Tag: Christian

Telling the story in a new way
Christmas · Christmas Traditions

Telling the story in a new way

purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

St. Bonaventure (d. 1274) Life of St. Francis of Assisi

It happened in the third year before his death, that in order to excite the inhabitants of Grecio to commemorate the nativity of the Infant Jesus with great devotion, [St. Francis] determined to keep it with all possible solemnity; and lest he should be accused of lightness or novelty, he asked and obtained the permission of the sovereign Pontiff.

Then he prepared a manger, and brought hay, and an ox and an ass to the place appointed. The brethren were summoned, the people ran together, the forest resounded with their voices, and that venerable night was made glorious by many and brilliant lights and sonorous psalms of praise.

The man of God [St. Francis] stood before the manger, full of devotion and piety, bathed in tears and radiant with joy; the Holy Gospel was chanted by Francis, the Levite of Christ. Then he preached to the people around the nativity of the poor King; and being unable to utter His name for the tenderness of His love, He called Him the Babe of Bethlehem.

A certain valiant and veracious soldier, Master John of Grecio, who, for the love of Christ, had left the warfare of this world, and become a dear friend of this holy man, affirmed that he beheld an Infant marvellously beautiful, sleeping in the manger, Whom the blessed Father Francis embraced with both his arms, as if he would awake Him from sleep. This vision of the devout soldier is credible, not only by reason of the sanctity of him that saw it, but by reason of the miracles which afterwards confirmed its truth.

For example of Francis, if it be considered by the world, is doubtless sufficient to excite all hearts which are negligent in the faith of Christ; and the hay of that manger, being preserved by the people, miraculously cured all diseases of cattle, and many other pestilences; God thus in all things glorifying his servant, and witnessing to the great efficacy of his holy prayers by manifest prodigies and miracles

Journal Exercise

Do you look for ways to creatively share the Christmas story with others?

Do you use this season to tell others about Jesus?

List ways you might share without forcing yourself on others.   St Francis told the story in a way people remembered and enjoyed.

What do Adam and Eve have to do with Christmas?
Christmas · Christmas Traditions

What do Adam and Eve have to do with Christmas?

purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

The eve of Christmas and in the local tavern the people gather to watch a show.

A man, A woman and the serpent re-enact the events in Eden.  A fir tree stands on the stage with red fruit and white wafers all over it. God warned them to not eat from the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil.  Satan tells them that God is just trying to keep them from being gods themselves. Eve takes the apple and bites.  Adam follows and takes a bit as well.  Adam and Eve chose to believe Satan’s twisted words instead of what God told them.  They are expelled from the garden and are forced to toil the land until they eventually die.  They now know (experience) both the good in life and the evil in life.

The actors presented the Paradise Play on Adam and Eve Day, December 24th.  They used a fir tree because it is the middle of winter and they are the only green trees.  They covered it with apples to represent the fruit of knowledge of good and evil. But the play makes sure the audience knows that tomorrow on Christmas a baby is born who is the Son of God.  Jesus dies for our sins.  The white wafers, eucharist, symbolizes his body that is given as a sacrifice for us.

Christmas eve we see the fall of human kind due to sin, but on Christmas morning we celebrate the birth of Jesus who is come to save us.

The modern Christmas tree, the ornaments and the colors of Christmas are all based on these paradise plays on Christmas Eve.  These and other bible based plays originated around 1000 AD and then are banned for awhile by the Pope.  They become popular again around the late 1400’s to early 1500’s when we see the first documentations of Christmas trees.

When you walk past the elaborately decorated trees of Christmas, remember that the babe born on Christmas morn came specifically to shed his blood for your sin.  He came from heaven to earth for you.

Watch every where for the red, white and green of the season and remember to not make the mistake of Adam and Eve.  They chose to trust Satan.  Chose to trust Christ and accept his sacrifice for your sins if you have not done so before.

If you have all ready chosen to trust Jesus, spend this season thanking Christ for coming from heaven to earth for you.

Journal exercise

Write how it makes you feel to know Jesus left heaven to come to earth to be a sacrifice for sin–for your sin.  He came for you.

 

John 1

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

 

 

Season of Love
Christmas · Christmas Traditions

Season of Love

purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

Research the meaning of the advent candles and you will find slightly different meanings for the candles.  For the most part, the candles represent similar concepts presented in different ways.  But the second candle has a wide variation of meanings attributed to it.

One meaning for this candle is love and I choose to focus on this one.  Why?  Because I believe the whole season of Christmas –Advent, Christmas Day, the 12 days of Christmas –everything about this season has to do with Love.  We could call it the Season of Love.

Christmas starts with God loving us.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life

He gave us the ultimate gift out of love.  And because He loved us so much we love Him.

1 John 4 19 We love him, because he first loved us.

Jesus says if we love Him that we should keep His commands.  And what does Jesus command.

John 15

12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

 Christmas is the celebration of the day God showed us how much He loved us by sending his Son.  Jesus lived the perfect life and then died on the cross for  our sins all out of love.  We love God because He first loved us and what does the object of our love request of us?  He asks that we love one another.
Exercise
Do you love others in your life, not just your family, but the strangers who pass your way?
Do you love as Christ loved you?
Write your thoughts about God’s love for you,  and what it means to love someone as Christ loves you.
Light of the World
Christmas · Christmas Traditions

Light of the World

purposeunderheaven1 Comment

In the mist of preparing for Christmas, a Jewish holiday exists.  Hanukkah, the feast of dedication, celebrates the miracle of light.  The symbol of this holiday is the Menorah.  A candelabra designed by the Almighty.  And the fact the Lord designed the Menorah is not the miracle which is amazing.

Israel suffered under an evil ruler who interfered with Israel’s worship of the Lord. He even desecrated the temple.

A small group of men in Israel rose up and defeated the ruler’s mighty army.  Then, the people of Israel cleared the temple and made it ready for worship.  When they were ready to rededicate the temple to the Lord, they discovered they had only enough oil to burn the candles for one day. The men trusted the Lord.  And the oil lasted eight days.  This was the time they needed to prepare more oil for this sacred purpose.

Each year, the Jewish faithful celebrate for eight days in memory of the miracle.

Jesus celebrated Hanukkah.  It is right there in the 10th book of John.

22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch.

Interesting, Jesus came to Jerusalem to join with others to rejoice in the miracle of God making one day’s worth of oil last for eight days.  All around Him people celebrated the miracle of God, but only a few realized that the Light of the World walked among them.
John 8
12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Exercise.
In this time of Christmas celebration, write in your journal about the light of the world.
Write about when you stepped out of darkness to walk in the light.  Document that great miracle of light coming into your life.

If you still walk in the dark, ask Jesus to be the ruler of your life, to forgive you of your sins and to guide you in the way that you should go.  Trust Jesus to be your Lord.

Hung By The Chimney With Care
Christmas · Christmas Traditions

Hung By The Chimney With Care

purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house


Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.


The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,


In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

 

Wonder why kids would hang stockings hoping for Saint Nicholas to soon be there?  We must venture back to the early forth century and visit our Bishop of Myra once again.

 A poor man in Myra had three daughters, but not enough money to pay their dowries.  Today, that doesn’t seem like the worst problem in the world, but back around 300 AD, these three girls could not marry if they did not have a dowry.  They would likely be forced into slavery or prostitution if they did not find husbands.

 Nicholas, took gold from his personal accounts, slipped into their homes and left bags of gold coins in each girls socks.  The socks hung by the fire to dry.  All of this was done in secret, but his secret eventually was found out.  Stories of Bishop Nicholas, later Saint Nicholas, spread after his death.

 In honor of his memory, children left their stockings by the fire on Christmas Eve. Parents slipped oranges, apples and nuts into those stockings to surprise the kids.

 Nicholas understood the scriptures

Matthew 6.

Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

 

 

Exercise

Have you ever helped someone without their knowing you helped them, without anyone knowing you helped that person?  Describe how you did it.

Make a list of all the people you are aware of who are in need.  Maybe they have huge financial needs that you have no way of fixing, but list everything.

Now look at the list.  What could you do to help one person on your list?  Maybe you can’t give them the money they need to fix their problems, but you could buy a bag of groceries and leave it on the porch for them.

Or could you spend your afternoons sitting with some lonely elderly shut in?  They would know you were spending time with them, but don’t let them thank you are “helping them”,

Maybe you just find a child who never has any school supplies, or cloths and you send them periodic care packages in the mail as their secret santa.

Or you take in an elderly person’s garbage cans each morning so they don’t have to do so.  Mow their grass when the weather warms.  Or shovel their snow if you live where the white stuff falls.

The purpose here is not the secrecy; it is about doing for others without expecting any reward or recognition.  You care about their dignity and their self respect.  It is about them and not about you.

Ho Ho Ho
Christmas Traditions · Seasons

Ho Ho Ho

purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

Today was Saint Nicholas Day so it makes sense to discuss the tradition of Santa Claus.

Let’s think about the Santa we know.  A jolly fella who sits in the mall, makes appearances in the parades and tells all the good little kids that of course they will receive all the toys they desire.  Then on Christmas eve he travels the world in a sleigh with rain deer sliding down chimneys depositing lots of toys.

The real Saint Nicholas lived from 273 to 343 and died on December 6.  Born to wealthy parents who died when he was young, Nicholas moved to live with his uncle.  Early in his life, Nicholas learned to love Christ.  He became a monk and then the Bishop of Myra.

Nicholas determined to use his inheritance to help others.  He is known for being a giver to those in need.  He spent part of his life in prison for his faith, but was released when Constantine released the Christians.

Saint Nicholas became a popular saint in many countries across Europe.  Different traditions grew around gift giving on his Saint day.

These traditions morphed into the crazy materialistic Santa gift giving we know today.

Journalling questions.

1)  Do you think of Christmas as a time to give to others in need?  Is this season more about what is in it for you or what you can do for others?

Acts 20

35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

2)  You possess many resources that include money, time, talents, love.  Are you willing to give all you have if God asks it of you.  When people in real need appear in your life, do you find reasons to not help them or do you give what you have to help them.  Saint Nicholas gave all he had both financially and of his time.

The following was what Jesus said to the Rich Young Ruler.  The young ruler walked away because he loved his money more than he loved Jesus.  Saint Nicholas chose to give all to help the poor and to spend his life following Jesus.  What is your answer to Jesus?  Think through all the areas: money, time, talents, love.

Mark 10

21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

Hear Them Ring
Christmas · Christmas Traditions

Hear Them Ring

purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

Bells, church tower bells, hand held bells, bells on bob tails, bells, bells everywhere bells.

Nothing is more Christmas than bells.  Yet, history rings loud with bells well before Jesus. Bells sounded a warning, or signaled people to come together.

The early church had no tower bells or loud bells to identify where they were meeting.  No, they would use little hand bells in the early days to indicate they were starting a service, but drawing attention was not high on their list of things to do.  For the first few centuries, they faced off and on persecution for their faith.

Then the Emperor Constantine declared Christianity to be acceptable and the churches started adding bells to indicate when special events would occur.  They built buildings with bell towers to ring out for events like Christmas.

As caroling started growing in popularity, some carolers would ring bells as the music for the singers and to draw attention.  The bells became more and more a part of the Christmas traditions.

But today, the bell ringers we think about most with the season stand outside of stores ringing their hand held bells.  Cold weather or hot, rain or snow, these men and women hold their posts from Thanksgiving until Christmas. The bell rings as we walk past.  If we drop a coin, we hear a Merry Christmas in reply.

Over a hundred years ago, one man saw the need of the poor in his town of San Francisco.  He desired to find them food for Christmas.  This one man found a pot and stood out asking people to drop coins in it to feed the needy at Christmas. He collected enough to feed over a 100,000 people that year.
Now similar pots are positioned all over our country and others who care about the poor stand outside of stores ringing a bell to draw attention to the need for the poor. Captain Joseph McFee and his Salvation Army pots have feed millions since the 1890’s

Today, we think of Christmas when we hear those bells ringing.  And when we think of Christmas we should think of the poor and needy.

Matthew 25

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Prayer:  Lord help me to see those in need.  Help me to know how to help in a healthy way.  Guide me to a person who cares for those in need.

Meditation:  When I face Jesus will he see me as a sheep who cared for Him when he was hungry, sick or in prison. Or am I a goat?

Action:  As I see people in need, visualize them as if they are Christ, before deciding how to respond.

My Thanksgiving playlist
Thanksgiving

My Thanksgiving playlist

purposeunderheaven1 Comment

El Shaddai     Amy Grant      I Can Only Imagine – Ultimate Power Anthems of the Christian Faith

What A Friend We Have In Jesus        Amy Grant       Legacy…

I Love To Tell The Story      Barbara Mandrell Precious Memories

In the Garden       Barbara Mandrell Precious Memories

Glory, Glory, Glory      Bishop Noel Jones & The City of Refuge Sanctuary Choir Welcome to the City

Victory In Jesus       Bo Steele Victory In Jesus – Single

The Little Drummer Boy        Burl Ives Have A Holly Jolly Christmas Holiday

Love Song for a King     Caleb Rowden      Love Song for a King

Sing      Carpenters The Singles, 1969 – 1973

Praise You with the Dance        Casting Crowns Casting Crowns Inspirational

The Old Rugged Cross    Chris Rice Peace Like a River: The Hymns Project

Amazing Grace     Elvis Presley Elvis – Ultimate Gospel

Psalm 118: Easter Alleluia (For the Great Vigil, With Easter Gospel According to John)    Gary Daigle, Rory Cooney & Theresa Donohoo This Very Morning

Cry Of My Heart/Lord I Lift Your Name On High      Highland Village, TX Baptist Church Worship Band Songs From The Village 2000

Cry Of My Heart        Invitation Music       The World’s Most Loved Classic Worship Songs

Psalm 118: This Is the Day     John Angotti          Joy Beyond Our Dreams

Altar of God      Josh Bates     Glory Revealed

I Love You, Lord   The Maranatha Singers    Songs 4 Worship: Holy Ground

Oh Happy Day     The Oak Ridge Boys Oak Ridge Boys Collection Inspirational

Revelation Song    Phillips, Craig & Dean      Fearless

O, How I Love Jesus (LP Version)    Randy Travis Glory Train, Songs of faith, worship & praise

Hallel    Richie Furay    In My Father’s House Inspirational

Give Thanks to the Lord     Richie Furay      In My Father’s House

Lord, I Lift Your Name On High    Rick Warren   The Invitation

Psalm 23 2:38 Steve Ivey 30 Celtic Hymns

Family of Love, Family of God    Take 6    Songs for a purpose driven life

The Heavens Declare (Psalm 19:1-4, 7-9)  Todd Fields Word of God Speak: The Worship Session

Victory In Jesus   Travis Cottrell Jesus Saves (Live)

We Bow Down    Twila Paris Twila Paris – Greatest Hits

The Heavens Declare (Psalm 19: 1-4, 7-9; NIV)     Word Of God Speak

Pulling it all together to live a life of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving

Pulling it all together to live a life of Thanksgiving

purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

Be a person who cries out to Jesus, who calls on the name of Jesus.

Start by accepting Christ as your savior and as the Lord of your life.

Place your worries and and fears on the alter before Christ and do not pick them up again.

When God acts in your life, answering prayers, or providing blessings,  recognize what He has done and thank Him,

Record the answered prayers and remember them when you face troubles.  Pray to God reminding yourself of all He has done in the past to strengthen you faith for the present.

Remember the deeds of God in the Bible and hold to them as evidence of what God can do in your life.

Tell people in your life what God has done.  Your personal testimony of answered prayers.

Sing praises to God for His mighty deeds.  Sing of your Lord’s loving kindness.

Celebrate His love and the gifts He has given you.  Like David dance for joy.

Fall to your face and worship God for He is worthy to be worshipped.

Bring offerings of Thanksgiving to Him.  Give Him the best of you time, your talents and your resources.  Give Him what He wants most.  Love others as Christ loves you.

This is not a one time event but should be a way of life.

Exercise

Plan a time to share with other Christians.  Create a time when you can share with one another what Christ has done in your life.  Make it a party, a party with singing and praising God.  Make it a party Celebrating the blessings of God on your life.

Then take this love that is in your heart, take the talents, time and resources and love those who cross your path.  Love them as Jesus loves you.

Thanksgiving is a Celebration of all God has done for you.  Thanksgiving requires faith.  But a person who focuses their lives on recognizing  the gifts given by God and on giving God praise for those gifts will grow into a mighty person of faith.

If I am to bring an offering what does Jesus want?
Thanksgiving

If I am to bring an offering what does Jesus want?

purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

So in the ancient times the people offered sacrifices of thanksgiving to God.  We no longer have a specified offering.  But Jesus did tell us what He wanted from us if we loved Him.

John 14

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Now we know what Jesus wants is for us  to keep His commandments.  But what does that mean?  How do we keep the commandments of Jesus?  What are these commandments?  A few verses later, Jesus tells us.

John 15

12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

 

A simple command and yet maybe the hardest command that exists.  What Jesus wants from us is for us to love one another as He loved us. He loved us enough to come from heaven to earth.  He loved us enough to give his life on the cross as a sacrifice for us.  He loved us enough to send the Holy Spirit as a comforter and teacher.  He loves us enough to hear and answer our prayers.

And if we want to show our thanks for all Jesus has done, He asks us to love one another.

Exercise

What do you think it means to love someone like Jesus?  Does it mean forgiving them when they mess up?  Does it mean caring for others even when we might not want to do so?  We are told by Jesus when we feed the hungry, cloth the naked and care for the prisoners we are doing these things for Jesus.

Yesterday we looked at our time, and money and talents as something we could give God.

Today look at who you could show love, the kind of self sacrificial love Jesus gave to you.  Make a plan for how you can be more loving to another person.

Playlist song

Family of Love, Family of God        Take 6           Songs for a purpose driven life