Miraculous Birth

Have you heard the news? Have you been told the wonderful news? Do you look forward to the celebration? Is it a one-day celebration or do you celebrate throughout the year? How do you celebrate? Do you have a big family dinner? Do you gather for multiple dinners?

Christmas Day is still several days away. Yet many are already holding celebrations. For some of us, we participate in multiple family dinners, depending on whether we are married or not, our workplace has dinner, or we gather with close friends. Celebrations are everywhere.

Are we celebrating for the right reason? It is unfortunate that some only think of the gifts (or the cost of them) during this time of year. Their focus is not on the Christ child but on the commercialism of it all. Now, make no mistake about it. There is nothing inherently wrong with giving gifts.

A wonderful sign was given nearly two-thousand years ago. God came to this earth in person and was born in a stable and placed in a manger—a feeding trough. God came down from heaven to live in the very creation he had created. We may have heard the story so often that we have lost the wonder and awe of this amazing birth.

God performed one of his two most amazing miracles on that day. The Creator came to his creation to walk the dusty roads, sleep on the ground, and interact with the people he created. Of course, the second most amazing miracle happened on the day Jesus was resurrected. But it is the His birth that we celebrate on Christmas Day. It is the joy of a newborn babe. It is God loving us so much that he came to live with us.

I pray we all enjoy our celebrations. I pray we celebrate with family, friends, and co-workers. I pray our celebrations include our thoughts focusing on the wondrous birth of Jesus Christ. Celebrate Jesus’ birth. Celebrate our Savior coming to us. Celebrate the miracle of God.

Luke 2:12 “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Ask What, Not Why

Do you wonder why you are in the situation you face today? Have you wished you were taller, shorter, thinner, heavier, more talented, smarter, etc.? Are you currently striving to change yourself into someone you were not meant to be?

Many of us ask why. We ask why we were made the way we were. We ask why we struggle to learn something new. We ask why we are physically different than we prefer. We ask why we cannot seem to land the job we desire. We ask why we do not have a talent we wish we had.

Have you considered that when you ask these questions you are questioning God? God has made each one of us just as he desired. When we question his creating us, we test his patience, we question his right as the creator to create as he sees fit.

Think about this for just a moment. If you were to paint a picture, how would you feel if someone else asked why you painted flowers rather than a building? Especially if they were implying the flowers were not beautiful! I suspect each of us would reply that it was our right to paint a picture of whatever we wanted.

This same principle applies to God creating each of us. He has created us for a purpose. He has created us to be who he desires us to be. Perhaps we should stop asking why and instead ask what. Ask what God wants us to do. Ask for what purpose has God created us. Ask what God’s plan is for us. Ask God what he has prepared for us to do.

When we desire to fulfill God’s plan for us, just as he created us to do, we find our place in this world. When we follow God’s plan, we discover joy, peace, and love. When we stop trying to be someone else and instead be who God created us to be, we experience God and please him.

I pray we all stop asking why and start asking what. I pray we seek to know what God’s purpose is for us. I pray each one of us follow God’s plan for us rather than trying to be someone else. Stop asking God why. Start asking God what. Know that God created you for a purpose. Seek God’s purpose for you. Please God. Find joy. Find peace. Find love. Experience God.

Romans 9:19-21 One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?

Stop Testing, Believe

Have you been frustrated by testing? Have you been asked to prove yourself again and again? Do you test others? Does it upset you when others do not believe you? How well do you believe others? Do you believe the truth of God as testified by witnesses?

Experiencing testing or trials is challenging and difficult. When we are required to prove ourselves, we grow anxious, frustrated, angry, or despondent. We may feel as though we are being put through the wringer. Having to prove ourselves may seem to be a daily battle.

If we feel as though we are being tested every day, we are not alone. Jesus was tested often while He walked this earth. Even if He had told them His birth was a miraculous birth, people would not have believed Him. After all, how many believe Him today?

Sometimes, our testing is to prove ourselves worthy of being included in a certain organization. Other times, it is nothing more than someone does not believe us. Perhaps they do not believe what we are saying. Maybe they do not believe we are worthy of their attention. Regardless of the reason for it, we grow frustrated having to prove ourselves over and over again.

If it is so frustrating for us to prove ourselves, why do we ask others to prove themselves? We cannot deny we do. We look down on others. We puff ourselves up. We don’t believe others. We distrust people, even over the smallest of things—things that have no impact on us. Why not just let them pass and move on? Because we feel compelled to think of ourselves better than others.

People asked Jesus to provide a sign from heaven. They didn’t just want Him to tell them who He was, they wanted a miracle. After they witnessed a miracle, they wanted another. God has performed more miracles than we can count, yet we still ask for a sign that he is who he says he is. Maybe, just maybe, we need to stop asking for signs and simply believe.

I pray we all stop testing God. I pray we believe the miracles he has already performed. I pray each one of us will believe God is who he says he is and put our faith in Jesus Christ. Trust God’s Word. Believe in Jesus. Believe God has performed miracles. Put your faith in Jesus.

Luke 11:16 Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.

The Perfect Highway

Have you driven on a new highway? Have you been on a road so smooth you felt no bumps? Isn’t it nice to be on a smooth highway? Doesn’t the ride feel good? Wouldn’t it be nice if your daily life was as smooth as that?

In our lives we often experience many bumps, snags, and even roadblocks. At times, it can seem as though life is extremely difficult or challenging. We sometimes wonder when it will ever end, and we experience a smooth section again.

There is a smoother highway available to us in our lives. The highway God has made is smoother than any other. We may experience difficulties in this life, but there is a time coming when those difficulties will no longer occur.

God has told us that He will provide a perfect highway for us. It will be a highway for those who have chosen Him over this world. Only those who are pursuing holiness will find it. Only those who have chosen Jesus as their Lord and Savior will walk on it.

Smoothing out our life is our choice. God stands ready to help us. He will lead us out of the desert. God will strengthen us when we are weak. He will remove our fear. He will open the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf. He will heal the lame and sick.

I pray we all choose to walk God’s highway. I pray we seek to be holy as God is holy. I pray each one of us will choose to be a follower of Jesus and accept God’s help along the way. Travel the better highway. Walk on God’s highway. Have your eyes opened. Hear God’s call. Be healed. Be holy. Choose Jesus.

Isaiah 35:8

And a highway will be there; 

it will be called the Way of Holiness; 

it will be for those who walk on that Way. 

The unclean will not journey on it; 

wicked fools will not go about it.

Seek True Joy

Are you looking for joy, especially during this Christmas season? Do you sometimes put a smile on your face when you do not feel joyful? Would you like to have an inexpressible joy all the time? Have you turned to the One who can give that joy to you?

Sometimes we simply do not feel bubbly and joyful. Sometimes we feel depressed, worried, and anxious. This is especially true this time of year. We stress over shopping for just the right gift, the decorations, having to go to parties, and wear ourselves out.

Our true joy does not come from the busyness of the season. Deep down we know it doesn’t. Yet, we go through it for the momentary happiness. Please don’t misunderstand, those things can contribute to our joy, but only if we do not allow them to overtake us. Worry can wipe out our joy faster than a raging river can carry a kayak.

Where can we find the joy we desire? There is only One who can deliver it—Jesus Christ. Our belief in Him brings us joy. Not just any ole belief, but a belief and trust that He is in control. A belief that He has a better place for us. A belief that it isn’t about us but about Him. Jesus gives us a joy that we cannot explain, describe, or ever want to live out once we have experienced it.

I pray we all seek the inexpressible joy only Jesus can give. I pray we believe He is the Giver of joy. I pray each one of us will believe in Him and experience the joy He will give us. Give up worry. Seek true joy. Believe in Jesus. Celebrate His coming. Believe He is in control. Experience true joy. Accept it from Jesus.

1 Peter 1:8-9 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Leave the Superhighway

Are you on the road you want to be on? Is that road taking you to where you want to be in life? Or have you lost your way? Have you strayed into the side streets and back alleys? Do you know there is one road that leads to an eternal life of bliss?

Our paths often wander back and forth, and sometimes they go in circles. We may even wander aimlessly, our heads down shuffling through the streets of despair. We want a better path, but we may be unable to find it. Our first action is to lift our head and see the landscape around us.

Taking time to assess our situation can be difficult. It requires us to stop our frantic scrambling. We must take an honest look at who we spend time with, who our friends are. We must decide where we want to go. We need to ask for direction. And finally, we must change course.

Many in this world are on the superhighway our culture tells us to be on. We travel at breakneck speed. We have no time to see the sights, smell the roses, or build meaningful relationships. Everything is superficial. We have no roots. We are carried along like a stick on a fast-moving stream being carried to a destination we do not know.

God, more specifically Jesus, has laid a pathway to lead us to where our souls desire to go. It is only when we are on that path that we will find the peace of mind we seek. It is open to all, but few will choose it. The path Jesus has laid will satisfy our souls, taking us to the eternal home we desire.

I pray we all pause to take stock of our situation. I pray we give up superficiality for meaning. I pray each one of us choose the pathway Jesus has laid to satisfy our soul’s desire. Leave the superhighway. Pause and evaluate. Satisfy your soul. Choose to follow Jesus.

Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

Satisfy Your Soul

Have you ever been so thirsty your tongue stuck to the roof of your mouth? Have you been thirsty enough you thought you would faint? Have you thought your soul can be thirsty? Do you know there is One who can satisfy your thirst?

We all get thirsty. Our bodies need water to survive. The more active we are the more water we need. We may experience times when water isn’t readily available. Or we may get busy and forget to drink water. At those times, our bodies will remind us of its need for water.

Our souls also need to be satisfied. Just as our bodies need water, our souls need the Spirit of God. There is only One who can give our souls what it craves—Jesus Christ. He has called us to Him. He has told us He will give us what we crave. He will satisfy our souls with His Spirit.

Jesus can and will satisfy the thirst of our souls. He promised to give us the Holy Spirit. He promised to send us a Helper. He promised to send us a Counselor. He promised to send us a Guide. He promised the Holy Spirit would flow through us to the point of overflowing, if we will simply accept Him as Lord and Savior, committing our lives to Him.

I pray we all commit our lives to Jesus. I pray we accept Him as our Lord and Savior. I pray we allow Jesus to satisfy the thirst our souls have for the Spirit of God. Satisfy your thirst. Commit to Jesus. Accept Jesus as Lord. Accept Jesus as Savior. Receive the Holy Spirit. Overflow with the Spirit.

John 7:37-39 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Jesus Heals

Are you in search of healing? Do you have a physical injury or ailment you are seeking relief from? Are you suffering from a disease or illness for which you desire a cure? Is your spirit in need of being made whole from a broken countenance? Have you earnestly turned to Jesus?

Injuries happen to all of us. They range from broken bones to torn muscles. In most cases, we heal physically, at least enough to function again. Many diseases are overcome with medicines and rest. We receive a shot and/or pills to combat the disease. The antibodies in our system fight off the illness more effectively with rest.

Yet, there are some injuries, ailments, diseases, and illnesses we do not fully recover from. We chalk it up to “just the way things are.” Sure, we are disappointed, but resign ourselves to the thought that there is nothing we can do. But there is. We can go to Jesus. He still heals physical ailments. Despite what we may think, He does so as often today as He did when He walked the earth. We simply don’t hear about them, or we don’t credit them to Him.

Jesus really loves to heal the broken spirit. He longs to be asked to come into a person’s life to heal them on the inside. He sends His Spirit to us. He heals our spirit. Jesus is our perfect Healer. He is the master Physician. He is the consummate Counselor. He is the true Mender of our lives.

You have asked and not received healing, you may say. Have you continued to ask? Have you asked with an earnest heart? Jesus does not heal every physical ailment. He will heal every spiritual ailment if we give Him our heart. Make no mistake about it, Jesus is in the business of healing, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual.

I pray we all turn to Jesus for healing. I pray we ask Him repeatedly to heal us of our ailments. I pray each one of us turn our entire heart over to Him and ask for Him to lift our spirits. Jesus heals physical infirmities. Jesus heals our minds. Jesus heals our spirits. Turn to Him. Ask for healing repeatedly. Trust Jesus to heal you.

Luke 7:22-23 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

Strengthen Your Heart

Are there times when you feel helpless? Do you feel as though you are a fifth wheel? Do you think you are being left out because you have nothing to contribute? Are you in a situation in which you do not know how you will get through it?

We all face situations for which we feel ill equipped to handle. There are times when we feel as though we don’t fit in. We may be struggling through a time of meagerness. Our outlook may be bleak. We may be wondering aimlessly, looking for direction.

When we face times of trial, we long for someone to lend a helping hand. There is good news for those who follow Jesus. He provides the assistance we need. He strengthens us so we can face difficulties. He sends others to help. His timing is perfect, even if we don’t always think so.

I have seen God provide the money needed to make a mortgage payment. One instance was when a husband had become extremely ill and could not work. The wife was trying to make ends meet on her paycheck, but she couldn’t stretch the dollar far enough. She came to the church where she was a member and presented her situation to the leadership. They decided to bring it before the congregation, providing them an opportunity to help a fellow Christian.

One of the leaders presented the opportunity to give but did not disclose the amount needed. A special collection was taken up. After the collection was counted, there was twenty dollars more than she needed. God worked through the people, encouraging each person to give what they could, and provided for the need.

When we feel ill equipped, helpless, or in dire need, our first person to cry out to should be God. He will direct us, just as he directed the woman above. God works through people, especially the church, to lift us up out of the drudgery of life.

I pray we all reach out to God to be strengthened. I pray we take our weakness to him. I pray each one of us will bring our needs before the church and trust God to strengthen our hearts. Reach out to God. Trust God to help. Trust God to strengthen. Follow Jesus. Know God is always with you.

1 Thessalonians 3:13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

A Perfect Place

Are you looking for a better place? Do you long to be in a better situation? Are you someone who works toward goals? Or are you a person who works out of love? Do you know there is a better place? Do you know God has prepared it for you?

Many of us long for something better. We seek better jobs. We strive to make our living situation better. We work to provide a better home for our kids. Sometimes we work to achieve goals. At other times, we work to provide for our families because we love them deeply.

When God created us, he put within us a desire for something better. We live in a world full of strife. We long for something better. We desire a place of peace and rest. Rest is something many of us lack. That kind of rest can only be experienced briefly when we spend quiet time with God. Our ultimate rest will come when we spend eternity with God.

We see glimpses of beauty in this world. We see it in the majestic mountains, the blooming of spring flowers, the graceful leaping of a deer over a fence, or a colorful sunset. But these glimpses don’t last. We hold them in our memory to remind us, but we cannot hold the moment forever.

There is a beauty coming that will last forever. The eternal home for those who follow God will be a beautiful place created by God. We see poetic descriptions that struggle to come close to its beauty in the Bible. However, they fall short of fully describing the beauty we will see.

I pray we all work out of the love we have for God. I pray we desire to experience the beauty of eternity with him. I pray each one of us appreciate the glimpses of God’s beauty we see on this earth. Look forward to eternity with God. Take notice of the beauty God created. Know God has prepared a place for you. Trust God’s promises.

Revelation 21:1-2 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.