Bright Light in a dark world

As I write I catch the twinkle of a couple of hundred lights on a Norway Spruce in the corner of our dining room. Lights are strung on the plantings in front of our home. Bev has candles in each of the windows of our home. It’s Christmas time!  Thomas Edison first strung incandescent lights in the 1880’s,  replacing the dangerous practice of lighting a tree with candles! Can you imagine putting lit candles on a dry tree inside of your home? But, people did it and many burned down their houses.  By the 1920’s, with home electrification becoming more widespread, lights – bright, colored, and in a variety of styles – became a major part of the American Christmas.

Somehow, I think this all ties into Jesus being the Light. Our world can be a terribly dark place.  Cruelty abounds. Power runs amuck bringing sorrow to those oppressed. Hatred flourishes.  “Jerry, that is a negative point of view.”  Maybe it is, but there is suffering aplenty in the world where I live!  But, I also see bright places of Light, where love is expressed, where hope exists, where compassion makes  a difference.  God offers everyone a promise of light that penetrates the darkest place – death.  He says that we can know eternal life, that we can grasp an assurance that there is a home in His house beyond the grave.  And, it all starts with the message of a Baby who entered the world.  John describes the coming of the Light like this:  "In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it." (John 1:1-5, NLT)

Christ illuminates the truth, calls us to Himself, and transforms those who trust in Him.  He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12, NIV)  His light which brings us life radiates from those who follow Him!  Yes, Christian, we are also lights. “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16, The Message)

Does love shine brightly in you?

Does the warm light of hope glowing in you draw people to Jesus?

Are you living in purpose, your path illuminated by His light?

You can if you know the One who is the Light.  Every time you see a strand of lights this Christmas season, give thanks that Jesus came to the Light of the world.  Here’s a word from the Word. Love it, live it. "Remember, our Message is not about ourselves; we’re proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus for you. It started when God said, “Light up the darkness!” and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful. If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us." (2 Corinthians 4:5-7, The Message)

Lord, the light of Your love is shining,

In the midst of the darkness shining,

Jesus, Light of the world, shine upon us;

Set us free by the truth You now bring us,

Shine on me, shine on me.

Shine, Jesus, shine!

Fill this land

With the Father's glory.

Blaze, Spirit blaze!

Set our hearts on fire.

Flow, River flow!

Flood the nations

With grace and mercy.

Send forth Your word, Lord;

And let there be light.

Lord, I come to Your awesome presence,

From the shadows into Your radiance.

By the blood I may enter Your brightness,

Search me, try me, consume all my darkness.

Shine on me,  shine on me.

As we gaze on Your kingly brightness,

So our faces display Your likeness,

Ever changing from glory to glory,

Mirrored here, may our lives tell Your story.

Shine on me, shine on me.

Shine, Jesus, shine!

Fill this land

With the Father's glory.

Blaze, Spirit blaze!

Set our hearts on fire.

Flow, River flow!

Flood the nations

With grace and mercy.

Send forth Your word, Lord;

And let there be light.

Shine Jesus Shine

Graham Kendrick

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Is He really ALL you need or want?

Asking for help is not enjoyable for me. I like being self-sufficient and self-supporting. It's a human nature thing. 

One of my fond memories is of trying to assist my daughter, then about 3, who was fussing and crying while trying to put on her snow parka to play outside.  She had it upside down and backward, her little feet in the hood.  There was no way she was going to get it on without assistance, but when I went to help, she protected her independence with a fierce and tearful, "I do it myself!" Right then I saw a reflection of myself. The memory still makes me chuckle 3 decades later-and it makes me cringe, too, for it is a revelation of the sinful nature so common to us all.

There is a subtle pride underlying this need to be in charge. It is noble not to want to be a burden on others. However, too often self-sufficiency is a way to hold onto the conviction that "I am not weak like you," that I am smarter, more disciplined, better, in one or another, than others. This attitude is sinful and it cuts a person off from true richness only found in a relationship with God andother people.  

The Lord loves me enough that from time to time He allows circumstances to overtake me that remind me how much I need Him and others. Recently, a situation absolutely beyond my control has been a painful trial in my life.  I would not willingly have chosen my present path, but He has used this time to show me His love, to renew my willingness to lean on others. The hardship is a gift.

Christian friend, is your life tinged with a subtle conceit of self?  
Are you resisting the attempts of others to help, hanging onto your illusion of self-sufficiency? 

Jesus says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:3-5, NIV)  His words are the very opposite of what we admire in life, aren't they?  Our culture gives adulation to those who are powerful, who appear to live above suffering, and who work to assert their will on others. But, in the end, Self worship leads to death.

The Lord invites us to follow His example, to live as He lived.  He had no earthly power, but yet through Him millions of people have been transformed.  He did His greatest work, making peace on our behalf with His Father at the point of His worst suffering.  He never compelled anyone to do what He did, but invites all to 'come and follow Me.'  The Son of God was the friend of sinners, choosing to give away His prerogatives.  Yes, He lived what He taught.

The Message makes the verses quoted a moment ago even more accessible. Read these next lines prayerful, carefully, won't you? 
"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. 
"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. 

"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are-no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought." (Matthew 5:3-5, The Message)

Humility is an elusive thing for many of us. We find it in our worst moments and receive God's gift of love, the gift of mercy from others. Too often, the moment we find our footing again, pride re-emerges. God save us from ourselves! 

Here's the word from the Word. May it guide our path in life today and always.

"He gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, "God opposes the proud but favors the humble." So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. 

Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor." 
(James 4:6-10, NLT)

_______________

"When things go wrong as they sometimes will,

When the road you're trudging seems all up hill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit,

Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many a failure turns about,

When she might have won had she stuck it out.

Don't give up though the pace seems slow--

You may succeed with another blow,

Success is failure turned inside out--

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.

And you never can tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems so far;

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--

It's when things seem worst that you must not quit." ~ Unknown

It is really all about The Gift

It is really all about The Gift.

(Today’s thought comes from the archives. In the past, many commented that it gave them real food for thought.
May the Lord bless His Word for us today.)

Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? If you're like a majority of Americans, though it is the first week of December, you still have people on your gift list without a matching gift! So what kind of gift-giver are you?

There is the CHEAP giver.

is driven by one goal - buying something, anything, that satisfies the imperative for gift giving - while spending as little money or energy as possible. My one question to this person is - "why bother?" You have missed the meaning of Christmas entirely. Save yourself the effort because the person who receives your 'gift' will only be obligated to write an insincere 'thank you' note!

There is HURRIED giver.

With hummingbird-like rapidity, she darts from store to store, grabbing this and that and checking off the names on her list. Obligation, not love, is the primary drive behind the search.

There is the "PAY MY DEBTS" giver.

This person hopes that with one gift; usually too costly, often ostentatious, they will atone for their failures through the year. No gift can do this, and this giver is sadly set up for disappointment!

There is the "I'D SURE LIKE THAT" giver.
She buys gifts she would like to receive and presents them to others! Her gifts are often very nice, but don't 'fit.' Why? Because, in her heart, she's selfish. Her gifts reveal that she is in love with herself. She cannot see what is going on outside of her own skin.

Hallelujah! There is the "BECAUSE I LOVE YOU" giver.

This is the heart of Christmas! This person thinks carefully about the person for whom he is getting a gift and, after a careful search, prepares a gift that he presents with no strings attached. It may be simple, cost next to nothing, and still have great value.  One of the memorable Christmas gifts was given to me by one of my son’s several years ago. It’s a small, home-made book, in which he remembers moments from his childhood that made him feel loved.  Whenever I look through it, I feel his love.

This is how God gave to us.  In the Scripture, this very familiar text is also a precious one.  We read that "God so loved ____________________ (insert your name here) that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16, NIV)

His Gift was rich,
prepared from eternity,
given to settle my debts,
based on my need, and
shaped by His love for me!

In your gift-giving, make LOVE the reason.

Having trouble finding a gift for someone on your list?  Relax and think about who they are, what they need, and how you can express love in a language they'll understand. It will come to you! Perhaps the gift will not be a ‘thing’ at all. Perhaps it will be the gift of your  listening ear, your concern, your prayer, an embrace, an encouraging word, or an expression of your confidence in that person.  This is always true: the best gifts are, like God's gift to us, a gift of ourselves.

Don't forget to offer your best gift to the One who is the Reason for the Season. Find time to worship, to serve, to give of yourself in His Name.  Let God love you, friend.  His love changes everything and those who are loved by God become the best gift-givers in the world for they learn to give richly, with purpose, to meet the need of the recipient, and with love - just like their heavenly Dad!

___________

"Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!"

“Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh my!”

I sometimes experience fear because I am well aware of how vulnerable I am.  A microscopic virus can lay me low. An out of control tractor trailer truck can smash my car.  I live with the up's and down's of the national economy.  And, there are my own weaknesses. Robert Robinson wrote: “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.”  (Come Thou Fount)  No, I am not a coward, but I do grow fearful from time to time.   I can do some limited risk management, which will reduce the possibility of disease, disaster, or disgrace entering my life.  But, there is no perfect guarantee that any of us can eliminate all risk!  However, I do not spend a whole lot of time focusing on the potential dangers that lurk all around me.  There is simply too much living to do!    I will not let fear take away the joy of living. 

Wrapped around the uncertainties of life is the promise that I am held secure in the love and care of my Almighty Abba! My life is in His hands.  Either I trust Him or I do not; there is no middle ground.  He is Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all.   That is why when fear comes knocking my first response is to reaffirm my understanding of His rule over every part of my life and my desire to live in the center of His will. 

In the story of the birth of Christ the phrase, "Fear not!" is recorded on three separate occasions when persons encountered the messengers of the Lord.   

• Mary, when she was told that she would be the mother of Jesus, was not elated.  Luke tells us that at first she was "confused and disturbed," by God's will.   But, the angel assured her that God's favor would rest on her and then he said, "Fear not!"   

• Joseph heard that his fiancé was pregnant and he knew he had not slept with her.   He was torn between his desire to love her and his honor.   He had decided to quietly end the engagement when the Lord showed up and told him "fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost." (Matthew 1:20, KJV)    Isn't it amazing?   Basically, Joseph is told, "just trust Me!"   And, he did!  

• Zechariah was doing his priestly work, offering incense on the prayer altar, when he was told that he was about to become a Daddy.   The only thing was that Elizabeth, his wife, had been unable to conceive and was now by all human accounts too old to have a child!    How did Zechariah respond?   "He was troubled and fear fell on him."  (Luke 1.12)   And what did God say?   You've figured it out by now, right?  Yes, you're right - "Fear not!" 

Mary did not know how it was going to work out, what God's announcement would mean for her life, but she trusted God anyway.  

Joseph did not have any explanation for a virgin's pregnancy, but he was willing to step over his lack of understanding and do what God wanted him to do as he trusted the Sovereign Lord.  

Zechariah took a while to come around, but he gained a deeper knowledge of the Person of the God he served, and came to trust Him completely.  

There are, as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz says, “lions and tigers and bears, oh my!”  Life will have challenges!  The question for us, my Christian friend is direct:  Will we trust Him with all things?  
Will we argue for fuller explanations, demand that He make His plans, even for tomorrow, crystal clear? 

He says "Fear not!"  Let’s choose to live ‘faith-fully;’ not ‘fear-fully!’

 For those who choose faith over fear, there are these promises, words to live by:  

"God is able to make all grace abound to you,
so that in all things at all times,
having all that you need,
you will abound in every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:8, NIV)  
"Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you."
So we say with confidence,
"The Lord is my helper;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:5-6, NIV)

_________________

Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King.
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heav'n and nature sing,
And heav'n and nature sing,
And heav'n and heav'n and nature sing.

Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ.
While fields and floods,
Rocks, hills and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove.
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, and wonders of His love.

Joy To The World

Watts, Isaac / Handel, George Frederick
© Public Domain