What Is Your Will In Christ?

For all of the pageantry and tradition that men might seek to display at Christmas with passionate and dramatic presentation, some in the pursuit of celebration itself, ... nothing will ever outshine the humblest display in a dingy animal shed on the outskirts of a little town called Bethlehem. There were no strings of colored lights, no decorated trees or mechanical yard ornaments. There was no grand reception, no carefully scripted and choreographed Broadway play. No lavish reenactments or comfortable accommodation ... What there was, was the light of God's glory emanating from the person of His Son who lay tiny and helpless. He was born by His own willing choice in human form into the cold dampness of a world that was destined by prophecy to reject Him. He was greeted in lowly accommodations - a feeding trough, some dirt and fresh hay. His reception was by a company of animals and their keepers with few other humans in attendance. But the drama that was playing out was

Reposted from The Jude 3 Fellowship website (http://www.jude3fellowship.com/) with permission from Author Dr. Jim Jenkins In Taxing Times By Jim Jenkins on Dec 23, 2017 01:53 pm The tax cut that changed everything With all the talk of tax cuts and the ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas…’ and ‘I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas’ barrage, I had a moment of insight today. The airwaves are rife with talk of student loan debt confiscatory taxes, political intrigue, back door deals…and the beat goes on… and, in the midst of it all… Christmas. Think with me for a moment about the first Christmas Joseph, an ordinary man, by most accounts no one special, has been dealing with the fact that there is a rumor of scandal surrounding his young bride. Enduring what must have been terrible gossip and off balance due to the fact that both he and his wife had been visited by the angel of the Lord and told that the Child Mary carried would be called Emmanuel—God With Us They were told that He

As a young boy coming from a family that specialized in making the best of having little, I've experienced the presentation of a lean material celebration of Christmas. As a young man I've tasted the loneliness of a Christmas alone - broken hearted and isolated from all of my family and friends. As a young father, I've felt the guilt that can accompany the inability to provide the kind of gifts and grandeur that my heart longed to do for my little ones. As a husband, I've felt the inability to present to my precious life partner so many of the things that my heart would in deep love and appreciation at Christmas. So it might be fair to say that I have at least some small glimmer of understanding of those who may find themselves in less than optimal circumstances as Christmas approaches along with a deeply compassionate heart for them as well. So I offer a word here in the hope that any who find themselves in that situation might find some contentment. It was for the

Psalms 82:3-4  “Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute. Rescue the poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people." I was struck by something I read again this morning. I've seen it many times and often more prevalently during this season of the year, so it wasn't shocking to me and it certainly wasn't by any means something outrageous. In fact, it was good and something that I've practised myself often. But even as I agreed with what I read, for some reason it also simultaneously struck a familiar chord of inner protest in my own heart at the same time. I think that it's because it touches a personal burden of my heart that I felt compelled to write. It was a written call to pray for the less fortunate in this Christmas season that I read - to which I agree is good and right. After all as His children, we know that there's no possible greater power to affect the plight of those less

My Dearest Much Loved Child, While the existence of Santa Claus might be subject to debate and perhaps the tree might still be in the forest with no sign of the customary packages beneath, there's still great reason for awesome hope and joy regardless of circumstances ... if one can find the true cause - "the true spirit" of Christmas. It's in the absence of such things as one might find customary in the world at this time of the year, in my personal experience, to have even greater hope of connecting with the true source for celebration. You see, in the absence of the distractions and excitement over other things, one has a greater opportunity for focused reflection and a clearer view of the reasons for true, great and unrelenting joy. This because long ago, from above the chaos of man, Father God looked down with a broken heart to observe all of mankind that had once held such great hope and promise in His own great heart, was now forever broken and separate