People Matter To God

People are the pinnacle of God's creative work, and he is in relentless pursuit of a relationship with each of us.  Randy Frazee, The Story-Study Guide

Everliving God, whose will it is that all should come to you through your Son Jesus Christ: Inspire our witness to him, that all may know the power of his forgiveness and the hope of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you

and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. - Book of Common Prayer

The Church

"The essence of the church is relationships forged around the risen Christ for the purpose of spreading the good news." Under The Radar, Easum and Tenny-Brittian

 

This Is The Symbol of Christianity

O God...

O God,
Give me strength to live another day; Let me not turn coward before its difficulties or prove recreant to its duties;
Let me not lose faith in other people; 
Keep me sweet and sound of heart, in spite of ingratitude, treachery, or meanness;
Preserve me from minding little stings or giving them; 
Help me to keep my heart clean, and to live so honestly and fearlessly that no outward failure can dishearten me or take away the joy of conscious integrity;
Open wide the eyes of my soul that I may see good in all things;
Grant me this day some new vision of thy truth; Inspire me with the spirit of joy and gladness; and make me the cup of strength to suffering souls; in the name of the strong Deliverer, our only Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

ABC's of Christmas

A is for Angels, appearing so bright, telling of Jesus that first Christmas night.
"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host." Luke 2:13.

B is for Bethlehem, crowded and old, birthplace of Jesus by prophet foretold.
"But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel." Micah 5:2.

C is for Cattle, their manger His bed, there in the trough where He laid His head.
"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and
laid him in a manger." Luke 2:7.

D is for David and his ancient throne promised forever to Jesus alone.
"He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God
shall give unto him the throne of his father David." Luke 1:32.

E is for East, where shone the bright star which Magi on camels followed afar.
"Behold, there came wise men from the east asking 'Where is the king of the Jews?'" Matthew 2:1,2.

F is for Frankincense, with myrrh and gold, brought by the Wise Men as Matthew has told.
"And when they had opened their treasurers, they presented unto him gifts gold, frankincense, and myrrh." Matthew 2:11.

G is for God, who from heaven above sent down to mankind the Son of His love.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

H is for Herod, whose murderous scheme was told to Joseph in a nocturnal dream.
"The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother and flee into Egypt... for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him." Matthew 2:13.

I is for Immanuel, "God with us," for Christ brought man back to the Father's house.
"Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." Isaiah 7:14.

J is for Joseph so noble and just, obeying God's word with absolute trust.
"Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife." Matthew 1:24.

K is for King. A true king He would be, coming in power and authority.
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, the King cometh unto thee; he is just, and having salvation." Zechariah 9:9.

L is for Love that He brought down to earth God enfleshed in lowly birth.
"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him." 1 John 4:9.

M is for Mary, His mother so brave, counting God faithful and mighty to save.
"And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." Luke 1:38.

N is for Night, when the Savior was born for nations of earth and people forlorn.
"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night." Luke 2:8.

O is for Omega, meaning "the last;" He's eternal present, future and past.
"I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." Revelation 22:13.

P is for Prophets, when living on earth foretold His redemption and blessed birth.
"I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a sceptre will rise out of Israel." Numbers 24:17.

Q is for Quickly, as shepherds who heard hastened to act on that heavenly word.
"And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger." Luke 2:16.

R is for Rejoice. The sorrow of sin is banished forever when Jesus comes in.
"And you will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth." Luke 1:14.

S is for Savior. To be this He came; the angel of God assigned Him His name.
"She will bring forth a son, and you will call his name JESUS, for he will save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:21.

T is for Tidings of joy, not of danger, telling of Him who was laid in a manger.
"And the angel said unto them, Fear not for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." Luke 2:10.

U is for Us, to whom Jesus was given to show us the way and take us to heaven.
"For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11.

V is for Virgin, foretold by the sage, God's revelation on prophecy's page.
"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." Matthew 1:23.

W is for Wonderful, His works and His words, the King of all Kings, the Lord of all Lords.
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given... and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6.

X is for Christ. It's X in the Greek, Anointed, Messiah, mighty, yet meek.
"God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power." Acts 10:38.

Y is for Yes, called God's Yes in His Word; God's answer to all is Jesus the Lord.
"For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us." 2 Corinthians 1:20.

Z is for Zeal as it burned in Christ's heart. Lord, by thy Spirit to us zeal impart.
"And his disciples remembered that it was written, the zeal of your house has eaten me up." John 2:17.

You Better Watch Out

"Your Life Matters" By Andrea Williams

Your Life Matters

Your life matters
You were created as one of a kind
The mold was broken after you were born
Your life matters

There’s no one else like you
There’s no one else meant to do the things that you were meant to do
Your life matters

You were brought into this world for a purpose
You were brought into this world to touch someone’s life
You were brought into this world to share your special gift
Your life matters

To find your purpose you must search
You must try new things
You must not give up
Because your life matters

You must have faith, as faith will guide you
You must trust, trust God to help you find your purpose
Because your life matters

No purpose is too big or too small
Because your purpose is needed
Because your life matters

By Andrea Williams

Feliz Navidad - From The Nethery Clan

Nativity Story

The Hound Of Heaven

Pastor Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan rightly observes that Christianity is unique among all religions for it is about God’s pursuit of us to draw us to Himself. In every other religious system, people pursue their god, hoping that through good behavior, keeping of rituals, good works, or other efforts they will be accepted by the god they pursue.
The British poet Francis Thompson catches the profound nature of this reality when he writes of the relentless pursuit of God in his life. In his work titled “The Hound of Heaven,” he writes that as he fled from God he couldn’t outrun “those strong feet that followed . . . with unhurrying chase and unperturbed pace.” But God’s untiring pursuit of the wayward is not just Thompson’s story. At the heart of the Christmas message is the wonderful truth of God’s pursuit of every one of us. As Paul affirms, “God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law” (Gal. 4:4-5).
And it’s not just the Christmas story. It’s the story of God’s pursuit of Adam and Eve after the fall. His pursuit of me! His pursuit of you! Where would we be today if God weren’t the “Hound of Heaven”?

This is taken from Our Daily Bread, Dec., 23, 2011 by Joe Stowell.

Psalm 23

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures ; He leads me beside quiet waters. 3 He restores my soul ; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies ; You have anointed my head with oil ; My cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow
me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Ps. 23

I Wanted.. A Poem

It was spring. But it was summer I wanted
The warm days, & the great outdoors.
It was summer. But it was fall I wanted
The colorful leaves, & the cool, dry air.
It was fall. But it was winter I wanted
The beautiful snow, & the joy of the holiday season.
It was winter. But it was spring I wanted
The warmth, & the blossoming of nature.

I was a child. But it was adulthood I wanted
The freedom, & the respect.
I was 20. But it was 30 I wanted
To be mature, & sophisticated.
I was middle aged. But it was 20 I wanted
The youth, & the free spirit.
I was retired. But it was middle age I wanted
The presence of mind, without limitations.
Then my life was over, & I never got what I wanted

By Jason Lehman, could have been written by you or me.

The Psalm of Self Written By Me And You

I am my provider, I shall not be in want.
I have stored up hay if the grass is not green in the valley,
I have a big canteen just incase the waters are dried up.
I have a map and GPS so I can find the right path.
Even if I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I have no fear… I have a living will, my funeral paid for and a healthy life insurance policy to care for my family.
I will fear no evil because I have theft alarms on my car and home and the police will be there in minutes will I dial 911.
My accountant and my broker, they comfort me.
I have prepared an investment portfolio that will put food on the table for years to come, even if my competitors should go belly up and I hope they do.
I have been anointed with ability and good planning.
Surely, income and dividends will follow me every month, without fail.
And I will dwell in my own home, on my terms, not a nursing home, all the days of my life.

Invite

6 Ways Parents Can Bless Their Children

It is imperative that children be blessed (encouraged, built-up, honored, supported, know that they are important) by their parents and by other adults in their lives. These six simple and practical principles can help parents bless their children.
1. Acceptance - You are special to me and I love you. I accept you and cherish you. I do not accept all of your behavior, but you are special to me.
2. Appreciation - Catch them doing something right and speak encouraging words to them about it. Correct them when needed and always double up on the words of appreciation.
3. Affection - Have you hugged you kid today? Hugs, eye to eye contact, high fives, a pat on the shoulder and other appropriate affection will bolster your child's self esteem and lead to a strong bond between a parent and child.
4. Availability - Love is spelled T-I-M-E. Spend time, bunches of it, with your children. Get in the backyard, get on the playground, get on the floor, pull out a crayon, clean house together, cook together, grocery shop together, sit around the table for supper. Do what you have to do to spend time with your children. 
5. Accountability - Help you children develop self discipline by your actions and with your words. Set healthy personal and family guidelines that everyone will benefit everyone. 
6. Affirmation - Speak, write, text, and voicemail as many positive words in a day that you can. Let your child know that they have a bright future. Begin the day and end the day with positive, uplifting words to your children.

This is taken from How To Be A Hero To Your Kids.

Jesus Blesses The Children

¹³ Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
¹⁴ Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” ¹⁵ When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.    Matthew 19:13-15

Personal Growth

It marks a big step in your development when you realize that other people can help you do a better job than you could do alone.  Andrew Carnegie

Right On!

Three Keys To Better Disciple Making