Messages From Heaven: It's All About Him!!!

Messages From Heaven: It's All About Him!!!: A little girl noticed that her mom was getting really stressed out around Christmas. Everything was bothering her mom, and she was very ...

It's All About Him!!!

A little girl noticed that her mom was getting really stressed out around Christmas. Everything was bothering her mom, and she was very irritable.

Evening came and the mom bathed the little girl, got her ready for bed, put her under the covers, and had her say her prayers. She would usually pray the Lord’s Prayer, but on this particular evening, she amended it a little bit.

Her petition went something like this, “Father, forgive us our Christmases, as we forgive those who Christmas against us.”

That is what happens when we lose focus of the real meaning of Christmas, isn't it? We get so caught up in the busyness of the season that sometimes we forget the wonder of it all: that deity took on humanity, that God became a man.

Scripture sums it up well in 2 Corinthians 8:9, which says, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (NKJV). Jesus literally went from the throne of heaven to a simple little cave or stable.

Can you imagine what must have gone through Mary’s mind that day when the angel Gabriel appeared to her and told her she would be the mother of the Messiah? Her head must have been swimming. “What about Joseph? What are people going to say?”

But God had it all put together, because the time was just right in every way.

There was one small detail: the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, as Scripture prophesied (see Micah 5:2). But Mary and her husband-to-be Joseph lived in Nazareth. So the Lord touched a little man who was big in his own mind.

His name was Caesar, and at this particular time in history, he was the most powerful man on earth. One day, Caesar gave a decree that all of the world should be taxed.

In reality, he was nothing more than a pawn in the hand of God. The Lord needed Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem, so He moved events.

Mary and Joseph made the difficult journey to Bethlehem, which was especially perilous for a woman who was as far along in her pregnancy as Mary was. But they did make it, and there, the miraculous birth of Christ took place, just as Scripture said it would.

This little baby grew up quickly, and although we would love to know more about his boyhood, the Bible offers only a few details.

But we do read of one day in the synagogue in Nazareth when, as the custom was, the time had come for Jesus to read. He walked to the front of the synagogue, opened up the scroll, and began to read from Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18–19 NLT).

When He had finished, He sat down and said, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (verse 21). He had declared Himself the Messiah. His public ministry had begun.

This One who was sent from God was always in perfect sync with the Father. While He spoke with the learned spiritual leaders, He always had time for the outcasts of society—people like the woman at the well and the tax collector, Zacchaeus. People like you. People like me.

His ministry on earth was only a few years, and then He was crucified. You can be sure that as He hung there on the cross, where all of the sin of humanity was placed upon Him, that this was God’s most painful moment.

But then it was finished. He rose again from the dead, and after a time, ascended back into heaven, promising to come back to this earth. And we eagerly await that day.

This Jesus who was born in a manger, who walked this earth, who was crucified, and who rose again, is not some mere historical figure, although He was that. He is alive, and He is still in the business of changing lives.

That is the reason He came: to put us in touch with God, to forgive us of all of our sins, and to give our lives purpose and meaning.

Messages From Heaven: Bring Joy to the Whirl!!

Messages From Heaven: Bring Joy to the Whirl!!: Wouldn’t you love to live in a Norman Rockwell painting or on a Currier and Ives card in December? Christmas is when we want to roast ch...

Bring Joy to the Whirl!!

Wouldn’t you love to live in a Norman Rockwell painting or on a Currier and Ives card in December? Christmas is when we want to roast chestnuts on an open fire, deck the halls with boughs of holly, ride in a one-horse open sleigh, hang our stockings by the chimney with care, and have ourselves a merry little Christmas.
Year after year we try to create a perfect picture-postcard experience during the holidays, but the effort seems counterproductive. Instead of the most wonderful time of the year, Christmas can be the most stressful time of the year—a whirlwind of traveling, shopping, spending, entertaining, and even churching. It’s hard to have joy in a whirl.
According to the American Psychological Association, seven out of ten people feel stress from not having enough time for their Christmas activities, and the same number worry about having enough money.
Not surprisingly, most of the stress falls on women. Far more women than men worry about having enough money for gift-giving, and women are more likely to take on added workloads by running to purchase last-minute gifts and working overtime in the kitchen to feed all the guests.[1]
So how can you bring joy to the whirl?

Choose a Joy Verse for the Season
Why not begin by choosing a joy verse for the season? There are hundreds of texts about joy and rejoicing in the Bible. Comb through the Bible for a verse and say something like: This Christmas the joy of the Lord is my strength (Nehemiah 8:10). This Christmas I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle (Psalm 27:6). This Christmas my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation (Psalm 35:9). This Christmas, I will rejoice in the Lord always (Philippians 4:4).
            Following through on that takes intentional planning. We’ll give you several ideas to bring joy to the whirl, but the first one is—plan in advance to be joyful and to give joy.

Identify Joy Killers
Next identify the things that steal your joy. If it’s overscheduling, remember you control that in advance. When I’m having trouble saying “No” to an invitation, I decide if that event can go on without me. If it can, it makes the decision to politely decline much easier.
Another joy stealer comes when we handle memories the wrong way. We treasure our memories, but we shouldn’t let them cast us down. View your past from an eternal perspective as part of God’s tapestry. In every event there’s an item of praise. In every memory, there’s a foothold for thanksgiving. Whatever things are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report—think on these things (Philippians 4:8).

Implement a Joy Plan
Then implement a joy plan. If more stresses you out, decide to do less this year. Perhaps create a holiday ambiance with fewer decorations. Focus on a tree, a festive centerpiece, a mantel display, or a well-placed nativity set—but not on all four. Use inexpensive candles here and there to create simple warmth. Don’t unbox all your decorations.
Do less shopping. Decide in advance what you can afford per person, keep the names and amounts on a private list, and check them off throughout the month. Don’t try to do it all at once, and stick to your budget.
Do less entertaining. Be selective where you go and whom you invite. Don’t be afraid to ask friends to bring a dish or two if you’re having a function.
If you’re traveling, cut your trip short a day to give yourself time at home before heading back to work. This isn’t always possible, of course, but a buffer-day can be a lifesaver.

Be a Joy Giver
            Most of all, remember that you’re managing your holidays not just for your own benefit but so you’ll be more cheerful for others. Emotions are infectious. If you’re stressed, your tension will spread like the tide. But a smile, a cheerful word, a kind look, a laugh, a warm embrace, an uplifting conversation—those are gifts that go right to the heart and spread the true spirit of Christmas.
            If you’re joyful in the whirl, you can bring joy to the world. Let’s make sure we don’t exclude the Lord Jesus from any aspect of His birthday month.

Messages From Heaven: Thankfulness!!

Messages From Heaven: Thankfulness!!: Being thankful to God is the essence of worship. To be specific and thoughtful about our gratitude is not only well-received by the Godhe...

Thankfulness!!

Being thankful to God is the essence of worship. To be specific and thoughtful about our gratitude is not only well-received by the Godhead, it is expected (Luke 17:17). We owe him nothing less than to catalog our blessings and prompt our own hearts to recite them in thanksgiving. We see this discipline in the lyrics of the Psalmist as he calls his own soul to "Praise Yahweh!" and "forget not all his benefits" (Psalm 103:2). It may sound elementary to remind yourself to "count your blessings and name them one by one," but nothing would capture the essence of spiritual maturity more than doing just that (1 Thessalonians 5:18). And unlike the non-directed "thanksgiving" of our world, we must be careful and clear in our minds about the ultimate recipient of gratitude. It is not enough to passively feel thankful, we must actively direct our earnest expressions of thanks to the Giver of all good things (James 1:17). Though he has blessed us in countless ways, it is our responsibility to start counting anyway. As we do, God is honored, we are refreshed, and Christ's Church is adorned with the worshipful hearts that befit his children.
Thankfulness should not be just for those times that are going well, but should be our attitude regardless of our present pains or disappointments. The Bible assumes that if we are recipients of his grace and mercy, we have a lot to sing about as Psalm 96 would indicate. This Psalm calls us to "Sing to the Lord" (Psalm 96:1a). And the focus should not only be historical (i.e. what God did for us in years past), but our attention should also be on God's merciful involvement that is observed to be "new every morning" (Lamentations 3:23). That is why the psalmist calls us to sing to him "a new song" (Psalm 96:1b). The "newness" in view is not the modernity of the melody (necessarily), but it clearly has to do with the recent awareness of God's "marvelous deeds" and manifestations of his "glory" among his people and in our lives (Psalm 96:3). We could consume all of our time and attention focusing on the difficulties of the Christian life, but the Bible says that would be a mistake. Because God "is great" and "most worthy of praise" (Psalm 96:4), there are many good and awesome things of which we should take note, and then, in obedience to God's word, we must turn our hearts and our voices to him in joyful song. Psalm 96 ends as we might expect, looking forward to the day when God makes everything right (Psalm 96:13), but in the meantime we should never fail to find the "right" that he is doing right now and celebrate it with glad and sincere hearts.
While pain hurts, and few of us would choose it if we had a choice, God often chooses it for us, so we can experience his strong deliverance and learn to praise him more perfectly. Consider Psalm 102 (a psalm with a preface that reads "the prayer of an afflicted man") where we discover that amid the psalmist's pain he has learned to recognize God's providential rescue. More than that, he is resolved to utilize God's answer to his prayers as a springboard for liberal amounts of thanksgiving and celebration. He even directs it to be written down and memorialized so that others can join with him in worshipping God for his gracious relief. So when your stormy trial encounters those respites of peace and calm, let us follow this inspired example and share our incremental victories so that together many can rejoice in the deliverance that God is providing!

New Kind of New Year's Resolution!

When I was a boy, I loved rugby. My parents did not. My mother feared for my life; my father feared for my soul. He cited a Bible verse from 1 Timothy, "Bodily exercise profiteth little," to argue that it was at best a waste of time.
But I discovered a different translation that said, "Bodily exercise profiteth for a little time." From that, I argued that I wouldn't play all my life, but I could play until I couldn't anymore — and that would be a "little time." So I played, and they fretted.
When Paul wrote: "Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come," he was dealing with what is known as Gnostic asceticism. He called that belief "old wives' tales" and was not trying to make a point about modern athletics. But the verse does state this timeless principle: Godliness that lasts for all eternity is far more important than physical fitness that lasts only a lifetime. Godliness means true reverence for God that comes from knowledge.
New Year's is the time when thoughts turn to weight, diet, exercise, and other unpopular themes. So given the above principle, I had an idea. This year, let's all check out what needs to be done about this New Year's resolution stuff!
And as our New Year's resolution, let's focus on the disciplines necessary to produce true reverence for God — a serious discovery of who He is and what it means to be rightly related in trust and obedience to Him in daily living. This, like physical training, requires a goal, a plan, a realistic approach, a commitment, and discipline! So here are some suggestions:
• Goal — This year practical godliness should characterize my life as never before.
• Plan — The Word, sacraments, prayer, fellowship, etc. are means to this end.
• Approach — Manageable realistic targets in these areas are most likely to be achieved.
• Commitment — God helping me, I will commit to these targets I have set before Him.
• Discipline — New behaviors and priorities will require decisions — I must make them. Not everyone wants to run a marathon or needs to lose thirty-five pounds. So approaches and goals vary. In the same way, we are all in various stages of growth. We all have our particular issues and varying resources available to us. So there is no cookie-cutter approach to godliness.
That is why I have avoided a detailed list of "how-tos" and left you to apply the suggestions above to your own situation. But let me encourage you with words I've often told my congregation: "Whatever you do, don't do nothing!"
Telling the Truth has many resources to help you, and I encourage you to explore our website at tellingthetruth.org. You can also keep up-to-date with the ministry by checking out our Facebook page. Read our posts and share your thoughts at facebook.com/tellingthetruth.
By the way, as you think of manageable targets, don't forget to make realistic financial commitments to the Lord and His work through the ministries that have contributed significantly to your spiritual life. That's another timeless principle: You and I are to minister materially to those who minister to us spiritually!