One of My Favorites - The Gift of Tears

You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.

Psalm 56:8b

Have you ever thanked God for tears? No, I'm not crazy. Tears are a gift from God. Yes, a GIFT. First – tears allow us to express and release what’s in our hearts when we haven’t the words to do so. They are a language that God understands. God wastes nothing, so if we didn’t need them, He wouldn’t have given them to us – readily available on any given day – often without bidding… God designed our bodies to produce tears for our well-being.

Do you know that there are different kinds of tears – with different chemical properties? The two most common are reflex tears and psychic (or emotional) tears. Reflex tears come when you get something in your eye or chop onions, peppers, etc. They are designed for and function specifically to wash out irritants. Emotional tears actually contain several protein-based hormones; one of which is a natural pain-killing endorphin – leucine-enkephalin – which is why ‘having a good cry’ often makes us feel better. And not only emotionally, but physiologically, as well.

In his article, ‘Tear Toxins,’ printed in Omni, December 1982, Tom Kovach wrote the following:

     At the St Paul Ramsey Medical Center in Minnesota, tears caused by simple irritants were compared to those brought on by emotion. Researcher William Frey found that stress-induced tears actually remove toxic ‘substances’ from the body. Volunteers were led to cry first from watching sad movies, and then from freshly cut onions. The researchers found that the tears from the movies, called emotional tears, contained far more toxic biological byproducts. Weeping, they concluded, is an excretory process which removes toxic substances that normally build up during emotional stress.

Who but a loving God could or would create that? 

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for the gift of tears to help us while we live here on this earth. Thank You even more for the promise of Heaven, where there will no longer be a need for tears according to Your Word in Revelation 21. Father, we can hardly wait until the day You wipe every tear from our eyes because there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things will have passed away. We long for the day. Until then, let us ever be in an attitude of gratitude for all Your precious gifts to us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Advent - Day Seven

From 21 Gifts of Advent by Janelle Keith 

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Luke 2:10-12 NIV

The Gift of God’s Story

...We’ve sung it in church and can’t make sense of it ourselves, but it is a strange way to save the world through a baby. Can Jesus really deliver us from sin? Can anything good come from the town of Bethlehem? Why would the best of Heaven’s divinity (Jesus) come to earth to bear the brunt of humanity?

The real Christmas story never gets old to me. With God sending love in the person of Jesus, He keeps His promise of salvation to all of us. And Jesus proved His love for us on the cross. This whole plan was initiated by God and planned for long ago to make a way back to Him. God loving us first was His idea.

God not only chose us, but He gave us a glorious inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven with the gift of Jesus. Pure Love came down from Heaven and gifted man with eternal security, filling our days with love, joy, and peace forevermore. The celebration of Christmas reminds us of the Hope of Heaven. Hope in its purest form, wrapped up in a tiny breathing baby bundle, breathing life into our weary and tired souls.

Advent reflection: Let’s prepare for the Christmas Child to arrive in our hearts. Let’s make room for Jesus this Advent season by sharing the story with everyone. Jesus is a love story worth telling!

*************

Prayer:

Father,

           We can't quite wrap our minds around the Truth that before the foundation of the world, You loved us and set Your plan in motion. We praise as Paul praised in the first chapter of Ephesians, All praise to You, God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! You have blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before You made the world, You loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in Your eyes. You decided in advance to adopt us into Your own family by making a way back to You through Jesus Christ... It is the greatest love story ever! Keep us ever mindful of our inheritance and to stay in right-standing with You, according to Your plan. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Advent - Day 28 - Changed

Thank you for walking through the Advent season with me. My wish is that we will allow the gifts we have been given - hope, peace, joy, and love - to be fully manifested in our lives. Merry Christmas! 

Love in Christ, Andréa

Day 28 is written fully by Compassion Canada
**************************************************************

As we have journeyed through Advent together, we have unwrapped the good gifts that God has given us. Gifts of hope, peace, joy and love. They are the gifts that came swaddled in a manger that first Christmas Day. The baby in a manger who would make a way for the good life of hope, who would proclaim the good news of peace, who would walk in the good deeds that spark joy, and who would give the good gift of love, Himself.

It was to the shepherds that this wonderful news was first proclaimed, to the humble, the poor, the vulnerable. The glory of the Lord shone brilliantly in that field of sheep and the “good news of great joy” was shared: God’s good and perfect gift had been given.

As we reflect this Christmas on every good and perfect gift that God has given us, let’s respond like the shepherds.

Let’s rush to the presence of Jesus. (Luke 2:15-16)

Let’s gather around the good and perfect gift of God with worship and adoration.

And then, let’s return to our jobs, our tasks, our daily lives, changed. (Luke 2:20)

Let’s live to glorify God and shine His light brilliantly by sharing His hope, peace, joy, and love with the world around us.

Prayer:

God,
         I know that every good gift comes from You. Today, I rush to the presence of Jesus, the greatest gift of all and I ponder Your hope, peace, joy and love anew. But I know that I cannot remain beside the manger because You did not remain there. You lived Your life continuing to give hope, peace, joy and love to others. Help me to carry every good gift You have given me into the world. Amen.

Friends' Favorites - Instructions

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

I just keep thinking about the 'fear nots' in relation to the boldness, the confidence that will come as a result of following those words of instruction. If a king or queen gave you or me a directive to do something and backed it up with the promise of any means available in their realm, I sincerely doubt there would be any hesitation. I mean, in a country where "by the king's order" is the top of the pecking order, we'd get it done. We would follow the royal instruction.

The King of kings and Lord of lords has specifically stated that He is GIVING us peace of mind and heart - and we both know the world cannot give us that! (It's not the world's to give - it can't give what it doesn't have.) Then He instructs us, "So don't be troubled or afraid." When this King speaks, it is the authority of God, backed by all of Heaven. Think about that for a little while - really think about it - then answer this question.

How are you at following instructions?

Prayer:

Father,
        Open our hearts and minds to hear and understand the magnitude of what You are telling us. Help us to walk how and where You would have us go. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. 

2nd Corinthians 5:17-18a NLT

One of the guys at work - when you ask him how he's doing - always replies, "Man, it doesn't get any better than this..." Usually what he means is, "This is it, so you might as well learn to live with it." On days that have been particularly trying, that is not what I want to hear. Although this evening, I was reminded that I used to believe exactly that because I had no hope. I was a hopeless case.

I've walked down Memory Lane a few times in the last week or so. You see, I have no problem remembering what I was and where I was when God finally got my attention. I remember thinking back then that I deserved everything that happened in my life because of the choices I'd made along the way. I distinctly remember thinking that it would never get better because I didn't deserve better... and truly, I didn't... 

But thank God, it wasn't about me and what I did. It was - and is - all about Christ and what He did to pay for my life - and yours - on the Cross at Calvary. And that has removed the pain from those memories and left only the glow of God's goodness, His love, His mercy, and redemption to cover the multitude of my sins. Praise God, by His grace, I am able to look down that road through the filter of His forgiveness and love. 

Tonight, I was blessed to sit down to supper with 30 women - strong women of God - women that Titus speaks of in chapter 2. Laughing, talking, sharing, eating Tex-Mex...sitting with them, loving them, one with them. And I marvel at what God has done in each of the lives represented there. New creations, The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. 

It doesn't get any better than this. Only Heaven will be better...

Prayer:

Father,

          I pray the words of Leeland's song - It feels like there's not enough praise inside of me. With all these words, all my heart can sing is 'Holy! You are holy!' I want to walk worthy of the life You have given me. I want to reflect You, Father, and only You, because it doesn't get any better that that. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Friends' Favorite - * All of Them

All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and

all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. In the cloud and in the sea,

all of them were baptized as followers of Moses.

All of them ate the same spiritual food, and

all of them drank the same spiritual water.

For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ.

Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

1st Corinthians 10:1b-5 NLT

God declared a new beginning for all of them, whether they were born in the land or were strangers who chose to be a part of the assembly and follow the Lord; God made no distinction among them. It no longer mattered to Him. Here's all you have to do... (read Exodus 12).

And then He gave them the same instructions. All of them were given the same opportunity. And again, He made the point of expressing that it made no difference if they were born in the land or were strangers who chose to follow His ways. Follow Me and live. Not one of them could say, "Well, You gave him more than you gave me..."  Not one...

Did all of them follow Him? No, they did not. Will you?

You may say, Yeah, but that was back then and He provided their shelter and their food every day and they didn't have to earn a living and pay gas prices and... 

The great Equalizer is this, they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ.  The same Christ who instructed us in Matthew 28:20, Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world...

I ask again... Did all of them follow Him? No, they did not. The question is, Will you?

Prayer:

Father,

         Help us to examine our own lives - face to face with You. Cause the compass of our hearts to be totally fixed on You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Doing Nothing

I, Adonai, search the heart; I test inner motivations; in order to give to everyone what his actions and conduct deserve.
Jeremiah 17:10 CJB

This Scripture puts me in mind of the Parable of the Talents found in Matthew 25:14-30. I've heard all kinds of perspectives on that particular parable - from putting the fear of God in you to the extravagant mercy of God for taking into account what a person is capable of. From the literal translation of talent as a certain measure of wealth to talents (or giftings) most acknowledge today; i.e. singer, musician, artist, speaker, et cetera (NOT to exclude those rarely mentioned such as faithful, merciful, peacemaker, givers, and so on). From those questioning why they didn't receive certain talents to those who are grateful to have received anything at all. The combinations are almost as varied and numerous as the world's population.

However, despite the innumerable differences, the one thing that must be understood is that the person with the one bag of gold was not punished because he didn't double his gift. He was punished because he did nothing with what he was given.

NO one can say they haven't received at least one thing from God. There is one commonality in all peoples - past and present. We each have been given life. What are we doing with it?

Prayer:

Father,
           Forgive us for not acknowledging You in all things. Help us to see this life as the incredible gift that it is! We pray as Paul prayed,* For this reason we kneel before You, Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. We pray that out of Your glorious riches You will strengthen us with power through Your Spirit in our inner being, so that Christ will dwell in our hearts through faith. And we pray that being rooted and established in love, we may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of You. We know You are able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to Your power that is at work within us, to You be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

*Ephesians 3:14-21

Thank God for Tears - Repost by request

You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.
Psalm 56:8b

Have you ever thanked God for tears? No, I'm not crazy. Tears are a gift from God. Yes, a GIFT. First – tears allow us to express and release what’s in our hearts when we haven’t the words to do so. They are a language that God understands. God wastes nothing, so if we didn’t need them, He wouldn’t have given them to us – readily available on any given day – often without bidding… God designed our bodies to produce tears for our well-being.

Do you know that there are different kinds of tears – with different chemical properties? The two most common are reflex tears and psychic (or emotional) tears. Reflex tears come when you get something in your eye or chop onions, peppers, etc. They are designed for and function specifically to wash out irritants. Emotional tears actually contain several protein-based hormones; one of which is a natural pain-killing endorphin – leucine-enkephalin – which is why ‘having a good cry’ often makes us feel better. And not only emotionally, but physiologically, as well.

In his article, ‘Tear Toxins,’ printed in Omni, December 1982, Tom Kovach wrote the following:

     At the St Paul Ramsey Medical Center in Minnesota, tears caused by simple irritants were compared to those brought on by emotion. Researcher William Frey found that stress-induced tears actually remove toxic ‘substances’ from the body. Volunteers were led to cry first from watching sad movies, and then from freshly cut onions. The researchers found that the tears from the movies, called emotional tears, contained far more toxic biological byproducts. Weeping, they concluded, is an excretory process which removes toxic substances that normally build up during emotional stress.

Who but a loving God could or would create that? 

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for the gift of tears to help us while we live here on this earth. Thank You even more for the promise of Heaven, where there will no longer be a need for tears according to Your Word in Revelation 21. Father, we can hardly wait until the day You wipe every tear from our eyes because there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things will have passed away. We long for the day. Until then, let us ever be in an attitude of gratitude for all Your precious gifts to us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Perfect Gift +

The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”

Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened.

Acts 3:5-7 NLT

How many times have you been somewhere and saw something you just knew that 'so-and-so' would love to have? Then, for whatever reason, you didn't get it. Not the right time. No room in the car. Not enough money. Whatever...

Or how many times have you heard of a great need and prayed for an equally great idea for a fundraiser to help meet the need? Sometimes that happens, but not often enough in my life.

Today, I was convicted that if I spent as much time praying earnestly for the person as I did/do looking for the perfect gift, I would actually be giving them The Perfect Gift. Selah...

Prayer:

Father,

         Forgive me for still trying to live life in my own strength. Help us to always - ALWAYS - remember Christ's body broken for ours so that we might live IN YOU. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* What to Wear

This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here.
Romans 13:11-12a NLT

Do you ever go through times when your perfectly good clothes no longer seem perfectly good? Especially when there's a special occasion involved. What was your favorite suit or shirt just last week is now totally unacceptable, but you can't seem to find another one that you like. And along that same line of thinking, isn't it funny how your whole attitude changes when you put on something you know looks good or feels good, depending on the occasion? Or the best case scenario - when it looks AND feels good? Ohhhh, that's the best! Especially if you DO have a special event you're planning to attend.

I love invitations that include instruction regarding the expected attire. Those are lifesavers. You know exactly what you should wear, even if you don't currently have it. And generally, those invitations arrive in plenty enough time to make provision for attending. Have you ever NOT gone to an event because you didn't have the right thing to wear? Oh, you could have gone, but you just didn't have the desire to invest the time or money it would take to get what you needed for it. Or you didn't remember until the last minute and then it was too late. Ever done that?

Well, this is your reminder. The biggest event of your life is looming large. The invitation has already been extended - and it's THE event of your lifetime! If you miss this, you miss it all! The only catch is that we don't know the exact day or hour, so you can't wait till the last minute to plan, because we don't know when the last minute is! You need to invest the time NOW to insure your attendance. You can only get in if you know the right person. And you can't just know OF Him, you really have to KNOW Him and He has to KNOW you. Have you RSVP'd? Do you have the right thing to wear? The instructions regarding attire are very clear. No exceptions. Isaiah 61:10 NLT, I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels.

How do we fit into the clothing He requires? Romans 13:12b-14 NLT, So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.

Are you ready? What are you wearing? Do you know what to wear? Have you taken the time to put on Christ? Are you dressed yet? Do you know how to get there?

Prayer;

Father,
           Our self-righteousness, our selfish choices, our ways are as filthy rags before You and won't get us into the wedding feast of Heaven. Cleanse us, Father, from all unrighteousness. Put Your robe of righteousness on us, Lord, so we don't miss it. We want to be ready when You sound the call. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Our Reputation

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important…
Galatians 6:1-3 NLT

What’s our reputation say about us? Are we good at what we do? Are we accessible? Are we a team player or are we shooting for celebrity status? I just love how Paul cuts to the nuts and bolts of a matter, don’t you? It doesn’t matter how high up we go on the proverbial ladder, we are never to be farther above than what it takes to be able to extend our hand to help another believer.

That’s not to say that we are not supposed to continually “come up higher” – you certainly can’t get any higher than Christ Himself- and yet He was never so far that He couldn’t reach us. In fact, quite the opposite. He laid it all down so that He could reach us.

Philippians 2:1-8 tells us, Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

So… which reputation are we working on?

Prayer:

Father,
           Strengthen us to take the encouragement from belonging to Christ, the comfort from His love, the fellowship together in the Spirit and keep our hearts tender and compassionate. Lord, we want to follow You by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, and of one mind. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

Wonderful Works*

They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; They found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, Their soul fainted in them. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He delivered them out of their distresses. And He led them forth by the right way, That they might go to a city for a dwelling place. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness. 
Psalm 107:4-9 NKJV

My family and dear friends in the Midwest and on the East Coast are in the grip of winter and another 6"-12" of snow, depending where they live. It's so cold outside and the wind is whipping and there is ice and some sort of precipitation in all four directions, but there is much to be thankful for. We have homes. We are not exposed to the elements. I saw lots of photos showing blizzard buffets... so there is food that we are not digging out from underneath the ice.  We don't have to first milk the cow, to churn for butter to put on the popcorn...

Can you look for good in the midst of your "snow" day? Can you thank Him for the extra family time that you don't normally get? The extra time at home to get that project finished? The opportunity to sleep in a little? God can always be found. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! 

Prayer:

Father,
           Oh, that we would see Your hand in everything that touches our lives and give You praise for it. Help us to see You more clearly. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

How Much? +

And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ.

1st Corinthians 7:22 NLT

Susannah is a very poor African woman about my age. I saw a video clip about her. An evangelist held a week-long revival in her village and every evening at the end of the service, the people would bring their offering to the front of the meeting place and lay it on a table. They brought fruit and vegetables, some of it equal to their day's wage. They brought small animals, chickens, etc, but no one had money. They were giving what they had in order to keep the ministry of evangelism going strong. 

Susannah had nothing to give. She was destitute. Her husband and children had died and she was alone...until she heard the Word of God preached  - the Gospel of Jesus. It literally transformed her and did an immediate work in her heart. She came to service every night and desperately wanted to give something, but she had nothing. The last night of the revival, she came in with the biggest smile and clutching something in her hand. When it came time to bring the offering, Susannah walked quietly but confidently to the front of the church and laid a silver coin on the table. The evangelist knew she had received salvation at the beginning of the week, but also knew she had nothing. He was concerned that she had stolen the coin in her desperation to give.

After service, the evangelist pulled her aside and asked her point blank where she had gotten the coin. She began to explain. God had made such an incredible change in her heart and her mind - freed her from the awful depression and loneliness - made her alive again. She wanted everyone to hear the message of Christ and knew she HAD to do her part in making sure that more would hear. She asked him, how could she receive such newness of life and not do everything within her power to make sure that others heard (keeping in mind that she is not a young woman). That day, Susannah had gone to see the plantation owner and sold the only thing she had left - the rest of her life - to work the fields of the plantation, so she could bring an offering to further the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 1st John 3:16 NLT, We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. The video ended with her working the plantation field, and as the camera zoomed out, there seemed to be no end to those fields.

How much have we received from Christ? How much will we give so that others may live?

Prayer:

Father,

          Change our hearts, Father. Change our attitudes. Let Your desires become ours. May we see, hear and hasten to do Your will. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Rest Area

Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus. This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.

1st Timothy 1:14-16 NLT

Have you ever been on a long road trip and so determined to get to where you are going that you didn't want to stop for a break? You know the trip is long, and it will be hard, and you've counted the cost, and know that you're gonna have to fight your way through to the end. You might pass every rest area in 3 different states before you decide that it's okay to stop for a quick moment. And then after you take the break, you feel so much better and wonder why you didn't stop before...

So often in our walk of faith, we're just like that. We're on this eternal trip - trying to make Heaven. And we become so focused on trying not to sin so we can get there that we wind up being hypnotized by the road. And after a while, the trip is so long and so hard that we dare not, care not to look where we're going or where we've been. We become so consumed with where we are and how to put one foot in front of the other, and yet we still want to minister to others about Christ and who and what He is and who and what they can be IN Him, and we forget this one incredible, awe-inspiring, all-consuming Truth - that God the Father sent His only begotten Son to pay the ransom for our sins.

He paid the price IN FULL and bought us back - lock, stock and barrel. There's nothing left owing. No one can come and repossess us for lack of payment or unfulfilled promise of payment or even for back taxes. We have been bought with a great price. Inflation, recession, market crashes, poor decisions by us or by those who we have no control over - nothing can affect or change that Truth. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners...and He did exactly what He came to do.

Selah...

I don't know about you, but sometimes I think we just need to stop. Stop asking, stop begging, stop whining. Just stop. Stop long enough to reflect on the magnitude of what has ALREADY been done for us...and praise Him for it. Take a 10-minute break with me and just praise Him for what He's already done. This is a rest area...

Prayer:

Father,

         We come to You with praise and thanksgiving for all that You've already done for us. Your Son's life for ours is beyond our comprehension of love, but teach us to walk in it fully and to express it unconditionally toward those You have placed in our lives. Give us the opportunity to share Your Good News. Make the music of the salvation You purchased for us come alive in our hearts and souls. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Whose is That? (Tax Time)

Later the leaders sent some Pharisees and supporters of Herod to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. You teach the way of God truthfully. Now tell us—is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them, or shouldn't we?” Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you trying to trap me? Show me a Roman coin, and I’ll tell you.” When they handed it to him, he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. “Well, then,” Jesus said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.” His reply completely amazed them.
Mark 12:13-17 NLT

Every year around this time, the debate begins about whether or not it is "scriptural" to pay taxes. (I sometimes wonder if they've ever read the book of Mark.) They often use Matthew 17:26 as their basis for the no tax platform. Although, if you read it in context, verses 24-27, Jesus notes that taxes are not supposed to be for "free" citizens; however, read what He does.

On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax came to Peter and asked him, “ Doesn't your teacher pay the Temple tax?” “Yes, he does,” Peter replied. Then he went into the house. But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Peter? Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered?” “They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied. “Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free! However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”

Jesus always makes His point and makes a way where there is no way. He is our Waymaker. That's what happens when you give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God. So by all means, pay your taxes, AND don't forget to give to God what belongs to God.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You that I still live in a country where we enjoy more freedoms than restraints. We know it is not perfect, but You are. Keep us ever mindful to give You all that we have and all that we are. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

For Those +

He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end...So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

¹² After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.

John 13:1b,4-5, 12-17 NLT

There are people in this world that I love more than life itself. People I would give my life for without a second thought. I'm sure you have people you love like that, right?

And then there are those. You know the ones... The ones who skip over however many thousands of nerves I have and go directly to my last one... and pluck on it. Some of them work at it... some of them only have to walk in the room. The ones that if I never saw them again, it would be too soon. Aw, you probably don't know what I mean, right? 

Scripture tells us to confess our sins so that we may be healed. Okay. I have to admit that there are days I take great delight in playing Moosh-a-head. Do you know that one? It's when you bring your thumb and forefinger up to your eye like you're going to get an eyelash out of your eye. In reality, you're looking through the thumb and forefinger at the head of the person who is plucking your last nerve and then you moosh your thumb and forefinger together...in essence, pinching off their head... all the while thinking moosh-a-head, moosh-a-head...

And so every time I read our text for today, I am convicted down to my toes... the very toes Jesus would kneel in front of me to wash. You see, He washed the feet of ALL His disciples that day. All of them - including Judas Iscariot - who within a half-hour of eating this last supper with Jesus would go and betray Him for 30 pieces of silver...AND including Peter, who within 12 hours, would lie and deny ever knowing Him. Not once. Not twice, but three times.

How great is the love of Jesus! Understand this, Jesus knew about the betrayal of Judas and Peter's impending denial when He knelt in front of them and washed their feet. He said, I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.

For those...

Prayer:

Father,

         Forgive me for every time I react in my flesh, instead of responding in Your love. I want to be like Jesus. I want to be a vessel You can use. More of You, Lord, and less of me, I pray, in Jesus' Name. Amen

The Purpose of Faith *

So do not lose the courage you had in the past, which has a great reward. You must hold on, so you can do what God wants and receive what he has promised. For in a very short time, "The One who is coming will come and will not be delayed. Those who are right with me will live by faith. But if they turn back with fear, I will not be pleased with them." (references Habakkuk 2:3–4) 

But we are not those who turn back and are lost. We are people who have faith and are saved.

Hebrews 32:35-39 New Century Version

The purpose of our faith is to please God.

Hebrews 11:5-6 tells us, By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

I want God to be pleased with me. I mean, I do not want the Creator of the Universe ticked off at me. Do you? How unintelligent is that? Life can be difficult and very complex, but faith in God is simple. It is. Really. The Word tells us that God gives to everyone a measure of faith. So He gives us what we need - we just need to hold on to it, and use it. If God gave you money, you'd use it, wouldn't you? I'd say that's pretty simple.

Jim Mackey preached a great message a while back. For those of you who didn't hear it, let me give you the gist of it in this little paragraph. Faith can change a situation. Faith can change lives. Will we let faith change us? It definitely should change us, but it should also do much more than that. Faith should define our lives.

Yes, our lives should be lived to please God - that is the defining purpose of faith. Going back to our text, So do not lose the courage you had in the past, which has a great reward. You must hold on, so you can do what God wants and receive what he has promised. For in a very short time, "The One who is coming will come and will not be delayed. Those who are right with me will live by faith. But if they turn back with fear, I will not be pleased with them." (references Habakkuk 2:3–4)  But we are not those who turn back and are lost. We are people who have faith and are saved. Amen?

Prayer:

Father,

         Thank You for the measure of faith that You have given to each of us. Help us to use it wisely, Lord. We want to please You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Measure

…with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

Matthew 7:2b NKJV

I know people who cook by throwing a little of this and a pinch of that and a shake or two of the other and voila! Perfection… I’m not one of those people. In my whole life, I can count on one hand (with fingers left over) the number of times I’ve actually produced something edible using that method. However, give me a recipe with measurements and I’m good to go. Sometimes I even increase the measure of a certain ingredient or two to enrich the flavor. I feel confident doing that because I know the base measurement.  

I understand how important measurements are and not just in cooking. I used to be a carpenter. You’d better know how to read a tape measure AND have one suited for the job. A 36-inch door will not fit in a 35½-inch frame. Oh, it may hang, but it won’t close. Nor will a six-foot, flimsy tape measure be the best help when building an eight- or ten-foot anything.

I've been thinking about the immeasurable amounts of God’s astoundingly generous grace and munificent mercy in my life. It overwhelms me. I am humbled beyond measure when I take the time to consider what God has done for me. And then I considered the times I’ve had less-than-loving thoughts for or about others – the grudgingly-offered grace or the miserly measure of mercy I bestowed. Throwing a little of this and a pinch of that…

God set the base measurement for mercy and grace. He gave His all for all. Should we do less? We need to be able to read His measure so that we have what we need to do the tasks that have been assigned to us. Measure for measure.

Prayer:

Father,

          You are measureless. Your footsteps too large, Your love too much, except by Your grace. Help us to live and give our lives by Your measure. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.

* The Promise of Rest

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV

We look forward to the weekend so we can sleep in a little. We work hard all week long and we just wanna rest a little. Rest for our bodies is easier to arrange than rest for our souls. Some of the longest nights we have are those nights when our minds won't shut down. If we could just learn to give it all to Jesus... Isaiah 26:3-4 tells us, You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.

If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone today - just today - say, I'm tired, I would have enough money to take you to dinner at a great place and leave a generous tip for the tired waiter or waitress. As a child, one of my favorite songs we sang in church was the old hymn, "Come Unto Me," written by Charles Jones, based on our Scripture text for today. It was on page 20 of the old green hymnal. I loved it because it was fast and I could play the tambourine, but when I got older, I loved it because of its message. There's something about the promise of rest.

Our text in The Message Bible reads, Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly. Doesn't that sound wonderful? It is! It is our Promise of Rest from Jesus... written in red.

Prayer:

Father,
           Creator of heaven and earth, teach us how to rest in You. Teach us the unforced rhythms of Your grace. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* The Ultimate Gift

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

John 14:27 NLT

We live in troubled times. No great revelation there. Every day, I talk with at least one person who wishes they had peace of mind. They're worried about the economy and the war on terrorism and politics and their 401k and getting old and their health, retirement, Christmas, and now, what the new year will bring! The list seems endless.

Have you met those ones who get upset when you don't get upset with them? They remind me of the takeoff quote from Rudyard Kipling's famous poem, "If" in which he encourages his son to be a man with morals and quiet determination.  However, the takeoff quote is, If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs... you obviously don't understand the situation!

Jesus tells us in Luke 12:21 - 25, "Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?"

If you have to worry, worry about your relationship with God the Father and His Son, Jesus. But once you have a rich relationship with God, in the middle of the turmoil, you will have peace. Peace that comes from knowing God is in control. Am I saying we will never have troubles or another concern once we develop a relationship with God? No! In fact, quite the opposite! Christ Himself told us, in John 16:33, I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

Troubles will come as surely as you live and breathe, but God has given us a great gift in His Son, Jesus the Christ, and in the midst of our many trials and sorrows, we can have peace in Him.

Jesus - the ultimate Gift - bringing us the gift of peace.

Prayer:

Father,

          As we hurl headlong to the end of a year that has seemed to fly by, let us be ever mindful that we are that much closer to the coming of Christ. Help us to keep our hearts and minds focused on You, Lord. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen