Investigators suspect that a 5-year-old playing with a lighter set a Christmas tree on fire, causing a tragic blaze that killed 12 family members in a Philadelphia rowhome early Wednesday. This was the city’s deadliest fire in more than a century. Among those killed were three sisters and several of their children. The deaths are being mourned not only in Philadelphia, but all across the nation.
A lighter is a small thing, and has a useful purpose. But in the wrong hands a lighter can cause death and destruction. The same is true of the human tongue. James 3:3-6 says, “When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.”
Don’t be like a 5-year-old with a lighter! Be in control of your tongue!
Not often does it catch us off guard when a person who is 99 years old passes away, but that is exactly what happened for many people when beloved actress Betty White died a few days ago. Expectations were high as she approached her 100th birthday, and big plans were made to celebrate that achievement. However, the popular entertainer passed away just 17 days short of that milestone birthday, leaving fans and friends feeling sad, and perhaps just a bit short-changed. Fellow actor Ryan Reynolds said, “She managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough.”
Everyone has an appointment with death. It is our common destiny. Some live to be very old; others die relatively young. But we all have that appointment. For those outside of Christ, it is a dreadful destiny. However, for those who trust in Jesus for their salvation, death is not to be feared.
“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”—Hebrews 9:27-28.
A new year is upon us, bringing with it a new outpouring of blessings and also a new set of challenges. Here are some suggestions for how we might pray as we head into the new year. (For this post, I borrowed heavily from a blog written by Kim Butts, co-founder of Harvest Prayer Ministries).
We could start off by giving thanks for our new birth. Jesus says that we must be born again (John 3:1-21). For those of us who have obeyed Jesus in this regard, it would be fitting to start the new year giving thanks for our new birth. Spend some time remembering your baptism, that time when the old you was buried in the waters of baptism, washing away your sins, and your emergence from that watery grave to live a new life in Christ. Give thanks to God that through Jesus you have been born again!
A second prayer could be for the new life we have in Jesus. Romans 6:4 says, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” Be thankful that you don’t live the life you lived before you came to Jesus! Pray that God will help you to bring him honor and glory through the new life that you live in Christ.
We could also pray about how God is working in the world around us. He proclaims, “…I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:5). The ultimate fulfillment of this promise will come when Jesus Christ returns in power and glory. But in the meantime, God is constantly working to right the wrongs that have been imposed on the human existence because of the curse of sin in this world. Let’s be aware of what God is doing every day to reveal his glory and redeem his creation. Let’s praise God for the things that he is making new in our lives.
The psalm writer says, “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God…” (Psalm 40:3). When is the last time you learned a new song? I love the old hymns as much as anyone, but when did God stop creating new music? A new song can inspire you to worship and pray in a way that will please God. Some people praise God with songs that he has given them, songs that no one else even knows! Let’s always be aware of words and rhymes that God puts in our hearts—often taken directly from Scripture—so that we can worship him in a new and wonderful way.
Isaiah 62:2 says, “…you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow.” Some believe that this prophecy was fulfilled when the believers were first called “Christians” at Antioch (Acts 11:26). Let us rejoice that we have been given such a prestigious new name, and let us pray that we will wear that new name in a way that honors the One who bestowed it.
Another prayer we could offer for the new year is to give thanks for the compassionate love that God renews every single day of our lives. Lamentations 3:22-23 says, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” No matter how badly we messed up yesterday, God’s love is available today. We can repent and turn to our loving heavenly Father, who will freely offer his forgiveness as part of the great compassion that he has for us, compassion that is offered new every morning.
Finally, we could pray a new prayer about the love that we have for our fellow Christians. In John 13:34-35, Jesus says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Let’s pray that we will love our brothers and sisters in Christ more deeply than ever before.
These are just a few new prayers that we could pray for the new year. I am sure that you can come up with more. The important thing is that we continue to pray as we go into the coming year. May it be a great year of blessing for you and your family!
Forget about jets, race cars and speed boats. Nothing goes as fast as middle age.—Anonymous
Middle age is that time of life when a man will let his wife go anywhere, just as long as she doesn’t insist on his coming along.—Anonymous
Middle age is when you have two temptations—and you choose the one that will get you home by nine.—Ronald Reagan
Middle age is that difficult period between adolescence and retirement when you have to take care of yourself.—Anonymous
Middle age is when you try to find out where the action is so you can go someplace else.—Patricia Leimbach
Now for my own thought about middle age. This is the time of your life when you can be most effective for Jesus and his church. You have a lot of experience that you can use to disciple others, and you probably have some energy left to do just that.
The apostle Paul was probably middle-aged when he wrote these words—“He (Jesus) is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.” (Col.1:28-29).
The Christmas holiday season brings a great deal of happiness to many people. The festivities, the family gatherings and the celebration of the birth of Jesus bring good times and fond memories. However, this time of year can also be a time of struggles for many. Perhaps it is their first Christmas without a loved one. Maybe they are facing a serious health issue, an economic crisis or strife in the family. When the Christmas decorations are put away for another year, the stark realities of life set in, and many find it hard to cope. The season that brought such joy and peace can quickly fade into a season of despair and inner conflict. What can we do to find help when we are lonely and discouraged? The Bible provides some answers.
The apostle Paul was near the end of his life when he wrote his second letter to Timothy. He was in prison when he wrote this letter, and there are some hints that Paul was feeling lonely and discouraged. This man who urges us to rejoice always (Phil.4:4) had some times of despair in his own life. (See 2 Cor.6:3-13 for one example.) Even the most mature Christians are not immune from feelings of discouragement. How do we deal with this? 2 Tim.4:9-18 gives us some good teaching on this matter.
First, Paul realistically addresses the situation. Demas has deserted him. Other friends and co-workers have been called away on kingdom business. Paul must have been cold and bored in prison, because he asks Timothy to bring him his cloak and some reading materials. He points out that a man named Alexander had done him a great deal of harm. Paul lists here a number of situations that have caused him to be discouraged. He did not try to paint a rosy picture. So the first thing you need to do when you are feeling lonely and discouraged is to plainly lay out the truth. However, we can’t just wallow in self-pity. Paul also gives us some ideas about how to cope with feelings of despondency.
He starts out in v.9 by asking Timothy to come to him as quickly as possible. Don’t wait for others to come and alleviate your loneliness. Reach out to them. Tell someone that you would greatly appreciate a visit from them.
Secondly, Paul points out that he is not completely alone. Luke is with him. When we are feeling down we tend to overlook the good things and good people that we do have in our lives. It is good medicine to be thankful for the ones who are involved in our lives and are very helpful to us.
Then Paul shows a spirit of forgiveness. He asks Timothy to bring Mark with him, because he had been helpful in his ministry. Paul had earlier been down on Mark because he had bailed out on a missionary journey. However, Paul later was willing to give Mark a second chance. We must never underestimate the value of forgiveness in maintaining our mental well-being.
Then Paul asks for some creature comforts. Perhaps he was not given time to gather his belongings before he was whisked away to prison. In any case, he asks Timothy to bring his cloak and his reading material. Wearing the cloak would help ease the misery of a cold, dreary prison cell. Reading the scrolls and parchments would help take his mind off of his current situation. I don’t think that it is too much of a stretch to say that perhaps the best thing we could do when we are feeling down is to wrap up in a warm comforter (hot beverage is optional, but recommended!) and enjoy some of our favorite reading material.
Finally, Paul shows that he is placing his full trust in God. Even though Alexander had done him a great deal of harm, he does not suggest any kind of payback. Instead he says that the Lord will repay him for his treachery. Paul then credits the Lord for standing by his side and giving him strength. He closes out this section of Scripture in v.18 with this powerful declaration of trust—“The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
That’s the biggest key to getting through a time of loneliness and discouragement—trust that the Lord will see you through anything you have to face in life. And trust that he will bring you safely into his heavenly kingdom as well!
Luke 2 records the account of an angel of the Lord appearing to shepherds who were keeping watch over their flocks at night. He told them about the good news that had happened in Bethlehem—a Savior had been born to them.
“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’”—Luke 2:13-14.
It is interesting to note that the word “host” can also be translated “army”. Isn’t it just like God to send an army to announce peace!
And it is only through Jesus that we can have peace with God. Jesus can take away the sin that separates us from God. Through Jesus God reconciles us to himself so that we can have true and lasting peace with him. The world can only offer partial and temporary peace. The only peace that matters in the end is the peace that God offers us through Jesus.
Luke 2 tells us that an angel of the Lord appeared to shepherds and revealed to them that the Messiah, the Lord, had been born in Bethlehem. These shepherds hurried off to see for themselves what had happened, and they found everything just as the angel had told them—baby Jesus was wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Verses 17-18 tell us, “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.”
It was unusual that God chose shepherds to be the messengers to spread the word to other people about the birth of the Christ child. Shepherds were not highly regarded in the first century. They had the annoying habit of confusing other people’s property for their own. And their word was generally so unreliable that shepherds were forbidden from giving their testimony in a court of law. Yet God chose people from this despised class to spread the good news about Jesus.
That’s just a reminder that God uses flawed people—just like us—to be involved in his perfect plan to save people through Jesus.
Who is coming to your house for Christmas? Is the uncle who always tells the corny jokes going to be there? Maybe the aunt who still pinches your cheeks the way she did when you were three years old! Will your brother-in-law be there? You know, the one who still owes you $50. Most families have an interesting mix of family and friends who get together to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Let’s take a look at who was there for the first Christmas. Luke 2 records the story of the birth of Jesus. When I was in junior high, our English teacher, Mrs. Dye, required all of her students to memorize Luke 2:1-20. If a teacher in a public school gave that assignment today, I suppose that he or she would face the wrath of the ACLU, or perhaps some atheist parents. I am glad that I grew up in a time when people were more receptive to God’s word.
In Luke 2 we read that Joseph and Mary were there, of course. Joseph was an ordinary carpenter who was given an extraordinary assignment—to be the earthly father of the Son of God! Joseph struggled with this idea at first. When Mary, who was pledged to be his wife, was found to be pregnant, Joseph planned to quietly divorce her. He knew that he was not the father of the child, so he suspected that she had been unfaithful to him. However, an angel convinced him that she had not been unfaithful, and that this was God’s plan to save his people from their sins (Matt.1).
Mary was an ordinary Jewish girl whose only qualification for being chosen to be the mother of Jesus seems to be that she had found favor with God. Like Joseph, Mary questioned the idea of a virgin conception. However, she also had a visit from an angel who explained God’s plan to her. Mary’s response was to accept the assignment that she had been given (Luke 1).
As Mary neared the time for her baby to be delivered, she and Joseph made their way to Bethlehem to register for the census. It was so crowded there that they could not find a proper room to stay in. When the time came for Jesus to be born, he was wrapped in cloths and placed in a manger. What a humble entrance for the King of kings and Lord of lords! We might have written a different script, but this is God’s story—his story of how he would save the world through his Son Jesus.
Luke tells us that shepherds were there that first Christmas. They were just minding their own business, keeping watch over their flocks at night, when something marvelous happened. An angel appeared to them and told them of the birth of Jesus. Then v.13-14 says, “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’”
The shepherds decided that they must go right away to search for the baby Jesus. When they found him they praised God and spread the word about what had been told them about this child. They could not keep from worshiping God and spreading the good news that a Savior had been born.
Just as Joseph and Mary and the shepherds accepted their proper role that first Christmas, let’s consider what God wants us to do as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. He wants us to obey him, even if it requires a big change in our lives. He wants us to spend time worshiping and praising God for sending us a Savior in Jesus. And he wants us to spread the good news about Jesus wherever we go!
This past October 2, Brandon Brown had just won a NASCAR race at Talladega and was being interviewed by NBC Sports reporter, Kelli Stavast. The crowd was chanting a vulgar, anti-Joe Biden phrase, which Stavast mistakenly took to be a cheer for Brandon Brown. Since then, the phrase “Let’s go, Brandon!” has spread like wildfire.
Some people try to justify using the phrase by pointing out that liberal entertainers and politicians have publicly said much worse about former president Donald Trump. They assert that the humorous code phrase is not nearly as offensive as chanting the actual vulgar words.
I suppose it all depends on your goals. Are you trying to be just a little bit better than rude, foul-mouthed people? Or are you trying to follow Jesus Christ?
“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”—1 Corinthians 11:1.
When someone is baptized into Christ, two things happen. First, that person’s sins are forgiven. Secondly, that person receives the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). The gift of the Holy Spirit enables each Christian to serve the church in a specific way. God gives us this gift, then we in turn share that gift with the church. Rom.12:6-8 says, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”
This list of spiritual gifts is not comprehensive. There are other gifts listed in Scripture. But this list gives us a pretty good start in considering what kind of gift we might have to give to the church.
Prophecy is speaking the word of God. We need more Christians in their schools, workplaces, neighborhoods and churches reminding others of what the Bible says that we must do or not do. As we speak the truth in love, the church will grow to maturity (Eph.4:15). We all have the responsibility to do this, but some are especially gifted in the area of speaking forth God’s truth.
Serving is a gift that many Christians have. Again, we all have the responsibility to serve, but some are extra blessed to do the physical work of the church that blesses other people. They are the ones who shovel snow off the church sidewalks, prepare the communion trays, clean the church building and so on and so forth. They primarily toil behind the scenes, not seeking the spotlight and often going unnoticed for their important work in the church.
Another gift is teaching. There are things that we all can teach to someone, but the ones with this gift are exceptionally capable of imparting knowledge from God’s word that can help other believers grow in their faith.
The next gift on the list is encouraging. One of Satan’s greatest tools is discouragement. How important it is that we encourage one another on a regular basis! Those whose spiritual gift is encouraging others have one of the most important jobs in the church. They are the ones who lift our spirits with their kind words of inspiration, whether written or spoken. They lift us up when we are down, and they remind us that our work in the church is not going unnoticed.
Some people have the gift of giving. They are able to joyfully give more than a tenth of their income to the church. They lead the way with their generosity and inspire others to give more of their finances to help the kingdom grow.
Still other people in the church are gifted with the ability to lead. God has always worked through individuals that he has called to lead the way. Leadership is in the hands of the few, and if you are called to lead, you must do that boldly, but humbly. Diligent, godly leaders are necessary if the church is to move forward today.
The final gift on this list is to show mercy. God has shown us mercy through his son, Jesus, and we are to in turn show mercy to others. Those who are especially gifted in this area spend a lot of time ministering to people who are sick or lonely or hurting. They send cards, bring food, offer prayers and generally make the worst moments of our lives a bit more tolerable. God bless all of those who have the gift of mercy!
Well, there you have it. Hopefully you have already figured out how God has gifted you to serve in your local church and are using your gift faithfully. Let’s all give our gifts to the church, not just at Christmas, but all year round.
Jesustrek 