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huhu bukunya sih yang gede ketinggalan di KS.. tapi sblon lupa.. here are some of the verses that come along the way, to encourage me, to show me the way, to answer my prayers!
December 4, 2007
Active Compassion
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READ: 1 John 3:16-24
Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. -1 John 3:18
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Every so often when I walk into my office in the morning, I find a surprise on my desk. Not long ago the item was a sunflower coffee mug dropped off by a fellow employee. She had seen it in a shop and knew it would cheer up my wife-so she bought it and left it on my desk with an encouraging note.
It was my pleasure to take that gift home to my wife Sue and to give it to her in the name of the woman who wanted to encourage her.
This person could have simply thought about my wife. She could have talked to someone about her in a positive way. But those things don’t come close to providing the encouragement that comes from taking action.
In 1 John 3:18, John talked about what we are to do when we see others in need. He told us to have active compassion: “Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed.” When we see a need, it’s good to talk about it, but we must also do something about it. We are instructed: “Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22).
Ask the Holy Spirit to place someone on your heart to help in Jesus’ name. Then take action. Make a difference today. Send a card. Give a gift. Offer a ride. Make a call. Love in deed is love indeed.
-Dave Branon
Lord, when I learn that someone is hurting,
Help me know what to do and to say;
Speak to my heart and give me compassion,
Let Your great love flow through me today. -K. De Haan
Compassion is love in action.
December 9, 2007
Blue Christmas
READ: Isaiah 53:1-6
Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. -Isaiah 53:4
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A growing number of churches are holding annual Blue Christmas services for those faced with grief and loss. The holiday season’s emphasis on happiness and good cheer often makes people who are dealing with heartbreak feel even worse.
An Associated Press article quoted a pastor who described the Blue Christmas service as “an opportunity for people to come and be in the presence of God and acknowledge their grief and despair and loneliness and give it to God.” One participant added, “And it’s a good place to have a cry and no one will mind.”
During the Christmas season, we often read Isaiah’s prophecies of the coming Messiah who would be born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14) and called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (9:6). But perhaps we should also include the words of Isaiah 53: “He is . . . a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. . . . Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows . . . . And by His stripes we are healed” (vv.3-5). The psalmist reminds us that “[The Lord] heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Ps. 147:3).
If you’re hurting this Christmas, remember: Jesus came to save us, to help us, and to heal us. -David C. McCasland
Whenever darkness grips your soul
And you are tempted to despair,
Remember Christ’s unfailing love,
And trust His faithful, tender care. -Sper
Jesus provides an oasis of grace in the desert of grief.
Job 42
Job
1 Then Job replied to the LORD :
2 "I know that you can do all things;
no plan of yours can be thwarted.
3 You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?'
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.
4 "You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.'
5 My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you.
6 Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes."
Epilogue
7 After the LORD had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. 8 So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has." 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the LORD told them; and the LORD accepted Job's prayer.
10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before. 11 All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the LORD had brought upon him, and each one gave him a piece of silver [a] and a gold ring.
12 The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. 15 Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.
16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 17 And so he died, old and full of years.
Ecclesiastes 3
A Time for Everything
1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
9 What does the worker gain from his toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on men. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. 13 That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil-this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.
15 Whatever is has already been,
and what will be has been before;
and God will call the past to account. [a]
16 And I saw something else under the sun:
In the place of judgment-wickedness was there,
in the place of justice-wickedness was there.
17 I thought in my heart,
"God will bring to judgment
both the righteous and the wicked,
for there will be a time for every activity,
a time for every deed."
18 I also thought, "As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. 19 Man's fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath [b] ; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal [c] goes down into the earth?"
22 So I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?
December 10, 2007
Be A Star
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READ: Matthew 2:1-12
Those who turn many to righteousness [shall shine] like the stars forever and ever. -Daniel 12:3
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Many today seek stardom by trying to get into the media spotlight. But a young Jewish captive achieved “stardom” in a better way.
When Daniel and his friends were taken captive by a ruthless invading nation, it was unlikely that they would be heard from again. But the godly young men soon distinguished themselves as intelligent and trustworthy.
When the king had a dream that his wise men could not repeat nor interpret, he condemned them to death. After a night of prayer with his friends, Daniel received from God the content of the dream and its interpretation. As a result, the king promoted Daniel to be his chief advisor (see Dan. 2).
If the story ended there, it would be remarkable enough. But some scholars believe that Daniel’s influence in Babylon made people aware of messianic prophecies about a Savior who would be born in Bethlehem. Daniel’s teaching may have been the reason that 500 years later wise men from the East followed a star to a remote and unfamiliar part of the world to find an infant King, worship Him, and return to their country with the good news of God’s incredible journey to earth (Matt. 2:1-12).
By turning others to righteousness, we, like Daniel, can become a star that will shine forever. -Julie Ackerman Link
Make me a blessing, make me a blessing!
Out of my life may Jesus shine;
Make me a blessing, O Savior, I pray,
Make me a blessing to someone today. -Wilson
You can attract people to Jesus when you have His light in your life.
December 11, 2007
Richly Blessed
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READ: Psalm 33:1-9
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. -Psalm 33:5
The maple trees in my front yard are the last to lose their leaves in the autumn. So, on a frigid November day, I was grumbling to myself as I raked and bagged the last of my leaves.
Then a cheery voice said, “Good morning!” The woman who reads our gas meter had walked up unnoticed. I asked, “And how are you on this blustery morning?”
“I’m richly blessed,” she said with a smile. After a quick attitude adjustment, I replied, “So am I. Isn’t God wonderful?”
“He sure is,” she answered. “Are you a believer in Jesus too?” “Yes, I am,” I responded, “and He has filled my life with blessing.”
That brief exchange not only brightened my mood, it reminded me that we who believe in Christ are blessed beyond measure. After this sister in Christ left, the sky didn’t seem to be as dark; the wind lost some of its chill; the leaf raking became less toilsome. The Lord had used a fellow believer to turn my attention to Him to see His goodness (Ps. 33:5).
Christians are part of a community. Let’s encourage one another. We never know when a fellow pilgrim may need a reminder of the goodness of God.
-David C. Egner
If you are ready to share God’s great love,
Follow His Spirit and give Him your all;
Numberless blessings are waiting for you
As you respond and obey Jesus’ call. -Hess
Faith in God’s goodness puts a song in your heart and praise on your lips.
December 14, 2007
The Facts Of Life
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READ: Luke 1:24-38
Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” -Luke 1:38
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It seems that most of our struggles revolve around wanting something we don’t have or having something we don’t want. Our deepest longings and our greatest challenges are deeply rooted in trying to see the hand of God in these two facts of life. This is where Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus begins.
The aging Elizabeth longed for a baby. For the young and engaged Mary, however, pregnancy should have been a disgrace. But when both learned they would have a child, they accepted the news with faith in the God whose timing is perfect and for whom nothing is impossible (Luke 1:24-25,37-38).
As we read the Christmas story, we may be struck by the real-life context of the people whose names have become so familiar. Even while Zechariah and Elizabeth suffered their culture’s stigma of childlessness, they were described as “righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord” (v.6). And the angel told Mary she had found favor with God (v.30).
Their example shows us the value of a trusting heart that accepts the mysterious ways of God and the presence of His mighty hand, no matter how perplexing our circumstances may be.
-David C. McCasland
Though you cannot see the outcome,
Trust the Lord-He knows what’s best;
Be assured He sees your trial,
And He’s with you in your test. -Hess
For the Christian, testing cannot be separated from trusting.
December 18, 2007
Frogs And More Frogs
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READ: Psalm 139:1-12
O Lord, You have searched me and known me. -Psalm 139:1
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Mary received a ceramic frog for her birthday from a co-worker, and she displayed it on her desk for all to see. Some of her fellow employees began to think she must like frogs, so they started to give her frog items for Christmas, birthdays, and special celebrations. Her office soon became filled with “things frog”-pens, candles, stickie notes, posters, coffee cups.
After Mary left the company, a friend asked her what she did with the frogs. She replied, “Well, I don’t really like frogs, so I gave them all away.”
Others mean well, yet don’t always know us well. They’ll never know us as God does. We are an open book to Him-there is nothing about us that is hidden from Him. Psalm 139 tells us:
• God knows everything we do (v.2). He knows all the activities of our day and every detail of our schedule.
• God knows everything we think (v.2)-the good and the bad, the wholesome, and the impure.
• God knows everywhere we go-“You comprehend my path . . . and are acquainted with all my ways” (v.3).
• God knows everything we say (v.4).
He knows us better than we know ourselves. Isn’t it a comfort to be known so intimately by our Lord-even with all our flaws-and yet be loved so completely!
-Anne Cetas
The blood of atonement fulfills all the law!
Amazement succumbs to the message of grace:
Though God knows our thoughts, every sin, every flaw,
His love bids us hide in His holy embrace. -Mollon
You’re not just a number computers can trace; Christ knows your need, your name, and your face.
December 19, 2007
A Real Christmas
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READ: Luke 2:25-35
This Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against. -Luke 2:34
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A quotation in our church’s Advent devotional guide caused me to rethink my approach to Christmas:
“Let us at all costs avoid the temptation to make our Christmas worship a withdrawal from the stress and sorrow of life into a realm of unreal beauty. It was into the real world that Christ came, into the city where there was no room for Him, and into a country where Herod, the murderer of innocents, was king.
“He comes to us, not to shield us from the harshness of the world but to give us the courage and strength to bear it; not to snatch us away by some miracle from the conflict of life, but to give us peace-His peace-in our hearts, by which we may be calmly steadfast while the conflict rages, and be able to bring to the torn world the healing that is peace.”
When Mary and Joseph presented the infant Jesus to the Lord, Simeon said to them: “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:34-35).
Christmas is not a retreat from reality but an advance into it alongside the Prince of Peace.
-David C. McCasland
Christ did not come to shield us from
The grief and pain of life;
But those who have His peace inside
Can thrive within the strife. -Sper
Jesus came to give light to a dark world.
December 21, 2007
God’s Surprising Answer
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READ: Isaiah 42:1-9
Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! -Isaiah 64:1
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Rend the heavens!” and “come down!” pleaded the prophet Isaiah. Make Your name known by making the mountains shake and the nations tremble, he advised the Lord (Isa. 64:1-3).
Isaiah wanted God to behave as He had in the past. Recalling the Scripture about God’s visit with Moses on Mt. Sinai, Isaiah longed for a repeat performance.
But God had already told Isaiah that He would be doing something new. “Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them” (42:9).
The “something new” was Jesus! God did indeed come down. But not in Isaiah’s lifetime. And not in the dramatic fashion he longed for. “He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street” (42:2). He came in the unassuming form of an infant.
Many of us can remember a situation when God was amazingly timely in His response to our need. Like Isaiah, we want God to do the same thing again. But perhaps He has something else in mind. As you celebrate God’s humble descent to earth, be aware that He came to change our hearts, not just our circumstances. -Julie Ackerman Link
God’s answer wasn’t detected
When Jesus came to earth,
For no one had expected
A Child of lowly birth. -D. De Haan
God’s answers to our prayers may exceed our expectations.
December 22, 2007
Where’s The Leash?
READ: Micah 6:1-8
What does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? -Micah 6:8
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Recently, while out for Chinese food with friends, I noticed a man walking his dog past the restaurant. Normally I wouldn’t have looked twice. But the dog’s owner had taken the leash, put it in a figure-eight configuration, and placed it firmly in the dog’s mouth.
My friends explained that it’s against the law in their town to walk a dog without a leash. This clever dog owner had found a loophole-the law didn’t stipulate that you actually have to hold the leash! The amazing part is not the loophole, but that the dog was walking in obedient step with his owner, even though he could have bolted away to chase a nearby squirrel.
Our walk with God needs to be like that. While God in His mercy gives us a long leash and rarely gives us spiritual whiplash by yanking on it, He doesn’t delight in the struggle to keep us in line. He delights when we walk in a surrendered way with Him.
When Israel whined to the prophet Micah about how hard they thought it was to please God, He replied with a straightforward, simple way to please Him. Being just and loving mercy while we walk humbly with Him brings God great pleasure (Mic. 6:8). You’ll know He is pleased when He doesn’t have to hold your leash anymore.
-Joe Stowell
All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live. -Van de Venter
Find true freedom by walking obediently with God.
December 23, 2007
Reserved In Heaven
READ: 1 Peter 1:3-12
An inheritance incorruptible . . . reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God. -1 Peter 1:4-5
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A friend of mine spent several months rebuilding an old Ford Bronco and turning it into an off-road vehicle for use here in Idaho. He kept it in his garage under lock and key. When Christmas came, Gary thought, What better place to hide my daughter Katie’s present.
Shortly before Christmas, someone asked Katie what she was getting for Christmas. “Oh,” she replied, “I already have it. It’s a bicycle in a box under the Bronco in the garage!”
I don’t know what methods Katie used to discover her present. But I do admire her unshakable confidence that the bike was hers even though she did not yet have it in her hands.
That confidence reminds me of the apostle Peter’s words: “[God] has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3-5).
What is reserved for us? Our inheritance-heaven, and a legacy beyond description that rests on the certainty of eternal life, “which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began” (Titus 1:2).
-David H. Roper
I am living for the moment
When before His feet I fall,
And with all the host of heaven
Own Him Lord and King of all. -Christiansen
A Christian’s future is as bright as the promises of God.
December 24, 2007
The Forgotten Man
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READ: Matthew 1:18-25
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. -Proverbs 3:5
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Amid all the Christmas activities, one man is often forgotten.
No, I don’t mean the person whose birthday we’re celebrating. Although we often fail to give Jesus first place as He deserves, we don’t usually forget Him. I’m talking about Joseph-the man God trusted so much that He placed His Son in his home to love and nurture. What a responsibility!
Joseph truly is the forgotten man in the Christmas story. Yet his task was an important component of God’s incredible plan. As we read the story of the birth of Jesus, we find that Joseph was just, righteous, merciful, protective, and courageous. But most of all-he was obedient. When the angel told him to take Mary as his wife, he obeyed (Matt. 1:24). And when the angel told him to flee to Egypt with Mary and Jesus, he did (2:13-14).
Just as Mary was carefully chosen to bear the Son of God, Joseph was deliberately chosen to provide for his young wife and the Christ-child. And trusting God, Joseph followed through on everything God asked him to do.
What is God asking of you today? Are you willing to commit yourself to do whatever He wants you to do?
We can learn much about obedience from Joseph, the forgotten man of Christmas.
-Cindy Hess Kasper
It matters not the path on earth
My feet are made to trod;
It only matters how I live:
Obedient to God. -Clark
The proof of our love for God is our obedience to the commands of God.
December 25, 2007
The Blessing Tree
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READ: Luke 1:46-55
He who is mighty has done great things for me. -Luke 1:49
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I read about a young couple whose business had failed, and they had little money to spend at Christmas. They were going to have to move out of their house after the new year. But they didn’t want their holiday season to be spoiled because of it. So they decided to throw a party. When the guests arrived, they saw a cedar tree decorated with one string of lights and small rolled-up pieces of paper tied to the limbs with ribbon.
“Welcome to our ‘blessing tree’!” they said, beaming. “In spite of hard times, God has blessed us in so many ways that we decided to dedicate our tree to Him. Each piece of paper describes a blessing He has given us this year.”
This couple has faced more trials since then, but they have chosen to stay focused on the Lord. They often remark that the Christmas with the “blessing tree” was one of their most beautiful, because they could testify as Mary did: “My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. . . . He who is mighty has done great things for me” (Luke 1:47-49).
Whatever your difficulties, they needn’t spoil Christmas, for nothing can spoil Christ! Stay focused on Jesus and seek ways to share His blessings with others-perhaps through your own “blessing tree.”
-Joanie Yoder
Jesus came-and came for me!
Simple words, and yet expressing
Depths of holy mystery,
Depths of wondrous love and blessing. -Havergal
To give meaning to Christmas, give Christ first place.
December 4, 2007
Active Compassion
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READ: 1 John 3:16-24
Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. -1 John 3:18
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Every so often when I walk into my office in the morning, I find a surprise on my desk. Not long ago the item was a sunflower coffee mug dropped off by a fellow employee. She had seen it in a shop and knew it would cheer up my wife-so she bought it and left it on my desk with an encouraging note.
It was my pleasure to take that gift home to my wife Sue and to give it to her in the name of the woman who wanted to encourage her.
This person could have simply thought about my wife. She could have talked to someone about her in a positive way. But those things don’t come close to providing the encouragement that comes from taking action.
In 1 John 3:18, John talked about what we are to do when we see others in need. He told us to have active compassion: “Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed.” When we see a need, it’s good to talk about it, but we must also do something about it. We are instructed: “Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22).
Ask the Holy Spirit to place someone on your heart to help in Jesus’ name. Then take action. Make a difference today. Send a card. Give a gift. Offer a ride. Make a call. Love in deed is love indeed.
-Dave Branon
Lord, when I learn that someone is hurting,
Help me know what to do and to say;
Speak to my heart and give me compassion,
Let Your great love flow through me today. -K. De Haan
Compassion is love in action.
December 9, 2007
Blue Christmas
READ: Isaiah 53:1-6
Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. -Isaiah 53:4
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A growing number of churches are holding annual Blue Christmas services for those faced with grief and loss. The holiday season’s emphasis on happiness and good cheer often makes people who are dealing with heartbreak feel even worse.
An Associated Press article quoted a pastor who described the Blue Christmas service as “an opportunity for people to come and be in the presence of God and acknowledge their grief and despair and loneliness and give it to God.” One participant added, “And it’s a good place to have a cry and no one will mind.”
During the Christmas season, we often read Isaiah’s prophecies of the coming Messiah who would be born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14) and called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (9:6). But perhaps we should also include the words of Isaiah 53: “He is . . . a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. . . . Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows . . . . And by His stripes we are healed” (vv.3-5). The psalmist reminds us that “[The Lord] heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Ps. 147:3).
If you’re hurting this Christmas, remember: Jesus came to save us, to help us, and to heal us. -David C. McCasland
Whenever darkness grips your soul
And you are tempted to despair,
Remember Christ’s unfailing love,
And trust His faithful, tender care. -Sper
Jesus provides an oasis of grace in the desert of grief.
Job 42
Job
1 Then Job replied to the LORD :
2 "I know that you can do all things;
no plan of yours can be thwarted.
3 You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?'
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.
4 "You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.'
5 My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you.
6 Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes."
Epilogue
7 After the LORD had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. 8 So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has." 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the LORD told them; and the LORD accepted Job's prayer.
10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before. 11 All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the LORD had brought upon him, and each one gave him a piece of silver [a] and a gold ring.
12 The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. 15 Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.
16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 17 And so he died, old and full of years.
Ecclesiastes 3
A Time for Everything
1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
9 What does the worker gain from his toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on men. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. 13 That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil-this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.
15 Whatever is has already been,
and what will be has been before;
and God will call the past to account. [a]
16 And I saw something else under the sun:
In the place of judgment-wickedness was there,
in the place of justice-wickedness was there.
17 I thought in my heart,
"God will bring to judgment
both the righteous and the wicked,
for there will be a time for every activity,
a time for every deed."
18 I also thought, "As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. 19 Man's fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath [b] ; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal [c] goes down into the earth?"
22 So I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?
December 10, 2007
Be A Star
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READ: Matthew 2:1-12
Those who turn many to righteousness [shall shine] like the stars forever and ever. -Daniel 12:3
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Many today seek stardom by trying to get into the media spotlight. But a young Jewish captive achieved “stardom” in a better way.
When Daniel and his friends were taken captive by a ruthless invading nation, it was unlikely that they would be heard from again. But the godly young men soon distinguished themselves as intelligent and trustworthy.
When the king had a dream that his wise men could not repeat nor interpret, he condemned them to death. After a night of prayer with his friends, Daniel received from God the content of the dream and its interpretation. As a result, the king promoted Daniel to be his chief advisor (see Dan. 2).
If the story ended there, it would be remarkable enough. But some scholars believe that Daniel’s influence in Babylon made people aware of messianic prophecies about a Savior who would be born in Bethlehem. Daniel’s teaching may have been the reason that 500 years later wise men from the East followed a star to a remote and unfamiliar part of the world to find an infant King, worship Him, and return to their country with the good news of God’s incredible journey to earth (Matt. 2:1-12).
By turning others to righteousness, we, like Daniel, can become a star that will shine forever. -Julie Ackerman Link
Make me a blessing, make me a blessing!
Out of my life may Jesus shine;
Make me a blessing, O Savior, I pray,
Make me a blessing to someone today. -Wilson
You can attract people to Jesus when you have His light in your life.
December 11, 2007
Richly Blessed
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READ: Psalm 33:1-9
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. -Psalm 33:5
The maple trees in my front yard are the last to lose their leaves in the autumn. So, on a frigid November day, I was grumbling to myself as I raked and bagged the last of my leaves.
Then a cheery voice said, “Good morning!” The woman who reads our gas meter had walked up unnoticed. I asked, “And how are you on this blustery morning?”
“I’m richly blessed,” she said with a smile. After a quick attitude adjustment, I replied, “So am I. Isn’t God wonderful?”
“He sure is,” she answered. “Are you a believer in Jesus too?” “Yes, I am,” I responded, “and He has filled my life with blessing.”
That brief exchange not only brightened my mood, it reminded me that we who believe in Christ are blessed beyond measure. After this sister in Christ left, the sky didn’t seem to be as dark; the wind lost some of its chill; the leaf raking became less toilsome. The Lord had used a fellow believer to turn my attention to Him to see His goodness (Ps. 33:5).
Christians are part of a community. Let’s encourage one another. We never know when a fellow pilgrim may need a reminder of the goodness of God.
-David C. Egner
If you are ready to share God’s great love,
Follow His Spirit and give Him your all;
Numberless blessings are waiting for you
As you respond and obey Jesus’ call. -Hess
Faith in God’s goodness puts a song in your heart and praise on your lips.
December 14, 2007
The Facts Of Life
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READ: Luke 1:24-38
Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” -Luke 1:38
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It seems that most of our struggles revolve around wanting something we don’t have or having something we don’t want. Our deepest longings and our greatest challenges are deeply rooted in trying to see the hand of God in these two facts of life. This is where Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus begins.
The aging Elizabeth longed for a baby. For the young and engaged Mary, however, pregnancy should have been a disgrace. But when both learned they would have a child, they accepted the news with faith in the God whose timing is perfect and for whom nothing is impossible (Luke 1:24-25,37-38).
As we read the Christmas story, we may be struck by the real-life context of the people whose names have become so familiar. Even while Zechariah and Elizabeth suffered their culture’s stigma of childlessness, they were described as “righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord” (v.6). And the angel told Mary she had found favor with God (v.30).
Their example shows us the value of a trusting heart that accepts the mysterious ways of God and the presence of His mighty hand, no matter how perplexing our circumstances may be.
-David C. McCasland
Though you cannot see the outcome,
Trust the Lord-He knows what’s best;
Be assured He sees your trial,
And He’s with you in your test. -Hess
For the Christian, testing cannot be separated from trusting.
December 18, 2007
Frogs And More Frogs
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READ: Psalm 139:1-12
O Lord, You have searched me and known me. -Psalm 139:1
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Mary received a ceramic frog for her birthday from a co-worker, and she displayed it on her desk for all to see. Some of her fellow employees began to think she must like frogs, so they started to give her frog items for Christmas, birthdays, and special celebrations. Her office soon became filled with “things frog”-pens, candles, stickie notes, posters, coffee cups.
After Mary left the company, a friend asked her what she did with the frogs. She replied, “Well, I don’t really like frogs, so I gave them all away.”
Others mean well, yet don’t always know us well. They’ll never know us as God does. We are an open book to Him-there is nothing about us that is hidden from Him. Psalm 139 tells us:
• God knows everything we do (v.2). He knows all the activities of our day and every detail of our schedule.
• God knows everything we think (v.2)-the good and the bad, the wholesome, and the impure.
• God knows everywhere we go-“You comprehend my path . . . and are acquainted with all my ways” (v.3).
• God knows everything we say (v.4).
He knows us better than we know ourselves. Isn’t it a comfort to be known so intimately by our Lord-even with all our flaws-and yet be loved so completely!
-Anne Cetas
The blood of atonement fulfills all the law!
Amazement succumbs to the message of grace:
Though God knows our thoughts, every sin, every flaw,
His love bids us hide in His holy embrace. -Mollon
You’re not just a number computers can trace; Christ knows your need, your name, and your face.
December 19, 2007
A Real Christmas
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READ: Luke 2:25-35
This Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against. -Luke 2:34
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A quotation in our church’s Advent devotional guide caused me to rethink my approach to Christmas:
“Let us at all costs avoid the temptation to make our Christmas worship a withdrawal from the stress and sorrow of life into a realm of unreal beauty. It was into the real world that Christ came, into the city where there was no room for Him, and into a country where Herod, the murderer of innocents, was king.
“He comes to us, not to shield us from the harshness of the world but to give us the courage and strength to bear it; not to snatch us away by some miracle from the conflict of life, but to give us peace-His peace-in our hearts, by which we may be calmly steadfast while the conflict rages, and be able to bring to the torn world the healing that is peace.”
When Mary and Joseph presented the infant Jesus to the Lord, Simeon said to them: “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:34-35).
Christmas is not a retreat from reality but an advance into it alongside the Prince of Peace.
-David C. McCasland
Christ did not come to shield us from
The grief and pain of life;
But those who have His peace inside
Can thrive within the strife. -Sper
Jesus came to give light to a dark world.
December 21, 2007
God’s Surprising Answer
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READ: Isaiah 42:1-9
Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! -Isaiah 64:1
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Rend the heavens!” and “come down!” pleaded the prophet Isaiah. Make Your name known by making the mountains shake and the nations tremble, he advised the Lord (Isa. 64:1-3).
Isaiah wanted God to behave as He had in the past. Recalling the Scripture about God’s visit with Moses on Mt. Sinai, Isaiah longed for a repeat performance.
But God had already told Isaiah that He would be doing something new. “Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them” (42:9).
The “something new” was Jesus! God did indeed come down. But not in Isaiah’s lifetime. And not in the dramatic fashion he longed for. “He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street” (42:2). He came in the unassuming form of an infant.
Many of us can remember a situation when God was amazingly timely in His response to our need. Like Isaiah, we want God to do the same thing again. But perhaps He has something else in mind. As you celebrate God’s humble descent to earth, be aware that He came to change our hearts, not just our circumstances. -Julie Ackerman Link
God’s answer wasn’t detected
When Jesus came to earth,
For no one had expected
A Child of lowly birth. -D. De Haan
God’s answers to our prayers may exceed our expectations.
December 22, 2007
Where’s The Leash?
READ: Micah 6:1-8
What does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? -Micah 6:8
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Recently, while out for Chinese food with friends, I noticed a man walking his dog past the restaurant. Normally I wouldn’t have looked twice. But the dog’s owner had taken the leash, put it in a figure-eight configuration, and placed it firmly in the dog’s mouth.
My friends explained that it’s against the law in their town to walk a dog without a leash. This clever dog owner had found a loophole-the law didn’t stipulate that you actually have to hold the leash! The amazing part is not the loophole, but that the dog was walking in obedient step with his owner, even though he could have bolted away to chase a nearby squirrel.
Our walk with God needs to be like that. While God in His mercy gives us a long leash and rarely gives us spiritual whiplash by yanking on it, He doesn’t delight in the struggle to keep us in line. He delights when we walk in a surrendered way with Him.
When Israel whined to the prophet Micah about how hard they thought it was to please God, He replied with a straightforward, simple way to please Him. Being just and loving mercy while we walk humbly with Him brings God great pleasure (Mic. 6:8). You’ll know He is pleased when He doesn’t have to hold your leash anymore.
-Joe Stowell
All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live. -Van de Venter
Find true freedom by walking obediently with God.
December 23, 2007
Reserved In Heaven
READ: 1 Peter 1:3-12
An inheritance incorruptible . . . reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God. -1 Peter 1:4-5
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A friend of mine spent several months rebuilding an old Ford Bronco and turning it into an off-road vehicle for use here in Idaho. He kept it in his garage under lock and key. When Christmas came, Gary thought, What better place to hide my daughter Katie’s present.
Shortly before Christmas, someone asked Katie what she was getting for Christmas. “Oh,” she replied, “I already have it. It’s a bicycle in a box under the Bronco in the garage!”
I don’t know what methods Katie used to discover her present. But I do admire her unshakable confidence that the bike was hers even though she did not yet have it in her hands.
That confidence reminds me of the apostle Peter’s words: “[God] has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3-5).
What is reserved for us? Our inheritance-heaven, and a legacy beyond description that rests on the certainty of eternal life, “which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began” (Titus 1:2).
-David H. Roper
I am living for the moment
When before His feet I fall,
And with all the host of heaven
Own Him Lord and King of all. -Christiansen
A Christian’s future is as bright as the promises of God.
December 24, 2007
The Forgotten Man
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READ: Matthew 1:18-25
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. -Proverbs 3:5
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Amid all the Christmas activities, one man is often forgotten.
No, I don’t mean the person whose birthday we’re celebrating. Although we often fail to give Jesus first place as He deserves, we don’t usually forget Him. I’m talking about Joseph-the man God trusted so much that He placed His Son in his home to love and nurture. What a responsibility!
Joseph truly is the forgotten man in the Christmas story. Yet his task was an important component of God’s incredible plan. As we read the story of the birth of Jesus, we find that Joseph was just, righteous, merciful, protective, and courageous. But most of all-he was obedient. When the angel told him to take Mary as his wife, he obeyed (Matt. 1:24). And when the angel told him to flee to Egypt with Mary and Jesus, he did (2:13-14).
Just as Mary was carefully chosen to bear the Son of God, Joseph was deliberately chosen to provide for his young wife and the Christ-child. And trusting God, Joseph followed through on everything God asked him to do.
What is God asking of you today? Are you willing to commit yourself to do whatever He wants you to do?
We can learn much about obedience from Joseph, the forgotten man of Christmas.
-Cindy Hess Kasper
It matters not the path on earth
My feet are made to trod;
It only matters how I live:
Obedient to God. -Clark
The proof of our love for God is our obedience to the commands of God.
December 25, 2007
The Blessing Tree
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READ: Luke 1:46-55
He who is mighty has done great things for me. -Luke 1:49
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I read about a young couple whose business had failed, and they had little money to spend at Christmas. They were going to have to move out of their house after the new year. But they didn’t want their holiday season to be spoiled because of it. So they decided to throw a party. When the guests arrived, they saw a cedar tree decorated with one string of lights and small rolled-up pieces of paper tied to the limbs with ribbon.
“Welcome to our ‘blessing tree’!” they said, beaming. “In spite of hard times, God has blessed us in so many ways that we decided to dedicate our tree to Him. Each piece of paper describes a blessing He has given us this year.”
This couple has faced more trials since then, but they have chosen to stay focused on the Lord. They often remark that the Christmas with the “blessing tree” was one of their most beautiful, because they could testify as Mary did: “My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. . . . He who is mighty has done great things for me” (Luke 1:47-49).
Whatever your difficulties, they needn’t spoil Christmas, for nothing can spoil Christ! Stay focused on Jesus and seek ways to share His blessings with others-perhaps through your own “blessing tree.”
-Joanie Yoder
Jesus came-and came for me!
Simple words, and yet expressing
Depths of holy mystery,
Depths of wondrous love and blessing. -Havergal
To give meaning to Christmas, give Christ first place.