The Seed is in the Ground

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. Isaiah 11:1

We are thankful for the abundance of Christmas cards that flooded our mailbox over the Christmas season, reminding us of the true meaning of Christmas. Just as the Christmas cards began to dwindle from the mail, the seed catalogs began to come. As I peruse the pages and think of longer warmer days I am reminded that the seed is in the ground and now is when I need to be tending the gardens, the spiritual gardens. 

Right now is when people have Jesus on their minds. Right now is the season of planting spiritual seeds. Right now is the time to encourage those seeds to grow. Next week, people will  make New Year's resolutions. How can I encourage them to not just make a resolution but begin a new habit of regular church attendance, daily Bible reading, and creating a War Room of prayer for our families, friends, communities, and nation. 

Jesus tells us He is the vine. We are the branches. (John 15:5) If we are attached to Him we will bear much fruit. I love verse 7.

 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 

If we have God's word abiding in our hearts we will ask for things that will be in accordance to His will and He will perform it. 

What will you ask of God? Will it be for family or friends or your community or your nation? 

Will it be for peace on earth, goodwill to men? 

The seeds of Christmas have been planted. It is up to us now to water and bear fruit in the new year.

Blessings,

Gail

Hey Kids:

Do you like for mom and dad to read you a bedtime story? 

How many stories do you ask for? 

Could you ask for one more? Add your children's Bible or Bible storybook to the reading stash each night. 

You will discover things about God you never knew; and you'll learn to bear fruit for Christ. 

Hanukkah and Christmas?

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

What does the feast of dedication have to do with Christmas? Could it be that we wouldn't have Christmas if there had not been a Hanukkah? 

I'm certainly not an authority on Hanukkah but I think I have a grasp on the gist of the story. Really everything in Jewish history has an affect on Christmas. If Adam and Eve had not sinned in the garden there would have been no need for Christmas or Calvary. It all started at the Beginning. God told Eve that it would be her seed that would bruise Satan's head and that Satan would bruise His heel. 

All through history, Satan has tried to destroy God's people so Christmas would never come. Think about Abraham and Isaac. Imagine an old man over 100 years old, tying up a teenager to offer the teen as a burnt sacrifice. Isaac could have easily broke away and run like crazy. But no, Isaac was obedient to his father, even as Jesus was obedient to His Father, even unto death. God spared Isaac's life because he couldn't die for our sins. But the Father did not spare His only Son. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us. 

Think about Esther. God put her through tragic events to make her the queen who would save her people. If Haman had won, the Jews would have been destroyed. There would have been no special people to receive God's Son. There would be no Christmas.

Think about Hanukkah. The Greeks had come in to change the culture of the Hebrews to the Greek culture, language and religion. A pig was sacrificed on the temple alter. The brave family of the Maccabees fought for Israel and the temple. They cleansed the temple but there was only enough oil to light the lamp for one night. It would take a week to make more oil. They demonstrated their faith and love by reclaiming the temple and lighting the lamp. God demonstrated His love and power by keeping the lamp burning for eight days while the oil was being made. 

What would have happened if the Maccabees had not reclaimed the temple? The religion of the true God would have been destroyed and there would have been no Christmas.  

Think about King Herod's attempt to kill the baby Jesus by killing all the children under two years old. If Joseph had not listened to God and taken Jesus to Egypt, there would have been no Calvary, no sacrifice for our sins. 

Even to this day, Satan attempts to end Christianity. Satan knows his time is short. No matter what we see on the news, be reassured, God is not dead nor doth He sleep. He is in control. God wins.  

Blessing at Hanukkah and Christmas

Gail

Hey Kids:

As the holidays approach, why not take a few minutes each day to create an advent tree. 

Discover an Old Testament Bible story with Mom and Dad. 

Talk about how the story led to the events of the first advent of Christ, Christmas.

Draw a small picture on card stock and add the reference for the story. 

Each day add your picture card to a tree to remind you of the coming of Christmas.

On Christmas day be sure to read and celebrate the Christmas story, drawing and adding it as the last picture to the tree OR continue to add pictures like the wisemen and the flight to Egypt to finish the Christmas story. 

After Christmas save these pictures for next year's Advent Tree. 

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 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?