A Forever Friend

Hebrews 13:5

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Do you have any longtime friends that have been your friends for forever it seems? On Facebook they call them BFFs – Best Friends Forever.  They have even started ranking BBFs by calling them BFF1 or BFF2.

My children are blessed more than most pastor’s children.  Because we were at one church for such a long time (24 years) they were able to start school (pre-school) and end High School with some of the same friends.  It was amazing for them.  Some of their friends have been there for them for all that time – even as they have finished college and have gotten married.  We have had their friends in and out of our home for so long we feel like they are part of our family.

I remember going to three different elementary schools – and two different junior high schools.  I attended three different churches during that time in my life and lived in five different homes in different communities.  I have few friends from high school that I keep in touch with today!  Fewer still from junior high or elementary school.  How about you?

It is a blessing to have friends from way back when!  One of my best friends has died already – at a very young age.  Others have moved away.  Still others attend a different church now.  And others have just gotten too busy with life to keep up.  But the few I have – and some I keep up with on Facebook – are a treasure.

But there is One who will never leave us – never forsake us for something or someone else.  That friend is Jesus Christ – our Lord and Savior.  We will celebrate His birth on Sunday.  I pray we will all take time out of our busy Christmas celebrations to remember this friend.

Just something to think about today as you go on your way.

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Jesus Is The Reason For The Season 2

Luke 2:7

…and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Christmas is just around the corner folks.  Are you finished shopping yet?  Are the decorations up?  Have the office parties started yet?  It is December 15^th after all and after today there are only 9 more days until Christmas Eve.

What makes Christmas special to you and your family?  Is it a special Christmas tree ornament that has great sentimental value?   Is it a special recipe you or someone in the family only pulls out for Christmas?  Is it the look on your children’s or grandchildren’s face when they open their gifts?

Christmas is all of those things – but Christmas is especially a time to remember the greatest gift ever given (I use that phrase a lot I know).  The birth of Christ – love poured out into a manger – is what Christmas is all about.  You know the phrase many use – Christ is the reason for the season!

Society tries hard to remove Christ from Christmas with their Happy Holidays or their use of Xmas.  Manger scenes are not allowed in many government or public places.  They even call the Christmas break from school a winter break now.

What will you do to help your family remember that Jesus is the reason for the season?  We have always read the birth story from the Bible with our children before we open any gifts.  They have kept this tradition even as grown adults.  We talk about Jesus’ birth as the gift that really counts.  We try to worship together on Christmas Eve when possible.  What will you do?

Just something to think about today as you go on your way.

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Christmas Is Coming!

Luke 12:34

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Christmas is coming – just in case you haven’t been to any of the retail stores of late. I mean – some had Christmas stuff up this past summer – some before Thanksgiving – all by now!  We are singing Advent songs and even some Christmas songs (I know – liturgically they are not supposed to be sung yet – but – I love them so – as do our folks).

So what is on your list for Christmas?  Would you like an iPad 2 – even if you have an iPad 1?  How about the latest video game?  We use to get loads of clothes for Christmas – at times we got them early so we could wear them before Christmas – like a winter coat if it got cold early.  I remember marking things in the Sears Christmas catalog for my parents when it came out.

If we were in Sunday School or at a beauty pageant – we might say our wish is for everyone to receive Jesus or peace on earth.  Thinking on a more spiritual level – what is it you would wish for this Christmas – if you could wish and it would come true?  I mean – what do we treasure the most?  The passage this morning says that where our treasure is, there our heart will be also.  So – what do we treasure?

I bet our spouse – our children – our closest friends know what we treasure.  It is usually where we spend the most time – or where we would spend time if we had spare time to spend.  Our checkbooks know what we treasure as well.  I mean – we might spend thousands even tens of thousands or more on our hobbies – but have a hard time giving 10% of our income to the church or to others in need.  I’ve said it numerous times before – many of us live in the world of wants rather than the world of needs – and we need to reach out more to help those in need.  We have a vehicle – but want a newer or better one.  We have a home – but want a bigger or better one.  We have clothes and shoes – but we want more!  Our wants far exceed our needs for sure.

As people who believe in heaven and hell – why are some of us more likely to spend $1,000 on a new set of golf clubs rather than give it to the church to reach the lost?  Why would some of us spend $15,000 or more on a hobby each year but have a hard time giving a tithe to God’s work?  Why do some of us spend more money on our pets – giving them the best food – the best shelters – the best medical care – than we send to organizations that are feeding and giving medical care to people in third world countries?

Luke 12:34 – For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Just something to think about today as you go on your way.

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Where Do the Struggles You Face in Your Life Originate?

James 4:1

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?

In a recent holiday episode of America’s Funniest Home Videos there was a set of videos about children and Christmas morning.  Some of us have such videos.  During this segment in the show we saw videos of children opening gifts – excitedly – only to be disappointed in what they found.  The disappointment was evident in their faces – in their behavior. 

One child received a new pair of socks and began to cry – uncontrollably.  Another received a matching outfit and ran upstairs in anger.  Another child charged the camera in anger – presumably at the parent holding the camera.  This went on for some time – some real funny videos – right?

In that segment was another child who was dressed in her pink night-wear.  She was jumping up and down in excitement.  You wondered what it was that she just received.  She held in her hands a tiny chestnut.  She turned to camera and shouted with joy: A nut! A nut! I got a nut! I don’t know what kind it is, but I got a nut! 

James 4:1-6 – 1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?   6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Where do the struggles you face in your life originate?

Just something to think about today as you go on your way.

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Going After More Rejoicing this Year Rather than More Happiness!

Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Remember the saying – Happiness is circumstantially driven while Joy is spiritually derived?  I created that saying to help me and others understand the difference between temporary happiness – my team won – and lasting joy – our walk with Jesus.

As Christmas approaches – will the season bring your happiness and/or joy to you and yours?  Kids are usually – although not always – happy on Christmas.  The toys and gifts are circumstantial and for the moment – happiness abounds.  Sadly – that happiness is not long-lived.  Something breaks – a common occurrence when one of our cousins came over on Christmas – something is not what they thought it would be – or something someone else received is better.

Many families spend lots of time and money trying to bring happiness to their children on Christmas morning – only to find out – many if not most times – that it is not a lasting happiness.  How about striving this to increase the joy quotient for our children and family this Christmas?  We can do this by talking more about Jesus as the reason for the season?  One of the Christmas Carols we all love says; A thrill of hope; the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn – O Holy Night.

How about going after more rejoicing this year rather than more happiness?

Just something to think about today as you go on your way.

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During this Christmas Season – Will Your Heart be Set on Things of this World or Things of the Kingdom?

Matthew 6:19-20

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth … but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…

I was in a department store and in my favorite tech store picking up something for the church office yesterday (Monday).  I avoided the stores all last week – especially Friday through Sunday – when all of the sales were going on.  I like a discount – a sale – just like the next person – but fighting the lines – the crowds – is not my favorite things to do in the world.  Sales and waiting in line and I hate to say it – Christmas – seems to bring out the worst in some people.

Some people seem to think – as the old saying goes – he who ends up with the most toys wins.  The way I heard it is - he who ends up with the most toys – still dies.  Will it be what we have stored up on earth or what we have stored up in heaven that counts?

I grew up in an era when we felt blessed if we had one phone (in the kitchen) – one TV (black and white) – and one car (used).  It was a great plus for my parents when they finally got a phone extension in the bedroom so when it rang at night they could answer without heading down the hall to the kitchen.

Prosperity – even during a period of recession – has spoiled much of our society.  We have TVs in every room – and some have multiple TVs in a single room (I guess to watch several games at the same time).  We all have cell phones (no need for the family phone anymore) – personal computers – and more.  We have closets you have to walk into rather than slide a door or an armoire (when rooms were not built with closets at all – these are now consider antiques and very valuable).  We need shoe racks for all the shoes we own – or fold-a-ways for under the bed.

A times – even Christians – seem to spend more time storing up things on earth – rather than seeking to serve God and store up things in heaven.  During this Christmas season – will your heart be set on things of this world or things of the kingdom?  Will you be storing up treasures here – or storing them up in heaven?

Matthew 6:19-20 – 19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Remember my warning from before Thanksgiving – do not go into debt for Christmas – but instead – center your thoughts on the true reason for the season!

Just something to think about today as you go on your way.

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What are your favorite Christmas Carols/Songs?

What are your favorite Christmas Carols? Name the top five if you can.

Not in this order – but I would name these hymns
–O Come, All Ye Faithful
–Joy to the World
–Away in a Manger
–Silent Night
–O Little Town of Bethlehem

How about some non-hymn Christmas Songs?

And, not in order I would say:
–Mary Did you Know
–Grandma got run over by a reindeer
–I’ll be home for Christmas
–Silver Bells
–I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas