Luke 2
Last night, at church, the youth pastor Justin preached a very stirring Christmas sermon. He preached on 7 Christmas Messages found in Luke 2. One in particular stood out to me.
He talked about the Innkeeper that showed Mary and Joseph to the stable because he had no room in his inn. Justin said the Innkeeper teaches us a message of rejection. He told us the Innkeeper gave Mary and Joseph the stable when he did have room in the inn. He could have given his own room, but instead he didn't want to inconvience himself.
Can you imagine a young woman and her husband being forced to travel, when she's due, to a foreign land only to realize they are having to stay in a stable? Can you imagine them at your door asking for a room? What would you do? Could you send a very pregnant woman to the barn to have her child? What if she wasn't pregnant? What if she was juat a travel wary person looking for a place to rest?
This message hit hard because I am willing to give up some of my creature comforts, but my bed to sleep in the barn? That is what God did for us though! He gave up heaven to be born to a woman of lowly status. Her husband, a carpenter, couldn't afford nicities like higher up merchants.
So why would God give up heaven to be born in a barn? To give us a chance to live in heaven and to be with him! He wanted us with him so desperately that he humbeled himself to being born in a feeding trough!
So I ask again... Are you willing to give up your creature comforts to help God? This Christmas instead of worrying about the food, gifts, church, and everything we worry about at this time of year; stop and go out of your way to help someone out. This is a challenge to me as well.
Reach past what's comfortable. Open your home to a needy person, feed an extra family, buy gifts for kids that need it. Give up your Christmas to give someone else a Christmas.
I know this is a hard thing to do, especially during this economic time, but if Mary and Joseph showed up at your door would you send them to the barn or give them your bed?
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Tribulation
tribulation: great trouble or misery; severe trial; affliction
It seems this week has been a week of trials and tribulations. I can't say I have had the joy in my heart that I should have had through them. But later I have remembered that God uses trials to draw us closer to him and I can't help but smile.
What? Joy through tribulation? Yep!
We should have joy through all things, especially tribulations. Satan rejoices when we go through hard times and get sour and bitter about them because we aren't drawing closer to our Maker. When we are happy through our troubles then we know our Lord is near us because you can't be joyful through tribulation without God's hand on our life.
I have also been reminded that God doesn't put on us more than we can bear! Granted their have been times when I have hit my knees and had to say "Uncle", but then I realize maybe if I had of run to God at the first sign of trouble I may not of had to go through the other troubles or maybe God is trying to teach me a lesson.
Many of the faithful have gone through tribulation and have done it with a joyful heart or with gladness. In Foxe's Book of Martyrs, a woman named Blandina "endured stripes, the tearing of beasts, and the iron chair, she was enclosed in a net and thrown to a bull"; before she went to meet her Lord. In the book she is described to be "rejoicing and triumphing in her exit, as if invited to a marriage supper."
WOW! To go through all that and to be happy about it! Reading about her and the rest of the martyrs during that time makes me realize that I have nothing to complain about.
Since the Bible says to be joyful in all things I am going to try to continually have joy in my heart and then try to instantly turn to God instead of pouting or trying to fix it myself.
Verses for thought:
"And not onlyl so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience"
Romans 5:3
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Confirming the souls of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Acts 14:22
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
John 15:11
My brethern count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
James 1:2
Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy.
Phillipians 1:4
It seems this week has been a week of trials and tribulations. I can't say I have had the joy in my heart that I should have had through them. But later I have remembered that God uses trials to draw us closer to him and I can't help but smile.
What? Joy through tribulation? Yep!
We should have joy through all things, especially tribulations. Satan rejoices when we go through hard times and get sour and bitter about them because we aren't drawing closer to our Maker. When we are happy through our troubles then we know our Lord is near us because you can't be joyful through tribulation without God's hand on our life.
I have also been reminded that God doesn't put on us more than we can bear! Granted their have been times when I have hit my knees and had to say "Uncle", but then I realize maybe if I had of run to God at the first sign of trouble I may not of had to go through the other troubles or maybe God is trying to teach me a lesson.
Many of the faithful have gone through tribulation and have done it with a joyful heart or with gladness. In Foxe's Book of Martyrs, a woman named Blandina "endured stripes, the tearing of beasts, and the iron chair, she was enclosed in a net and thrown to a bull"; before she went to meet her Lord. In the book she is described to be "rejoicing and triumphing in her exit, as if invited to a marriage supper."
WOW! To go through all that and to be happy about it! Reading about her and the rest of the martyrs during that time makes me realize that I have nothing to complain about.
Since the Bible says to be joyful in all things I am going to try to continually have joy in my heart and then try to instantly turn to God instead of pouting or trying to fix it myself.
Verses for thought:
"And not onlyl so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience"
Romans 5:3
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Confirming the souls of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Acts 14:22
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
John 15:11
My brethern count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
James 1:2
Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy.
Phillipians 1:4
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)