Ponder These Things

"And all those who heard it marveled at those

things which were told them by the shepherds.

But Mary kept all these things and pondered

them in her heart."

     Luke 2:19 (NKJV)

Christmas comes and goes in a rush, but the Bible invites us to ponder the truths of the season in our hearts long after Christmas is over for the year.  Mary heard what the angel Gabriel said about her coming Son, what the shepherds proclaimed they had heard and seen about the baby Jesus, and also the prophecy of Simeon and Anna's testimony about the Messiah, and she "kept all these things and pondered them in her heart." 

Although Scripture doesn't tell us exactly how much Mary comprehended then, she must have realized the importance of this Child and His role in God's plan. Surely, these things stayed with her as she watched Jesus grow and then die in accordance with that plan. And no doubt, these things had a big impact on her faith and walk with God.

What take-aways from Christmas are you pondering in your heart?  God's amazing love, the humility and obedience of Jesus, His self-sacrifice by coming to earth for us?  The joy and peace we know because Jesus is our Immanuel, God with us?  Not only should we treasure these precious truths, but they should cause us to walk with Him in greater devotion because Jesus is our example.

Thursday Devotional - Christmas Peace?

Did you have a peaceful Christmas yesterday? I don’t think the first Christmas was peaceful. Ours started out peaceful, but it didn’t end peaceful.

James had an asthma attack that started just before bed and lasted many hours before he could finally calm down and sleep. Joe and I tried numerous things (inhaler/nebulizer/motrin/wedge under his mattress/chest massages/vapor rub/hot water to drink/standing on the front porch in the cold, etc.). Some of it would seem to help, but a few minutes later he was gasping for breath and coughing non-stop all over again. I kept praying for wisdom. Many times I told God I didn’t know what else to do and asked if we needed to go to the ER. I felt we had tried all we knew, but then He’d give one of us something else to try. Finally, after 3 different wedges, a final glass of hot water, and scratching his head, James started breathing well enough to fall asleep and stay asleep for several hours.

It was hard not to be afraid, but I knew God was with us and would give us direction. It made me think of the following promises of Jesus:

John 14:27    ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 16:33    ³³ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Whether you had what you would define as a peaceful Christmas, we can all claim the peace God offers. Most importantly, He offers eternal spiritual peace. He also offers emotional peace, when we look to Him for direction. He is Immanuel – God with us!

Alice

The Life of Christ

Luke 23:44-49

It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.  Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”  When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away.  But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

As we approach Christmas day, we think about the birth of Christ.  It is a joyous time of year.  However, as we read through the book of Luke, as I have been using this month, we are now at the point of Christs death.  While the birth of Christ is a joyous time, it really has little meaning if the rest of the life of Christ is not included. It was Christ’s death and resurrection that really gives us the hope for our future.

During this time that we are celebrating the first breath of the baby Jesus, I want to encourage us to not forget the last breath of Christ as well. 

Father God, thank you for sending your son to earth to save us.  It is during this time that we celebrate the birth of this precious baby, who was sent to us through a miraculous birth.  Not one of us wants to think about the death of someone when they are born, however it is not through the birth of Christ alone that we have hope.  It is through the life of Christ, his death and his resurrection that gives us the forgiveness and the hope for our own future.  Help us today to remember the entire life of Christ this week.

Life Verses

"Nevertheless, I am continually with You;

You hold me by my right hand,

You will guide me with Your counsel,

And afterward receive me to glory.

Whom have I in heaven but You?

And there is none upon earth

That I desire besides You.

My flesh and my heart fail,

But God is the strength of my heart

And my portion forever."

    Psalm 73:23-26 (NKJV)

I attended Hannah's funeral this week at my local church.  I never met her because she was home-bound for several years before she died, but I got to know her a bit by reading her autobiography.  She lived an interesting but difficult life as a refugee in Nazi Germany and then as an immigrant in the U.S. but God brought her through it all.  According to Hannah's wishes, the above verses were the basis for the sermon at her funeral.  Pastor explained that these verses were given to her during her training as a deaconess nurse and they became her life verses.

A number of different passages of Scripture are extra special to me and these life verses of Hannah's are now included. Their wonderful promises really spoke to my heart.  During our lives, God is continually with us and guides us with His counsel. Then when we die, He receives us to glory.  What more could we desire than Him?

I have such peace knowing that when I fail, when my flesh is weak, God is the strength of my heart and He never fails.  He is all that I need, my portion forever---He provides for me in this life and in the life to come.  It's all God's doing.  I just trust Him and receive by faith everything from His gracious hand.  

What a blessing to look back on your life and see God's hand at work in all your seasons, to know that God has been with you each step of the way, and that His faithfulness has been confirmed again and again. 

Thursday Devotional - Our 2019 Christmas Letter/Pictures

John 1:1-4     In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

I pray you are experiencing life in Him this Christmas! This summer we as a family worked on memorizing the first part of John 1. We made it through verse 8, but I had hoped to make it through verse 12! 😉  

James (7) is in first grade. He is progressing in gymnastics and has used his gym time to intentionally talk about God with his gym buddies and coach! He started piano lessons with me, partially because he already plucked out familiar songs by ear. At his own initiative, James was baptized in September by Joe, which was joyful.

Sarah (5) is in young fives each morning. She is also progressing in gymnastics. She loves to dance and sing with or without music. She learned how to ride a “two-wheeler” as she called it (when James gave her a rough push!). She faithfully prays for the needs in our extended family.

We went on a family vacation with Joe’s family to Myrtle Beach back-to-back with my family vacation to Colorado Springs. It was a first airplane flight for the kids, and everyone on the plane knew it! Joe and I got altitude sickness climbing Pikes Peak with my sister and 2 brothers-in-law. We both turned around at over 11,000 ft. (10 miles up). God helped us survive sleet and lightening on the way down!

May we all look to Christ for Joy this Christmas!

Alice

Christmas Preparations

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord;

A highway for our God.

Every valley shall be exalted

And every mountain and hill brought low;

The crooked places shall be made straight

And the rough places smooth;

The glory of the Lord shall be revealed,

And all flesh shall see it together;

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’”

     Isaiah 40:3-5 (NKJV)

Christmas plans are in full swing with decorating, baking, gift buying, planning and attending parties, concerts and special church services.  But Scripture speaks of a more important kind of preparation for Christmas.

John the Baptist was called to prepare the way for the Lord, to get the people ready to receive Jesus as their Savior.  That kind of preparation is needed today as well. The hustle and bustle of this season affects just about everyone and yet how many understand the real meaning of Christmas?  How many actually know Jesus as Immanuel, God with us?  

People may avoid the controversy with a non-offending Happy Holidays or Season's Greetings, but the fact is that Jesus is the reason we celebrate Christmas. This past Sunday, our pastor challenged us to ask at least one person during this Christmas season what Jesus means to him or her.  Whatever the response, it is an opportunity to speak of our gracious Savior and the reason for the hope and joy we have at this time and all year long.

We can help prepare the way for the birth of our dear Lord by sharing His light and His love, especially with those who are in darkness.  And pray that their hearts are prepared to receive Him.

Thursday Devotional (for 11/14/19) - Prayer for Boldness and Power

After Peter and John were released from prison, do you think they stopped talking about Jesus, as the religious leaders commanded them to do? And what do you think they prayed about?

Acts 4:23-24 and 29-31 ²³ On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴ When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them… ²⁹ Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. ³⁰ Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

³¹ After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

I found it interesting that Peter and John didn’t pray for protection. Rather, they prayed for boldness and power for the sake of God’s reputation!!!

A couple weeks ago I was nervous for an outside meeting. I prayed for boldness to lovingly speak the truth, even if other people didn’t agree. I anticipated differences of opinions. It was hard not to think about my own reputation and what other people thought of me.

Where else do you and I need to focus on God and His reputation rather than our own? Let’s pray for boldness and power so His name is praised!!!  

Alice

Thursday Devotional (for 11/21/19) - Harsh or a Second Chance?

Acts 5:1-2      Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. ² With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.

Ananias and Sapphira did more than lie and act stingy. They wanted glory for themselves (see this passage in light of the end of chapter 4). It was about them and not God. Peter confronted Ananias and he immediately died. Then…

Acts 5:7-11    ⁷ About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. ⁸ Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”

“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”

⁹ Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”

¹⁰ At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. ¹¹ Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

Does this seem harsh? When first reading it, it may. However, notice how Peter gives Sapphira a second chance. He gives her an opportunity to repent and tell the truth.    

Recently, I gave one of my kids an opportunity to tell their story a second time, with accurate facts. In “fixing” their story, the consequence was different than it would have been. We again talked about how lying and any sin is ultimately against God and nothing gets by Him!

What sin do you and I need to acknowledge, repent of, and turn from? Who is the sin really against? Who else is affected? How can God’s presence and power help so you and I can continue to grow? You and I can fearlessly ask God to reveal sin because He will forgive. He also offers a way out, help to turn from it, and help to replace it.

Alice

Thursday Devotional (for 12/5/19) - God's Purposes in Persecution

We saw Peter and John released from prison a few weeks back, but it didn’t take long for the religious leaders to arrest them again.

Acts 5:12, 14, 17-21             ¹² The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade… ¹⁴ Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number…

¹⁷ Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. ¹⁸ They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. ¹⁹ But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. ²⁰ “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”

²¹ At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.

God could have prevented them from getting arrested in the first place, but He had a purpose in allowing it. His power and presence was seen and felt as His angel released them. Then, the testimony of the apostles in the temple courts was that much more powerful! The rest of chapter 5 also reveals many other purposes God had for their arrest.

My son, James, asked many of the boys in his gymnastics class the other day if they knew God. No one responded positively. They either said God didn’t exist or just made a silly comment (including one of the coaches saying God was just like sand). Like James, I haven’t been arrested for my faith, but I’ve certainly been laughed at and opposed.

Maybe some of you have truly been persecuted for talking about Jesus. Or, maybe our biggest challenges are being bold in the face of laughter and opposition. We have access to God’s unstoppable power! How will you and I trust His power and recognize His presence in spite of opposition, challenges, hardship, and distractions? We don’t need to look at persecution or opposition as a negative thing. God works His purposes through it. Like the apostles, we’re called to obey.

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Rejoice in Persecution?

God miraculously freed the apostles from prison so they could continue telling people about their new life in Christ. However, they were persecuted even worse the next time.

Acts 5:27-33   ²⁷ The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. ²⁸ “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”

²⁹ Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! ³⁰ The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. ³¹ God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. ³² We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

³³ When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 

As the Sanhedrin met to decide their punishment, they decided to have the apostles flogged instead of killed (vs. 34-40). The Sanhedrin gave the apostles orders again to not to speak about Jesus.

God had specifically told the apostles to go back to the temple to share the good news. They could have wondered why God would allow their arrest again (with flogging this time) after they obediently did exactly what He told them to do. However, instead of questioning God or getting mad at Him, they rejoiced.

Acts 5: 41-42 ⁴¹ The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. ⁴² Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

Do you and I rejoice when we face difficulties with something God has specifically asked us to do? I know I don’t. I do pray for help, express my confusion to God and ask for eyes to see how He might use the difficulty (such as with being told we had to move the “See You at the Pole” offsite earlier this year).

Like the apostles, let’s obediently and joyfully persevere in what God has asked us to do, no matter what persecution, opposition or challenge comes our way. He can help us rejoice through it and see the blessings!  

Alice