Monday December 31st Resolutions of Hope

Revelation 21:1-4

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." 5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" 

 

Today's reading is about hope.  It shows me that God sees everything that is going on and one day he is going to do away with the sinful, evil, ugly, terrible, painful, tearful, hopeless things of our present time and our past and make everything new.  Not just the old painted over made to look nice and new but to completely get ride of the old and start fresh and new.  It offers me something to stay focused on when life becomes challenging and I know that life will always hold challenges.  When things get difficult I need only to remember that the difficulty is temporary and that one day it too will pass away.  Because of Jesus birth and death for me I will be a part of a new tomorrow that God is preparing.  My job is too stay focused on the eternal not the temporal.

 

This got me thinking about resolutions, as this is the time of year when thousands of Americans make new years resolutions.  We make these resolutions because we recognize something in our past that it is not right and we desire to set out on a new path, determined to start our year off new.  Our resolutions tend to be on self-improvements in hopes that our lives and futures will be better then they were before.  I looked up the top 10 resolutions that are made every year:

 

1.     Loose weight

2.     Get Organized

3.     Spend less save more

4.     Enjoy life to the fullest

5.     Stay fit and healthy

6.     Learn something new and exciting

7.     Quit smoking

8.     Help others/volunteer

9.     Fall in love

10. Spend more time with family

 

I think that all of these are great goals and a few of them are on my own list of things I would like to accomplish in life.  But when I read this list I am troubled in my heart, saddened.  These are people's hopes for a better tomorrow.  These are empty hopes for a better future.  These things can offer some happiness and some brightness to ones future, quitting smoking now can add years to your life but none of these things can give sustaining joy through every up and down that life offers.  None of these things offers an eternal, never-ending hope, a promise for a better tomorrow.

 

So this has made me stop and think a little more.  What have I done this past year to help spread the eternal hope that is found in Jesus and that God is preparing for us in Heaven?  What have you done?  I am sure some of you have done a better job then others but if you are satisfied with the effort you have put in to sharing the hope of Christ let me assure you there is always something more that can be done, there is always room for improvement.

 

The question now becomes what can I do this year, in 2013, to make the most of every opportunity God gives me, to come alongside others in their quest to succeed in their new years resolutions and help them accomplish their goals while showing them the ultimate hope, the ultimate future found in Christ?  For each of us the answer to this question will look different.  We will encounter different people and different situations but our goals should be the same: use every moment to bring the hope of Christ into the lives of those we encounter.

 

I don't know how my year will end but I am going to starting small and deliberate and see where God takes me from there.  There are two things I am committed to doing this year: I am going to read through the psalms with 2 of my daughters this year.  Not just read them but help them both to see the love, strength, healing power, encouragement and promises of their God who is there for them and their every need.  The God who is the only true source of hope for their lives.  I am also working on writing a story.  I have always loved to write and I am going to try and use that passion to write something that shows the love and hope of God found in Christ. 

 

I don't know how God will use either of these things but if I aim for nothing I will hit it every time.  God has a plan for my 2013 and I want to be a part of it even though I know that the road that plan takes me down isn't always easy.  But my hope is that that my life will be a beacon of light to those around me and they too will see and experience that hope for themselves.

 

I encourage each of you make a resolution to show the hope of Christ, the hope of an eternal future to every person you meet this year.  Let us all be salt and light to this world.  Let us encourage and strengthen each other while we are on this journey.  Let us build God's kingdom together and have something really amazing to celebrate next year.

 

On a side note, I want to thank each of you for traveling on this one-year bible-reading journey with me this year.  I have been very blessed by the things God taught me this year.  I will greatly miss writing every Monday but I know that God is moving me on to other things.  I hope you all will continue to read the bible every day and I encourage you to continue the one-year bible reading journey into 2013.  You will not be disappointed.  God's blessing on you all and I do hope this will be a Happy Hope Filled New Year!!!

The choice is yours

As we read in Rev verse 13-19 we see so much stuff going on. So much deception, lies, falsehoods! What do we believe?  When would probably say we will never follow the beast, receive the mark or give in into this period of testing. Fact is so many of us would be thinking, feeling, and doubting what we know. God desires us to stand firm in our faith not to waiver during our trials. Here is a summary of chapters, I put all of the scripture references in Italics for Identification purposes.  

 

Chapter 13: The first Beast comes out of the seas. It has ten horns, seven heads containing crowns and blasphemous names. Like a leopard, but paws like a bear and mouth like a lion. It is given power a throne and authority by the Dragon. One head was mortally wounded and healed. In wonderment, the whole world followed after the Beast. People worshipped the Beast and Dragon. Their authority to last about 42 months. Given authority over all people, nations and races. Worshipped by all those who do not have their names in book of life. Let him who has ears heed these words: If one is destined for captivity, into captivity he goes! If one is destined to be slain by the sword, by the sword he will be slain! Such is the faithful endurance that distinguishes God's holy people. The Second Beast comes up out of the Earth. It used the authority of the first Beast to promote its interests by making the world worship the first beast whose mortal wound had been healed. The second beast also performs great miracles, leads away Earth's inhabitants by telling them to make an idol of first Beast. Life is given to the image of the Beast, and the power of speech and the ability to put to death anyone who refuses to worship it. Forces all men, rich and poor to accept a stamped image on right hand or forehead. No one allowed to buy or sell at all anything unless first marked with the name of the beast or the number that stood for it's name. A certain wisdom is needed here; with a little ingenuity anyone can calculate the number of the beast, for it is a number that stands for a certain man. The man's number is six hundred sixty six.

Chapter 14: We have the Lamb who appears with the 144.000 faithful ones.  Angels warn about accepting the mark of the beast. The Son of Man appears with sickle and harvests the Earth. He harvests the grapes of God's wrath. They are taken to a wine press outside of the city. So much blood pours out that for two hundred miles, it is as deep as a horse's bridle.

Chapter 15: Seven angels holding seven final plagues that would bring God's wrath to a climax. Given seven bowls containing God's wrath.

Chapter 16: The Angels are told to go pour out bowls of God's wrath on the Earth. 1st Bowl: Boils on men who accepted the mark of the beast.

2nd Bowl: The sea turned to blood like a corpse. All sea creatures die.

3rd Bowl: Rivers and springs turn to blood.

4th Bowl: Burned men with fire. They do not repent.

5th Bowl: Plunged into darkness.

6th Bowl: Poured out on the great river Euphrates. It's water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings of the East. Three unclean spirits come from the mouth of Dragon, Beast and False Prophet. They perform miracles, and assemble the kings of the Earth for battle. Be on your guard! I come like a thief. Happy is the man who stays wide awake and prepared. Devils assemble the kings in a place in Hebrew called Armageddon.

7th Bowl: Loud voice says, "It is finished."  Suddenly, the worst earthquake ever. The Great City is split into three parts. Other Gentile cities also fall. God remembers Babylon the great, giving her cup of His blazing wrath. Islands, mountains disappear. Giant hailstones fall.

Chapter 17: Babylon as harlot on a scarlet beast.  I will explain to you the symbolism of the woman and of the seven headed and ten horned beast carrying her. The beast you saw existed once but now exists no longer. It will come up from the abyss once more before going to final ruin. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits enthroned. They are also seven kings. Five have already fallen, one lives now and the last has not yet come, but when he does come he will remain only a short while. The beast which existed once but now exists no longer even though it is an eighth king, is really one of the seven and on his way to ruin. Ten horns represent ten of the kings which have not yet been crowned. They will display their power on the beast and fight against the lamb. The ten kings will turn against her and destroy her.

Chapter 18: Another angel comes to Earth, Calls out: "Fallen is Babylon the great." Kings lament. Merchants lament. Sailors lament. Saints, apostles, prophets rejoice.

Chapter 19: There is loud singing of victory from Heaven. John falls at feet of a great angel. He is told to get up, worship God alone. Heaven opened up, a rider on a white horse emerged, his name was "The Faithful And True" Justice is his standard. His eyes are like fire. The armies of Heaven are behind him. The armies do battle with the Beast. The Beast is captured, along with the False Prophet. They are hurled down into the fiery pool.

Christianity in the Edo Period. Memorial to Nagasaki martyrsPersecution of Christians that began before the Edo Period continued during it. Ieyasu outlawed Christianity and the Tokugawa shoguns eradicated it within 50 years using murder, persecution and decrees. In 1638, 37,000 people, mostly Christians, were massacred during brutal crackdown after the Christian-led Shimbara Rebellion. As a result of this oppression it was thought the number of Christians was reduced to near zero. Christians were forced to tread on fumi-e ("pictures of Mary with Jesus to step on") to show they had renounced their religion. Christians who did not comply were tortured with heavy stones that were placed on their legs until they abandoned their religion. Some of these stones have been used to make the Kashiragahima church in the Goto Island. 

In one particularly nasty method of torture called "anazuri" a person suspected of being a Christian was hung upside down for days in a hole. So that the person would be in pain for as long as possible a small hole was bored behind the person's ear so that the person would die as his blood slowing dripped out drop by drop. In the decades that followed Christianity was practiced in secret after Commodore Perry arrived in 1853. He was amazed to see how much the church had thrived during this time. 

What does this mean to us today? Some of us may sit here and think….. "What would I have done if faced with this decision"? Would I have renounced Christ as Peter did? Or would I be strong in my faith?

The answer is not to wonder if you would die for Christ, but rather how are you living for Him? Because if you live for Him there will be no question that if and when you are faced with persecutions you would make the right choice!   

 

--
Chuck Goulart
President
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203-943-0961

"Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes."

Year end summary

2012 Year End Summary

 

Comedian Jeff Foxworthy has proven to be a pretty good game show host on "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" though at times what the show reveals is no laughing matter. Too many contestants, who've already received high school or even college diplomas, demonstrate ignorance of the basic facts of geography, math, and English literature.

Similarly it is no laughing matter what has happened to Christians in the United States. While most Christians claim to take the Bible seriously, our actions reveal just the opposite.

Pollster George Gallup has dubbed the United States "a nation of biblical illiterates." David Van Biema of Time magazine cites a telling example of this kind of biblical illiteracy: "Only half of U.S. adults know the title of even one Gospel. Most can't name the Bible's first book. And the trend extends even to Evangelicals."

That's amazing and that's dangerous. Most Americans know more about the lives of Kim Kardasian and Lindsey Lohan than they do about Jesus. Here is the danger of the trend of our times:

Without knowledge of the Bible how will we know what God expects?

How will we know where to stand on the issues of our day?

How will we ever be salt and light in our culture?

How will we re-wallpaper our minds with the truth of Scripture to fight against the lies of the enemy?

If we don't know the Scripture, we won't know God or the world we actually live in. I want to congratulate you on finishing the journey we began a year ago. The most important ingredient in becoming people who make a difference in life is immersion in the Scriptures. Without knowledge of the Bible we cannot love God, love our neighbor or disciple people, the three top priorities in life. Your commitment to spend 20 minutes reading God's Word has transformed you and ultimately the world around you.

Congratulations!!  I am looking forward to taking the journey with you next year.

Join us tomorrow after church for a celebration of the journey. We will gather for a light lunch and sharing of our stories.

Friday, December 28, 2012 - Revelation 4, 5, 6, 7, 8:1-6

Friday, December 28, 2012
Revelation 4, 5, 6, 7, 8:1-6

Today's reading opens with a glimpse into the throne room of heaven.
While the Apostle John uses words to paint a beautiful picture of
God's throne and the surrounding inhabitants, I still can't imagine
how glorious God must look. I mean can you imagine saying, "Holy,
holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come,"
(Revelation 4:8) all day? I can't!! But that's how beautiful God is –
that the creatures surrounding him can't stop saying these words day
and night. God's beauty is beyond our comprehension. It's so beyond us
that even when we're seeing Him every day in eternity, we'll never
become accustomed to the sight of Him. The sight of Him will blow us
away every second for eternity. With all of creation, we will sing,

"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!" (Revelation 5:12)

And

"To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!" (Revelation 5:13)

I encourage you to worship God today and appreciate His character –
His love, mercy, majesty, power, faithfulness, holiness, and
sovereignty. Worship takes our minds off our problems and focuses them
on God. Worship lifts our perspective from the earthly to the
heavenly. At the end of the day, Jesus Christ is in control. He alone
is worthy to set into motion the events of the last days (as
illustrated in today's reading). Knowing full well that God has the
final say, we can be confident in our present and future struggles,
for God will always supply us with needed courage, strength, joy, and
peace. And He will bring about justice in His perfect timing. Praise
the Lord today, for He is good and His faithful love endures forever.

God Bless,
Anthony

PS: Here's a good song that uses these worship scriptures from today's
reading – it's Revelation Song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLgkptFASJg

I, II, III John

I, II, III John

 

            When Divan and I were engaged we did premarital counseling and had to fill out a questionnaire before we started.  One of the questions I had to think about was "How does your partner make it known that they love you?" (or something to that effect.)  My answer still remains the same:  no matter how the temperature is in our marriage, Divan always gives me the first bite of his food and the last. J  This is love.  In these letters that John wrote later in his life, he shares a message of love.  I counted this word at least 51 times and the phrase "love one another" is mentioned fat least six of those times.  A few weeks ago Pastor Scott preached about I John and how we can radically live as Christians through love.  John's message is the same to the churches that faced opposition, false teachers, and a feeling of end times…kinda like today too. 

 

            The message that the Church knew from the beginning was this message of love.  And John said, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us." (I John 3:16)  Love = Christ.  This is the message!  This is the answer!  This is love….it is through the gift and sacrifice of Christ's death on the cross.  We cannot claim for profess to be a follower of God if we do not love.  I was challenged by this message in the last two days and it hit me an hour ago.  This is what John was talking about.  Divan and I are in NM for the week spending time with family and friends.  I heard a story from a close friend about someone who wronged her and it angers me so much.  I struggle with loving this person.  It's so so hard.  But it was like a slap in the face this morning as I reread this passage that this it's the whole point of following Christ.  It's love.  It's a joint package.  The two come together.  I know I must love and pray for this person because they are a child of God too. 

 

            One of my all time favorite verses is I John 4:20, "We love because he first loved us."  We are His first love.  I am His first love.  This is how I need to learn what and how to love others: like Christ.  When I think about first loves I remember the butterflies, the excitement, that despite the flaws and the other sides, and no matter what anyone else said, there was love.  John Piper wrote, "It all begins with the love of God. "We love because he first loved us." If you lack the power to love, look to the cross of Christ and let the love of God for sinners fill you with hope."

That's how God looks at me, a sinner…with pure unconditional love.  Jason Marz has a song called "Life is Wonderful" and one of my favorite lyrics in that song is, "It takes no times to fall in love, but it takes you years to know what love is."  This has truth in it.  John is writing these letters at the end of his life.  It has been decades since he lived and walked with Jesus and his wisdom is beyond me.  In these decades he has grown and matured as a Believer and he know what love is.  He lives and understands it.  He is truly in love with God, so love one another as he loves us.     

 

 

 

December 27: Revelation 1-3

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

Revelation 1–3

 

 

The Book of Revelation points to the fulfillment of the restoration that God had initiated in Genesis 3.  After Adam and Eve had willfully disobeyed God’s directives, God set in motion a course of events that would ultimately lead to all creation returning to its rightful state, with everything subject to the glorified Christ.  While much of the Old Testament imagery and prophecy about Jesus found its fulfillment in His incarnation, suffering, death, and resurrection, the full extent of His Lordship becomes apparent only in the time to come, as relayed in Revelation.

 

As the commentator notes, some of the imagery and descriptions in Revelation may seem confusing or beyond our understanding.  Many people, including me, may have trepidations about approaching this text.  Despite some difficult-to-picture sections, Revelation does provide a clear promise of redemption, renewal, and triumph for the Kingdom of God.

 

But, with some study, it will quickly become apparent that God will be greatly glorified in this age to come and that all creation will bow before Him.  Revelation records an intense spiritual battle that has proceeded throughout history, though its details have often been hidden from worldly man.  Revelation calls for watchfulness and hope among the church:  watchfulness because we do not know the day or hour of the fulfillment of these words and hope because we know that God through Jesus Christ will ultimately triumph and reign.  Furthermore, we may stand in worship along with the assembled worshippers around the Throne and the Lamb.  Jonathan Edwards described heaven as a world of love, where the affection of the triune God flows forth into His people.

 

As an aside, the imagery and context presented in Revelation makes me question whether people’s desire for heaven may be misplaced.  If we do not seek to worship God in this life, will we wish to do so for eternity?  That perspective challenges me to consider the depth of my commitment and the purity of my love for Christ.

 

A few notes from today’s text:

 

1. The First and the Last.  Please notice the unity and coexistence of both Almighty God (the Father) and Jesus Christ, His Son.  Both are called “the First” (Alpha) and “the Last” (Omega), and both are declared to be the “Living One,” Who has existed forever in the past, in the present, and forever into the future.

 

2. The admonitions for the churches.  It appears that the words for the seven churches were indeed meant to address their present-day realities at the time of John’s writing.  This assurance gave the churches confidence that God indeed is sovereign over the affairs of men and that their plight had not been forgotten or in vain.  Through the vision, God calls the churches to return to Him and to live holy lives, pleasing to God our Savior.  The words to Ephesus and Laodicea are particularly pertinent, even today:

 

                a. Ephesus:  “Yet I hold this against you:  You have forsaken your first love.  Remember the height from which you have fallen!  Repent and do the things you did at first.”

 

                b. Laodicea:  “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot.  I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”

 

Yet, Jesus does not abandon the wayward.  Instead, “those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.  So be earnest, and repent.  Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”

 

3. The promises for those who overcome.  To each of the seven churches, Jesus offers promises to those who overcome:

 

                a. Ephesus:  Will receive “the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God”

 

                b. Smyrna:  “Will not be hurt at all by the second death”

 

                c. Pergamum:  Will receive “some of the hidden manna... [and] a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him”

 

                d. Thyatira:  Will receive “authority over the nations,... just as I have received authority from my Father... [and] the morning star”

 

                e. Sardis:  Will “be dressed in white.  I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my father and his angels”

 

                f. Philadelphia:  Will become “a pillar in the temple of my God.  Never again will he leave it.  I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name.”

 

                g. Laodicea:  Will receive “the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne”

 

 

QUESTIONS

 

1.  What temporal things might you be trusting more than the eternal, living God?

2.  What would you like to discover as you study Revelation?

 

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December 25

Hebrews 12:1-2

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God

This is what Christmas is all about: fixing your eyes on Jesus. Needless to say it has been a rough couple of weeks for a lot of us, but in all circumstances we are to fix our eyes on Jesus. F. LaGard Smith points out that there probably was only one person who was present for both the birth and the death of Jesus: his mother Mary. Both are very different circumstances. His birth was an occasion where a young woman was first introduced to the joys of motherhood. Even though Jesus was the Son of God, Mary still experienced all the feelings and emotions that went along with His birth. His death was a time of sorrow. Even though Mary knew the purpose of Jesus' life on Earth, I'm sure it didn't make it any easier when it came time to watch her son die. Despite all this, Mary kept her eyes fixed on Jesus, in times of rejoicing and times of sorrow.

This is certainly something that I needed to remember this Christmas season. 

Merry Christmas, everyone. I pray that we all throw off what hinders us and run the race set before us, with our eyes fixed upon Jesus!

Sunday December 23rd

December 23^rd 2012

Hebrews 1-6

The Letter to the Hebrews was written a few decades after the death of Christ to Christians who converted from Judaism. Think about how Christianity would be at this time sociologically, all the band wagoners would have found a new cause, more than one social group would have been around denouncing all things Christian, and many Christians were still being persecuted for their faith. And now think about the audience of the letter. All of the Jews who switched to Christianity were floored by the simplicity of it all. The Jewish religion was more than just a belief system, it was a culture with strict rules, many holidays with instruction manuals, and a total way of life. When they converted to Christianity, they left behind all their old customs and rules and were left wondering how to behave. If you were told all your life that you had to work hard for salvation, you would be skeptical about a man giving it away for free too.

Even today it can be hard to put your faith completely in Christ. There are so many things wrong with the world today, there are so many tragedies, and it is easy to look at all the bad and doubt the existence of the good. But just like the newly Christian needed this letter to reassure them, we too sometimes need something to reassure us that our faith is in the right place.

The holidays are the perfect reassurance. The holidays are a time of giving: giving time to your family and friends, giving food to the hungry, giving money and clothes to those in need, and giving gifts to those you love. In giving we always receive, and I don't mean that we get things back, I mean that when we give something away, we get the feeling of joy and peace that comes along with making someone else happy. With all of this giving going around, it becomes easier to accept Jesus' gift of salvation, and it becomes easier to give Him the gift of our faith.

Hope everyone has a safe and merry Christmas!

Gina

Monday Dec 24th Christmas Gift

Christmas is a time of hope.  Christ's birth brought with it a hope of freedom from our sins, a hope of freedom from a law that was impossible for us to keep, a hope for a life free from the guilt of sin, a hope for a closer and more meaningful relationship with our creator – God.

The law that was given to Moses did offer the people a hope of salvation but as we read in today's reading (Heb 6:13-10:18) that hope was marred by the sinful nature of man (Heb 8:8) and in need of a new and better hope.

God was ready and willing to provide, yet again, with a new hope:

Hebrew 7:19
"…a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near God."

What did this "introduction" of the new hope look like?  What did the first acts of "drawing near to God" entail?

Luke 2:8-20
"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,  "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."  When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."  So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.  The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. "

What a beautiful way to introduce the new hope to us all.  What a great example of the shepherds drawing near to God then seeing them search him out, find him, share the good news and joy of this great new hope and then return to their lives and continue to glorify and praise the God whom they had just encountered in a manger.

What does Christmas hold for you?  Is it a reminder of the new hope that was given to us through the birth of the one who came to die for our freedom and to give us a pathway to draw near to the throne of grace (Heb 4:16)?  Those Shepherds could have arrived and only seen a newborn baby lying in a manger and gone home wondering what all the fuss was about.  But instead they saw hope, a new hope.  They drew near to God and found the gift that was awaiting them.

Their celebration that first "Christmas" night was not something they kept secret, that they hid for themselves.  No, they knew this hope, this new hope was for all to hear and they "spread the word" concerning the child, concerning this new little bundle of hope.

I have spent a fare share of time this "Christmas Season" buying gifts, wrapping gifts, sending out Christmas cards, baking, visiting family, decorating and what have you.  But I am forced to ask myself this question: "This season how much time have you spent drawing near to the hope that is Christ the Lord?  How much time have you spent sharing this new hope, that is Christ, with others?"

For me the answer was, "I have not spent as much time spreading the truth of the hope of Christ as compared to time spent 'preparing' for our family Christmas traditions."  There is still time though,  sharing this gift of hope goes beyond December 24^th and I can bring the gift of the good news of the hope of Christ to others everyday. 

For today though I will remember that Christ came to bring a freedom to me that was not available before hand.  It was a greater gift then any gift that could be given.  I believe that like the shepherds, God desires you and I to encounter him in a way we have not yet encountered him and to share that encounter with others we meet every day of our lives.  To bring the hope found in Christ to the hearts of those who are in desperate need of it.  Then he wants us to keep our lips full of praise and glory for the great God we have who loves us so much that when he saw our faults he sent us a new hope on that first Christmas night so long ago that created a path back to him.

Lets not loose sight of the real reason we should be celebrating this Christmas and don't forget to spend some time drawing near to the savior and lifting voices of praise.  What a reason to celebrate.

Merry Christmas to you all and enjoy the gift of freedom you have in this new hope, Jesus Christ. 

December 22: 2 Peter

(Posted on behalf of Jon Lanuza)

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2012

2 Peter

I write this from halfway around the world, back in the city where, 16 years ago to the day, Carla and I, before God, agreed to be bound to each other for better or worse, richer or poorer... yet another reminder of God's goodness, and another reason to give Him thanks.

 

In the 16 years we've been married, we have been blessed with three children.  After reading today's Bible reading, I could not help but wonder how often I'd been a false teacher to my children.  How often might I, through my words and my actions, have taught my daughter how irrelevant Christ was to me – perhaps by something as simple as missing evening prayer time with her and her brothers, perhaps by working such long hours as to suggest things were more important than people?  How often might I, by not speaking out, have seemed to condone things we know are sinful and abhorrent to God?  And by speaking out, have spoken so poorly about other people that I failed to reflect the love of God for all His sons and daughters?

 

It is so easy to focus on the "big-picture false teachers" – pastors who preach obedience to God (or to them) in hopes of getting materially rich, people who not merely condone, but advocate for the convenience of disposability in life (abortion) and relationships (unfaithfulness and divorce).  But I believe the truth is that, whenever I am adulterous and unfaithful in my relationship with God – whenever someone or something else is more important to me than He is, and when I live that way with such certainty in its righteousness, I too am a "brute beast", a false teacher "secretly introducing destructive heresies...bringing swift destruction upon [myself]" – and, sadly, tragically, on those whom God has entrusted into my care.  How much better for me to have a millstone tied around my neck...

 

Yet what am I to do?  If by my very nature I am causing the ones I love most on earth to stumble and fall, how natural it would be to give up.   And yet intake heart, for as Paul said to the Romans, "I do not understand what I do.  For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do...  What a wretched man I am!  Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?  Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

 

And so, on this, our 16th wedding anniversary, I pray that God grant me the grace, the wisdom and the strength to be the husband and the father, the teacher, that He knows my wife and my children need me to be.  And I take comfort and courage in His deliverance, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

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Friday, December 21, 2012 - 1 Peter

Friday, December 21, 2012
1 Peter

"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a
roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm
in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout
the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of
all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you
have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you
strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever.
Amen." (1 Peter 5:8-11)

Satan does not play fair. Just as a lion attacks the sick, young, and
straggling animals, Satan will attack you especially when you're
feeling weak, helpless, and alone. Just the other night, I was feeling
weak and disconnected from God. It was at this time that Satan
unleashed a full blown attack – first while I was awake and then in my
sleep. Thankfully, by the grace of God, I was able to resist Satan and
stand firm in the faith. I like the way James put it in yesterday's
reading, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he
will flee from you." (James 4:7) Right there, we have the solution to
our victory over the devil's schemes. We must submit to God first;
then, with our eyes fixed on Christ, we have the power to resist the
devil to the point where he must flee.

For example, some of us may be harboring a resentment towards someone
that has either hurt us or a loved one. Resentment is just the place
where Satan can get a foothold in our lives. Once Satan has a foothold
on resentment, he will look to grow our bitterness and deceive us into
believing that we don't need to forgive; that what some people do to
us is just unforgivable. This is lie. If we don't submit our
resentment to God and allow room for forgiveness, we will be consumed
by bitterness and inevitably devoured by Satan. Being devoured by
Satan means eternal ruin. But submitting everything wholeheartedly to
God means eternal life.

There is a battle between good and evil and no one on this earth is
exempt from the attacks of the evil one. If Satan was arrogant enough
to attack Jesus, the Son of the Living God, than he'll attack any of
us – but by faith in Christ Jesus, we have already won the war. This
doesn't mean that you won't suffer, for everyone experiences suffering
on the battlefield. Keep in mind however, "after you have suffered a
little while, [God] will himself restore you and make you strong, firm
and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter
5:10,11)

God Bless,
Anthony