Friday, December 28, 2012

The Word is Truth




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“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” – John 1:1

The sky was grey and overcast as he came up over the hill.  The wind was in his face and it was bitter as it cut through his scarf covering his nose and cheeks.  He turned to walk backward, so the sleet would hit him in the back rather than the face and this helped a little.  When he left 
that morning for work, he should have been more conscientious of the gas-gauge and perhaps he wouldn’t have run out.  After all, he passed 3 gas stations on his drive in this morning.   After the nights snow fall the sidewalks were covered and the roads were covered in a thin sheet of ice as he walked along the side, near the mound of snow piled along the curb.  He knew the gas station was only another mile or so up the road, he just had to make it there, get some coffee and fill up a gas can before walking back to his car.

The wind bit into the back of his neck and caused his entire body to shake with the frigidness.  Still walking backwards, he saw the lights coming toward him.  He stood still, waiting for the car to pass, then he saw it start to fish tail.  The back was swaying left and right on the icy road, and as the driver tried to get control, he saw the car spin completely around and then head backward down the hill right towards him.  In an instant he felt himself tumbling backward into the snow bank along the side of the road, as his feet tripped on the icy surface.  He tried to scramble and inch his way up the snow bank, but didn’t get far before the car was crashing into the snow bank.  He cried out to a God he didn’t know, and had never prayed to before.  His words, “Oh my God, help me” echoed through the morning darkness, as he covered his eyes with his arm and braced for the crushing blow.  He heard the crunching snow as the car cut through the snow bank, but there was no collision.  And then it was quiet.  He opened his eyes to see the license plate of the car only inches from his face, the rear bumper had pushed the snow onto his lap, but never actually made contact.  His feet were under the car, but an inch or two of clearance allowed him to slide out from under the spinning tires.  He had been spared by mere inches. 

What caused this man to cry out to God in his moment of desperation, and fear?  He had never stepped foot in a church, raised in a family that abhorred religion and had spent his life building his career and success through unethical and sometimes illegal means.  Here in the fear of death, he calls out to a God that he had denied existed only two days earlier in a bar with his friends. Inherent in each of us is the knowledge of God’s presence.  From the moment He created you in your mother’s womb, He knew you and you knew Him.  You can spend your entire life running away from accepting His existence, but deep inside of your cells and brain matter, there is an awareness and hidden longing for His presence.   For you see, you are His creation, you exist because He first chose for you to be created.  You could not create yourself, and your parents could not mandate conception.  When life is created in the womb, it is because God has so chosen for it to happen.

Before God created the heavens and the earth, He was.  This same God, in the form of a human, came to the earth as a baby and lived amongst mankind to be sacrificed for their sins.  He is truth, He is wisdom, He is forgiveness and grace, He is the Creator and He is the Word.  The word made flesh, the Messiah, the King of Kings, dwelt amongst us.  By His Word, He has brought salvation to all mankind, who are willing to accept this truth. One day, every knee will bow and we will all be reconciled to the God who created us.  In that moment, it will be evidenced to all present that God indeed was manifest through His Son – Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit to be present in each of us.  Are you waiting for the edge of death to decide?  I hope it doesn’t come to that.  Blessings upon you today and each day forward.   

             
© Sondove Enterprises, 2012 
 For an archive of Daily Thoughts go to: http://www.10minutereader.com

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Everyone Needs Compassion




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“The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”  – Zephaniah 3:17


One of the most popular Christian songs of recent years is Mighty to Save, written by Reuben Morgan in 2006.  It has been sung in churches and choirs all over the world for the last five years and continues to be one of the most widely known contemporary Christian songs because it speaks of the deep need of mankind to find compassion.  We are all in need of someone to love us without condemnation, without opinion and without judgment.  We need to feel that there is someone out there that will accept us as we are and loves us enough to die for us.  People want to believe that God is there and will save them from themselves.  We want to trust that He will love us, despite our choices and mistakes in life. 

God’s justice will one day fall upon the world.  In that day we will be lifted up and held close to His chest.  Those of us who have fallen upon our knees and proclaimed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Almighty, will be sifted from the rest and brought before the Lord clean, spotless and redeemed.  In that day the Lord will judge the nations and every knee will bow before His great throne.  Those who have denied Him and those who have blasphemed Him will be judged without the compassion of the Savior.  The strongholds of the opposition will be broken and they will be left helpless against God’s wrath and fierce anger.

God is filled with compassion for those who call upon His name.  We will be forgiven of our wrong doing, and shown mercy and grace.  Eternity is open for the children of God, despite our transgressions because He has made a way.  He has unlocked the doors to heaven for His people to enter in.  Through Jesus Christ, He has provided the redeeming grace. 

The reason this song speaks so strongly to millions of people around the world is because it provides hope in the truth of the Lord.  What we have learned through the scriptures is exemplified through the lyrics of this song and makes a connection with God’s children.  The first time I heard the song at Fellowship of the Woodlands, I was brought to tears.  It spoke so deeply to my heart that God loves me enough to move mountains and every other obstacle in my path, until I am left alone with Him.  Jesus Christ conquered the grave and death.  He defeated Satan in that day and will one day return to defeat him in the final battle.  In God you have hope and a love that’s never ending.


Prayer:
Loving Father,
Today let us walk in Your light of glory.  Let Your compassion be known in our hearts and in our minds.  Fill us with Your love that we might share it with others and that they might see You through us.  I draw upon the hope of Your saving grace through Your Son, who rose from the grave and conquered death.  You provided a path of salvation for me because of Your incredible love for me, and I thank You with all of my heart.  In Your name we pray – Amen

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://www.10minutereader.com
 

Monday, December 24, 2012

All is Calm

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“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  – Isaiah 9:6

By far the most widely known and treasured of all the Christmas carols is Silent Night.  The beauty of it’s lyrics and melody, whether sung by a choir of 100’s with pipe organs in Westminster Abbey, or sung by a single child a cappella in a classroom the words resonate with all who hear.  It is likely one of the first carols you learned as a child.  We can all picture in our mind the bustling streets of Bethlehem, the massive crowds come from all around to celebrate and reunite with family and friends from the line of King David.  Others, I am sure celebrated in a slightly less exuberant manner and  beat their chests and cried out to the Lord to come and release them from their bondage under the Roman government.  Stories are told of their younger years, the good old days under David and Solomon.  Some will pontificate on the future and quote the prophets of old and lay out their thoughts on why God has left them.  Still others, I imagine, could care less about any of that and are living in the moment.  Partying in the streets and carousing as if it were there were no tomorrow. 

Amidst all of this chaos, commotion and busyness God Almighty reached down and brought forth His one and only Son.  The screams of the woman in labor were heard by some, but likely blended into the surrounding noises of the celebratory atmosphere.  The world didn’t stop and take notice.  Shepherds came from the fields, wise men came from the East, but we have no written evidence that the thousands of people in Bethlehem that night stopped in awe and amazement.  The Bethlehem star shone above them, bright enough to be seen by the shepherds and wise men who traveled over miles to worship the King. Yet, this same star was missed by the very people in the city upon which it shined that night? 

Often times when we sing Silent Night we think that the world must have stopped for just one night and celebrated the birth of our Savior in reverence and adoration.  Unfortunately, I don’t believe that is what happened.  I believe the world looked right passed the event, for it came in such a way that it was easily missed by the masses.  There was no gathering outside the gates of a royal palace waiting for a sign from within stating the babe had been born.  There were no news media positioned with live cameras and breaking news alerts broadcasting to millions around the world.  No, our Savior came into the world in the lowest of all places – a stable, likely a cave carved out of the side of a hill; in a manger, a food trough that had been used by the animals penned there that day; amidst the smells and physical unpleasantries that go along with having barnyard animals.  The hay in the stable provided the only comfort for Mary during the birthing process.  No drugs, no epidural, no massages, no comfort whatsoever.  Perhaps a midwife came from the Inn to help with warm water, towels and coaching, we don’t know, but by the end of that physically exhausting night, the teen-aged Mary and Joseph were parents of the Savior of the world.

I propose that the term, Silent Night, does not refer to the Christ child, Mary and Joseph; but rather to you and me.  The world has become no less chaotic, complicated and busy since that blessed night of Jesus birth.  We are moving at 100 miles per hour trying to fit everything into our lives and not miss out on any of it.  Between work, children, finances, education and our social life we are bombarded with time consuming events that distract us from living our lives for God.  If you are like most, you suffer from sleepless nights, worrying and fretting over life’s problems.  We try daily to take on the challenges we each face and at the end of the day, we are left with a list of what didn’t get done, which in turn begins our list for tomorrow.  It seems like a never ending cycle that leaves us exhausted and needing relief, needing help from someone, somewhere.  What we need to do is to step back from the lists, the stress and the chaos; quiet ourselves and rest in His peace.  Realize that the God of the Universe desires to dwell with you.  He can bring you a peace that is beyond this world’s ability to understand.  The lyrics of this song state, Sleep in heavenly peace; not referencing the baby at all, but specifically mankind.  For centuries up to that point, they had not heard from God.  The birth of Jesus meant it’s going to be okay, I am with you always, you can rest in Me.

When we acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and accept Him into our heart we are allowing Him to take control.  This means we trust in His direction for our life and that He will provide for our needs.  This peace that is provided by our Lord cannot be found in any other manner.  Money will not bring peace, love will not bring peace, material possessions will not bring peace, the perfect job will not bring peace nor will your friends, families or church.  Peace is found by abiding in His will for your life and trusting that He is a sovereign God and in control of it all.  Things happen according to His will and not ours.  Accept this and come to realize how everything can be calm in Him.
Prayer:Heavenly Father,
Amidst all of the chaos in our lives we often miss You, Lord.  We often times look past Your grace, Your comfort and Your peace in our daily walk.  Help us to trust in You Lord.  Help us to know Your plans for us and to acknowledge Your sovereignty in our lives.  Through this Christmas season and all throughout the year, help us to find peace in You.  In Your name we pray - Amen
             
© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For an archive of Daily Thoughts go to: http://www.10minutereader.com

Friday, December 21, 2012

I Believe



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“Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe”  – John 8:46

Sitting here with tears welling up in my eyes, I ask myself what is going on.  Where is that strong, 48 year old father and grandfather, man of the house with no emotion?  My heart is captured today by thoughts of what God was willing to do so I could one day rest in His arms and find complete peace.  I am weakened today by the corrupt and unjust world that we live in.  I pain and struggle with anger over the way we are slowly letting Christ be removed from Christmas.  In an attempt to be loving and non-confrontational, we set by and watch as institutions and governments all over the globe remove references to Christmas from decorations and displays.  Words like Holiday party and Winter Festival are becoming commonplace.  Nativities outside of churches are being banned because they might offend a passerby, who may not be a Christian.

It was argued when I was a child that the world was becoming to commercialized and focused on Santa Claus rather than the true meaning of Christmas.  The history of Santa Claus would contradict that belief though.  Most of us know the story of Santa Claus stems from the Saint Nicholas, who was a Bishop in the land of Myra during the 4th century.  He was known to give gifts to the impoverished children and Mistresses of the land.  This tradition over the years has evolved into legend and folklore of Santa flying around the globe in one night delivering toys to children.  Certainly, one can question this wonderful story if they so choose, but the fact still remains that Saint Nicholas with the love and charity of Jesus Christ stimulated the Christmas event of gift giving. 

Today, it is no longer a question of Santa Claus – fact or fiction; no, it has become a politically incorrect, inconsiderate faux pas to wish someone a “Merry Christmas”.  The question of the season has shifted from do you believe in Santa Claus to do you believe in Jesus Christ.  If you do, then I can wish you a Merry Christmas, otherwise I have to restrain my celebratory attitude and bid you a Happy Holiday.  All of this in reaction to a society that is intent on minimizing the importance of the birth of Jesus Christ, traditionally celebrated on December 25th each year.  I struggle with this because it hurts inside to see the world being so flippant about the most important man to ever walk the earth and the most important decision they will ever make in their life.

God has handled rejection before, and this is nothing new for Him.  As demonstrated in the scripture today, in John 8, we find Jesus Christ deity being challenged directly by the Pharisees of His day.  As He clearly stated to them on that day, the truth reigns forth today.  If Christ were unrighteous or sinful in those days He would have been immediately put down.  The fact is that He was perfectly righteous in all of His behaviors and actions.  This set Him apart from every other man to have ever walked the earth.  In this scripture He simply says, “just believe” and as for me I believe.

A song came out a few years ago by Natalie Grant titled “I Believe” captures the love of God through the birth of His Son – Jesus Christ.  I strongly suggest listening to it this Christmas season and share it with as many friends as possible.  Take a stand and tell the world “I Believe” this Christmas.

I believe
The Wiseman saw
The baby born the angels called the son of God
Heaven’s child
The great I am
Born to take away my sins through nailed pierced hands
Emmanuel has come
I believe

Prayer:
Almighty God,
You created the heavens and the earth.  You created mankind and all creatures upon this earth.  You are the Alpha and the Omega.  For centuries You have faced rejection, adversity and criticism, yet You still love us enough to provide a plan of salvation.  Thank you for giving us Your Son – to redeem our sins and provide redemption for those that believe on Him.  Yes Lord, I believe. - Amen
             
© Sondove Enterprises, 2012 
For an archive of Daily Thoughts go to: http://www.10minutereader.com