Mystery and Intrigue

Scripture: And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:8-12

Our journey through the Advent Season can never be complete without examining the shepherds who heard about Jesus’ birth from a multitude of angles. First, try to imagine what that might be like… If we were out in a field maybe star gazing or perhaps trying to finish up a job and it had gotten dark, how we would feel if all of a sudden we see an angel with the glory of The Lord shining on them. Can you imagine how scary that would be?

Then I think, wow I sure am glad somebody else saw that, because if I was by myself I am certain I would think I had lost my mind. Either way I would have to go into town and search for a baby lying in a manger. Of course the burning question for me is, would I then believe it or would I write it off as some sort of coincidence?

The very sad fact is that most people do experience a “God-incidence” that they write off as a coincidence. It may not be angles singing in the sky, but it is perhaps a bad car wreck that they walk away from or a cancer they beat. They might at first acknowledge God is a real Savior, but then the shining glory wears off and they soon walk away from the manger looking beyond God in all other areas of their life.

We all tend to forget the mystery and wonder of God in our lives when life goes on normally and without calamity. It takes something miraculous to bring our focus back to the amazing qualities of God. I love that God is willing to do amazing signs and wonders to get our attention. But I fear we overlook him unless he is waving his arms and sending bright lights to speak to us.

You may not have seen an angel this week. You may not have experienced God in an amazing way. However, He is there with all the power and mystery of the virgin birth. God can only be overlooked if we are too busy looking at everything else. We must pause and rejoice in the quiet still moments as well as the miraculous dramatic moments of our lives acknowledging that God is God and worthy to be noticed.

Leslie Stephens
McMinnville, TN

Prayer: God of wonder, you have not changed. You are still as mysterious and amazing as you were the day Christ was born. Show us how to rejoice in the midst of our everyday lives. We want to experience the power and wonder of your son, Jesus, today and every day. Amen.

Prayer Tip: Looking for God is the only way we will learn how to recognize him. Ask God to show himself to you.

Love: Want some? Give Some!

I have been asking myself lately how I can love people more. I tell people all the time that they should read The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman because it has changed the way I love people. But I will say that when I examine my love I find that I am still very challeneged to love others the way that will make them truly feel loved. I find myself wanting to withhold love when things do not go my way. I have days where I really don't feel like loving anyone. And then there is the part of me that loves people the way that makes me feel loved. I find myself realizing that I loved them by doing something for them and not telling them they did a good job, or buying them a gift. Love is HARD!



This time of year as good humans we give. We give our time to ring a bell in front of Kroger. We give our money to charities like Angel Tree. We give our talents to decorate and make meals. All of these are noble causes, yet we get together with family and only tolerate one another. We have this desire to do good, yet we do not give our very best to those we claim to love the most. O help us, God!



So how do we refrom ourselves into Abassadors of Christ's love? One verse at a time. However reading and thinking is not enough, we must have a plan. We must go beyond our human capacities to love and cross over into the unlovable zone. You are getting ready to encounter someone in your family in the next 6 weeks whom you do not love well. I dare to venture that you do not even like them.



So the challenge: Phase 1) Set out in the weeks leading up to your "visit" to pray for yourself and that person every day. Ask God to give you mercy and compassion for them. Ask God to teach you how love them the way He does and how to communicate the love of Christ through you to them. Ask God to soften their hearts and help them respond to His love poured out through you.



Phase 2) Plan to do something extra for them when you are together. Suggestions: Ask them to go for a walk (spend some time), go shopping, eat lunch. Cook their favorite dish. Embrace them more than just at the greeting and goodbye. Make an effort to sit next to them. Ask them about their life and really listen (no lip service stuff). Get them a very personal gift you have to really think about giving (not expensive, but thoughtful). Tell them you love them at least 3 times during your visit. DO NOT IGNORE THEM, give them more attention than you ever have before (with discression).



Phase 3) Follow up on them within a month after you are together. Send them a card. Call and just leave a voice mail. Go beyond your normal love capacity with them even after the holiday.



Christ asks us to love above all things. It is easy to love those who are good to you and are easy to love. Even those who are not in Christ love those who are good to them. We can choose to hang out with peope who we like, but God chooses our family for us. He intends for them to teach us how to truly love and forgive. The character of christ can be forged uiin us through our family, if we will allow. God asks us to love those who are difficult to love, not just tolerate them on holidays. You can love, but only through the power of God. Other wise I think the love we give is just like what Beth Moore discribes in her Believing God Study on page 214.



"The One who adopted us into His royal family has called us to live according to our legacy. We are to literally live love. Fuzzy thought, isn't it? But check the verse again {Eph 5:1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.} The very nature of love is sacrifical. In fact, if we're not presently feeling the squeeze and sacrifice of loving, we're probably exercising a preferential, highly selective, self-centered human substitute.



Not only have we been called to live a sacrifical love. At times we may also expend untold self-sacrificing efforts for years and even the rest of our lives without seeing and any apparent fruit. God has called us to love even when - "

we don't want to;
we don't feel like it;
we get nothing obvious in return;
they don't deserve it;
they're not worth it;
the don't even know it;
it makes no difference.
So who is it? Who will love with the love of Christ this Holiday? God, after all, loved you enough to give you Christ.



Leslie Stephens

McMinnville, TN


Prayer: Loving God, I can't love __________________ they way I should. Help me to stop loving them in my flesh and help me to love them they way you have loved me. Soften their hearts adn help them to recieve my love. I need the power of your Holy Spirit flowing through me, so that I can love with the love of Christ. In His name, Amen.


Prayer Tip: Always ask for the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to flow through you.

Quote Taken from Beth Moore's Believing God Experience a Fresh Explosion of Faith Bible Study workbook Page 214

Seasonal Gardening

Scripture: But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

Once upon a time I had a teachable moment with my children in the bath tub. The topic was the difference between good and bad fruit as Jesus taught in Matthew. We then got the list of the fruit of God’s Spirit from Galatians 5:22 (But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control.) where we find a great discription of good fruit. Here is where I realized that the kids were teaching me something…

I thought about the good fruit and assumed that bad fruit must be the opposite of the good. Therefore if the good fruit is love, then the bad fruit is hate. The kids were great at figuring out opposites. If joy is a fruit of God’s spirit, then depression is a bad fruit.

With my mind and heart turned toward the Advent Season I was pondering this week’s focus: Peace. Peace is a fruit of God’s Spirit. It is a good fruit. What is the opposite of Peace? Ouch!!! I found some rotten fruit in my basket here. I realized that turmoil, strife, unrest, worry, fear, and anxiety would all fit the bad list! O what a time to remember that the punishment that Jesus experienced is what brought us peace!

The peace that Jesus brought us came at a very high price. Yet in many cases we do not walk in the peace of Christ. If the fruit we display is not good fruit, then we must not be walking in the Spirit of Christ. Can we just decide to be peaceful? I think if it were that easy then everyone would be doing it.

The peace of Advent is a renewing of our mind. We must first be aware that we are not experiencing the peace of Christ before we can ever hope to put on that peace. Much like peace was a gift Jesus brought to us, recognizing our bad fruit is a gift from God. We must seek truth in order to find truth. We must seek Christ in order to find fellowship with Him. We must seek peace… Get the picture?

I pray that this Christmas you will indeed find the peace of Christ which WAY surpasses the peace that gifts, charity, and time off from work can give you. May you have a renewed mind with much more that visions of sugar plumbs and may you find the fruit of God’s Spirit in the stocking of your heart. Let the Prince of Peace rule in your lives now and always.

Prayer: Great and awesome God, help us unwrap your gift of peace this Christmas, so that the reality of Jesus can be made evident to someone who has not experienced the peace of Christ. Amen

Prayer Tip: Examining the fruit in your life during quiet times of prayer and meditation can allow God to expose your sin and the roots that bear bad fruit.

Leslie Stephens
Winchester, TN