The Birth That Changed the World

Matthew 1:20-21 “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Lately, I’ve not had many devotions laid on my heart.  Of course, God has been speaking things to me but I haven’t felt led to speak it to anyone.  As the “day of joy” neared I kept feeling a rising in my spirit.  It grew stronger and stronger until the flood broke loose.  An emotion and passion spilled from my heart and I knew God wanted me to write it out for people to read.  On December 25^th,we celebrate the birth of a man who saved us from death.  Nobody knows the exact day He was born and we can all hypothesize but that is the day we all pause our lives to give and be given to; to bless and be blessed.  We remember who our families are and even if there’s no blood relation we realize who it is that belongs in our family.  We cherish this baby boy that was born in a feeding trough (manger), in a barn, while the freezing air bit at His newborn skin.  My dad said something that made me really stop and think.  Instead of thinking of a man dying on the cross for us, think of that little, perfect baby boy being nailed on the cross and giving His life for our stupid actions.  His soft, white skin being pierced by the nails as small cries came from his lips; blood flowing over his little head as thorns sat embedded in His scalp.  Every Christmas, we pull the inner grace out of ourselves and are willing to give more, to help more, and to be more caring.  Keep looking at things differently!  Don’t just bury it after the joyful season is over!  The world seems much lighter and happier around Christmas.  It could always be that way if we weren’t willing to stuff our “holiday cheer.”  It wasn’t Christmas day when Christ died for us.  It doesn’t have to be Christmas day for you to give the best of yourself.

Psalm 68:3 “But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.”

Don't Move!

Psalm 62:1 “God, the one and only-I’ll wait as long as He says.  Everything I need comes from Him, so why not?”

Today I was pretty antsy.  God hadn’t given me a devotion to post for the past couple of days.  At first, I was worried it was me just not listening or paying close enough attention.  I thought I may just be missing what God wanted me to speak.  I felt a responsibility to post at least something for each day instead of nothing.  Instead, I waited.  Today, God spoke to me and it made the past few days make sense.  A lot of times we get impatient while waiting on God to move.  Instead of being patient, we will go ahead and do what we feel is the right action to take.  Ah, this is when we shouldn’t be surprised that it didn’t work out like we had hoped.  Wait for God to move.  Let Him tell you what the next step is.  Don’t let the way you think it needs to happen, interfere with the way God knows it needs to happen.

Lamentations 3:25 “God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks.”

Our Gimcracks

Romans 12:1 “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life-your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life-and place it before God as an offering.”

Yesterday at church, my mom had lost her voice and could barely be heard as she gave the lesson.  When it came time to read the scripture she had me read it for her.  I read out of the Message version which usually says things more modernly.  As I read out of Amos, it used the word ‘gimcrack.’  I had never heard the term before, although I guessed at its general meaning.  When I looked it up, the dictionary said a gimcrack was, “A cheap and showy object.”  Bam!  It smacked me in the face.  What are you offering God?  Are you coming before Him with your random objects or acts that mean nothing?  Don’t make a show of doing something for Christ.  Give Him your all or don’t give Him anything.  Don’t offer something that looks good to our eyes but is useless to Him.  If you want to serve Him, give Him what’s worth the most…your life.

Proverbs 3:9 “Honor God with everything you own; give Him the first and the best.”

Eaten Alive

Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

There was a young girl from the town I work in who was 16 and dying of cancer.  She of course had her faults and mistakes like everyone else but it didn’t matter to her family and friends.  They were just glad to still have her in their lives.  The cancer would cause her to miss activities and spend long stents in the hospital.  Her friends would miss a lot of moments with her.  They didn’t hate her because of it, they hated the cancer.  People who have sin in their life are like people who have cancer.  They have something inside that’s eating them alive and making them miss amazing moments.  We shouldn’t hate them, we should hate the sin.  We sin every day, everyone does.  We wouldn’t want people to hate us for it, we would want them to love us through the disease that tries attacking every single person on this planet.  Love conquers all.  In the face of death, the girl was ready for the arms of Jesus.  Continue to love others through their disease of sin, help them be ready for the arms of Jesus.

Luke 15:21-24 “The son started his speech: Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son ever again.  But the father wasn’t listening.  He was calling to the servants, Quick, bring a clean set of clothes and dress him.  Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it.  We’re going to feast! We’re going to have a wonderful time! My son is here-given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!”

'Cuz I Want To!

Job 27:6 “I’m holding fast to my integrity and not loosening my grip-and, believe me, I’ll never regret it.”

Have you ever wanted to do something without cause?  Just do it because you wanted to or felt like it?  We all have!  Most of us haven’t just hoped we could do it, we’ve just done it.  My little niece will look at you when she knows she’s not supposed to be playing with something.  You’ll look at her and raise your eyebrow and she’ll grab the item and try to run away with it as fast as her little legs will allow.  She didn’t care about anything else other than what she would like to do.  In doing the right thing, we should do it not just because it’s the right thing to do but because we want to do it.  God sees the intent of our hearts.  We shouldn’t feel forced into doing the right thing.  Doing the right thing should be natural and something we don’t have to stop and decide on doing.  Of course, there will be certain times where we’re faced with trying to figure out what the right thing is, but God will always make that clear in His time.  In the mean time, when you’re faced with an apparent right or wrong decision, don’t choose to do the right one if you’re just going to be bitter over having to do it.  It’s pointless, you should have just gone with the wrong decision.  Choose the right decision with a glad heart, with a willing heart.   

1 Chronicles 29:17 “I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity.  All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent.  And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you.”

Refilling

Romans 15:13 “Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!”

Recently, a woman I know got a promotion at her job.  She had never been in a higher up position before and was worried what it might entail.  As she got into the position, she began acting differently.  Come to find out, she felt that because of her position, it required a different style of behavior in the work place.  She wouldn’t let people do anything she felt was her job.  She also felt it discredited her abilities if she asked for help.  As leaders, we sometimes feel as if we shouldn’t have the need to be filled anymore.  We should be past the point of needing God to overflow our cup.  We feel our strength isn’t what it should be as a leader if we end up feeling empty.  God is the ultimate leader, we’re only human.  As leaders, we should understand, without being filled, we can’t overflow onto others.  Especially as leaders it’s important we are filled daily.  As a waterfall trickles down to all lower levels, we as leaders trickle down.  If we don’t allow God to fill us out of pride or fear, we’re allowing the lower levels to go thirsty.  Before long they will dry up.  Don’t let your position make you feel you are exempt from anything a child of God needs.  

Philippians 3:3-4 “The real believers are the ones the Spirit of God leads to work away at this ministry, filling the air with Christ's praise as we do it. We couldn't carry this off by our own efforts, and we know it—even though we can list what many might think are impressive credentials.”