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I have this as my screen saver on my computer. Take a few minutes to study it. Do any of the words hit a sore spot in your life? Do past things like guilt, hurt, regret, fear, anger, shame, hatred make your life unmanageable? Are there other words that come to mind? Are there things from the past that get carried into your life day after day?

Let’s take one of these words and see what God’s Word has to say about it.

Guilt… as a noun…the fact or state of having committed an offense, crime, violation, or wrong, especially against moral or penal law; culpability: “He admitted his guilt.” a feeling of responsibility or remorse for some offense, crime, wrong, etc., whether real or imagined.

Sometimes the guilt of our past actions brings pain because we have not dealt with it by owning the guilt of our actions and then taking our mistakes to the Lord…1 John 1:8…If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. Denial impedes our spiritual, emotional, and relational health. It holds us captive to the past!

Satan loves when this happens! Don’t let Satan get into your mind…. telling you that God can never love you…or forgive you.

The next time Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future!

The Law…shows us our sins. It reminds us that on our own we can not fix the problem. The wages of sin is death…. separation from a Holy God. As a sinner, we stand guilty before the Lord! If left there, we would be hopeless!

And yet…that’s where the Gospel comes in. Jesus’ sinless life and sacrificial death fixed the problem. He purchased your forgiveness….repaired the relationship…removed the guilt….restored our standing as children of a Loving God!

Let me tell you a true story that happened some time ago: A young boy’s father died in a car wreck when he was twelve years old. He read it in the newspaper before anyone got word to him to tell him about it. When he saw that picture of the family car smashed-up on the front page of the newspaper… and read that his dad had died in that accident, he was thrust immediately and painfully into the shocked numbness of deep grief.

Strangely, one of his very first feelings were those of guilt. He had remembered how some months before at a family picnic he was showing off with a baseball. At one point he got careless and threw wildly; it hit his dad in the hand and broke his thumb. The young boy felt horrible. He said to himself, “What a terrible son I am! I have caused my dad great pain.”

It seemed that was all he could remember after his father’s death—the pain he caused his dad. Finally, the young boy went to see his pastor and told him about the deep feelings of guilt about breaking his dad’s thumb.

The young boy… well, let me tell you in the boy’s own words, he said: I’ll never forget how my pastor handled that. He was so great. He came around the desk with tears in his eyes. He sat down across from me and said:

“Now, Jim,” that was the boy’s name, “you listen to me. If your dad could come back to life for five minutes and be right here with us… and if he knew you were worried about that, what would he say to you?”

“He would tell me to quit worrying about that,” Jim said. “Well, all right,” the minister said, “then you quit worrying about that right now. Do you understand me?”. “Yes sir,” he said… and he did. That minister was saying: “You are forgiven. Accept the forgiveness… and make a new start with your life.” The young boy did make a new start. And many years later, he served a 9,000-member church: St Luke’s in Houston. The young Boy? James W. Moore, the author of over 30 books on Christian living. We just celebrated Christmas (the birth of our Savior)…but forgiveness and renewal is what Easter is all about. The Risen Lord comes back to life… and assures the disciples that they are forgiven.

Peter had denied his Lord three times. Thomas had doubted. All the disciples had forsaken Him.

But Christ came back, forgave them, resurrected them. He came back to share with them… He comes to you today to share with you the joy, the encouragement, and the forgiveness that was purchased for you on the cross.

Sound good? Of course, it does! How do you get rid of the guilt…and receive God’s Joy and Peace?

Well, If you want to free yourself from your past, just ask God to do that! 1 John 1:9…If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

I like to look at Paul (the writer of many of the New Testament books). Talk about a guy who could have wallowed in the guilt of his past…Talk about sinning!!! In his “Saul days”… when he persecuted Christians and God’s church. But listen to what he says in Philippians 3:13-14… Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Assess the things from your past that haunt you…confess them to the Lord…receive His forgiveness…repent, and turn away from those sinful thoughts, words, actions…and if possible, make amends to those you have hurt….and you will be free to move forward! Just like we see in

Isaiah 43:18-19… “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Always remember that the past does not define you…it’s what have you learned from the past…and who (or whose) are you today…by the power of Christ living in you. 2 Corinthians 5:17-18… Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

A side note: shame and guilt are 2 different ideas… Guilt comes from a negative evaluation of one’s behavior. When we sin, we feel guilt for what we did.  Shame on the other hand arises from a negative evaluation of the self… It is when we let our actions define who (whose) we are…Let me remind you that you are a forgiven child of God! Satan will whisper lies into your ears. He will say “shame on you!!!” and try to convince you that God is disgusted with you. Don’t listen to him…God loves you despite your past! God makes you new each day, to accomplish His plans in and thru you.

Action steps:

• Go back and look at the words in my opening picture. How are you doing with past guilt? Talk to God about it.
• Who do you need to forgive? Who is carrying guilt over something they did to you…perhaps years ago. Tell them you forgive them. Connect them to Jesus. Tell them about God’s forgiveness, Love, renewal.
• Ask forgiveness from those that you have hurt by your past words and actions.
• Let go of the past…live in the present…Find joy in the one who holds the future!!!!!

A laugh for the day….One year my uncle decided to cheat on his income taxes. The problem was that he later started to feel so guilty that he couldn’t sleep. After thinking about it for a while, he sent an anonymous cashier’s check for $100 to the IRS along with a note that read:

To Whom It May Concern,

I cheated on my taxes and now I feel so guilty that I have not been able to sleep for weeks, so I’m sending you this check for one hundred dollars. I hope you forgive me.

P.S. If I still can’t sleep after one week, I’ll send you the rest of what I owe.

1 John 3:16-18… This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.  If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?  Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

I was looking at an old devotion in a book from my confirmation/youth ministry days and wanted to share it with you. It can help us look at generosity as well as our motive for generosity.

Just a few days before Christmas, a postal worker at the main sorting office found an unstamped, handwritten, messy envelope addressed to God. Curious, he opened it and discovered that it was from an elderly woman who was in great distress because all of her savings ($200) had been stolen. As a result, she wouldn’t have anything to eat for Christmas. The man went to his fellow postal workers and took up a collection for the woman. They dug deep and came up with $180. Putting the money in a plain envelope, with no note or anything, the postal workers sent it by special courier to the woman that very day. A week later the same postal worker noticed another unstamped letter that had been addressed to God in the same handwriting. In it, he found a brief note

Dear God,
Thank you for the $180 you sent me for Christmas, which would have been so bleak otherwise.
PS. It was $20 short, but that was probably those thieving workers at the Post Office.

First off, I apologize to any postal workers reading this…I know you are taking a lot of heat these days.

I think that our first reaction is to laugh at that story…then we feel sorry for those generous workers who were not appreciated …and instead were blamed and accused…and maybe we feel angry at that lady who lacked gratitude and instead looked for the worst in this gift she received.

So…Here is a tough question…who would you be in this story? Have you ever been on either side of this situation?

Have you ever done the right thing, but were criticized for it?

Have you ever been blamed for something that you did not do?

Have you ever ignored an opportunity to help someone…maybe said “Why knock myself out if I’m only going to get slapped in the face?” Or avoided helping someone because there was nothing in it for you.

If that is you…I suggest you check your motive for doing good deeds!

Early on in my ministry (at another church), I was an elder. We met regularly with the senior pastor and would talk about and pray for those in financial need. To my amazement, a few days later, all of those in need found an anonymous gift in the exact amount they needed. It was a miracle…I later realized it was one of the other elders. He saw a need and helped with no pat on the back or reward. God was smiling!

And…If you are helping others while expecting to get affirmation and praise…don’t hold your breath…but instead take comfort in serving the Lord, and for being in good company! 1 Peter 2:20-21…But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this, you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

The postal workers in our story for today can take comfort in the Message translation for that verse, that says…But if you’re treated badly for good behavior and continue in spite of it to be a good servant, that is what counts with God.

If you get criticized for doing good, or if you think it’s not worth it…Galatians 6:9…Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

God is calling you to always look for the best in others…don’t look for the $20…focus on the $180. Always look for the best in people…and always be the best you, you can be!

When you see someone doing good…let them know that you appreciate their effort.

Especially within the church…we need to affirm and encourage one another.

Always keep your eyes open for ways to help someone…and do it to glorify God…not yourself.

In the morning, most look at your day planner or scheduling app to see what you need to accomplish. I suggest that you look at your Christ-Centered action planner for each day. It is found in Matthew 22:37-39…  Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.

Let’s make 2021 the year that each of us are generous with our time, as well as our resources. Let us check our motives to the above verse in Matthew 22. There are so many people going through tough times…lonely, isolated, facing financial and relational struggles. Pray for them!!! Ask God to let you be the answer to their prayers.

Your smile for the day:

An old lady walked into the bank and asked me if I could help her check her balance… So I pushed her over!!

I would imagine that we can all agree that 2020 was a year we would like to forget!

Of course, the pandemic is tops on our list of things we don’t want to bring into 2021. Hopefully, we are turning the corner to better days…as we all do our part to slow the spread.

An area of concern and prayer for me is a different pandemic…a pandemic of mistrust…divisiveness…and ill-will for others. It is as old as mankind. Adam blames Eve and Eve blames Satan…Cain kills Able…nations battle nations…one group mistrusts another throughout time:

A turtle family went on a picnic. They had prepared seven years for their outing. The family left home, searching for a suitable place. During the second year of their journey, they found it. For about six months they cleared the area, unpacked the picnic basket, and completed the arrangements. They discovered, however, that they had forgotten the salt. A picnic without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed.

After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle was chosen to retrieve the salt at home. Although he was the fastest of the slow-moving turtles, the little turtle whined, cried, and wobbled in his shell. He agreed to go on only one condition: that no one would eat until he returned. The family consented and the little turtle left.

Three years passed—and the little turtle had not returned. Five years. Six years. Then in the seventh year of his absence, the eldest turtle could no longer contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and began to unwrap a sandwich. At that point, the little turtle suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting, “SEE! I knew you wouldn’t wait! Now, I’m not going to get the salt.”

Some of us, like that little turtle, don’t trust anyone or give anyone the benefit of the doubt. We waste away our whole lives waiting for people to live up to our poor expectations of them—we look for the worst in people.We can be thankful that God doesn’t treat us that way. He accepts us just the way we are. He believes in us. He cheers us on. He thinks the best of us. He is proud of us. When we mess up, he forgives and forgets, and gives us another opportunity to do good.

So if that’s how God treats us, it makes sense that that’s how we are to treat others. Let’s not think the worst of each other. Let’s expect, encourage, and help others accomplish their best.

I think most of you would agree in principle to what I have said…but how do we put it into action? How do we get past preconceived biases toward individuals and groups of people different from us?

Well…as Christmas is still fresh in our minds, we think of peace!

After all, the Christmas cards and the Christmas carols tell us that there should be “peace on earth!” Peace is a lack of conflict… harmony. So what is that all about?

In Luke 2:14 on that first Christmas, the angels proclaim to the shepherds… “Glory to God in the highest heaven,and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Did that mean that all fighting and hatred ended with His birth? No! But it was based on the fact that this baby in a manger… Jesus…is the long-awaited “Prince of Peace.”

Isaiah 9:6…For to us a child is born to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

But this Peace was different…this Peace was not a peace backed up with a military presence…but a Peace with God! A peace that was found in the Garden of Eden…and a Peace that will prevail for all eternity in God’s heavenly kingdom.

And even today…in the midst of the earthly chaos…It’s a Peace given to you through the Holy Spirit…Galatians 5:22…But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

A Peace that changes who you are…and how you relate to others. The Peace of Christ living in you. A peace that allows you to be an avenue to peace on earth?

Well, the truth is that each of us has the same marching orders.

Mark 12:30-31…Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Can you imagine the Peace on earth, if each of us did that…if we loved God above everything else in our lives…and let that spill over in our attitude toward others???? We could change the world, one person, at a time!!!

Sandhu Sundar Singh (1889-1929) was an Indian Christian mystic who was raised in the Sikh religion but became a follower of Christ through a vision. On one occasion he and a companion were traveling through a pass high in the Himalayan mountains. At one point they came across an injured man lying in the snow. Sundar Singh wished to stop and help the unfortunate man, but his companion refused, saying, “We shall lose our lives if we burden ourselves with him”.

But Sundar Singh would not think of leaving the man to die in the ice and snow. As his companion bade him farewell, Sundar Singh lifted the poor traveler on his back. With great exertion on his part, he bore the man onward, but gradually the heat from Sundar Singh’s body began to warm up the poor frozen fellow, and he revived! Soon both were walking together side by side. Catching up with his former companion, they found him dead…frozen by the cold.

It’s only when we forget ourselves and live totally for Christ, that we discover the abundant (Peace-filled) life God intended for each of us!!!!

So…as 2020 comes to an end (yahoo!!!) and you step into 2021…I want you to take some time to assess and to make some needed changes to…receive the Prince of Peace into your heart…and…to be an avenue of that Peace to others:

• Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. This can only happen if you get to know Him intimately….to pray and seek His will daily…to read and apply His Word to your life daily. Asking Him to lead you through each day to accomplish His plans for you. To seek His will…to keep your eyes open for opportunities to get to know Him better and to love Him more!
• ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Look for opportunities to reach out to “all” people in your circle of influence. Ask some hard questions of yourself: (what group of people am I bigoted about…pray for your attitude to change and then pray for those you don’t agree with) (who individually do you “not like?” Who do you ignore and wish they would just go away…pray for that person…and for your attitude to change) (Ask God to help you see all people like hand made by God…people that He sent His Son to die for their sins, just like yours) (look for and embrace commonalities with others instead of focusing on differences)

1 John 3:16-17… This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?

That same verse in the Message translation puts it this way:

1 John 3:16-17 (msg)… This is how we’ve come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear.

If that is to be our mindset for fellow believers….how much more for those who don’t know Jesus…as you share the gift of the gospel!

May you find the Peace of Christ in 2021…may you serve the Lord and glorify Him through your thoughts, words, actions!

As we finish up any plans for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we search for the real reason for this special season. The birth of a baby in a humble setting. A baby who is in fact the Messiah…the Savior…the Christ child! Hard to wrap my head around that! Many were looking for a powerful military leader to charge in on a white stallion. Why did God choose this form of messenger/Savior? Maybe because mankind ignores and forgets historical figures?

One of my favorite ways to answer why God chose Jesus birth, is this story:

It was a snowy Christmas Eve. Inside the warm house, the Christmas tree was cheerfully ablaze with lights and surrounded by dozens of presents. The man’s wife and children were dressed and ready to leave for church. “Come with us,” they urged, for they loved him. “Not me,” he snapped. “I don’t believe all that religious garbage.”

For many years, the man’s wife had been trying to tell him about Jesus Christ and the salvation he offers. How God’s Son had become a human being to show us the way to heaven. “Nonsense,” the man always said.

The family left for church and the man was all alone in his cozy country home. He glanced out the window at the cold snowy scene outside. He turned to warm himself by the fire. But as he turned, his eyes caught a movement in the snow outside. He looked. Cats! Three young cats walking slowly past his window.

“The fools,” he thought. “They’ll freeze for sure!” The man put on his hat and coat and opened the door. A blast of wintry air sent a shiver through his body. “Come here, cats! Come inside where there are warmth and food. You’ll die out there.” But the cats ran away, frightened by the stranger at the door. He walked outside. “Come back! Don’t be afraid, I want to save you.” But the cats were gone. It was too late.

“Well, I did everything I could for them,” the man muttered to himself. “What more could I do? I’d have to become a cat myself to reach them and save them. If I became a cat, I could tell them and show them. They would have to believe me then unless they were fools.”

Just as he reached the door, the church bells rang in the distance. The man paused for a second and listened. Then he went in by the fire, got down on his knees, and wept…. for the first time, he understood the meaning of Christmas!

That’s a fun story…and yet isn’t that what the Christmas story is all about. The Creator of the universe loved us so much that he came to earth…to be one of us… to show us how to be saved… And if we listen to him and follow him, we will not perish, but instead will be given everlasting life.

Most of us know: John 3:16…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. It’s a powerful verse of Hope for us…but it does not address the “how” He will do it.

But how about: Philippians 2:6-8…Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

He was born to live… and yet He lived to die!

Roy Lawson writes:

• If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator.
• If our greatest need had been technology God would have sent us a scientist.
• If our greatest need had been money God would have sent us an economist.
• But since our greatest need was forgiveness God sent us a savior!

We all sin and fall short. The wages of sin is death (eternal separation from God).  On our own, we are hopelessly lost. But God could not stand to lose us (you) so He sent His Son…to be born…to live a perfect life in your place…to die (not for His sins but yours) …and to rise again victoriously!!!! That is the greatest all-time GIFT. It’s a one size fits all gift of infinite worth…not sold online or at any specialty store!!!!

And through the lens of the Gospel… God sees past your warts, wrinkles, pride, greed, sinful nature….. He loves you unconditionally despite you!

In his book Mortal Lessons physician Richard Selzer describes a scene in a hospital room after he had performed surgery on a young woman’s face:

I stand by the bed where the young woman lies…her face, postoperative…her mouth twisted in palsy…clownish. A tiny twig of the facial nerve, one of the muscles of her mouth, has been severed. She will be that way from now on. I had followed with religious fervor the curve of her flesh; I promise you that. Nevertheless, to remove the tumor in her cheek, I had cut this little nerve.

A young man stood in the room. He stands on the opposite side of the bed, and together they seem to be in a world all their own in the evening lamplight…isolated from me…private.

Who are they? I ask myself…he and this wry mouth I have made, who gaze at and touch each other so generously. The young woman speaks. “Will my mouth always be like this?” she asks. “Yes,” I say, “it will. It is because the nerve was cut.” She nods and is silent. But the young man smiles. “I like it,” he says. “It’s kind of cute.”

All at once, I know who he is. I understand, and I lower my gaze. One is not bold in an encounter with the divine. Unmindful, he bends to kiss her crooked mouth, and I am so close I can see how he twists his own lips to accommodate to hers…to show her that their kiss still works.”

God accommodated himself to us by coming down from heaven as a little baby. He came to us, and then he allowed his body to be twisted on the cross to show us that the love of God still works.

Regardless of the scars that you bear from the ravages of sin, you are loved by God. You are beautiful to him. You were created in his image, and you bear the likeness of his Son. He will never stop loving you.

Romans 8:35, 37-39… Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Wow…I bet you didn’t see this devotion going this direction, did you?

My prayer for you is that you see Christmas for what is really is:

The Son of God becoming the Son of Man (for you) …humbly entering the world as a child (for you). A child who lived a sinless life (for you). A Savior who innocently went to the cross to die (for you). The Messiah who rose on the third day (for you). Your Lord and Savior who has Unconditional Love (for you).

May you and your family find:

GOD’S PEACE, JOY, LOVE, AND HAPPINESS THIS CHRISTMAS….AND EVERY DAY.

So as we are focusing on Christmas and Jesus’ birth… I started focusing on “why.”

I mean, why would God become man, live a sinless life, and then willingly die a cruel death for something He didn’t do? LOVE!

John 15:13…Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friend.

So…God is love…and yet He then tells us (MSG) This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends.

So, what do those 2 verses say to each of us? We sin and that separates us from God…nothing we can do to fix the problem…and yet God loves us too much to let us be separated. He can’t stand the thought of spending eternity without us there with Him. If you know that, then ask yourself the question: how do I know that…where and who told me about Jesus? Maybe parents, grandparents, a good friend? I have to admit, Jesus’ marketing plan seems a bit odd! He did not have a fancy marketing plan. Instead, He tells a few misfits to go tell someone. (and they did not have phones, computers, cars to travel from place to place.) They (as well as you and I) were just told to go tell someone about Jesus….and to let the Holy Spirit do the rest. Let’s fast forward to a pretend conversation after Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

A legend recounts the return of Jesus to heaven after his time on earth. He returned bearing the marks of his earthly pilgrimage with its cruel cross and shameful death. The angel Gabriel approached him and said, “Master, you must have suffered terribly for people down there.” “I did,” said Jesus. “And,” continued Gabriel, “do they now know all about how you loved them and what you did for them? ”Oh, no,” said Jesus. “Not yet. Right now, only a handful of people in Palestine know.” Gabriel was perplexed. “Then what have you done,” he asked, “to let all people know about your love for them?” “Well, I’ve asked Peter, James, John, and a few others to tell people about me. Those who are told will in turn tell others, and the Gospel will be spread to the farthest reaches of the globe. Ultimately, all of humankind will hear about me and what I have done on their behalf.” Gabriel frowned and looked skeptical. He knew that people weren’t dependable. “Yes,” he said, “but what if Peter and James and John grow weary? What if the people who come after them forget? And what if, way down in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, people get too busy to bother telling others about you? Haven’t you made any other plans?” “No, I’ve made no other plans, Gabriel,” Jesus answered. “I’m counting on them.”

Some say that the Christian faith is only one generation away from extinction. That’s because with each generation comes the renewed responsibility to take the good news of the Gospel to the world. The question is, are you doing your part? Jesus was very clear on His mission for you and me.

Matthew 28:19… “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”.

Who have you told about Jesus? When have you shown the love of God by your words, actions, motive, and love?

Do those in your circle of influence even know that you are a Christian?

Are you getting supported in the task through a church? The church is where God’s children get fed, encouraged, and resourced to go out and impact the world for and through The Lord. Do you see church that way…or is church a club for those special people?

This story may make you think a little:

On a dangerous seacoast where shipwrecks often occur, there was once a crude little lifesaving station. The building was no more than a hut, and there was only one boat, but the few devoted members kept a constant watch over the sea. With no thought for themselves, they went out day and night, tirelessly searching for the lost. Some of those who were saved, and various others in the surrounding area, wanted to be associated with the station and give their time, money, and effort to support the work. New boats were bought and new crews trained. The little lifesaving station grew. Some of these new members of the lifesaving station were unhappy that the building was so crude and poorly equipped. They felt that a more comfortable place should be provided as the first refuge of those who were saved from the sea. They replaced the emergency cots with beds and put better furniture in the enlarged building. Now the lifesaving station became a popular gathering place for its members, and they decorated it beautifully and furnished it exquisitely because they used it as sort of a club. Fewer members were now interested in going to sea on lifesaving missions, so they hired lifeboat crews to do this work. The lifesaving motif still prevailed in this club’s decoration, and there was a memorial lifeboat in the room where the club initiations were held. About this time a large ship was wrecked off the coast, and the hired crews brought in boatloads of cold, wet, half-drowned people. They were dirty and sick, and some of them were foreigners. The beautiful new club was in chaos. Immediately, the property committee hired someone to rig up a shower house outside the club, where victims of shipwrecks could be cleaned up before coming inside.
At the next meeting, there was a split in the club membership. Most of the members wanted to stop the club’s lifesaving activities because they felt they were unpleasant and a hindrance to the normal social life of the club. A small number of members insisted upon lifesaving as their primary purpose and pointed out that they were still called a lifesaving station. The small group’s members were voted down and told that if they wanted to save lives, they could begin their own lifesaving station down the coast. They did. As the years went by, however, the new station experienced the same changes that had occurred in the old station. It evolved into a club, and yet another lifesaving station was founded. History continued to repeat itself, and if you visit that seacoast today, you will find a number of exclusive clubs along that shore. Shipwrecks are frequent in those waters, but most of the passengers drown.

The Holy Spirit invites us into a relationship with God through the Word of God! The Holy Spirit also gathers us together to be the body of Christ! As followers of Jesus, our primary task is to go and make disciples. To put it another way, we are to go and save lives. Unfortunately, we sometimes forget our purpose. We need to recover our passion for lifesaving. We need to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. James 1:22…Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Imagine if each of the 2.4 billion Christians reached out to three persons in the next year…sharing the gospel with them. The whole world would have been touched by the love of God. Now, I understand that logistically that would be very complicated

And yet…. I was thinking…. Royal Redeemer has close to 3000 members. Imagine if each of them was to reach out to one person each month in 2021. Identifying someone who is drowning so to speak…someone in the middle of a storm in their life…. someone lost and discouraged. At this time next year, we would have reached out to 36,000 people…potentially now facing eternity in heaven when they pass.

What do you say? Ready to actually be the church…to be used by God to accomplish His marketing plan…one person at a time?

During this Christmas season, a great song to listen to is “Go Tell It on The Mountain.” This familiar song reminds us of what Christmas is all about…and it challenges each of us to GO AND TELL SOMEONE!  I especially like the Zach Williams version. You can Google it!

So, I want you to work through this advent season preparing your heart for the birth of the Savior. I want you to enjoy the sights, sounds, smells, and excitement of this Christmas season. But I also want you to focus on the “reason for the season”. Take time to confess your sinfulness…to repent of your sinful areas, to realize that that cute little baby would later die in your place. And once you have all of that in perspective…. ask yourself “now what”. Who can you GO and TELL?

Join us and invite friends to go to royred.org any time after 1:00 pm on Christmas Eve. It is an incredible picture of God’s church in action. It will be an experience that you will never forget!

We are in the beginning of the church year. It begins with the season of Advent. Advent is a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the birth of Christ…as well as the return or second coming of Christ. Churches light candles set in a wreath to count the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas. They focus on the Joy, Peace, Hope, and Love…that can only be found in the Child born in the manger.

I think that sometimes we can miss the real meaning of Advent because we are so busy planning for our other Christmas activities. We plan Christmas shopping, tree and decorating, baking, mailing cards, figuring out a Covid-safe family time, etc. These are all good things to do, but not at the expense of focusing on the significance of the birth of our Lord and Savior….and His place in our everyday lives.

The question is… “Do you see Jesus in your life? Do you only see Him on Christmas, or do you see Him in everyday events? Do you see Him in the people that He has placed in your path?”

Martin, the Cobbler, in Leo Tolstoy’s story about a lonely shoemaker who is promised in a dream that Christ will come to visit his shop. The next day Martin rises early, gets his shop ready, prepares a meal and waits.
The only one who showed up in the morning was an old beggar who came by and asked for rest. Martin gave him a room he had prepared for his divine guest.
The only one to show up in the afternoon was an old lady with a heavy load of wood. She was hungry and asks for food. He gave her the food he had prepared for his divine guest.
As evening came, a lost boy wandered by. Martin took him home, afraid all the while he would miss the Christ. That night in his prayers he asks the Lord, “Where were You? I waited all day for You.”
The Lord said to Martin:

Three times I came to your friendly door,
Three times my shadow was on your floor.
I was a beggar with bruised feet.
I was the woman you gave to eat.
I was the homeless child on the street.

Do you see Jesus in your everyday events? Do you see him in the faces that pass through your life?

My challenge to you is to watch out! Christ may be closer than you can imagine!

Do you believe that? Do you see each person and every situation you face as an opportunity to see, serve, and share Jesus?

Do you see Jesus in the guy driving the car that cut you off as he tried to squeeze past you as the lane was ending? (Perhaps his child was ill, and he was bringing needed medicine home)

Do you see Jesus in the person who made you feel angry and guilty as they stood at the corner and asked if you can spare some change? (He lost his job due to a covid closing at his workplace, and he was embarrassed and hungry)

Do you see Jesus in “one of those people” that you dislike because of their beliefs, ethnicity, political persuasion, or sexual orientation? (The Gospel is a gift given for all people…to be shared with words and actions)

Do you see Jesus in your neighbor who is isolated and lonely?…You could make their day with a smile, wave, phone call, or bakery at their door.

Do you see Jesus in your prodigal child or annoying co-worker?

Do you see Jesus in those serving on the front lines like nurses, doctors, nursing home workers, group home staff, police, military, store workers, etc.

 I would imagine that about now, you are saying, “Dave this devotion is a downer, I’m too busy to be concerned about those people…someone else can help them”. Well…I think God would disagree!

Hebrews 13:16 – “Don’t neglect to do what is good and to share, for God is pleased with such sacrifices.”

Advent is a time for us to prepare our hearts to see Jesus…and then to be changed (transformed)…to shine His love on those who cross our path. You may be the answer to their prayers.

  St. Michael’s had always been a very wealthy church. Its 300 members usually gave a combined annual offering of over one million dollars, because they could afford to.

  Over the years, however, the neighborhood around the beautiful old church began to change. Immigrants flocked into the area, changing the complexion of the community. Steel bars replaced the welcome signs in the store windows. Homeless people could be found wandering the sidewalks. The changes made some members of St. Michael’s very uncomfortable. They usually tried to avoid that part of town except on Sundays.

  One Sunday, shortly after a young associate priest had joined the church staff, the church members gathered after the morning service for coffee and pastries. In the spring months, they loved to gather in the flower garden outside the church.

  As the elegantly dressed worshipers sipped coffee and chatted in the garden, a homeless man shuffled in off the street. He entered the garden gate without looking at anyone…but all eyed\s were on him. He quietly walked over to the table where the expensive pastries were displayed on fancy silver trays. He picked one up, bit into it, keeping his eyes closed.

  Then he reached for a second one and placed it in his coat pocket. Moving slowly and trying not to be noticed, he placed another pastry in his pocket.

  The garden was abuzz with whispers! Finally, one woman walked over to the new priest and said, “Well do something!”

  Still feeling a little awkward in his new position, the young priest handed his coffee cup to the woman, walked over to the table, stood next to the homeless man. He then reached under the table, where the empty pastry boxes were stored. He then picked us one of the silver trays loaded with pastries and emptied them into the box. He did the same thing with a second tray of expensive goodies. He closed the lids and handed them to the man.

  “We are here every Sunday,” the priest said. The man smiled at the priest, cradled the boxes in his arms, and shuffled quietly out of the garden and down the street.

  The priest returned to his cup of coffee, smiled at the woman, and then said, “That’s what you meant when you said to do something, wasn’t it?”

What would you have done if you were there that day?

How do you think Jesus felt about those whispering that day…about what the priest did?

I think Jesus looks at the homeless, the weak, the sick, the lonely, the anxious and depressed, those in fear and pain…..and says to us “well, do something about it!”

As we focus on Jesus’ birth and His life here on earth, you can bet He would be first in line “to do something.”

But then remember Jesus is here in the flesh. That’s what His church is all about! That’s what you are to be all about! You are to be His hands and feet to a hurting world.

So, here is your mission for the week (and always):

Take time this Advent to prepare your heart for the coming Savior. Pray, read God’s Word, worship, volunteer. (go to royred.org for information, resources, worship, and other opportunities to “do something”)

Look at each person as if they were Jesus. Ask yourself “how can I help them physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially”

Pray for God to help you see all people (even those you don’t like)  as children of God.

I taught confirmation for 27 years. I would use illustrations that I could find to help the students apply and live out God’s Word. I found that Wayne Rice has a way of telling a story that can be life-defining and life-changing. One of his resources was called “Hot Illustrations for youth talks.” As I was thinking about a topic for this devotion, I thought “what if I would share a couple of those illustrations as a way of reminding each of us… that God hand made us for a purpose. Each of us is uniquely gifted…to fit into a bigger story…the story of God’s Love for us.

A 14th-century Italian stained-glass artist was summoned to design and create a huge portrait for a window in a cathedral in France, a place well known for stained glass work. He laid all the pieces that he was going to use on the floor of the cathedral. They were beautiful to behold. Most of them were large and colorful. Some of the colors from that time cannot even be reproduced today. Among those awesome pieces of glass was a small clear piece about as big as your fingernail. As the stained glass window was assembled, that little piece remained on the floor. Only the big colorful pieces of glass were used.

On the day of the window’s completion, the tiny piece of clear glass was still lying on the ground, unnoticed. The entire city gathered to witness the unveiling of the brilliant and beautiful stained-glass portrait. The artist stood in front of the crowd, made his speech, and dramatically pulled down the cloth cover. The crowd gasped at the beauty of the colorful window glowing in the sunlight.

 After a few seconds, however, the crowd grew silent. They sensed that something was missing, that the portrait was unfinished. The great artist then walked over to where that little clear piece of glass lay and picked it up. He placed it in the portrait…right in the center of Jesus’ eye. As the Sun hit that little piece, it gave off a dazzling sparkle. The magnificent stained-glass window still draws visitors. The first thing they see is the sparkle in Jesus’ eye!

So…have you ever…or maybe right now…felt like that little piece of clear glass? Untalented…useless…a disappointment…no purpose…don’t measure up by earthly standards.

Well, think about that stained-glass window. As nice as all the bigger colorful pieces were…. They were meant to be part of a bigger picture…and the picture was unfinished until that smallest and plainest piece did its part.

Don’t compare yourself to others, ask how you fit into God’s masterpiece.

Each one of us is equally important to the body of Christ. (Take time to read 1 Corinthians 12.)

Once upon a time, a little candle stood in a room filled with other candles, most of which were larger and much more beautiful than she was. Some were ornate and others were rather simple like herself. Some were white, and some blue, some pink, some green. She had no idea why she was there, and the other candles made her feel rather small and insignificant.

When the sun went down and the room began to get dark, she noticed a large man walking towards her with a ball of fire on a stick. She suddenly realized that the man was going to set her on fire. No! No! she cried. Aaaaaagghh! Please don’t burn me!” But she knew that she could not be heard and prepared for the pain that would surely follow.

Then, to her surprise, the room filled with light. She wondered where it came from since the man had extinguished the fire stick. To her delight, she realized that the light came from herself. Then the man struck another fire stick, and, one by one lit the other candles in the room. Each gave out light into the darkroom.

During the next few hours, she noticed that slowly her wax began to flow. She became aware that her time to shine was limited. With this realization came a sense of why she had been created. “Perhaps my purpose on Earth is to give out light to those who are in the dark.”. And that’s exactly what she did!

God created you to be you….to produce light into a dark world.

Now…you need to remember that you can only shine your light because God gives you His Light! John 8:12… When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

We need to remember that the tiniest candle will bring light to a dark room. I don’t need to tell you that we live in a very dark world right now.

Who do you know that is “in the dark” and needs you to shine your light, God’s light on them? Matthew 5:16… In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

I love the way the message translation puts this section:

Matthew 5:14-16 (msg)…  “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

So, I shared these 2 illustrations with you to remind you that you were hand made by all Loving God…and He never makes junk. You are His masterpiece! Don’t compare yourself to others….He made you!

He has placed each of us where we are…for a time like this…to be used by God to accomplish His plans. To let your light shine…His light shine.

So…take time this week to focus on:

Who you are and whose you are! Psalm 139: 13-18…: For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.  How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.

God gave you His Light for you let your light shine in the darkness!
2 Corinthians 4:5-6… For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

You were created to be part of God’s bigger plan, His masterpiece, His family (His church) and called to encourage one another! Hebrews 10:23-25… Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,  not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the day approaching.

Jesus and the 12 went to the corner store to get stuff for Thanksgiving dinner and what happened? They got arrested for having over 10 in the store at one time! (Just kidding!)

I want to wish each of you a happy and blessed Thanksgiving! Your plans for this day probably look different than past Thanksgiving…but it is still a day to be thankful for all of your blessings. The question is WHO has given you those blessings?

Psalm 107:1 (NIV) says… Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Psalm 107:1 (msg)… Oh, thank God—he’s so good! His love never runs out.

The overarching theme of Thanksgiving (and every other day) is giving THANKS for all of God’s blessings (physical, material, relational, emotional, spiritual…) Everything you have is a blessing from God!

God wants/deserves our THANKS on good days and not so good days…and yes, even this covid impacted life we are facing:

A great verse to live by is:

Ephesians 5:20 “…Always giving THANKS to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Really? Everything? Yes!!

1 Thessalonians. 5:16-18…“Rejoice always, pray continually, give THANKS in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”

Be thankful in all circumstances? How does that work? Well, maybe this fable will help:

There was a woman whose name is Anna. She was a complainer. All-day long she complained! “I have so little money, my clothes are like old rags, my health is so bad, my back feels like the walls of Jericho, I have to walk so far to draw water, I feet feel like watermelons, my house is so small I can barely move in it, my children visit me so little that they hardly know me.”

One day she woke up with an itch on her nose. All-day long her nose itched. She went into town that day and decided to visit her pastor. “How are you,” the pastor asked. (The wrong question to ask a complainer like Anna!). Anna replied, “I have so little money, my clothes are like old rags, my health is so bad, my back feels like the walls of Jericho, I have to walk so far to draw water… on and on… and now it’s my nose that plagues me.”

She asked the pastor “What does it mean.” The pastor said “Anna, your itch is the complainer’s itch… Its meaning is this, however, you consider yourself so shall you be.

The next morning Anna woke up and her nose was still itching… but she now could barely move because her back had turned into a stone, like the walls of Jericho. When she looked around her, she noticed her house had shrunk until her arms stuck out the windows and her legs hanging out the front door. She could not move in it. On the ends of her legs were 2 huge watermelons. Her clothes had turned into rags. When her son and daughter came walking by, she called out to them, but they continued walking on. They didn’t know her and her nose continued to itch.

In despair, she remembered the meaning of the complainer itch. However you consider yourself, so shall you be. And she began to think.

You know I do have enough money to live on and then some… from now on I will give out of my abundance to those who are not so well off.

My health is not so bad…. Actually, for someone my age, I feel quite well. I should be out volunteering and helping others.

And I’m glad I have such a nice house to live in. It’s not large, but it’s comfortable and quite warm and maybe I could invite some guests over.

I really don’t mind the walk to draw water. A love to smell the flowers along a path…. Maybe I should pick some for my elderly neighbor.

And my children. I’m so proud that they have become independent and are now able to take care of themselves. I should call and tell them I love them.

And miraculously, while Anna was saying these things her situation returned to normal but her outlook on life changed forever!

As Christians, we have a reason to be positive…to be thankful…to find the good in each situation,…and have countless opportunities to generously praised God.

And yet…we don’t always do that…..What is it that steals our thankfulness?

FORGETFULNESS! We have short memories. Deep down we know God has blessed us…but we may find ourselves saying things like… “Lord, I know you blessed me yesterday, but today is a new day. What have you done for me lately?”

Everything we have and everything we are comes from our loving God.

ENVY! It’s interesting that we tend to compare ourselves with those who have more than us and to feel un-thankful. And yet, we seldom compare ourselves with those who have less than we do!

Do you stop and realize just how blessed you are? Just look around and realize how blessed you are. If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who won’t survive the week.

• If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 20 million people around the world.
• If you can attend a church online (or in-person again soon) without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world.
• If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.
• If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.

So, don’t let forgetfulness and envy steal your thankfulness!!!

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head.  Well, she said, “I think I’ll braid my hair today.”  So, she did, and she had a wonderful day.

 The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror, and saw that she had only two hairs on her head.  “H-M-M,” she said, I think I’ll part my hair down the middle today.”  So, she did, and she had a grand day. 

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head.  “Well, she said, today I’m going to wear my hair in a ponytail.”  So, she did and she had a fun, fun day. 

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn’t a single hair on her head.  “Yea! she exclaimed; I don’t have to spend time fixing my hair anymore!”

Through faith we can give thanks in ALL circumstances…trusting that God will use it for good.

So I imagine for most of us, Thanksgiving Day will look different this year…but it’s just a date on a calendar…live your life in such a way that every day is THANKS-LIVING day!!!!

*  Count your blessing daily.
Each of us are so blessed…focus on what you have not on what others have.
*  Give thanks in all circumstances
Yep! Sunny days and rainy days…and even the snowy ones to come. God will work for good through each circumstance!
*  Be blessed to be a blessing to others.
Who can you impact today, tomorrow, every day? Our world is upside down and hurting…You are the answer to someone else’s’ prayers!

William Barclay has written about a group of soldiers during World War II who had lost a friend in battle and wanted to give their fallen comrade a decent burial. So, they found a church with a graveyard behind it, surrounded by a white fence. They found the parish priest and asked if their friend could be buried there in the church graveyard.

“Was he Catholic?” the priest inquired.

No, he wasn’t, answered the soldiers.

“I’m sorry, then,” said the priest. “Our graveyard is reserved for members of the holy church. But you can bury your friend outside the fence. I will see that the gravesite is cared for.”

“Thank you, Father,” said the soldiers, and they proceeded to bury their friend just outside the graveyard on the other side of the fence.

When the war had finally ended, before the soldiers returned home, they decided to visit the gravesite of their friend. They remembered the location of the church—and the grave, just outside the fence. They searched for it but couldn’t find it. Finally, they went to the priest to inquire as to its location.

“Sir, we cannot find our friend’s grave,” said the soldiers to the priest.

“Well,” answered the priest. “After you buried your fallen friend, it just didn’t seem right to me that he should be buried there, outside the fence.”

“So, you moved his grave?” asked the soldiers.

“No,” said the priest. “I moved the fence.”

He moved the fence! Reminds me of what God has done for us. Because of our sin…we don’t deserve a place “inside the fence.” We don’t deserve to be forgiven or to go to heaven when we die. But God has graciously moved the fence. It’s a great illustration of the law and the gospel. The law “shows us our sins” Our thoughts, words, and deeds that are contrary to God’s will. The results (the wages) of those sins is death…separation from God. You are on the “outside of the fence” so to speak.

But the good news is found in the gospel. It “shows our Savior”. The good news of our salvation. The fact that God gives us forgiveness, faith, life, and peace. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us so that we could be included in his forever family. He moved the fence that separated us from Him.

Romans 5:1-2 (NIV)… Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.

I like the (MSG) version of that verse…By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that’s not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide-open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.

There is great joy knowing that God Loves and forgives you…and has a place for you in His heavenly kingdom…but now what? Well…God has big plans for you!

Are you ready to make a difference for the Lord?

Two men went fishing, one was an experienced fisherman, the other wasn’t.

Every time the experienced fisherman caught a big fish, he put it in his ice chest to keep it fresh.

Whenever the inexperienced fisherman caught a big fish, he threw it back.

The experienced fisherman watched this go on all day and finally got tired of seeing the man waste good fish. “Why do you keep throwing back all the big fish you catch?” he asked.

The inexperienced fisherman replied, “I only have a small frying pan.”

 Sometimes, like the fisherman, we throwback big plans, big dreams, and big opportunities that God has given us! We laugh at the fisherman who didn’t figure out that he needed to get a bigger frying pan…and yet we try to avoid listening to God when He calls us to step out with big faith. I want to remind you that God will never give you anything bigger than you can handle (with and thru Him).

Philippians 4:13…I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

So….Here is what I want you to do:

• Confess your sinfulness to God. Ask for forgiveness. Repent, turn away, and avoid the sinful distractions that have your name on them.
• Thank God for His forgiveness…for moving the fence for you. Focus on what it cost Him for your salvation.
• Ask God what he wants you to accomplish. Ask Him to give you more faith…to give you a “bigger frying pan” so to speak. Trust that God can and will do great things through you.

God…His Church…and YOU!

Our God has identified Himself as 3 persons in one Godhead. All one and all equally God. Hard to comprehend! We say the words, “in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” I think visioning a loving father can be easy…A son who would die for others can be easily understood…but what about the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit sanctifies us (makes us holy) by bringing us to faith. He has invited you and drawn you to the gospel. He gave you the saving knowledge of Jesus as your Savior.

The Holy Spirit also calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian faith. You and all believers are His church on earth. Most of you reading this have been called to be part of the local “congregation” known as Royal Redeemer.

All Christians individually as well as all Christian churches have the same general mission. Matthew 28:19-20…Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” It’s God’s mission and His promise to be with us as we serve Him!

Each church is uniquely created by God to accomplish His plan. Each church has unique leaders, members, gifts, and a location that God wants to use to His glory to reach those who need to hear and see His love for them.

Royal Redeemer started a new 3-week sermon series last week. The leadership team had many hours of discussion over the last year to determine the unique purpose and the reason that we (Royal Redeemer) exist. We looked at our mission (what we do)…and our values (why we do what we do)….so that we can make an impact in the world, to influence others to know and serve the Lord….and to celebrate God’s Love for us, all the while, managing our resources that God has blessed us with.

Pastor Zahrte has put it this way “Living in a pandemic offers us an opportunity to refocus our attention on the kind of people God wants us to be, the values He wants us to embrace, and His desire for us to make the most of our abilities and resources. Regardless of what we experience in life, the greatest gift we can offer to our gracious God lies in understanding what He has called us to do, putting our talents to work, and being faithful with what He has entrusted to us.”

Now, you may be saying that this devotion sounds more like a lecture, with little action steps to follow and where are the stories but:

Do you know what your shape is? No, not whether your diet is working…who are you?
Your:

• Spiritual Gifts
• Heart (what are you passionate about)
• Abilities
• Personality
• Experiences

Want to know more about your Spiritual Gifts? You can contact Bennie at [email protected]

Do you know that God hand made you and placed you right where you are? But there may be a problem. Many people are part of the church but not doing their part in the church! Being a Christian is not a spectator sport!

This is a little story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job.

Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

Every one of you has a purpose within the church…within God’s bigger church. If you are not doing what God is calling you to do…it may not get done. Do you know that you may be the answer to someone’s prayer…..WOW!

Ephesians 4:16…From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Do you spend time talking with the Lord in prayer so you can know where you fit in His plan?

• Sometimes God is calling you to be part of a church service opportunity or event or life group…or to volunteer to lead a group or event.
• Sometimes God is calling you to reach out to someone…. especially in this Covid world that we live in. The needs are everywhere.
• Sometimes He wants you to just sit and listen to someone. To call someone who is isolated and lonely. The ministry of presence.

This story may help you to be ready to “be the church” in every situation that you find yourself.

A teacher had a weeklong vacation Bible school and then she invited the students to join her in the usual closing ceremony. Let’s make our churches, she said. “Here’s the church and here’s the steeple, open a door and here’s…. Just then it hit her. She had totally forgotten about a little boy who had joined the class that day who was missing one arm. She had been so worried about one of the children making a comment about the handicap or saying something else to embarrass him. Now the very thing should worry about the children doing, she had just done. As she stood there speechless…. Trying to decide what to do. The most wonderful thing happened! The little girl sitting next to the boy reached over with their left hand placed it up to his right hand and said, “Davey, let’s make the church together.”

We all need one another. It is easy for us to see how the weak need the strong, but we also need to realize that a strong need the seemingly weaker parts to be a complete body.

I want you to read this section of God’s Word each day this week….asking God to let you know what He has gifted and called you to accomplish thru Him and for Him.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27… Unity and Diversity in the Body

 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.  For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.  Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.  And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?  But in fact, God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.  If they were all one part, where would the body be?  As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”  On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,  so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.