The Greatest Gifts of Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Today your Savior was born in the town of David. He is Christ, the Lord.

Luke 2:11 (NCV)

This morning I have spent time with my wife and children as we have celebrated Christmas together. I was blessed as I listened to my 9 year old read the Biblical account of Jesus’ birth and filled with joy as I watched my children’s eyes light up as we exchanged gifts with one another.

Some of my favorite memories of childhood took place in front of the Christmas tree. In my family we always read the account of Jesus’ birth from the gospel of Luke from our large family Bible. After prayer we would open our gifts, with my Dad being the official package presenter.

I remember some of the gifts…a red fire truck, a train set and countless action figures. Most of all, I remember the times with family and the heritage of faith. It is those two things that have outlasted the many toys, shirts, sweaters and socks I have received over the years.

This year I hope you have made some lasting Christmas memories. Let Christ fill your Christmas this year with His presence and where possible, pass on the real gifts of faith and family.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

Known by your love?

Good morning! I hope you’ve had a great weekend and that you have hit the ground running this morning.

This past week my wife and I traveled to Corpus Christi, TX to meet with the staff and search committee of a church that has been considering me to be their pastor. We found the people that we met with to be very
warm loving and kind. Even though we did not know one another on a deep personal level we were none the less bound together by our bond of faith.

Jesus spoke to us about the bond of Christian faith when He said:

John 13:35 (NLT)
Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my
disciples."

I have had the opportunity to meet Christians around the world and each time I am taken back by this profound evidence of Christ’s presence. Even when there are cultural, personality and even language differences the presence of Christ still shines brightly. The joy of Jesus radiates in the countenance of each and every disciple of Christ.

One of the things that the world desperately seeks is love and acceptance. The theme song to the 80’s comedy “Cheers” lamented that “sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name and they’re always glad you came….” People look in a variety of directions looking for true love, but what they find is often shallow and
pretentious.

Today I want to challenge you to examine your love for one another. Is the glory of Jesus evident in your personal relationships? Do you allow His joy to overflow your life and spill over into the lives of those around you?

Your life may be the only glimpse of Jesus that anyone sees during this time of year. So let His love radiate through you.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

Are you open to change?

Good morning! I hope you had a terrific weekend and that your week is off to a great start.

Have you ever noticed that people are creatures of habit? Most of us have our “routines” that bring a sense of normalcy to our lives. We tend to get dressed the same way, take the same route to the office and we sit in the same seats week after week at church. In a life that is filled with the consistent and familiar, one of the greatest sources of discomfort is change.

Today I want to challenge you with the idea of adapting to change.

Proverbs 18:15 (NLT)

Intelligent people are always open to new ideas. In fact, they look for them.

For some of us change is second nature. We have an adventurous spirit and look forward to the thrill and challenge of change. The majority of people however are not comfortable with change. We all know that change is inevitable. Think for a few moments with me about the changes that have taken place in our world. 30 years ago your changed channels on your television with a knob, your rolled your car windows down with a handle and no one even had ever heard of email.

Where do these changes come from? They begin with an idea. Someone sees a place for innovation and they begin to brainstorm. From that brainstorming comes an idea. From the idea comes invention and from invention comes the new technologies and methodologies of today.

In life one of the deadliest statements that is ever made is this: “That’s the way we’ve always done it.” Can you imagine if we as a society had taken this stance. We would travel by horse and buggy, light our homes with candles, preserve our food with salt and perform dentistry without anesthesia. Fortunately for us somebody was open to a new idea and took a risk to make it a reality. Their good idea has made your life more efficient, comfortable or productive.

Today I want to challenge you to listen for some new ideas. Allow God to expand your horizons. Be open to trying new things or new methods. Spend an afternoon brainstorming. You might be surprised. That new idea could turn into something that changes the course of your life for years to come.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

Be Still

Good morning! I hope you had a great weekend and are starting off this new week refreshed and energized.

This past week was the first week of deer hunting season here in Pennsylvania. The woods have been filled with hundreds of thousands of hunters seeking “the big one.” The men in my church are avid hunters and over the past few years they have taught me the finer points of deer hunting.

The greatest key to success for the hunter is to find a place of good vision and to be still. I have been amazed over the past few years as I have watched many dear literally walk up to me as I have sat motionless in the woods. Now for a guy like me, with ADD, sitting still is not easy task, but it is none the less critical if I am to have chance of even seeing any deer.

It is with this though of being still that I share with you this morning’s encouragement.

Psalm 37:7a (NLT)

Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act.

We live in a fast food, 24 hour, “get it now” kind of world. Instant gratification is not just a desire but a way of life. With the growth of the internet, anything you could ever want is only a mouse click away. In light of this instant gratification society, we find our greatest source of frustration in waiting. The bank, the DMV, the doctor’s office, the check out line at the local Wal-Mart…just the thought makes our blood pressure go up 10 points.

In all our constant movement I think we often miss out on what God is really trying to do in our lives. God has always spoken through His still, small voice. If you are not sitting still with your eyes and ears open, you could easily miss all that God is trying to say to you.

This past weekend, I went out into the woods and only after 5 hours of sitting still did the deer begin to walk up to me. As I sat motionless they not only walked up near me but even bedded down 15 feet behind me. Had I moved around or made noise, I would have never had the opportunity to see the beautiful creatures up close.

If you are having difficulty getting a grasp on God’s movement in your life right now, I encourage you to be still. Take some time out this week and go to a quiet place. Open your eyes, ears and heart and wait patiently for God to reveal Himself to you. You won’t be disappointed when He does. Notice I didn’t say “if He does.” The question is not a question of “if”, but only “when.” When the time is right, you will see the fullness of God’s presence in your life and circumstances.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl