Joy

A teen girl is pregnant. Her boyfriend marries her even though he is not the father. In her 9th month she was forced to move by the government and gives birth in a homeless shelter. A short time later she must move again. Now she is a political refugee in fear for her son's life. That baby would grow up to become a convict, executed for a crime he didn't commit.

This tragic story is actually one of Joy. An angel said “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11)

Some mistake happiness for joy but JOY is greater than happiness. The Bible mentions "joy" or "rejoicing" 330 times. But it only mentions "happiness" 26 times. Happiness depends upon what happens to you. So, if all the circumstances are right, then you can be happy. But joy comes from inside.

Paul says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness & self-control." (Galatians 5:22)

Joy is an evidence of the presence of God in your life. If God is in your life, if you are filled with the Spirit of God, then this fruit of the Spirit will be obvious in your life.

Jesus taught us joy can be experienced despite our circumstances. On the night before the crucifixion, Jesus is in the upper room with His apostles. Gethsemane, the arrest & trial are coming. Soon He will be nailed to a cross, and He will die. On the last night of His life, facing the cross, Jesus talks about love & joy, "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you & that your joy may be complete." (John 15:11)

The Bible points to the source of our joy, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author & perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross & scorned its shame." (Hebrews 12:2)

Paul writes, "Therefore we don’t lose heart. Though outwardly we waste away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day. Our light & momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

Joy is the evidence of God’s presence in your life. It turns pain into victory

Hope

This is a gloomy time of year. The days are shorter, there is a chill in the air and COVID-19 still hangs in the air. There is hope in the air, carried by the news of a vaccine as a new year approaches.

Hope is the theme of the First Sunday of Advent. The prophet Isaiah told his divided nation, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” (Isaiah 9:2)

Israel to the north would be crushed by the Assyrians; the people were scattered. To the South, Judah would be carried away to Babylon; their Temple destroyed but Isaiah told them of the promised Messiah, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)

America has faced gloomy times before. Each time we bounced back stronger than before. The Civil War killed more soldiers than WWI and WWII combined. In the aftermath, slavery was abolished and the reunited nation became the world's strongest economy. We emerged from the Great Depression and WWII as a global economic and political leader.

By the grace of God we have survived pandemics, terrorist attacks, riots, economic downturns and more but the ups and downs of America are but a flash in the pan in the history of God's work with humanity. God is in control and is moving towards an end where he will be glorified.

My hope this First Sunday of Advent echoes the words of Paul: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)

Let God's light shine through you

As Christmas approaches, the nights grow longer. Clouds often dim the little available daylight. This is a time when we celebrate light. We light advent candles in church and hang lights on our Christmas trees and houses and drive around to see our neighbors' decorations.

We love light. Flashlights, nightlights, porch lights, refrigerator lights; they make us feel safe. The first recorded word that God spoke was, “Let there be light!”

“God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” (I John 1:5)

Sometimes, however, the darkness is within us. Sorrow and despair cloud our minds and our hearts. Christmas isn't merry for some. They look around and see a hurting world.

During a time when half of Israel has taken into captivity and the remnant was oppressed by other nations and their own cruel leaders, the prophet Isaiah wrote of a future hope, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned...” (Isaiah 9:2)

Jesus is that promised light. He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

The Gospel of John proclaims that the darkness cannot overcome the light. (John 1:5) Darkness is negative. It is the absence of light. It has no power of its own. All the darkness in the world can't put out a single candle. However, the smallest light shines brightest when it is darkest.

Light is greater than darkness and God’s good news is always greater than Satan’s bad news. Jesus' crucifixion could not extinguish the light, the cross would transform evil into good; a curse into a blessing.

The promised Savior had come to earth. He would love the world and bring his light to it. He would teach us his ways, and become the sacrifice for our sins.

Jesus told his followers, “You are the light of the world...” (Matthew 5:14)

The Bible says that Jesus' followers are “... a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light...” (1 Peter 2:9)

Darkness stunts growth and leads to death. Light, on the other hand, promotes growth. Bring the light wherever you go.

Let your light so shine before men,

that they may see your good works

and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

Are We Losing the War on Christmas?

There are some who say that society is waging on Christmas. The evidence presented ranges from micro-aggressions such as “Happy Holidays” to the more offensive substitution of X for Christ in Xmas.

Christmas is a time when Christians celebrate the coming of Christ (Advent) and His birth. We don't exactly know when He was born but the early church decided that this season would be a good time to celebrate. Pagans in Europe had celebrations that revolved around the days becoming shorter and colder but the church wanted Christians to focus on God during their merriment. Ancient traditions (e.g. decorating trees, feasts, etc.) were deemed acceptable and new things were added (manger scenes, Advent candles, etc.)

The danger does not lie with the “barbarians at the gate;” those secular folks wishing us a “Happy Holiday.” The real war on Christmas is being waged in the hearts of Christians who lean more towards the commercial than the spiritual side of the season.

As far back as 1965, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” lamented the commercialization of the holiday. Lucy Van Pelt believed it was run by a “big eastern syndicate.” Linus read from the second chapter of Luke to remind us all of the reason for the season. For more than 50 years the Peanuts gang has given this tender reminder.

Today, as in ancient times, we celebrate the coming of Christ with a mixture the secular and the sacred. Since Christmas falls on a Sunday this year, Christian's have the opportunity to keep Christ in Christmas with more that a bumper sticker. Bring your family to worship this Sunday at one of the many churches across the land that didn't take a holiday and will be open to celebrate Jesus' birthday.

Merry Christmas!

Gift Giving at Christmas

Message from Sunday,
November 29:

Gift Giving at Christmas
(Matthew 2:1-2,11-12)




An appropriate attitude towards gift giving can reduce holiday stress and multiply the joy.

Do you need a store clerk’s greeting to complete your Christmas?

It's Merry Christmas not happy holidays, fool!

I keep Christmas in my heart, in my home and in my church. I really don’t focus too much on what they’re doing at the mall or department store. I really don’t care what the public school does either. They can teach grammar and long division, please leave the theology to me.

There are groups of people out there who become outraged at the thought that a store clerk might wish a person a happy holiday rather than a merry Christmas. Some have even suggested a boycott of big name stores, somehow connecting consumerism to the birth of our savior.

Shame on them. Shame on them, twice. First, for attempting to propagate the false doctrine that shopping is a Christian discipline. Second, for failing to bring the blessings of the gospel to a place they have identified as being without Christ.

“Go tell it on the mountain” we sing, to which I add, and at the mall, at work and everywhere you go. Spare me insincere greetings from those who are paid to replace, “Have a nice day,” with “Merry Christmas” because someone threatened a boycott.

Let the merchants bring us material goods at a fair price and leave the evangelism to the followers of Christ.

So, to those who share my faith, I say merry Christmas. To those who do not, I say happy holidays. And to those who need the malls and department stores to validate their celebration, I say good hunting.