We Have Found The Messiah!

SCRIPTURE

Andrew, Apostle
John 1:35-42 (NRSV)

The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?" He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter).

DEVOTION

In today’s scripture reading we get to "eavesdrop" as two of John the Baptist’s disciples make the decision to follow Jesus!

It warms my heart to see how Jesus receives them with such grace asking, “What are you looking for?”

Isn’t this a question full of the wisdom of the ages? Jesus knew that in the absence of a relationship with him, we are all seeking, but not finding that which we need.

For example many of my non-Christian friends are seeking joy, where none is to be found, peace in the midst of conflict, and love in all the wrong places.

Blaise Pascal once said, “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person, and it can never be filled by any created thing. It can only be filled by God, made known through Jesus Christ.”

Hallelujah; I am so glad that Jesus has filled up that God-sized hole in my heart!

During this Advent Season, as we celebrate the first coming of Jesus and look forward to his second coming, let us make up our minds to take on the evangelical spirit of the Apostle Andrew.

I believe that Andrew is a good example for all Christians because his immediate response to an encounter Jesus was to share the good news with those whom he loved.

What is it that you will go and tell your friends, family, co-workers and neighbors about Jesus during this Christmas season?

Andrew said, “We have found the Messiah!” How about you?

Won’t you pray with me?

Holy One, thank you that my relationship with you makes all the difference in my life. You are my love, joy, peace, and hope for the future. I love you so much and I want to share our love with others. Thank you for allowing Love to give Jesus to die on the cross to save me from my sin and gift me with eternal life. Please forgive me of my sin and fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I can share this good news with everyone I meet. I am waiting with great hope, expectation, and repentance for you to come again. Come, Lord Jesus, Come! I pray this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

THE INVITATION

If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @
http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/2009/03/come-to-jesus.html

ANNOUNCEMENT

If you are going to do any of your Christmas shopping on the web, I would like to invite you to access Amazon.com through this website. With every item that you purchase, you will be supporting the Good News Living ministry which brings the hope of Jesus Christ to 87 nations around the world! Please click the “Good News Living Christmas Store” link, at the top right-hand corner of the page, located just above my biography! Thank you!

Lift Up Your Heads!

SCRIPTURE


First Sunday of Advent

Luke 21:25-36 (NRSV)
Watch for the coming of the Son of Man

"There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in a cloud' with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

Then he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

"Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."

I am enjoying my family on this Thanksgiving Sunday. Today’s Sunday message comes to us in the form of a short devotional. Peace be with you!



DEVOTION

Ah! Today is the first Sunday in the Christian liturgical season called “Advent.” Advent is the beginning of the Church year and it begins four Sundays prior to Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. It is a season of waiting, hoping, expecting, and repenting as Christians remember the first coming of Jesus on Christmas morn in a manger and look forward to the second coming of Jesus from the clouds and in great glory!

What strikes me about today’s gospel reading is the difference between the thoughts, feelings, and actions of non-Christians vs. Christians when the Son of God appears!

Prophesy declares that those who do not have a relationship with Jesus will experience distress, confusion, fear, foreboding, dissipation, drunkenness, and worry! By contrast, Christians are called to simply be alert and prayerful as we lift up eyes to receive our Savior and prepare our hearts to stand before the Son of Man.

Isn’t this a striking contrast my friends?

As Christians we are to be filled with the love, joy and peace of Jesus! Since we know that God’s Love sent Jesus into the world one Christmas morning; we are at peace! Since we are sure that Jesus fed the hungry, healed the sick, raised the dead and died on the cross to save us from our sin and gift us with eternal life; we live with a blessed assurance that trouble don’t last always.

When Jesus ascended into heaven, a couple of angels told his disciples, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."

Hallelujah!

I am so excited about sharing this Advent Season with you!

Let us pray: “Come, Lord Jesus, Come!”




THE INVITATION

If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @
http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/2009/03/come-to-jesus.html

My Lord, What A Morning!*

SCRIPTURE

Luke 21:20-24 (NRSV)

A messianic warning

"When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those inside the city must leave it, and those out in the country must not enter it; for these are days of vengeance, as a fulfillment of all that is written. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress on the earth and wrath against this people; they will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken away as captives among all nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

DEVOTION--Today is Saturday Psalmody; the mediation is offered as a psalm from my heart! If you would like a more traditional devotion, please search the archives for a title that appeals to you! (smile)

She’s shouting

The sky is falling, the sky is falling!

I’m so tired of her dire predictions

Of things to come

The sky is not falling

All is well

I am happy

Comfortable

At ease

Why must she always be bothering

ME

With those prophesies

Of doom

And gloom

When all about me

Sunshine

Prosperity

Filthy lucre

Abounds

HALLELUJAH!

What did you say?

All Hail King JESUS!

My Lord,

The sky is actually

FALL

IN

G…

THE INVITATION

If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @
http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/2009/03/come-to-jesus.html

*title comes from an African American spiritual entitled, "My Lord, What A Morning!"

Give Thanks For All Things!

SCRIPTURE

1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 (NRSV)
Rejoice, pray, give thanks

But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labor among you, and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you; esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint hearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.


DEVOTION

I am so grateful for this word of encouragement on the day after Thanksgiving!

I don’t know about you, but I feel stuffed. I ate good food in great company and it was a wonderful day.

Like many Americans, my plans for today are to eat leftovers, watch television, and maybe do a little shopping. It feels like a lazy day, an opportunity for rest and relaxation.

But, Paul’s epistle reminds us that as Christians, even as we Sabbath, we must remember that there is always “work” to be done; for every day is a good day to honor our leaders, live in peace, encourage the least of these amongst us, and do good unto others!

I love Paul’s admonition to “rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances.” We are reminded that this triumvirate is God’s will for all of us!

On the day after thanksgiving, may our hearts continue to overflow in praise and gratitude for all that God has done for us! May we continue to rejoice in God’s blessings, pray at all times, and give thanks for absolutely everything!

This behavior was good on yesterday; it is good on today and it will be good on tomorrow! This is why Paul says, “Do not quench the Spirit,” for Spirit will daily cause us to live into an existence of joy, thanksgiving, and prayer!

As we glory in God’s Love that gave Jesus to die on the cross to save us from our sin and gift us with eternal life, we will be set ablaze to share God’s good news with others!

This Sunday, we will begin the season of Advent. It is the time of year when Christians remember the first coming of Jesus in a manger on Christmas Day and look forward to the second coming of Jesus in great glory!

As we wait, we pray together, “Come Lord, Jesus, Come!”

When He comes, I pray that Jesus will find a prayerful people full of joy and thanksgiving!

Amen, Lord, may it be so!


Won’t you pray with me?

Holy God, although I want to be lazy, please help me to take advantage of every opportunity presented to be your light and love in somebody’s life today! I really am full of joy and thanksgiving when I think of your many blessings toward me. Please forgive me of my sin and fill me with the Holy Spirit. It is never my desire to quench your Spirit; please help me to please you in every way! I love you and I promise to share your love with others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.


THE INVITATION

If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @
http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/2009/03/come-to-jesus.html

Build Each Other Up!

SCRIPTURE—Thanksgiving Day (U.S.)

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 (NRSV)
Keep awake

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. So then let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night.

But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.


DEVOTION

Today we are celebrating Thanksgiving in the United States of America. It is a day when families gather together to give thanks and praise to God for the bountiful harvest of a new year.

It is on this day that we bow our heads in prayer and remember all of the many benefits God has afforded to us. Many of us will give thanks to God for the fact that we are reasonably healthy, happy, holy, and whole. Some of us will be more specific in thanking God for our spouses, children, home, transportation, food, water, clothes, education, health care, and/or employment.

No matter whom we are, or what we do—or do not have—we will thank God for our lives—for the beating of our hearts and the breathing of our lungs! Just the fact that we are able to get on a computer and read this devotional today means that we are blessed beyond measure!

Today I affirm that if we tried to number all of our blessings, we would soon find that it is an impossible project! God has been so good to us!

But, today’s epistle reminds us of one blessing that we cannot neglect to count--His name is JESUS. Paul says, “For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him.”

Hallelujah!

On this day whilst we sit around the table, let us not neglect to encourage and build one another up! This may be the only day out of the year that our non-Christian family members and friends will be receptive to prayer and to the good news message.

As we hold hands and bow our heads around the table, let it not be for form or fashion! Let us use this opportunity to show forth the love of God as it has been revealed to us through Christ Jesus!

Let us not miss out on the chance to gently and humbly share our good news testimonies with those who need to hear it.

Whether or not someone puts all of their hope in Jesus at grandma’s house, we will be used by God to plant a seed that will take root and grow in God’s own time. Now, ain’ta that good news?!

Won’t you pray with me?

Holy God, thank you! I can’t thank you enough! You have been so good to me! On this day of thanks please forgive me of my sin and fill me with the Holy Spirit afresh so that I may be useful to the Kingdom of Love. Please help me to be light and love for all of my family members as we sup around the table, but especially for those who do not have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ! On this day, please let my love for you be contagious and may my family and friends know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is great joy in knowing you! I pray this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.


THE INVITATION

If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @
http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/2009/03/come-to-jesus.html