April 11, 2022

What Is Truth?

In our world today with so much division and controversy, even with our own genders, many consider truth to be an opinion. God doesn’t make mistakes, especially how we are formed. 

I dated a guy several years ago who I heard telling his friends a totally different story about how he and I met. Later when I asked him about it, he said “that’s my truth.” 

Friends, absolute Truth exists. Just like a compass tells the exact direction we are going. The Bible is our moral compass for Truth. 

In this Holy Week, in reading through the Gospels, I find it fascinating that the Governor Pontius Pilate asked Jesus in John 18:38,  “What is truth?”  To set up the scene, Jesus had been betrayed, then arrested, and was on trial, all in mere hours, not due process. 

“Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”  Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”–John 18:35-39 ESV

Sadly, much like today,  Pilate caved to public opinion and yelling. So many of the same people only four days early on Palm Sunday who cried out “Hosanna,” were the same ones who yellow “Crucify him” on Good Friday. 

Four chapters before in the Gospel of John is when Jesus said to Doubting Thomas one of the most important verses in the Bible, ‘Jesus said to him, ‘ I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 

That is the Truth. 

Friends, now or in 100 years from now, just as it has been for all of history, when an archaeologist discovers a skeleton, that archaeologist will be able to determine if it was a man or woman by skeletal remains and DNA.  Our souls and spirits will be either in heaven or hell. No pronouns of how that person “identified” himself or herself will remain. That is the Truth. 

May we continue to tell the Truth and nothing but the Truth, so help us God. 

What issues are you struggling with today with revealing the Truth?

Have you made the decision to go to heaven, to accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior? If so, Message me and I’ll be honored to send you a free gift to encourage your new faith journey.

 

December 2, 2021

Lord,What Do You Want For Your Birthday?

December is a month for some significant birthdays in my life. My precious Mom’s birthday is next week on December 6th. My dear friend’s husband is December 8th.  The birthday of one of my Godly mentors is December 26th.

Oftentimes, I ask a simple question to those we love before their birthday: “What do you want for your birthday?” If you are like me, I just want to ensure my loved one is honored in the most meaningful way. Isn’t that what we want for our birthdays…to  know we are loved and cherished?

The most significant person in my life, really in this world, celebrates His birth each December 25th. Isn’t it wonderful that we all adorn our homes in Christmas finery and decorate the inside and outside with bright lights in honor of His birthday?  We bake treats, buy gifts and send cards to our most significant loved ones , friends, and coworkers (and even strangers), and go above and beyond to volunteer and do “random acts of kindness” this time a year. Why? Perhaps it truly is all part of His birthday celebration, honoring the Light Of  The World (John 8:12).

However you may feel about Him, one fact is irrefutable. History sets its time stamp of demarcation with Jesus’ birth—BC, “Before Christ”, and AD, “Anno Domini,” Latin for “In the Year of Our Lord.”   Even the Old Testament prophesied Jesus’ birth (especially in the book of Isaiah) at least 700 years before He was born! Isn’t it fitting that we give Him our best as we celebrate His birthday?

When I was growing up, we baked a birthday cake for Christmas Day and sang “Happy Birthday” to Jesus. I will always remember those sweet memories.

So, in this December 2021 AD, in the year of our Lord,  I  encourage you to ask Him a simple question:

“Lord, What Do You Want For Your Birthday?”

Then listen…

Could His birthday gift be:

–to reconcile with your loved one…

–to rake the yard of and sit with an elderly neighbor…

–to babysit for a worn-out married couple to have a date night…

–to share your testimony and love of Jesus with your co-worker…

You can almost hear His still, small voice, can’t you?

“Your Heart, Dear One. That’s all I want. Your Heart.”

Reflect:

  • How will this Christmas, Jesus’ birthday celebration, be different from years past?
  • How can we listen and act more intentionally after asking the question, “Lord, what do You want for your birthday?”

Renew:

  • “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” –Colossians 3:23
  • “I am sending Him—who is my very heart—back to you.” –Philemon 1:12.
  • “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the Truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply from the heart.” –1 Peter 1: 22

Recharge:

  • After asking, seeking, and listening, what intentional actions in your life have you been prompted to take?
  • Consider baking a birthday cake on Christmas Day and singing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus. Let’s party!
  • Please leave a comment.
December 23, 2020

Christmas Miracles–Right on Time, Part 2

Hi Friend! Merry Christmas Eve Eve. As many struggles as this year, this season, has had, it has given me a desire to marinate on the Jesus’ birth story with a fresh perspective. He was born in such a dark time, like now. I am in awe. Let’s explore together Part 2 of this new Christmas Bible Study of studying these Matthew 1 and Luke 2 miracles.

You may have already known this, but I didn’t realize between the end of the Old Testament with Malachi to the beginning of the New Testament with Matthew and the story of Jesus, there was a 400-year gap of silence. Four hundred years of God not speaking through the prophets!

During this wild year of the COVID-19 pandemic, it may seem like God has been silent. May we be encouraged that when God speaks and acts, He’s right on time–not too late and not too early.

Buckle up. I packed a lot in this post. 🙂

1. Birth of Jesus Christ

A. Why Bethlehem? Luke 2:1-6; Prophesied 700+ years earlier in Micah 5:2-5–incredible.

B. Why Joseph? Luke 2:4, 16, 33. Matthew 2:13, 13:55-58. Not much is written about Joseph. We know from Matthew 13 that he was a carpenter and he and Mary had seven children. God chose him as the strong, gentle, silent, loyal leader and husband.

C. Why was there no room in the inn? Luke 2:   With all the people coming from the region to register for the Roman Census, all the inns were full. I can empathize with the Inn-Keeper. He was a busy business leader who was doing his best to accommodate Mary and Joseph with a cave/stable.

  • I love this The Inn-Keeper’s Perspective from Frederick Buechner’s  book Magnificent Defeat, “The Birth” chapter: “…So when the baby came I was not around, and I saw none of it…All your life long, you wait for your own True Love to come–our destiny, our heart’s desire…When he came, I missed him. ‘Pray for me, brothers and sisters. Pray for the Inn-Keeper. Pray for me, and for us all, my own true love.'”
  • How am I like the Inn Keeper? Why do I leave no room for Jesus?
  • What can I do to make more room for Jesus in my life, my schedule, my bank account?

2. The Shepherds and the Angels

A. Why Shepherds as the first witnesses?  Luke 2: 8-14. Prophesied in Micah 4:8. Shepherds  were humble, lowly, outcasts. It’s fitting that they would be the first witnesses of His birth.  Jesus is also our Great Shepherd.

B. Why Swaddling cloths? Luke 2:7, 12.  Swaddling cloths were wrapped around sheep paws to cover the blemishes. It’s beautifully that Jesus as our Sacrificial Lamb was wrapped in those swaddling cloths.

C. Why Suddenly? Luke 2: 13. When God calls, He often does miracles suddenly. We respond suddenly and with haste. (Luke 1: 39, Luke 4:39, Acts 2:2)

  1. What  miracles has God performed suddenly in your life or in the Bible?
  2. How can I respond “suddenly” like the shepherds and tell everyone what God has done?

3. The Wise Men—Matthew 2: 1-12

A. Why them? Well-respected, well-educated members of society.

B. Why did they wait to see Jesus? It was almost two years since Jesus birth. Traveled about 1000 miles to see him at home in Nazareth.

C. Why gold, frankincense and myrrh?

  1. Read “We Three Kings” lyrics–Gold for a King; Frankincense for a High Priest/Deity; Myrrh for Sacrifice as embalming fluid to symbolize His death.
  2. What meaningful gifts can I give my loved ones? Can I give to Jesus? My heart.

D. Why did they go back home a different way? To protect Jesus from being killed by Herod.

4. Jesus Presented at the Temple–Luke 2:22-38

A. Why were there two turtledoves? Luke 2:24. A sacrificial offering for his birth.  “Twelve Days of Christmas” are all symbolic of our “True Love”–Jesus.

B. Why Simeon? Luke 2:25. Only time he is mentioned. Approx. 112 years old. Devout and righteous. The Holy Spirit prophesied through him to them. God loves to do extraordinary through the ordinary.

C. Why Anna? Luke 2:36-38. Only time she is mentioned. She was approximately 104 years old. A prophetess who prayed and fasted day and night.

  1. What set Anna and Simeon apart? A. Available to be used by God; B. Attuned to the Holy Spirit; C. Agile; D. Humble.
  2. How can God use me, an ordinary person, to do the extraordinary, like Anna and Simeon?

May we reflect on the miracles of this Christmas like never before. For an added blessing, please enjoy this Christmas Pilot episode of The Chosen called “The Shepherd.” Notice how bright the Christmas Star was to guide the shepherds to Jesus.

Merry Christmas, friends!

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