Fear Not

 

 

Fear has a way of tying our stomachs up in knots, paralyzing our thinking, inducing panic. Fear, and its cousin worry, can capture our hearts when we see ourselves caught in a vortex of disasters beyond our control.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus talks about tiny, defenseless sparrows in the context of fear and worry: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink... Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" In another place he reassures his followers: "Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."

During this Christmas 2013 the entire world is still recovering from the grip of an economic down-spiral. Houses are still being foreclosed on. People are still losing jobs. Factories are still closing and food costs in some countries have risen 25%. More and more you glimpse a kind of bleak fear in people's eyes. Will I lose my house? My job? What will become of us if this recession deepens into a depression? How will I feed my family?

Though it's been quoted so often that it's become a cliché, Franklin Delano Roosevelt spoke these words to a nation at the depth of the Great Depression: "Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself -- nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."


Fear can grip us, choke all faith out of our hearts. Fear also drives economic depression. Fear causes companies to contract and people to stop buying. It causes runs on banks and panic on Wall Street. It creates great panic and stress.

On that first Christmas, the world was in desperate times, too. A census is being conducted in order to raise already high taxes. Murderous, paranoid Herod the Great is king of the Jews. It is winter on Bethlehem's hillsides and cold. Inside a cave in the town sit a poverty-stricken carpenter and his young wife far from home, chilled to the bone. She is in labor. Her child will be born in a stable, of all places. Why is it like this? she may have asked.

And then she recalls an echo of the angel's words to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary...."

On the windswept hillsides outside of town, shepherds are huddling, too. All of a sudden the sky lights up and an angel proclaims:

"Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."


The shepherds' fear is turned to joy as they hear news that a Savior is born. The Messiah! In Bethlehem, the city of David himself! And so they run down the hillsides into the town and hurry from stable to stable until they find the Child in the manger, just as they have been told. Tucked in that manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes against the cold, is the Savior himself.


A Savior comes to rescue people in danger, preserve those who are threatened by harm, and protect his people from the troubles that surround them. That's what saviors do! That's what Jesus came to do for us.
Do not be afraid because God has sent a Savior to us — Jesus Christ the Lord. He is the One who will:
-Never leave us or forsake us.
-Supply all our needs according to his riches in glory.
-Add to us all the things we need as we seek him and his Kingdom.

Our world doesn't know. They think that Christmas is about gifts under a tree and a spirit of good cheer, with Christmas dinner and family around the table. But as good as all that may be, it isn't nearly as good as the Real Christmas.

The Real Christmas message is this: God has sent a Savior for you. To save you from your sins and to help you in this life — to lift your burden and ease your fears. That's it! A Savior who is Christ the Lord — God himself! The world is gripped by fear. But fear's hold has been broken in those of us who believe the angel's words:

"Fear not ... for a Savior is born to you — Christ the Lord!"

 

 

 

Where The tradition of Christmas comes from

No one knows the real birthday of Jesus! No date is given in the Bible, so why do we celebrate it on the 25th December? The early Christians certainly had many arguments as to when it should be celebrated! Also, the birth of Jesus probably didn't happen in the year 1AD but slightly earlier, somewhere between 2BC and 7BC (there isn't a 0AD - the years go from 1BC to 1AD!).

The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336AD, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine (he was the first Christian Roman Emperor). A few years later, Pope Julius I officially declared that the birth of Jesus would be celebrated on the 25th December.

There are many different traditions and theories as to why Christmas is celebrated on December 25th. A very early Christian tradition said that the day when Mary was told that she would have a very special baby, Jesus (called the Annunciation) was on March 25th - and it's still celebrated today on the 25th March. Nine months after the 25th March is the 25th December! March 25th was also the day some early Christians thought the world had been made, and also the day that Jesus died on when he was an adult.

December 25th might have also been chosen because the Winter Solstice and the ancient pagan Roman midwinter festivals called 'Saturnalia' and 'Dies Natalis Solis Invicti' took place in December around this date - so it was a time when people already celebrated things.

The Winter Solstice is the day where there is the shortest time between the sun rising and the sun setting. It happens on December 21st or 22nd. To pagans this meant that the winter was over and spring was coming and they had a festival to celebrate it and worshipped the sun for winning over the darkness of winter. In Scandinavia, and some other parts of northern Europe, the Winter Solstice is known as Yule and is where we get Yule Logs from. In Eastern europe the mid-winter festival is called Koleda.

The Roman Festival of Saturnalia took place between December 17th and 23rd and honoured the Roman god Saturn. Dies Natalis Solis Invicti means 'birthday of the unconquered sun' and was held on December 25th (when the Romans thought the Winter Solstice took place) and was the 'birthday' of the Pagan Sun god Mithra. In the pagan religion of Mithraism, the holy day was Sunday and is where get that word from!

Early Christians might have given this festival a new meaning - to celebrate the birth of the Son of God 'the unconquered Son'! (In the Bible a prophesy about the Jewish savior, who Christians believe is Jesus, is called 'Sun of Righteousness'.)

The Jewish festival of Lights, Hanukkah starts on the 25th of Kislev (the month in the Jewish calendar that occurs at about the same time as December). Hanukkah celebrates when the Jewish people were able to re-dedicate and worship in their Temple, in Jerusalem, again following many years of not being allowed to practice their religion.

Jesus was a Jew, so this could be another reason that helped the early Church choose December the 25th for the date of Christmas!

Christmas had also been celebrated by the early Church on January 6th, when they also celebrated the Epiphany (which means the revelation that Jesus was God's son) and the Baptism of Jesus. Now the Epiphany mainly celebrates the visit of the Wise Men to the baby Jesus, but back then it celebrated both things! Jesus's Baptism was originally seen as more important than his birth, as this was when he started his ministry. But soon people wanted a separate day to celebrate his birth.

Most of the world uses the 'Gregorian Calendar' implemented by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. Before that the 'Roman' or Julian Calendar was used (named after Julius Caesar). The Gregorian calendar is more accurate that the Roman calendar which had too many days in a year! When the switch was made 10 days were lost, so that the day that followed the 4th October 1582 was 15th October 1582. In the UK the change of calendars was made in 1752. The day after 2nd September 1752 was 14th September 1752.

Many Orthodox and Coptic Churches still use the Julian Calendar and so celebrate Christmas on the 7th January (which is when December 25th would have been on the Julian calendar). And the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates it on the 6th January! In some part of the UK, January 6th is still called 'Old Christmas' as this would have been the day that Christmas would have celebrated on, if the calendar hadn't been changed. Some people didn't want to use the new calendar as they thought it 'cheated' them out of 11 days!

Christians believe that Jesus is the light of the world, so the early Christians thought that this was the right time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. They also took over some of the customs from the Winter Solstice and gave them Christian meanings, like Holly, Mistletoe and even Christmas Carols!

St Augustine was the person who really started Christmas in the UK by introducing Christianity in the 6th century. He came from countries that used the Roman Calendar, so western countries celebrate Christmas on the 25th December. Then people from Britain and Western Europe took Christmas on the 25th December all over the world!

The name 'Christmas' comes from the Mass of Christ (or Jesus). A Mass service (which is sometimes called Communion or Eucharist) is where Christians remember that Jesus died for us and then came back to life. The 'Christ-Mass' service was the only one that was allowed to take place after sunset (and before sunrise the next day), so people had it at Midnight! So we get the name Christ-Mass, shortened to Christmas.

Happy Thanksgiving!

If we have lived another year
And, counting friends by regiments
Who share our love and confidence,
        Find no more broken ranks,
        For this let us give thanks.

    If, since the last Thanksgiving-time,
Have we been blessed with strength and health,
And added to our honest wealth,
        Nor lost by broken banks,
        For this would we give thanks.

    If through adversity we trod,
Yet with serene and smiling face,
And trusted more to saving grace
        Than charlatans and cranks,
        For this let us give thanks.

    If we have somehow worried through
The ups and downs along life's track,
And still undaunted can look back
        And smile at Fortune's pranks,
        For this would we give thanks.

    If every page in our account
With God and man is fairly writ,
We care not who examines it,
        With no suspicious blanks,
        For this let us give thanks.
       - Hattie Howard

Count

Count your blessings instead of your crosses;

Count your gains instead of your losses.

Count your joys instead of your woes;

Count your friends instead of your foes.

Count your smiles instead of your tears;

Count your courage instead of your fears.

Count your full years instead of your lean;

Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.

Count your health instead of your wealth;

Count on God instead of yourself.

Praise

Praise has a way of getting God’s attention. There’s power in it. Our God inhabits the praises of His people. When we praise Him, it’s as though He bends down a little closer and says, “Bless your heart. Now what can I do for you, child? How can bless YOU?”

Getting God’s attention is a good thing for us. Not so good for the enemy. For this reason he has a vested interest in keeping us from focusing on our blessings. His ploy is to keep us mired in the muck of our circumstances. Life is truly like a bed of roses. The roses are there, but so are the thorns and the fertilizer. The trick is to stay focused on the roses.

Sometimes when the conditions I’m in are pitiful, I find myself gritting my teeth and announcing Psalm 34:1: 

"I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise will continually be in my mouth."

When I’m tempted to fall into despair or allow the weight of my circumstances to crush me, I say it. I will and I choose to praise the God of all creation in spite of my circumstances.

No matter what happens, God is good. I give thanks because He is good. I choose to acknowledge Him for His excellent greatness. I praise Him for everything including answered prayers, a beautiful day, a good parking place, a way out of the circumstances (even if I don’t see one), people I love, and so on.

And then an unusual thing happens. I find I am no longer frowning. My smile is no longer forced. From deep down in my spirit something begins to bubble up inside. It's something that goes beyond just happiness. It's called JOY! Happiness is dependent on circumstances, but joy comes to those who know there is nothing magical about hope. Joy is the reward of those whose faith and hope is in Jesus Christ. His joy becomes my strength and I can face whatever comes my way with a smile on my face and a song in my heart.

Thankful

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

We can all agree that some verses are easier to memorize than to practice. And 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 certainly qualifies as one of these passages of Scripture. It says, “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

We gladly follow these commands when things are going well, but when the life’s circumstances take a negative turn, we suddenly begin to question the truth of "in everything give thanks."

To understand the importance of being grateful in every circumstance, we must know the answers to two questions: Why are we to give thanks in everything? And how are we to do so? We say our thanks to God not necessarily because we feel grateful, but because it is a command. And the Lord gave the decree because He knew that expressing gratitude keeps us continually aware of His presence. God allows painful situations into our life for a reason, and our gratitude motivates us to look for that purpose. In addition, a grateful attitude makes us aware of our dependence upon God and consequently builds our trust in Him.

The Holy Spirit gives Christians the strength for impossible tasks. He enables each of us to become the person the Lord wants us to be and to do the work He wants done. Even if we do not have one single logical reason to say thank you, the Spirit of God empowers us to express gratitude. When we understand the why and the how, God provides the means for us to declare thanks in everything. That is a victory worth the battle.

The Sneeze

They walked in tandem, each of the ninety-two students filing into the already crowded auditorium. With their rich maroon gowns flowing ... and the traditional caps, they looked almost as grown up as they felt.

Dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles, and Moms freely brushed away tears.

This class would NOT pray during the commencements - not by choice, but because of a recent court ruling prohibiting it.

The principal and several students were careful to stay within the guidelines allowed by the ruling. They gave inspirational and challenging speeches, but no one mentioned divine guidance and no one asked for blessings on the graduates or their families.

The speeches were nice, but they were routine ... until the final speech received a standing ovation.

A solitary student walked proudly to the microphone. He stood still and silent for just a moment, and then, it happened.

All 92 students, every single one of them, suddenly SNEEZED!!!!

The student on stage simply looked at the audience and said, "GOD BLESS YOU, each and every one of you!" And he walked off stage ...

The audience exploded into applause. This graduating class had found a unique way to invoke God's blessing on their future with or without the court's approval.

The Same Thing

Keep doing the same thing and you will keep getting the same results. It is true of living.

What is not working well for you?

-A habit you are trying to break?

-A relationship with a parent or spouse or child or friend?

-What is a source of on-going frustration?

-Getting around to that project you keep promising to complete?

-Never having enough money to pay the bills?

-Running up against the same old walls at work?

The truth is, if you keep doing the same things you will keep getting the same results. So, if you don't like the way things are turning out, something must change.

Are you ready to try something different?

Isaiah 43:19 "Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert."

I Refuse

I refuse to be discouraged, To be sad, or to cry;
I refuse to be downhearted, and here’s the reason why:
I have a God who’s mighty, Who’s sovereign and supreme;
I have a God who loves me, and I am on His team.
He is all-wise and powerful. Jesus is His name;
Though everything is changeable, My God remains the same.
My God knows all that’s happening; Beginning to the end;
His presence is my comfort; He is my dearest Friend.
When sickness comes to weaken me, To bring my head down low,
I call upon my mighty God; Into His arms I go.
When circumstances threaten to rob me of my peace;
He draws me close unto His breast, Where all my strivings cease.
When my heart melts within me, and weakness takes control;
He gathers me into His arms, He soothes my heart and soul.
The great “I AM” is with me. My life is in His hand.
The “Son of the Lord” is my hope. It’s in His strength I stand.
I refuse to be defeated. My eyes are on my God;
He has promised to be with me, As through this life I trod.
I’m looking past all my circumstances, To Heaven’s throne above;
My prayers have reached the heart of God I’m resting in His love.
I give God thanks in everything. My eyes are on His face;
The battle’s His, the victory mine; He’ll help me win the race.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!
Pass it on!
“Vision is not seeing things as they are, but as they 

The Brick and the Jaguar

Do you sometimes ignore loved ones because your life is too fast and busy, leaving them to wonder whether you really love them?
A young and successful executive was travelling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared, instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door.

He slammed on the brakes and spun the Jag back to the spot from where the brick had been thrown. He jumped out of the car, grabbed some kid and pushed him up against a parked car, shouting, "What was that all about and who are you?? Just what the heck are you doing?" Building up a head of steam, he went on. "That's a new car and that brick you threw is gonna cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?"

"Please, Mister, please, I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do!" pleaded the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop." Tears was dripping down the boy's chin as he pointed around the parked car. "It's my brother," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up." Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."
Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapes and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be okay. "Thank you, sir. And God bless you," the grateful child said to him.

The man then watched the little boy push his brother to the sidewalk toward their home. It was a long walk back to his Jaguar... a long, slow walk. He never did repair the side door. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention.

Life whispers in your soul and speaks to your heart. Sometimes, when you don't have the time to listen. Life throws a brick at your head. It's your choice: Listen to the whispers of your soul or wait for the brick.

Be The Best

If you can't be a pine on the top of the hill, 
Be a scrub in the valley - but be 
The best little scrub by the side of the hill; 
Be a bush if you can't be a tree.

If you can't be a bush, be a bit of the grass, 
Some highway happier make; 
If you can't be a muskie, then just be a bass - 
But the liveliest bass in the lake!

We can't all be captains, we got to be crew, 
There's something for all of us here, 
There's big work to do, and there's lesser to do, 
And the task we must do is the near.

If you can't be a highway, then just be a trail, 
If you can't be the sun, be a star; 
It isn't by size that you win or you fail - 
Be the best of whatever you are.

THANKS-GIVING

I've heard a lot of droopy prayers in my life. Hey, I've prayed a lot of them, too.

• Prayers of desperation — God, you've got to help me!
• Prayers of self-pity — God, things are so awful!
• Prayers of resignation — God, if you want to leave me unemployed, then I can't stop you!

But I'm learning how to pray a different kind of prayer — prayer said with thanksgiving. I learned it from Paul who, writing from prison, taught me a most powerful lesson. He said,

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."¹

Strange. Here he is suffering himself, yet he's telling me to pray with thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is the seasoning that makes our prayers edible to God. After all, who wants to hear people whine all the time? I've learned that you can't whine and give thanks in the same breath. Self-pity and thankfulness don't mix any better than oil and water.

In fact, mixing thanks with prayer somehow changes it. When we remember what God has done for us in the past and think about who he is in the present — and express that in thankfulness — our prayers become more gentle, more trusting somehow. Thankful prayers are offered with faith. And faith is an essential ingredient for prayers that God chooses to answer.

We remember the Pilgrims on Thanksgiving Day, not so much for their turkey dinner, but for the sheer faith that inspired them to give thanks in a year that saw nearly half their number die of sickness. Yet they prayed with thanksgiving.

When your annual day of feasting is over, you may bemoan your extra helpings of dressing, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. But if you can hang on to the "thanks" part of Thanksgiving, you'll be a different person. Because when you learn to talk to God about your needs — mixed with a healthy dose of heartfelt thanks — then you have crossed the divide from whining at God to real prayer.

Happy thanks-giving!

The More

-The more generous we are, the more joyous we become.

-The more cooperative we are, the more valuable we become.

-The more enthusiastic we are, the more productive we become.

-The more serving we are, the more prosperous we become.

-The more outgoing we are, the more helpful we become.

-The more curious we are, the more creative we become.

-The more patient we are, the more understanding we become.

-The more persistent we are, the more successful we become.

Treasures Within

A man was exploring caves by the seashore. In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls. It was like someone had rolled clay balls and left them out in the sun to bake.

They didn't look like much, but they intrigued the man, so he took the bag out of the cave with him. As he strolled along the beach, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could.

He thought little about it, until he dropped one of the clay balls and it cracked open on a rock. Inside was a beautiful, precious stone!

Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls. Each contained a similar treasure. He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left. Then it struck him.

He had been on the beach a long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves. Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have taken home tens of thousands, but he had just thrown it away!

It's like that with people. We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel. It doesn't look like much from the outside. It isn't always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it. We see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy. But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person.

There is a treasure in each and every one of us. If we take the time to get to know that person, and if we ask God to show us that person the way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth.

May we not come to the end of our lives and find out that we have thrown away a fortune in friendships because the gems were hidden in bits of clay. May we see the people in our world as God sees them.

The Seasons of Life

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn to not judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.
The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.
When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.
The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.
The second son said no – it was covered with green buds and full of promise.
The third son disagreed, he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.
The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfilment.
The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but one season in the tree’s life.
He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are – and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life – can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.
If you give up when it’s winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfilment of your fall.
Don’t judge a life by one difficult season. Don’t let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.

Trusting in what you cannot see.

The story is told of a teacher who said he had an exercise for his students to try. They were to stand, facing away from their classmates, and fall backward, relying on another student to catch them. Most of them felt uncomfortable with this, and they could not let go for more than a few inches before stopping themselves. 

Finally, one student, a thin, quiet, dark-haired girl who almost always wears bulky, white fisherman sweaters, crosses her arms over her chest, closes her eyes, leans back, and does not flinch, like one of those Lipton tea commercials where the model splashes into the pool.

For a moment it looks like she is going to hit the floor. At the last instant, her assigned partner grabs her head and shoulders and yanks her up harshly.

“Whoa!” several students yell. Some clap. The teacher finally smiles. “You see”, he says to the girl, “you closed your eyes. That was the difference. Sometimes you cannot believe what you see. You have to believe what you feel. And if you are ever going to have other people trust you, you must feel that you can trust them too even when you're in the dark. Even when you're falling."

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1 KJV)

Giving from your heart

I learned very on early in life that the greatest joy comes from giving rather than getting.

-Giving fills your heart with love.

-Giving fills your soul with God.

-Giving brings your spirit closer to Heaven.

Don’t be afraid to pass on your blessings, riches, gifts, and talents to others. That is why God gave them to you in the first place.

Share everything you have.

-If you have a beautiful smile then pass it on.

-If you have a lovely laugh then pass it on.

-If you have a few extra dollars then pass them on.

-If you give great hugs then pass them on.

-If you have a special talent then share it with others.

-If you have a heart full of love then give it to the everyone.

 No life is ever truly lived until it becomes a gift in itself, so make your whole life a gift to the world.

They Crucified Him

A medical doctor provides a physical description:
The cross is placed on the ground and the exhausted man is quickly thrown backwards with his shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire feels for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy, square wrought-iron nail through the wrist deep into the wood. Quickly he moves to the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flex and movement. The cross is then lifted into place. The left foot is pressed backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees flexed. The victim is now crucified.
As he slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain -- the nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves. As he pushes himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, he places the full weight on the nail through his feet. Again he feels the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the bones of his feet.
As the arms fatigue, cramps sweep through his muscles, knotting them deep relentless, and throbbing pain. With these cramps comes the inability to push himself upward to breathe. Air can be drawn into the lungs but not exhaled. He fights to raise himself in order to get even one small breath.
Finally, carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream, and the cramps partially subsided. Spasmodically, he is able to push himself upward to exhale and bring in life-giving oxygen.
Hours of limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-renting cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, searing pain as tissue is torn from his lacerated back as he moves up and down against rough timber. Then another agony begins: a deep, crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with serum and begins to compress the heart.
It is now almost over. The loss of tissue fluids has reached a critical level. The compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood into the tissues. The tortured lungs are making frantic effort to gasp in small gulps of air. He can feel the chill of death creeping through his tissues.
Finally, he allows his body to die.
All this the Bible records with the simple words, "and they crucified Him" -- Mark 15:24

Scars of Love

Some years ago on a hot summer day in south Florida a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went.

He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore. His mother in the house was looking out the window saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, she ran toward the water, yelling to her son as loudly as she could. Hearing her voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his mother. It was too late. Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him. From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard er screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator.

Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his mother's fingernails dug into his flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she loved.

The newspaper reporter, who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Mom wouldn't let go."

You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. Not from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But, some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle. He's been there holding on to you.

The Scripture teaches that God loves you. You are a child of God. He wants to protect you and provide for you in every way. But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead. The swimming hole of life is filled with peril - and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That's when the tug-of-war begins - and if you have the scars of His love on your arms be very, very grateful. He did not and will not ever let you go.

Never judge another person's scars, because you don't know how they were made.

A Military Mom's Prayer

In honor of all the moms who have a child in the military:

Dear God,

Tonight I ask, as a mother, to bless my child as I do every night...
but, now I am reminding you... this is a special child.
This child helps to provide a blanket of protection 
that we as Americans slumber under each night.

He has decided to give his life to protect this great country of ours, 
and before now there was always prayer for you to watch over this child. 
But after the terror that has struck our U.S. soil,
I feel even stronger, more pleading as I pray to you.

This child loves God and country and has sworn to protect her inhabitants.
But, this is still my child who I have sworn to protect with MY life...
until the day I die. Now I need your help more than ever.

He is no longer in my reach, but can only be reached by your hand to protect him.
He may be on the oceans, above the earth or in lands foreign and hostile to him, please God, keep him safe and bring him home to me… alive and soon.

Let this horrendous terror go away. Let us find peace and keep these special children alive and safe to teach future generations how important life is and how important it is to protect it.

They are a rare breed, and we are the mothers who have helped to raise them.
Now we are the mothers who ask for your help to protect them.

Please bless all the mother’s children of the world, 
but please remember I am a military mother and I am asking you 
to take special care of this special child.

I ask this in your name, dear God.

Amen.

God bless our flag

 

I am the FLAG of the United States of America.
My name is Old Glory. I flew atop the world's tallest buildings.
I stand watch in America's halls of justice.
I fly majestically over institutions of learning.
I stand guard with power in the world.
look up at me and see me.

I stand for peace, honor, truth and justice.
I stand for freedom.
I am confident.
I am arrogant.
I am proud.

When I am flown with my fellow banners,
my head is a little higher,
my colors a little truer.

I bow to no one!
I am recognized all over the world.
I am worshiped - I am saluted.
I am loved - I am revered.
I am respected - and I am feared.

I have fought in every battle of every war
for more than 200 years.
I was flown at Valley Forge, Gettysburg,
Shiloh and Appromatox.
I was there at San Juan Hill,
the trenches of France,
in the Ardonne Forest, Anzio, Rome,
and the Beaches of Normandy, Guam,
Okinawa, Korea and Khesan, Saigon, Vietnam.
I was there.

I led troops,
I was dirty, battle worn and tired.
But my soldiers cheered me,
and I was proud.
I have been burned, torn and trampled
on the streets of countries
I have helped to set free.
It does not hurt, for I am invincible.

I have been soiled upon, burned, torn
and trampled on the streets of my own country.
And when it's by those whom I've served in battle,
it hurts.
But, I shall overcome - for I am strong.

I have slipped the bonds of earth
and stood watch over the uncharted frontiers of space
from my vantage point on the moon.
I have borne silent witness
to all of America's finest hours.
But, my finest hours are yet to come
for my wounded comrades on the battlefield.
When I am flown at half-mast to honor my soldier,
or when I lie in the trembling arms
of a grieving parent
at the grave of their fallen son or daughter,
I, AM.

My name is Old Glory.
Long may I wave.
Dear God in Heaven...
LONG MAY I WAVE!

A Brother Like That

Once a week between now and Christmas I will share a story of the reason for the season. I hope you enjoy this one today.

Paul received an automobile from his brother as a Christmas present. On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office, a street urchin was walking around the shiny new car, admiring it.

"Is this your car, Mister?" he asked.

Paul nodded. "My brother gave it to me for Christmas." The boy was astounded. "You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn't cost you nothing? Boy, I wish..." He hesitated. Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the lad said jarred Paul all the way down to his heels.

"I wish," the boy went on, "that I could be a brother like that."

Paul looked at the boy in astonishment, then impulsively he added, "Would you like to take a ride in my automobile?"

"Oh yes, I'd love that."

After a short ride, the boy turned and with his eyes aglow, said, "Mister, would you mind driving in front of my house?" Paul smiled a little. He thought he knew what the lad wanted. He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big automobile. But Paul was wrong again.

"Will you stop where those two steps are?" the boy asked. He ran up the steps. Then in a little while Paul heard him coming back, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled brother. He sat him down on the bottom step, then sort of squeezed up against him and pointed to the car. "There she is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn't cost him a cent. And some day I'm gonna give you one just like it...then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in the Christmas windows that I've been trying to tell you about."

Paul got out and lifted the lad to the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began a memorable holiday ride.

That Christmas Eve, Paul learned what Jesus meant when he had said: "It is more blessed to give..."

My Holiday Wish for the World Is That
We all Could Be Brothers Like That.

My Attorney

After living what I felt was a "decent" life, my time on earth
came to the end. The first thing I remember is sitting on a
bench in the waiting room of what I thought to be a court
house. The doors opened and I was instructed to come in and
have a seat by the defense table. As I looked around I saw
the "prosecutor." He was a villainous looking
gent who snarled as he stared at me. He definitely was the
most evil person I have ever seen.

I sat down and looked to my left and there sat My Attorney, a
kind and gentle looking man whose appearance seemed so
familiar to me, I felt I knew Him.

The corner door flew open and there appeared the Judge in full
flowing robes. He commanded an awesome presence as He moved
across the room. I couldn't take my eyes off of Him. As He
took His seat behind the bench, He said, "Let us begin."

The prosecutor rose and said, "My name is Satan and I am here
to show you why this man belongs in hell."

He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole,
and in the past when I cheated others. Satan told of other
horrible perversions that were once in my life and the more he
spoke, the further down in my seat I sank. I was so
embarrassed that I couldn't look at anyone, even my
own Attorney, as the Devil told of sins that even I had
completely forgotten about. As upset as I was at Satan for
telling all these things about me, I was equally upset at My
Attorney who sat there silently not offering any form of
defense at all. I know I had been guilty of those things, but
I had done some good in my life - couldn't that at least equal
out part of the harm I'd done?

Satan finished with a fury and said, "This man belongs in
hell, he is guilty of all that I have charged and there is not
a person who can prove otherwise."

When it was His turn, My Attorney first asked if He might
approach the bench. The Judge allowed this over the strong
objection of Satan, and beckoned Him to come forward. As He
got up and started walking, I was able to see Him in His full
splendor and majesty. I realized why He seemed so familiar;
this was Jesus representing me, my Lord and my Savior.

He stopped at the bench and softly said to the Judge, "Hi,
Dad," and then He turned to address the court. "Satan was
correct in saying that this man had sinned, I won't deny any
of these allegations. And, yes, the wage of sin is death, and
this man deserves to be punished."

Jesus took a deep breath and turned to His Father with
outstretched arms and proclaimed, "However, I died on the
cross so that this person might have eternal life and he has
accepted Me as his Savior, so he is Mine."

My Lord continued with, "His name is written in the book of
life and no one can snatch him from Me. Satan still does not
understand yet. This man is not to be given justice, but
rather mercy."

As Jesus sat down, He quietly paused, looked at His Father and
said,"There is nothing else that needs to be done. I've done
it all."

The Judge lifted His mighty hand and slammed the gavel down.
The following words bellowed from His lips... "This man is
free. The penalty for him has already been paid in full. Case
dismissed."

As my Lord led me away, I could hear Satan ranting and having,
"I won't give up, I will win the next one."

I asked Jesus as He gave me my instructions where to go next,
"Have you ever lost a case?"

Christ lovingly smiled and said, "Everyone that has come to Me
and asked Me to represent them has received the same verdict
as you, 'Paid in Full.'"

A Jigsaw Puzzle Life

Everything you need to learn about life you can learn from a jigsaw puzzle.

1. Don't force a fit. If something is meant to be, it will come together naturally.
   
2. When things aren't going so well, take a break. Everything will look different when you return.
   
3. Be sure to look at the big picture. Getting hung up on the little pieces only leads to frustration.
   
4. Perseverance pays off. Every important puzzle went together bit by bit, piece by piece.
   
5. When one spot stops working, move to another. But be sure to come back later (see #4).
   
6. The creator of the puzzle gave you the picture as a guidebook.
   
7. Variety is the spice of life. It's the different colors and patterns that make the puzzle interesting.
   
8. Working together with friends and family makes any task fun.
   
9. Establish the border first. Boundaries give a sense of security and order.
   
10. Don't be afraid to try different combinations. Some matches are surprising.
    
11. Take time often to celebrate your successes - even little ones.
    
12. Anything worth doing takes time and effort. A great puzzle can't be rushed.

The Garbage Pile

Someone recently shared this story with me. They said, "The richest soil in our yard sits over an old garbage pile. While digging up parts of the garden there, I have discovered old plastic pots, glass bottles, water hose fittings, torn shingles, and everything else that might wind up in the trash at a typical home. But as the metal has slowly rusted away, the old potato peelings and coffee grounds and other organic refuse have broken down to make that spot the richest piece of ground we have. How ironic that the garbage pile produces the best crops."

Moses spent some "garbage pile" years in the desert, not doing much except getting old. I'm sure Moses sometimes looked around at his "garbage" surroundings and thought back to the life of luxury he had enjoyed in Pharaoh's palace. Moses probably figured he was wasting his time out there. But God was growing Moses, growing enormous patience and humility within him, so that one day he could be part of the biggest immigration project in history. And to do that, God chose the rich soil of a desert "garbage pile" as his garden.

Your life may feel like a garbage heap. You may look around and wonder what flower could possibly bloom in the wasteland where you have been planted. You may figure God is finished with you (or perhaps forgot to ever start). 

But maybe God is giving you some garbage pile time, not to punish you, but to season and mature you. Perhaps this is just one stop on the way to something wonderful God has planned for you and your life. Perhaps this is just God's way of equipping you for something bigger than you have ever imagined.

Israel's road to Canaan ran through four decades in the desert. Paul's road to apostle-ship detoured through three days of blindness. Christ's road to glory paused in the wilderness of temptation.

God often uses garbage pile time to prepare us for a wonderful harvest in the future. Be patient. God's harvest for you may be just around the corner. And if it is, I can promise you the "garbage" time will be well worth it.

Somebody

1. Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal after you've had a baby. Somebody doesn't know that once you're a parent normal is history.
   
2. Somebody said you learn how to be a parent by instinct. Somebody never took a three-year-old shopping.
   
3. Somebody said being a parent is boring. Somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a driver's permit.
   
4. Somebody said if you're a "good" parent your child will "turn out well." Somebody thinks a child comes with directions and a guarantee.
   
5. Somebody said "good" parents never raise their voices. Somebody never came out the back door just in time to see his or her child hit a golf ball through the neighbor's kitchen window.
   
6. Somebody said you don't need an education to be a parent. Somebody never helped a fourth grader with his math.
   
7. Somebody said you can't love the fifth child as much as you love the first. Somebody doesn't have five children.
   
8. Somebody said a parent can find all the answers to child-rearing questions in books. Somebody never had a child stuff beans up his nose.
   
9. Somebody said a parent can stop worrying after his or her child gets married. Somebody doesn't know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to their heartstrings.
   
10. Somebody said your parents know you love them so you don't need to tell them. Somebody isn't a parent.
    
11. Somebody said a parent's job is done when the last child leaves home. Somebody never had grandchildren.

Blind

This ad was on my Facebook page from the Collie Rescue of the Carolinas. It caught mt attention because of one word. See if you can figure out which one.

"She is one and half years old, and blind. Please do not reply to this ad if you are not up for the dog. I am looking for a wonderful home for her and someone that is special becuase she is one of a kind and a true best friend. If you have ever seen Lassie come home, you will know what kind of breed she is. She is super smart and don't let her eyes fool you, she can do anything else other dogs do and better! She is wonderful in our home, potty trained,crate trained, she knows to come and sit. She would be great someone who loves dogs. She needs a fence in back yard just so she will not walk off. She is leash broken and.rises great in the car. Love's to go for rides. Only will rehome her to a good home."

Such a beautiful dog but she is blind. However apparently she doesn't know that because she is able to do other things quite well even without her sight. Rather unique don't you think?

The Bible says that, "We walk by faith and not by sight" in 2 Corinthians 5:7. So regardless of whether we can see spiritually or not, we can hold to the hand of the master and not be afraid. Put your faith in him and hold on and you will see that life is not as hard as you think.

You won't always feel God's presence. That may come as a shock or disappointment to you, but that's the way it is. And if you are believing, unrealistically, for a constant tangible manifestation of His love and presence, you are out of step with God and setting yourself up for disappointment. That's not the way He is. The Lord loves to work in subtle ways that only faith perceives.

Look at the way Jesus came to earth. He didn't come in some grandiose style. He came humbly, as a child born to poor parents. His birth wasn't announced to Caesar or Herod the king. It was heralded to lowly shepherds. Even Jesus' physical body wasn't exceptional. Isaiah 53:2 says "he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him."

When people looked at Jesus' physical body, it took faith to believe that He was God. He wasn't beautiful. He was natural. He wasn't extraordinary. And when Jesus rose from the dead, He never showed Himself to a single person who wasn't already one of His disciples. We would think He missed a great opportunity. Thousands had seen Him crucified just three days before. All He would have had to do was walk down the streets of Jerusalem or into Pilate's judgment hall, and people would have been forced to bow their knees and acknowledge Him as the Christ. But that's not the nature of God. Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please him."

Our God is a God of faith, and it takes faith to please Him. He could make a bird come sit on your shoulder and tell you He loves you every minute of every day. He could write your name with instructions on every cloud that passes over. He could have angels come visit you every morning and night to affirm to you that what He says in His Word is true. But that's not faith, and that's not God. Second Corinthians 5:7 says, "For we walk by faith, not by sight."

We don't just walk by faith until we get the sight we really desired. We walk by faith, period. When sight comes, we praise God and keep walking by faith.

Dependence on our feelings is more common among Christians than faith. We know what God said in His Word, but we don't feel it, and therefore, we don't believe it. That's all wrong. Faith comes before feelings and always trumps feelings. Faith will produce feelings, not every time, but sometimes, and we need to enjoy them when they come. But being controlled by feelings is a BIG hindrance to true faith. We need to get to the place where God's Word is proof enough without emotional confirmation.

Masters of our mouths

Once an old man spread rumours that his neighbour was a thief. As a result, the young man was arrested. Days later the young man was proven innocent. After being released he sued the old man for wrongly accusing him.

In the court the old man told the Judge: “They were just comments, didn’t harm anyone.” The judge told the old man: “Write all the things you said about him on a piece of paper. Cut them up and on the way home, throw the pieces of paper out. Tomorrow, come back to hear the sentence.”

Next day, the judge told the old man: “Before receiving the sentence, you will have to go out and gather all the pieces of paper that you threw out yesterday.”

The old man said: “I can’t do that! The wind spread them and I won’t know where to find them.”

The judge then replied: “The same way, simple comments may destroy the honour of a man to such an extent that one is not able to fix it. If you can’t speak well of someone, rather don’t say anything.”

Moral: Let’s all be masters of our mouths, so that we won’t be slaves of our words.

Christian One-Liners

Many folks want to serve God, but only as advisers.

It is easier to preach ten sermons than it is to live one.

The good Lord didn't create anything without a purpose, but mosquitoes come close.

When you get to your wit's end, you'll find God lives there.

People are funny, they want the front of the bus, the middle of the road, and the back of the church.

Opportunity may knock once, but temptation bangs on your front door forever.

Quit griping about your church; if it was perfect, you couldn't belong.

The phrase that is guaranteed to wake up an audience: "And in conclusion."

If the church wants a better preacher, it only needs to pray for the one it has.

God Himself does not propose to judge a man until he is dead. So why should you?

To make a long story short, don't tell it.

If your left hand doesn't know what your right hand is doing, you should consider running for a job in Washington, DC.

Some minds are like concrete, thoroughly mixed up and permanently set.

Peace starts with a smile.

I don't know why some people change churches; what difference does it make which one you stay home from?

A lot of church members who are singing "Standing on the Promises" are just sitting on the premises.

We were called to be witnesses, not lawyers or judges.

Be ye fishers of men. You catch 'em - He'll clean 'em.

Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.

Don't put a question mark where God put a period.

Don't wait for 6 strong men to take you to church.

Forbidden fruits create many jams.

God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

God grades on the cross, not the curve.

God loves everyone, but probably prefers "fruits of the spirit" over "religious nuts!"

God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.

He who angers you, controls you!

If God is your Copilot - swap seats!

Prayer: Don't give God instructions -- just report for duty!

The task ahead of us is never as great as the Power behind us.

The Will of God will never take you to where the Grace of God will not protect you.

We don't change the message, the message changes us.

You can tell how big a person is by what it takes to discourage him.

The best mathematical equation I have ever seen: 1 cross + 3 nails = 4 given.

"Father, bless this person in whatever it is that You know he or she may be needing this day! Amen!"

Don't keep the faith... spread it around!!!