Christmas Day Is About Celebrating Hope!

Posted on December 17, 2011 by

Christmas Day is fast coming and you’d think my blog would be filled with Christmas related stories.  So far, I managed to write two Christmas related story, this month.  It’s not like that day isn’t special or I don’t have reasons to rejoice.  It is special and I do have a reason to rejoice.

A few days ago, I came across someone who was agitated at the idea of celebrating the birth of Jesus on December 25th. I already knew it wasn’t the actual date.  “Did you ever consider the Christian symbolism behind that particular day?”, I asked.  Christ symbolism?  What does this have to do with rejoicing on Christmas Day?

First, I do know of Pope Gregory and Constantine choosing to to “christianize” an existing pagan holiday. I discovered this, years ago.  I, also took notice of the irony in choosing a day that’s just before New Year.

In case you don’t know, Winter Solstice is really a couple of days before Christmas Day and it’s marked as the darkest day of the whole year.  It is a day with the fewest amount of sunlight. After it, the days steadily become brighter and brighter.

Jesus was born  during the time of Augustus Ceaser.  Things were quite dark for those not born a Roman citizen.  Israel was in despeate need of a deliver from this oppressive regime. Truth is, we were all in desperate need of being rescued from our sins.  Sound familiar?

Yet, all is not lost.  Hope has come into the world and He came at our darkest hour.  Because of Hope, everything has changed!  Because of Jesus, we can look forward to our days becoming brighter and brighter.  Because of Jesus, We can look forward to a new beginning. Here is why:

10 But 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; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among menwith whom He is pleased.” [Luke 2:10-14]

http://seg.sharethis.com/getSegment.php?purl=http%3A%2F%2Finsppoint.wordpress.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost-new.php&jsref=&rnd=1324151303315Because of Jesus, I have been redeemed from the clutches of a far worse oppressor than Rome.  Jesus is my true Hope and the reason that I rejoice on Christmas Day.  Truth is, we should rejoice on all 365 days and not just one.

As for the actual day, I am not overly concerned if it was in March or December. Let’s focus on why Jesus came and not on foolish arguements over dates.  Let’s remember, God, the Father gave us, a wonderful gift on that fateful day.  Let’s receive it, with gladness and joy.

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And They Are Off! Race For 2012 Has Begun

Posted on December 17, 2011 by

In case you haven’t notice, the race for the Presidency of the United States is already underway.  Aside from President Obama, there are 7 other people who’d like a shot at the Oval Office.  I am not going to say who to vote for.  As an American citizen, the decision is yours to make.

My goal is to urge you to begin praying for the eight presidential candidates and not wait until the summer or November.  The best time to begin praying, is today. We, each have a candidate that we like.  This is fine and a good reason to pray for him or her.

I would like you to go a step further. Ask God, the Father about these people.  What is God saying about the candidates? Please remember, God is not a Republican or a Democrat. As God’s ways are not ours, please don’t expect an echo chamber. It is good to ask “Who is God’s man for the hour?”

Did you know that Scripture offers some advice on what to look for? For starters, there is Exodus 18:21:

21 Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens.

There is also Deut 1:13:

13 Choose wise and discerning and experienced men from your tribes, and I will appoint them as your heads.’

Did you notice that God is telling Moses, to choose those who’d help him lead the tribes of Israel?  Could Moses choose anyone?  No, Moses had to choose people with very specific character traits.  These traits are honesty, hate dishonest gains, experienced, godly, wise and discerning. Once chosen, God would appoint them, as leaders of the tribes of Israel.

We should want these same characters in our elected leaders.  Why is this important? A person with these character will seek to do what is right, in the sight of God.  They would not be so prone to popular opinions and resist pressure groups.  Plus, they would not have the need to sign pledges.

A friend once suggested that we need statesmen and not politicians.  I agree. A politician is one who worries about the next election and not doing what’s right.  A statesman is a godly person, who seeks to do what is right and he is not worrying about re-election. Let’s ask God, to replace the politicians with statesmen.

How shall we know, if we have such a person?  It is done through prayer and searching out the truth.  Don’t be satisfied with what you hear on Fox News, CNN or MSNBC. They are each pushing for their favorite candidates.

It is best to start with prayer.   Ask God, the Father about how to pray for each person.  Ask the Holy Spirit to shine a light of truth on what’s heard on the news. You can trust God to lead us, to all truths about each candidates.  Here is an illustration of what I mean.

In the Election of 2008, I set my heart on praying for the presidential candidates of that time.  While praying, I was drawn towards certain presidential candidates. Did I know or understand what the political issues were? No.  Did I know where the presidential candidates stood on a given issue? No.

What did I do? I trusted the Holy Spirit to lead me, in prayer.  Sometimes, I would pray about a personal item relating to a specific candidate. Did I get some special download where I knew what to pray?  This may have happened; however, it was not my primary source of information.  I would occasionally get insights on what to pray through cable news or the Internet.

Take care of what you listen to or read! Not everything is true.  It is always good to talk with God and ask the Father about what you are hearing.  Please remember, Jesus did say that the Spirit will lead us, to all truths.

Don’t be afraid to do your own fact checking. My personal favorite fact checking sites are Snopes and PolitiFact.  On The Issues is another good place to learn about the candidates. These sites were a great tool for smelling out the manure.

I will finish with these two set of Scriptures:

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding. [Proverbs 3:5]

5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. [James 1:5-6]

http://www.ontheissues.org/default.htm

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Let’s Pray

Posted on December 14, 2011 by

After writing “Where Is Your Hope“, a good friend asked “Are we not to contend for the healing miracles?” I never said that we should not pray for supernatural healings and expect them.  It would be foolish for me, to believe or claim otherwise.

For, Jesus does say things like:

7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. [John 15:7]

24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. [Mark 11:24]

12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. [John 14:12-14]

We are even told be bold and persistent in our prayers to the Father:

5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge *said; 7 now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? 8 I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth? [Luke 18:5-8]

What then?  Do I suddenly change my original point and not place my hope in Jesus, but in what he does?  I don’t think so.  I am still to keep my eyes on who God, the Father is.  I am still to focus on who Jesus is.

My hope is in who Jesus is and not in what he can do for me.  Did you catch that last part of the sentence?  Our relationship with God is to be based on who He is and not what he can do for us.  According to Scripture, Jesus has also called us, to be one with Him and the Father:

24 Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. [John 17:24]

Suppose you have a friend, who never spends time in getting to know you.  The friend seems to only call when he wants something of you.  Would this not be considered a shallow friendship?  It would make for a hollow friendship.  The same principle applies with God.

The more we come to know God, the Father; it is the freer we are to ask.  The more we come to know God’s character; the more confidence we have in approaching the “throne of grace”.  Here is why:

15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. [Hebrews 4:15-16]

How can I know that Jesus can sympathize with me?  It is by taking the time to know Jesus.  If I never take time to know Jesus then how can I know what to ask.  God, the Father will not answer prayers that are opposed to his characters.

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Tim Tebow, A True Student of St. Francis?

Posted on December 12, 2011 by

This morning, I came across an article on Fox News web site. It’s called “
Denver’s Religious Communities Rally Around Tim Tebow As He Pulls Off Another ‘Miracle’ Win.”  I found it enjoyable to see Christians, Muslims and Jews openly liking this man’s openness about his faith in God.

As I normally don’t watch NFL football, I was puzzled by the alleged uproar. “What is with the uproar?” I asked.  A simple check on the Internet reveals something shocking.  Tim Tebow openly acknowledges God by thanking Him for successful touchdowns, praying before or after a game and saying “God Bless you in interview.

In other words, Tim Tebow was simply glorifying God.  Even more, Tim is not afraid to do it, in a public setting.  I doubt that he’s even thinks about. Tim simply praises God and doesn’t care who’s watching.  May we all have such boldness!

Is it biblical to ask for such a thing?  Let’s put it this way, Peter says this to the ruling council in Acts 4:18-22:

18 And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; 20 for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 21 When they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened; 22 for the man was more than forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

We’re not to let the fear of man intimidate us, from sharing Jesus and sharing the “Good News”.  Peter and John were quite bold in showing the love of Christ.  What did they do? In Jesus’ name, they healed a man born lame. When asked about it, Peter and John gave glory to God, through His Son, Jesus.

This is why I’m glad to see Tim being upfront in thanking God and giving Jesus, the glory for both good games and bad.

While searching out the matter of Tim Tebow and his bold demonstration of faith, I came across a blog run by NBC Sport.  The article is called “Aaron Rodgers on Tim Tebow“.  From what I could see, it seems Aaron was claiming St. Francis, as a role model and cited an alleged quote from the venerable saint:

‘Preach the Gospel and use words when necessary’

Here is a shocker, for you. The above quote is false.  As I write this post, I felt prompted to do a fact check.  According to American Catholic’s “Ask a Franciscan: Great Sayings“, the supposed quote is false. It appears to be a derivative of an actual statement. Here is a partial quote from the this site:

In Chapter XVII of his Rule of 1221, Francis told the friars not to preach unless they had received the proper permission to do so. Then he added, “Let all the brothers, however, preach by their deeds.”

St. Francis not only did make such a quote; Francis was afraid to preach the Gospel, himself.  Did he not approach the leaders of Muslim nations with the Gospel? He most certainly did.  Francis firmly believed the Gospel needed to be preached to all.  It was to be doen through our words and our actions.

Take a look at this Wikipedia entry on St. Francis.  It seems Aaron Rodgers is modeling the wrong man!  As for Tim Tebow, he has this in common with Francis.  Both men are true follower of Jesus and have been bold in demonstrating their faith.

What about us?  It is not wrong to ask God, the Father to grant boldness, to His children. This is precisely what the early church did in Acts 4:23-31:

23 When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM, 25 who by the Holy Spirit, throughthe mouth of our father David Your servant, said,

‘WHY DID THE GENTILES RAGE,
AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS?
26 ‘THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOK THEIR STAND,
AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER
AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST.’

27 For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur. 29 And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, 30 while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

 

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Your Voice Matters!

Posted on December 11, 2011 by

Would they accept me, at the Justice House of Prayer?  A couple of years ago, I was considered joining J-HOP, in Washington D.C.  I thought it, a great way to combine two passions of mine: politics and prayer.

Yet, I was little apprehensive about joining this wonderful group.  Why the anxiety? I consider myself to be “center-left” in some of my politics.  Yes, I am a moderate liberal Christian, who firmly believes in the Word of God.  I am not a fan of conservative politics.

I was both excited and hesitant; so I went to the Father and talked about my personal fears of praying with these people.  As Lou Engle is known for being strongly pro-life; I started there. “How would this work?”, I asked.

I would prefer that we change the culture and the adoption laws, more so than deal with the U.S. Supreme Court.  As I pictured myself praying with fellow Christians at J-HOP, I felt God saying, “Your voice matters here.”  This got my attention.

When praying, each person has something to contribute.  If Jesus is LORD then your voice matters to God. It does not matter, if the Christian is a Republican or a Democrat, a conservative or a liberal, have a big booming voice or a soft quiet voice.

As I consider this, the Spirit showed what appears to be a tapestry of prayers.  As I gazed upon the tapestry, one could see how each person’s individual prayer matters.  As more people contributed their individual voices, the more complete the picture becomes. There is not a single voice that does not matter to God, the Father.

All of our voices matter!

I was impressed by what God is saying with the prayer tapestry.  It also served as a confirmation and reminder of what I told a friend, at an earlier time.

Years ago, there woman who has a fiery passion for prayer.  I can still recall seeing this woman joining the fray, on Thursday night.  We seldom prayed about national politics; rather we prayed about what is happening in Ocean County.  I don’t recall a day that she was not there.

There is just one thing.  She has a very quiet voice and I would have a time hearing her. It does not help to have a hearing impairment.  It was quite frustrating for me; as I didn’t always hear her.  Yet, I would want her by my side, any time! In God’s eyes, she likely had a powerful booming voice that had the enemies trembling.

It is not the volume of our voices or eloquence of speech that’s important to God.  It is the position of our hearts toward Him.  You have something to contribute when it comes to prayer. Do not be afraid to join in.  It does not matter what other people think or say. Your voice matters to God!

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The Tragedy Of Goodman Brown And The Folly Of Pedestalism

Posted on December 10, 2011 by

Who is Goodman Brown and what does it have to do with being on a pedestal?  Young Goodman Brown is a short story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in the 1800s. The story centers around a young man, who grew up in a small Puritan community called Salem Village. It was located near Boston.

Goodman Brown is a devout Christian, who believed everyone was far holier than he. So much that he has placed everyone on a highly pedestal.  He ceased to see them, as fellow imperfect human beings.

I am guessing Goodman Brown may have misreading Philippians 2:2-4:

2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

The above Scripture says we are to consider other people, before ourselves.  However, this should not be confused with placing people on a dangerously high pedestal.  When this is done; we seldom see the real human being or their needs. Instead, we treat them as idols.

What if they fall and have their sins exposed?  Would you continue to think kindly of them?  Would you respond to their needs or recoil in horror?

This is precisely what happened to young Goodman Brown.  He has made idols of everyone in his village. They could not possibly have a hint of sin in them or so Brown thought. He saw them, as perfect.

In the story, Brown has a fateful encounter with the Devil.  As a result, Goodman Brown had his eyes opened to the sins found in many of those, whom he idolized. Brown was so shaken by the revelation that he lost faith in himself, his wife and everyone else, including God.

The story ends with Brown becoming cold and cynical towards everyone.  Brown lost sight of the message of the Gospel.  He lost sight of God’s redemptive plan for humanity.  He could offer no help or consolations to those suffering in their sins.  How could he? Goodman Brown ceased to have compassion on his fellow human beings.

Consider how Hawthorne ended his tale:

And when he had lived long, and was borne to his grave a hoary corpse, followed by Faith, an aged woman, and children and grandchildren, a goodly procession, besides neighbors not a few, they carved no hopeful verse upon his tombstone, for his dying hour was gloom.

How did Brown lose faith in God?  Here is the second tragBrown has forgotten whom he served. Goodman Brown has forgotten why Jesus came into this world.  The reason could be found in John 3:16-17:

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 eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Jesus did not come to condemn humanity and this is precisely what Brown was doing.  Jesus treated sinners with compassion, kindness and love. In fact, Jesus was even willing to die for sinners like us.

 

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Prophetic Words – Handle With Care

Posted on December 9, 2011 by

When it comes to who will win the presidency; everyone has an opinion.  The same was true for the US Election in 2008.  Being curious, I looked to see what some of the prophetic voices, in the Christian community, were saying.  Suffice to say, there were a couple of interesting messages given then.

I am sharing this story to show what God has taught me, during that time.  It is also a forewarning about listening to such messages.  While God, the Father can certainly communicate specific messages about what’s coming.  However, there is a danger of hearing what is desired; rather than what God actually said.

Here is what I’m talking about. Shortly after February 2008, I decided to see what people like Lou Engle, Bob Jones or Kim Clement were saying about the election.

During the primaries, Lou received a message about who the next president would be.  Lou Engle posted the original message on his blog site. Here is what I recall. The original word dealt with two things. The candidate would do a lot with small amount of money and something to do with a brown paper bag.

After sharing what God told him, Lou told of his understanding of what God said.  From what I recall, Lou honestly thought that it would be Gov. Mike Huckabee and so did I.  For me, Gov. Mike Huckabee sounded good and I liked him.

When I read the original prophetic word given by Lou, I interpreted it as meaning Mike would win. This is my error. I read my personal opinions into what God allegedly said to Lou Engle.

Of course, Huckabee did not win the GOP primaries; it was Sen. John McCain.  So much for the brown paper bags that Lou spoke of.  Not so fast!  It turns out that the message given to Lou was true.  It just did not line up with my opinion.

It turns out Gov. Huckabee wasn’t the only one to do much with small amounts of money. Who was the other candidate? I would do a similar thing with something Kim Clement shared on his website.

Politics is not the only place where one can hear prophetic words about possible events.  As with the above story, one needs to exercise care when reading or listening.  The prophetic word could well be true; however, our interpretation can be totally off.

Be not afraid to ask the Holy Spirit about what is being read or heard.  Ask God, “Is it true? Am I understanding this word, correctly? Is there another interpretation that I’ve not considered?”

Here is another idea.  A friend once suggested that I do this with a prophetic word given to me.  Place it on a shelf and leave it alone and let God deal with it.  If the message is of God then it will come to pass without my help. Here is an added thought. Take care not to read into it; what is not there.

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Who Are You Listening To?

Posted on December 8, 2011 by

Ever had to make an important decision and needed wise counsel? I know that I have needed it and went looking for it.  It is wise to take care of who you’re listening to and what is being said.  Here is an illustration.

In 1 King 22, Jehoshaphat has gone to King Ahab to discuss an important military matter.  He wanted help in retaking a citing that rightfully belonged to them.  Before rushing off, Jehoshaphat suggested they’d seek the counsel of God:  (1 King 22:1-5):

1 Three years passed without war between Aram and Israel. 2 In the third year Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. 3 Now the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, and we are still doing nothing to take it out of the hand of the king of Aram?” 4 And he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”

5 Moreover, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.”

The taking of a city is not an easy task, even by today’s standard.  Jehoshaphat is wise to seek God of Israel on this matter.  At first, King Ahab inquired of the court prophets and here’s what happened (1 King 22:6-12):

6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.” 7 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not yet a prophet of the LORD here that we may inquire of him?” 8 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.” 9 Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Bring quickly Micaiah son of Imlah.” 10 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 11 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are consumed.’” 12 All the prophets were prophesying thus, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.

King Jehoshaphat was not going to listen to these guys.  For one thing, they were not prophets belonging to God, Almighty.  Secondly, everyone spoke favorably of the coming military endeavor.  One man thought he heard from God of Israel and proceeded to make declarations about what would happen.  There is just one problem; they were deceived.

It was not long before Micaiah showed up.  He was a godly man who spoke what the Father has given him; rather then what sounds good or popular.  Micaiah was not someone who gives in to peer pressure.  According to King Ahab, the man never spoke anything positive about him.

Let me ask you this question.  Would you prefer a man who spoke the truth, in a loving and right fashion?  What if the truth is negative?  Contrary to popular myth, it’s not wrong to say something negative; if done in a loving fashion.

If I was in King Jehoshaphat’s shoes, I’d prefer a man like Micaiah over Ahab’s court prophets.  For Micaiah will tell the truth; even though I may not like it.  This is in sharp contrast Ahab’s court prophets. They never confronted King Ahab about his sins. They only spoke what’s favorable and pleasing to him.

There is more to this story than what I have shared in this blog post.  The rest can be found in 1 King 22:13-28.  It is worth noting that the court prophets were under the influence of a deceiving spirit. What was this spirit’s goal? It was the destruction of King Ahab.

Hence, it is important to listen more to what God, the Father is saying through His Spirit rather than listening to what others are saying.  The Father cares about you and will help you in dealing with your mess.  You can trust God, to reveal what’s true and what’s false.

Are you willing to listen to God, the Father?

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My Thoughts On Richard Cory

Posted on December 7, 2011 by

In 1897, Edwin Robinson wrote a poem called “Richard Cory”.  It would later become better known as the Ballad of Richard Cory sung by Simon and Garfunkel.  As I read the original poem and read some of the commentaries, I am struck by a familiar chord.

In the poem, there is a man who’s extremely wealthy and greatly admired by everyone; including those in poverty.  Richard Cory was not only admired for his wealth, but also his intelligence and his social status.  In the Ballad of Richard Cory, the man was the owner of a company town; where everyone works for him.

Richard Cory’s admirers would even go on to say “Oh, to be like Richard Cory!”  In the same breath, they would complain about their own circumstances and ignore the good things they do have.

It never dawn on them that Richard Cory may have admired the good things they do have.  They never imagined that Richard Cory was empty inside and in deep need.  They have placed Richard Cory on a pedestal and assumed that he had no personal needs.

Someone could say “Why doesn’t he say something or be more transparent?”  With whom? Everyone in the town was too busy assuming.  Even if he could have said something; no one was willing to listen and see clearly the look of pain lurking behind the facade.

One day, it all came to a crashing end.  Richard Cory took a gun and shot himself.  He died alone. Though Richard Cory had wealth, good physical appearance and possibly a good standing in his church; it was all to no avail.

Richard Cory’s tragedy is twofold.  On one level, there was no one to share his life’s struggles, hurts and disappointments or share in his personal joys.  He desperately needed real friends to take an interest in him.  He needed people to reach out and connect with him; even if it’s just a text message.

The second part of Richard’s tragedy is, “Did he even know Jesus?”  Was God ever a real part of Richard Cory’s life.  In truth, I strongly feel that both are needed to overcome depression and loneliness.

I say this, more from experience than anything else.  It is because of Jesus, I am able to overcome my own bout of loneliness and depression.  Jesus has been a true Friend and always will be.  He was a Friend; long before becoming Lord and Savior.

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Are We Forgetting The Reason For Christmas?

Posted on December 5, 2011 by

I am sitting here and considering what to write.  It is in my heart to write something about the birth of Jesus and why He came. Why not? Is not the celebration on December 25th called Christmas Day? Is not Jesus, the reason we celebrate it?

I was originally considering writing something about Mary and why she is called “blessed”.  According to Jesus, it is because Mary heard the words of God and was obedient:

27As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”

28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” [Luke 11:27-28]

It is worth remembering that Mary showed an incredible amount of balls when she chose to say “yes” to God.  In those days, a woman found pregnant and no husband would have received the death sentence.  As I said, she showed a tremendous amount of courage and she was blessed for it.  The same could be said of her fiance, Joseph.

Instead, I find myself drawn into a foolish controversy over the naming of a tree.  If an alien landed on this planet; he’s likely to think Christmas was about a tree; rather than about Jesus.  He’d never guess with the loudness surrounding the Christmas Tree v. holiday tree debate.

That tree has nothing to do with why I celebrate Christmas. Are we not supposed to be celebrating the birth of Jesus?  Are we not supposed to be filled with joy over why Jesus came?  Are we not to celebrate the good news of Jesus birth?

What good news? Try reading Luke 2:8-14:

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

I, for one do not like calling Christmas Tree, a holiday tree. It is pure foolishness and it doesn’t just offend Christians.  From a general check on the Internet, I’d say that Muslims and others don’t like it, either.

Let’s call it, what it is and move on. It’s a Christmas Tree.  As I already said, this debate is both foolish and a major distraction from the real reason for the season.  Let’s be bold and not timid and share the real reason for celebrating Christmas Day.

Remember, it is not about the tree; it is about Jesus.

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