 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:14-16 Strings of Christmas lights. I remember dragging out boxes of them each year as a child, untangling them to ready for weaving around our Christmas tree or placing them outdoors on our home. My father was gifted artistically, so not only did he light up our house, he designed Santa’s sleigh to glide across our rooftop and his reindeer to fly between our home and giant, aged firs. All were lit with white light and Rudolph, of course, with his red nose. The focus at Christmas in our home was never Jesus—it was dressing up for a Christmas Eve party and having all our relatives over to celebrate with appetizers, cookies, candies, unlimited alcoholic beverages, and gift giving; and my, the gifts! My father was a doctor, and in the 1950’s, money was good. The base of our tree overflowed with them. My focus as a child was, “What am I going to get?” The Lord, however, pursued me, as He does each of you. He had a better plan for my life, as He does yours. Two and a half years into my marriage with my husband Terry, he took me (with heels dragging I might add) to a non-denominational Christian service. There I first heard the gospel clearly preached as well as my first hymns—“The Old Rugged Cross” and “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” My life was forever changed. Now when I see Christmas lights, I let my imagination loose. Rather than reindeer, I picture each bulb as a life that has been saved by Christ. Each is lit with His Spirit, and each shines forth while shouting, “Our Messiah has come! He lives! Hallelujah, Almighty God! Death has been defeated, and one day there will be no more tears!” I think about my first days after accepting Christ—my excitement—my wanting everyone to experience the love and freedom I was experiencing in knowing Jesus as my personal Savior. I became a lit Christmas bulb! Excitedly I went from door to door in my neighborhood taking evangelistic cassette tapes with accompanying worksheets to each of my neighbors; some even listened to them! What a joy that was! YOU, BELOVED, ARE CHRIST’S LIT BULBS as well! Let us never become dim, but keep pursuing brightness through growing our faith, trust, and personal relationship with God. None of this will happen without first putting forth effort—daily reading and meditating upon God’s Word, listening to sound Bible sermons, fellowshipping with other Christians in church, listening to and singing worship songs, praying, and listening to God’s voice in our hearts; but remaining bright is a goal worthy of pursuing, thus becoming God’s beacons of light to others in our darkening world. Verses: John 8:12 “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, ‘I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.’ ” Psalm 40:1-3 “I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what He has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.” PRAYER: Father, please open my eyes to Your truth. How is my bulb shining? Am I a bright light—a 5000 lumen LED bulb, or has my bulb dimmed, becoming more like a 40 watt incandescent one? Help me see myself with Your eyes, then grow me so I may better honor and glorify Your name. You are the great I AM, yet You sent Your only Son to die for me—FOR ME! Incomprehensibe! I simply have to say one more time, “Thank you Father for saving me!” I know You still have work to do in my heart so I may better represent You, but I thank you for gradually changing me from a “What can I get” child to a “What can I give” woman. You lifted me out of the pit of mud and mire, placed me on solid ground, and gave me a new song to sing. Now that’s a Christmas gift! Thank YOU with all my heart! Disclaimer: I am just an ordinary woman who loves Jesus, accepting Him as Savior at the age of thirty-two and digging into the Bible ever since. How could I possibly hope to develop a heart relationship with God and trust Him with my life if I didn't know who He is? These devotionals are written to help you journey with Christ and grow in your heart relationship with Him. However, it is essential that you examine my words, and those of all other 'teachers," with God's Holy Word. Therein lies the source of all truth! "Shepherds were in the fields near Bethlehem. They were taking turns watching their flock during the night. An angel from the Lord suddenly appeared to them. The glory of the Lord filled the area with light, and they were terrified. The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid! I have good news for you, a message that will fill everyone with joy. Today your Savior, Christ the Lord, was born in David’s city. This is how you will recognize Him: You will find an infant wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”
Yes, Christmas is just a few days away, and once again we find ourselves in the midst of celebration: festive lights, decorations, gift-giving, and savory Christmas meals. For most of us, this is a joyous time—a time to celebrate Jesus’ birth with family and/or close friends; but for some, possibly even you, it is a time for loneliness, sadness, grief, and/or depression. So, let’s make a pact! Let’s pray for one other—we all have stated and unstated needs; but let us also diligently pray for those whom we might not even know—those who have no one to pray for them. Let us lift them before God’s throne and pray for His loving Spirit to descend upon them, giving them the hope that will fill their lives with the light of Jesus and give reason for celebration. Following are some of God’s words to remember as we pray--words that speak of Jesus--the light of the world! Isaiah 9:2 and 6-7 “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine…For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on His shoulders, and He will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of His ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s armies will make this happen!” Thank You, Father, for the light of Your Son, Jesus! John 1:1-5 “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” Thank You, Father, for the light of Your Son, Jesus! John 8:12: “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” Thank You, Father, for the light of Your Son, Jesus! After prayer, let’s relax. Let’s take an evening drive through neighborhoods lit with truly fantastic Christmas light displays, letting each remind us of the above Bible verses. As we do so, may God renew in our hearts the true meaning of Christmas, and knowing this, may He then use us to proclaim the truth of His Son to others. Our message? The light of the world has come! Verses: 2 Corinthians 4:5-6 “You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.” Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” PRAYER: Father God, as I gaze at Christmas light displays, I think about how they pale in comparison to the light of Your glory! What was it that the shepherds saw that night Christ was born? Was Your glory displayed in pure white light, or did it possibly saturate the sky in waves of wondrous colors, even more brilliant that those in the aurora borealis? Whatever it was, it remains far beyond my imagination—the time of Your joyous announcement that the light of the world had come—the One who would defeat Satan was born! During this Christmas season, help me dwell on that light, Father! Cast my eyes upon the center of the nativity scene with my focus on Jesus and on Him alone. Help me find the words to praise You for Your wondrous plan of LOVE--a love so great that Jesus’ birth was only the beginning of the story of the God Man who would lay down His life for me. No human words can express my thankfulness for rescuing me from my sin and leading me to life everlasting with You. I praise you, Almighty God, now and forevermore Disclaimer: I am just an ordinary woman who loves Jesus, accepting Him as Savior at the age of thirty-two and digging into the Bible ever since. How could I possibly hope to develop a heart relationship with God and trust Him with my life if I didn't know who He is?! These devotionals are written to help you journey with Christ and grow in your heart relationship with Him. However, it is essential that you examine my words, and those of all other "teachers," with God's Holy Word. Therein lies the source of all truth!  “ . . . and I shall dwell in
the house of the Lord forever” As soon as we answer God’s call to follow Him, surrender to His loving pursuit, and accept His Son Jesus as our Savior, we begin to live in His presence. Some versions (NLT) translate verse 6 as live in the house of the Lord forever while many others translate dwell in the house of the Lord forever (HCS, ESV, NIV). I love the word dwell. Combining two definitions from dictionary.com, the meaning of dwell is living as a permanent resident, continuing in a given condition or state whereas live means remaining in a particular place at a particular time. I have lived in many places in my lifetime, all in northern, eastern, or southern Oregon, but I didn’t continue living in any one of these places. I moved! Now think of the difference between living and dwelling. When we dwell in the house of the Lord, we will be in a permanent and continual state of joy and peace with Him. WOW! Right now, today, you are dwelling in His presence. Do you feel Him? In a wonderful little book, The Practice of the Presence of God, Brother Lawrence writes that not only when in prayer, but through each daily chore or activity, we can practice God’s presence, who “paints Himself in the depths of our soul.”1 What an amazing picture! Imagine God being with you and in you while you are clattering pots and pans in the kitchen, weeding, sewing, playing basketball, reading a story to your children—doing anything and everything! Your life becomes a prayer, a sweet fragrance to God, and you are dwelling with Him. Let’s choose today to live in God’s presence. Let us rejoice in all He has done for us and in the knowledge that He pursues us with His goodness and mercy so that we can dwell in God’s house now and forever. This Christmas season provides the perfect time to meditate on these thoughts. 1. Goodreads.com Verses: Genesis 3:9 "Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” Zephaniah 3:17 "For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." Romans 8:34 "Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us." PRAYER: Thank you, Father, that when I tend to wander, You pursue me, even unto the ends of the earth! In spite of sin, You chase me down, call to me, and snatch me from worldly snares; because You love me, You never give up! Thank you, God, for Your persistence! You call, and I answer, “Yes. I hear Your voice; yes, I accept Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior; and yes, as Your sheep, I will follow You ALL the days of my life to live with You now and in Your house forever!” SONG: “Good Shepherd” by Mercy Hill I know apart from you there is no life And there is nothing else that satisfies But still I wander still I go astray Still my heart is prone to run Good shepherd won’t you rest my soul In your presence where I belong Good shepherd won’t you lead me home There is a way to us that looks so right But I will walk by faith and not by sight Your love and mercy they will follow me Through shadows I will be safe Good shepherd won’t you rest my soul In your presence where I belong Good shepherd won’t you lead me home To the place where I belong You laid down your life for us There is no greater love And we will not be overcome I am trusting in your goodness Resting in your promise We will not be overcome You laid down your life for us There is no greater love And we will not be overcome I am trusting in your goodness Resting in your promise We will not be overcome You laid down your life for us There is no greater love And we will not be overcome I am trusting in your goodness Resting in your promise We will not be overcome Good shepherd won’t you rest my soul In your presence where I belong Good shepherd won’t you lead me home To the place where I belong Good shepherd won’t you rest my soul In your presence where I belong Good shepherd won’t you lead me home To the place where I belong This truth I know so well inside my mind Move it to my heart and all my life This truth I know so well inside my mind Move it to my heart and all my life Disclaimer: I am just an ordinary woman who loves Jesus, accepting Him as Savior at the age of thirty-two and digging into the Bible ever since. How could I possibly hope to develop a heart relationship with God and trust Him with my life if I didn't know who He is?! These devotionals are written to help you journey with Christ and grow in your heart relationship with Him. However, it is essential that you examine my words, and those of all other "teachers," with God's Holy Word. Therein lies the source of all truth! "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” ESV
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me . . .” Can you picture a little doggie following you all over your house with your each and every movement? I can hear my little dachshund’s feet pattering up and down the hallway as I move from room to room, doing my chores. He follows me because He wants to be in my presence…he moves after me. God’s following is similar, but it is SO much more! The Hebrew word for follow is rādaph, which means to pursue or chase. It should bring us great peace to know assuredly that our God pursues us with His goodness and mercy, not just today, but ALL the days of our lives, and He desires us to live in that knowledge! One of my favorite pastors has this saying: “All means All, and that’s all ALL means!” Think on that—each and every day of our lives, God’s goodness and mercy chase us down. Why? Think of who God is! He is kind, compassionate, long-suffering, merciful, eager to forgive, loving, and so much more. He is the God who desires no man to perish and will leave the ninety-nine to save the one. That’s you! That’s me! It is true that as we travel through life’s painful trials, we may not feel God’s presence or possibly imagine being pursued by His goodness and mercy. We must remember that during those times, human, emotional feelings cannot be relied upon; we must trust God in faith, remembering “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 God sees the beauty of a woven tapestry in its completion from the top; we only see the disarray of strings hanging from the bottom as it is being woven. But all the while, because God is good and merciful, He was and is leading us from the entanglements of temporary life to an eternity of glory with Him. When all is said and done, we must hold fast to the truths of who God is, and just as David did, find peace recognizing that God’s goodness and mercy were, are, and will be with us ALL the days of our lives—the good, the bad, and the ugly. God is trustworthy; He is a promise keeper, the beginning of which was fulfilled those many years ago with the birth of our Savior, Jesus. May He remain the center of our devotion this Christmas season. Verses: "The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 2 Peter 3:9 "For Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations. The Lord always keeps His promises; He is gracious in all He does. Psalm 145:13 PRAYER: Thank You, Father, that You chase us down with Your goodness and mercy ALL the days of our lives, and on those days when we do not feel Your hand upon us, help us to remember Your ultimate act of goodness and mercy—the sacrifice of Your Son Jesus upon the cross, who took our sins upon Himself and died in our place. We praise You, God, for Your goodness and mercy. May Your name be exalted forever! Disclaimer: I am just an ordinary woman who loves Jesus, accepting Him as Savior at the age of thirty-two and digging into the Bible ever since. How could I possibly hope to develop a heart relationship with God and trust Him with my life if I didn't know who He is?! These devotionals are written to help you journey with Christ and grow in your heart relationship with Him. However, it is essential that you examine my words, and those of all other "teachers," with God's Holy Word. Therein lies the source of all truth! “You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil; My cup overflows with blessings. NLT “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” ESV Aside: As we enter Advent season this year, I ponder the greatness and love of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Even before time began, He knew mankind would not only fail Him, but rebel against Him; yet, He still came to us as a babe to grow into the man who would become our Good Shepherd and Savior. As we enter this season of joy, let us also remember it is a time of sorrow for some. If this is you, please never forget that our Good Shepherd understands and is there to comfort, lead, guide, and provide you with the hope needed to move through this time. Our God is trustworthy and never fails, faithfully leading us on the path to everlasting joy when we are united with Him and our loved ones in eternity, a time when there will be no more tears. Now imagine yourself at a table—a feast. Because of his childhood background, David understood that for a shepherd, a table often meant a mesa, the top flat area of a hill with steep sides. Think of upper and lower Table Rocks in Medford, Oregon! A good shepherd would have led his flock through many pastures and streams, leading upward to the pinnacle of a hill with a marvelous pasture at the top—a pasture that had been prepared for the sheep because all poisonous plants and predators would have been removed beforehand. What do we think of when we dwell on reaching a top? We have a sense of accomplishment—a sense of victory. I picture David paralleling this with God’s plan for him! His good shepherd, God Father, continually kept him safe from his enemies, leading him onward and upward to safety over and over again. David was not only able to sleep (Psalm 3), but he understood that God’s calling upon his life was what we might humanly think of as a pinnacle—that of being king. Upon God’s direction, Samuel had anointed David King of Israel, and remembering this, David fully trusted God for protection. So now David is feasting on that truth during a time when his enemy still pursued him with the goal of ending his life. Imagine yourself sitting at such feast. The enemy surrounds you on all sides, slinging arrows and accusations at you: “You are worthless, a sinner, a monster whose wrongs can never be forgiven.” Don’t believe this lie! Your Good Shepherd has gone before you, removing the poison of sin when you confess and ask His forgiveness; and with His death, your Shepherd became your everlasting victor over the predator whose goal is to steal, kill, and destroy. John 10:10a Your Good Shepherd has been guarding you through your journey in life, leading you on the path to victory’s table with a mouth-watering feast! With Jesus as your protector and Savior, the enemy has been conquered; its forces are powerless and can only watch as God honors you. All along God’s protection, His rod and staff, were there to shield you from attack, and you are reaping the rewards of trusting Him. God now honors you by anointing your head with oil. He is showing the world that you are loved, valued, and worth everything to Him, so much so that He sentenced His only Son to death, exchanging His life for your sins that you might be able to share joy with Him. God’s blessings are so abundant upon you that they overflow! You are now able to bless others, sharing His love and the Good News that they, too, are loved beyond measure. You reassure them that God will pursue them all the days of their lives because He desires no man to perish. (2 Peter 3:9) Do you question whether or not this is you? This definitely CAN be! First, you must believe in and trust the one and only true God—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; you must believe that He sent His only beloved Son, Jesus, to die in your place for your sins, then be resurrected; you must confess your sins and ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior; and you must understand that God sends His Holy Spirit to live within you the moment Jesus becomes your Savior, giving you an entirely new nature that desires not to sin but grow in righteousness. With these beliefs, you can be clothed in God’s armor: the belt of truth; the breastplate of His righteousness; the shoes of the good news of our Savior, Jesus; the shield of faith; the helmet of salvation; and the sword of the Spirit. Eph. 6:10-17 Then, trusting God as your Shepherd, He will lead you through life’s raging storms to a victorious banquet feast. What a glorious thought to keep in mind as we enter this Advent season! Verses: John 10:11-15 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me, just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.” Ezekiel 34:11-12 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘I myself will search for My sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after My sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.” John 10:10b “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” PRAYER: Thank you, Father, for teaching me that I can trust in You always. Thank You for pursuing me and carrying me on Your shoulders from time to time, then guiding me with Your rod and staff to the mountain top where I will feast without fear in the presence of my enemy, for You are there with strength and power to protect. I now understand that though life’s battles rage all around me, the war has been won. YOU ARE MY GLORIOUS VICTOR! Let me never forget this now during Advent when I once again celebrate your glorious plan of salvation and the birth of my Good Shepherd, Your one and only Son, Jesus Christ. Amen Disclaimer: I am just an ordinary woman who loves Jesus, accepting Him as Savior at the age of thirty-two and digging into the Bible ever since. How could I possibly hope to develop a heart relationship with God and trust Him with my life if I didn't know who He is? These devotionals are written to help you journey with Christ and grow in your heart relationship with Him. However, it is essential that you examine my words, and those of all other 'teachers," with God's Holy Word. Therein lies the source of all truth! |
Author Candice Mary Thomas writes about loving God and loving people! Coming to Christ at age 32 and now in her 70's, Candice knows what a difference it makes living with or without Christ as one's personal Savior. Archives
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