Rescue Mission

Christmas was a rescue mission I think we often forget that.  In Luke 2:10-11 the Angels say this to the shepherds “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people: for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”  It was good news and it still is because without the birth of Jesus there could be no crucifixion, resurrection or sacrifice on the cross for our sins and no redemption for mankind. 

Years ago as a kid I heard a song I still sing to this day called We are the Reason by David Meece and most don’t consider it a Christmas song but I want you to look at it differently.  For those who like the behind the scenes blog stuff I’m doing this on my computer at home instead of my phone for a change.  I need the different technology for this.  I want you to consider this song as being about Christmas because in a lot of ways it is.  Without Christmas there would be no Easter. 

“As little children we would dream of Christmas morn
And all the gifts and toys we knew we'd find
But we never realized a baby born one blessed night
Gave us the greatest gift of our lives

And we were the reason that He gave His life
We were the reason that He suffered and died
To a world that was lost He gave all He could give
To show us the reason to live

As the years went by we learned more about gifts
And giving of ourselves and what that means
On a dark and cloudy day a man hung crying
In the rain
Because of love, because of love

And we are the reason that He gave His life
We are the reason that He suffered and died
To a world that was lost He gave all He could give
To show us the reason to live

I finally found the reason for living
It's in giving every part of my heart to Him
In all that I do every word that I say
I'll be giving my all just for Him
For Him”

Wednesday night I was reading in the Youversion app and it presented this passage that reminded me of Christmas because indeed the story of Christmas is a rescue mission and I kept thinking about the tag line or for the wrestling fans the catch phrase for our current Real Life invite cards the line from “O holy night” that says “A weary world rejoices.”  Christmas is good news because “The gospel changes everything”!

Romans 3:21-26

“But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.  We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ.  And this is true for everyone who believes no matter who we are.  For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.  Yet God, in his Grace, freely makes us right in his sight.  He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty of our sins.  For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.  This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time.  God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.”

I want to present to you the Christmas song that can be sung all year because it is the gospel from Christmas to his return. 

Hark the herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn king"

Peace on earth, and mercy mild

God and sinners reconciled

Joyful all ye nations rise

Join the triumph of the skies

With angelic host proclaim

Christ is born in Bethlehem

Hark the herald angels sing

Glory to the newborn king

Christ, by highest heaven adored

Christ the everlasting Lord

Late in time behold him come

Offspring of the favored one

Veiled in flesh, the God head seen

Hail the incarnate deity

Pleased, as man with men to dwell

Jesus, our Emmanuel

Hark the herald angels sing

Glory to the newborn king

Hail the Heaven born Prince of Peace

Hail the son of righteousness

Light and life to all he brings

Risen with healing in his wings

Mild he lays his glory by

Born that man no more may die

Born to raise the sons of earth

Born to give them second birth

Hark the herald angels sing

Glory to the newborn king”

Gospel changeseverything by Meredith Andrews

Hark the Herald angelssing by Jewel

We are the Reason byDavid Meece

Creed by Rich Mullins

O holy night by SandiPatti

Time Constraints

Time constraints 

There’s something I have been giving thought to for about a month now off and on.  We can come to God in prayer for help at any time!   God is not bound by any time constraints.  We can come to him day or night.

Pastor Micah said something this last Sunday that I had heard preachers say.  “Do you ever feel like your prayers aren’t making it past the ceiling?”  I’ve heard it said a lot.   Micah quoted these verses Psalm 116:1-2 “I love the Lord because he hears my prayer for mercy.  Because he bends down to listen.  I will pray as long as I have breath!” That’s assurance He’s paying attention.

In Matthew 11:28-30 we find this

“Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Psalm 23:3 

“He restores my soul; he guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

1 Peter 5:7

“Casting all your anxiety on Him for he cares about you.”

Hebrews 4:14-16

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.  Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

When I said earlier there are no time constraints with God this is what I want to get across and something I have been praying and thankful to God for is he calls us to come to him. When? Anytime? Day or night yes it doesn’t matter your schedule he wants you to come to him in prayer he wants you to read his word so he can speak to you.  I read this thing in a Youversion app and it said this “How you view God affects the choices you make.”  If you have the idea he hates you then you don’t really want to spend time with him or get to know him.  But if you read the Bible it changes that perception.  It’s not us that he hates it is the sin we commit and that’s why we need a savior.  That was the whole reason for Christmas and the rescue mission of Jesus dying on the cross to redeem us.  God wants to spend time with you.  To give you the right perspective and it might be the first time this clicks with you I submit to you one of my life verses.  

Romans 5:8

“But God demonstrates his own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”

While you were still a sinner God loved you so much he sent his Son to redeem you and me. To the unbelievers  If you walk away with only one thing after reading this you need to change how you view God because he loves you and wants a personal relationship with you.  To you the believer in Christ learn this and be amazed that at any time God wants you to come spend time with him.  It’s simplistic and yet profound the God of all creation wants to spend time with you and me.  It’s a lot to wrap our finite minds around.  

Quiet you with my love by Rebecca St James

Come to me by Geoff Moore and the Distance 

Rest Easy by Audio Adrenaline 

Be still and know by Steven Curtis Chapman 

You are more by Tenth Avenue North

Still listening by Steven Curtis Chapman 

Commit, trust, seek and delight

Commit, trust Seek and  delight 

We live in a world where advertisers push us to be jealous of others.  If we only looked acted or dressed or used their product we will be fulfilled.  The closer we get to Christmas the more the advertisements will amp up.  God calls us to not be jealous of others especially evildoers.  He calls the believers to another way to live.  

Isaiah 26:9

“At night my soul longs for you, indeed, my spirit within me seeks you diligently; for when the earth experiences your judgments the inhabitants of this world learn righteousness.”

I get off work at 11:30 pm and before bed I try to go through a plan on the Youversion Bible app so the soul seeking at night I personally relate to.

Psalm 37:1-6

“Do not fret because of evildoers, be not envious towards wrongdoers.  For they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb.  Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord; and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your ways to the Lord, trust also in Him, and he will do it.  He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday.”

I read very big books I am often with a Warhammer omnibus to read and they’re three books in one.  I had a coworker see me with one at work one night when it was slow.  She said “This is really huge, you could read the Bible.”  Not only can I but I need to more often so I keep my heart right with God.  Don’t let so many things tempt you to fall into the trap of thinking you need an advertisement’s product to be fulfilled because what we need is to read God’s Word and learn from it.  If you need a good reading plan and you have a Youversion app on your phone I suggest reading Finding Rest in a Busy World.  My friend Ricky invited me to read it with him and others it’s only a nine day plan but very good.  We all need to spend more time in the Bible.  

Weak days by Steven Curtis Chapman 

Noonday sun by Margaret Becker

Adonai/Back to the Rock/Too big to fail by Petra 

Slip away by Kim Hill 

Glimpses

Glimpses 

I have been praying often late at night asking God why I’m once more doing call center work because I honestly feel like I’ve gone backwards work wise.  I very much dislike being on the phone and the stress of this type of work.  I dread going to work.   Two nights ago I slowly started getting glimpses and reasons why I’m there.  When you’re going through a struggle trying to make sense of the why and where God has you He doesn’t always give you a clear simple answer.  About three weeks ago I saw part of the why.  Being a former security guard my instincts lead me to be concerned about others safety.  As a guard I used to watch employees drive through my gate and work nearby it and if I saw any safety issues I would let them know that even included if something was not quite right with their vehicle.  During training for my new job a guy came in to talk to us and said that you spend so much time with people in training you become family dysfunctional yes but still family.  Example one of the trainers helped me attempt to jump start my car.  Weeks later as people were leaving work,  and we’re talking downtown Corpus Christi around midnight, I caught myself watching coworkers some I did and didn’t know going to their vehicles in a dimly lit parking lot.  They don’t know it but I try to ensure their safety and mine.  About a week and a half ago we were hit with a very violent storm and I had been asked to give a coworker a ride home but my car was across the street in a parking lot.  This newer girl and I came down the stairs at the same time and she opened the stairwell and the wind caused the rain  coming down hard to hit the pavement in the parking garage and fly back up.  I was going to run to my car with my shoulder bag and lunch bag in pouring rain. This girl practically demanded I get in her car and she drove me to mine as close as she could get and I came back for my coworker.  Then a few nights ago it was fairly calm when leaving but I saw this person walk from the building to her car.  There were only four cars in the parking lot.  I stayed till all got their cars started before leaving.  I have a point with all this because part of the reason I’m there at that job I believe God has been saying is because of my other job training.  I was reading a Bible study in Acts the other night and it talked about Barnabas in the book of Acts being an encouraging person and he was content to push others and stand up for Mark when Paul was opposing taking him on another missionary journey.  Sometimes God puts us in places that don’t make sense and sometimes it’s because you know how to do things others don’t.  Years ago when I was in college at Bee County College I learned one of my teachers was a Christian and I took my Bible to her and asked her to sign it.  She left a reference to two verses that have stuck with me for years.  See this week has been glimpses of things God has me doing.  I can’t make sense of it all but hopefully I can point you to also do little things to help others.  

Galatians 6:9-10

“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.  So then while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are in the household of the faith.”  

My reading teacher shared those verses years back and they still apply. Maybe you too can’t make sense of the job you’re at or what you’re supposed to be doing.  You can still do good to others.  They may not even know you did it.  They don’t have to because God sees and knows your heart.  Maybe it is something simple like making sure they get to their car and get it started.  

Psalm 34:14

“Depart from evil and do good.  Seek peace and pursue it.”  

We get so wrapped up in trying to solve the big complicated issues of life we forget the simple stuff God told us to do in the meantime.  

Micah 6:8 brings God’s will for us down to the lowest common denominator.  Do you want to know God’s will for you?

“He has told you, O Man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”  

Simple things small glimpses.

Micah 6:8 by the Maranatha Singers

Meant to be by Steven Curtis Chapman 

Beauty Mark by Natalie Grant 

Dare 2 B different by DeGarmo and Key  Little known fact Dana Key from the band Degarmo and Key is a direct descendant of Francis Scott Key who penned our national anthem the Star Spangled Banner.  

He walked a mile by Clay Crosse

I will rise by Chris Tomlin

Beat the system by Petra

Cry Holy by Paige Lewis 

Live like that by Sidewalk Prophets

How do you know

How do you know

You often see me mention this is a blog about finding hope in God’s Word and one may ask “Well how do you know you can find hope there.”  

Psalm 34:18 is pretty clear.

“The Lord is near to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”  

When you’re struggling with some problems that pretty much sums up a person needing hope to me.  

Then look at Psalm 33:18-22

“Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, 

On those who hope for his loving kindness, to deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine.  Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.  For our  heart rejoices in Him, because we trust in his Holy name. Let your loving kindness, O Lord, be upon us, according as we have hoped in you.”

Those are promises people!  Hold fast to them!

We need Jesus by Petra 

 

Stay close to me by Margaret Becker 

Hope for the Hopeless by Sierra

Hope set High by Amy Grant

Your times

Your Times

I want to show you something beautiful we often need reminding of this.  First I want you to read the verses and I’m going to also share with you what the study notes in my Life Application study Bible say because you’re going to love this.  It’s easy for one thing to go wrong in your day to make you forget who’s really in control.  Saturday night at work I got  this call and I was dealing with an extremely frustrating customer.  I was trying to get roadside assistance set up for him.  A simple tow truck service he didn’t want to give me directions where he was then he wanted to fight me the entire rest of the call over the price because he was not covered for the tow.  By the time the call was over I wanted to just go in the nearby stairwell and scream in frustration because I had lost sight of who is really in control.  Some of you may be thinking it was just a phone call but I’m now working at a call center again and we are graded on a lot of things and length of time we’re on a call. The reps have a certain time to handle a call and we have to be calm professional and nice and some customers can just get on your nerves.  Then you have your emotions running high and have to take another call right after so it can feel like your whole day got ruined.  

Psalm 31:14-15 

“But as for me, I trust in you, O Lord, I say, “You are my God.”

My times are in your hand;

Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.” 

I want you to read that third sentence again.  Where are your times?  In God’s hand!  

This is what my study Bible says about these two verses.

31:14-15 In saying “my times are in your hand.”  David was expressing his belief that all of life’s circumstances are under God’s control.  Knowing that God loves and cares for us enables us to keep steady in our faith regardless of our circumstances.  It keeps us from sinning foolishly by taking matters into our own hands or resenting God’s timetable.

 

You don’t have to be in control because your times are in God’s hand.  

The very same God who tells us in 1 Peter 5:7 “casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”  He didn’t give you a limit on how many times you can come cast your cares on Him.  Some of you are reading the blog just for that last sentence.  If you get nothing from reading this I want this to hit you with the force of a sledgehammer on concrete.  God cares for you he wants you to trust Him and your times are in his hand! 

My life is in your hand by Kathy Troccoli 

I am on the Rock by Petra 

God is in control by Avalon 

Wide open spaces by Clear

Where is your hope

Where is your hope

I say often this is a blog about Hope found in God’s Word.  If asked what my favorite book of the Bible is I would have to say Psalms because although it’s a book of songs and poetry and there are different authors they take you on a journey.  The Psalms also encompass all emotions.  You may start a chapter with a problem or a complaint but in the end the writer takes you from the emotional journey back to God.  

I’ve had some low days emotionally but I’m finding hope and I’m trying to share it with you.  

Psalm 27:13-14

“I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.”  

If you’re still in the land of the living there’s still hope to be found in God.  He gave you life and breath and your story isn’t over.  In the words of Rocky Balboa “I didn’t hear no bell ring.”  The fight’s not over!  Get up!

Psalm 28:6-9

“Blessed be the Lord, because he has heard the voice of my supplication.  The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him.  The Lord is their strength, and he is a saving defense to his anointed.  Save your people and bless your inheritance be their shepherd also, and carry them forever.”

Did you catch that?  You’re not expendable.  You’re not just a warm body doing a job taking up space.  God hears you and he’s defending you and he armed you for battle.  

God is faithful by Sheila Walsh

Where truth and mercy meet by Sheila Walsh 

Desert song by Natalie Grant 

Stand fight win by DeGarmo and Key

One more round by Barlow Girl

Even if by Kutless