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The Prayer of Jesus (part 6)

And Lead Us Not Into Temptation, But Deliver Us From The Evil One.




Memo


From: Lord Lucifer


To: All Minions-of-Evil


Subject: Performance Review



Get with it, guys! Our objective of world domination- while making major advances- has not yet been met!!!


Yes, we have pulled off some good ones- my performance in the Garden of Eden was especially brilliant-and much remains to be done. Never forget: Mankind has a great Champion...and a powerful Secret Weapon. I remind you again: Beware of the Armor of God!




Preparing for Battle



Okay, maybe it's not polite to read other people's mail (even the fictional letter mentioned above). On the other hand, it is an excellent idea to remind ourselves- often!- that we are targets of a great plot. And the stakes are nothing less than our immortal souls!


We live in the middle of the greatest war of all times...Good vs. Evil. God the all-powerful Creator, on one side. Satan on the other side. And us in the middle...with an obligation to choose sides, and join in the battle.


However, God has not left us unprotected. He sent His Son to weight the balance in our favor. And He has given us powerful weapons to use everyday of our lives, to defeat the powers of darkness.


When we pray, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one," you should immediately remember to "put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against he devil's schemes."That of course, means you are not only intimately acquainted with each piece of the armor described by Paul in Ephesians 6, but you understand what each piece represents:


"So stand strong, with the belt of truth tied around your waist. And on your chest wear protection of right living. And on your feet wear the Good News of peace to help you stand strong. And also use the shield of faith. With that you can stop all the burning arrows of the Evil One. Accept God's salvation to be your helmet. And take the sword of the Spirit -that is the teaching of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times. Pray with all kinds of prayers, and ask for everything you need. To do this you must be always ready. Never give up. Always pray for all God's people" (Eph. 6:14-18 ICB).


When we put on God's armor we are ready to face Evil...and win. We have God's word on it. Without God's full armor of protection from evil, "You are a Guaranteed Casualty" in the invisible war, but with God's armor you are "invincible."


In the context of spiritual warfare, we must neither overestimate nor underestimate the power and province of our adversary. No doubt to his delight, we often depict the Devil as the author of darkness in much the same way that God is described as the Author of Light. That, however, is far from true. God is the sovereign Author of all creation; Satan is but an angel that He has created. Satan is not the opposite of the Creator. Rather, as a fallen angel, he is the counterpart to the archangel Michael.


While it is fashionable to credit the Devil with every temptation we face, we must be ever mindful that spiritual warfare involves the world and the flesh as well. As Jesus makes clear in the parable of the Sower, we are often fruitless because of "the worries of this life, and the deceitfulness of wealth" (Matt. 13:22).


Just as we should never overestimate the Devil, we would also err greatly in underestimating his cunning craftiness. He is a malevolent being, the vastness of whose intellect exceeds that of any human who has ever lived from Solomon to Socrates.



Continued....
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The Prayer of Jesus (part 5)

Forgive Us Our Debts, As We Also Have Forgiven Our Debtors.



As we also have forgiven our debtors..." There they are- the rest of the words Jesus gave us in asking God's forgiveness. The words that make the prayer work!


Until we put these words right after "forgive us our debts," our prayer is not complete. Because forgiveness is a two-way street! Or to put it another way""What goes around comes around!"


When Jesus gave us these words, He was making it clear that before we can expect God to forgive us, we have to be ready to forgive. Because what these words are really saying to God is: Treat me in exactly the same way I treat other people! Sound kind of familiar? It should.


Remember the Golden rule? "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you..." It's one of the most beautiful- and powerful- pieces of advice Jesus gave. (And one that could keep the world out of trouble if everyone paid attention to it!) In the forgiveness request , however, the idea advances a step further. And it could now read, "do to others what you would have God do to you."


To make sure we'd take seriously our responsibility in our willingness to forgive others, we are reminded of one of the most riveting parables Jesus ever communicated to His disciples (see. Matt. 18:21-35). writing


It is a story of two debtors. The first owed his master about twenty million dollars- more than he could pay if he lived to be a thousand years old. The second debtor owed the first debtor less than a twenty-dollar bill. When the day of reckoning came, the master forgave the multi-million-dollar debtor every last penny. Instead of being overwhelmed with gratitude, however, the man who was forgiven much tracked down the man who owed him little, grabbed him by the throat, and dragged him away to debtors' prison. When the master heard all that had happened, his condemnation was swift and severe. The ungrateful servant was thrown into jail to be tortured until he could repay his debt in full- which would be... never!


When Jesus finished telling the story, He turned to His disciples and said, "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart" (Matt. 18:35). The disciples immediately got the point. The debts we owe one another are like mere twenty-dollar bills "compared" to the infinite debt we owe our heavenly Father. Since we have been forgiven an infinite debt, it is a horrendous evil to even consider withholding forgiveness from those who seek it. If for a moment, we might wonder whether or not to forgive our debtors, this parable should immediately soften our hearts and illumine the darkness of our minds.



Furthermore, when we pray, "forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors," we are reminded of the infinite price that was paid so that we might be forgiven. We must ever be mindful that it was God Himself who hung on the cross so that we could be reconciled to Him for time and eternity.


Multitudes have lost touch with this essential truth because they have little concept of the depravity of the human heart (Jer.17:9). As one postmodern American remarked, "The day I die, I should only have to look up on my Maker and say, 'Take me.' Not 'Forgive me.'''(Quoted in Marianne Meye Thompson, 1-3, 46.) Karl Menninger once lamented that we live in an I'm-OK-you're-OK world. In whatever Became of Sin? he compares OK-ness in the face of human depravity to a bluebird on a dung heap (Calvin Miller, Into the Depths of God, 147). The antidote to OK-ness is brokeness. And brokeness is the road map by which we find our way back to an intimate relationship with God.





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The Prayer of Jesus (Part 4)

On Earth As It Is In Heaven


Allow me to make one quick point before we move on. As we pray we must be ever mindful that the phrase "in heaven" is inextricably woven together with each of the first three petitions of the prayer of Jesus. We begin by praying that the name of our Father in heaven be hallowed. We continue by praying, "Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven." And we conclude with the words "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

This is of course, is not by accident. Rather it is a daily reminder that we are to live with heaven in mind. As we launch into the last three petitions of the prayer of Jesus, in which the Master teaches us how to bring our requests to God, we should never lose sight of our priorities. R.C. Sproul, in his inimitable style, makes the point, "We do not come rushing into God's presence arrogantly, assaulting Him with our petty requests, forgetting whom we are addressing. We are to make certain that we have properly exalted the God of creation. Only after God has been rightly honored, adored, and exalted, do the subsequent petitions of God's people assume their proper place

The prayer of Jesus is divided into essentially two parts. The first is focused on God's glory. Thus, we pray, "hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done." The second is focused on our needs. From this point on we will pray for ourselves-our provisions, our pardon, and our protection. It is the third petition that brings the Lord's Prayer down to earth, making the transition from our Father up in heaven to His children down on earth." In the words of the great church father Tertullian:

How gracefully has the Divine Wisdom arranged the order of the prayer; so that after things heavenly- that is, after the "Name" of God, the "Will" of God, and the "Kingdom" of God- it should give earthly necessities also room for a petition!




Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread



Remember the scene from Luke 11 that was described in chapter one? Jesus has just returned from one of His private prayer sessions, His face awash with the glory of His Father's presence. The disciples immediately encircle Him. One of them, perhaps Peter, verbalizes the words, but they were all thinking the same thing. "Lord, he says in a voice mixed with urgency and anticipation, "whatever it is you experience when you disappear for those long stretches and pray, we really want to know about it."


Jesus smiles. The time has come for Him to unveil the principles of prayer to His disciples. As usual, He begins with a story (see. Lk. 11:5-11). Pointing to Peter, He says, "imagine going to your neighbor's house at midnight and asking him if you can borrow three loaves of bread." A smile breaks out on Thomas's face. He can't help but chuckle at the irony of the Bread of Life telling a story about borrowing bread. "Your neighbor is fast asleep," Jesus continues, "so you pound on the door frantically and shout, 'Wake up! I need your help! A friend of mine just shown up on my doorstep, and my cupboard is bare!"


Jesus cups His hands around His mouth for effect. "Don't bother me!' the neighbor yells back. I've locked up the house and my kids are in bed. I just can't help you tonight.''' Peter wasn't very good at keeping a poker face. His thoughts might has well have been three-inch neon letters flashing across his forehead. "Yeah, right," Peter murmurs to himself, "this guy can't help? Or won't!" James and John locked eyes knowingly. If Peter knocked on my door in the middle of the night, they each were thinking, I wouldn't get up either!


"I tell you the truth," Jesus explains, "Peter had just kept banging on the door, his neighbor would have given him bread. Not so much because he was a good neighbor, but because of Peter's persistence."






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The Prayer of Jesus (Part 3)

Your Will be Done


To pray "your will be done" is, first and foremost, recognition of the sovereignty of God over every aspect of our daily lives. In effect, it is a way of saying, "Thank God this world is under His control, not mine!" We would be in deep trouble if God gave us everything for which we asked. The truth is we don't know what's best for us! As Dr. Gorden Fee has well said, "Our asking is based on our own limited knowledge, and all too often it is colored by our self-interest. "For we only see a snapshot of our lives- while God sees the entire panoply." Thus, His perspective is far superior to ours.

Further, to pray "your will be done" is daily recognition that our wills must be submitted to His will. One of the most comforting thoughts that can penetrate a human mind yielded to the will of God is that He who created us also knows what is best for us. Thus, if we walk according to His will, rather than trying to command Him according to our wills, we will indeed have, as He promised, not a panacea, but peace in the midst of the storm.


In the yielded life there is great peace in knowing that the One who taught us to pray "your will be done" has every detail of our lives under control. Not only is God the object of our faith, He is also the originator of our faith. Indeed, He is the originator of our salvation and, yes, even the originator of our prayers.


Thus, whatever we pray for, whether it's healing or a house, when our will is in harmony with His will, we will receive what we request one hundred percent of the time. However, when we pray as Christ prayed, "Nevertheless, not my will but thy will be done," we can rest assured that even in sickness and tragedy "all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose" (Rom. 8:28).


Finally, to pray "your will be done" is daily recognition that God will not spare us from trail and tribulation, but rather He will use the fiery furnace to purge impurities from our lives. Ultimately, this is the message of the book of Job. Job endured more tragedy in a single day than most people experience in a lifetime.


Yet in his darkest hour Job uttered the ultimate words of faith, "Though you slay me, yet will I trust in Him" (Job 13:15). For the child of God the hope is not perfect health and happiness in this lifetime, but a resurrected body and a heavenly dwelling in the life to come.




Why Do people End Their Prayers with the Word 'Amen'?

Everyone is familiar with the word "amen." But have you ever taken the time to consider what it really means? Is ending our prayers with "amen" a mere ritual? Or is there a majestic richness to the word that is often missed?


First "amen" is a universally recognized word that is far more significant than simply signing off or saying, "That's all." With the word "amen" we are in effect saying, "May it be so in accordance with the will of God." It is a marvelous reminder that any discussion on prayer is a means of bringing us into conformity with God's will, not a magic mantra that ensures God's conformity to ours.

Further, the word "amen" is a direct reference to Jesus, who taught us to pray "your will be done" (Matt. 6:10). In Revelation, He is referred to as the "Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation" (Rev. 3:14). Jesus not only taught us to pray, "your will be done," He modeled those words in His life. In His passionate prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane He prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will" (Matt. 26:39).



Continued...
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The Prayer of Jesus (part 2)

Your Kingdom come



Here's a news flash: Heaven once did exist on earth! But it didn't last for long.


The first human beings sinned and succeeded in dooming the planet. The rest of history has been a war between two kingdoms. In the City of God Augustine describes these kingdoms as the kingdom of God and the kingdom of man. "Each of these two kingdoms has it's own ruler, it's own people, it's own desire, and it's own destiny."

In the fullness of time, God sent His Son into the world to overthrow the Devil's domain by driving out demons, performing miracles, preaching the good news of the coming kingdom, and ultimately sacrificing Himself upon a cross. While Jesus came to establish an eternal kingdom, his subjects merely wanted an earthly king who would overthrow their enemies by military might.

Thus, when the Savior said, "My kingdom is not of this world" (Jn.18:36), the shouts of "Hosanna! Blessed is the king of Israel!" (Jn.12:13) changed to screams of "Crucify him! We have no king but Caesar" (Jn. 19:15). They wanted an earthly king who would expand their earthly territory. Jesus however, had come to take His rightful place on the throne of their lives.

In teaching us to pray "your kingdom come," Jesus was teaching us to ask our heavenly Father to rule over the territory of our hearts. It is an invitation to us to bring the kingdom of Christ into every part of our lives. These words also say something else, too: "A pledge of allegiance!" When we pray "your kingdom come," we are choosing sides! We are "signing up" on God's team. applause Like Stone in The Devil and Daniel Webster, we are called to renounce our deal with the Devil and pledge to expand Christ kingdom rather then our own.


Further, to pray "Your kingdom come" is to pray that God would use our witness for the expansion of His kingdom. C.S. Lewis describes this world as "enemy occupied territory" and Christianity as "the story of how the rightful king has landed in disguise and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage."(C.S. Lewis , Mere Christianity, 36).


Finally, to pray "Your kingdom come" is to recognize that Christ has already won the war, but the reality of His reign is not yet fully realized. For Jesus "officially" defeated evil at the cross (He payed our sin debt, conquered the grave, and secured a place for us in heaven), and one day, He will "actually" defeat evil, at His second coming, as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev. 19:15-16). yay

History is hurtling towards a glorious and climactic end when the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord. Jesus not only taught the Apostle John to pray "your kingdom come" but also gave him a glimpse of that kingdom on the Isle of Patmos. Says John:


"I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away"(Rev. 21:2-4). On that day, heaven will once again exist on earth. hug



The Prayer of Jesus: Hank Hanegraaff




God's love and blessing to all at CS! Serendipity

teddybear
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The Prayer of Jesus (part 1)

It's all there! Everything we need to know about communicating with God, in the prayer of Jesus. It is the perfect prayer. That being said, it is also tragic to think that, in some circles, the Lord's prayer has been reduced to vain repetition, while in others it has been all but forgotten. While the prayer of Jesus is not a prayer mantra, it is a prayer manner. As such, it has been eloquently described as the most majestic of all model prayers:


It is a model prayer and, as such, commends itself to the most superficial glance- approves itself at once to the conscience of man. It is beautiful and symmetrical, like the most finished work of art. The words are plain and unadorned, yet majestic; and so transparent and appropriate that, once fixed in the memory, no other expressions ever mix themselves up with them; the thought of substituting other words never enters the mind. Grave and solemn are the petitions, yet the serenity and tranquil confidence, the peace and joy which they breath, prove attractive to the heart. The prayer is short, that it may be quickly learned , easily remembered, and frequently used; but it contains all things pertaining to life and godliness ( Philip Ryken, When You Pray ,9).


Are you ready? Let's begin!


Our Father in Heaven

To the disciples, the opening words of the Prayer of Jesus must have been nothing short of scandalous. Of all the things they had ever learned about prayer, this was certainly not one of them. The name of God was so sacred to the Jewish people that they were not even permitted to say the name of God aloud, let alone refer to Him as "our Father." Yet that is precisely how Jesus taught His disciples to pray.

There was however, a catch. As John explains, only those who received Jesus and believed on His name had the right to refer to God as "our Father (Jn. 1:12). In fact, Jesus made it clear that there are only two kinds of people in the world: those who should refer to Satan as "our father" and those who may refer to God as "our Father" (Jn. 8:44-47). There are no other options.

In one sense, Jesus is the only one who could legitimately address God as Father, for He is the unique Son of God and has been so throughout eternity (Jn. 1:2). However, as Paul explains in Romans 8, those who are lead by the Spirit of God are no longer illegitimate children. Instead, they, too, are sons and daughters by adoption through faith in Jesus. Thus, they can legitimately refer to God as "our Father."

Jesus continues the pattern by teaching his disciples to qualify the phrase "our Father" with the words, in heaven." In doing so He is teaching us that God transcends time and space. We can address Him with intimacy but never with impudence. He is the sovereign Creator, and we are but sinful creatures. Addressing God as "our Father" makes us mindful of our place, in relationship to God. Thus, adding the phrase,"in heaven" reminds us of the reverence due to his name.


Hallowed be your Name


The initial request of the prayer of Jesus is that God's name be made holy. To pray "hallowed be your name" is to put the emphasis on God first, exactly where it belongs. In other words, our daily lives should radiate a far greater commitment to God's nature and holiness than to our needs. To pray "hallowed be your name" is to pray that God be given the unique reverence (respect) that His holiness demands. That God's Word be preached without corruption; that our churches be led by faithful pastors and preserved from false prophets, that we be kept from language that profanes God's name; that our lives remain holy; and that we cease from seeking honor for ourselves and seek instead that God's name be glorified.


Continued....
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The Secret to Prayer is Secret Prayer

"But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to the Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:6)."


Everyone wants to know the secret to something. Golfers want to know the secret to playing golf like Tiger Woods. Investors want to know the secret to making a fortune on Wall Street. Parents want to know the secret to raising healthy, happy kids. And Christians desperately want to know the secrets to effective prayer. So what are the secrets to real intimacy with God?

The first secret to effective prayer is secret prayer. And Jesus provided the ultimate example. As Dr. Luke puts it, he "often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" (Lk. 5:16). Unlike the religious leaders of his day (Matt. 6:5-7), Jesus did not pray to be seen by men. Rather, he prayed because he treasured fellowship with his Father. Jesus knew the secret to deep and true relationships is time alone together. He took that time with God. You can, too. A further secret is to recognize the connection between prayer and meditation. Our prayers are only as inspired as our intake of Scripture. Scripture feeds meditation, and meditation gives food to our prayers. Meditating on Scripture allows us to more naturally transition into a marvelous time of meaningful prayer.

Donald Whitney, who rightly refers to meditation as the missing link between the intake of Scripture and prayer, notes that if there was a secret to the prayer life it was his discovery of the connection between meditation and prayer.

A finale secret is to discover your secret place, a place where you can drown out the static of the world and hear the voice of your heavenly Father (Matt. 6:6). The issue of course, is not location but motivation. We are all unique creations of God. Thus, your secret place will no doubt be different than mine. The point is that we all desperately need a place away from the evasive sounds of this world so that we can hear the sounds of another place and another Voice.


Lord teach us Now to pray

You can almost see the sense of urgency sketched on the faces of the disciples as they circle around the Master Teacher. One of them, perhaps Peter, assumes the role of spokesman. His words were both eager and expectant. Over and over again he has watched his master withdraw to secluded places to pray. And he has seen the serenity Jesus exuded in the aftermath. He may have been uncertain of what made Christ's face seem as though it glowed, but of one thing he was certain: Whatever it was, he wanted it, and he wanted it now!

There were hundreds of Scriptural prayers Jesus could have drawn their attention to that day. For example, Jesus might have responded by pointing his disciples to the prayers of Joshua, Jephthah, or, yes, Jabez. But he didn't. Jesus knew that his disciples would never properly understand "examples" of prayer without first understanding "principles" of prayer. And that's exactly why he gave us "The Prayer of Jesus."


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Hank Hanegraaff: Teach us Now to Pray



Will continue on this topic in my next blog. God bless everyone, at CS! Serendipity


teddybear
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God's Justice and Mercy in the Old Testament

Seems like the culture today is more interested in painting God as a cosmic bully than a merciful God. Most media, elite schools, and staunch atheists claim that the God of the Bible is cruel and ruthless deity who caused mass genocide in the Old Testament. Here are some debated passages in the Old Testament that supposedly back up this view of God.


Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven (Gen. 19:24).


You must devote them to complete destruction (Deut. 7:2).


Then they devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword (Jos. 6:21).

Now go and strike Amalek and devoted to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and women, child, and infant, ox, and sheep, camel and donkey (1 Sam. 15:3).


By simply isolating these Old Testament passages, it's no wonder people think God as a brutal monster. Bearing in mind that these incidents did occur, we need proper precautions and examination of the context before drawing any conclusions. Each of these passages needs to be interpreted in it's proper context, and not taken out of context to try to prove a point.


As to God commanding Israel to destroy the Canaanites and six other nations, it is noteworthy to mention that, these passages reveals something in regards, to the holiness of God. It shows that God's character is absolutely holy, and as such, He must punish sin and rebellion (Hab. 1:13). He's a righteous judge (Ps.7:11), and that's undeniably part of who He is. His character is also merciful (Deu.4:31).


As for the Amalekites, they were far from innocent. Far from it. These were not nice people. In fact, they were utterly and totally depraved. Their mission was to destroy Israel. In other words, to commit genocide. They were relentless in their attempts to murder the people of Israel, and yet you don't hear people complaining about that!


As if that were not evil enough, think about what was hanging in the balance. The Israelites were the chosen people through whom God would bring salvation to the entire world through Jesus Christ. The destruction of their nation was necessitated by the gravity of their sin. Had some hardcore remnant survived, they might have resumed their aggression against the Israelites and God's plan. These were a persistent and vicious and warring people. They wanted to wipe out every last one of the Israelites off the face of the earth. God could have dealt with them through a natural disaster like a flood, but instead He used Israel as His instrument of judgement. He took action not only for the sake of the Israelites, but ultimately for the sake of everyone through history whose salvation would be provided by the Messiah (Jesus Christ) who was to be born among them.


As for the children, socially and physically the fate of children throughout history has always been with their parents, whether that's for good or for ill. You need to understand the situation among the Amalekites. In a thoroughly evil and violent and depraved culture, there was no hope for those children. This nation was so polluted that it was like gangrene that was taking over a person's leg, and God had to amputate the leg or the gangrene would spread and there wouldn't be anything left. In this sense, God's action was an act of mercy. According to the Bible, every child who dies before before the age of accountability goes to heaven to spend eternity in the presence of God.


Isaiah 7:16 talks about an age before a child is morally accountable, before the child knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right. King David spoke of going to be with his son who died at birth (2 Sam. 12:23). Jesus said, ' Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these (Matt.19:14), which indicates they will go to heaven...
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The Miracle of Christmas

In our hectic holiday season, many have neglected the true miracle and meaning of Christmas- the coming of Jesus to our world. He is why we celebrate Christmas. Why? Because God sent His only Son to the earth to die for our sins that we might inherit a free gift of eternal life through personal trust in His Son (John 3:16).

Philippians 2:5-8 points out that the sovereign, infinite, all-powerful, eternal second Person of the Trinity actually took on a finite human nature through the virgin birth (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Lk. 1:26-38). Why? The Bible specifically teaches that Jesus came to be our representative and die for our sins on the cross of Calvary (Heb. 2:17; 1 Jn. 2:2; 4:10).

God sacrificed Himself for us- yes, died for us, even His enemies (Rom. 5:10)! He willingly took upon himself the infinite penalty due our sins so that he could graciously offers us a free gift of eternal salvation. Jesus' atoning death opened up the door for us to live in Heaven forever with a God of infinite love, joy, grandeur, wonder, peace, beauty, and splendor- to be with the greatest Treasure in the universe everlastingly.


Jesus birth was unlike any other. The theological term for his coming, the incarnation, is a doctrine unlike any other because it reveals who Jesus Christ truly is.

Like the One it celebrates, Christmas offers it's own paradox; a time of joy and celebration for many but for others a time of discouragement and depression. In it's own unique way, the season tends to shine a light on the color of our souls.

Particularly at Christmas, people have searched for both meaning and happiness in life. In this season of joy, it seems we often need reminded that God is actually the only possible source of genuine meaning and enduring happiness.


As the ancient and wisest King Solomon learned the hard way, a person can acquire virtually everything the world has to offer yet remain as unhappy and empty as ever. Material and temporal things of any sort can never satisfy beings who have an eternal longing for lasting happiness and ultimate meaning, which only an eternal, infinite, Person can satisfy, forever.


It was for this reason that God sent his own Son: "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him" (Jn. 3:16-17).


When the Bible speaks of "salvation" and "eternal life" as a gift (Rom. 6:23), it is speaking of a specific, astonishing, and excellent quality of life everlasting life only God can give. In Heaven we will find more love and meaning and contentment and happiness and joy and peace and fun and excitement and adventure than we can possibly dream of- and it will last forever.


All of this is possible only because of the incarnation or earthly birth of Jesus Christ. But we need to personally trust in Jesus and honor Him for who He truly is. However, with the birth of Christ, another irony of the often self-absorbed Christmas season seems to be that no matter how we may try to ignore it, life isn't about us; it's about Jesus. Getting what we most desire in life doesn't really make us happy. Whether we have what we want or not, that's why many become depressed and wonder about life's meaning. We aren't big enough or good enough to satisfy ourselves. Nor is anyone or anything else. As the famous French existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre pointed out, only an infinite reference point can give our lives meaning. This famous atheist yearned for God: "That God does not exist, I cannot deny, that my whole being cries out for God I cannot forget."


Some may speculate as to how they could really and truly ever find God. After all, given the many religions in the world and their conflicting beliefs, where does a person start?


Actually it's a lot easier than most would think....
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Overcoming Past Hurts

The holidays are one of the most important and meaningful times of the year for families. There are periods of celebration, fun, worship, and connection. yay In addition, there are wonderful teaching times of reflection and appreciation of who God is and all of the good things He does.

At the same time, the holiday season can be accompanied by sadness and hurt feelings. moping Sometimes people can become depressed, moody, withdrawn, and unable to enter into the spirit of the season the way they would like.


Holiday and the past


Why are people sad at this time of year? It has to do with the nature of your memory and your heart. Holidays are anniversaries which occur on a regular, yearly basis. And during holidays, it is natural to review, remember, and reflect on what has happened in the previous year. You not only remember the good but the negative and painful as well.

For example, you may have lost a loved one. During the holidays, it is natural to find yourself remembering that person and wishing they were there in the celebration and festivities as in years past. Or a difficult circumstance might come to mind, such as moving the family to a new place, a financial burden, or a marriage problem. You may remember how hard past months were or the hurt someone caused you.

Most people do not dredge these memories up on purpose. It is natural that you remember reality-good and painful- during the holidays.



Expecting the ideal


On top of these memories or challenging circumstances, you may expect yourself to be happy and joyful during the holidays, sometimes to a fault. You think, "What is wrong with me? Don't I appreciate all that God has done for me?" So you begin to compare your feelings and experiences with the ideal and standard of the holidays.

The gap you see between how you really feel and what you think you should feel can make things worse, rendering guilt for not being happy enough. Often, a downward spiral then begins.


Unfruitful attempts


It is common to deal with these hurt feelings and memories as best you can, because no one wants to be sad on a holiday. However, your attempts do not always bear good fruit. For example, sometimes you may try to ignore your heart and get busy with the season. You hope that if you do not think about what you are feeling, it might go away. Unfortunately, that is not the way life works. What is inside of you does not disappear if you look the other way. In fact, it often gets worse, just like an infection in the body continues growing if you do not get an antibiotic.

Another strategy is to compensate. That is, you may try to act the opposite of what you feel, hoping that will balance things inside. So if you are feeling really depressed, you may try to act just as cheerful as you are depressed. This actually can make things worse, by simply pretending and not being honest.



Becoming real and loved



The best solution is God's solution. hug He never says to ignore reality or to compensate for a real hurt. Rather, He validates that you have been hurt and have had difficult times, and He wants to help you.


During holidays, you need two things.


First, you need permission to be honest about what you are remembering and feeling. Sad things do happen to people, and God knows and cares. This process is called confession, and simply means to agree with the truth. Confess your mistakes, hurts, past, and sins in order to be healed (James 5:16).


Secondly, you need love and comfort. When you are real about a pain, God brings you His grace and comfort to console and heal you. He does this directly, and He does this through His people: "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in it's various forms (1 Pet. 4:10).



Continued...
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Responding to God's Love Brings Peace

It's a curious thing how many people fail to make use of the largely unclaimed gift that provides us with the highest "feel good" return present in God's creation: Love. heart wings The act of giving as well as receiving love, for some individuals, seems to be as effortless as taking their next breath. Although for others it is just as difficult to receive and feel loved as it is to offer it.

According to the Bible, God is love and He freely provides love (1 Jn. 4:16) However, receiving His love is our responsibility, since we must respond to His love by embracing it. hug The two acts together, giving and receiving, form the most notable of all of our relationships on this as well as the other side of the grave. Additionally, it is here where we find one of the most significant, as well as free, benefits for our lives: PEACE. peace You see, the very moment we begin our relationship with God, through His Son Jesus, we can claim the gift of peace...gift daily peace as well as eternal peace!

Daily peace provides you with the peace of God and with eternal peace you obtain peace with God.


Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS (Mat. 11:28-30).


Do not be anxious about nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:7).


Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1).



Daily peace is where you will find contentment for your everyday life. This does not mean that living a life as a follower of Christ will always be easy...God doesn't promise freedom from trouble. What He does promise is not the elimination of trails but His presence and peace to carry you through them. As humans, we all thirst for infinite fulfillment, but the problem is a finite can never satisfy and infinite thirst. Human, or finite, love cannot completely fulfill us. sad flower Each of us, regardless of what family we were or were not born into, came into this world with an internal "God-shaped" vacuum that cannot be filled apart from God. Blaise Pascal affirmed this:


What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are , though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God Himself.


You see, in a futile attempt to satisfy this unquenchable need, many find they are, as the saying goes, "looking for love in all the wrong places," as they eventually discover that worldly pleasures cannot ultimately provide us with the intimacy our hearts long for. This is because the finite things of life are a poor substitute for the infinite, for only the infinite can bring infinite fulfillment. writing


In other words...


AN ULTIMATE COMMITMENT TO ANYTHING LESS THAN THE ULTIMATE WILL NOT ULTIMATELY SATISFY YOU!


We learn this from perhaps the only human that ever lived who had the position and resources to test this principle: King Solomon in Ecclesiastes (see Ecc. 1-3) Solomon experienced wine, women, works, worldliness, and wealth on a level that we will never witness. After tasting the "fruits" banana that most would die for, Solomon was left confessing that "all is vanity!" Meaning there is no ultimate (complete or lasting happiness) in the temporal things, since God has set eternity in our hearts (Ecc. 3:11).heart beating







Continued...
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Choose what you value most

The words of Jesus:

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world (gain everything he wants), yet forfeit his soul? What can a man give in exchange for his soul (Mark 8:36-37) ?

When compared to the temporal things of this life, nothing has greater value, then the everlasting value of your own soul.


God's love and blessing be with you all! Serendipity teddybear
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