faith

One Christmas Faith

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One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all. Ephesians 4:5-6 KJV

It’s the Holiday season and everywhere you look there are elves, reindeer and the big guy in the red suit. But without any desire to offend anyone I need to get this off my chest:  I hate Hallmark movies! Okay maybe not all, but how is it possible to produce dozens of Christmas themed films without having a single one about the birth of Christ? I will admit that to their credit at least Hallmark keeps things family friendly for the holidays; but then the question needs to be asked: Just what are we celebrating?

It might feel uncomfortable to insist that Christmas is only about Jesus because it runs counter to our inclusive culture. But Paul makes it crystal clear that real faith is exclusive and unique. If people choose to celebrate Christmas while leaving out Jesus they are completely missing the point. There are not a thousand different ways to get to God: there is only one. We are lost and in need of a Savior and that is why God sent His Son. The verse from the Old Christmas Carol says –

No ear may hear His coming

But in this world of sin

Where meek souls will receive Him still

The dear Christ enters in*

Oh yes there is only one Christmas faith, but the good news is that no matter who we are, what we have done, or what others think of us; if we open our hearts to receive Him; the dear Christ still enters in!

*O Little Town of Bethlehem Lewis Redner 1868

God is not Far Away

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And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. Luke 17:17-19 KJV

To understand this story we need understand a little about leprosy in the Bible. Far from being just an affliction of the poor, those with leprosy ranged from generals and kings to even a man named Simon who was one of Jesus’ closest friends. Because of both the law and its contagious nature, those with leprosy were required to live separately from others.  Without divine intervention eventually lepers all ended up outside of town with no companions except for their fellow lepers. That is where Jesus met the ten men that day. When they first saw Jesus they shouted at the top of their lungs for help from a distance. They had heard how Jesus had healed others and hoped that He would do the same for them.

India and Nepal 231

Don’t we all pray like that some days? God seems far away; but we hope that if we ask loudly enough, maybe He will listen. What we need to know is that Jesus is actually a lot more willing to help us than we think. In fact just as healing the ten lepers was the main event for Jesus that day so your request and mine matters deeply to Him right now. He knows our hearts and He chooses to come close even when others stay away. But transformation from leprosy to health is only the beginning of what God has in mind. What He really wants is to be close and for us to fall at Jesus’ feet and be made whole as we give thanks!

When the Mountain Moves

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For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ … Mark 11:23 NKJV

Have you ever tried working up enough faith to move a mountain? I sometimes wonder if I could even move a pebble but maybe we’re missing the point of mountain moving. Jesus never did miracles just to put on a show. He calmed storms, multiplied bread or healed the sick to meet a need. If we are called to move mountains with our faith then it must also be for some good reason.

Can you imagine people waking up asking, “Where in the world did that mountain go that was here yesterday. The answer is in Zechariah

‘Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” ’ ” Zechariah 4:7

By God’s word the mountain moves so that we can walk across the plain with God’s love to a new destination of Grace.