Dec. 23, 2008

The Love of Christmas

Read the Bible through:
AM – Zephaniah 1-3 : PM – Revelation 14

Christians’ Love
1 John 3:16-20

18 “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth."

Ken went to Kosova first. With a few other men from his church in which he ministered, Ken spent eight days helping desperate families get enough shelter to survive the fast-approaching winter. Looking back at the badly damaged city as the van took them toward Macedonia and home, Ken wept over the plight of the people and knew he must return to live among them, share their struggles and the truth about God’s love for them.

Ken’s wife, Melody, made the same journey a few weeks later with another group. They delivered necessities and listened with love and compassion to stories of atrocity and despair. God touched Melody’s heart as He had Ken’s. They began the process of seeking missionary appointment, preparing their five children for life in a strange land, and selling their possessions in order to love the people of Kosova. They could not love the Kosovars in words only. Love requires deeds.

Father, during this Christmas season, bless missionaries who minister lovingly to people around the world.

Dec. 22, 2008

The Love of Christmas

Read the Bible through:
AM – Habakkuk 1-3 : PM – Revelation 13

Christians’ Love
1 John 3:11-15

14 “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death."

Flora Bettis could not believe she had been named Senior Volunteer of the Year by the Oahu chapter of the American Red Cross. “Why would they choose me? This must be some mistake.” There was no mistake. Later she was honored for her volunteerism.

For years, 86 –year-old Flora walked weekly to the hospital to run errands and move patients in wheelchairs. When asked why, she replied, “I love those people; they need help.” When asked why she walked to church several times a week for volunteer work, she said: “I love Jesus and our church. People shouldn’t make a fuss over that.” Ask her about why she collects aluminum cans for mission offerings and she will tell you: “I love all people. This is how I can help them, and helping them keeps me alive and happy.

To everyone who knows Flora, she is one of the most alive and happy persons they know. Love in action is the evidence.

Thank You, Lord, for those who show the love of Jesus.

Dec. 21, 2008

The Love of Christmas

Read the Bible through:
AM – Nahum 1-3 : PM – Revelation 12

God’s Gift
1 John 3:1-3

1 “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him."

Ernest Mosley says, “One of the nicest compliments I received as a child and teenager was ‘You must be Arthur Mosley’s son. Even then my physical characteristics resembled those of my father. But I always hoped the compliments were more about Dad’s character than his physical appearance. Dad, who completed five years of formal education, was respected in the community for his wisdom, genuine, spirituality, integrity, hard work, and love for his family. I wanted to be respected like my dad. Being called Arthur’s son was an honor.”

But even that honor cannot compare with being called “sons of God.” What a gift of love that God should send His Son to pay the price for our sins and receive us as His children. That is why John exclaimed, “What manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us.” What a gift! Rejoice, children of God, for one day we will be like Him.

Lord, help me live so people will recognize me as Your child.

Dec. 20, 2008

The Love of Christmas

Read the Bible through:
AM – Micah 5-7 : PM – Revelation 11

God’s Motivation
John 3:16-17

16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

Several years ago I served as interim pastor of a church located about 45 miles from my home. Driving home one Sunday night, my heart filled with joy. God had revealed His love to the church and three young men had responded with saving faith. What did we do to cause God to give us such a gift, such and outpouring of His love? I wondered.

The familiar words of John 3:16 became alive in my mind. God blessed us not because we deserved it, but because He “so loved the world.” He sent “his only begotten Son” to die for us so we can have everlasting life with Him.

Through tears of joy I thought God loved Johnny Nantz so much that He sent the only Son of His perfect nature to the world so that Johnny Nantz could believe in Him and never, ever self-destruct but fully live forever. Perhaps you would like to insert you name in this paraphrased verse.

Thank You, Lord, for Your eternal love.

Dec. 19, 2008

The Person of Christmas

Read the Bible through:
AM – Micah 3-4 : PM – Revelation 10

The Revealer of Thoughts
Luke 2:34-35

35 “(Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

When our youngest daughter was in college in another state, she plaintively asked, “Do you and Mom know someone everywhere?”

“Yes,” I replied, “and don’t you forget it. I know what you’re up to at all times.” Yeah, right.

Some couples who have been married for a long time seem to know in advance what is in each other’s minds. Spouses complete sentences for each other, fetch an item without being asked, and accept invitations they know the other would enjoy.

Those examples do not match the ability God has to see into our hearts and minds and discern what’s really there. Whether or not a person really loves God will become a revelation for all to see. The coming of Christ will reveal “the thought of many hearts.” And makes obvious who follows Him and who opposes him.

Lord, when my heart is revealed, may I be found to be Your faithful servant.

Dec. 18, 2008

The Person of Christmas

Read the Bible through:
AM – Micah 1-2 : PM – Revelation 9

Whose Name is Jesus
Luke 2:21

21 “And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called JESUS, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb."

Intellectually, I know that Jesus is a name. Many Spanish-speaking people choose that name for a favorite son (pronounced Hay-soos). A very good baseball player was Jesus Alou. However, the name means something more.

The pastor of a small church conducted an interesting part of the morning service one Sunday. He asked us to recall all the names we knew for the Savior: Counselor, Shepherd, Messiah, Emmanuel, King of kings, Lord, and so on. But one of the first songs many children learn is “Jesus Loves Me.” Recalling names and singing about Jesus stands out as one of my better worship experiences.

Jesus was just another name for a boy in the first century, but God had His reasons for choosing it for His Son. It’s the sweetest name I know!

Lord, just to speak Your name brings blessing and joy.

Dec. 17, 2008

The Person of Christmas

Read the Bible through:
AM – Jonah 1-4 : PM – Revelation 8

The Subjection of Good News
Luke 2:13-20

17 “Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child"

A favorite source of conversation is “Where were you when...” Some events are so indelible in our memories they evoke sounds, smells, emotions at their mention. Where were you when Pearl Harbor was bonded?

My guess is that the shepherds talked about the events surrounding Jesus’ birth the rest of their lives. Perhaps they described the scent of grass, sheep, the degree of darkness, and the warmth of their little watch fire. Surely they didn’t leave out their momentary fear when the angel came. This was worth remembering and talking about again and again.

Where were you when you first heard about the Savior? My guess is that you can tell all about it. It’s been worth remembering all the days since.

Lord, help me be a bearer of Your good news.

Dec. 16, 2008

The Person of Christmas


Read the Bible through:
AM – Obadiah : PM – Revelation 7

The Savior, Christ the Lord
Luke 2:8-12

10 “Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’"

It was a normal work night out in the hills. Sheep were bedded down for the night. Occasionally, a shepherd might throw a few twigs on the little fire where he sat watching. Another might move down the hill to investigate an unfamiliar sound.

Then something wonderful happened! An angel made an important announcement to these working men, these shepherds. “So what?” you say.

Shepherds were low on the socioeconomic scale. But God selected these lesser sons of Abraham to hear the news first: The Christ is born! In one action, they were elevated to a new position of worthiness. The Messiah, the Shepherd King, had come; it is perfectly understandable that shepherds would have been the first to know.

Thank You, Lord, for being the Savior of the world.

Dec. 15, 2008

The Person of Christmas

Read the Bible through:
AM – Amos 8-9 : PM – Revelation 6

Born in Humble Circumstances
Luke 2:6-7

7 “And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."

Have you considered what it meant, physically, for Jesus to be born to earthly parents in humble circumstances? Jesus gave up heavenly prerogatives to become a human, helpless baby dependent on parental protection and care. He was confined to one space and one time. He lived the first days of His earthly life in a rough animal shelter and had no servants to tend to His needs.

Do you think Jesus was ever frustrated by the confinement of His human body or by the constraints of time and space He had to endure? Did His eyes long for a glimpse of “home”? However humble His circumstances, Jesus willingly entered them so we might enjoy the heavenly delights of eternity with Him.

Thank You, Lord, for giving up so much that I might have everything.

Dec. 14, 2008

The Person of Christmas

Read the Bible through:
AM – Amos 5-7 : PM – Revelation 5

Born in Bethlehem
Luke 2:1-5

4 “Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David."

Sociologist talk about the mobile society of the 21st century. It is the unusual few who live in the same town where their ancestors lived. I grew up in Tulsa, my wife in Colorado. We have lived 19 years in Southern Nevada. Our three children live in Africa, Florida, and Northern Nevada. Our daughters married men from Germany and Missouri.

Is this a 21st century phenomenon? Not at all. Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth, a small town 80 to 90 miles north of Jerusalem. However, Joseph’s ancestors were from Bethlehem. Whatever the reasons for Joseph’s ancestors to migrate north years earlier, a trip south became essential.

At the right time, the decree went out for a census and Joseph and Mary headed south. Was this historical coincidence? No. Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem.

Lord, I am in awe of Your perfect timing.

Dec. 13, 2008

The Person of Christmas

Read the Bible through:
AM – Amos 3-4 : PM – Revelation 4

Revealed to Joseph
Matthew 1:18-21

21 “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."

Recently a young couple told me that they were searching for appropriate names for their children. They had too many relatives to play the namesake game. They decided to choose names that identified characteristics they wanted to encourage.

Many parents have probably experienced the same sorting and culling exercise until just the right combination of names seemed perfect for their sons and daughters. Whether traditional family names or something entirely new, those were the names their children got on their birth certificates.

Joseph might have considered several family names in his lineage. He had a distinguished ancestry. Instead, he skipped that exercise before Mary gave birth. The name revealed to him was given to the baby from the beginning: Jesus. His name was a revelation of His very reason for being: to save people from their sins. Jesus – a name to remember.

Thank You, God for Jesus, the name above all others.

Dec. 12, 2008

The Hope of Christmas

Read the Bible through:
AM – Amos 1-2 : PM – Revelation 3

Patience Affirmed
Romans 8:24-25

25 “But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance."

I read recently an interesting article in my morning newspaper. It raised the issue of whether or not we can be aware of things we cannot see. The writer referred to the mystery, but certainty, of the dark space between the stars.

What an appropriate description of “hope.” Like that dark space between the stars, you can’t see it, touch it, weigh it, or even describe it accurately. Yet no other aspect of human experience is more real, or more vital, than hope.

We meet hope at virtually every turn in life. Expectant parents, investors, hospital patients, sports fans, students, teachers, young men clutching engagement rings and campaigning politicians are all fortified by hope.

But the Christian’s hope is planted firmly in the soil of faith; for faith is “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Lord, give me glimpses of realities that lie beyond my vision.

Dec. 11, 2008

The Hope of Christmas

Read the Bible through:
AM – Joel 1-3 : PM – Revelation 2

The Glory of God
Romans 5:1-2

2 “Through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God"

“But ‘glory’ doesn’t mean ‘a nice knockdown argument,’” Alice told Humpty Dumpty in a scene from Lewis Carroll’s children’s classic Through the Looking Glass.

“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty replied scornfully, “it means just what I choose it to mean.”

What does it mean, this word “glory”? We use it in sermon and song, sometimes even in exclamations. (Glory, be!”) The Old Testament word kabod, refers to “heaviness.” Contemporary slang reflects the meaning. Confronted by overwhelming circumstances, teenagers are likely to exclaim, “Man, that’s heavy!”

Figuratively speaking, that’s what Paul meant by “the glory of God” – God’s heaviness, the weight of glory (2 Cor. 4:17), a divine grandeur so awesome we can’t begin to comprehend it. But we shall someday. The very thing forfeited through sin (Rom. 3:23) has become our hope through the grace of our Lord Jesus.

Lord, increase my yearning to taste Your glory.

Dec. 10, 2008

The Hope of Christmas

Read the Bible through:
AM – Hosea 13-14 : PM – Revelation 1

Joy in Believing
Romans 15:13

13 “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

As a friend waited to board a flight in a Berlin airport, the boarding call came over the intercom. The agent ended the announcement by saying, in a commanding tone of voice, “You will enjoy your flight.” “I boarded the plane resolved to enjoy the flight,” my friend said, with a smile, “since I apparently had no choice in the matter.”

At this time of year we see throngs of people who are determined to enjoy Christmas because everyone knows that is the thing to do. They throw themselves into a frenzy of shopping, decorating, partying, eating, and drinking in a determined effort to capture the elusive joy that the season is supposed to bring forth.

But Paul’s guaranteed formula for experiencing Christmas joy seems so little known. There is “joy and peace in believing.” This is the gift of God through faith in Christ.

I pray for the gift of deep-down joy, dear Lord, and use me to share it with others.

Dec. 9, 2008

The Hope of Christmas

Read the Bible through:
AM – Hosea 11-12 : PM – Jude

Trust in Jesus
Romans 15:7-12

12 “Isaiah says: "There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope."

A remarkable thing happened on Christmas Eve in the first year of World War I. The gunfire stopped, and the silence was broken by the sound of German voices singing “Stille Nacht” (“Silent Night, Holy Night”). Candle-lit Christmas trees decorated German trenches all down the line. On Christmas Day, soldiers on both sides left their trenches and met in “no man’s land,” shaking hands and exchanging small gifts. For a day, the Christmas Truce of 1914 reminded battle-weary enemies that peace on earth was still a possibility.

In Romans, Paul spoke of another kind of truce, a reconciliation of Jewish and Gentile elements in a Christian community. And he knew that it could be achieved only through faith in the Messiah of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke, the Christ whose birthday would one day inject an interlude of peace into a bitter war.

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.

Dec. 8, 2008

The Hope of Christmas

Read the Bible through:
AM – Hosea 9-10 : PM – 3 John

Unity in Praise
Romans 15:5-6

6 “That you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

I heard some young adults talking about the games they played when they had substitute teachers directing their school orchestra rehearsals. One of their interesting experiments was to exchange instruments with one another. Another favorite ploy was to slow down or speed up the tempo on a given signal. But perhaps their most nerve-racking trick was to deliberately tune their instruments slightly off-key before the director appeared. You can imagine the discordant babel of sound that followed.

When members of a church congregation are out of tune with one another, there can be no true harmony in the worship of God. Where there are divisions in the fellowship, the quality of worship will be thin and spiritless. But a fellowship of believers who take seriously Paul’s formula for unity in Ephesians 4:31-32 will bring acceptable gifts of praise to God.

Endurance and encouragement – we need both when we find ourselves in heavy weather on our Christian pilgrimage. And reading the scriptures will constantly renew our supply.

Lord, help us to relate to one another in love.

Dec. 7, 2008

The Hope of Christmas

Read the Bible through:
AM – Hosea 7-8 : PM – 2 John

Comfort of the Scriptures
Romans 15:1-4

4 “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope."

A grizzled veteran soldier of World War II was reminiscing about that terrible war. He said, “We didn’t have more courage than the German boys,” he said, “we just fought five minutes longer.”

Paul was thinking about this kind of dogged endurance when he spoke of “patience.” “Comfort,” too, has undergone considerable domestication since the 17th century. For Paul it was not a passive, soothing word, but rather a hearty encouragement accompanied by a vigorous slap on the back.

Endurance and encouragement – we need both when we find ourselves in heavy weather on our Christian pilgrimage. And reading the scriptures will constantly renew our supply.

Thank You, Lord, for Your unfailing, comforting Word.

Dec. 6, 2008

The Hope of Christmas

Read the Bible through:
AM – Hosea 4-6 : PM – 1 John 5

Mercy in the Lord
Psalm 33:13-22

32 “But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared."

Two members of our church were seriously injured when a cable broke and an elevator fell. We sat stunned by the news when the accident was described at a midweek prayer meeting. Elevators aren’t supposed to fall. They are built to exacting specifications and checked by technicians periodically, yet that elevator fell.

Is anything reliable anymore? Automobiles break down, electrical power fails, VCRs get out of whack, and textbooks are often outdated before they can be published. Maybe ancient Heraclitus was right; maybe “Nothing is permanent but change.”

But wait. There is one thing that is absolutely failsafe. The Hebrew word is chesed. “Mercy” catches up a part of the meaning, but there’s more. “Steadfast love” comes closer. What makes chesed stand out, more than anything else is the unwavering reliability of God’s love.

Dear Lord, let Your love burn with a steady glow in my life today.

Dec. 5, 2008

The Message of Christmas

Read the Bible through:
AM – Hosea 1-3 : PM – 1 John 4

The Forgiveness of God
Psalm 130:1-8

4 “But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared."

In the 1956 film, The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit,, Thomas Rath, a World War II veteran, struggled to get established in a career when he discovered he had a 10-year-old son in Italy, the result of a wartime romance. Predictably, his wife, Betsy, was devastated by the revelation; but, in the end, she forgave Thomas and even encouraged him to send money out of their meager monthly income for the support of the child. In the final scene, Thomas said to Betsy, with profound feeling, “Would you mind if I tell you – I worship you.”

Just a human drama, to be sure. But it might serve as a parable to illuminate the psalmist’s response to God’s gracious forgiveness. Repentance is the prelude to forgiveness, but gratitude is the result, and gratitude turns into adoration. Overwhelmed by the tender mercy of a forgiving God, we can only say in wonder and awe, “I worship You.”

Lord, how deeply grateful I am that there is forgiveness in You.

Dec. 4, 2008

The Message of Christmas

Read the Bible through:
AM – Daniel 10-12 : PM – 1 John 3

The Provision of God
Psalm 111:1-10

9 “He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever: Holy and awesome is His name."

As Christmas approached in the bleak winter of 1989, there was little joy in Romania. Numbed by the pitiless brutality of Nicolae Ceauscu’s communist government, the people shivered in dark, unheated apartments under relentless surveillance.

In mid-December a miracle began to evolve. Determined to keep their pastor from being taken away by Ceausecu’s agents, members of a Hungarian congregation in the city of Timisoara surrounded the church. By Saturday evening the crowd had grown to 5,000. A week later, as Ceausecu addressed a crowd of 100,000 in Bucharest, someone shouted. “Timisorara!” That unleashed a tidal wave of resistance. On December 25, Ceausescu’s brutal regime came to and end. Redemption had come to Romania on Christmas Day.

Redemption brings freedom – freedom from the oppression of sin, freedom from self, and freedom to serve the Redeemer with gladness.

Lord, thank You for Your provision of redemption.

Dec. 3, 2008

The Message of Christmas

Read the Bible through:
AM – Daniel 9 : PM – 1 John 2

The Spirit Sent
Galatians 4:6-7

6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!"

As he recovered from the formidable task of extinguishing 70 candles on his birthday cake, the preacher’s wife and their children reminisced about some to the feats and foibles of his career as husband and father. His middle-aged daughter warmed his heart when she offered the unsolicited comment: “When I was a child, I knew I could always count on you to stop what you were doing and listen to me. You never made me feel like I was an interruption.”

How it warms my heart even more to know that we can count on our Heavenly Father to listen to His children. What an incredible thing this is that we are encouraged to use the Aramaic equivalent of “Daddy” when we bring our concerns before the eternal creator of this vast universe. And more incredible still is that still, small voice in our hearts, the Spirit’s confirmation of that intimate relationship with Him.

Father, what an unspeakable blessing it is to know that You listen even to our childlike requests.

Dec. 2, 2008

The Message of Christmas


Read the Bible through:
AM – Daniel 7-8 : PM – 1 John 1

The Redeemer Son
Galatians 4:1-5

5 "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons."

Christmas wasn’t placed on the Christian calendar for more than two centuries after the birth of Christ. The dates of deaths were important back then, but the time of birth didn’t really matter all that much.

God’s timing, on the other hand, mattered immensely. When the “fullness of time” came, everything was in place on the stage of human history.

The universal use of the Greek language, the magnificent Roman roads and protected sea lanes, the famous Pax Romana that introduced and era of peace – all this would speed God’s messengers on their way with the good news that the Redeemer had visited our planet.

The date of Christmas isn’t as important as the reason for Christmas. “God sent forth his Son.” Now, that’s something to celebrate!

Thank You for the gladness of this season, Lord, and for the reality of redemption.