Giver of all good things

Remember His marvelous works which He has done. —1 Chronicles 16:12

After my first semester in seminary, my family was given airline tickets to fly home for Christmas. The night before our flight, we realized we had less than $20 for the trip. Parking, transportation, and other incidentals were certain to cost more than $20. Heartsick, we resolved to pray about it. Though our children were small (6 and 2), we included them in the prayer time.

As we were praying, we heard footsteps in the hallway of the apartment building, and then “whisk”—the sound of an envelope sliding under the door. Inside the envelope was an anonymous gift of $50.

The wonder reflected on our 6-year-old daughter’s face matched the wonder in our own hearts. Here was a mighty God writing His name on a little girl’s heart by hearing and answering our prayer in the same instant. And so we, like the psalmist David, could “talk of all His wondrous works!” (1 Chron. 16:9).

So it was that first Christmas night, when a mighty, all-knowing, all-powerful God wrote His name on the heart of humanity, stunning us with the generosity of forgiveness and the joy of unconditional love. The birth of Christ is the answer to our most fervent prayers for love and forgiveness. Can you feel the wonder? —Randy Kilgore

Lord, restore to me the wonder of Christmas,
felt most keenly when I first met Jesus;
for I long to tell the story with all the
joy it brought me that day.

A wonder-filled life is ours when we know the Christ of Christmas.

For my eyes have seen your Salvation

Jesus Presented in the Temple as an Infant

 ^"When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord  (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”),  and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”
  Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.  It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.  Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,  Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
    you may now dismiss your servant in peace. 

 For my eyes have seen your salvation,      

which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:  

a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”

 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him.  Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,  so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”  Luke 2:22 - 38

Some things are beyond science and medicine

Just one of many stories that gives me such great hope!! Be blessed by this unfolding mystery of the third heaven.
 
http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/bestoftv/2013/11/27/heaven-mary-neal.cnn.htm

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and earth..."

 Genesis 1:1

"Tell the Israelites this, "You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven..."     Exodus 20:22

"If I go up to heaven, you are there.." Psalm 139:8

 "I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.  And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows—  was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.  I will boast about a man like that..."

2 Corinthians 12:2-5

 

Mountain of Joy

My heart is filled with thanks to God for His great love and compassion.  He has blessed us in many ways.  He has given us so much - let us be thankful and receive His Kingdom that can not be shaken. 

The Mountain of Fear and the Mountain of Joy

 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm;  to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them,  because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”

 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,  to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,  to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

  See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?

 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
    
 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,  for our “God is a consuming fire.”

^{Hebrews 12:18-29}

He HAS been there all along...

 

" 'if there is no God, who else is there?  He is our only hope.'  (a quote from one of the survivors of typhoon haiyan)   as we watched destruction unfold on the news, images similar to japan's triple disaster of 3/11/11 played out ... both were ruthless, leaving nothing in their paths. how does one continue believing that God is good and just? I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD; they are plans for peace, not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope. (jeremiah 29:11) jessie urged me to read night by elie wiesel, a personal recounting of holocaust horror. the forward was written by francois mauriac, winner of the nobel prize for literature. after meeting wiesel in person, mauriac wrote the following:  'what did i say to him (wiesel)? did i speak to him of that other Jew, this crucified brother who perhaps resembled him and whose cross conquered the world? did i explain to him that what had been a stumbling block for his faith had become a cornerstone for mine? and that the connection between the cross and human suffering remains, in my view, the key to the unfathomable mystery in which the faith of his childhood was lost? ... all is grace. if the almighty is the almighty, the last word for each of us belong to Him. that is what i should have said to the Jewish child. but all i could do was embrace him and weep.'  night echoes shusaku endo's silence, a narrative of the persecution and murder of Japanese Christians in the 1600s. where is God when those who love Him are being obliterated by those who hate Him? the answer that resounds throughout history and these tragedies is that He HAS been there all along and will continue to be that crucified brother who suffers next to us. He IS our only hope!"

By Carol Suzuki - our missionary in Japan  send's website:  www.send.org/suzuki

Witnesses

  So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power.

 

 He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 

 

To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:34-43, ESV)

Peace

The Lord is my shepherd,

 I lack nothing.      

He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,  

   he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.  

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

 You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows. 

 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Psalm 23 of David