FAITH INFORMING LIFE

There is no need to multiply examples of what is so patently an essential condition of the Christian walk. We are saved through faith – an unflagging, unwavering attachment to the person of Jesus Christ.

What is the depth and quality of your faith commitment? In the last analysis, faith is not a way of speaking or even thinking; it is a way of living. Maurice Blondel said, “If you want to know what a person really believes, don’t listen to what he says but watch what he does.” Only the practice of faith can verify what we believe. Does faith permeate the whole of your life? Does it form your judgments about success, about death? Does it influence the way you read the newspaper? Do you have a divine sense of humor that see through people and events into the unfolding plan of God? When things are turbulent on the surface of your life, do you retain a quiet calm, firmly fixed in ultimate reality? As Therese of Lisieux said, “Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you. All things are passing.”

How has your faith shaped this past year? How will it shape the year ahead? 

-- Adapted from “Reflections for Ragamuffins” by Brennan Manning

#5506

THE WISE MEN’S RESPONSE

“And going into the house, [the wise men] saw the child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.”  (Matthew 2:11 ESV)

The message of the season is not, "Let it snow" or even, "Let us shop." The real message of Christmas is, "Let us worship." That is what the wise men came to do. And that is what we should be doing as well. 

-- Greg Laurie

#5505

THE SHEPHERDS’ RESPONSE

“So the [shepherds] hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this Child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”  (Luke 2:16-20 NIV)

The greatest brightness of the whole birth narrative comes in the shepherds' response. You see, had the shepherds only heard the message and gone back to sheep tending, we would think they were foolish. Had they found a baby and then gone home with a satisfied knowledge, we might consider them extremely fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time. Yet, what they did was greater. They proceeded to tell everyone around them, everywhere they could go, what they had heard and seen; and then they praised and glorified God for it all. The shepherds took on the role of the angels themselves, new messengers of salvation and good news; and in doing so, they extended the light of God's loving Word far beyond where it might have gone otherwise that night. The light of this news, this new day, was carried far and wide; and all who heard it were amazed and still are.

As we hear the shepherds' story, we find our task as the followers of Christ this Christmas. That is, we are called to bear the light of the news of the coming of Christ to this world, to carry the brightness of this gospel… The extent of this light is only limited by our self-limitation and unwillingness to share the message, or lack of faith in believing that the message is that profound, that world-changing… Who do you know who needs the light of Christ's love offered to him or her? 

-- Randy Cross in “Born to Save: An Advent Study Based on the Revised Common Lectionary”

#5504

THE PRINCE OF PEACE

“For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”   (Isaiah 9:6 NIV)

I am the Prince of Peace. As I said to My disciples, I say also to you: Peace be with you. Since I am your constant Companion, My Peace is steadfastly with you. When you keep your focus on Me, you experience both My Presence and My Peace. Worship Me as King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and Prince of Peace.

You need My Peace each moment to accomplish My purposes in your life. Sometimes you are tempted to take shortcuts, in order to reach your goal as quickly as possible. But if the shortcut requires turning your back on My peaceful Presence, you must choose the longer route. Walk with Me along paths of Peace; enjoy the journey in My Presence. 

-- From “Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence” by Sarah Young 

#5503

ETERNITY INTERRUPTED TIME

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made… The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  (John 1:1-3,14)

[Jesus] came, not as a flash of light or as an unapproachable conqueror, but as one whose first cries were heard by a peasant girl and a sleepy carpenter. God tapped humanity on its collective shoulder, "Pardon me," he said, and eternity interrupted time, divinity interrupted carnality, and heaven interrupted the earth in the form of a baby. Christianity was born in one big heavenly interruption. 

-- Max Lucado

#5502

SUCH GOOD NEWS

“And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’”  (Luke 2:10-11 ESV)

Christmas holds the key to unlocking the deepest mysteries of our lives: Who we are, where did we come from, is there meaning to our lives, and where are we going? Granted, we focus at this time on the birth of Jesus, on the exchange of gifts, and the place of joy and triumph even when days are dark and foreboding. But the enormous truth of Christmas rests in the revelation of God’s self to humankind. At last we can talk about God in terms we understand, human terms. Because of Jesus, we can make sense of our lives and understand more fully who we are and where we are going…

When Jesus appears as revealer of this transcendent God, God becomes near, loving, and approachable. Now we know that God understand us and that we can begin to understand God. The birth of Jesus allows an experience of God with us and within us. While Moses was told not to look on the face of God (Exodus 33), Jesus said that we see God when we see Jesus (John 14). The great mystery of God unfolds in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Now we know who we are – God’s beloved children (John 1:12-13); to whom we belong – our faithful Redeemer; and where we are going in our journey of life – to a place prepared for us. (John 14:1-4) Thus the Christmas story is such good news. 

-- Excerpted from “A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God” by Rueben P. Job and Norman Shawchuck

#5501

THE FULFILLMENT OF PROMISES

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”  (Isaiah 7:14 NKJV)

Waiting at a bus stop on one end of a major curve in the road is a great analogy for what hope and faith are all about. You know the bus is coming, your bus schedule says it will, and yet you cannot see its arrival until it makes that final bend toward you.

As we anticipate the joyful celebration of Christ’s birth in just a few days, let’s stand on His promises. We may not yet see them before our eyes, but His word is Truth, and the fulfillment of those promises are just around the bend.

“‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’”  (Matthew 1:23 NKJV)

-- Adapted from Katherine Walden

#5500

IN THE DARKNESS, HOPE

“The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”  (Matthew 4:16)

Look up, you whose eyes are fixed on this earth, you who are captivated by the events and changes on the surface of this earth. Look up, you who turned away from heaven to this ground because you had become disillusioned. Look up, you whose eyes are laden with tears, you who mourn the loss of all that the earth has snatched away. Look up, you who cannot lift your eyes because you are so laden with guilt. “Look up, your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28)

Something different than you see daily, something more important, something infinitely greater and more powerful is taking place. Become aware of it, be on guard, wait a short while longer, wait and something new will overtake you! God will come, Jesus will take possession of you and you will be redeemed people!

Lift up your heads, you army of the afflicted, the humbled, the discouraged, you defeated army with bowed heads. The battle is not lost, the victory is yours -- take courage, be strong! There is no room here for shaking your heads and doubting, because Christ is coming. 

-- From “A Testament to Freedom: Essential Writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer”

#5499

RESPONDING TO THIS GLORIOUS GIFT

“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 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 you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”  (Ephesians 3:17b-19 NIV)

Rest in the deep assurance of My unfailing Love. Let your body, mind, and spirit relax in My Presence. Release into My care anything that is troubling you, so that you can focus your full attention on Me. Be awed by the vast dimensions of My Love for you: wider, longer, higher, and deeper than anything you know. Rejoice that this marvelous Love is yours forever!

The best response to this glorious gift is a life steeped in thankfulness. Every time you thank Me, you acknowledge that I am your Lord and Provider. This is the proper stance for a child of God: receiving with thanksgiving. Bring Me the sacrifice of gratitude, and watch to see how much I bless you. 

-- From “Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence” by Sarah Young 

#5498

GIVING CHRISTMAS FRUIT

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

This season of gift-giving provides an opportune time to imagine how we might share the fruit of the Spirit during these often hectic days, when both people and packages fill our lives.

• Love — We can sift every thought, word, and action through the filter of “Is it demonstrating the love of Christ?”

• Joy — We can be the source of smiles, laughter, and appreciation because of the joy of Christ in us.

• Peace — We can fill the atmosphere with our own sense of the peace Christ, a calm amid the chaos, so that it brings peace to others.

• Patience — We can be more tolerant when things go awry knowing Christ is that way with us.

• Kindness — We can shower others with affirmation, encouraging the flickering light of Christ to burn more brightly in their lives.

• Goodness — We can focus on the positives, rather than the faults, on what is good and acceptable as Christ did.

• Faithfulness — We can be true to the blessed meaning of the Christmas season -- Emmanuel, God with us.

• Gentleness — We can give our full attention to each person, one at a time, not omitting even the most outcast.

• Self-control — We can commit ourselves to no outbursts, no over-indulgences, only Christ-centered behavior.

We can’t give away what we don’t possess; our connection to the Spirit is vital. As the fruit of the Spirit is grown within us, we can bestow blessings on those around us out of the abundant crop.

-- Generously adapted from “Rhythms of Growth: 365 Meditations to Nurture the Soul” by Linda Douty

#5497

BECAUSE GOD LOVES US

The Bible is a story of love: God’s love for the world and God’s love for His children. After all, God is love (1 John 4:8). Nowhere do we see the love of God more active than in Jesus. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.”  (John 3:16)

This famous verse captures the heart of the Bible, the heart of the faith, and truly the heart of God. Jesus came to us because God loves us. That is the supreme example of agape love. God loves us first. (1 John 4:19) God takes the first step. And the birth of Jesus proves that.

In Jesus, we see God taking the first step to touch and shape our lives. In offering His Son to you, God shows you His highest dreams for your life. He wants us to be like Christ. That is the best-version-of-yourself. Just as Jell-O takes the form of the container it is surrounded by, so too are we shaped by what we are surrounded by. God desires to immerse you in Himself, Jesus. In Him you can fulfill God’s dream for your life. 

-- Allen R. Hunt in “Nine Words: A Bible Study to Help You Become the Best-Version-of-Yourself”

#5496

RECEIVING THE GIFT

Do not hesitate to receive joy from Me, for I bestow it on you abundantly. The more you rest in My Presence, the more freely My blessings flow into you. In the Light of My Love, you are gradually transformed from glory to glory. (2 Corinthians 3:18) It is through spending time with Me that you realize how wide and long and high and deep is My Love for you. (Ephesians 3:17-19)

Sometimes the relationship I offer you seems too good to be true. I pour My very life into you, and all you have to do is receive Me. (John 1:12) In a world characterized by working and taking, the admonition to rest and receive seems too easy. There is a close connection between receiving and believing: As you trust Me more and more, you are able to receive Me and My blessings abundantly. Be still, and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10) 

-- Adapted from “Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence” by Sarah Young 

#5495

A LIGHT HAS DAWNED

This December my wife and I are renting a lake house near our daughter in Michigan. It has a great view of the Canadian Lakes. The other morning while it was still dark I looked out and saw about 20 Canada geese sitting on top of a thin layer of new ice. They were facing west and it was cold and dark. But as the pre-dawn sunlight began to paint the sky with color, they began to stir. Then as soon as the sun broke the horizon they got up, did an about face, waddled about 20 yards, and sat down, facing the light that had dawned.

It reminded me of Isaiah’s passage: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned… For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isiah 9:2,6 NIV)         

Unfortunately, many in our world today are not even as responsive as the geese, ignoring the Light of Christ that has come into our world. It does require an about face, for many are walking away from the light into a darker and darker world.  Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 NIV)

-- David T. Wilkinson, SOUND BITES Ministry

#5494

THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY GOOD NEWS

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son,…”  (John 3:16a NRSV)

Sometimes the hype and clichés of the season distract us. The clever marketing efforts succeed in making us desire tangible things we can hold in our hands and savor as gifts. However, marketing hype and catchy clichés cannot answer the deep questions of the heart, explain the mystery of God’s presence, or help us comprehend the meaning of our existence. Yet all these gifts are promised to us in the Advent Season.

Yes, it is true that God’s astounding and radical intervention in our human history cannot be contained in the tame and timid displays of Christmas lights, catchy slogans, or exchange of gifts. Advent confronts us once again with God’s unparalleled effort to communicate the message that all humankind is embraced and held close by a God of love. Jesus Christ has come, is present with us, and will come again in final victory when all darkness, pain, and evil will be no more. In Advent we begin again to try and make plain the wonderful truth of the most extraordinary good news the world has ever heard. Soon we will join the angelic chorus in singing, “Christ the Savior is born.”

“…so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life.”  (John 3:16b NRSV) 

-- Adapted from the Introduction to “A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God” by Norman Shawchuck and Rueben P. Job

#5493

DIVINE JOY

Joy is just what Jesus intends for you. It is His goal that joy will be a vital part of your life. Hear His words: “I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” (John 15:11) Jesus comes to bring you the joy of God. Becoming the-best-version-of-yourself may involve some struggle and pain, but it will most certainly be defined by joy. Why? Because you are doing exactly what the Lord of the Universe intends for you. Better still, He introduces you to the Holy Spirit, who completes you and makes you whole on the journey. Knowing God the Father, God the Son in Jesus, and God the Holy Spirit completes you with divine joy. This is why you are here. To be in relationship with the One who made you, He who loves you, and He who will sustain you to the very end and beyond. The world may offer brief moments of happiness here and there, but it cannot offer deep, real joy… Jesus Joy is eternal and powerful. 

-- Allen R. Hunt in “Nine Words”

#5492

GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY

“Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’”  (Luke 2:10 NKJV)

The joy of discovering Jesus and the Kingdom of God surpasses anything else that you will ever know in this lifetime. Consider the joy you feel when you find money on the sidewalk. Or when you are out of town and unexpectedly run into someone you know. Or when you have lost a piece of jewelry and then find it. It is amazing how much joy we gain in finding and discovering something.

Yet, the joy of meeting Jesus for the first time and gaining entry in a new way of life exceeds the joy of everything else. There is no joy like that of being part of the Kingdom of God. Incomprehensible joy. Divine joy. Unswerving joy. That is Jesus joy! 

-- Allen R. Hunt in “Nine Words”

#5491

PREPARE HIM ROOM

One year a church was holding its annual Christmas pageant with children playing all the parts. A small boy portraying the innkeeper in Bethlehem was instructed to turn away Joseph and Mary from his inn. The boy, however, felt so badly for them that he said, “Sorry, there’s no room in the inn,… but you can come over to my house!”

Today, it seems, Christ is turned away from many places and from many hearts. He’s not welcome. But have you invited Him to come into your home,… into your heart? Is busyness crowding Him out? Is sin blocking the door? Are you afraid of what the neighbors might say?

The Gospel of John says, “He came to what was His own, and His own people did not accept Him. But to all who received Him, who believed in His name, He gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.”  (John 1:11-13 NRSV)

This contemporary worship song by Sovereign Grace Music puts it all together:
“Oh, our hearts, as busy as Bethlehem
Hear Him knock, don't say there's no room in the inn
Through the cradle, cross, and grave
See the love of God displayed
Now He's risen and He reigns
Praise the Name above all names!
Prepare Him room
Prepare Him room
Let the King of glory enter in.”

 -- David T. Wilkinson, SOUND BITES Ministry

#5489

BRING THEM TO CHURCH

“And they were bringing children to Jesus that He might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, He was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the children come to Me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.’”  (Mark 10:13-14 ESV)

Bring them to church. Saturate their lives with the Word of God. Even if they lay on the floor. Even if they need 437 goldfish and a sucker to be quiet. Even if you stand in the back swaying back and forth holding them. Even when it’s hard. Even when your row looks like a small hurricane just came through. Bring them to church. Let them see you worship. Let them see you pray. Let them see you running toward the Savior ... because if they don’t see and learn these things from you, who are they going to learn them from?

The world will teach them it’s not a priority. The world will teach them it’s okay to lay out, not to pick up their Bibles. The world will direct them so far off course, confuse them, and misinform them that just being “good” is enough. The world won’t teach them about Jesus. That’s our job.

Bring them to church. 

-- Posted on Facebook by First United Methodist Church, South Bend, Indiana

#5489

THE SOURCE OF ALL PEACE

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”  (Colossians 3:15 NIV)

In order to allow the peace of Christ to rule your heart, it’s important to recognize who the true source of peace is. 1 Thessalonians 3:16 says, “Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times in every way.” God is referred to as “the God of peace” over and over again in Scripture. Fifteen of the biblical epistles (technical terms for letters written to the churches, such as Philippians, Galatians and Ephesians), give a greeting to their beloved church members, which include some version of the phrase “peace from God.” These, alongside verses on peace, make a strong case from the New Testament of where peace originates. Remember, our soul craves peace. Don’t buy into the notion that an afternoon of solitude or a weekend at the beach will give you peace. Peace is not a serene setting or even a peace of mind. Anything or anyone who promises you peace is not being authentic with you. True and lasting soul-level peace is found only in a Person: Jesus Christ, the Source of all peace. 

-- Lesli White in an article entitled “How to Allow the Peace of Christ Rule Your Heart”

#5488

THE PEACE OF CHRIST

[Jesus said to His disciples,] “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”  (John 14:27 ESV)

If we are to be truly peacemakers, I think we must move beyond the notion of peace as the absence of conflict… Peace has to do with the fullness of things, with lion and lamb lying down together, not a world without lions.  If we are to have hearts capable of the peace of Christ, which does indeed pass all understanding (Philippians 4:7), we must have hearts capable of embracing the joy and the sorrow, the sacredness and the sin of the world…

The infant in the manger at Bethlehem comes with a message of peace, an announcement that all sad divisions, all the irreconcilable pieces of our public and private lives will be brought together in the celebration of "shalom" -- God's blessing, God's peace.  This will not, I think, occur when conflict has ceased.  For creative conflict is a necessary component of growth.  Rather, peace will reign when our forgiveness of self and others is wide and deep enough to create new possibilities and, without the use of violence, to transform our seeming impasses into new freedoms and joys. 

-- Wendy M. Wright in “The Vigil: Keeping Watch in the Season of Christ's Coming” (Nashville, Tenn.: Upper Room Books, 1992)   

#5387

A HOPE THAT IS SOLID

Jesus said, “Everyone then who hears these words of Mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.”  (Matthew 7:24-25 NIV)

Nineteenth-century hymn writer Edward Mote (1797-1874) wrote the following: "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness… On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand." If we understand little else on our Advent journey toward Christmas, let's understand that.

There is nothing else that solid, and there is nothing else that real… Through Jesus Christ, we can have a hope that means something. 

-- Derek Maul in “In My Heart I Carry a Star: Stories of Advent”

#5486

THE LIFELINE OF HOPE

“For You, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth.”  (Psalm 71:5 ESV)

Hope is the lifeline tossed out to us from God. It sustains us when we feel like we are drowning, and God gently pulls us and the lifeline toward the shores of spiritual growth. With hope we also have faith -- not faith that we will be spared pain and despair but faith in the God who will lead us through the difficult times.

Therefore, in our struggle to understand God’s will, let us not concentrate solely on our pain and despair. Instead, trusting in the Lord, let us look with hope and faith toward attaining new, rich experiences of the abundant life God has given us. 

-- Adapted from John R. Wimmer in “Blessed Endurance: Moving Beyond Despair to Hope” 

#5485