Are you a Star?

When I was young, one of my personal Christmas traditions was to go out side late on Christmas Eve and look for the star that guided the Magi to Jesus. I would try to figure out which star it was. I would spend time thinking about it was like on the night of His birth. I think about the fact that He was born to die for my sins (everyone who believed). I would sing then Happy Birthday to Him.

• Matthew 2:1-2 (New International Version)
  
  The Visit of the Magi
  1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east[b] and have come to worship him."
  

I would try to figure out which star it was. I would spend time thinking about it was like on the night of His birth. I think about the fact that He was born to die for my sins (everyone who believed). I would sing then Happy Birthday to Him.

Even though we know Jesus wasn't really born on December 25 and the star was a one time event, I still do it. There are those who would argue about what the date really was and that it's wrong to celebrate it on that date. To be honest nobody really knows the exact date and it really doesn't matter.

I was re-reading the biblical accounts of Jesus' birth and God revealed to me that the star was not just a one time event. You see the star was there to signify the birth of our king and savior as well as to lead people to Him. Now, all Christians are that star. Wow! I never saw it that way before and I have read it many times.

• Matthew 5:14 (New International Version)
  
  14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

• Ephesians 5:7-9 (New International Version)
  7Therefore do not be partners with them.
  
  8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)
  

By being that light it is our responsibility, as commanded by Jesus, to light the way for others to Christ, just as the star did back then.

• Matthew 28:19-20 (New International Version)
  
  The Great Commission
  19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
  

Remember our sun is a star and look how it lights the world. So this Chistmas and every day go out and be the star Jesus intended you to be and help God make new stars.

Have a very blessed Christmas!

Steve

Thank You God for the Bad Stuff ???

Have you watched the news, looked online, read a paper, and/or spoken with anyone lately? Chances are you know someone with cancer, lost a job, struggling financially, going through divorce, loss of a loved one, etc. There just seems to be so much stress and sorrow everywhere you go. Doesn't seem like things to be thankful for. Yet God wants us to be thankful

• 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)
  18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
  
  
  
  

Are supposed to give thanks in everything? What about losing my job, the death of a loved one, having cancer, overwhelming debt, etc? I don't know about you, but those aren't things I'm thankful for. So what does Paul mean for us to give thanks in all circumstances?

I think that it's because God has our back and He wants us to depend on him. Check out what Matthew and James say:

• Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)
  Do Not Worry
  25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[a]?
  28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

• James 1:2-3 (NIV)
  2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
  
  

Not only are we to give thanks for the good and bad, but we have to also consider it pure joy. JOY! How can you consider cancer joy? Think about a how a diamond is made. You take a plain, black, worthless rock and put extraordinary and pressure and heat on it. Then you have a clear rock that has to undergo precise cutting, grinding, and polishing to become extremely valuable. That's why we are to be thankful and joyful because God is making us diamonds.

This next verse is one verse I use a lot. When these trials come, and they do come, I try to focus on this verse and it's promise.

• Philippians 4:5-7 (New International Version)
  6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
  

For this Thanksgiving I pray that you spend time thanking God for the good and bad in your life because of the master piece He is making you into.

May you have a blessed Thanksgiving.

In His Service,

Steve

Basic Christian Behavior - Part 3 "Don't Be a Stumbling Block"

So far we've talked about Love as God designed it and respect for each other. The last part of basic Christian behavior is to not be a stumbling block or distraction. So what do I mean by stumbling block? Have you ever intentionally or unintentionally tripped someone? Come on now, we probably all have. Have you ever been walking down a hall or sidewalk and your looking at someone of the opposite sex and you run into something, totally embarassing yourself? (Of course I'm talking about the un-married. Right? Unfortunately most of us have.

Let's look at the the first example of tripping someone up, but spiritually speaking. If you knew someone was an alcoholic, would you offer them alcohol? How about if you knew someone was allergic to peanuts would you offer them a chocolate and peanut butter milk shake (my favorite)? I would hope your answer would be no. Whether intentionally or not, we can cause someone to sin (trip).

• Matthew 18:5-9
  5"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. 6But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
  7"Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! 8If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

• 1 Corinthians 10:31-33
  31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. 1 John 2:9-11
  9Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. 10Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him[a] to make him stumble. 11But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.

Ladies, knowing that most men battle the sexual temptation, whereing clothes that reveal more than they should can can cause a man to sin or stumble.1 Christians, going out to protest at a homesexual or Pro Abortion rally showing hate and telling people they are going to Hell is a stumbling block. We do believe those things are wrong according to God, but speaking hate is wrong and not how Christ would treat them.

For me and my ADD mind, stumbling blocks (distractions) are everywhere. Has anyone seen the movie "Up" where the boy and old man are talking with the dog and the dog sees a squirrel and in the middle of the conversation says "squirrel" and totally zones out. That seen describes me. We can create our own stumbling blocks (distactions) or create them for other people. A good example of this is when I am teaching my youth group and some of the kids are talking or using their cell phones. They, and the people around them, are distracted from hear what God has to say to them. When we are to busy (we all struggle here) to spend time with God means we are distracted.

Whether intentionally or not, we can be a stumling block or distraction others in their relationship with Christ. We need to be careful of how our walk influences others beacuse they are watching you.

Have a blessed week.

Steve

Basic Christian Behavior - Part 2 "Respect"

What does it mean to respect someone or treat someone with respect? Do you think that people in general respect each other? Hopefully we do, but there are obviously times we do not. Why? Some would say "Respect has to be earned." Others might say "I'll treat someone with respect if they treat me with respect." What about people with different views? What about those in positions of authority?

Let's look at the definition proved by Merriam-Webster's on-line dictionary:

• Main Entry: 1re·spect
  Pronunciation: \ri-ˈspekt\
  Function: noun
  Etymology: Middle English, from Latin respectus, literally, act of looking back, from respicere to look back, regard, from re- + specere to look — more at spy
  Date: 14th century
  1 : a relation or reference to a particular thing or situation 2 : an act of giving particular attention : consideration 3 a : high or special regard : esteem b : the quality or state of being
  
  

Now that we know the official definition of respect, would you say that in the past we respect people. Most of us would probably say "it depends". Just watch TV, listen to some of the music, just walk around, or listen to ourselves. I know that there are times I am not.


I would say that respect really boils down to a heart issue. Take a look what Luke wrote:

• Luke 6:45 (New International Version)
  45The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

So if the problem is in our hearts, then we need to clean it up. Right? This would go back to last weeks message on love. We have to love people in order to truly respect them. The kind of love God has for us, unconditional.

Here is a good verse for ALL of us to start with:

• Ephesians 4:29 (New International Version)
  29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

If we will memorize this and say it every time we open our mouths, WOW. We have to replace the evil in our hearts with things that build each other up, instead of tearing down. By the way, this goes for body language as much as it does with our mouths.

You know that God created us as equals in His eyes. We may have different functions, gifts, and abilities, but equal. Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. That verse pretty much sums that up. So let's try to show respect for one another.

Steve

Basic Christian Behavior - Part 1 "Love"

When you hear the word Christian, what do you think of? Some of us have good images of Christianity while many do not. Sadly the world usually sees the term negatively. Why? I would probably have to say it would be not knowing what the Bible says about Jesus' life and following His example. So what does the Bible say about how we are to act? A little over a year ago, I came up with some guidelines for my youth group for expected behavior. Really they should be common sense, but I feel that we should all try to be the best representative for God we can be.


One of the most basic and the building blocks for all others in found in Matthew:

• Matthew 22:37-38 (New International Version)
  37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[a] 38This is the first and greatest commandment.

What does it mean to love God with all your heart? Have you ever loved something, or someone, so much that you can't imagine being without it or them? That's how God feels about us. So if God states, in His word, that this is the first and greatest commandment, maybe we should pay closer attention to it. That pretty much leads into what Paul writes to the Corinthians's:

• 1 Corinthians 13 (NIV)
  Love
  1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.
  4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
  8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
  13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Wow. Do you look at your relationships this template? If you did base your relationships with it, would you still be in those relationships? Look at the last seven words. Again love is most important. By the way, this includes yourself. I don't mean in a prideful way, but if you don't love yourself then you can't love anyone else.

• Galatians 5:14 (NIV)
  14The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

If we really think about it we are not very loving to the one person we are always with. Think about how you talk to ourselves...Remember God doesn't make mistakes and He made you.

Ok, so we've looked at how we should love each other and ourselves. So what about people that you hate or hate you? You know the people that you may think are unlovable (yes, that applies to yourself). Glad you asked.

• Matthew 5:43-45 (NIV)
  Love for Enemies
  43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies[b] and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

It takes God's love through us to be able to love anyone, especially for us to love someone who we dislike or hate.

• Matthew 5:43-45 (New International Version)
  Love for Enemies
  43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies[b] and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

1 John 3:18 (New International Version)18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

From what I have studied about Jesus' life as an example, I think that He demonstrated His love ultimately by allowing Himself to be crucified for our sins. Now how are we going to imitate that love to the world around us?

Show love to someone that you wouldn't normally show love to this week and see what God will do.

Steve

Dead End

Recently while on vacation my yougest son and I were hiking and looking for an old cemetary. It had been several years since I had been there and a large developement had been built around it. Being directionally challanged it took a while, but we found it. At the end of a dirt road was the cemetatry, a dead end. We walked around looking at the names, sayings, and dates the people died. Being an older mountain cemetary, there were headstones that were just flat rocks with nothing on them. Some of them were nice engraved monuments.

As we sat down on a bench. I started thinking about the lives they may have had. How did they die. Who did they leave behind? Then I thought about what they left behind. Not the stuff, but their legacy, what they did with their life, and how people remember them.

Look at the following people of the Bible and their legacy. They were not perfect, but look at what God accomplished through them:

• Moses




• David




• Ruth




• Elijah




• Paul




• Peter




• Of course Jesus who we should all try to immitate.

What about you? What kind of legacy are you going to leave behind? Will people remember you as a man or woman of God. Will they remember you for all of your negative qualities?

What is your legacy?

Steve

Choices, Part 2

In Choices, Part 1, we saw that we have the freedom to make our own choices. We saw that Adam and Eve started us out on the wrong foot for that by choosing the selfish route. God was ticked off and broken hearted at the same time.

• Read Genesis 3:6-24

Does someone else's choices affect others? What if I decide to drive my car down the road with my eyes closed, as fast as I can, through a busy city street? It's my choice. I can do what ever I want to. Right? How will that choice affect the others on that street? I could mow down some pedestrians, signs, bounce off a few cars, take out a squirrel, etc. You see my choice has consequences for others as well as myself. What about the innocent people or squirel? They didn't have a part in my choice, except that the were there. That's exacly how sin works.

God's Word gives us the information to make the right choices, not a list of dos and don'ts. The most important of these is whether to have a personal relationship with Christ or not.

• Ephesians 2:1-10 (New International Version)
  Made Alive in Christ 1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

• Joshua 24:15 (New International Version)
  15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

• Matthew 7:12-14 (New International Version)
  12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
  The Narrow and Wide Gates 13"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

The whole Bible is written to give you the information you need to make a wise choice and save your soul. Also by making Godly choices the affects on those around you will be Godly, unlike the car story above. Many have tried to destroy and discredit His Word and yet it's still here. As hard as science tries to disprove the Bible and they find new evidence that proves something that was written about. It all comes down to faith to believe

So as we tell our kids when the go out, "Make wise choices"
Steve