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My husband, Terry, wrote a beautiful and meaningful Christmas message this year which I want to share with all of you. I hope it not only blesses you, but makes you think. It sure made me do so!
From Terry: Dear Friends Merry Christmas and to a Happy New Year in 2026 With the beginning of a new year, there are always hopes and dreams of better things to come: better relations with loved ones, friends, neighbors, co-workers, bosses and/or employees. Thinking on this, I would like to share a few thoughts with each of you based on life, messages, and the impact you have had on us. The Christmas story is an old one, and almost everyone knows the general theme. The Holy Spirit came upon Mary and implanted in her womb our Lord and Savior as an embryo. As with all of us, He was wonderfully made in His mother’s womb, but differently than us, He was completely God and completely man. Joseph kept Mary for his bride, they traveled to Bethlehem, and there in a lowly place in a manager, Mary gave birth to our Lord Jesus Christ, who, with His sacrificial death on the cross, saved sinners who called upon Him to be their Lord and Savior from permanent separation from His Father. The moment we accept Jesus as Savior, the Holy Spirit enters us and becomes our guide to grow in Christ and become more like Him while we are here on earth. Jesus is with the Father and is waiting to return and gather His people. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, we who believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord will meet Him in the sky, to be with Him forever in heaven. So, what are we doing with our time on earth while we still have it? Do we try harder in life to gain what the world would call happiness or success, relying on self, or do we trust God more for direction and fulfillment of His calling? Do we put the Baby Jesus back in the box until next December or put Him front and center in our daily lives? Do we go about living with the same old habits, same old thoughts, same old vocabulary, same old places to hangout, or do we, with the help of the Holy Spirit, change into the new creation that Jesus promised if we put Him first in our lives. “Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.” Ephesians 4:23-24 Each of us, and each of us alone, have to choose to allow the Holy Spirit to change us from our old selves into new selves in Jesus. We have to surrender to Him, and then peace can come into our lives. When we direct our minds to Jesus and dwell on His Word, then we can have peace of mind. God will guard our hearts and minds from the enemy IF we seek Him and stay in daily contact with Him. Refuse to rent a room to worry, in our lives! How do we Redeem His Time in our busy, hurry up world? We have 8760 hours each and every year (more in a leap year) to do stuff. Have we managed our time wisely? I know I haven’t always been as focused as I could have been...worrying about family, friends, the Vid, elected leaders, unelected leaders, inflation, wars and rumors of wars, and on and on and on. Worry can steal the joy out of life. It can get us off track onto a side rail where the enemy wants us, so we can’t live the life God wants us to live. It is a trick of the enemy, and it has worked for thousands of years. One suggestion, is to purposefully not participate in the unfruitful deeds or activities of the enemy, but in our growing heart-relationship with Jesus, to allow the fruit of the Spirit to be evident in us: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control against which there is no law.” Galatians 5:22 and Romans 1: 29 and the things we should avoid: greed, envy, strife, evil, wickedness, gossip, slander, deceit, malice…being arrogant, haters of God, the unloving and untrustworthy. We also are to avoid people who give approval of such things. We must recognize that our lives are on the clock! So let us use our time wisely! God’s Word never lies, while the world tells us lies every day. To counter those lies, let’s spend our time daily reading the Word, not for rules, but for developing a deep and intimate heart relationship with our God and Father. Scripture says to meditate on the Word…think about it, mull it over in our minds, then Act On It!!! Then let’s also spend time in praise and prayer with our Creator. We can’t have relationship without communicating. To see change in our lives, we must have the courage to choose to change our lives. If someone or something is dragging us down with negative all the time or is encouraging bad or sinful habits, WE need to avoid those persons or things. It might not be easy—worthwhile things seldom are—but it will be worth the struggle. The writers of Proverbs use active terms in their writings: SEEK, LISTEN, UNDERSTAND, AVOID, LEARN, WISDOM, GUARD, GIVE ATTENTION, PAY ATTENTION, FIND KNOWLEDGE, REPENT, DISCERN, WISE COUNCIL, DISCIPLINE, RIGHTEOUSNESS, and then chapter 29 starts off with: “a stiff neck will suddenly be broken beyond remedy.” Let’s each now examine ourselves: Are we, as the Israelites were, stiff necked, or are we teachable? Repentant? My prayer is that you have broken the chains of the past heritage of sin. By accepting Christ as your Savior—that you have begun a new legacy for all your children, grandchildren, and future generations: that of each accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, not in knowledge but in the heart, being dependent on the Word of God to teach obedience and righteous living, and the allowing of the Holy Spirit to change each from the old creation to the new. We pray our descendants will be salt and light in the world. Maturity in Christ doesn’t just happen. Like an athlete, dancer, doctor, or teacher on the job, WE have to work at these things every day, train every day, put out an effort every day or WE won’t be what WE could be in Christ Jesus. IF WE have a pulse, God has a plan for US. Let God’s time be Our time! Now may the Prince of Peace rule in OUR lives so we can be, ALL THAT WE CAN BE, IN JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR. May God bless each of us in this new year. Terry and Candice Thomas December 2025
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Luke 9:23 “ Then He said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow Me.”
And so it ended—another Vacation Bible School experience for children in our community whose parents chose to send them to our church; and what a joy it was to see so many of our church family joining together to do their best in bringing the “Good News” of salvation in Jesus to the children, each using the gifts God had given them. Singing, dancing, games, snacks, missions, science experiments, and Bible lessons—all served to bring the message of faith, trust, and hope in Jesus to the children, with eternal life in Him being the goal. Through the past several years, we have had over seventy children find salvation in Jesus, and many of these children have come back in following years. Because of this, during the past two years, we have begun “digging” a bit, asking, “Have you, since you first accepted Jesus as Savior, really let Him be Lord of your life?” I gave the example of a past year when I was teaching third grade, when after lunch and having my spelling lesson to teach before me, the Holy Spirit overtook me and out of my mouth popped that very question, “Is Jesus Lord of your life?” You see, I had been told by the recess supervisor that a certain group in my class had been very, very naughty during lunch break. We were all surprised! Thus began our discussion of Jesus as Lord of their lives. What does this look like in the life of a third grader? We talked about the ten commandments and how we could boil them down to two commands—loving God and loving people. This is just what Jesus did when He answered the Pharisee’s question about which commandment was the most important: “Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-20 How could these children love God? How could they love people? Reading the Bible, obedience to God’s commands, praying, being kind to others, and placing others’ needs above their own became topics of discussion. A number of children at VBS began to understand that even though they had asked Jesus to be their personal Savior, they hadn’t really surrendered their lives to Jesus—had not been letting Him lead their lives. Because I brought this subject up, I had to examine my own life, so I asked myself, “Have I been letting Jesus be Lord of my life in all areas? Is there any aspect in my life that I need to examine to see if I am living as Jesus and Scripture teach, or am I being my own “god,” deciding and doing what I think is right—where I want to be “the driver at the wheel?” I asked myself:
I call these times in my life, “Heart Checks.” For me, they are necessary not only once, but regularly. After some thought, several children this year rededicated their lives to Jesus, as did I, and as I continue to do upon occasion. Being fully surrendered to Jesus is easy to say and sing, but the living requires a choice and effort. I pray the Holy Spirit fill me each day, conquering the “old nature” and getting on with “the new.” VERSES: Luke 13:25-27 “ When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ 26 then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ 27 But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’” I Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Ephesians 4:23-24 “Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 “ So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” PRAYER: Today, Father, I once more pray that You and only You be the Lord of my life. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that my every word and action may reflect who You are that I might be all You created me to be. You have said, in Ephesians 2:10: “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” Help me to completely understand this and live as Your masterpiece, doing the good works you have designed for me to do. 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 to 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! Psalm 26:2 “Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart.”
“Good morning, Lord! What can I do for You today?” “Nothing. I’ve already done everything.” “But I want to honor Your name today. I want to do something.” “Then be honest in all you do and in all you say.” “Yes, of course, Father. This is my goal, for sure.” “I know this is your goal. I know this is your heart, and I know you feel you are honest in all things. However, let’s take a moment together. First, I want you to quiet your mind. I want you to examine yourself without being fearful of what you may find. Remember, I have taken care of everything! “Now, I’m going to ask you a few questions. First, have you ever taken an honest look at honesty in your life? Have you been entirely truthful in your words and acted accordingly at all times? Have you honored persons or parties who you feel have failed, mistreated, or harmed you, or in self-defense of your words and consequent actions, have you slightly twisted facts or presented your side only, saying or writing things to make your case? Do you realize that if you misrepresent facts in any way, this may cause others to make harmful judgments against other people or parties because they like you and believe in you, not taking the time to find out both sides of an issue? Do you realize that this misrepresentation may greatly affect another person or party’s well-being which, in effect, is an actual form of revenge?” “Well…” “Let’s also look at your commitments. Keeping commitments is a form of honesty. Have you kept all commitments to persons or parties with whom you agreed to certain terms or actions either in word or in writing? If not, have you ever examined with an open mind what you have done that brought about results you don’t care for and for which you are defending yourself?” “Oh no! Father, when You put it like that…I guess…well, since You know everything, I’ll have to admit that upon occasion when a hurtful situation arises, I speak out against others. I haven’t faced the fact that my words and actions in not keeping my word or the promises I’ve made have resulted in prescribed consequences which I knew! I just didn’t want to accept them because I felt hurt! Now that I’m facing this, I’m recognizing that I have sinned.” “Daughter, you are more than precious to me, and I have paid not only for this sin, but for all your sins, past, present, and future.” However, I want you to remember this. When you feel sinned against, turn to Me and be sure to go to My Word, for there you will find wisdom and comfort. Ponder Jesus’ life and other passages in My Word that will guide you according to My will: “For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in His steps. 22 He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. 23 He did not retaliate when He was insulted, nor threaten revenge when He suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.” 1 Peter 2:21-23 “Oh, Father, thank You! Thank you a million times over! Know that I will place these very words—Your words— in my heart, and please know that I am so, so, so very sorry, Lord, for my sin against You but not taking into account the welfare of others. Please forgive me, and please renew your Spirit within me so I will not sin in this way ever again!” “Of course, Daughter, you ARE forgiven. Now go and sin no more, being honest always, either accepting blame when due or suffering unjustly when necessary. This is how you will honor Me not only today, but each and every day of your life.” VERSES: Philippians 2:3-4 “ Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” 1 Corinthians 6:7b “Why not rather put up with injustice? Why not rather be cheated?” Matthew 12:36-37 ”And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. 37 The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” Leviticus 19:18 “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” (As Christians, we should not seek revenge of bear grudges against fellow Christians.) PRAYER: Father God, through Your Holy Spirit, please help me think before I speak and think before I act. Help me think not in human, worldly terms, but in accordance with Your Word in Scripture. Guide me with Your wisdom and discernment, helping me to remember that my words and actions have enormous consequences, ones that I cannot possibly foresee. Strengthen me so I will not react in harmful ways to others when I am hurt, and help me to accept any blame when it is due. Help me overcome placing my welfare other that of others, for You say in Your Word that You prefer no man over another. I must remember that You not only love me, but love them as well, desiring the welfare of all. Father, self-examination can be painful, but I thank You that You discipline and teach me through this. May I act in obedience to Your Word, and may I honor You always in my words and actions. 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 to 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! John 1:1-5 “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him. 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” It all began in the Garden of Eden, the wondrous story of Easter—Resurrection Sunday. But to get there, we have to begin at the beginning. The One and only true God had poured out His incomprehensible love in His creation, and the first thing God created was LIGHT! Light—it separated the darkness and became the theme of all God has done—light in the darkness—light separating the darkness--light giving life! But I digress. God continued His creation—the sky; dry land; seed bearing plants and trees; sun, moon and stars; sea creatures and birds; livestock and wild animals; and finally, saving His best for last, man and woman, created in His very own image, having a mind, will, and emotions. All was good, and with the creation of man, Adam from the dust and Eve from Adam’s side, God stated that all was very good. Fellowship was had—God walking in the garden with Adam and Eve, sharing their hearts. Have you ever wondered what they talked about? I know I have. Did Adam and Eve express awe over the God who made them? Did they seek to understand Him—to express thankfulness for all He had done? Did they laugh and dance, throwing up their arms in delight over the beauty of a world we cannot possibly envision? I hope they did all this and more! We do know that God, at some point and for their welfare, gave Adam one command—one seemingly simple boundary: “But the Lord God warned him, ‘You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden--except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.’” Genesis 2:16-17, and we know from Eve’s later words that Adam had passed this command on to her. Enter the serpent, possessed by none other than Satan, once the most beautiful and highest of cherubim who waged war against our triune God: “And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. 9 This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.” Revelation 12:8-9 Sly, conniving, murderous--Satan’s greatest goal became to destroy anything God had created and loved, and Eve became his target. Using her innocence against her, he lied: “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” Genesis 3:5 Was God withholding something good from her? Eve ate of that forbidden fruit, encouraged Adam to do the same, and death entered the world. Darkness. Of course, our all-knowing God knew this beforehand. He knew this before He created angels, before He created the earth, and before He created mankind—but He had a plan—a plan of LIGHT. I can imagine Satan’s fear and anger as God pronounced judgment: “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:14-15 The Creator is greater than the created, yet Satan still raged against God. Yes, he won the battle over Adam and Eve, introducing sin and death into the world, but his goal of forever removing mankind from God failed; God’s plan of bringing light into the darkness through Eve’s offspring prevailed. God would send the second person of the Holy Trinity, known as the Word, to become His only begotten son, Jesus. JESUS WOULD BE THAT LIGHT! Thus, Jesus, totally God yet totally man, was born. Being pure and sinless, He was the only one whose perfect blood sacrifice would atone for man’s sin, enabling mankind to choose to live with God or not. Thus, Jesus was tortured, died, and was buried in our place. “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 Fortunately, this is not the end of the story. Death had to be conquered in order for there to be light, and so it was. Three days after Jesus’ burial, He rose from the dead. Hallelujah! Proving He was alive, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene and other women, the disciples, and hundreds of others: “After that, He was seen by more than 500 of His followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.” 1 Corinthians 15:6 Now there is light in the darkness—light separating the darkness—light giving life! Jesus is eternal! He always was, always is, and always will be. Being made in God’s image, we also are eternal—we live now and we always will, so we have the most important choice of our lives to make: Will we live in God’s LIGHT or in Satan’s darkness? Choosing Jesus seems the obvious choice, and it seems the easy choice, but is it? It is simple to have “head knowledge,” or an acknowledgement of who Jesus is; but having “heart knowledge,” meaning to fully surrender to Him—to live by His standards and not the world’s—is much, much harder. We must choose now how we will live! “So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. 15 But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:14-15 Joshua chose the best path—the path of following the true God, worshiping Him and Him only--not the idols of his time. Let us take a moment and evaluate our lives. Have we totally surrendered to Christ, serving Him and living in the light, or do we still have idols which we serve--things we prioritize over obeying, loving, and worshiping God? Wealth, prestige, power, personal comfort, social media, sex, physical looks, and more—any of these can become idols in our lives. Let us now put those things aside and choose what may seem the harder path--God’s path of light—placing His commands and our love for Him first. That’s what Jesus did when He prayed, "Father, if You are willing, take this cup (His torture and execution) from Me--nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.” Jesus surrendered to God’s will; let us do likewise—surrendering our hearts to Jesus, accepting Him as Savior, and living in His light. VERSES: Luke 24: 1-6: “ But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 3 So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. 5 The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what He told you back in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that He would rise again on the third day.” Romans 10:9 “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” John 11:25-26 “Jesus told her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in Me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in Me and believes in Me will never ever die…’ John 12:23-26 “But Jesus answered them, saying, ‘The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.’” PRAYER: Dear Father, thank you for Resurrection Sunday, when Jesus rose from the dead, having offered His life in place of mine. Thank You that He is life and light! Still, I will be the first to admit that living in the light, choosing Your way instead of my own, often is not the easiest. It is much simpler to choose ease and comfort over a choice that might require steadfast will, sacrifice, and great effort to achieve living the way You would have me. Living for You, however, is my choice, so may Your Holy Spirit fill me each day that I might shine with Jesus’ light, sharing Him with others that all may come to Him in faith and live with You in Your light and love eternally. 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 to 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! Dear Friends,
As life brings seasons of change, I find myself with a new and quite sudden temporary calling of the Lord—to be the Challenge 1 tutor (high school freshmen) for the second semester of the Classical Conversations program each Tuesday here in Grants Pass. Stepping into this role requires a vast amount of learning on my part, so at this point I feel I must redirect the time I take in writing devotionals to studying and reviewing subjects such as Latin, Shakespeare, rhetoric, logic, expository writing, a good number of classic novels, debate, economics, algebra, science, etc. I will miss writing Wednesday devotionals and do hope to be able to produce one a month, but I won’t be clear on this until I walk on this new path for a bit. God willing, I will resume regular writing sometime after May. Meanwhile, thank you for joining with me each Wednesday, and until we meet again, as Roy Rogers used to say, I pray God will bless you immeasurably and that your walk with Jesus will grow stronger each day. (To reread my devotionals, they are archived on my website: www.candicemarythomas.com) Candice JESUS—LIGHT OF THE WORLD “All right then, the Lord Himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call Him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).” Isaiah 7:14 The world had lived in darkness since The Fall of Adam and Eve which brought sin into the world. Living an eternal fate away from God our Father was unacceptable to Him, thus He began His plan of salvation. God regularly sent prophets as His messengers to guide the Israelites, the people He had chosen to bless all nations and bring people to Him through repentance, but this group displayed stiff-necked behavior, killing the prophets and going their own way.1 After the last writing prophet Malachi, died, there came a long, approximately 400 year period of silence with no word from God…that is, until the prophet John the Baptist was born who would proclaim the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Some will deny the birth of Jesus, but this denial is inaccurate not only because Jesus is mentioned in a number of historical documents including those of Josephus, Tacitus, and Pliny the Younger2, but Jesus’ coming and death is foretold in over three-hundred prophecies in the Bible. Read the following extract from an article by Compass: “There are over 300 prophecies in the Bible of Jesus' first coming, all having come true. What would be the odds of just eight of these prophecies coming true? (1) Messiah to be born in Bethlehem. (Micah 5:2) “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf." (2) Messiah betrayed for thirty pieces of silver. (Zechariah 11:12-13) “And I said to them, ‘If you like, give me my wages, whatever I am worth; but only if you want to.’ So they counted out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter—this magnificent sum at which they valued me! So I took the thirty coins and threw them to the potter in the Temple of the Lord.” (3) Messiah's clothes would be gambled away. (Psalms 22:18) “They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing.” (4) Messiah's hands and feet would be pierced. (Psalms 22:16) “My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet.” (5) Messiah's bones would not be broken. (Psalms 34:20) “For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken!” (6) Messiah would be born in the tribe of Judah. (Isaiah 37:31) “And you who are left in Judah, who have escaped the ravages of the siege, will put roots down in your own soil and grow up and flourish.” (7) Messiah would be called from Egypt. (Hosea 11:1) “When Israel was a youth I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.” (8) Messiah would be buried in a rich man's grave. (Isaiah 53:9) “His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet He was with a rich man in His death, because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth.” The odds of all eight coming true are virtually incomprehensible! Consider this illustration- Suppose we filled the entire State of Texas with 100 trillion silver dollars. That would make the entire state about two feet deep in coins. Then we mark only one coin. Next we stir-up the state full of coins so they are thoroughly mixed and random. The marked coin could be anywhere in the state in the two foot deep coins. Finally we blindfold a man and let him travel the entire state to choose one random coin. What would be the odds of him finding the marked coin in one try? He would have the same chance the prophets had for those eight prophecies being fulfilled. Which is virtually no chance. But that was only eight of the over 300 prophecies! Figuring the odds of fulfilling all 300 Bible prophecies is ridiculously astronomical. Simply incalculable-- except that the real author of these prophecies knew the future. The God Who created the universe out of nothing was in total control and knows the past, present AND future."Behold, the former things have come to pass, now I declare new things; Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you." Isaiah 42:9 3 And so came Jesus into the world, as prophesized many times over, bringing light into the darkness. Join with me and let your heart delight in John the apostle’s words: “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. God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The One who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He came into the very world He created, but the world didn’t recognize Him. He came to His own people, and even they rejected Him. But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. John testified about Him when he shouted to the crowds, ‘This is the one I was talking about when I said Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for He existed long before me.’ From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.” John 1:1-18 This Christmas season, let us rejoice because Jesus is our true light, the One who guides us out of darkness to an eternal home with His Father; and let joy overwhelm us as we celebrate the birth of our Messiah Jesus, Savior and King! “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.” John 8:12 VERSES: Psalm 18:28 “For it is You who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness.” Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” Ephesians 1:16-21 (Paul) “I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope He has given to those He called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now He is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.” PRAYER: Dear Father, I long to worship you in spirit and truth each day, but especially to honor You during this Christmas season which brings to focus all You have done for me, leading me from eternal death to eternal life. Let me see and understand the truths of Your Son’s life: As Jesus was so humbly born, help me to humbly live; as Jesus lived in total obedience to You, help me to so live in obedience; and as Jesus loved and honored You in all His words and actions, help me to love and honor you in all I do and say. I realize I can do nothing in my own power, but only through the power of Your Holy Spirit living within me. Please make Him mighty in me to accomplish Your will in my life, and may I praise Your Name forever! 1. See Exodus 33:3; Deuteronomy 9:13; Nehemiah 9:16; Acts 7:51 2. https://www.gotquestions.org/did-Jesus-exist.html 3. https://compass.org/article-silver-dollars-all-over-texas/ SONGS: “Jesus, Light of the World”—Third Day The most beautiful night of the year All the stars light up the sky And the city is sparkling with silver and gold From a million points of light A reflection of something that's deeper within Just a flicker of something more Jesus, light of the world Shine through the darkness, bright as the day Jesus, light of the world Shine in our hearts, show us the way tonight Who is this Child in a manger? Kings bow down and angels sing The Lord of the Universe Has come here to save us, a precious offering All the heavens above and the earth below Are filled with the light of Your love Jesus, light of the world Shine through the darkness, bright as the day Jesus, light of the world Shine in our hearts, show us the way tonight Jesus, light of the world Shine through the darkness, bright as the day Jesus, light of the world Shine in our hearts, show us the way Jesus, shine, shine Show us the way, light of the world Shine in our hearts, show us the way tonight Oh, show us the way tonight Show us the way tonight Source: LyricFind Songwriters: Brad Avery / David Carr / Mac Powell / Mark Lee / Tai Anderson Jesus, Light of the World lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd. “Light of the World”—Lauren Daigle The world waits for a miracle The heart longs for a little bit of hope Oh come, oh come, Emmanuel A child prays for peace on Earth And she's calling out from a sea of hurt Oh come, oh come, Emmanuel And can you hear the angels singing Glory to the light of the world Glory, the light of the world is here The drought breaks with the tears of a mother A baby's cry is the sound of love Come down, come down, Emmanuel He is the song for the suffering He is Messiah, the Prince of Peace has come He has come, Emmanuel Glory to the light of the world Glory to the light of the world Glory to the light of the world Glory to the light of the world For all who wait For all who hunger For all who've prayed For all who wonder Behold your King Behold Messiah Emmanuel, Emmanuel Glo-glory to the light of the world Glory to the light of the world Glory to the light of the world Behold your King Behold Messiah Emmanuel, Emmanuel The world waits for the miracle The heart longs for a little bit of hope Oh come, oh come Emmanuel Source: LyricFind Songwriters: Lauren Daigle / Paul Duncan / Paul Mabury Light Of The World lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group, Capitol CMG Publishing, Essential Music Publishing 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! “Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let Earth receive her King Let every heart prepare Him room And Heaven and nature sing And Heaven and nature sing And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing” (from Joy to the Word—Isaac Watts) 1 It was in 1719 when the English Christian minister, Isaac Watts, published The Psalms of David, which included one of our favorite songs, “Joy to the World.” 2 Though we merrily sing this every Christmas, the song was originally written to celebrate the joy that will occur with the second coming of Christ with the wise advice that every heart should be made ready for that wondrous event. How true it is that our hearts always need to be prepared for Jesus’ coming—the celebration of His first, and the expectation of His second. As this year’s Christmas season is in full sway, with decorating, cookie baking, and the delight of presents being purchased, let us take at least some time each day to focus on truly preparing our hearts for God’s greatest gift, freely offered and freely given—His Son. Let us also focus on how we can do this with a joy greater than any other this season. Some thoughts: GIVE GOD OUR GRATITUDE: Upon waking each morning, let us thank our Father for giving us a new day of life. With thankfulness, let us remember that God gave us life for a reason—to glorify Him through our daily speech and activities. With joy, let us honor others as He would have us do. We can remind ourselves that this is a personal and sometimes sacrificial gift of ourselves to our Father that we especially want to remember and practice this Christmas season. HONOR GOD THROUGH PRAYER: God gave us life because He wants us to spend eternity with Him! Let us then joyfully prepare for Jesus’ coming by praying to Him in the mornings as we awaken. Perhaps a prayer could be, “Bless You, Father, for a giving me this new day in which to praise You for Your plan of salvation. Thank You for Christmas and the joy of remembering the beginning of the fulfillment of Your prophecy to Eve: (God to Satan) “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike His heel.” Genesis 3:12-16 Thus we have the incarnation—Jesus, the second person of the trinity, who became human in His birth as a human baby in Bethlehem, again as prophesized: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.” Micah 5:2 REMEMBER THE IMPORTANCE OF A REPENTANT HEART: Let us honor God above all things, knowing that when we are His, when we repent of our sins, He promises…“I will give them hearts that recognize Me as the Lord. They will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me wholeheartedly.” Jeremiah 24:7 What a joy--to know we belong to God! PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME: To me, there’s nothing like beautiful Christmas hymns to elevate my heart in praising God for His Son, Jesus. As you listen to Christmas music this year, may your heart be once more focused on upon our Savior Jesus, God, born in a manger to teach mankind the true meaning of humility and self-sacrifice because of His overwhelming love for others. Let us never forget all Jesus went through in giving His life for us; let us forever thank Him with heartfelt sincerity. SONGS to Lift Your Hearts: “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus” Come, Thou long expected Jesus Born to set Thy people free; From our fears and sins release us, Let us find our rest in Thee. Israel's strength and consolation, Hope of all the earth Thou art; Dear desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart. Born Thy people to deliver, Born a child and yet a King, Born to reign in us forever, Now Thy gracious kingdom bring. By Thine own eternal Spirit Rule in all our hearts alone; By Thine all sufficient merit, Raise us to Thy glorious throne. By Thine all sufficient merit, Raise us to Thy glorious throne Source: LyricFind Songwriters: Charles Wesley / R. H. Pritchard / Tom Howard Come Thou Long Expected Jesus lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group, Capitol CMG Publishing, DistroKid, Integrity Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc “Angels We have Heard on High” Angels we have heard on high Sweetly singing o'er the plains And the mountains in reply Echoing their joyous strains Angels we have heard on high Sweetly, sweetly through the night And the mountains in reply Echoing their brief delight Gloria, in excelsis Deo Gloria, in excelsis Deo Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? What the gladsome tidings be Which inspire your heavenly song? Gloria, in excelsis Deo Gloria, in excelsis Deo Come to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing, Come, adore on bended knee, Christ the Lord, the newborn King. Gloria, in excelsis Deo Gloria, in excelsis Deo Yeah Gloria, in excelsis Deo Angels we have heard Angels we have heard on high Angels we have heard, oh Angels we have heard on high Angels we have heard on high Angels we have heard on high In excelsis Deo Source: LyricFind Songwriters: Benjamin Allan Bram / Kevin Olusola / Scott Hoying / Traditional Angels We Have Heard on High lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC “Breath of Heaven” I have traveled many moonless nights Cold and weary with a babe inside And I wonder what I've done Holy father you have come And chosen me now to carry your son I am waiting in a silent prayer I am frightened by the load I bear In a world as cold as stone Must I walk this path alone? Be with me now Be with me now Breath of heaven Hold me together Be forever near me Breath of heaven Breath of heaven Lighten my darkness Pour over me your holiness For you are holy Breath of heaven Do you wonder as you watch my face If a wiser one should have had my place But I offer all I am For the mercy of your plan Help me be strong Help me be Help me Breath of heaven Hold me together Be forever near me Breath of heaven Breath of heaven Lighten my darkness Pour over me your holiness For you are holy Breath of heaven Hold me together Be forever near me Breath of heaven Breath of heaven Lighten my darkness Pour over me your holiness For you are holy Breath of heaven Breath of heaven Breath of heaven Source: LyricFind Songwriters: Amy Lee Grant / Chris Eaton Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song) lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Music Services, Inc “Mary, Did You Know?” Mary did you know That your baby boy will one day walk on water? Mary did you know That your baby boy will save our sons and daughters? Did you know That your baby boy has come to make you new? This child that you've delivered Will soon deliver you Mary did you know That your baby boy will give sight to a blind man? Mary did you know That your baby boy will calm a storm with His hand? Did you know That your baby boy has walked where angels trod? And when you kiss your little baby You've kissed the face of God Mary, did you know? The blind will see The deaf will hear And the dead will live again The lame will leap The dumb will speak The praises of the Lamb Mary did you know That your baby boy is Lord of all creation? Mary did you know That your baby boy will one day rule the nations? Did you know That your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb? This sleeping child you're holding Is the Great I Am Oh, Mary, did you know? Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc., CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP Songwriters Mark Lowry, Music by Buddy Greene Published by © Warner Chappell Music, Inc., CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP VERSES: Luke 2:8-12 “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:20 “The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.” Colossians 3:16 “Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.” PRAYER: Dear Father, in the midst of my preparing for Christmas Day and the celebration of Your Son Jesus’ birth, help me not to become so caught up in cultural festivities that I neglect to spend personal time with You reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas—the fulfillment of Your promise to send mankind a Savior who would crush Satan and the evil in this world. Without Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice, let me never forget I would have nothing to celebrate this season. Please, Father God, help me year after year to become more like Your Son, giving my all for the sake of leading others to Your doorstep and salvation in Christ. May my life and the lives of all Christians become gifts we give back to You! 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! 1.https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=joy+to+the+world+lyrics 2.https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/occasions/christmas/joy-to-the-world-hymn-carol-lyrics-composer/ Psalm 23 “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name.
Seventh grade—my first year in junior high school, and we were assigned to memorize one of the inspirational poems found in our literature book. After much analysis, I chose a very famous poem, “Invictus,” written by William Ernest Henley Out of the night that covers me, Black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath and tears Looms but the Horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years Finds and shall find me unafraid. It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.1 To a thirteen-year-old, not being raised in a family who understood or taught biblical truth, this poem was inspirational: “I’m not going to let anything get me down—not even my parents’ constant quarreling that could result in divorce! No circumstance will make me give in, nor will I suffer fear from what I face in life.” These words became my verbal mantra, though my actions really didn’t follow along! What I didn’t understand was this. From the age of twelve, William Henley suffered from tuberculosis of the bone, a terribly painful disease that attacks joints, causing not only stiffness but abscesses that eventually caused Henley to lose a leg. Being an affirmed atheist, he then had only one place to turn to in how to handle life—himself.2 He could choose to become a victim of life’s circumstances or make the choice to boldly face his future. This is what he chose to do, as demonstrated by the words in this poem. He states that he will be “master of his fate and captain of his soul.” Now, as a Christian adult, I feel great sadness as I better understand the words written in “Invictus.” Henley did not thank the one and only true God for creating his soul, but gave credit to gods, entities either unknown or those to whom pagans have worshiped throughout the ages. Henley therefore had no source to rely upon for truth, but only himself. He therefore declared that he was the master of his fate and captain of his soul. In truth, no man is ever master of his fate—that “destiny, lot, portion, or doom meaning a predetermined state or end. Fate implies an inevitable and usually an adverse outcome."3 Proclaiming "I am the master of my fate" is like stating I can control the weather or a volcano’s eruption. We never are masters of the testings life throws at us--those many curve balls, for if this were true, I know I certainly would never let anything adverse enter my life! On the other hand, God is just the opposite! He allows trials and testings in our lives to produce endurance: "We do know that God allows testings to build our endurance and character. "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing." James 1:2-4 Henley also wrote that he was the captain of his soul. He did appear to recognize that the soul could be as strong and solid as rock or as shiftless as sand. He seemed to comprehend that as the captain of a ship has to steer through storms, so would he have to steer his soul throughout life; but did he understand what the soul is? Did he understand, as George McDonald wrote, that the soul is that which makes the person? "We don't have a soul. We are a soul. We have a body..."?4 And did he learn through Scripture how the soul is fed...how our souls are either lost or saved through the redeeming blood of Christ, not through our own effort? In being an avowed atheist, the answer is "no." So what was Henley actually master over and captain of, and how are we the same? The only correct answer is our choices—those responses we make to the blessings, trials, and testings that face us in life. Will we say yea or nay to the information and circumstances presented to us, especially to that all-important eternal decision each must ask: "Will I choose to believe God's Word promising a redeemer to save me from my sin?" Will I choose to believe that it was Jesus' sacrificial blood upon the cross that redeemed me? Will I choose to accept Him as my personal Lord, Savior, and Master? Will I therefore choose to submit myself to Him, allowing Him to become the authority and director over my life, surrendering to His will and living in obedience to His commands? Will I allow Him to be my Master and Captain? As Henley did not, I chose to say yea to Jesus, and I pray you have done so, too! With that decision, I'm sure that you, as well as I, have begun to see fruit from that choice blossom in our lives. For instance, let's look at a common human problem-- FEAR. When we accept Jesus as Lord of our lives, we need never fear life or fate. Our all-knowing Father knows what will happen each moment of our lives, and He will never leave us or forsake us: “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” Psalm 139:16 “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Deuteronomy 31:8 Our lives become built upon trust in our awesome and incomprehensible God, our Master, who knows all and sees all; with Jesus as our Savior, we grow in love for our Father in heaven and for one another. We become more and more perfected in the love of Christ: “Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.” 1 John 4:17 What a joy it is to know that because of our Father’s love for us, we are given strength not to fear life, but to live life, not in our own power, but in the power of the Holy Spirit! We never have to fear the need of being master of our lives! As a counterpoint to “Invictus,” an early twentieth century poet , Dorothea Day, at first a humanist attracted to Henley’s views but later becoming a Christian, wrote the meaningful poem “Conquered.” As you read it, join with me in the joy it brings to our hearts! “Conquered” Out of the light that dazzles me, Bright as the sun from pole to pole, I thank the God I know to be, For Christ - the Conqueror of my soul. Since His the sway of circumstance, I would not wince nor cry aloud. Under the rule which men call chance, My head, with joy, is humbly bowed. Beyond this place of sin and tears, That Life with Him and His the Aid, That, spite the menace of the years, Keeps, and will keep me unafraid. I have no fear though straight the gate: He cleared from punishment the scroll. Christ is the Master of my fate! Christ is the Captain of my soul! 5 VERSES: Psalm 23 “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. 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. Surely Your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” James 1:21 "So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls." Leviticus 17:11 "For the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the Lord. It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible." PRAYER: Dear Father, what a joy it is to understand I do not need to rely upon my fallible self in journeying through life but can rely on You and Your Holy Spirit to guide me. What a joy it is to know that You are my Master, my Perfect Shepherd—one who only has the best in mind for my future days, and that with You as my Master, I need not fear life. Thank You for being my God; thank You that when I submitted my life to Christ, He took “the wheel,” for I only make a mess of things when I try to drive myself. I say “yea” to you, Jesus…I am Yours forever. Amen. SONG: “Jesus Take the Wheel” by Carrie Underwood She was driving last Friday on her way to Cincinnati on a snow white Christmas Eve Going home to see her mama and her daddy with the baby in the backseat Fifty miles to go, and she was running low on faith and gasoline It'd been a long hard year She had a lot on her mind, and she didn't pay attention She was going way too fast Before she knew it she was spinning on a thin black sheet of glass She saw both their lives flash before her eyes She didn't even have time to cry She was so scared She threw her hands up in the air Jesus, take the wheel Take it from my hands 'Cause I can't do this on my own I'm letting go So give me one more chance And save me from this road I'm on Jesus, take the wheel It was still getting colder when she made it to the shoulder And the car came to a stop She cried when she saw that baby in the backseat sleeping like a rock And for the first time in a long time She bowed her head to pray She said, "I'm sorry for the way I've been living my life I know I've got to change So from now on tonight Jesus, take the wheel Take it from my hands 'Cause I can't do this on my own I'm letting go So give me one more chance And save me from this road I'm on." Oh, Jesus, take the wheel Oh, I'm letting go So give me one more chance Save me from this road I'm on From this road I'm on From this road I'm on Jesus, take the wheel Oh, take it, take it from me Oh, why, oh 6 Artist: Carrie Underwood Album: Double Cream: The Best of Cream of Country 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! 1. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/51642/invictus 2. https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=tuberculosis+of+the+bone 3. https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=what+fate+implies 4. https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/889692-we-don-t-have-a-soul-we-are-a-soul-we5. 5. https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/conquered-by-christ 6. http://www.songlyrics.com/carrie-underwood/jesus-take-the-wheel-lyrics/ Psalm 8 “O Lord, our Lord, Your Majestic Name fills the earth! Your glory is higher than the heavens. You have taught children and infants to tell of Your strength, silencing Your enemies and all who oppose You. When I look at the night sky and see the work of Your fingers—the moon and the stars You set in place—what are mere mortals that You should think about them, human beings that You should care for them? Yet You made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them charge of everything You made, putting all things under their authority, the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents. O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!”
Today begins a week where we, hopefully, will focus on thankfulness—thankfulness for being born in a country where, in spite of all its problems, we are free to worship God openly; thankfulness for an abundance of food and water; for shelter; for friends; and for family, both biological and those Christians God has brought into our lives who are now family, many times becoming closer than blood relatives. This is a time to focus upward and upon all the good things God has brought into our lives—for at least a moment to move beyond the painful circumstances we may have endured this year, knowing God’s plan for each life is perfect. For my family, it means thanking God for taking our son’s sweet Missy home at such a young age, knowing our Father is forever kind and compassionate--that He removed this precious woman from great pain into total healing and peace. For this we give thanks. So this week let us give thanks to our heavenly Father, the Alpha and Omega, praising His name for what He is doing in our lives. Let us focus each day on at least a few of the following verses which remind us how great our Father is and why we should give Him thanks for the past year He has so graciously given us: “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him. Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7 NLT Ask: Are my roots growing down into Christ? Is my life being built upon Him? If so, am I praising God Father with thankfulness? “But, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:18b-20 NLT Ask: Am I allowing the Holy Spirit to fill me so that I may praise the Father and give Him thanks with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs? “Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4 NASB Ask: Do I look for the end result of trials? Do I understand that God uses these times to develop my faith and endurance? Do I then give thanks to God and praise Him for what He is doing in my life, changing me to become more like Christ? “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6 NLT Ask: What is hard for me today? How can I turn my worries into prayers, knowing God asks me to be thankful in all things? “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change life shifting shadows.” James 1:17 NLT Ask: Each day, do I remember to thank God for who He is, for being unchangeable, and for loving me always with a love that surpasses all understanding? “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 ESV Ask: Do I regularly thank God for being with me and strengthening me each day? Do I thank Him for upholding me in all situations? “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His faithfulness is everlasting.” 1 Chronicles 16:34 NLT Ask: Have I ever made a list of all the good things God has done for me? (Thanksgiving provides a great time to write all this down and read your blessings at the dinner table!) “He gives strength to the weary, and to the one who lacks might He increases power.” Isaiah 40:29 NLT Ask: Have I thanked my Father for giving me the strength to carry on when I feel I no longer can in this life? Can I look back and see His hand leading me through the valleys and storms of my journey? “It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to Your name, Most High; to declare Your goodness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night.” Psalm 92:1-2 NLT Ask: When I wake up in the morning, do I thank God for giving me a new day; and before I sleep, do I recount the blessings that His faithfulness has brought me during the day? “Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and He would have given you living water.’” John 4:10 NLT Ask: Have I truly praised the Lord lately for giving me His living water of everlasting life? “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:8 ESV Ask: Do I sometimes forget that I must not worry about having the provisions I need for life, understanding that Jesus will always be with me through every circumstance? Do I realize that when I love money and am not content with what I have, I am relying only upon myself for provision and not the promises of God? “Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom He gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” Colossians 3:16-17 NLT Ask: Do others see me as a representative of Christ because I am continually giving Him thanks and praise for how He has filled my life with His Spirit? “My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever.” Psalm 73:26 Ask: Do I let my heart resound praises to my Father for the truths of this verse? “Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name.” 1 Chronicles 29:13 NASB Ask: Do I, as David did, exalt God and thank Him for His greatness, power, and victory over evil, recognizing He, our Majestic King, is to be exalted above all? “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In His hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land.” Psalm 95:1-5 ESV Ask: Have I recently read this psalm and meditated upon its truth and beauty? “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all His benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion…” Psalm 103:1-4 NIV Ask: Do I think about being crowned with love and compassion as proven by Jesus’ forgiving me of all my sins? “Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 KJV (“Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil.” NLT) Ask: Do I express to God thankfulness for having His Holy Spirit live within me? Am I, in any way, by action or word, preventing the Holy Spirit from working fully in me for the glory of God? “Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey—riding on a donkey’s colt.” Zachariah 9:9 NLT Ask: Am I thankful that God prophesized Jesus’ coming and that we should and can rejoice in the fact that every prophecy of God is fulfilled? “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7 NIV Ask: Do I overflow with thankfulness that I am able to be rooted in Jesus Christ if I choose to spend time with Him, studying His Word and praying to imitate Him? “The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust Him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.” Psalm 28:7 Ask: Can I picture myself dancing around the house, bursting with songs of thanksgiving to the Lord because He is trustworthy and my warrior against evil? (Perhaps this year is a good year for me to do so?!) “Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.” Psalm 123:1 KJV (“I lift my eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven.” NLT) Ask: Have I envisioned God seated upon His throne, my all-worthy, all-compassionate, all merciful, and Almighty Father? Have I thanked Him for who He is--the King and Master of everything that is? ”Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” John 5:24 NKJ (“I tell you the truth, those who listen to My message and believe in God who sent Me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.” NLT) Ask: Have I with all my heart, each day, thanked God the Father for sending Jesus to remove any and all condemnation from me, purifying me so that I may spend eternity with Him in heaven? “We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.” 2 Thessalonians 1-3 NIV Ask: Do I remember to give God thanks for my brothers and sisters in Christ and for how they have influenced me in my walk with Him? Am I thankful that the love between us not only is growing but is being openly displayed, glorifying God and demonstrating to others that we are Christ’s disciples? “Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth.” Psalm 108:5 NLT Ask: How many times weekly do I study God’s creation and note His glory shining over all? True, the earth is now groaning because of sin, but how much more, then, can I envision heaven and God’s glory there? May I always remember to thank and exalt You Lord for who You are! “Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:11-12 Ask: Have I considered that my generosity to others results in their seeing God in action, resulting in their joyfully thanking their Father in heaven for His provision? “Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O Lord.” Psalm 97:8 KJV (“Jerusalem has heard and rejoiced, and all the towns of Judah are glad because of Your justice, O Lord!”) Ask: Why should I rejoice? As we close out our week, let us reflect on Verses 1-8 of Psalm 97 NLT: “The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice! Let the farthest coastlands be glad. Dark clouds surround Him. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. Fire spreads ahead of Him and burns up all His foes. His lightning flashes out across the world. The earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim His righteousness; every nation sees His glory. Those who worship idols are disgraced—all who brag about their worthless gods—for every god must bow to Him. Jerusalem has heard and rejoiced, and all the towns of Judah are glad because of Your justice, O Lord. For you, O Lord, are supreme over all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods.” PRAYER: Dear Father, this week is a reminder of what I should be doing every day of my life—meditating upon who You are, what You have sacrificed to bring me to Yourself, and being grateful for all of this. Let me never forget that You have blessed my life beyond measure. I thank You with all my heart for loving me so very much and claiming me as Your own. To You, and You only, be all honor, glory, and praise! 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! Genesis 2:15-17 “The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”
Imagine the thought and preparation that comes before any artistic masterpiece is created. Now pick any masterpiece you know of and picture it being mutilated. Sad but true, many masterpieces of artwork throughout the years have been vandalized, some by rebellious people who wish to make their points of view known or others as a result of accident, alcohol, or possible mental illness. Included in the list of these paintings are Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan by Ilya Repin, Le Rêve, by Picasso, Argenteuil Basin with a Single Sailboat by Monet, and Nightwatch by Rembrandt van Rijn.1 While some paintings such as the Mona Lisa have been protected throughout the years, many times by a glass covering, the other paintings listed above were not so fortunate. For instance, out of Rembrandt’s 600 paintings, Nightwatch is a highlight, using light and shade to create a textured, three dimensional effect depicting the officers and men of the Amersterdam Kloveniers Militia.2 Measuring an astounding 12.5 feet by 15 feet and weighing 743 pounds, it has become a Dutch national treasure.3 Nightwatch was first slashed in 1975 with a bread knife by an unemployed school teacher, Wilhelmus de Rijk. Later, in 1990, a mentally ill man threw acid on the painting. Fortunately, the painting was able to be restored, but it now is in need further restoration as there is a slight white haze where the painting had been cut.5 Yes, when something is a masterpiece and has been vandalized, we all wish for its restoration. Restoration—it becomes a beautiful word in my mind as it leads me to think of our God. Consider with me for a minute God before He created all from nothing. Can you imagine the thought He put into His planning? Can you picture the output of energy that had to take place? Can you picture the beauty of each created planet, star, animal, plant, person? The uniqueness, with each creation being a masterpiece, made in perfection? I am picturing great excitement and joy as God began creating. “Let there be….” And there was! Let’s travel back through history to the garden where we find Adam and Eve, the highest of God’s creation among the animals and creatures of the earth, the only ones made in His image. Were they not masterpieces? Indeed they were! But listen to this conversation between the Almighty and our initial parents: “ ‘Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?’ The man replied, ‘It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.’ Then the Lord God asked the woman, ‘What have you done?’" And thus it was that sin was born from man’s rebellion, which came to be known as The Fall, and with The Fall came, though slowly at first, death and decay. God’s perfect creation was vandalized by man himself, and everything has groaned ever since. HOWEVER…God loved and continues to love His masterpieces—you, I, and the very earth we live on too much to allow the results of man's vandalsim to go on! So He, being all-knowing—even before creation began—had restoration in mind. Remember always that God is love, and love simply will not let something pass away—it will do everything within its power to restore! In order to restore mankind to Himself, man’s sin--that damaging self-inflicted vandalism—had to be removed. So God did something drastic; He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to die on our behalf as He took our sins upon Himself, thereby offering us the choice of restoration. What is that choice? Accept Christ as Savior and be fully restored as a child and heir of God—or choose not to, and be destined to life without His goodness, hope, love, or joy. There is the true depiction of light versus shade—the light of living in God’s presence versus that of living in the ultimate darkness of life without Him! Restoration—a new, purified life in Christ and, one day, a new and perfect earth. Peace will reign and “the wolf and the lamb will feed together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. But the snakes will eat dust. In those days no one will be hurt or destroyed on My holy mountain. I, the Lord, have spoken!”” Isaiah 65:25 Isn’t it glorious to realize we need not fear the times we live in, in spite of the vandalism taking place in our country and throughout the world? Doesn't it give hope to know that when we do, even now, vandalize ourselves by sinning, God restores us through confession? We have an incomprehensible great and awesome God. He is the definition and reconciliation and restoration. Praise be to His holy name now and forever! 1. https://shop.ariustechnology.com/blogs/news/vandalism-of-art 2. https://www.rembrandthuis.nl/en/meet-rembrandt/rembrandt-the-artist/most-important-work/the-night-watch/ 3. https://shop.ariustechnology.com/blogs/news/vandalism-of-art 4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Night_Watch VERSES: Genesis 3:14-15 “Then the Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.’ ” 1 Peter 5:10 “In His kindness God called you to share in His eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation.” I John 5:4 “For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.” PRAYER: Dear Father, how can I possibly find the words to show how grateful—how thankful—I am that YOU ARE GOD! If You were not YOU, if You were not LOVE itself, I, as all others, would be doomed to darkness—a place completely devoid of light—and an eternity of life without Your goodness and peace. So thank You, Father, that You continued pursuing me throughout my twenties and even into my early thirties until You could restore me to You through the saving grace of Jesus; and Father, thank You that one day, as I live eternally with You, I will be the masterpiece You originally planned for me to be—pure and without sin. I cannot repeat enough times, “Father, You are so, so, so very, very GOOD!” 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! “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
“Hidden Treasure”--Anonymous ‘Twas long ago I read the story sweet-- ‘Of how the German mothers, o’er the sea, Wind in, throughout the yarn their girlies knit, Some trinkets small, and tiny shining coins, That when the little fingers weary grow, And fain would lay aside the tiresome task, From out the ball will drop the hidden gift, To please and urge them on in search for more, And so, I think, The Father kind above Winds in and out the skein of life we weave, Through all the years, bright tokens of His love, That when we grow weary and long for rest They help to cheer and urge us on for more; And far adown within the ball we find, When all the threads of life at last are spun, The grandest gift of all—eternal life.”1 I must admit that I’ve never looked at my life as a skein of yarn, but when I now do, I can clearly see how God has woven tokens of His love into it to encourage me not to waiver from the path He has laid before me. My Father does this in His own timing and in His own way. We all know that in life, we will be faced with a multitude of trials: “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” James 1:2-4 James' words do not state if troubles come, but when troubles come (they are guaranteed), we are to consider them opportunities for joy. These trials develop within us strength and endurance to help us become the people God wants us to be, and we learn to focus on the joy set before us--the grandest gift of all--eternal life. If we but look during those times of our deep, hard struggles, we can discern God’s loving hand as He drops into our lives tokens, hidden until needed, that encourage us along our journey. What possibly could they be? Yours will differ from mine, but I would encourage you to look back and recount those episodes that have lifted your hearts during times of darkness. Here are a few from my life:
1. Leaves of Gold, edited by Clyde Francis Lytle, 1948, Coslett Pubishing Company. VERSES: Acts 13:2 “One day as these men (prophets and teachers at Antioch) were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.” So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.” John 1:16 “From His abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.” Isaiah 41:20 “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand.” Numbers 6:24-26 “ ‘May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you His favor and give you His peace.’ “ PRAYER: Thank you, Father, for blessing me with trinkets—tokens—gifts—not before or after I need them, but when I need them. With each of these, You help me rise from possible despair into the joy of understanding who You are and how good You are, no matter what circumstances may indicate. You are the great I AM—the all-knowing, all-loving, all merciful, kind, and caring God who has chosen me in my wretchedness to be saved through faith in Your Son, Jesus. Please fill me daily with Your Holy Spirit so I may worship you with a clean heart, being thankful for all You’ve given to save me. 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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