree. And the fact that this tree is an evergreen reminds me that because Jesus died for my sins, God has forgiven me and I will get to live forever with Him. The fact that the tree is in the house is symbolic, too. It's a reminder of the fact that Jesus has to be on the inside, in my heart, if I'm going to have this everlasting life. Finally, the lights on the tree remind me that Jesus is the light of the world and I don't have to live in darkness any longer. Our God is in everything we see and know. “So remember this and keep it firmly in mind: The Lord is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other god! If you obey all the laws and commands that I will give you today, all will be well with you and your children. Then you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord your God is giving you for all time." (Deuteronomy 4:39 NLV). Enjoy the traditions this year!

"Things We Can Learn From Kids"

Christmas is a time for children. Those who know me also know how much children mean to me. They provide a never-ending source of inspiration. Perhaps you remember the passage from Matthew’s Gospel in which Jesus calls our attention to some children who were nearby.

“About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Which of us is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?’ Jesus called a small child over to him and put the child among them. Then he said, ‘I assure you, unless you turn from your sins and become as little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who trusts in me to lose faith, it would be better for that person to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck.’” (Matthew 18:1-6 NLV).

Cynthia Copeland Lewis lists the following things that we can learn from kids in her book, Really Important Stuff My Kids Have Taught Me:

• You can be anything you want to be when you grow up.
• Nobody can pedal the bike for you.
• If you wait until you’re really sure, you’ll never take off your training wheels.
• Nobody notices when your zipper is up, but everyone notices when your zipper is down.
• Sometimes you have to take the test before you’ve finished studying.
• If you’re going to fight, use pillows.
• Before you trade sandwiches, check between the bread.
• You have to eat a lot of cereal before you find the free toy.
• If you want a kitten, start out asking for a horse.
• You don’t have to own a swing to enjoy it.
• It doesn’t matter how fast you’re running with the ball if you’re going in the wrong direction.
• Sometimes the biggest apple has the biggest worm.
• Every castle has a dungeon.
• A little kiss can make a big difference.

And, what in the world does this have to do with the Bible? Go back and read the words of Jesus. When the disciples were arguing about who would be the greatest, or who was better, Jesus pointed them to the simple humility and wisdom of children. When I read Ms. Lewis’ list it occurred to me that we have become much too sophisticated in our technopagan world. There are some very simple, easy-to-understand principles in the Scripture that ought to guide us in our daily lives. Perhaps the easiest of these to understand is that which Jesus used when asked what the greatest commandment was? He cited two principles, both revolving around the principle of love. "'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'” (Matthew 22:37-39, NLV). You see… a little kiss CAN make a big difference! Who do you need to “kiss” today?

"Santa's Lap"

Many years ago I was the General Manager of a large company. As a part of my responsibilities I led a committee to plan for our annual Christmas party. Since there were over 250 employees, it was not a surprise that there would be over 450 people in attendance! Many of them were children and of course we had an appearance by Santa Claus. There was a chair set up by a Christmas tree and Santa received all the children who wanted to come and sit in his lap and tell him their Christmas wishes. It was a wonderful sight. It reminded me of a very important principle from the Scripture. Our heavenly Father desires to hold us in His arms and protect us.

“Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house; with deepest awe I will worship at your Temple. Lead me in the right path, O Lord, or my enemies will conquer me. Tell me clearly what to do, and show me which way to turn. My enemies cannot speak one truthful word. Their deepest desire is to destroy others. Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their speech is filled with flattery. O God, declare them guilty. Let them be caught in their own traps. Drive them away because of their many sins, for they rebel against you. But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Protect them, so all who love your name may be filled with joy. For you bless the godly, O Lord, surrounding them with your shield of love.” (Psalms 5:7-12, NLV).

It was Christmas Eve 1875 and Ira Sankey was traveling on a Delaware River steamboat when he was recognized by some of the passengers. His picture had been in the newspaper because he was the song leader for the famous evangelist D.L. Moody. They asked him to sing one of his own hymns, but Sankey demurred, saying that he preferred to sing William B. Bradbury’s Hymn, “Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us.” As he sang, one of the stanzas began, “We are Thine; do Thou befriend us. Be the Guardian of our way.”

When he finished, a man stepped from the shadows and asked, “Did you ever serve in the Union Army?” “Yes,” Mr. Sankey answered, “in the spring of 1860.” Can you remember if you were doing picket duty on a bright, moonlit night in 1862?” “Yes,” Mr. Sankey answered, very much surprised. “So did I, but I was serving in the Confederate army. When I saw you standing at your post, I thought to myself, ‘That fellow will never get away alive.’ I raised my musket and took aim. I was standing in the shadow, completely concealed, while the full light of the moon was falling upon you. At that instant, just as a moment ago, you raised your eyes to heaven and began to sing…’Let him sing his song to the end,’ I said to myself, ‘I can shoot him afterwards. He’s my victim at all events, and my bullet cannot miss him.’ But the song you sang then was the song you sang just now. I heard the words perfectly: ‘We are Thine; do Thou befriend us. Be the Guardian of our way.’ Those words stirred up many memories. I began to think of my childhood and my God-fearing mother. She had many times sung that song to me. When you had finished your song, it was impossible for me to take aim again. I thought, ‘The Lord who is able to save that man from certain death must surely be great and mighty.’ And my arm of its own accord dropped limp at my side.”

Today, won’t you climb into your heavenly Father’s lap and let Him protect you from every enemy? Rejoice and sing His joyful praise!

"Messiah"

“Now let's talk about food that has been sacrificed to idols. You think that everyone should agree with your perfect knowledge. While knowledge may make us feel important, it is love that really builds up the church. Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn't really know very much. But the person who loves God is the one God knows and cares for.” (1 Corinthians 8:1-3 NLV).

Perhaps the most famous of all Christmas music is Messiah by George Frideric Handel. Actually, Charles Jennins, who was likely a believer, wrote the text for Messiah. Handel, who was not a believer, was commissioned to write the music for Messiah. Handel donated much of his time and money to the needy, even talked about God’s guidance during a sword fight. Perhaps he was a deist or maybe a believer who lived for himself and not the Lord; however, he did not show a Christ-like attitude in his behavior. He had many arguments with his singers, had a hot temper, and was known to go into long bouts of depression, liked to consume lots of food and drink, swore like a sailor in three different languages, and was very boastful.

Handel was the king of opera and had made most of his money from opera. Handel was hesitant to give up Italian opera even when he began to lose money on it. His opera company suffered great financial loses but still he churned out new operas adding ballet and hoping the public would have a change of heart. When it didn’t, he gradually became depressed and reclusive, strolled the dark streets at night and remaining locked inside his house during the day. Eventually his health began to suffer. After a minor stroke and a mental collapse, he took a short leave of absence and traveled to a French spa where he hoped to be revitalized by the waters. It seemed to work. Handel returned with renewed energy but once again he applied that energy to opera. His last two operas had only three performances, finally he had to surrender to the truth—opera was out.

Now in his 50s, Handel began to think more and more about working in other forms—especially the English oratorio. He sometimes used English writers for his inspiration, including the poet John Milton. When he was 56 Handel decided to concentrate fully on oratorios and give up opera all together. At that time, oratorios were often biblically based. Handel’s decision to write oratorios came in part from an invitation from the Duke of Devonshire who was the King’s representative in Ireland. The Duke asked Handel to compose something for Dublin for a benefit for the poor. The assignment was just what Handel needed to bring him out of his doldrums and help get over his attachment to the unpopular Italian opera form. Handel responded to the Duke by promising an oratorio. The oratorio he said would be called Messiah. He already had the idea for Messiah because his friend Charles Jennins had given him the script (or labreto) for it. Now he would create the music. Although most of Handel’s oratorios were based on stories from the Bible, Messiah is an exception. It was based solely on quotations.

Handel’s friend Charles Jennins gathered these quotes from the Bible and then Handel chose the ones that worked best with the music. Messiah contains no story or dramatic action, but through the quotes, Handel illustrated the founding of Christianity in songs that tell of the prophecy of Christ’s coming, his birth, his life, death and resurrection. He said it was easy that Jennins had chosen quotes and put them in such an order that they were musical to begin with. In all his future correspondence with Jennins, Handel always referred to his masterpiece as "Your Messiah."

How tragic for him to have known so much about the birth and life of Christ, and yet, never to have known HIM. It serves as a clear lesson to us that we ought not to choose knowledge ABOUT Christ over knowledge OF Christ.

"Kids Will Be Kids"

Christmas is a time for children! The ages of those “children” are certainly varied though, aren’t they? I have often been accused of acting like a “kid”. I think that can be a good thing some of the time, especially when we are acting out of the simple faith of a child. This is the impact of Jesus’ teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven.

“About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Which of us is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?" Jesus called a small child over to him and put the child among them. Then he said, "I assure you, unless you turn from your sins and become as little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 18:1-4 NLV).

Think about it. Kids can get fun out of the rain. “Adults” do not like rain. We get wet, and we do not like to get wet. It is dangerous to get wet. We might get pneumonia and die. If it rains, we must carry an umbrella, but if we carry an umbrella, we might lose it, and that is even worse than getting wet. But little boys and girls LIKE to get wet. They do not need an umbrella and do not want a raincoat. They love to go out in the rain and get their feet wet. They love to wade. They even love a mud puddle - after all, it has RAIN in it. They do not mind the mud. They can make mud pies. They do not have to be bothered with a stove; they do not have to worry about burning the crust; they do not have to worry about ingredients. After all, you do not EAT mud pies. The fun is just in making them. But grown-ups do not like mud. We think it is a nuisance. It ruins our shoes. We see no fun in a mud puddle at all, but a little kid does.

Kids collect butterflies and seashells and strange colored pebbles and baseball cards. Grown-ups collect stocks and bonds and interest on their savings and receipts to back up our income tax deductions. Kids clip pretty pictures out of magazines and paste them in scrapbooks. Grown-ups clip coupons in an office at the bank. Lots of old folks have no other sport than that. Scraps of paper with numbers on them are not nearly so appealing or interesting or beautiful as the things our youngsters play with. Our children can have fun with the simplest things.

Can we old fogies recover any of that? I think we can. Joan Davis wrote the following little note: "I want to go back to the time when…

 decisions were made by going "eeny-meeny-miney-mo."
 mistakes were corrected by simply exclaiming,"do over!"
 "race issue" meant arguing about who ran the fastest.
 money issues were handled by whoever was the banker in "Monopoly"
 being old referred to anyone over 20.
 the worst thing you could catch from the opposite sex was cooties.
 having a weapon in school meant being caught with a slingshot.
 taking drugs meant orange-flavored chewable aspirin.
 ice cream was considered a basic food group.

There is a special humility in children. It rises out of their faith. That’s the kind of character Jesus wants all of us to have if we are to be truly great in His kingdom. Let’s all be kids this Christmas!

"The Twelve Days of Christmas"

I am indebted to my sister-in-law, Susan Mincey, for the idea of today’s devotional. Some years ago she sent me the following forward concerning The Twelve Days of Christmas. “People often think of The Twelve Days of Christmas as the days preceding Christmas Day. Actually, Christmas is a season of the Christian Year that last for days beginning December 25th and lasting until January 6th - the Day of Epiphany. This is when the church celebrates the revelation of Christ as the light of the world and recalls the journey of the Magi. From 1558 until 1829 people in England were not allowed to practice their faith openly. During this era someone wrote The Twelve Days of Christmas as a kind of secret catechism that could be sung in public without risk of persecution. The song has two levels of interpretation: the surface meaning; and, a hidden meaning known only to members of the church. Each element in the carol is a code word for a religious reality. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ. The two turtledoves are the Old and New Testaments. Three French hens stand for faith, hope and love. The four calling birds are the Four Gospels. The five gold rings recall the torah (Law) the first five books of the Old Testament. The six geese a-laying stand for the six days of creation. Seven swans a-swimming represent the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit. The eight maids a-milking are the eight beatitudes. Nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the spirit. The ten lords a-leaping are the Ten Commandments. Eleven pipers piping stand for the eleven faithful disciples. Twelve drummers drumming symbolize the twelve points of belief in the Apostles Creed.”

Since the resurrection, Christians have often been misunderstood at best and persecuted at worst. In ancient Rome crowds by the tens of thousands would gather in the Coliseum to watch as Christians were torn apart by wild animals. Paul Rader, commenting on his visit to this famous landmark said, “I stood uncovered to the heavens above, where He sits for whom they gladly died, and asked myself, ‘Would I, could I, die for Him tonight to get this gospel to the ends of the earth?’” Rader continued, “I prayed most fervently in that Roman arena for the spirit of a martyr, and for the working of the Holy Spirit in my heart, as He worked in Paul’s heart when He brought him on his handcuffed way to Rome.” Those early Christians “lived on the threshold of heaven, within a heartbeat of home, no possessions to hold them back.”

We are not called on in America to go to such extremes, but we are called on to be examples of the grace of God to those around us. The best way to do that is through our attitudes. The overarching character of our message ought to be our love for one another. Listen to the words of Jesus:

“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love. I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you. And here is how to measure it – the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends. You are my friends if you obey me. I no longer call you servants, because a master doesn't confide in his servants. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn't choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. I command you to love each other. When the world hates you, remember it hated me before it hated you. The world would love you if you belonged to it, but you don't. I chose you to come out of the world, and so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? 'A servant is not greater than the master.' Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you.” (John 15:9-20 NLV)

While we have no special secret songs or signs, we do have a very special message of love and mercy. Especially at this time of the year, show that love to those around you.

"The BYKOTA Class"

There are many moments in a pastor’s life that are memorable. Some of them come at the expense of their ego. Just one of the many in my life centered on my first introduction to the “BYKOTA” Sunday School class in one of my first pastorates. Being very young and very inexperienced, I simply had no idea what the word bykota meant. Though I took great pride in being well versed in both Hebrew and Greek, I could not discover the meaning or root of this word. The older ladies of this class seemed to take great pride in it, and, yet I had no clue where it might have come from! Finally, weeks later, I asked. One of the ladies looked at me with surprise and said, “Why, pastor, it means ‘Be ye kind one to another’!”

Christmas is a time of focus on the kindness of God. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth: “As God's partners, we beg you not to reject this marvelous message of God's great kindness. For God says, ‘At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.’ Indeed, God is ready to help you right now. Today is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2 NLV). That kindness shown to us ought to provide an example in the manner in which we relate to others. In fact, all of us ought to consider ourselves members of the “BYKOTA” class. Paul went a little further with the church in Ephesus:

“And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he is the one who has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:30-32 NLV).

Alexander Maclaren said, “Kindness makes a person attractive. If you would win the world, melt it, do not hammer it.” Pastor William Stidger tells a story about a tombstone cutter who was busily engaged in his shop when his friend dropped in for a visit. The friend, while looking about the shop, noticed a headstone, which had been there for several years. The inscription had been cut on it, but the words were useless, for the stone had been in storage all that time. Curious, the friend asked why? "The people who ordered it were not able to pay for it," came the laconic reply. "And it stays here until they bring the money." "But what good is it doing you here?" the friend asked. "No good! No good at all!" replied the cutter with some anger. "Well, then," continued his friend, "if those folks haven't been able to pay for it yet -- it must be years -- your chances of collecting are pretty slim. Did it ever occur to you that you might place that stone where it belongs? At least it will be doing some good. It just takes up valuable room here." "That's poor business!" was the curt comment of the stonecutter. "It's never poor business to be kind to people and to go out of your way to help people who are in trouble." Having said this, the friend walked out of the shop and was on his way. A month passed before he returned to that shop. He looked around the room. The stone was gone. "Well, I see you got rid of that stone," he commented. "Did they pay you for it?" "No!" replied the stonecutter. "But I placed the stone where it belongs anyhow." "That's poor business!" reminded his friend, mockingly. "I know it is," replied the stonecutter. "But after your last visit here, my conscience started to torment me about it. I got to putting myself in that family's place, for I know that they haven't had the money to pay for it. Every time I came into this shop, that white stone haunted me like a ghost until finally I took it out and put it where it really belongs. Then, afterwards, when I found out how happy it made the family, I lost my head completely." "How?" "Well, yesterday when they came in here to pay me for the stone, do you know what I did? I refused the money. That's how foolish I'm getting to be." "Foolish? I wonder?" replied his friend. How “foolish” will you be in response to the kindness God has shown you today? Come join me as a member of the BYKOTA class!

"The Gifts of Christmas"

Although the only person a man usually shops for is his wife, the whole experience is a stressful one. Many a man has felt extreme frigid temperatures for a long period based on a poor present decision. After 41 years I must confess I’m still not sure what to buy my wife. Although I have learned what not to buy and offer these to you this Christmas season:

1. Don’t buy anything that plugs in. Anything that requires electricity is seen as utilitarian.
2. Don’t buy clothing that involves sizes. The chances are one in seven thousand that you will get her size right, and your wife will be offended the other 6,999 times. “Do I look like a size 16?” she’ll say. Too small a size doesn’t cut it either: “I haven’t worn a size 8 in 20 years!” (For the record, neither of these are Mary’s size.)
3. Avoid all things useful. The new silver polish advertised to save hundreds of hours is not going to win you any brownie points.
4. Don’t buy anything that involves weight loss or self-improvement. She’ll perceive a six-month membership to a diet center as a suggestion that’s she’s overweight.
5. Don’t buy jewelry. The jewelry your wife wants, you can’t afford. And the jewelry you can afford, she doesn’t want.
6. And, do not fall into the traditional trap of buying her frilly underwear. Your idea of the kind your wife should wear and what she actually wears are light years apart.
7. Finally, don’t spend too much. “How do you think we’re going to afford that?” she’ll ask. But don’t spend too little. She won’t say anything, but she’ll think, “Is that all I’m worth?”

Christmas is a time of gift giving. And, while my humorous beginning today is not entirely the truth, there is a great lesson to be learned from the greatest gift anyone could possibly imagine. That gift is that of God’s only Son, Jesus Christ. Thomas A. Kempis said, “A wise lover values not so much the gift of the lover as the love of the giver.” Read the words of John concerning this great gift of God:

“He had to go through Samaria on the way. Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Please give me a drink." He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, "You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?" Jesus replied, "If you only knew the gift God has for you and who I am, you would ask me, and I would give you living water." (John 4:4-10; NLV – bold added).

While you scurry about looking for that “perfect” gift for those who you love, remember that God has already sent us the perfect gift in His only Son. He offers us life through the gift of His own life on our behalf. Receive life today!

"Fear Not!"

Pastor Clifford S. Stewart of Louisville, Kentucky, sent his parents a microwave oven one Christmas. Here’s how he recalls the experience:

“They were excited that now they, too, could be a part of the instant generation. When Dad unpacked the microwave and plugged it in, literally within seconds, the microwave transformed two smiles into frown! Even after reading the directions, they couldn’t make it work. Two days later, my mother was playing bridge with a friend and confessed her inability to get that microwave oven even to boil water. ‘To get this darn thing to work,’ she exclaimed, ‘I really don’t need better directions; I just needed my son to come along with the gift!’”

When God gave the gift of salvation, he didn’t send a booklet of complicated instructions for us to figure out; he sent his Son. Someone has said:

• If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator;
• If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist;
• If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist;
• If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer;
• But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior.

At least one of the things that Christ has accomplished for us as our Savior is the means of conquering of fear in our lives. In the Christmas narratives, there are several “fear not’s.” We may look at each of these through the following Scripture:

1. The “fear not” of salvation: “…but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David!” (Luke 2:10,11; NLV). Almost every thinking individual fears death and the uncertainty of that which we have no measurable evidence. Faith in Jesus Christ brings courage in the face of this uncertainty. We no longer need fear death. Jesus has shown us the way to conquer it!
2. The “fear not” of the humanly impossible: "Don't be frightened, Mary," the angel told her, "for God has decided to bless you! The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. For nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 1:30,35,37; NLV). All of us have reached points in our lives where we simply could not do something. The message of Christ is that all things are possible with Him.
3. The “fear not” of unanswered prayer: “But the angel said, "Don't be afraid, Zechariah! For God has heard your prayer, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son! And you are to name him John.” (Luke 1:13; NLV). How often have you felt as if your prayers went unheard and unanswered? The birth of Christ offers us proof that our prayers are heard and answered.

It really isn’t as complicated as often thought. God sent His Son to simplify life through His example and leadership. When Thomas wanted to know the way, Jesus said, “I am the way!” That invitation to follow Him still stands today. Trust Him today and let your fears melt away in His grace.

"Silent Night" (Part 3)

Imagine what a heavy schedule of appointments President Abraham Lincoln had to keep day after day. Yet when an elderly woman with no official business in mind asked to see him, he graciously consented. As she entered Lincoln’s office, he rose to greet her and asked how he might be of service. She replied that she had not come to ask a favor. She had heard that the President liked a certain kind of cookie, so she had baked some for him and brought them to his office. With tears in his eyes, Lincoln responded, “You are the very first person who has ever come into my office asking not, expecting not, but rather bringing me a gift. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” Thanksgiving and praise are just two of the wonderful ways we may express ourselves to our heavenly Father. How it must delight Him when we do praise Him! Joseph Mohr knew that and wrote of it in his Christmas carol, Silent Night:

Silent Night! Holy Night!
Wondrous Star lend thy light
With the angels let us sing
Alleluia to our King
Christ, the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born.

Just one of the Greek words in the New Testament translated “praise” is εξυμνώ. It literally means, “to sing the praise of.” And, we have so much to sing praise about Him! Read the following from the Apostle Paul:

“How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we belong to Christ. Long ago, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the wonderful kindness he has poured out on us because we belong to his dearly loved Son. He is so rich in kindness that he purchased our freedom through the blood of his Son, and our sins are forgiven. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. God's secret plan has now been revealed to us; it is a plan centered on Christ, designed long ago according to his good pleasure. And this is his plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ – everything in heaven and on earth.” (Ephesians 1:3-10, NLV).

“But how? How do I praise God?” These are the questions I am often asked. Let me make a few practical suggestions for you to use in praising Him.

1. First, be specific. I remember when our boys were very little and prayed before our meals. They would often just look around the room and begin thanking God for each item they could see. Start there. Look around your world and begin to praise Him for the things you can actually see.

2. Second, worship. Christmas is such a marvelous time of the year to worship God. Remember, though, worship is not just attendance at a scheduled service. It is genuine participation in the singing, the praying, and the focus on God and His glorious message of Good News.

3. Third, give a gift in His honor. It doesn’t need to be extravagant, but sincere. Find someone, or something that you may give a gift of your resources of money, time, or talent. And, do it as a gift to Him.

"Silent Night" (Part 2)

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other. (John 15:12-17 NIV).

Today we look at the second verse in that wonderful Christmas carol, “Silent Night”:

Silent Night! Holy Night!
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at thy birth
Jesus, Lord at thy birth.

What a wonderful declaration of the love and care Jesus possesses for us: Radiant beams from thy holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace! It is reported that Howard Hughes, when worth approximately 4 billion dollars, said, “I’d give it all for one good friend.” That’s the wonder of the grace God has shown in the birth of Jesus. We now have a true friend. I like what C. Raymond Bean has written in defining a true friend:

Friends are people with whom you dare to be yourself. Your soul can be naked with them. They ask you to put on nothing, only to be what you are. They do not want you to be better or worse. When you are with them, you feel as a prisoner feels who has been declared innocent. You do not have to be on your guard. You can say what you think, as long as it is genuinely you. Friends understand those contradictions in your nature that lead others to misjudge you. With them you breathe freely. You can avow your little vanities and envies and hates and vicious sparks, your meannesses and absurdities, and in opening them up to friends, they are lost, dissolved on the white ocean of their loyalty. They understand. You do not have to be careful. You can abuse them, neglect them, tolerate them. Best of all, you can keep still with them. It makes no matter. They like you. They are like fire that purges to the bone. They understand. You can weep with them, sing with them, laugh with them, pray with them. Through it all—and underneath—they see, know, and love you. A friend? What is a friend? Just one, I repeat, with whom you dare to be yourself.

Is Jesus your friend? He wants to be! That was His calling in His sacrificial act. And, he calls us to be friends as well. What better time than now to renew our friendship with the Savior!

"Silent Night" (Part 1)

"Silent Night" has become an anchor for Christmas celebrations throughout the world. Its lullaby-like melody and simple message of heavenly peace can be heard from small town street corners in mid-America to magnificent cathedrals in Europe and from outdoor candlelight concerts in Australia to palm thatched huts in northern Peru. Yet, we know very little about its true origin. We do know that during his service in the Alpine village of Arnsdorf, Joseph Mohr wrote a poem, "Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!" Due to poor health, he was sent to Salzburg for hospitalization and when he recovered, was assigned to St. Nicholas Church in Oberndorf. It was there that the assistant pastor met and became friends with the Arnsdorf schoolmaster and church musician, Franz Gruber. On December 24, 1818, Mohr handed over the poem to Gruber with the request to compose a suitable melody for two solo voices with choir and the accompaniment of one guitar. He did so quickly and this beloved carol was born. It has so many wonderful thoughts written into it, we’ll take a few days to look at the verses separately. Following is verse one as translated in 1863 by John Young:

Silent Night! Holy Night!
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin, mother and child.
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.

In the second stanza of this verse Mohr wrote of the light in the midst of this calm, “all is bright.” It is a wonderful part of the character and nature of Christ. I heard a cute little story about a poor little boy who once heard his Sunday School teacher say Jesus was the light of the world. He took her remark quite literally. After class, the boy said to his teacher, "If Jesus really is the light of the world, I wish He'd come hang out in my alley. It's awful dark where I live."

I’m afraid all of us at one time or another have “dark alley” experiences. It may be that you have done something you think so horrible that there can never be forgiveness and restoration. Or perhaps you have been so hurt that you feel completely forgotten and abandoned in life. Either of these or a dozen others may have brought you to a place where the darkness seems overwhelming. There is good news for you today!

“In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God. He was in the beginning with God. He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn't make. Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone. The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. Jesus said to the people, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life." (John 1:1-5; 8:12, NLV).

Instead of trusting Christ, many people today insist on using human wisdom alone for answers to eternal questions. The tragedy of this situation was graphically illustrated in a humorous skit performed by Karl Vallentin, a Munich comedian. Walking on a stage where everything was dark except for a small area under a street lamp, he began to look for something on the ground. He told the policeman who came on the scene that he was trying to find a key, whereupon the two continued the search. Finally the officer asked, "Are you sure you lost it here?" "Oh, no," said Vallentin as he pointed to a corner, "It was over there, but here is where the light is!" If you want the key to life today, you will find it only in Christ. That’s where the real light shines and the darkness can never overcome it!

"Ringing, Singing, On Its Way"

Some years ago I asked my wife, Mary, which was her favorite Christmas carol. She replied, “I heard the bells on Christmas day.” Not being familiar with the authors and tunes of all of the carols, I was surprised when I discovered Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote it in 1863. At the time of its writing, his son was a lieutenant in the Army of the Potomac. He had been seriously wounded in battle. With the doubt of his son’s survival on his heart he was inspired to write this poem. He had no intention for it to be used as a carol; though we are all glad that it later was put to music and became such a favorite to many. Perhaps it is one of your favorites also. Here are the original five verses:


I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along th'unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And in despair I bowed my head:
'There is no peace on earth,'
I said 'For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.'

Then peeled the bells more loud and deep:
'God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.'

Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

After reading the text, I was drawn to the words of the Gospel of Mark as he recorded the discovery of the resurrection of Jesus:

“The next evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene and Salome and Mary the mother of James went out and purchased burial spices to put on Jesus' body. Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they came to the tomb. On the way they were discussing who would roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb. But when they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone – a very large one – had already been rolled aside. So they entered the tomb, and there on the right sat a young man clothed in a white robe. The women were startled, but the angel said, "Do not be so surprised. You are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who was crucified. He isn't here! He has been raised from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. Now go and give this message to his disciples, including Peter: Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died!" The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, saying nothing to anyone because they were too frightened to talk. Then they reported all these instructions briefly to Peter and his companions. Afterward Jesus himself sent them out from east to west with the sacred and unfailing message of salvation that gives eternal life. Amen.” (Mark 16:1-8, NLV).

The Greeks had a race in their Olympic games that was unique. The winner was not the runner who finished first. It was the runner who finished with his torch still lit. I know that often the difficulties of life make it appear that our “torch” has been extinguished. However, the great truth of Christmas is that the light of the Babe of Bethlehem, our Savior, will never be extinguished. Indeed, on that night began the fulfillment of God’s promise to bring peace on earth to all men. Along with the angels ringing, singing, the world revolved from night to day!

"Eighteen to Nothing"

There’s an old story that you may have read or heard before of a man who approached a little league baseball game one afternoon. He asked a boy in the dugout what the score was. The boy responded, “Eighteen to nothing—we’re behind.” “Boy,” said the spectator, “I’ll bet you’re discouraged.” “Why should I be discouraged?” replied the little boy. “We haven’t even gotten up to bat yet!”

In 1847, Placide Clappeau wrote the words to “O Holy Night”. John Sullivan Dwight (1812-1893) translated it from French to English. Clappeau, a wine merchant and mayor of Roquemaure, France, wrote poems for his own enjoyment. We may be so thankful that he wrote this poem that centers our attention on hope. Following are the words to the first verse:

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

Perhaps you find yourself “at the end of your rope” today. I have good news! With the first Christmas, “a new and glorious morn” really did break. Jesus, the Savior has been born. The writer of Hebrews understood this and wrote the following encouragement to the Jewish believers of his day:

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven's Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. This is the new, life-giving way that Christ has opened up for us through the sacred curtain, by means of his death for us. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's people, let us go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting him. For our evil consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.” (Hebrews 10:19-39, NLV).


Just like the little boy at the baseball game, hope must spring up within us for us to realize the full victory of faith. I am not a connoisseur of great art, but from time to time a painting or picture will really speak a clear, strong message to me. Some time ago I saw a picture of an old burned-out mountain shack. All that remained was the chimney... the charred debris of what had been that family’s sole possession. In front of this destroyed home stood an old grandfatherly man dressed only in his underclothes with a small boy clutching a pair of patched overalls. It was evident that the child was crying. Beneath the picture were the words which the artist felt the old man was speaking to the boy. They were simple words, yet they presented a profound theology and philosophy of life. Those words were, “Hush child, God ain’t dead!” That vivid picture of that burned-out mountain shack, that old man, the weeping child, and those words “God ain’t dead” keep returning to my mind. Instead of it being a reminder of the despair of life, it has come to be a reminder of hope! I need reminders that there is hope in this world. In the midst of all of life’s troubles and failures, I need mental pictures to remind me that all is not lost as long as God is alive and in control of His world. Let every Christmas be a reminder this year causing hope to spring up within your heart and soul. God really ain’t dead!

"It Came Upon a Midnight Clear"

In 1849, a time of industrial revolution and growing tension regarding the issue of slavery, with war on the horizon, Edmund Sears wrote a wonderful Christmas carol. He was then pastor of a small church in Massachusetts. The first line follows:

It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the Earth
To touch their harps of gold:
"Peace on the Earth! Good will to men,
from Heaven's all-gracious King!"

Peace was then, even as it is today, something so very rare. Yet, it is one of the many gifts that God intended for us in the sending of His Son on that very first Christmas. Just before Jesus was arrested and crucified, he met with His disciples and promised them peace in the midst of life:

“I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Counselor as my representative – and by the Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit – he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you. I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:25-27 NLV).

You may never have heard of a whelk, but this little ocean creature can certainly ruin an oyster’s day. The whelk has an appendage that works like a drill, with which it can bore a small hole in the top of an oyster’s shell. Through this very small hole a whelk can devour an entire oyster, sucking it out little by little until the oyster is gone. All of the daily crises we face are just like the whelk! They seek to attach themselves to us and “suck out” our joy and peace. The promise of God to us through Jesus is that of peace. So often we recognize that as true, but we never take the steps to realize peace in our lives. Here are some practical principles that will help you in realizing the peace God intends for you today:

1. First, cultivate love, humor, compassion, and loyalty in your life. This will necessitate ridding your life of suspicion and resentment. Nursing a grudge will destroy your happiness more quickly than anything else will.
2. Second, do not live in the past. An unwholesome preoccupation with old mistakes and failures leads to depression, self-degradation, and loss of peace.
3. Third, do not waste time and energy fighting conditions you cannot change. Cooperate with life, instead of trying to run away from it. Refuse to indulge in self-pity when life hands you a raw deal. Accept the fact that nobody gets through life without some sorrow and misfortune.
4. Fourth, do not expect too much of yourself. When there is too wide a gap between self-expectation and your ability to meet the goals you have set, feelings of inadequacy are inevitable.
5. Fifth, find something bigger than yourself to be involved in. Giving to others refocuses our lives and brings a sense of satisfaction that promotes peace of mind. Self-centered egotistical people cannot know genuine peace of mind.

This Christmas as “the midnight clear” begins to break, commit yourself to these principles and claim the promise of God for peace!

"The Wonder of His Love"

A certain medieval monk announced he would be preaching the following Sunday evening on “The Love of God.” As the shadows fell and the light ceased to come in through the cathedral windows, the congregation gathered. In the darkness of the altar, the monk lit a candle and carried it to the crucifix. First of all, he illumined the crown of thorns, next, the two wounded hands, then the marks of the spear wound. In the hush that fell, he blew out the candle and left the chancel. There was nothing else to say. As we continue the looking at the messages in Christmas carols, this is the message within the chorus of, Joy to the World:

And Heav'n and Nature sing.
He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders of His love.

Matthew certainly understood Jesus’ instruction about the wonder of the love of God. Jesus often talked about how much our heavenly Father loves us.

"If a shepherd has one hundred sheep, and one wanders away and is lost, what will he do? Won't he leave the ninety-nine others and go out into the hills to search for the lost one? And if he finds it, he will surely rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn't wander away! In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father's will that even one of these little ones should perish.” (Matthew 18:12-14, NLV).

Jack Burton, former pastor of the Woodlawn Baptist Church in Austin, tells an interesting story from his past. He wrote, “I used to go out in the morning to get the paper when we lived in El Paso. Our house was a good four miles from the main parade ground at Fort Bliss. On most mornings I could hear the ‘whump, whump, whump’ of the thirteen gun salute which was sounded every morning at seven o'clock. But on some mornings I could hear the sound of the drum corps as they rolled their cadences. However, if the morning was clear and still, as in the winter time when the air was crisp and cold, I could also hear the sound of the music of the Army band, the blast of the trumpets, the wail of the clarinets and the mellow tone of the horns. But on the mornings I could only hear the cannon, I knew the drum and the horns were there, whether I could hear them or not.”

Your life may be filled with the “whump, whump, whump” of trial and difficulty, but the soft melodies of the reeds, brass, and strings ARE still there. The love of God is really the only constant in this ever-changing world in which we live. In just a few weeks we will have an incredible opportunity to celebrate the most significant event of history – the birth of our Savior. When you do, let it be a celebration fixed in the knowledge of the wonder of His love!

"Let Earth Receive Her King"

Early in John the Baptist’s ministry he declared the kingdom of God had come to the earth in the person of Jesus Christ. Mark records such an event for us in the first chapter of the gospel bearing his name:

"At last the time has come!" he announced. "The Kingdom of God is near! Turn from your sins and believe this Good News!" (Mark 1:15, NLV).

Indeed, if Christmas is about anything, it certainly is the message that the King has been born. Remember the lines from the carol we looked at the last two days? The second verse went, “Let Earth receive her King. Let ev'ry heart prepare Him room.” But what does it mean to “receive the king,” or to “prepare Him room”? Let me make five suggestions today for you to think about.

First, it means a change in our allegiance. If Christ is the King, He deserves our honor, loyalty, and obedience. We put ourselves under His authority and power. Whatever He says, we determine to do. That’s the point of the petition found in the Lord’s Prayer, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (cf. Mt. 6:10). Kingdom people submit their own will to the will of the King.

Second, it means a change in our expectations. One of the difficulties we have with the idea of a kingdom is that it doesn’t appear to be in place yet. The world seems to grow father away from God by the day. As a result, it’s easy to live for the here and now, as if this present life is all that matters. But the hope of the kingdom is that there is far more to life than what we see right now. Jesus made extraordinary promises in regard to a future kingdom, not only for Israel, but also for all that follow Him as King. The kingdom may not yet be fulfilled completely, but it has been established and will last forever.

Third, it means a change in our values. Our culture values achievement, success, independence, and image. Other cultures value other qualities. But the values of the kingdom reflect what matters to the King. Jesus described many of these values in the Beatitudes (or, as some call them, the “beautiful attitudes”). Kingdom people adopt the King’s values and make choices that reflect those values—in their jobs, families, and communities.

Fourth, it means a change in our priorities. The real test of our values is how we spend our time and money. Jesus spoke directly to that issue in terms of the kingdom. He did not demean the value of work or diminish the need for material goods. But He challenged His followers to bring kingdom values into their day-to-day lives.

Fifth, it means a change in our lifelong mission. Some people are driven to accomplish great tasks with their lives. Others live aimlessly from day to day, lacking purpose or direction. Either way, Jesus affects the outlook of a person’s life. He gives His followers purpose and a mission—to live as subjects of the kingdom and promote kingdom values in everyday life and work. Ultimately, He wants His followers to extend His message to the ends of the earth, so that all people have the opportunity to give their allegiance to Him as their Savior and King.

Today, as you begin to reflect on the subject of “Christmas,” remember it really is the birthday of the King of kings! The real Joy to the World only comes to those who recognize and follow the King’s direction!