Joy

Thursday Sunshine – Joy!

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Once in our world, a Stable had something in it that was bigger than our whole world.
C. S. Lewis


THIRD Week of ADVENT – JOY. Pastor Janice Burnett
When I was a little girl I would have a recurring bad dream that now seems really silly – but at that time it was very scary. Each time I woke up afraid from that dream, my father came to my room and comforted me. You could say that his presence brought me not only hope and peace as we discussed the last two weeks – but it also brought joy. I don’t remember what he told me, but it worked! When you’re afraid, doesn’t good news bring you joy? A few thousand years ago there were men, minding their own business watching a flock of sheep at night. No one else wanted their job, because in that day shepherding was considered dirty work. While the rest of the world was sleeping safely in their homes, the shepherds were out in the fields with sheep.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. Luke 2:8-17 NIV
The shepherds went from being terrified to being joyous. I’m sure that they had heard of babies being born plenty of times before. It is always good news to hear about a baby’s birth. But…this wasn’t “just any birth”! This was the birth of the Messiah – the one who would take away the sins of people, and God chose the shepherds to hear the good news first. Who wouldn’t rejoice and jump and shout for joy with that kind of good news? Their good news about Jesus is still good news for us today.
Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, thank You for the joy that comes from knowing You and Your Son Jesus who comes every time I call to Him, even when I don’t feel good or am afraid. Help me to experience Your hope, peace and joy. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen!

God Can Even Use Taxes! By Peter Caligiuri
And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David 🙂 Luke 2:3-4 KJV
There is a great deal of talk in the church about finding God’s will for our finances, families, and careers. People often talk about God speaking to them about their ministry, buying a house or even choosing a spouse. But amazingly, God chose to lead Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem just in time for Jesus to be born there by having the government send them a bill for taxes!
God’s doesn’t design His plan to be like a puzzle for us to solve, or a theological issue open to debate. He regularly chooses the most ordinary ways to lead us to some of the most spectacular breakthroughs for our lives. He works that way to show us that He is interested in the everyday concerns of our lives. If He chose to reveal the exact place and time for Jesus’ birth by a bill in the mail, we can be confident that if we are willing to obey Him; He will show us the way to go and help us get there right on time!

It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you. Mother Teresa

Thursday Sunshine is a weekly devotional newsletter that is a collaboration between Pastor Janice Burnett, Rob Keller and myself(Peter Caligiuri) we publish and distribute the Sunshine Newsletter among 8-9 different long term care facilities in Jew York and Florida. If you would like to receive our free publication simply send your contact information to Revpete51@gmail.com.

The Signature of God

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The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Psalm 19:1 ESV

One of my favorite reasons for going to the beach is to watch the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico. Any sunset is beautiful but the most spectacular require some clouds on the horizon, for the sun to light up with amazing shades of red, orange and yellow below the canopy of a fading blue sky.  When my sister-in-law passed away recently, I was reminded of sunsets in our own lives. Our years of day trips into Chinatown, Christmases at the big house when all six brothers and sisters gathered and walks in Golden Gate Park reflected off the clouds of sorrow that came with the phone call telling us of Diane’s passing.

Though grief has settled on our horizon, God is painting the colors of sunset on our hearts with hope. Diane’s hope was not in the doing or possessing of anything here on this shore, but across the other side of the sea with Jesus Christ. The beauty of the hope we hold onto when the blue sky of our passing years fades is His signature which says, “This life is mine, and a new and happier one lies across the sea.”  There we will meet Diane again, where we will be able to run up heaven’s hills and together breathe deeply of its pure air. Our life here is just an unfinished canvas. If we put the paintbrush of our will into the Master’s hands, He will fill our days with His design and sign at the bottom when He is done. Just as every sunset tells us that God has finished another day, so a life that is His will receive His signature, declaring, “This is mine – and all that has passed is only the beginning of all the wonders that lie in store!”

Joy Unspeakable

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Years ago we lived in a small upstairs apartment and the only telephone was on the wall in the kitchen. It may be hard for young people to imagine but then the ringing of the phone meant an important message and everyone in the family ran to answer it. Around midnight when we were all sound asleep, the phone began ringing. Concerned that it must be terribly important my wife shook me by the shoulder, ” Honey! Wake up! You have to get the phone!” she called.

Obediently I stumbled to the kitchen still half asleep without bothering to even flick on the light. By the time I picked up the receiver my mind couldn’t focus any longer and so I just mumbled something incoherent and hung it back on the hook. Then shuffling back across the dark apartment I plopped back in bed.

“So who was it?” Nancy asked.

Who was what?” I answered and fell fast asleep! This last year of the Covid-19 crisis reminds me of that phone call. Everything is dark and is seems like everyone is calling us to action but we are exhausted. Even when we do pick up the phone we no longer have the energy to hear what is being said. But God has great news for all of us fighting this invisible enemy that has sapped our strength. He has an unspeakable joy to give us that is full of glory. In fact the Bible tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength!