What Do You Want for Your Birthday?

December 15, 2015

What Do You Want for Your Birthday?

December is a month for some significant birthdays in my life. My precious Mom’s birthday was last week on December 6th. Two dear high school friends’ birthdays are this month. The birthday of one of my Godly mentor friends is December 26th.

Oftentimes, a simple question is asked to those we love before their birthday: “What do you want for your birthday?” If you are like me, I just want to ensure my loved one is honored in the most meaningful way. Isn’t that what we want for our birthdays…to know we are loved and cherished?

The most significant person in my life, really in this world, celebrates His birth each December 25^th. Isn’t it wonderful that we all adorn our homes in Christ-mas finery and decorate the inside and outside with bright lights in honor of His birthday? We bake treats, buy gifts and send cards to our most significant loved ones , friends, and coworkers (and even strangers), and go above and beyond to volunteer and do “random acts of kindness” this time a year. Why? Perhaps it truly is all part of His birthday celebration, honoring the Light Of The World.

However you may feel about Him, one fact is irrefutable. History sets its time stamp of demarcation with Jesus’ birth—BC, “Before Christ”, and AD, “Anno Domini,” Latin for “In the Year of Our Lord.” Even the Old Testament prophesied Jesus’ birth (especially in the book of Isaiah) at least 700 years before He was born! Isn’t it fitting that we give Him our best as we celebrate His birthday?

When I was growing up, we baked a birthday cake for Christmas Day and sang “Happy Birthday” to Jesus. I will always remember those sweet memories.

So, on this December 15, 2015 AD, in the year of our Lord, 10 days before we celebrate His birthday, I encourage you to ask Him a simple question: “Lord, What Do You Want For Your Birthday?”

Then listen…

Could His birthday gift be:

–to reconcile with your loved one…

–to rake the yard of and sit with an elderly neighbor…

–to babysit for a worn-out married couple to have a date night…

–to share your testimony and love of Jesus with your co-worker…

You can almost hear His still, small voice, can’t you?

“Your Heart, Dear One. That’s all I want. Your Heart.”

Reflect:

How will this Christmas, Jesus’ birthday celebration, be different from years past?
How can we listen and act more intentionally after asking the question, “Lord, what do You want for your birthday?”

Renew:

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” –Colossians 3:23
“I am sending Him—who is my very heart—back to you.” –Philemon 1:12.
“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the Truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply from the heart.” –1 Peter 1: 22

Recharge:

After asking, seeking, and listening, what intentional actions in your life have you been prompted to take?
Consider baking a birthday cake on Christmas Day and singing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus. Let’s party!
Please leave a comment.

December 8, 2015

O Little Town of Bethlehem

The sun slowly rose over the ridgeline of Bethlehem as our Proverbs 31 Ministries bus meandered its way from Jerusalem into the little town. The view was breathtaking. It was just like a Christmas Card.

A tall wall separated Jerusalem from Palestinian Bethlehem. We easily drove in. The town was peaceful, sleeping.

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We were giddy with excitement as we headed to Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity. Church of the Nativity is the oldest church in Christendom. It is built over the supposed cave where the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus, placing Him in a manger. When you see Christmas Eve church services on television, many times from this church is where they broadcast.

There is one feature to me that is even more remarkable. The only entrance into the Church of the Nativity is low, not quite even five feet high.

Called the Door of Humility, we all must bend low to be near Jesus. So true. What a physical reminder.

As we prepare our hearts and minds for Christmas, may we “bend low” today and every day. Let’s give more grace, forgive, forget, encourage others, complain less, count our blessings more.

“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” –Luke 2:15-19 NIV.

“When they [the Magi] saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.” –Matthew 2: 10-11 NIV

Reflect:

–This Christmas season, how can we “bend lower” to be near Jesus? Please comment.

Renew:

–“The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.” –Psalm 145:14 NIV

–“He must become greater; I must become less.” –John 3:30 NIV

Lysa TerKeurst after teaching the Bible near the Door of Humility

October 6, 2015

It’s Electric–A Lesson Learned on Light and Darkness

Understanding electricity is not a top priority for me. Please don’t get me wrong–I love light. I like to see the results of inserting a light bulb… and voila, let there be light. I learned a humbling lesson this past weekend about photocells, yes, photocells, and how they relate to our faith.

In my front yard is a cool “dusk-til-dawn” lantern. It’s peaceful to drive up to my home at night and see it shining brightly.

Recently it burned out. Bummer. Taking the step ladder, I gingerly removed the globe and old light bulb, replacing it with a new. Waiting for the light to radiate immediately, I waited and waited. Still darkness.

Remembering the GFI circuit thingy inside, I went inside the house and reset that little button. Craning my neck to look out in the yard, the lamppost was still dark. I even flipped the breaker switch doo-dad, still nothing. Obviously I had maxxed out any slight inkling electrical knowledge I had, which wasn’t much.

The next day when telling my dear friend about my yard light situation, her husband remarked matter-of-factly. “Some debris may be blocking your light’s photocell, keeping it from shining.” Do what? What in the world is a photocell?

He explained that a photocell is a sensor that detects light. The photocell is what makes my lamp know to shine in the darkness. Ahhh. Once the debris was cleaned from the photocell, my lamp miraculously began shining again.

So what does all this mean? How is our faith’s “photocell?” What “debris” in our lives may be keeping us from shining our Light of Jesus? Could our debris be busyness, unforgiveness, unconfessed sin, jealousy, envy, a critical spirit? Ouch. Any of one these and so many others could be the debris blocking the Holy Spirit’s “photocell” connection in our hearts. God desires a total heart connection with us.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good words and glorify your Father in heaven.” –Matthew 5:16 NKJV

Anne Graham Lotz, in her book Just Give Me Jesus, tells this story I’ll soon not forget.

“One night when author Robert Louis Stevenson was a small boy, his nanny called him to come to bed. Oblivious to her summons, he was staring at something outside his nursery window. The nanny walked over, stood at his shoulder, and inquired patiently, ‘Robert, what are you looking at?’

The little boy, without taking his eyes away from the window, exclaimed in wonder as he pointed to the lamplighter who was lighting the streetlamps. ‘Look, Nanny! That man is putting holes in the darkness!’

With the Holy Spirit as our faith’s “photocell,”and with Jesus as the Light of the world, may we each be totally empowered to go “put holes in the darkness!” You shine!

Reflect:

–How is your light of faith shining right now?

Renew:

–“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” –John 8:12 NIV.

–“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” –2 Corinthians 4:6 NIV

Recharge:

–What is one action item you will accomplish this week to get rid of any “faith photocell debris” you may have?

Resource:

What is a photocell?