This Is My Father's World

Seeing beyond the garbage

"What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for those sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him." Philippians 3:8-9 (NIV)

At a New Year's retreat in Bangladesh, I found an idyllic spot for my quiet time--a secluded beach atop a cliff overlooking rice fields and waterways. The sun was warm, the distant sound of villagers echoed, my bible lay in my lap, and I had a whole hour ahead of me -- pretty close to perfect!

Then a man with a basket on his shoulder strolled up to the cliff edge and dumped garbage over the side, right in front of me! Not such a perfect spot now. I looked over the side, and there was a mound of trash piled at the bottom. He must have wondered, Why is this foreigner sitting there in front of the garbage dump?

That knowledge didn't chase me off. The prospect of a quite hour with the Creator of the beauty that I could see blinded to the ugliness of the garbage that I couldn't see. It was another lesson from God about learning to look at the world through spiritual eyes.

Sometimes the places where international missionaries serve aren't much prettier than garbage dumps. Maybe even the place where you live is not optimum. Yet the Father wants us to look beyond the physical world and see Him with our spiritual eyes. When we desire to know Him above all things we can do this. In my quite time that morning above the dump, God led me to Philippians 3:8-9. Those words became my New Year's resolution--to know Him more! Knowing Him allows me to continue when life seems more like a garbage dump. -- T.D.F. Missionary South Asia

Prayer:

Oh God may I be willing to look pass the "garbage" that distracts me from keeping my eyes focused on you. May I know you more this New Year, and may I hear your voice through your word as I face each day. I pray for Christian workers all over the world to dedicate themselves again to seek only your will and to give you all the glory. Amen.

Source: "Voices of the Faithful" Inspiring stories of courage from Christians serving around the world with Beth Moore and friends who put their lives on the line for God. Compiled by Kim P. Davis, Page 427, Thomas Nelson Publishers, ISBN # 1-59145-364-x




God Is for Us
Dr. Charles Stanley

Romans 8:31-34

Throughout life, there will be times when our sins and failures lead us to conclude that God is disappointed or angry with us. How can He still love me after what I've done? If I'm really forgiven, why do I still feel so guilty? At such time's, we need to fix our eyes on the truth of Scripture and ask the questions Paul posed in Romans 8.

If God is for us, who is against us (v. 31)?

Our heavenly Father proved His loyalty to us when He delivered His own Son over to death in order to save us. Without Christ's atoning death on our behalf, we would face eternal separation from God.

Who will bring a charge against God's elect (v. 33)?

No accusation against us can stand, since at the moment of salvation, the Lord justified us. This means we were legally declared righteous, while still in our sinning condition. No one can reverse this transaction and make us guilty again. To doubt our blameless standing in Christ is to declare His atonement insufficient to cover our sin.

Who is the one who condemns (v. 34)?

Although Satan rails against us, Jesus' death and resurrection are proof that we are right with God. Christ took our condemnation and gave us His righteousness in return. Now He sits at the Father's right hand, interceding for us.

When doubts about the Lord's love and faithfulness arise, focus on truth. If we judge His loyalty to us by our circumstances or feelings, we will never get an accurate view of God. True security lies not in our good performance, but in our relationship with Christ, and no one can take that from us.

For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit http://www.intouch.org/.

Fernando Ortega - This is my Father's World



Simply trust Christ and follow Him. He is the one who fulfills dreams
and gives hope for a new year of serving Him.

Faith & Miracles: The Firey Furnace

FAITH & MIRACLES PART IV:
THE FIERY FURNACE

The story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego is one of the most fun miracles in the Old Testament. These three Hebrews stood up to King Nebuchadnezzar and were thrown into the furnace for it. They obeyed God and remained faithful to Him, trusting that God could marvelously, miraculously save them.

They didn't know exactly what was going to happen, though. They knew that God could save them. They didn't know if He would.

"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up." -Daniel 3:16-18

"But if not." We are usually in that same boat. We believe that God can do anything. He can split the ocean and let escaping slaves walk through on dry land. He can provide money or food at the last moment to feed orphans. He can heal people from cancer and Alzheimer's and drug addiction. We know He can. We just don't know in our situation if He will. So, the question we asked at the beginning of this series remains... in what, exactly, are we supposed to have faith? That God will do something? We don't know that. Then what?

Mistake #4: Not Depending On God's Love:
One of the biggest errors we make when we pray is that we really don't think that God WANTS to do what we ask. We have the idea that God wants us to go through this suffering for a reason. And perhaps He does. Maybe He's refining us through fire (1 Peter 1:6-7). Maybe He is teaching us to depend on Him and not our own strength. Then again, maybe He is perfectly willing to do what we ask. The bottom line of our fear is that we do not really believe God loves us.

And yet, believing in HIS LOVE may be the very key to our faith. We believe God exists. We believe He is powerful. Do we truly believe He loves us? If yes, then we can believe that His will is excellent. Then we can believe He wants to do the most excellent things in our lives, no matter what those things are.

Guess what!! God didn't let those young men perish! He protected them in the middle of the fire and they walked out unharmed and not even smelling of smoke!

Maybe... maybe God wants to do wonderful healing, protective things in our lives, but He's waiting until our understanding is correct. God our Father loves us so deeply and selflessly that He gave His precious Son for us. He would never pay that price for us and then drop us. When we pray, we need to pray with confidence in that love.

Example - Amy Joy:

On November 27, 2010, Amy Joy Hess (one of our writers) piled wood and paper on the burn pile behind her house on her 4.5 acres. She had been renovating her house, and she piled scraps of lumber along with bags of papers she wanted to get rid of. She set the pile on fire, and as the flames rose, she realized she had forgotten to pay attention to the wind. The cold November wind whisked up ashy, burning papers and blew them into the woods near the burn pile. "I am such an idiot," Amy Joy told herself. She knew better than to light a fire when the wind was blowing.

"Dear Lord," Amy Joy prayed fearfully, "Please don't let the woods catch on fire. Please don't let the woods catch on fire." She begged God, "Please calm down the wind. Please calm it down." Nothing changed. The wind continued to blow orange flames toward the trees. Dry leaves at the base of the fire ignited, reminding Amy Joy of the thousands of dry oak leaves in the woods.

"Wait," Amy Joy said to herself, "I'm not praying right." Then she began to remind herself of the truth. "Jesus loves me. Jesus loves me. Jesus loves me," she told herself. "Jesus loves me." She felt her confidence in the love of God for her grow. The fear left. "Jesus cared about me," Amy Joy told us. "He didn't want my woods to burn down. I knew He would keep me safe."

Then, full of confidence in God's love, Amy Joy spoke to the fire and wind, and she said, "In the name of Jesus Christ, calm down."

The change was immediate. "Instantly, the fire just 'whoosh!' went from lion-mode to kitten mode," Amy Joy said. "It didn't simply calm. It was like a giant hand pressed down, and it actually puffed out the sides. The flames relaxed, and there was no wind, and the fire became as docile as you could want. There was a soft blue flame in the middle of glowing red. I was like, 'WOW! Let's try that again!'"

Later on, when a few gusts of wind came through, Amy Joy grew worried again. "But, then I remembered that God was taking care of things, and I knew I was safe." The fire eventually burned out, and Amy Joy swears she will check for wind before lighting fires in the future.

When we pray, we need to rest in the belief that God desires to do wonderful things in our lives, and we need to trust in the work He is doing in us. Everyday need to we say, "Lord, we are Yours. Thank you so much for loving us. Please keep us in the cross hairs of Your will today, because we know Your will is good."

That's praying in Faith.

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." -Ephesians 2:4-7

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The Empty Tomb

One Way to Salvation
Pastor Adrian Rogers

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." John 14:6

Materialism says, "Buy your way out." The politician says, "Legislate." The army says, "Fight." Industry says, "Work." The philosopher says, "Think." But Jesus says, "There's no way out but through Me."

Jesus will save you by His grace, and He'll save you all by Himself or you won't be saved at all. When you are saved by the grace of God, you are saved instantly, and you are saved eternally. Your goodness is not enough to save you, and your badness is not enough to keep you away. Jesus loves you so much that He died to save you.

Have you taken Jesus at His Word and followed His way of salvation? Maybe you have a friend who needs this truth today. Share it, don't suppress it.

For more from Love Worth Finding and Pastor Adrian Rogers, please visit www.lwf.org.

The Poor and the Marketplace

The Poor and the Marketplace
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1, by Os Hillman
12-29-2010

"When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the Lord your God" (Lev 19:9-10).

God has a special place in his heart for the poor. In the book of Isaiah we read these words:


"Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh? -Isa 58:6-7

So how does God want us to care for the poor? Is it through government welfare programs, food stamps, or soup kitchens? God gives us his answer in the Old Testament story of Boaz, Ruth and Naomi. It was customary for farmers to not glean their entire fields in order to leave some of the crop for the poor to glean. This allowed the poor to come at the end of the day and work to receive their provision. This is how the widow Naomi was able to care for herself. Boaz allowed the poor in his community to come to his field at the end of the day to get the leftovers of the harvest.

Notice that God created a partnership between the marketplace and the poor. I believe it is the marketplace that has a responsibility to the poor. By providing an opportunity to glean something from our businesses through an opportunity to work, we provide provision and dignity to the poor.

What are the gleanings in your business? Consider how you might serve the poor.



Today's Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, I come before you to ask a special blessing of health and prosperity upon the poor. Though they may be poor in the eyes of the world, may they be rich in spiritual blessings and happiness. Though they may live in meager shelters or be homeless, may they find warmth and love. Though they may not have material possessions, may they have food to eat, clothes to wear, and place to sleep. I pray that this season, this year and in the days ahead, every need be met whether spiritual, emotional, or physical. I pray that doors will open, people will reach out and encourage, jobs and education will be available, and sufficient housing will be provided. I pray that the sick will be well, the disabled will be enabled, the bound will be loosed, the scared will find courage, the hopeless will find hope, the lost will find salvation in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Please have mercy...and please use those of us who have to minister to those who have not. Guide, direct, protect us, Father. In Jesus' name I pray and give thanks, amen.

Today God Is First (TGIF) devotional message, Copyright by Os Hillman, Marketplace Leaders.

I Refuse by Josh Wilson

Time for Rest
by Mary Southerland
Girlfriends in God Devotional

Today's Truth
Psalm 23:1-3 (NLT) "The LORD is my shepherd. I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He refreshes my soul."

Friend to Friend
Life is so daily and often filled with uncertainty, a reality that can make me very nervous. I want to know what the plan is and how that plan is going to be implemented. Details! I need details! Instead, God calls me to rest. I don't want to rest. When I rest, I feel guilty. I have places to go, people to see and important things to do. I hear the quiet whisper of the One who knows me best and loves me most, "Mary, it's time to rest." I have tried to ignore that whisper on more than one occasion but it is only a temporary maneuver on my part. The Lord is my Shepherd, He is used to dealing with stubborn sheep like me. He will lovingly make me lie down in green pastures and firmly lead me beside quiet waters. Why? Because He wants to refresh my soul and give me the peace that can only be found at His feet. Rest is not really an option. It is a spiritual discipline that needs to become a spiritual habit in our life.

Admit your need for rest. Many of us have bought into the lie that who we are is based on what we do or don't do. We fill every waking moment with something or someone in order to prove our worth. After all, we must be worthy if we are doing worthy things, right? Busyness does not always equal productivity. When we admit our need to rest, we are acknowledging the fact that we are imperfect and that our human power is limited. We need to rest in Him.

Turn to Jesus to find rest. Recreation is anything you enjoy doing while relaxation is any activity that slows you down. Restoration is an inside job and can only be found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We once had an Australian cattle dog named Dallas. Australian cattle dogs are extremely loyal to a master of their choice. Dallas chose our son, Jered, to be his master. When Jered came home from school each day, Dallas would greet him at the door and follow him wherever he went. If Jered was doing homework in his room, Dallas would find a spot under the desk. If our son was working in the garage, Dallas was with him. When Jered ran an errand, Dallas went for a ride. Dallas instinctively knew that the only place he would find genuine rest was at the feet of his master. The same is true in our life.

Lay your stuff at Jesus' feet. The number one stress is the result of bearing a burden that is not yours to carry. Exhaustion comes when we take on a responsibility God never intended us to have. The twin of exhaustion is emptiness that comes when we fail to take on a responsibility God does intend for us to assume. God empowers His plan and agenda for our life. When we step outside of that plan, we are stepping into our own power and depending on our own strength, both of which will soon be depleted.

Realize you are not alone. For years, our family vacationed in the mountains of North Carolina in order to escape the brutal heat of South Florida where we lived. We all had our favorite thing to do while on vacation. Dan loved to read and take long walks in the cool, green forests. The kids loved wading in creeks, looking for "gold." My favorite activity was shopping for antiques. Now let me define "antiques" and "antique stores" according to Mary. The best stores were nestled in the mountains on some remote dirt road and the "antiques" were what most people would call junk. One year, I walked into a shop and stopped in my tracks when I saw the yoke. Matthew 11:28-30 is one of my husband's favorite passages of Scripture where Jesus says, "Take my yoke upon you and you will find rest for your souls." For years, I searched for just the right yoke to give Dan as a special gift. It seemed that every yoke I found was either too big or too small and in less than stellar condition. The yoke before me was in perfect condition and was just the right size and price. Upon closer inspection, my excitement faded.

Yokes have two loops of leather or wood attached to a sturdy wooden frame. Two working animals wear the loops around their necks in order to bear whatever load they are given. The loops on this particular yoke were not the same size - one larger than the other. When I pointed out the flaw, the shop owner said, "It is supposed to be made like that. The stronger animal is placed in the larger loop to help the weaker animal pull the load. A shared load is a lighter load.

Are you tired and exhausted from trying to live life on your own? Come to Jesus and find rest in Him.

Let's Pray
Father, thank You for the promise of rest. It seems like I am always tired and every step is hard. Please forgive me when I turn to You as a last resort instead of running to You first. Today, I turn to You, Lord, for rest.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Writing The Future

Pruning our Lives
by Sharon Jaynes
Girlfriends in God Devotional

Today's Truth

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful" (John 15:1 NIV).

Friend to Friend
In 2006, I sat down to write my annual Christmas letter and it began with these words: "This year has been a year of change." Then I realized that was the very same way I had begun our traditional letter the year before! I tore up the letter and decided to skip our Christmas letter that year.

Have you ever had one of those years when everything in your life seemed to change? I had two years in succession where God left no area of my life untouched...except my marriage. I did get to keep my husbandJ My son graduated from college, I stepped down from leadership at a ministry where I had served for ten years and my voice went off the radio for the first time in a decade. But perhaps the biggest change was that we left a home we had lived in for twenty years. This was a home we had built, filled with wonderful memories in every room. My adult son's two-year-old handprints were stamped in the concrete of the driveway, his growth was charted on the kitchen doorframe, and echoes of laughter and tears lingered in the now empty rooms.

But Steve and I packed up our memories and moved out into the country to a house overlooking a beautiful lake. And while we loved the view and the house, the yard was a mess. The shrubbery around the house was terribly overgrown and there were just too many bushes. Steve began the arduous task of cutting the bushes back, and while he is quite a Rambo with a hedge trimmer, the job was too big for him. We hired a crew to finish the job. The men hauled off truck loads of trimmings. All-in-all, they carted away 2,000 pounds of cuttings!

As I watched the last dump truck pull away from our newly trimmed yard, God began to show me a picture. He seemed to tell me that over the past two years, He had been pruning my life in order to make room for healthy new growth. My life had become too full with what I had been comfortable doing. Yes, there was fruit, but He wanted me to produce more fruit. The only way to make room for what He had in store was to lop off areas of my life that had become overgrown. Was it comfortable? No. Was it spiritually profitable? Yes.

Jesus explained this process to the disciples in one of their last conversations together before the cross: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful" (John 15:1).

As you move into the New Year, ask God what parts of your busy schedule need to be pruned or cut back. Perhaps, like me, He has some new and exciting ventures waiting just around the corner, and He's waiting for you to make room in your life before He reveals them.

Let's Pray
Dear God, sometimes I don't like it when you prune my life. It's uncomfortable and I'm not crazy about change. However, I know that You are the gardener who knows what is best to produce the best crop in my life. Forgive me when I whine and complain about the process. Help me to trust You more and give up what needs to be removed with an attitude of expectancy and anticipation of a bumper crop of spiritually healthy fruit.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen




Classic Car Christmas Card



Being Spirit-Filled
Pastor Adrian Rogers

"...Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" Acts 9:6

So many Christians want to be Spirit-filled, but have they ever asked why God should fill them with His Spirit?

I want you to imagine a man pushing a car into a service station. It has no battery in it. The car has four flat tires, a hole in the gas tank, and half the wires are disconnected. The attendant comes out, looks at this rattle trap, and says, "May I help you?"

And the man says, "Yeah, fill 'er up."

What do you think that attendant would say?

"What for?" would be appropriate.

I think God sometimes says, "What for?" to us. Instead, we need to just sign the contract at the bottom and say, "Lord, You fill it in."

Bow before the Lord, open your hands and say, "Lord, It's all You. I am nothing but a vessel for You to use. Use me as You will."


For more from Love Worth Finding and Pastor Adrian Rogers, please visit www.lwf.org.




Lisa Bevere: Writing the Future (Words of LIFE)

It's About The Cross

The High Places
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1, by Os Hillman

"Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will trample down their high places." - Deuteronomy 33:29

One of the most successful movies of our time has been Star Wars, a futuristic movie where the forces of good battle the forces of evil in a far-off galactic solar system. In order for the forces of good to win their battle, they must enter the airspace of their enemies and find the central power source inside the enemy space station. Their fighter jets must locate this central nervous system and fire a laser missile into its heart in order to destroy the power source. The final scene shows the hero sending a last-minute laser missile into the power source and blowing up the space station and all the evil characters who live on it.

Throughout history, cultures have recognized idols on the high places, on the tops of hills or mountains, as their power sources. God said these high places are an abomination to Him. When God brought the people of Israel into the Promised Land, He instructed them to destroy all the high places. Many times through history, God had to judge Israel for their failure to destroy the high places.

Today, every major cult or evil spirit has its own high place that must be destroyed first before a righteous foundation can be laid. It may not mean you can physically destroy this high place, but you can tear it down through spiritual warfare and intercessory prayer.

High places are anything that is elevated above God and is worshiped. Are there any high places that take the place of God in your life? Are there any high places where you live that must be dealt with through spiritual warfare to allow the Kingdom of God to reign? You must destroy the high places in order for God to reign completely. Ask God to show you the high places so that you can elevate the one true God.

Today's Prayer

Dear Father in Heaven, This day I lift up families to you. There are so many distractions in life. People get sidetracked by their own desires, the quest for more, what others think, trying to 'climb the ladder' of success, activities and more activities, working too hard, illness, challenges and problems, and so on. We often become consumed with all of that and distracted from all that is most important. God, I pray that every person spending this time with you right now will see the need to make time for family, to acknowledge and show love for their loved ones, to prioritize their lives and obligations, to focus on what would Jesus do. May we not become districted by everything else. May we put you first, our families next, and everyone and everything else after. Please guide us, give us wisdom, and encourage us this day and in the days ahead. In Jesus' name we come to you and thank you, Amen

Today God Is First (TGIF) devotional message, Copyright by Os Hillman, Marketplace Leaders




FITF: Time to decorate! A paper (fabric) chain tutorial Film in ...

Compromise
by Bayless Conley

Today, I want to highlight for you the third area where the devil will seek to cause you to fail when you are on the verge of a breakthrough. It is found in Matthew 4:8-11,

Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'" Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

If you think about it, the devil offered Jesus exactly what He had come to this world to obtain. Jesus came to win the kingdoms of this world to our God.

And the devil is saying, "Hey, You can take a shortcut. I will give You what You want. You don't have to do it God's way. You may have to compromise Your integrity, but think of how quickly You will succeed! You can even avoid the whole sacrifice thing! You don't have to do it God's way."

Listen, anytime God has set a goal for you, and you are going to obtain something, the devil will always come and try to get you to compromise and offer you substitutes.

He will tempt you by saying things like, "You can get what you want without living by all those narrow, restrictive rules that God puts on people's lives. You can be dishonest; you can be unfaithful; you can compromise; and you can still be blessed, and you can still be happy."

Do not believe him for a moment. His way of compromise leads only to ruin!

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God






The Pattern for Servanthood
Dr. Charles Stanley

Matthew 20:25-28

In the world's thinking, great men are the ones with authority, prominence, and power. Though Jesus Christ had all that, He gave it up to become a servant (Isa. 42:1).

Jesus gave Himself completely to fulfill the Father's plan of redemption, even though the beneficiaries—namely, each of us—were undeserving. God is holy and righteous, and He cannot be in the presence of sin. Therefore, He must separate Himself from those who are stained by wrongdoing. That includes all of humanity (Rom. 3:23).

Everybody is born captive to the desires of the flesh (Rom. 6:16-18). When someone claims to be living on his "own terms," he is actually serving whatever his human nature craves. The penalty for that false sense of liberty is death (Rom. 6:23).

Jesus' ultimate act of service was to give His life as a ransom for many (Matt. 20:28). The word describes the price paid to set a slave free—Christ voluntarily purchased our liberation. There was only one way our holy God could remove our guilt yet remain true to His own law: Someone sinless had to pay our sin debt for us.

Jesus' sacrifice spared us the penalty we deserve. Instead, we receive the gift of grace and have been declared no longer guilty. Moreover, we are elevated from slaves to sons and daughters of the Almighty!

Jesus served the Father's purpose faithfully. He gave up His righteousness to carry the weight of all our wickedness—and endured a crushing separation from His Father. To meet our needs, the Savior held nothing of Himself back, and thereby set a powerful example of servanthood for us follow.

For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.


It's About The Cross

Even Our Hairs - Hamster Time

Faith & Miracles Part III --
EVEN OUR HAIRS - HAMSTER TIME

"Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows." - Luke 12:6

Last week in our series on faith and miracles, we learned about the abundant provision God gave a woman with five children to feed. When we hear those sorts of stories, we're grateful for God's coming through in times of great need. However, we don't always think that God is willing to take care of us in the "small" things too, things that maybe not all people will recognize as important.

Fear and doubt edge into our prayer-lives in a variety of ways.

Mistake #3: Thinking Our Request Is Unimportant:

We sometimes get the idea that God is only interested in really huge problems. We say, yes, God even cares about the sparrows, but we don't really believe it. We forget that a thousand years to God is as a day, and a day is as a thousand years, and our very hairs are numbered. Every detail about us is important to God. Every detail. Here are two similar stories that demonstrate the care God has for even the animals.

Chipper:
The Frattarola family of Martinsburg, West Virginia had a 13-year-old boxer-malamute mix named Chipper. He was a faithful old family dog, and like old dogs do, he became seriously ill. He lost his eyesight and most of his hearing as well. "He would stumble along the wall at the edge of the room in order to keep track of where he was going," John Frattarola told us. He got so bad he couldn't even get up anymore. One morning the family woke up and found that Chipper had vomited bile all over himself the floor. They had to clean him up. He'd had tumors and seizures. The poor old dog was at the end of it.

Ursula Frattarola told us, "We had a family meeting and talked about maybe putting him down, but our daughter Giovanna told us that if we did that, she wouldn't ever talk to us again." Giovanna suggested they set up a hospice for Chipper, like they had for Grandma. So, the family set up a hospice for Chipper in the kitchen, and the dog spent most of his time under the kitchen table. "We sprayed his mouth with water, the whole thing," Ursula related.

The family prayed for Chipper, and they brought it to their church and the church body prayed for Chipper. Everybody loved this dog. "He was a neat old dog," John said. "He would come to every prayer meeting and Bible study as soon as they started, and he would just lay quietly throughout the whole thing."

Over the next couple of days, the Frattarolas expected Chipper to die. Giovanna continued to care for her dog. John at one point prayed that God would either heal Chipper or let him die. Then, he just prayed that God heal Chipper. One morning, John went downstairs to check on him, thinking he would find the poor old dog dead.

John told us, "He was lying under the table, very weak. When we came down to check on him, we squatted down to look at him under the table, and he lifted his head up and turned and looked right at us. He hadn't done that for a good week and a half, maybe two weeks. The vet had said he probably had a tumor, but there was no more sign of anything wrong." Still very weak, Chipper struggled to get up, but then headed straight over to the door to go outside.

Ursula fed Chipper chicken broth and rice and some bits of chicken, and after a couple of days, "he was just like he'd always been." He was able to jog old-dog fashioned around the back yard.

Ursula said, "I asked the Lord, when it is his time to die, please let him go in his sleep. Don't make him go through this again." A few months later, on June 12th, 2002, they found Chipper in his bed. He had died peacefully in the night. "It really taught us a lot about how God cares about even the animals - and a child's love for an animal," Ursula said.

Barney the Hamster:
"We had just moved back to Ohio," Juanita Middlebrook, mother of three, told us, "and we'd had to leave our German Shepherd behind. Bill and I had told the boys we'd get them another dog, but the place where we moved didn't have a fenced-in yard. So, we gave our middle son Scott a hamster."

They all enjoyed Barney the Hamster.

The Middlebrooks kept Barney's cage down in the basement. The basement had rooms, but they were unfinished. Winter set in and mice became a serious problem. Bill Middlebrook asked a neighbor what to do about the mice, and the neighbor suggested getting d-Con. So, Bill put d-Con in the basement for the mice.

Of course, Barney got out, as hamsters do, and he disappeared. One day, Juanita went into a storeroom, and she saw Barney. At first she was glad, but she quickly grew concerned. "He tried to bite me," Juanita said. "He was weaving back and forth. One eye was bulging out and one was sunken in, and he was weaving back and forth. It was obvious he'd gotten into the d-Con." Bill was going to just put Barney out in the field, but they decided instead they would tell the boys the truth.

Bill and Juanita went upstairs and got Tim (9), Scott (8) and Phil (4) and took them downstairs to see poor Barney. Bill said, "I'm sorry, but Barney is going to die, guys. There's nothing we can do." Scott said, "Can't we pray for him?"

"So," Juanita said, "We joined hands and prayed." The whole family stood in the basement holding hands and the little boys prayed in faith for their hamster.

The next morning Bill went downstairs, expecting the hamster to be dead. Instead, Barney the Hamster was running around in his box, as healthy as could be.

"It wasn't our faith," Juanita said. "It was the boys' faith." Those little boys didn't think a hamster was too small a thing for God, and God healed Barney.

It is easy for us to think that our problems are not important enough to worry God with, as though He has only a limited number of interventions he can offer the human race. "Whoops. You used up your last prayer for the year on that empty gas tank. Sorry." No, God has no quota. He has no limits, and He cares even about our pets.

When we are struggling through something major, something massive, and we feel as though God isn't even paying attention, we need to know our feelings are wrong. God is paying attention, and every detail matters to Him. The God who started the spinning of the most massive galaxies is the same God who placed the little bitty ribosomes in our cells. Nothing is too small for Him. Nothing is unimportant to Him.

Jesus told his disciples, "But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows." - Luke 12:6

Sparrows...or hamsters.

Related Links:

Faith and Miracles Part II: A Mustard Seed and An Empty Fridge »- Koinonia House
Faith And Miracles Part I: Faith in What? »- Koinonia House
Miracles Part IX: But If Not »- Koinonia House

Christmas: A Time for Giving

Christmas: A Time for Giving
Dr. Charles Stanley

Luke 2:1-20

Christmas is one of the happiest holidays because during this season, people are more generous than at any other time of the year. The practice of giving is not a recent innovation—it began on the first Christmas when Jesus was born. Everyone in the story had something to give.

• When Mary submitted to God's plan, she gave her body to be the first home of the incarnated Savior (Luke 1:30-38).

• She also surrendered her good reputation in order to fulfill the Lord's calling for her life.

• Joseph offered his love and protection to Mary and the child who was not his own (Matt. 1:18-25).

• An angel gave an announcement of the Messiah's birth to some lowly shepherds who were watching their flocks at night.

• A heavenly host of angels offered praise and glory to God.

• The shepherds shared the first personal testimony about the Messiah.

• The wise men relinquished the comfort of home to seek the newborn King and give Him gifts worthy of royalty (Matt. 2:1-11).

At first glance, these gifts may seem to pertain only to the first Christmas, but they each have application for us today. Believers are called to give of themselves to the Lord and to one another in similar ways.

Look at this list again. What gifts could you give to Christ today? Maybe you need to submit to His will in a difficult area or endure misunderstanding in order to obey Him. And how about others? Who needs your protection, love, or perhaps the good news of salvation in Christ?

For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.

And Jesus Said "Yes"
by Mary Southerland

Girlfriends in God Devotional


Today's Truth
Psalm 91:4 "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge."

Friend to Friend
An article in National Geographic several years ago provided an interesting picture of God's wings. After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage. At the base of a tree, one ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes. Dismayed by the strange sight, the ranger knocked the bird over with a stick. To his amazement, three tiny chicks scurried from under their dead mother's wings. The loving mother, sensing the impending disaster, had carried her chicks to the base of the tree and gathered them under her wings. She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies. The blaze had descended upon her, scorching her small body, but the mother remained steadfast, willing to die so those under the cover of her wings would live.

God's love is like that. God defined His unconditional and relentless love for us when He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to earth as a baby. And Jesus said, "Yes!" What an amazing gift! The love of God for you and for me compelled Jesus Christ to willingly exchange a throne for a manger, divinity for humanity and Heaven for Earth.

God's love changes everything and everyone it touches. It protects and breathes life and purpose into every minute of every day. God's love is a gift beyond measure that surrounds us and covers us when the fire of life rains down. It is God's love and the very reason for the season we call Christmas - or it should be.

I know many of you are experiencing those "fires" of life this year. No job and no prospect of one. Someone you love is very ill or maybe you are the one battling to survive each day. A rebellious child has broken your heart. A secret addiction is slowly destroying your life. Your spouse packed his bags and walked out the front door because he no longer wants to be married. It is hard to celebrate anything in the midst of such darkness.

I have great news for you, girlfriend.

You can celebrate Jesus. Do not believe the lies of the enemy when he tells you that your God has forsaken you. God is with you - Emmanuel. God understands your fear and loneliness. He endured the cross, completely and absolutely alone because He loves you and because no one can take your place in the Father's heart. No matter where this Christmas Eve finds you - you can celebrate Jesus.

Let's Pray
Father, I celebrate You and the love You so freely offer. I may not understand some of the things happening in my life right now but I choose to trust You with each one. My faith is small, Lord. Give me Your strength for each step and help me to remember that You are with me. Lord, today I celebrate Your birth. Thank You for the gift of life and love I find in knowing You. My Christmas gift to You is everything I am, everything I have, everything I hope to be.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now it's Your Turn
Find some time today to spend alone with God. Praise and worship Him for who He is, Lord, King, Father and Shepherd. Celebrate the perfect plan and design of God for your life.

More from the Girlfriends
Sharon, Gwen and I pray that this Christmas is a true celebration of Jesus Christ at work in your life. It is such an honor to do life with you.


May God grant you the light in Christmas, which is faith;

The warmth of Christmas, which is love;

The radiance of Christmas, which is purity;

The righteousness of Christmas, which is justice;

The belief in Christmas, which is truth;

The all of Christmas, which is Christ.

Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
www.girlfriendsingod.com

Wrapping Up Christmas

Country Living Magazine

Wrapping Up Christmas
by Sharon Jaynes
Girlfriends in God Devotional


Today's Truth

"Ye shall find the babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger" (Luke 2:12 KJV).

Friend to Friend
Who in the world would wait until Christmas Eve to do their Christmas shopping? I find it hard to believe the statistics that show December 24th is one of the biggest shopping days of the year, so one season I decided to venture out to the stores and see for myself. I usually have my Christmas list complete by Thanksgiving to avoid the crowds, so even though I was elbow to elbow with anxious shoppers, I didn't feel the same angst that seemed etched on their faces.

I traveled to my favorite department stores and picked through a few stocking stuffers. Low and behold, I saw three of my in-laws scrambling for gifts. I picked up a few items and went to stand in the check-out line about sixteen people deep. Maybe this was the "season to be jolly" but the people in line at 2:00 on Christmas Eve were anything but cheerful. Amazingly, they were talking to each other. Strangers who normally would never speak to each other in a checkout line were chatting away about Charismas plans, families, special purchases, and where to find great last minute bargains. I actually was enjoying listening to the friendly banter. It seemed the shoppers were bonding because of a common cause - get the shopping finished today!

The young lady in front of me was laden down with five large rolls of very expensive wrapping paper. She turned to me and said, "I can't believe I'm spending over $25.00 on wrapping paper. It seems like such a waste for something that's going to be torn off and thrown in the trash tomorrow. But at least I won't have to get back in that traffic and go to another store."

I didn't bother telling her about the paper I saw on sale for one-fifth the price she was about to pay. By the look on her face, the $20.00 saving wouldn't be worth the trip. Instead I said, "Oh it is expensive isn't it? But it will look lovely under your tree."

"Thanks," she said. "I think it's pretty too."

Musing over the idea of wrapping paper took me back to the origin of the gift giving tradition. We give gifts at Christmas because the wise men gave gifts to baby Jesus. But were they wrapped? I don't think so. I didn't even remember wrapping being mentioned in the Christmas story at all. Then the words of Luke two came flooding through my mind. "And you shall find the babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger."

Ah, the first Christmas gift was wrapped indeed.

As I watched the young lady dash to her car with her shiny gold paper I thought, "Maybe that expensive paper is not such a waste after all."

As you look at the beautifully wrapped gifts under your tree this year, remember that the most important gift of all - the One that was wrapped just for you - is the Christ Child Himself.

Let's Pray
Dear Jesus, My heart is full today just thinking about that first Christmas Day. Thank You for taking on the form of man, for humbling Yourself and leaving Your throne just for me. I am wrapped in gratitude pondering Your amazing gift.

In Jesus' Name, Amen

Now It's Your Turn
If you have any more gifts to wrap, think about that first Christmas gift and thank Jesus for His amazing gift.

Girlfriend Hint

Dollar stores have lovely wrapping paper and gifts bags.

Use brown paper and let your children color trees, bells, and stars on them.

Buy gift wrapping after Christmas and save it until next year. (Just don't forget where you put it!)


God Bless Us - Echoing Angels


God certainly did bless us when he sent His only Son, Jesus, to be the Savior of the world. O, What great love Divine!

Our Savior Understands

Our Savior Understands
Dr. Charles Stanley

Hebrews 4:14-16

We do not have a Savior who's isolated in heaven with no idea what it feels like to have human struggles. No, our Lord left the glories of heaven behind and added humanity to His deity. He temporarily gave up the use of some of His attributes, applying them only as the Father directed Him.

Jesus understands precisely how we feel because He went through the same types of situations we do. Though details of our lives may not match His, the experiences and feelings are alike. Let's look at several examples of how He identifies with us:

• Misunderstanding: People constantly misunderstood His claims to be the Son of God.

• Rejection: He was unappreciated by the ones He came to love and die for.

• Pressure: Crowds surrounded Him, begging for help and demanding His attention.

• Exhaustion: He experienced all the weakness of humanity.

• Loneliness: At Gethsemane, when He needed human companionship the most, His closest friends fell asleep.

• Temptation: Satan hit Him with every imaginable type of attack and temptation.

• Hatred: Religious leaders despised Him.

• Injustice: Though Jesus lived a sinless life, He died a criminal's death.

• Pain: He suffered the excruciating pain of scourging and crucifixion.

Whatever you're going through right now, remember that Jesus knows how you feel and sympathizes with your pain and weakness. He may not remove the anguish or change your situation, but He'll always give you the grace to resist temptation, endure suffering, and grow in spiritual maturity.

For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.



This year why not write a "love letter" to each family member. Place the letter in an envelope and hang it on your Christmas tree. Make it the first gift you open on Christmas morning.


What Translation Are You Using?
by Mary Southerland
Girlfriends in God Devotional


Today's Truth

1 Corinthians 8:1 "Knowledge puffs you up with pride, but love builds up."

Friend to Friend
As a teenager, I can remember feeling sorry for my mother because - well, she just didn't seem to know much about anything. When I graduated from high school and went to college, I think she must have taken some classes herself because she seemed to get smarter every time we talked. And when I graduated from college and moved out on my own, I began to realize just how brilliant my mother really was.

Mama raised three children on her own and often worked three jobs a day to put food on the table while attending nursing school. She studied - a lot. I can still see her cooking dinner while holding her nursing manual in one hand and a spoon in the other. Mama became an excellent nurse and was highly respected by those who worked with her. And she was one of the sweetest and most loving people I have ever known.

Children adored her. Crying babies grew silent and peaceful in her arms. Stubborn toddlers did whatever she asked them to do and she could still a mischievous child with a glance. I miss her so much - especially around the holidays. But I don't miss her brilliant mind, even though she graduated near the top of her nursing class while raising three kids and working three jobs. I miss the feel of her arms hugging me and the way she would kiss my forehead when I was sick. I miss the way her eyes sparkled with pride as I sang a solo at church or played the piano for a worship service. I miss her love.

Isn't it amazing how much we have to know before we realize how little we know? Knowledge - for the sake of knowledge - is worthless and can easily lead to pride and arrogance. But knowledge for the sake of love is priceless. In other words, no one really cares how much you know until they know how much you really care.

Knowledge is powerful and should be used in love and love should always be controlled by knowledge. God gives us the ability to understand the Bible and then use its truths to build each other up and meet the needs of others.

A preacher once said, "Some Christians grow. Others just swell." Arrogance and pride are the result of knowledge that is misused. Knowledge can be a weapon of destruction or a tool of construction. It all depends on how it is used. We can know doctrine and never know God. We can grow in Bible knowledge but not grow in grace. We can attend church every time the doors are open but until we actually apply God's truth to the way we live, something is lost in the way we translate the Good News of Jesus Christ.

I heard the story of four Bible scholars who were arguing over the best translation of the Bible. One said he preferred the King James Version because of its beautiful, eloquent old English. Another said he preferred the American Standard Bible for its literalism and accurate translation from the original text. A third man preferred the newer translations because of their practical application. The fourth scholar listened thoughtfully and then added, "Personally, I prefer my mother's translation." When the other men laughed, he explained, "My mother translates every page of the Bible into her daily life and it is the most convincing translation I have ever seen."

I wonder. Do the people in my life better understand God because of the way I live? Is my life a living illustration of God's love? Is the "Mary Southerland Translation" of the Bible authentic and real and pleasing to God? I hope so. Mama would be proud.

Let's Pray
Father, I am amazed that You love me - no matter what I do or don't do. Lord, I want others to look at my life and see You. Teach me Your ways. Give me Your strength and wisdom to live each day as a beautiful translation of Your unconditional love and grace.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now it's Your Turn
Pray for the people on your Christmas list and ask God to show you how to demonstrate His love in a tangible way. Look for a need in each person's life and then make a plan to meet that need.

Read John 3:16 as part of your Christmas celebration.

Write a "love letter" to each family member. Place the letter in an envelope and hang it on your Christmas tree. Make it the first gift you open on Christmas morning.


You Raise Me Up - Selah



When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up...
To more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up...
To more than I can be.
There is no life -- no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up...
To more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up...
To more than I can be.
You raise me up...
To more than I can be.

Ready for Christmas?

Ready for Christmas?
By Sharon Jaynes
Girlfriends in God Devotional


Today's Truth

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 3:2 NIV).

Friend to Friend
It seems like everywhere you go during the month of December people ask the same question. At the grocery checkout counter - "Are you ready for Christmas?" At the bank drive through window - "Are you ready for Christmas?" At the doctor's office - "Are you ready for Christmas?"

I think the answer to that question depends on how you define "ready." Let me ask you this question: "Are you ready for Jesus?" Now that puts the idea of being ready in a completely different Christmas light, doesn't it?

John the Baptist was sent by God to get the people ready to meet Jesus. Here's what Matthew had to say about him:

In those days, John the Baptist came preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

"A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord; make straight paths for him.'"..."People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River" (Matthew 3:1-3, 5-6).

We don't like the words "repent" or "repentance" very much. They mean "to make a radical change in one's life, to turn and go in the opposite direction from sin (another word we're not too fond of today) to God". Repentance involves an element of grief over the way we have lived apart from God and a decision to run toward the Father. That was God's idea of the way to prepare for Christ's arrival in the book of Matthew, and it is still God's idea of preparing to worship Him today. Now that's what I call getting ready for Christmas!

Let's reflect for a moment on the words to this poem and then answer the question, "Are you ready for Christmas?"

"Ready for Christmas," she said with a sigh
As she gave a last touch to the gifts piled high...
Then wearily sat for a moment AND READ
Til soon, very soon, she was nodding her head.
Then quietly spoke a voice in her dream,
"Ready for Christmas, what do you mean?"
She woke with a start and a cry of despair.
"There's so little time and I've still to prepare.
Oh, Father! Forgive me, I see what You mean!
Yes, more than the giving of gifts and a tree.
It's the heart swept clean that He wanted to see,
A heart that is free from bitterness and sin.
So be ready for Christmas - and ready for Him.


Let's Pray

Dear Lord, I want to be ready for Jesus today and every day. I come to You now in repentance for my sins: my sin of selfishness, stubbornness, and rebellion. I turn from my self-centeredness today and commit to keep my focus on You. God, I cannot do this on my own. I am not able. So I ask that You fill me with the power of Your Holy Spirit. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen

Now It's Your Turn
What do you think it means to be "ready for Christmas?"

What do you think it means to be ready for Jesus?

Go back and read the parable of the ten virgins in Matthews 25:1-13. Notice the difference between the five who were ready and the five who were not. Which group more resembles your readiness for Christ?

Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
www.girlfriendsingod.com





A Necessary but Challenging Lesson
Dr. Charles Stanley

Psalm 27:14

There are many lessons for us to learn in God's School of Obedience. With space for just two, I have chosen principles that aren't easy. Yesterday, we learned that Christians must trust the Lord. Today, let's tackle patience: Believers must learn to wait upon Him.

Have you ever wondered why the psalmist coupled the admonition to wait upon God with encouragement to be strong and courageous? The reason is that sometimes delaying is the hardest thing to do.

Modern culture is in such a hurry. Gotta have it now! Gotta do it now! Can't wait! We've been primed to stay in a permanent state of readiness. It takes courage to be still when the world is rushing past. Everything in us hollers, "Go!" while God whispers, "Wait." But people are quick to act, because they are afraid of missing out on something. Believers who buy into that attitude make a move and then hope God will bless them.

God leaves nothing to chance. He does not place a decision before us with the hope that we'll make the right choice. That would be irresponsible and out of character. The Father is more than willing to show His children what to do, because He is personally interested in their welfare. But until the Lord makes clear what is the way forward, we've got to pause and wait.


Waiting upon God is not passive. It is not lazy. It is not an excuse to be careless. In fact, the opposite is true. Those who pause are seeking His will—which means that they are praying, searching Scripture, perhaps even fasting. And they are still serving the Lord wherever they can.

For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.





It is All Coming to Jesus
Pastor Adrian Rogers

"For by Him [Jesus] were all things created, that are in Heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him; And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. Colossians 1:16-17

This week we celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says, "All things were created by Him and for Him..." (v. 16). In this sentence the word "for" is a preposition that speaks of direction. It's the Greek word for "moving in the direction of."

We in America have been invaded by Eastern religions. Eastern religions believe that it's all circular. Everything goes round and round. But it's not circular. It is all headed in a direction. The Bible is linear. We're moving—moving to the time when the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ.

Friend, it is all headed to Jesus. It is all for Him, for the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the key to the mystery of history.

People ask, "What is the world coming to?" Answer: "It's coming to Jesus."

For more from Love Worth Finding and Pastor Adrian Rogers, please visit www.lwf.org.





Brandon Heath - The Night Before Christmas

Ho! Ho! Ho! Help!

Ho! Ho! Ho! Help!
by Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

Luke 2:16-20 (NIV) "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. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen which were just as they had been told."

Friend to Friend
Are you ready for the holidays? For some people, that question spurs exciting thoughts of beautifully decorated tables filled with scrumptious meals, festive shopping trips, extended family time, brightly wrapped gifts under a tree ... the "Walton" kind of holiday. For others, the holiday season is a very difficult and dark time that is to be endured rather than enjoyed. According to the American Institute of Stress, more than 110 million Americans take medication for stress-related causes each week. During the holiday season, another one million people battle what experts refer to as the "holiday blues." I am very familiar with depression and the pain it holds and must constantly battle to stay out of that pit.

Depression is an emotional, mental, physical and spiritual disorder. Something is out of balance. We have buried some pain instead of confronting it or have misplaced our trust and sought help from impotent sources. In order to deal with depression, we must first come to a place of total and complete surrender to God and His plan of healing - even if we cannot see or do not understand that plan. The bottom line of God's heart toward His children is always restoration and healing.

While I am not a big fan of television, I do enjoy watching a few select home improvement shows. On a recent program, an interior decorator and home owner were discussing a list of changes that needed to be made in order to update the home. "First, we have to do something about those windows," the decorator announced. I was surprised that she had listed this task first - until I saw the house. The existing glass was not only an ugly shade of gold but was thick and chunky as well. The windows let in no light and made it virtually impossible to see in or out. The result was a dark, isolated home. The distressed homeowner protested, "But I like my privacy. And if I thought anyone could see in, I would feel totally exposed." When it comes to dealing with depression, many people feel the same way.

We construct walls over which no one can climb because the cost of friendship is too high. We fill the windows of our soul with emotional excuses in order to avoid dealing with pain. The result is darkness, loneliness and missed opportunities for restoration. We don't want to understand depression or find the treasures of that darkness; we simply want to be rid of it. Many people try to understand and deal with depression on a surface level - refusing to face painful experiences, difficult relationships and, in general, the broken places where darkness lives. We look for the nearest exit, hoping to bypass transparency because the price is just too much to pay. Emotional integrity is an essential step to recognizing, understanding and dealing with depression. We must be real before we can be right, and until we are willing to risk being transparent, we can neither understand nor effectively deal with depression during the holidays or any other time of the year.

The holidays seem to tug at the masks we carefully hold in place or push the emotional buttons we desperately try to hide. The arrival of family members can resurrect painful issues that have never really been resolved. Financial pressure opens up like a sink hole waiting to steal our joy and destroy our peace. Schedules demand every ounce of energy and false expectations leave us empty and hollow. Before we realize it, the dark, slimy pit swallows us up. It is not supposed to be that way, girlfriend!

Make this Christmas season a time of praise. Choose to focus on the victories and joys you have experienced during the year and then find ways to share that victory and joy with others. Christmas can be a true celebration of fresh starts and new beginnings, if we choose to focus on a tiny baby born in a manger, come to save us and give us true life. The darkness can be destroyed if we choose to face and deal with whatever it holds. Right now, choose an attitude of joy by focusing your mind on the things of heaven - not earth, and by fixing your heart on Jesus Christ.

Let's Pray
Father, I want this holiday season to one that is filled with light instead of darkness. Please help me discard my emotional masks and be real before You as well as with my family and friends. Give me the courage to be obedient to You in every holiday setting. Give me eyes to see those You bring into my life that need my encouragement because they are on the same journey. Father, prepare and enable me to make this holiday season an offering of praise to You.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Read Luke 2:1-16. Answer the following questions after reading the Christmas story.

· What was the attitude of Mary and Joseph as they traveled to Bethlehem?

· How did the shepherds react to the news of Jesus' birth? What did they do?

· How would you describe the emotions and thoughts of Mary? How can your choice to "ponder" on the miracles of Jesus' birth change your perspective of the holidays?

Write a letter of commitment to Jesus, asking Him to empower the choices you have made. Make a plan or a list of "dos" and "don'ts" that will help you experience the best holiday season of your life. Include your family in making this plan and make the commitment to hold each other accountable.

Girlfriends in God

P.O. Box 725

Matthews, NC 28106
www.girlfriendsingod.com

Seeking His Face
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1, by Os Hillman
12-19-2010

Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. - Deuteronomy 34:10

One of the great differences between Moses and any other character in the Bible is how God describes Moses. Moses was a friend of God, and he met God face to face. "The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend" (Ex. 33:11a). So often, we view others for what they can do for us, instead of who they are. There is a difference between being a servant and being a friend. There is a difference between being an employee and being a son.

Do you seek God's face, or do you find that you spend more time seeking His hand? God wants us to seek Him for our every need. However, there is a higher calling for every believer. That is to seek God's face, and to see Him for His love and tenderness toward us as His children. He can provide for our physical needs, but when we see Him face to face, we are changed. We no longer see Him as one to be feared as much as one to know intimately. We no longer view Him for what He can give to us, but for what He already has given for us.

When we see Jesus face to face, we are no longer slaves, but friends. We do not fear Him as a slave fears his master. We have entered a new kind of relationship-a relationship that has mutual respect and care.

Today, Jesus is calling you to seek His face, not just His hand. When you seek His face, you will know His provision and His mercy in all aspects of life. Seek His face today and become a friend of God.

Today's Prayer

Dear God, You know my heart and my heartaches. You have showered me with blessings and carried me through the valley of pain and sadness. Thank you for the godly influence of special people in my life. Thank you for those who pray for and encourage me. I even thank you for the hard times and trials I have been through, for they have strengthened my faith. I praise you for giving me a spirit of hope, love, and acceptance, rather than allowing me to become angry, bitter, and downcast. I praise you God, from whom all blessings flow. May I, in return, be a blessing to you. In Jesus' name, amen


Today God Is First (TGIF) devotional message, Copyright by Os Hillman, Marketplace Leaders.



A Christmas Moment - Pastor Andy Stanley

Joy to the World

Words of LIFE Weekly Devotional
Joy to the World
by Randy Robison

God wants you to be happy. That is a big part of the reason he sent his Son. How do I know this? Because when the angels announced his birth, both to his mother, Mary, and to the shepherds that came to worship him, they said so.

In Luke 1:30, the angel said to Jesus' mother, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God." In Luke 2:10, the angel says to the shepherds, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people."

The Greek words used for "favor" and "joy" are charis and chara, two nouns of the same derivative. One of the definitions of charis is "that which afford to joy, pleasure, delight." It also implies goodwill, grace, blessing and the translated word used here: favor. Chara is generally translated as "joy" or "gladness." The verb form of the word is chairo: "to be glad" or "to rejoice."

This is how the birth of the Messiah was announced. The same Messiah whose birth led to Herod's orders to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under. The same Messiah who was brutally beaten and wrongfully executed. The same Messiah whose disciples were chased, imprisoned, tortured, and killed. So how could the angels promise blessings of joy that would cause us to be happy?

Christmas time can be very difficult. Those who have lost loved ones to distance or death suffer loneliness. Others dread the tension that comes with family gatherings. Many feel the financial pressure that comes with giving material gifts. We may sing "Joy to the World," but there is little happiness. And yet, we are told, this is a time of joy. How is this so?

Consider other scriptures where the same Greek words are used:

"When they saw the star, they rejoiced [chairo] exceedingly with great joy [chara]." (Matthew 2:10)

"And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy [chara] and ran to report it to His disciples." (Matthew 28:8)

"Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. Be glad [chairo] in that day..." (Luke 6:22-23a)

"But we had to celebrate and rejoice [chairo], for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found." (The prodigal son's father in Luke 15:32)

"Rejoice [chairo] with those who rejoice [chairo], and weep with those who weep." (Romans 12:15)

"I am overflowing with joy [chara] in all our affliction." (2 Corinthians 7:4)

"You will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice [chairo]; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy [chara]." (John 16:20)

Our problem in understanding happiness lies somewhat in the parts of speech. In other words, we view happiness as an adjective – a temporary feeling. "I'm happy my team won" or "They have a happy marriage." But scripturally, this concept is largely a noun or a verb – something we possess or express, not something we feel. Affliction and persecution will never feel good, but when we possess or express true happiness, it cannot be taken away, despite the pain. When we choose to demonstrate our joy in any circumstance, it cannot be denied.

The angels could promise true joy, not because the suffering of this life would disappear, but because the blessing of eternal life had appeared. This is the joy expressed in the Hebrew word samach, which the Israelites used to celebrate the old covenant (2 Chronicles 15:15). It is the same word used when King David wrote, "Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad [samach] in You; And let those who love Your salvation say continually, 'Let God be magnified.'" It is the countenence of a "cheerful look" (NLT) or "bright eyes" (NAS) that "gladden [samach] the heart," according to Proverbs 15:30.

It is the joy of salvation.

Happiness ceases to be a temporary condition when we fully understand the gift of salvation. It becomes a permanent part of our character because God has given it and nothing on earth can take it away. The light of this new life cannot be dimmed by the darkness of our old nature. The purpose of Jesus Christ becomes our purpose. And in that, there is great joy.

"These things I have spoken to you," Jesus said, "so that My joy [chara] may be in you, and that your joy [chara] may be made full." (John 15:11)

This Christmas, as we celebrate the joy of Jesus Christ that came into the world, let us also possess the full happiness He has given us and express it to everyone around us. This year, let us be joy to the world.