WHAT IS ON YOUR LIST?

The Christmas rush is behind us, and now preparations are underway for New Year’s celebrations. How will you celebrate the New Year?  I am so glad that New Year’s Day is on Sunday, and we can gather and start our year with our Lord in worship and prayer and teaching from God’s Word.

But where will your focus be?  Is it on the New Year’s resolutions you are going to make?  We all make those resolutions, but they only last a short time and life goes on, and the resolutions we tried so hard to keep go by the wayside.  As I think about 2011, I wonder where the year went, as time seems to go by so quickly.

Instead of those resolutions, which we never keep, let us take some time for reflection, and look back over the past year and see the path that we have trod.  Maybe you had times of great trial and pain.  Maybe you looked on the world scene and had moments of great fear.  But as we look back, as believers in Jesus, we can see “his footprints” over the year.  We can see those places where He carried us in times of great trial, when we could hardly carry on.  He carried us on days of darkness, on foggy days, when our way was not clear and our eyes foggy with tears.

And there were times of great joy and happiness.  You felt fulfilled in what God had called you to do, you prospered in your business.  Your family was blessed.  Maybe, as my husband and I did, you passed a great milestone in your marriage.

Now we face this New Year of 2012.  What does the future hold for each of us this year?  I know that some will go home to be with Jesus this year, and are you ready?  Jesus could call at any time, and I believe His coming back to earth could be at any time, but His Word says that we do not know the day nor the hour, but to “Watch.” What will the Lord do in our lives this year?  I would suggest instead of making a Spiritual Resolution List, make a list of the desires of your heart for this year.  The Word promises that He makes all things new.  So what new thing will He do in your life this year? “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.  Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?  I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” Isaiah 43:18-19.

As we head in this New Year, we are not to look back over the past and the hard places we have been, but to look ahead.  The Lord is going to do some new things in your life.  He may take you down paths that you cannot even imagine going.  It is going to come, and He calls you to watch and see what He is going to do.  What are the desires of your heart?  Do you desire to walk closer to Him this year, or spend more time in prayer and the Word.  Maybe He would call you to minister to others in a new way? “Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.  Delight thyself also on the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.  Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass” Psalm 37:3-5.

As you make your “Spiritual Resolution List”, the first thing would be to absolutely trust in the Lord no matter what this year brings, and He will satisfy with the good things He has promised.  And then to just delight in Him, spend time with Him, worship Him, and He will give you the desires of your heart, those spiritual things you long for, and maybe He will bless you with some material need that you have been praying for.  And then, commit your way, your walk to Him, and whatever you desire He will bring it to pass.  Praise the Lord!  And when you go through dry places this next year, He promises to make a way for you during those “wilderness times” and overflow you with His precious Holy Spirit. “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground” Isaiah 44:3a.

We go to the New Testament and the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:13-14, and he challenges us to look ahead, forget those troublesome times behind us.  “Brethren, I count myself not to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

What are we reaching for, what is our goal as we press forward for the prize in Christ Jesus?  We have a promise of a future with the Lord Jesus.  The ultimate prize is our heavenly home, to finish the course He has set us on.   Can you affirm with Paul?  “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the LORD, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them who love His appearing” II Timothy 4:8.

So as we set out in this New Year of 2012, we are reaching for the ultimate goal, the prize of His heavenly calling.  We leave behind all of the struggles of last year, and reach forward this New Year with joy, walking with Jesus, looking for that day when we will have finished the course and won the Crown of Righteousness, awarded to His faithful ones, by the Lord Himself.   And we anxiously watch and wait for His appearing.

I ask again, are you ready?  Are you ready to face whatever lies ahead in this New Year?  If you don’t have Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, please let Him come into your heart right now.  As I have said in a previous blog, “The Story Goes On.”  The Christmas story never ends, as that little baby came to save the lost.  His very name means “Savior.”  In His future was the cross looming ahead.  He died on that cross to save you, my friend.  He shed His precious blood for your sins.  Please don’t start this New Year without Him by your side.

Father, in the Name of Jesus, I commit this year to you.  I commit all those who are reading this to You.  That many will make a Spiritual Resolution List, and know that You will grant them the desires of their heart and walk with them through this New Year.  And for those who have not accepted you, I ask for conviction of the Holy Spirit to draw them to Yourself and that they will enter this year as a “new creature in Christ Jesus.”  (II Corinthians 5:17.  Amen

 Happy New Year,

Pastor Sharon

HALLELUJAH!

 THE KING HAS COME!

 In this final week before Christmas, I am rejoicing in this beautiful season!  Yes, we see doom and gloom around and hear of sorrow and tears and there is fog and ice outside but there is great joy, the King has come!  Let us all raise our voices in praise to His holy name as we come together this weekend to honor Him.

I was reminded recently of a video I viewed on my computer.  In one of the big malls in New York, the people were crowded in long lines, rushing to and fro, packages under their arms, and some in a great hurry, and all of a sudden music filled the air, as a choir had formed in the upper level, and the choir started singing the Hallelujah Chorus!  People stopped and looked up, some with smiles on their faces.  In fact, the great crowd gathered there all stopped to listen and then many joined in song with the choir, raising great voices with “Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah [3x], for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah [2x].”  I saw many in that crowd with hands raised in worship to the King of kings and Lord of lords! 

To me, with tears in my eyes, made me think of a taste of heaven will be like when all of God’s people, from all ages join in one great chorus of Hallelujahs to our King!  There won’t be any more rushing around.  We won’t ever have to leave His glorious presence.  Those wonderful  “ God Moments” will last forever!  And then there are those wonderful carols we sing in honor of His birth, and many also speak of that future day when He reigns forever and ever.  Next time He comes He won’t come as a little baby, but as our Conquering King!  Praise the Lord!

 GOOD CHRISTIAN MEN REJOICE

Good Christian men rejoice with heart and soul and voice! Give ye heed to what we say:  Jesus Christ is born today.  Men and beast before Him bow and He is in the manger now:  Jesus Christ is born today, Christ is born today.

Good Christian men rejoice with heart and soul and voice! Now ye hear of endless bliss:  Jesus Christ was born for this.  He hath opened heaven’s door, and man is blessed forevermore.  Christ was born for this, Christ was born for this!

Good Christian men rejoice with heart and soul and voice!  Now ye need not fear the grave:  Jesus Christ was born to save; calls you one, and calls you all, to gain His everlasting hall.  Christ was born to save, Christ was born to save!  (Latin, 14^th century, 14^th century German melody)

Yes, men and women of God rejoice!  As we gather on Christmas Eve, many churches have candlelight services, and then as we gather on Sunday morning this year, let us rejoice with all our heart and soul.  Just as Shepherds and the Wisemen bowed before Him, let us come before Him with Praise and worship in our hearts!  As we come with the excitement of Christmas Day, let that excitement bring us into the presence of our Wonderful Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!  The King has come!  And because He came and dwelt among us, we are indeed blessed forever. And through His death and resurrection, Heaven’s gates are now open to all who will call upon His Name.  This was why God sent His beloved Son, to call many sons to glory.

Because Jesus was born to save, we don’t have to fear the grave, He has conquered death.  And in death, we go instantly into His presence. (II Corinthians 5:8)  And as we head into this week, with all those last minute preparations, let us be reminded that the Light has come!  And we can join in chorus with the angels, singing Hallelujah!   He calls each one of us to be reminded that Christ came to save, and soon we will witness His second advent to this earth.  Ask yourself this minute, am I ready?  Search your heart and be ready when the trumpet of God will sound, and our Conquering King descends in the clouds of heaven.

“And now brothers and sisters, I want you to know what will happen to the Christians who have died so you will not be full of sorrow like people who have no hope.  For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus comes, God will bring back with Jesus all the Christians who have died.  I can tell you this directly from the Lord:  We who are still living when the Lord returns will not rise to meet him ahead of those who are in their graves.  For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the call of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God.  First, all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves.  Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with him forever.  So comfort and encourage each other with these words”  I Thessalonians 4:13-18. (NLT)

I want to encourage you, my friends, as we prepare for Christmas this weekend, make sure you are ready for that great day.  We don’t know the day nor the hour, but our Lord tells us to “Watch” and be ready!  Do you know Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior and Lord?  Pray right now and ask Him to come in and it will be the most wonderful Christmas you have ever experienced!  You will have peace and joy, and no matter what storms my lie ahead this coming year, you will have Jesus by your side always.

“Father, I pray for those out there who are reading this blog right now.  There are many who are lost without Jesus, many who are away from the fold of God.  There are many who are grieving a first Christmas without a beloved son, daughter, spouse or mom or dad.  I pray for many to come to Jesus right now.  I pray for your comfort to reach down to those who grieve.  I ask for peace, Your peace to come to those who are going through other great trials.  I pray for a great harvest of precious souls this Christmas season, and that is why you came, Lord Jesus.  And we thank and give you praise, in the Name of Jesus, Amen.”

Blessings,

Pastor Sharon

IT’S CHRISTMAS,

WHERE CAN WE HIDE?

Here we are in the third week of December, and it is so cold and dreary as we draw closer to Winter, and the celebration of the birth of our Wonderful Lord!  It seems that the whole world outside my window is frozen, and we wonder if Springtime will come again, and we long for those balmy days again.

The stores are busy, lines are long, traffic is heavy, and people may find themselves lost in the crowd at this time of the year.  And with all the business of this season, sometimes we wonder if we can just hide out until the season is over.  Our lists are so long, and so much to accomplish as the “big” day draws near.  And as I look at the people in stores, in lines, and recently in the emergency room of a local hospital, as my husband had taken a tumble and needed some stitches, I see pain and discouragement.  And I wonder as I see new people enter the emergency room, just what is on their hearts, what is their struggle?  What is their pain?  And much of people’s pain is not just physical, but emotional.  Many are in depression and fear of the unknown.

But, Praise the Lord, because of that baby in the manger, there with His mother, Mary and Joseph, we have hope.  That baby was God’s Son sent to this earth to redeem mankind from the sin of this dark world and bring salvation and eternal life to all who would call upon His Name.  And I wonder about the crowds and how many really know that the Savior has come!  Oh, I know there are many believers in those crowds.  Many people are rejoicing in their salvation and the glory of this season, and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As I look about me and see the sad faces of some, and know that some may be laughing and celebrating on the outside but are crying on the inside.  But our God knows their tears, and hears their cry!  Read the words of David in the book of Psalms, as his heart was crying out to His God in a time of great trouble. “Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.  For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy.  I will abide in your Tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings” Psalm 61:1-4.

In this busy season of hustle and bustle, of dreary weather, of all the commercialism of this season, when it seems that the Christ of Christmas has been forgotten and deliberately left out of the celebration, there is a call that goes forth from God’s Word.  To stop and listen, listen to your heart, what you are feeling at this time.  Maybe it is loneliness, or helplessness, you have lost your joy, your hope.  Maybe you are empty inside because you have never known the joy of Jesus as your own personal Savior.  You can call out to Him right now, where you are, ask Him to hear your cry and please listen to your prayer.  And notice that David was crying out to His God, He was desperate!  Are you desperate enough right now, my friends, to literally cry out to God in the midst of your despair?

David said that no matter where he was on this earth, he could cry out to his God.  And no matter where you are, my friends, He is always attuned to your cry.  You could be on the other wide of the world, you could be on a mountain top, you could be in a valley, anywhere, and He hears even the faintest of cries.  Isn’t that wonderful?  What a Mighty God we serve!

When you are totally overwhelmed with your struggles and pain, and many people at this time are simply overwhelmed by the season.  It comes so quickly, and there is so much anticipation, and then it is all over, and the New Year is upon us, and we still feel overwhelmed, still feel empty on the inside.  But David says “to lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.”  And who is that Rock?

“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer. . . For who is God, except the LORD, and who is a rock, except our God? . . . “The LORD liveth and blessed be my Rock!  Let God be exalted, the Rock of my salvation” 2 Samuel 2, 32, 47.

In I Corinthians 10:4, the Apostle Paul stated that the “Rock” that followed the Children of Israel was Christ Himself.  So the Rock that is higher than I, the Rock that is higher than all our grieve and sorrow, the Rock that is higher than depression, fear and loneliness, and all that brings all the despair into our lives is Jesus Christ, our Lord!  And He alone is our shelter in these troubled times. “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe” Proverbs 18:10.

And in His Name we can hide and He is our strength.  He is like a mighty tower to hide in.  And what is His Name?  “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder.  And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”  Isaiah 9:6.  We can run to our Wonderful Lord, He is our Counselor in times of deep distress, He the Mighty God of this universe, He is our Everlasting Father, for now and forever, and He is the only one that can bring peace to this world, He is our Prince of Peace!  

And David says that he will “trust in the shelter of Your wings.”  He uses that phrase in many of the Psalms.  It is a beautiful picture of our Lord, hiding us under His wings, hovering over us like a mother hen hides her chickens.  He will cover us and shelter us from the storm that is blowing around us.

So, my friends, as this holiday season rushes on toward the New Year, take comfort in our Wonderful Lord.  He can bring such peace and comfort in a world that sometimes seems like it has gone mad.  He is our shelter, our Rock, and we can hide in Him.  So take comfort in God’s Word, and the hope that He brings us.  The world will not bring peace. All the hoopla of this season will not bring peace.  Peace is only found under the shelter of His Wings.  Let Him cover you and comfort you right now, in the Name of Jesus.

I leave you this week with this blessing:  “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.  The LORD lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace” Numbers 6:14-26”

Pastor Sharon

BLACK FRIDAY

AND FOGGY DAYS

This last weekend the nation experienced what they call “Black Friday.”  There were crowds everywhere, long lines and people pushing and shoving to get the best gift for loved ones.

And then I think of the fog that rolled in our valley this morning.  As we drove, the cars ahead were just pinpricks of light in the murky darkness.   But later in the day the sun did shine again and drove away the darkness.

As I ponder on these things today, I think of the world, our nation, our town and people rushing madly about, lost in the darkness of this world and in the fog of despair, hopelessness, fear, anxiety and not knowing what tomorrow will bring.  And for many of these people every day is “black.”  There is not a ray of light in their darkness, and many rushing about in this Christmas season don’t even realize that Jesus has come, and that He is their only hope and salvation.  Oh, they may hear the carols sung, even may attend church at Christmas, but their hearts are blinded to the truth of Christ’s first Advent, and not aware that we are standing on the brink of His Second Advent.

But listen, my friends, as you rush madly through this season, stop for a moment and know that the “Light” has come!  That baby in the nativity scenes that you see, and I see many such scenes in the Christmas decoration section of the shops.  That baby was God’s Light sent into a dark world full of sin and despair.  This “Light,” the Lord Jesus came to set the captives free, to bring light into our darkest of days, whether it is Friday, Tuesday, or Thursday or whatever day it may be.

“Arise, shine; for your light has come!  And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.  For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people, but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you” Isaiah 60:1-2”

As we look at this verse, it speaks to all of us in our darkest of days, days lost in sin, days of pain, sorrow and fear and our guilt, and in all our struggles.   The Word says your “Light has come!”

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world.  He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” John 8:12.

He tells us to arise up and behold the glory of the LORD!  See that baby in the manger, the LORD has come!  Listen to the carols as they proclaim His birth, feel the joy of His coming and know He came to save you and me and anyone who will call on His name.  As Mary held that precious baby and looked into His face, how could she know that someday, that precious Son, would die on a cross for a lost and dying world?

 He was literally born to die on that cross, to save a dark world and bring many into His Kingdom of Light, our Heavenly home.  He came that men would serve Him here, proclaim the Gospel of Salvation to a dying world.  Oh, that men would praise the Lord and worship Him!

Yes, darkness covers the earth, and its people are in deep darkness of sin and despair.  We see the darkness as we watch the news and we see violence everywhere.  It seems that evil prevails, but “The Hope of nations has come, and the Lord will arise in all His glory!  Praise the Lord!

As I look out my window at this moment, the day is foggy and very cold.  It is dark outside, even at this afternoon hour.  And I think of those who are walking each day in their lives in the fog of their grief and sorrow.  It seems that the fog comes during this season of the year, which only adds to the sorrow of some out there.  Maybe this past year you lost a dear loved one, a spouse maybe.  And your eyes are foggy with tears, your days are dark with sorrow.  Christmas can be the hardest time of the year for some, as there are so many memories.  There are memories of past holiday seasons with loved ones around the table, and joy in the home.  Oh, so many memories! 

But look there ahead in the fog.  See that pinprick of light?  There is Jesus coming to you in the midst of your “fog” to bring you comfort and peace.  Oh, He brings such joy!  Run to Him and let Him bring His light to your foggy day.  Give Him your sorrow and your pain, and you will feel the fog lift and the sun will shine again!

Oh, we all will have our “Black Fridays” and “Foggy” days, but Praise the Lord, we have hope in this world and in this beautiful season.  This season is all about Him, all about His coming, all about His coming again.  And we believe that His coming is very soon, so we must be ready to meet Him at any moment.  Are you ready?  Have you knelt at the Cross of Christ and asked Him to forgive your sins?  He is waiting for You to come.  Give Him your dark days and let Him bring His light into your heart.  May Jesus Christ be praised!

Have a Blessed Season,

Pastor Sharon