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The Silly Season
Last week I spoke with a man who told me he calls this “the silly season.” He explained that every hour is packed with things that MUST get done. The longer I ponder this, the more I realize he’s got a valid point. Is it the right point though?
Christmas is nearly upon us and the pressure is building. Family members are traveling to see others, presents are still being purchased and wrapped, some of us are trying to decide where to put the tree (or whether its worth the effort). Whew. I’m tired now just thinking about it.
And yet, the rush and bustle, the panic and push that accompanied the first Christmas is what this season is truly about. Joseph was bustling to get to Bethlehem in time for the census. He felt panic when he saw the bustling crowds that had arrived ahead of him and then Mary began to push.
Maybe, just maybe, we all need to slow down a bit and reconsider what this season is about. It’s not about us, or our kids, or friends & neighbors. Unless of course we are sharing what’s most important with these folks we love. The story of Christmas.
If you don’t know or remember the whole Christmas Story, we’d like to invite you to join us on Sunday morning at 10:55 am as our children and teens re-tell this wonderful story. We encourage you to bring your friends, kids and grandparents so they can share in this wonderful reason for our celebration.
Briefly…..
Please join us on Sunday morning to hear Pastor Ann continue her message about Jesus in Prophecy. We are hoping to have our live-stream back up this week and apologize for the sermons you may have missed.
We are looking forward to seeing you at 10:55 a.m. Sunday. We’d like to invite you to come back Sunday evening at 6:00 p.m. as Pastor Ann and Gary Hohner share their Israel experiences! Wednesday we’ll be meeting at the church for a time of caroling in the community.
Remaining in Jesus: The Foundation for Dialogue with God
“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” —John 15:4–5
In Jesus’ last discourse with His disciples He said, “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them” (John 14:21). In Luke 8:21 He said, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” God expects us to be not only hearers but also doers of His Word (James 1:22). As we learn to practice this in our lives, Scripture shapes us in a pattern of hearing, listening, and obeying. Reading scriptures is a wonderful way to learn and practice the prayerful dialogue of love with God. This manner of dialogue enables us to invite God to guide us in our daily walk with Him.
However, the key for a loving relationship is more than just solving problems and seeking guidance; it is also about rejoicing in the presence of the loved one. The foundation of our faith is our loving relationship with God, which is formed through intimacy with Christ. We often want Jesus to handle our situations and help us choose the right path. Yet, we must also know that Jesus has unique plans for each person. If we learn to listen to Jesus in prayer, He will hear us and do what we ask of Him (John 14:12-14). Jesus desires that we remain in Him and He in us, always growing deeper in a loving relationship.
We should not forget that our dialogue with God is supported by our learning to rest in Him and in His peace that surpasses all understanding.
This is possible through the amazing gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus did not leave us as orphans but sent the Holy Spirit to teach us everything. God’s love is poured in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (John 14:25-26, Rom. 5:5).
Let us celebrate the coming of Jesus in our world! Take time to pray and thank Jesus for coming into our lives. You can also initiate a simple dialogue: “Jesus, where are You in my life, and where do You want to be? What journey are You preparing for me in this coming year?”
Take time to remain in Jesus. In the morning, simply ask the Holy Spirit to fill/refill you completely and guide you through the day. Don’t rush this time with God. Rather, take several minutes to welcome His loving Spirit. Rejoice in His love and rest in His peace.
If you struggle to find peace, ask in prayer if there is something that is hindering you from receiving God’s peace and what you should do about it—perhaps forgive someone (including yourself), repent of some sin, or obey God’s instruction to do something you might have resisted before.
Stéphane Tibi is a missionary serving as Regional Education Coordinator in Eurasia.
Written for Coffee Break.
Jesus In Prophecy
At some point in our lives we all want to know what the future holds. “Will I pass the test?” “Will I get the job?” “Who will win the election?” You know the types of things that concern us on a day-to-day basis, causing us to wonder about tomorrow or many days down the road. Our country’s leaders have different concerns, but even they look to the future with questions.
Wanting to know the future has led people to look for answers in many places. Every city has palm readers and psychics, astrologists and spiritualists. These folks will provide answers to personal and sometimes political or social questions. But are they accurate? Are they consistent? Are they real?
The test of a true prophet is this: Are all of his/her prophecies fulfilled? (Jer. 28:9) Taken in that perspective it makes that palm reader or crystal ball alot less believable.
We are blessed to live in a country that has never been invaded and hasn’t been seriously threatened in a very long time. Would our concerns and desire to know the future be different if we didn’t live here and now? If Canada and Mexico had fallen to a super power and we had invaders standing at our borders, what sort of things do you think we’d be concerned about? That test or promotion at work would probably pale in light of a very real danger. We’d probably want to know if we were going to survive, both as individuals and as a nation. Our leaders would certainly be looking for answers.
About 700 years before Jesus was born, Israel and Judah were facing an overwhelming invasion. The Assyrian army was about to swallow them whole, expanding their empire from modern Iran to Egypt. The kings of Israel and Judah were seeking advice from astrologists and spiritualists when Isaiah, a prophet of God, told the king and people about the coming of Jesus (Isa 9:2-7). Isaiah spoke these words about 700 years before Jesus was born. It was God’s way of assuring His people that though they faced calamity in their day, He would see that they survived and Light would be brought into the world through them.
Isaiah, and God’s other prophets spoke only the words God gave them to speak, even when it wasn’t popular. They did not speak on their own, even when it cost them personally. ALL of their prophecies have been fulfilled, meaning that biblical prophecy is a trustworthy source.
Jesus was foretold by multiple prophets as the Messiah. He was born to the right parents, at the right time and in the right place to fulfill the prophecies. If you’d like to learn how Jesus is tied to the prophecies of the Old Testament, I encourage you to join us Sunday morning at 10:55 a.m. in the sanctuary or on our Facebook live-stream.