Thoughts for the New Year

I am just beginning a journey into a book entitled  “The Grand Weaver; How God shapes Us Through the events of our Lives” by Revi Zacharias.  It is giving me pause to think.  What really is God’s plan in my life?  Am I on the right path?  Is there a wrong path?  Can I make a wrong choice and end up in a place not of His choosing?  Can I make a wrong turn and still end up in His perfect will?  Lots of questions arose as I began to review this book.  I have only read the introduction, but I believe it is going to be a great source of information. 

So, think about your path.!!!!   Do you believe that each step has been ordained by God himself?  Do you believe that He created you with an end product in mind?  That He genuinely cares about you, your needs and wants and desires.  I KNOW that He is involved in my life.  He selects and uses each path that I trod for His glory and for His purpose.  The big decisions and the small ones.  The Word of God tells us that our steps are planned by our Mighty God.  To me, that includes, all the baby steps I take when I step out in fear or uncertainty or concern over the future, the problems of this world and the pleasures as well.  He is directing each step.  Each footprint; He knew where it would land.   Each arm that reached out to give and to receive a hug.  He was there.  Each time a tear was shed, a heart was broken.  That is my take on it.  My God is sovereign.  He is just.  He is omnipotent.  He is omnipresent.  He is omniscient. 

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.”  1 Corinthians 2:9 

I pray that this New Year will be one of growth for each of us.  That we will be known by the fruits that we bear.  That we will be alive and well and doing His will within each of our communities.  Don't forget those that are hurting, needing, feeling unloved or unlovely.  Those that feel as though they do not have a friend.  Reach out to those. Let your footsteps include the unfamiliar areas of your world. May God expand all of our territories in this New Year.

Battle Rested

Read Ahead: Psalm 23:1-6

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Psalm 23:5, HCSB

Soldiers don't usually sit down for a picnic in the middle of a raging battlefield. They either fight to the death, or they turn and run!
But David painted a very different kind of battlefield scene--a picture of total security. In the midst of the worst onslaughts his enemies could dish out, David found peace in God and a reason to celebrate. Others were trying to keep the crown from him, but they couldn't stop God from making him king.
Going through life's hardest battles can sometimes teach us the most about God. When our enemies are attacking us and we want to panic, God gives us peace. He lays out a banquet to celebrate the victory that's already ours. He reminds us who we are in Christ: a royal treasure claimed by the King as his own.
When everything is going well, we might take God's presence for granted, but when life is hard, we can often see his presence more clearly. That's because he gives us peace and cause for celebration in places where we'd expect only despair.
If you're experiencing some of the difficulties that life throws at you, look to see what God is doing. He hasn't gone anywhere. He's preparing a table for your victory party, pouring out his blessings on you. You don't have to leave the battlefield to have your picnic, because God is with you... and your enemies don't intimidate him.
What's wrong with the idea that a loving God would never allow hardship into our lives?
Read Up: Habakkuk 3:17-19, 1 Peter 4:12-19
This devotional is courtesy of TQ.

Shadows

Read Ahead: Psalm 23:1-6

Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff--they comfort me. Psalm 23:4, HCSB

David's beautiful psalm about the Good Shepherd is one of the Bible's most well-known passages. In fact, it's probably read or recited as much outside of church as in it. Truly, this inspiring message of hope speaks in a way that all of us can understand.
David did what every good writer does: he wrote about what he knew. He knew lots about life's shadows, plus he was intimately acquainted with shepherding. So he masterfully joined the two together to pen some of the most comforting words of hope ever written.
David faced many dangers in his life--times when he didn't know if he'd live out the day; times when he was misunderstood, threatened, and attacked; times when the shame of his own sin sent him into the depths of despair. Yet through it all, he experienced the unwavering presence of God.
Just as he once led his sheep through the valleys, David's Shepherd guided him through the dark times in his life. Just as David's sheep used to recognize his voice through the darkness and follow the sound, God's voice brought comfort and direction to David when he didn't know where to go.
Life is full of shadows. There's evil out there--dangers and frightening valleys where the mountains block out the light. But Jesus, your Good Shepherd, will walk with you through the valleys and dispel the shadows of fear.
What good things have you been kept from enjoying because of fear?
Read Up: Isaiah 43:1-2, 1 Corinthians 15:51-58
This devotional is courtesy of TQ.

How Close Can You Get and Miss It All

The saddest story of Christmas is how those closest to Christ's birth completely missed that first Christmas; and that tragedy has continued to this day. You can be so close and yet so far away! 

The real purpose of Christmas was shown by God at Christ's birth, God confronted the world with the only gift everyone really needs. 

Christmas is about the gift no one seeks but everyone needs.  

God so loved the world that He sent Jesus to save lost people from their sins.

God came to provide the only gift that everyone absolutely, critically needs—the substitutionary death of His Son, who came to meet our critical, eternal-life-threatening need prompted by our sins. 

So the gift of Christmas is Christ's work of salvation. That gift involves meeting the critical needs each of us have in our lost, sinful and fallen condition. 

Today as we continue to see those elements of salvation that Christ's birth has brought, we do so by asking the question, "How close can someone get to Christ and His gift of Christmas and not be saved?" 

The answer is sadly that you can get very close. Missing Jesus and His salvation is seen most vividly in the story of Christmas. Those closest to the coming of Christ were most untouched by it! In both Luke and Matthew's record we find that you can grow up in the shadow of God's Temple, hear God's Word every day of your life, meet the Wise men themselves, explain the Old Testament to them—and still miss everything, if it is not inside your heart and mind. 

ACQUAINTANCE vs. KNOWLEDGE

Christmas is a time to remember that Jesus came to save us from sin and live within us. Beware of getting so close in every way—but in your heart, to Christ. Beware of being acquainted with Christ but never knowing Him. Webster's Dictionary says that knowledge has three levels: recognition, acquaintance, and experience. Knowing Christ means a personal experience of His grace that leads us to partake of His salvation. 

How close can you get to Jesus and still be too far away? That is what the religious leaders of Christ's day demonstrate to us this Christmas. So close they got, and yet so far away they remained. It is possible to be as close as them, and yet miss all that Christ and Christmas have to offer. 

Matthew 2 and Luke 1 introduce us the chief priests and scribes, with daily immersion in the Scriptures, endless hours of singing and serving, and constant exposure to all that God had left to point to Him and His salvation—they only held God's Word externally—never in their wills and souls. God was only near in their mouths—and not in their hearts. 

Christmas is a time to remember that Jesus came to save us from sin and live within us. Beware of getting so close in every way—but in your heart, to Christ. Beware of being acquainted with Christ but never knowing Him. 

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Things Happen For A Reason (submitted by Pastor Rob Reid)

The brand new pastor and his wife, newly assigned to their first ministry, to reopen a church in suburban Brooklyn , arrived in early October excited about their opportunities. When they saw their church, it was very run down and needed much work. They set a goal to have everything done in time to have their first service on Christmas Eve.  They worked hard, repairing pews, plastering walls, painting, etc, and on December 18 were ahead of schedule and just about finished.   On December 19 a terrible tempest - a driving rainstorm hit the area and lasted for two days.    On the 21st, the pastor went over to the church. His heart sank when he saw that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster about 20 feet by 8 feet to fall off the front wall   of the sanctuary just behind the pulpit, beginning about head high.   The pastor cleaned up the mess on the floor, and not knowing what else to do but postpone  the Christmas Eve service, headed home.  On the way he noticed that a local business was  having a flea market type sale for charity, so he  stopped in. One of the items was a beautiful,  handmade, ivory colored, crocheted tablecloth  with exquisite work, fine colors and a Cross  embroidered right in the center. It was just  the right size to cover the hole in the front  wall. He bought it and headed back to the church.  B y this time it had started to snow. An older woman running from the opposite direction was trying to catch the bus. She missed it. The pastor invited her to wait in the warm church for the next bus 45 minutes later. She sat in a pew and paid no attention to the pastor while he got a ladder, hangers, etc., to put up the tablecloth as a wall tapestry. The pastor could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and it covered up the entire problem area. Then he noticed the woman walking down the center aisle. Her face was like a sheet. "Pastor," she asked, "where did you get that tablecloth?" The pastor explained. The woman asked him to check the lower right corner to see if the initials, EBG were crocheted into it there. They were. These were the initials of the woman, and she had made this tablecloth 35 years before, in Austria . The woman could hardly believe it as the pastor told how he had just gotten "The Tablecloth". The woman explained that before the war she and her husband were well-to-do people in Austria . When the Nazis came, she was forced to leave. Her husband was going to follow her the next week. He was captured, sent to prison and never saw her husband or her home again. The pastor wanted to give her the tablecloth; but she made the pastor keep it for the church. The pastor insisted on driving her home. That was the least he could do. She lived on the other side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn  for the day for a housecleaning job. What a wonderful service they had on Christmas  Eve. The church was almost full. The music and the  spirit were great. At the end of the service, the  pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door  and many said that they would return. One older man, whom the pastor recognized  from the neighborhood continued to sit in one of the  pews and stare, and the pastor wondered why he  wasn't leaving.  The man asked him where he got the tablecloth on the front wall because it was identical to one that his wife had made years ago when they lived in Austria before the war and how could there be two tablecloths so much alike? He told the pastor how the Nazis came, how he forced his wife to flee for her safety and he was supposed to follow her, but he was arrested and put in a prison.  He never saw his wife or his home again all the 35 years between.  The pastor asked him if he would allow him to  take him for a little ride. They drove to Staten Island and to the same house where the pastor  had taken the woman three days earlier.  He helped the man climb the three flights of stairs to the woman's apartment, knocked on the door and he saw the greatest Christmas reunion he could ever imagine. True Story - submitted by Pastor Rob Reid  who says God does work in mysterious ways. I asked the Lord to bless you as I prayed for  you today, to guide you and protect you as you go along your way. His love is always with you. His  promises are true, and when we give Him all our cares we know He will see us through.  S o when the road you're traveling seems difficult at best, just remember I'm here praying and God will do the rest. When there is nothing left but God, that is when you find out that God is all you need Father, G od, bless all my friends and family in what  ever it is that You know they may be needing this day! May their lives be full of Your peace, prosperity and power as they seek to have a closer relationship with You. Amen.

Last Night I had A Dream; God's Lesson to Me

The water was still, calm and tranquil as I looked out the balcony windows.  The sky was blue without a single cloud floating by.  The temperature was a perfect 74 degrees.  Life was good.  We were enjoying our first cruise.  The week was going by in such a rush that soon we would be back at port.  We were sure this would be the first of many trips to come.

As the day progressed the sky began to change.  Dark, thunderous, menacing clouds began to hover over our ship.  Lightening began to lighten the sky with its brilliance.  The sound of thunder was close, too close to enjoy.  In our room we noticed the day of light escaping and the beginning of evening approaching.  The rains came.  The rains continued to come.  Soon a storm was all we could see or hear.  We were enveloped in the raging water, rising and rising around us.  Soon the water was over the boat.  We were safe inside.  But the water was around us and over us.  All we could see through the windows was water. 

I felt like Noah in his ark only we could not open the windows and peer out.  As the water continued to downpour, I noticed a little bit of seepage coming from around the top of the tall, tall, windows.  Concerned that it was about to shatter the pane, I prayed.  Don’t know why I waited all day before I turned to prayer.  “Lord”, I prayed simply, “Please, stop this rain and protect us.”  The simple prayer of the faithful.  That is all He asks.  Pray in faith and believe. 

Instantly, I saw the water recede.  The windows became clear.  The ship thudded onto solid ground.  The sun shone brightly in the clear blue sky.  “WOW”, I thought.  What an answer to prayer.  As I looked out the window over the valley the grass was green.  Birds where chirping in the nearby trees.  Butterflies with their brilliant colors were swarming back and forth within the buds of the apple orchards enjoying their nectar.  In the distance I could see cattle gently moving in the warm air and enjoying their meal.  Order had been restored.  Life was going on.  God was faithful.

I awoke with a real sense of God’s presence.  He once again was telling me, showing me, that He is listening to our prayers.  He wants to hear from us not just in the battle times, but also in the good times.  To be thankful to Him and to bless Him daily.  This was a vivid description of a lesson He was showing to me. 

What is He trying to teach you today?  A lesson on prayer?  A lesson on gratitude?  Maybe, He just wants you to know that He is nearby.  As close as a prayer mumbled from your heart.  He has told us “that He will never leave or forsake us.”  So, lift up your need today.

The Parable of the Spoon

A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, “Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.”  The Lord led the holy man to two doors.  He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in.  In the middle of the room was a large round table.  In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew which smelled delicious and made the holy man’s mouth water. 

The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly.  They appeared to be famished.  They were holding spoons with very long handles and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful, but because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.  The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.  The Lord said, “You have seen Hell.”

They went to the next room and opened the door.  It was exactly the same as the one before. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man’s mouth water.  The people were equipped with the same long handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.  The holy man said, “I don’t understand.”  “It is simple”, said the Lord.  “It requires but one skill.  You see, they have learned to feed each other while the greedy think only of themselves.”  (Author Unknown)

Which room would others say we were in?  Are you one that is seeking only for yourself without thought of your neighbor?  Are you one who walks by when you see someone in need and say “someone else will meet that need?”  God calls us each one to work within our world to help those who are hurting, hungry, homeless and the list goes on and on. May you be one that is in the room where all are helping each other.