Month: November 2020

Climb a high mountain, Zion. You are the preacher of good news. Raise your voice. Make it good and loud, Jerusalem. You are the preacher of good news! Speak loud and clear. Don’t be timid! Isaiah 40:9 from The Message

The Advent season is already upon us, and thankfully, we can begin to turn our hearts and minds toward this season of light and love. I love this time of the year for many reasons, but I especially enjoy the Christmas story because it never gets old. It is interesting to me how important stories are, not only, to the Christian, but also to history, family, and remembrances.

A story is a conversation which gives us a way to get to know others, to explain relationships, and to find a connection with others. As Lewis Grizzard always said, “How’s your Mama and them?” In other words, tell me about them. Stories give a context to our lives and help us make it through the days.

You can tell a lot about a person from their conversation. If that person answers Yes or No to questions asked them with no elaboration, then obviously they are not interested in hearing or discussing any stories that others might relate or entering into conversation. If they eagerly add to the conversation. a world of stories and information can happen among people. During this time 2000+ years ago, there were those who didn’t want to hear the story of a babe that was to be born in a manger, but there were those who believed and wanted to hear more!

The world today is trying to say that the birth of Jesus, the cross, the Resurrection, and the Kingdom of God doesn’t matter. They are also interested in telling us that there is no right or wrong in this world today. People can do whatever makes them happy, and we will all go along and get along. They don’t seem to be interested in the stories that the Christian world is eager to tell.

Stories of Jesus are needed more than ever in this world of today. The world needs to hear that a Savior was born, lived, died, and rose from the grave. We need to hear that He was born for all of us no matter our station in life. It is through these stories that Jesus knits the the Kingdom of God together for us.

There is nothing like a pandemic to let us know that the stories we would like to tell or thought we would be telling this time last year will probably be different than what we had planned. It reminds us once again, that when we make plans, God laughs. He is in control.

During this time of year, our hearts just seem to turn to memories of family, friends, and loved ones who aren’t with us. There is nothing so dear as family members gathered together to relate stories of a loved one. It’s how we keep their sweet memory alive.

God sent His son to restore order out of the chaos of our lives, make sense out of the senseless, and connect the dots to piece things together. Not all of the stories in the Bible are easy to understand and some can be labeled as strange, but together they intertwine to tell God’s bigger story.

The story of Jesus is a beautiful story of love that came down to provide redemption for the people God dearly loves. They show His glory, reveal His character, and proclaim the truth that leads us to Him.

As we prepare our hearts to receive Him this season, remember to tell the stories of His love! So many in our world today need to hear them!

Forget not all His benefits. Psalm 103:2

For many years, the Mt. Bethel church family had a special way to close out each service on Sunday. We as a congregation, held hands across the aisles and pews and sang together our trademark benediction. The words went like this: May the good Lord bless and keep you, whether near or far away. May you find that long awaited golden day today. May your troubles all be small ones, and your fortune ten times ten. May the good Lord bless and keep you til we meet again. It was our blessing for each other for the week.

The word blessing or Makarios literally means happiness. It was a wish for happiness, health, and living in God’s favor until we met again. It was so special, and it bonded us as a church and as God’s people. Who wouldn’t want to start your week with a wish for happiness?

Now we come again to that season of the year where we thank God for His blessings, ask to experience His happiness, and for His favor to be upon us. The year 2020 has not been a year which offered us many chances to reflect on our blessings; yet gratitude isn’t a natural response to adversity, it’s a discipline you develop!

In the midst of reflecting on this year, it would be easy to think that God hasn’t blessed us, but if we sit back and think back, I bet we will find many reasons for counting those blessings. Think back on His faithfulness through the years to us, our family, our friends, our country, and we’ll soon be filled with so much gratitude and joy! An attitude of gratitude in the midst of the adversity all around us will bring us to our knees. Tough times don’t end over night as we have seen, but there is much hope for us this Thanksgiving.

Habakkuk says, “Though fig trees may not grow, though there may be no grapes on the vines; no olives; no food growing in the fields; no sheep in the pens, no cattle in the barns, yet I will still rejoice in God my Savior.

We succeed in rejoicing in God always by staying focused on our blessings and not our troubles. When we take time to remember our blessings, it will change our attitude and our outlook. Stay focused.

We, as Christians, have the blessing of being able to take everything to God – the little things, the tiny things, and the trivial things of life. We pray earnestly, petition, and wait. God will answer.

We are blessed when we stay faithful. It’s easy to stay faithful when everything is going well and all is comfortable and right with the world. However, when we hit a time when our world seems to be falling apart right before us, that’s the time to look up and declare, “I have faith in God that it will happen just as He told me.” (Acts 27:25) Blessings don’t trickle in if you are faithful to God, they come in abundance.

My Daddy was a farmer, and when he planted a seed, it didn’t resemble the mature plant. Sometimes we don’t recognize our blessings because they are still in seed form, and we don’t recognize them for what they are when God is finished with them. Look around for those seeds we might inadvertently miss in our lives every day.

Jesus taught His disciples to be distributors of blessings to those around them. This Thanksgiving, my prayer is that we will be distributors and that there will be showers of blessings around each of us.

We can praise God too little, but we can never praise Him too much!

Happy Thanksgiving!

There will be showers of blessings, This is the promise of love; There shall be seasons refreshing, Sent from the Savior above. Showers of blessings, showers of blessings we need; Mercy drops round us are falling, But for the showers we plead. Showers of Blessings by Daniel Whittle

Because we know that this extraordinary day is just ahead, we pray for you all the time – pray that our God will make you fit for what He’s called you to be, pray that He will fill your good ideas and acts of faith with His own energy so that it amounts to something. II Thessalonians 1:11 from The Message

Years ago Randy and I had an extraordinary opportunity to visit Africa with some dear friends on a business trip of sorts. It was a case of ordinary people being able to do extraordinary things! How many people can say they went on an animal observation safari, saw the Big Five, traveled dirt roads and encountered animals in the wild, provided an impala to feed an African village, sat out among the gorgeous Northern Lights, camped while wild animals drank from a stream nearby, slept in a hollowed out cave, met an elephant mouse, saw the world from atop a mountain while spreading a cloth and eating a picnic, and even rode an elephant??!! Extraordinary!

Extraordinary is defined as very unusual or remarkable, and our to Africa to do a mission trip in Kenya where they ministered to children, baptized some children and adults, led in worship, and shared with them the saving grace of Jesus.

Upon the return, several of these people joined together and founded a new Mission and began a great work in Africa. It’s heartwarming to see Annie, her husband and their ministry with children in Kenya. It is a testament to me that God can do extraordinary work through ordinary people.

Extraordinary experiences happen every day, and it doesn’t have to be on a huge scale – it can be as simple as a phone call to a friend, a meal delivered to someone in need, a kind word to a stranger, or just doing an extraordinary work in your job. Every life can be transformed.

So, how do we allow God to do extraordinary things through ordinary people such as ourselves? I believe the first step in allowing God to do extraordinary things in us is to change our view of perfection. D. W. Winnecott said, “Being perfect is overrated”; there is no need to try to be perfect. It’s all right to make mistakes and even to apologize if we get it wrong, that’s where mercy enters in. Don’t be reluctant to ask for guidance, but rather rely on God to take a willing heart and use it.

In all the things we do, the next thing is to affirm others who are willing to take an extraordinary journey with us or on their own. Everyone needs affirmation and encouragement along the way. The story is told of a family gathering where children were allowed to sit at the adult table for the first time at a Sunday dinner. Almost immediately one of the children spilled their glass of tea. Silence ensued, then one by one the adults and other children at the table knocked over their glass as well. That’s affirmation.

Next, don’t quit once you begin the extraordinary journey. Quitting is often the easiest course of action when we encounter hardships along our journey, but quitting should never be an option for us when we are on an extraordinary journey to do God’s will. Most people who seek to do God’s will meet with discouragements, disappointments and continual opposition, but it’s just a temporary roadblock to reaching our goal.

Our grandson, Cooper is the center for his football team in Buford. He has the constant responsibility of hiking the ball and anchoring the offensive line on every single offensive play. Nobody moves until he hikes the ball! The key to his position is never to quit on a hike, a block, or tackle. Their team just won the state championship for their league. Extraordinary effort from an ordinary bunch of guys who dare to never quit!

We all have someone we know who does or has done extraordinary things with their ordinary life. They touch the lives of their family, their friends, their work associates, and others through the things they do or the example they set day by day. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things!

There are three things that we should remember as we seek an extraordinary life doing extraordinary things; rely on God for everything, always affirm others on their journey, and never ever quit! If we focus on the things God has planned for us, we will accomplish extraordinary things with our ordinary lives!

But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, and we have fellowship with one another, the blood of Jesus His Son, cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

Although originally debuting in 1971, in Christmas of 1978 there was a Coke commercial that began with one single candle in the darkness and participants singing I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing. As the camera widens, the view is of many people of many different nations and races, all holding candles and singing the song. At the end, you realize they are standing in the shape of a Christmas tree as they sing of harmony and love in the world. Just one candle when the light is shared becomes a beautiful sight of light in the darkness. Oh how far we have come from those days!

It seems a good idea to resurrect this thought of harmony and love in this time of unrest, hatred, division, and general upheaval in this country of ours. We are in a time of darkness that is in desperate need of some light. Who would have imagined an election would cause such divisiveness and disharmony in our great nation? Our democracy has been threatened in so many ways. We could all use just one candle of light.

Last week when much of the area in which we live was suffering the aftermath of Hurricane Zeta, I was texting with friends who were out of electricity. One said, “I’m just sitting here in the darkness.” What a difference just one candle could make in that situation and others like it!

If Christians held out just one candle in this dark time, think how many people might be comforted and strengthened in this world in which we live.

One single candle can be likened to a lighthouse which stands on the shore. What good can a lighthouse really do? It never moves. It can’t run up and down the shore line and rescue a ship. It can’t calm the waters and bring the ship safely to shore. It can’t clear a path for the ship. The miraculous thing it can do is provide a light in the darkness. It can point the way to safety. The light it provides can guide many ships that were in darkness safely to shore. It is a light in the darkness.

There is a reason light was mentioned so many times in the Bible – it’s important to keep the light of Christ burning. The Bible’s account of the ten virgins and their lamps speaks to the importance of keeping the light burning. Five of them were foolish and took no oil for their lamp. Five of them were wise and took enough oil for their lamps. Five of them kept the light burning while five of them were powerless to help.

Mother Teresa takes this parable and adds her thoughts to it with these words: My daughters, what are these drops of oil in our lamps? They are the small things of daily life: faithfulness, punctuality, small words of kindness, a thought for others, our way of being silent, of looking, or speaking and of acting. These are the true drops of love. Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies. I would add that in doing these things we hold out one small candle of light.

Throughout the New Testament followers of Jesus are called to be lights in the darkness. As we seek to be His light, we are called to be not only hearers of His instruction, but doers as well. What light can be bring to a world in desperate need? Each of us can brighten a dark corner by taking those small things Mother Teresa mentioned, adding them to our of daily life and being faithful to do them.

As we look toward Veteran’s Day and honor our veterans, our men and women who actively serve our country, and the freedom they insure for this country, it’s an special opportunity to thank them for their service to our nation. They bring a light to this country that can never be extinguished.

It’s interesting that the Coke song ends with these words, “It’s the real thing – what the world needs today is the real thing.” There is a “real thing” in this world of today, and his name is Jesus. Jesus is the “real thing” – the light of the world – and the world sorely needs Him today.

God bless our country as we strive to keep the light of freedom, equality and democracy alive and well. God bless us all as we light our one single candle!

My strength comes into its own in your weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:10

God bless America, land that I love. Stand beside her, and guide her through the night with a light from above. From the mountains to the prairies, to the oceans white with foam; God bless America, my home sweet home.

The song God Bless America was written in 1918 by Irving Berlin as a war time salute to soldiers, but he decided not to use it and packed it away. It was resurrected in 1938 by Mr. Berlin and used as a “peace song” in response to escalating tensions in Europe. He made changes to it and gave it to Kate Smith to sing on her radio show to commemorate Armistice Day.

Kate Smith introduced the song with these words, “As I stand before the microphone and sing it with all my heart, I’ll be thinking of our veterans, and I’ll be praying with every breath I draw that we shall never have another war.” Unfortunately, war did come, but the song endures as does the message it conveys. It has found its place in churches, the scouts, veteran’s celebrations, and moving tributes to America. Who can sing it without a tear in your eye and pride in your heart?

It also found a home in baseball stadiums around the country. The song replaced the national anthem in 1940 at the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball games because the organization felt it was easier to sing. It was also added to the seventh inning stretch at many baseball games after September 11th. It’s no longer a war time song, but has fulfilled Mr. Berlin’s hope and become a song of peace and love of country.

The founding fathers of over 200 years ago loved this country, and they had a vision for it. They were a diverse group made up of merchants, farmers, lawyers, etc., yet they all believed in this new, young country. Even though they all wanted liberty, they didn’t all agree on the best way to achieve it. They had different opinions on the best course of action for the country, the appropriate form of government, and the structure which would balance liberty with order. As with any group, their strength was often gained from their differences. In other words, they, like politicians of today, disagreed. On one thing they agreed, any attempt to govern without God will fail.

Unlike today, they were able to put aside their own disagreements and work together as parties and individuals to form one nation under God with liberty and justice for all. There is no doubt that there is a battle raging all around us this week and perhaps in many weeks to come, but there’s none of us who have the strength to win it alone. I do firmly believe that God is fighting this battle, and it is He who will determine the way our nation will proceed.

The good news for us is that after we have done our civic duty, weighed the candidates, listened to the facts, and voted our conscience, our only job then is to hit our knees and turn it over to God. Everyone of us has dealt with disillusionment, discouragement, confusion, and conflict, and we are weary of the battle. The Bible tells us that we should not be afraid or dismayed – for the battle is not ours, but Gods. (Exodus 14:14) Our battle is to fight the good fight of faith. (1 Tim 6:12)

Henry W. Grady on speaking of the strength of America originally said, “Surely the great strength of America lies in its military and naval might.” Years later after the might of war and the military had faded away, he was on his knees in a family circle of evening prayer, and there came to his heart a new conviction. He ended the prayers that evening with this confession; The strength of America is found not in its great armies, but in its godly people.

I truly pray that God will Bless America and strengthen her people with love, peace and hope in the days, months, and years to come. Let us never forget these words: We are to stand firm in our faith with the certain knowledge that the battle is the Lord’s. Our faith is His victory – a victory that has already been accomplished on the cross. That is what overcomes the world. Ray Stedman