Good Year

Habakkuk 2:2

Then the Lord answered me and said, “Write down the vision and inscribe it clearly on tablets, so that one who reads it may run.”

I cannot resist writing just one more New Year’s message. This passage always resonates with me at this time of the year. Now, I know something about you guys. Quite a few of you have already made your goals and plans for this new year. A few of you have written them down. Those who have written down their goals are the most likely to achieve them. Why is that? God told us above, write it down so you can run with it. You can’t run towards a goal you cannot see.

There are many of us who don’t have goals yet for the year. We often have the best intentions, but don’t get them written. Let’s make that the first thing we do this year, our first accomplishment, if you will. Let’s set out some goals and write them down. Okay, so here is the deal, just write it down. The goal you are thinking of right now might seem too big. Write it down anyway. Another goal you inscribe may change over the year. Actually, writing it down helps you to revise your goals. When we don’t have a written record of our desires, everything gets muddled. Write down what you are thinking now and if in a week, if it needs revision, so be it. Revise it.

The passage says to write it clearly or plainly. Besides legibility I think this means to give the goal specificity. Let’s take this example. Let’s say my goal is to read more this year. Okay, what does “more” mean? Is that more than last year? Well, how many books did I read last year. Maybe my goal would be better stated as, “Read 5 books this year.” Good. Now, let’s say it’s May and I have already read five books. No worries, I get out my little journal and revise it to 8. It is also okay to revise a goal down. Maybe some opportunity arises that makes reading 5 books hard. Review your goal and make a reasoned decision about what adds the most value to your life. Is the opportunity stealing from you or adding value? Is the book reading goal more important to you than what the opportunity brings? If it’s really a great opportunity, then revise your reading goal down. That’s okay, but also record in your journal what you are hoping to gain from the opportunity.

Second, what am I going to have to do in order to reach my goal. If I work until 5:00 each day; cook dinner, eat and clean-up until 6:30 and plan to go to bed at 10:00 that leaves me 3 ½ hours to get some reading in. So, what needs to happen so that I can read for 30 minutes? Well, perhaps I decide to go to bed at 9:30 and read before I go to sleep. Or, maybe after the kitchen is clean, I need to take my 30 minutes right then before they get lost in a whirlwind of other activities. You get the point. Goals are not achieved without intentionality and a plan. Writing down a clear concise recitation of the goal is key but then develop a plan around that and write it down.

When I say that I want you to have a fabulous 2022, I mean it. I do not write these things lightly. All of the words I send to you come from within me. So, saying, Happy New Year means something. As wonderful as the sentiment is, I also feel a responsibility to help you have that good year. That’s why we do a Word of the Day. When I read today’s verse, I know that Yahweh is teaching us something important. Every word which proceeds from His lips has life in it. Therefore, I hope you will take this seriously and begin, today, to write down what you would like to achieve or see come to fruition in this year. Attach some dates too.

Write it down and review it regularly, at least weekly if not daily. If daily is too much, sit down Sunday night and remind yourself what you are believing for. Then start your week with determined purpose. You will find God leading you in amazing ways if you do this.

I pray you have a great year, full of new beginnings, accomplishments, and blessings!

Shining light

Matthew 5:16

Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

I am not a behaviorist by which I mean, I do not teach and preach behaviors. I try to lead people to a full, rich relationship with Jesus believing that the relationship takes care of any behavioral issues. It seems best to let Jesus lead us in the way to go rather than to push people through guilt and judgment.

Having said that, Jesus describes what life looks like when we do surrender to his lordship. Our lives and behaviors glorify our Father. Christianity does not require that we behave in a certain way so that God will love us. In fact, it is just the opposite. We behave in a way that honors Him precisely because He loves us. His love motivates us.

Now, at the beginning of a new year, is a great time to begin to sensitize ourselves to Yahweh’s presence and presents. Christmas is still fresh in our minds, a time when we celebrate the new life He gave us in Christ Jesus. It is that love, the love which sent Jesus to earth that gives us rebirth and the new year is a very real symbol of renewal.

Take time to turn your sensitivity to your life in Christ. Pay attention to the voice of your heart. Pause to listen to what the Lord is saying to you daily. When you do, behavioral modification is not such an issue. Your light will shine so that everyone sees the love of God living in you.

Happy New Year

Revelation 21:5

And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”

Happy New Year! And why shouldn’t we celebrate the beginning of a new year? Surely the last two years have been unique with their challenge, but each year holds the promise of new beginnings. I am reminded of a newly minted penny. Though it is the smallest of all denominations, worth the least monetarily, it outshines all other minted coins in its radiance as it heralds its entrance into the world. No other coin, regardless of its engravings or monetary value captures the attention and imagination like a new penny. And that is how I think of the New Year; shiny and glistening in its newness.

I like the beginning of a new year because of the hope and promise it brings. Equally important is its lack of history. The new year has only two days of history. It only has the history we ascribe to it. Largely, then, the joy of the New Year is a matter of perspective and attitude. As adults, of course, we bring some history forward with the new year. We probably have the same job we did in December 2021, and some pending to do’s as well as a host of other responsibilities. However, the beginning of the new year is a time when we can give ourselves license to adopt new opportunities and perhaps decide others no longer fit our needs. It is a time to stop and reflect on our course. The promise of the new year is that we can begin again. I believe that those who will stop their forward momentum, just for a moment, and reflect on their path will gain a clean perspective and, perhaps, a new vision. Sometimes, we are in such a hurry, rushing down the path, that we fail to notice that we were in need of a course correction several miles back. Pause long enough to take a deep breath and recover your equilibrium. Actually take the time to consider your course. Listen. God wants to do great things with you this year. I believe that from the bottom of my heart. You get to choose, today, if you will run with God or if you will stumble through another year. Lift your head and look at the stars. There is a universe of potential out there for you. Stop, breathe, listen, consider. What do you see with the eyes of your heart? What do you want?

I wish for you a year full of adventure. I pray the challenges you find are the kind which bring joy and growth. My hope is that you will stop and consider what you want from this new year. What star would you grab if you believed it within your reach? What is it that you are afraid to hope for but really want? May the blessing of a new year warm you with the hope of its possibilities.

Merry Christmas

 

Amongst all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas Season, I hope you find time to sit and savor all of the beauty of the holiday.  Breathe in the aromas, delight in the flavors.  Let your eyes feast on the twinkle of lights and colorful decorations.  I hope you enjoy every single silly and whimsical delight of this festive time of year.  I also pray that you find time to let your spirit drink in the deepest joy and greatest love.  I pray that your spirit will be as sensitive and tender as it was when you were a child so that you feel Jesus’ presence with you.  May you see his love in the smile of a stranger, his devotion in the twinkle in a loved one’s eyes, and his light radiating from every Christmas bulb and bauble.  May the blessing of this season and God’s gift to you fill you and keep you.

 

Merry Christmas!!

 

I will see you in 2022 as I take time to be with family and friends too.  Until then, Be blessed!

 

Glory and Joy

Luke 2: 6 – 18           TPT

That night, in a field near Bethlehem, shepherds were watching over their flocks. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared in radiant splendor before them, lighting up the field with the blazing glory of God, and the shepherds were terrified! But the angel reassured them, saying, “Don’t be afraid, for I have come to bring you good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard! And it is for everyone everywhere! For today in Bethlehem a rescuer was born for you. He is the Lord Yahweh, the Messiah. You will recognize him by this miraculous sign: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in the feeding trough!”

Then all at once in the night sky, a vast number of glorious angels appeared, the very armies of heaven! And they all praised God, singing:

“Glory to God in the highest realms of heaven!
For there is peace and a good hope given to the sons of men.”

When the choir of angels disappeared and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go! Let’s hurry and find this Word who is born in Bethlehem and see for ourselves what the Lord has revealed to us.” So they hurried off and found their way to Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in a feeding trough.

Upon seeing this miraculous sign, the shepherds recounted what had just happened. Everyone who heard the shepherds’ story was astonished by what they were told.

The Christmas story never gets old. This was taken from the Passion Translation and shows a little more of the astonishment of the occasion. I am sure there are no words which could describe what people experienced during this time, though.

I want to leave you with a few thoughts. First, it is not an understatement to say that shepherds were regarded as lowly. They stayed out in the fields and smelled like their flocks. So, it is interesting that the host of angels should appear to such lowly folks. The reason is so that none of us can deny our own position in the kingdom. If God saw fit to appear to the lowliest of all people, then we are assured access as well.

Second, this good news, this miracle, is for all people. Those are important words and are still playing out. What began as an Israelite miracle, has transformed the entire world and continues to. This great savior is for all and what great news is that? Even as the shepherds heard the good news, foreign wise men began their trek, men who were not Israelites but you journeyed to offer expensive gifts to the king. Wow!

Third, the word the shepherds used regarding going to see this “miracle” was “rhema”. They said, let us go to Bethlehem and see this “living Word”. That is so amazing. You “Word” people should be shouting right now as I know my Jewish friends are. The shepherds heard what the angels were saying, that The Living Word of God had come in human form to save the world. Glory to God! I pray this fills your heart with great joy!

Christmas Survival Plan

Proverb 29: 9

When a wise person has a controversy with a foolish person, the foolish person either rages or laughs, and there is no rest.

Otherwise stated, this verse says, there is no point arguing with a fool. Many of us will be spending the holidays with friends and family. Usually, there is someone in that group (maybe several someones) who presents a challenge. So, this is a good time to think about how you are going to handle those situations.

Let us all start now praying for peace, patience, tolerance, etc. Don’t wait until Christmas Eve to start praying. Go ahead and get your tank full! Second, let’s just understand that there is no point talking with some people. This verse is so right, they either fly into a tiff, makes sarcastic remarks, or make some completely foolish argument. They have no ambition for seeking absolute truth, have no intention to grow personally and are not interested in what you know or what you have learned in your pursuit of wisdom and growth. Understand who and where they are and just accept them as they are. Don’t try to lead, teach or guide. They aren’t interested, and in the end, they will resent you for it and usually make a scene too.

The best is when you can avoid these folks, but at this time of the year you know that isn’t possible, so we must develop another strategy. You may like to talk about meaningful things, to hear others’ opinions and to voice the counterpoint too. However, not everyone is interested in such a dialogue. That’s okay. So why frustrate yourself and allow the fool to stir up unrest? Solomon is trying to tell us there is no fruit in that pursuit.

Most people are happy talking about themselves, so maybe the best conversation to have with the foolish person you cannot avoid is to ask what they’ve been up to. Just try to avoid the controversy because there is no way to succeed with a fool. The best thing to do is pray for them. We all need more of God in our lives so begin sending your prayers to God now, for them and for you.

Home Town

Psalm 68: 18       TPT

He ascends into the heavenly heights, taking his many captured ones with him, leading them in triumphal procession. And gifts were given to men, even the once rebellious, so that they may dwell with Yah.

Yesterday we saw that when we accept Jesus as Lord, God comes and makes His abode in us, Immanuel, God with us. Today’s verse leads us to an end time message which is pretty funny when you consider it was written before Jesus even came to earth. It is about Jesus, though, that this verse is written. This verse talks about us living with God. When we move into the next phase of life, we will go live with God. Jesus said that though he was leaving, he was going to prepare a place for us (John 14: 2).

There will be a glorious day when we will be set completely free from captivity. Finally, there will be nothing which holds us back. You will enjoy a level of liberty that you cannot even understand. You will say, “I really didn’t even realize I was captured and held prisoner until just this moment when the truth of complete freedom overtook me.”

David looked into heaven and received a vision of Jesus’ ascension. He saw us in his procession. Then God showed him that gifts were bestowed on humans. These would be spiritual gifts. What does that look like? Use your imagination but I think it is the gift of instantaneous travel, of seeing spirit beings, of different languages. Maybe there are gifts of patience and tolerance.

This verse reminds me of the Exodus from Egypt. Not only were God’s people set free, they left carrying gifts of great wealth given to them by the Egyptians. God’s idea of setting the captives free involves fitting them with the accoutrements of a good life.

One surely appreciates that even the formerly rebellious people were given good gifts. David might have been surprised but also gratified for none of us is without some blame. All of those failures are left behind as we enter the wake of Jesus’ glorious ascension. You can now ask the Father about your gifts and you can request gifts. Do you want the gift of tongues? How about the ability to see angels? They are called gifts because Father is giving stuff away. He has an unlimited supply and no interest in holding back his good gifts. Even if you were once rebellious, you now qualify for God’s best. Crazy, right? I am glad God plays by a kinder set of rules than we do. Everything is now available to us, including a home with the Father.