If we could condense all the truths of Christmas into only three words, these would be the words: “God with us.” We tend to focus our attention at Christmas on the infancy of Christ. The greater truth of the holiday is His deity. More astonishing than a baby in the manger is the truth that this promised baby is the omnipotent Creator of the heavens and the earth!
Category Archives: Joy
Who can add to Christmas? The perfect motive is that God so loved the world. The perfect gift is that He gave His only Son. The only requirement is to believe in Him. The reward of faith is that you shall have everlasting life.
Thanksgiving Part 3
Thankful for Our Circumstances
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Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Most people are fairly comfortable being thankful for God’s provisions and for the people in their lives. While we may not feel that our circumstances are quite as perfect as those depicted in Norm Rockwell’s “Freedom from Want”, we can generally muster a fairly strong attitude of thankfulness. Certainly when we feel that things are going relatively well, we are filled with thankfulness, but what about when the times are tough. Thanksgiving of 1992 I woke up in the hospital after having an ERCP the previous day. I was in pain and groggy; I barely remember celebrating the holiday, let alone being thankful.
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Perhaps we’re meant to learn that the richest hope permits the deepest suffering, which releases the strongest power, which then produces the greatest joy.
Dying With Dignity
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For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Romans 8:5-9
When I was in college, I took a chapel class that discussed controversial social issues. Two of those were suicide and euthanasia. Since my time in college and in the context of chronic illness, both of these choices have been gaining acceptance in our culture. The basic premise in their justification is that the person dying is ending their life with greater dignity and grace. To be sure, the aging process and health concerns such as dementia, ALS, Parkinson’s disease, strokes, cancer, etc. often bring on many indignities before finally ending life. However, to take matters into our own hands rather than relying on God’s timing is willful and contrary to God’s precepts. Rather than providing dignified death, it is either giving up or a defiant act in that it denies God’s goodness, wisdom, love and purposes. A death that is truly dignified is much more graceful and determined than suicide or euthanasia.
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Thoughts From the Beach Pt. 1
Praise the Lord Oh My Soul
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“Praise the Lord, my soul. Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.” Psalm 104:1
My wife and I are currently on vacation staying in a seaside condo. We determined a few years ago that we are “beach people”. We like to see and visit other places, but our first love is a seaside beach. Marie grew up by the ocean in New England. I was inland; consequently, my only encounter with the ocean was an overnight stay in Daytona while on a college choir tour. She was excited to get me to the ocean and once there I was hooked. At dinner last night we were talking about that fact. As we talked while eating seaside, Marie observed that it is quite possible that I love the ocean more than she does. I agreed stating that trips to the ocean are as much or more about my soul than rest and relaxation.
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Pressing On
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“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:3-5
Do you ever have days when you just can’t function? Today is one of those for me. It’s cold and I feel it to the bone. My body rebels against any movement and my mind is just as sluggish. I know from experience that it will pass and that there will be better days, but today I don’t feel like I’m much use to anyone and wonder if there’s really and value in trying to do anything. After all, doesn’t Ecclesiastes tell us that all is vanity? At times like this, I have to keep plodding until the fog lifts and, in the meantime, remind myself that the truth of the situation is much different. Today’s necessity is to focus on the fact that it’s worth the effort to endure and that’s what the passage above does for me. It reminds me…us… that we are valued, have purpose and that there is a reward for our efforts.
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Pregnant Words Pt. 2
The Message
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“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And she cried out with a loud voice and said, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.’ And Mary said: ‘My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; for behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name. And His mercy is upon generation after generation toward those who fear Him. He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were humble. He has filled the hungry with good things; and sent away the rich empty-handed. He has given help to Israel His servant, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.’” Luke 1:41-5
As one might guess, the title for these two posts carries a double meaning. The words exchanged above are between pregnant women but they also carry much weight. That weight comes in the character of the women as discussed in part one as well as the content, which is belief, God, and the acts of God.
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Pregnant Words Part 1
Character
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“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And she cried out with a loud voice and said, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.’ And Mary said: ‘My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; for behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name. And His mercy is upon generation after generation toward those who fear Him. He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were humble. He has filled the hungry with good things; and sent away the rich empty-handed. He has given help to Israel His servant, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.’” Luke 1:41-55
I have a wife, two daughters, a mother, a mother-in-law, five sisters-in-law, seven nieces, and three great nieces. Add to that friends’ wives and daughters and the fact that the majority of the people that I have supervised were women, I have heard my fair share of conversations between and about pregnant women. First it’s the joy (or surprise) of pregnancy, then the trials of pregnancy, than all of the things that are needed for the baby, then the labor symptoms and finally upon the baby’s arrival comes the vital information i.e. sex, name, weight and length (and pity the poor guy that doesn’t get all of the pertinent information). However, never have I ever heard a conversation even remotely similar to the one between Elizabeth and Mary recorded for us in Luke 1. While they may have gotten around to the details of pregnancy later in their visit, their first priority was to acknowledge the works of the Lord.
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Living With a Thankful Heart
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“Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples. Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; speak of all His wonders. Glory in His holy name; let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad.” Psalm 105:1-3
This week Thanksgiving is being celebrated across the United States. The day has been set aside to thank God for His provisions and mercies. However, as we approach the day, we hear more about food, football, sales and traveling rather than we do about giving thanks to God. When the concept of being thankful is brought up, it’s usually in terms of a general attitude rather than focusing on the one to whom we give thanks.
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