Exercise Your Spiritual Muscles

Here we are at the end of 2013, expectantly looking forward to 2014. Many people make new year's resolutions, but I am not usually one of those folks. I've come to realize that most new year's resolutions I make last only about three weeks, at best. Perhaps that is because the beginning of a new year is a lame excuse for making a change in my life. If a change needs to be made, I should not wait for a new year to make it.

That being said, I do want to try to get more exercise this year. I'm even thinking about buying a used treadmill or elliptical to have at home so that I can't use the excuse that I don't have time to go to the gym (I will probably buy it from someone whose resolution last year was forgotten after only a few weeks).

Are you making any similar plans for the coming year? Are you going to try to get healthier this year, either by eating better, or by getting more exercise? What about your spiritual health? Have you even thought about the fact that you may need to be on a healthier spiritual diet, or that you may need to get more spiritual exercise?
God tells us what kind of diet He wants us to feed on: 

• Prayer:

I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and He gave ear unto me. Psalm 77:1 (King James Version)

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 (King James Version) 

The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:16b (New King James Version)

• Bible Study 

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. Psalm 119:103-105 (King James Version) 

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 (New King James Version) 

And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (New King James Version) 

God also tells us how to exercise spiritually:

• Church Attendance:

And Jesus answered and said unto him, ‘Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.’ Matthew 16:17-18 (King James Version) 

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25 (KJV)

• Good Works

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. James 1:22 (New King James Version)

“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ Matthew 25:37-40 (New King James Version)

I want to take this opportunity to wish you a very happy, healthy, and prosperous 2014. My prayer for you and for myself is that we will make a very real effort to get into better physical AND spiritual shape, through good diet and more exercise. I hope you will join me as I pray from Hebrews 12:1-2 (New King James Version): 

Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

A Christmas Wish List

Have you made your Christmas wish list?  Have you bought everything on your loved ones' lists?  If not, you don't have much time left! 

I love Christmas and all its traditions.  I love giving and receiving gifts.  I especially love it when my family gives me their wish lists, so I know what they want and I know that they will enjoy the gifts I get for them.  I sometimes have a hard time making my wish list, but I do try to make one.  I don't want my family to dread shopping for me, trying to figure out what I would like or what size to buy. 

Our Heavenly Father wants us to make wish lists.  He wants us to tell Him what we want.  He loves giving us gifts.  And He wants us to acknowledge the gifts He gives us.

Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withheld the request of his lips. (Psalm 21:2)

The young lions lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.  (Psalm 34:10)

For God giveth to a man what is good in His sight: wisdom and knowledge and joy; (Ecclesiastes 2:26a)

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. “Or what man is there among you whom, if his son ask for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he ask for a fish, will give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in Heaven give good things to them that ask Him? (Matthew 7:7-11)

Verily, verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it to you. (John 16:23b)

What then shall we say of these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?(Romans 8:31, 32)

Charge those who are rich in this world that they be not haughty, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; (1 Timothy 6:17)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (James 1:17)

Please don't misunderstand me or any of the above scriptures.  God is not a glorified Santa Claus or a magic genie who is obligated to give us anything we ask for whenever we want it.  Just like a good earthly parent, He will not give us something that is not in our best interest or that is not in his sovereign will.  But He does delight in making us happy.  I will always remember when we moved back to San Antonio after being away for about three years.  I really wanted a house with white rock and blue trim.  Guess what!  That's just exactly the house God led us to!  Was it an accident or just coincidence?  I don't think so.  I believe that God gave me the desire of my heart.  Don't be afraid to trust God for the little things.  If you can't trust Him with the little things, how can you trust Him with the really BIG things? 

The greatest gift of all was the Gift God gave us over 2000 years ago.  That Gift came wrapped in swaddling clothes, not in shiny paper with a beautiful bow.   And instead of being placed under a fir tree, He was placed in a manger.  Instead of twinkle lights, He was greeted by a star in the heavens.  Instead of being introduced by a parade in Times Square, He was heralded by a choir of angels.  Instead of a gift that wears out, goes out of fashion, breaks, or gets used up, God's Gift to us is eternal.  His Gift makes it possible for our sins to be forgiven, enabling us to live forever in a wonderful relationship with Him.  God's Gift cost Him dearly -- God's Gift was sent to us to die in our place as the payment for our sins.  His Gift is perfect.

God has a wish list for us, too.  Here are just a few things from His wish list.  These are listed in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 (New Living Translation):

• Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work.

•  And live peacefully with each other.

• Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy.

• Encourage those who are timid.

• Take tender care of those who are weak.

• Be patient with everyone.

• See that no one pays back evil for evil,

• but always try to do good to each other and to all people.

• Always be joyful.

• Never stop praying.

• Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

• Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.

• Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said.

• Hold on to what is good.

• Stay away from every kind of evil.

My prayer this week is that you will give God some gifts from HIS wish list.  I pray that you and your family will be safe as you travel and that you will make sweet, lasting memories with your family and friends.  But most of all, I pray that you will keep Christ at the center of all you do at this time of year, that you will celebrate His birth, and that you will join me in worshipping Him -- "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) 

(Except where indicated, all scripture references are from 21st Century King James Version)

Visions at Christmas

The story of Christmas includes many visions. Mary saw an angel who told her she had been chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus. She was a young girl, probably around 14 or 15 years old, a virgin. She was promised to Joseph, but they were not yet married. She feared that when Joseph found out that she was pregnant, he would either have her stoned or, at the very least, divorce her. In that culture, either would have been acceptable. And yes, even though they were not yet married (as we understand marriage), the engagement period was taken so seriously that it would have required a divorce for Joseph to end his relationship with Mary. But in spite of any fear or embarrassment she may have felt, Mary responded to God's vision with submission and willing obedience to Him, in faith.

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her and said, “Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women.” And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying and cast about in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, “Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a Son, and shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His Kingdom there shall be no end.” Then said Mary unto the angel, “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” And the angel answered and said unto her, “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee. Therefore also that Holy Being who shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold, thy cousin Elizabeth: she hath also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible.” And Mary said, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” And the angel departed from her.  (Luke 1:26-38, 21st Century King James Version)

Joseph also saw an angel. He loved Mary, and when he learned that she was pregnant, he decided to "put her away quietly." He was not planning to bring any more shame to her by publicly divorcing her. But one night, he saw an angel who was sent by God. After the angel told him that God's plan was for him to be the earthly father to God's son, he too responded with submission and willing obedience to Him, in faith.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was in this way: When His mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. And Joseph her husband, being a just man and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.” Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel” (which being interpreted is, “God with us”). Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife, and knew her not until she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.  (Matthew 1:18-25, 21st Century King James Version)

The shepherds saw an angel, too.  They were frightened at first, but when the angel told them the good news of the birth of Jesus, they immediately went to find the Baby, they worshipped Him, then told everyone in the area about Him.  They responded quickly to worship Him and to tell about Him, in faith.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!” And it came to pass, when the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this Child.  (Luke 2:8-17, 21st Century King James Version)

Another person who had a vision was a man named Simeon.  God had promised him that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah.  Forty days after Jesus birth, Mary and Joseph travelled to Jerusalem to dedicate Him to God and to offer a sacrifice as prescribed by Jewish law.  While they were there, God fulfilled the promise He had made to Simeon.  Can you imagine his excitement when he saw the infant Jesus, the One the prophets wrote about so long before?  Simeon responded with awe and worship and anticipation, in faith.

 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for Him after the custom of the law, then he took Him up in his arms, and blessed God and said, “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.” And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. And Simeon blessed them and said unto Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against (yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:25-35, 21st Century King James Version)

The wise men also saw a vision.  They were men who studied the stars and had also studied the prophecies of Daniel, Isaiah, Hosea, Micah and all the prophets of Israel.  When they saw a new star in the sky, they knew what it meant.  The star was most likely visible to everyone, but only the magi were looking for it.  Only the magi responded to it.  They did so by making an arduous journey, bringing gifts, and worshipping the Christ Child, in faith.

The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents; the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.  (Psalm 72:10, 21st Century King James Version)

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”  When they had heard the king, they departed; and lo, the star which they saw in the East went before them until it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts: gold and frankincense and myrrh.  (Matthew 2:1-2, 9-11, 21st Century King James Version)

So have you seen a vision?  Are you even looking for a vision?  If not, ask God to open your eyes and your heart to the idea of seeing what He wants you to see.  Remember the wise men.  If they had not been looking, they would not have seen the star.  I never thought I would write a book.  Even after I wrote my book, I had no idea that I would write a blog each week.  But God gave me a vision -- not one that I saw with my eyes, but a vision all the same.  It frightened me at first.  I was reluctant, but in faith, I have tried to be obedient, to the best of my ability.  And God has blessed me as a result.  My prayer for myself and for you this week is taken from Psalm 27, 21st Century King James Version:

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?  One thing have I desired of the Lord; that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple.  When Thou saidst, “Seek ye My face,” my heart said unto Thee, “Thy face, Lord, will I seek.”  Teach me Thy way, O Lord, and lead me.

 

Unaware, Unconcerned, Unconvinced or Understanding?

As we celebrate the birth of the Christ Child, how will you receive Him?  At the time of His birth, there were only a handful of people who truly understood who He was -- Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the wise men.

Although His coming was foretold from the beginning of time, the majority of the world's population was unaware of the coming Messiah.  Adam and Eve were told about Him: 

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her Offspring;  He will bruise and tread you head underfoot, and you will lie in wait and bruise His heel.  (Genesis 3:15, Amplified Bible). 

 The prophets wrote about Him (all references from King James 21st Century Version): 

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)

“Behold, the days come,” saith the Lord, “that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch; and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. (Jeremiah 23:5)

“But thou, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall come forth unto Me He that is to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”  (Micah 5:2) 

Daniel was a prophet during the time that Israel was being held captive by the Babylonians.  He was recognized, even by King Nebuchadnezzar and later by his successors, Belshazzar and Darius, for his wisdom and his prophetic gifts.  So, perhaps a few of the Babylonians believed and taught their children and grandchildren Daniel's prophecy concerning the time that Christ was to be born.
Some people believe that the magi were descended from the Babylonians, and so that is why they understood the meaning of the star and followed it to Bethlehem.  But those who were widely and regularly taught about His coming were the Jews.  The Israelites and a handful of descendants of the Babylonians were a tiny minority of the world's population.  If you were someone who lived in another part of the world, you probably never would have heard that a baby would be born to a virgin in Bethlehem, a descendant of King David, who was coming to save His people.  You would have been unaware.

When the magi came looking for the Christ Child, they most likely travelled with a very large entourage.  There were probably servants who went ahead of them, preparing the way for them.  They would have removed debris from the road, fixed holes in the road, and made the people in the area aware that the magi were coming.  Surely this vanguard would have told the people in the area why they were so busy at work, but apparently those they told were unconcerned, or if they were there is no biblical record of them making any effort to go to worship the Newborn King.  As they followed the star, the magi stopped in Jerusalem to talk to the political and religious leaders there, inquiring about the birth of the Christ Child.

And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet (Matthew 2:4, 5).

Naturally the wise men would have gone to these authorities for answers, since the regional officials should have known what was going on in the area, and the rabbis read from the books of the prophecy and taught the Jewish people about the Messiah.  Little did the magi know that these Jewish leaders would be totally unconcerned about the birth of THIS baby. The rabbis were not expecting a baby born in a stable. They expected a royal birth. They didn't want a Suffering Servant, but a conquering king, someone who would overthrow Rome and set up a kingdom on earth.  They disregarded all they knew about the prophecies and were totally unconcerned about the Baby Jesus.

As Jesus grew into a man, He was respected in the temple for his understanding of the scriptures -- understanding that no one but God Himself could have had.  But when He began his public ministry, the temple leaders were unconvinced that He was The Son of God. 

But Jesus held His peace. And the high priest answered and said unto Him, “I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.”  Jesus said unto him, “Thou hast said; nevertheless I say unto you, hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”  Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, “He hath spoken blasphemy! What further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy!  (Matthew 26:63-65.)

Despite the many, many miracles He performed, despite the fact that He fulfilled 100% of the prophecy that they themselves had taught, despite the fact that He was resurrected from the grave just as He said He would be, they continued to be unconvinced.

During His time of ministry, Christ touched the lives of many people.  Some understood who He was, but not all.  Some were looking for what He could do for them, not understanding that He wanted to be the sovereign lord of their lives. 

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” And they said, “Some say that Thou art John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”  And Simon Peter answered and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  (Matthew 15:13-16.)

So how will you receive Him?  As hard as it is to believe in this day of instant communication, there are still some who have never heard and who are unaware of Him.  Most of the world has heard, but they have heard what they want to hear, or they have heard what popular media has to say about Him.  They may have made him in their own image of what they think He should be, but they are totally unaware of who He really is and they are unconcerned about finding out who He really is.   Some may have heard the truth about who Jesus is, but remain unconvinced.  These include people who have more faith in their own knowledge and education than they have in Jesus who spoke every molecule of creation into existence and whose knowledge is beyond any knowledge we can even imagine.  The unconvinced are also people who claim to know Jesus, but who do not trust Him enough to allow Him to influence their daily lives, who have not allowed Him to be Lord of their lives.  So what about you?  Are you unaware, are you unconcerned, are you unconvinced?  Or do you understand and worship and yield your life to Him?

My prayer for you and for me this week is from 1 John 5:20:  "(Thank you, Father, that) we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true; and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and Eternal Life."   
   

Thankful I'm Not A Turkey

It was such a blessing to have our daughter, our son-in-law, and our four grandsons at our house for Thanksgiving last week.  We had a very traditional Thanksgiving meal of turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, cranberry salad, and pumpkin pie.  Before the meal, we each took a turn saying what we were thankful for, beginning with our second grandson who is 6-1/2 years old.  He said, "I'm thankful I'm not a turkey!"  We all had a good laugh, then continued around the table, mentioning family, health, our relationship with Jesus, and numerous other blessings.  Finally, after going all the way around the table, we were back to our second grandson who led us in prayer, thanking God for our food.

Even though our grandson was just looking for a laugh from the family, his comment caused me to think:  For some people, it might be hard to find something for which they are truly thankful.  I'm thinking about a sweet family whose son, about the same age as my grandson, died from a rare form of leukemia just a couple of months ago.  I'm thinking about the family in the town where I live who lost everything they own in a house fire last summer, started when their four little girls were playing with matches.  I'm thinking about my friend who was just diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.  I'm thinking about the veteran who lost his legs and is now suffering from PTSD.  Perhaps all they can find to be thankful for this year is that they are not the turkey.

There was a time, a little over 18 years ago, that I, too, didn't feel thankful at all.  When my son died, I was not thankful.  I still am not thankful for the accident that killed him, but now I am able to be thankful to God for giving me 21 year with him.  I'm thankful He gave me the strength to go on, even though I still miss him every day of my life.  I'm thankful that God knows my pain and has compassion on me and all my family.  I'm thankful that He heard my prayer when I asked Him why, and that He didn't call my questioning a sin.  I'm thankful that He allowed me to be angry with Him for a short time, but that He soothed my anger with His love and grace, never allowing me to become bitter and hateful.  I'm thankful that now I am able to share with others the source of true joy and strength, and that is knowing and having a personal relationship with The Living God, Our Creator, Our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Consider your faith right now.  Is it strong enough to hold up under trial and unbearable hurt?  If not, begin now to strengthen your faith.  Begin by praising God for who He is, thanking Him for what He does, and asking Him to grow your faith.  He will do it.  Don't wait until the catastrophe comes.  Choose now to live by faith, not by sight. 

Oswald Chambers writes, "The undiminished radiance, which is the result of abundant joy, is not built on anything passing, but on the love of God that nothing can change.  And the experiences of life, whether they are everyday events or terrifying ones, are powerless to 'separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord' (Romans 8:39)." 

In Nehemiah 8:10, the Bible says, "The joy of the Lord is your strength."  That passage refers to a time when the prophet Ezra had been reading from the Book of the Law of Moses, and all the people were worshiping God together.  The word translated as "joy" in this passage is the Hebrew word, "chedvah."  It is used only one other time in the Bible, and that is in Ezra 6:16 when the people celebrated with joy when the rebuilt temple was dedicated.  I get the sense that this kind of joy is associated only with a deep, personal, tangible nearness to God.  When we focus on Him and on His attributes and His word, He gives us joy and strength that is beyond anything we can imagine.  That is the strength and joy that buoyed me through the darkest time in my life.  And that is the strength and joy that propels me to learn more about Him and to give more and more of myself to Him, living each day in eager anticipation about what He has for me next.  That is the joy that takes away fear, soothes pain, dispels worry, enables forgiveness, and produces strength.  (Excerpt from "I Choose Joy:  Strengthened by Faith, Equipped for Grief")

I hope you recognize many things for which you are thankful this year.  And I hope we will all remember those who are hurting this year and pray for them.  My prayer for you, for them, and for myself this week is Psalm 51:11-13 (New King James Version):  Heavenly Father, "Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.  Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You."  Amen.