The Best Year Ever

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

We are only days from the New Year...from 2012; or what I like to refer to as "The Best Year Ever".

We look at time as this capsulized thing which begins January 1st and ends December 31st. We measure the success and failure of time by how the days and months of each year ebb and flow.

Years, as we define them, receive labels and go on the shelves of our minds like so many scrapbooks. We keep mental pictures and records of the good things that happen, but all too often we define a year not on the good, but on the bad. Tragedy tends to be more defining in our lives than triumphs and often overshadows even the best of days in one's life.

In the last decade our country has defined each of the years by tragedies we have faced:

2009 - was the year of the Great Recession

2005 - was the year of Katrina

2001 - was the year of September 11th

Wars raged, people killed, disease spread....all of these horrific pieces mark our days...our years.

But...

Woven through the tapestry of these years defined by tragedy, babies were born, marriages were begun, discoveries were made, records were broken, songs were sung, books were read, laughter was shared.

Even in the worst of times we are are reminded that we have happiness within our reach. We do not need to be defined by the tragedies of life - we can choose to be defined by the joys - - which undoubtedly out number the woes.

Jesus told us that we would face obstacles - that trouble would find us - but he also encouraged us not to fear the trouble because he would always be with us.

As we approach this new year...we have a choice - will we allow it to be defined by the tragedy and trouble we will surely face, or will we choose to define 2012 as the Best Year Ever....

You decide...

Scripture

John16:29-33

Quote of the Day

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.
~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Question of the Day

How do you define 2011?

Comfort in His Arms...

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28

A daddy's arms...A mother's touch...A friends comfort...

Those are places of safety and peace. They draw visions of calm and serenity.

This is the vision Jesus offers to each of us when he calls, "Come to me..."

Come to me my princess; Come to me my prince; Come to me my daughter; Come to me my son...

Come to me - I will give you peace.

Come to me - I will give you strength.

Come to me - I will relieve your burden.

Come to me - I will love you.

Jesus wants to give you his comfort and his peace. We do not need to walk through this world alone. Our burdens are not individual - they are shared with the One who loved us enough to give up everything to be with us.

He is calling to you...Will you come?

Scripture

Matthew 11:27-29

Quote of the Day

The Lord replied,
"The times when you have
seen only one set of footprints,
is when I carried you."

Quote from Footprints in the Sand

Mary Stevenson

Seeking Righeousness for the Oppressed...

 

 

The LORD works righteousness

   and justice for all the oppressed.

Psalm 103:6

Righteousness is all about being right...and good...and honorable.

When the LORD looks down on each of us, He sees our lives as they truly are. Most of us are oppressed in some way or fashion.

In some parts of the world the oppression seems obvious:

• Women are oppressed in certain nations simply because of their gender.
• Christians are oppressed because the nation in which they live does not have freedom of religion.
• Children are oppressed because their entire lives have been bookended by war and poverty leaving their nations deprived of adult leadership or healthy parents.
• And the oppression and painful pits of reality turn onward...

Here in the United States, or even in Western Europe, the oppression is more insidious;

• We are oppressed by our ways of thinking or the ways that society tells us to think.
• We are oppressed by how our bodies should look or what we should wear.
• We are oppressed by where we live and the opportunities available to us.
• We are oppressed by a government of entitlement that wants to monitor our every movement or expression.
• We are oppressed because we are forced to be political correct to the point of no longer being able to express what we believe or why we believe.
• We are oppressed because the fringes of society have become more important than the mass of society.
• We are oppressed because we have told God that He is not as important as we are...

God is working to make this world right again; to seek out the righteousness in a world of corruption and corrupt able people. He wants justice for each of us and He has given us the means to find this justice through the salvation He offered us on the cross.

The oppression we face as Westerners is unique because we do not really feel oppressed. We can have nearly anything we want...but the cost is the loss of our freedom to love God above all else. By choosing "the American Way", we often choose to turn our backs, consciously and subconsciously, away from our true Redeemer. We have become satisfied with stuff rather than seeking out the salvation offered.

Today, as we countdown the five days remaining in 2011, we have the opportunity to reflect on where God sits in our lives. Is He first - granting us the freedom to live and to love as His disciples? Is He second - behind our comforts? Or is He far down on the list as an after thought proving that our desires for stuff is greater than our desire for salvation?

You are either free or you are oppressed...recognizing where you are will determine whether or not your will find release from your captor and salvation in your redeemer.

Scripture

Psalm 103

Quote of the Day

“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Question of the Day

What stuff is holding you back?

Preparing for the Party!

Prepare for God's arrival! Make the road straight and smooth, a highway fit for our God.
Isaiah 40:3 (MSG)

Preparation...

So much of life is spent in preparation for an activity or a celebration. We prepare for thirteen years to graduate high school and we prepare for four (or a couple extra) years to graduate college and enter the real world. We prepare for nine months for the coming of a new child into a family. We prepare for opening night of a big play through months of rehearsals. For the past four weeks we have been preparing for Jesus' birth; the celebration of the day the whole world changed.

We can spend so much time preparing for what is to come that we miss what we have been preparing to experience or do, just like so many in the nation of Israel. For centuries, the Israelites prepared for a Savior based on Isaiah's prophesy of the Messiah, but despite all of the preparations, most did not accept Jesus as the promised Redeemer. The Pharisees and Sadducees, the teachers of the law and the most religious of the people of Israel were largely threatened by Jesus coming, not comforted and excited. They were so caught up in the ritual of preparing for a Messiah that they were not able to step back and see He had arrived.

But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.

Matthew 12:14

These men, who knew the scriptures and the teachings better than nearly any other living soul, were unwilling to see the miracle unfolding before them. They were over-prepared but they under-delivered. They were not ready when the time came to make way for God's salvation in their lives. They had taken their eyes off of God. They had built roadblocks and obstacles instead of paved roads and pathways.

Preparation is good. It is important to be prepared for tomorrow and what will come; to be plan-ful and mindful of the needs of those around us and of tomorrow. But, in the midst of all of that planning and preparing, we must make room for awareness. We must always keep our eyes lifted forward to know when the time has come for the preparations to cease and the celebration to begin.

Life is a preparation for the day when we will get to celebrate in the eternal party, but in the midst of all of our preparations, we must not forget for whom the party is being thrown...

After all - Jesus is the reason for the Season...it is His party and we should keep our eyes solely focused on Him.

Scripture

Isaiah 40 (MSG)

Quote of the Day

I am prepared to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.

Winston Churchill

Question of the Day

When do you struggle to be prepared?

Merry Christmas...May this day be a blessing and a reminder of the unending love Our Father has for each of us.

Finding the Treasure in a Social Media World

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Luke 2:19

I tend to be an over-sharer. I tell people things they don't really want to know - or need to know for that matter. In a world filled with facebook and twitter, we find that our lives are now public all of the time. A simple thought can become a viral social message. A drive in the car can become a YouTube phenomena. Accomplishing a truly private moment is nearly impossible in our modern age, but it is something we are called by God to do.

Quiet times, times where it is just you and God, are vitally important to your life and your growth as a person in Christ. In these precious moments we are able to discern God's mission and message for us. Without the distraction of the outside world and the constant barrage of updates and live feeds, we are able to hear God and to ponder what He is telling us. These moments will become treasures unlike any amount of gold, francencense or myrrh.

When the shepherds came to visit Jesus, they told she and Joseph the amazing story of the angels visiting them - proclaiming the birth of her son. I imagine she smiled and nodded at their dramatic retelling of the story, commenting little on the details. Even though she had experienced countless supernatural miracles in her short life, she likely remained quiet in the midst of the strangers coming to worship her little baby, rather she listened and mentally recorded each of the precious stories surrounding her son's birth so that one day she would be able to share the gems with others. In the midst of all of the struggles she was facing, Mary did not share all of her worries or feel the need to "talk out her plans", rather, she went heart-ward and pondered all that had happened in the past nine months in her heart. She went to her faithful Holy Father and allowed Him to show her the way.

Sometimes we need to "talk it out". We need to vent our frustrations or share exciting news, but we can learn from Mary's quiet discoveries during the time of Jesus' birth and early childhood. We can learn how to simply be with God and how to allow His plan to unfold like a treasure map leading us to the precious gifts He has for each of us in this life.

Scripture

Luke 2:16-20

Quote of the Day

Watches, cars and Christians can all look chromed and shiny. But watches don't tick, cars don't go and Christians don't make a difference without insides. For a Christian, that's the Holy Spirit.

Tim Downs

Question of the Day

When can you find quiet time today with Jesus?

Christmas Eve Service - TONIGHT- ONE NIGHT ONLY- 7:30PM - Candlelight service

Groveport UMC - 512 Main Street

Invite a friend...we would love to celebrate with you!

God's Eternal Christmas Present

 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Luke 2:14

Do you ever feel like life is an uphill battle?

There are days when all I want to do is crawl back into bed (or fall back on the couch), pull my comforter over my head and pretend that the world outside didn't exist. I get frustrated and filled with anxiety over the atrocities through out the world and even right here in my own little corner. Sometimes, I want to scream or cry over the obstacles that seem to fall in my path. Life just isn't fair...

We all face difficulties in life. We have road blocks dropped in the middle of our paths and obstacles which force us in different directions. We have unanswered prayers and painful realizations. We hear of the horrors people face and the true evil in the world.

And, yet we are called "favored".

God has given us the blessing of His love and His grace. He has promised us a place in Heaven with Him:

 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

John 14:1-3

No matter how difficult life becomes; no matter the roadblocks or the obstacles; no matter the worries and the wars; no matter what this world throws at each of us we know that God is always with us and that He is sending His Son to bring us Home with Him.

Do not let your hearts be troubled...I am going to prepare a (home) for you...(I will) take you to be with me...

What an amazing promise of hope for our future with the LORD. 

Could their be a better Christmas present from a Father to His favored children? 

Scripture

John 14:15-21

Quote of the Day

"When we encounter storms, Jesus asks us, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?" Each storm is an invitation to trust Jesus, to remember his care"

Richard Vincent

Question of the Day

What does the home Jesus is preparing for you look like in your mind?

Don't forget Christmas Eve Service...it is actually at 7:30PM - NOT 7PM...but it is always good to get to church a little early to get a seat for the beautiful and moving candlelight service!

Celebrating the Joy of Every Day

I love parties. I will find an excuse to celebrate just about anything - from a birthday to a pretty fall day - life is about celebrating the moments.

When you think about celebrations - what is the first thing that pops into your head?

Good food? Laughter? Friends? Music?

For me, the first thing I think about when I imagine a celebration is JOY.

Joy:

a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight; something or someone greatly valued or appreciated:.
the expression or display of glad feeling; festive gaiety. a state of happiness or felicity.



To have joy is to feel happiness above all things - to feel the delight and pleasure of an experience to the very depths of your soul. Being joyful makes one light and free. Joy is a gift and it is a state of mind.

Although celebrations are joy-filled times, every day we give to our LORD in His service will be a time filled with joy. When we are in the service of Christ we have the opportunity to share His light and message with a dark and lonely world.

Joy surpasses mere happiness. Joy is beyond a simple emotion or a one time experience. Joy is at the center of how we, as Christians are called to live our lives every day. We live with the knowledge that we are saved by the grace of God; not by any action of our own, but by the will of a Creator Who loves us. What could bring you greater joy?

The funny thing about joy is that the more you share it, the greater it grows. Just like parties are better when there are more people, joy gets bigger and better with each person who shares it.

...And on that long ago night in Bethlehem, the angels gave us a perfect example of how to share joy as they sang from their heavenly choirs, "We bring your good tidings of great joy...tonight a Savior is born."

What greater joy do we have than to share the good news of Jesus?

Scripture
Luke 2:8-11

Quote of the Day
“I do it for the joy it brings, cause I'm a joyful girl. 'Cause the world owes us nothing, we owe each other the world.”
Ani Difranco (Singer)

Question of the Day

What brings joy to your soul?

Hope you will all join us for the Candlelight Christmas Eve service @ 7PM at Groveport UMC

Insider Or Outsider .... The Choice is Yours

She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Luke 2:7

Do you ever feel left out? Like you don't fit in or you are be excluded from something super fun?

Every day we face opportunities to fit into one of two groups - the in crowd or the outsiders. Nearly everyone I know wants to be part of the in crowd, even if they don't admit. We want to feel like we belong or like we are "normal". We want other people to like and to accept us. We want to fit in and become like everyone else - one giant homogeneous blob of humanity.

The crazy thing is that no one who was truly amazing - spectacular even - was ever part of the in crowd. The people who are most admired, most celebrated, are often those who didn't fit in or conform to what the in crowd was doing. They were often an outsider - Just like Jesus...

Jesus didn't conform to the standards of the world. He didn't fit in and he wasn't part of the in crowd - not even from the beginning. But this man - God who came to earth in the form of a little baby - was and still is the most influential person to have ever walked on the face of the earth. Not bad for being an outsider.

You have a choice. You can work hard to be accepted by the in crowd; to conform to what the world says you should look like, what you should wear, how you should speak and who you should be. Or you can choose to be an outsider. You can be a person who thinks for his or herself, who is concerned only with what God wants you to do, and who walks to the beat of your own drummer.

You can either be an insider with the world - or an insider with Jesus. The choice is yours.

Scripture

Luke 2;1-7

Quote of the Day

If Jesus Christ were to come today people would not even crucify him. They would ask him to dinner, and hear what he has to say, and make fun of it.

Thomas Carlyle

Question of the Day

If Jesus came to your school (or job) we he know that you are a believer?

Unearned Riches....Just Like Prince William

Did you ever wonder how Prince William became Prince William?

Being Americans royalty is often seen as something of a novelty. Although some families pass wealth from generation to generation, most people have the same basic opportunities to create their own path to success; your station in life is not predetermined by your last name or whose great-great grandchild you are.

For Prince William, his life course was sent when his great-great uncle abdicated the throne to his great grandfather. In fact, if we look we find that most European Royalty is related to each other. They try and keep it in the family - so to speak.

Prince William didn't do anything special - he did not have any great accomplishment of success - and yet simply by the virtue of being born he is 2nd in line to one of the most revered and touted monarchies in the world.

Yet he (Abraham) did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

Romans 4:20-21

Abraham was promised, by God, that he would be the father of many nations; that his descendants would be so numerous that the would be more plentiful than the stars in the sky. He was promised all of this when he was 100 years old and childless. For most of us, we might think that God's promise was empty, but Abraham believed fully in God's promise and it was Abraham's faith that made him a man of righteousness; not his actions - but his faith. By simply being who he was created to be...

The same is true with each of us who has accepted the love and grace of Jesus' forgiving salvation on the cross. The promise of eternal life and complete forgiveness for all of our sins might seem far fetched, but our salvation is a product, not of what we have done, but our faith in what Jesus has done for us.

Just like Prince William - we didn't do anything on our own to make salvation a reality - but each of us who accepts it will have riches beyond our greatest imaginings.

Scripture

Romans 4:13-20

Quote of the Day

All I have seen teaches me to trust the creator for all I have not seen.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Question of the Day

How would you feel if you found out - at 100 - that you were going to have a baby?

A Deceiving Heart Plays an Out of Key Tune

The heart is deceitful above all things
   and beyond cure.
   Who can understand it?

Jeremiah 17:9

Often you will hear people say, "Follow your heart..." or "Your heart will never lead you astray." In reality our hearts, the figurative ones, are pure emotion. They roll and dip like a roller coaster. Our hearts do not use logic or reason. They are not refined or reasonable. Our hearts, in fact, are romantic, illogical, emotional puddles of feelings.

Emotions are wonderful. They provide context and humanity to our everyday lives, but our minds should be making the decisions based on reason, logic and fact.

Think for a moment about the symbolism of the body. Your heart keeps the blood flowing, which provides oxygen and keeps your body in its basic functional rhythm. But your heart would never know when to beat and when to pump, if your brain didn't tell it. Your heart will continue to pump blood the same way with each beat, but the brain determines where the blood supply goes. The brain decides when your stomach needs more blood to digest food, so maybe your hands and feet get cold. Your brain knows how quickly or slowly the blood needs to pump through the heart based on the activity of your body. Your brain truly is in control.

So, if our brains are in control of our physical bodies, why wouldn't we want our minds to be in control of our spiritual selves?

In order to have a mind aligned with God, you need to make studying His Word a priority, and filling your mind with the good things of life, so that when your heart has a desire it can first be filtered through your God-Centered brain to be certain that you are doing His will. By exercising your mind through giving yourself over to God's will, you will find that your wants will play in tune with the melody of your heart.

Your heart isn't bad. It is filled with glorious emotions: joy, love, hope... it just needs a mind to tell it how to best express itself. When your heart submits to the will of your mind - filled with the goodness of God - you will be dancing for Jesus and be fully aligned with God - the Master Conductor.

“I the LORD search the heart
and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
according to what their deeds deserve.”
Jeremiah 17:10

Scripture

Jeremiah 17:5-12

Quote of the Day

“A deceitful peace is more hurtful than open war”

Author Unknown

 

Question of the Day

 

When have your emotions led you astray and how could your mind help you to make better decisions tomorrow?

 

Don't forget ... Stepping Back In Time....Tomorrow - Sunday, December 18th @ 7PM @ Groveport UMC - - refreshments will begin at 6:30 PM

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies.

Paul, The Apostle (2 Thes 3:10)

Lazy.
This four letter was the worst description I could be given as a child. Even as an adult I cringe if I think I am not filling my time with productive activities.

As Christians, we are called to be productive members of the Body of Christ. When we are working toward a positive end result, we are able to focus our energy towards a common good. When we are idle, or unfocused, or downright lazy, our minds are free to seek out alternative sources of diversion which often are not productive and not positive.

Just as an entire body will grow weak and ill because one part is injured, so the Body of Christ will weaken when one member chooses to focus on his or her selfish wants rather than working for the Body. When we are working through the gifts and calling God has given to us, we have little time to focus on anything but His will, but when we ignore or choose to not give of ourselves to God's calling, we have time to allow the discontent of the world to seep into our minds and direct our thoughts away from God and to ourselves.

Being productive isn't simply about being busy. Being productive is about doing the work God has given you. Being busy is often as bad as being idle because we focus on too much rather than on what God has for us to do and we find that we are BUSY - Being Under Satan's Yoke. We become distracted and discontent in the midst of all of our activities and begin to have a self-centered, self-pity focused view of the world - taking our eyes off of Christ. God took one day out of seven to rest after He created the world as an example to His creation.God wants us to take times of rest to refuel and re=energize our enthusiasm for His plan, but we must be careful to not stay in the rest period too long and fall into a pattern of idleness.

Each of us is needed to do our parts for the Body of Christ - Teamwork Makes the Dream Work. If one member of the team decides to not play with all of his or her effort, the team will fail to reach the collective goal. You are called to be an active part of Jesus' Dream Team. You can't be part of the dream if you first do not decide to put a little effort into the game. 

Scripture

2 Thessalonians 3:6-14

Quote(s) of the Day

An idle mind is the devil's workshop.

H.G. Bohn - Book of Proverbs 1855

Idleness to the human mind is like rust to iron.

Ezra Cornell

Idleness is the Dead Sea that swallows all virtues.

Benjamin Franklin

Question of the Day

What is one thing you can do to serve God today?

Seeking Humility...

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Philippians 2:2-3

Humility...

To say you are humble is really to make a false statement; You can't be humble and proud of your humility at the same time. True humility - putting others needs above your own - is something very few are able to accomplish, but all are called by Christ to live in a life of humility.

During this season of getting - our focus can be all about what we want and what we need and when we are going to get all of the stuff on our lists - but we have an opportunity to shift our focus from "the list" to what we can do for others. This focus shift can be each of our first steps toward living a life of humility.

With each step we take towards living a life of humility, we will begin to see our focus shift from the inward, self needs of our lives to the outward needs of those around us. Miraculously we will find that our needs will become less in the light of the needs of the world in which we live.

Humility isn't accomplished overnight; or in a week; or in a year; or ten years. True humility happens over a lifetime of days submitting individual desires and focusing on the needs of others.

When you truly achieve humility, you will be completely unaware you have arrived at your destination.

Scripture

Philippians 2:1-4

Quote of the Day

Humility does not mean you think less of yourself. It means you think of yourself less.

Ken Blanchard

Question of the Day

Who needs to hear that you care about them today?

The Ever Faithful God

In 2007, I had the great privilege of going to Israel. At the end of our journey we arrived at the Mount of Olives, which overlooks the city of Jerusalem. The sight of the city, sitting on a hill and surrounded by valleys on every side was breathtaking. The city's stronghold against it's enemies is the hills which surround it. No enemy could surprise the people of Israel. The people would see the enemy coming for miles and be able to take shelter inside the protective walls of the city. They could remain safe because they trusted in the protection of the walls and the safety of the mountains. The mountains offered a sense of hope for the future.

As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the LORD surrounds his people
both now and forevermore.
Psalm 125:2

Each of us is like the city of Jerusalem; The LORD surrounds us with His protective embrace. He guards us against the evil of the world. He carries us through our valleys. He is unmovable. Just like the mountains; He is always there.

Life for the Israelis wasn't always perfect. They have fought wars; lost and won their homeland. They have seen Jerusalem occupied by foreign nations. But, in the midst of all of that turmoil, the mountains which surround remained a vision of hope and encouragement.

Each of our lives will be faced with struggle, but in the midst of that heartache and hardship we can close our eyes and feel our LORD surrounding us with His protective peace. Nothing is impossible when you rely on the LORD - - He will never forsake you. He is as constant as the mountains - ever faithful.

Scripture
Psalm 125

Quote of the Day
God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.
 ~St. Augustine

Question of the Day

What is your favorite part of nature?

 

The Body of Christ - Not Mr. Potato Head

Have you ever thought about how your feet know how to take steps or how a baby knows how to reach for something? How about how your mind will think of an answer and your mouth will deliver the words? How about how your hand knows just where your mouth is when you want to take a bite of pizza?

Your body is perfectly formed to work in sync. Your hands know their job; your feet theirs; your eyes theirs...and so it goes down to your toes. Your eyes do not suddenly decide they should be used for walking and that your stomach should be used for seeing...nor could they. Each part was created for it's own unique purpose.

As Christians, we are collectively referred to as "The Body of Christ", and just like a human body, we each have a distinct purpose for which we were individually created. I can't do what you can do, because I was created to fulfil my purpose - just as you were created to fulfil yours.

Think what the world would be like if we tried to follow each others paths and not our own...the Body of Christ would start to look like Mr. Potato Head on a bad day...



...split down the middle without any true direction.

Trust God to show you how you fit into the Body of Christ - and then put all of your efforts towards fulfilling your call. Just like all of the pieces of your body are important to you each day, every member of the Body of Christ is important. You are important. Trust who you are called to be and don't try to fill someone else's role. We can't have the Body of Christ turning into Mr. Potato Head.

Scripture

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Quote of the Day

“Yes, I see the Church as the body of Christ. But, oh! How we have blemished and scarred that body through social neglect and through fear of being nonconformists.”

Martin Luther King Jr.

Question of the Day

If you had to put together Mr. Potato Head - what would he look like?



Joy in Obedience - Being Mary

How would you feel if a rumor was started about you and everyone you know - friends, family, teachers, church members - heard the rumor and believed the worst about you?

Would you be angry? Would you be sad?

Or would you find the positive - the joy - in a painful and stressful situation?

 The angel went to her (Mary) and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel...The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called^[b] the Son of God...For no word from God will ever fail.” Luke 1:28-37

Mary wasn't much older than a JR. High student when God came to her through the Holy Spirit and she became pregnant with Jesus. She would have been naturally afraid and likely doubts about the days ahead of her loomed large, but her response upon finding out she would be an unwed mother was:

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Luke 1:38

Mary took her fears and her doubts about the future and made them into faithful steps of obedience. She was likely still fearful of how the world would treat her, but she knew that she was faithfully acting upon God's behalf.

Sometimes in life we are faced with extremely difficult choices - and often the hardest choice is to be obedient to God. Obedience to God can be difficult, but ultimately we must be willing to make the sacrifices in life which will please God.

God calls for our obedience - our cheerful obedience - in all things. We have to trust that God, as our Heavenly Father, will provide the comfort when we are left out in the cold because of our obedience, just as He did with Mary through His providential care in providing her cousin Elizabeth's home during her pregnancy, Joseph's acceptance of Jesus and even the stable where she gave birth to Jesus.

Mary knew that she would one day be called blessed because of God's promises to her, but she also knew that she might never experience the worldly praise for her obedience in her lifetime. She wasn't concerned with the praise she would get from people; Mary's only concern was the joy she would bring her Father in Heaven by being joyful in her obedience to His call on her life.

And Mary said:

   “My soul glorifies the Lord
 ⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸ for he has been mindful
   of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
 ⁴⁹ for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
   holy is his name.
⁵⁰ His mercy extends to those who fear him,
   from generation to generation.
⁵¹ He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
   he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
⁵² He has brought down rulers from their thrones
   but has lifted up the humble.
⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things
   but has sent the rich away empty.
⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel,
   remembering to be merciful
⁵⁵ to Abraham and his descendants forever,
   just as he promised our ancestors.”

Luke 1:46-55

Scripture of the Day

(I think you get the story...but if you want to read more...)

Luke 1:28-65

Quote of the Day

“True obedience is true freedom.”

Henry Ward Beecher

Question of the Day

How can you be joyfully obedient today?

Don't forget the JR. Choir program - this Sunday (December 11th) @ 6PM

Also - be on the look out for messages from your CPW (Confidential Prayer Warrior)...

For more info on the SEALed program see the below link:

http://gumyblog.blogspot.com/p/sealed.html

The Christmas Tradition - Jesus' Way

Every year in December the focus of the world around us moves to increased shopping, wrapping paper, Christmas Carols on the radio, lights on the house, baking cookies and visiting family. At this time of year our focus tends to move away from our self interest and to the needs of our family and following all of the traditions, new and old, our loved ones hold dear.

In the midst of all of our traditions and celebrations, we would be wise to keep at the center the true reason for the season...Jesus.

Without Jesus, the Christmas season wouldn't be anything more than December - a cold, dreary month looming until the New Year. But with Jesus, December IS the Christmas Season. December is a time of great hope, love, joy and generosity. People tend to be a little kinder, more giving, and more spirit filled. We will see people speak out on behalf of those whose voices have been diminished by hardships and the cruelty of life and we will see people respond to those needs in ways of generosity we did not know was possible. That is Jesus.

This spirit of charity which lingers throughout the Christmas season is a glimpse of how we should be reflecting Jesus' love through out the year. We should be following His example - His Way - through out the year and not just twenty-four days in December.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life - the only way to come to the Father is through Him and we can reflect that invitation to the world by starting a new tradition and sharing the Christmas Spirit - the Jesus Spirit - 365 days a year.

Scripture

John 14: 5-13

Quote of the Day

The way you see people is the way you treat them

Zig Ziglar

Question of the Day

What is your favorite Christmas Tradition?

The Perfect Fit

On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Matthew 2:11


What do you want for Christmas? Have you made a list for your parents and your friends? Do you want a laundry list of things or is there one special thing you want more than anything else? Have you thought about what you are going to buy for the people you love this year?

Gifts are a wonderful thing. Nearly everyone loves to receive gifts. What someone gives you can often have sentimental value or show the depth of their feelings for you. I love to think of unique gifts for my friends and family and I am often disappointed with myself when I settle for the “easy” gift, but sometimes finding a gift which is a perfect fit for a friend can be a challenge.

When the Wise Men, or three Kings or the Magi, came to visit Jesus, they brought Him three distinct gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. These three gifts were well thought out and planned for the King they were coming to visit. Gold was a precious metal recognized for value across every culture and represented Jesus’ royal position. Frankincense was burned in ancient times and it was thought to carry prayers to heaven. This was a gift to represent Jesus as the High Priest. Myrrh was a spice used to anoint bodies for healing, but ultimately for burial preparation. Some believe this gift was given because Jesus was born to die for our sins – the ultimate healing. These gifts were planned and invaluable to both the giver and the receiver.

When God sent Jesus to earth, He thought about each and every one of us. He planned out His gift of salvation and love so that each of us would receive exactly what we needed.

You were in God’s mind and heart when He planned and prepared the gift of Jesus. God created the gift of salvation through Jesus which is a perfect fit for each of us.

Scripture

Matthew 2:1-12

Quote of the Day

“For it is in giving that we receive.”

St. Francis of Assisi

Question of the Day

What is the best present you ever gave to someone else?

Don't forget the JR.Choir Christmas Program - This Sunday 12/11

The Great Shepherd

““I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.”

John 10:14-15 NIV


Jesus is often called “The Great Shepherd”, but in our modern culture it is at times difficult to understand truly what a shepherd does.

A shepherd cares for his flock by making sure they have enough food and water. He ensures that they are kept safe from harm and he rescues them should the sheep fall into danger. A shepherd will even risk his own safety in rescuing one of his sheep.

A shepherd is looked to as the leader of the sheep as he gently guides them along the correct path through out all the days of that the sheep live.

The imagery of Jesus as our shepherd is fitting. He provides our every need. He guides us on our path through out life. He even gave His life to rescue each of us from death

So, there is little wonder why God had His Angels announce the birth of Jesus first to shepherds who were protecting their sheep that starry night over two thousand years ago. God knew that He could trust the shepherds, who so lovingly cared and protected their sheep, to spread the great news of the birth of His Son. God wanted the world to know that Jesus was coming to care, to love and to save all people – regardless of their station in life. From a pauper to a prince and from a shepherd to a scholar, Jesus was born for the salvation of everyone.

Jesus was a king born to a peasant and He would become the Shepherd for all the nations – guiding, protecting and loving His flock.

Scripture

Luke 2:8-18

Quote of the Day

“The shepherd drives the wolf from the sheep's throat, for which the sheep thanks the shepherd as his liberator, while the wolf denounces him for the same act as the destroyer of liberty.”
Abraham Lincoln

Question of the Day

What is your favorite image of Jesus?



Immanuel...God with us.

At Christmas time we often hear the old prophesies in the Bible which predict Jesus' birth and the promises God made regarding his birth and his life. Isaiah refers to the Messiah's coming through out his prophetic book and because of the woven tapestry of his message about the Messiah, we in the Christian church are most familiar with Isaiah's message.

When Isaiah rights about the coming of Jesus he refers to him under several different titles -  Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Wonderful Counselor (Isaiah 9:6)  - names to describe the triune - 3 in 1 God - as we know Him. But the name which God, Himself, gives Jesus through the prophet Isaiah is Immanuel - God with us.

Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, “Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.”...Therefore the Lord himself will give you^[c] a sign: The virgin^[d] will conceive and give birth to a son, and^[e] will call him Immanuel.

(Isaiah 7:10-11, 14)

God promised the people of Israel, the house of David, a sign of His presence and His enduring love - and that sign was Jesus. God told Israel that when the Messiah was born it would be God with them. And Jesus was God in human form.

When Jesus was born, He became the incarnate Son of God. He was God encased in a tiny human body. He was God with us. God fulfilled His promise to a doubting nation of Israel through the quiet and humble birth of His Son.

Immanuel, God with us, is a fitting name for Jesus, the One who understands our weakness and human frailty, because he too faced temptation, but who overcame the world so that we might always be with God.

Jesus' birth was the fulfillment of a prophecy, but more importantly it was the beginning of the reconciliation process between God and man. Jesus truly made it possible for God to be with us once again.

Scripture

Matthew 1:18-24

Quote of the Day

"What do you think of God," the teacher asked. After a pause, the young pupil replied, "He's not a think, he's a feel."

Paul Frost

Question of the Day

How do you feel God's presence with you?

The Birth Announcement

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."

Luke 2:10-11

Good News...

Often, that is how we hear the story of Jesus' birth, life, death and Resurrection referred; The Good News of Jesus Christ - or the Gospel. Jesus coming into the world was indeed a time of great news and God, His Father, wanted everyone to know about his arrival.

When you were born, your parents probably sent out cute announcements to their friends and family telling everyone how much you weighed, how long you were and at what time and on what date you were welcomed into their family. They were excited and overjoyed to share the news of your birth and the hope for your future.  But even though your parents have countless dreams as to how your life will develop and what you will one day accomplish, they could not write on their birth announcements that you will one day be a doctor or an NFL linebacker or a 4th grade teacher, because they did not and will not know for sure who you will become.

When God sent His angels to announce the birth of His Son there was no doubt as to Who He would one day be. He already was the Savior of the world. God wanted to make sure every person would know Who His Son was. And just as your parents were excited to share the news of your arrival, God wanted the world to know just how proud and excited He was to announce Jesus' arrival.

He is, after all, a very proud Papa.

Scripture

Luke 2:1-21

Quote of the Day

This is Christmas: not the tinsel, not the giving and receiving, not even the carols, but the humble heart that receives anew the wondrous gift, the Christ

Frank McKibbeon

Question of the Day

Fun Question....How much did you weigh when you were born?



The Word...

Words.

We use them everyday. We write them. We speak them.

Words can heal, hurt, love, destroy and uplift. Words are more powerful than nearly any man-made tool on this earth. With a single word or phrase, the whole world can be changed.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light....And God said... And it was so

Genesis 1: 3-7

When God spoke, the world and everything in and around it was created. This statement is amazing, but what is truly astounding is the rest of the story that we read in the book of John....

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.

John 1: 1-3

God spoke the world into being - - and the Word He used was Jesus. The Word was with God and the Word was God...through him ALL things were made. Jesus is at the center of the creation story - at the very beginning of all relationships between God and man. Jesus formed that bond and after man destroyed the relationship with God through his sinful act, Jesus became the reconciliation bridge to our salvation.

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 1:14

The Word took on the body of a human being - Jesus - so that we could experience the glory of once again being in relationship with God our Creator. He came in the form of a little baby to a young mother who was a willing servant.

As we prepare for the celebration of Jesus' birth, let us not forget that he always was and without him there never would have been...

Christmas is a time of remembering the beginning of the middle of the story, but we should also take a moment, in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season to remember that little baby was also there at the beginning of the story and he will be there at the end...

“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."

Revelation 22:12-13

Scripture

John 1:1-22

Quote of the Day

Colors fade, temples crumble, empires fall, but wise words endure.
Edward Thorndike

Thought of the Day

As you use your words today, chose them wisely; they have power beyond our wildest imaginings.

GUMY Christmas on SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4th @ 4PM - - ALL AGES

Transformer or Conformer

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[a] the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18

When I was a kid we had the original Transformers. They were robot toys that turned into cars or boats and they even had their own Saturday morning cartoon. The Transformers of the eighties were not as flashy or exciting or even as realistic as the Transformers of the 21st Century, but the premise was pretty much the same: Robots that can transform their bodies into something completely different from their original form.

Transformation is constantly happening in each of us. We are all, Christian and not-yet-Christian, in a state of transformation. We are either being transformed by the Spirit of Christ into the image of the One Who saved us or we are being transformed by the world which condemned Him.

For Christians, the transformation which takes place in each of us through Christ’s spirit is similar to how the Transformers twist and turn themselves into a new creation, only we transform from the inside out. When a Transformer changes shape, it does so because it needs to transform its shape to overcome the obstacle it is facing. The same is true for each of us in Christ. Our spirits are constantly being transformed to be more and more like Christ so that as we face new challenges, we can reflect the image of Christ to the world.

Unlike the Transformers, we may not be able to see at first glance who the Spirit of Christ is transforming, but we will know by the reflection of each person’s actions in love, peace, joy, hope and generosity that he or she is being transformed by Christ.

Similar to a transforming Christian, a person who is being transformed by the world may not be recognizable when you first see him or her, but the actions of that person will reflect the attitude and values of the world which is shaping him or her.

Transformation is happening all of the time. Each of us is shaped by experiences, trials, successes and failures. How our spirits chose to be transformed by the peaks and valleys of life will determine if we are being transformed by the Spirit of Christ or being conformed to the ways of the world.

You have a choice to either be a transformer for Jesus or a conformer for the world. Only you can decide which transformation you will make.

Scripture

2 Corinthians 3

Quote of the Day

“The Holy Spirit is God at work—creating, speaking, transforming us, living within us, working in us.”

Michael Morrison

Question of the Day

How can you better reflect the Holy Spirit to the people you see today?

Empathy to Angels....

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
Hebrews 13: 1-3

What does it mean to be empathetic to others?

Empathy is a fancy word for feeling what other people feel. To empathize with someone means that you feel what they feel; that you truly understand what that person is enduring.

Sometimes it can be very difficult to walk in someone else’s shoes. We want to understand the hardship of a friend or even a stranger, but the situation of our lives is so different it becomes difficult to truly understand where that person is coming from or the hardships another is experiencing.

To truly empathize with another is a hallmark of the Christian faith. We are called to live our lives with both the head and heart knowledge of the suffering and needs of others. When we see someone in pain we are called to empathize with them, not so that we too will be in pain, but so that we are motivated to help change the situation. When we remember others who are less fortunate than we are it helps us to understand how much we have to thank God for and we are inspired to share our blessings with those who have less than we do.

At times, empathizing with others’ misfortunes can be almost debilitating. Our heart will literally break for kids who are hungry, moms who are sick, dads who are out of work and people who are depressed. Empathizing is hard, but Jesus calls us to rely upon Him even in the most trying of circumstances.

The world is a hurting place and the love you share on behalf of Jesus can be like a healing salve on an open wound. You have the ability to walk along someone and help share their burden, even if that person is thousands of miles away. Each time you empathize with another in pain whether through prayer, acts of service, hospitality or gifts, you share the love of Jesus.

And in sharing the love of Christ, you may be surprised, that you have entertained angels!

Scripture

Matthew 25:31-45

Quote of the Day

The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy.

Meryl Streep

Question of the Day

Ask yourself today, who needs what only I can offer? It is within your power to supply that need.

GUMY Christmas... click on the link for details

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