How Do I Know God's Plan for Me?

 

And Mary said. Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. Luke 1:38a

From the time we are old enough to play fireman and baby dolls, we are asked “What do you want to be when you grow up?” That’s really the wrong question.

Mary was unique in that she was to become the mother of our Lord. That was God’s plan for Mary. Actually, God has a unique plan for each of us. Mary is the example of the type of person we want to be. She has some qualities about her that allowed her to be strong and go through tough times to fulfill God’s plan for her life. It wasn’t the pretty Christmas picture of Mary and Joseph and the babe sweetly lying in a manger with halos all around. Mary’s first priority was to be the handmaid, the servant, of the Lord. That should our first priority as well.

What qualities did Mary possess that helped her follow God’s plan?

• She demonstrated by her purity and her righteousness that she wanted to love and serve God.
• She demonstrated a desire to live with a divine purpose. Malachi 2:15 would have been a familiar verse to her . . . That he might seek a godly seed. . . . She saw her purpose as raising up children to the Lord.
• She demonstrated that she put the Lord above everything and everyone else because she risked family, friends and fiancé to be the mother of God’s Son.  

We all have our ideas about what we want to be; a fireman, a policeman, a teacher, a nurse, etc. but the real question is, “What is God’s unique plan for our lives?” If we, like Mary, possess these qualities we will know God’s plan; not necessarily by an angel’s appearance, but by God’s direction through His Word.

Want you let us know how God is showing you His unique plan for your life?

I am currently reading The Women of Christmas by Liz Curtis Higgs. Her book is the inspiration,along with a little plagerism, for today’s blog. Hope you get a chance to read it as well for more insight into God’s unique plan for each of us.

Snowflakes Are On The Way

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Psalms 139:14

I LOVE SNOW!! Even though I live where it only snows a little, it’s enough to keep everyone on their toes all winter long, watching the clouds, sniffing the air, feeling the deep chill, trying to remember how many fogs there were in August and what color the wooly worms were. Y’all don’t do that where you live? Oh, I’m sorry. All that adds to the fun of creating a few paper flakes to hang in the window while we’re watching and wishing. If you need help making snowflakes just google the word snowflake and you can get lots of ideas. I found an out of print book called Zoo Flakes ABC by Will Howell. It shows how to make animals snowflakes – cool book. The point being there are a zillion ways to make a snowflake. By the way there are more than a zillion real snowflake shapes.

Snowflakes can be flat or 3D. They generally have 6 sides but no two are ever alike. God put a lot of effort into making something so tiny and intricate. We can’t even see the details with just our eyes. Before microscopes and cameras no one probably even knew the details of just one tiny snowflake. But God knew. He cared. He wanted to show everyone and anyone how much He cares about His creation. If he cares so much that He takes time to make every little snowflake different, just think how special we are to Him. He created every person different. Even identical twins are not exactly the same. And it’s more than just our looks. Out personalities and talents are different. God made each of us unique with a special job to do. He cares what happens to us. He sent His only Son to die for us so that we could be forgiven our sins and spend eternity with Him. Snowflakes melt, but we are His unique creation with an eternal soul. How much more special God has created you and me! We are the epitome of  all His creation.

Make a few snowflakes for your windows this week. While you’re at it you might want to thank the Lord for making you special. Why not ask Him what plans He has for your unique talents. Then keep an open ear and eye to God’s direction.

Please share your window of snowflakes with us.

Blessings

What Are You Expecting?

And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. Luke 1:11

Made your Christmas list? Checked it twice? Left anyone out? Hmm . . . .

Some of us wait until Christmas Eve to shop. Some make presents from July to Christmas. Others shop a little here and little there all year long. I’ve done a little of it all. Zacharias got an unexpected gift a little over a year before that first Christmas. Unexpected is actually putting it mildly. He and his wife Elizabeth were childless and they were both way past their childbearing years. Zacharias did not expect anything out of the ordinary to happen that day at church – er, I mean temple He was going about his expected routine serving in the temple when suddenly the angel Gabriel appeared to tell him they would have a child.  Sure it scared him, but he was still in the natural, normal frame of mind, thinking, “How can this happen?” He even tried to explain to the angel that he and Elizabeth were to old to be having a baby.

How about it? Who’s on your Christmas list? What are you expecting this Christmas? Are you looking for the unexpected to happen in your life? Are there family and friends who need to be saved? Are there families that need to be restored? Are there children who need to return to the Lord? Is Jesus trying to tell us that with Him all things are possible. Be still and know this Christmas that He is God.

Look for the incredible in Christmas and give God the glory.

The Tree of Christmas

And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: Isaiah 11:1

There is a little bug in many of the classrooms today. It’s called an EETCHY worm. It’s made of colored beads and it helps kids organize their thoughts to tell a story. I want to use an EETCHY worm today to help us tell about a Christmas tree.

• The first bead of the worm is green to remind us what group we are talking about.

Our group is Christmas Tree

• The second bead is blue to ask us what does it do. A Christmas Tree represents the various meanings associated with Christmas.
• The second bead is yellow with an eye on it. This asks us what does it look like.

A Christmas Tree looks like a tree covered with red, gold, blue and white balls, stars, angels, ribbons, and bells.

• The next bead is brown to ask what is it made of. A Christmas tree is made of wood.
• The next bead is pink to ask what are its parts. A Christmas tree has a trunk, branches, and evergreen needles.
• Then there is a white bead to ask where is it? A Christmas tree is placed inside or outside of a home where everyone can see its beauty.
• The last bead is orange and asks what else do you know. By now most of us have a pretty good picture of a Christmas tree in our minds and our answer to the question what else do you know may be, “That’s all.” Or that there are presents under the tree. But that’s not all!

Let’s go back and examine what we said about the tree. The blue said is represents the various meanings associated with Christmas. What meanings? In the yellow we answered red balls; red is the color of blood. Christ shed His blood on a cross made of wood. The tree is made of wood. We also said gold balls. The wisemen brought Jesus gold and frankincense and myrrh. Blue balls are the color of royalty. Jesus is King of Kings. White balls are the color of purity. Jesus was without sin. Wisemen followed a star. Angels announced His birth. Ribbons held the breastplate to ephod on the robe of the high priest. Bells were sown around the hem of his robe so all could here him as he preformed his priestly duties. Jesus is our High Priest.  The evergreen needles tell us that Jesus gives us eternal life. The trunk and the branches lead us back to our scripture: And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

We display our Christmas trees where all can see their beauty. So should Jesus be displayed in our lives that all can see His beauty. We want to come to the tree and receive the gifts. May all the world come to Jesus this Christmas and receive His gift of salvation. May there be Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men.

What else? Won’t you tell us the what else that God is doing in your life?

Blessings

The Feast of Dedication

 

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And it was at Jerusalem the feast of dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. John 10:22,23

It’s that time of year. Cookies, gingerbread houses and decorations galore. As I tried to copy the picture of a winter gingerbread village in a jar, I wondered what winter was like for Jesus. There were no Christmas trees, no holiday cookies, no . . . . But wait, there was the Feast of Dedication – Hanukah! Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch! He saw the city all covered with snow. There may have been holiday cookies, and gifts. There was a menorah burning in the temple by the alter of incense. Jesus may have been thinking about the lights of the temple and the miracle God had preformed. Hanukah celebrated the fact that God caused the temple lamps to burn 8 days on 1 day’s oil.

Today, we are in the midst of the Hanukah/Christmas season. Though the world tries to put out the true meanings of Hanukah and Christmas, we must keep the light within our hearts shining, demonstrating God’s love to the world. Whether we read Isaiah 53 or John 3:16 the message is still the same. It is our job to let the world know God sent His only Son to be the sacrifice for our sins. May we dedicate our lives to the Messiah. May we let our light shine before others to glorify our Father which is in heaven. 

I put the finishing touch on my gingerbread village tonight. I think I may tie a ribbon with the verse on it to remind me of the city of Jerusalem Jesus saw that winter. To remind me to keep my light shining to glorify the Father.  How are you keeping the Messiah in the Season this year?