Christmas

Merry Christmas!

/ pastorpete51 / 16 Comments 
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 
Luke 2:10-11 ESV

Some of you have followed this blog for a while, and others are new, but I appreciate every one of you who has taken the time to interact. I do read as many of your blogs as I can, and appreciate the encouragement, challenges and even corrections offered. We serve an awesome and wonderful Savior and none of us has all the answers! Now, December 25th is a very unlikely date for the actual story of Bethlehem, but it gives us a unique opportunity to share the wonderful story of our Jesus. This world is far too busy and even radically opposed to His message of repentance, faith and hope most of the time, but on this day, many businesses are closed and much of the western world pauses to catch its breath. Why not use this brief opportunity to share the radical hope, joy and peace we have found in Jesus? Today, I offer to you my final Christmas message, from the Friday service and also offer two free books. The video is just a tad over six minutes, so it won’t eat up much of your time, and these two devotional books will be available for a free download, from Christmas Eve through the day after Christmas. Have a Merry Christmas and may God bless you richly with both a wonderful Silent Night and the great joy we can find only in Jesus Christ!

Here are the links to the two books. The first, Grace for the Road is a 40-day devotional book especially for caregivers. The second is a 30-day Christmas Devotional which I wrote for 2023. I hope that one of these two gifts may serve in place as a little something for your Christmas stocking. Blessings all

In the Silence

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments 
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 
Luke 2:8 ESV

Have you ever wondered why God sometimes requires our silence? When I was small, my parents had a dinner table rule, “Children were to be seen and not heard!” Today, I realize that it was because they needed time to talk with each other after a busy day, but at the time I hated it! It felt like my mom and stepdad were only interested in themselves, and that we kids were second class citizens. So, when God asks for our silence, we might feel the same way, but it isn’t true. God is looking for us to be quiet so that He can tell us what is on His heart.

In fat, it was on that first Christmas, that God came in a moment of quietness to shepherds, who were watching their sheep. When God broke their silence, it was with the message of “Good news of great joy, that will be for all people!” In the darkness and the silence, God came to show us all, that He: the Good Shepherd, was watching over us, His sleeping sheep. Today, He invites us to come into His presence, in Heaven, where we will never be silent again, but there we will worship Him with shouts of praise for all eternity!

“In the holy hush of dawn – I hear a voice
I am with you all the day – Rejoice! Rejoice!”
L. B. Cowman - Streams in the Desert November 28

Lentil Soup And a Wise Man’s Gift

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment 
And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 
Matthew 2:11 ESV

“What’s for dinner honey?” I said with a laugh knowing that it would be lentil soup for its third and final performance. During those first years of marriage, our food shopping was a low-cost adventure. So, with Christmas not far away, even putting up a tree with decorations was something we couldn’t afford. That year, Christmas Eve was pay day and at four thirty I waited in line for my check. “Merry Christmas” My boss said winking as he handed me my envelope. “There’s something extra in there for you tonight.”  

I peeked inside and drew a quick breath in astonishment. “Wow thanks Joe! Merry Christmas to you too” I said amazed at seeing a fifty-dollar bill tucked inside! I drove home through the heavy traffic getting there just before five. “Come on Nancy! Let’s go buy a tree!” I shouted as I ran up the stairs to show her my bonus. Five minutes later we bundled up and drove to a Christmas tree lot where the owner was delighted to sell us a tree for five dollars, just before he closed. Then we raced over to the Woolworth store, where for ten cents each we bought some colored glass bulbs and a string of lights with tinsel. God didn’t have to send the wise men with gifts to make it Christmas; but He did. That Christmas our wise man was named Joe and he left us a special gift on that Silent and Holy Night!

“Because of Bethlehem, I have a Savior in heaven. Christmas begins what Easter celebrates. The child in the cradle became the King on the cross. And because he did, there are no marks on my record. Just grace.”  
Max Lucado
Lentil Soup And a Wise Man’s Gift 
by Peter Caligiuri - Copyright 2021
All rights reserved