joy

Sermon: Jesus IS the Light

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Just to say I have been SO EXCITED to share this GOOD NEWS in this sermon this morning is an understatement. I have been SO EXCITED all week and ever since I actually got the scripture that helped ILLUMINATE  this year long sermon series – BEEN SO EXCITED – and I will recap today about Jesus being the Light. (And I have a special surprise for everyone) SO EXCITED!!!

TO quote Silent Night: “Son of God, love’s pure light – Radiant beams from Thy holy face – With the dawn of redeeming grace – Jesus Lord, at Thy birth…”

And let us reflect – Hey, that is a LIGHT joke – but really – we are to REFLECT the LIGHT OF THE WORLD –  we are to see and feel and comprehend this Light, to KNOW GOD, to experience this LIGHT and not hide it – and to SHOW LOVE to God and one another by reflecting this Light, to encourage with this LIGHT – the LIGHT of presence and the LIGHT of HOPE – which we can share to GROW COMMUNITY. 

As we heard in the John 1 scripture reading this morning: the light coming into the world. The Light SHINES in the darkness – And darkness has not overcome it… In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

YES!

For unto, us, a child is born, unto us a son is given…

Angels proclaimed to lowly shepherds about a Baby in the manger who is Christ the Lord: In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 

Scripture tells us that surely the generations and generations ached for this LIGHT to come into the world – after Abraham after Isaac after Jacob, after Moses,  after David but we are told by many prophets and especially Isaiah: that a Savior would come WHEN THE TIME WOULD BE RIGHT, right? That when the SAVIOR would come into the world, He would be the MESSIAH, the Wonderful Counselor Mighty God Prince of Peace.

The LIGHT has come into the world  –  darkness has not overcome it.

And I think there was lots and lots of darkness this week. I mean, I have to shut off the news quite often, but there was a lot this week. And somebody asked me at work if I knew why the flags were at half staff, and I had to say that I didn’t know – But I could imagine half a dozen reasons from this week alone… There’s a lot of darkness in the world.  But remember the victory of Jesus. Remember that the only Healer for this sin sick world  in Jesus and He has entered the world, Immanuel, God with us. And He WILL come again.

I’m sorry we could not gather last week for sharing a message with everyone due to the snow storm. And yet, that snow – that GLORIOUS SNOW – the snow was so brilliantly bright. I felt like I needed sunglasses, and even the next morning when the sun came out, I couldn’t believe how bright it was.

I drove my youngest up to work because you know, the Subaru was in its glory and the brightness of the fresh snow on the trees was immense. I can’t even imagine and my heart can start to feel how immense the light of Jesus coming into the darkness was a gazillion times brighter and IS a gazillion times brighter. When the angels announced to the shepherds about the baby and where to find Him, imagine the LIGHT and seeing the glory of God. But really, we are still not talking about the sunlight nor moonlight not even starlight, We are talking about the light of a Savior.

Quoting Simeon, who got to hold this baby Jesus in his arms, Simeon said this Savior is a consolation for the people of Israel and a LIGHT OF SALVATION TO THE GENTILES –  And as we lit the Advent candles this morning, remember the light was increasing more and more and more. And we talk about physical link to represent Jesus and we have to remember that we’re talking about internal light. We’re talking about direction, talking about the light of hope, the light of lighter burdens. We’re talking about the warmth of the light in the warmth of our hearts. And we also talk about growing community by sharing this hope by being God’s hands and feet, by giving reason for our hope in Jesus and that He goes with us… 

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And now I want us to discuss what this light means to us. And how we can share the impact. And don’t worry, I have not just one prop, knowing you love props, I have a prop for each one of us… and I want to give US the opportunity for each of US to talk about the LIGHT and how have experienced light… 

I will give you a minute to collect your thoughts about LIGHT – how you have experienced it or how you may SHINE it …  (Hand out bags of props) – YES! We ALL get to make a prop and take it home and let the LIGHT SHINE with it…

(HAND OUT THE BAGS)

Now before we open our bags – is there anyone who wants to share right away about LIGHT? talk about the LIGHT and how have experienced light? (wait…)

Well, I want you to find the three colorful fringed pieces of paper – each person gets one orange, one yellow and one white…  each person also gets a brown or black base… On these colorful pages, you will find old testament and new testament scriptures about LIGHT – what the LIGHT means – how we share – Who God is – and about faith…

Let us share some (not all) of these scriptures – who wants to pick one from the orange paper – the old testament references? One from the first column  – one from the second – or one from the third? Etc  And the yellow paper – these are many from the gospels and into the first acts… Then the white paper – the acts and the letters and the book of revelation.  Anyone care to read one from those papers? (pick on people if necessary)…   WAIT FOR READINGS

OK – what are we going to do with these scriptures and these props???

I had seen a tremendous show maybe 10 years ago – a new telling of Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol” – by the great grandson of Dickens, Gerald Dickens…  and there is always a tidbit of insight to be gained from the re-hearing this classic tale – even if I have seen Scrooge – a Christmas Carol a thousand times – this had a couple small sprinkles of “new to me” verbiage – because it was faithful to the original text which I never heard and is usually omitted from the glitzy productions –

We know that this A Christmas Carol is a redemption story certainly for Scrooge – a return – a repentance – a realization…

And although ghosts of Christmas past present and future are fictious, the part that struck me – and plays into our prop today is from my favorite of the Dickens’ ghosts: the Ghost of Christmas Present – “the like of which you have never seen before” – because every Christmas making life fresh and renewed again…

The text that peaks my interest was/is about the Ghost of Christmas Present’s torch – not only did he shed the LIGHT for Scrooge to see – he SHARED the LIGHT in a fantastical way – the torch shared physical light – yes – but the original text mentions the Ghost sprinkling incense and water drops on people arguing in the streets to make them of good humor – WOW

Here is the text: Imagine Scrooge and the big jovial Ghost of Christmas present walking the streets: “ soon the steeples called good people all, to church and chapel, and away they came, flocking through the streets in their best clothes, and with their gayest faces. And at the same time there emerged from scores of bye-streets, lanes, and nameless turnings, innumerable people, carrying their dinners to the bakers’ shops. The sight of these poor revellers appeared to interest the Spirit very much, for he stood with Scrooge beside him in a baker’s doorway, and taking off the covers as their bearers passed, sprinkled incense on their dinners from his torch. And it was a very uncommon kind of torch, for once or twice when there were angry words between some dinner-carriers who had jostled each other, he shed a few drops of water on them from it, and their good humour was restored directly. For they said, it was a shame to quarrel upon Christmas Day. And so it was. God love it, so it was.”

WOW – love that imagery and that truth that us – not sharing incense not dripping water or fire but sharing light and love – peace and prodding – sharing the living water from Jesus – from the Light? Giving needed relief to the poorest of souls  – all these things causing the people to become more friendly jovial and full of LIGHT especially at Christmas.

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SO let us make these torches!  THESE ARE ALL UNIQUE – don’t be afraid!      You will roll the orange paper first  – with the writing on the outside – insert it into the torch and flare the flames out –  and them the yellow paper – rolling  with writing on the outside – and insert it – and then finally white but this time with the writing – and insert that so that you can read the writing from the inside.

Let’s be that beacon  –  light that reflects our Lord – our Hope – our Jesus…

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Dickens knew improving the lot of life of those in the 1800’s AND all the world is what Christmas can bring about about – Christmas is an opportunity for us and for the Lord finding the lost and saving the world one soul at a time –

Christmas present is a heartfelt reminder to find peace on earth that is in Christmas – from Christmas – Immanuel God with us…  Reminding in  Christmas – redemption is 100% due to Christ’s birth AND His Sacrifice.

Like Tiny Tim says: God bless us everyone – and Tiny Tim, the character of a little boy with a crutch and legs supported by iron frames, states: “that he hoped the people saw him in the church, because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant to them to remember upon Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk, and blind men see.”

Yes we know of Jesus as this Miracle worker but we ALSO know Him of our Salvation – and the Lord who shows us the Way: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Jesus is quoted as saying in John 8:12 SO LET US CHERISH AND FOLLOW THAT LIGHT OF LIFE

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So we wrap Up our Advent series  of sermons  still with anticipation of CARRYING this LIGHT – like  the Christ Candle in our hearts and on our wreath  – in our torches –  we remember Jesus, You are Light, You are Love, You are Hope, You are Joy – You are the Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 59 2-4 reminds his people of Israel, of the jews, that: the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you. And Isaiah foretells that also the Gentiles shall come to His light, and kings to the brightness of His rising.  Urging for all of us to Lift up your eyes all around, and see…”

Please Pray with me: In the beginning was the word, we know this powerful word is Jesus Lord and Savior that changes community lives, one person at a time.  And so let us take our selves – (take our props – whatever light you can shed and share) – yes AND our hearts and spirits and steps – and be that life of Christmas now – no ghost but real people reaching out to real people with the JOY and energy and HOPE of our Savior. God Love us!

AMEN

The 67 OPEN REFERENCE of Paul’s Letter to the T – 2nd Corinthians 6,7

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Rolling Stone (online article by Jeff Ihaza on Nov 11th 2025) says the number or ‘saying “67” has become the latest way for grown-ups to confirm their fears about young people becoming difficult to decipher — that they live in an internet-based world they increasingly can’t understand.’ – which even people who hear about 67 don’t know the movie and music reference and just brush it off – just like the saying – just like being “in the know” – and ‘the New York Times posited that perhaps a dada-esque absurdity is the point, that youth culture, in an active quest to bewilder adults, adopts nonsensical humor in an effort towards subterfuge. A nine-year-old from Indiana interviewed for the piece suggests that there isn’t really any meaning behind 67. “No offense to adults, but I think they always want to know what’s going on,” she told the paper of record.’

I will walk away from reading too much into it – the phrase – I mean our generation had lots of sayings that today’s kids would never understand… And life is too short to be caught up in worldliness – and wordiness….

Here is something laid out straight however – OPEN REFERENCE – the 6,7 of Paul’s letter to the wayward Corinthians is DIRECT and then his JOY in their improvement of faith is PALAPTABLE REAL. Paul gives it to them straight and we have this OPEN BOOK reference called the Bible to derive all this material as “gospel truth” and even “old testament teasers” of what God said He would do and then He did! (and this means we can also believe what God says He WILL do in our future…)

Paul said OPENLY to the Corinthians, quoting old testament prophet Isaiah, he even pleads ‘not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.’

Paul told of the distress he and others had in this ministry – and yet how important it was and is to keep going. And to subsets of populations of new churches, as he would say not to us all: Be Holy – O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. 

Paul was really trying to get repentance of the people, and sorry but not sorry that he was so harsh and open in his letters to them – He just wanted to present the truth of the need to follow the Lord – and not waste it… Paul said: Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Yes – God does not sugar coat things – He want attention and righteousness – even so much as to give His only Son to be able to cloak the sins and welcome the sinners into Heaven. In our repentance we remember the hardships of earthly life and remember Paul’s pause to see that his ministry makes a difference – then and now:  Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

THANK YOU LORD for being open with us – we need repentance – and this is written over and over again – and with our repentance is our understanding of needing Jesus – and this is the TRUTH of Life forever – thank you for being an OPEN REFERENCE to Heaven’s HOPE for us to come to You as Your children.

Amen

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Here’s the 6,7 on this all:

2 Corinthians 6-7 NKJV
Marks of the Ministry
We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

Be Holy
O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open.

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”

Therefore

“Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.”
“I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the Lord Almighty.”

The Corinthians’ Repentance
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

The Corinthians’ Repentance
Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have cheated no one. I do not say this to condemn; for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.

For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears. Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.

For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you.

The Joy of Titus
Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort. And we rejoiced exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I am not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting to Titus was found true. And his affections are greater for you as he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him. Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything.

The Judging and the Jealousy in Life, and in the Book of Acts

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Four “J” words: Judging – Jealousy – Jesus – JOY

Recently I found myself Judging someone for Judging someone else – now I knew the first person – and we are apt to start judging aren’t we – it was/is an easy slide of our senses into Judging. But the second person I didn’t know but was led to believe that this person was like so many other people we encounter in life and well, without knowing, I (we) lump in people with lots in life that we don’t know – but have plenty of experiencing seeing…  and perhaps we have even experienced or been one of “those” people – whatever they are or whatever they do…  Seems that we have lots of opinions on people – me too…  how human of us (ME)… LOVE thinks no evil but well, we do that don’t we? – and we have the conviction of being convicting…  and when I say we are human, it is because we are not that much different than others – it is just our lot in life to be flawed humans – thus needing Jesus even the more – and THANK GOD, Jesus forgives and we can be filled with JOY in that…

As for jealousy (another “J” word) – we do participate in that too – we are very human and this is not unheard of – even the amazing transformed Saul (also called Paul as his Roman name) who was truly transformed by Jesus’s intervention on the Road to Damascus, stopped lots of his ‘BIG” sins of persecuting jews who were new Christians, well Paul, devout as anything at that point, still admitted to jealousy – and that commandment was the toughest to not break. From God to Moses who carried the message to others: Exodus 20:17 NKJV “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”  And as for jealousy that we have on ourselves, yes when we are jealous of a life we “think” we should have – but don’t – well that is all in the category of judging ourselves and being jealous and worldly and not counting our blessings for what we DO have…

And what we DO HAVE is LOVE – LOVE comes to us as Jesus and His Spirit reinvigorates us…  [pray we don’t have a road to Damascus blinding but well, we do need Jesus coming to us – and in the best way, His conviction is there to convince us to LOVE] and God’s LOVE for us is true and never ending because GOD IS LOVE – and as Paul would write later in a letter to the Corinthians (13:1,4), “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal… Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy…”  

LOVE DOES NOT ENVY…  WOW…

It is very judging of me to judge myself – and we are tempted to say that we are stuck in “that if we do not have love, we are nothing” – but we AREN’T nothing – not with the AMAZING gift of God – that HE GIVES US HIS LOVE – we feel that love and we have that love SO THAT WE MAY HAVE LOVE TO SHARE…  Therefore we ARE SOMETHING – we are never nothing – we ARE the LOVE of GOD with JESUS in us and JOY

Jesus and JOY – those are love Words that triumph over jealousy and judging…May we work to not envy nor judge nor be trouble to others…  May we live in His Love and share that…

AMEN

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We (I) learn alot about the LOVE of GOD in how He put forth the beginnings of the church and in the efforts of the disciples and these martyrs for Christ…  Here are but excerpts of Acts – really good ones – about Stephen and about Saul/Paul and of how the church grew from LOVE…  If you have not read the story of Stephen, here is the whole link: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%206-8%3A1&version=NIV;NKJV

Scripture excerpts of the calling of Saul/Paul into LOVE

Stephen Accused of Blasphemy (Acts 6:8-15 NKJV)
And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.

…

Stephen the Martyr (Acts 7:54-59 NKJV) – (NOTE: the chapter of Acts 7 (at the link above) is great for learning of the old testament and linking up the connection to Jesus from the acts of the Israelites)
When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

Then they [Sanhedrin blaming Stephen for blasphemy] cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Saul Persecutes the Church (Acts 8:1-3 NKJV)
Now Saul was consenting to his [Stephen’s] death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

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The Damascus Road: Saul Converted (Acts 9:1-30 NKJV)
Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Ananias Baptizes Saul
Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.” Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”  Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

Saul Preaches Christ
Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. Then all who heard were amazed, and said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ. Saul Escapes Death – Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him. But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket.

Saul at Jerusalem
And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out. And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him. 30 When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.

The Church Prospers
Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

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1 Corinthians 13 New King James Version
The Greatest Gift
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

No Sourness in Jesus

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My arm bracelet collection is giving me extra reminders today to Watch for God, He is Alpha and Omega, we (I) “can do all things through Christ.”   

We are to walk in internal Joy, not sadness nor sourness. We don’t have to approach life flippantly and ignore problems, but we can step carefully through the day, looking for His Light. God knows the plan today. Let us pray and praise. We are with Him and He with us!

If we (I) don’t understand the sometimes rocky road of life, the darkness of unknown, we (I) still need to walk forward, grasping for the hand of Jesus more and more. “There’s got to be a plan, There’s got to be a plan…” repeated over and over just like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz’s “follow the …” over and over… We can’t always see around the bend, or always see the blessings of the trials of the present, but know that there is an “Ah ha!” moment at some point… know there is a plan, know that the Lord walks KNOWINGLY with us. Know that we both CAN do things and we are TO do things thru Christ…  Be Jesus and see what and where we are placed…

Fear not!

I appreciated the daily devotion today from Sarah Young, That God gave us the ability to know HIM, not understanding the world, but learn and lean into Him. Show our trust in Him! Fear not! Amen!

The entry:Jesus Calling: August 13 by Sarah Young of the scriptures:

“Learn to enjoy life more. Relax, remembering that I am God with you. I crafted you with enormous capacity to know Me and enjoy My Presence. When My people wear sour faces and walk through their lives with resigned rigidity, I am displeased. When you walk through a day with childlike delight, savoring every blessing, you proclaim your trust in Me, your ever-present Shepherd. The more you focus on My Presence with you, the more fully you can enjoy life. Glorify Me through your pleasure in Me. Thus you proclaim My Presence to the watching world.“

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” Matthew 1:23 ESV

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:10-11 ESV

Picture Fruitfulness in Us, Psalms, Lamentations, Romans, and Ecclesiastes

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Lamentations 3:22-23 “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

It may be early, but it’s summer and early morning we (the cat and I) can go outside. My peas and strawberry plants are reaching fruition in fruiting and the birds are chirping, the cat is happier outside. It is not too buggy yet, I wrapped up with an old sheet for a blanket for protection anyway. Life is good within the small slice of the 6am morning before time marches on. 

The cardinal chirping was clear, there are distinct calls for each bird, was it warning or song? (Many think the cardinals are visits from our family members – well they would be warning us too as well as encouraging us to keep moving forward and be fruitful. Truly the warnings and encouragements of life are to keep moving forward always anyway…)

There are dangers in the world, for birds yes, and for us too. The best warning is to guard against the drain of our fruitfulness, for stresses and unknowns come but we are to stay solid upon the Rock of the Lord’s support and the fertile ground of His enrichment. We need to always grow and grow in all ways – especially in Patience and in Piety. There are times that things work out and other times we have “what ifs?”… and yet each morning is reset as new, there is a time to just pause and pray. This is the time to stop racing thoughts, just work, praise, pray, play, and participate in life. There is a season for everything, like Ecclesiastes 3 recounts – and we are to ask the Lord to help us “number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” – which to me means to strike when the iron is hot, and change directions when it is not!

Proverbs 19:20-121 Listen to counsel and receive instruction, That you may be wise in your latter days. There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand. 

After my fruitful container garden (may not look pretty but it is pretty secured against the groundhog and rabbits) is harvested from strawberries and peas – the early season is done, in a couple of weeks, maybe the tomatoes will be planted, got to still buy those, and maybe my sitting outside will be different again. Life and seasons change quickly. But pray the sun still rises and mornings still come with new mercies and more and different fruitfulness. 

These garden fruits take time to develop and within us, if we picture fruitfulness – we can gain it – by wisdom – and ask for the Lord to lay HIS Fruit upon us for His usefulness of our work for HIM (and ourselves). The fruits of the Spirit (Romans 12) are: JOY, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Generosity, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control. These are all to be applied and accepted with LOVE. That is the harvest of the Lord in us.

Amen 

Solomon laments not always understanding life and surely observes life in Ecclesiastes 3 – but especially he knows that God is in charge – and knows there is a time for everything:

Ecclesiastes 3 NIV

A Time for Everything
There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

    a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
    a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
    a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
    a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
    a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
    a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
    a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.

What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.

Whatever is has already been,
    and what will be has been before;
    and God will call the past to account.

And I saw something else under the sun:
In the place of judgment—wickedness was there,
    in the place of justice—wickedness was there.

I said to myself, “God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked,
for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.”

I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”

So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?

Joy, Love, and Defying Gravity

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It’s probably because I was watching the star of the movie “Wicked”, Cynthia Erivo, in an interview, because I woke up singing “It’s time to try defying gravity… I think I’ll try defying gravity… And you can’t pull me down…”

It’s catchy, I’ve enjoyed the musical since it first came out 10 or more years ago, love the twists of the plot line, even if we really wish we could fix the misunderstandings of her powers, and make everyone and everything live happily ever after. I am surely a Pollyanna – but you got to go with optimism…

The movie version is good, if only it was FULL LENGTH like the musical, then again that’s too long without intermission. I’m looking forward to the second part later this year. That’s OK, I know how it “ends” – all made up of course. 

Defying gravity – maybe we can think of not flying through the air, but Defying gravity of a situation. I don’t mean ignoring true gravity of sadness and horror, tragic circumstances too which may not be corrected. I mean defying the deliberate pull downs of ruining JOY, or evil ways trying to pull the darkness over light – it can’t do that. 

Love never fails, try defying “gravity” with that!

God is LOVE and we have JOY to break our earthly tethers and to keep moving even if the grief of life. Laugh through the tears and look bigger picture. Yes, cry when others cry – but rise up in knowing “Joy comes in the morning”

Jesus Himself knew to look past the evil knocking people down – many times defying Satan on individual scales, plus the ultimate defying gravity of RISING FROM THE DEAD. We know how it ends – with a new beginning – let us remember to not let this world hold us down – we are but travelers – and our home is Heaven.

Jesus wants us to believe in His Ultimate Win, and trust and praise God in all circumstances. Whether raising Peter’s mother-in-law from the dead, or chasing out impure spirits who know His Name and Power and Almightyness, Jesus Overcomes and so can we.

I can imagine Jesus singing movie lyrics too: “If we work in tandem, There’s no fight we cannot win, Just you and I, defying gravity, With you and I defying gravity, They’ll never bring us down”… 

EXACTLY !!! Joy, Love, and Defying Gravity. Jesus will lift us up!

Amen

Luke 4:31-44

Jesus Drives Out an Impure Spirit

Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority.

In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, “Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

“Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.

All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!” And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.

Jesus Heals Many

Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.

At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.

At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

Psalm 30 NKJV
The Blessedness of Answered Prayer – A Psalm. A Song at the dedication of the house of David.

I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up,
And have not let my foes rejoice over me.
O Lord my God, I cried out to You,
And You healed me.
O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave;
You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning.

Now in my prosperity I said,
“I shall never be moved.”
Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong;
You hid Your face, and I was troubled.

I cried out to You, O Lord;
And to the Lord I made supplication:
“What profit is there in my blood,
When I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise You?
Will it declare Your truth?
Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me;
Lord, be my helper!”

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

A Jesus Jumpstart of JOY

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Oh we’re getting down to the wire, and I started placing the ornaments on the tree, it seemed the right timing to start. I put Christmas movies on as well, to help my energy, I need Jesus to Jumpstart my battery. However I was starting to grumble to myself, I was complaining at Christmas, I’m sure it’s common, and there is a natural frustration in the preparation, this time of year. Terrible to say but true. And it IS WORK to pull Christmas decorations presents cards food, etc, all together, isn’t it?! and is it appreciated? etc etc? Hmmm…

Grumble Grumpy Grrrr…

And then…. I saw the reminder word: “JOY”, a JOY ornament engraved on a wood piece…

That’s the ornament sensation that snapped me back to remembering the JOY of Christmas, and it’s not about grumbling. Where’s my JOY? Jesus,  help, geeze. I DID have a good day already, so why am/was I grumbling?!!! I did get time for this right now, but the “why didn’t I get help?” creeped in… well, I just then got help: HolySpirit conviction against complaining and a Jesus Jumpstart of JOY. JOY is the focus and the benefit of the season, so JOY has got to be a RETRAINING word, giving us (me) and a better focus on the deep meaning of Chrisrmas being Jesus, Immanuel, God with us. 

J.O.Y. can remind us of our priorities:

Jesus 

Others 

Yourself, in that order. You are last, Jesus is first. 

And for Jesus? JOY is a fruit of the spirit given to those who open their hearts to heaven, their focus to growing, their branches to bringing forth God’s fruit. 

And yes, my mental shift started, acceptance wise, not just because I like ornaments on my tree too, but that others in my house DO really appreciate it all coming together, any potential visitors would love to see the tree and ornaments. So, in this early decorating, when I found the star that was buried in the ornaments and placed it on the top of the tree I finally got the attention and agreement with the placements position. (And then people in the house started helping, whew…)

Yes, I got the star straight, and I got my priorities re-straight – to think of Jesus is to know He sacrificed and went the extra mile.  To think of others is to especially know you can go the extra mile. And yourself? To think of yourself is to remember that you’re going to have forever to sit down and relax, so keep moving now.

And when you think of yourself and forever? Who brings that to you now? Jesus. 

We are in the home stretch, so rest well, and rehydrate and rejoice, and re-JOY again and again. 

Thank you Holy Spirit for the Jesus JOY reminder!

Amen 

PS, later I found the magnet I thought I lost in a pocket, but there it was on my fridge and I misses it – it says: “PRAY HARDEST WHEN IT IS HARDEST TO PRAY” – YES!!!

And like a Christmas tree with hundreds of decorations and plenty of branches to decorate, let us remember that in ourselves there are many places to bear fruit. Jesus, the Vine, said we are the branches, so let’s keep keeping them open for the Lord to hang fruit! The fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS AND SELF-CONTROL. Galatians 5:22-23

Jesus will find many nooks and crannies to fill. Don’t expect these from the world, but in yourself as Jesus builds your faith in Him and life to live in God’s love. Especially Lord, please give us of Your JOY!!! Jesus could say J.O.Y. stands for “Jumpstarts, Oh Yeah…”

Amen Amen

Laboring of Love

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The laboring of Love, sweeter than anything, tolerant of hot situations, and surely God is in the mix all the time. Love Wins.

Perhaps we are not done with our Christmas prep, I’m surely not. I’m certainly not done with work stuff before setting that aside for a few days vacation. I’m reminding myself that I need to stop prep for Christmas to simply BE in Christmas, for example that the party I attended is actually mentally attended by me IN a Christmas Spirit, IN a jolly mood, IN JOY. And not just needing to collapse on their couch. 

Then again, Mary and Joseph were laboring in their day just about now, Mary for sure about to give birth, the innkeepers were laboring busy, the Maji at some point started prep, and as for the gifts – someone labored hard to get them ready to prepare or purchase, and perhaps we all should tip our postal workers and delivery drivers just a little more for their back-breaking work.

Cookies – I attended a very unique if not the best cookie party concept ever – with friends just bringing dough and baking there, and sharing and eating… so just a little prep led then to a chatty fun bake-off… and what amazement to me were there were no duplicates. 

The laboring of love, sweeter than cookies, tolerant of hot oven touches, and surely in the mix all the time.

The laboring (for anything) one could have is different when done together, it’s truly “many hands make light work”. And this is true of everything, work work included, and including decorating the tree, which my friend I visited gave me the privilege of placing the angel on. Beautiful. Not laboring there even if I was stretching to reach.

So what’s the labor of getting through day to day that plagues us with stress when we go it alone? What’s the deal with hard to get our selves organized or motivated? We are stuck in the go it alone mentality. BUT are we? NOPE! We HAVE THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY WITH US ALWAYS. Maybe we have stretching to do, like my reaching up to put the angel on the tree, but if we tap into real angel realms of warriors, they can help us!

Jesus may have waited for being born on earth, BUT Him as God already was laboring in LOVE,  already fully God. Mary waited for Him too, laboring in love. So it’s OK for us to wait AND labor right now, (just rest your legs more), and appreciate Christmas IN the labor too. 

And Rest in LOVE too, because the laboring of God IS in love and for us to know to rely upon Him.

Jesus the Son, God the Father, Holy Spirit the advocate, Three in One, never change like shifting shadows of time. ALL OF GOD IS WITH US ALWAYS, not away or elusive, but surely right here to help. So close, God is allowing and helping every breath.

Ok, making cookies are checked off the list, eating is ongoing, but the sweetness of Christmas? FOREVER…

Amen 

Merry Christmas in July! 

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Merry Christmas in July!

Don’t let this heat and humidity make you sigh!

We are not decorating like December, just adding a splash of red and green to the eye.

It is a moment to let our Christmas Spirit multiply.

Born a baby, grown a Savior, a lamb slain, yet Jesus forever IS young and spry.

And what’s the gift today I pray to encourage and spy?

Wider faith in all, Holy Spirit to touch us all, by and by.

Try moments to remember ‘God IS with us’ – ALREADY. Try hope, just try.

So let us be the JOY today, an inner and outward SMILE we will apply and re-apply.

Let us ring out Hope JOY Peace and LOVE, this MERRY CHRISTMAS IN JULY!!!

AMEN

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Titus 3:1-8 NKJV 

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

Morning has Broken, but God Hasn’t

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“…praise every morning, God’s recreation of the new day!…”

Some major storms last night, but I was not and am not usually afraid. Not going to endanger myself, but I’ll certainly look interestingly outside the windows at the lightning when I’m not charting the thunderstorms on the radar. 

We do need the rain, and it IS summer. 

If summer is July and August, for the main event, like it is us having a weekend Saturday and Sunday, in terms of weather. Then surely June to summer would be like the Friday night warm up. Praise for the new season of summer. It will get too cold too fast. Praise for summer and wet gardens to walk though. Love the lyrics of Morning Has Broken – God walking in the gardens.

We can take the weather and weather it. Really rarely does lightning actually strike us people – but I’ve seen a tree get hit only feet away from me, and wow the heat was intense !!! So I respect lightning.  That day, we didn’t know the storm would open up so quickly. We didn’t have alarms or radar. We were in a pavilion at a BBQ. Now we have lots of warnings, especially glued to our phones. Then we watched the skies. Run to the car or not? I opted for the car. Probably not the right choice but I survived. No, I’m not extra fearful now, it was just something that one deals with and moves on.

Respect over fear. Smart over stupid. Living over cowering. Just accept summer is summer. Live it!

Maybe like thunderstorm radars, we ALREADY know each day will bring us CHALLENGES. But do we move out into the day anyway? Yes. and we should. This is why we have roofing and good tires and common sense. 

If common sense is useful, then our sense of place is just as important – and our witness of knowledge of God as calming AND our witness of God as POWERFUL – these thoughts keep us moving in our day.

If we remember that God can overcome all that is dark by being LIGHT, and He can overcome hate by being LOVE, surely we can look past the night to see the dawn, and we can calm our fears to accept His peace.

It can be dark, but morning comes. The life we live can be broken, yet the heat can be broken and the morning will be broken in our favor, because our God will never be broken unable to help. Yes – broken in body as Jesus was – but God whole never broken in purpose or plan. And God has walked all these gardens before.

Amen

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Morning has Broken, hymn

Author: Eleanor Farjeon (1931)

1 Morning has broken

like the first morning,

blackbird has spoken

like the first bird.

Praise for the singing!

Praise for the morning!

Praise for them, springing

fresh from the Word!

2 Sweet the rain’s new fall

sunlit from heaven,

like the first dewfall

on the first grass.

Praise for the sweetness

of the wet garden,

sprung in completeness

where God’s feet pass.

3 Mine is the sunlight!

Mine is the morning

born of the one light

Eden saw play!

Praise with elation,

praise every morning,

God’s recreation

of the new day!

Morning has Broken, Cat Stevens

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=qARB7XPfYjo&si=RLYyLQn8gFIcjYgU

Time to SHINE Your Light! Easter Monday

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And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:5 KJV

The artwork on the projection screen portrayed to be a tomb, opened for Easter, ALSO looked like an eye shining! No fooling! I saw both!

So fitting for now IS our time to SHINE OUT the LOVE of Jesus, SPEAK out the HOPE of Salvation, and BEAM for all to see…

The stone rolled away by God opens the possibilities for us to see and to know that the Miracle of Jesus Rising is a New Day in this New Covenant. Our eyes opened to see – a morning of HOPE after darkness made us linger in our fears. Now the blessed hope of Jesus is beaming the beaming light to come out from us – to come from the place within. Jesus motivates us to LIGHT up the world. He sends us! 

Let us go out and SHINE His Light to overcome all darkness. Let us love boldly and humbly. The darkness won’t comprehend this light, but it won’t be able to deny it either. 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5 NIV

Hallelujah! Jesus Christ is Risen! Peace IS with us. Go SHINE. Go Be His Beam. Go with God.

Amen 

Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”  After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. John 20:19-21

Led to JOY – Riding the Oscar Mayer WIENERMOBILE!

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What a crazy blessing – after my Sunday Sermon which was sharing that we need to be ready to meet whomever God wants us to meet this day – to Follow Jesus – I was home icing my sore back when my friends called me up “out of the blue” and say they couldn’t believe it – but the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile was actually in our neck of the woods! WOW – And so they picked me up – and we all swooped up into the fun for the surreal flow of the day. It was so good, it was like the Lord was leading the Way – HE IS!

Our fun was also our amazement – and the 2 Hotdoggers crew were as nice as nice could be – and bonded immediately with my friend whose dream it was to do that job – travel around – and spread JOY! YES! Meat-ing the two Hotdoggers was the best and experiencing the rest was wrapping the “BUN of FUN” around the real amazeMEAT of the moment. May the special sauce of Love surround these young HotDoggers in their travels – for them to remain safe! 

YES, ALWAYS an amazing story for my friend of my same age, a partner in silly fun, who has been blind since being a teenager but always wanted to drive this Wienermobile! Well at least she got to ride in it! The connection she made with the two Hotdoggers crew was fabulous, and she went back to bring me to meet them because there’s a funny history of me confusing the Peanutmobile and Wienermobile, oops. ANYWAY, this was FUN! And certainly only a very few people get to ride!!! Aren’t we blessed! One of the last people was Drew Barrymore – and she was in tears to see it.

I knew this was a divine incident of JOY – I KNEW God orchestrated this – because when Jesus says: FOLLOW ME – He walks us into the good times just as much (actually much more) than the tough days.  THIS WAS A GREAT DAY – JOY IS IMMEASURABLE AND APPRECIATED!

They named us ‘Little Links’ and ‘Tailgate’ and our dear mom-mom ‘Sizzlin’ and even ‘Ketchup’ for her guide dog, plus me ‘Hot Diggity Debbie’, we were blessedly connected with our new adopted daughter drivers, hotdoggers ‘Chlo-Wienie’ and ‘ChilliCheeseMC’!!! Sweetest of college graduates, in marketing, picked from thousands of applicants, now in their one year stint as JOY ambassadors! WOW, 9 months so far. Blessed beyond Wienerwords! RELISHED THE FUN!!!

They spread JOY. People love this. I felt amazed to be a small part of riding along – like earlier that day I gave a sermon to Follow Jesus, with a benediction to go out and meet the people He would want us to meet, but I COULD NEVER HAVE ENVISIONED THIS! The connection was so easily fostered by my fun and loving friend,  and after we heard that we would ride at the end of the shift – we went into the grocery store and got them gift bags of snacks and coffee gift cards, it brought them nearly to tears. They enjoy this opportunity but rarely get home. I am glad we were able to share this love – but it is really all my friend’s enthusiastic love – which of course is from the Lord – because God IS Love and Life.

Loved the people’s faces with lots of car horns honking and that great jingle as their horn! “I wish I were an Oscar Mayer Wiener!” Started in 1936, oh how the people loved looking at this sweet ride. Well – I can only say that every day may we hop on the sweet ride of excitement – one step at a time. Keep on rolling!

Blessed on this Jesus Journey to share in the JOY!!!

Hot Diggity Dog!

Praise Be to the Lord – Christmas JOY to KNOW

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So many scriptures to touch our hearts before Christmas – David knew the Lord – and heard God’s Promise to bring salvation to all who would turn to Him. David did turn to the Lord – in asking mercy and in JOY. May we also do this always. For JOY, PROTECTION, SALVATION, STRENGTH, may we look for our Shepherd now and Christmas and always.

Amen and please read of the JOY to KNOW: Psalm 28 Of David.

To you, Lord, I call; you are my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who go down to the pit. Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.

Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil, who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts. Repay them for their deeds and for their evil work; repay them for what their hands have done and bring back on them what they deserve. Because they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord and what his hands have done, he will tear them down and never build them up again.

*** Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. 

*** The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever.