Don't Miss It

 

 

 

In the busyness of life during the Christmas season, we often are lured into thinking about ourselves and all the preparations that must be made for the holiday; gifts to buy and wrap, food to cook, and parties to attend.

 

Sorry for the cliché but if we are not careful we will miss the reason for the season. We will miss the beauty of God’s creation on a cold winter’s night when the sky is clear and the stars are clearly seen. We forget that history is His Story and that we are in need of a Savior to save us from the wrath of God, to give us eternal life and hope and purpose for the now.

 

Before there was time, God determined the plan for and the way he would provide, for us, to have a relationship with him. The scriptures state in Galatians 4:4-5 “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

 

Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us. May we be reminded of why we have this season and may we truly celebrate the birth of Jesus. May we never forget that what started in the heart of God and the prophecy spoken throughout the OT has come through a birth that began a life that ultimately was given to die on a cross and was resurrected on the third day.

Til Death Do Us Part

The wedding vows are sacred and no one should enter into them lightly

After 30 years of marriage, those vows have been tested and to God's glory have stood those test.

I am married to a really great woman.

She is funny, talented, creative, a good cook and baker. She has been a good mom to our three kids and a wonderful grandmother to our three grandkids. I love her laugh and her smile. She can flare her nostrils on demand and she packs a punch.

Our 30 years together has gone by so fast. I can only imagine what the next 30 years might bring.

I love her more today than I did 30 years ago and I thought I loved her greatly then.

Happy Anniversary!

Getting the Horse before the Cart

I am sure we have all heard the phrase "getting the cart before the horse". It refers to doing things backwards or doing the second thing first rather than the first thing first. We understand how silly and foolish (preposterous) it would be to try and get anywhere in such a configuration. First things first and then second things second.

The same foolishness might be said of our lives if we put doing ahead of being. Who we are, our identity, is not not what we do - our jobs, careers or activity - but rather our identity should be based on who's we are.

As followers of Jesus, our identity is based on Christ and His life. Paul states in Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

When I base my identity on my doing rather than my being, I run the risk of being foolish and greatly disappointed when the doing ceases.

When I focus on being with Christ and letting Him live His life through me, the doing will come natural. The Spirit of God will manifest Himself in and through my life to bring God glory and to do good to others.

Be whom God has created and called you to be and then the doing will following.

Here I Go Again

Everything I once held dear and thought was right has been blown away by our kind, gracious, patient, loving Savior. The belief that I was the center of the universe, had all knowledge and wisdom, understood all mysteries and was always right has been completely exposed as idolatry and sin.

Though I never meant to exalt myself above God or to think of myself more highly than I ought, I look back and see that I drifted toward allowing those feelings into my mind and I couldn't recognize it at the time.

A few years removed and I see more clearly than ever before. The reality is that I have nothing to offer, nothing to boast in and lack in all areas of my life without Christ. Jesus Christ must be the center of our lives or we will begin to believe the lies that we can make it without Him or we may think that we have enough knowledge and wisdom to make it on our own.

When I started this blog I was serving on staff as a full-time associate pastor and wrote from that perspective and understanding. Now that I am in the market place and serving as a "volunteer" worship leader, my perspective on life and ministry has been adjusted.

My plan going forward is to write and share my life in the "real world". To be honest and real (not that I wasn't before) in sharing my life and understanding of what the Lord is doing in and around me.

Here I go again...

Blessings and Peace

Mike