Christmas Train

 

Every year it comes like a train on a fast track. I first realize Christmas is upon me when my daughters start asking for lists. What do you want?  is followed by a frantic search for that slip of paper where I started writing down ideas. What do I want? What I really want is something that cannot be bought or ordered. And I’m not even sure how to voice it.

Maybe it’s the magic I felt as a child sitting in the dim candle glow of our little country church. Mary and Joseph in their bathrobes up on stage welcomed with shy smiles the shepherds and wise men in similar bathrobes, heads adorned with towels wound up in artful precision, to see the baby lying in hay. Angels in white bed sheets, tree tinsel on their freshly washed curls, stood benignly by as a hush fell over the congregation and “Silent Night” arose in the near darkness. Never have the words been more meaningful or the thoughts so sublime.

What do I want? I want to pass this wonder to my loved ones, to have them experience this thrill for themselves, to imagine with me the joy of the shepherds as they returned to the hills changed, the awe of the magi traveling over miles of desert, talking among themselves. Who would believe it? Who could believe it? God come to earth. After so much waiting.

Children understand waiting. Much of their lives is spent plodding from one unwanted task to another, being obedient, doing homework, counting the days. For them, Christmas is a slow train that seems forever just around the bend. Maybe the anticipation of gifts is what drives their eagerness. I’m sure it was so for me as I avidly searched the pages of the Sears Wish Book every November to dream of the gifts I might receive, but I’m glad I somehow caught the vision of God’s example in the very best of gift giving.

Maybe my memory of those early Christmas celebrations is enhanced by the shiny veneer of time. Maybe what I really want is to be young again, to see things fresh and exciting. In fact, the truth of Christmas is always upon us. The event we celebrate at Christmas is ever one for amazement, regardless of the time of year or the stage of life. Whether it comes charging like a runaway train or chugs slowly along, Christmas is, indeed, a holiday that is centuries old yet forever new.  

And here we are at the start—or nearly so—of a new year. It has become cliché to suggest that we keep Christmas in our hearts, so I won’t do that. But I do want to suggest that we take time to realize that our lives are a bit like that train, moving forward whether or not we feel ready. As our pastor reminded us recently, our goal must be to live under the control of Christ, as Paul stated in II Corinthians 5: 14 & 15, ^“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.  And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”

Did you write down those three questions Pastor Love asked us? In case you missed it, here they are. May these questions and their positive answers lead us forward this year until Christmas comes again.

1.     How will I demonstrate the treasure of the gospel in my daily life?

2.     What will guide my decisions and purpose in this year?

3.     Am I living with eternity in view?

--         --Sherry Poff

--

--

--

The Song of the Shepherds

 

On this Christmas Eve, I have chosen to share with you this lovely old poem I read recently. If you are reading this blog after Christmas, it will still be good. Take your time and appreciate the rich truth in this piece by Edwin Markham, published sometime before 1923.

 

The Song of the Shepherds

It was near the first cock-crowing
And Orion’s wheel was going,
When an angel stood before us and our hearts were sore afraid.
Lo! His face was like the lightning,
When the walls of heaven are whitening,
And he brought us wondrous tidings of a joy that should not fade.

Then a Splendor shone around us,
In a still field where he found us,
A-watch upon the Shepherd Tower and waiting for the light;
There where David, as a stripling,
Saw the ewes and lambs go rippling
Down the little hills and hollows at the falling of the night.

Oh, what tender, sudden faces
Filled the old familiar places,
The barley-fields, where Ruth of old went gleaning with the birds.
Down the skies the host came swirling,
Like sea-waters white and whirling,
And our hearts were strangely shaken by the wonder of their words.

Haste, O people; all are bidden—
Haste from places high or hidden:
In Mary’s Child the Kingdom comes, the heaven in beauty bends!
He has made all life completer,
He has made the Plain Way sweeter,
For the stall is His first shelter, and the cattle His first friends. 

He has come! The skies are telling:
He has quit the glorious dwelling;
And first the tidings came to us, the humble shepherd folk.
He has come to field and manger,
And no more is God a Stranger:
He comes as Common Man at home with cart and crooked yoke. 

As the shadow of a cedar
To a traveler in gray Kedar
Will be the kingdom of His love, the kingdom without end.
Tongue and ages may disclaim Him,
Yet the Heaven of heavens will name Him
Lord of prophets, Light of nations, elder Brother, tender Friend.

 

Merry Christmas, friends!

 

 

Endurance

 

“Endure” is defined as to suffer patiently; to remain in existence or to last.

God’s people give Him glory when we endure wrong, remain faithful in persecution, or, as in Job’s case, simply trust and praise God in the midst of suffering.

In Revelation, chapters 2 and 3, Christ speaks to His churches, praising most of them for patient endurance, faith, service, faithfulness against spiritual darkness and not denying His name.

To each church, He promises rewards to those who endure, to “the one who conquers.” The criticisms and warnings could apply to any believers anywhere; the rewards could apply to any believers anywhere. If we collect all the promised rewards into a single list, the gifts in store for us are thrilling beyond comprehension!

“To those who conquer” --

I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

I will give you life as your victor’s crown.

The one who is victorious will not be hurt by the second death.

I will give some of the hidden manna and a white stone with a new name written on the stone.

I will give authority over the nations.

I will give that one the morning star (which is the final name by which He calls Himself at the end of Revelation).

The one who is victorious will be clothed in white garments and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.

Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.

I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God and I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem and my own new name.

I will grant him to sit with me on my throne.

We are happy to know that He has purchased for us eternal life. These promises are a part of His description of that life! Can you imagine?? (A rhetorical question – the answer is “no”!)

The physical/mental sufferings of this life are a spiritual battle, as demonstrated by Job’s life. The sufferings of faithfulness to God’s Word are a spiritual battle. Jesus told us of His planned gifts so we would be encouraged to endure. And who gives us the ability to do that? Romans 8:35-37, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

--Lynda Shenefield

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting

 

There is a sweet children’s picture book that our three kids enjoyed when they were younger called Waiting Is Not Easy. At the very start of this story, Piggie tells her elephant friend Gerald that she has a surprise for him. Over the next few pages, Gerald’s excitement builds as he anticipates the surprise, but then Piggie tells him that he must wait for it because the surprise is not there yet. Throughout the majority of the book, the two wait together for the surprise – Piggie patiently and contentedly waits with a smile on her face while Gerald gets more and more agitated as time goes by, groaning and complaining about the long wait. Meanwhile, the white background of the pages becomes subtly darker. Gerald himself notes how dark it is getting and is frustrated because the day has almost ended and the surprise has still not come. He thinks he has wasted the whole day, wailing, “We have waited and waited and waited and waited. And for what?” At this point, Piggie says, “For that” and points up. As you turn the next page, the camera lens (so to speak) zooms out and you see that Gerald and Piggie are standing under a beautiful sky filled with stars. They look up and stand in silence, and then Gerald says, “This was worth the wait.” Piggie responds, “I know.”

            Waiting is hard, isn’t it? Just this afternoon, I was reminded of a matter I used to pray about for years that I longed to see happen and which the Lord brought about in the last few years in a unique way. I didn’t know if it would happen or how, but I did desire it, and God chose to answer that request after a season of waiting. We all have things on our hearts that we are praying about, waiting to see how God will answer. And in many of these matters, we are not guaranteed a certain outcome. Yet God has made us promises that we can know for certain will come to pass, even as we wait for it to be so. He has promised to work all things for good in the lives of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). He has promised that His Word will not return void (Isaiah 55:11). He has promised a future inheritance that is kept in heaven for those who have placed their faith in Him (1 Peter 1:4-5). He has promised a new heaven and a new earth where sin and death will be no more (Revelation 21:1-4).

            Advent is a season of waiting. We are reminded of the thousands of years between God’s promise of a Savior and the day that Savior was born as a baby in the small town of Bethlehem. Generations of Israelites waited. They died, having not yet seen the fulfillment of that promise. I’m sure there were those who, like Gerald in the story above, groaned, tired of the long waiting and maybe beginning to wonder if the moment would ever come. Yet, in God’s perfect time, “the fullness of time” as Paul writes in Galatians, God sent His Son.

            In this Christmas season, let us remember that God always keeps His promises even when the waiting seems long. God’s timing is perfect, and our waiting is not wasted. Our trust in Him deepens, and our dependence on Him grows. Let us also remember that there is another advent coming. The same Christ who came the first time as a baby will come the second time as a King. In the meantime, let us walk in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ (Philippians 1:27). Let us rejoice in Him and all that He has done on our behalf (Phil. 4:1). Let us bear suffering and trials with endurance, knowing that God is at work and that we can trust Him with our lives (1 Peter 1:6, 4:19). In all things, let us fix our eyes on Jesus (Heb. 12:1). And when He returns at His second advent, we too will lift our eyes to the sky and know that the long wait was worth it.

--Amy O'Rear

A Prayer Approved by God

 

“…at the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved.” (Daniel 9:23) This was what Gabriel said to Daniel, in addition to many other things, in response to Daniel’s prayer. What had Daniel prayed? He had fasted and poured out his heart to God confessing his own sin and that of his countrymen. He had begged for mercy. God noticed Daniel’s prayer from on high and was pleased by it. Prayer was a priority for Daniel. He nearly got eaten by lions over his prayer life. Eaten by lions! 

Are you a woman (or man) of prayer? I so want to be! 

If we truly understood the importance of prayer, we would likely never neglect it. 

We are doing battle in the spiritual realm – in the unseen. We do not even know when it makes a difference much of the time. We might feel like it accomplishes nothing since we cannot always see the results. It is hard work too! If God does not really need our help, why do it? Because He invites us into building His kingdom. I do not know why, except that maybe He wants us to have ownership in it? Or maybe it changes us into the image of Christ? Or both? We are commanded to pray, and who else are we going to look to but God Himself? These problems are bigger than anyone except Him. Our prayers, especially those like Daniel’s, please God. Is that not reason enough? 

I am praying for revival in this country, for the end of trafficking, for the fall of Planned Parenthood, for the peace of Israel and Ukraine, and many other people and situations. I hope you are too. Revival begins in our hearts with confession and submission to Jesus’ authority. Intentional seasons of fasting go along with this. We can make a big difference right from our prayer closets. Big changes because we have a big God Who is waiting for us to ask Him to move. We have not, because we ask not. Jesus said so. 

Daniel did not get exactly what he requested even though he was greatly loved and favored by God. But I do not believe his prayers were for naught. God had much bigger plans (some terrifying) than Daniel could imagine, but no telling what a difference Daniel’s prayers made. 

The Bible tells us that life and death are in the power of the tongue. I do not think we maximize that enough. Like prayer, this is another mystery we do not fully understand. I believe it though, and many of my prayers are out loud. I want the Enemy to know I’m on to him and praying against him in the Name of Jesus. 

What do you think? Are you a woman (or man) of prayer?

 

joyce hague

A Light to Future Generations

 

Recently, as I have been doing my Health Rider in the morning, I have been listening to a CD by 4HIM...one of my all-time favorite groups. I just can’t get away from the songs, including the one “For Future Generations.” The line in the song “to be a light for future generations” keeps running through my head and heart, reminding me to think about my responsibility. We are grateful for the “lights” in our past who have taught us by their examples and words to love the Lord Jesus and live for Him.

 Psalm 145:4 gives us a direction: “One generation will praise Your works to another and declare Your mighty acts.”

Psalm 78:4 - “...Showing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength, and His wonderful works that He has done...

Vs. 6 - That the generation to come might know them...who should declare them to their children

Vs. 7 - THAT THEY MIGHT SET THEIR HOPE IN GOD and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.”

These are sobering thoughts about our responsibility as adults...whether having children or grandchildren, nieces or nephews, neighbors. If we do not tell them about this mighty God, to quote the song, “Will they have the strength to stand?” In today’s culture, we all need that firm foundation of God’s Word, His might, His strength, His salvation to help us to stand when difficulties and temptations come. 

But how do we do this? How do we live as “a light for future generations”? To quote another 4Him song: “Pull back your bow, let love go, aim straight for the heart.” Brant Hanson (Christian radio): “No matter how strong the conviction or cause, love people more.”

We can’t make them believe, but we must be careful we don’t give them a reason NOT to believe. We must pray for the Holy Spirit to give us love for our family and friends and discretion to know how to live our lives as good examples and how to speak to them about the Lord. Sometimes it is just allowing the Holy Spirit to do the work that we cannot do. God does say in Nehemiah 9:20 that He gives “His good Spirit” to instruct us.

Our prayer should be for our children and grandchildren, as Moses said in Deuteronomy 5:29: “Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!” 

And one of my very favorite verses to pray for my family (Isaiah 41:20):

“That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this!” I always want them to know that it is the Lord Who is watching over and caring for them.

My heart’s desire is to be a “light for my future generations” so they will know and love the Lord Jesus and will pass that message on to those who will come in the future.

--Maylou Holladay

In Everything Give Thanks!

I love fall!  (Though I love Christmas, too, I hate the rush through fall.  Remember when the Christmas season, even shopping, didn’t start until after Thanksgiving?)  I love the crunch of dry leaves, the nip in the air (I can never decide whether to enjoy the nip or wear a light jacket), and the fall decorations—sweater pumpkins, dried okra bouquets, acorns and pinecones.  My favorite color is orange, so I love seeing the pops of orange on other people, too.  I think it shouldn’t need to be said, but I will say it anyway.  I love Thanksgiving and the emphasis on expressing gratitude.  

To thank is a transitive verb; it needs a direct object to receive its action.  I grieve for those who do not have God to thank.  I have two plaques which say, “Give Thanks.”  You can buy magnets, plaques, shirts, banners, which all direct you to give thanks.  I have a pillow downstairs which says, “He fills my mouth with good things,” Psalm 103:5.  There is the object:  God is the source of all good things in my life.

I was recently browsing through Southern Living of April, 2022, when I spotted an article entitled “How to Keep an Attitude of Gratitude.” This Texas family started playing a game they called “Popcorn Thanks.”  Instead of playing the game only on Thanksgiving, they began playing it every day.  Natalie Chodniewicz says, “It’s been sort of a tradition.  It’s a habit in our lives, a daily part of our activities.  We do it before bed, at dinner, or in the car—talking about the good in our lives.”  She and her family must be believers.  They root their practice in Scripture, “Give thanks in all circumstances.” Natalie adds, “There’s been research analyzing thankfulness, and it’s been proven to make people happier, healthier, and more capable of handling hard times.  Those were all things that I wanted for my kids.”  Those are all things we want for ourselves and our families.  

Natalie has written a book for children entitled Popcorn Thanks. It personifies gratitude through a corn kernel named Popcorn Pearl and comes with a small knitted version of Pearl.  I plan to order this little book for the children in my life, but in the meantime. . . . 

One of my daughters recently sent me a Facebook list entitled “Thirty Day Gratitude Challenge.”  I am going through that list, especially at night before I fall asleep.

A person in my life, my friend who struggles and triumphs in the same ways I do.

A space in my house that makes me happy, my back deck where I feel as if I am swaying in a tree house

Something that makes me laugh, my four-year-old grandson who is a perpetual motion machine, when he sings and dances in a four-year-old frenzy

A person who is always kind to me, my neighbor across the street

A favorite smell, bread toasting in the oven

A favorite sight, the number of a family member or close friend showing up on caller ID

A favorite taste, savory chicken soup when I’m sick and nothing else tastes good, especially when brought by a friend or family member

A favorite way to spend time, an afternoon nap on the couch

A favorite book, read again late into the night, as if I don’t know how that plot twist will resolve 

I am working on my attitude of gratitude.  I have a very small blank book that I bought to record my thanks a long time ago. Unfortunately I only filled five pages. But now I’m working to fill it with my own “Popcorn Thanks.”

I Thessalonians 5:18, In everything give thanks.

Psalm 136:1, O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good.

Ephesians 5:20, Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS.

            ~~Faith Himes Lamb