Living in the Light

It was a dark morning. Low, steel-colored clouds filled the sky, and the atmosphere was so dim that I needed to turn on the lights in order to read a book. I had just settled in when that the wind was pushing the clouds to the east, clearing the sky and revealing the sun.
     As I went to the window to get a better look at the drama, a thought came to mind: " The darkness is passing and the true light is already shining" ( 1 John 2:8). The apostle John wrote these words to believers as a message of encouragement. He went on to say, " Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble." By contrast, he euated hating people with roaming around in darkness. Hatred is disorienting; it takes away our sense of moral direction.
     Loving people is not always easy. Yet I was reminded as I looked out the window that frustration, forgiveness, and faithfulness are all part of maintaining a deep connection with the love and light of God. When we choose love instead of hate, we are showing our relationship with Him and reflecting His radiance to the world around us. " God is light; in him there is no darkness at all." ( 1 John 1:5)
      Dear God, help me to experience Your love more fully so that I can share it with others. I want to live in the light of Your grace and mercy.
     Choosing to love people well shows the world what God is like.
Please read Joel 1-3 and Revelation 5

Good News!

World news bombards us from the Internet,television,radio,and mobile devices. The majority seems to describe what's wrong-crime, terrorism,war,and economic problems. Yet there are times when good news invades the darkest hours of sadness and despair-stories of unselfish acts, a medical breakthrough, or steps toward peace in war-scarred places.
     The words of two men recorded in the Old Testament of the Bible brought great hope to people weary of conflict.
     While describing God's coming judgement on a ruthless and powerful nation, Nahum said, " Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace!" ( Nahum 1:15). That news brought hope to all those oppressed by cruelty.
     A similar phrase occurs in the book of Isaiah: " How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation." ( Isaiah 52:7)
      Nahum and Isaiah's prophetic words of hope found their ultimate fulfillment at the first Christmas when the angel told the shepherds, " 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).
      The most important headline in our lives every day is the very best news ever spoken-Christ the Savior is born!
     The birth of Jesus is the best news the world has ever received!
Please read Hosea 12-14 and Revelation 4

The Money

Early in my career while doing work that I saw as more of a mission than a job, another company offered me a position that would give a significant increase in pay. Our family could surely have benefited financially from such a move. There was one problem. I hadn't been looking for another job because I loved my current role, which was growing into a calling.
      But the money...
      I called my father, then in his seventies, and explained the situation. Though his once-sharp mind had been slowed by strokes and strain of years, his answer was crisp and clear: " Don't even think about the money. What would you do?"
      In an instant, my mind was made up. The money would have been my only reason for leaving the job I loved! Thanks, Dad.
      Jesus devoted a substanial section of His Sermon on the Mount to money and our fondness for it. He taught us to pray not for an accumulation of riches but for " our daily bread" ( Matthew 6:11). He warned against storing up treasures on earth and pointed to the birds and flowers as evidence that God cares deeply about His creation. " Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness," Jesus said, " and all these things will be given to you as well."
     Money matters. But money shouldn't rule our decision making process. Tough times and big decisions are opportunities to grow our faith in new ways. Our heavenly Father cares for us.
     Never confuse temptation with opportunity.
Please read Hosea 9-11 and Revelation 3

Christmas in the Village

My earliest childhood memories of Christmas date back to a cluster of small villages nestled among cocoa farms and tall mahogany and palm trees. Wearing new clothes provided by our parents for Christmas, we were a happy group of eight- to - ten year-old kids walking from village to village like the magi who were looking for Baby Jesus. ( Matthew 2:1-2)
      Baby Jesus was not there in person, but we found plenty of friendship and goodwill. Later in the day, our mothers sent us with bowls of food to our neighbors. To us in the village, Christmas was a time of benevolence.
     But something was missing-the authentic Christmas story. In our merry-making, we missed the reason for the festival season. There was no church in any of the villages and no one told us the Christmas message-that God so loved the world that He gave His Son to be our Savior. ( John 3:16)
     It was like attending a birthday party without the birthday person!
      Not like the magi. Their foremost pursuit was to seek Jesus: " Where is the newborn king of the Jews?" they asked. ( Matthew 2:2)
     And when they found him, " they bowed down and worshipped Him. Then they...gave Him gifts." They first found Him and worshipped Him before presenting their gifts.
     Whether we are children or adults, the truth is the same: Christmas goes beyond the festivity and focuses on Christ. The Son of God came that we may have " a rich and satisfying life." ( John 10:10)
     Jesus is the reason for the Christmas season.
Matthew 2:1-11
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of king Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, " Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him."
     King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of  religious law and asked, " Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?"
     " In Bethlehem in Judea," they said, " for this is what the prophet wrote:
 And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.' "
     Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. Then he told them, " Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!"
     After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Wounds from a Friend

Charles Lowery complained to his friend about lower back pain. He was seeking a sympathetic ear, but what he got was an honest assessment. His friend told him, " I don't think your back pain is your problem; it's your stomach. Your stomach is so big it's pulling on your back."
      In his column for REV! Magazine, Charles shared that he resisted the temptation to be offended. He lost the weight and his back problem went away. Charles recognized that " Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted." ( Proverbs 27:5-6)
     The trouble is that so often we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism, for the truth hurts. It bruises our ego, makes us uncomfortable, and calls for change.
      True friends don't find pleasure in hurting us. Rather, they love us too much to deceive us. They are people who, with loving courage, point out what we may already know but find hard to truly accept and live by. They tell us not only what we like to hear but also what we need to hear.
     Solomon honored such friendship in his proverbs. Jesus went further-He endured wounds of our rejection not only to tell us the truth about ourselves but to show us how much we are loved.
      Think of a time when a friend said something honest that caused you pain. Did it benefit you? Is it wise to accept everything our friends tell us?
      A friend is one who can tell you the truth in love.
Please read Hosea 1-4 and Revelation 1

Christmas Welcome

In Pampanga Province in Luzon, Philippines, you'll find San Fernando. The historic city hosts the Giant Lantern Festival featuring the quintessential Filipino Christmas tradition-parols. With simple bamboo, colored paper, and candles, gifted artists create breathtaking star0shaped lanterns to celebrate the birth of Christ.
     Filipinos around the world have taken this Christmas tradition with them into suburban neighborhoods, main street buisnesses, and high-rise condos. You'll even find parols flickering in the humblest stilt houses in the most remote barangays (villages) in the Philippines. The settings differ dramatically, but the Christmas joy remains the same.
     Long ago on a rural hillside, shepherds " staying in the fields" received a startling apperance. " Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others-the armies of heaven praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased' " ( Luke 2:13-14).
     The parol signifies the star of Bethlehem that pointed gift bearing wise men to the Light of the world. The wealthy magi and homeless shepherds were equally welcome. As the prophet had foretold, " For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine" ( Isaiah 8:2). This Light is for everyone.
     The light Christ brings will illuminate even our darkest day.
Luke 2:13-20
Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others-the armies of heaven-praising God and saying, to those with whom God is pleased." When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, " Let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manager. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

The Gift of Encouragement

An old Merle Haggard song, " If We Make It Through December," tells the story of a man laid off from his factory job with no money to buy Christmas gifts for his little girl. Although December is supposed to be a happy time of year, jis life seems dark and cold.
     Discouragement is not unique to December, but it can be amplified then. Our expectations may be higher, our sadness deeper. A little encouragement can go a long way.
     Joseph, a man from Cyprus, was among the early followers of Jesus. The apostles called him Barnabas, which means " son of encouragement." We meet him in Acts 4:36-37 when he sold a piece of property and donated the money to help other believers in need.
     Later, we read that the disciples were afrais od Saul. ( Acts 9:26) " But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles." Saul, later called Paul, had formerly been trying to kill the believers, but Barnabas defended him as a man transformed by Christ.
     All around us are people longing to be encouraged. A timely word, a phone call, or a prayer can bolster their faith in Jesus.
     The generosity and support of Barnabas demonstrate what it means to be a son or daughter of encouragement. That may be the greatest gift we can give to others this Christmas.
     Thank You, Lord, for the gift of encouragement. May we encourage others as they have encouraged us.
     Encouragement may be the greatest gift we give this Christmas.