Stress will Steal your Joy!

When I was a kid we didn't start celebrating Christmas until after the Thanksgiving dinner was done, the University of Texas/Texas A&M football game was over, and the Macy's parade was ended.  The tree and lights were not put up, Santa didn't arrive, and the stores and streets were not decorated until after Thanksgiving.  But this year I began seeing Christmas decorations prominently displayed in the stores in August, even before school started!  I suppose the reason for that is primarily financial.  Most retailers depend on the Christmas shopping season to bring their annual bottom line into the black.  I used to complain about the Christmas season starting so early, but now I'm beginning to see that, as a consumer, I should appreciate it and use it to my advantage.  After all, shaking my head and fretting about it, complaining that it's too hot in August to think about Christmas, longing for the way things used to be doesn't change anything.  It only creates stress in my own mind, and stress is destructive.

According to the American Psychological Association, 61% of Americans report a lack of money as the leading cause of stress during the holidays, followed closely by an overloaded calendar and anxiety over giving and receiving just the right gifts.  Their survey also showed that higher stress levels during the holidays are reported by 44% of American women and 31% of American men.

I wonder when the Christmas season first began to be so stressful.  Was that what God had in mind when He sent His Son to live among us?  I would think that Mary and Joseph would have been stressed, since they could not find a room in Bethlehem.  I would think that it would have been stressful for Mary to give birth in a stable.  We know it was stressful for King Herod.  When he heard about the birth of the "King of the Jews" he called a meeting with all the chief priests and scribes.  He asked them where Christ was to be born.  They reported to him that, according to prophecy, there would be born in Bethlehem of Judea one who would govern the people of Israel.  This greatly troubled Herod, so much so that he ordered that all the baby boys in the region of Bethlehem, aged two and under, be killed.  (Read Matthew 2:1-16)  It is estimated that about 20 little boys lost their lives because of Herod's insecurity and stress.

The good news is that God protected the child, Jesus, from Herod's brutality.  He sent an angel who warned Joseph to take his family to safety in Egypt because Herod intended to harm Jesus:

And when they (the wise men from the east) were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.  (Matthew 2:13-15, King James Version)

Do you suppose this caused Joseph some stress?  I know if an angel visited me  I would be stressed.  Then if that angel told me my child was in danger I would surely be stressed.  And if I had to get up in the middle of the night and leave everything I had and everyone I knew to move to a foreign country in order to protect my child I would most assuredly be stressed!

But it's funny.  The bible doesn't give us any indication, not even a hint, that Joseph or Mary was stressed by any of this!  The only ones in the entire Christmas story who were stressed were Herod, the temple officials, and the people of Jerusalem.  Herod and the temple officials were afraid of losing their power.  The people of Jerusalem were afraid of losing the peace and good economy that the Roman rule had provided.  But Mary, Joseph, and the wise men were so focused on Jesus, they had no stress.  

The Christmas story as recorded in Luke also included the shepherds and their sheep.  When the angel first appeared to the shepherds, they were afraid.  Luke 2:9 says that "the glory of the Lord shone round about them."  It seems to me that might frighten all the sheep, too.  I don't know much about sheep, but I've seen other animals react in panic and fear when something happens suddenly that is out of the ordinary.  The shepherds were frightened, plus they may have been worried for the sake of their sheep.  But the angel told them that there was nothing to fear because he was bringing good news of great joy.  After the angel's reassurance, the shepherds were no longer afraid.  And there is nothing in Luke's account that tells us the sheep were disturbed at all.  Instead, we are told that the shepherds went quickly to Bethlehem to worship the baby Jesus.

So, this Christmas season, where is your focus?  Is it on the decorations?  Is it on the shopping?  Is it on all the parties and extended family celebrations?  Is it on the credit card bill?  Or is your focus on the Christ Child? 

The American Psychological Association and many other web sites offer a lot of advice about how to relieve stress during the holidays -- planning, budgeting, lowering expectations, etc.  You can look them up or you can turn on the t.v. and hear all kinds of solutions to the problem of holiday stress.  But, in my opinion, the best answers come from God's word:

• Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.  (1 Peter 5:7, New Living Translation)
• Jesus said, “Don’t be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me. (John 14:1, Easy-to-Read Version)
• Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God.  Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.  Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don’t ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise.  You know the teachings I (Paul) gave you, and you know what you heard me say and saw me do. So follow my example. And God, who gives peace, will be with you. (Philippians 4:6-9, Contemporary English Version)

So this week, as we celebrate Thanksgiving and as many people begin their Christmas shopping, my prayer for all of us will be this, adapted from John 14:27 (New American Standard Bible):

Heavenly Father, Thank you for leaving us with Peace; Your peace that you give to us; not as the world gives do you give to us. Do not let our hearts be troubled, nor let us be fearful.

The Big Reveal

When I had my babies the doctors never took a sonogram unless there was a problem.  So we never knew ahead of time whether we were having a baby boy or a baby girl.  But now, sonograms are a routine part of prenatal care.  At about 18 to 20 weeks into the pregnancy, the sonogram is able to show, with greater than 90% accuracy, the gender of the unborn baby.  Many parents use this opportunity to throw a "reveal" party for their family and friends when they announce the sex of their baby. Sometimes the "reveal" is done with a cake as Mom and Dad cut into the white cake, revealing either pink or blue filling.  Some, like my friend Krista, used a box full of helium filled balloons.  When she opened the box, the blue balloons floated to the ceiling accompanied by shrieks of excitement and applause by all.

As we approach the Christmas season, I think of "The Big Reveal" the world was given by the prophet, Isaiah, sometime between 701 and 681 B.C.  He told us, "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6, 21st Century King James Version)  Isaiah told us there would be a son.  There were no balloons, no cake with blue filling.  And this proclamation was not made just 20 weeks before Jesus was born, after Mary was half-way through her pregnancy.  This news was given over 680 years before He was born!

Isaiah also told us about the mother of Jesus.  "Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel."  (Isaiah 7:14, 21st Century King James Version) 

He also told us about the crucifixion of Christ.  "But he was pierced for our transgressions.  He was crushed for our iniquities.  The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed."  (Isaiah 53:5, World English Bible) 

And he also told us that we should seek out this Christ who was given to us to be our Savior, our Lord.  "Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.  Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon."  (Isaiah 55:6-7, New King James Version)

This gift of God is the best Christmas gift anyone could ever receive.  It is a gift that is eternal -- it has an unlimited, unconditional warranty, it fits everyone, it meets all our needs, it never goes out of style, and best of all, it is free to us.  It was paid for by Jesus Christ, with his blood on the cross of Calvary.

Another "Big Reveal" was accomplished in the life of Jesus.  He came as a man, yet fully God. He revealed to us all that God is -- Able, boundless, compassionate, defender, everlasting, faithful, gracious, holy, immutable, just, kind, loving, merciful, near, omniscient, powerful, quiet, righteous, strong, trustworthy, understanding, victorious, wise, "x-act," yearning for a relationship with us, zealous in His love for us... Jesus was able to reveal God to us because He is God! 1 Timothy 3:16 (21st Century King James Version) says: "And beyond controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." And Jesus Himself said, "I and my Father are one." (John 10:30, King James Version)

I hope that you know the peace and joy that comes from knowing the Savior that Isaiah revealed to the world in his prophecy over 2600 years ago, whose birth we celebrate at this Christmas season.  And I hope that you will keep "The Big Reveal" at the center of your Christmas plans and celebration.  My prayer for you this week is from Isaiah 55:12:  "(I pray that) you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace;"

Got Questions?

When I studied journalism in college I was taught that any good newspaper article should answer four basic questions within the first paragraph.  Those questions are WHO, WHERE, WHAT, and WHEN.  My classmates and I were warned to avoid drawing our own conclusion when we reported the fifth basic question, WHY.  We were taught to "stick to the facts," and if we were not told the WHY, we should not attempt to report it, but rather to write something like, "it is not at this time known why. . ."

When we study the Bible, we should ask the same questions.  For any given verse, chapter, or book of the Bible we should ask, "Who wrote it and to whom was it written?  Where was the author and where was the reader?  What was being written about? When was it written?  Why was it written?"  If we ask these questions about any particular passage, we can avoid taking things out of context and twisting scripture to make it suit our own biases.

When we look at all scripture in context, we will find that there is absolutely no conflict or contradiction within the entire Bible.  To me, that is absolutely amazing, a confirmation that the Bible we read is indeed the inspired, infallible, inerrant word of God.  The Bible contains 66 individual books, written over a 1600 year time period, in three different languages (Aramaic, Greek, Hebrew), by about 40 writers, on three continents (Africa, Asia, Europe), including several subjects (history, poetry, prophecy, wisdom, etc.), and yet every part of the Bible points us to one true and living God who loves us and wants an eternal relationship with us. 

What is even more astounding to me is the prophecy within the pages of the Bible.  Even the books we consider primarily "history" contain prophecy about the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Not even one of those prophecies was left unfulfilled.  According to FaithFacts.org:

Mathematicians have calculated the odds of Jesus fulfilling only 8 of the Messianic prophecies as 1 out of 10¹⁷ (a 1 followed by 17 zeros). This is equivalent to covering the entire state of Texas with silver dollars 2 feet deep, marking one of them, mixing them all up and having a blind-folded person select the marked one at random the first time.

BUT THERE'S MORE!  In addition, there are prophecies about His coming again at some time in the future!  In light of the past fulfilled prophecies, how can we doubt that these future prophecies will also be fulfilled, just as they are written!

Some folks would try to deny the veracity of the Bible, saying that it is just a book of legends and folklore.  But did you know that there is not one piece of scientific or archaeological evidence that can refute anything stated in the Bible?  Did you know that, before Galileo first used the telescope to peer into space and proclaimed that the earth is round, the Bible told us that very fact?  Writing about the sun, King David wrote in Psalm 19:6, "Its rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end;"  A circuit is round, not flat.  And in Psalm 103:12, he wrote, "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."  The distance from the North Pole to the South Pole is a finite distance.  But, because the earth is round, the distance from east to west cannot be measured, it is infinite.  That is how far God removes our sin from us when He forgives us!  WOW!   

So, back to my five basic questions:

WHO is this God that I love to write and talk about? 

Exodus 3:13, Amplified Version:  "And God said to Moses, I Am Who I Am and What I Am, and I Will Be What I Will Be;"

John 14:6, New King James Version:  "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'"

WHERE can you find Him?

1 Kings 8:27, Easy-to-Read Version:  "But, God, will you really live here with us on the earth? The whole sky and the highest heaven cannot contain you. Certainly this Temple that I built cannot contain you either."

Revelation 3:20, New King James Version:  "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."

WHAT does He want me to do?

Proverbs 3:5-7:  "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.  Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil."

Philippians 4:4-8, New King James Version:  "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!  Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;  and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things."

WHEN does He want me to do it?

Psalm 118:24, King James Bible:  "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

2 Corinthians 6:2, Common English Bible:  "He says, I listened to you at the right time, and I helped you on the day of salvation. Look, now is the right time! Look, now is the day of salvation!"

WHY should I worship Him?

John 3:16, King James Version:  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Romans 5:8, King James Version:  "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

My prayer this week is that we will have a hunger and a thirst for the word of God, where He is able to answer all our questions.  My prayer is taken from Psalm 119:103-105, King James Version:

How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Help me as I read your word, the Bible, to understand it, to apply it to my life, and to faithfully share it with others.)

 

 

Praise Will Restore Your Joy!

No matter how strong your faith, no matter how long you have been a Christian, no matter how great your life seems to be going, there may still come times of doubt, depression, or perhaps a feeling of distance from God.  First of all, know that it's normal, even okay to feel that way sometimes.  God understands.  As a matter of fact, He understands us better than we understand ourselves.  Don't let guilt about your feelings add to your sadness.  That can create a snowball effect, digging an even deeper chasm of depression, more guilt, more depression, more guilt, more depression. . .  and before you know it, you are feeling bitter, angry, and alone.

Instead, stop at the first sign of doubt or depression, admit your feelings to God, and then offer praise to Him for who He is.  God tells us in Psalm 46:10 (American Standard Version), "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." 

This is how the Bing Dictionary defines exalt: 
     1.  praise somebody or something: to praise or worship somebody or  something 

     2.  promote somebody or something: to raise somebody or something in rank, position, or esteem

     3.  intensify something: to increase the intensity or effect of something

     Synonyms: promote, raise, elevate, intensify, boost, lift

Praise, or exaltation, is entirely different from thanksgiving.  Yes, we should thank God for what He does for us, as prescribed in Psalm 95:2 (American Standard Version), "Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving," but that is not the same as praise.  Praise is based on who God is, not what He does for us.  Our faith in God should enable us to praise Him for who He is, even when things are not going as we would like them to, even when we feel like He hasn't answered our prayers, even when His answer is not the answer we wanted.

In order to praise God, we must first know who God is and who He is not.  He is not a god that we create in our own imagination, to suit our preconceived idea of what our own personal god should be.  God is not our fairy godmother, hanging around, waiting to fulfill our every desire.  He is not a genie we can conjure up to grant us three wishes whenever we follow some magic ritual.  He is not an angel sitting on our shoulder, waiting for us to choose between his guidance and the temptation of an impish red devil sitting on our other shoulder.  God created us in HIS image, so we should not try to create a god in OUR image. 

To learn more about who God truly is, read His word, the Bible; join a Bible study group (I HIGHLY recommend Bible Study Fellowship); attend a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching church.  I would also recommend a book, "Fully in Focus," by my dear friend Carol Graves (FullyInFocus.com).  This book is a collection of scriptures that illustrate SOME of God's many attributes.  Here are a few to get you started:
God is the CREATOR:  "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."  (Genesis 1:1, New King James Version) 

• God is ABLE:  "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21, American Standard Version)
• God is the ONE God:  "You surely believe there is only one God. That’s fine. Even demons believe this, and it makes them shake with fear." (James 2:19, Contemporary English Version)
• God is GOOD, He ENDURES, He is FAITHFUL:  "For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations."  (Psalm 100:5, English Standard Version)
• God is LOVE:   ^"but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  (Romans 5:8, English Standard Version)
• God JUDGES:  "Who can tell God what to do?  He judges powerful rulers." (Job 21:22, Contemporary English Version)
• God is GRACIOUS, He is POWERFUL, He is capable of WRATH:  "The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him." (Ezra 8:22b, King James Version)
• God AVENGES, He LIVES:  "For we know Him who said, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord.  And again, 'The Lord will judge His people.'  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."  (Hebrews 10:30-31, New King James Version)
• God is FAITHFUL, He is JUST, He FORGIVES, He CLEANSES:  "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9, New King James Version) 
• God is our FATHER, He is CHANGELESS:  "Every good gift, every perfect gift, comes from above. These gifts come down from the Father, the creator of the heavenly lights, in whose character there is no change at all."  (James 1:17, Common English Bible)

I hope you will join me in praising God this week.  You will be amazed at how your joy is restored after spending time praising God.  I hope that you will join me in this prayer of praise this week, taken from Habakkuk 3:17-19 (The Message): 

Though the cherry trees don’t blossom
and the strawberries don’t ripen,
Though the apples are worm-eaten
and the wheat fields stunted,
Though the sheep pens are sheepless
and the cattle barns empty,
(Though nothing is going my way
or turning out how I had planned,)
I’m singing joyful praise to God.
I’m turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God.
Counting on God's Rule to prevail,
I take heart and gain strength.
I run like a deer.
I feel like I’m king of the mountain!