Month: December 2019

Is Jesus the Light of Your World?

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Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “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 ESV

I rolled over in bed slapping at the alarm clock and then throwing off my blanket and sitting up. It was 4:45 a.m. again and time for me to begin milking the cow. I stumbled upstairs, found the milk bucket then filled the bottom few inches with warm water for washing the cow’s udder. Then I’d grab a clean cloth and step out the door with our cat  following close behind. At five a.m. no matter what time of year it was always still dark, but with the beam of my flashlight I could find my way; step by step across the dirt road to the barn where our cow Blossom waited for me.

India and Nepal 121

When we think of Jesus being “The Light of the World” we might picture him rising like the sun in the morning and making everything in life clear. But I think it might be a bit closer to those early mornings when I was crossing the road to the barn. When Jesus promise is that we won’t walk in darkness when we follow Him. It is as if He is holding the flashlight so that if we stay close to Him, it will shine ahead just enough for us to take our next step. We don’t need to know every twist and turn that lies on the road ahead. All we need to do is trust that Jesus knows the way and that He will lead us all the way to His Father’s house!

God Has Given You a Song to Sing

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The Angels had a song

two silver angel figurines

Photo by Magda Ehlers on Pexels.com

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:13-14

The Shepherds Had a song

Luke 2:20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

photo of woman holding lamb

Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Pexels.com

Mary Had a Song

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,   and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant  For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. Luke 1:46-49

Kyla as Mary 2

 

Some of us sing soprano like the angels with every hearing everyone note. Some of us sing alto and with  in  middle notes like the shepherds. Not everyone appreciates our harmonies but whey hold the melodies together. Some of us have bass notes; like Mary who was thankful that God regarded her low estate. But no matter what part we are given in God’s heavenly choir he has assigned each of us our place and He is waiting for us to sound the next note as together we are singing His song!

 

Joseph Chose Faith

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But as he considered these things behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying, “Joseph son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 1:20 ESV

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David.   Luke 2:4 ESV

Sometimes I lie awake the night before a trip, turning over in my mind whether we have enough food, clothing, and money for the days ahead. On those nights I remember the story of Joseph the carpenter and husband of Mary.

Imported from phone 1273

  1. In spite of the hardships he trusted instead of complained

Amazingly in spite of so many things Joseph might have worried about, we don’t hear one single complaint from him.  The Bible is quite clear that Mary and Joseph were not super-heroes. They just trusted God.

 

  1. No matter what anybody thought Joseph chose God’s plan over his own

But Joseph also had to choose to say yes.  He had to decide if he would accept the angel’s message and accept Mary as his wife.

 

  1. When change was difficult and painful he traveled in Faith instead of fear

Later as he and Mary prepared to go to Bethlehem, he also had to trust God to protect them along the road where thieves often lay in wait. Where would they stay? Should they return to Nazareth or make a new life in Bethlehem? But he traveled in complete trust that God would handle all the details.

As Christmas approaches and this year draws to a close do you some fears about your future? Do you wrestle with doubts about God’s plan for your life? If we want to travel on in confidence then we need to bring all our questions to God; just like Joseph and then trust Him for the answers. God knows the road ahead just as He understands our doubts and fears. God has not chosen us to become super-heroes out to save the day. He has chosen us because we are ordinary and God loves to save every plain ordinary person who will trust Him with all our hearts!

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