Don't give up on the day job, guys...but thanks for the cheer!
Short daily devotions for busy Christians and Church meetings
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Saturday, December 05, 2009
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Humble Pie
Many people talk and write about putting Christ back into the word “Christmas,” but perhaps we should all put the word “Christ” back into the word “Christian” first.
Podcast version here
There’s a lot of talk these days about freedom and faith, and how these two noble human qualities are supposed to interact. Coming into work this morning, I was listening to a radio talk show. The host was encouraging his audience to talk about the separation issues between Church and State. As usual, each side was berating the other: Christians claimed to be persecuted by local, State and Federal laws; Federalists were claiming that Christians were interfering in school and county policies.
Galatians 5: 13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
No one, however, wanted to talk about the freedom that Christians called to express – the freedom to serve one another. Some Christians believe that their religious freedom gives them the right to do what they want, but that’s not who we are supposed to be. Faith in Christ frees us from serving sin, Satan, and our selfish desires. We are freed from the bondage of boundaries, banality and belligerence, in order to effectively and compassionately help the broken and needy people in our communities.
When we use our faith to freely do what we want, we are showing a side of Christianity that Christ would not recognize. If we use our faith to get our own way and denounce others, then we are forgetting how to love the very same world that Christ died for. Christians can look like spoiled religious brats when they insist upon preserving their rights above all others. The world can’t see Christ because of the amount of self-serving Christians who stand in the way.
Many people talk and write about putting Christ back into the word “Christmas,” but perhaps we should all put the word “Christ” back into the word “Christian” first. A little more humility and a lot less hurt feelings would go a long way in enhancing our faith to the world.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive us for seeking to get our own way in the world. We forget that we represent You and not ourselves. Help us in our struggle with humility and teach us the value of serving You by serving others. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Podcast version here
There’s a lot of talk these days about freedom and faith, and how these two noble human qualities are supposed to interact. Coming into work this morning, I was listening to a radio talk show. The host was encouraging his audience to talk about the separation issues between Church and State. As usual, each side was berating the other: Christians claimed to be persecuted by local, State and Federal laws; Federalists were claiming that Christians were interfering in school and county policies.
Galatians 5: 13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
No one, however, wanted to talk about the freedom that Christians called to express – the freedom to serve one another. Some Christians believe that their religious freedom gives them the right to do what they want, but that’s not who we are supposed to be. Faith in Christ frees us from serving sin, Satan, and our selfish desires. We are freed from the bondage of boundaries, banality and belligerence, in order to effectively and compassionately help the broken and needy people in our communities.
When we use our faith to freely do what we want, we are showing a side of Christianity that Christ would not recognize. If we use our faith to get our own way and denounce others, then we are forgetting how to love the very same world that Christ died for. Christians can look like spoiled religious brats when they insist upon preserving their rights above all others. The world can’t see Christ because of the amount of self-serving Christians who stand in the way.
Many people talk and write about putting Christ back into the word “Christmas,” but perhaps we should all put the word “Christ” back into the word “Christian” first. A little more humility and a lot less hurt feelings would go a long way in enhancing our faith to the world.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive us for seeking to get our own way in the world. We forget that we represent You and not ourselves. Help us in our struggle with humility and teach us the value of serving You by serving others. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Choosing to Serve
Making coffee and sweeping up leaves can also be used to glorify and serve the Lord.
Podcast version here
We don’t have a custodian on duty at our church on Sunday mornings. This means that I make the coffee because I’m one of the first to arrive at the church. I also get to sweep up the leaves at the front door, which usually collect in between Sunday school and worship. Some church members and I usually have a pleasant laugh together when they catch me sweeping the leaves. Yesterday, they were asking me if I had been promoted! It is all in good fun and it just enhances the friendship and fellowship at the church.
Psalm 84:10 Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
I love this verse from the psalms because it reminds all of us that the position of humility in God’s service is far more precious than fame or fortune. Whatever we do for the church, we do so because we love God and we want to minister to others, so that they will be attracted into serving God, too.
As we draw near to Christmas, we are all humbled and touched by the simplicity of Christ’s entrance into the world. He didn’t come to earth surrounded by thousands of angels and glorified by rulers from all over the world. He wasn’t born into a family esteemed by riches and made prosperous by power. His first abode was a wooden shack, usually reserved for animals. His life was endangered almost immediately by King Herod, and his family became refugees for a while. Rather than being recognized as the King of kings and Lord of lords, he was just a mere baby, unprotected and vulnerable, with no power or authority.
That’s why serving the Lord at church should never be something that we undertake in order to fulfill our ambitions, or build up our esteem. We serve the Lord because we are His servants. He calls and expects us to do His will. He wants us to fulfill His ministries and missions, as opposed to our own dreams and desires.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we proclaim You as our King. Help us to recognize and accept that we serve You, so that You will be honored and glorified. Give us the heart of a humble servant and encourage us to attract others to serve You faithfully, too. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Ben Franklin's Certainties: Death & Taxes...and one other thing
Romans 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
On this day in 1789, Benjamin Franklin wrote the now famous statement that “there is nothing certain in life but death and taxes.” I guess if he was more of a Christian, he would have written something like: “there is nothing certain in life but death, taxes, and the assurance of salvation through the grace of Jesus Christ.”
The role of the church is to express the message of salvation to every generation on earth. Our daily purpose as Christians is to convey our faith through the things that we say and do. It’s not always easy, and all of us fail from time to time, but if our hearts are truly centered on Christ, then we will show others our faith in attractive and compelling ways.
Each of us has been given the beautiful and precious gift of life to make a difference in the world. Added to that gift is faith itself, which we are meant to share with others, especially those who are near and dear to us. In recent years, all of us have found it tougher to express our faith because of the negative impression that the Church has had on our society. Christians are perceived to be holy whiners who complain about the world, but never do anything effective to change it. We are treated as if we belong to another age, which we have brought upon ourselves because of our indifference to the world. We try to be exclusive, detached and elite, instead of rolling up our sleeves and working with people who are hurting, fearful, and struggling with life.
I think it’s time to re-impact our community with Christ’s message. It’s time for all of us who claim to be Christians to review our lives and ask ourselves these questions: if my salvation through Jesus means everything to me, then what’s stopping me from sharing that joy with others? How can I become an effective witness to Christ amongst the people that I know and love, amongst those that I meet and work with?
If we make time to do this throughout the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, then we will make a difference in the community. And that means someone near and dear to us will begin to realize that there’s more to life than death and taxes: Christ’s grace to us is the greatest gift of all and the most blessed certainty of life for those who are His.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, give us the courage to make the most of the opportunities that You give us, to share and express our faith with other people. Help us to respond to the calls that You make of us this day to help those in need, to support those who are struggling, and to share the good news of salvation to those who have forgotten this certainty in these uncertain times. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
On this day in 1789, Benjamin Franklin wrote the now famous statement that “there is nothing certain in life but death and taxes.” I guess if he was more of a Christian, he would have written something like: “there is nothing certain in life but death, taxes, and the assurance of salvation through the grace of Jesus Christ.”
The role of the church is to express the message of salvation to every generation on earth. Our daily purpose as Christians is to convey our faith through the things that we say and do. It’s not always easy, and all of us fail from time to time, but if our hearts are truly centered on Christ, then we will show others our faith in attractive and compelling ways.
Each of us has been given the beautiful and precious gift of life to make a difference in the world. Added to that gift is faith itself, which we are meant to share with others, especially those who are near and dear to us. In recent years, all of us have found it tougher to express our faith because of the negative impression that the Church has had on our society. Christians are perceived to be holy whiners who complain about the world, but never do anything effective to change it. We are treated as if we belong to another age, which we have brought upon ourselves because of our indifference to the world. We try to be exclusive, detached and elite, instead of rolling up our sleeves and working with people who are hurting, fearful, and struggling with life.
I think it’s time to re-impact our community with Christ’s message. It’s time for all of us who claim to be Christians to review our lives and ask ourselves these questions: if my salvation through Jesus means everything to me, then what’s stopping me from sharing that joy with others? How can I become an effective witness to Christ amongst the people that I know and love, amongst those that I meet and work with?
If we make time to do this throughout the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, then we will make a difference in the community. And that means someone near and dear to us will begin to realize that there’s more to life than death and taxes: Christ’s grace to us is the greatest gift of all and the most blessed certainty of life for those who are His.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, give us the courage to make the most of the opportunities that You give us, to share and express our faith with other people. Help us to respond to the calls that You make of us this day to help those in need, to support those who are struggling, and to share the good news of salvation to those who have forgotten this certainty in these uncertain times. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Weekend Screensaver: Take back the Night
Candles in a church window bringing light in the midst of winter darkness
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