Come back next week for more flash backs.  We will keep these pictures in a folder in the Photo Gallery.
 

“God’s love is meteoric, his loyalty astronomic, his purpose titanic, his verdicts oceanic. Yet in his largeness nothing gets lost; not a man, not a mouse slips through the cracks. How exquisite your love, O God!  How eager we are to run under your wings…”

So many times we don’t feel the measure of His love in these kinds of portions.  We don’t always know it to be true.  But when we pause to reflect on it, His love moves in and our spirits are renewed. The great song “The Love Of God” written by V.B. Ellis opens with these words: 

The love of God has been extended to a fallen race.
Through Christ the Savior of all men, there’s hope in saving grace.
The love of God is greater far than gold or silver ever could afford.
It reaches past the highest star and covers all the world.

The closing line of the song says, “When all this earth shall pass away, there’ll always be the love of God.”  Take time each day to reflect on God’s love and His amazing grace so freely given.

(Check back this evening for a new version of 'Flash Back Friday'.)

In John 10:27 Jesus says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

Jesus knows us, and we can be assured that He will lead and guide.  It doesn’t matter whether the way is dark and lonely or bright and full.  Regardless of the path we find ourselves on, we can listen for his voice and follow Him wherever He leads. 

These words of Jesus are so relevant to us today. Each day we choose whether we will take the narrow gate, to walk with Christ, or the wide gate that is the way of the world with all it’s shining things that promise us happiness. I read this devotional by Charles Stanley recently:

According to Jesus, [the narrow gate] is the only way to walk if we want to experience abundant life now and eternal life with Him in heaven. But it will require a deliberate choice on our part, because no one automatically drifts onto this pathway. The broad way is easy to find. In fact, unless you make a conscious choice to avoid it, you’ll find yourself on it. Most people like this wide path because it encompasses all philosophies and belief systems. Everything is acceptable, and everyone’s “truth” is valid. It even seems like the loving path because no one is left out. There are no restrictions, and freedom is unlimited. Or is it?

What those who travel this road fail to realize is that it’s a downward descent into destruction. All the promises it gives of satisfaction and fulfillment end in disappointment because it’s a path without God. But those who enter by the narrow gate of faith in Christ find the peace and joy of a relationship with Him that satisfies the heart. The gate is small because truth guards the entrance. The way is narrow because the Lord protects us with wise boundaries.

Which path are you traveling? You can’t have one foot on each, because they’re going in opposite directions. When you tolerate everything, you’re headed for destruction. But when you choose the narrow way, your life truly begins. You’ll walk with Christ day by day until He walks you home to heaven.

There’s not much I can add to that.  I think too many believe that they can have one foot on each path.  They have salvation but believe they can walk the wide path and seek happiness in the world.  Remember, you will not automatically drift onto the narrow path. You will have to daily choose the walk of faith with Christ or you will automatically drift to the easy path of conformity to the world around you.

When I think about how birds know when to migrate, where to find food, how geese fly in the V formation so that the weaker ones have an advantage within the formation, I think about Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (vs. 29-31)

It is a precious promise that God knows the number of hairs on our head.  He provides perfectly for the birds of the air by giving them the proper instincts and the physical characteristics they need to survive. And He has promised to be our Provider and Sustainer far more than He cares for these birds.

But I think we should take note of the context in which Jesus is speaking here.  He is just sending His disciples out to reach the Jews, the “lost sheep of the house of Israel,” and He is warning them that it will not be an easy assignment.  First of all He instructs them not to take an extra tunic or sandals or a bag of food for their journey. They were to find a place to stay in each town where they would receive lodging, food and necessities. And Jesus warned them that they may not find such a place in some towns, meaning they have to travel on without food or rest.  He warns them that they will be persecuted and “hated by all for my name’s sake.” 

It is in this context that He tells the disciples to not be afraid, to “not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.”  It is as He is sending them on a long and hard journey without even a change of clothes or shoes that He gives the promise that even more than He cares for the birds of the air, the Father will care for them and will be their provision. 

Unfortunately I think we are eager to claim the promise of His provision, but are entirely unwilling to be obedient to His call to lay aside our ‘stuff’ and follow Him completely in the building of His kingdom in 2012.  We want to expect that He will provide everything we need, but we are unwilling to inconvenience ourselves to live for Him, to step out of our comfort zones and take the message of His love to our community.

I think it is worth considering, as we launch into this new year, if we are taking advantage of His promises but falling way short in our obedience and our commitment to live each moment of our lives in submission to His perfect will. My prayer is that we will begin to devote ourselves to obedience and a moment-by-moment walk with Christ this year.

If we have received the Spirit of God, He will squeeze right through our lives, as if to ask, “Now where do I come into this relationship, this vacation you have planned, or these new books you want to read?” And He will always press the point until we learn to make Him our first consideration. Whenever we put other things first, there is confusion. 
Oswald Chambers - My Utmost For His Highest

One of the most important questions we can ask ourselves as we enter this new year is, “What will I put first in my life this year?” The Lord wants to occupy that space and He is asking you today where He fits into your 2012.  I think we can all testify to the truth that Oswald Chambers spoke…whenever we put other things first, there is confusion…there is chaos and anxiety and disharmony and discontentment. And there is no joy. 

My prayer is that we each choose joy this year by trusting only in the Lord our God and living each day fully, for His glory.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. Psalm 20:7

The adult choir will do another performance of "Night of the Father's Love" on Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m.  Refreshments will be served afterward.  I hope you will plan to join us Thursday evening as we continue to celebrate Christmas at FBC.

We find ourselves just thirteen days from Christmas. The next two weeks will find many of us in a hectic pace to buy gifts for everyone on our list. Some gifts we give out of obligation, but mostly we will be giving gifts to those we love to bring them joy.

Max Lucado says we are at our best when we are giving. In fact, we are most like God when we are giving:

“Have you ever wondered why God gives so much? We could exist on far less. He could have left the world flat and gray; we wouldn’t have known the difference. But he didn’t.

He splashed orange in the sunrise and cast the sky in blue. And if you love to see geese as they gather, chances are you’ll see that too.

Did he have to make the squirrel’s tail furry? Was he obliged to make the birds sing? And the funny way that chickens scurry or the majesty of thunder when it rings?

Why give a flower fragrance? Why give food its taste? Could it be he loves to see that look upon your face?

If we give gifts to show our love, how much more would he? If we—speckled with foibles and greed—love to give gifts, how much more does God, pure and perfect God, enjoy giving gifts to us? God’s gifts shed light on God’s heart, God’s good and generous heart. Every gift reveals God’s love…but no gift reveals his love more than the gifts of the cross. They came, not wrapped in paper, but in passion. Not placed around a tree, but a cross. And not covered with ribbons, but sprinkled with blood.”

As you do your shopping this week, don’t forget to ponder the gifts God has given. Take time to recognize the gifts He gives every day. And take time to thank Him for those gifts.  It will help take the stress out of your extra long to-do list.

“Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light.” (James 1:17 MSG).

I look forward to seeing you there.

We had a beautiful hanging of the greens service last night.  I hope that the service helped to set hearts on the true meaning of Christmas.  

Thanks to Gayle who does so much to make sure that the church, and especially the sanctuary, are so beautiful.  And thanks to those who spent their Saturday morning helping with the decorations. 

Yesterday also marked the beginning of Advent, which goes through Christmas Eve. The word 'Advent' means 'coming' or 'arrival.' The focus of the Advent season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus in his First Advent, and the anticipation of the return of Christ in his Second Advent. Scripture readings for Advent reflect on the Second Advent. Advent also symbolizes the spiritual journey of individuals and a congregation, as they affirm that Christ has come, that He is present in the world today, and that He will come again in power.

I do hope that we will look with anticipation toward the celebration of Christmas and that we will take every opportunity to share the love of Christ with everyone we have contact with, as an expression of our thanks for God's great gift of life in Christ.