Pray for Workers

I'm not one to watch the nightly news. So every now and then, I search the news on line to keep up dated on what is going on in the world. I had heard a lot about the earth quake in Haiti, so I began to search around to see what I could find. If you look hard, there is a lot of raw video footage taken right after the earth quake. It was amazing to see the devastation. Sadly, this is one of the poorest countries. They didn't have much, but what little they had was reduced to rubble and dust. Dead bodies lined the streets. Gangs started to patrol the streets with machetes in hand, taking what little food there was. Mass panic was every where as people were hungry,thirsty, and in need of medical care. The Dominion Republic was offering medical care to their neighbors (if you could get there), but most people couldn't make it so they will have to wait for workers and supplies to come. In the front yard of a hospital, the injured gathered, while ONE doctor was attending 300+ people in need of care. He said that he quit counting after 300. After seeing the raw video footage of what really happens after an earthquake, I was amazed and I felt compassion for them.

Right after watching the video footage, I found a paper with some verses from Matthew.

Matthew 9:35-36 "Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd."

Jesus seen the people around him and felt a great affection for them because they were in a sad and pitiful shape, harassed,discouraged, and without leadership.

Matthew 9:37-38 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. "Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest."

Jesus shows the contrast of how there is a small amount of laborers and a large quantity of harvesting to do. We are told to ask with urgency for God to send out workers in to his field.

As we look at the world events, lets be reminded that life is precious and short. There are many who haven't heard that it is Jesus Christ that can put them in a right relationship with God the Father. Pray for workers.

Born in Bethlehem

An angel appeared to some lowly shepherds while they were watching their flocks. Fear over took them, but the angel told them to not be afraid, there is great news, a savior has been born. After the angel’s message of joy, a multitude of heavenly host appeared praising and worshiping God and saying, “Glory to ‘god in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” The shepherds went to find the child that the angel spoke about. The shepherds went to Bethlehem (Hebrew name: house of bread) and found Jesus lying in a manger (a feeding area). When the shepherds left, they began “glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.”

It is interesting that Jesus was born in the city called “house of bread”. He was found in a feeding area for animals, and later He makes the claim, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35). “In Western cultures, bread is often optional, but it was an essential staple then.)1 Bread (food) sustains life. Jesus is the Bread of God that brings eternal life. Since Christ has come, one can have a relationship with Christ and live eternally with Him.

As we enjoy this Christmas season, let remember that the baby who was in the animal's feeding area was the man that went to the cross so we can have eternal life with Him. Let’s follow the pattern that is seen in the nativity account: angels and shepherds praising and worshiping God.

Jesus Christ is worthy of worship and praise.

John 6:35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.

Luke 2:13-14 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."

Luke 2:20 The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

Micah 5:2 "But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity."

1The bible knowledge commentary. Cook. Pg296.

Joy

As a child, Christmas could not come fast enough. The excitement, wonder, and magical part of Christmas is all that a child’s mind is focused on. As that child gets older, sometimes the excitement disappears. It could be the commercialism of Christmas, the long lines in stores, or the pressures that come this time of year. I know for me it is sometimes hard to enjoy this time of year. Half of my working years have been in retail jobs where you work an insane amount of hours, and you are too tired to enjoy Christmas. You would make good money, but you were never home and were too tired to do anything. The other half has been working in seasonal businesses where this time of year is usually very slow. Usually money is tight, but the positive is that you have lots of time. Occasionally, I need to be reminded what this season is really about.

In Luke two, an angel appeared to some shepherds who were watching their flocks at night. The angel said to them, “I bring you good news of great JOY which will be for all the people.” Several times in Luke, when “joy” is mentioned, it is talking about salvation. This is one of those verses, because the reason of this “joy” is that “in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord. The Messiah has come to save his people.

This is great news, because we can now have a relationship with the creator of the universe. Since man is sinful, he cannot enter into the presence of a holy God. Jesus Christ went to the cross and took on our sins so we can enter into the presence of God. This is the ultimate Christmas gift. God the Father gave his Son, Jesus Christ so we can have access to God (John 3:16). Now all you have to do is “believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). This is a total trust that God has forgiven your sins and has given you eternal life with Him.

Even if you do not care for this particular season, you can still have joy because of what you have been saved from [i.e. hell (an eternal separation from God’s presence)]. Do not keep this joy to yourselves; tell others about the great joy that is within you.

Luke 2:10-11

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all people, for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Change

I prefer the hot summer weather, but I really love the changes that comes in the fall. The colors are just amazing that come out of dull, mundane plants and trees that we walk and drive past everyday without noticing.

Pictured here is a service berry bush. This last couple of weeks is actually the first time that I had been introduced to this unique bush. In the spring, there is eye-catching clusters of white blossoms. Purplish-black edible fruit comes in the summer and in the fall it changes colors. It's leaf slowly fades from green to yellow, to orange to red. It is my new favorite fall plant. I just purchased two bushes and I am thinking about getting a couple more.

Change can be good and sometimes it can be scary. As I look around and see the changes during fall and in the world politically, one thing that I do know is that God never changes.

In Malachi three, God says in verse six, "For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed." God had a plan for Israel, but Israel was not living how she should have. Since God is unchanging, He showed grace to them which guaranteed the preservation of Israel, though they did not deserve it and should have been destroyed.

This attribute of God is called "immutability". This means that God is unchangeable and unchanging. This attribute of God gives the believer comfort and assurance that God will keep his promises. In a world where people can let us down and not keep their promises, it is great to know that we have a heavenly Father that does not change.

2 Timothy 2:13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

Are you a Murderer?

I remember years ago when I was taking a Greek class, I had to translate the first epistle of John. Early in the morning I got up to finish this particular section in chapter three that was due that morning. What makes me remember this and what makes this humorous is that I was extremely mad at a Christian brother over something kinda petty. I was going to town translating this chapter, and then I came up to verse fifteen. Word by word, I translated. " All or everyone... hates... brother... his.... murderer???????? That's when the knife hit the heart as I realized what it translated as. "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer..."

In John 8:44, the devil is described as this same word..."murderer". Jesus himself, in Matthew five, equated anger and murder as being the same in God's eyes. A Christian should be known for his love for others. The first epistle of John emphasizes the fact that Christians are to "love one another". This unconditional love should be a contrast to the world's ways and even to their conditional love. Unconditional love is to look out for the welfare of the other person through actions.

1 John 3:14-17 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?

Good gifts

Once we began the process of closing on our house, I was thinking about how I wanted to do the landscape. There is a lot of work to do and a lot of plants that I need to purchase so I can get the landscape where I want it. In the back of my mind was many many plants that I wanted to have in my own landscape (like the pink peony that is pictured). I wasn't really wanting to spend a lot on the landscape right now, because we had some other money goals right now, but I want my landscape perfect right now.

As I have worked on the landscape, I have found many of the plants that I wanted already on the property (peach trees, grapes, rhubarb, peonies, iris', daffodils, day lilies, forsythia bush, and cool trees. So I have been busy moving plants to better locations. Also, I have had several jobs lately where customers wanted some plants pulled. Amazingly, many of the plants are ones that I was wanting to add to the landscape (four o clocks, liropes, magic carpet and bridal bush spirea, to name a few). Daily, I have been installing plants and bringing new (free) plants home. I still have plants in pots and buckets that is waiting on me to plant.

If you get some down time, come over and I will put you to work.

Through out this process, I have seen how we serve a good God that wants to give us good gifts. Honestly, I don't remember ever asking for any of these, but God knows my thoughts and desires. Don't forget to acknowledge God for the little gifts in your own life. All good gifts come down from above.

James 1:17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

Roles of the Older

With false teachers working overtime, Paul had qualified men strategically placed within the churches to help promote sound doctrine. With properly qualified leaders, the church will thrive, and its members will grow in their faith. While this was very important, the other men and women had their own duties that they must perform, to assist the younger members in their midst. The younger are to submit to the older and be willing to listen. (1Pet 1:5) This list to the older men and women is given in Titus chapter two and expanded on in chapter three encouraging the believers to live a godly lifestyle by being subject to rulers, obedient in general, and to live at peace with all men. Paul reminds them that they were just like these false teachers at one time, until Jesus Christ saved them by his mercy, basically they need to live a godly life and avoid the false teachers' controversies.

Older Men:
Most importantly these older men needed sound doctrine, because this was a command. Interestingly, these men are to have some of the same qualifications as an overseer or deacon. It is intending that all Christians need to have a high standard of godly living. The older is to beg the younger to think properly and urge him to do right. By example the older needs to show the younger how to live the Christian life. These are commands from Scripture that all older men should be doing.

Older Women
They are to have a holy behavior and way of life. Again, they should not live like the Devil by falsely accusing other people; they need to be free from wine, and to teach what is good. Their role is to encourage and teach the younger women to love their husbands and their children. Also they need to be taught to think properly. The younger needs to be taught how to be sensible good homemakers. For God's glory, she should be able to place herself under the authority of her husband.

These commands should speak to most every one out there. There is usually always someone younger around you. I have taught similar lessons to teens and children: there is usually someone younger than you that you can teach and be an example for. Be on alert to the younger that is hanging around you and watching your every move. Be sure that you are walking close to Jesus, so when others follow, they will be led in the right direction.

Hebrews 13:7 Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.