Saturday, December 31, 2011
As we reach the end of another year, 2011, I am reminded of one of the great secrets of life: to live life with as few regrets as possible. I love the testimony of Abraham that says, “Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people.” What a coveted testimony, to live your life, determined to come to the end as a “satisfied customer” with as few regrets as possible. The reason this is so important is that this life is not a trial run, YOU ONLY GET TO DO THIS ONCE!
As we close this year, let me just speak to those who are carrying a huge weight of regret. The writer of Hebrews reminds us, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Heb.12:1,2) Regret is a huge weight that so many people carry around their necks. There life is burden by and trapped by the “if Only’s.”
I would have dressed up, only it was too much trouble.
I would have gone out, only it cost too much.
I would have driven, only travel’s dangerous.
I would have eaten, only I weigh too much.
I would have danced, only I didn’t have a partner.
I would have returned, only it brought back bad memories.
I would have gone, only I didn’t have time.
I would have visited, only I wasn’t wanted.
I would have tried, only it was a waste of energy.
I would have helped, only they didn’t need me.
I would have cared, only I didn’t feel like it.
I would have cried, only I wasn’t sorry.
I would have volunteered, only I had better things to do.
I would have voted, only it wouldn’t have changed things.
I would have donated, only they’d made their quota.
I would have spoken up, only I was afraid to.
I would have acted, only others got there first.
I would have felt sorry, only I didn’t feel guilty.
I would have prepared, only it was too much work.
I would have studied, only I wouldn’t have passed.
I would have corrected it, only it was too late.
I would have told the truth, only it would have offended.
I would have graduated, only life intervened.
I would have gotten the job, only they didn’t like me.
I would have prayed, only God only knows.
I would have worshiped, only I hate to sing.
I would have fellowshipped, only I didn’t know them.
I would have served, only I didn’t have the calling.
I would have loved, only it hurt too much.
I would have lived,
If only.
The Nobel Peace Prize awards excellence in the field of science, literature, peace, and economics. It is named after Alfred Nobel. Nobel was a Swedish chemist who made his fortune by inventing explosives and licensing their manufacture to foreign governments for the production of weapons. One day Nobel’s brother died and the newspaper accidentally ran Alfred’s obituary instead of his brother’s. Alfred had the rare opportunity to read how others would remember him. The obituary identified him as the inventor of dynamite, enabling nations to more effectively destroy one another. Concerned that he would be remembered only as a merchant of death, he decided he would re-channel the remainder of his life to more productive efforts. With a sizeable chunk of his wealth, he established the Nobel prizes to recognize and encourage accomplishments that would benefit humanity. This is what he is most remembered for today. We may not achieve the stature of his fame and fortune, but...all of us have the possibility of redirecting our time, our money, our emotions, our energies in such a way that we can live and die without regrets!
According to Hebrews, the goal here is the finish line! One of the biggest lessons life has to teach us is the necessity of arranging life around what really matters in light of our mortality and God’s eternity! You know what I hear in Paul’s prayer and plea? Laying aside every weight and sin, running with enduring keeping your eyes fixed always on Jesus is to live to MINIMIZE REGRETS. Let eternity motivate you to search out the highest and the best, and you will not only live the best life you can now, but, you will also one day see a victorious finish line! God will remain on His throne, sovereign over all creation, and all will be well with our soul, no matter what happens. Perhaps things will not be well with our world, but they will be well with our soul.
There is an odd little carol which is sometimes sung on this first Sunday after Christmas. It begins:
There’s snow on the mountain and ice on the pond,
The Wise Men are home now in the back of beyond.
The Shepherd’s have left us; the heavens are dumb;
There’s no one to tell us why Jesus has come.
Then, it ends:
But God’s in His heaven, and Jesus has come
To show every sinner he’s welcome back home,
To be this world’s Savior from hunger and fear,
And give us new courage to face the New Year.
WE HAVE COURAGE TO FACE THIS NEW YEAR BECAUSE OF JESUS.
HE IS IMMANUEL–GOD WITH US AND FOR US.
Monday, December 26, 2011
My specific focus is the whole Christmas tradition of gift giving. It is one of the aspects of Christmas that I have a kind of love-hate relationship with. This is not because I have a hard time being a “cheerful giver” or expressing liberality. God really has taught me over the years the wonderful blessing of giving and not just receiving (Acts 20:35). My dilemma is not even the result of the rank commercialism that defines Christmas for a lot of people, starting on “Black Friday” and continuing through the day-after-Christmas sales. No, my frustration is related to the time-sensitive nature (December 25th is coming whether you’ve been “naughty or nice”), and the cultural expectations of finding just the right gift for the person you love. After nearly 40 years of marriage to the most incredible woman, Mona, what do you give her that: 1) she doesn’t already have, or 2) she’d really like or need, or 3) that would be a real blessing to her and show her you love her. It doesn’t help either when I ask her, “Honey, what do you want for Christmas?” and she answers “nothing,” and in her case, she means it. She’s happy, we’re still married, we have our health, we’re able to serve God in the most wonderful church in the world (I am totally and unashamedly biased), so, no, I really don’t want anything. Plus, my track record in this area is not the greatest (I don’t think I hit any home runs this Christmas!), not for a lack of desire, but a lack of time and necessary insight. I rely a lot on “Santa’s elves and helpers” (her friends), but even they couldn’t help me much this year.
THE GIFT OF PURSUIT
THE GIFT OF WORSHIP
What can I give Him,Poor as I am?If I were a shepherd,I would bring a lamb,If I were a wise manI would do my part, Yet what can I give Him,Give my heart.
Worship acknowledges the one thing that all of us can give Christ, no matter who were are, and it is the one gift Christ wants more than anything else–and that is our hearts! The beautiful thing about the gift of worship is that it is a “gift that keeps on giving” and one I can give to God every day of the year, not just on a single holiday. WISE MEN STILL SEEK HIM, AND WHEN THEY FIND HIM, THEY WORSHIP HIM!
THE GIFT OF LIBERALITY
- Gifts of gold. This is what you give a King or royalty. Jesus is our King!
- Gifts of frankincense. This was an important element in Temple worship, and the altar of incense, telling us that Jesus is our Priest!
- Gifts of myrrh. This was a spice that was used in embalming corpses. It probably was the strangest of all the gifts given that day, but even at or around His birth, the shadow of the Cross could be seen. It tells us that Jesus is our Sacrifice! This King was born to die for you and me.
Our giving and gifts to God should not be a sporadic or once-in-awhile affair. They should be a lifestyle that is a reflection of and a response to God’s indescribable gift of Jesus Christ! The powerful reality of the wise men’s gifts is that many believe that it was these gifts that financed and made possible the flight into Egypt of Joseph and Mary and the Christ Child. They were strategic in preserving the life of Jesus Christ and advancing the Gospel in their time. I really like the story about the family who chose to celebrate Christmas every year with a birthday party for Jesus. An extra chair of honor was set up at the table that became the family’s reminder of Jesus’s presence. One year an after-Christmas visitor was at the house, and asked the 5-year old daughter, Ruth, “Did you get everything you wanted for Christmas?” After a moment’s hesitation, Ruth answered insightfully, “No, but then it’s not my birthday!”
As we prepare to “wrap up” Christmas in 2011, we can learn that these gifts are ones that every follower of Jesus Christ is able to give to God on a regular basis. They are gifts that will not only meet the needs of others, but they will first and foremost give honor and praise to God, and they will bless our lives in the process. I encourage you to keep on giving to God these gifts throughout this upcoming New Year. Let me take this opportunity to remind you one more time: WISE MEN STILL SEEK HIM, AND WORSHIP HIM, AND IT CARRIES WITH IT THE FRAGRANCE OF SACRIFICIAL GIVING.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
One of my aims in my Twitter account was to be able to link it directly to my more substantive blog, “Keeping Your Head In The Game.” It is especially hard to take inspiration and limit it to 140 characters! This is what gave birth today to this Christmas article.
One of the many things that sets Christianity apart is singing and the power of song. This is why Christmas and music are synonymous: from music in the Malls, to airports and hotel lobbies, all of the places of business, and, of course, all the radio stations. This is not accidental, cultural, or traditional; but it’s one of the cornerstones of God’s workings in the lives of His people. His people have always been a singing people! Think about some of these truths with me for a moment.
The Melody of Redemption
One unique aspect that stands out about Christianity is that we have a singing faith. This is unique among the religions of the world because singing and song are not a major part of their worship! When was the last time you saw a Muslim singing with joy? Or, the last time you heard a Buddhist breaking out in praise? You probably have not heard an atheist caught up in the rapture of his or her “non-faith”! This is sad because singing is an expression and has tremendous power and ability to influence. Think about how patriotic songs can stir in us a sense of national pride. The air waves are filled with love songs because of the impact they have on people’s emotions. Military training involves the bonding that marching cadences and ballads can bring.
We’re talking about a prominent feature throughout the Bible. God’s acts in creation and redemption have always been accompanied by song! (Job 38:7) says that at creation, “the morning stars sang together” because they were witnessing something truly amazing. Miriam’s song in (Exodus 15:20, 21) celebrated their fantastic deliverance, as they sang, “the Lord has triumphed gloriously.” David’s Tabernacle had the unique feature of employing people in song, music and praise 24/7 (1Chron.9:33). The Book of Psalms was not just inspirational devotional reading, but it was actually Israel’s “hymnal” or songbook (we still sing them today). This reality reaches its climax and finds its ultimate expression in heaven. Heaven is going to be a place of much music, song, and vibrant expression of worship and praise to God and the Lamb! One of my favorite books in my library is by Robert Coleman, “Songs of Heaven,” where he goes through the various songs contained in the Book of Revelation and their meaning for our lives.
The significance of this is that it shows us the activity which takes place nearest the throne of God! “Worship is the proper response of created beings (human or angelic) to the glory of God.” There’s something about the revelation of God: His majesty, His holiness, His greatness, His acts, His love, His glory, and His goodness that demands and gives birth to song! It’s as if these things can only be adequately expressed through the medium of song, because it is the language of the soul. The Christian life begins with a song, it continues with song, and it will one day end with song. The melody of redemption rests in the heart of every true child of God!
The Miracle of Christmas
Christmas is a season for singing! This is why Christmas hymns and carols (comes from Latin word, choral song) are some of the best known songs in the world. Even with the battle with the prevalence of “Politically-Correct Christmas” which gives us the “winter holiday” and “All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth” instead of Christ and Christmas, songs are part of the season. This is why it seems every musical artist releases his or her Christmas albums, since no one wants to miss out on this lucrative market. I’m not saying that all of this is wrong or anti-Christ, but tradition or attempts at creating an “artificial atmosphere” can never compare with the profound depths behind the real reason of Christmas. Let’s visit the real thing that we find in the angel’s announcement to the shepherds, “And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Lk.2:8-11) Suddenly, this was followed by the fitting response and tribute of a heavenly chorus, (Lk.2:13,14) “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" Only a heavenly choir could do all of this justice. The first Christmas carol was sung by angels in the fields outside of Bethlehem. Billy Graham wrote, “Christmas is not just a date on the calendar. It is not just an annual holiday. It is not a day to glorify selfishness and materialism. Christmas is the celebration of the event that set Heaven to singing, an event that gave the stars of the night sky a new brilliance. Christmas tells us that at a specific time and at a specific place, a specific Person was born. That Person was ‘God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God’ ---- the Lord, Jesus Christ.”
Christmas began with praise, and since then, the birth of Jesus the Messiah has been the inspiration of countless songs and hymns. Luke’s Gospel is filled with music, especially the first 2 chapters, where we find 5 hymns: Elizabeth, Zachariah, angels, Simon, and Mary. I think Mary’s “Magnificat” captures the essence of this as she exclaimed, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” This is awesome because it is sung by a young girl whose mind is obviously filled with Scripture, and her song is like a beautiful tapestry. Ruth Graham Bell captured this by saying, “We should sing when we feel like it, for it is a shame to miss such an opportunity. We should sing when we don’t feel like it, for it is dangerous to remain in such a condition.”
Singing Lessons
Martin Luther who was one of the spearheads of the Reformation fought for two things: the first was to give people a Bible they could read on their own, and secondly, a hymnal so they could sing on their own! There’s a lot of people today who talk about the “worship wars” but my conviction is that strong preaching and strong worship go together. One is not complete without the other. (Ps.47:1;6,7) says, “Clap your hands, all peoples!
Shout to God with loud songs of joy! Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm!” Congregational worship makes possible an intensity that cannot occur individually. Spirit-filled Christianity is a song-filled Christian. (Eph.5:18-20) defines it so clearly, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Carlyle once said, “Let me make a nation’s songs, and I care not who makes their laws.” This is a huge testament to the power invested here. Let me re-phrase one of the disciple’s questions to bring a conclusion here, “Lord, teach us to sing.” This is not talking about becoming the next American Idol or winning the X-Factor or releasing your new CD, but spiritual songs can be learned by each and every one of us. Here are a few brief singing lessons for us all.
- Focus on the lyrics. Pay attention to what you are singing. We’re told to “sing praises with understanding.”
- Call to participation. A whole lot of today’s “worship music” is a performance, not participation. It might make us feel good, but it is not true worship. If I could also add one other aspect: if it cannot be sung congregationally, especially by men, then it is of limited and not lasting value. It might be a “worship experience” but it falls short of Biblical worship.
- Necessity of whole-heartedness. Sing with “gusto.” You don’t need to have a beautiful singing voice, or to possess perfect pitch to sing the Lord’s songs; just do it with your whole heart.
There is a very simple secret here: the harmony that comes out of us must first be within us! Mary’s song came from a surrendered heart. (Lk.1:38)LB “Mary said, ‘I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to do whatever He wants. May everything you said come true.” I remember one of the most awesome worship times I ever heard. It was in Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa, in an area called Ferry Junction. I can remember driving towards the church and turning the corner, passing the U.N. compound on the left side of the road, and just past that to approach The Door Church, and to hear the sounds of the saints of God there singing and worshiping!
O Come All Ye Faithful
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him,
Born the King of Angels;
O Come, let us adore Him,
O Come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.
O Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing all that hear in heaven God’s holy word.
Give to our Father glory in the Highest;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.
All Hail! Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning,
O Jesus! For evermore be Thy name adored.
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;
O come, let us adore Him.
O come, let us adore Him.
O come, let us adore Him.
Christ the Lord.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
I always try to get inspired to
“feed the flock of God” during the
Christmas season. My reason for
preaching, teaching, and writing is it has everything to do with beginnings. Mark’s Gospel begins with this statement, “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ, the Son of God.” Beginnings
are important because if you’re off here, you’ll be off about other critical
things as well.
One of the figures of this drama
and the unparalleled event of God becoming a man was a man named Simeon.
His testimony was summed up in (Lk.2:25) “And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and
this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.” This statement talked about a believing
remnant in Israel, and it was almost like “code” for those who carried with
them and held on to the hope of the promised Messiah who would answer every
need in the human heart. Hope was a precious commodity in a dying nation. The Jews had been carried into captivity,
many of them living in exile and slavery.
Many were cynical, faithless, and embittered. Still, some yearned for the great days of the
kings of the past, the glory of David and Solomon. Prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Micah
urged the people to keep the faith. Their message was “Wait for one more King. This
one will be the greatest of all, and He will end our struggle forever.” Micah distinguished himself when he said, “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too
little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who
is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.”
(Micah 5:2)
This accounts for why there are
more than 300 Scripture prophecies, some of them fantastically specific, about
Messiah who would come. The Christmas
season is also known and referred to as Advent, which comes from the Latin,
‘adventus” that means ‘coming.’ This is why in Matthew’s Gospel
especially you find repeatedly in reference to the birth of Christ the
statement, “that it might be fulfilled
that was spoken by ______.” Christ’s
birth was not an accident, but God’s divine plan from the foundations of the
world, prophecy fulfilled!
John Chrysotom (347-407 A.D.) was one of the most influential early
church fathers from the 4th and 5th centuries. He served for a time as the Archbishop of
Constantinople. He was known from his
eloquence in preaching and public speaking, earning him the name “the golden-throated preacher.” Here is one of his writings which highlights
the hope that Christmas brings, even in a pagan culture that either ignores
Christmas altogether, or makes it traditionally into a time of riotous behavior
and debauchery.
So not think you are hearing of small things
when you hear of this birth,
but rouse up your mind,
and tremble when you are told
that God has come upon earth.
For so marvelous was this,
and beyond expectation,
that because of these things
the very angels formed a choir,
and in behalf of the world
offered up their praise for then,
and the prophets from the first were amazed at this,
that He was seen upon earth, and conversed with men.
For it is far beyond all thought
to hear that God the Unspeakable, the Unutterable,
the Incomprehensible, and He that is equal to the Father,
has passed through a virgin’s womb,
and has chosen to be born of a woman,
and to have Abraham and David for forefathers.
Hearing these things, arise, and think of nothing low!
And most of all you should marvel at this –
that being Son of the Unoriginate God, and His true Son,
He suffered Himself to be called also Son of David,
that he might make you son of God.
He suffered a slave to be father to Him,
that He might make the Lord Father to you a slave!
Saturday, December 3, 2011
*The headlines on the Drudge Report on the day after “Black
Friday” tells it all. This was the list
of articles relating to the activity and excess of that day.
- Black and Blue Friday
- Woman pepper sprays other Black Friday shoppers ‘to gain an upper hand...”
- ‘Competitive shopping’ turns into chaos...
- ‘Girls Punching Each Other’ Over Yoga Pants Sale at Victoria’s Secret...
- VIDEO: Mayhem over $2 waffle maker...
- Two women insured in brawl...
- Woman shot, robbed in SC after midnight shopping trip to WALMART...
- NC police use pepper spray to break up melee...
- Grandfather smashed to ground as he tried to protect grandson from crowd...
- Police taser WALMART customer...
- GUNFIRE ERUPTS AT MALL.........
As I read these headlines the
song that came into my mind was, “It’s
beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...”
I know it sounds a bit cynical, and I’m not criticizing anyone who tries
to be a “value shopper.” It does,
however, illustrate the challenge we face at this time of year: finding balance in our Christmas
celebration. How do we make
Christmas joyously special without it becoming either paganized or overly
commercialized? Is the answer a kind of “sanctified Scroogism” that spends most
of its time attacking almost everything, or can I keep my head to make the
holidays happily holy?! I am very well
aware that the holiday season is surrounded by the silly, the superficial, and
the senseless. I also realize that at
the same time there is a definite openness of people’s souls that we can capitalize
on to see the true spirit and message of Christmas reaching as many people as
possible. Is there a way that holiday traditions can be applied without allowing
an undermining worldliness to clutter our celebrating? How about a few suggestions:
1. Why not be more like the shepherds? The angels incredible announcement to them on
that “night of nights” was "Do not
be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to
all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior,
who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes.” Their
response is still the correct one over two millennia later, “So it was, when the angels had gone away
from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this
thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to
us." And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a
manger. Now when they had seen Him, they
made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.”
(Excerpts Luke 2)
2. Purpose that your goal will be to embrace community not consumption. The practice of gift giving is a tradition
that has roots in the original Christmas story, which is a good thing. However, try to remember that the things that
really have value is relationships in home, church and those we work with. This will help me approach this season
without becoming overwhelmed by all the things that must be done in order to
have a “good Christmas.”
3. Practice the wisdom of (1Pet.3:15) which says, “Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at
attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and
tell anyone who asks why you're living the way you are, and always with the
utmost courtesy.” This is not hype
but rather a hope-filled witness to an inquiring world, which is especially
applicable to our traditional year-end holidays. I can’t think of too many things that are
more likely to open hearts to Christ than being exposed to the joy of Jesus in
a home or congregation where people have learned to make the holidays happily
holy. Sanctify the Lord Jesus first - centering everything around
Him. Then rejoice! Let people learn what it is to live in the
liberty that the truth and Spirit of Christmas really bring.
4. Always keep in mind Who and Why we celebrate at this time of year. (Isaiah 9:6,7) contains mind-boggling truth
about the Child Jesus, the Son who was born on Christmas day! “For to
us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his
shoulder, and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of
the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne
of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice
and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the
Lord of hosts will do this.” In the
Name and Person of Christ is reality that answers to every need in the human
heart!
The bottom line this year and
every year is that it is impossible to live up to all the hype of Christmas....without Jesus! Think about it, Christmas without Jesus is a
holiday that celebrates nothing. Holiday
trees, secular music and solstice winter celebrations are all fine, but they
become a celebration of nothing. I’m not a serial killer about taking Christ
out of Christmas, but it is sad and sets up people for a horrible letdown. Without Christ, nothing can live up to the
hype of Christmas. After the Civil War,
when the Union troops captured Richmond, wagonloads of Confederate money were
taken from the city. In the evenings
during that trip, the Union troops would play poker with Confederate money. It
wasn’t an important game. In fact, it
was a meaningless game. The money was
absolutely worthless. This reminds me of
Christmas without Christ: it’s like the poker game that isn’t real; and, when
it’s over, nobody wins in the game. On
the other side, because of the coming of the Messiah, you know what’s
important. You know truth that nobody
but you can know because of Him! This is
the Christmas Spirit that we contend
for year after year, and not just limit it to a holiday, but make it our goal
to walk in that spirit all 365 days of the year!
Guest Blog by Pastor Fred Rubi.
“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” – Ebenezer Scrooge (Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol)
“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” – Ebenezer Scrooge (Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol)
I suspect what makes Scrooge
such an enduring character is that (if we’re honest) there is a little humbug
in most of us. Let’s face it Christmas
Cheer is not always that cheerful. The
truth is Christmas exists between the tensions of great joy and profound angst.
It’s interesting to note that
the first official response to the announcement of Jesus’ birth was fear. The Angel began his message to the Shepherds
in the field with, “Be not afriad;
for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the
people; for to you is born a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
I don’t think much has changed
in two millennia. For some it’s hearing
their first “Yuletide” carol of the season, for others it’s the sighing of a
holiday display at a shopping mall sometime near Columbus Day, or just the
weight of having to consider advancing Christmastime obligations. The first thought of Christmas can be rough.
Many people wrongly equate
happiness with an event partly because that has the word’s original
implication. The word happy comes from
the old English word “hap” meaning luck, or good fortune. The idea was that a happy person demonstrated
the joy of someone who experienced good luck.
It stands to reason that people who go through life waiting for a
fortuitous moment to bring contentment will be very unhappy most of the time.
That’s why we must constantly
remind ourselves that the true meaning of Christmas is the good news of “a
great joy.” The Angel told Joseph that
Mary would “bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will
save His people from their sins.” The
great joy is the promise of salvatioin.
The heart of joy is hope not just a good time.
I believe Christmas is a wonder
from God given to the world so every year the nations will hear the
proclamation, “born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the
Lord.” I believe it’s also a gift to his
people that no matter what we are going through we can pause and be reminded
(and encouraged) that Jesus Christ is indeed Lord!
Scrooge’s great revelation was
that the joy of Christmas was something that had to be embraced—something that
had to be honored—because it represents far more than a dreaded holiday season.
Pastor Fred Rubi
Our Bible Conferences are
exciting times of personal ministry and edification, coupled with a renewed
casting of vision. One of the great
challenges is always to hear the Holy Spirit when He says, “separate me Barnabas and Saul (you could put lot of people’s names
here!) for the work to which I have
called them.”
This year we announced a new
overseas church plant into Bamenda,
Cameroon with Phillip and Kristin Kuti-George. The other part of this venture is taking over
the church in Silver Spring, MD where the Kuti-George’s have labored is Jamile & Yinka Hurst from London,
England. To me, the exciting part is we
normally heart about sending workers and missionaries from the U.S. into other
places. In this case, the order is
reversed: we’re bringing a couple from London to pastor here in the U.S.! Especially in one of the most influential
metropolitan areas in the country, Washington,
D.C. Silver Spring is a suburb, located approximately 8 miles from D.C. The whole area there is an incredible melting
pot of people of various ethnicities and people from many different parts of
the world. Originally, this was one of
the incentives for Phillip & Kristin to go there, with its large population
of people from Sierra Leone and other West African nations.
Jamile Hurst was saved in
November of 1999 in South London, and was originally from the Caribbean country
of Antigua. He has pastored in the U.K. and for the last
few years he has evangelized throughout England and other countries. I am excited because, first, he is a man of
God with real vision, and secondly, I think that he will be uniquely positioned
to not only relate, but also to transcend many of the barriers between people
in that area. They have just enlarged
and remodeled the building in Silver Spring.
The Hurst’s arrived yesterday and the official changeover will take
place on 12-11-11. Pray that by God’s grace the church is positioned to move
forward and the Word of God can “multiply
and prevail!”
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