PrayerLife

As we anticipate serving God in 2016, what would be the single most important thing we could do? Jesus answers that question for us. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30).

As we anticipate living our lives for God in 2016, Proverbs 4:23 has a strategically important message for us - "Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life." The things we allow our hearts (our inner being) to dwell on, are the same things that will determine our attitudes and actions in the days ahead. We need to fill our hears with God's truth and the things t...

Ask God for a vision of how He wants to use your life in 2016.

As we begin to make plans for the new year, James reminds us to humbly yield to God's authority over our life. He writes, "Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away...

In these final days of 2015, it is appropriate to review the past year and begin to set goals and objectives for the new year. Psalm 90:12 says "So teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom." Let's invite God's wisdom as we anticipate the New Year.

Over 2000 years ago, infinite God expressed His love to finite man by taking on human flesh and being born as a baby in a manger. Christmas is the celebration of God's greatest miracle. On this Christmas day, "The Lord bless you, and keep you; The Lord make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace" (Numbers 6:24-26).

We don't want the holiday season to slip by without having an impact on our lives. From Angelic announcements to Magi bearing gifts, we are told that "Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart" (Luke 2:19). Let's ask God for a Spirit of wisdom to recognize and appreciate all that He is doing in our lives this Christmas.

Nothing touches the heart like the sweet sound of a child's voice. I invite you to listen to the Christmas story, afresh, through the voice of 3 year old Zoe. Please feel free to share this recording with your spouse, your children or a friend. Another suggestion is to listen to it as a family on Christmas morning. Christmas Blessings to you as you listen to the Christmas Story through the voice o...

"When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh" (Matthew 2:10-11). Just as the wise men worshipped Jesus and gave their treasures to Him we need to give Him our treasure...

Worship is a central part of our Christmas celebration. We are told that after the shepherds came into Bethlehem and saw the infant Jesus, they returned to their flocks "glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them" (Luke 2:20). From marveling at the many prophecies fulfilled at Jesus' birth to being in awe at the incarnation (God taking on human fle...

We serve a praying God. Both the Holy Spirit and Jesus, the Son, intercede on behalf of believers. God, himself, views prayer as supremely important. This Christmas, let's give the valuable gift of prayer, interceding on behalf of our family and friends.

After 30+ years of pastoral ministry, I can testify that the holiday season can be especially stressful for those in Church leadership. They are working hard to create special events for others to attend and they are always "on-call". Let's take a few moments to pray for our Church leaders and ask God to refresh and renew them this Christmas.

One of the most beautiful passages of scripture in all the Bible is Mary's Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). It is a spontaneous expression of praise from Mary's heart in response to the wondrous things that God is doing in and through her. Mary reminds us that Christmas is all about worship.

The Christmas story is filled with messages of honor and hope. For example, the birth of Jesus was first announced by angelic messengers to shepherds. These working class laborers would not have been on anyones list for such a remarkable announcement. From an insignificant town for Jesus' birth to a humble adolescent girl to be his mother, God constantly encourages us with unexpected honor and ble...

The interaction between Mary and her close relative, Elizabeth, is amazing! Elizabeth says, "Behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy" (Luke 1:44). So close was the relationship between Jesus and John the Baptist, that even in separate wombs they influenced each other.

Joseph initially struggled to believe that Mary had been faithful to him. An angel spoke to him, assuring him of God's miraculous hand in the unfolding events. Like Joseph, we can struggle to see what God is accomplishing in our lives through difficult circumstances. Let's invite God to enlarge our capacity to trust what He is doing in our lives today.

In Luke 2 we find the Angelic announcement to Mary of God's plan for her future. She would be the human vessel through which God would put on human flesh in order to provide salvation for mankind. Read Luke 2 with a sense of awe and wonder.

We frequently forget that there is a very dark side to the Christmas story. King Herod ordered the slaughter of every male child, two years old and younger throughout Bethlehem. Satan's appetite to steal, kill, and destroy continues today and his target are those we love. We need to recognize the spiritual warfare taking place around us and resist the enemy.

Over the past few weeks we have witnessed tragic acts of terror and violence in communities around the world. We need to realize that what we see in the physical realm is a reflection of what is taking place in the spiritual realm. As the return of Jesus draws nearer there is increasing opposition from our spiritual enemy. As we celebrate the first coming of Jesus this Christmas, we need to be min...

Matthew 2 tells us the story of the wise men who sought the newborn King by following a star. The old testament tells us about a different group of wisdom seekers, the Sons of Issachar. They, too, were attentive to God's leading and knew the appropriate things to do in their generation. Let us seek to be wisdom seekers who are attentive to God's leading and responsive to His voice in our generatio...

Many spend more productive time with associates in the workplace than they do with members of their own family. The marketplace is a strategic area for Kingdom ministry. We want to invite God to use our lives and the Christmas season to impact the lives of those we interact with each working day.

I have always taken pleasure in decorating our home with beautiful Christmas lights. This holiday season we want our homes to be light houses for the gospel. May people come in contact with the presence of the Savior as they enter our homes this Christmas season.

Joseph tenderly cared for Mary during her pregnancy. We are never specifically told in scripture, but it is likely that he prayed for her frequently on their difficult journey, as the birth of Jesus drew near. This Christmas, let's give the members of our family the gift of prayer, lifting them up before the Father.

"The people who walked in darkness, have seen a great light" (Isaiah 9:2). Christmas is the celebration of the life-giving Light of God breaking into the world. Jesus declared, "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12). This Christmas, allow God's light to shine into the dark areas of our life - bringing healing and deliverance.

Jesus has brought peace to the most infinitely broken relationship imaginable. He has reconciled holy God with sinful man. Therefore we have hope for any of our broken relationships because Jesus is the Prince of Peace.