Christian writer Max Lucado put the importance of Christmas in perspective when he wrote the following words……”when it comes to goodies and candy, rosy cheeks and red noses, go to the North Pole. But when it comes to eternity…Forgiveness…Purpose…And Truth…go to the manger, kneel with the shepherds and worship the God who dared to do what man dared not dream. Heaven opened herself and placed her most precious one in a human womb…God became man…the Creator of Life was created. AMEN

HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOD BLESS YOU ONE AND ALL.

What are teenagers like? What drives them. I was one once long ago. I think we all are trying to find ourselves in these years, looking for our identity. Teens are kinda wild and crazy. Quiet sometimes, rebellious at other times. But I think, like myself, we are looking for “who are we?”. And you know what, as an older adult I feel like I’m still looking. However, since I have found Jesus I think I have found my identity. It’s in Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. I have much more peace and understanding of myself and the world around me through my relationship with Jesus. He has opened my eyes to who I really am and what the world is really like. I feel at peace now. But I have much more ahead of me. I am not finished or do I have all the answers. Everyday can be a beautiful mystery if I will only “be still and know that Jesus is God”. That’s what I want to do and that’s who I want to follow.

Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future.

We all want good outcomes to the things that we do or say. Even when our behavior is poor or we do or say something dumb, we hope for a good outcome. We want to do what we want and then have a good outcome. We get upset when we don’t get that outcome. Unfortunately that’s not the way it works. The Nike slogan “Just Do It” doesn’t always lead to a good outcome. You can’t go through life “just doing it”. There are consequences to our actions. So where do we turn for advice or help to direct our paths? We might try the Holy Bible. Think of the Bible as an instruction manual for living. God created us and has given us the Bible to help us make good choices and decisions in life which leads us to good outcomes. Obviously you would not use a car manual to fix your washing machine. In this respect it is probable not as wise to go to the thousands of self help books for your problems when you have the greatest book every written…….the Holy Bible. Try it, you might like it.

Psalm 32:8 – I will instruct you and teach you in the way should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

God Bless You and have a great week……..

I believe that we all are searching at some point in our life for something better. We are like a computer that searches…..searches….searches…..for information. Often it comes up blank and we are frustrated. That’s how life is. We are never really satisfied. Always we are looking for something better. Something that will fulfill us. Something that will indeed satisfy us. But we search in the wrong places and feel lacking. I believe we should turn to God to fulfill our yearnings. I believe we were created by God and He and only He knows what we are searching for. It amazes me that so many people who feel unfulfilled don’t give God a chance. Its the last place they look. Its crazy to think that when we are down and feeling empty that we don’t turn to the Creator of Heaven and Earth. The Great I Am. Give Him a chance. Talk to Him(prayer), read some scripture from the New Testament in the Bible. Its surely a better idea than the temporary escapes common to us like stuff, money, drugs, alcohol, etc……GIVE HIM A CHANCE!

Matthew 7:7-8….Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and the one who knocks it will be opened.

God Bless You and have a great week.

I am currently reading a very good book titled “Grit: The Power Of Passion and Perseverance”. It asks the question, “What is your Passion?”. I will try and answer that right now.

My passion is to pursue Jesus Christ. Jesus says He is The Way, The Truth and The Life. I believe that. His word is awesome and all encompassing. I want to share that with people through how I relate to them. I want to treat people, especially our youth, with truth and respect. I want to do it expecting nothing in return. I want to give them my time in my everyday doings. I want this to become my life. I want to abide in Jesus. Be the branch. Let him work through me. Its difficult with lots of mistakes along the way. But I am getting better at it and I am determined to stay on the path that Jesus has laid down before me. Its a mystery, and my greatest challenge in life.

God Bless you this week. Take time to think what your passion might be and be grateful to God for all his blessings.

John 15:5….Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

A leader in Christ knows that we do not become leaders for our own gratification. According to author Dallas Willard……1..Power is not a prize. 2..Position is not for personal gain. 3..To get or hold on to a position is simply not an objective. 4..Leading is not something we need to feel okay. 5..My self esteem is not tied to success as a leader. 6..Fear of failure to keep our position does not cross our minds as we follow Jesus.

My experience with leadership says that Dallas Willard is very wise. For 40 plus years I taught and coached young people in a leadership capacity. I witnessed all of the above and experienced it. I failed and failed again. I have come out on the other side of leadership much wiser. Jesus said it in Matthew 20:28 – “I did not come to be served, but to serve….Once again Jesus’s wisdom trumps man’s.

Philippians 2:3-5…Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.

God Bless You and have a great week…….

I was recently inspired by a short reading from Frederick Buechner on “The Mystery of Your Self”. I was fascinated by his take on this subject. I have long felt that life is a mystery and I would be better off to quit trying to figure it out and accept it as it is. I believe that Jesus is the Truth and his Truth is itself the mystery. As Buechner quotes, “The more you try to fathom it, the more fathomless it is revealed to be. I think people today believe they have to have an answer to everything. I don’t have to have an anwer or feel that I need to solve every mystery. I kind of like the idea of living the mystery. To say that God is a mystery is to say that you can never nail him down. Don’t get me wrong that one should not pursue answers. I search for answers about Jesus daily. I pursue Jesus. He is the creator of Heaven and Earth—The Universe. Its is so crazy to try and put him in a box or think that we somehow can figure him out. We are so foolish. For me, I want to accept God and all his ways even though they are a mystery. I want to learn what I can about him and leave the rest to the mystery about him.

Colossians 1:27….God has chosen to make known…..the glorious riches of this mystery, which is is Christ in you, the Hope of Glory.

God Bless You and have a great week.

Life is an adventure. It is hard to understand a lot of the time. There is a lot going on in this world that is confusing. We wish we had the wisdom to see the big picture, but find that we cannot see it. Some of my favorite scripture reflect this.

Proverbs 3:5-6….Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

John 9:25……….one thing I do know, I was blind, now I see.

1Corinthians 13:12….For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

Its hard sometimes, if not most of the time to see God’s big picture. We live on a linear time line, God does not. We need to probably quit trying to figure everything out and be still and know that Jesus is God. Jesus wants us to be courageous and to trust him in all circumstances, to abide in him and Live! Easy to say, but difficult to do. Yet it is the way.

Where is the hope? Thoughts like this bounce around in our heads day after day…week after week. Yet we find it hard to turn to the greatest hope the world has ever known—-Jesus Christ. The bible points to Jesus as the hope of the world. His ways are so good. His burden is light. His love is unconditional. He will meet us right now wherever we are in our life. He brings hope to the hopeless. He is enough for all of us that don’t think that we are. Knowing all of this, yet we turn away. I believe we all know right and wrong. Its in our DNA code. We know that there is a God, but our sin gets in the way. Yet Jesus patiently waits for us.

The greatest threat in our lives today is hoplessness. Jesus is the Hope of the world. Don’t be afraid to find him in your life no matter where you are at. He will not condemn us. He died for us and loves us like no one else. He will give our lives purpose like nothing else in the world can.

Romans 15:13 – May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in Hope.

God Bless You and have a great week.

Eric Liddell’s story was told in the movie Chariots Of Fire. Liddell was an olympic track and field athlete who won gold in the 1924 Olympics. He was a tremendous 100 yard dash sprinter who won a gold medal in the 440 yard dash, a distance he never trained for. More than that though was the fact that Liddell was an even greater person who loved God. He did not conform to the world but followed his heart. My favorite part of his story was a short speech he made to some fans after a race. He said, “I want you to do more than watch the race, I’d like you to take part in it. Its hard, requires concentration of energy and will. You experience elation when the winner breaks the tape, but how long does it last? You go home maybe to a dinner burned, maybe you have lost your job. So who am I to say believe and have faith in the face of life’s realities? I would like to give you something more permanent but I can only point the way. There is no formula for winning. Everyone runs in his own way…so where does the power come from to see the race to the end, from within….. Jesus said, behold the Kingdom of God is within you. If with all your heart you truly seek me, you shall surely find me.”

Life is like a race, kinda like a marathon. We need to see it to the end. And along the way we need the love of Jesus Christ to help us to the finish line….. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and The Life……..Amen

God Bless You and have a great week.