Psalms 27:8 (AMP) When You said, “Seek My face [in prayer, require My presence as your greatest need],” my heart said to You, “Your face, O Lord, I will seek [on the authority of Your word].”
What is the greatest desire in your life right now? What you spend the most time thinking on is what is the most important to you. Every Sunday morning, I get notification on my phone about how much screen time I use. My goal is to keep it under five hours per day, I would really like to keep it under three hours per day. Why? I do not want it to be what I spend most of my day on.
Matthew 6:19-21 (AMP) Do not store up for yourselves [material] treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart [your wishes, your desires; that on which your life centers] will be also.
God wants us to live wonderful, abundant lives. Where does my joy come from though? What is the most important need you have right now? Does it make sense to work two to three jobs, stop your involvement in your local church, or even stop attending, stop giving, all for the need of one day having more than you do right now? What does God ask us to do? Seek Him as your greatest need. I do not want anything from anyone, but for them to seek God for their vital necessity. If I ask to spend time with them, it is not to get in their business, it is to point them to Christ. I want to share the fullness that I have with you and let you know that it is possible, even with all of my imperfections.
Matthew 6:24 (AMP) No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].
You will grow lukewarm in your love for God if seeking Him is not your first priority. Being a good person is not what He asked of you. He said to seek Him as your vital necessity. Whoa, this is pretty serious blog. Yes, it is. This is life and death when it comes to what you seek after. We live in a society that want to see what they can get from others. What relationships will drive them higher in the social status. None of that is important. None of that lasts. Whatever you have to strive for and sacrifice for to get, you will eventually have to keep hustling to stay there. This is the biggest trick of the enemy for your time here on earth. He wants you focused on anything other than God. He never wants you to live in fullness here. You may say, “that is why I am hustling so hard.” Putting your hands to work is necessary, especially if you want to eat, but with what heart are you doing it. What is the intent behind it. There is a promise with the seeking.
Matthew 6:33 (AMP) But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.
I am girl that likes nice things, and my husband spoils me with gifts and trips. That is not where my joy comes from though. Yes, we have a house, and everyone has their own car, but we are not living beyond our means. It was not always like that for us. When we got married, both of us had started jobs that very month. The furniture we started with was given to us. Our first home was bought from the bank because it was a repossession, and it was awful looking. We still own the first piece of furniture we bought for ourselves, and it was from a discount store. We almost lost our home, we had to go without internet and cable, and our power has been turned off. What we did not do it stop tithing, attending and serving in our local church. We did not stop seeking God as our vital necessity. I believe we are in the place we are today because we have matured deeper in what that means. I see it when I serve others, that I am seeking Him as my vital necessity.
Another thing that I love about our family is that we encourage each other to put God first. Secondly, in my marriage there is nothing that I would prefer to do than to spend time with my husband. When we are in a room together, we are available intellectually to each other, not just physically. Nothing is more important in that room than each other. If he is playing a video game or watching a show and I want to share something, it goes on pause. If I am reading and he comes in the room and wants to share something, the music goes on pause and the book goes down. This is what makes each other feel valued.
Isaiah 30:18 (AMP) Therefore the Lord waits [expectantly] and longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed (happy, fortunate) are all those who long for Him [since He will never fail them].
What are you longing for right now? What are you looking forward to? What are your dreams for yourself? What are your hopes for your family? Do not leave our the most important thing, seek Him as your vital necessity. Seek His face. Seek His heart. All that other stuff I can trust Him with because He cares for me deeply. What I press into matters. So, I am choosing to press further into His Presence. Here I am God. I know I am secure because my God wants good things for me, and He does for you too.
1 Thessalonians 3:12 (AMP) And may the Lord cause you to increase and excel and overflow in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you
This has been my prayer for the last few months for my church. As the pastors of Connect Church, we admit that we have not loved well. We want to be better, but we know we cannot do it in our own striving. We have to surrender that part of us to God. Why? The Lord will get the glory.
For the past few weeks, we have used Colossians 3:12-14 (MSG) as our base scripture and have been building on it in new ways. We are asking God to show us all directions of it, so that we may get the fullness of it for ourselves and in turn for our church.
Colossians 3″12-14 (MSG) So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.
Too often we have walked away from relationships that could have encouraged each party to grow closer in the Lord. We often forget that the promises that are found in God’s Word were written for imperfect people, and we can be the most imperfect of them all. We have this hope, “I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).” We often hold close to this for personal reasons, but I cannot help but notice the next verse, “It is right for me to think this of you all because I have you in my heart…” Do we really think this for ourselves and not for others? I want to love better. So, I have changed my thoughts when negative ones come up about someone else, no matter what happened in the past. The first step in loving well is to think better.
The most important place to learn to love well is to abound in the presence of God. John 15 tells us about abiding. Jesus tells us that part of the abiding is the surrender. I have to surrender the hard things too, so that He can make them bear the fruit of what a relationship with Christ looks like. He says in John 15:10 (MEV), “If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, even as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.” In order for me to love well, I have to remain in the love that can never run dry. This is the garment of love that I have to put on. In His love, I can love well.
Galatians 5:22-23 (AMP) But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.
The opposite of love is fear, which is rooted in pride. It was the first acceptance of Adam that sin had entered the garden. Pride was what brought fear, the desire to be God (to judge right from wrong) had brought death and with it fear and shame (Genesis 3:10). When people do not meet my expectation and they disappoint it is because I am still trying to be judge. I have to surrender that. In order to love well, I have to think better. I know not everyone is going to do the same with me and that is okay. I will not take an account and hold it against them; I am going love well. Not everyone is going to keep their word, I am going to love well. There are going to be those that purposely count you out, I am going to love well. Instead of repeating the matter and get people on my side, I am going to love well.
Here is my prayer now, it was taken from Paul’s writing in Philippians 1:9-11: “This I pray, that our love may abound more and more, growing deeper, in real knowledge and in practical insight, so that we may learn to recognize and treasure what is excellent. That we identify with wisdom the best for each other. That we may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ. We have a desire to lead others out of darkness and into light. That we are filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ. Our desire is to the glory and praise of God, that His glory may be both revealed and recognized. In Jesus Name, Amen.“
I really have a desire for all to grow deeper in their relationship with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Sometimes it comes to admitting that in order to grow, I have to love better. Father, teach me how to love well.
Romans 12:12 (NIV) Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
This past weekend I had the joy of driving nearly six hours, to and from, the LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. I was in the car by myself to meet up with a friend. We keep up with each other via Facebook, text and an occasional phone call. We met when I opened up a childcare center, eighteen years ago. Her oldest daughter and my oldest son are the same age, and she coached tiny tikes’ soccer for them that year. It has been over ten years since they moved out of the area, but we kept in touch. So, when she called me last year to ask if I wanted to attend this event with her, a year in advance, I said yes. She made all of the lodging arrangements and all I had to do was show up, she even purchased my ticket for the event. Coming from the planner in the family, it was a big deal of trust to allow someone else to do it for you.
I used to think you had to be special for God to use you, but now I know you simply need to say yes.
Bob Goff
I knew three of the four speakers on the line up for the weekend, Lysa Terkeurst, Lisa Harper and Jackie Hill Perry. The last time I attended the event I heard from Lisa Bevere. With Lisa Harper I have been able to attend other of her meetings. This was the first time to hear Lysa Terkeurst in person. I am a big reader when it comes to the Christian Living genre and those three Lisa’s are my favorites. Annie F. Downs was the unknown to me, however, I did enjoy hers a lot. The theme for the weekend was “Hope.” All four of the speakers had a unique message on the theme.
Lysa Terkeurst was the first night. If you know who she is, then you would know that she had gone through some heart break with the ending of her marriage the past few years. Her book “Uninvited” is what really helped me through the time of feeling like I was thrown away when I lost my job at a Christian non-profit over six years ago. Her base scripture was Romans 12:12, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” When she found out her husband was being unfaithful, she hoped that God would keep her family together, she did not want to lose what she had. She had to be joyful in hope. She explained that God has told us to steward what He has given us, not to control it. Control led to anxiety, inviting in fear, depression and resentment. To steward meant she was going to trust God with the outcome, which led to greater faith, surrender and peace. She reminded us that we are to take heart, to take courage and to count it all joy. Then be patient in affliction. Look for ways and opportunities to bless others, keeping the focus off of yourself. Finally, and most importantly, pray continually. It is safe to present our requests to God. Pray for Him to show you someone to forgive. Pray for Him to show you someone to bless. Pray for Him to show you His goodness today. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God (Matthew 5:8).” Lysa announced that she has remarried to an amazing man that has taken her family as her own. He cheers her on and she knows she is loved.
Lisa Harper was our opening speaker for Saturday morning. She makes the who room light up and will have you laughing so hard with her hilarious adventures. 1 Peter 1:3, “Blessed [gratefully praised and adored] be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant and boundless mercy has caused us to be born again [that is, to be reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] to an ever-living hope and confident assurance through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (AMP).” We have a living hope. We can rejoice because of this living hope. She read the story of Peter returning to fishing after Jesus was crucified, found in John 21. Jesus went to Peter before Peter said he was sorry. One of the biggest problems we have in the church is that we are quick to judge and slow to forgive. The key to living hope is to never forget that we need mercy.
The third speaker, Annie F. Downs, was new to me. I did purchase her book, “Looking for Lovely,” and am looking forward to reading it soon. She is a big fan of looking for fun and inviting others in. She often looks for opportunities to bring in non-believers. “The joy of unbelievers in your life is the joy of seeing God pursue them.” I am one of those who will look for opportunities to hang out with non-churchy people. How can I be the light if I only hide within other lights? When you live in the fullness of who Jesus is, you will change the rooms you enter. Her key verse was Romans 5:3-5 “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love (NLT).” We chase hope, by chasing joy, so chase fun. Fun always requires vulnerability. When you are vulnerable then you know that you are known and loved. Fun invites connection. Fun will help you remember what you may have forgotten. We need joy in us, for others. In Christ we are not without hope. “Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it (1 Peter 3:15).” Be prepared to give a reason for the hope that you have. We cannot only be friends with each other.
The closer for the event was Jackie Hill Perry, on Sunday morning. Jackie spoke of hope from the story of Hannah, as found in 1 Samuel. She talked about the importance of prayers of petition. Her first point was that they must be a problem. Before we send up a prayer to heaven it is because we have identified a problem on earth. Hannah’s problem was her infertility. She felt both internal shame, and external shame. When everything is bad, God is still good. Do not be tempted to redefine things by your circumstances, stick to the scriptures. Her second point was to identify the pattern. Hannah’s issue was not short lived; she struggled for years. Every year when she was supposed to worship, she was reminded and was provoked. Although she was experiencing the love poured out by her husband and his favor, she allowed the irritation of his other wife to depress her. She was not able to eat, means she was not able to commit to worship, she held back her worship. All she had space for was the grief. God is committed to eliminate all avenues of boasting in our lives. Jesus did not go immediately to Lazarus, so that God would the glory. What if God is committed to your sanctification more than your comfort. Her third point was the Petition. Hannah gets up and does not go to her vices to numb her anxiety, she goes to the temple to pray. Instead of bringing her emotions, she brought her whole self. She starts off her prayer not by addressing the problem, not by addressing the pattern, but the Person of God. She calls Him the Lord of Hosts. A name to boost her confidence. The Lord of Hosts can give joy where there should be grief. Everything we have is a gift, and she was going to commit to give her child back to Him. Sometimes we are asking God to give us things that we have not intention on giving back to Him. God will not give you an idol. Nothing we have is ours to keep. When she prayed, she prayed out all of her cares. When she released it, her countenance changed. Prayer of petition is more than getting what you want, it is putting yourself in position for peace to come. Are you desperate enough for Him? Hannah was made to be His created before she was made to be a mother. She worshipped freely in the release, before she had her son. The Lord is faithful.
I hope you enjoyed my notes from this weekend. They do not do it justice from being in the atmosphere of 10,000 women worshiping together. If I can encourage you to do anything is to say ‘yes’ to things that bring you out of your comfort, that will challenge you. In doing so, look for opportunities to bless others. Look for someone to love, to forgive and to show His grace.
2 Chronicles 30:8 (AMP) Now do not stiffen your neck [becoming obstinate] like your fathers, but yield to the Lord and come to His sanctuary which He has sanctified and set apart forever, and serve the Lord your God, so that His burning anger will turn away from you.
Stiff necked really got my attention. My body takes the brunt of stress. Some areas I have felt it is in my lower back, but lately it has been the right side of my neck. Which makes it really hard to look for other cars to change lanes. I have to turn my whole upper body. Yesterday I was able to move my neck fluidly with ease and it was wonderful. Then I remembered the position of peace that I have been in lately. That happens when thanksgiving is what you think of more and you count it all as joy.
2 Chronicles 24:19 (AMP) Yet God sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord; these prophets testified against them, but they would not listen.
What happens when we start allowing the Word to do the work in and through us? “For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12)” My mind is the gateway to my soul. My soul is what needs to be renewed daily. My mind will affect my heart, my attitude and eventually my body (3 John 1:2). I have to remain teachable. I have to put myself in a position to be challenged so that I can continue to grow. Part of this cultivating that God is doing takes change within us (1 Corinthians 3:9).
The Israelites were God’s chosen people. What happened to them when they would not listen? They started losing wars. They would have tribes captured. They even fought amongst each other. We are also called God’s chosen people.
Colossians 3:12-14 (AMP) So, as God’s own chosen people, who are holy [set apart, sanctified for His purpose] and well-beloved [by God Himself], put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience [which has the power to endure whatever injustice or unpleasantness comes, with good temper]; bearing graciously with one another, and willingly forgiving each other if one has a cause for complaint against another; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so should you forgive. Beyond all these things put on and wrap yourselves in [unselfish] love, which is the perfect bond of unity [for everything is bound together in agreement when each one seeks the best for others].
Colossians 3:12-14 (MSG) So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.
As God’s chosen people we need to be wearing the wardrobe that sets us apart. I talked about wardrobe on Sunday. How we dress reflects how we feel about ourselves, whether you want to admit it or not. We can be defensive and say it does not matter how I dress; God loves me for who I am. That is true, but do you love yourself? One of the biggest signs that we set the standards in our lives and not God is being defensive. Which is another way of nicely saying living in offense. That is what I thought about when I read the “stiff necked people.” I really did an inward look at myself. I do not want to live in a way that I am looking only at what offends me. Worry is the reason for my stiff neck, and it is offensive to God. Which means I need to be putting on another fresh garment of love.
Seeking God as my vital necessity is the quickest way to put on the right set of clothes. What we wear is important to God. He tells us to put on the garment of love. This is not some love power that the enemy has twisted. This is a garment that we never have to worry about outgrowing, actually, we get to grown more into it. It will never be out of style.
What if what I choose to be offended at stops the growth in the lives of the people I love? Or even myself? So, ask yourself, am I wearing the right garment? Yielding to the Lord is not a bad thing, it a place of strength. Going back into the opening verse, come to the sanctuary that He has sanctified and set apart forever. He is talking about His chosen people. We are the temple (together as a body) being built up in unity for His glory. A unified temple cannot stand if it is filled with strife and offense. I have to take those garments off and put on the garment of love. It will work on that stiff neck and move the way God created it to.
Abba, Father, my Adonai, You are so Marvelous and Wonderful. Your Holiness cannot be compared. You set all of creation in motion and we cannot help to speak of Your Goodness and Mercy. Your Loving Kindness is the Banner over us. Thank You for Your Son, to be the Restorer of our Purpose. Thank You for the Holy Spirit to be the Comforter, Teacher and Cultivator. We take Your Word as Truth and we worship You in Spirit and Truth. Let nothing we do be looked at as mere lip service, but You have searched the deep things in our lives. We repent for putting on garments that we were no longer to wear, such as offense, strife and selfishness. We repent for putting on the garments of worry. All of those result in a stiffness and rigidity that keeps Your temple (Your body) from unity and glorifying You. We are choosing to clothe ourselves in Your perfect Love. We are choosing to forgive freely. We are choosing to walk in Your Peace and Joy. We desire You as our vital necessity. In Jesus Name, Amen.
John 4:23-24 (AMP) But a time is coming and is already here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit [from the heart, the inner self] and in truth; for the Father seeks such people to be His worshipers. God is spirit [the Source of life, yet invisible to mankind], and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
The Father seeks such people to be His worshipers. Who are such people? Those are the people who search within themselves. Part of my growing deeper in my walk with God has to do with the inward change, not just the outward change. I do care about how I present myself, but it should matter more how I present myself to God. The biggest tell is how I treat going to church. In my culture we have watered down reverence so much to go so far from legalism that it has turned into lawlessness. What is the difference, not much, because neither reveres a Holy God. It is how we see God. We treat church as common, not really special, something ordinary. We have gone so far from the importance of it because of the few that abused their authority in it. So much so, that I am even watching how I approach people in my own church. The enemy has a done a good job of making sure that when we join together, we are still powerless. However, there is a remnant. There is hope. I am not writing just about my church, but the body of Christ in general.
Psalms 145:18 (NLT) The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth.
Isaiah 29:13 (NLT) And so the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.”
He also requests that we worship Him in truth. That is the opposite of lip service. Lip service is not taking God’s Word as serious, but as common, no real change happens. It is not taking the promises of God as real. Those who offer lip service, and still go through the motions, have missed out on what reverence means. How we receive the Word (spoken and written) has all to do with the honor we give it. Reverence is shown in the fruit of our application. It has come to a point that a common treatment of attendance, in fellowship or even how we approach worship is normal. That reverence is now seen as radical Christianity. We have made it a point to get so far from the legalism that the church got into (that the building is not the church but the people) that it has turned out that we do not even attend services with a reverence for a Holy God. We treat it as common. Even if you do not show up for a service, it will be okay, I can catch it later online…but really what do I miss. That is a common thought life on what God tells us is important.
Ephesians 2:21 (NLT) We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.
Hebrews 10: 24-25 (NLT) Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
Acts 2:42 (AMP) They were continually and faithfully devoting themselves to the instruction of the apostles, and to fellowship, to eating meals together and to prayers.
During my time in corporate prayer yesterday I was interceding for the body of Christ and God put this on my heart. He asked, “am I glorified in this?” How we approach our fellowship with the body, is He glorified in this? In how we gather together for worship and the teaching of the Word, is He glorified in this? When we meet each other in public, is He glorified in this? I had to admit to myself, no. He does not get glory when we treat what should be in spirit and truth as common, nothing special.
Romans 12:1 (AMP) Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.
Colossians 3:12-17 (AMP) So, as God’s own chosen people, who are holy [set apart, sanctified for His purpose] and well-beloved [by God Himself], put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience [which has the power to endure whatever injustice or unpleasantness comes, with good temper]; bearing graciously with one another, and willingly forgiving each other if one has a cause for complaint against another; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so should you forgive. Beyond all these things put on and wrap yourselves in [unselfish] love, which is the perfect bond of unity [for everything is bound together in agreement when each one seeks the best for others]. Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always]. Let the [spoken] word of Christ have its home within you [dwelling in your heart and mind—permeating every aspect of your being] as you teach [spiritual things] and admonish and train one another with all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus [and in dependence on Him], giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Nothing we do as born-again believers should be common. We should not treat anything as common. We should be excited to gather together. We should be in awe of the gifts in each other’s lives working together. We should be beaming with joy at the growth spiritually in each other. I was so excited to hear how God was speaking to each one of us individually during our corporate prayer yesterday. There are places that I go every day of the week, as a schedule, but my schedule should not be seen as common. There I can worship God in spirit and truth. Every day is another day to give Him glory. Every time I come into the house of God to worship, I expect to hear God in a different way than I did when I was seeking Him privately. He is the same, but it is never common. It may look radical to you, but it is definitely not common.
Abba, our Father, our Jehovah, You are Holy. You are everything we will ever need. You are so Marvelous and Wonderful. Thank You for You Son, our Redeemer and our Prince of Peace. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, our Teacher and Comforter. Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for Your Presence that never leaves us nor forsakes us. Thank You for Your Mercy and Loving Kindness. We repent for treating our lives as common. We repent for acting like nothing special happens past us receiving Your Son as Savior. We repent for going through the motions of worship and not truly worshiping You in Spirit and in Truth. We repent for the lip service. Lip service does not glorify You. Our desire is to bring You glory, for Your Kingdom to be established here on earth. Check within us Lord, search within us, and remove anything that keeps us from growing deeper in You. You are anything but common to us. Your Word is a lamp to our feet. We take Your Word as special. Every day is special and new. We cannot wait to join in with other believers and glorify Your Name. We repent for not thinking meeting together as important to You. We choose joy today. We choose hope today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Genesis 13:16 (AMP) I will make your descendants [as numerous] as the dust of the earth, so that if a man could count the [grains of] dust of the earth, then your descendants could also be counted.
I do not know about you, but that sounds like a world vision to me. As numerous as the dust of the earth. God did not say just one part of the earth or territory. He was talking big. I was reading Joshua the other day and I got to the part that Caleb (one of the only two original survivors to come out of Egypt) was getting his land inheritance. I was intrigued by where he requested and I remembered something.
Joshua 14:11-14 (NIV) I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.” Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.
I remembered reading about Hebron when I was in Genesis last month. So I looked up where I had read it before and it was in Genesis 13. Right after God gave this revelation to Abraham, Abraham settled in Hebron and made an altar (he and Sarah are buried there). This occurred after Lot and he separated. Originally, God told Abraham to leave his family and go to a certain land. Abraham left, but took his nephew, Lot. They had to separate because of land and resources for their livestock, so Abraham settled elsewhere. God spoke to Abraham about his descendants being as numerous as the dust of the earth. Abraham made an altar (his second one) in Hebron.
I looked up the meaning of Hebron. It means community, an alliance, also united. Now we can make this personal and say that God united with Abraham and that is what Hebron is about. However, God talked about Abraham’s descendants. This was not just about Abraham, even though it started with him. I believe God had His Son on His mind when He told Abraham about his descendants. When Matthew recorded the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1, he started with Abraham and also made note that Jesus is a descendant of King David. Check out where David was anointed king (another time after Samuel did) and eventually ruled for nearly seven years.
2 Samuel 5:3 (AMP) So all the elders (tribal leaders) of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord; and they anointed him king over Israel.
1 Chronicles 12:38 (MEV) All these made up the men of war, arranged in ranks, who came to Hebron with a sincere heart to make David king over all Israel, along with the all the rest of Israel who with one heart came to make David king.
Hebron was nothing of significance in the New Testament, but I can see why. Jesus fulfilled what God told Abraham that day. Look at Galatians 3:29 (AMP), “And if you belong to Christ [if you are in Him], then you are Abraham’s descendants, and [spiritual] heirs according to [God’s] promise.” There is significance in us being one of his descendants, and it is not a selfish one.
Ephesians 2:19-22 (AMP) So then you are no longer strangers and aliens [outsiders without rights of citizenship], but you are fellow citizens with the saints (God’s people), and are [members] of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the [chief] Cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together, and it continues [to increase] growing into a holy temple in the Lord [a sanctuary dedicated, set apart, and sacred to the presence of the Lord]. In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Look at the big picture. That is what God was telling Abraham that day. Do not just look at the fact that we are citizens of heaven and, that we have the inheritance of Abraham. Stop fussing about titles and leaders in the church, it is all a distraction from the bigger picture. Look at what God said, and in the place He said it. As numerous as the dust of the earth in a location that literally means community. We are to be joined together. Unity of His people from the descendants of the faith of Abraham. Abraham trusted God and was referred to as His friend. We have to come together. We need community. In a community we care for one another and support one another. It was about us. I am one of those dust pieces. I am not insignificant, I am needed in the body of Christ and so are you.
Abba, our Father, our Good Shepherd, You are so Wonderful and Amazing. You are so Holy. Thank You for Your Son, the fulfillment of Love. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, the Teacher and Comforter. Thank You for Your Word, Your full Word, so that we can know You more. Thank You for the fullness of who You are. Thank You for Your Mercy and Loving kindness. You had us in mind from the very beginning. We repent for not seeing community as significant. We repent for trying to go at life apart from Your body. Thank You for being the same God and never changing. Thank You for the patience for us to see the bigger picture as revealed by Your Holy Spirit. We see now that You desired us united even from the beginning. We are Your workmanship and we are being built up TOGETHER for Your glory. We choose forgiveness today. We choose joy today. We choose hope today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Proverbs 16:9 (AMP) A man’s mind plans his way [as he journeys through life], but the Lord directs his steps and establishes them.
The year of 2025 I have dedicated to “Here I am,” listening for the God moments to change direction. This Monday, as I was at the gym, it was time for me to get on the track. For the past few weeks I have been able to jog some of the track. I am really excited about the progress I am making on my time. However, I was just not feeling too good. I was a little queasy and my head started hurting. Of which I thought was strange because I had not changed anything on my diet. I kept going on the track, but I walked.
As I am walking the track, I am listening to my worship mix and praying. Thanking Him for another day to glorify Him. Praying over my body to come back in line. Then I notice one of my older gentleman friends step out of his cycling class. He has his back against the wall and we smile at each other as I walk by. My next lap around and he is still standing there, we smile at each other and I walk by. The next lap another gentleman is talking to him, they are exchanging pleasantries, but I notice a change in his complexion, we smile and I walk by. I am done with my workout, but I am going to walk by just one more time. He is still standing there and his color is completely gone. I go up to him, touch his arm and said, “How about we go sit down? The color is gone from your face, so let’s go get you cooled off.” So there I am walking him to the bench, my hand inside his arm (as if he is leading, but my body in place to catch him if he falls back). To give you a picture of our contrast difference in stature, my friend has clearly got a foot on me and he is at the gym daily. He is older by a few decades, but is the sweetest man. However, I am ready to shield his head with my body if need be.
We make it to the bench and I go grab him a cold towel to put around the back of his neck. I stand with him and exchange small talk until I see the color come back to his cheeks. He can stand again and is much better. I make sure to linger talking to other patrons and talking pleasantries about their going on’s, while keeping an eye on my buddy. He is able to leave and I head out the door as well. All of my previous symptoms of head ache and nausea are gone and I praise God for slowing me down to notice. Then I remember the time Paul was kept back from doing good for better.
Acts 16:6-10 (AMP) Now they passed through the territory of Phrygia and Galatia, after being forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in [the west coast province of] Asia [Minor]; and after they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; so passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. Then a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man from [the Roman province of] Macedonia was standing and pleading with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” And when he had seen the vision, we (including Luke) tried to go on into Macedonia at once, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
What I love about this example is that Paul was in the process of moving when the Holy Spirit stopped him. All too often we tell God we are waiting on Him when we have stayed still. Paul went in another direction and yet the Holy Spirit stopped him again. In the movement Paul’s heart was still inclined to the voice. It is in our try that we can hear the voice of God, if we have ears to hear.
What if I had paid too much attention to my symptoms and decided to head back home? Before I leave the house every day I pray for God to give me an opportunity to glorify and honor Him that day. Looking for opportunities means I have to step outside of myself.
1 John 3:16 (AMP) By this we know [and have come to understand the depth and essence of His precious] love: that He [willingly] laid down His life for us [because He loved us]. And we ought to lay down our lives for the believers.
Eli and I were reading our daily devotion before he goes to school and this was today’s verse: “An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends,” taken from Proverbs 18:1 in the New International Version. An unfriendly person isolates theirself was the message of today’s devotion. That is not the message of Christ. If I only serve in church and my family then I have missed the message of Christ (this is for me because my kids are grown). I am still only pursuing what matters to self. I have limited God with my availability. I praise God for the interruptions. There was no other reward that I received other than that man felt cared for by someone that did not have to. Do you know what I go the next day when I saw him? A great big hug and thank you.
In the midst of my self care I was still available. I was the vessel to tell him that he was seen and that he mattered. God says that about each one of us. It is in the moments like Monday that it became tangible. Are we paying attention? I am glad I did not jog that day, I may have missed seeing what was most important.
Isaiah 6:8 (AMP) Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
Father, thank you that we have eyes to see and ears to hear. You tell us the direction to go, we only need to be willing to move. Thank you for the interruptions to our plans for the better. In Jesus Name, Amen.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (AMP) All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.
At the beginning of every year I pull out a stack of books to read. My intention is to read from the stack, but as usual I see a new book, and I have to buy it and read it right away. Included in my books are devotions, Bible Studies, and my Bible. In the middle of last year I slowed down my momentum as I had allowed a distraction to dwindle out my hunger. Thankfully I have moved out of it and started reading again. I also started reading a verse at a time in Ephesians and really digging into the greek translations of some of the words, as well as, getting into the context of what Paul was writing for that book. I hope to complete it in 2025 and will share some deep insights. Like last year, I have pulled out a few books to get you some of my favorites. Here is what I read in 2024:
7 Devotionals:
Life in His Presence by Sarah Young
Emmanuel by Ruth Chou Simons
Jesus Calling by Sarah Young
From Faith to Faith by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland
Daily Devotions from Psalms by Joyce Meyer
Live in Grace, Walk in Love by Bob Goff
Be Joyful by Joyce Meyer
39 Books:
You’re Valuable to God by Terri Savelle Foy
Is God Speaking to Me by Lysa Terkerurst
Praying Circles Around Your Children by Mark Batterson
How to Pray by Joyce Meyer
Raised in the Pew by Re’na Garcia
Don’t Shrink Your Dream! Enlarge Your Faith! by Terri Savelle Foy
Humility the Joy of Self-Forgetfulness by Gavin Ortlund
The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Timothy Keller
The Three Battlegrounds by Francis Frangipane
Break Up with What Broke You by Christian Bevere
Living in Absolute Freedom by Donna Parton
Victory Over Darkness by Neil Anderson
Breaking Intimidation by John Bevere
Testosterone Matters by Gary Donovitz
A Heart Like His by Beth Moore
Get Out of that Pit by Beth Moore
Wicked Women of the Bible by Ann Spangler
The Meaning of Marriage by Timothy Keller
Let it Go by Karen Ehman
It’s Not About You by Max Lucado
The Believer’s Authority by Kenneth Hagin
Understanding the Purpose and Power of Prayer by Dr. Myles Munroe
Unmasking the Jezebel Spirit by John Paul Jackson
Strategic Pastoral Counseling by David Benner
The Names of Jesus by A.B. Simpson
Do Yourself a Favor…Forgive by Joyce Meyer
Sheep Goats and Wolves by Mark Barclay
Good Boundaries and Goodbyes by Lysa Terkeurst
How to Always Reap a Harvest by Mark Barclay
Improving Your Performance by Mark Barclay
Six Ways to Check Your Leading by Mark Barclay
Avoiding the Pitfalls of Familiarity by Mark Barclay
Drawing Near by John Bevere
Finding God’s Life for My Will by Mike Donehey
Redefined by Arden Bevere
The Missing Read Letters by Mark Barclay
Are You Praying for the Wrong Thing? by Travis Greene
Supernatural Provision for Your Vision by Jerry Savelle
Raised to Stay by Natalie Runion
The Three Battle Grounds by Francis Frangipane: An in-Depth view of the three arenas of Spiritual Warfare: The mind, the church and the heavenly places. Spiritual Warfare is not some cookie nonsense. Now, there are some fruity some that Christians do that do not line up with the Word. First and foremost, there will be a constant renewal you will need to do with your mind. Your mind, will and emotions are what makes up your soul. Many Christians are still bound to what we call strongholds, there is freedom in Christ, but most Christians do not know how to access that freedom. “What men call “salvation” is simply the first stage to God’s plan for our lives, which is to conform out character and power to the image of Jesus Christ. If we fail to see our relationship to God as such, we will allow too many areas within us to remain unchanged. Pulling down strongholds is the demolition and removal of our old ways of thinking so that the actual presence of Jesus Christ can be manifested through us.” If we want to be effective in the body of Christ and bring Heaven down, then we need to start with some tearing down of some strongholds. The Battleground of the Church was very intriguing to me because of my love for the church. Here are the titles of the chapters in this section: The Lord Whose Sword is Drawn, Beware of the Stronghold of Cold Love, The Gift of Discernment, Eliminating False Discernment, Repairers of the Breach, God’s Army of Worshipers, Casting Down the Accuser of the Brethren. Here is what he has to say about those who claim they do not need the church, they just need Jesus. “To those whose attitude is, ‘I am content with just Jesus and me,’ I say it is wonderful that you have found Jesus. But you cannot truly have Jesus and simultaneously not do what He says. The outgrowth of love and faith in Christ is love and faith like Christ’s, which means we are committed, even as He is, to His people. You see, the kingdom of God is most perfectly revealed in our relationships with one another. To have the kingdom, we must be committed to one another as individuals and as churches.” We must also be aware of the Battleground of Heavenly Places. Remember we do not fight against flesh and blood, but no person should try to usurp control over your relationship with Christ. There are many voices trying to ring out, pay attention to the one that points to Christ. The anti-Christ spirit will hate conforming to the Word of God. This spirit hates when you talk about surrender. I spent a lot of time reading books on the Jezebel Spirit this year. I wanted to understand more. Basically, this spirit hates authority because they want to be in control. This is often birthed out of offense. All of this ties back into renewing your mind in the Word daily.
Drawing Near: A life of intimacy with God by John Bevere: I love reading John Bevere’s books. I also recommend getting the app MessengerX, it is free. There are so many courses you can view and podcasts to listen to. I was attracted to this book because my heart’s desire is to have a lifestyle of intimacy with God. I want to minister through the overflow. As we mature in Christ we learn the balance of works and worship. “Many well meaning believers have fallen into the trap of replace time with God with busy Christian lifestyles. This can also include the deceptive and continuous labor in ministry.” God dwells where we reverence Him (a healthy fear of the Lord) and we are within the realm of humility. We are still fighting our flesh here and one of those areas we have to fight against is the right to self. We should not be first place in our lives. I do not want to live that way anyways. It is too exhausting. James 4:6-10 (AMP) But He gives us more and more grace [through the power of the Holy Spirit to defy sin and live an obedient life that reflects both our faith and our gratitude for our salvation]. Therefore, it says, “God is opposed to the proud and haughty, but [continually] gives [the gift of] grace to the humble [who turn away from self-righteousness].” So submit to [the authority of] God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him] and he will flee from you. Come close to God [with a contrite heart] and He will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; and purify your [unfaithful] hearts, you double-minded [people]. Be miserable and grieve and weep [over your sin]. Let your [foolish] laughter be turned to mourning and your [reckless] joy to gloom. Humble yourselves [with an attitude of repentance and insignificance] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up, He will give you purpose]. The closer you live this way, the less you live for yourself. The opposite can also be found in us when we live for ourselves, we will be found in rebellion and pride. The defense of self is rooted in pride. Do you desire peace in your life? Get a hold of what God’s definition of humility is. I am so serious about wanting to get over this area that I also read two other books on the subject, Humility the Joy of Self-Forgetfulness by Gavin Ortlund and The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Timothy Keller. They are in my reading pile again this year.
The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God by Timothy Keller with Kelly Keller: Every year my husband and I do a message for Love Sunday, which coincides with Valentine’s Day weekend. This is one of the books I read to prepare for in 2024 and am still going back to some things in 2025. Do you want to know what the number one killer for a marriage is? Self-centeredness. Many go into a marriage thinking it will make their lives better. Spoiler alert. Marriage is a greater way to serve. When we look to anyone other than Christ to fulfill our every need, then we are going to be disappointed. Whether you are the husband of the wife, you are not to sacrifice for yourself but for the other. Ephesians 5:21 (AMP) Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. How we treat our spouse is a direct reflection of our reverential fear of the Lord. “Serving your spouse also means showing that you are committed to his or her well-being and flourishing. This kind of love is given when you seek to help your spouse develop gifts and pursue aspirations for growth. There is no greater way for Christian spouses to serve one another than to help each other grow spiritually. This means encouraging each other to participate together actively in church, in Christian community.” While traditionally marriage was for status, social duty and stability now it is seen as a way for personal fulfillment. Neither of these are completely wrong, but they are not completely right either. Ultimately if the gospel has not changed your mind and heart, you will not be successful in your marriage. This year my husband and I will be discussing the importance of your spouse and you being the best of friends.
Avoiding the Pitfalls of Familiarity by Mark Barclay: I actually read six books of his this year. We have access to as many books of his as we would like because he is a father in the faith to my husband. Pastors need pastors and Pastor Barclay is one we have called on. He shoots straight and is Word only. If it is not found in the Word then he will not preach on it. A pitfall of familiarity is the equalizer. A prime example in the Bible was Aaron and Miriam in the Bible. Read Numbers 12. Really it is a form of pride in our lives. This books is talking about familiarity in relation to our pastors, teachers, prophets, evangelist and apostles. Here is what he has to say: “If you do not esteem someone more highly than yourself (someone you consider more important than yourself, some you respect as much -if not more- than yourself, someone whose teaching and lifestyle you admire), then you will find yourself sitting at your own feet to learn. You will become your own teacher. That’s dangerous because the next step is that you become your own advisor; then you become your own counselor. The Bible states that only a fool thinks he is right in his own mind. It’s of utmost importance that everyone, including leaders, has someone whom they look up to. It’s a healthy relationship, not an abnormal one. The abnormal relationship is quite the contrary. When you thing more highly of yourself than you ought to think, you’ve made yourself your own leader in the Lord. You’ve set yourself up in a form of pride.” Familiarity will bring judgement and you will become critical. You will even lose confidence in those that are to speak into your life. This is an area of our life that is easy to fall into, Jesus even had to deal with it with His disciples. It will cause you to not believe the Word. Be careful. You do not have to stay in it. There is always hope and restoration. Miriam was restored.
Emmanual: An Invitation to Prepare Him Room at Christmas and Always by Ruth Chou Simons: I love doing a devotion just for Christmas. This year I started decorating my house on November 1st. It is still up will be coming down sometime next week. I believe that as much as we talk about the miracle of Jesus with us at Christmas should be talked about all year long. This devotion was divided into four sections: Our Posture, God’s Promise, Our Response, Our Messiah. Our posture and our response has a lot to do with receiving God’s promises in our lives. “Jesus is more than a baby, more than a beautiful miracle in a harsh world. He is more than a familiar figure sung about in festive tunes. Jesus is God with us – Immanuel, just as the angel of the Lord told Joseph.” What do you treasure? That is the whole message of this devotion. Yes there is a call to repentance in it. There should never be a time in our lives that we do not surrender. Is Christ your ultimate treasure? Psalms 16:11 (AMP) You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore. A life transformed, Emmanuel, God with us. We can now abide with Christ. I dwell with Him as He dwells within me. I am forever changed.
It is hard for me to just pick out a few books, or just a couple. I love to read. Why read books like this? I desire to glean as much revelation as possible. When I read my Bible, He will bring back to remembrance other things I have read. My desire is to be in His fullness. What will I do with these books now that I am done? They are going back on my shelf to be read again at a later time. I already pulled out a couple to reread again this year. I want to grow deeper in His Word every year. I want to be a doer of His Word. People are important. I want others to grown deeper in God too. That is why I make time for discipleship. I want to be available for the opportunities to enlarge His kingdom this year like never before.
Lord of Lords, Kings of Kings, Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, You are who reigns above it all. You are Worthy of Honor and Praise. No other Name is above Yours. Thank You for sending Your Son to be the Lamb, the Root of David, the Word made flesh. We are walking in righteousness because of You. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit now dwelling in us. We now can walk in the fullness You created us in. We repent for not standing on the truth of Your Word. We have fallen in the trap of lusting after our own gratification. We choose to surrender to Your Word, Your Will and Your Ways. As we read Your Word, let it be a Light and Beacon of Freedom. We choose to walk in Your statutes and precepts. We are casting off any exalted thought that does not line up with forgiveness and has misaligned us to take on jealousy, envy, bitterness, resentment and anger. We choose freedom this year. We choose joy this year. We choose hope this year. We choose love this year. Grow Your Love in us, so that it is all that flows out of us. We choose surrender this year. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Matthew 1:23 (AMP) “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and give birth to a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel”—which, when translated, means, “God with us.”
Is it ever the wrong time to watch a Christmas movie? Since 2020 I have started changing my home over to celebrate Christmas on November 1st. Why? The four weeks between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day are just not time for me to enjoy all of it. Starting earlier, I do not have to do it all in one weekend. I get to take my time and enjoy every moment. There will be days in December that I get to enjoy baking Christmas cookies for my neighbors. Immanuel-God with us should be more than just four weeks. It should be every day, all year long.
Last night, I joined a friend and we watched The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. I like a nostalgic Christmas for my home and this brought back all the feels of my childhood at Wesley Heights Elementary. My favorite teacher was my first grade teacher, Mrs. Richardson. I even looked her up and invited her to my wedding day, and she attended. She was the teacher that introduced me to the love for books. I would finish my school work early and get to go back and sit in the reading area. Of course I got to put the books away in my own special way, because the other kids just threw them on the shelves. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever was one of her favorites to read to us.
It is about a small church in a small town putting on their annual Christmas play. All the children in the church participate in the story of Jesus in a manger. They even have the angel (only speaking part) telling the shepherds in the field that the Savior of the world has been born. There is this one special catch this year. To take a quote from Amazon.com: The Herdmans are the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie, steal, swear, and smoke cigars. So no one is prepared when this outlaw family invades church one Sunday and decides to take over the annual Christmas pageant.
The Herdmans are led by the oldest sister, Imogene. She is the oldest of six with four brothers, Leroy, Ralph, Ollie and Claude. The youngest, Gladys, a girl, is the scariest of them all because she hits…hard. The Herdmans want to be in the play and they want the best parts. Why did they show up in the first place, because they heard there would be desserts, the best desserts. The narrator (a classmate of the Herdmans) her mother is directing the play, a sweet woman name Grace. Grace feels she does not quite measure up to the other church women. She volunteers to show them she can do more than buy store bought cookies. I feel so much like Grace sometimes. I do not like drawing attention to myself and would rather just stay in the background and help make others shine. However, when put to the task, I will give it my all.
The Herdmans are tough because that is all they know. We never know where their parents are. Imogene is the mother figure to the kids and she is just a kid herself. She takes because that is all she knows how to get things. They love the movies and the great adventures, this is their chance to be somebody else. Imogene takes her role seriously and has the rest of the Herdmans do research and learn as much as they can about their parts. They even get library cards. This is a group that have never heard the Christmas story before. Imagine hearing it for the first time and all of the questions that a child could think up. Imogene is playing Mary, Ralph is Joseph, Claude, Ollie and Leroy are the three wise men and Gladys is the angel of the Lord.
Every year the church does a food drive and delivers Christmas hams to families in need. Do you know what family is on that list every year? The Herdmans. Bob, the narrators father, takes his family with him to deliver the hams this year. Their first stop, the Herdmans. Imogene has to hold the ham up high to keep it from her feral siblings, exclaiming that they cannot have any until Christmas Day. A little glimpse into the real struggles these kids have.
The day for the play is approaching and the whole church is outraged that Grace has allowed the Herdmans to be in it, not only that, they have practically taken over the play. The church is watching Grace very closely on how she navigates these kids. Do you know what she does, she does not scold them, she shows them kindness and patience. Something these kids have never received before. She does not ignore them, she is attentive to every question they have.
The big day arrives and the Herdmans are going to back out. The town does not want them in their big Christmas Pageant anyways, they just get blamed for anything that goes wrong. So who shows up at their door on Christmas morning? Our narrator, Beth. She begs them to come so that her mom will not be put to shame for allowing the Herdmans to be in it in the first place. Her mom worked so hard to keep them in it. At the last minute they show and the event starts.
Imogene and Ralph walk out and they are not using the regular costumes the church provides, they made their own, because that is what Mary and Joseph would have really worn. They would not have looked perfect, they had been traveling a long way. Imogene, holding the doll Jesus, because there was not a family that would allow a Herdman to hold their actual baby for this pageant. Imogene pats the baby on the back, burping him. It takes a moment but the church in their stoicism are enjoying the baby doll being burped. Do you not think that Mary had to burp Jesus? Our angel appears and exclaims: “Hey! Unto you a child is born!” Gladys, who likens the angel to a super hero in her comics, waving her arms with such big gestures. Then come our wise men, carrying their Christmas ham. A gift so special that they wanted Jesus to have it.
2 Corinthians 9:11 (NIV) You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
These kids that had never heard the Christmas story before, yet realized just how special Jesus is. As Imogene sits there looking tenderly at the Jesus doll, a tear rolls down her cheek. The church is in awe and sings Silent Night together. The true meaning of everything right there in that small town, in that small church. Jesus, the Light of the World, God with us, brought us into a His family. It was the Best Christmas Pageant Ever. The Herdmans were a needed part of their community.
We should never look at the Christmas story as common. Every December 1st I choose to start reading a chapter a day in Luke. I will even find passages in the Old Testament that prophecy about Jesus, there are over 300 of them. I encourage my church to look for opportunities to bless people they will never meet. We have “You Were Seen” cards that we hand out with a little gift to strangers. On the card is a QR code that takes them to a website to tell them how special they are in Christ. We even set up a Christmas tree with opportunities to bless people in our community. Look past the story and get the meaning of Immanuel, God with us. It is never the wrong time.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (AMP) Rejoice always and delight in your faith; be unceasing and persistent in prayer; in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
I have chosen to read a letter of Paul’s over and over each week. The first one was the letter to the Philippians. A reminder to be joyful at all times. The second week was the letter to the Colossians. A reminder to focus on Jesus no matter what. This week I am in 1 Thessalonians. A letter to a group that would have every excuse to run, but are encouraged to stand firm. He ends the first letter with the encouragement to rejoice and remain thankful to our God. No matter what is going on, can you still thank God?
What do you do when things do not looks so good? As a pastor, when attendance is at an all time low? How about when half the church just stops giving, and/or given up on the tithe? We do not receive a salary, so it is not like any of that matters as to why we are showing up and serving every week. Are we still proclaiming the Gospel? Can they find Jesus in every message? Are we growing in our spiritual maturity as a body? Those are the questions that I choose to focus on.
Philippians 4:4 (AMP) Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, take pleasure in Him]; again I will say, rejoice!
Ephesians 6:18 (AMP) With all prayer and petition pray [with specific requests] at all times [on every occasion and in every season] in the Spirit, and with this in view, stay alert with all perseverance and petition [interceding in prayer] for all God’s people.
Galatians 6:9-10 (AMP) Let us not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give in. So then, while we [as individual believers] have the opportunity, let us do good to all people [not only being helpful, but also doing that which promotes their spiritual well-being], and especially [be a blessing] to those of the household of faith (born-again believers).
Here is what I am choosing to do, I am not going to quit and I am not going to run. I am persevering, because there is an enemy out there looking for those he can devour. I am battling this spirit of oppression that has infiltrated the body of Christ and I am calling them back to the joy of the Lord. The enemy has lied to them long enough. Joy is their’s. It is a promise of His great love. The devil wants us to quit on the precepts of God. He wants us to believe that God picks and chooses who He will bless. So many have lost heart and are just going through the motions. That is not how we should be living. What can shake the body of Christ from this bondage of lethargy and apathy?
Ephesians 3: 16-19 (AMP) May He grant you out of the riches of His glory, to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self, [indwelling your innermost being and personality], so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].
I want you to know the fullness of God. I want you to know that He sees every struggle. Is Jesus more than enough? That is the biggest question we should ask ourselves. If so, rejoice! I pray you are filled with the love of Christ, that you can rejoice again. In Him is fullness of joy! Even if it is a sacrifice right now, especially if it is a sacrifice right now. Do you want your freedom? Go get it! Jesus has already paid the price for it, now receive it with your whole heart.
Hebrews 13:15 (AMP) Through Him, therefore, let us at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.
Abba, our Father, our Creator, we are so thankful for being the God who covers us with a Banner of Love. Thank You for sending Your Son, so that we know the fullness of Your love. Thank You for sending us the Holy Spirit, so that we may be filled at all times. Thank You for the revelation of You through the written Word, as inspired by the Holy Spirit. We repent for becoming lethargic, for the apathy of our hearts, and for going back into slumber when you have called us into Your glorious Light. We surrender our hearts, minds, will and emotions to You. We desire to do all that you have commanded with joy. First, to love You will all of our hearts, with all of our soul and with all of our mind. Second, we will love our neighbor as we love ourselves, in the fullness of love that we received through Your Son. We choose to forgive what we beliefs, unwarranted expectations, on thoughts of how You should treat us. You have never mistreated us and we are repent for ever feeling this way. We are rejoicing in Your mercy and lovingkindness. We are choosing love today. We are choosing hope today. We are choosing joy today. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Desiring for More 