Most Wonderful Time ... ?

Happy Tuesday...

I pray your week is off to a great start. I thoroughly enjoyed my four-day weekend and even started decorating the house for Christmas. It was so enjoyable, I didn't even mind being back in the office yesterday. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year!

The songs are light and cheerful, people seem a little nicer. I mean, what other time of year do you find individuals buying gifts for people they don’t even like?!

There is the smell of pine [which I absolutely love!], the soft glow of the fireplace, the twinkling of the Christmas lights, the holiday gatherings and, of course, cookies and every delicious dessert to satisfy your pallet.

It seems for a few weeks that the earth is just a tad bit ‘kinder’

Yet, I am not naïve enough to presume that it is the most wonderful time of the year for all. No – for some – it is the most challenging time of the year.

§  The most stressful time of the year

§  The most isolated and lonely time of the year

§  The most frustrating time of the year

§  The most tearful time of the year

§  The most un-wonderful time of the year

Whether it is the financial pressures of all the gift giving of the season; the discomfort of forced gatherings with individuals where relationships are strained due to emotional distance or the disappointment of not being able to attend a family gathering due to geographical distance and travel challenges … the season can lose some of its wonder.

Perhaps it is someone’s first Christmas without that dear loved one. Perhaps it someone’s 2^nd or 3^rd or 5^th Christmas without that dear loved one – but the sting of sadness is every bit as painful as the first time.

Whatever the situation – understand this:

For some of our dear friends, family [and even strangers], there are just as many circumstances which can make this the worst time of year as there are joy-filled moments which can make it the most wonderful time of the year for others.

Therefore – I would like to make a special request of my friends hear at our Revive blog. Please do me this favor:

Pray that God would open your eyes;

To make you perceptive to the needs of those around you.

Pray that God would tenderize your heart;

To be compassionate regarding the plight of others

And then – be intentional about partnering with Him to be part of the solution

The amazing thing is that it is the little things that can go so far in touching someone’s heart this holiday season:

§  Send a text message to check-in

§  Pray for someone other than yourself … that does not cost anything, but time

§  Send a greeting card to let someone know you were especially thinking of them

§  Take time out to be available for someone who needs a listening ear; be that shoulder they can lean upon or those arms of fellowship, offering a much needed hug

Now, that last one is a stretch for me. You see, I am not one of those ‘touching/feeling’ types. I do not like to touch people and I really do not care for people to touch me. It is an area I have been working on for years.

However, I can tell you first hand the power of a hug. I recall a woman whose husband had recently passed away. We were at a Bible Study at someone's home but I did not know her. I had never seen her before and have never seen her since that day. However, on that particular evening, I felt a gentle nudge from the Holy Spirit saying ‘She needs a hug ... give her a hug’. Oddly enough, in that instant, her need transcended my comfort levels. So I asked if I could give her a hug. She said yes – and when I went to hug this newly-widowed woman, I knew I was exactly where God wanted me to be in that moment, doing exactly what He desired for me to do. About a week later, someone told me that lady was inquiring about me. She wanted to know who that woman was who had hugged her; she said it felt as if God Himself was giving her a hug and letting her know that He cared about her pain.

You never know the difference that you can make in someone’s life!

You may be the answer to the prayer that they have been whispering alone each night

Together – we can have a tremendous impact in our individual spheres of influence to bring some joy to others during this Christmas season. Let's all do our part in making this the most wonderful time of year for as many as possible.

Praying You Have a Blessed Day & Most Wonderful Week!

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” II Corinthians 1:3-4

stay and go ...

‘Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised … you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.’ Acts 1:4-8 

Jesus told the remaining disciples to stay in Jerusalem, until they received the Father’s promise. Then, He let them know that they would be His witnesses. In Greek, the word used in that context is ‘μάρτυς or mártys’ where we get our English word martyr. He let them know that they would be His martyrs – those who give a testimony yet also, those who suffer persecution and death for refusing to renounce a belief or cause. However, that is a discussion for another day. Today we are focusing on the fact that the disciples would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.

Now, there are mixed emotions on the subject of going to the remotest parts of the earth. Some clamor for the opportunity, overlooking the plenteous mission field which exists right in their backyard. While others refuse to leave the comforts of their neighborhood in order to share the truth of God’s Word and His love with those who live a world away.  However, may I submit to you today that it does not have to be either/or. It can be both. You can stay and go.

With my current situation and its limitations, I have become increasingly thankful for the technology that is available to us today. I can apply for jobs, connect with friends and share God’s Word – generally from the comfort of wherever I am. With the internet and free WiFi connections at libraries and bistros, one has the ability to access the world when they might otherwise be cut-off. The average person on the street can now experience what it is like to have global reach. It has created a world atmosphere where a type of ‘cyber-missionary’ has emerged.

Why just yesterday, our own little Revive! blog reached a milestone of fifty nations. God’s Word going to fifty nations around the globe … and right from my fingertips. It is amazing, overwhelming and humbling that God would (1) permit us to partner with Him at all and (2) enable us to travel the globe with Him, from the comfort of right where we are.

A couple of years ago, my two eldest sons traveled through Europe as student ambassadors. It was a great experience for them. Between that trip and family travels, they have collectively visited 13 countries around the globe. Not bad for two young men who have not even crossed the threshold of 20-years-old. Myself, on the other hand (at age 40), have only traveled to two countries out of the United States – in the physical. Yet in the world of technology, a tremendous opportunity has been presented to me: 

• ‘There is a wide-open door for a great work here [for effective service and ministry]…’  I Corinthians 16:9 NLT 
• ‘I give thanks to Him Who has granted me [the needed] strength and made me able [for this], Christ Jesus our Lord, because He has judged and counted me faithful and trustworthy, appointing me to [this stewardship of] the ministry.’ I Timothy 1:12 AMP 

Likewise, a great opportunity is before you and you do not have to travel miles around the world in order to grab hold of it and be His. Start right where you are!

Sometimes you can stay and go ...

Have an Abundantly Blessed Day!

focus

It's Spring and I have started walking again. And, as always, the Lord presented me with another opportunity to learn (or re-learn) some valuable lessons.

Strolling through my neighborhood, passing each house, listening to my iPod - I came upon two ducks. The female was sitting in the middle of the road and her mate (I'm assuming it was her mate) was standing by watching her. Now, I am not sure if she was hurt or just decided to take a rest - but whatever the case, she chose what had to be the most terrible spot to take a break. Where she sat was right at the curve in the road and cars come speeding around all the time. It almost seemed like that male duck knew that was not a good place to stop.

Now, one might ask how I know it was a male and a female. Well, the females are light brown while the males are this grey/silver and black with the most beautiful green head, which offsets their yellow bill. This used to bother me, because I always wondered why God made the female duck so bland. Then one day, God showed me that they have a beautiful little secret tucked under their wings - a brilliantly, majestic band of iridescent purple feathers.

But, the difference between male and female ducks was not the important thing that day.

As I walked past these two - and it was early, about 5:50am - I found myself praying for that little duck. I asked God, 'please prompt her to move so that she won't get crushed by a car'. A car could come any moment. And as I looked back three or four times, I found myself saying a short (but urgent) prayer that this little duck would move out of the street before she got mortally wounded. I even found myself thinking about that male duck, wondering why he was just standing there. For some reason, it made me think about Adam ... standing by while his mate (Eve) stood in the way of danger in the Garden of Eden.

It was then that I felt a press upon my spirit:
'Are we not much more valuable to Him than the birds of the air?'

Here I was so concerned about this duck...
Then, I had to stop and think about whether I had prayed for the strangers on the street, my neighbors, my friends, my family with such fervency.

Now, there is nothing wrong with loving animals or caring for them. God cares for them and provides for their needs. However, I had to check my priorities that morning.

Did I recognize that those who do not know Him live in a state of mortal danger just like that duck? Did I empathize with the fact that many of them are wearied with the pressures of life, laying down wherever they can to get a moment's rest - even in the middle of harsh, dangerous, frantic roads.

Did I truly comprehend that many do not even realize the danger that awaits them? Was I as sensitive as I needed to be to the fact that their eternity could change in an instant with one fatal illness, one devastating car crash, a catastrophic natural disaster, an accident or assault - that they could step out of this earthly realm and into an eternity of condemnation?

I had to ask if I was truly focused on the things that mattered most to God. Were the most critical items on my agenda the same as His? Were the request at the top of my prayer list the issues of life that were most important to Him.

Lately, the whole earth has been shaking - they even registered a small earthquake in Virginia this week. And because many have heard for years that Jesus is coming soon, it has become a trite expression which often falls on deaf ears. However, if any should take it seriously, it should be His people. And we should realize that He left us with one responsibility: to got into all the earth and make disciples - sharing the gospel, aiding those in need by helping them discover and receive the free gift of salvation and then equipping them to live a life that pleases God.

You see, 'The Lord is not really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent (II Peter 3:9 NLT).'

He is not willing that any should perish.

And, if I care about what He cares about, I must possess His same heart . I must be diligent at all times - recognizing that if I am not, there is the potential for me to consider passersby as common (like that female duck). Yet God sees something different. He sees one uniquely made, with hidden treasure, beauty and purpose. And He cares for them - even more than He cares for the birds of the air. Therefore, I am committed to check myself daily, to ensure that the number one responsibility remains the #1 priority.

How about you?