May God bless and keep you today. Whether your celebration is personal or with a large group, I pray that God’s peace will overflow in you and fill the place you are in right now and that the God of hope will fill you with joy (Romans 15:13).
Have a Joyous and Peaceful Christmas!
10 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. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Me: There are countless times when I don’t know if I’m coming or going. I get pulled in so many different directions, I can be easily distracted or brought into the middle of all of these trying situations.
The Bible:
2Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
Psalm 103:1-2, ESV
Is this scripture a direct response to feeling stretched? Yes!
Psalm 103:1-2 are the verses exactly in the middle of the Bible. Knowing that all scripture is “breathed out by God and useful for teaching and training” (2 Timothy 3:16); the placement of Psalm 103:1-2 should not be downplayed or chalked up to coincidence.
In the middle of all the verses before and after, there is a reminder to Praise the Lord.
Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things;
let this be known to all the world.
Isaiah 12:5, NIV
Pausing to seek God through worship quiets our minds of the problems we face and focuses on the Prince of Peace.
Praising the Lord is our constant reminder to be humble, to be in awe of and to revere the sovereignty of God. And what a benefit, as the scripture says, it is to be loved by the King of Kings.
In three days we will celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Family time is so special and gifts are sweet but let’s remember to carve out a notable time of meaningful and heartfelt praise!
I will praise and worship God!
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
Luke 6:45, ESV
A good heart starts with being connected to the Source of all Good.
Inviting Jesus Christ into your heart is the start. For born again Christians, pursuing a deeper relationship with Him through prayer, studying His word and worship is the definition of our spiritual walk.
My words and actions are good because of my Good Father.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above
Me: The pain I endured as a child caused me to feel powerless and fight for control in almost any situation. Today, although I’m getting better. It is something I still struggle with. I don’t want to be anyone’s puppet.
Agni B via Unsplash
Jesus:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.
John 15:1-3 ESV
It may be the result of your own sin or something God allowed into your life. Chances are that it is a blend of both. Your pain is God’s tool to cleanse you spiritually.
Yes, our Father cuts us. We are branches connected to Christ, and the Father is a Gardener that prunes us. The Father intentionally allows pain into our lives. But, why?
This is something that we can avoid in the “spiritual living” section of most bookstores, but it is the truth of God’s Word (Hebrews 12:6). A gardener takes his knife to the shoots and the buds that stifle growth, so the branch can grow healthily. Pain is an inevitable part of the Christian life because it is God’s method of removing sinful habits and producing the character of Christ.
In one sense the Christian is already clean (this is your position in Christ), yet our daily lives don’t meet this standard. God desires to make you in practice who you already are in Christ! Think about some of the hardest, lowest periods of your life since knowing Christ. Weren’t those your greatest periods of growth?
Many of you reading this are dealing with deep and longstanding pain, even trauma in many cases. I am not downplaying that. However, the point is that God’s love and power are greater. Whatever your pain, regardless of the cause, God is using it to spur you toward spiritual maturity and clinging to Him.
Stop fighting for control and ask yourself, “Do I embrace God’s cleansing or am I running away from Him?” A problem free life is a lie.
Stop fighting Him for control. Seek the deeper things God wants to do in your life.
As we approach the holiday season and family and friend interaction increases, let’s take a look at what the bible says about anger and kindness.
Anger, when displayed for the right reason, is a healthy emotion. The bible talks about “righteous indignation” and points us towards a level of passion to solve problems. In modern terms, this type of anger would align with injustices that we see and some of us face.
Injustices, sufferings and afflictions, rightly make us angry, still we should be angry and we should not sin (Ephesians 4:26-27). Anger towards injustices is a stark contrast to worldly anger which often causes problems.
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention
Proverbs 15:18, ESV
Kindness should have no prerequisites, that is called being manipulative.
It is not about being deserving of kind actions or words but instead imitating the graciousness that our Lord extends to us daily (Ephesians 4:32).
Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy
Proverbs 28:13, ESV
Think of your current trial involving another person. Is this trial an injustice? Yes? Then be angry, but do not be sinful towards them, yourself or others.
Is this trial an offense? Yes? Then seek forgiveness, show the compassion of our Father and display kindness.
A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself
Think of a friend of yours. Possibly one you’ve known for some time.
How have you treated them over the years? Have you been kind? Have you offended them? Have your words been gracious? Have you had a disagreement?
I would bet you have answered ‘yes’ to each question. I know that I can.
I am blessed to have friendships. Some have spanned decades and others are new friendships. I am certain I have celebrated with them and I have been a shoulder and an ear. And I am certain I have offended them and I have sought their forgiveness.
It is important to note that friendships, like any relationship, should have clear boundaries and should not be harmful in any way.
The Bible is a roadmap for us for daily living. As born-again believers we can trust the truth of God’s Word.
In His Word, God gives us clear examples of a true friend. Engage with the Lord on these scriptures:
The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.
Proverbs 27:9, ESV
As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.
Proverbs 27:17, ESV
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Matthew 5:9, ESV
Today consider your friends and those who call you a friend. Begin to steer the foundation of your friendships to the heart.
In Christ, you can be a loving, encouraging, accountable, peace-making friend.
This month we’ll close with an affirmation that has been brought up in many different settings lately. I’ve spoken it or heard it said in one-on-one chats, in small groups, to friends and family and as a constant reminder to myself.
I AM NOT ALONE.
fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10, eSV
Photo by Suliman Sallehi
Beyond the physical isolation of today’s world, there is a battle against the isolation of suffering we may experience or hard times just from day to day.
In the varying trials, know that you are not alone. In the private tears, you are not alone.
In the wondering, in the waiting, in the questioning and persisting. In the second-guessing…
My dear friend, if you have not heard it lately, I will remind you that we serve a faithful God who is always with us. Yes, our stories are different, but we are the same as we walk in the daily pursuit of holiness and need of God’s renewing grace.
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:16, esv
More than a statement to fend off loneliness; pause and trust His promise. God is with you now and you are never alone.
Last week, I needed to pause. Nothing out of the ordinary happened, I just needed a pause.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30, ESV
In the scripture above, God is reminding us that rest and peace reside in Him. As a born-again Christian, living a life led by and seeking the will of God includes the Lord leading our rest.
The trend of self care gained popularity along with affirmations. And similar to affirmations I want to state that self care is good.
Also, just like affirmations, self care needs to be placed in the hands of our Heavenly Father.
Does your favorite self care activity include writing or dinner with friends? Are your actions and words God honoring, reflecting the love of Jesus? Is your favorite self care activity outdoor time? Do you marvel in the wonder of God and bask in His creation?
Photo by Herm Armstrong on Cheyenne Mountain
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2, ESV
I saw an affirming statement of self care stating something like “I am worth making time for”. You are surely valued and loved in the sight of our Lord but that statement also puts the responsibility on you.
“I am worth making time for a weekly prayer walk, where I can talk, hear and be with God”. That statement acknowledges that yes, you carve out the time and take the steps but God, He fulfills the promise.
Is your self care truly restorative? Place it in the hands of the Lord today and find His peace, rest and renewal.
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
In an attempt to seize the day, if we’re not careful, completely exhausted, totally depleted and utterly out of it are phrases that will come out of our mouths.
The pace of our current culture is out of control. The modern take of “carpe diem” is different from its origin which originally translates to “pluck the day”. This origin, which is part of a longer phrase, intended to spotlight an appreciation for life.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect
ROMAns 12:2, ESV
The modern twist has contributed to “seizing” or “conquering” a day with unrealistic deadlines and overfilled schedules. How can we have time for a renewed mind when we allow so many things to fill up our day?
As born-again Christians, part of the instruction to not conforming to this world includes opening our schedule to prioritize personal worship time with God.
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
ephesians 5:16, ESV
Walk in a manner that is God-honoring and pleasing to His will. There will be times that we will have to say “no” to things that would challenge our prayer, devotional and worship time. Instead, we are called to commit each day to the Lord.
Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.
proverbs 16:3, ESV
Starting our day focused on the Lord and through prayer committing our day, meetings, appointments, games, classes, conference calls, everything to Him pleases our Heavenly Father.
Gain back control of your schedule and truly seize each day by committing each day to the Lord. Consider consistency over timing and intent of heart over everything else.
Affirmed in Christ 