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Gifts of Mercy

/ pastorpete51 / 4 Comments

Because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high Luke 1:78

Mercy may seem like a small thing, to someone who is an outside observer, but to the one who is receiving it, Mercy is the most necessary thing on the planet!

While we are busy shopping, celebrating and giving gifts it is important to remind ourselves that the most important gifts are unlikely to be found in stores. The gifts of greatest value can only be given after our own hearts have been touched by God’s mercy. In Bethlehem’s manger God chose to come and visit us and for 33 years He stayed until the day when His blood was given as His sacrifice of mercy. Remembering that amazing gift, then what gifts of mercy can we give to others today?

A Gift of Mercy Can be

A pint of blood for someone we don’t know

A handful of tissues when tears start to flow

A silent embrace when someone’s world falls apart

A light at the door when we come home after dark

A kiss of acceptance from someone we’ve hurt

A check in the mail when we’ve been out of work

Angel songs in the night when we’re out in the field

And the Babe in the manger before whom we kneel!

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When They Saw The Star

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy Matthew 2:10

The star shone brighter and brighter as the wise men followed it to Bethlehem. They may have paused just over the horizon from Bethlehem, and given thanks for God’s guidance all through their long journey.

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As our own journey to Christmas draws near its end we need to remember all the many times, on our darkest nights that God sent His star. He sends the star to help us know the Savior was born. He sent the star to guide our path to Him. He sent the star to light our way. He sent His star to come and stand over the place where we can come and present our gifts to Him and worship. Thank God for His amazing gift that leads us to Jesus Christ, the bright and morning star!

Dove of Peace

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:                 Ecclesiastes 3:1

Pete Seeger was sort of quoting from King Solomon when he sang

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“A time for peace, I pray it’s not too late!” in the song “Turn Turn Turn” At the time the song became a number one hit in 1965, the unspoken reference was to the Vietnam war though very few of us teens had read the verses from Ecclesiastes which had inspired the song. However, as King Solomon also pointed out:

What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9

As Christmas approaches we also are faced with the continued threats of terrorism and war. Whether people are, dining out, going to the movies or even attending their weekly prayer meetings it seems that there is no place exempt from violence. But in these moments when everything seems to be closing in, we have to remind ourselves that Jesus never promised peace on earth, for now…BUT

Because Jesus went to the cross, true peace is always possible – Thank God it is never too late! Peace is not the absence of war, though we would wish it so. Peace is the presence of the dove of peace ruling in our hearts no matter what comes.