Resolutions

Happy New Year!

Today is the first day of 2017 and there is the hope, or rather the promise, that the new year has mercies anew. Last year may have been a rough year, a year you didn't think you would survive, but here you are in another year and with you is the potential to make this year better. Yes, there will always be circumstances outside of our control that can drastically shape our year, but there are also circumstances within our control that can effect our year as well. Typically, today is the day that we reflect on 2016 and make resolutions for 2017, but how many of those resolutions end up accomplished? I believe resolutions have a tendency to fail because they are just good ideas for our lives, rather than will or a plan to succeed. I can have a resolution to lose weight or get into better shape, but that isn't a plan and that resolution isn't motivation on a day when I am tired or not feeling well. The point isn't to bash resolutions, because they are a good place to start, but to begin to think beyond them and begin to achieve lasting results. 

This year I thought it would be interesting and maybe even more motivating if I let someone else pick one of my resolutions for 2017. Who knows you the best? Go to that person and ask them what resolution they think you should make for 2017. This isn't for the faint of heart. Many times people think things about us that we didn't know or thought were hidden features of ourselves. In order for this to work the person needs to be able to be honest with you and that isn't going to be easy. Maybe you are a shy person and your spouse has noticed that your shy attitude has held you back at work and prevented you from achieving what you have been working for your entire career. Your spouse might give you the resolution to talk to more people at work and to share your ideas at meetings. This isn't going to transform you overnight, but you will be reminded that you need to try because your spouse is rooting for you and this is their success too. Or maybe you have a tendency to turn down new experiences and your friend might give you the resolution to try at least one new thing this year. You would then have someone willing to try new things with and 2017 would be a year with new experiences and new memories. I understand that asking someone else for your resolution this year is scary and maybe this is too much for you this year, but I have a few ideas of how to begin to think beyond your resolutions that might be equally effective in allowing you to achieve success.

Resolution #1: Rest and Recharge

Mark 3:7 says, "Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the seas." Jesus, the perfect son of God, needed time to withdraw from society, rest, and recharge. He encouraged His disciples to do the same. The world frowns upon the idea of rest and gives the impression that human beings should be more like robots that work constantly, but even robots need to be recharged. Our electronic devices can only run so long before they have to be plugged in to recharge and other devices require battery changes. There isn't a single person or object in the world that can run continuously without being connected to a power source at some point. This should be a point of comfort for you; it is ok to rest and recharge. This year take time to withdraw, to rest, and to recharge. Draw upon the greatest power source, our Lord and Savior, and move forward into 2017 full of power. 

Resolution action plan: take a trip to the beach, go for a walk in the park, spend a day at home resting

Resolution #2: Your Body The Temple

1 Corinthians 6:19 says, "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own." I believe this passage from 1 Corinthians is often misused and used to condemn individuals who are not fit, but a fit body is not an indication it is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Many people, regardless of their fitness level, do not love or care for their bodies. Their bodies bring them shame and self-loathing, but the Bible says that we should think of our bodies as temples. We should love our bodies and take care of their well-being. Would we allow filth to pollute our church? Then in a similar way we should be mindful of what we allow to enter our body. This is more than about food or fitness. The body can be polluted by more than what we eat. Jesus said that what we eat is expelled from us, but what is in our heart stays with us. Taking care of the body begins with loving the body and believing the body to be the temple of the Holy Spirit, whom we have received from God. 

Resolution action plan: eat healthier foods that give your body strength, increase your activity level and strengthen your heart, limit the amount of filth that you allow into your daily life, immerse yourself in Godliness

Resolution #3: Do Unto Others

Matthew 7:12 says, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 7:12 is the Golden Rule for how we should deal with one another. If we want someone to be compassionate towards us when we make a mistake then we ought to be compassionate towards others when they make a mistake too. As much as we are able, we need to treat others with the love, compassion, and mercy that we would want others to give us if the positions were reversed. This is not always easy because there are some things that we wouldn't do and they become unforgivable in our eyes, but Jesus commanded us to love our enemies and to forgive as we would want to be forgiven. Perhaps we can't put ourselves directly in their shoes, but sin is sin in God's eyes and if we would want God to forgive us for our own sin then we need to forgive others of their sin. Treating others with love, compassion, and mercy can be difficult when we think of them in their differences, but Jesus died for all of us and therefore they are God's children with us. No one is apart, but rather we are one in the kingdom of God. 

Resolution action plan: think of others as you would yourself, be kind to one another, forgive easily, show compassion, be merciful

These are just a few Biblical resolutions to start off your new year and I hope that you find the action plans for each helpful in achieving success this year. What are your resolutions for 2017? Do you have any tips for achieving success in resolutions? Leave a comment below and let me know. 

United We Stand: A Lesson In Politics

You will rarely see me choosing to discuss anything political or even sharing my political beliefs. That is because, simply put, I hate politics. I am not ashamed of my political beliefs, but rather I know that political discussions often dissolve into voices of hate or in the very least a lack of tolerance for other people's beliefs. I have lived long enough to know that each person is unique and even people of the same beliefs have different reasons for their beliefs. As a general policy I don't discuss politics, but I am breaking my silence today. 

The amount of discord in this country after the election last week is just shameful. Regardless of your political beliefs, each election some people get what they want and others don't. That is true of each election from the beginning of time. This fact should remind us that we are all different and that we aren't always going to agree, but disagreement is not a reason for destruction. I know people will argue about the popular vote vs. the electoral college and the fairness of the election process. Certainly there is something to be said about the process, but the process is what we have. If you are upset about the process then work to change the process rather than to demonstrate your frustration with self-destruction. 

Our American democracy is not perfect, far from it, but what process is? Nothing is perfect and no matter how upset we become it isn't going to be perfect. Again, regardless of our political beliefs, we all are going to experience feelings of frustration or unrest in the face of politics. The way I see it we can use our frustration to bring about positive change or we can self-destruct. The original founding fathers knew that united we stand, but divided we fall. Division in a house is the fastest way to make a house fall. Nothing illustrates this more than the Civil War. Our country was greatly divided and brothers fought brothers over their beliefs. The blood bath that ensued was awful and entirely unnecessary. I believe that some of the soldiers fought a war they didn't believe in because it was expected of them. Some people had the courage to stand up and fight for what they believed in despite everyone around them fighting against them, but as noble as we want to believe we are, most of the time we give in to the opinions of people around us. 

Let us not be divided on the outcome of the presidential election, but instead come together and stand up for what we believe in. Please don't stand up and voice your frustration in self-destruction, but rather stand up and demonstrate your beliefs that others might see and take you as example. Be a beacon of light to a world darkened by conflict. Stand up, continue to be kind regardless of the person or their beliefs, and demonstrate God's love to everyone. 

Even if you are in favor of what happened in the election, most likely you are not in favor of everything, and you have the opportunity to show Americans are able to come together, even in the face of disagreement. I know some people are thinking. "That's all fine and good, but how do you do it?" We are able to come together in the face of agreement and exact positive change by living a life that is reflective of the the life of Jesus. In Jesus' day Rome was in charge of His country and the Pharisees took advantage of Roman rule to distance themselves from the people. The bulk of the people were probably not in favor of the Romans or the Pharisees, but that was the life they lived in. Obviously, they didn't have a democracy, but I'm not sure it would matter if they did. The point is that the people had very little rights, their lives were not great, and they were surrounded by corruption. The people could have chosen to destroy their homes in response to their new rulers, but all that would accomplish is homelessness. I'm not sure what would have happened if Jesus hadn't come along, but because He did, we have an example of how to respond in the face of adversity. 

Jesus did not respond with violence because those who live by the sword die by the sword. Instead  He challenged the rulers of His day and through His words and actions demonstrated the way people should live. He was kind to everyone, not just those who were politically powerful or religiously clean. When Jesus looked at people He saw their hearts and their potential rather than their sin and their flaws. We can look at the people around us and see them as Jesus sees them, His children, whom He loved enough to die on a cross for. That means we need to look beyond their beliefs, beyond their gender, beyond their race, and beyond any other factors that might keep us from demonstrating God's love for them. 

I will readily agree that this isn't an easy task and that even when loving all of God's children, we should be cautious lest we fall victim to something awful. Yes, we are all God's children, but evil has possessed some to hurt others and cause unspeakable things to happen. We are responsible for ourselves and ought to live righteously in our relationships with others regardless of who they are. This can be done in little actions like holding a door open or larger actions like standing up to defend the rights of someone too small to fight for themselves. 

Jesus taught His disciples and His followers that they were responsible before God for their actions and these actions included their relationships with one another. He expected them to sacrifice and give up aspects of their life in order to help others. That was true whether the person was sick or hungry. He helped everyone and we ought to do the same. United we can stand together, preserve a country we love, and enact positive change through our actions.

Lent

I apologize I am so late in writing this post on Lent. My intention was to write an introduction post to Lent on Ash Wednesday, February 10th, but that didn't happen. We are already 2 weeks into the season of Lent and my idea for the original post is now outdated, but I hope that my thoughts on Lent can help inspire you during your season of Lent.

Lent is a season of giving up and of conscious sacrifice in the 40 days (Sundays excluded) before Easter. Growing up I never participated in Lent and I honestly didn't understand the practice. I knew lots of people who did, but I personally couldn't get behind the idea. Then a few years ago I was introduced to this idea of Reverse Lent. Reverse Lent is a sacrifice of time and energy in the completion of service to Jesus. This might be spending a few minutes each day to thank someone for their presence in your life or to just encourage them in their faith or it might be a physical act of service. The last few years I have used my time and my gifts to work towards blessing others. Specifically, I have spent Lent crocheting blankets for specific organizations. The first year it was for Oliviana's Closet, the second year it was for Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, and this year it is for Project Linus. Reverse Lent made more sense to me and felt of greater use to the Kingdom then giving up chocolate or something else. 

Then this year, prior to the start of Lent, insight into Lent came upon me and gave me understanding. I was reading a daily devotional, one that I had received in an email, about Jesus's fasting and temptation in the desert. It was while reading this devotional that I realized we give up something during the season of Lent so that we can experience temptation the way Jesus did. Yes, temptation is present in our lives everyday, regardless of whether we give up something or not, but we experience the greatest amount of temptation when we give up something we really want. Jesus fasted for 40 days and then was tempted. If He hadn't fasted then He would have been tempted to turn a rock into bread. In essence, if He didn't give something up then He wouldn't have experienced temptation. The purpose of Lent is not that we would be tempted, but that in being tempted, we would not succumb to temptation. Lent is a season of relying on God for what we need, a period of growing closer to Him, and a celebration of victory over temptation. The idea is that if we could overcome this temptation then we could overcome any temptation. Lent is a conscious time of practice and learning about and overcoming temptation. It prepares us for those times of unexpected temptation that will arrive in other areas of our lives. 

My views and practices of Lent have changed this year. My season of Lent exists in 3 parts: I am reading through the gospels, I am setting aside time daily to work on the blankets for Project Linus, and I am resisting the urge to fight my battle on my own. My pastor had challenged my church to read through the gospels before Easter in an effort to remind us that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from God. I accepted his challenge because Lent should be a period of growing closer to God and depending on Him for our substance. I am making a conscious effort to use my gifts to be of service to God. This should be a regular practice, but I have noticed that if it isn't conscious then it can be easy to make excuses and engage in other activities. Finally, I prayed to God before Lent and asked Him to impress upon my heart anything that He might want me to give up during Lent. There was only one thing that continually came to mind throughout this time of prayer. If you have read any of my posts from this year then you know that I have been fighting a battle. This battle is figurative, but nevertheless challenging. Throughout this time I have been struggling with trying to be patient and let God fight the battle for me. I know what I should do, but there have still been times when I have been tempted to take matters into my own hands and it backfired miserably. Because of this, I believe God impressed it upon my heart to not take matters into my own hands and to rely on Him to fight for me. 

The aspects of my Lent aren't traditional, especially the last part, but together these different parts are working in my life. Reading through the gospels has served as a refresher course for me and has reminded me to live a life more like the life Jesus would want me to live. There is also this idea that I should know the word of God more intimately and that in knowing I will have understanding and in understanding it will be easier to live out. Working on the blankets for Project Linus has been a reminder of how fortunate I am and an encouraging conviction to help those that have less. Choosing different organizations forces me to learn about different groups of people in need. I have been most blessed by the last aspect of my Lent. The last 2 weeks I have trusted God, I have resisted the temptation to get involved, and He has blessed me immensely. In giving up control, I didn't lose anything, but instead experienced God's presence in every interaction. I was able to recognize His answers to my prayers or unvoiced areas of concern and to see how He was working in the life of someone I love. It has been a wonderful experience. 

That said, I haven't been 100% faithful to this experience. A few days ago, I did intervene and attempt to take control. I did it because I needed an answer and that answer was time sensitive, but I was too impatient to wait to see how God would answer my concern. Because of my impatience, I robbed myself of the opportunity to see God provide and to experience His ultimate blessing. Yet, I think this is an important lesson. There will be times when we fail and in failing we miss an experience with God, but even when we fail God doesn't leave us. He is right there waiting for us to come back to Him and to experience His blessing again. I will never know what might have happened if I hadn't intervened or how I would have experienced God in that moment. I can't get that moment back, but I can learn from it. There is plenty of temptation to intervene and attempt to take control in this battle, but I am learning and I am choosing to step back, allowing God to step in and fight for me. I don't know what is going to happen, but I know that at the end of this Lent season I am going to have experienced God in new ways and that is worth the sacrifice. 

Journey to Bethlehem: An Advent Challenge

For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that all who believed in Him would be saved and have everlasting life. John 3:16

This Christmas, let us remember and celebrate God's love for us. It was through His love that we were saved from the darkness. Don't believe me? Let us personalize this truth: For God so loved you that He gave His only son for you, that if you believe in Him, you will be saved and have everlasting life. God did not give His son for a planet, Jesus did not die on a cross for the globe, but for you! You were loved by God before you ever existed. God gave His son for you. Jesus died for you.

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

Silent night, holy night

Shepherds quake at the sight

Glories stream from heaven afar

Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia

Christ, the Savior is born

Christ, the Savior is born

This is what made Jesus' birth so holy, so magical. Until then God had never given His son for mankind. He had done wonderful things for mankind, but not this, a complete sacrifice for an undeserving people. Why did God sacrifice His only son for an undeserving people? Because He loved us and desired a relationship with us, a relationship that would last beyond our lives on earth. If our relationship wasn't going to last beyond our physical lives then there would be no point. But God didn't want His relationship with us to end and gave His son that we might be able to live with Him forever. I say might because it is our decision to make. God doesn't force us to choose, but rather embraces us when we make the choice on our own. The choice is yours. 

Do you have room in your inn for Jesus this Christmas?

Journey to Bethlehem: An Advent Challenge

Day 24: Read John 1:14

Christ Comes to the World

The Word became a human and lived among us. We saw his glory - the glory that belongs to the only Son of the Father - and he was full of grace and truth. John 1:14

John 1:14 summarizes the Christmas story. The Word, that is the Word of God, took the shape of a human and made a life among the humans. The Word that became human is Jesus. His disciples saw His glory and they knew that the glory could only belong to the only Son of the Father. The disciples share that Jesus was full of grace and truth. 

Think about this for a moment. God became man, He became flesh and blood, He became mortal. Jesus gave up every divine right He had to the heavenly throne and became human. The Holy Trinity was well aware of the consequences of being human, the sacrifices Jesus would have to make, and the ultimate end result. Just because Jesus would ultimately rise again and return to His throne in heaven doesn't mean that His life and death on earth weren't painful. If He didn't understand pain before, His 33 years on earth would have taught Him that pain hurt and should be avoided, but He still made the decision to be beat, mocked, and crucified anyways. This wasn't a decision He made lightly. How could He? He didn't just know that pain was likely, but he also knew it was inevitable. How many of us can say the same? He knew pain and death were a certainty, but He made the decision to go forward anyways.

It is important to understand that Jesus gave up all His divinity to live as a human that one day we would be able to live a divine life with Him. He was God and yet He became man, He lived among us, and He suffered for us. Yet even in hardship, He was full of grace and truth. Jesus didn't allow His circumstances to subtract from His glorious nature. How many of us can say the same? Jesus is our example of ultimate love and it is through Him that we are able to learn our way to God. The Scriptures had stated so much, but it is really through the life of Jesus that we see how God wants us to live. 

Journey to Bethlehem: An Advent Challenge

Day 23: Read Matthew 2:19-23

Joseph and Mary Return 

Matthew 2:13-18 tells of Jesus' escape from King Herod's murderous plans. This was a time of great devastation for the people of Judah. King Herod's actions fulfilled a prophecy spoken through the prophet Jeremiah. Matthew 2:19-23 reveals Joseph and Mary's return after King Herod had died. Upon King Herod's death, an angel of the Lord spoke to Joseph in a dream. At this time Joseph and his family were in Egypt, where they had gone to escape King Herod. The angel said, "Get up! Take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel because the people who were trying to kill the child are now dead." Joseph obeyed the angel and took the child and his mother to Israel. On his way to Israel, he heard that Archalaus was now king in Judah since his father Herod had died. This news made Joseph afraid. After he was warned in a dream, he went to the area of Galilee, to a town called Nazareth, and lived there. So what God had said through the prophets came true: "He will be called a Nazarene." 

King Herod had a murderous heart and killed many boys in Israel in his attempt to destroy the threat he perceived to his throne. Jesus, given the title of the King of the Jews, was not an actual threat to man-made kings, but to Satan. He didn't come to rule over a country, but to bring salvation to His people through His divine rule and protection. Jesus' life was never intended to be long and so His rule was never going to be during His life as a man. In theory, Jesus could have easily risen to worldly power and been a great ruler of Israel, but the time had not come for His rule. His time to rule was not during His life on earth because it was only through His death that His people could be saved for eternity. If the rulers and religious leaders had realized this then their attitudes would have been very different. 

When the threat to Jesus' life is over, an angel of the Lord tells Joseph it is safe to return to Israel. Then it is made known that Archalaus is king in place of his father and it seems that Jesus' life is once again threatened. Archalaus in power is a threat to Jesus because he was alive when his father was trying to murder Jesus and he is likely to also view Jesus as a threat to his rule. Once again Joseph is warned and this time the angel tells him to go to the area of Galilee, to the town of Nazareth. The angel is essentially telling Joseph to return to his home. Recall that Joseph had lived in Nazareth when he was engaged to be married to Mary and they had to leave Nazareth to travel to Bethlehem to pay taxes in a census. The little family has traveled in a full circle back to their home. This was done that the words of God, spoken through the prophets, would be fulfilled. Jesus was to be called a Nazarene. 

This passage represents the end to the Christmas story and the start of Jesus' childhood. The earlier threats to Jesus' life foreshadow the later threats He faced in adulthood. Once again there is this reminder that there is much darkness in existence, but without darkness there would not be a need for light. Adam and Eve's sin cast existence into darkness and the depth of sin began to grow in the world uncontrollably. At times in history the darkness was so thick that light could barely be seen. We, as humans, had allowed sin to enter into the world and at times it threatens to choke the life out of us. I don't think it is fair to solely blame Adam and Eve because sin is likely to have been introduced by some other person at some other time. We were never made to be perfect and therefore always had the capacity to be led astray. It may not have been forbidden fruit, but it would have been something else that introduced sin into existence. In darkness there is the greatest need for light. God gave us His son to be the light we needed. Through Jesus we can see the way and one day join Him in the light, never to experience darkness again. Never let the Light of Christmas make you forget about the darkness because the darkness is the reason we need the Light.

Journey to Bethlehem: An Advent Challenge

Day 22: Read Matthew 2:9-12

Wise Men Come to Visit Jesus

Matthew 2:9-12 reveals to us the wise men's departure from the king and their visit with Jesus. After the wise men had listened to the king, they left. The star they had been following from the east went before them until it stopped above the place where the child was. When the wise men saw the star they were filled with joy. The wise men came to the house where the child was and saw him with his mother, Mary. They bowed down and worshipped him. The wise men opened the gifts they had brought. They gave Jesus treasures of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. When it was time for them to leave, God warned the wise men in a dream not to go back to King Herod, and so the men returned to their own country by a different way. 

This passage leads me to believe that the star the wise men were following disappeared for awhile, which is why they stopped in Jerusalem to ask King Herod about the child. It was when they had departed King Herod that the star appeared before them until it stopped above the place where the child was. The scripture doesn't say that the star disappeared, but if it didn't then the wise men wouldn't have had a reason to stop to ask King Herod where the child would be born. The wise men knew the importance of the star and they were filled with joy when they saw it. When the wise men came to the house where the child was, they knew immediately who the child was and demonstrated their understanding by bowing down to worship Him. After they worshiped Him they showered Him in the gifts they had brought from their country.

The gifts the wise men brought symbolized three different parts of Jesus' life. They gave gold because  He was royal as the King of the Jews. Frankincense was given because Jesus was God among them and frankincense was reserved for making special incense for God, a recipe given to Moses by God. Finally myrrh represented the death Jesus would experience on behalf of mankind. Myrrh was something the Jewish people used during the burial process. It is believed that Joseph used these gifts to help his family during the next part of their journey. 

God warned the wise men not to go to King Herod and so they returned to their country by a different way. Scripture goes on to record King Herod's response to the wise men not returning, a part often left out of the Christmas story. King Herod was angry when the wise men didn't return with the child's location. He wanted the child destroyed, but he didn't know where the child was. King Herod knew the approximate age of the child and ordered that all boys two years of age and under were to be killed. God is not going to allow His son to be destroyed and warns Joseph to flee with his family to Egypt. The baby boys are massacred, but Jesus escapes to safety. This is the darkness to Christmas. For all of the joy we experience in the birth of the Savior, there are people out there who are threatened by our joy and who seek to destroy it. Darkness, but without darkness there is not a need for light.

Journey to Bethlehem: An Advent Challenge

Day 19: Read Matthew 2:1-2

Wise Men Come to Visit Jesus

Matthew 2:1-2 begins to unfold the story of the wise men, who followed a star to find Jesus. Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea during the time King Herod was king. When Jesus was born, some wise men from the east came to Jerusalem. They asked, "Where is the baby who was born to be the king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." 

These men from the east were educated men, who were well studied in astrology or the ways of the stars. They recognized a change in the stars and particularly the addition of a new star, which they were able to interpret as the star of the King of the Jews. These men also were informed of the prophecies concerning the king because they knew they were seeking a baby. The wise men followed the star to Jerusalem and consulted King Herod. King Herod would likely have knowledge of the birth of a baby destined to be king. The men had come from the east to worship Jesus because they knew who He was even though He was still only a baby.

This passage informs us that the physical environment had changed at Jesus' birth and that these changes were able to lead wise men to Him. I think the mention that these men were wise leads us to conclude that ordinary people hadn't recognized the changes or didn't know what the changes meant. The scripture tells us that we are to be in-tuned to God's word in such a way that we are able to recognize His activity going on around us, which these wise men were. The wise men consulted the powerful because they were so desperate to find the star they were seeking. This indicates the level of passion we should also have in seeking God. The wise men were both in-tuned to God and passionate to find His activity in their world. 

Journey to Bethlehem: An Advent Challenge

Day 18: Read Luke 2:19-21

Shepherds Hear About Jesus

Luke 2:19-21 states that Mary treasured these things (the words of the shepherds) and continued to think about them. After the shepherds told the people what they had heard about the baby, the shepherds returned to their sheep praising God and thanking him for everything they had seen and heard. Everything had been just as the angel had told them. When the baby was eight days old he was circumcised and given the name Jesus. This was the name given by the angel before the baby began to grow inside Mary.

The words of the shepherds were valuable to Mary because their words confirmed what she had already been told by the angel before she became pregnant with Jesus. Her son was really someone special and was indeed the Savior of her people. The words she treasured were God's truths that were being carried out through her son. God wants us to treasure His truth and to continue to think on the truth He has revealed to us that we might not forget. Truth has the potential to set us free, but the problem is that often we forget the truth in the thick of a crisis. Forgetting the truth causes us to become vulnerable and to even fall prey to the schemes of Satan. Take Adam and Eve: they forgot the truth about God and this caused them to believe Satan's lies about God, which had devastating consequences for all human beings. If Adam and Eve had focused on God's truth then we wouldn't have sin and our world would be a very different place. The reality is that there are consequences to our thoughts, or lack thereof, and that God desires us to be like Mary, thinking on the truth of Him. 

This passage also reminds us that praising God shouldn't end after the moment or event that brought us to give praise, but should continue as we continue on with our lives. The shepherds left Jesus, but continued to praise God for allowing them to see and hear everything just as the angel had said. God didn't have to send His angel to tell the shepherds the good news, ultimately inviting them to share in this miraculous moment, but He did and the shepherds seem to have recognized the blessing God has bestowed on them. Their example of continued praise is one that we rightly should follow in our own celebrations of blessings. 

Enclosed in this passage there is also a reminder of the importance of completing our part in fulfilling God's prophecies. The angel told Mary about the prophecy that would be fulfilled in her and told her that her son's name would be Jesus. God would take care of the pregnancy and would fill her with the Holy Spirit allowing her to conceive God's son, but Mary had to also do her part, which was to name the baby Jesus. If Mary had decided to name the baby Joseph or another name common in her family then the prophecy would not have been fulfilled. Granted, God could have established the completion of His prophecy is another way, but He prefers that we are obedient in our part. When God chooses to  complete His will through our lives it is important that we then choose to obediently do our part that it would be completed.

Journey to Bethlehem: An Advent Challenge

Day 17: Read Luke 2:15-18

Shepherds Hear About Jesus

Luke 2:15-18 continues the shepherds' story. After the angels left the shepherds and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem. Let's see this thing that has happened which the Lord told us about." The shepherds went quickly to Bethlehem and found Mary, Joseph, and the baby (Jesus). Jesus was lying in a feeding box, just as the angels had said. When the shepherds had seen him, they told everyone what the angels had said about the child. The people were amazed at the shepherds' words.

In the scripture angels and prophets are the primary source of God's messages to His people. Yes, He spoke to other people directly, but primarily the messages were delivered in the form of angels or prophets. So when the angels told the shepherds about the birth of Jesus and told them to go find him, this was a direct message from God. God was telling the shepherds, through His angels, to find His son and to worship God because of His son. The shepherds heard the news of the angels and chose to obey God. Their obedience brought them to the birth place of the Savior and they were able to experience a new aspect of God. When the shepherds found the family and when they saw the baby the angels spoke of, they decided to share the good news with the family. The shepherds didn't know that angels had already revealed the truth to Mary and Joseph and they wanted everyone to know the good news of the baby. The sharing of the angels' words invited more people into the good news of the Savior's birth and allowed more people to give glory to God.

From this passage we can learn how to be more like the shepherds. First, the shepherds took the directions they were given by God and obeyed them immediately. The angels appeared to them at night and the shepherds were likely tired, yet they still journeyed further to obey God. The shepherds didn't complain about the directions given to them, but instead excitedly acted upon their instructions. Second, when the shepherds found who they were looking for, thus verifying the words of the angels,  they immediately shared the good news that the angels spoke of to them. Their words could have been ridiculed and they may have even be seen as sleep-deprived, but the shepherds didn't allow the potential reactions of others to deter them from sharing the good news. When God gives us a direction we should obey Him immediately and then share the good news with everyone who will listen. The shepherds' decision to share the good news brought many more people into the truth of the Savior's birth.

Journey to Bethlehem: An Advent Challenge

Day 15: Read Luke 2:8-12

Shepherds Hear About Jesus

Luke 2:8-12 recounts how shepherds were told about the birth of Jesus. The night of Jesus' birth there were shepherds in a nearby field that were watching sheep. An angel of the Lord came to them in the field and stood before them. The glory of the Lord was surrounding them, which made them frightened. The angel told the shepherds not to be frightened because he was bringing them good news, "Today your Savior was born in the town of David. He is Christ, the Lord." The angel told the shepherds that they would know it was Jesus because they would find him wrapped in pieces of cloth and lying in a feed box. 

Jesus' birth could have been announced to kings or priests, yet instead it was announced to shepherds. Announcing His birth to a king may have caused His destruction, as we saw when the wise men told King Herod about the star they were seeking; while telling the priests would have been met with much speculation, as we can see in Jesus' interactions with the Pharisees during His 3 year ministry. Wise men were already seeking a star that they believed would show them the place of the Savior and so did not need an announcement. However, the shepherds or common people were the ones who most needed a Savior. The shepherds were not rich, but their hearts were humble and ready for a Savior. Again, we see that humbleness is rewarded. 

The shepherds are told exactly how they will find the baby in order that they would know it was Him.  This is important because Jesus wouldn't have been the only baby born in Bethlehem and the humbleness of His birth would have led people to conclude He wasn't their Savior. Again, the specific information given is crucial to verifying the authenticity of the news the people are receiving. The shepherds can confirm it was truly good news and this was their Savior based on the accuracy of the angel's description when the shepherds found Jesus. The authenticity of the angel's words are going to produce faith in the shepherds and this faith will restore their relationship with God. The humble beginnings of Jesus' birth and announcement to the shepherds nearby is only an indication of the glory God is going to demonstrate through His life. 

Journey to Bethlehem: An Advent Challenge

Day 13: Read Micah 5:2-5

The Ruler to Be Born in Bethlehem

Micah 5:2-5 is an important prophecy for Christians, "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are too small to be among the army groups from Judah, from you will come one who will rule Israel for me. He comes from very old times, from days long ago." The writer goes on to say that the Lord will give up his people until the one who is having a baby gives birth and then the rest of his relatives will return to the people of Israel. When this happens the ruler of Israel will stand and take care of his people with the Lord's strength. He will have the power of the name of the Lord his God. The Israelites will live in safety because his greatness will reach all over the earth. He will bring peace.

Israel and Judah had seperated. The people once united were at odds with each other and this made them open to temptation from the neighboring countries. The people would go through long periods of time where they didn't obey God and it was during these times that the people faced war, as well as captivity at the hands of their enemies. The prophecy recorded in Micah 5:2-5 would have come as a tremendous blessing to the people of Judah and Israel because it promised safety in the form of a Savior who would rule over them. 

Once again, we see that God likes using a small, insignificant object or person to be the source of His blessing for His people. In the prophecy we see that God has chosen Bethlehem, a town so small that it isn't allowed to be part of Judah's army, to be the birth place of the Savior, the one who will rule Israel for Him. The prophecy begins to illustrate that the Savior will be God by indicating that He is from old times, He will have the Lord's strength, and finally that He will have the power of the name of the Lord his God. Micah 5:2-5 also states that God intends to leave His people until the birth of the Savior. I believe that God gives up His people so that they will be ready when His son is born and will recognize Him as their Savior. When Jesus is born the people of Israel are so ready for their Savior that wise men are studying the stars looking for signs of His arrival. The birth of the Savior is the start of this prophecy, but the prophecy ends when He comes again. It is then that the Israelites will have safety and live in peace.

Day 10: Read Matthew 1:22-25

The Birth of Jesus Christ

Matthew 1:22-25 further explains the rationale behind the specifics of Jesus's birth and Joseph's dream. Everything happened in order that what the Lord had said through the prophet would be fulfilled. The prophet had said, "The virgin will be pregnant. She will have a son and they will name him Immanuel, which means God is with us." After this is revealed Joseph wakes up and does what the angel told him to do. Joseph took Mary as his wife, but he didn't consummate the marriage until after Jesus was born. When Mary gave birth to a son, Joseph named him Jesus.

One of the ways that God has always demonstrated His work in our lives is through prophecy. Prophecy is a good way to weed out the truth. If I say that a man is coming in 3 days and he will end world hunger then you will know in 3 days if I am right. If he comes then I am telling the truth, but if he doesn't then you know that I do not profess the truth. Throughout history there have been countless claims, but only a select few have come true. These prophecies are measured by their accuracy and their accuracy determines the reliability of the speaker. Now the prophesies written in the Bible are not as specific to their timing as in my example, but they are specific: "The virgin will be pregnant." This isn't an ordinary occurrence and is in fact an impossibility. I suppose technically that today a virgin could become pregnant using in vitro but this was not the case when the prophecy was originally spoken. 

The prophecy itself is an attention grabber because of its sheer implausibility, but it goes on and is even more specific: "She will have a son and they will name him Immanuel, which means God is with us." In this prophecy you are given 3 things: 1) a virgin birth, 2) a son named Immanuel, and 3) God is with us. Mary becoming pregnant when she was a virgin, having a son named Jesus, and then having Jesus die on the cross as the Son of God are the prophecy fulfilled. In the fulfillment you are able to see that speaker is speaking truth. God is real and in Him there is truth. This is important to realize in an age of untruth. More than ever we are bombarded by new thoughts, ideas, and opinions that all claim to be truth, but the reality is there can only be one truth. It is through prophecy that truth can be revealed and in the fulfillment of prophecy the one truth is made clear. Jesus is the truth, He is the way, and He is the source of life. Prophecy has made that much clear.

Journey to Bethlehem: An Advent Challenge

Day 8: Read Luke 1:26-38

An Angel Appears to Mary

Luke 1:26-38 reveals the story of another miraculous pregnancy. During Elizabeth's sixth month of pregnancy, the angel Gabriel went to the town of Nazareth. He went to a virgin named Mary, who was engaged to a man named Joseph. Joseph was a descendant of King David. The angel greeted her and told her the Lord had blessed her, but this greeting frightened Mary because she didn't know what it meant. The angel told her not to be frightened and said that God had shown His grace on her. He went on to tell her that she would become pregnant and have a son. She would name the baby Jesus and he would be great, the Son of the Most High. The Lord would give him the throne of King David, his ancestor. Her son, Jesus, would rule over the people of Jacob forever and his kingdom will never end. Mary asked the angel how this would be possible since she was a virgin. The angel answered that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and the power of the Most High would cover her. It is this reason that the baby will be holy and will be called the Son of God. The angel then told Mary that her relative Elizabeth is pregnant though she is very old. The angel says that everyone thought she was unable to have a baby, but that God could do anything. When Mary heard this she said, "I am the servant of the Lord. Let this happen to me as you say!" Then the angel departed from her.

This passage reveals the plan of Jesus's birth. God had selected Mary, a virgin, to be Jesus's mother. He could have selected another woman, but He selected a virgin that Jesus's birth would be miraculous from the beginning. A virgin was physically unable to become pregnant let alone to give birth to a baby. The Holy Spirit would come upon her and she would become pregnant, which meant that Jesus's father wouldn't be biologically a man. Since his father wasn't man, but God Jesus would be considered holy, the Son of God. The angel must be aware that this news is a hard pill to swallow and so goes on to tell Mary about Elizabeth's miraculous pregnancy that demonstrates God can do anything. Upon hearing this Mary believes, commits herself to the Lord as His servant, and welcomes the arrival of the good news the angel has spoken of. 

Christians can learn from Mary's response to this incredulous news. First, Mary questioned the news, not from lack of faith, but from her human perspective. As far as her knowledge allowed, virgin women could not become pregnant and have sons, it was simply impossible. Yet, she doesn't say this. Instead she asks how will God accomplish it given her circumstances. She wants to understand how it is going to work and in essence know her role beyond being the child's mother. This is important to know because sometimes God requires us to do an action in order for His will to be carried out as promised. Second, upon hearing how and being reminded God can do anything, she confesses that she is God's servant and that she is awaiting for His words to be carried out. Mary doesn't complain, argue, or question God's plan further. She could have voiced criticism or complaint about this role He wanted her to play. An unwed woman becoming pregnant would have damaged her reputation and may even have cost her her life. In the very least she would have faced ridicule every where she went. Not to mention she might not have felt ready to be a mother. Regardless of her thoughts in that moment, she committed herself to the Lord and wanted His will to be done. Similarly this should be our response when God tells us His plan. 

Perhaps this Christmas we need to seek God's will in our lives and then like Mary welcome the fulfillment of His words. Then our lives will give birth to His will like Mary gave birth to Jesus. What is God calling you to do?

Journey to Bethlehem: An Advent Challenge

Day 6: Luke 1:11-17

Zechariah and Elizabeth

Luke 1:11-17 continues the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth. Zechariah was at this time serving in the temple, he was selected by throwing lots to burn incense for God, and it is here that an angel appears to him. He is afraid, but the angel tells him not to be afraid that God has heard his prayer. God has heard Zechariah's prayer and He is going to give them a son. The angel tells Zechariah that he will name his son John. John will bring his parents joy and make many people happy. He will be a great man for the Lord. John will never drink alcohol and even from birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will help many people return to the Lord and he will go forward in the spirit of the Lord to prepare the people for the coming of the Lord.

John was not just the answer to his parents' prayers, but the person a God had chosen to prepare His people for His coming. Before John was born God had a plan for him. He knew his personality, he knew his faithfulness to abstain from alcohol, and he knew what John's life would mean to other people. John would bring happiness and restoration. God knew all of this before John was even born and He revealed this plan to his parents. God had heard their prayers and was going to bless them beyond their dreams. In this passage of Luke, God has revealed to Zechariah that He had a plan that far surpassed Zechariah's. 

The life of John stood out from others because he was filled with the spirit of the Lord and he abstained from activities that would dilute the spirit in him. Since John stood out from others, he was able to guide people back to the Lord and make people happy. The story of John the Baptist is helpful for modern day Christians because we too have been set apart. Like John we have the potential to guide people to the Lord and to prepare them for the coming of the Lord. That is going to look different for each of us, but God has set us apart. An angel might not have told our parents that their prayers were going to be answered, but God still knew His purpose for our lives and the personality we would have. This December, remember we are each called like John to prepare the way for Jesus. In just a few weeks we will be celebrating the birth of Jesus. What better gift could we give to Him than to bring Him another lost person?

Journey to Bethlehem: An Advent Challenge

Day 5: Read Luke 1:5-10

Zechariah and Elizabeth 

Luke 1:5-10 describes Zechariah as a good man, who served as a priest and his wife, who was a good woman. Scripture states that this couple followed the law and feared the Lord. They were without fault, but they were unable to have a son. It says that Elizabeth was unable to have a child and that she was very old. Then one day Zechariah was burning incense in the temple and an angel appeared to him. 

In Zechariah's time it was thought that people who followed the law would be blessed. If the Lord didn't find any fault with them they would be healthy, prosperous, and have many children to leave a legacy for them. Luke 1:5-10 reveals that this isn't necessarily the case. Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth were good people, who followed the law and were without fault, yet it says that they didn't have a son. The birth of a son is important in their time because a son represents prosperity. A son will take care of his parents and he will continue on the legacy of the family. 

It is important to understand that Zechariah and Elizabeth were good people, who followed God, and yet they still had unanswered prayers because it sets the stage for something miraculous. God didn't ignore the reality that this couple wanted a child, but He had a much larger plan for the child than becoming a priest. Luke 1 goes on to state that an angel visited the couple and told them Elizabeth would give birth to a son. This was preposterous because of her age, yet God made it happen. There was some unbelief and this caused Zechariah to be punished, he was unable to speak until his son was born, but his son was still born. That son was named John and it was he who prepared the way for Jesus. 

I think the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth is important to remember at this time of year because there are a lot of unanswered prayers and there is this tendency to think it impossible. Perhaps, when thought of in human standards, it is impossible, but with God nothing is impossible. God took these good people and answered their prayers in such a way that they will be remembered always. Zechariah and Elizabeth not only received the gift of their son, but they also were able to witness their son pave the way for the Messiah. That had to be so much more than they could have realistically hoped for. Whatever it is that you are worried about or afraid won't be answered this Christmas, have faith, because God can do anything. He sent John to Elizabeth and Jesus to Mary and through them the good news of salvation was spread. Just imagine the ways He can answer your prayers and use that answer to spread good news to so many more people.

Journey to Bethlehem: An Advent Challenge

Day 2: Read Isaiah 9:2-7

A New Day Is Coming

Isaiah 9 speaks of the hardship of the people. The people live in darkness, they are suffering, and have carried a heavy load, but this will not always be their circumstances. The people will see a great light and will no longer live in darkness. This light will cause the people to grow happy and they will show God their happiness, like the joy during harvest time. The people will be joyous like people that have won a war and have taken their spoils. God will have taken away their heavy load and the rod that the enemy used to punish them. The clothing of war will be thrown into the fire because of the birth of a child. God gave His people a son, who will be responsible for their leadership. He will be known as Wonderful Counselor, Powerful God, Father Who Lives Forever, and Prince of Peace. Power and peace will be with His kingdom always. He will rule with justice and goodness, making it strong, forever. God will do this because of His strong love for His people.

The people lived in darkness. This is no less true today than it was in Isaiah's time. We live in darkness. Today, there was a mass shooting in San Bernardino, California that left 14 dead and 17 more injured. Two, possibly three, people were responsible for this senseless tragedy that may have been the result of workplace drama. Darkness. Outside of California there is more darkness. There are burglaries being planned and committed, people being murdered, and terrorist plots being thought up. Darkness. Everywhere you look, certainly on every news channel, there is darkness. We live in darkness. Humans carry a heavy load and the enemy uses our burdens to punish us mercilessly. Our lives are not joyous, but there is hope.

In the darkness there is light. God has given us Jesus, a son that will free us from the darkness, and we have seen the light. In the light there is hope and we are joyous. We turn our eyes to heaven and give thanks to God for Jesus, our light in the darkness. We have not seen the end of war, but we can rest in the knowledge that the war will end in victory. Jesus has won and He will rule forever. His name will be Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace. Justice and goodness will be ours because God's love for us is so strong. We do not deserve to see the light, we deserve the heaviness of darkness, but God loved us so much that He sent His son to us that we would see the light. In the light there is joy, in the light there is hope, and in the light there is victory. 

Journey to Bethlehem: An Advent Challenge

Day 1: Read John 1:1-5

Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus. 

John 1:1-5 says that Jesus Christ was with God in the beginning and that He was God. All of creation was made with Him and nothing was made without Him. Jesus Christ is the word of God because He is the way God told people about Himself. He is the Light that darkness cannot overpower. 

This passage is important to understand. Scripture reveals to us the reality that Jesus was there from the very beginning and not just a presence in the New Testament. In revealing this, the Scripture makes clear that Jesus Christ is central to everything. He isn't just a baby that was born in a manger or a man that preached before being crucified, but He is God. Since He is God He is also in all of creation because all of creation was made with Him.

Jesus is the Light that darkness cannot overcome. Our challenge is not in overcoming darkness, but in deciding if we have room for Jesus. For if we have room for Jesus then we have overcome the darkness. Our victory is in the Light that darkness cannot overpower.

November Challenge: Day 5

November represents the start of the holiday season (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years) and for some people the holiday season represents a time of sadness and hardship. The sadness and hardship felt can be the result of symbolic or actual loss, but prevents individuals from fully enjoying their holiday season with friends and family. I have experienced a few such holiday seasons myself and have known many other people who have also shared in similar feelings during the holiday season. During this period you are experiencing sadness at a time when you are also feeling social pressure to be happy and thankful for your blessings. Your friends and family may even suggest that you be happy and grateful because they just don't know what to say anymore. You may even experience an intense feeling of guilt because you can't just be happy or filled with gratitude like everyone else. I just want to state that it is perfectly ok to feel grief at a loss and to mourn that loss during a time that everyone is rejoicing. To be filled with grief or even to mourn is not sinful and therefore you have no reason to be filled with guilt. 

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." - Matthew 5:4

This morning as I read my Devotional Daily email I was reminded of this truth. Today's excerpt was from Bo Stern's book When Holidays Hurt and was a powerful testimony about the dance of grief and gratitude. There are three key words from this verse: bless, mourn, and comfort. We can be happy to mourn because God Himself shall comfort us. God comes near to us in our grief and comforts us. It is only through mourning that we can experience this level of God's presence in our lives. God reminds us that it is ok to be broken with Him. In our grief we will be comforted. Bo Stern challenges her readers to find hidden hope by making two columns on a sheet of paper, labeling one grief and one gratitude. List everything you feel in one of the columns, making sure you are being honest with how you're really feeling, and then write blessed, mourn, and comfort over the list, asking Jesus to show you the ways He is working in every area of your life. In strength, in weakness, in brightness, and in darkness we thank God. 

Today I am thankful for knowledge. It is through knowledge that we have understanding. It is understanding that allows us to be sympathetic and comforting to those around us who are experiencing a hard holiday season. We can grieve with those who are grieving and rejoice with those who are rejoicing. This holiday season, whether we are grieving or rejoicing, we can be grateful because we are blessed in God's love for His children. 

What are you thankful for today?

A Heart Of Service

Life is filled with millions of little moments when the people around us are "calling out" for us to help them, to comfort them, and to celebrate them. If you focus on the cost to you, then you can quickly be defeated, burned out, and unable to give more. In a single day there can be so much need for help that if you aren't careful you can become bitter. There are even times when helping someone even seems bad. The truth is giving your time, your energy, and your resources to other people is demanding and draining. But we are called to do it anyways. Jesus is our example in this. In His lifetime, a short 33 years, He helped thousands of people and not once did He tell someone He couldn't help them. He healed the sick and the possessed, He fed the poor, and He raised the dead. He did all of this while also teaching the people about God and how to live their lives. I know it isn't easy, but when we feel discouraged we need to look to Jesus and let Him be our example. Allow helping others to be a service to God and not just to man. Allow your heart to be a heart of service.