Greetings in Christ Jesus! Some of you may not like winter, you may even dread the cold, snow and ice of winter. However, I am sure most of you by now know I absolutely love it! I love the cold, I love the snow, I love winter! This morning I woke up early to the snow falling so beautifully. We got a couple inches in a couple hours. It was one of those perfect snows, big heavy flakes, falling nicely with no wind, and puffing up everything white. Then it stopped for quite awhile and gave the road crews a chance to catch up. Now it is snowing again with tiny light flakes and again no wind. How could one not be over joyed watching it snow?!
As I was reading through the Psalms this morning, I came across Psalm 51. In there David compares God's forgiveness to washing us and making us white as snow. See snow really is a good thing. This morning was a perfect reminder, waking up and seeing everything covered in the pure, clean, white snow. It wasn't messy, or brown yet. Still just the perfect white across the entire landscape. It's a perfect reminder that every morning we wake u in the forgiveness of Jesus Christ, pure, holy, and clean from all sin. We are given that white start, that fresh start to live a faithful life that day for the honor of our God. Now, without a doubt, just like the real snow, we will mess it up, we will push it aside and turn it brown and nasty with our sin. However, as I sit here and watch it continue to snow, it is just as God's endless showering of love, grace, and mercy. His forgiveness continues to shower upon us, continues to cover us with the whiteness of Jesus's salvation. What a wonderful reminder this beautiful snow cover serves to remind us of, the same way David saw it.
Maybe this is why people love a white Christmas. Was there ever a more perfect, more holy day than the day our Lord was born in the flesh? You may say Easter, but in reality Easter would not have been possible without His birth coming first. So this Christmas, whether you find yourself in snow or not, be reminded that every Christmas is a white Christmas. The Day our Lord is born, God in the flesh, to be our Savior, our Redeemer, and our King, is the most perfect, holy, and righteous days of them all. His conception is the beginning of the victory! His birth is the birth of peace on earth for all mankind! His death and resurrection is the first climax of His victory! His ascension and sending the Spirit is His stamp of victory on us! And His second coming will be the final climax, the pinnacle of all days in our story of life - eternal life! And it all stared with a baby in a manger, perfect and holy, white as snow in the eyes of our Heavenly Father. And it is our Lord who gives us that whiteness as He washes us clean in His forgiveness. So I say, let it snow! But more importantly, let us never forget the Lord we have who washes us and makes us white as that snow, as He forgives us from our sin and makes us righteous in the eyes of our Heavenly Father. Praise be to our awesome God! Amen.
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Thursday, December 10, 2015
All of Scripture
Greetings to you in Jesus Christ the Lord. I have been reminded of how important all of Scripture is to us. I mean everybody has their favorite portions, books, or passages that they read frequently. However, there are many parts of the Bible that I am sure go unread by most. I understand this too. I am currently working through a read the Bible in 90 days reading plan. It is quite a bit of reading every day, and yet is still manageable even with a busy schedule. So far I have impressed myself and kept up with it every day. And I have realized that reading through it that fast has its pros and cons. It has really helped me remember the whole over-arching story ling of the Old Testament. Going through it that quickly, helps the details of kings and places stay fresh to grasp the time line better. However, going through it that quick also causes me to miss a lot of the little details and not reflect on the individual verses and words as much.
So as I have been reading through Leviticus, Numbers, and even some of 1 and 2 Kings or 1 and 2 Chronicles, I understand why some people don't read those passages or books more often. I laughed as I was reading through all the specific measurements of the tabernacle, because I realized this is basically a worded blue print. I don't imagine any other blue print gets read again and again like Christians read that one. There are so many genealogies, specific measurements, lists of names, and details that don't really mean that much for us as we read through it. And yet at the same time, I am so glad God included that in His Word. We are very fortunate to have these details so that as we try to imagine the tabernacle, we can imagine how big it really was, or we know how many people there were, etc. Nevertheless, this doesn't change the fact that we still have our favorite parts that we turn to more often that others.
My point is though that all of God's Word is still His Holy Word. In the midst of Chronicles, which reads very similar to Kings, I learned something new I have never really picked up on before. In Kings, it talks about King David wanting to build the temple for God. However, God tells him it will be Solomon who will build the temple. So then in Kings it talks about all the work and organization King Solomon does once he is king to build the temple for the Lord. However, in Chronicles, it tells us all of the work King David did to prepare for Solomon to be ready to build the temple. King David gets all of the supplies, all of the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, and the wood stored up and ready to go. He instructs his fellow officers how it is to be built and how to help Solomon. He does so much of the leg work to have everything ready for his son to be able to build this impressive temple for the house of God. I did not get any of that as I read through Kings. So see, even though Chronicles is a basic repeat of Kings, there is very valuable information in their. This not only shows us how the young King Solomon was able to do this impressive task, it also teaches us how sincere David's heart was to do everything he could even when God wouldn't let him build it. So yeah, there may be some long, boring, tedious parts, but all of it is God's inspired Word and all of it has value if we really take the time to study it, learn it, and wrestle with it. So I encourage you all to open your Bibles, pick a book of the Bible you haven't read in a long time, and see how God's Word speaks to you as you read through it again. Blessings in your time in God's Word!
So as I have been reading through Leviticus, Numbers, and even some of 1 and 2 Kings or 1 and 2 Chronicles, I understand why some people don't read those passages or books more often. I laughed as I was reading through all the specific measurements of the tabernacle, because I realized this is basically a worded blue print. I don't imagine any other blue print gets read again and again like Christians read that one. There are so many genealogies, specific measurements, lists of names, and details that don't really mean that much for us as we read through it. And yet at the same time, I am so glad God included that in His Word. We are very fortunate to have these details so that as we try to imagine the tabernacle, we can imagine how big it really was, or we know how many people there were, etc. Nevertheless, this doesn't change the fact that we still have our favorite parts that we turn to more often that others.
My point is though that all of God's Word is still His Holy Word. In the midst of Chronicles, which reads very similar to Kings, I learned something new I have never really picked up on before. In Kings, it talks about King David wanting to build the temple for God. However, God tells him it will be Solomon who will build the temple. So then in Kings it talks about all the work and organization King Solomon does once he is king to build the temple for the Lord. However, in Chronicles, it tells us all of the work King David did to prepare for Solomon to be ready to build the temple. King David gets all of the supplies, all of the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, and the wood stored up and ready to go. He instructs his fellow officers how it is to be built and how to help Solomon. He does so much of the leg work to have everything ready for his son to be able to build this impressive temple for the house of God. I did not get any of that as I read through Kings. So see, even though Chronicles is a basic repeat of Kings, there is very valuable information in their. This not only shows us how the young King Solomon was able to do this impressive task, it also teaches us how sincere David's heart was to do everything he could even when God wouldn't let him build it. So yeah, there may be some long, boring, tedious parts, but all of it is God's inspired Word and all of it has value if we really take the time to study it, learn it, and wrestle with it. So I encourage you all to open your Bibles, pick a book of the Bible you haven't read in a long time, and see how God's Word speaks to you as you read through it again. Blessings in your time in God's Word!
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Tis' the Advent Season
Joyful hearts I hope thee haveth, as thee sings thy Lord is cometh! (That's my own attempt at old English Christmas greeting!)
Lately, I have heard a lot about the Advent Season and how truly important it is. Now, I have always known that Advent is a special season and that it is a time to prepare oneself for the coming of the Lord. However, I haven't really thought about it as a "lost art" or as "needed now more than ever". However, that's the type of stuff I have been hearing lately. I heard it in a sermon, I have seen it in pastor's Facebook statuses, and I heard it in an interview. Then the more I thought about it, the more I realized maybe they are all right. Maybe it really has become a lost art. Maybe it is needed now more than ever. So I challenge you to wrestle with this. What does Advent mean to you? Is it a meaningful season for you, or simply one more time of the year you go through the motions? Do you really "prepare" yourself during this time, or do you just go to church one more time a week? Is the season of Advent leading up to Christmas really an important thing, or are you just simply waiting for the 25th without any thought?
After you have wrestled with these questions and really thought about it for yourself, then feel free to watch this interview. Pastor Wayne Miller is a class mate of mine from St. Louis and really a dear friend. We were both amazed at how for the first two years of seminary together, we really were not that close. We knew each other and talked, but weren't like good friends. However, fourth year we began to spend a lot more time together, normally over a cocktail, and really grew to be close friends. Anyway, I thought he did an awesome job of explaining what Advent is and why we need it. Plus if you knew Wayne and just the type of character he is, this video would be even better for you. Nevertheless, I think it is well worth your time.
Faith Time with Pastor Miller
Lately, I have heard a lot about the Advent Season and how truly important it is. Now, I have always known that Advent is a special season and that it is a time to prepare oneself for the coming of the Lord. However, I haven't really thought about it as a "lost art" or as "needed now more than ever". However, that's the type of stuff I have been hearing lately. I heard it in a sermon, I have seen it in pastor's Facebook statuses, and I heard it in an interview. Then the more I thought about it, the more I realized maybe they are all right. Maybe it really has become a lost art. Maybe it is needed now more than ever. So I challenge you to wrestle with this. What does Advent mean to you? Is it a meaningful season for you, or simply one more time of the year you go through the motions? Do you really "prepare" yourself during this time, or do you just go to church one more time a week? Is the season of Advent leading up to Christmas really an important thing, or are you just simply waiting for the 25th without any thought?
After you have wrestled with these questions and really thought about it for yourself, then feel free to watch this interview. Pastor Wayne Miller is a class mate of mine from St. Louis and really a dear friend. We were both amazed at how for the first two years of seminary together, we really were not that close. We knew each other and talked, but weren't like good friends. However, fourth year we began to spend a lot more time together, normally over a cocktail, and really grew to be close friends. Anyway, I thought he did an awesome job of explaining what Advent is and why we need it. Plus if you knew Wayne and just the type of character he is, this video would be even better for you. Nevertheless, I think it is well worth your time.
Faith Time with Pastor Miller
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
December Newsletter
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Luke 2:14
Christmas tidings in the name of our King who is born in Bethlehem – Jesus! I love babies. I love everything about babies; their smell, their new facial expressions, their tiny little fingers and toes. As most of you know by now, I became an uncle for the third time at the end of October as my sister had her first child, my first niece Ava Grace. I was fortunate enough to be there to hold her just a few days after she was born. She was perfect and precious in every way. Needless to say, as my first niece, she stole my heart. During my Thanksgiving travels, I had the extreme pleasure of baptizing her. As I held her in my arm over the font, she was awake and looking up at me. As I tried to fight off the tears, I spoke those precious words of the name of the Triune God over her and splashed water on her bald head. She didn’t fuss or cry, but just seemed perfectly content. It may have been the happiest moment of my entire life so far. And all of this joy because of this beautiful, precious little baby.
Now imagine Mary’s joy of holding her little baby boy. I am sure Mary, like most mothers, couldn’t help but think that her little baby Jesus was perfect as she held him for the first time. However, this was not just her motherly bias. Jesus was in fact a perfect baby. Just as He was perfect His entire life. Nevertheless, it seems impossible to try to imagine Mary’s joy. Then there is the joy of the shepherds as they receive the special announcement from the angel that this baby is born. The rest of the angels are so overjoyed, they cry aloud from heaven for the shepherds to hear, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.” Mary and Joseph were full of joy, the shepherds hurrying along to find this baby where moved by joy, and the angels singing their praises certainly were joyful. So much joy over one little baby!
The well-known Christmas song “Mary Did You Know” really does an awesome job of putting it in perspective as to why there is so much joy in this one baby. The song refers to the miracles He will perform in His life of walking on waters, giving sight to the blind, opening the ears of the deaf and the mouths of the mute. The song refers to His purpose and ministry of coming to save our sons and daughters and being Lord of all. However, the one line that always gets me says, “And when you kiss your little baby, you kissed the face of God.” How powerful is that statement!! The Lord of all the universe, the Son of the Father who created the heavens and the earth, can be seen, held, smelt, touched, and even kissed in this little precious baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes. If the face of God being found in a beautiful, snuggling baby doesn’t bring joy, I don’t know what would!
I love babies, and I love my new niece. However, there has never been a more precious, more spectacular, more perfect baby than the sweet baby Jesus. He is the Lord of all who left His throne in Heaven, to come be our King. He allowed Himself to be born in human flesh as a baby - a helpless, sleeping, eating, and you know what baby! Mary did you know that when you kissed your baby, you kissed the face of God? Christians do you know that when you celebrate the birth of this one baby, you celebrate the arrival of your King? This Christmas season, let your hearts be filled with joy as we praise and adore our King, as we worship our Lord, and as we prepare ourselves for the second coming of our Savior Jesus Christ. Let our praises ring throughout the earth like the angels’, “Glory to God in the highest!” Let the joy of God’s presence in the midst of His people, move you to praise and worship Him.
Merry Christmas to you all in the extremely-overflowing joy of Jesus Christ’s birth!!
Luke 2:14
Christmas tidings in the name of our King who is born in Bethlehem – Jesus! I love babies. I love everything about babies; their smell, their new facial expressions, their tiny little fingers and toes. As most of you know by now, I became an uncle for the third time at the end of October as my sister had her first child, my first niece Ava Grace. I was fortunate enough to be there to hold her just a few days after she was born. She was perfect and precious in every way. Needless to say, as my first niece, she stole my heart. During my Thanksgiving travels, I had the extreme pleasure of baptizing her. As I held her in my arm over the font, she was awake and looking up at me. As I tried to fight off the tears, I spoke those precious words of the name of the Triune God over her and splashed water on her bald head. She didn’t fuss or cry, but just seemed perfectly content. It may have been the happiest moment of my entire life so far. And all of this joy because of this beautiful, precious little baby.
Now imagine Mary’s joy of holding her little baby boy. I am sure Mary, like most mothers, couldn’t help but think that her little baby Jesus was perfect as she held him for the first time. However, this was not just her motherly bias. Jesus was in fact a perfect baby. Just as He was perfect His entire life. Nevertheless, it seems impossible to try to imagine Mary’s joy. Then there is the joy of the shepherds as they receive the special announcement from the angel that this baby is born. The rest of the angels are so overjoyed, they cry aloud from heaven for the shepherds to hear, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.” Mary and Joseph were full of joy, the shepherds hurrying along to find this baby where moved by joy, and the angels singing their praises certainly were joyful. So much joy over one little baby!
The well-known Christmas song “Mary Did You Know” really does an awesome job of putting it in perspective as to why there is so much joy in this one baby. The song refers to the miracles He will perform in His life of walking on waters, giving sight to the blind, opening the ears of the deaf and the mouths of the mute. The song refers to His purpose and ministry of coming to save our sons and daughters and being Lord of all. However, the one line that always gets me says, “And when you kiss your little baby, you kissed the face of God.” How powerful is that statement!! The Lord of all the universe, the Son of the Father who created the heavens and the earth, can be seen, held, smelt, touched, and even kissed in this little precious baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes. If the face of God being found in a beautiful, snuggling baby doesn’t bring joy, I don’t know what would!
I love babies, and I love my new niece. However, there has never been a more precious, more spectacular, more perfect baby than the sweet baby Jesus. He is the Lord of all who left His throne in Heaven, to come be our King. He allowed Himself to be born in human flesh as a baby - a helpless, sleeping, eating, and you know what baby! Mary did you know that when you kissed your baby, you kissed the face of God? Christians do you know that when you celebrate the birth of this one baby, you celebrate the arrival of your King? This Christmas season, let your hearts be filled with joy as we praise and adore our King, as we worship our Lord, and as we prepare ourselves for the second coming of our Savior Jesus Christ. Let our praises ring throughout the earth like the angels’, “Glory to God in the highest!” Let the joy of God’s presence in the midst of His people, move you to praise and worship Him.
Merry Christmas to you all in the extremely-overflowing joy of Jesus Christ’s birth!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)