More Truth and Start 2011 on a Binge!

Here is a continuation of the 21 ways to allow God's Truth to change how you live.  And, the article for today:  Start 2011 with a 30-day Binge!

Two-fer from here: http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/index.php?id=642

Eight More Ways to Change in 2011

Myself posted by Erin Davis on 12/29/10

Earlier this week I challenged you to take 13 specific actions toward living out God's truth this year. Here are eight more steps you can take in 2011 to allow God's truth to change how you live. 

 

1. I will live like the choices I make today will impact my life tomorrow. 

 

God's truth says, "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life" (Galatians 6:7–8). 

 

The choices you make today will have consequences in the future. Make wise choices today that will produce a good harvest in your life in the future. 

 

2. I will submit to the authority of my parents this year. 

 

God's truth says, "'Honor your father and mother'—which is the first commandment with a promise" (Ephesians 6:2). 

 

"Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ" (Ephesians 5:21). 

 

When we resist authority, we become more vulnerable to Satan's attacks and to sin. On the other hand, when we willingly take our place under those God has placed in authority over us, including our parents, we are granted God's protective covering. Make the choice to submit to the authority of your parents this year out of obedience to Christ.

 

3. I will get/stay involved in church this year.

 

God's truth says, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:25). 

 

The church matters to God, and it should matter to you. The Bible describes the church as a body. Every part of the body is needed, including you. If you're not currently involved in a local church, make it your goal to find a church home this year. If you already have a church home, find ways to get more involved and to build up the other members of your local church body. 

 

4. I will seek out a mentor who is a great wife and mother this year. 

 

God's truth says, "Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God" (Titus 2:4–5). 

 

God created woman to be a helper to her husband and a bearer and nurture of life. Marriage and motherhood are God's norm for most women. Embracing this truth is highly countercultural. It can be difficult to find examples of women who are gracefully living out God's calling to be wives and mothers. Find someone near you who is doing these things well, and spend some time with her. Allow God to use that relationship to teach you about His future plans for your life. 

 

5. I will be more concerned about my holiness than my happiness this year. 

 

God's truth says, "Be holy because I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16). 

 

Jesus didn't die so that we could live a life for ourselves and our own pleasure, but so we could be free to live a life that pleases Him. Pleasing Him will sometimes require sacrifices. But any sacrifice we make is temporary and cannot be compared with the joy and fulfillment we will gain in eternity. Only through seeking to be holy can we ever experience true happiness. 

 

6. I will add praise, thanksgiving, listening, and confession into my prayer life this year. 

 

God's truth says, "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son" (Romans 8:29).

 

God is more concerned about changing you and glorifying Himself than about solving your problems. With that truth in mind, a balanced prayer life should include more than just asking God to fix your problems. Work to build a relationship with God that is not strictly focused on asking Him to change your circumstances. 

 

7. I will allow God to use difficult circumstances to make me more like Jesus this year. 

 

God's truth says, "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast" (1 Peter 5:10). 

 

God is able to use suffering to conform you into the image of Jesus. In 2011, make the choice to embrace hard things rather than running from or resenting them. 

 

8. I will focus more on Jesus and less on myself this year. 

 

God's truth says, "He must become greater; I must become less" (John 3:30). 

 

The truth is it's not about you; it's all about Him. The world was not created to revolve around you. It was created to revolve around Christ. This year look for every opportunity to make your life more about serving Jesus and attracting others to Him.

 

Your life will be radically transformed this year if you make the decision to 1) know God's truth, 2) believe it, and 3) act on it. How will you live out God's truth in 2011? Leave us a comment, and tell us about it.

Start 2011 with a 30-Day Binge

Faith posted by Erin Davis on 12/30/10

Did that title grab your attention? Good! That was my goal. 

 

Every New Year starts the same way—with a massive push to purge. Everyone commits to purge their lives of bad habits, bad food choices, or too much stuff. There's nothing wrong with using a new year to think about what needs to go in your life, but I want to encourage you to start this year with a 30-day binge. What do I want you to feast on? The Word of God.

 

The dictionary describes a binge as " an act of consumption exceeding what is usual." In other words, taking in a lot more of something than you are used to. I can't think of any way I would rather start 2011 than taking in heaping portions of God's Word.

 

In fact, it is a tradition here on LYWB.com for us to issue a 30-day challenge at the start of the New Year. We've already seen firsthand what committing to dig into God's Word every day for 30 days can do in the lives of young women like you. 

 

Here's what our readers told us in 2010:

"I totally will [take the 30-day challenge]!...I can't wait to see what the Good Teacher will teach me through His Divine Text Book, the Bible. It has been hard lately for me to keep consistently in the Word due to a hectic schedule, sickness, and MIDTERMS (gross). I know those are lousy excuses, the Word is worth so much more and what is said in it is priceless. And is of eternal value! I am very excited! Let's do this thing!" –Deborah

 

"Thank you so much for encouraging us to read God's Word. Just this morning when I was reading the Bible, God really spoke to a certain area in my life that needed change. Had I not read about this challenge I probably wouldn't have read those passages." -- Colleen.

 

"I think these 30 day challenge will really help me to get close to God. I never spend time with God. I feel so bad cause I am always playing sports, hanging with friends, or even texting! :( I want God to be the number 1 priority in my life not sports, friends and texting I do love those things. I love God more though. I just don't show him that though. –Katie. 

 

What could God do in your life this year if you committed to laying a foundation with His Word? Want to find out? 

 

Then join me in the 30-day challenge by committing to read your Bible every day for the next 30 days. We'll be giving you tips about how to get the most out of God's Word throughout the month (and may even have some giveaways along the way to keep you motivated!) 

 

If you're willing to take the challenge, leave us a comment to tell us about it. Then, belly up to the Word of God and dig in! 

--
Mary E.Hickcox
www.CalvaryBaptistSM.org
http://mary-neotes.blogspot.com/

Resolve to Live by God's Truth (not your own understanding)

Yesterday I forwarded to you the first 5 resolutions to choose Truth in 2011.  Here are a few more.

 

Will You Resolve to Choose Truth in 2011?

 

Myself posted by Erin Davis on 12/28/10

 

Yesterday, I challenged you to resolve to put God's truth into action in 2011. I gave you five action steps based on the truths Nancy and Dannah write about in "Lies Young Women Believe."

 

Here are eight more ways you can live out God's truth in 2011. 

 

1. I will worry less about my circumstances this year. 

 

God's truth says, "When I am afraid, I will trust in You" (Psalm 56:3). 

 

The Bible is full of promises that God can be trusted to provide for us. When you feel fearful or anxious about your circumstances this year, remind yourself that God has never let anyone down and He is not going to start now!

 

2. I will turn my problems over to God instead of trying to handle them on my own this year. 

 

God's truth says, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:9–10).

 

You will not face a problem in 2011 that is too big for God to handle. When you are weak, He is strong. When your tank is empty, His is full. When you have no resources of your own left, His resources are still overflowing! No matter what you will face this year, His grace is enough for you. Lean into that truth, and let it change how you respond to the circumstances that surround you. 

 

3. This year, I will receive God's forgiveness for my past sins. 

 

God's truth says, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).

 

God's Word promises us that there is no sin too big for God to forgive, but so often say we are unable to forgive ourselves. If God says we're forgiven, how can we not forgive ourselves? Resting in the forgiveness that God has already promised allows you to live in freedom instead of bondage. 

 

4. I will do what it takes to overcome a sinful habit this year. 

 

God's truth says, "For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been freed from sin" (Romans 6:6–7).

 

God's truth is that you do not have to sin and every sinful pattern in your life can be overcome by the power of Christ living in you. That doesn't mean that overcoming sin doesn't often take work. You may need to confess your sin to a Christian adult or pastor, recruit an accountability partner, or remove a habit or relationship that has become a stumbling block in order to stop a sinful habit in your life. But God's Word promises that you can receive freedom. Believe that truth, and then do what is necessary to remove sin. 

 

5. I will let go of the things in my past that are holding me back this year. 

 

God's truth says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17). 

 

You don't have to carry the baggage of your past. The ways you have been wronged and the ways you have wronged others don't have to be hindrances. You can let them go and live like a new creation! 

 

6. I will turn to God's Word first when I need help and advice this year. 

 

God's truth says, "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the

LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple" (Psalm 19:7). 

 

The Word of God is alive and powerful. You can depend on it to change your life, deliver you from bondage, reveal His will for your life, and give you wise guidance. Instead of running to others first for advice this year, dig into God's Word. 

 

7. I will embrace a God-sized challenge this year. 

 

God's truth says, "I can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13). 

 

God has not commanded you to do anything that He will not give you the grace to do. That means, for example, that

 

• There is no one you cannot love (Matthew 5:44).
• You can give thanks in all things (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
• There is no one you cannot forgive (Mark 11:25).
• You can be sexually pure (1 Thessalonians 4:3–4).
• You can honor your parents and respond obediently to their authority, even when you disagree with them or they are imperfect (Ephesians 6:1–3). 

 

8. I will accept responsibility for my actions this year. 

 

God's truth says, "The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him" (Ezekiel 18:20).

 

You are responsible before God for your behavior, responses, and choices. You may not be able to control the things that happen to you this year, but you can control how you respond to the things God allows to come into your life. Making the choice to stop blaming others for the negative patterns in your life and to assume personal responsibility for your own choices will free you to obey God regardless of your circumstances. 

 

Which of these action steps will you add to your list of New Year's resolutions? Leave us a comment and tell us about it. (And be sure to check back tomorrow for eight more action steps based on God's truth!)

 

--
Mary E.Hickcox
www.CalvaryBaptistSM.org
http://mary-neotes.blogspot.com/

2010 Resolutions - How'd you do?

My girlfriend from San Diego, Debbie, is 4 days away from meeting her 2010 Resolution to exercise (real exercise, not this lifting the cupcake to her mouth type - Frank!) at least 30 minutes every day.  Pretty neat huh!?  Even when she didn't feel well, was on vacation, or out of town on business, she made it a point to still get in her 30 minutes a day.  She was committed to her goal.  Kudos to Debbie (who gets copied on these emails too)!!!

 

What about you?  What did you resolve to do in 2010 some 365 days ago?  Did you stay committed?  Did you flounder a week into the New Year?

 

Me?  I actually don't recall if I did resolve to do or change anything in 2010.  I think it took me the majority of 2010 to recover from major life changes in 2009 (Mom's passing, Dad's moving in, etc.)  However, Frank and I have talked about making a few changes this year.  One thing I AM excited about, he wants us (together and out loud like) to read through the Bible in 90 days.  As he puts it, "To do that would be reading, on average, approximately 12 pages a day.  I could read to you one day and you could read to me the next day. We even have an app on our Droid for this!"  Yup.  We're going to do it!  Before you think we're all spiritual like and just awesome (which Frank IS awesome!), remember, we haven't done this yet...but intend to.  So, I'll let you know on April 1, 2011 if we accomplished one of our goals for 2011.  In essence, y'all can hold us accountable on this one.  Want to join us?

 

Other things I've been thinking about doing...

  1. Being more lighthearted and less serious about unimportant things.

  2. Spending more time with people and less time on junk TV, movies, etc.

  3. Going through 1 drawer or cubby hole, bookshelf, etc. every Sunday until we've culled, organized and thrown away "stuff."  Hey! That's 52 places "to stash stuff" which can get organized.

  4. Join Debbie's challenge and exercise at least 30 minutes every day (even if I don't feel like it!).

  5. Finish my mom's memorial cookbook.

  6. Spend less, save more.

  7. Be silly more often and take Santa photos with by best friend, Debbie Byars, this year! :o)

  8. Lavish Frank with hugs, kisses and meaningful, lingering stares.

  9. Learn to make Tamales (cause I just want to) and make Eggrolls.

10. Sit for my CCMEP exam and pass it (Certified Continuing Medical Education Planner).

11. Get off the phone/computer more and into live interaction with people.

12. Focus on what matters to God and not what matters to man.

13. Memorize the verses that emphasize the 21 Truths about God (as mentioned below and in following articles the rest of this week).

14. More to come...as I think on this...

 

What are some things you are planning to do/change in 2011?  Why not join me in memorizing the 21 verses emphasizing Truths about God?

 

Read on...

 

From here: http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/index.php?id=640

 

Twenty-One Resolutions for 2011

 

Myself posted by Erin Davis on 12/27/10

 

Are you a New Year's resolution maker? I'm not. Over the years I've found the tradition of vowing to change at the start of the new year to be an exercise in disappointment. Every year my diets fail, my habits stay the same, and my resolutions to do things differently fall flat. 

 

Maybe that's because I've been focusing on the wrong things. 

 

There's nothing wrong with making the choice to be healthier or try new things at the start of a new year. But this year I'm feeling motivated to make changes that truly matter. I want the same for you. 

 

As I think about you and what I hope for you in 2011, my thoughts keep circling back to the impact of God's truth. Most of you come to this site because you've already been exposed to God's truth in some way. But I see evidence in your lives (and in my own life) that that truth hasn't truly transformed the way you live. 

 

There's a difference between knowing God's truth and fully embracing it. I can't imagine the ways your lives would change if you chose to believe all God says about you and your life in His Word and allowed that truth to change the way you live. It's even more exciting for me to envision the difference you could have on your generation by knowing God's truth, believing it, and putting it into action. That thought gives me goose bumps. 

 

I'm hoping to motivate you to live out God's truth in 2011. That means you've got to get serious about learning His Word (more about that later this week), make the choice to believe what He says in His Word, and allow His Word to change the way you live. 

 

I'll help you get started. In the last chapter of "Lies Young Women Believe", Nancy and Dannah list several powerful truths to counter everyday lies. Over the next few days I'm going to present these truths in the form of action steps. Your job is to identify the areas of your life that are in need of a dose of God's truth and put that truth to work in your own life. 

 

Ready? Let's choose truth together!

 

1. I will praise God on good days and bad days this year. 

 

God's truth says, "You are good, and what You do is good " (Psalm 119:68). 

 

When everything is going right, it's easy to believe God is good and to praise Him because of it. But when life gets tough, we are tempted to question God's goodness and "forget" to praise Him. When your life gets messy, you can choose to believe God's Word rather than trusting your emotions and praise God in all circumstances. 

 

2. I will live like I am deeply loved this year. 

 

God's truth says, "The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: 'I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness'" (Jeremiah 31:3). 

 

Feeling unloved can have a huge impact on the way we live. Specifically, believing the lie that no one cares about you can lead to depression, anxiety, and destructive behaviors. The truth is that you are deeply loved by God. If you believe God's love is real and receive it, it will transform your life. 

 

3. I will spend more time working on my inner beauty than my outer beauty this year. 

 

God's truth says, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well" (Psalm 139:14). 

 

God's Word says you are fearfully and wonderfully made. Choose to believe it, and allow that truth to free you from the constant need to make yourself look beautiful on the outside. 

 

4. I will pay less attention to what others think of me this year.  

 

God's truth says, "For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will—to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves" (Ephesians 1:4–6).

 

When a friend, a parent, or a fella rejects us, it's easy to let that rock our world. It's also easy to get wrapped up in trying to please the people around us in order to avoid that rejection. But God's truth is that He chose you and loved you enough to adopt you into His family. Choosing to fully embrace that truth provides the perspective we need to be less concerned about what others think. 

 

5. I won't use stuff to make me feel good this year. 

 

God's truth says, "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not be in want" (Psalm 23:1). 

 

God is enough to satisfy your needs. If you have Him, you have everything you need. Believing this truth allows you to stop trying to make yourself feel better by having the right stuff. You already have what you need.

 

We'll look at 16 more truths in the next couple days. In the meantime, I'd love to hear from you. Do you need to put any of these truths into action in your own life? What changes can you make in 2011 to live out God's truth more fully? How would doing so change your life and the lives of those around you?
--
Mary E.Hickcox
www.CalvaryBaptistSM.org
http://mary-neotes.blogspot.com/

Regardless of What You Feel, He IS Worthy!

I wish all of you could've made it to the Christmas Eve, Eve, Eve Candelight Service we had at church last night!

 

It was beautiful.

 

It was festive.

 

And, when we sang, "O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord,"  I was singing as loud as I could with my voice and in my heart (apologies to Lynda and Byron who sat right in front of me!).

However, like Ms. Davis in her article today, I wasn't feeling all the warm fuzzies normally associated with such a great time of worship and praise for my God and King Jesus Christ.

 

The absolute Truth that Jesus is God and worthy of my praise and adoration didn't escape me.  And, since wonder and awe are emotions, then I WAS feeling those most of the evening!

 

What about you?

Are you captured by the wonder of the Christmas Story?

Are you awestruck by the fact God became flesh and dwelt among us?

 

Read on. 

 

Happy Christmas to you, whatever you're feeling and where ever you are.  May the genuine joy of the Christmas story bubble anew in your hearts and all through the new year!

 

Today's DEVO is brought to you by the letters LYW&B, found here:  http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/index.php?id=639  (Yes, sometimes I DO crack myself up!)

Not Feeling It

Faith posted by Erin Davis on 12/23/10

Some years I get all caught up in the warm fuzzies of Christmas. My eyes tear up during candlelight service on Christmas Eve. I read the Christmas story with wonder. I am inspired to share the Gospel with friends and neighbors after remembering that my God chose to take on human flesh. But some years the story seems too familiar. My to-do list seems too important. I want to get caught up in Christmas cheer, but I find myself thinking, I'm just not feeling it.

 

Does that ever happen to you? Are there times when you feel like you should be having an emotional response to Jesus, but your feelings don't seem to have gotten the memo? As I've spent time reading the Christmas story this year, I've been struck by the fact that the major players in the greatest event in history didn't respond to Jesus out of pure emotion.

Mary's introduction to motherhood likely wasn't filled with the warm fuzzies that most new mommas have. She was unmarried. She hadn't planned this baby. And yet she obeyed the instructions given to her by the angel, Gabriel.

If Joseph had let his feelings be his guide, he might have let anger or shame or fear of man keep him from being Jesus' dad. He chose to play a major part in Jesus' life regardless of his emotions.

The wise men took a very long trek to worship Jesus. They didn't even know exactly who they were looking for. They didn't see Baby Jesus and get all wrapped up in the emotion of the moment. They knew a Savior was coming, and they made the decision to respond.

I don't doubt that there was plenty of emotion in the manger on the day of Jesus' birth. But I am also struck by all of the players in this story who responded to Jesus because He is worthy, not just because they were caught up in the emotion of the day.

There's a lesson there for each of us. Following Jesus doesn't always feel just right. There are times He asks us to do things that our emotions will never confirm. And there are times when we should worship Him simply because He is so worthy instead of because we are caught up in the emotions of the moment.

Will you choose to worship Jesus this Christmas? Even if the holiday cheer evades you, will make the decision to turn your heart toward Him because He is worthy? Will you love Him out of awe for who He is and what's He's done even if you're not feeling it?
--
Mary E.Hickcox
www.CalvaryBaptistSM.org
http://mary-neotes.blogspot.com/

What IS God doing?

I know how hard it is to see the good God is doing when things are tough, bad, awful, hideous and downright unbelievably painful.

What about when things just don't seem to be going your way?

Or, when things aren't turning out just as you had planned them?

In the middle of our personal, greatest disappointments, do you and I pause to thank God for what He is doing?

You know He is doing something, right?  If we are His in Christ, He is at work within us, conforming us more to the image of His Son, Jesus.

Some of you may be finding this Christmas especially difficult.  Why not write about it?  Write it out and ask God to show you how He is using even this difficult Christmas to work in you and chip away at the you-ness getting in the way of the Christlikeness God is working to reveal in your life.

Today's article from Lies Young Women Believe, focuses on this topic today.  You can find it online, here: http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/index.php?id=637

God, what are You doing?

Myself posted by Paula Hendricks on 12/21/10

Nancy Leigh DeMoss, co-author of Lies Young Women Believe, has written another book titled Choosing Gratitude. As you can tell from the title, sometimes gratitude really is a lot more like a choice and not so much like a feeling. In fact, I bet it won't take long for you to identify the circumstance in your life that "just naturally doesn't call for gratitude." Do you have it in your mind? We all have them . . .

For a while now, my tough circumstance has been singleness. Oh, I know God says it's a gift, but it often feels—in Carolyn McCulley's words—more like "solitary confinement."

Whatever your tough circumstance, would you grab a pen and paper, and ask God what He's doing through your tough circumstance?

Here's what I came up with:

God, what are you doing through my singleness?

1. I'm teaching you to trust and rest in Me, the "Blessed Controller of your life," rather than striving and manipulating circumstances to try to make yourself happy (1 Tim. 6:15).
2. I'm freeing you from your idolatry like you asked Me to, so you can satisfy your thirst anytime in Me, the Fountain of Living Waters, rather than scraping for water at the bottom of broken cisterns (Jer. 2:12–13).
3. I'm allowing you to go through this painful season so you will have compassion-and comfort-to offer others; so your "life message" that "God is more than enough!" will give hope and courage to those who desperately need it (2 Cor. 1:3–5).
4. I'm writing your story so people will know it was all Me . . . all My power, all My grace, and not your looks, smarts, or talents (Ps. 46:10).

And I'm sure this is just the beginning. As Pastor John Piper says, "There are a thousand things that God is doing every time something painful happens to you. Most of these you do not know or understand, [just as] Job, Joseph, and Esther did not know what God was doing in their losses."

Now it's your turn. What do you think God might be up to in your tough circumstance?

--
Mary E.Hickcox
www.CalvaryBaptistSM.org
http://mary-neotes.blogspot.com/

The Music of Christmas

On Saturday (yes, exactly one week before Christmas), I was at the Orange Village (the Orange Mall for those of you from the oldy moldy days).  Shopping.  For Christmas presents.  Yes, you might call me insane...but, it was just that much easier partnered up with my best friend in the whole wide world, Debbie!  We actually split up to make the most of our time and met up back in the middle of the mall when we were done.

As I was done a tad earlier than Debbie, I took a seat and people watched (one of my favorite past times).  Yes, I DID have my smart phone and I could have played Boggle...but people watching is much more fascinating.  You should try it.  First off, I noticed how unhappy mostly everyone looked.  And tired.  And hot.  And hurried.  It was raining and cool outside, and, as if to compensate for the cooler weather, the mall cranked up the heaters.  Along with the human sea of shoppers, the mall was stifling hot.  Perhaps that lended to the general crankyness of old and young alike.  Even Santa, at the obligatory "Photo with Santa," kiosk, looked grumpy and less than jolly.

Amidst the non-harmonious noises of children crying/whining, husbands calling for lost wives, cell phones ringing and wet tennis shoes squeaking on the waxed food court floor, there were the beautiful sounds of a formally trained choir singing Christmas songs.  Just as they finished "Joy to the World, the Lord Has Come," the introductory notes from Handel's Messiah, "Hallelujah Chorus," seemed to diminish the usual hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping noises.  I had to stand.  And, I noticed a few wiser ones around me stood also.  (Just an aside here, you should stand up when the Hallelujah Chorus is performed. It is a show of honor and respect to Him Whom the song is praising.)

I couldn't help myself.  I was taken by song into the glorious presence of my Lord and King, Jesus.  I was smiling and enthralled by the well trained voices as they surged in harmonious praise and worship to He Who "will reign forever and ever more."  And, to me, it seemed everyone within my view seemed to pause and listen.  Granted, NOT everyone stopped.  But, many did.  And many were smiling.  And, then, I was looking eagerly for Debbie to share in that beautiful moment of praises being offered up to our King!  Alas, she was stuck in a line at Sears!

As the song ended, people applauded and cheered! The spokesman for the choir announced the choir would be taking a lunch break.  He wished us all a "Merry Christmas, and to remember to keep Christ in Christmas."  More applauding, more cheering!

Are you remembering to keep Christ in Christmas?

Read on for some fun with Christmas Carols from Dare2Share...and then some great reminders as we wind down these final days til Christmas.

The following is from dare2share:

I hope you have a sense of humor this Christmas...otherwise, you may not find the following as funny as I did! :o)

From: http://www.dare2share.org/students/you-are-the-music-of-christmas/

You Are the Music of Christmas

So what comes to mind when you hear the word "Christmas"?

Decorated trees?  Church bells ringing? Friends and families? 

X-Box 360 and Call of Duty?

For me, I can't help but think about music.  For some reason I never grow weary of hearing the classic carols and the Christmas songs that I've sung as long as I can remember.  And here's a list of songs that I don't exactly remember, but seem to fit our world pretty well.  Check these out:

Schizophrenia -- Do You Hear What I Hear, the Voices, the Voices?

Amnesia -- I Don't Remember If I'll be Home for Christmas

Narcissistic Personality Disorder -- Hark the Herald Angels Sing About Me  

Manic -- Deck The Halls And Walls And House And Lawn And Streets And Stores And Office And Town And Cars And Buses And Trucks And Trees And Fire Hydrants And.......

Multiple Personality Disorder -- We Three Kings Disoriented Are  

Paranoid -- Santa Claus Is Coming To Get Us

Antisocial Personality Disorder -- Thoughts of Roasting You On an Open Fire

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder -- Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells

Alzheimer's -- Walking In a Winter Wonderland Miles from My House in My Slippers and Robe

Oppositional Defiant Disorder -- I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus So I Burned Down the House

Social Anxiety Disorder -- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas While I Sit Here and Hyperventilate

Attention Deficit Disorder -- We Wish You......Hey Look!! It's Snowing!!!

No offense meant and all kidding aside, have you ever wondered where the first Christmas song to Jesus Christ was sung?  You may be surprised, and you definitely don't want to miss the meaning behind this incredible scene:

There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God's angel stood among them and God's glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you're to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger."

At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises:

   Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
   Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.

As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. "Let's get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us." They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed (Luke 2:8-18).

Can you even imagine being at this breathtaking scene?  Imagine the greatest music your ears could attend to and multiply it by infinity, and it still wouldn't compare to the heavenly choir's harmony celebrating the tiny infant who would one day walk out of His own grave.

And not only is the music ridiculously awesome, even better is the message that the angels proclaimed:

"Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master"

This is the heart of Christmas - which comes from 'Christ + Mass' (mass being a celebration) - so we rejoice and marvel at the fact that the God of the Universe wrapped Himself in flesh to give us the greatest present that humanity could ever experience: Jesus Christ.

So this Christmas, take some time to be still and reflect on the incredible weight and implication of the angelic message: our Savior has appeared, and because of His birth, death has been defeated. Christmas means forgiveness.  Christmas means eternal life.

And Christmas also means that we have the same opportunity as the shepherds - remember what they did?

"They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child."

The shepherds were so overjoyed and overwhelmed by the good news of Jesus that they ran to tell anyone and everyone who would listen…

And how about you?  Have you tuned out of the message because of the busy/stressful/materialistic/food coma season that robs us of the true joy that comes when we celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world?

Let's make the music of our Christmas a song of deliverance that celebrates the Christ and tells the world the Good News!

Christmastime gives us one of the best opportunities of the year to share our faith.  Use some of the time you have off to connect with friends at a coffee shop or over lunch to ask them what they believe is the significance of Christmas.  Pray for an opportunity to share Christ through the story of the angels and the shepherds.

For to us a child is born,
   to us a son is given,
   and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
   Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
   there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne
   and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
   with justice and righteousness
   from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
   will accomplish this (Isaiah 9:6-7).

 

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship (Galatians 4:4-5).

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means "God with us") (Matthew 1:23).

--
Mary E.Hickcox
www.CalvaryBaptistSM.org
http://mary-neotes.blogspot.com/

"God Should Fix My Problems"...Really?

This is too good NOT to share with you!  I hope as you start your weekend, or Christmas break, or vacation...you'll keep your life in perspective, from God's point of view, not your own!

In my heart/head, I keep hearing the lyrics to "Praise You in this Storm..." by Casting Crowns:

I was sure by now
God you would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as You mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

The following is from here: http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/index.php?id=635

God is My Good Luck Charm

Faith posted by Erin Davis on 12/16/10

I'm not much of a sports fan, so when I sit down to catch a game with my husband or head to the ballpark with my two boys I tend to pay attention to anything but the plays. Maybe that's why I noticed that when things go well, a lot of athletes point up.

I think I understand what they are trying to say. Pointing skyward after a killer play or big score has become a symbol for giving God the glory. I get that they are trying to thank God for giving them the talent and ability to compete. But I notice that no one ever gives God credit when they stumble, fall, or fail. They all seem to be depending on Him to help them succeed. It's as if He's their good luck charm.

I'm not an athlete (maybe that's why I'm not much of a fan), but I'm just as guilty of treating Jesus like a good luck charm. When I want to do well, want things to go my way, or even want to succeed for my own glory, I sometimes run to Him like I would a lucky rabbit's foot or pre-game ritual. And when life throws me a curveball, I find myself wondering "Where were you on that one Jesus?"

I know I'm not alone. In fact, most of the girls we talked to for Lies Young Women Believe told us that their prayer lives reflect the belief that God should fix their problems. Instead of creating a balanced prayer life that includes praise, thanksgiving, listening, and confession, most of them told us they tend to simply offer God a to-do list. In other words, they count on Him to make things go their way. I recently heard Dannah tell a room full of teenagers that she believes "God should fix my problems" is the biggest lie young women believe. I tend to agree.

I can see how this lie starts to form in our hearts. God does tell us that we can talk to Him about the circumstances of our lives and even gives us permission to ask for things to go our way.

Philippians 4:6 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

If it's okay to pray in every situation, then certainly we can pray for God to change our circumstances. But it is important to keep in mind that God is more interested in changing us to be a reflection of Christ than He is with solving all of our problems. If the chips are down in the game of life, it doesn't mean that God's power has worn off; it simply means that in His sovereignty, He has chosen to use difficult circumstances to make us more like Him.

One writer put it this way, "In the Gospels Jesus never seemed too interested in fans. Is that how you define your relationship with Him? An enthusiastic admirer? Close enough to Jesus to get the benefits but not so close to require sacrifice? There's got to be more than just going to church, praying when in a jam, and volunteering at a shelter (Kyle Idleman on notafan.com).

Maybe Jesus is okay with the fact that I'm not a fan. (I'm not talking about sports anymore.) I know He wants me to move beyond seeing Him as a superhero I give a shout out to every once in a while or a genie I depend on to make sure life goes my way. Yes, He wants me to ask for help with the details of my life, but He also teaches me that He is still in charge and He is still good even when my life isn't going as I'd like it to.

How about you?

Do you spend most of your prayer time asking God to make you the star of your own life? Do you give Him the glory when things are going great but not when you're circumstances are tough or your abilities limited? Are you a fan of Jesus who points toward Him when the road is smooth or a follower who adores Him in all circumstances?

Is Jesus your good luck charm or the God you trust in all circumstances?

--
Mary E.Hickcox
www.CalvaryBaptistSM.org
http://mary-neotes.blogspot.com/