DEEP WATERS

For the first time ever, I asked my Facebook friends to contribute to my blog post today. I asked them to share their hopes for 2012, and mentioned that their responses could be serious, insightful or funny. They did not disappoint. I'd like to start with the mixed array of responses to this question. And then I'll share a few of my hopes for 2012. Enjoy... "My hope is to be consistent in maintaining the relative order I have recently achieved in my home. Living alone, it's often hard to feel like it's worth the effort when no one else sees it. My hope is to continue to see the value of it just because it makes me feel better." Shirley Schuette "My hope is to be preggers in the next 6 months!!" Monica Cauthorne McClain "To make an impact." Brandon Lee Hinson "James 1:27." Elizabeth Coley "After the baby is here, to be able to look down and see my feet again. :)" Sherrie Lourdon "To hear God... even...

Have you ever enjoyed a movie in the theater, watched the credits roll, then stand to leave, when all of a sudden, a new scene begins? You quickly take your seat, realizing, "Oh great, there's more!" Well, today's blog is kind of like that. I thought I had completed my retelling of Luke's retelling of the Christmas story... Until I read a little more of the story. Why don't you step back into Luke's narrative with me? There are a few more treasures just waiting for us to discover them. Follow me. I'll show you the way. After the birth of Jesus , Mary and Joseph, following the dictates of Jewish law, took Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. I just love the two elderly folks that stepped forward to bless Jesus at the Temple. Let's take a closer look at them in Luke chapter 2. Simeon was "righteous and devout.. and the Holy Spirit was upon him." (vs. 25) The Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would not die before...

It's Christmas Eve and I'm thinking of Mary giving birth to the Christ-child, as I'm sure you are too. I can see them traveling by donkey or camel, Mary riding with her legs dangling to one side of the animal. Mary is exhausted and wondering when, oh when, they will arrive in Bethlehem. Joseph's brow wrinkles with concern for his young wife, especially when she moans with merciless labor pains. I can only imagine their frustration when they discover that the town, packed with sojourners, has no rooms available for them. What will they do? Where will they go? "The time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." Luke 2:6b-7 And this is how we reminisce on Jesus' birth. We think of the baby Jesus in the manger, with straw lining the makeshift crib. The world finds much comfort in Jesus remaining in the manger -- a cooing, g...

I'm so glad you joined me for our next step in our walk through the Christmas story through the eyes of Luke. Last time we took a look at the miracle of Christmas , a virgin girl becoming pregnant with our Savior. Once again, the Word of God reminded us that nothing is impossible with God. This morning as I read through Mary's song, my heart rejoiced with her in the great news of Gabriel, God's messenger. Although Mary only understood a portion of her calling at that time, she was humbled and honored to be considered so favored by God. Her response was immediate obedience and submission to the will of God. However, I noticed something for the first time today in my reading of Mary's song. I'll highlight the lines that stood out for me. See if you can find the running theme that I discovered. "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will cal...

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” – which means, “God with us.” Matthew 1:23             Emmanuel. God with us. During the Christmas season we sing of God being with us.             “Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel. And ransom captive Israel...”             We know God is with us on Christmas, and every day of the year, but do we really believe He’s always with us?             On Christmas Day 2001, I questioned God’s presence in my life. Oh, I’d been a Christian for several years, and I’d grown exponentially in my walk with God by then. I had introduced several friends and family members to Christ. I had led women’s Bible studies. As a matter of fact, 2001 marked the year I’d become a pastor’s wife. Rest assur...

The Evangelical Church has got a problem. Oh, of course sin is rampant. Many people have turned their backs on organized religion, refusing to align themselves with the local church. And we are largely walking away from the Bible, no longer esteeming it as the inspired, God-breathed Word of our heavenly Father. But we've got another big problem today. We no longer believe in MIRACLES. We only believe what we see, hear, taste, smell and touch. If it can't be experienced through our five senses, we don't believe it exists. Of course we believe that Jesus came to earth as a lowly baby and that He lived a perfect life and died on the cross for our sins. We believe that He healed the sick. That he raised the dead. That He turned water to wine. Yet at Christmastime 2011, do we believe that He still performs miracles? Do I believe? Let's pick up where we left off in Luke's retelling of our Savior's birth. I'll summarize the next events for you. After t...

Well, here we are at post three in my "This Christmas" series. I've been challenged, encouraged and inspired. And I've cried a few tears. After writing only two posts, This Christmas: I Believe God and This Christmas: I'm Taking It Personally , my heart is so much more prepared for the celebration of our Savior's birth. I hope yours has been too. Let's tiptoe back into Luke's account of the Christmas story, and pick up where we left off. "In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you ." Luke 1:26-28 I've been focusing on the word Emmanuel this entire holiday season. Everywhere I turn, it's a name I keep hearing and reading. This past week, I took the kiddos to see "Bethlehem Revisited...

Thanks for joining me again as we walk through the story of the birth of Jesus as told by Luke. In Saturday's blog post we examined Zechariah and his doubt when the angel told him that he and his elderly wife Elizabeth would give birth to a son. I hope you resolved, along with me, to believe God this Christmas. Today, let's shine the spotlight on Zechariah's wife Elizabeth. After her husband returned from his service at the Temple of the Lord, Elizabeth became pregnant, just as the Angel Gabriel had foretold. Unlike Zechariah's response of unbelief, Elizabeth expressed her faith in the Living God. Let's take a look at her reply: "The Lord has done this for me ," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people." (Luke 1:25) I don't know about you, but as soon as something unfortunate happens in my life, I usually ask the question, "Why me, Lord?" When I'm suffering under some sor...

  Have you ever received a word from God? Not just the words received when you read and study the Bible. I mean a specific, just-for-you, kind of word from God. I have. I'll share a little about that later on. For now, let's take a look at a story in the Bible of someone that had a bit of a problem believing what God had to say. Luke begins his account of the birth of Jesus Christ with the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth. Elizabeth was a relative of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her husband Zechariah was a priest. They had no children in their old age, because Elizabeth had been infertile their entire marriage. One day, the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah while he was burning incense in the temple of the Lord. Gabriel came with great news: Elizabeth would become pregnant with a son, a son that would be a joy to them and a great leader for God. "Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God," proclaimed Gabriel. "And he will...