RABBONI...which is to say, Master

Dear Children,

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season.  Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival--although I do appreciate being remembered anytime.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own.

I don't care what you call the day.  If you want to celebrate My birth just, GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.  Now, having said that let Me go on.

If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn.  If all my followers did that, there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree.  It was I who made all trees.  You can remember me anytime you see any tree.  Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were.  If you have forgot that one, look up John 15: 1-8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth, here is My wish list.  Choose something from it.

1.  Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home.  They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year.  I know; they tell me all the time.

2.  Visit someone in a nursing home.  You don't have to know them personally.  They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3.  Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year? Then follow up.  It will be nice hearing from you again.

4.  Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them.  Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here.  Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5.  Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6.  Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile.  It could make the difference.

7.  Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work here.  Give them a warm smile and a kind word.  Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one.  Then stop shopping there on Sunday.  If the store didn't make so much money on  that day, they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.

8.  If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9.  Here's a good one.  There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive.  If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10.  Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian.  Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence.  Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

PS:  Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself.  Just love Me and do what I have told you to do.  I'll take care of all the rest.  Check out the list above and get to work; time is short.  I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court.  And, do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember -

I LOVE YOU, JESUS

 (I received this from my friend and brother Carl Wade and wanted to pass it along. Much food for thought here. Thanks Carl for sharing this with us!)

Yesterday I spoke of our blessed assurance in Christ.  Because God sees us through what Jesus has done for us, we are “perfect forever" yep, that is what He said. But for some reason our old nature does not want us to forget our sin. The accuser constantly reminds us of how weak we are and have been. Which results is a poor self image. This focus on where we fall short in our own eyes can become unhealthy from a spiritual stand point and actually get in the way of God’s continued work to sanctify us.

Brennan Manning puts it this way. “Wallowing in shame, remorse, self-hatred, and guilt over real or imagined failings in our past lives betrays a distrust in the love of God. It shows that we have not accepted the acceptance of Jesus Christ and thus have rejected the total sufficiency of his redeeming work. Preoccupation with our past sins, present weaknesses, and character defects gets our emotions churning in self-destructive ways, closes us within the mighty citadel of self, and preempts the presence of a compassionate God. From personal experience I can testify that the language of low self-esteem is harsh and demanding; it abuses, accuses, criticizes, rejects, finds fault, blames, condemns, reproaches, and scolds in a monologue of impatience and chastisement.” Ruthless Trust, page 15,16.

Can we accept the reality that God will never love you and me more than He does at this moment in time. No amount of works or accomplishments for our selves or others will increase or diminish His love for us.

Some parents think they have been blessed with perfect children. The rest of us know other wise. But when God says we are perfect forever, He knows what He is talking about. He has the final word!

We have been studying the Book of Galatians in our Bible Class on Sunday morning. Someone has stated that were it not for the book of Galatians Christianity may well have become nothing more than another Jewish sect. Paul’s over all message from Galatians was that no legal system could bring justification before God, and that our standing before God was due to what He had done, and no work of the flesh, regardless of how important we may believe it to be.

For many years growing up in my religious tribe there was not a lot of security. Heaven was as sure as your most recent prayer, and hope was always followed by a question mark, not an exclamation mark. There was a time in my life where if you had asked me, "Are you going to heaven when you die?” I would have replied, “I hope so.” Even though the scripture told me that I could know, the teaching of my tribe always left me in doubt, and not full of assurance.

That was then, this is now. Today my confidence and hope are sure and steadfast. I can say without a doubt that should today be my last, Heaven would be my home. If you ask me why I believe that, my reply would simply be Jesus. Verses full of assurance and hope just seem to leap off the pages of scripture when I read today. They are truly “good news”

“…because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more." Heb. 10:14-17

Notice closely the verb tense in that first line. “Has made perfect”  “being made holy” This is a wonderful picture of how God sees you and me. First of all because of the sacrifice of Jesus, in His eyes we are perfect – FOREVER! But of whom does He speak? Those who are in the PROCESS of being made holy. The Hebrew writer then says in verse 17 quoting from the prophet Jeremiah, “there sins and lawless acts I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE. I no longer have to go through life dredging up my past loaded with sin. That burden was taken from my shoulders when I placed my trust in Jesus. It has been replaced with Freedom! Freedom to breath spiritually in my journey of becoming more like Jesus.

If you come here often you know that I talk a lot about Evangelism and the changes that have taken place in our world. I have spoken often about how that most folks today are not converted through door knocking, home Bible studies (cottage meetings we used to call them), and that most will be won for Christ in a context of community and relationships. This is at least the emphasis that is being taught and accepted today from a missional emphasis. But I learned a long time ago that just as sure as you try and set something in concrete the exception to your rule will arise. It never pays to be to dogmatic about any view we hold.

I linked to a bloger from their comment on another site and I want to share the article with you. Door knocking may not be in vogue, but it still does work, and here is proof.

I know of other groups, one in Minnesota, that go door to door offer the “Does God Exist” course by John Clayton, and have reach numbers of folks and started many congregations through this approach.

Regardless of the method we may choose, we must reach out with the message of the Good News of Jesus.

Someone ask me the other day how long I had been blogging, and for the life of me I could not remember. It has been as least two years, but probably longer. But that is not the point of this post. During the time I have been blogging I have met a lot of wonderful people. Some have their own blogs; some comment at this site, others are what I would call the faithful lurkers. I know this last group exists because I can check my stats for the site through tracking that is provided by Blog.com.

On this Eve to Thanksgiving, I just want each of you to know that I am thankful for you. So here is my Thanksgiving wish for you in the form of a little ditty that my niece by marriage sent me…Sonja you know who you are.

May your stuffing be tasty, may your turkey be plump.

May your potatoes and gravy have nary a lump,

May your yams be delicious,

May your pies take the prize,

May your Thanksgiving dinner…

Stay off your thighs.

Have A Wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Thanksinging was wonderful as usual. I was fortunate to be apart of this years praise team, and from where I sat the singing was powerful. Interspersed between songs were prayers, responsive reading of the scriptures, and powerful video presentations. I borrowed the photo taken by Todd Hibbs from Keith Lancaster’s web site. I didn’t get a view of the balcony, but the down stairs sections seemed to be full. Fellowship and finger foods followed the singing.

I thought that the videos from yesterday were pretty good. The “Christian No More” at the end of each was a bit of a turn off, even though I think I understand what they are saying. Just seems a little over statement to me.

The term “Christian” carries a lot of baggage with it in today’s world. Add the term “fundamental” and you get even more. The term “Protestant” sure seems to fit us today. It seems that what we are known for most is what we protest—are against—and not so much for what we are for. Our protesting and I am not saying that I am against protesting, has caused us to be viewed as pushy, uncaring and often bullies on the playground of life. While we, on the inside looking out, know this to be untrue, it has still become a perception of a lot of people today.

Part of the reason for this is the means we have chosen to express our faith. It is easier to put a bumper sticker on your car, than to talk to a stranger. It is easier to send those in need to the benevolent center, than reach into our pockets or closets and give to them on a personal basis. It is easier to establish orphan homes that to adopt children ourselves. And I could go on and on.

The Jesus followers of the first century were actually given the name Christians by the world. People saw how they lived and determined that what they saw in them was what they had seen in Christ, thus they called them Christ-ians. What was a positive term then has now, at least from the world’s view, become a negative term for the same reason. If all folks “see” from us is what we are protesting and against, that is a pretty negative view.

But the tide is turning! The church were Mike Exum is recently had a “Hot Dog Fest” in their community. Click here to read about it. And there are other stories from all across the country of similar things being done today. Can you imagine the impact the church could have if instead of spending billions on new buildings, we turn those assets to meet the needs of the poor in our own community? I am not talking about just a hand out, but a hand up. Job skill training programs, English classes for immigrants, blankets for the homeless. (I know a man in PA that does this from time to time).

Being a Christian is more than just holding a set of beliefs and showing up for a church service, it is a lifestyle! We allow the Word to change us to “BE” like Christ. If we are His disciples, apprentices if you please, then we should be going where He would go and doing what He would do.

Remember Peter’s words in the following verses, read each phase carefully, and understand the power of your own personal life lived like and for Jesus. “Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear[; do not be frightened." But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. I Peter 3:13-16.

I would really be interested to know what you think about the messages in these short videos. On target? Not! What do you think?

I have taught the above verses many times through my years in ministry. When I did I always seemed to feel the need to put qualifications on each of these challenges given by Jesus. Not to do so would have caused Him to appear radical and uncompromising was the thought in the back of my mind. Yet there has always been apart of me that wondered, really wondered, what would happen if we just took Jesus at his word.

In the story of the “Good Samaritan” told by Jesus he tells us that two religious types saw the plight of the wounded man on the side of the road, but did not stop. We have all speculated as to their reasons for not doing so, but we are not told. I wonder if stopping on such a dangerous road would have seemed a little radical. Sure we are to be compassionate, but...you can fill in the blanks. Brennan Manning in his book, “Ruthless Trust” gives the following quote from Thomas Cahill as he comments on the story of the Good Samaritan, “As we stand now at the entrance to the third millennium since Jesus, we can look back over the horrors of Christian history, never doubting for an instant that if Christians had put kindness ahead of devotion to good order, theological correctness, and our own justification—if we had followed in the humble footsteps of the heretical Samaritan who was willing to wash someone else’s wounds, rather than in the self-regarding steps of the priest and the immaculate steps of the Levite—the world we inhabit would be a very different one.” “Desire of the Everlasting Hills”.

The challenge given by Jesus following this familiar story was simply, “go and do likewise.” The question I must ask myself is, do I trust Jesus enough to take Him at His word. Please don’t get me wrong, I know Jesus used figures of speech from time to time. Otherwise we would have those who really trusted his word cutting off hands and plucking out eye balls because they could not control them. But Jesus seldom used hyperbole or metaphor to get His point across. Yet His message was still radically different from the accepted norm of the day. I just don’t want to be found guilty of trying to explain it away or water it down.