No one said this life would be easy. In fact, we’ve been
told just how difficult it will be by Jesus himself. He told us “In this life,
you will have trouble” (John 16:33 NIV), and if your world is anything like
mine, trouble comes with a capital “T”.
If I am honest, though, I must admit that sometimes I make
my own problems. Mostly this is when I try to take the helm and steer my own
ship through troubled waters, instead of turning to the One who can help. When
I try to forge ahead and make a situation work to my advantage, invariably it
ends in ruin. I would be much better off if I remembered to trust in God and
take all my troubles to Him.
I’m getting much better at this, and I have found this trust to be the true pathway to peace. But there was a time, in the not so distant past,
when I grasped for straws when I felt I was drowning. I felt tossed about on the
waves, gulping for breaths before being submerged again.
Instead of trusting God, I took it upon myself to try to
find my own way. I think I put my trust in myself instead of God, and figured
that I could make it work all on my own.
Imagine my surprise when I came across this passage in James,
“But when
you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a
wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” (James 1:6 NIV) You see, I would ask Him for help, but then I would take
it upon myself to find solutions. I thought I knew what would be best for me. Actually, I just
didn’t know God well enough to trust Him with my life.
Though I still continue to make many mistakes, I feel that I have made
positive changes in how I deal with stressful situations in my life. Each time a
worry or problem comes my way, I have a choice. I can worry and stress, or take
it to God and know peace. It takes practice, but it really is as simple as
that.
As I develop my relationship with God in my daily life, through prayer
and sharing my heart with Him, I am beginning to understand that knowing Him
intimately is the pathway to peace. I’ve learned that there is a better way
than internalizing my anger and harboring resentment. I can give it all to God,
and in return I get peace. I can trust that He will work for the good in all
things.
I’ve included the complete verses below for the Bible references made in
this article. But I think one that sums what I am trying to say is a familiar
quote from Proverbs. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on
your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5 (NLT)
When we give God the helm to steer, He will guide us to calmer waters; and He will put our feet back on solid ground.
“And we know that inallthings God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his
purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NIV)
“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you.
He will not rebuke you for asking.But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not
waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea
that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive
anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and
they are unstable in everything they do.”James 1:5-8 (NLT)
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on
earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have
overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NLT)
“But those
who trust in the Lord will find
new strength.
They
will soar high on wings like eagles.
They
will run and not grow weary.
They
will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah
40:31)
Please enjoy this beautiful worship video. Reuben Morgan, worship leader at Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia, performs "Eagles Wings" (which is different than "On Eagle's Wings"). Let this song seep into your spirit, and know the beautiful communion we can have with Jesus through the Holy Spirit.
Subscribers please clickhereto view this video on my blog site.
Most of the time, I see things for what they really are. But being the emotional person that I am, sometimes my vision gets clouded and I can’t
see my way out of my troubles. I can get so lost in emotion that my common
sense is rejected by my heart which only hears the unending loop of misery I’ve made
for myself. Instead of making any forward progress at all, I am floundering.
This happened to me last week, when for no reason at all I
found myself feeling lost with no direction in my thinking or my actions. I
even wrote to a dear friend asking for prayers because I felt so out of sorts.
I couldn’t grasp the source of my discontent. I felt like a fish on a pier,
flopping and gasping for air when just the day before I had been getting along
swimmingly.
My sweet friend prayed, and I studied and read until I found what I needed to
hear. I was holding all of my troubles close to my heart, not realizing that I needed to lay them at Jesus’ feet. The Lord tells to take his yoke, that his
burden is light. And we are to surrender our weaknesses to him.
I don’t know if it was because of taking the week off of church or a lack
of structured Bible time in my days, but this particular day felt scary. I
didn’t feel the confidence that normally carries me. I didn’t feel the strength
of my faith guiding me. I was that fish floundering on the pier within sight of
what would save me, but without a plan to get me back into the water.
So I prayed. I took my worries and my problems and I laid
them at the feet of my Savior. And I realized I need this process of
mentally letting go of my concerns, even if it needs to be repeated every day, to free my mind of the burden of carrying my inward pain. It was so freeing
to let go of problems I couldn’t solve and trust that the Lord would help
me. A peace washed over me and my
spirits lifted, and I thanked my sweet friend for praying for me and helping me find my direction. I learned a
little bit more about myself that day, and what it takes to get a breath of
fresh air.
So often in life, we struggle needlessly, when the solution to our problems is as near as our heart. Give it all to God, let Him wrestle with your inner demons. Release control to the One who can truly free you. Humble yourself before the Lord and give your concerns to Him. Your burden will be lifted if you truly believe God will take care of you.
"Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:28-29
While living in Texas years ago, I attended a Bible study in the home of a dear
friend from church. My friend had a old, dirty,
cracked flower pot on her table, and she shared that this can be how we feel about
ourselves in our unworthiness before our Lord and Savior. Then she brought forth from the
inside of the filthy pot a beautiful shining crystal vase, and told us all "this is
how God sees you". It took everything within me to not run crying from the room
and never come back.
I thought all God saw of me was my stains, my mistakes and
my failures. I felt I was a fake to be putting on this façade of a strong
Christian woman when inside I was so terribly broken. Perhaps some of you have
felt this way, too.
This video, with footage from the movie “The Story” makes me
weep. The lyrics tell the reason Jesus came; for us to live our story with all
of our failures and brokenness. We come before our Lord and He sees only our
possibilities. He sees our greatness and our potential. With lovingkindness and
forgiveness, our Savior releases us from the bondage of our past. We are born
again, made new in His sight. Our sins are forgotten; they are gone with the
wind. And even if we make more mistakes, and we will, because we are human after
all, we can come to our Lord and ask for forgiveness, and He will set our feet
on the pathway to righteousness once again.
Mac Powell of the band "Third Day" sings these words of truth: "Tell me your story, show me your wounds; and I'll show you what love sees, when love looks at you. Hand me the pieces, broken and bruised, and I'll show you what love sees, when love sees you."
No longer am I ashamed of what once defined me from my past. I am born again in the Spirit. I know Jesus as my Savior and my Lord. I am the daughter of a King! I am blessed. My friend, this is my Christmas wish for you, that you will come to know our Lord personally, and truly believe that you can made new.
If you are struggling with inner demons, He is the one who can save you. You deserve to live a life free from shame. Jesus came for you to live your story. And His great love can help you live your life with gratitude and peace. Do not believe the lie that this promise is not for you. It will be yours when you ask Jesus to come into your life. You can share with him all of your failures and successes. You can learn about His life through reading the New Testament of the Bible, and you can come to know Him personally by coming to Him in prayer. Ask Him for the direction your life should lead. This relationship can be the guiding force of your life. And it can begin with a simple prayer asking Jesus to come into your life.
We all need more than the simple existence of living life on this earth. Our lives are filled with challenges and sorrows, sufferings and joys. God can help us turn our challenges into triumphs, and our sorrows and suffering can help us grow into a closer relationship with Him. Our joys will be filled with gratitude and our rough places made smooth through knowing that God is always with us. Emmanuel, God with us. That is why He came.
Carols ring about the hope found beneath the star. Wise men
followed it. Volumes have been written about it. What was this mysterious star
and how did it prophesy Jesus' arrival as a king?
Recently we had some debate as to where the star was seen. It began with a young friend who claimed the star was not found in the east. I countered with what I know best -- songs! “There’s a star in the
east on Christmas morn; Rise up shepherds and follow.” Or if you dig further
into “The First Noel” in the second verse, “They looked up and saw a star, shining in the east beyond them far”.
And that really must have been SOME star because “And to the earth it gave great light, and so it continued both day and
night.” Now that’s a bright star!
I think the star was meant as a beacon, to draw us near to
the One who can change us, the Savior who would save us, our God here on earth.
Whether the light was a result of some celestial occurrence or the radiance of a
thousand angels, it was meant for us to follow.
Astronomers and astrologists agree that a true spectacle of
light may have occurred during this time. They argue about a conjunction of two planets, or a rare triple conjunction. Additionally, there is much debate as to
exactly when Christ was born. There is no record of his birth, so determining
exact timing is impossible. This makes it difficult to pinpoint exactly what
might have been happening in the skies during Jesus’ birth.
One theory is the appearance of the planet Jupiter. By
studying computer models of what would have been occurring in the sky during
that part of history, it is realized that the planet Jupiter, which appears in
the heavens as a very bright star, appeared in the eastern sky.
In astrological beliefs, the appearance of Jupiter in the eastern sky heralded
the coming of a new king. The Magi saw the star, and traveled a great distance
to bring gifts suitable for a king: gold, frankincense and myrrh. They found the infant king in humble abode, and they honored him with their gifts and
their presence.
Perhaps some things are meant to remain a mystery. There are
facts to support the theories presented as to the origin of the star. With
faith, we ascribe to the belief of the star as a compass pointing to truth,
life and resurrection. All that Jesus grew to become was displayed as promise
in the light of the natal star.
It would serve us well to keep that light burning in our
hearts, to welcome the child who would bring us salvation. We are lucky that we
have seen His star, and know the Truth of a child born in a humble stable and
laid in a manger. This infant King, born to bring us life everlasting. This
baby who would change the world.
I am a Christmas baby. I was born on Christmas Eve, so this season has always been
very special to me. When people hear I have a Christmas birthday, I get piteous
looks as if I am somehow missing out on something.
My view is quite the contrary! I love the Christmas holiday
and all that leads up to the celebration of Christ’s birth. This is the season
of love, where everyone seems to be more tolerant and caring toward one
another. It’s a great time to have a birthday!
As a child, my mother always made sure my birthday was kept
separate from Christmas. This was very gracious of her since I made her miss Christmas
at home with my older siblings the year I was born!
I would get to open my birthday presents on Christmas Eve,
and my brother and sister would have to wait until Christmas morning to open
their gifts.When you are a child full of Christmas excitement with anticipation at its maximum, it’s so hard to wait! I felt very
special to be the only one opening presents a day early.
I always felt like Christmas Eve was my special day. My
husband has continued the tradition of keeping my birthday separate from
Christmas, and assuring that my day is special. Our family has always held the tradition
of opening our Christmas gifts on Christmas morning.
The thing I love most about having a Christmas birthday is
the feeling of love that the season holds. When I thnk about Jesus, and why he
came to this world, I think about love. He came for our salvation, of course.
But he also came to teach us. And the most important lesson he wanted us to
learn was to love one another.
It’s a simple thing, really. I see love in the people around me. A smile shared, a helping hand,
compassion, caring and tolerance. That’s really all it takes. Love has a ripple
effect. When we share love, it passes on to the person who receives it; they
feel more loved and are more likely to pass on that caring to someone else.
It’s amazing that our love will never be depleted. The more
love we share, the more love we find within ourselves. Perhaps it helps to
understand and accept that we are really not all that different from everyone
around us.
Our needs are the same as theirs. And the joy we feel in honoring
someone with our little gifts of love passes that joy on to another. When this
process is repeated exponentially, a vibration of love can permeate humanity,
echoing Peace on Earth, good will toward men.
Love is the gift Jesus brought. He came to let us know of
God’s great love for us. By sharing love amongst our fellow people, we can
create peace on earth. Each of us
can start in our own little corner of the world, and together we can spread love throughout
mankind. And let it not be just at Christmastime, but throughout the whole year. The world needs love, and you're the just the person to give it.
This morning I prepared quick breads for a gift. I carefully
measured the ingredients and selected fresh cranberries and an apple and
chopped them into to the perfect size chunks. After baking, I placed the loaves in a basket that I had decorated for the occasion.
We prepare meals for our families, making sure each element
of the meal is properly seasoned and cooked. And this time of year, we prepare
our homes for the holiday season with attention to detail in our decorating. No
room is overlooked, and each is duly cleaned and prepared for decoration.
Have you given some thought to what we are preparing for? We
may be thinking of holiday visitors in our homes when we dust each nook and
cranny, placing our evergreens and treasured decorations just so.
But have we thought about preparing our hearts for the
holiday? The season of Advent in the Christian tradition means to prepare for
the coming of the Christ. We celebrate the miraculous birth of God’s own Son
born into human flesh. The preparation we need to focus on is preparing
ourselves to receive this extraordinary gift.
Retelling the story of Jesus’ birth brings a dimension of
expectancy to the Christmas season. Think of Mary, laden with child, traveling far
distances by donkey only to be turned out from a warm bed to a cold stable, bringing forth her firstborn son in a humble animal shelter. Surely the birth
of the Son of God deserved greater fanfare than mooing cows and clucking
chickens.
But in His humble beginnings, God shows us that greatness
can be born amongst the least of us. God uses each of us, according to His
purpose, to further His Kingdom here on earth. Whether we are rich or poor,
lowly and meek or born to greatness, we each have purpose in the Kingdom of
heaven. And that heaven is right here on earth, right now.
So we prepare our hearts and our homes for the joy of the
coming of the Christ child, knowing it isn’t the decorations we place that
welcome the child, but a warm and loving heart that embraces all of God’s
people right where they are. Give to the needy, pray for the grieving, and open
your heart to the One who can bring us peace here on earth. It’s His birthday
we’re celebrating. The greatest gift we have ever received.
With grateful thanks we prepare to receive the joy of
knowing Christ in our lives as we celebrate with loved ones in the season of
giving. May you know His love and peace.
No one said this life would be easy. In fact, we’ve been
told just how difficult it will be by Jesus himself. He told us “In this life,
you will have trouble” (John 16:33 NIV), and if your world is anything like
mine, trouble comes with a capital “T”.
I’m getting much better at this, and I have found this trust to be the true pathway to peace. But there was a time, in the not so distant past,
when I grasped for straws when I felt I was drowning. I felt tossed about on the
waves, gulping for breaths before being submerged again. 
Most of the time, I see things for what they really are. But being the emotional person that I am, sometimes my vision gets clouded and I can’t
see my way out of my troubles. I can get so lost in emotion that my common
sense is rejected by my heart which only hears the unending loop of misery I’ve made
for myself. Instead of making any forward progress at all, I am floundering.
This happened to me last week, when for no reason at all I
found myself feeling lost with no direction in my thinking or my actions. I
even wrote to a dear friend asking for prayers because I felt so out of sorts.
I couldn’t grasp the source of my discontent. I felt like a fish on a pier,
flopping and gasping for air when just the day before I had been getting along
swimmingly. 
So I prayed. I took my worries and my problems and I laid
them at the feet of my Savior. And I realized I need this process of
mentally letting go of my concerns, even if it needs to be repeated every day, to free my mind of the burden of carrying my inward pain. It was so freeing
to let go of problems I couldn’t solve and trust that the Lord would help
me. A peace washed over me and my
spirits lifted, and I thanked my sweet friend for praying for me and helping me find my direction. I learned a
little bit more about myself that day, and what it takes to get a breath of
fresh air.
I always felt like Christmas Eve was my special day. My
husband has continued the tradition of keeping my birthday separate from
Christmas, and assuring that my day is special. Our family has always held the tradition
of opening our Christmas gifts on Christmas morning. 
