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A Rosy Outlook

December 14, 2012

“There was one elevator operator who arrived by 6 a.m. each day with a large smile on her face and obvious joy in her heart. She was always like a beacon of light in that dark and gloomy building, and many of us would wait longer just to ride in her elevator. She was old, wizened and uneducated. She was often treated rudely. But she never let anyone or anything darken her day, and she shared her joy with anyone who cared to receive it.”

Excerpted from To Heaven and Back by Mary C. Neal, MD

Daily Reflection:
When we are working for God, we live with joy in our heart. How can you let your joy shine through and touch the lives of others?

Christmas Colors

December 13, 2012

When we think of Christmas, we often paint a picture in our minds with strokes of green and red against a canvas of white, with a touch of silver and gold here and there. Why are these colors most commonly associated with Christmas? Who was the first artist to choose these hues from their palette? It was God. It is He who paints the seasons with colors. Over the years, tradition has ascribed special meaning to the colors of Christmas.     Green suggests life—the eternal “ever-green” life we have in Christ. Red recalls the blood that Jesus shed on the cross for us. White speaks of the purity of the spotless Lamb. Gold celebrates the divine nature of God’s Son and reminds us that He is the great King. Silver commemorates the price that was paid for His betrayal—and our redemption [ … ]

The Magi

December 12, 2012

God is in control of the heavens and the earth. And He always has a plan. He even had a plan to provide the necessary finances for Mary and Joseph who would have to escape King Herod’s wrath. The star of Bethlehem reminds me of the fire by night and the cloud by day that went before Moses and the Hebrew children on their way to the Promise Land.

In the gospel of Matthew, he tells us about astrologers who followed the star to Jerusalem. They asked about the one who was born king of the Jews. For years they had searched the heavens for a sign of a coming messiah. When they saw the star of Bethlehem, they were ready to move. The wise men followed the star until it stood over the place where the young child [ … ]

Christmas Candles

December 7, 2012

Have you ever wondered why we put candles in the windows at Christmastime?

Wonder no more. During the seventeenth century, the British conquerors of Ireland implemented harsh laws aimed at eradicating Irish traditions. Irishmen were forbidden to vote, send their children to school, purchase land, or own a horse worth more than twenty-five dollars. Irish priests were driven out of the land and warned never to return under penalty of death.

On Christmas Eve, despite the iron hand of their conquerors, Irish families of faith placed a single candle in each of three windows—or three candles in one window—to represent Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. These candles signaled to a traveling priest that the doors were unlocked and he was welcome to come in, share a meal with the family, and celebrate “Christ-mass.”

These Irish believers understood that, in [ … ]

Eden’s Downfall: Our Salvation

December 6, 2012

“But let’s not dwell on Adam and Eve. It doesn’t take a magnifying glass to find the same temptation lurking within you and me. You’d think we’d learn from Eden’s folly, but instead we seem more determined than ever to prove we’re the exception to the rule, impervious to the current. We constantly thrust ourselves onto center stage, acting like life is ours to do with as we please—a drama that is all about me and mine.

We’re not the only ones. It’s been that way in every generation.”

Excerpted from I Am Not But I Know I Am by Louie Giglio

Daily Reflection: How can you focus on being the supporting role in God’s plan this Christmas?

He Who Calmed the Sea

December 4, 2012

“We all long for an inner calm—especially when we’re in the valleys of life. We all want, pray for, and pursue peace. At the point of desperation, some people pursue peace by numbing their pain with alcohol, drugs, sex, food, success… The list is endless. Remember the old country song that says we are looking for love in all the wrong places and in too many faces? The same can be said about peace.

Some people tend to believe that peace is simply the absence of problems, valleys, and trials. Not so! Peace is a calm confidence that the Lord of the mountains is still on the throne—no matter how deep the valley may be. Peace recognizes Jesus walking on the water as He calms the crashing waves and stills the howling winds in your life. Trials become opportunities to [ … ]

Release and Follow Him

December 4, 2012

“Do you ever find yourself clinging to the pencil, refusing to let God write on the pages of your life? I’ve discovered that the Lord is infinitely kind and patient in His dealings with us. He will show us how to relinquish our rights for His best. If you’re struggling in this area, maybe these steps will help you:

1. Ask God to make you willing. Sometimes this is the necessary first step. If you just can’t muster up the willingness to surrender control to God, then pray first for a change of attitude, asking for a willingness to be willing.

2. Recognize you have an adversary. The last thing Satan wants is for you to totally surrender your life to God. Pray for the wisdom and strength not to listen to his lies. Then pick up “the sword of [ … ]

Generosity

December 3, 2012

2 Corinthians 8:2 "…how, while passing through great trouble, their boundless joy even amid their deep poverty has overflowed to increase their generous liberality."  NIV
"The pressure triggered something totally unexpected: an outpouring of pure and generous gifts."  The Message

            I confess, I’m rarely happy in a time of trial. Yet Paul writes of the church in the Macedonia province and how the people’s true colors came through in their time of pressure and trouble. Instead of going inward and lamenting their sad state, they "pleaded for the privilege of helping out in the relief of poor Christians".  Their joy even amid deep poverty overflowed to increase their generosity. How did they do that, how did they draw upon such a spirit that witnessed to their love of Jesus by giving more than they could even afford?

[ … ]

Kick Start: Living Life Full Throttle

November 30, 2012

“People facing the end of their lives are forced to recognize their powerlessness and limitations. The weaker they get, the more they have to depend on others to take care of them. At the end of the day, they know that much of their lives is out of their control. Ultimately, they’re forced to turn to God. The ironic thing is that when they finally stop struggling and rely on His strength, they discover real power to live the rest of their lives to the fullest.

You have the same limitless power available to you each and every day. Do you feel like you’ve been pushing a motocross bike around a rugged track? With a powerful engine, all you have to do is kick-start it and tap into God’s power for your life. In Ephesians, Paul says, ‘I pray that [ … ]

Relationships from “Yes”

November 29, 2012

“No one can meet my needs but Christ. To ask my wife or anyone else to meet them is to ask people to do what only God can do. If we lived according to this truth, how would it transform our understanding of relationships? Relationships are transformed for the better when we love without expecting anything in return. We don’t have to manipulate the other person to get our needs met. We can let them be who they are. We can celebrate with their successes and grieve with their losses without jealousy or possessiveness. Out of the overflow of his own life, Jesus loved the people he encountered. Because he is complete in himself, he can extend himself even when his love isn’t returned.”

Excerpted from The Gospel of Yes by Mike Glenn Daily Reflection: How can you show your [ … ]