Wow! It seems like it has been so long since I last logged on to WordPress with the intent of writing a new blog. And actually, it has been a while since you have last heard from me in this blog post. For that I apologize, and ask that you be patient with me in getting back into the blogging saddle.

This brief blog is just to fill you in on what has been happening, and why I have been absent from the blogging world for several weeks. My wife, Teresa, has been experiencing some health issues in the past couple of months that has kept me pretty occupied with caring for her. She has been hospitalized twice, for two entirely different health issues, which have diverted my attention. Thankfully, she has recuperated from both of these issues and is well on the way to full recovery. Many of you have known about her health problems and have been praying for her healing. For that we are truly and sincerely grateful.

So, now I am ready to begin sharing a weekly blog and hope that you will continue being faithful in reading and responding to my thoughts. So many of you have been faithful in following my blog, and I am truly humbled by that fact. I always appreciate your comments and responses to my thoughts, and my prayer is that God uses each of them for His glory. That is the reason for my writing. I want God to use me for His glory, and to exalt His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.

With that said, I will have an entry ready for publication this week, and hopefully will publish at least one per week as we move forward. I would remind each of you that I would appreciate any suggestions you might have for upcoming blogs, and that I am greatly thankful for responses you make to my thoughts. Even if you should disagree completely with my perspective in any of my blogs, I appreciate your sharing those thoughts with me.

Again, thanks for your faithfulness in reading and sharing my blogs in the past, and I thank you in advance for continuing to be an active follower of my writings.

Blessings!

There has been much effort exerted in the recent past, aimed at revising the historical past. Statues have been and are being removed, school textbooks are being revised, historical data is being altered, all in a concerted effort to reimagine and repaint the past. If the events of the past can be eradicated from sight, and somehow removed from our minds, then the past can be rewritten to say what those in control of reporting past events can literally make up as they go.

Granted, it would take much effort, and patience, and pain-staking work to pull off such an enormous task, but with enough of those qualities it could be done. And, in the estimation of this writer, it is being done. The entire landscape of American history – more specifically, United States history – is being altered with the consistent efforts of those who would have us believe that the past was vastly different than what we have been taught.

But there is a far more serious danger than that of historical revisionism: Scriptural revisionism. This is a matter of grave importance for Christians in this nation to take careful and serious note of. If we succumb to this incipient danger, then the drift toward Biblical and Scriptural liberalism will become the norm among professing believers.

This is certainly nothing new. It can actually be traced all the way back to the first book in the Bible. Read the following very familiar verse from the book of beginnings:

Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?””

Genesis 3:1, NKJV

Note carefully the subtle attack of the serpent. He began by challenging the Word of God. “Has God indeed said?” This is still one of the devil’s most used tactics. I’m sure you have had it happen to you, right? You’re reading the Bible, and you hear that voice questioning the passage under consideration. Perhaps you’re reading one of the miracle stories, and that voice begins whispering how absurd it is to believe that could really happen.

And if you’re not careful, you begin entertaining thoughts of serious doubt about the passage at hand. The devil then moves to the next phase of his tactics: he moves from challenging the Word to changing the Word.

And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die.”

Genesis 3:2-4

The progression of this conversation teaches us how susceptible Eve was to the alluring conversation with the evil one. And notice how it all came about. Eve’s attention is drawn away from the bounty of all the other trees in the garden. The devil draws her attention, rather, to the one forbidden tree. He then calls into question the message which had been delivered by God, telling her that she would not die, but would rather become like God. And once he has her attention focused on the forbidden fruit, and has filled her mind with his deceit, he convinces her that she deserves more than God had provided.

And he still operates the same way today. He challenges the Word of God. He plants ideas and thoughts in our minds, causing us to question the validity of the Bible. He draws our attention away from the element of faith, and causes us to focus on what appears to be stories of such a fanciful and ridiculous nature that we begin to question the historicity of those events.

Then, the erosion of our faith begins to settle in. We begin to question the long-held Biblical traditions that were given by the inspiration of God. We can begin to embrace non-Biblical theologies that focus more on the wants and needs of personal preference than the commitment to the Bible.

This opens the door for a purely experiential understanding of Scripture. We can easily begin interpreting Scripture in light of our own subjective feelings and experiences rather than on the objective truth of God’s Word. A few examples will suffice to illustrate this principle.

The Bible teaches clearly the sanctity of human life. God created man in His image. The Psalmist taught that each human conceived in the womb of a woman is fearfully and wonderfully made. Therefore, each human life should be nurtured, loved, and cared for. And yet, abortion has now become just another form of birth control.

The Bible also teaches God’s design for marriage relationships to be between a man and a woman, But it is now acceptable for men to marry men, and women to marry women, and for couples to live together without ever being legally married. And the enemy whispers in our ears that this isn’t so bad. After all, they really do love each other. Why keep them from sharing that love in a marital relationship? The lines become blurred, and the desires of the flesh take precedence over the will of God.

We are further taught in the Bible that God created two sexes: male and female. These are the only two biological possibilities. But now, regardless of what anatomical “parts” one is born with, each individual is free to choose if they are male, female, neither, both, or if they change from day to day. And again, the enemy whispers that we need to leave each to his own.

These examples, along with so many others that could be discussed, show that God’s Word clearly establishes parameters within which Christians should live. These will never be embraced by the world at large since the world is antagonistic toward God and the ways of God. But for those who profess to have a relationship with God, our desire should be to live by His Word.

And this is the grave danger that I see today. The church is embracing many of these ungodly practices and behaviors. Many professing believers have begun practicing the ways of the world rather than living by the teachings of Scripture. There is a strong movement toward Scriptural revisionism, where the Bible is interpreted through the lens of culture rather than the culture being impacted by the teachings of Scripture.

For believers, everything should be filtered through the lens of faith and the pages of Scripture. We should not allow the ways of the world to change the message of Scripture. If we do, then we have fallen prey to the same tactics the devil used in the Garden of Eden. The ways of the world, and the wants of the flesh, begin to take precedence over the Word of God.

The contemporary church in the United States needs to turn back to the clear teachings of Scripture. Let’s let it begin with us.

Blessings!

Life is short. Get a divorce.

Seen on a billboard, advertising the services of a law firm specializing in divorce cases.

As time progresses, and as we become more and more a post-Christian society, we are witnessing a massive swing in cultural beliefs and practices. The line between right and wrong has been blurred to the point of non-recognition. Things that were once viewed as being sinful have now become acceptable, and things that were once viewed as practices to abstain from are now seen as practices to be embraced and enjoyed.

This blog is pointed particularly at those who profess to be believers in Jesus Christ. The Bible admonishes us to abstain from the ways and practices of the world, but it seems that many in the church today are living lives that are more in alignment with the ways of the world than with the ways of the Word of God.

In the sermon on mount, Jesus gives several illustrations of this concept. He speaks of the correct way of viewing murder, adultery, divorce, taking oaths, retaliation, and love. He began each of these discussions with “You have heard…but,,,” This establishes a contrast between the ways of the world with the ways of the Word. Let’s give a brief consideration to each of these examples.

Jesus speaks first about the matter of murder. He takes it much further, and goes much deeper, than the physical act of taking someone’s life. He says that if I harbor hatred in my heart toward another person, then I am guilty of murder in the eyes of God. He goes on to explain that if I even view another as being worthless, a fool, of no value, then I am in danger of the judgment. Yet, today, it is not uncommon to hear individuals speak of their disdain for another person, speaking of them in derogatory terms. Even to the point of wishing them harm and envisioning in their minds how much they would enjoy hearing of their suffering or death!

Then He speaks of the matter of adultery. The marriage bed is to be a sacred, sanctified, place to be shared by a husband and wife. When a man and woman are united in marriage, they become “one flesh.” To bring another person into this sacred relationship is to bring shame upon the one to whom we are supposed to be committed. The way of the world embraces, sometimes even applauds, these extra-marital relations.

Next, Jesus speaks of the matter of divorce. The Bible teaches that the plan of God is that one man be married to one woman until they are parted by death. Marriage is a beautiful picture of the relationship between Jesus Christ and His bride, the church. The Lord has committed Himself totally to the care, nurture, and spiritual development of His bride. Paul gives a beautiful description of this relationship in Ephesians 5:22-33.

Taking oaths is Jesus’ next topic of discussion. It is so easy to make promises that we never intend to keep. Our word should be backed up by our actions. Great harm has been done in families in which the husband or the wife constantly makes promises they never keep. Children have been devastated by parents who make promises they continually and consistently break. Even more serious are those promises we make to God, and then quickly forget making those promises, never bringing them to fulfillment.

Jesus then turns His attention to the matter of getting revenge. We are not to retaliate when someone has done us harm. Instead, we are to strive to live by the golden rule: Do unto others as you would have them do to you. Treat people the way you would like to be treated, whether they ever treat you the same or not. Many live in a perpetual state of vengefulness, seeking to cause pain to others because they have been hurt by them. We are to go out of our way to do something that displays our genuine love for them.

And that brings us to the last of the examples given by Jesus: love. He speaks of loving those who love us, and doing good to those who do good to us. But we are to love everyone, not just a select few. He says that we are to love our enemies as well as our friends. Our love is to be undefiled, coming from a sincere heart.

These are not to be thought of as an exhaustive list, but rather a sampling of how we, as Christians, are to live our lives as testimony to His grace being operative in us. But what I would like for us to think about is this: we are to live our lives totally committed to the principles and precepts clearly delineated in Scripture, regardless of how the world views those principles.

The Bible presents clear instructions on so many of the social concerns facing our nation. As Christians, and representatives of Jesus Christ Himself, we are to live according to His teachings. Murder, adultery, divorce, taking oaths, retaliation, love for enemies, abortion, human sexuality, biological identity, honesty, integrity, and so many others, are concepts presented clearly in Scripture.

Our choice is which path we will follow: the ways of the world, or the ways of the Word of God. In this present post-Christian era in which we live it is crucial that we represent our Lord by following His teachings in all areas of life and livelihood. May we ever be found walking in obedience to Him.

Blessings!

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I will hope in Him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Lamentations 3:22-26

God’s compassions are new every morning, and His faithfulness is great! We all give a hearty “Amen” to those wonderful truths that are reiterated time and again throughout Scripture. “God is good, all the time,” is often heard from the lips of those who are experiencing the manifold blessings of our gracious heavenly Father.

The prophet Jeremiah, the author of the words quoted above, is giving a powerful testimony of his faith in the reality of God’s mercies, compassions, and faithfulness. We might think that he is giving this doxology of praise and adoration as he enjoys the blessings of God’s provision, presence and power. Perhaps he is enjoying the manifold provisions of the Lord. But that is not the case.

These words were penned by the prophet as he ponders the greatness of God in the midst of tremendous adversity. Babylon has invaded Jerusalem, destroyed the city and took the residents captive. Jeremiah is now contemplating the events of the recent past as he thinks about the fact that God has now brought to pass the things He had warned would happen if the people refused to repent.

And yet, even in the midst of the awful circumstances, Jeremiah testifies to the reality of God’s mercies, compassions, and faithfulness. What a powerful example of one who saw beyond his present situation and kept his eyes of faith focused on the promises of God.

A couple of contemporary Christian songs written a few years ago illustrate this principle quite well: Praise You in this Storm, by Casting Crowns, and Even If, by MercyMe, (Why not take a few minutes right now and listen to these powerful testimonies of consistent praise in the midst of the difficulties of life. Click these links to listen to them on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0YUGwUgBvTU and https://youtu.be/B6fA35Ved-Y.)

Far too often we hear of individuals who walk away from God because of some adversity in life. Jesus spoke of this type of individual as He spoke with His disciples about different responses to the Gospel. Many who hear the presentation of the Gospel seem to be genuinely committed to the Lord, and yet when life becomes tough, and unexpected circumstances arise, they fall away, turning their backs on God because He did not meet their expectations.

But the Bible teaches clearly that life will not be easy for the believer. Jesus said plainly that in the world – in this life – we would have tribulation, but that He had overcome the world. We must live by faith, believing that He has, indeed, already overcome the world for us, and that by faith we, as Jeremiah, can see beyond the difficulties of life, realizing that there is something far better, far greater, than anything we might face in this temporary, physical world.

We need look no further than the record of the lives of the apostles, and the stories of the early Christians, who suffered horribly because of their faith in the Lord. We have all heard of the horrific stories of those believers in the early church who were persecuted, even executed, because of their faith. Even today, there are parts of the world where professing Christians are incarcerated, and tortured, and executed, simply for professing faith in Jesus Christ.

As followers of Jesus, we are to look beyond the eventualities of this life, realizing that the sovereign Ruler of the universe is firmly established as the King of kings and Lord of lords. He will at some point in the future bring this present age to an end, and usher in the eternal kingdom in which we will live with Him forever. No matter what we suffer in this life, it is not worthy to be compared to the glory set before us in Christ Jesus.

As Jeremiah, let’s remember that His mercy, compassion, and faithfulness are new every morning. Regardless of the circumstances and situations of life, God is on the throne and in control. Let’s keep our eyes on Him, and our faith in Him, and our belief in His return the motivating factor that enable us to see beyond this life to the life to come.

Blessings!

From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

Matthew 16:21-23, NKJV

In my last blog I gave consideration to the question, “What are you thinking about?” This was based on the statements Paul made concerning having our minds set on things above and not on the things of earth. The quote from Matthew is a sobering example of incorrect thinking – of Peter having his mind set on the wrong things as Jesus spoke to His disciples about His coming betrayal, death, and resurrection.

Granted, I must admit that I have no idea how I would have responded to Jesus’ startling revelation. Peter and the others had already committed themselves to Jesus as their Lord, undoubtedly thinking that He would soon establish His kingdom on earth. And now they hear Jesus speaking of His impending death! The two thoughts were totally irreconcilable. How could He possibly be King if the things He revealed were true?

So how does Peter respond? First, note carefully the manner of his response: he actually rebuked Jesus. Can you picture this scene in your mind? One of Jesus’ disciples rebuking his Teacher? One of His servants rebuking his Master? It sounds ridiculous – absolutely absurd – but here it is: Peter rebuked the Lord.

Then, note the contradictory element in Peter’s rebuke. “Far be it from You, Lord.” How could Jesus truly be his Lord if he rebukes Him, refusing to believe what Jesus has now revealed? In that moment, Peter was not submitted to Jesus’ lordship, but to his own selfish, worldly, earthly thinking.

And that is exactly what Jesus says. He tells Peter that his mind is set on the wrong things. He is not thinking about the things of God, but the things of men. In that moment, for a brief blip in time, Peter allows his mind, and his desires, to be focused on a worldly way of assessing the information at hand, and not thinking about his need to be submissive to the Lord’s teaching.

But can we come down excessively on Peter for his outlandish behavior? Can we not see ourselves in his reaction to Jesus’ revelation? Can we not think of times when we have done the same thing as Peter did? I certainly can! Far more times than I would like to consider. There have been those times in which my remark to the Lord in response to something He was leading me to do, or something He had allowed to come into my personal experience was, “No, Lord.”

Even as I type those words, “No, Lord,” I realize how grievously evil they are. I think about the utter audacity of making such a statement. I think of the contradictory nature of combining those words, because it is in saying “No, Lord”, that I show who is really lord: ME! He can’t be my Lord if I refuse to bow to His lordship.

And I can’t bow to His lordship if I constantly practice incorrect thinking. As long as I have my mind set on the things of men, the things of the earth, then I cannot possibly be submissive to Jesus Christ. And please note how Jesus responded to Peter’s ridiculous rebuke:

“Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

Matthew 16:23

Ouch! Peter could not have missed the dagger of Jesus’ words of rebuke. “Get behind Me, Satan!” Peter had given himself over, not only to selfish thinking, but to a Satanic mentality. This was nothing short of a spiritual mutiny! You can’t rebuke the Master without being your own master. You can’t dethrone the King without usurping the authority of the King.

This is incorrect thinking – the very type of thinking we are to put off once we have become followers of the Lord. And then, we are to strive to think of things above, and not the things of the earth. May this be the desire of our hearts and minds as we strive to be sincere disciples of our Savior and Lord!

Blessings!

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on things on the earth.

Colossians 3:1-2, NKJV

Let’s face it: life is filled with distractions. There are so many things in life that will quickly, easily, and, if we aren’t extremely careful, even permanently take our attention away from the one thing that should always be uppermost in our minds. And what is that one thing? Paul states it clearly in the passage quoted above. We are to set our minds on things above. Believers in Jesus Christ should have a heavenly mindset.

But is that even possible? We are pulled in so many different directions, faced with a multitude of distractions, focused on so many demands, that we find it impossible to have our minds set on things above. Oh, we may carve out a few minutes each day for a time of prayer and Bible reading, perhaps even read some devotional material, and maybe even do the exercises in a discipleship growth guide, but beyond that our minds are focused on the gazillion other things that are pressed upon us. We find it beyond our capabilities to have our thoughts focused on things above, and not on the things of the earth.

So, Paul must have not meant this to be taken seriously. How could he? Even the great apostle must have had moments when his mind was focused on the things of the earth. Surely when he was engaged in tent making his mind had to be riveted on the task at hand. When he was recuperating from the many beatings, stonings, and other forms of persecution he endured his mind would have been absorbed with the pain and discomfort he was experiencing.

And besides, if he only knew what was going on in my life right now, he would never even think of suggesting that I could have my mind set on things above. Right? Really – am I right? Well, no, I would be absolutely wrong. My mind should be fixed and focused on things above. Regardless of what I am doing, who I am with, where I am going, what deadlines I have to meet, what projects I have to complete – or anything else – my mind should be focused on things above.

The eventualities of life are but avenues of opportunity for us to show the love of Christ to a needy world. As our minds are consistently focused on things above, our lives will bear witness to our total commitment to the Lord, and those with whom we come into contact will see the influence of our heavenly mindset on our attitudes, actions, and activities.

To make sure his readers don’t miss this important point, Paul goes on to explain in the following verses. Read carefully these words which elaborate on this crucial matter.

Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, God’s wrath is coming upon the disobedient, and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. But now, put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator.

Colossians 3:5-10

As disciples of Jesus Christ, having died to our old self and having been raised to new life in Christ, our lives are to bear the radical change that has been wrought in us by the indwelling, empowering, and enabling of the Holy Spirit. We are to systematically put off the old, which is influenced by the things of the earth, and put on the new, which is influenced by the things above. Our lives are to bear witness to this radical transformation.

And thus, we are to fix our minds on things above, realizing that the things of the earth are no longer to have power over us.

So, what are you thinking about?

Blessings.

There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah.

Luke 2:25-26

The Christmas narrative does not end with the birth of Jesus Christ, but rather goes on to tell us of Mary and Joseph taking Jesus to the temple on the eighth day of His life, as required by Jewish law. It was there that they met Simeon. It would serve us well to give attention to this man, as we can learn some invaluable lessons from his role in the continuing story of Christmas.

The passage quoted above gives us a very brief portrait of Simeon. He was righteous, devout, and faithful. He was the kind of person with whom the Holy Spirit could freely communicate, because Simeon had a heart for God. And God did indeed communicate with this man!

This is something of grave importance for Christians in this modern, post-Christian era. I have heard quite a few professing believers confess that they had never heard God speak. Well, if they are referring to hearing an audible voice from heaven, then they are most likely correct in their assessment. But God does speak. He speaks through the Bible. He speaks through circumstances of life. He speaks through the sound exposition of a passage of Scripture by a gifted teacher or preacher. He speaks through other believers, and on occasion, through non-believers. He speaks – but are we listening.

Simeon was a man who was listening. And out of his righteousness and devotion, God spoke. And He revealed to Simeon a most wonderful message: Simeon would not die before he had seen the Messiah. Wow! He would actually witness the long-awaited Messiah, in the flesh. Messiah would come in his lifetime.

How long had Simeon waited since receiving this wonderful promise? No one knows. Perhaps days, or weeks, or months, or years, or even decades. There is no way of knowing. But he remained steadfast in his dedication to the Lord. And now, the day had finally arrived. As he enters the temple – once again probably hoping that today would be the day – the Holy Spirit revealed to him that this baby boy, being held lovingly in the arms of His mother, was the One for whom he had waited. His faith had now become sight. His wait was over. Messiah had come!

For the believer in this present day, we, as Simeon, should be steadfast in our devotion to the Lord. We also have received a promise from the God: Jesus is coming again. As did Simeon, we should be looking for this amazing event every day. We should be prepared for His coming, living lives of righteousness, with total commitment to Him in all things.

Jesus admonished HIs followers to be alert, sober-minded, and constantly looking to the heavens for His appearing. Simeon had received the message that he would see the Messiah before he died, and it caused him to constantly watch and wait for His arrival. We have been told that Jesus is coming again, and it should cause us to constantly watch and wait for His arrival.

Is your outlook on life based on your up-look in life? Does your eager anticipation of His return compel you to live a life of righteousness and devotion to the Lord, believing that today could be the day of His return? As we enter into a new year, let’s make it the year that we commit ourselves to the belief that each day could be the day, and live our lives accordingly.

Simeon is a great example for each of us to follow. Let’s not allow ourselves to get so caught up in this life, and the things of this world, that we forget about the promise of His coming. Let’s spend our time in this life looking for, and forward to, the next.

Blessings!

Each year it seems to this writer that we, as a society, move farther and farther away from the true meaning and message of Christmas. Secular Christmas music is the rule of the day. Emphasis on the commercialism of Christmas becomes more prominent with each passing Christmas season. “Happy Holidays” is the greeting we hear with more frequency, as the wish for a “Merry Christmas” fades into the distant past. This year, with Christmas Day falling on a Sunday, many churches closed their doors, opting for “family time” instead of taking time on this most special day to worship the One whom we celebrate on this annual holy day.

There seems to be a clear, coordinated movement toward eradicating the true meaning of this most blessed season. Many Christians seem to be succumbing to the world’s secularization of the celebration of Jesus’ birth, making it nothing more than a festive occasion to attend parties, visit with family and friends, and enjoy receiving those gifts that we have hinted at with such clarity that our loved ones could not miss the message.

Now, please don’t misunderstand me. I have no problem with all of those things enumerated above. I love getting together with family and friends, sharing a festive meal together, and exchanging gifts which are (or should be) a sincere reflection of our love for one another. I love the sights and sounds of Christmas as much as the next person – perhaps even more than some.

However, I am deeply saddened about the overwhelming emphasis placed on those things to the exclusion of keeping our focus on the main thing – the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. After all, to quote a well-worn cliche – He is the reason for the season. There would be no Christmas if it were not for the birth of Christ. His name is prominent in the name of the celebration. It is all about Him.

I realize that some of the things I have said in this blog may offend some. I assure you, that was never my intention. But I must say that it saddened my heart to hear of so many churches cancelling services on this most holy day. Parents, what is more important to teach our children about Christmas than the message of God’s amazing love shown to us in His giving His Son? I have been a Christian since 1977, and Christmas has fallen on Sunday only seven times. It doesn’t happen very often at all. As a matter of fact, parents will only have a couple of occasions during their children’s childhood years to have the opportunity to show them the importance of celebrating Jesus’ birth. The gifts under the tree can be shared early on Christmas morning, still leaving time to get to church, where we are reminded of the most amazing Gift of all – Jesus Christ.

Am I being legalistic here? Some will undoubtedly think so, and again, I do not mean to offend. But I think Jesus deserves more than a token tip of the hat on this day that should be all about Him. I pray that this blog will find sensitive ears and hearts upon which to fall, and that we will give serious consideration as to what it really important as we celebrate this most holy day.

Blessings!

(Last year I wrote the first poem I have ever written. It was titled, “Twas the Day After Christmas”. Here is my second attempt at writing a Christmas poem. I hope you enjoy reading these words, and it will be a reminder of the real reason we celebrate this season.)

Twas the week before Christmas and all through the town,

People were frantically scurrying around.

What were they doing? What was the hurry?

Where were they going? Why were they worried?

Some were looking for that one perfect gift

To give to that person they desired to impress.

But what do you give to the one whom you love?

A partridge in a tree and two turtle doves?

Oh, no, that’s a poem! Meaningless rhyme!

I must hurry! I don’t have the time,

To run to one store, and then to another,

Oh, why, oh, why, is this such a bother?

I look at the faces of others as they shop,

As I think to myself, “What is the point

Of all this commotion, all this stress?”

There must be more to December 25^th!

Exhausted and frustrated that I haven’t yet found

That one perfect gift as I’ve searched through the town.

I think to myself, “There has to be one.”

Then I hang my head, feeling totally outdone.

As I make my way to that next Christmas store

Thinking that surely I will find something there

I round the corner, and what do I see?

A gloriously beautiful nativity!

The sight caught my eye, I suddenly stopped,

Being quickly reminded exactly of what

All the commotion and fuss of the season was about

And it wasn’t about what I had been about!

It wasn’t about finding that perfect gift,

Because that gift had been given on December 25^th!

Long ago, in a manger far away,

In an animal trough a new-born baby lay.

His mother, Mary, was close by His side

Tenderly caressing His hands, feet, and eyes.

A precious baby boy, both human and divine,

Had been born that night in the town of Bethlehem.

As I stood there in silence, pondering this sight,

The answer came to me, in the stillness of the night.

Why was I so worried, so hurried, so stressed?

It makes no sense at all, since I already have the best!

Yes! The baby in that manger, He is the gift –

The most precious, perfect, amazing gift.

What could I give that would be better than this –

To show those I love what perhaps they have missed?

Perhaps they don’t know the real reason for the season.

All they know is that something is missing.

They don’t have the joy, the peace and the love

That comes from a relationship with that One

Who was born in that manger, long, long ago

To bring to sinful man the love of God!

So this Christmas season, the best I can give

Is to share with others this most amazing gift!

I want you to know Him, personally, for yourself,

By accepting God’s offer of His wonderful gift

That was given that night, long, long ago

In a manger in Bethlehem, with stars all aglow,

Announcing the birth of this new-born King

Who came into this world glad tidings to bring

Of grace, and peace, and mercy, and love,

The most perfect gift, sent from above.

That’s what this season is really all about.

So let’s be reminded, let’s focus our thoughts,

On the true meaning of Christmas, with the hope,

That those whom we love will accept this most perfect gift,

And then give it to others, as we celebrate His birth.

So now settle down, enjoy the sounds and the sights,

Wishing all a Merry Christmas, and to all a good night!

I have had the Covid vaccination, and the booster. I have also had the flu shot, that is touted to guard against an array of different flu types. And now, I sit here in my living room with both Flu type A and Covid. Teresa is also suffering from this double whammy, her symptoms being much worse than mine.

This is not a statement in opposition to the vaccinations, but a simple observation from my recliner. Life is filled with uncertainties. We can plan, prepare, and even put into place safeguards that we think will protect us from some of these eventualities, and still find ourselves in the throes of some malady or tragedy. For those of us who profess faith in Jesus Christ, and who trust that He will care for us by His power and grace, we might be a bit confused about some of these negative experiences in life.

Some seem to believe that those who place their faith in the Lord should never have to worry about suffering the ills, difficulties, and tragedies of this life. There are those proponents of the prosperity gospel who teach that a sincere believer should experience nothing but health, wealth, and happiness. But the common lot of all humankind is the experience of troubles and difficulties of differing measure and magnitude.

Teresa and I could choose to be upset with God about allowing us (or should I dare to say, cause us) to come down with this double whammy. We could raise a defiant fist in His face, screaming at the top of our raspy voices, “WHY?” Or, we could say with that great old sage, Job,

Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.

Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?

Job 1:21; 2:10b, NKJV

Job seemed to grasp a theological truth that many, perhaps even most, never get. He understood the truth that God’s goodness should never be equated with the good things God does. Perhaps it would be wise to reread that preceding sentence. Why? Because it seems that a vast majority of professing believers seem to think that God’s goodness is to be understood by the multitudes of good things He does. But what about those bad things: family dysfunction, financial disasters, health problems, personal tragedies, etc. etc. that catch us completely off guard? What about those perplexing seasons of hardship and heartache?

Are we to think less of God, or at least less of His goodness, when it doesn’t appear He is coming through for us? Are we to grow disgruntled with Him when He allows us to suffer in some way or another? Are we to become embittered against Him, angry because He has let us down?

Or are we to respond in the same manner as Job? Are we to acknowledge the fact that the Lord gives, and He takes away, but He is always good in how He chooses to act? Certainly, this is the response of faith. Trusting God when we can’t see nor understand what He might be doing and believing that He is always at work for the good of those who love Him.

Some reading this may not be aware of some extremely serious health issues Teresa has been through in the past three years. Without going into detail, just let me say that due to those issues her immune system has been compromised severely, and this causes her to be far more susceptible to contracting illnesses of varying kinds much easier than those who have strong immune systems. I could cry out against God, reminding Him that in His sovereignty He has all power to deal with all manner of disease and difficulty, and that He has power to heal any and all sickness and illness. But the reaction of faith is to trust God with the situation and commit the outcome to Him.

God is good – all the time. The circumstances, situations and eventualities of life should not be allowed to cause bitterness against God but should be a reminder that we get far better than we deserve all through life. And in the end, we get to spend eternity in that place Jesus has gone to prepare for those who love Him and are longing for His appearance. What could possibly be better than that?

Blessing!