On Thursday Dec 16, 2010 my friend Amy took her bike out for an evening ride around the block. As she was riding she was surprised by the flashing lights of a police cruiser. Seems there is a law that bike riders must have a light on their bike. No problem..Amy has a light...oops, battery needs replacing. Who knew?
Amy is a very special young woman. I think she was 17 when I met her for the frst time working in our church office and was taken with the glow that shines from her beautiful face. I soon discovered that Jesus is the power within her that shines through everything she says and does. He keeps her on the right path and alerts her to dangers as she walks with Him.
As I saw the parallels between her bike's light and her life's light I noted that both needed a source of power to create light.
In the case of Amy's bike, the source of power is a battery which eventually will stop providing light...it will lose its charge.
Amy's decision to give her heart to Christ is a once in a lifetime choice. He is with her, at the ready, to provide blazing beautiful light wherever and whenever she needs it. His power never ebbs away.
What about you dear reader? Have you decided to follow Jesus?
Is He your power source?
It's my prayer.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Saturday, December 25, 2010
It's Christmas
The Hallelujah Chorus permeating this quiet home....it's Christmas morning
The aroma of freshly baked muffins filling the air.....and I look around and up and within and catch my breath...grateful that "Sweet Little Jesus Boy" isn't just a song or a story.
No, Jesus is "the real deal"!
Luke 1:26-38
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David ; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." 29 But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. 30 The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary ; for you have found favor with God. 31 "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High ; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David ; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end." 34 Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin ?" 35 The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. 36 "And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age ; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37 "For nothing will be impossible with God." 38 And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord ; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.
Son of God sent by God.....to be born of a virgin...
Luke 2:1-201 Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. 6 While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son ; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid ; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people ; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." 15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us." 16 So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17 When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.
"Away in a manger no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay, the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay."
Son of God sent by God.......His birthing room a stable....His cradle a feeding trough
This moment would change the world.
One heart at a time.
Merry Christmas from my heart to yours.
The aroma of freshly baked muffins filling the air.....and I look around and up and within and catch my breath...grateful that "Sweet Little Jesus Boy" isn't just a song or a story.
No, Jesus is "the real deal"!
Luke 1:26-38
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David ; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." 29 But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. 30 The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary ; for you have found favor with God. 31 "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High ; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David ; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end." 34 Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin ?" 35 The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. 36 "And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age ; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37 "For nothing will be impossible with God." 38 And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord ; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.
Son of God sent by God.....to be born of a virgin...
Luke 2:1-201 Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. 6 While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son ; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid ; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people ; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." 15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us." 16 So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17 When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.
"Away in a manger no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay, the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay."
Son of God sent by God.......His birthing room a stable....His cradle a feeding trough
This moment would change the world.
One heart at a time.
Merry Christmas from my heart to yours.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Don't Just Listen, Do What God Says!
It's December 16th; nine days until Christmas,and in 15 days, before I can turn around it seems, I will be standing at the doorway of a new year and a new direction the Lord has called me too.
I have spent most of 2010 waiting on the Lord only to discover He was waiting on me. When summer came to an end my resistance and rebellion ended as well. I had deluded myself into believing I had heard and was obeying Him.
I went to my journals and read page after page and on every day His Word was His topic. Finally I saw what He was asking me to do and I quietly deferred to Him, the One who rules the universe.
In the weeks since that conversation, this mountain which is my life, is making what feels like a "jack-knife" turn. He is calling me to a deeper level of trust, and the ministry He called me to is getting "an extreme makeover". We're in the demolition phase.
I have looked beyond the moment and have been apprehensive. The now I know. The now is comfortable. I can't "see" what is beyond this moment. Maybe I've misunderstood what God said?
I re-read it in my journal. "Take My Word to the world." Excuse me?
And so it begins. A new chapter, at the age of 68 is spread before me.
He's taken me from behind a podium and invited me to draw ever nearer to His heart.
There will be questions. He has all the answers.
There will be time apart. He wants me all to himself. Not because I have anything to give Him; rather He has much to teach me.
He wants me to write about all of it.
I will be the pen in His hand.
It's His story through the eyes of my heart and life.
"Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.......Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." Colossians 3:1-3; 16-17
I AM listening my King....wth your help I WILL do what you say.
I have spent most of 2010 waiting on the Lord only to discover He was waiting on me. When summer came to an end my resistance and rebellion ended as well. I had deluded myself into believing I had heard and was obeying Him.
I went to my journals and read page after page and on every day His Word was His topic. Finally I saw what He was asking me to do and I quietly deferred to Him, the One who rules the universe.
In the weeks since that conversation, this mountain which is my life, is making what feels like a "jack-knife" turn. He is calling me to a deeper level of trust, and the ministry He called me to is getting "an extreme makeover". We're in the demolition phase.
I have looked beyond the moment and have been apprehensive. The now I know. The now is comfortable. I can't "see" what is beyond this moment. Maybe I've misunderstood what God said?
I re-read it in my journal. "Take My Word to the world." Excuse me?
And so it begins. A new chapter, at the age of 68 is spread before me.
He's taken me from behind a podium and invited me to draw ever nearer to His heart.
There will be questions. He has all the answers.
There will be time apart. He wants me all to himself. Not because I have anything to give Him; rather He has much to teach me.
He wants me to write about all of it.
I will be the pen in His hand.
It's His story through the eyes of my heart and life.
"Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.......Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." Colossians 3:1-3; 16-17
I AM listening my King....wth your help I WILL do what you say.
Friday, December 3, 2010
How was your week??
Another week is drawing to a close. It's not officially over until midnight tomorrow but most of us, I think, divide our week into 2 parts.
There is Monday through Friday which encompasses a work week or a school week followed by Saturday and Sunday: "The Weekend".
I was thinking how absurd we are to lump the first and the last together when I realized that Sunday and Saturday are the bookends that hold the week together. Sunday is designed to help us keep our focus on what is important.
Sundays at our house have been different through different seasons. These days we are up with the birds and in church by 8:30 AM and home by 10:00 AM leaving the remainder of the day to relax, read the paper and even watch 2, 3 or even 4 movies consecutively. A day to reflect on the week that just ended and look forward to a new leg of this journey we're traveling together.
Included in our Sundays is the Lord's provision of His Word for a necessary heart check. Sometimes it may be a scripture He wants us to think on in every life cirumstance we encounter.
Phillipians 4:6-8 is one passage of scripture that again and again reminds me of what God wants his children to think and do - day in and day out -
"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again--rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."
On Saturdays you might allow yourself a lazy morning while catching up on the week's news or maybe it's your catch-up day for "home chores". Saturday may also be the day you spend with your kids on outings or their sporting events, all the while making memories.
Whatever you choose to do, Saturday is always followed by Sunday - the cycle of time continues.
Do you ever feel like you never have enough time?
Are you a time waster or a time treasurer?
I challenge you to evaluate your days using the passage of scripture above as a ruler to find the answers.
I'd love to hear about your findings!!
There is Monday through Friday which encompasses a work week or a school week followed by Saturday and Sunday: "The Weekend".
I was thinking how absurd we are to lump the first and the last together when I realized that Sunday and Saturday are the bookends that hold the week together. Sunday is designed to help us keep our focus on what is important.
Sundays at our house have been different through different seasons. These days we are up with the birds and in church by 8:30 AM and home by 10:00 AM leaving the remainder of the day to relax, read the paper and even watch 2, 3 or even 4 movies consecutively. A day to reflect on the week that just ended and look forward to a new leg of this journey we're traveling together.
Included in our Sundays is the Lord's provision of His Word for a necessary heart check. Sometimes it may be a scripture He wants us to think on in every life cirumstance we encounter.
Phillipians 4:6-8 is one passage of scripture that again and again reminds me of what God wants his children to think and do - day in and day out -
"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again--rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."
On Saturdays you might allow yourself a lazy morning while catching up on the week's news or maybe it's your catch-up day for "home chores". Saturday may also be the day you spend with your kids on outings or their sporting events, all the while making memories.
Whatever you choose to do, Saturday is always followed by Sunday - the cycle of time continues.
Do you ever feel like you never have enough time?
Are you a time waster or a time treasurer?
I challenge you to evaluate your days using the passage of scripture above as a ruler to find the answers.
I'd love to hear about your findings!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)