Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Time for a change.

As the New Year approaches, what is running through your mind? For me, it's "time for a change." I am one day away from completing another reading of the whole Bible. It was challenging and rewarding. But for several weeks now, I've been wondering what Bible Reading Plan I'm going to do next year.

Then today, I picked up a copy of the Church of the Nazarene's Sunday School Discipleship Ministry's Connection newsletter. In it, I read about a FREE Mobile App that Back to the Bible has offered to every congregation in the Church of the Nazarene, called go Tandem. As an older gentleman in our church in North Jersey used to say: "God is never late. He's never early, He's right on time."

Here is a short video about it.  http://vimeo.com/87500530

You can use it online: https://www.gotandem.com/ or download the mobile app at Google Play or the Apple App Store.

What interested me is that after answering 6 questions about your spiritual journey, they match messages from the Bible that apply directly to you. I'm going to try it! Stay tuned....

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Advent Week Four: PEACE

This past Sunday we lit the final purple candle of the Advent wreath which represents peace.
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6
Once again we are reminded that all things, including peace, are from God and through God . To God be the glory (Romans 11:36)! Only Jesus Christ can give the peace that passes all understanding. (Philippians 4:7) Have you experienced it? I have. In the midst of some of the worst circumstances in my life, there was the Prince of Peace.

Tonight we will light the final candle! The largest, center candle. It is pure white which represents the sinless, spotless, pure Savior that was born in the flesh, lived in the flesh and died in the flesh all to bring us peace by making us pure. But that is not the end of the story! He has become the center in our lives so we may take the very same peace to the people around us. Go tell someone the Good News!

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Advent Week Three: JOY

Last Sunday we lit the third, pink candle of the Advent wreath. I had read that this candle represented joy. I understand that joy is a big part of the anticipation of the celebration of the coming Christ child, but I wondered why it is pink. I found an interesting article which you can read if you would like to delve deeper.
http://www.hcna.us/columns/pink_advent_candle.html

Regardless of the color, we all need to take time out this week to ask ourselves if we are experiencing joy as we await Christmas. In the familiar passage in Chapter 2 of Luke, verse 9, angels appear to the shepherds out in the field. They announced "good news of great joy for all the people." The angels were announcing that Christ was born. This is what brought the angels great joy - Christ's birth and all that it meant for us. However, the angels also rejoice over one sinner who repents! (Luke 15:7;10)

We, too, must be announcing this good news of great joy! Then, we will join the angels in rejoicing when one sinner repents!

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Advent Week Two: LOVE

This past Sunday we lit another purple candle on the Advent wreath, traditionally called the "Bethlehem Candle." It represents love.

My daughter-in-law gave birth to our first grandson this week. It is wonderful to witness anew the undefiled, passionate love a new mother has for the tiny baby she has carried close to her heart for 9 months. But already in his 2 days out of her womb, her son has experienced hunger and cold and circumcision. When she hears this newborn's cries, it touches a soft spot in her heart and she cries softly too.

That is so much like the God of love that I serve. As I read through the Old Testament, I witness over and over God's compassion on those who suffer. He weeps over the suffering of His people, yet He restrains Himself from stepping in when that suffering has a purpose!

During Advent, we reflect on the time leading up to the birth of Christ. God heard the cries of His people and decided it was time to send them a Savior.
"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:6-8)
Perfect love!



Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Advent week One: HOPE

This past Sunday the first purple candle was lit on the Advent wreath. The first candle is typically called the "Prophecy Candle" because it represents the foretelling of the coming of Christ by the prophets. The candle represents hope or expectation in the coming of Christ.

But what exactly do we hope for? What or Who do we put our hope in? Most people today put their hope in their doctor or their president or even in their retirement fund to take care of them. The LORD GOD would like us to see another way.

"the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love." Psalm 147:11
This is a LIVING hope, one that is not just in this life, but in the life to come. Life eternal! It is given to us when we are born again. When we truly believe in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:3) 1 Corinthians 15:19 says that if our hope is only in this life, we are to be pitied.

Are we prepared to give the world a reason for the hope we have? (1 Peter 3:15)