Are you open?

By asking questions, there must be a willingness to hear the answer and go from there.

While reading, "Letters from a Skeptic", it is clear that although Ed (the skeptic father) has many questions and doubts, at least he is willing to step outside of his head (and heart) and take a chance by listening to his son, Greg. Throughout the book, Ed continues to ask questions, one right after the other. 

The correspondence of letters lasted from March 10, 1989 to November 22, 1991. Clearly, there was a willingness and persistence from both Ed and Greg during this discourse. Either one of them could have easily at some point said, "Okay, I'm tired of this. I can't think or talk about this anymore." Not that this was an easy task for both of them, it actually was tiring, but they didn't let that get in the way of this time for questions and growth.

In chapter 2 of Luke, we learn about Jesus' birth. Luke 2:15 tells us about the shepherds reactions to the angels' good news, "When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us so straight into Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us."

The shepherds could have simply reacted out of fear and ignored the news, but instead, they wanted to go see for themselves. They could have even been skeptical and said, "That sure was some quack job...let's go make sure this really didn't happen." 

Instead, they were open and willing. They took a leap of faith by going and seeing the Son of God laying in a manger.

Just like the shepherds and Ed Boyd were open and willing, there comes a time for each and every one of us to have a willingness to believe. We can't reach a belief without being open to it. 

Asking questions can be hard, but being ready for the answers can even be harder. Sometimes we may have enough guts to ask the hard questions, but still find ourselves in a box that keeps us from being open to more possibilities.

Mary questioned how she could be the mother of Jesus while being a virgin.

The shepherds were willing to go see what the angels had told them. 

Although we weren't in the stable or out in the fields, we still have the opportunity to believe in the gift sent from God. 

Next post, we'll talk about what can be birthed from beliefs. 

Bible Reading Plan for this week: Ezekiel 31-48

Mini series - The Cast of Christmas - Day 6

 

It's the last day of the mini series and of course, I saved the best for last! :)

 

So this imagination time will be interesting...

Imagine you're a baby.

I know you've been a baby once...however, you may not remember, but oh well.

Anyway, you're a newborn baby...totally dependent on others, clueless of the evil of the world, and innocent. 

People are taking turns holding you and admiring your precious face and little toes.

Your mother has swaddled you in blankets and put you in a manger of hay.

Luke 2:7 says, "And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn".

 

Now fast forward 33 years later (this is a little more difficult to imagine), you have now figured out the purpose of your life. God, your father, has sent you here on earth to save the world. You are perfect and sinless. There is no way you can do anything wrong (yeah I told you this was the hard part). You thrive to be in relationship with others so you can share your father's (God) love with them, but there's something else you must do.

You must sacrifice yourself for the sinful people of the world so that they may have life. Although you are totally perfect in every way possible, completely innocent, you want to save everyone from damnation in hell because you know that they are sinful and are in need of a savior.

 

So you were beaten, crucified and hung on a cross for the people of the world.

 It was painful. It wasn't fair, but you knew you had to do it.

You wanted to do it so that they would not suffer. 

Death, however, did not win. You may have died on the cross, but God raised you from the dead 3 days later to prove to the world that death does not overcome when you believe in God. You spent some time on earth, loving on people and then you went to Heaven.

 

It's pretty hard to imagine, huh?

 For a baby to one day save the world.  

Luke 2:11 - For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

For a perfect, sinless person to die for an imperfect, sinful world.

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.

For a man to be crucified and then resurrected.

Luke 24:6-7 - He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

For God to come to earth in the flesh of Jesus to show that He loves us enough to live a human life on earth so that He can walk with us. He experienced this evil world (just like we have), even though He was perfect.

John 1:14 - And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

 

That, my friend, is the best gift we will ever receive.

The baby who was "dependent" on his parents is actually the one who everyone depends on.

The baby who was "clueless" of the evil of the world is actually quite informed and even died to overcome evil.

The baby who was "innocent" is still innocent, but guilty of showing the most sacrificial, forgiving, selfless, everlasting love in history.

 

Out of all the cast members we have learned from, Jesus is the one we can learn the most from including love, patience, forgiveness, sacrifice, trust and the list goes on. If you have any questions about Jesus, please email me!

 

Merry Christmas! I hope you had a wonderful day full of love, joy and family!

 

Check out this Christmas song!

"Glory in the Highest" by Chris Tomlin

 

 

Mini series - The Cast of Christmas - Day 5

 

Time to use your imagination again!

You're an astrologer from a far away land.

You love to study and learn new things.

You've studied the stars and the prophesies.

Your mind is always searching the unknown. Finding answers is your goal in life.

 

You've heard about the prophesies of the King of the Jews...the one who would save the world.

You've been turning to the stars to find this King.

You've made notes of the alignment of the stars and have determined that it should be the time when this king would be born.

You aren't the only one that has been searching, other astrologers have been looking too.

 

The day has come that you would travel to Jerusalem to find the King of the Jews.

You and your fellow astrologers from around the world have come to find the exact place of the baby boy. In order to do so, you go to King Herod to find out.

You say, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star int he east and have come to worship Him" (Matthew 2:2).

 

King Herod, (being the envious king he was), was frightened that this baby boy would steal his power from him. Herod tricked the magi into telling him about the exact time when the star appeared (Matthew 2:7) with the excuse that he wanted to worship the boy too (Matthew 2:8).

 

So you and the other astrologers leave to find this new king. The star you had seen in the east had moved so you and your colleagues followed it until it stopped over the house where Jesus was (Matthew 2:9).

 

After such a long journey, of course you were all excited to finally be in the presence of the King of the Jews (Matthew 2:10). You didn't want to waste a minute so you immediately dropped to your knees at the beautiful sight and worshiped Him. You even presented the child with gifts. Not just any gifts like a pacifer or toy, you brought the finest of gifts....gifts fit for only a King. "After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh" (Matthew 2:11).

 

Instead of doing what Herod told you to do, you did what God told you to do. "And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way" (Matthew 2:12).

 

So what can we learn from these wise men?

We can learn to be our best. Just like they gave their best gifts, we can be our best for Jesus, because after all, a king deserves the finest of things.

We can also learn to have a heart and mind that is constantly searching for God. Searching to learn who God is, who He has called us to be and how we can further His kingdom, because all the answers are found in Him...no where else These wise men could have studied and not have followed through with their passion, but they didn't. They followed through and found the most precious gift.

 

 

 

 

 

Mini series - The Cast of Christmas - Day 4

 

The past 3 Christmas story members that we've learned from shared a few things in common...one being, who God sent to them (other than Jesus)... the angel(s).

 

I would ask you to imagine to be the angel who visited Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds, but that's really hard to do. If you know what I mean.

 

I know there is a reason God used an angel as a messenger. He didn't have to use an angel, but He did. I mean, He's God, He can do anything.

I can't tell you why God did it this way (because I'm not God, duh), but I'll take a guess. I could be wrong or maybe I'm right, but here it goes...

He wanted to make a statement.

Jesus deserved a grand entrance and who better than an angel sent from God. Someone who would grab Mary, Joseph and the shepherds' attention and hold it.

Someone so magnificent, so big, maybe even terrifying to prove that he was sent from God.

Someone who would prove that this was serious, lifesaving business that required such obedience and commitment.  

 

Not only did God send one angel to tell Mary and Joseph, He also sent a multitude of angels to the shepherds the day of Jesus' birth. I know for a fact, that this was for a reason.

Jesus, even though He was a baby, deserved a multitude of praise by heavenly host to give God the glory of this wonderful gift of salvation and to proclaim the peace which He would bring.

Luke 2:13-14 says, "And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.'"

 

So what can we learn from the angel(s)?

Although we aren't angels, God can use us as His messengers of His love just like He sent the angels. We can be bold, loving messengers of the wonderful news of Jesus' birth, crucifixion, and resurrection that brings salvation for all who believe.

As the shepherds left the manger scene praising God and as the heavenly host praised God the day of Jesus' birth, we should also praise God and in all we do bring glory to His name.

Check out this Christmas song from the angel's perspective!

"Good News" by Avalon

 

 

 

Mini series - The Cast of Christmas - Day 3 shepherds

 

Imagination time again! Don't you just love using your imagination?! haha

 

So you're a shepherd, just minding your own business, taking care of your animals. Maybe you were resting, while the animals were grazing.

"In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night" (Luke 2:8) 

 

When all of the sudden you see an angel. You hardly see anything other than your animals and pastures and night so this was a shock to you. You're scared of what this figure may say or do to you. Why would anyone be visiting you, especially at this time?

"And angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened" (Luke 2:9).

 

You calm down a bit because, "the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.' "(Luke 2:10-12) Not only did they see one angel, a multitude of angels appeared and were praising God, saying "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased" (Luke 2:14).

 

You then decided, along with your friends, that you had to go see this child...this King. You and your shepherd friends find yourselves at the inn where the baby Jesus laid in a manger just like the angel had spoken of.

"When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told by them by the shepherds" (Luke 2:17-18).

 

You were amazed and left changed.

"The shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them" (Luke 2:20).

 

It dawned on me that the shepherds were like their animals...they followed Jesus. Throughout the Bible, Jesus is thought of as the Great Shepherd. He is the one who leads and guides us. This night, however, the shepherds weren't only leading their animals, but they were being lead by Jesus. I know they left changed that night...I mean, how could they not?

 

We learn from these shepherds to get up and follow Jesus. May He guide us throughout our lives and may we praise Him for all He does for us.

 

Mini series "The Cast of Christmas" - Day 2 Joseph

 

I think we sometimes forget about Joseph when we think of the Christmas story. At least I know I have overlooked him in the past.

Like every person involved in the Christmas story, God chose Joseph for a reason.

 Just like Mary, we can learn a lot from Joseph.

 

Imagination time! Girls, it's your turn now...imagine yourselves as a man who is engaged to a girl who is pregnant. On top of that, the child isn't your biological child. People probably stare at you and turn there noses up. Who knows what her parents think of you.

You have an easy out though. Since she is pregnant, you can turn her in so she can be stoned because of her perceived "fornication". He could have fixed the mess he was in, but he didn't. Matthew 1:19 says, "And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly." He was looking out for her feelings and the shame she may have felt, that's why he had planned to send her away secretly. God had other plans though.

 

Just like Mary, an angel came to him and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:20-12). Now Joseph is faced with some BIG news...the son of his soon to be wife would be the Savior of the world. Pressure!

 

Scripture continues to say, "Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 'Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which translated mean, "God with us.' And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus" (Matthew 1:22-25).

 

First, Joseph married Mary despite the bizarre situation they were in. Second, he honored God and His holiness by keeping Mary a virgin until after Jesus was born. That says A LOT. He obeyed God and followed through by honoring him. He took responsibility even though Jesus wasn't his biological son. Usually a dad will take responsibility, because that is his child, but Joseph was responsible despite the circumstance. I'm sure he was stared at and mocked, but he still did what God told him to do. Not only was he by Mary's side throughout her pregnancy and delivery, He was there throughout Jesus' life.

 

Are you recognizing a reoccurring theme? I am...obedience. Although God didn't choose you or me to be Jesus' mother or stepdad, He gives us PLENTY of opportunities to obey Him even when it may look ridiculous from our perspective.

 

If God is telling us to do something, we should do it in a heartbeat!

 

Check out this Christmas song from Joseph's perspective.

 

If you're following along in the reading plan, today whole book of Colossians.