Angels: I'm No Longer Unaware

Angels play a big part in the Christmas story.

Mary is visited by Gabriel, and he explains how she will give birth to the Savior.

A birth so fantastic there will never be another one like it.

Ever.

An angel appears to Joseph and gives him a heads up on this amazing plan of God.

The shepherds encounter angels while watching their flock.

Angels are God's messengers.

His servants.

And they're everywhere.

Truth is, I don't think much about them.

And my guess is they're not all that offended.

After all, their job is to bring glory to God.

Not themselves.

But remembering their work on behalf of us... the followers of Christ.. is something I can get better at.

As I set up the Nativity Set this year.

As I attend that church play.

As I decorate.

Glory be to God.

And a special "thank you" to any angels in the room right now.

You are appreciated.

Exodus 23:20 (ESV) 20 "Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared."

The Detour

Well, we finally did it this weekend.
Our family Christmas tree is up!
All we have to do is finish decorating it.
As I mentioned last week on the show, our intention was to have it up the weekend after Thanksgiving.

Didn't happen.
Life DID happen.
Too much stuff to bore you with the details, but have you ever been there?

You've got your "To Do List" all ready to go.
It looks nice.
You worked hard on it.
It's literature, for goodness sake!
That's when I think God is trying to teach me patience.
"I don't have time right now to learn how to be patient!"
God smiles.
Occasionally I do too.

As we were getting the Christmas tree out of it's box in the garage, and going through all of the ornaments... we discovered treasures from Christmas' past.
My wife found an old "Dancing Santa" for instance.
It kind of looks like this one:

He dances to "Jingle Bell Rock".
Or.... he once did.
Would he still be able to bust a move?
We plugged him in.
Hit the power switch. The music starts.

Two of our dachshunds start barking at him.

We wait for Santa to swing his hips.
But.. he's lost his swing.
His hips move right.. and stay there.
We wait.
And wait.
But because we lack patience ( remember?!) we try to help him out.
Maybe He's just rusty.
Get the W-D 40!

The song plays.
It doesn't work.
But it's hilarious.
Laughter at Santa's expense.
We wanted him to bust a move.
He actually busted a hip.
Life happens.
And every now and then you realize a detour can be more fun than the trip you had planned.

From Bitter To Sweet

Exodus 15:22-25 (ESV) 22 Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. 24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" 25 And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them..

These verses keep popping up in my mind.
I mentioned them on the show yesterday, and they're sticking with me.
Has something like that ever happened to you?
I figure God wants me to "camp out" on them a little bit.

Isn't it amazing that just 3 days after God rescued the Israelites from certain death by parting the Red Sea here they are complaining.
It's like they totally forgot the experience of a lifetime.
That the God who delivered them before would deliver them again.

You know what this sounds like?
It sounds like me.
God delivers me.
I thank Him.
Another crisis comes.
I forget (or choose not to remember) how he helped me before.
Will He REALLY come through THIS TIME?
Oh me of little faith.

The truth is God tests our trust in Him through need AND abundance.
Have you noticed how that works in your life as a Christian?
It sure isn't easy.
But hopefully, our "faith muscles" are being exercised.
That's the only way they'll ever get stronger.

If you're in need right now... the "water" in your life is bitter.. remember this is a test of trust.
When the time is right, God will replace the bitter with the sweet.
And my guess is that you won't be the same person anymore.
That's the whole idea.

Celebrate Christmas Without a Bible

Interesting title for today's blog entry, isn't it?

Operation Bare Your Bookshelf is up and running.

The goal is to provide Bibles for our brothers and sisters in Christ who don't have one.

Christian Resources International is the ministry that is spearheading the initiative.

Fred Palmerton is the executive director of CRI.

He told The Christian Post today......."If American Christians were willing to keep one family Bible and send the rest of their Bibles overseas...millions more people would be exposed to the life changing effects of God's Word."

Can you believe there are entire churches in some parts of the world where there isn't even ONE Bible?

Not one in the church building, if they have a building.

Not one in any of the homes.

The pastors don't even have one copy.

A famine of God's Word in the land.

Can you imagine trying to live the Christian life without a Bible?

It convicts me.

They would give almost anything for just one.

And I let my copy.....or copies... gather dust on the shelf.

If you would like to donate some of your extra Bibles, there's an easy way to do it through CRI.

Click on this link to find out more: http://cribooks.homestead.com/bareyourbookshelf.html

Let's light the path of our fellow believers half a world away.

May they no longer walk in darkness when we have the ability to help light up their path.

One Bible at a time.

Psalms 119:105 (ESV) Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

God Is In Control Of.......Everything.

There are so many truths about the Christian faith I need to be reminded of on a daily basis.

I guess that's because truth leaks.

Think about it for a second.

Our spiritual life is a balloon.

We fill it with helium and it flies high.

For awhile, anyway.

Days pass and before long you know what happens.

That very same balloon isn't soaring.

In fact it may be an inch off the ground, if that.

To rise again it needs to be FILLED again.

With the right stuff.

Same thing for us as followers of Christ.

One of the most comforting things to think about is God's sovereignty.

He's in control.

All the time.

No exceptions.

No regrets.

He is... the King.

On His throne.

Holy and just, absolutely.

Good and kind and loving and merciful.... Yep. All of that too.

The story that most illustrates this for me out of the Bible involves Joesph.

You can read the story for yourself starting in Genesis 37.

It will encourage you no matter where you are in life.

But especially if you're in a dark and confusing time.

Recently I was speaking with with author/bible teacher Steve Farrar about Joesph's story and how it applies to us today.

He talks a lot about it in a new book, "God Built".

If you have some time, check out Steve's visit to our Total Impact segment.

And be filled up with God's great truth.

You'll be soaring again soon.

Steve Farrar Part 1: http://www.box.net/shared/j9t4mtuh5t

Steve Farrar Part 2: http://www.box.net/shared/28lzxuvvbo

Mark Hall vs.Bart Millard:Heavyweight Challenge?

Tis the season for.... watching your weight.
I watch mine all right.
I watch it go up with every Christmas treat I eat.
Of course it's cumulative.
Candy in late October, Turkey and the fixins on Thanksgiving, THEN the Christmas delicacies, man oh man.
Isn't self-denial a trait we as Christians should strive for?
Never easy, is it?

Just ask Mark Hall....

and Bart Millard.

Mark is the lead singer for the band Casting Crowns, and Bart is the frontman for MercyMe.
They've thrown down the gauntlet.

Who can lose the most weight by the Dove Awards this spring.
The video says it all.
And Oh Yeah.... I think these guys might need our prayers, too.

Cyber Monday!

So... how was your Thanksgiving weekend?
Lots of turkey?
Lots of bargains if you were brave enough to head out early on Black Friday?
For me it was.... lots of turkey.
My blood doesn't run cold enough to brave Black Friday.
But if yours does.... or did... I send along my admiration.

I prefer Cyber Monday.
The name isn't as ominous.
It's really not even very catchy.
In fact, it sounds kind of dorky.

But before you call in the Geek Squad, think about some of the cash you can save today online.
Here are some websites to get you started:

1. Cyber Monday, http://www.cybermonday.com/: This site aggregates the latest online bargains from more than 500 merchants. It even highlights the best hourly savings online.

2. Gotta Deal,: http://www.gottadeal.com/ It works like a spy site for shopping bargains. It has an e-mail service that sends out the day's best deals.

3. Deals on the Web, http://www.dealsontheweb.com/ : Just what its name says, but the site specializes in technology and home electronics.

4. : http://www.overstock.com/ It works with brand-name companies and helps clear out overstocked items at clearance prices.

You can Google Cyber Monday and find many others.
Or simply check some of your favorite retail websites, both large and small.
Make sure you also check out your favorite Christian websites because they too might have some great deals!

All of this is fun, no doubt.
But we need to remind each other throughout the Christmas season what Christmas is really all about.
To us a Savior is born.
Jesus came into the world to take the punishment for our sins.
We have peace with God.
Eternal life in Heaven.
That's the only Christmas gift that really matters, isn't it?
And it lasts forever.