Blessed New Year!

As we close out this year it is good to look back and see just what the Lord has brought us through. We all have had some bad things happen and some really good things. Our attitude toward the bad and good things should be identical according to God's word. I Thessalonians 5:18 says, "In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." Are we able to give thanks in the midst of all things? Are we looking forward to the new that God will be bringing into our lives in 2011? Perhaps we have not completely worked through 2010. It is important that we forgive and move on with the Lord while forgetting those things that are behind and pressing forward to what God has ahead. As we do God's will we will have a blessed New Year!

Hard Work Pays Off!

Marvin Gregory tells the story of a junk dealer who became a millionaire even though he only had an 8th grade education. Somebody asked him how he was able to make a million dollars in spite of his lack of formal training. He said, "Well, it ain't hard. I just bought junk for $1 and sold it for $2 and you'd be surprised how quickly that 1% profit adds up." It is obvious that he wasn't a great mathematician but he also wasn't afraid of hard work. Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." Proverbs 10:4 confirms the thought of hard work when it says, "He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich." Let's do all that we do as unto to the Lord and leave the results to Him. His wisdom, love, and justice will always prevail.

New Year Resolutions!

Some typical attempts with new year resolutions:

For those wanting to read more.
2005: I will read at least 10 books a year.
2006: I will read at least 5 books a year.
2007: I will read at least 1 book a year.
2008: I will read some newspaper articles this year
2009: I will read at least one newspaper article this year.
2010: I will try and finish the comics section this year.

For those worrying about their weight.
2006: I will follow my new diet religiously until I get below 200 lbs.
2007: I will try to develop a realistic attitude about my weight.
2008: I will work out 5 days a week.
2009: I will work out 3 days a week.
2010: I will try to drive past a gym at least once a week.

For those with money issues.
2005: I will pay off my bank loan promptly.
2006: I will pay off my bank loans promptly.
2007: I will begin making a strong effort to be out of debt by 2008.
2008: I will be totally out of debt by 2009.
2009: I will try to pay off my debt interest by 2010.
2010: I will check with my accountant about filing for bankruptcy.

If we think we need to make resolutions, why not these two:
1. I will love God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.
2. I will love my neighbor as myself.

Holy Thinking!

In Philippians 4:8 the Bible tells us to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. Some folks aren't alert to just what they are thinking and neither are they alert as to the source of the thoughts. We are living in an hour where our senses are inundated with garbage. This garbage is intended to direct our thoughts to those things we shouldn't be thinking about. I can only speak for myself, but I for one want purity and clarity of thought. We serve a Holy God and are instructed to be a Holy people. There is a direct correlation between what we think about and what we are. Let's be Holy thinkers!

Almost Here!

Christmas is almost here and the children are getting excited and perhaps many of the adults are as well. Not only is Christmas almost here but the end of this year is also almost here. Are there things that need to be finished in our lives before years end? It is important to live our lives where our consciences are void of offenses toward God and all men. We should be living daily with hearts void of offenses towards all. Can we honestly say that we are living this way? I hope that all can and will live this way for anything else is dishonest. Christmas is almost here, year's end is almost here, and perhaps His second coming is almost here.

Let Your Light Shine!

Have you seen many Christmas lights yet? It is always fun to see the different lights that people put up at Christmas. Do you ever wonder how many folks know that Jesus said that he was the light of the world and that those who follow him will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life. Jesus told those who heard his sermon on the mount that they were the light of the world.(Matthew 5:14) In verse 16 of the same chapter he said, "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." I wonder just how much light we put out to the world around us. Maybe as much as a 5 watt bulb or a 25 watt or 50 watt or 75 watt or just perhaps some as much as 100 watts. In the dark of night a 5 watt bulb helps a great deal and a 100 watt bulb seems like a spotlight. May the Lord help each of us to put out as much light as possible for folks to be drawn to the light.

Discerning the signs of the times!

Even though it was forecast to snow yesterday, it didn't. This forecasting in the Rocky Mountain region is tricky and often the forecasters get it wrong. Jesus said to some Pharisees and some Sadducees in Matthew 16:2-3, "When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather today: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" How are we at discerning the face of the sky? How are we at discerning the signs of the time? Look at 2 Timothy 3:1-5 for some helps at discerning the signs of the times. Also look at Matthew chapter 24 for more insight. Blessings to you in your studies.

I'm Dreaming of a _______Christmas!

It is forecast to snow tonight. Won't that be wonderful. Maybe it is a prelude to a white Christmas and everyone knows that a white Christmas is the best kind. Why we even have a song where the song writer said he was dreaming of a white Christmas. It is likely that most folks would agree with the song writer. Stop the wagons partner, I know folks that live in Arizona that would beg to differ with you. They sing a song that goes like this, "I'm dreaming of a dry Christmas and a warm one at that". We can sure romanticize just about anything. I don't know about you but I'm looking forward to Christmas to celebrate the birth of my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. I hope you know Christ in the same way, if so, it won't matter if Christmas is white or dry. We will join the multitudes praising God for sending Jesus in the form of man as a baby in a manager, and praising Jesus for coming to save us. What kind of Christmas are you dreaming about?

Today is the day of Salvation!

C.S. Lewis once said, "The grounds for belief and disbelief are the same today as they were two thousand or ten thousand years ago. If Joesph had lacked faith to trust God or humility to perceive the holiness of his spouse, he could have disbelieved in the miraculous origin of her Son as easily as any modern man; and any modern man who believes in God can accept the miracle as easily as Joesph did." Have you as a modern man believed in Jesus as your Savior and Lord? If so then you as well as I know the true meaning of Christmas. If you haven't believed in Jesus as your Savior and Lord, what are you waiting for! Today is the day of Salvation.

He That Will Love Life!

As a loving reminder to us all, I Peter 3:10-13 says, "For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?"

Can We Feed Ourselves?

Are we Christians prepared to feed ourselves? Were we to be placed in a place where we could not be part of a Christian Church or Fellowship, would we be able to sustain our spiritual life? Each of us needs to answer these questions. In Colossians 2:10 it says, "And ye are complete in him...". The Bible says we are complete in Christ and since this is true, we should be able to sustain our spiritual life through our relationship with Christ. Being in the word daily and prayer and worship will help us to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord. Brethren get your forks in the ready position.

Jesus' Birthday!

Did you hear about the family that celebrated Christmas every year with a birthday party for Jesus. An extra chair of honor at the table became the family's reminder of Jesus' presence. A cake with candles along with the singing of "Happy Birthday" expressed the family's joy in Jesus' presence. One year a Christmas afternoon visitor asked five-year-old Ruth, "Did you get everything you wanted for Christmas?" After a moment's hesitation, she answered, "No, but then it's not my birthday!" Remembering just whose birthday it is, that we celebrate at Christmas helps all of us keep the festivities in proper perspective.

Switched off Jesus!

The kids were putting on a Christmas play. To show the radiance of the newborn Savior an electric light bulb was hidden in the manager. All the stage lights were to be turned off so that only the brightness of the manager could be seen, but the boy who controlled the light got confused and all the lights went out. It was a tense moment, broken only when one of the shepherds said in a loud stage whisper, "Hey! You switched off Jesus!" Let's not make the same mistake and switch off Jesus in our lives. If we do I hope someone will shout not whisper that we have switched off Jesus.

Judging Ourselves!

I Corinthians 11:31 says, "For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged." That we can escape the critical judgment of God by simply judging ourselves is one of God's wonderful blessings to all of us who know him. The question is are we doing it? To be a growing disciple of the Lord we must be our own greatest judge. We must hear the word of the Lord against ourselves. Our ears will stay open to whomever God sends to us if we judge ourselves. It often appears that many folks have ceased growing because they have a much greater opinion of themselves than they should. None of us are above receiving correction and we should be open to it. Humbling ourselves before the Lord is a righteous act for each of us to do.

His Good Gifts!

In James 1:17 it says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." Thank God for His good gifts, beginning with our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, and all of the wonderful things He does for us. Thank God that there is holiness, truth, love, righteousness, faithfulness, and total consistency in His relationship toward us. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. It is wonderful to know that God loves us today, tomorrow, and forever. Let's thank him daily for his good gifts.

That Day!

The song writer wrote, "He's coming soon, he's coming soon, with joy we welcome his returning. It may be morn it may be night or noon we know he's coming soon." Scripture says in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition." In the last days there will be a great apostasy or falling away. The church as we have known it will soon not be the same. There will emerge an apostate church where Christ and the subject of sin will not be spoken of. Then that Wicked shall be revealed whom the Lord will consume, the one whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. This is also found in the same chapter mentioned above. Watch and pray that that day will not overtake us unaware. Is there sin in our lives? If so, we need to repent.