Anticipation

I will come again and receive you to Myself. —John 14:3

At the beginning of March, my friend began a countdown. Marked on the calendar in her office were the 20 days left until the first day of spring. One morning when I saw her, she volunteered, “Only 12 more days!” A few days later, “Only 6!” Her enthusiasm started to rub off on me, and I began to keep track as well. “Just 2 more days, Jerrie!” “I know!” she beamed.

As believers, we have something to look forward to that is even more exciting than the anticipation of budding flowers and lots of sunshine after a long winter. God has made many promises in His Word, and each one has been or will be fulfilled. But the certainty that Christ will return is one of the greatest promises of all. “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. . . . Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air,” and we’ll be with Him forever (1 Thess. 4:16-17).

Although no one can know the exact day, we have God’s promise that Jesus will come back (Acts 1:7-11). As we celebrate the spring and coming Easter season, let’s encourage each other in anticipation of that day! —Cindy Hess Kasper

He is coming! Oh, the rapture
To behold His lovely face,
And to tell Him how I love Him,
Who has saved me by His grace. —Dimmock

Christ is coming—perhaps today!

Our Daily Bread

Win or Lose

During the 2009 college football season, University of Texas quarterback Colt McCoy began every post-game interview by thanking God for the opportunity to play. When he was injured early in the national championship game, he was forced to watch from the sidelines as his team lost.

The apostle Paul experienced God’s deliverance many times, but he didn’t insist on things going his way. From prison in Rome he wrote to Timothy: “I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand” (2 Tim. 4:6). Some might say that Paul had failed to accomplish his goals and that his life was ending in defeat. But he saw it differently: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (v.7). He looked forward to an eternal crown (v.8).

As we walk with God, we can praise Him for His faithfulness—win or lose.



I can always count on God, my heavenly Father,
For He changes not; He always is the same.
Yesterday, today, forever, He is faithful,
And I know He loves me, praise His holy name! —Felten

In every change He faithful will remain. —Katharina von Schlegel

Read: 2 Timothy 4:1-8

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. —2 Timothy 4:7

Our Daily Bread

What God Had Done

You have been saved by God's grace. —Eph_2:5

Read slowly and carefully Paul's description of what God has done for you: "When you were spiritually dead because of your sins and because you were not free from the power of your sinful self, God made you alive with Christ, and he forgave all our sins. He canceled the debt, which listed all the rules we failed to follow. He took away that record with its rules and nailed it to the cross. God stripped the spiritual rulers and powers of their authority. With the cross, he won the victory and showed the world that they were powerless" (Col_2:13-15 ).

As you look at the words above, answer this question. Who is doing the work? You or God? Who is active? You or God? Who is doing the saving? You or God?

Max Lucado - He Still Moves Stones

Ignoring Grace

Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. —Matthew 7:14

 In the hectic downtown of one of Asia’s great cities, I marveled at the busy sidewalks filled with people. There seemed to be no room to move in the crush of humanity, yet it also seemed that everyone was moving at top speed.

My attention was drawn to the soft, almost mournful sound of a single trumpeter playing “Amazing Grace.” The crowds appeared oblivious to both the musician and the music. Still, he played—sending a musical message of the love of God out to whoever knew the song and would think about the words as he played.

I thought of this experience as a parable. The music seemed to be an invitation to the masses to follow Christ. As with the gospel message, some believe in God’s amazing grace and choose the narrow way. Others ignore His grace, which is the broad way that leads to everlasting destruction. Jesus said, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matt. 7:13-14).

Jesus died so that “whoever calls” on His name (Rom. 10:13) can find forgiveness in His grace. —Bill Crowder

Amazing grace—how sweet the sound—
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind but now I see. —Newton

Christ believed is salvation received.

Our Daily Bread Devotional

Freedom

Galatians 5:1

Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.

The Message

Give Thanks

Psalm 136:26

"Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever."

What do you have to be thankful for??

Faith Always Pleases God

It's impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him.

Hebrews 11:6
The Message

Sowing Seeds of Peace

This is from one of my favorite authors, Max Lucado (The Applause of Heaven).

Plant goodness, harvest the fruit of loyalty, plow the new ground of knowledge. —Hos_10:12

"Want to see a miracle? Plant a word of love heartdeep in a person's life. Nurture it with a smile and a prayer, and watch what happens.

An employee gets a compliment. A wife receives a bouquet of flowers. A cake is baked and carried next door. A widow is hugged. A gas-station attendant is honored. A preacher is praised.

Sowing seeds of peace is like sowing beans. You don't know why it works; you just know it does. Seeds are planted, and topsoils of hurt are shoved away.

Don't forget the principle. Never underestimate the power of a seed."

Call It Good

I have trusted in Your mercy. —Psalm 13:5

Can we really know whether to label life’s circumstances as good or bad?

For instance, your car breaks down right before you are to take a family road trip. But when you take the car to the shop, the mechanic says, “Good thing you didn’t take this out on the road. It could have caught fire.” Is that bad because of the inconvenience, or good because of God’s protection?

Or perhaps your child decides to pursue interests that aren’t all that interesting to you. You wanted her to play basketball and run track in high school. But she wanted to sing and play the oboe. You feel frustrated, but she excels and ends up with a music scholarship. Is that bad because your dreams weren’t fulfilled, or good because God directed her in ways you could not have predicted?

Sometimes it’s hard to see how God is working. His mysteries don’t always reveal their secrets to us, and our journey is often redirected by uncontrollable detours. Perhaps God is showing us a better route.

To make sure we benefit from what might seem bad, we must recognize and trust God’s “unfailing love” (Ps. 13:5 NIV). In the end, we’ll be able to say, “I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me” (v.6 NIV). —Dave Branon

The circumstances in our lives
Seem random and unplanned;
But someday we will surely see
The order of God’s hand. —Sper

We may not be able to control events, but we can control our attitude toward them.

Our Daily Bread Devotions

Our Daily Bread

Daily devotional online.

Our Daily Bread

Snow in North Carolina

We had some decent snowfall this week... I love winter only when it snows like this.

Happy New Year!

Praying everyone has a wonderful 2011!

Thanks for your support last year and I hope you'll continue to follow me.

God Bless!!

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Here's the song lyricks to this wonderful Christmas carol.

When was the last time you just read the song lyricks?? Message in Song.

Hark! the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!"
Joyful, all ye nations rise;
Join the triumph of the skies;
With angelic host proclaim
"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"
Hark! the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ, by highest heaven adored;
Christ the everlasting Lord;
Late in time behold Him come,
Offspring of the favored one.
Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see;
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with men to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King"

Hail! the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail! the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Risen with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die;
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King"

Psalm 118:24

"This is the day of the Lord's victory; let us be happy, let us celebrate."

Version TEV

God's Christmas Gift to You

"God's Christmas gift to you has three qualities that make it unique. First, it is the most expensive gift you'll ever receive. It's priceless. Jesus paid for it with his life. Second, it's the only gift you'll ever receive that will last forever. Finally, it is an extremely practical gift - one you'll use every day for the rest of your life."

Rick Warren's "The Purpose of Christmas"

Jesus Birthday on the Calendar

In Rick Warren's "The Purpose of Christmas" book, he points out that everytime you check your calendar or use the date you are using Jesus Christ as a reference point.

History is divided by BC (before Christ) and AD (anno Domini, in the year of the Lord)

Jesus Christ was so important that the world changed the calendar. Think about that.

My birthday (and yours) is dated by His birthday!

It's Cold!

Here in Charlotte, it's very cold. 17 degrees right now.

How cold is it where you are??

Pink Poinsettias

Pretty light pink poinsettias with Christmas scripture.

Luke 2:11 "A Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord."

The Christmas Story in Matthew

The Message version of Matthew 2:1-20.

Mat 2:1-20
(1) After Jesus was born in Bethlehem village, Judah territory--this was during Herod's kingship--a band of scholars arrived in Jerusalem from the East.
(2) They asked around, "Where can we find and pay homage to the newborn King of the Jews? We observed a star in the eastern sky that signaled his birth. We're on pilgrimage to worship him."
(3) When word of their inquiry got to Herod, he was terrified--and not Herod alone, but most of Jerusalem as well.
(4) Herod lost no time. He gathered all the high priests and religion scholars in the city together and asked, "Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?"
(5) They told him, "Bethlehem, Judah territory. The prophet Micah wrote it plainly:
(6) It's you, Bethlehem, in Judah's land, no longer bringing up the rear. From you will come the leader who will shepherd-rule my people, my Israel."
(7) Herod then arranged a secret meeting with the scholars from the East. Pretending to be as devout as they were, he got them to tell him exactly when the birth-announcement star appeared.
(8) Then he told them the prophecy about Bethlehem, and said, "Go find this child. Leave no stone unturned. As soon as you find him, send word and I'll join you at once in your worship."
(9) Instructed by the king, they set off. Then the star appeared again, the same star they had seen in the eastern skies. It led them on until it hovered over the place of the child.
(10) They could hardly contain themselves: They were in the right place! They had arrived at the right time!
(11) They entered the house and saw the child in the arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshiped him. Then they opened their luggage and presented gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh.
(12) In a dream, they were warned not to report back to Herod. So they worked out another route, left the territory without being seen, and returned to their own country.
(13) After the scholars were gone, God's angel showed up again in Joseph's dream and commanded, "Get up. Take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt. Stay until further notice. Herod is on the hunt for this child, and wants to kill him."
(14) Joseph obeyed. He got up, took the child and his mother under cover of darkness. They were out of town and well on their way by daylight.
(15) They lived in Egypt until Herod's death. This Egyptian exile fulfilled what Hosea had preached: "I called my son out of Egypt."
(16) Herod, when he realized that the scholars had tricked him, flew into a rage. He commanded the murder of every little boy two years old and under who lived in Bethlehem and its surrounding hills. (He determined that age from information he'd gotten from the scholars.)
(17) That's when Jeremiah's sermon was fulfilled:
(18) A sound was heard in Ramah, weeping and much lament. Rachel weeping for her children, Rachel refusing all solace, Her children gone, dead and buried.
(19) Later, when Herod died, God's angel appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt:
(20) "Up, take the child and his mother and return to Israel. All those out to murder the child are dead."

The Christmas Story in Luke

When was the last time you read the Christmas passage in Luke??

In Rick Warren's book "The Purpose of Christmas", he suggests reading the story when you gather with your friends and family at Christmas.

Here's The Message version.

Luk 2:1-52

(1) About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire.
(2) This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
(3) Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for.
(4) So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David's town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there.
(5) He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant.
(6) While they were there, the time came for her to give birth.
(7) She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.
(8) There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep.
(9) Suddenly, God's angel stood among them and God's glory blazed around them. They were terrified.
(10) The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide:
(11) A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master.
(12) This is what you're to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger."
(13) At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises:
(14) Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.
(15) As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. "Let's get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us."
(16) They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger.
(17) Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child.
(18) All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.
(19) Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself.
(20) The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they'd been told!