In John 15:1, speaking to his disciples, Jesus said, “These things have I spoken unto you so that you can share my joy, and that your joy may be made complete.”

When the angels announced the birth of Christ, it was “Joy to the world” because the Lord had come to earth. Yet, in just a short time, there was mourning and unhappiness in Bethlehem because King Herod had put to death all male infants under two years old, hoping to destroy the new-born King.

Joy in the midst of such sorrow and unhappiness, how can that be? It can happen because joy and happiness are not synonymous terms. Happiness is largely dependent on outward circumstances while joy is a rejoicing condition of the heart regardless of outward conditions.

This joy is defined in Nehemiah 8:10, when Israel was told that “…the joy of the Lord is your strength.” On a particular day, while all the people stood, Ezra and others read from the book in the law of God and helped them to understand the reading. Upon hearing the Word of God, the people, who had been exiled because they had forsaken God, began to weep and mourn over their sins. Then Nehemiah said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your god; do not mourn or weep….go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared….do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

According to Strong’s Dictionary, the Hebrew word here translated ‘joy’ means rejoicing or gladness. It also references the root word from which this word was taken; its meaning is ‘to be joined.’ In Nehemiah, that is what God was doing. He was once again joining himself to the people of God which was a cause of rejoicing and strength. This is what joy is, to know that you have been joined to God. This is why the angels pronounced joy at the birth of Christ. He was Emmanuel, reconciling the world unto God.

True joy is knowing that God has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you, so we may boldly say, ‘the Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’”

No matter what comes our way in the New Year, we can experience the “joy” of the Lord. In Ephesians 6:10, Paul says, “For the future, find strength in your union with the Lord.” (TCNT) In Phillipians 4:13, he declares, “I am ready for anything through the strength of the one who lives within me.” (PHI) The joy of the Lord is your strength.

So, have a joyous year by remembering, “If God be for you, who can be against you?”

Grief is a reaction to a major loss. It is most often an unhappy and painful emotion.

Recently the question about how long one should grieve came up. We often think that grief only refers to death, but it can be the absence of someone or something that makes are heart hurt. I wish I could answer the question about how long one should grieve but I don’t think anyone really can. Since we are all different, we all grieve in our own way.

In some instances, we don’t allow ourselves to go through the motions of grief, which can cause more pain as time goes on. The sorrow we feel from the pain inflicted upon us can be so great at times that we want to rush through it, so we won’t have to feel the pain anymore.

“What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship” (Acts 20:38). Grief comes when we lose someone, but it can also happen when someone we deeply care must leave or a relationship goes astray and we part from him or her. Sometimes I think it’s harder to know that the person we cared about and caused us pain is alive and in close proximity. What’s more is that we must still love that person as a fellow brother/sister in Christ.

I read an article that said that grief is a natural reaction to loss and that we must allow ourselves to feel the pain because it’s part of the healing process. Sometimes, I would like to just cry and scream out everything just to get it done and over with it, but as someone pointed out, I have to go through the stages. Healing cannot be rushed and emotions are going to come, whether I want to deal with them or not. I must remember that no matter how strong my grief is right now, it won’t last forever.

God tells us that over time our grief will go away. There’s the old sayings “you’re better off” etc. But God says it best, “I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy” (John 16:20). “Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:9-10).

I’m learning not to fight my feelings, which tend to have many vicissitudes. An article I read pointed out that many feel conflicting emotions (I’m glad it’s not just me then) such as anger, resentment, sadness, relief, fear, and confusion when dealing with their grief. I’ve tried to suppress these, only to discover that it’s prolonging my grieving process. Another helpful tip I learned, which I am guilty of, is not to over-analyze the situation. I am grieving the loss of a future that I was envisioning and I must remember that my future holds new hopes and dreams.

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”

Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.  He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she’s now in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. (Luke 1:26-38)

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
which means ‘God is with us.’”

When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.

(Matthew 1:18-24)

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 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.

(Luke 2:1-20)

Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”

In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:

‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
are not least among the ruling cities[c] of Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”

Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”

After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.

(Matthew 2:1-12)

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

Merry Christmas to each and everyone of you.

We’ve entered a period of increasing turbulence across the entire world. Lost jobs, foreclosed homes, recession, destroyed dreams, oil spill damage, rising health care costs, death of family and so much more. For many the world looks pretty bleak and barren, but Hope and Joy has come and it’s up to you to spread His light.

The birth of Christ is a message of good news for a world bombarded with problems, lost and despair. When God sent an angle to the shepherds he declared, “Don’t be afraid!” (Luke 2:10a). These simple three words remind us that God is in control. Over and over again, more than a 100 times, God tells us, “Do not be afraid.” Even the apostle Paul needed to be reminded of this when God told him, “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you …?” (Acts 18:9-10). Thankfully God repeats himself over and over again, to remind us, that “do not be afraid,” because “I (God) am with you” in these uncertain times.

The angle of God said, “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” (Luke2:10b-11). That message brings hope and joy to all who have accept Christ as their savior and that all who believe can have “confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began” (Titus 1:2b).

This Christmas share the hope and joy that comes through God’s good news that we do not need to be afraid, because he is with us and that we have eternal life through our savior Jesus Christ. Keeping Christmas is good, but sharing it with others is even better.

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Artwork: Kissing the Face of God by Morgan Weistling

This post is an adaptation of The Tale of Three Trees

“Once upon a time three trees were talking among themselves about their future. The first tree said, ‘I’d really like to be made into a cradle so that a baby could be laid in me and I could support that new life.’ The second tree said, ‘I’d like to be made into an ocean-going ship and be able to carry useful cargo all over the world.’ The third tree said, ‘I don’t want to be made into anything else. I just want to stand here as a tree and point upward as a way of reminded men and women that there is a God in Heaven who loves them.’

At harvest time, the woodcutters came into the forest. As they cut down the first tree, one of them said, ‘We’ll make this one into a manger.’ The tree protested; it did not want to become a feed-box for animals. But the woodchoppers made it into a manger and sold it to an inn-keeper in Bethlehem. And when the Lord of all the earth was born, He was placed into that manger and it became a cradle that the whole world would remember.

As the woodcutters cut down the second tree, one said, ‘We’ll make this one into a little fishing boat.’ The tree protested: ‘I want to be part of an ocean going ship.’ But they made him into a little fishing boat, and a man named Simon Peter bought the boat. And when the Lord of the earth needed a place to stand and speak to the crowds that followed Him, He got into the little fishing boat and it became a place from which the good news of the Kingdom of God was proclaimed.

The woodcutters came to the third tree and said, ‘The Romans are paying good money for crosses, we’ll make this tree into a cross.’ The tree protested. It did not want to be made into an implement of death, but it was cut down and made into a cross. The Lord of all the earth was crucified on that cross and the cross to this day is pointing toward heaven to remind us that there is a God who loves us.”

Have you noticed that in this simple story that each tree had to be cut down and pay a price for becoming an object for God’s Glory? This is true of all who want to fulfill a desire to live a life of purpose, a price must be paid. Christ paid His price, is it time to pay yours? In Luke 14:27 Jesus says, “And whosoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” Each of the trees expressed its’ own will, but had to submit to the will of the woodcutters. Even so, we cannot become all that God intends for us to be until we can say, “Not my will, but Thine, O Lord.”

(Read this story to your children this Christmas Season.)

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When a new person visits your church, is your church prepared?  More often than not churches loose the opportunity to make a good first impression, because they are not prepared and they don’t have a plan to assimilate new people into the church.  How many people walked in and out of your church never to be seen or heard from again?  Today is the day to put a stop to that.  Today is the day to put a plan into motion that will open the front door of the church while closing the back door.

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Here are 8 simple stages assimilate new people into the church:

Stage 1: Trained Greeters for Sunday and All Church Functions

Outdoor greeters to provide a “warm, friendly face” that guest need to see as they arrive. Greeters are trained to provide a warm handshake, helpful information and walk guest to classes if needed.

Stage 2: Church Family Welcomes Newcomers

During coffee times and meet & greet, members must understand that it is their responsibility to be authentically friendly to guests. Being open and friendly to guest means that the church family is conversational, listening, inviting, encouraging, and caring

Stage 3: Guest Packet

The guest will receive a quick and quality packet of the church.  Each family will receive a half-sheet folded packet with pockets with a invitation ticket to the next event,  information about how to become a Christian and 6 unified half sheet sized papers that tell about the preschool, elementary, youth, adult ministry, Sunday school/small groups and other ministries.  Each packet will have a welcome card that invites the visitor to fill out information about themselves and how they found about the church.

Stage 4: Welcome Letter

Each family will receive an initial welcome letter with a simple church schedule, a self addressed evaluation card, an invitation to the next church event and any pamphlets that relate to family such as a half sheet about children’s ministry.

For the next six months this family will receive invitations to all the upcoming church events.
If the family ops in to be a part of the emailed newsletter they will receive an automated welcome newsletter that tells about the church and what to expect in the next newsletter.

Stage 5: “Meet the Pastors”

After a guest visits the church the family will receive a welcome phone call from the staff family and an invitation to meet together at the next once a month “Meet the Pastors” lunch after church. Each lunch will provide a specific “what’s the next step?” orientation; invitation to the next church event and find out how to get involved in the life (Sunday school/small groups) of the church.

Stage 6: Newcomers Welcomed and Involved in Small Group Bible Studies

Each Sunday school/small group class will receive information about the guest family and will send a personal invitation from that Sunday school/small group class.

Stage 7: Entrance Interview for Each Newcomer

For individuals who wish to join the church a new member’s orientation class will be provided by a member of the church who has high energy.  The class will cover the values, mission, and vision of the church are explained. If the new member is not part of a Sunday school/small group class they will be encouraged to join one of the groups.

Stage 8: Recognizing of Newcomers for Completion of New Members’ Course

New members will be publicly acknowledged that they completed the new member training. This recognition provides a bridge from this initial growth over into a deeper walk and commitment to Christ.

Nothing I wrote here is new or even radical in thinking.  These are simply proven strategies that successful churches have used to assimilate new members into their church.  Churches that fail to plan and put that plan into action will fail to reach people for Christ and eventually will die a slow death.  A church that plans and puts it into action will reach people for Christ and will receive the blessings that come with new followers of Christ.  I encourage you to be a church that has a plan.

Recently I was asked, if a man is capable does he really need to provide for his family? Why shouldn’t the woman do it? Today we live in a world where questions like this are starting to become common. Sadly, the feminist movement has blurred the line between the role of the husband and wife. Understand “marital roles” do not determine importance or value, rather it just gives clear instructions on what each individual is supposed to do. My position as a pastor is no greater than the nursery work who works tirelessly every weekend.

Some men will argue that men do not need to provide for their wives and family, but I would like to point to 1 Timothy 5:8 “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” Further word studies of this verse reveal that the wording here is masculine.   Husbands are to take care of the widows in their family, so how much worse is it when husbands don’t take care of their wives?  Work is hard, but remember “The sleep of a laborer is sweet” (Ecclesiastes 5:12) and you can only get that sleep if you worked hard.

While researching of this post I stumbled across an interesting post that just came out today.  Mars Hills church gives eight ways for husbands to honor their wives.

1. Honor your wife maritally.
2. Honor her physically.
3. Honor your wife emotionally.
4. Honor her verbally.
5. Honor your wife financially.
6. Honor her practically.
7. Honor her parentally.
8. Honor her spiritually.

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In his blog Justin Borger writes:

However, in spite of the fact that Paul wrote half of the books in the New Testament and was Jesus’ “chosen instrument” to take the gospel to the Gentiles, Paul happened to be a tentmaker as well, which forces us back to his words in 2 Thessalonians 3:7-9:

For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow.

“A model of what?” we should ask. Obviously, at one level, Paul was a simple example of what it means to work hard and earn a living. His actual emphasis clearly is on the practical side of things in this passage. However, Paul’s hard work as a tentmaker cannot be separated from the controlling purpose which directed everything he did as God’s “chosen instrument.” Paul was using his own life to provide Christians with an example of the connection between our ordinary labor and the gospel. Both aspects were equally at work in the “model,” he gave “for you to follow.” There is no escaping either. We are called both to work hard and provide for our practical needs, and at the same time to align all of our ordinary efforts with the work of the gospel itself.

In the end I would say it is Biblical for husbands to try to provide for their family if they are physically capable to do this.  I would exclude anyone who is physically unable to do so for obvious reasons.  Durring the time I was out of work I worked vey hard to bring home some money and to provide for my family.  I didn’t bring home much, but I did make the effort and I encourage all husbands to do the same.  Work is hard, but it is also very rewarding.

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Wedding Ring photo by: Travis Jon Allison
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No amount of justification can be made for substituting X for Christ every December 25th. The only thing that speaks loud and clear is that some people would just as soon keep Christ out of Christmas celebrations. To this I say, ‘Bah Humbug’. For many people Christmas is a time of frustration. Crowded stores, pushing people, hard to find parking spots and last minute shopping take their toll. Many times we are guilty of buying gifts for people we don’t really care that much about. But if they buy one for us and we don’t buy one for them, then we feel guilty. Again to all of this I say, ‘Bah Humbug’. Surely there are some good things that happen at Christmas time. Good things that can happen to people who do not even believe that Christ is God’s Son and that Christmas is the time that has been chosen to celebrate His birth. A poem by Edgar Guest entitled ‘At Christmas’ points out some of these good things.

“A man is at his finest at the finish of the year;
He is almost what he should be when the Christmas season is here;
Then he’s thinking more of others than he’s thought the months before,
And the laughter of his children is a joy worth toiling for.
He is less a selfish creature than at any other time;
When the Christmas spirit rules him he comes close to the sublime.
When it’s Christmas man is bigger and is better in his part;
He is keener for the service that is prompted by the heart.
All the petty thoughts and narrowness seem to vanish for a while,
And the true reward he’s seeking is the glory of a smile.
Then for others he is toiling and somehow it seems to me,
That at Christmas he is almost what God wanted him to be.
If I had to paint a picture of a man I think I’d wait,
Till he’d fought his selfish battles and had put aside his hate.
I’d not catch him at his labors when his thoughts are all of self,
On the long days and the dreary when he’s striving for himself.
I’d not take him when he’s sneering, when he’s scornful or depressed,
But I’d look for him at Christmas when he’s shining at his best.
Man is ever in a struggle and he’s oft misunderstood;
There are days the worst that’s in him is the master of the good,
But at Christmas kindness rules him and he puts himself aside,
And his petty hates are vanquished and his heart is open wide.
Oh, I don’t know how to say it, but somehow it seems to me,
That at Christmas man is almost what God sent him here to be.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! WITHOUT THE ‘BAH HUMBUG’