Praise Be To God

Are you blessed by God? Do you have confidence that He is always with you? Do you praise God for the blessings He has graciously blessed you with? Are you fully committed to God? He is waiting patiently for you.

We have been blessed richly by God. The real question is whether we recognize all the blessings or do we chalk it all up to our own hard work? We often leave God out of the equation. We quickly forget that He made everything.

We might acknowledge that God created everything, but we don’t fully understand what it means. Think about it. He created everything. That includes Him writing your DNA. What does that mean? It means He made you exactly who you are. He gave you your entire chemical makeup. You are His design.

It also means that He created all that we see. Yes, all of it. I know, you are going to argue that He didn’t create the computer or smartphone you are reading this post on. Perhaps it was a miraculous creation by His hands, but He created the person who designed it, the materials it is made of, and provided everything that went into it.

We recently saw the alignment of Saturn and Jupiter, which many were calling the Bethlehem star. God put those planets in motion and set the timing for them to align. Perhaps He did so to remind during a challenging year that He is still in control.

God provides His instruction through a wide variety of sources. He uses the planets and star. He uses other people. He even uses today’s technology to spread His word to more people than ever before.

Think about it. With many churches closing the doors of their buildings and going online, God’s word was being broadcast into more homes in 2020 than ever before. Perhaps, even more than all of history combined prior to 2020. That means there are likely people in some of those homes who were hearing a sermon for the very first time, because they had previously refused to enter a church building. Praise God for that!

I pray we all stop to think about the amazing creation God has created. I pray we praise Him for His blessings. I pray each one of us will stand firm on God’s promises. Praise God. Live in His promises. Listen for His counsel. Keep your eyes on God.

Psalm 16:5-8

Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup;

you make my lot secure.

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

surely I have a delightful inheritance.

I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;

even at night my heart instructs me.

I keep my eyes always on the Lord.

With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken

Rejoice The Birth

Can you imagine having a baby in a stable area? Not only that, but you must use a feeding trough as a bed for him. Of course, two thousand years ago was a different time. Electricity hadn’t been invented yet and all our modern conveniences were far into the future.

I am sure most of us would not dream of having a child in a stable. I’m also sure that wasn’t Mary’s first choice. Yet, there is an amazing thing that happens to us as humans…we adapt. When we have no other choice, we make do with what we have.

Perhaps that is why it is when we are at the end of our rope we turn to God. We have nowhere else to turn. We can no longer do for ourselves. We must rely on God. In the case of Mary, she had already given herself up to God. A good example for all of us.

If you have never been at the end of your rope, never been in a place of ultimate need and sheer helplessness, you likely don’t fully know what it means to give yourself up to God. That’s not to say you aren’t giving part of yourself up. I believe we all give up some to God.

Mary made do. The feeding trough became a cradle. The straw or hay became a mattress. A few cloths became baby blankets. And here is the real kicker—the baby had no care in the world about any of it.

God had planned the day. He had planned the setting. He put all things in motion to happen according to His plan. And He showed up in a stable to a young girl who wasn’t yet married and a man who wasn’t sure about all this until the Lord appeared to him in a dream and told him it was alright. Oh, what trust God put into a couple of young people!

We should rejoice that our Savior was born on that day. We should rejoice over the awesome plan God put in motion. We should rejoice that we have a golden promise from God to spend eternity with Him. We should rejoice always.

May this Christmas Day find each of us rejoicing. May we be filled with the Holy Spirit. May we love one another as God loves us, willingly giving up of ourselves for one another. May we give thanks to God for all He has blessed us with.

I pray we all rejoice with the heavenly host. I pray we give thanks to God. I pray each one us decides to love one another and show it as God has. Rejoice over the birth of Jesus. Rejoice over our Savior. Rejoice over God’s plan. Love one another. Let go and let God.

Luke 2:6-7 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

The Story Told

Have you ever experienced something that you just to had tell everyone you saw? I don’t mean just your family and friends, but you may tell complete strangers, as well. It isn’t just a good thing but is an extraordinary thing.

The shepherds experienced something only a handful of humans had ever experienced. An angel had come to give them a message. They decided to go see this thing the angel told them about. After making the trip to Bethlehem, seeing the baby Jesus, they were compelled to tell others about it.

Now, we don’t know exactly where the shepherds were when the angel appeared to them. It is likely they weren’t far from Bethlehem. It is also likely that one of them stayed with the flock during night while. Perhaps they went to visit the newborn babe in shifts.

I can imagine them telling this story for weeks or months afterward. As they came in contact with other shepherds and people at the marketplace, they told the story. They were so excited, amazed, and overwhelmed by what happened, they couldn’t contain their excitement.

We are also told the people these shepherds told their story to were amazed. Have you ever heard a story that amazed you? Perhaps a friend told you about meeting someone very important. Perhaps they met a movie star or sports star. What did you think about that?

Evidently, the story the shepherds were spreading found its way back to Mary. For we are told that Mary treasured it and pondered it. If you were the one people were talking about, have you ever heard the story told by someone who didn’t know it was you? How was that? Did you quietly listen and say it was amazing, but didn’t let them know it was you? Did you hold the story they related in your heart and treasure it?

I can only imagine how Mary felt to have the tale of her giving birth being told throughout the town. Especially, as the story included the appearance of an angel and the heavenly host. It wasn’t just people talking about her, but all of heaven was celebrating. Imagine how it would feel to have heaven rejoicing over you. Do you know that heaven does rejoice when a lost sinner comes to Jesus? Heaven also rejoices when we are the hands and feet of Jesus, serving others.

I pray we all ponder the events that took place more than two thousand years ago. I pray we rejoice when heaven rejoices. I pray each of us decide to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Rejoice with heaven. Serve others. Return to Jesus. Live in His presence at all times.

Luke 2:17-18 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

Angel Encounter

Have you ever seen an angel? Have you ever thought seriously about what it might be like to see an angel up close and personal? I’m guessing the shepherds in the field on that night more than two thousand years ago hadn’t really thought about it much either.

Imagine, you are out in the countryside wondering about with your flock of sheep, finding food and water for them. The sun is starting to set, so you find a good place to bed the flock down for the night. Providing you are a good shepherd; you find a place where the sheep are hemmed in and you can get a little sleep yourself.

You have probably encountered predators in the night who are looking to take one of your sheep for their meal. As mentioned by David, it may have been a lion or a bear. You scare them off or kill them with a sling and a couple smooth stones.

All of a sudden someone appears in front of you. You have never seen anyone like him. Since I have never seen an angel with my own eyes, I can only imagine what one may look like. My thoughts are a being that looks somewhat human but stands about nine or ten feet tall. I also assume he would have wings, since we read of them flying. Yet perhaps they don’t need wings to fly. I also imagine him dressed in flowing robes. Is this the picture you have in your mind?

Unfortunately, that picture is largely a result of ancient art and not really based on biblical accounts. I challenge you to find a description of an angel in the Bible. We see a handful of declarations made by angels in a loud voice. We see them playing a trumpet at the end of days. We know of Michael fighting against Satan. And we know Gabriel delivered messages to both Zechariah and Mary.

No matter what the angel actually looked like, the shepherds were initially terrified when he suddenly appeared. So, the angel told them not to be afraid (Luke 2:10), much like Gabriel had said to Zechariah when he proclaimed that Elizabeth would have a baby and he was to be named John. That tells me there was an awesome, overpowering presence projected by the angel.

Now imagine a large number of the heavenly host appearing out of nowhere praising God. Certainly, this is an event that you must act on and one that you will never forget. An everyday shepherd simply does not have these types of encounters. We don’t either, but we can use our imagination to put ourselves in the story.

I pray we all spend a little time this advent to think about the miraculous events that took place around Jesus’ birth. I pray we imagine an angel appearing. I pray each of us take action based on a miraculous event. Contemplate miracles this advent. Take action. Make decisions, based on Jesus, our Savior. Be in awe of God spending time on this earth as a human.

Luke 2:13-14 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, 

and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 

Mystery Revealed

We have all heard that God works in mysterious ways. Do you think He really works in mysterious ways or we just don’t understand? Though I don’t discount that God works in mysterious ways, I think we often don’t fully understand because we don’t know all the details.

Let’s take a quick look at why Jesus was born in Bethlehem. We can quickly point to Micah 5:2 and state that it was to fulfill prophecy. We can also see in Isaiah 11:1 that a descendant of Jesse, who was David’s father, will come to bear fruit. We see in Isaiah 9:6-7 that a son will reign on David’s throne forever, meaning he will come from David’s line.

Yet why did there have to be a census in order to get Mary and Joseph to travel to Bethlehem? Was it all part of the plan? Let’s think about that. As people, do we just arbitrarily decide to travel to an unknown place for no reason at all?

Now, you might think Mary and Joseph would know they needed to travel to Bethlehem, if they knew the prophecy. Perhaps. But we must understand the situation of their day and time. From Nazareth to Bethlehem would have been a four- or five-day journey. Not to mention that Mary was pregnant and traveling on a donkey or walking would have been challenging. We also must account for Matthew 2:23 telling us that prophecy stated He would be called a Nazarene. It would seem that prophecy contradicted itself.

God, who knows all, knew His plan. He works through kings, as we see in Romans 13:1, who are appointed by Him. When we understand this, we can make a logical conclusion that God urged Caesar to demand a census in order for Mary to be where He wanted her to give birth.

You see, when we put the pieces together, it is not so mysterious. We don’t know the whole plan. We don’t know God’s full intention. That is why it appears to be mysterious to us. In many situations, we wrestle with the same issue—we don’t know all the details. Unfortunately, we too often make judgments based on partial information.

As Paul states in 1 Corinthians 13:12, we see dimly in our current life, but we will fully know why God planned it the way He did when we come face-to-face with Him. What does this mean to us? It means we are to trust Him, even if it appears to be a mystery or unexplained.

I pray we all trust God. I pray we trust, even when it appears He is working mysteriously. I pray each one of us will follow where God is leading us. Put your trust in God. God has a plan. You don’t know everything. God’s mystery will be revealed.

Luke 2:1-5 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

A Birth Foretold

As we approach the day set aside to celebrate the birth of Jesus, we often hear many questions and challenges of His birth. The commercialization of Christmas has caused many to forget the original reason behind Christmas.

It may come as a surprise to many, but based on historical, astronomical, and Scriptural evidence, it is very likely Jesus was actually born sometime between March-May in 5 BC. The early church and the gospel writers were not concerned with a specific date. Therefore, none has been given to us.

To be honest with you, I find no reason we need a specific date. It is good that we remember His birth. Yet, we should remember His birth, life, death, and resurrection every day of the year. However, as westerners, concerned with preciseness at times to a fault, we schedule a remembrance and a celebration.

In some ways, it is unfortunate. We set a date to remember and forget for much of the rest of the year. Oh, it is wonderful most of the world will hear more about Jesus during this time of year. It certainly cannot hurt to tell the story of His birth many times over for a handful of weeks. Who knows? It just may be the only time some will hear the good news.

Jesus’ birth was foretold more than seven hundred years in advance by Isaiah. But Isaiah didn’t dwell much on His birth either. His prophecy was more about the good news of what Jesus would accomplish and the purpose of His life, than His birth.

Make no mistake, we should not minimize Jesus’ birth. It was a miraculous birth, a gift from God, and needed. After all, we wouldn’t be nearly as accepting if God simply stepped into our world for a couple of years to teach then step back out. There would be too many similarities to the myths of the Greek gods or the gods of other cultures.

Yes, Jesus’ birth is extremely important. God becoming a newborn babe, growing through childhood into an adult, and ultimately dying for each one of us is something to be celebrated. Knowing God planned it hundreds of years earlier simply makes it more amazing.

I pray we all spend some quiet time contemplating Jesus’ birth. I pray we come to a better understanding of the miracle of it all. I pray each one of us recognize the awesomeness of God this Christmas season. Spend quiet time with God. Contemplate His mighty works. Celebrate Jesus’ birth. Praise God. Be in awe of God.

Isaiah 9:6

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Amazing Faith

Have you had someone in your life that you looked up to? Has there been someone you thought was a wonderful role model? Is that person a person of faith? Has their faith been solid throughout the years? Would you like to have a faith like them?

Most of us, as we grow up, have someone we look up to. It may be a parent, a coach, a teacher, or even an older sibling. Some of us have people we admire for one quality or another when we are adults. Sometimes, we take on their qualities that we admire.

There have a been a couple of men in my life that I looked up to for different reasons. One was a Warrant Officer when I was a young Marine. I was early in my career and he was this wizened old man that gave some very sage advice. Of course, as I look back now, he wasn’t as old as my 20-year-old self thought he was. But I can still hear his advice and it is still relevant.

The other is a man that taught me a lot about thinking through God’s Word. He and I had many long conversations, especially as I was going through a tough time. He also gave some sage advice, though from a different perspective. I treasure our talks, even if we don’t have them near as often now as we once did.

We have examples of some amazing faith in the Bible. I venture to say Mary is toward the top of the list, if not at the very top. As a young girl, likely between the ages of 12-16 when Gabriel visits her, demonstrated a rare faith. It was a short conversation, but she did not hesitate. She humbled herself to God’s will.

Mary set an example for us to follow. Oh, I doubt we will have Gabriel show up on our doorstep to deliver a message about God’s plan for our lives, but we do receive messages. Our messages come by reading the Bible, praying (both requesting and listening), and from other believers.

God continues to work in this world. He continues to provide us guidance. He does it much the same way He always has. You see, visits from angels are extremely rare, even in the Bible. Perhaps we should be on the lookout for God’s messages and be willing to follow them in faith, much like Mary

I pray we all look and listen for God’s messages. I pray we decide to follow His guidance. I pray each one of us will demonstrate a faith like Mary’s. Look for God working. Listen for God’s voice through others. Have a faith like Mary. Ask God to increase your faith. Trust God.

Luke 1:38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

God’s Warnings

Do you prefer to have a warning something is going to happen? Do you like to know ahead of time when you are scheduled to leave on a trip? Are you someone who plans and prepares for events well in advance? Do you listen when given a heads up?

I venture to guess most of us prefer to know in advance of events that require us to be present or to do something for them, even if it merely requires our attendance. After all, it is taking our time. We may need to dress special for the event. We may need to prepare food for it.

Our culture runs on schedules. Our businesses set schedules for deliveries and workers. We make appointments for vehicle maintenance. Our schools operate on schedules. We schedule family get togethers. Woe to the person who disrupts the schedule.

God also set a schedule. He planned out the time of Jesus’ birth. Not only did He plan the birth, but He also planned a messenger to provide a warning ahead of Jesus’ ministry. God is a God of second chances. He provides warnings, forgiveness, and continuous love.

God foretold His Son coming to this world and He foretold of the messenger coming to provide the warning. Think about that for a minute. God gave a warning that there would be a warning. He gave a heads up that there would be a heads up. Yet, many people in Israel missed both.

Do we miss the warnings of God? Are our eyes and ears open to see and hear the warnings God is providing us? Speaking from my own personal experience, I’ve missed warnings. Now, that doesn’t mean there is always a warning, but I can certainly look back and see there was a warning being provided and I’m guessing you can, too.

May I suggest that we all slow down during this time of advent and look for warnings? Perhaps God has been preparing us for something new. Maybe this pandemic is a way of changing our direction. It could be that God raised our awareness about something we’ve been doing wrong. God might be warning us to change our attitudes, return to Him, and make Him a priority again.

I pray we all review our lives for warnings from God. I pray we pause to contemplate God working in our lives. I pray each one of us makes God a priority each day. Look for God’s warning signs. Think about God each day. Pray to God each day. Make God a priority. Trust God. Return to Him.

Malachi 4:5-6 “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”

God Has A Plan

Have you ever wondered how long God planned out the birth of Jesus? Have you stopped to think about God’s plan for you? Have you considered that He may have something in motion for you that won’t come to pass for years?

Our typical human nature is to think about today. Oh, we may think a tad about the future, putting some savings away or planning to buy a house, but we don’t think about what God is doing nor His plan for us in the years to come. Yet, God is at work all the same.

We see in Jeremiah that God had already planned to send His Son to be the Savior of the world…some six hundred years in advance. Isn’t it amazing? God knows every move and just the right time to act. He sent Jesus exactly when He planned, and all the prophecies point to it. Think about it. The prophecies God gave to the various prophets of the Old Testament mentioned Him being a Nazarene, coming out of Egypt, being born in the town of David, and being born of a virgin. I could mention more prophecies, but you get the picture. God knows and God plans.

God even planned giving the messages to the prophets. He provided different bits of information to each of them. Now, you might ask why He didn’t simply provide the whole picture, rather than just providing tidbits. I’m not sure we will know until we see Him face-to-face. Yet, we do know that God works in mysterious ways.

As we observe how He planned out the arrival of Jesus, we need to ask ourselves what He has planned for us. We might want to look back at our lives to see how He has prepared us. We should take stock of those preparations and look forward to what He will do in the future.

Jesus fulfilled the prophecy and plan of God. He continues to do so to this day and will continue until the end of time. Wouldn’t it make sense for us to do the same? God has a wonderful plan for each of us. He wants us to trust Him and He wants to provide us with an abundant life. What could be better?

I pray we all take time to review how God has worked in our lives. I pray we look forward to how God will continue to work in our lives. I pray each one of us will contemplate God’s plan during this advent season. Trust God. Look at your past. Look forward to the future. Fulfill God’s plan for you.

Jeremiah 33:15, 17-18 “‘In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land.’…For this is what the Lord says: ‘David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of Israel, nor will the Levitical priests ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices.’”

God of Impossibilities

Do you face an impossible task? Are you staring up at a mountain of troubles? Do you feel as though you have gotten in over your head? Are you looking for a helping hand, or perhaps a miracle worker? Are you willing to put it in God’s hands?

Sooner or later, we all face some tough times. They may be financial. It may be a relationship. Perhaps a job loss or change or retirement. We will face some difficulty in our lives that will bring us to our knees. We simply don’t know when or what.

When we face difficulties, we typically look for help. We ask for advice from someone we trust. We reach out to family and friends. It is in those particularly difficult times we find out who truly cares for us; those who are willing to give us the shirt off their back, give us their last dollar. People with that attitude are rare. There is a quality about them that shines through.

There is also one other we can trust at all times—God. He is always there, patiently waiting for us to come to Him. As we see in today’s passage, there is nothing God can’t handle. We must remember that He is all powerful, He created everything.

Unfortunately, we often turn to God as a last resort. We allow things to fester to the point of bursting before we look up to ask God to intervene. He is certainly capable of snatching us out of the cauldron, but more times than not, He will allow us to feel some of the heat to teach us a lesson.

God wants a relationship with us. He longs for us to talk with Him every day. When we do, we find God speaking to us, guiding us every step of the way. We find a strength not of our own, but from God. He holds our hand, and even carries us when we can’t continue on our own.

Yet, if you have never turned to God, don’t hesitate, especially if you are in the midst of a storm. God can do the impossible. We simply need to fall to our knees, turn our hearts over to Him, and trust Him with our problem.

I pray we all turn to God each day. I pray we spend time in prayer with Him, both requesting and listening. I pray each one of us reach out to God with our troubles and trust Him. Trust God. All things are possible with God. Turn your troubles over to Him. Turn your heart over to God.

Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”