December 2, 2014

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14

No one likes the silent treatment, although it can be a fairly effective tool.

When someone you enjoy communicating with chooses to punish you by not speaking to you and not responding to your attempts to speak to them, it can hurt.

For four long centuries God had been silent toward His people. That's a long time to not hear from God! That is several generations of Chosen Ones who lived and died without hearing from God. 

If you go fours weeks or four months without hearing from God don't you find yourself becoming anxious?

You can imagine how eager they must have been to hear from Him!

The last word they had from God came from the Prophet Malachi and left them waiting and wondering:

“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.” Malachi 4:5-6

John the Baptist, born of a barren woman and an aged priest, came to be the Elijah, the fulfillment of this prophecy. Finally, the silence was broken and God's Word was proven true! 

John's message was clear, he was not the Messiah but he was come to preach and prepare the way for the Messiah.

God spoke and now was speaking through John, but John was not the last word! God had more to say! 

On a still night in a remote village in Judea, "the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us" ! Jesus, the Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity, came in human flesh, born of a virgin in a manger inside of a stable.

Jesus came to be the voice God!

He is the "logos" of God! The "logos" expressed the heart and mind of God. His "logos" is His essence revealed to us. God's "logos" is God's life and it is God's light and God's love all wrapped up in swaddling clothes and first heard in a baby's cry!

God began speaking to hurting and hungry hearts on that first night in Bethlehem and He has been speaking ever since! Those who hear and listen find healing, help, and hope.

Are you listening?

December 1, 2014

"For nothing is impossible with God." Luke 1:37

Much of the lore and legend surrounding Christmas centers around impossible things happening.

For example, the story of a benign and jolly man who lives around the North Pole with a large population of highly skilled elves and a herd of flying reindeer. This industrious bunch craft a wide variety of toys to distribute to every child in the world during the night-time hours of Christmas Eve. 

Sound impossible? Ah, but don't forget that he has the benefit of the supersonic flying reindeer to propel his sleigh!

In fact, the REAL story of Christmas featured some fairly fantastic unfolding of events.

For example, the birth of John the Baptist. Consider this account from Luke 1:11-25

"11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” 18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” 19 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.” 21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak. 23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25 “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people."

When God needed a prophet to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah, He did it in an impossible way! Out of the weakness of an elderly priest and his barren wife, came John the Baptist. These good and faithful people had borne the shame of infertility their entire married life. Having a son was a sign of God's sanction and blessing upon your life and marriage. So, here is a highly spiritual couple having to live under the shadow of doubt regarding their lack of a son. It was a burden that they had suffered together through the years. I am sure they had lost count of the times they had cried out to God, apparently to no avail.

Don't you think they struggled through some faith issues? You have had enough disappointments with God that you can identify with their heartaches. But in the end, as all people of faith do, they came to grips with the will of God for their lives.

After all that, and now that conception was a physical impossibility for this aged couple, they impossible announcement comes to Zechariah from no less that Gabriel himself! Their prayers had been heard, their faith had been honored and their dreams would come true. What had been impossible to them was about to happen for them! Why? How?

Because "nothing is impossible with God"!

The good news of Christmas is that God is not limited by our weakness! He is not diminished by our humanity!

Because of Christmas - because of Christ - everything is possible! Miracles can happen! Through Christ, God can bring wins out your your weaknesses! Through Christ, God can bring fulfillment out of your futility. Because of Christmas your dreams can arise amid your doubts! Because of Christ there are no dead ends in your life!

As you gear up for your celebration of Christmas - celebrate this - Christmas proves that "nothing is impossible with God!"

November 30, 2014

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." Psalm 23

The grateful sheep has already made the care that when the Lord is your Shepherd the future is your friend!

But he goes beyond that declares that when the Lord is your Shepherd forever is your friend!

"Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever"

The secure sheep says, "'Surely' my Shepherd will care for me for the rest of my life!" He will keep me in His care and He will love me for as long as I live!

"Surely" means - "for sure", "for certain", "sure thing", "bank on it", "I am sure", "count on it"!

Are you that certain about your future?

You could be if you had the Lord as your shepherd!

Continuing in his song of praise, the satisfied sheep says, "My shepherd will care for me all my life and when my future ends then my forever will begin!" "My shepherd will live with me all my days and when I run out of days I will go to live with Him forever!" 

When the Lord is your Shepherd your forever is your friend!

Surely!

November 29, 2014

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."  Psalm 23

A Good Shepherd provides for the care, comfort and companionship for His sheep.

Who is your shepherd?

If the Lord is your Shepherd, you should be sharing in the praises of the satisfied sheep of Psalm 23!

Once He leads His sheep through the Valley of the Shadow of Death He celebrates with them and honors them with a victory dinner!

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows."

The more this sheep shares about the goodness of his Shepherd, the better the Good Shepherd looks! 

Not only is this a victory dinner it is more than that! The Good Shepherd is not only touting their safe passage through the Valley of Death but He taunts the enemy who could not harm them or prevent them from passing through the Valley!

This is the Good Shepherd's way of saying, "We won and you lost!" 

Then He pours anointing oil over the sheep's head as if to say to the enemy, "This is my man and you can't touch this!"

When the Lord is your Shepherd, the future is your friend! He will defend you, He will defeat the enemy and then He will defame the enemy as He dignifies you! 

I brings to mind this great verse: "The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing."

Wow, what a Shepherd!

What a blessed sheep!

November 27, 2014

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." Psalm 23

Every day was a day of thanksgiving for this sheep who had a Good Shepherd!

His Good Shepherd provides everything he needs and he is thankful!

His Good Shepherd pampered him and he is thankful!

Also, this sheep had a Good Shepherd who placed him on the proper path! - "He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake."

Righteousness is a person - "He guides me....."

Righteousness means being right with God and there is only one way to be right with God and that is through the Person of Jesus Christ!

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." II Corinthians 5:21

Who better to guide you in righteousness than the Righteous Shepherd?

What does this tell us?

Righteousness is a path - "....in paths of righteousness...."

"In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality." Proverbs 12:28

"You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever." Psalm 16:11

"I have directed you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in upright paths." Proverbs 4:11

When you took your journey to your Thanksgiving destination, you didn't take the first road you came to or even the second, perhaps. You went to the right road because there is only one best way to get from where you live to where you are now.

Righteousness, by its definition and by its nature is exclusive. There is a right way and any other way is wrong. You must make sure you are on that right.

Righteousness is proof - "......for his name's sake."

When your Shepherd is righteous and walks on the path of righteousness, how would you be identified as one of His sheep?

A shepherd tags or brands his sheep to identify them as his. If he wonders off and is found, whoever finds the sheep will know who he belongs to and will know where to bring him back.

What brands a sheep belonging to the Good Shepherd is his righteousness! That righteousness is the "namesake" of his Shepherd!

This satisfied sheep is thankful to be lead by a righteous Good Shepherd!

Who are you following?

What path are you walking?

November 26, 2014

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." Psalm 23:1-6

It's great to have a Good Shepherd!

Don't just take my word for it. Listen to the testimony of a grateful sheep! That's what the 23rd Psalm is!

After rejoicing in the knowledge that the Lord is His Shepherd Who meets all his needs, the sheep gives some examples to support his claim.

"He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul."

How does the Good Shepherd supply the needs of His satisfied sheep?

"He makes me lie down in green pastures......"

A sheep will only lie down if it feels completely safe and satisfied. A Good Shepherd knows that and leads his sheep to lush meadows where they can graze to their heart's content.

".....He leads me beside still waters....."

Sheep are terrified of running water. They won't go to drink from a stream if there are rapids or currents flowing. 

When you look at a sheep with a full coat of wool, with their spindly little legs, they are top heavy. Should a sheep tumble into the moving current of a stream it is unable to swim and its saturated coat of wool would pull it under the water.

The Good Shepherd is aware of the fears of His sheep and leads them only to a pond where the waters are cool and quiet.

"....He restores my soul."

A safe, secure and satisfied sheep will find his soul and spirit restored! This reminds me of Isaiah 40:29-31:

"He gives strength to the weary

    and increases the power of the weak.

30 

Even youths grow tired and weary,

    and young men stumble and fall;

31 

but those who hope in the Lord

    will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

    they will run and not grow weary,

    they will walk and not be faint."

What a Shepherd! I am so thankful to have such a Good Shepherd!

November 25, 2014

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."  Psalm 23:1-6

The 23rd Psalm, one of the most beloved Scripture portions of all time! 

It has comforted countless numbers of people over the ages and it will for ages to come.

Maybe you have never thought of it as a great expression of Thanksgiving. It is one satisfied sheep sharing his gratitude for his shepherd.

"THE LORD is MY Shepherd.....!" 

When you are a helpless dependent sheep it is vitally important to have a good shepherd. You can look at a sheep and tell what sort of shepherd he has.

The Psalm 23 sheep is thankful to have a good shepherd!

The Lord is a Good Shepherd! That is great news for all of us "sheep"!

Jesus identified Himself as a Good Shepherd in John 10:

"I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. Ad other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd." John 10:14-16

I am very thankful the Good Shepherd found me and brought me into His flock. I am grateful I can pass under His rod each day as I enter His fold! 

Because the Lord is my Shepherd I know I will never want for anything I need! He will shelter me! He will sustain me! He will see that I am safe!

Having such a Good Shepherd makes me want to be a better sheep!

The Lord is my Shepherd and I am one thankful sheep!

Who do you have for a shepherd?