What Child Is This?

Sometimes the story of Mary can be lost in the Christmas narrative. While it is true that the focus of Christmas should be on Christ, we shouldn’t forget Mary’s role in God’s plan.

How difficult it must has been for Mary to say the words, “I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Luke 1:38

Prior to Mary’s statement, an angel had appeared to Mary and announced, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." … “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." Luke 2:26-33

How frightening to have an angel appear and make the statement that your life will be changed forever. Certainly the neighbors would frown on the girl next door becoming pregnant regardless of the circumstances.

Most people are a familiar with the heralding angels singing praises to God for his first step in saving mankind from a fallen world. We read about it in Luke 2:15-19.

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Surely the shepherds shared the story of the angels’ appearance with Mary and Joseph and in fact Luke states Mary remembered and reflected on this event.

Each year the family traveled to the temple for the Feast of the Passover. One time Jesus stayed behind to learn & share knowledge about his heavenly Father. His family had left without him and not realized it. They had to go back to Jerusalem to retrieve him. We learn in Luke 2:51-52:

Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

When Mary looked upon this little baby, she knew he was to be used of God and that he would be given the throne of David. But for the short time he was a small child, Mary must have savored those moments with him as any new mother savors the time she has with her child.

Mary continued to collect and meditate on the words spoken to her by God through his angels and later on the various stages of Christ’s life. She would later on come to understand how God had provided a savior through her obedience to him.

Like Mary, I would encourage you to ponder the special circumstances and events of Christ’s life and the words of God and make that step towards making Christ a part of your life. Merry Christmas.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

The decorations are up and the gifts are at the base of the tree. If we’re not careful, we can let the preparation and hustle and bustle of the season over shadow the celebration of the birth of Christ. One of the ways I combat that overwhelming feeling is to sit by the tree during the quiet of late evening and reflect on the years of ornaments we’ve collected over the past 28 years. Each ornament has a special memory tied to it that marks a special occasion in our lives together.

One of this year’s ornaments is a Baby’s First Christmas, which we’ve purchased to mark the birth of our little grandson. The Lord continues to bless our grandson with good health, which in turn has blessed our whole family. Our little guy continues to amaze the doctors and nurses with the great progress he is making. We know that this is due to the rich blessings the Lord is bestowing on him. For those keeping score, our grandson has been moved to a small crib and he’s maintaining his body temperature on his own. They also have him in a room with a window so he’ll be able to get his body clock in sync with day and night. He’s also beginning to understand how to eat from a bottle as well. All these accomplishments are steps closer to him coming home to be with his parents. We’re so thankful for everything the Lord is doing for our grandson.

This time of year we also celebrate the birth of another child, born in adverse conditions. Instead of beginning born in a warm bright room, this child was born in a dark and damp stable. Instead of a crib, a manger was his bed. Although this little baby was born in the humblest of situations, he also had choirs of angels announcing his birth and important visitors from a far off country come and worship at his feet, bringing expensive gifts for him.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." Luke 2:8-15

Let this Christmas season be a time where you seek out this thing which the Lord told he shepherds about so long ago. This Christmas season seek out Christ and understand the beautiful gift he has for you.

A Thankful Thanksgiving

We have much to be thankful for this year. As always the Lord has blessed our family and our home. He has provided far beyond what we need with additional gifts and blessings. In particular is the blessing he has given us in a new grandson. He has also blessed our grandson with remarkable health.

As mentioned in previous posts, our grandson was born prematurely at 29 weeks. He has quickly overcome many health hurdles over the past, almost three weeks. The doctors and nurses say how amazed they are at how well he is doing. We attribute this to the blessings from our Lord. As mentioned before we have family and friends around the world praying for our little guy, and although the doctors and nurses are truly amazed, we know that our Lord has the great power to heal and he is doing that for our grandson.

Beyond the power to heal is the gift of salivation our Lord has given us. Sometimes the cares of this world will distract me from remembering his great sacrifice and the blessing of salvation, which is above all else, the greatest blessing of all.

At this time of year when we are counting the many blessings he has given us, let’s not forget the greatest one of all. He died for our sins that we may be made acceptable to God and when this journey we care currently on is complete, will be allowed to join him in heaven.

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57

Our Small Crown

We are so blessed. As I mentioned in my previous two posts, our little grandson was born prematurely at 29 weeks. I am pleased to say that he is doing very well and I believe that God's hand is upon. He does better each day. He has quickly warmed our hearts and has become the apple of his grandfather’s eye. I like the way Proverbs 17:6 puts it:

Children's children are a crown to the aged, ….

We are truly blessed. We thank those of you who have been praying for us so much for your prayers.

It's A Boy

The call came in this morning. Our son told us that the doctor said that the baby needs to be born today. My daughter-in-law had been experiencing contractions throughout last night and into today. No amount of drugs could calm them and the baby’s birth could no longer be prolonged. My prayer has been, "Lord you know the best time for our little baby’s birth, we rely on you." Today was that day and I’m please to say we have a new grandson, 15 inches & not quite 3 lbs.

The birth of every child is important to the Lord & the blessing they bring to each family. He blessed Abraham and Sarah and the timing of their son. They were at an advanced age and having a baby at their age was very much against the odds. However, the Lord tells Abraham in
Genesis 18:14 :

Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.


Our little grandson is doing very well. His nurse has warned us that the baby’s progress can go up and down as he stays in the hospital. We continue to rely on the Lord to have our little baby in the palm of his hand.

We continue to be thankful for the prayers of our family and friends throughout the world.

Love

Chapel

St. Lukes Hospital

We’ve had a bit of a family crisis. It’s actually a bit hard to write about. Our little grand baby has decided that it wants to be born much earlier than it should be. For now, our little baby is staying put and we are thankful to God for every day that it does so.

We’re thankful for the group of Christian believers that have surrounded our little family in prayer. What started as a quick text message to two of our friends asking for prayer for this little baby has blossomed to a prayer chain that spans oceans and continents. Pastors and church members are praying for our little baby, without knowing who we are, but knowing that fellow believers are in need of support. We read, in Galatians 2:6:

Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

And Romans 12:10-13 encourages us to:

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

We thank those who are carrying our burdens in prayer and demonstrating their brotherly love. We pray that the Lord will help our little baby remain in place until the time He has appointed for its birth. We pray that the Lord will have his healing hand continually on my sweet little daughter-in-law as well.

The Wreck Of the Peter Iredale

We spent last weekend in Astoria where we had the opportunity to visit the shipwreck of the Peter Iredale. The Peter Iredale was a ship, 278 feet in length made steel plates on iron frames. The ship was named after its owner Peter Iredale, who owned several ships. The Peter Iredale had the homeport of Liverpool England. The Peter Iredale had sailed to Salina Cruz, Mexico and had been at sea 28 days with the next destination of the Columbia River, where it was suppose to pick up a load of wheat. On October 25, 1906, the ship’s captain H. Lawrence had sighted the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse around 2 a. m. and made the decision to wait for a pilot boat to lead them through the treacherous water of the mouth of the Columbia River. While waiting for the pilot boat, a heavy southwest wind came up, catching the ship and pushing it up on to Clatsop Beach. Luckily, no lives were lost. The locals were able to rescue everyone.
Acts 27:27-43 tells us of another shipwreck where all hands were saved. Paul had been put on trial because a riot had ensued when some Jews from the Asia Province spotted Paul in the temple. These Jews had heard Paul’s message of Christ’s salvation and were angry with his lectures. Paul was arrested since he seemed to be the cause of the riot. A couple of trials took place and since Paul was a Roman citizen, he had the option to appeal to Caesar himself (Acts 25:11) and he took this option. Paul was put in the custody of Centurion Julius of the Imperial Regiment who booked passage for them on a ship setting sail for Rome.
The ship caught a south wind and as they passed along the shore of the island of Crete, a northeaster blew off of the island with a hurricane force. The storm raged for fourteen days, blowing them across the Adriatic Sea. The sailors spotted the island of Malta with a smooth sandy beach and thought they would run the ship onto the soft sand. Before the ship reached the beach, it struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf. All of the crew and passengers made it safely to shore. To add more pain to the dire situation, Paul was bitten by a poison snake but God spared his life.
While on the surface Paul’s situations seemed to be working against him, God used these situations to witness to the islanders. God used Paul to heal the father of Publius’, who was the chief official of the island. Once the news of what happened spread, the rest of the island’s who were ill came to Paul and were cured.
Our lives can be filled with shipwrecks of broken relationships, lost jobs, illness, death of loved ones and the list goes on. Just as with Paul’s situations, God can use the tragedies of life to speak to the people around us.
Earlier in our marriage, we lost a baby. One of my co-workers was amazed that my wife and I were able to work through our grief and it gave me an opportunity to talk with her about our assurance that our baby was with Christ in heaven. Years later my co-worker phoned and told me that she’d accepted Christ as her savior and knew I’d be happy for her. A few years later I lost my brother in helicopter accident. My son and I were able to talk about my brother’s faith and in turn my son put his faith in the Lord.
While no one wants to go through these trials and suffering and the grief we feel cannot be minimized, my hope is that we can find solace in knowing that God can use all things to draw others to him.

Celebrating Our Labor

Labor Day, a sign that summer is drawing to a close. The holiday was first celebrated in New York on September 5, 1882, in recognition of the laborers' contribution to society. In 1894, Congress passed a bill to make the day a national holiday. The writer of Ecclesiastes celebrates the labors of man as well , with the following words:

Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God. Ecclesiastes 5:18-19

Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun— all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom. Ecclesiastes 9:9-10

We are to find satisfaction in the work that God’s given us and we’re to do it with all of our might.

Happy Labor Day.

Faith Of Our Fathers

As I wrote in my August 2nd post, I have taken up some of my genealogical research again. I actually ran across a very, very distant relative who had some information on my family that spanned 5 previous generations. She asked that I check the family Bible for some information on my branch of our shared branch. While looking through the Bible, I came across a letter I’d not read for a long period of time and had actually forgotten was in the Bible. The letter was from my Great Great grandfather to his daughter, my great grandmother. It appears that my Great Great Grandmother had moved some distance away from him and she wasn’t able to see him often. I thought I post this beautiful letter written by Benjamin Franklin Layton. As you’ll read in the letter, he’s reached the end of his life and is in a great deal of pain. He’s bedridden for the most part and has a great deal of time to augment his letter with artwork and block letters resemble the Castellar font. Rather than writing the word “Cross” he’s drawn the cross and he has inserted a Bible and other books in various parts of the letter.

Stratford Dec. 30th, 1896

Dear Children: I feel as though it was my duty to write you a few lines. I hope when you receive them, you all will be well. We are usually well. Your mother suffers a great amount from overwork. My sickness has added a great deal more. The boys are busy about their work, and plenty of mud. My condition is on the decline very fast; I realise it very much and can hardly bear my weight on my feet. I keep my bed, and am very tired of it. O’ how sweet to pass away from this sufferings, and be forever at rest. My assurance has been my light. I see nothing now in death but the beginning of real life. No dread of an angry judge , but a sweet rest and peace which is of God.

New Year’s Day 1897.

The (cross) should be in view. Our faith must rest in him the victim of our sins. A large percent of mankind doubt and will not believe. But I do know the manifestation of himself to me, has satisfied, and is a reality. My peace is secure. I hope dear children, you will be ready at anytime you are called and not fail. Do meet me there. We never part again. Remember it is an eternity. This is New Year day, and I am feeling quite comfortable today. Jan 5th “/97. Since I began this letter I have suffered a great amount of pain. I am happy in soul, a feeling of readiness to go or stay as God sees fit. All the care for my comfort is manifested, I could ask for. All is done that can be done. I love my family, and I wish I could see all of them every week. I can hardly realise now that you was here last fall. Oh if it were possible to see you all again.

Grandfather Layton had a strong faith in Christ and an enviable peace in his heart as his life on this earth draws to a close. He died the following month, February 10, 1897, in Stratford, Hamilton County, Iowa. I feel a strong spiritual connection, through my faith in Christ, to this grandfather I’ve never met. In his New Year’s Day letter, he writes, “I hope dear children, you will be ready at anytime you are called and not fail.” Subsequent generations would drift slightly away from the Lord, but in his grace, the Father would draw them back and into the faith. His granddaughter, my grandmother, accepted Christ on her deathbed, and received the “Assurance” Grandfather Layton writes of in his December 30th letter. Attending church and Bible study were not encouraged or discourage in my mother’s family and yet, my mother, his great granddaughter, accepted Christ as a young girl, after she started attending church at the invitation of a classmate. I had the blessing of knowing Christ through my mother’s teaching and prayers. The Bible tells us that we do not teach our children the ways of our Lord in vain:

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. ~ Deuteronomy 11:18-21

Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD. ~ Psalm 34:11

I had fellow believers share their despair that their children have drifted away from their faith in Christ. To them I would offer the following encouragement, never give up, continue to pray for them, asking the Lord to continually called to their children and seek them out, draw them near, and encourage their hearts to return to him.

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6

Picnic In The Park

Our church had our annual picnic last Sunday. There were plenty of activities for all ages. There were jump houses, games and face painting for the kids, & a concert featuring Jeff Anderson and Esterlyn in the Julia Davis Park Band Shell.

One of the highlights of the picnic is the water baptism that was conducted in the Boise River. The river banks were lined with hundreds of people, those who are being baptized and those who were there to support and cheer them on. Baptism is an outward sign of a decision that is made in the heart, a decision to accept the gift of salvation that Christ has offered to each one of us.

Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. Romans 6:3-5

Baptism is a picture of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. Into the water is death & burial and coming out of the water represents Christ’s resurrection new body and new life.


You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:26-28

Carpenter's Cross Ministries - 20 Years

The sign in the front of the chapel read “Congratulations”, and congratulations were definitely due. In 1987 God launched the next step in his plan for the world. He decided to send a clown to tell his children around the world of his love for them and his desire to save them. Sometimes this clown would wear a red wig, blue overalls and make up, sometimes not. 20 years ago Sue Carpenter accepted his call and left the security of her home, family and position as a Children’s Pastor to trek out into the unknown. She gave the name of Carpenter’s Cross Ministries to this work.

Since that time, God has sent Sue to many nations; Belarus, Cambodia, India, Australia, Mexico, to name a few, to teach the children, and children’s workers about God’s love, & Christ Salvation. Sometimes Sue has slept on dirt floors, sometimes soft beds, sometimes those beds included spiders. Throughout her travels the message God has given her to share is always the same, God loves you, Christ died for you, make him a part of your life, and accept the gift that has been offered to you.

As the work became greater, God sent Carolyn Boyd to help her with this work. Together they’ve spread God’s love and his message throughout the world. Sue and Carolyn remind me of another great missionary pair.

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. Acts 13:2&3

Many times throughout the past 20 years, Sue and Carolyn have been sent off to do the work that God has called them to do. Congratulations to Carpenter’s Cross Ministries for the impact and blessings you given the children of the world. May the next 20 years be filled with many more blessings and success.

The Acorn Doesn't Fall Far From The Tree

We spent last weekend at a family reunion. It was nice to see family members who I’d not seen in a while and in some cases I’d never actually met. This was my grandma’s family and she used to go into great detail on the coming and going of her clan. This meant I knew all of the names, but not necessary the faces. My aunt is very into family history and I must admit that I’ve also some researching of the family tree; Any Stuarts or Laytons out there? My interest stems more from my love of history. History seems to come more to life for me when I connect my ancestors into it. That earthly lineage provides a connection for me that spans the centuries.

We also have a spiritual lineage that is offered to us through Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:4-6 tells us:


In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

In love, God has adopted us through his grace, through his Son. This glorious gift is “freely given” to all us. Thanks you God, for this wonderful gift.

Spiritual Lawn Care

As I pulled into the driveway and looked across our front lawn, I thought wow, where did all of those weeds come from. Just before heading off toRoyal Family Kids’ Camp, I remember seeing a couple of weeds and thinking I really need to get some weed killer on the lawn when I get back. And before I know it, Crab grass has practically taken over. I headed off to the local garden center to see what they had in the way of remedies. The lawn expert there said that I had to spray the weeds individually or risk damaging the lawn.

Spraying the weeds individually definitely gives time to think about things. The weeds in my lawn reminded me of the weeds that can spring up in our spiritual life. Just as reluctance in maintaining the weeding and feeding of my lawn can result in weeds springing up everywhere, a reluctance to weed and feed, through self examination, Bible studying, and prayer, my spiritual life can develop sins that spring up in my life. Nothing that is really noticeable, but things like the pride of being offended by someone at work, talking about someone, or not reaching out to someone in Christian love, are weeds that certainly can spring up without my noticing them.

To combat the weeds in our spiritual life, Jude tells us, “But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.” Jude 1:20

Going To Camp

Wow, my last entry was June 9th, that’s been quite a while. The rest of June was extremely busy. We were changing our business model at the company for which I work, which spawned a lot of late nights and weekend work. I also was getting ready for Royal Family Kids’ Camp, which is an organization that provides a positive camping experience for children who are in the care of the state and may not have had many positive experiences in their lives. I have the privilege of working with another musician Jenn, to provide the music for the camp and to participate in the drama, as well as other camp logistical things such as transporting campers to and from the lake, etc. I can highly recommend this experience and guarantee you that you will not leave camp the same person.
If you’re interested in learning more about this organization and how you can possibly help, you can go to the RFKC Boise web site for information on the camp offered in Southwest Idaho, or to our parent organization, Royal Family Kids’ Camp Inc. If you’d like to see a summary of the this year’s camp. Check out the RFKC Boise Blog, by clicking here.




The RFKC Boise actors for the camp drama.
I am the second pirate from the left on the back row.



We read in the New Testiment:

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress ... James 1:27

I humbly thank God for the opportunity to serve at this camp.

IPOD Add For June

The latest add to my IPod is the song I Need You, by The Swift. The melody is simple and yet beautiful, however the words make the impact of this song. The lyrics of I Need You are written below:

My heart is restless in me
My wings are all worn out
I'm walking in the wilderness
And I cannot get outI need
You, Oh, I need
YouBlessed Savior come
I need You, Oh, I need
YouFill the every longing in my soul
-------------------------------------

Chorus

Oh, how I need You, Lord

I need Your perfect Word

With tearful eyes to see

The sin that I afford

I need to weep and prayer

For all the thousand ways

That I have failed

------------------------------------

You just today

My bed is soaked with sadness

My sadness has no end

A downward spiral of despair

That I keep falling in

I need You, Oh, I need You

To You my soul shall fly

I need You, Oh,

I need You

Yaweh, how I love

You more than life

--------------------

CHORUS

Your silence is like death to me

So won't You hear my desperate plea

--------------------

Today my soul is soaring

Way over mountains high

Though I can see the valleys

They're all just passing by

It's not that I am stronger

Look at my feeble wings

But I've been lifted higher

Yaweh's lifted me in

His own strength

--------------------

Oh, how I love You, LordI love

Your perfect Word

With tearful eyes to see

The God who always will endure

Now I will celebrate

For all the thousand ways

That You have shown me grace

And made my heart in grace to stay

You've made my heart in grace to stay

Lord, make my heart in grace to stay

--------------------

I need You, Oh, I need You

I think these words speak so deeply to me because they reflect the sorrowful status of us as man (or woman) living in a world affected by the original fall of man, first described in Genesis 3 Paul writes in Romans 7:15

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.

It’s this recognition that we’re not worthy to approach God and our faith in Christ is the only thing that allows us to be acceptable to God. As the chorus of the songs says,

Oh, how I need You, LordI need Your perfect WordWith tearful eyes to see The sin that I affordI need to weep and prayerFor all the thousand waysThat I have failed You just today

If you want to hear the song I Need You, click the link http://www.purevolume.com/theswift and click the words I Need You which will start the song.

Pomp & Circumstance

This last weekend was an eventful one. My daughter has been studying at Calvary Chapel Bible College and has attained her Theology Degree. Although she’s spent the last two semesters in York, England, we traveled to the main campus in Murrieta, California, where she spent her first year, to attend the graduation ceremony. The other big event was my daughter turned twenty, no longer a teenager. Two more milestones that say she’s heading out on a life of her own. I told her that she was supposed to stay four years old and not grow up on me. She laughed, probably not realizing that I meant it.

Part of the anxiety of my little girl growing up is she’ll be striking out on her own soon. It’s hard to let go of her and put her completely in God’s hands. I’m one of those fathers that would sit up and wait for her, when she was out with her friends, until she got home, regardless of the time. Just for the record, I’m not any better regarding my son. A married man of 24, in my mind he’s all of five years old. It’s been difficult to let go knowing that he and his wife need to strike out on their own.

I’m really going to have to put I Peter 5:7 to the test. You know the passage:

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Solomon writes in I Psalm 127:3 that children are a reward from the Lord. I thank the Lord for rewarding me with such wonderful children. A reward that lives on regardless of age.

That's The Power of Prayer

Our pastor gave a very compelling sermon last Sunday. One of his points was that if prayer is important to a believer, then the believer will make time for prayer and prioritize higher in their lives. Just as we ensure we’re at work on time, cook our meals, & maintain other essential things in our lives, we should devote and prioritize prayer to be important in our lives.

But why should prayer be considered as important in our lives as other necessities of life?

Leaders of great nations have called out you God for help and comfort. King David wrote:

But I cry to you for help, O LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you. Psalm 88:13

National leaders have also asked God for the direction their nation should take.

Pray that the LORD your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.Jeremiah 42:3

Our Lord spent many, many hours in prayer. InLuke 6:11-13, Jesus asks for guidance in picking the men that would be carrying on his ministry after he has gone back to heaven.

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles

He also gives his followers a warning:

Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed,Luke 22:39-41

After he returned to heaven, his followers continued on with the practice of prayer, knowing the importance of it.

They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.Acts 1:13-15

So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs."Acts 1:23-25

Prayer builds our relationship with God. Cornelius the centurion’s prayers were considered a memorial offering to God & in Proverbs, we’re told the prayer of the upright pleases him.

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!"
Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked.

The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.Acts 10:1-4

The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.Proverbs 15:8

We are to be faithful in prayer (Romans 12:11-13) and the writer of Philippians encourages us by writing:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

I Will Lift My Eyes

I Will Lift My Eyes by Bebo Norman, an inspiring video:

The Light In The Window

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God
Povey stained glass windows First Presbyterian Church Astoria, Or

I don’t know what it is about stained glass windows that stir joyful emotions within me. I find the colors and imagery inspiring. The spiritual messages of the church windows tell a story that cannot be paralleled for me. I visited Astoria Oregon, last month and had an opportunity to view the windows of the First Presbyterian Church while I was there. The windows were created by the Povey Brothers who crafted windows during the early 1900. These windows are celebrated today as great works of art throughout the Northwest. The rich colors glorify the life and words of Christ. In the center of one of the windows is written, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” These words were first spoken by Christ when he was teaching a crowd on a mountainside, as recorded in
Matthew 5:1-12.

Have you seen stained glass windows at night? Without the light the windows are dull, dark, drab, and the images are hard to make out. But add the sunlight and the windows spring to life shining with messages and inspiration for all to see and believe.

Without Christ in our lives, we are like the drab dark windows void of light. Jesus is the light that makes us come to life, to shine with his message of hope and love for all who accept his gift of salvation. We know this because John 8:12 tells us:


When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

And 1 John 1:7 states:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

This verse takes us back to the message in one of the Presbyterian Church windows, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” Can we purify ourselves and make ourselves worthy enough to see God and to one day live with him? According 1 John 1:7, the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Nothing we can do makes us acceptable to God, other than accepting the gift of salvation Christ offers us. We have faith that Christ’s salvation purifies us and make us worthy to see God. We thank God for the salvation of his Son Jesus.

Early On The First Day Of The Week

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!"
So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" "They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. "Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' " Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her. John 20:1-18

Good Friday - The Crucifixion

Stations of the Cross St. Mary's Church Conwy, Wales

It was the third hour when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS. They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!"
In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
The Death of Jesus At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
When some of those standing near heard this, they said, "Listen, he's calling Elijah."
One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down," he said.
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!" Mark 15:25-39

What's on my IPod

What’s on my IPod?

I first heard the song “How To Save A Life” by “The Fray” on my favorite radio station, Air 1. The melody and voices immediately caught my attention and pulled me from my thoughts of work and the bumper to bumper commute that is Eagle Road. In subsequent days, I would make sure the radio was on and the sound was up in hopes that “How To Save A Life” would be played. I began to hear this song in other places as well. The song is played on both secular and Christian radio stations. Of course the next step was to get it onto my IPod and a quick stop at the ITunes store made it a reality. The song spoke to me in two ways.

The first was Isaac Slade’s inspiration for writing the words of the song. Isaac worked as a counselor for a camp catering to troubled teens. On the song’s web site and in USA Today, Isaac expresses his feelings of inadequacy at trying to counsel kids who were younger than he was in years and yet had experienced so much more, most of which was not positive. A little investigation revealed that the song speaks to teens, and really people of all ages and in various walks of life. From this song has sprung the Save A Life Campaign, focusing on working with kids to make the right moral choices. Click here to read some of the most heart tugging stories you’ll ever read from posters on their info-board.

The second way this song spoke to me was more on a spiritual level. In fact when I first heard the song, without knowing the story behind it, I envisioned it referring to a believer sharing his/her faith with an unbeliever. If you think about it, there are many parallels to saving a physical life and saving a spiritual life. I likened it to the pain one feels when he or she bares his/her soul, sharing the faith that equates to saving a life and yet the person with whom they are sharing their faith closes his or her mind, puts up a wall, and with glazed over eyes changes the subject.

Paul puts it best in Romans 9:

I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel.

We as believers need to take action. I would humbly encourage you to look for an opportunity to make a difference in the life of our nation’s youth. There are many opportunities to help out, but two that are close to my heart are Royal Family Kids’ Camp and Southern Cross Kids’ Camp. These camps work with foster children and I’ve been told time and time again by foster parents that this one week of camp makes a big difference in these kids’ lives for years to come. Are you interested in learning more, click on these links, RFKC, SCKC or email webmaster@rfkcboise.org.

If you are not yet a believer in Christ, I would plead with you to actively seek him with an open mind, resisting the urge to fall back on preconceived biases and stereotypes.

Do you want to see the music video for "How To Save A Life"?

Diverse And Yet The Same

One of my friends gave me a book to read over the Christmas break. This book chronicles the life of a fellow believer. The one of the thing that really struck me was we were so different in so many ways. His approach to and views of life are so different from mine that we could best be described as polar opposites. And yet, he and I had that common thread, our belief in Christ and the salvation Christ offers. The book tells about how he was able to share Christ’s love with students at a local Liberal Arts College. This was in large part due to his ability to relate to these students & understand where they were coming from, something I would not likely be able to do.

Soon there after, the pastor of our church discussed the diverse backgrounds of Christ’s first apostles. The topic intrigued me and I decided to do a study of the lives of some of Christ’s followers. The profiles below list some of the results of my research:

Profiles of the 12 Apostles of Christ

- Simon also called Peter: Home town Bethsaida, married, occupation fisherman working with his brother Andrew & father John. tapped by Jesus to witness the transfiguration of Jesus. Christ tells Peter that he will use Peter to build his church. During Christ’s arrest, Peter cut the ear off of one of the High Priest’s servants in defense of Christ. Later on, Peter denies Christ 3 times first at the gate of & later in the courtyard of the High Priest while waiting to hear of Christ’s outcome. Peter was the first to reach the tomb when told that the body of Christ was gone. After Christ’s death, Peter returned to what he knew best, fishing. Christ, after his resurrection, met with Peter and reinstated him. In Acts 2, Peter began his role as the leader of the small Christian Church. God spoke to Peter in a vision and told him that it is not a sin to associate with the Gentiles. Peter is part of the leadership for the Christian Church in Jerusalem and spoke at the Jerusalem council working with the rest of the leaders to determine what the Gentiles should follow in terms of Christian religious practices.

- Andrew: Brother of Peter home town Bethsaida, he was a disciple of John the Baptist. He sought out Jesus after John the Baptist proclaimed Christ as the Lamb of God, introduced his brother Peter to Christ. During the feeding of the 5000, Andrew found the fish & bread Jesus used to feed the crowd

- James: Father Zebedee, Brother John, known as a son of thunder, worked as fishermen on the Sea of Galilee with his father, brother, & their employees, chosen by Jesus to witness the transfiguration of Jesus.

- John: Father Zebedee Brother of James, known as a son of thunder, worked as fishermen on the Sea of Galilee with his father, brother, & their employees. Chosen by Jesus to witness the transfiguration of Jesus.

- Philip: Home town Bethesda, he was a disciple of John the Baptist, sought out Jesus after John the Baptist proclaimed Christ as the Lamb of God. During the feeding of the 5000 Jesus asked Philip how he should feed them all & Philip responded 8 months wages wouldn’t feed this crowd.

- Bartholomew: He was an apostle that doesn’t have much written about him beyond Acts 1. As with most of the believers in this world, much of his work is not recorded, yet God knows & recognizes what he has accomplished.

- Thomas: When Jesus decided to go back to Judea, Thomas said, “Let us go that we may die with him”, when Jesus said he was returning to Heaven, Thomas said, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Of course Thomas is most known for doubting that Jesus was who he said he was after Christ’s resurrection. But Thomas’ response, after he understood that Christ had been resurrected was, "My Lord and my God!"

- Matthew (Levi): Son of Alphaeus, Matthew was a tax collector. Tax collectors had the reputation of being dishonest & usually amassed a lot of wealth through ill gotten gains. Later he recorded Christ’s linage & life in the book of Matthew.

- James Alphaeus’ son: James is another apostle that doesn’t have much written about him in the Bible. James is listed as being a part of the 12 apostles who saw Christ ascend into heaven. He continued with on Christ’s work.

- Thaddaeus (Judas): Thaddaeus also known as Judas James’ son. He asked the Lord why the Lord showed who he truly is to his disciples but not the rest of the world. Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

- Simon the Zealot: Zealots were opposed to Roman rule, certain factions would carry daggers and murdered those who collaborated with the Romans. For a short period of time the Zealots were able to push the Romans out, but later they were defeated.

- Judas Iscariot: Son of Simon, Judas was the treasurer for Christ and the apostles. It was later noted that he took advantage of this role by skimming money off of the top. Judas betrayed Christ for thirty pieces of silver, paid by the chief priests. Judas later regreted his decision to betray Jesus and commited suicide.

-Matthias: Peter and the rest of the young church determined, based on scripture, that Judas’ position as an apostle should be filled with another person. The requirements were that the replacement should be someone who had been with them the whole time the Lord Jesus was with them, beginning from the time when John baptized Christ to the time Christ was resurrected. Matthias was chosen to replace Judas.

Other followers of Christ

- Nathanael: From Cana in Galilee, upon seeing Nathanael, Jesus declares here is a true Israelite in whom there is nothing false. After Jesus told Nathanael what Nathanael had done prior to their meeting, Nathanael declares Rabbi you are the Son of God

- Paul (Saul): Paul was a Roman citizen, from the tribe Benjamin, born in the city of Tarsus in Cilicia. He was a son of a Pharisee, studied Jewish law under the teacher Gamaliel. At first Paul was a strong persecutor of the Christian Church. Later he converted to Christianity after having a miraculous encounter with Jesus Christ while on his way to Damascus. Paul spent the rest of his life traveling throughout the ancient world telling others of Christ’s gift of salvation. He did this in the face of great adversity. He was whipped several times, beaten with rods, stoned, shipwrecked, nearly drowned in rivers, confronted by bandits, received death threats by his own people, & people of other countries.

As we scan through the backgrounds of the Apostles, we find men representing all walks of life. They were fishermen, anarchists, government officials & highly educated religious leaders. The bond that cemented this diverse group together was Christ.

Today's body of believers in Jesus Christ is no less diverse than that of the first church, and yet so many times we have a narrow image in our minds of how a Christian should act, speak or look. I think sometimes we doubt the authenticity of someone who clams to be a believer and yet doesn’t fit our image of a Christian. I will admit that from time to time, I am guilty of this mistake.

As believers, I would encourage all of us to lean on the Holy Spirit and that bond of Christ to knit us together and keep us from being judgmental. If you are a believer in Christ who has felt like you don’t fit in with the Christian norm, take heart, God has created you exactly as you are and given you the things you’ve experience to prepare you to share your life and Christ’s salvation with that one person, or group of people that only you can reach.



Reference:

zealot

Matthew 9:9, Matthew 10:2, Matthew 17:1-3, Mark 2:14, Mark 3:17-18, Luke 6:13, John 1:29-51, John 6:5-8,John 11:15-17, John 13, John 14:21-24,John 21,Acts 1,Acts 10,Acts 15,Acts 16,Acts 22,Acts 23,Romans 11,2 Corinthians 11:24-26

A Westie Valentine Greeting

Westie and family wish you a very Happy Valentine’s Day




One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Matthew 22:35-40

WOW- What a Question

I mentioned in a prior post that I attend a Bible Study group named BSF. A question in last weeks lesson really stopped me in my tracks.

We’ve been studying a letter Saint Paul wrote to the Romans. In a segment of the letter, Paul is distraught over the systematic rejection by his fellow countrymen of his message of Christ as the Messiah. Specifically Paul wrote:

I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel Romans 9:1-4

A paraphrase of the question I was asked to contemplate was, if Christ was truly not a part of my life, what would be my loss?

I had a good friend who battled cancer for a number of years. We’d go to lunch when she was strong enough. She used to tell me that she was going to fight this disease with everything she had and if it was not enough, she would go to a place of great rest to be with her Lord. She would say to me, “Doug, I just don’t know how someone can get through something like this without God.” She did lose that battle with cancer, but was freed to go away to a time of peace and rest with her Lord, free of chemotherapy, blood platelet transfusions, radiation, pain & fatigue. Her comment was a restatement of the question, what if Christ was not a part of her life.

This BSF question really caused me to think about what it would like to be without Christ in my life. I’ve been so blessed to really not know what that would be like. Christ, in his mercy introduced his salvation and his love to me at a very early age. I had the blessing of a Christian mother, who prayed earnestly for me and taught me of His love and His salvation (Her lunch time stories complete with flannel graph and cutout Biblical characters will have to come at a later time).

My multi-part answer to this question seemed to flood form the tip of my pen once I got past the inconceivable idea of His not being in my life. While writing this answer, I had a sick feeling in my stomach that I must admit really surprised me. Although the words came directly from my heart, I’ve subsequently scanned the Bible and included supporting verses with a desire to further explain my thoughts.

Part one: I would have no hope

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, Ephesians 1:18

Part two: I would not have a future, a promise of eternal life

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I John 5: 11-12

Part three: I would not have an advocate on my behalf in heaven

For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. Hebrews 9:15

These thoughts and feelings gave me insight into how the people around me, who have not built that relationship with Christ and have the hope, future, eternal life and advocacy in heaven must feel day after day year after year. As my late friend asked, how do they do it?

Christ’s offer is open to everyone. Jesus said himself:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

And later, Paul writes:

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

If you have not taken advantage of Christ’s gift, I would greatly encourage you to earnestly investigate and seek out what it means to be a part of his plan for eternal life. For those who have accepted this eternal gift, Paul offers these additional comforts:

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

If you are interested in doing an in-depth study of the Bible, I would strongly recommend Bible Study Fellowship (BSF). Whether you’ve been studying the Bible for decades, or have not cracked the cover open, BSF offers a level playing field for everyone to join in and discuss the words the Holy Spirit has put on their heart. It’s likely there’s a BSF study group in your city or a city near you. Click (here) to see.

The Oils of Nature

Last weekend, my wife and I spent some time at a gallery showing, which had a display of the artwork of one of my wife’s closest friends. It was interesting to see how her art has progressed over the years. We have a pencil sketch she did of my wife and her, during their senior year and we have a watercolor she gave us as a wedding present. Her medium now is oils, or at least for this gallery showing, the works were all in oils. Although based in Seattle, Washington, her paintings are reflective of the most beautiful natural scenes throughout Idaho and Washington. I thought it might be interesting to do a brief scan of how artwork was used through the historical record of the Bible.

The first mention of any type of artistic endeavors was in 6th generation of Cain’s family line(more on Cain). 1 Genesis 4:21 & 22 states, Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute & Tubal-Cain, … forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron.

In 1 Genesis 24:53 Rebekah is given gold and silver jewelry as engagement presents when she agrees to marry Isaac. We see artisans using their skills to glorify God in Exodus 25:10-30. God gives instructions for the artisans to create:

- A chest, known as the Ark, that is overlaid with gold, gold rings installed to carry it by & gold cherubim located on the cover.

- A table of wood overlaid with gold and gold plates, dishes bowls, & pitchers to hold the bread of the Presence.

- A lamp stand of pure gold with flowerlike cups buds and blossoms along with seven gold lamps.


Peter tells us, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10

What possible conclusions might we draw from this brief scan. First, God never gives up on anyone and he can use them to bring about great things. Cain failed giving into his anger, and yet from his family came the beginnings of music and working with metals. Art can be used to represent the tokens of love we have for each other, as it did between Isaac & Rebekah, sometimes representing the emotions we feel. Art can be used to glorify and worship God as it did in the Tent of Meeting (the first Tabernacle). And last but not least we should use our talents, skills, & gifts to serve others with an eye toward demonstrating with those gifts, the grace God has shown and given us.

Fantastic Football Fiesta

It’s been a week now and the Boise Metro-area is still buzzing with the big win; Boise State University (BSU) Broncos win the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. For those of you who were not familiar with BSU Football, or didn’t see the game, BSU won it, 43-42 in an overtime victory. Suddenly, everyone is a BSU Bronco. Businesses offer their congratulations via their road signs, many cars are flying Broncos flags from their doors, and the talk around the office water cooler is still about that last play that gave us the lead. Everywhere you look, people are sporting BSU sweatshirts or tee-shirts. Retailers say they can’t keep Bronco’s paraphernalia on the shelves. Yes everyone loves a winner and people who were never fans before are now ardent followers. I can remember a few years back where BSU wasn’t winning their games and their following was much smaller. There was nary a BSU sweatshirt to be seen. At that time the Broncos didn’t fit that image of being “Winners”.

Early in Christ’s ministry, people flocked to him. In John 6:1-13 Jesus feeds 5000 + people and this miracle proclaims his greatness to them. People considered Christ a winner.

John 6:15 states, “Jesus knowing that they were going to make him king by force, withdrew again to the mountains by himself.”

Certainly if Christ had given in to the temptation of power, and glory, the iron hand of the Romans would have crush the movement.

However the people are persistent. John 6:24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

The people wanted to put Jesus in the role of there choosing and did not understand what God had planned for him. Jesus tried to explain God’s plan for him in John 6:40 when he stated,

“For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

God’s plan was for Christ to be savior of the world, but this did not meet with the people’s expectations.

John 6:41-42 At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"
John 6:60-65 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him."

The people had their own idea of how eternal life was to be gained. While they were willing to make him their king, they were not willing to make him their Messiah (savior).

From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. John 6:66

I have spoken to many friends and family members who have found Christ’s teachings hard and have ignored God’s plan of salvation through Christ. They have derived their own free form ideas of how they will attain eternal life. The most popular seems to be the idea of great scales in the sky that weigh their deeds and if the good ones out way the bad ones, they make it into heaven. A close second is the idea that as long as you’re trying to commune with God, whether he is Allah, Buddha, or another religious deity, you’ll gain eternal life. But scripture tells us that for those who had similar ideas during Christ's time:

To this, Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

If you are a person who has preconceived ideas about who Christ is, I would encourage you to search the scriptures, ignoring your bias and read his words with an open mind.

A Bright 2007

Winter Garden Aglow
Idaho Botanical Garden

We had the opportunity to tour the Idaho Botanical Garden’s Winter Aglow display. 250,000 lights cover the plants, arbors, and walls of the garden. I couldn’t help but think that it must take months to put the lights up and then take them down after the season & I pitied the poor person(s) who has to carry out this work. New Year's Day is the time we typically begin pulling down our Christmas lights, both indoor & out, ornaments, & decorations and box them up for storage. I must admit that this is not one of my most favorite things to do. I’m glad when it‘s complete and we’re back to our normal routine, although I do miss the cheeriness & colors the lights provide.

There is another light that is with me at all times, and I depend on it to guide me through my life. It is written:

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life ." John 8:12

I thank God for providing his Son to be the light of life and Christ’s willingness to make the sacrifice to become that light.