MOMENTS WORTH CELEBRATING

Read Luke 1:8-10.. TEXT: ... he (Zechariah) was chosen
by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense
(Luke 1:9b).

Life holds out many high honors for which we can strive.
Students work hard to be part of the National Honor
Society or class valedictorian. Athletes work hard to win
championships and be named the most valuable player.
But sometimes the honor of a lifetime simply falls upon
us at some unanticipated moment.

For Zechariah the priest, there is no higher honor than
being chosen to burnincense in the temple of the Lord. It
is the honor of a lifetime. While the people of God remain
outside, praying in the temple courts, Zechariah will pass
through the temple doors alone. Once inside, he will burn
incense on the altar of incense that stands before the
ornate temple curtain.

Even though God had withheld the honor and joy of
children from Zechariah, He richly blesses the priest with
this joyous experience.

Perhaps this last day of November finds you waiting for
your life's dreams to come true. While that may be the case,
be sure to appreciate the other things God sets before you
today: the joy of family and friends, the beautiful decorations
of this season, a joyous party.

The same is true of this coming Christmas. It may seem
diminished in your eyes because you'll be away from home
for the first time or your home or table will be empty, or
you'll be separated from friends or loved ones. But don't
fail to see the amazing and wonderful things God is doing
each day.

THE PRAYER:

Holy Father, thank You for providing all of my needs of
body and spirit. Teach me to rejoice and give thanks for
every joy in life--even those that don't seem as great as
the ones I might be anticipating. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(By Rev. Wayne Palmer
November 30, 2015)

WELCOME EMMANUEL

(This is the best explanation of the meaning of the
Advent and Christmas season I have seen)

THE MONTH OF DECEMBER BRINGS WITH IT THE SEASON
OF ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS.  It'S ALWAYS BEEEN MY
FAVORITE TIME OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE IT SHOW US
POWERFULLY AND PRACTICALLY HOW OUR CHRISTIAN
FAITH ENTERED THE WORLD. THE INCARNATION IS
UNIQUE AMONG WORLD RELIGIONS.  THE WAY I LIKE TO
SAY IT:  IN CHRIST, GOD HITS THE STREETS.  CHRISTMAS
GIVES CHRISTIANS THE ANNUAL OPPORTUNITY TO
REMEMBER THE INCARNATION OF GOD'S LOVE
BREAKING INTO THE WORLD--HOW IT DID AND HOW
IT STILLL CAN.

ADVENT IS ABOUT WAITING, AND CHRITMAS BRINGS THE
 NEWBORN WHO ANNOUNCES A NEW ORDER MEANT TO
TURN THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN--AND OUR LIVES WITH IT. 
CHRISTMAS ALWAYS RENEWS MY COMMITMENT TO BRING
THAT REVOLUTIONARY LOVE INTO A WORLD THAT SO
DESPERATELY NEEDS IT, AND INTO MY OWN LIFE AGAIN.

IN THE BUSTLE OF OUR DAILY LIVES, WITH ALL OF THE
DISTRACTIONS AND STRUGGLES THAT COME OUR WAY--
EVEN IN CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES--IT IS SO EASY FOR US TO
LOSE SIGHT OF US OF THE TRANSFORMING LOVE EMBODIED
IN THE PERSON OF CHRIST. SO IT'S VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT
WE HAVE THIS SEASON TO REMEMBER AND RE-ENCOUNTER
AND RE-CENTER OURSELVES ON THE HEART OF OUR FAITH: 
GOD BREAKING INTO HISTORY TO TRANSFORM IT, AND US,
IN THE PERSON OF JESUS.
(Jim Wallis Soujourners Magazine)

SOMETHING'S MISSING

Read Luke 1:5-7. TEXT: ...There was a priest named Zechariah
... And he had a wife ... and her name was Elizabeth (Luke 1:5b).

As we begin the transition from Thanksgiving
to Christmas, we meet an old Jewish couple named Zechariah
and Elizabeth. Like us, they have much to be thankful for in their
lives. God has given them a strong faith in His coming Savior, and
they have a good reputation in their town.

But, like all of us, their thanksgiving is neither perfect nor complete.
One thing has eluded them, one thing that keeps their thankfulness
from being complete. God has not given them a child. They
celebrate the holidays together, but they have no earthly future, no
heritage, no one to whom they can pass on their holiday traditions.

What do you do when you've lived your life as well as you can,
sought to honor God, and yet find He has withheld something good
and beneficial from you--a spouse, a child, a job, a house, etc.? It
gets pretty hard to not feel there's something wrong in your
relationship with God. Either He's punishing you for something you
don't remember or understand, or maybe He isn't quite as loving as
you were always told He is.

Maybe you've exited the Thanksgiving season into the Christmas
season with a big hole in your life. Like Zechariah and Elizabeth,
we turn to God and wait for His will and time. There's often nothing
else we can do.

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, Your Word promises that You are good, loving
and kind to all Your children. Yet there is an empty spot in my life.
Grant me the faith and courage to trust in Your goodness and love,
and give me the patience to wait for the good that You intend to
bring from this disappointment. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen.

By Rev. Wayne Palmer
First Sunday in Advent: November 29, 2015

BUT HE DID

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
Colossians 3:15

A number of years ago I had the opportunity to perform a
wedding service for a very special couple. Although the family
was relatively well known, the wedding itself was very small.
When I asked the bride why, she replied, "I'm not going to hug
somebody I don't know."

That feeling was not shared by Greta Peske who married Tony
Hokanson at Celebration Lutheran Church in Sartell, Minnesota,
this past October 10th. Indeed, Peske reserved a dance at the
reception for a man whom she had met only once in her life.
Even so, that man was, in some ways, responsible for that
wedding taking place.

Let me share: the name of the 51-year-old man from Arkansas
was Danny Daniels. In 2007, he was contacted by medical
personnel. They told him the tests showed he was a good bone
marrow match for a high-school girl who had come down with
leukemia. They wanted to know if he would consent to helping
her out.

Peske thankfully acknowledges, "He didn't have to do what he
did, (that is help her), but he did."

Because of his donation, Peske survived, fell in love, and was
married, and she had a dance with Daniels to show her
appreciation.

When I read that story, I couldn't forget the line, "He didn't have
to do what he did, but he did."

That line described Danny Daniels, and it most certainly
describes the work of the Savior. After Adam and Eve's
disobedience and sin, they -- with all of their descendants --
were doomed to die. There was no escape; there was no cure;
there was nothing they could do other than wait for a bitter and
terrible end.

It was then that the Lord decided to help us.

He would do what was necessary to save us. Nobody asked
Him to make a sacrifice. He did what He did because -- along
with being a just God -- He is also merciful. It was that attribute,
along with grace, which had Him send His Son to save us.

Of course, this was not a simple bone marrow transplant.

Not at all.

This procedure which would save us -- the process which would
rescue us -- called for Jesus to give up His life in a most painful
manner. This He would do after having been rejected by His
country, His religion, and even His own hometown.

He didn't have to do what He did, but He did.

Now all who are given faith in the Redeemer, with repentant hearts,
are forgiven and saved. Now, those who are redeemed and
rescued show their thanks to the Lord, not with a dance at their
 wedding, but by living every day of their lives as if it were a real
Thanksgiving Day.

THE PRAYER:

Dear Lord, You didn't have to do what You did, but You did. May
my life reflect the thanksgiving I feel in my heart. This I ask in
Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

I WILL FOLLOW

Verse

But Ruth said, ‘Do not press me to leave you or to
turn back from following you! Where you go, I will
go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall
be my people, and your God my God.'
Ruth 1:16

Voice

The half-life of love is forever.
Junot Díaz

Prayer

God, just as Ruth loved Naomi, may we love you
and love our neighbors. Amen.

GOD'S WELCOMING LOVE

Scripture:

Mark 12:38-44

Jesus Denounces the Scribes

38 As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who
like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with
respect in the marketplaces, 39 and to have the best
seats in the synagogues and places of honor at
banquets! 40 They devour widows’ houses and for the
sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive
the greater condemnation.”
The Widow’s Offering
41 He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the
crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people
put in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two
small copper coins, which are worth a penny. 43 Then he
called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this
poor widow has put in more than all those who are
contributing to the treasury. 44 For all of them have
contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her
poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live
on.” New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Giving can be risky.  Today's passage is about a poor
widow who gave two small copper coins to the temple
treasury.  It was all she had.  She not only risked her
livelihood, she also risked ridicule from on lookers who
could give much more.

And even though her donation was small and may not
have made much difference, it was her devotion to
God that has been and inspiration for generations. 
Jesus said of her, "truly I tell you, this poor widow has
put in more than all those who are contributing to the
treasury.  For all of them have contributed out of their
abundance:  but she our of her poverty has put
everything she had, all she had to live on"
(vv; 43-43, NRSV).

Loving can also be risky. But it is always worth it
because love changes things.  Sometimes I am afraid
to love.  What's the risk, I ask myself?  Rejection?

It's never about the offering.  It's about the heart and
the love behind the giving.  The poor widow trusted the
love of her Lord to cover her needs and desires.

Prayer:

Lord please help us to give from a heart of love and
devotion.  Amen

(Covenant Home Alter, author Alice Benavides)

COME ON ARE YOU KIDDEN?

Scripture:

"The Lord has heard my supplication: the Lord accepts
my prayer. (Psalm 6:9)

Reflection:

Do you pray?  I mean do you talk with God?  It's an honest
question isn't it?  First there has to be a premise here that
you believe in God.  For this reflections sake I am assuming
that you do. 

Then again I'm asking you this question, Do you pray?  It's
not difficult to answer, either you do or you don't. If you do
talk with God, Do you think that God accepts what you have
to say. Do you really think He cares?

Now I know that your not going to be surprised at what I'm
about to say, but I really and truly believe that God really
cares about our prayers. Out of all His creation and all the
billions of people on this earth, GOD LISTENS TO ME AND
HE LISTENS TO YOU! Now my more cynical friends would
ask me to prove it.  Well to be really honest I can't.  But
there's something I know, something I feel, something
that is within me, it's called "Faith". I can't explain it and I
can't see it, but I know my faith is there.  And through my
faith I know God hears and accepts what I have to say to
Him. And yes God answers me, no He does not whisper in
my ear, or appear before me in the darkness of night. But
I know He answers my prayers. You know how I know,
because whatever my conversation with God is, it comes
out in my life. Whether it is request, a word of praise and
thanksgiving, or a concern for someone else, it always
becomes apparent in my life. It always makes my life
better and so much happier even when it's not what I
thought I wanted for my life. It's what God wants, and
that's what makes my life better.  And when I don't pray,
when I try to do things on my own without talking with
God, my life is miserable.

So I guess I'm one of those "cornball" Christians that
believe that God hears and He answers prayer. But I'm a
happy "cornball" Christian.  How about you?

Prayer:

Thanks God for the conversation, I love You! Amen

RISE ABOVE FEAR

“What I feared has come upon me;
     what I dreaded has happened to me.” — Job 3:25

I once read about an interesting phenomenon. A certain
kind of bird dwells on high trees, and there is a particular
kind of snake that feeds on these birds. How does the
lowly snake catch the bird? It makes a sound, and when
the bird looks, it bares its fangs in a show of rage. The
bird gets so frightened that instead of flying away, it
freezes and falls over like a stone directly into the
snake’s mouth.

This is the danger of fear. I want to encourage us all to
rise above fear and choose faith instead. Faith is the set
of wings that can get us out of any dangerous situation.
Let us not waste our days in empty worry but instead trust
God for safety and prosperity.

With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

A TIME TO REMEMBER "KINDNESS"

Scripture:

"Love your enemies! Do good to them! Lend to them! And
don't be concerned that they might not repay. Then your
reward from heaven will be great, and will truly be acting
as children of the Most High, for he is kind to the
unthankful and to those who are wicked! You must be
compassionate, just as the Father is compassionate."
(Luke 6: 35-36 NLT)

Reflection:

Our enemies are definitely out to hurt us.  They want to steal
from us, cheat us, murder us, and do all kinds of evil against us.
Yet Jesus says we are to be kind to them. Tell me whats the point?

One important thing that I have discovered in reading the Word is
that "God is kind" even to the unkind, the ungrateful, the lowest
of low, and those whom we consider to be "hopeless" cases. We
need to remember that kindness is based on the love we have for
others, not the love others deserve.

Believe me I know this sounds unrealistic, a little crazy, some say
"Utopian". Especially during this time of terrorism and murder,
and evilness.  I think it's important to remember that kindness is
the sign of a loving heart, one of the greatest of all virtues. God is
our model for kindness. The kindess act ever committed was
God's sending His own Son, Jesus to die for our sins so that we
might live forever in heaven.  I think this is a good time to
remember that God showers us with kindness each day, sending
sunshine and rain, food and friends, comfort and encouragement,
boundless love and wisdom.

This is not a solution that I present to all the evil that is in this
world. I'm not quit that unrealistic. It is simply a reminder that
there is good in this world, and that good is the result of kindest.
GODS KINDNESS TO MAN AND MAN'S KINDNESS TO EACH OTHER

Prayer:

Lord I pray for a loving heart and that I be a kind person pleasant,
good and gracious. I thank you for your ultimate act of kindness
sending Your Son Jesus to die for our sins.
In Your Holy and Blessed Name Amen

DON'T BE DISCOURAGED

Scripture:

"Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not
be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with your
wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)

Reflection:

I have to tell you, I have been saying this verse in my
mind and definitely in my heart, a great deal lately.
Be strong and courageous. Now thats easier said than
done. I would like to think that I am strong and
courageous, but I'm really not.  I find myself often
weakend and certainly not very courageous.  I give
into my weakness to easely and that shows a lack of
courage.       

I don't think there are a lot of things in my life that I'm
afraid of. I also must admit there are not a lot of
circumstances that would cause me to fear. But now
I am facing medical problems and surgeries, for the
first time in my life I feel afraid.

Do not be discouraged? You got to be kiddin me, how
can you not be discouraged?  Look around you, poverty,
children starving, Isis & Alkida terroism, gun violence
and murder, the power of the rich, apathy, anger, racism,
and not to even mention personal  problems that we face
everyday.
 
What in the world is the answer to all of this?

The answer is a very important reminder=
"THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL BE WITH YOU
WHEREVER YOU GO!
You see that's the answer, God is with you always. I
couldn't do it, I couldn't face all this and more without my
God.  I can rely on my God, I can trust my God
no matter where I'm at, no matter where I go,
GOD IS WITH ME AND GOD IS WITH YOU!

I feel such joy and such confidence knowing my God is with
 me and He will give me strength through all of this. And
you know something He will see you through it too!
JUST BELIEVE!   JUST TRUST IN HIM! 

Prayer:

Thank you Lord for always being with me
always being there, I have no need to be
afraid, or discouraged, because You are
there and I trust You. In the Name Jesus
Amen

BEING WASHED

And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were
sanctified, you were justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus
Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11

Years ago, Pam and I were leading a Christian tour to Egypt.

We, along with our fellow travelers, were awed by the sights
and sounds of that wonderful country of past power. There was
one thing which didn't impress many of the "cleanliness-is-next
-to-godliness" travelers. They were taken somewhat aback by
the dust and dirt that seemed to be encountered everywhere.
One lady, who was either more offended or more outspoken
than the rest, was shocked when she saw a particularly dirty
child playing on what looked to be a village garbage dump.

She complained to those around her: "Why doesn't her mother
do something to clean up her little girl?"

Our guide, a native Egyptian sitting in the front seat of the bus,
overheard her question. Calmly, he reached over and took up the
microphone used to broadcast his narratives throughout the coach.
Without any venom in his voice, he calmly said, "Ladies and
gentlemen, someone has asked the question why would a mother
allow her daughter to get so dirty?"

"I can only tell you this: visitors to our country hate dirt, but they
don't know or love the little children. Mothers of our country know
and love their little children, but don't hate the dirt. Until love for a
child and hatred for dirt come together in one person, these dirty
children you see are likely to remain as they are."

The bus got quiet after that, quiet for a long time.

Partly things got quiet because we were embarrassed that the
question had been overheard, and partly it was because we had felt
we had been quite rightly reprimanded. But most of us were quiet
because we knew what the guide had said was profoundly true.

The guide's words are true for the world, and they're true for each
of us. For positive changes to happen in our lives, hatred of that
which is evil -- and the power to remove that evil -- must be joined
together.

Please let me explain. Almost everyone in the world knows he is
filthy with sin. Most of us hate the evil we do, but we are powerless
to do anything about it. If you look at most of the world's religions,
you will see "deities" who say they have the power to change their
followers, but they are disinclined to do so. For that reason the
followers of those religions feel they must somehow, in some way,
do something to work their way up and earn peace with their god.

But Christianity is different -- and unique.

The Triune God is furious with us for our disobedience and manifold
transgressions. He has told us the soul that sins will die, both
temporally and eternally. Yes, God hates our sin, but He is never
content to let us stay in our sin.

So that we might be saved, God sent His Son into this world.

In the Person of Jesus, hatred of sin and love for transgressors came
together. Through His life, His sacrifice, His substitution for sinners;
by Jesus' suffering, death and glorious resurrection all who believe on
Him are saved. Our dirt has been washed away because justice and
grace have come together in the Triune God.

THE PRAYER:

Dear Lord, I give thanks that in Jesus I have all that I need to be saved.
May my life show my gratitude for His work, by which I am cleansed
and rescued. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Pastor Klaus
(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

VIOLENCE

Suddenly, one of those with Jesus put his hand on his sword,
drew it, and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his
ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its
place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword."
Matthew 26:51-52

Voice

Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than
love. It destroys community and makes brotherhood impossible.
It leaves society in monologue rather than dialogue. Violence
ends up defeating itself. It creates bitterness in the survivors
and brutality in the destroyers.
Martin Luther King Jr.

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, you offer to us the divine delight of life in the
beloved community, but only as a gift to be shared, not a
structure to be imposed or controlled. Take the tools of
domination from our hands — disarm us as you disarmed the
powers of evil on the cross.

(sojo.com)

BE STRONG

REMEMBER TODAY!

 Philippians 4:13

13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

JESUS

YOU WILL FIND HIM

 Today's promise: God blesses those who seek after
him

Thankful for God's presence

"Worship and serve him with your whole heart and with
a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and
understands and knows every plan and thought. If you
seek him, you will find him.…"
1 Chronicles 28:9 NLT

About this week's promise:

As we near closer to Thanksgiving, our promise this
week is not about the usual themes of bounty, but the
blessings found when we seek God. For it is from an
intimate relationship with God that his blessings flow.

Heart to heart, mind to mind, soul to soul — this is
intimacy. There is relational intimacy, where two
people become soul mates, free to openly share all
their burdens, fears, and joys with each other. Then
there is physical intimacy, reserved only for marriage,
where a man and woman, through their sexual
relationship, reach new heights of vulnerability that
should allow them to communicate at the most
profound level. And finally there is intimacy with God,
where we learn to understand the very heart of God.
As we do this, all other intimacy takes on new and
even greater meaning.

From the TouchPoint Bible with commentary by Ron
Beers and Gilbert Beers (Tyndale) p 1219