Thoughtful Thursday: Keeping JOY

John 15:9-13

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

I hope that throughout this year you have learned and applied some truths from the Bible that have been expounded upon in these articles.  I know that I have learned a great deal by writing them.  I love how the Lord had me begin the year talking about considering others and then ending with talking about having joy.  The two absolutely go hand in hand as you’ll see from the above passage in John.

My prayer is that you have found the joy that only Jesus can give. 

My prayer is that you will be full of this joy.

My prayer is that you will keep this joy as we continue into the next year. 

Teen Tuesday: It's All About the Preparation

Have you ever watched the quarterback at a football game and thought that looks so easy, I could do that?  Anyone who has ever watched a football game has seen the quarterback make a poor throw.  Hence, the classic quarterback insult:  “My grandmother can throw better than that!”  Yet, if you have ever played a sport and have had to make a split-second decision, you know that it is not as easy as it looks.  Many things in life are harder than they appear.  As a teenager I underestimated many things, especially concerning living life as an adult.  I did not see all of the preparation or training that gave my parents the tools to face life as an adult. 

                I remember when I finally got my permit.  I asked several times to drive the family car.  Driving a car didn’t seem that hard.  I had driven a go-kart before, so it couldn’t be that much more difficult, I thought.  I remember the first time I drove, I almost ran over some bushes planted by the side of the road.  My mother was sitting in the passenger’s seat, she yelled and reached over to correct the steering wheel.  I was not as prepared to drive as I first thought.  It was another week or two before I drove the car again, during this time I paid close attention to how my parents drove.  I watched how they turned, and how they straightened the wheel after completing a turn.  I paid attention to how quickly they accelerated, and how far away they were from a red light when they started braking.  I became a student who was willing to receive instruction.  The second time that I drove, I was much more cautious.  I took each turn slowly, and gave myself plenty of room to slow down.  I do not remember much of my second drive other than the fact that I was careful, and my mother told me that I did a good job. 

                There are many things in life that require a lot of preparation.  As a teenager, we do not see the preparation that goes into the many aspects of adult life.  We think our parents are holding us back from doing what we want to do.  How hard is it to pay bills and tell people what to do anyway?  What we do not realize is that we are not yet prepared for many of the things that an adult will face.  Our parents have been given the job of training and preparing us for life.  They teach us how to cut the grass and take out the trash, or how to cook a meal and clean the dishes.  There are many things that they must teach us to prepare us for life.  Just like the quarterback who prepares many hours for each game.  The quarterback will watch their opponent’s defense, and try to figure out the best way to score.  They will run drills with their receivers to make sure that the routes are matched to the quarterback’s throw.  They will run and condition their bodies to make sure that they are in top physical condition.  Many hours will be spent in preparation for a game that will last a couple hours.  How prepared are you to face life as an adult?  When someone tries to teach you something do you answer with “I know that already”?  Unfortunately, many teenagers are not teachable until they almost “run over the bushes.” 

Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”  Our parents have been commanded by God to prepare us for life.  Are we allowing our parents to train us for the biggest game on earth, the game of life?

 

Monday's Message: The Enemy

If we were to ask anyone who has ever fought in a battle of war, they no doubt would tell us:  the most dangerous enemy is the one you cannot see, or the one of which you are not aware. Without a doubt, this type of enemy would have the potential to do the most harm; as we would be less cautious to watch out for him, or to protect ourselves from them. I believe the born again Believer has an enemy just like this.

We know we have an enemy in Satan. Many of us know that as the world was and is the enemy of Christ; so is it the enemy of the Christian.

What about the enemy of the flesh?  The word of God teaches us in the Book of Jeremiah: Jer17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?  This is the heart of our flesh; the natural man.  That nature with which we were born.  I believe our passage in I Corinthians 15 teaches us what we should do with our flesh to protect ourselves from serious harm.

I Corinth. 15:29  Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?

30  And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?

31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

32  If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.

33  Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

Being baptized for the dead is that of our being baptized in the likeness of Jesus’ death, burial, in that we are signifying our death to the old sinful man, but then coming up out of the water, picturing Jesus’ resurrection.  This is our being raised to walk in newness of life.

Then we read:I die daily.  We must die to the flesh every day to have victory over the deceitful flesh.  It is denying the sin loving, world loving flesh.  Forsaking it, turning our backs on it;  and obeying our Lord; a key part of the victorious Christian like.

Thoughtful Thursday: JOY is Born

Luke 2:1-14

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

And all went to be taxed, every one 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:)

To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

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, good will toward men.

We Pray Wednesday: If you look for me at Christmas...

IF YOU LOOK FOR ME AT CHRISTMAS

you won’t need a special star---

I’m no longer just in Bethlehem,

I’m right there where you are.

You may not be aware of Me

amid the celebrations---

You’ll have to look beyond the stores

and all the decorations.

But if you take a moment

from your list of things to do

And listen to your heart, you’ll find

I’m waiting there for you.

You’re the one I want to be with

your’re  the reason that I came,

And you will find Me in the stillness

as  I’m whispering your name.

                      Love,

                       Jesus