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Archive for December, 2010

Fresh Bread in Bethlehem

Posted in Bethlehem, Bread of Life, Devotional, Faith, Guidance, Spiritual Hunger on December 21, 2010| 5 Comments »

My tummy is dancing to the aroma of baking bread wafting through my house. I bake bread quite often because it is one of the little pleasures of life that just adds an air of warmth and comfort to the home. When my family prays “give us this day our daily bread” I want that bread to be straight out of the oven. Honestly, I believe the daily bread of the ‘Lord’s Prayer’ is, in context, speaking of God’s Word, but I desire my family to have fresh bread, both physical and spiritual.

A few thousand years ago, a baby was born in the little town of Bethlehem in Judea who would change the world forever. Bethlehem is a Hebrew word which literally means ‘House of Bread.’ The baby’s name was Yeshua (Jesus, to the English-speaking world). How very appropriate that He would be born in the ‘House of Bread’ because He would later refer to Himself as the Bread of Life:

And Jesus (Yeshua) said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger… (John 6:35)

The name Yeshua literally means salvation. Therefore, when the Angel of the Lord appeared to Yosef (Joseph) in a dream, He was saying about Miriam (Mary) that she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name SALVATION: for he shall save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21),

Like all mothers-to-be, Mary had anxiously awaited the arrival of her ‘Salvation’ for a long time. Can you just imagine Miriam looking into the face of this beautiful newborn baby with joyful tears saying “Alas, Salvation has finally come?”

Much of the world has chosen this time of year to reflect on the birth of Yeshua. However, I would like us to take a few moments to reflect on Him as the Bread of Life; which isn’t hard to for me to do as I sit here engulfed in the delectable aroma of baking bread.

In the first chapter of the book of John we read:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God….… [John 1:1-4] Jumping to verse 14 we read: And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

So we see that the God caused a part of Himself, His word, to be made manifest in a tangible body, the body of the babe Yeshua. I know this is all pretty difficult for our finite, human minds to fully comprehend. Even so, Yeshua is the Son of God and designates Himself as the Bread of Life (amongst other descriptions).

John goes on to say:

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (John 6:35)

Unquestionably Yeshua, living as a man in a physical body, needed food for sustenance. Nevertheless, he understood that physical bread only satisfies our temporal bodies for a short time. He therefore emphasized the urgency of nourishing oneself with spiritual food; that which quenches the soul’s hunger always:

And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. (Luke 4:1-4)

In other words, because our bodies soon perish but our souls are immortal, feeding ourselves spiritually must be our priority. But how do we partake of the bread of life? By every word of God! In the beginning was the Word… and the word became flesh. To read God’s Word is to partake of the Bread of Life.

How can the bread satisfy, though, unless it is fresh? Unlike oven-baked bread which becomes stale very quickly, spiritual bread stays fresh forever and its nutrients never diminish. Nevertheless, we should never be satisfied to live on yesterday’s bread.

Remember, Yeshua taught us to pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread

I pray that in the same way the enticing aroma of fresh-baked bread stimulates our appetite and creates anxiousness to partake of this fresh, warm comfort food, that thoughts of our precious Lord will fill our hearts and minds in the same way. May we all become desirous to start each day with a fresh, ‘warm slice’ of the Bread of Life.

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Cloudy With a Chance of Meteors

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Endurance, Faith, God's Faithfulness on December 17, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Photo Credit: Getty Image via CNN

This year’s Geminid meteor shower was hailed as the best of 2010 and I missed it. I was more than willing to bundle up like an Eskimo and head to the observatory to watch the show, but it was just too cloudy. What a shame! Sky gazers in other parts of the country reported seeing as many as one-hundred-twenty meteors an hour during this peak time; it must have been spectacular.

Even so, I can certainly understand why most people have little interest in staying up half the night to watch a bunch of meteors streak through the cold December sky. Truth be known, now that I am older I find it harder to stay awake for these things myself. Still, it would’ve been cool to watch the shower because I have always been fascinated with every aspect of creation from the microscopic to the cosmic.

I was one of those nerdy kids who could sit for hours and marvel at plain, ordinary rocks or admire the uniqueness of a single tree. In that respect I haven’t changed much. The difference is that when I look at the various things in the world around me now, I marvel more at the Creator than His creation.

God is awesome and all of nature declares His glory, especially in the heavens. Psalm 19:1 states: The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies proclaim his craftsmanship.

I believe that God created the universe in such a way that we would see these meteor showers as a reminder of how awesome His creation really is. The Geminid shower lasts for days and lights up the sky with fireballs which can be seen from almost anywhere on Earth. And, according to Nasa astronomer Bill Cooke, the Geminid showers “defy explanation.”

God does lots of things on a grand scale that defies explanation. It is His desire that, when we see these things, we turn our thoughts to Him.

The morning after I missed the meteor showers’ peak I was somewhat disappointed that I missed the ‘shower’ and there would only be a trickle of meteors over the next few days. For some reason, probably because of the term shower, I found myself thinking about a passage in the book of Ezekiel that describes a time when the Lord will bless His people with abundant peace and provision. He promises that there shall be showers of blessing (Ezekiel 34:26).

I couldn’t help but think about the many blessings that God is pouring upon the earth even now. Sadly, though, too many people fail to recognize some of them because their ‘vision’ is clouded by the storms of life. We may not be living in the fullness (showers) of God’s blessing just yet, but his blessings continue to rain down on upon us whether we see them or not; and His mercies are new every morning.

I know that the world is very dark now and people are hurting, but like the Puritans, let us pray, “…let me find Thy light in my darkness.” Your circumstances might not change immediately, but God is more than capable of moving those clouds so that you can see His glory rip through your darkness with more ferocity than those fiery meteors which pierce the night sky.

It may be too late to look up and see the meteor shower, but it is never too late to look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh (Luke 21:28b).

Credit: Wally Pacholka / AstroPics.com / TWAN.

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Elbow Grease and Head Cheese

Posted in Devotional, Guidance, Spiritual Strength on December 13, 2010| 3 Comments »

I was about seven-years-old when I first learned that elbow grease is not stored in the garage and head cheese is definitely not a dairy product. For the record, head cheese is hardly my idea of food. This nasty lunch “meat” is actually made from the flesh of a pig’s head, tongue, and other gross body parts. Why they call it head “cheese” is beyond me even today, so you can certainly understand why I was confused as a child.

Finding out the meaning of ‘elbow grease’ was really no big deal; I had been using it for years even if I hadn’t known it. Adversely, I nearly vomited when I learned the truth about head cheese the hard way -by tasting it. What kind of adult gives one of the world’s biggest cheese lovers a slice of this nasty stuff (which looks nothing like cheese) and let’s them stick it in their mouth thinking that if it has the word cheese in its name it must be good?

Speaking of cheese, my mother’s heart compels me to share a humorous memory with you. After the birth of my second daughter, my son decided he didn’t want grilled cheese sandwiches anymore. I was a bit puzzled because this was his favorite food at the time.

“Really? Why don’t you want a grilled cheese?” I asked quizzically. “You love those.”

His response made me laugh out loud.

“I don’t want no more girled cheese sam-iches, I want a boyed cheese one.”

I still get a kick out of that when it comes to mind. Then I wonder, how many times have I misunderstood my Heavenly Father while He was “feeding” me His Word?

The apostle Paul wrote: When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. I Corinthians 13:11

Studying the Holy Bible is unquestionably one of my all-time favorite things to do. However, I learned a long time ago that some parts of Scripture are far more difficult to understand than others. Consequently, they can be easily misunderstood. How then are we to mature in the faith if we don’t understand some of the more obscure passages? Commentaries are wonderful resources, but ultimately they are just another man’s opinion, which may or may not be as enlightened as our own. It is very important that we read the Bible with the correct understanding.

Our Father made it easier than we think. He inspired the apostle John to write:

But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:26)

But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will[a] abide in Him. (I John 2:27)

I am certainly not minimizing the role of pastors and teachers. These were given by God for our benefit (Ephesians 4:11) and we most assuredly need them, but I am encouraging us all to begin EVERY Bible reading by inviting the Holy Spirit’s wise instruction. Each time we open the Bible, let us pray that the Spirit would help us to correctly read God’s words, setting aside any preconceived notions, personal biases or false teachings- anything that would hinder our understanding.

The first time I did this, it was as though I was reading Scripture for the very first time. I truly began to understand many passages far more clearly, and I believe, more accurately.

Growing in Christ is a life-long process, one that we toil at daily. I pray, therefore, that our spiritual appetites become insatiable, and that the spiritual “meat” we consume is pleasant and nourishing. No spitting this stuff out.

“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.” (Psalm 119:103)

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Can Coon Stay?

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Love, Servanthood, Uncategorized on December 9, 2010| 3 Comments »

Nestled snugly on a mountaintop in the Tonto National forest, is a small, cozy house which I had the privilege of calling home for one summer during my youth. There, the Arizona sky is swirled with turquoise and tangerine, and the ever-present fragrance of fresh air and pine exhilarates the senses. It is no wonder that so many Native Americans and pioneers chose to settle this area and never leave.

I had plans to attend college in the fall or else I might have planted my roots there as well. Being an adventurer, I could have easily spent every moment of every summer exploring the vast display of nature’s treasures throughout Tonto’s three-million acres.

Admittedly, winters would have been a little more challenging for an outdoorsman like me because there isn’t much to do when you are completely snowed in. I would have managed quite contentedly though. Until one has experienced first-hand the solitude of living apart from the pandemonium of this world, it is hard to imagine the inexpressible tranquility that such a quiet life affords.

I had never experienced the harsh winters of the mountain, but my grandmother told me many stories about them. Tonight, as I watched orange and amber flames dance atop the logs inside my fireplace, I fondly recalled one of them.

Each night, after the dinner dishes were cleared, Grandpa would build a fire large enough to thoroughly warm the house until long past bedtime. The house had electricity but it was always turned low during sleeping hours. Nestling under two or three hand-made quilts atop a feather bed usually kept everyone warm, but I’m told that stepping out of bed into the frosty morning was rather unpleasant.

One morning after a particularly heavy snow, Grandpa awoke to find a big raccoon curled-up on the rug in front of the fireplace. How it got there was a mystery at first. He wasn’t an especially feisty coon, though. Grandpa simply opened the door and the coon walked out without a fuss.

The following morning the coon was back on its self-assigned rug in front of the fireplace, and the next morning, and the one after that. Each morning, just like the first, Grandpa opened the door and the critter headed outside as if he were a beloved household pet merely going out for his morning business.

The mystery was solved by day three when Grandma noticed little ashy footprints coming from the fireplace. Apparently the coon had waited for the fire to go completely out then managed to work his way down the fireplace, leap over the hot ashes and settle in for the night.

Because of this, my grandparents nicknamed him “Jack” from the old Mother Goose rhyme:

Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over the candlestick.

A simple metal mesh would have thwarted the cunning houseguest, but apparently he had become such a welcome diversion to the monotony of winter he was allowed to continue his nightly visits.

Jack slept in the house for about three weeks then stopped coming around for reasons unknown. Knowing my grandparents, they would have let him sleep on the rug for the rest of his life because they were very warm and caring like that. After all, they welcomed me there for a whole summer when I needed a place to stay.

I guess that is why I sometimes think of that old raccoon story. My world at the time was as bleak and cold as a frozen winter and yet, like Jack, I was offered a warm place to rest my cold, weary soul with no strings attached. Beyond that, I was loved and cared for by people I barely knew.

A great many summers have passed since the one spent on the mountain and most of my memories of those days have faded. Even so, in the same way that the old coon was able to stay warm by the ashes of those long-ago fires, I still have enough memories remaining to warm my heart when I think-back on them.

Dear reader, never underestimate how deeply a kind word or deed can impact others. There are many people in today’s world who’s hearts have grown cold -wounded souls looking only for a warm place to rest. Let us be swift to offer them that refuge.

> Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.(Matthew 25:34-40)

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One Great Race

Posted in Devotional, Love, Racism (anti), Servanthood on December 4, 2010| 4 Comments »

Unusual Animal Friendships

While filling out a job application, my friend marked an X through all the “race” choices and wrote HUMAN. He didn’t get the job, but I gave him an ‘A’ for bravado. I wonder, is it really that burdensome to use the correct, five-syllable word nationality instead of the incorrect, one-syllable term race?

True, there were races in antiquity, but those generally involved chariots or feet. Biblically speaking, the word race is only found four times in Scripture and never in reference to a people group.The word nation(s), however is used hundreds of times.

Semantics, semantics, some would say. What difference does it make if we use the word race to distinguish ethnicity? Whether we use the word race for ethnicity, contest of speed, or even a political campaign, the word gives rise to thoughts of competition and superiority. Sadly, this is why some folks feel justified in ranking others as “inferior.”

Nothing could be more unscriptural. The Bible says God created MAN in His image not His images. He distinguished them male and female, and by that distinction alone.

Prejudice is, therefore, one of my pet peeves. My family and I have always been colorblind and have no tolerance for racism. Nevertheless, I must ashamedly admit that I learned just today that my otherwise angelic little doggie is prejudice (insert imagination here). This will never do in my family!

This will never do in God’s family either. Unbelievably, prejudice and racism actually take place even in the church. When I first learned this, I was utterly shocked. Mankind, all six-billion plus, are family regardless of our skin colors. Those of us who call upon Jesus Christ as Lord are immediate family, everyone else is extended family, but family just the same.

Let me add for clarity, I do not believe that all roads lead to heaven. I know, speaking of Jesus, that there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12) Those who have not accepted the Lord’s salvation are prodigal siblings. As such, we must love them and pray for them all the more.

Jesus said:

..Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (Matthew 22:37-39).

Notice, there is no loophole which allows for discrimination. I don’t know about you, but many of my friends and neighbors are of a different skin color than I. So what! As I said, we are all part of one great big family, one great “race” if you will-the human race. If we are going to have antipathy for color brothers and sisters, let it be towards the blackness of sin not skin!

Perhaps you are a believer and yet struggle with intolerance issues, skin color or otherwise. I am not judging you; I simply pray that we all, myself included, allow the Lord to break any chains which have bound us and prevented us from loving others as we truly should.

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us… (Hebrews 12:1)

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A Wedding Gown for Mandy

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Love, Mother's Love on December 1, 2010| 1 Comment »

Mandy’s heart leapt for joy when she viewed herself in the mirror. She looked very pretty in her wedding dress and she knew it. Her mother, Linda, knew it too.

If there were tears in Linda’s eyes, they were undoubtedly bittersweet. On the one hand she would be overwhelmed to see her precious daughter standing there looking and feeling so beautiful in her wedding gown. On the other hand, heartbroken at the knowledge that her daughter would not be getting married that day, nor any other for that matter.

Though Mandy stood adorned in white, she did not do so to show forth the purity of body in which a woman is supposed to present herself to her beloved on their most cherished day. No, Mandy’s innocence was of a different nature. Her body was unquestionably pure, but it was the simplicity of her child-like thoughts that made this day so very special.

Born with autism and mental retardation, Mandy’s thoughts remain in a perpetual state of childhood –playful and imaginative. Somewhere deep inside, she probably dreams of getting married someday even though she doesn’t really understand what that really means. But on this day, she only wanted to play dress up in a wedding gown so she could feel pretty and special.

Linda always attested to Mandy’s specialness, but not because of her disabilities. Every mother’s daughter is uniquely special because of her mother’s love, which is unconditional. Linda certainly acknowledges Mandy’s disabilities, but it is her great love for her child which motivates her to bring as much joy into Mandy’s life as she can. And so she headed to the second-hand store for a play dress.

The gown was not expensive, but to Mandy it was priceless. She gazed at herself in the mirror and began to happily sing, “Oh so pretty!” Linda was delighted. As pride welled-up inside her heart she thought “Mandy deserves to look and feel beautiful just like all girls do!”

The occasion turned into outright fun. Mandy continued to play bride and Linda was able to play mother of the bride. Just like any other ‘wedding day,’ pictures were taken and Linda would always have the memory of what her daughter would look like if she had ever been able to marry.

“Oh so pretty!” Yes, Mandy was a beautiful bride that day. She may not have walked down the aisle of a flower-filled church to wed, but she was a bride just the same. Linda proudly admired her daughter and tenderly assured Mandy that she is beautiful. Then, she aptly told her, “You are the bride of Jesus!”

Indeed, Jesus does liken his love for us as that of a bridegroom for His beautiful, virgin bride. We are all terribly flawed and “disabled” but He looks past that, embracing our uniqueness and our specialness because His love is pure and unconditional.

Someday, our bridegroom will come for us and take us to the eternal home that He has prepared. Till then, may we all be “dressed” and ready. And may we know that we are “Oh so pretty” to our Lord because we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: (Psalm 139:17,18a)

~Thank you Linda and Mandy for permitting me to share your story. I know that many of your friends were deeply touched, as was I, and I am thankful for the opportunity to help you touch other hearts by sharing your special mother/daughter experience with them. I know, Linda, that in recounting the details you said, “I’m the one that got blessed!” because you saw how happy Mandy was. I’m sure Jesus is also touched by the great love you show your daughter. Mandy is truly blessed to have you as a mother.

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