A Christmas thought…
This time of the year causes my imagination to run wild. God’s design for Christmas is so much bigger than we could ever imagine. Recently I read an interesting little tidbit in Rick Warren’s new book - The Purpose of Christmas… enjoy - but I encourage you to allow it to stretch your Christmas imagination:
“… we know that God is powerful and organized and that he loves beauty. We all know that God must enjoy watching us enjoy what he’s created. Otherwise why would he give us so many ways to enjoy it? He gave us taste buds, then filled the world with incredible things like chocolate and cinnamon and other spices.
He gave us eyes to perceive colors, then filled the world with a rainbow of color. He gave us sensitive ears and then filled the world with rhythms and music.Your capacity for enjoyment is evidence of God’s love for you. He could have made the world tasteless, colorless and silent.
The Bible says, “God provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Tim 6:17). He didn’t have to do it, but he did because he loves us!
Wow, I like those thoughts. so next time we look at a sunset, or eat a brownie, or listen to a bird sing… or mediate on a nativity set… just remember it’s all because he loves us.
News you can use… next time you fly.
Best-rated U.S. airlines, economy class
Here are the winners for economy class:
Large domestic airlines:
1. JetBlue Airways, 2. Southwest Airlines, 3. Continental Airlines, 4. AirTran Airways, 5. Delta Air Lines,
Midsized domestic airlines:
1. Midwest Airlines, 2. Virgin America, 3. Hawaiian Airlines, 4. Alaska Airlines, 5. Frontier Airlines,
Source: 2008 Zagat Airlines Survey
God help the Broncos
I would be eternally grateful Lord if you would give the Denver Broncos a defensive line for Christmas! Obviously they have not had one for a couple of seasons now - so out of your generous grace if you could help them out before they totally blow their shot at the playoffs… I would be grateful.
If I am not missing it - I believe Demarcus Ware of the Cowboys personally has 19 quarterback sacks now for the season and I think that’s more than the entire Bronco defensive line - starters and subs has all together. Duh, Shanahan - you may want to take note of this and put on a new line on your Christmas list too!
Prince of Peace
Last night I just had to chuckle as the reporter in Iraq threw both of his shoes at President Bush in an obvious display of anger about the war and the sad state of affairs in Iraq today. (by the way great job secret service… what if that would have been something more lethal). Anyway, it made me mindful that this time of the year when we celebrate Christmas we recognize that one of the names given to the child who would come as Messiah would be “Prince of Peace”. (Isa 9:6-7) Well yesterday’s tantrum by the reporter should serve us as a great reminder that only God can bring the much needed solutions to our war-torn world. A right relationship with our maker is the only way peace will ever be achieved by man. There’s not a political system in place in our world that can rectify man’s propensity to sin… or his selfish quest for power. The only thing that can change the wrongs propagated my man is a new heart and only the Savior of Christmas can bring forth a new heart. When man is at peace first and foremost with himself… then and only then we he live in a quest to be at peace with others. No wonder that baby came as Prince of Peace. I remember years ago hearing a gospel song by the gospel singing group “The Imperials” about the prince of peace… and I loved the one line that spoke volumes then and still does so today…”there will never be any peace, until Jesus is seated at the conference table”.
Take it the bank friends… that’s a truth that will stand until the day we see the prince of peace come not as a baby… but in power as King of Kings.
Christmas and Ben Stein
This commentary from Ben Stein brings what I believe is a good perspective on things. It’s a little long but worth the read:
The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.
My confession:
I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees.. I don’t feel threatened. I don’t feel discriminated against. That’s what they are: Christmas trees.
It doesn’t bother me a bit when people say, ‘Merry Christmas’ to me. I don’t think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn’t bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu .
I don’t like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don’t think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can’t find it in the Constitution and I don’t like it being shoved down my throat.
Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren’t allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that’s a sign that I’m getting old, too… But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.
In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it’s not funny, it’s intended to get you thinking.
Billy Graham’s daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her ‘How could God let something like this happen?’ (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, ‘I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we’ve been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?’
In light of recent events… terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O’Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn’t want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.
Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn’t spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr Spock’s son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he’s talking about. And we said OK.
Now we’re asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don’t know right from wrong, and why it doesn’t bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.
Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with ‘WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.’
Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world’s going to hell Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send ‘jokes’ through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people th ink twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.
Are you laughing yet?
Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you’re not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.
Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.
Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it… no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don’t sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.
My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully, Ben Stein
Galloping in the Galapagos
Last month Donna and I had a chance to do a little missions work in Ecuador and also go to the famous Galapagos Islands. What an amazing experience. Hope you enjoy the pics.
