HeartOfWorship

A FAITH THAT'S FIT

Okay.  I admit it.   I'm not what you'd exactly call "buff".   It's more like "fluff".    People keep trying to tell me I need to get in shape.   I argue the point that round IS a shape, so I am therefore "in shape".   Somehow, they don't seem to buy that argument.   Go figure.

Dawn and I enrolled in a fitness club near our home here in Hope Mills, but it was short-lived.   I started out going regularly each morning, but it quickly fizzled out.  My philosphy is.. "No Pain, No Pain."

"So, you wimped out, Danny?"   Not really.   When I got in there, I suddenly realized that I had no earthly idea of what to do once I got there.   Those machines were all lined up in a row, looking like torture devices from a dungeon in a castle in Transylvania.   I didn't know how to use them or what they were for.   Add to this the fact that the other guys in there who WERE buff (and knew it) had forearms the size of my thighs.   Doing arm curls with an 8-pound dumbbell next to a guy who looks like the Terminator who bench-presses his car every morning is sort of intimidating.... much less humiliating.

A lot of Christians are this same way concerning their faith.   It can be intimidating as a new believer when you're surrounded by other people who seem to be growing strong in the faith.   But this challenge of intimidation is just an illusion.   Everyone struggles and grunts and strains in the gym, regardless of whether they're lifting 8 pounds or 800 pounds.    All Christians struggle to grow at times.   

Don't be intimidated when you decide to step into the spiritual gym.  Instead, you can feel good and proud for deciding to do something good for your spiritual self.

Now.... as for understanding what to do once you get there?..... Here's a five step workout plan.   Use this daily regimen of spiritual exercises and I guarantee you will grow stronger in your faith.

STEP 1 - PRAY:
Stop first and pray to God.   Don't use the "King James" language with Him.   Talk to God the way you'd talk to your friend.   Begin by thanking Him for everything He's done and for what He's in the process of doing in your life.   Then ask Him for things you need to help you become the follower of Christ you desire to be.   Also, as you pray, ask Him to speak to you as you read the Word.

STEP 2 - READ:
There's really no rule here.   Just read something.  Maybe read the chapter in Proverbs that corresponds with the day of the month.  Or you could read a couple of verses in one of the Gospels, or one of the Psalms.  The key is QUALITY rather than QUANTITY.   It's not how much you read, but rather how much you retain and digest.   Studying and meditating on one or two verses carefully is far better than wandering aimlessly through four chapters.

STEP 3 - THINK:
After you read, pause and think about what you just read.   Maybe ask yourself some questions, or go online and look up what you didn't understand.   A lot of Christians tend to skip this step, and it's vitally important.   You need to stop to think, meditate, and contemplate what you're reading or you'll never fully comprehend it.

STEP 4 - WRITE:
This step helps you with Step 3.   It will jumpstart your mind and get your thought process flowing.   Find a small journal and write down some things you found interesting, questions you might have, or some things you learned about the verses you read.   Something about writing causes you to comprehend what's going on in your mind.   This isn't a diary.   All I'm talking about it moving the truth from your head to your hands.   It doesn't have to be formatted, organized or even grammatically correct.   God doesn't count off for spelling.   It doesn't have to be a doctrinal thesis, either.   Just write your thoughts down.   It will also help you to remember, and will serve as a way for you to go back and re-read your thoughts and questions from time to time.

STEP 5 - DO:
Finally, and most important, ask yourself if there's someway you can DO what you just read about.   Ask yourself how this truth applies to your life or to the life of others.   THIS is where the rubber meets the road.   This step is the catalyst that will bring about growth in your spiritual life.   It's one thing to accumulate knowledge of the Word of God.   It's another thing to APPLY what you know and flesh it out in your daily walk.    If you never apply this step, you'll never change.   Without this step, your spiritual health won't improve.   Refuse to apply this step and you'll never wind up livign what you say you believe.

I'm not a gambler.....(unless I'm eating out somewhere, or driving down Skibo Road here in Fayetteville)!   Still, I'd be willing to bet that if you press the pause button on your life and apply these five steps for a few minutes each day, you'll start noticing some positive changes in your life and you will grow stronger and stronger in the faith.

 

Selah. 

 

 

SEEING THE BLOOD

My son, Nathan, had sinus surgery several months ago.   It was outpatient surgery, so he wasn't admitted to the hospital.   We went in on a Friday morning and were back home by the middle of the afternoon.

I really hadn't prepared myself for seeing him once the surgery was over.   He was very groggy, to say the least.   Since it was sinus surgery, the doctor had taped a huge mound of gauze right underneath his nose.   Before we left the surgery recovery area, the nurses gave us instructions on what to do in the next few days.   They told us to expect a lot of bleeding.   That was, to say the least, an understatement, like Noah saying "It looks like rain!"    Nathan had a lot of blood that was contantly draining from the sinuses down the back of his throat.   As a result, he kept spitting out a lot of blood.

I was handling everything okay until I saw my son bleeding.   I had worked in a funeral home before and even helped to enbalm bodies.   Blood isn't something I'm squeamish about...... but this time it was different.    It was my son who was bleeding.

That night I was getting ready for bed and the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and said, “Hey, it was very uncomfortable as a father seeing the blood of your son, wasn’t it?”

WHAM!  It hit me right between the eyes!   What I had felt earlier that day with Nathan bleeding paled in comparison to how God must have felt as He watched Jesus shed His blood for the sins of the world.

No parent likes to see the blood of their child, yet God watched Jesus receive a beating that left Him beyond recognition.  He saw the nails in the hands and feet.  He saw the splinters on the cross dig into His back.  He saw the crown of thorns.   He saw the whole thing.

No parent likes to see the blood of their child.    Yet God, according to Romans 5:8, allowed Jesus to die a brutal death while we were still sinners.

I’ll have to be honest, that kind of love blows me away.  I don’t EVER want to either of my children hurt – yet the love of God is so amazing that He allowed His Son to come and bleed and die so that you and I might have life.

I'm so thankful to God for such a love that I can't fully understand, but it's a love I'm desperate for!

 

 

 

THE GOD WHO LOVES TO PARTY

It's early in the morning, and I can't sleep.  Isn't it great to finally get some time off in the middle of this busy season....only to find that you can unplug your alarm clock on your nightstand, but can't unplug the internal clock inside you?   

I love the quietness of this morning.  I'm sitting on the floor in the living room.  The candles are lit, filling the room with a myriad of different fragrances.   The Christmas tree is glowing in the dimly lit room.  John Tesh's Christmas CD is playing softly in the background......(very softly.   Just because I'm up doesn't mean that Dawn is ready to get up yet)!    So, I've been sitting here reading my Bible and praying before this day gets going full speed.

And, as He always is faithful to do, God's voice speaks clearly in the stillness of the early morning hours.

I started out in Luke 1 and 2 this morning.  Call me crazy, but it's Christmastime, I do believe.   Go figure.  Then, for some reason, I flipped over to Luke 15.   It's a passage I've read many times.   You remember it.   Jesus gives us three parables back to back in this chapter..... first, a missing sheep, second, a missing coin, and third, the parable of the prodigal son.   Three great messages there.   But God had the Holy Spirit reveal another gem to me that's been right there all the time right under my nose.   

Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in California, wrote a great book recently called "The Purpose Of Christmas".    He claims that the statement the angel of the Lord made to the shepherds on the night Jesus was born holds the key to the three purposes of why we celebrate Christmas.

^10"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

 ¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

 ¹²And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 

¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

 ¹⁴Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

Rick says that the three purposes of Christmas are:  1:Celebration,  2:Salvation, and 3:Reconciliation.   You can see those three right there in Luke 2:10-14.   You don't have to look long and hard to see those three purposes there.   I totally get what Rick is saying here as I read these verses in Luke 2.

But it was Luke 15 that really spoke to me this morning.     Those same three elements are found in the three parables of Jesus in Luke 15.    In all three stories, something was lost, then found, and then celebration broke out.    

Here's where it gets good.   As I thought about the "celebration" aspect, my eyes caught Luke 15:10.   Don't you just love it when God turns the lightbulb on and you see something in a different light?

 (Luke 15:10)  "Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."

To quote the familiar Christmas song.... "Do you hear what I hear?"....(or should I say, "Do you see what I see?")

Maybe you've heard people say that when someone accepts Jesus as their Lord and Savior, the angels in heaven throw a party.   I've said that all my life.   But that's not what the Bible says.   According to Luke 15:10, it's not the angels who are dancing and celebrating and whooping it up.   Look at it again......   

"Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."   It's not the angels who are rejoicing here, according to what Luke penned down under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.   Looks like to me that it's God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit having a "hallelujah hoedown".    I'm sure the angels see them rejoicing and join in.   Who wouldn't?   But God Himself is the One who gets the party started!

Yes, our God is the God who loves to party.   That night on the hillside in Bethlehem, a party erupted!    In Luke 15, the party is still going on!    All three parables ended in celebration after the salvation and reconciliation had taken place.

So celebrate this Christmas.   Get together with friends and family and have a great time as you we remember and celebrate the birth of the Son of God.   It's a great reason to party.

Just remember whose birthday it is.   Keep that focus in the forefront of your heart and mind.   Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to seek and to save that which was lost.   That's "salvation".     Remember the words of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing?"..... "Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!"   That's "reconciliation".   Isn't that what the angels told the shepherds that night long ago?...... "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."   The world is crying out for peace.   It can only be found in the "Prince of Peace".

And "celebration"? ...... it's a natural by-product of the first two.     It's party time!   Let's get this party started!   And while we're at it, set a few more places at the table and invite some who've never met Jesus to experience the joy first-hand.

He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life of the party!

Merry Christmas!

Selah!

MARY'S PERSPECTIVE ON BEING "FAVORED BY GOD"

 
Mary has always been praised throughout history, but her own generation wasn't quite so kind to her.   Can you imagine the scandal that was buzzing around the grapevine in Nazareth and the surrounding area in her day?   Here's a young woman, just a teenager, who became pregnant outside of marriage.    Sadly, that's a scenario that plays out all too often in today's society, but it was unheard of back in her day.   In that time and culture, her situation was disastrous.    Just think about the pressure and stress Mary was going through...... not to mention the whispers and stares.

First of all, she had no alibi.  An angel appeared to her.   Yeah, right.  How convenient that the angel shows up when no one else is around instead of when the family is sitting around the dinner table.   There was no one else to confirm that an angel actually appeared to her.

What about the theological dimension of her story?   She is going to give birth to the Messiah?   Why not?    Sure.   God is selecting a young, obscure girl out of abject poverty from the hick town of Nazareth to be the birth mother of divine royalty.

Then there's the physiological side of her story.   She became pregnant because "the Holy Spirit came upon her."    An immaculate conception?    This had never happened before (or since) and was absolutely unimaginable to anyone who heard such a story.    So, if she's actually pregnant, she's a tramp.   If she's not pregnant and just making this all up, she's lost her marbles and ready for the funny farm.

Still, as bad as all this seems, the rumor mill in her hometown of Nazareth wasn't the worst part.   She had to tell Joseph that she was pregnant.   Joseph didn't fall out of the olive tree yesterday.   He knew he wasn't the father.   Imagine what was racing through Mary's mind as she thought about how to break the news to him.   The suspense was probably sending her stress level through the stratosphere.   Would he call off the engagement?   Would he call for a public meeting of the village elders and have her stoned to death?   If he abandoned her, she would certainly be a social reject for the rest of her life.    Who would want to marry a girl like this, the talk of the town?

Mary's only recourse at this point would be to turn to her father, but even he might throw her out of the house and disown her from the family.   She had seen women in situations such as this living on the outskirts of villages, and they had only two basic career choices: prostitution or begging.

Okay, I know.   I'm not painting a very rosy picture here at the start of this festive and joyous Christmas season.   But when you put yourself in Mary's sandals, it wasn't a very warm, fuzzy moment for her.

Maybe that's what God is trying to teach us in the life of this young girl Mary.    The blessings of God don't always equate a life of fame and fortune.    From the time Mary was confronted by Gabriel, she probably encountered more pain than pleasure.    There was the scandal of her "out-of-wedlock" pregnancy.   There were no "Urgent Care" facilities in Bethlehem, so her delivery room was a dirty, damp and cold stable.    Add to the mix a paranoid King Herod who issued a decree to kill all the Jewish baby boys.   This placed Jesus on "Herod's Most Wanted" list, so Mary and Joseph had to pack up Jesus and their belongings in the middle of the night and escape to Egypt.

How's that working for you as a life of fame and fortune?

Can't get much worse than that.   Oh, really?   As Jesus grew from a baby into a man, Mary had to live with the constant reminder of what the ancient prophets had said about the Messiah that was to come.   Isaiah had predicted that the Messiah would be tortured and killed.   He was right about the birth of Jesus and the virgin conceiving the Son of God.   Who's to say he was wrong about the other prophecies?   Mary knew who her Son was, and that He would be the "suffering servant" that was spoken of by the prophets many years prior.    As a mother, she had to live with the stark knowledge of knowing that one day her Son would be brutally slaughtered for the sins of the world.

AND...... if that wasn't enough...... she was standing right there at the foot of the cross to see that horrible scene play out before her very eyes.

But Mary was an incredible young lady.   She didn't hesitate to accept God's plan for her life.   Scripture never indicates that she complained or whined or wrung her hands saying, "Why me?"   "Why not somebody else, Lord?"    No.    Her response to Gabriel's message was "I'm the Lord's servant.  May everything you have said about me come true."  (Luke 1:38).

So now we enter the Christmas season.   Friends and families will gather together in prayer and thank God for His favor and for the many blessings He gives.    But here's one last thought to think about as we gather this Christmas season to celebrate the birth of Jesus......

The story of this young girl Mary suggests that God's favor in our lives may involve God putting us through some very difficult circumstances in order to have His plan for our lives to materialize.

Are we really the willing servants God wants us to be?   Are we ready and willing to accept whatever He wants?    We miss out on so many of God's blessings when we don't look for them in the middle of difficulties.   If we think that wealth and prosperity are the only sure signs of God's blessing, maybe we're not as spiritual as we think we are.   Maybe satan has done a major spiritual brainwashing job on us.

Mary had God's favor........ and so do you.

Selah.

HEAVY REVVY

Ever have one of those "heavy revvy" moments?   You know what I'm talking about.    You wonder about something for a long time, then......BAM......the light bulb clicks on and you finally understand what you didn't understand for so long.   That happpened to me last Sunday morning.

I have to confess, I struggle many times while leading worship.    Sometimes I get my eyes off the Object of my worship.....Jesus.....and make the mistake of looking at the people in front of me.   

Bad idea.

I've had many people over the years ask me....."Why don't you look at us when you're leading worship or singing?"    My answer is simple..... "I'm not singing to you.   My audience is a little higher up."

Still.... sometimes I get my focus off Christ and start looking at the people in the audience and wonder why they're not "with it".    There are many who DO get it and they're immersed in the worship of the moment.   Still, there are others who stand there idle, checking their email on their cell phones, carrying on conversations with those around them instead of giving praise to the Lord of the Universe.

But........I digress.

Here's the "heavy revvy" of which I speak.....

We started something several years ago called "Always Prayed For; Never Forgotten".    When soldiers deploy to dangerous places, a flag is placed on the communion table in the Worship Center.   Every Sunday we pray over those flags, asking God to protect those in harm's way and to bring them home safely to us.    When that soldier returns, we call that soldier up on stage and welcome them home and give them the flag that we've been praying over during their deployment.    Our people go bolistic.    Every soldier receives a standing ovation from our people...... and rightly so.    God has answered our prayers and we celebrate that moment.

However...... many of these same people who are standing and cheering our returning soldiers are the same ones who have been standing idly by and appear very nonchalant in their worship.

Why is that?

Now, before you start burning me in effigy, understand that I am one of the first ones on my feet to welcome our soldiers home.   I cheer with the best of them, and we would be very hypocritical if we didn't welcome them home in celebratory fashion like we do.

But...... why is the worship of these same people "less intense" than their welcome home to our soldiers?   

God revealed it to me last Sunday.    Light bulb time!    It's because when the soldiers return home, it's PERSONAL to them.    The majority of our church are military or have close friends or family in the military.    They identify closely with what's happening, and rightly so!

Could it be that the reason these same people don't "worship" as intensely as they "welcome" is because it's not that personal to them?    Maybe they don't identify with Christ because they're not as closely connected with Him as they are with a returning soldier.    Thanks for helping clear that one up for me, Lord.   It's been bothering me for some time.

What would happpen if our WORSHIP aimed at the King of kings and the Lord of lords.... (who will return one day soon)..... was as intense as our WELCOME?

Just a thought.

Selah.

 

CAPTAIN BRAVO - A MANLY MAN'S MAN!

Long ago, there lived a sailor named Captain Bravo.  He was a manly man's man, who showed no fear when facing his enemies.

One day, while sailing the Seven Seas, his lookout spotted a pirate ship.  The crew became frantic!

Captain Bravo bellowed, "Bring me my red shirt!"  The first mate quickly retrieved the captain's red shirt, and while wearing the brightly colored frock, the Captain led his crew into battle and defeated the pirates.

That evening, all the men sat around on the deck recounting the day's triumph. One of them asked the captain, "Sir, why did you call for your red shirt before battle?"

The captain replied, "If I had been wounded in the attack, the shirt would not have shown my blood.  Thus, you men would continue to fight, unafraid."

All of the men sat and marveled at both the courage and intelligence of such a manly man's man.

As dawn came the next morning, the lookout spotted not one, not two, but TEN pirate ships approaching!  The crew stared in worshipful silence at the captain and waited for his usual brilliant orders.

Captain Bravo gazed with steely eyes upon the vast armada arrayed against his ship, and without fear, turned and calmly shouted, "Get me my brown pants."

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

Our Lord tells us that as long as we follow after Him and obey Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength, there's nothing for us to fear.   In fact, God tells us to only fear one thing......

"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."  (Matthew 10:28)

Captain Bravo, the manly man's man, eventually let his crew down.    Jesus Christ, the Captain of our Salvation, will never fail us nor forsake us.    Look to Him for everything you need this day.

Selah!

GOLF BALLS & PEBBLES

 

 

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.  When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.  He then asked the students if the jar was full.  They agreed that it was.

 

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.   He shook the jar lightly.   The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.   He then asked the students again if the jar was full.   They agreed it was.

 

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.   Of course, the sand filled up everything else.   He asked once more if the jar was full.   The students responded with an unanimous ‘yes.’

 

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand.    The students laughed.

 

‘Now,’ said the professor as the laughter subsided, ‘I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things: your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favourite passions and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.   The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.    The sand is everything else, the small stuff.  

 

‘If you put the sand into the jar first,’ he continued, ‘there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.   The same goes for life.   If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

 

"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.   Spend time with your children.   Spend time with your parents.   Visit with grandparents.   Take time to get medical check-ups.   Take your spouse out to dinner.   Play another 18.   There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.   Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter.   Set your priorities.   The rest is just sand."

 

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled and said,  "I’m glad you asked.  The coffee just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

 

 

Selah.

MERRY X-MAS FROM THE McDONALD FAMILY!

So here we are at Christmas Eve 2009.   No doubt you've heard the words "Merry Christmas" less and other phrases substituted such as "Happy Holidays" "Season's Greetings", and yes, even the dreaded...... "Merry X-mas"!

Now - before you get your tinsel all tied in a knot, may I offer some suggestions to help you sooth your righteous indignation when someone wishes you anything BUT a Merry Christmas?    Thanks.

First of all, let me start by saying that we shouldn't be upset at this.    Now, before you string me up and burn me in effigy, let me finish.    Jesus Himself told us that this would happpen.    The world didn't exactly love Him.......(let's face it, getting beat to a pulp and nailed to a cross isn't exactly rolling out the Welcome Wagon, now is it)?   He told us that if the world hated Him, the world will hate us, too.    "The servant is not above his master..." He told us. So, we shouldn't surprised or even upset when this begins to happen.    It just shows us that we are indeed living in the last days.

"Don't get upset about this, Danny?"   "Are you nuts?"   Most of the time, yes.    But this time, no.   Let me ask you a question.    Do you get mad at a blind person because they're blind?    No.    Do you get upset with a cripple because they can't walk?    I hope not. Then why do you get upset with a world that's lost and can't possible understand or discern spiritual things?   1 Corinthians 2:14 tells us.... "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned."   (ESV)

So, let me help you get through this December without getting your spiritual feathers all ruffled.   When someone wishes you "HAPPY HOLIDAY", simply reply to them, "Thank you for wishing me a Happy HOLY-Day."   The word "holiday" is derived from two words - "Holy" and "Day".    So, let them know that the reason Christmas is indeed a "Holy-Day" is because of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

What about "SEASON'S GREETINGS"?    Simply point out to them that the last three letters of the word "Season" are....... you guessed it.... "son".    Point out to them that the "Son" in "Season" is none other than the precious Son of God, the One whose birthday we celebrate this time of year.

What about the dreaded, awful "MERRY X-MAS"?    I'll be honest and tell you that one really used to burn my biscuits.    Until just recently, God revealed to me a great truth and now when I see or hear "X-mas", it BLESSES me instead of BURNS me! Turn that "X" at a 45 degree angle, and what do you have? A cross. As a matter of fact, if you study Roman history, crosses for execution weren't originally like the cross Jesus was crucified on.   It was a literal "X" of two boards crossed.    The victim was placed on the X with his arms on the top two sections and the feet spread out on the lower two sections.    So, "X-mas" really ties both Christmas AND Easter together by reminding me that Jesus was born to DIE.    Man, that rocks my socks!

So, go ahead.    You can even use these above phrases to share your faith in Jesus this December.    Wish someone a Merry X-mas, and when they respond to you indignantly, lovingly explain to them what I just shared with you.    It will bless a believer, and share the Gospel with a non-believer.

And Jesus will be glorified regardless!

MERRY X-MAS!

T'WAS THE MONTH BEFORE CHRISTMAS

T'was the month before Christmas,
  when all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying
  nor taking a stand.
The P.C. Police had taken away
  the Reason for Christmas - no one could say.
The children were told by their schools not to sing
  about shepherds and wise men and angels and things.
"It might hurt people's feelings", the teachers would say.
  "December 25th is just another holiday".
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit,
  trampling folks down on the floor just to be the first to get it.
CD's from Little Wayne, and X-Box, an I-Pod,
  something was changing, something quite odd.
Retailers promoting Ramadan and Kwanzaa
  in hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.
Target stores were hanging their trees upside down.
  At Lowe's, the word "Christmas" was nowhere to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears,
  you won't hear the word Christmas.  It won't touch your ears.
"Inclusive"...."Sensitive"....."Diversity"
  are words that were used to intimidate me.
Not Daschle, now Darden, now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen,
  On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!
At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
  to eliminate Jesus in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word as they took away our faith,
  forbidden to speak of salvation and grace.
The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded.
  The Reason for the Season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate your "Winter Break" under your "Holiday Tree",
  Sipping your hot chocolate, please listen to me.
Choose your words carefully.   Choose what you say.
  Shout "MERRY CHRISTMAS"!.... not "Happy Holiday!"

Selah



 

LISTENING TO GOD'S VOICE

To be disobedient is to hinder someone else's blessing--not to mention your own. Throughout Scripture we see the repurcussions of disobedience time and time again.

Cain's rebellion resulted in Abel's murder. King Saul's wickedness resulted in the loss of the kingship for his descendents and the eventual deaths of his family. King Manasseh's idolatry cemented the downfall of the nation of Judah. And Judas' disobedience led to Jesus' betrayal.

All of these individuals had choices to make, important moments of decision, and criticial crossroads which they encountered along life's journey. Yet, each of them gave in to the temptations of the flesh, the desire for pride and power, and the tide of popular opinion. And in the end, all of them reaped the painful consequences of their disobedience.

God earnestly desires men and women who are eager to serve Him and to demonstrate their love for Him by being obedient to His Word. God simply states in John 14:15 that "If you love me, you will obey what I command." Jesus was always about the Father's business while He was on earth. He never had His own agenda, selfish ambitions, or a stubborn will. His desire was to please His Father and do the work He was predestined to do.

Ephesians 2:10 says that we are "God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." God puts each of us on this earth for a specific reason and a predetermined purpose.

Are you being obedient to His call for you life?
Are you earnestly listening to His voice and desirng to do what He says?

God chooses to use you because you are the one most suited to minister to the people in your arena of influence. It is not by chance you have the relatives, friends, job, and church family that you do. God led you wherever you are for a reason.

Pray today that the Lord will begin showing you the destiny He has for you. Ask Him to help you be obedient to His will for your life. Are you willing to serve Him whatever the cost?   It's this type of total obedience and faithful service to the Lord that God richly blesses.

Note these Biblical examples: Noah's obedience saved humanity from destruction, and Abraham's faith built a great nation of whom we are all descendents. Joseph's diligence saved his family from starvation and preserved the line from which Jesus would be a descendent. And Jesus's obedience resulted in salvation for the entire human race.

As you can see, it only takes one obedient individual to bring about God's miraculous power for this generation.

Can He count on you?

Selah.