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December Journal Archived Friday, 1 Dec: Happy December! Wow, I can't believe it is already December. In the not too distant future, I will be home for 2 weeks of R&R (that's Army term for Rest and Recuperation). I and my family are very excited, and I think even some of my church family are, too. I skipped yesterday for a few reasons. For one thing, I was wore out after band practice. It went well and I am looking forward, once again, to Sunday. The other reason was I wanted to think a little bit more about the scripture I read. I started in Luke's Gospel and there are so many lessons just in the first half of the first chapter. My spirit was concentrating on one in particular that I think we all struggle with. Has anyone come to a point in your life when you wonder if prayer really works? Does God really hear me? What do I do now? I have been there plenty, and even in the last few months. Let's focus of Zechariah and Elizabeth. You know, John the Baptist's parents and Jesus' aunt and uncle. It could be that we are blocking God from answering our prayers. Maybe not on purpose, but here are 4 attitudes that can get you out of the way and let God do His thing. You must be willing to... 1) LET GOD ANSWER IN HIS OWN TIME. We, on the whole, are impatient beings. Remember, it's not always in our best interest for God to answer our prayers right away. As parents, do we give our children everything they want right away? They why should we expect our Father to do that? Sometimes we just aren't ready for His answer yet. Waiting for something you want or even need shows maturity. But, this wasn't the case for Zechariah and Elizabeth, God was actually shaping them before giving them a child. And what an awesome child it was going to be! They never stopped praying, because God's delays are not God's denial! Read that again, if you didn't get it the first time. So, you see, when God was ready to answer their prayer, He did, but not a second earlier than He wanted. If you have been praying for something, don't stop until you either get an answer, assurance that He heard it, or He gives you another direction. Be prepared, though, for the answer may be no, in which case, you thank Him and move on. Remember, He will answer you in His time! 2) LET GOD ANSWER IN HIS OWN WAY. Isaiah 55:8-9 says, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways..." God's ways are ALWAYS bigger and better than yours or mine! In the case of Zechariah and Elizabeth, they desperately wanted a child and when it didn't happen for them they prayed for God to intervene. He did, in a mighty way! Father (God) knows best, do not get ahead of Him and risk having to settle for something much less than what God had in mind for you. Zechariah and Elizabeth waited on the Lord and gave them a unique son for a unique purpose. They really just wanted to have children like everyone else, but they learned the lesson we find in Ephesians, that God "...is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power." (3:20) Remember to let God answer you in His own way. 3) LET GOD ANSWER IN HIS OWN POWER. Is anyone guilty of trying to "help God out" when the answer to prayer has been delayed? Everyone remembers the story of Abraham and Sarah. God promised that a great nation would come into the world through them, but years went by without a son. They took matters in their own hands and Ishmael was born by Sarah's servant Hagar. We know now that this was not God's plan. Does it seem like God is sometimes too late? Does it seem like your circumstance get worse before He answers? God will wait, at times, until all human possibilities have been exhausted, and then do a miracle. He wants everyone to know He answered that prayer and that it was only through his power and no other way. If your prayer has not been answered, don't give up or act too soon to solve it yourself. Trust God and wait on Him! God wants to reveal His power through your life. He may be waiting for just the right time when someone near to you needs to know God is REAL. Remember to let God answer in His own power. 4) LET GOD ANSWER FOR HIS OWN PURPOSE. If any of you read "The purpose Driven Life", you will remember that the purpose of life is NOT ABOUT YOU! You must get to a place where you are completely sold out to God and not to your ambitions, desires or cravings. Easier said than done right, but absolutely necessary. Sometimes answers don't come because we are asking for something that is far below God's intended purpose for you and the world. More often than not, God will have a much higher purpose in mind. Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." Don't' delight in yourself, but in the Lord and see what happens! We want to be used by God for His purposes, but are you willing to let Him have his way in your life? If you come to a roadblock, look around and there will be a detour to a new road in life and it will lead toward God's new destination for your life, one that is greater than every you could ever imagine. Remember to let God answer for His own purpose. Parts of this entry were taken from a message by Wayne Field. I thank God for all that He is doing in my life and in the lives of Soldier, Sailors, Marines and Airmen here in Iraq and around the world! By the way....GO NAVY! BEAT ARMY! Until next time...Todd out. Monday, 4 Dec: Wow, where did the day go? Well, let me fill you in on yesterday and the day before. Saturday night, we all watched the Midshipmen of the Naval Academy pound the Black Knights of the Military Academy at West Point. Next stop...the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte on Dec 30. Obviously the highlight of my Sunday was church. Service was wonderful and I am going to share with you a little later some of the message we heard. But, something else happened...the SAINTS won big and are still in sole possession of 1st place in the NFC South with a record of 8-4. We have a big test next week when we travel to Dallas to take on the resurgent Cowboys. You can rest assured I will be in front of a TV somewhere watching it. I heard from a few people today via email that are part Saints, but more Cowboys fans, so it should be fun! Alright, with that out of the way, let's get into God's Word. The text was Matthew 1:18-25. Before I really get into it, let me express my disappointment in what the Christmas season and holiday has become in America. With all the attempts to take Christ out of Christmas, we need to stand up and make our voices heard and remind the country that if it weren't for Jesus Christ there would not be Christmas! The Grinch finally got it when he thought, "Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store; Maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more." I submit to you that it is more than just a little more. There a few things that we need to always remember about Christmas. 1) CHRISTMAS IS A GOD THING! (18-21) The "engagement" period was to last one year and during that time there was no sexual relations. But, Joseph found out she was pregnant and we find out that it is by the Holy Spirit (God thing). Joseph naturally assumed she had been unfaithful, and in that case, he had a few options. But before he could act on it, the angel (pretty sure it was Gabriel) came and told him to go on with their plan to get married. The angel actually spoke to him (God thing). The angel told him what the child's name would be and what his purpose of earth would be. Jesus means "Yahweh Saves!" (God thing). Plenty of evidence that Christ is a GOD Thing! 2) CHRISTMAS IS A BIBLE THING! (22-23) Matthew delivers the major theme in his gospel when he says, "So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet..." The supernatural conception of Jesus fulfills the ancient prophecy (Bible thing). The prophecy was given to Isaiah was recorded in 7:14. God told Isaiah that a virgin would become pregnant through the power of God. The rest of the prophecy told the sex of the child and who he would be. "'and they shall call His name Immanuel', which is translated, 'God with us.'" (23) So, we have "Jesus" that tells us what he does (God Saves) and Immanuel tells who he is (God with us). So you see, it was not just a God thing, but also a Bible thing. 3) CHRISTMAS IS AN OBEDIENCE THING! (24-25) As Joseph is awakened, he did what God told him to do through the angel. We see an element of what God demands of us; obedience. He then proceeds with the wedding ceremony, as the angel directed. Notice, no argument, no request to pray about it some more, but immediate obedience. When you hear from God, don't hesitate...just do it! Joseph demonstrates more obedience to God as he didn't "know" Mary until after the child was born and was named Jesus. (Obedience thing). We all know that the "know" here refers to sexual activity. He did not want to ruin things by engaging in any sexual behavior until after the wedding. God honors our obedience. God accomplished His will through the humble obedience of an ordinary carpenter. Christmas is not just a God Thing, or a Bible Thing, but is also an Obedience Thing. So, this year, remember that Christmas means much, much more than just a store! To experience the true joy of the birth of Jesus Christ, you have to accept Him into your heart and life. If you don't know Jesus or know someone that doesn't know Him, don't delay, be like Joseph and answer God's call immediately! Remember that Jesus IS the reason for the season! Parts of this entry were taken from a message presented by Mark Schaeufele. Until next time...Todd out. Wednesday, 6 Dec: Greetings everyone. I know, where did Tuesday go? Well, by the time I got finished "putting out fires" (not literally), it was already after midnight and I was pooped. I had trouble concentrating on anything and I knew the God would understand if I just went to bed and rested up for today. Today was pretty much a normal day, but what I read got me all fired up. I went to the internet and found an outline of a message by Bo Dunford. I don't know if that is his real name, but he put on paper some things that I have thought and even some things I have said. So, away we go. Hebrews 12:1-2 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes of Jesus, the champion, who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne." Here we a picture of a race, a sporting event with the end being our presence with Jesus and God at his throne. I have said on many occasions that if Christians were as excited about God as they were about their favorite team winning, it would make a HUGE difference in the world. So, to that end, what can sports fans teach Christians? First, SPORTS FANS ARE FAITHFUL...THEY DON'T CONFORM! You know some fans like that. They have hats and shirts and even underwear to represent their team. Some faithful fans have even been buried in their favorite jersey. So, why is it easy to represent your team, no matter, where you are, but so hard to be a true witness for Christ? Loyal fans move away from home, but still wear their team colors, but a Christian gets in the midst of lost people and lose their voice. Acts 1:8: "...you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth." Our witness represents Christ to the lost and testifies what Christ has done for us. Represent Christ like you represent you favorite team! Second, SPORTS FANS ARE SPENDERS...THEY DON'T WITHHOLD! Christians could take lessons from sports fans in their reputation for spending money supporting their team. Fans sometimes spend enormous amounts of money to follow their team around to a bowl game or the Super Bowl or the World Series. For them, no sacrifice is too great. Contrast that with many Christians who seem to complain that the preacher always talks about money. To be honest, he may mention it ever Sunday during the offering, but on rare occasion do they "preach" on the subject. Maybe it just seems that way to folks that don't give. Paul told the church at Corinth "...see that you abound in this grace also." Abounding in grace really means to "exceed what is expected." Folks, when we consider all the Christ has done for us and all that is waiting for us, there should be no hesitation when it comes to worshipping God through our giving. I am not fan or Christian bashing, but rather just bringing it to your attention. Check out your situation and give back to God like you mean it! Third, SPORTS FANS ARE TIRELESS...THEY DON'T REST! We have all done it. We have traveled for several hours to see our team play. I went to just about every football game when I was in high school, no matter where it was. I have my Dad to thank for that, because he usually drove, and we never tired of doing that. We felt like we were accomplishing something, but didn't concern ourselves whether anyone noticed or not. There are many Christians who are tireless in the work for the Lord. Some do it without much fanfare, but others look for kudos and recognition. In all our service to the Father, it has to be from the heart, with both the Savior and our fellow man in view. We should never tire of doing good things because, done humbly, they are a tremendous testimony of our changed lives and God's residence in our hearts. Physical rest is a must, but never tire in your work of spreading the Gospel! Fourth, SPORTS FANS ARE LOYAL...THEY DON'T SWITCH! All of you have heard the term "bandwagon" when referring to some fans. They switch teams like the wind to the one that is winning. They are scorned by true fans. Real life fans are bound to their team for life! Through winning or losing seasons, they are your team. Christians should adopt the same attitude that Paul spoke to the Philippians, "That I may know him and the power of his resurrection...I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:10, 14). Your salvation is a lifetime bond with Christ and should be first and foremost in your life! The enemy is out there trying to get us to switch "teams" and he is very good at it. We have to stay strong like a true fan and never lose sight of God's love and goodness to us. Remember, no one has ever been disappointed staying with Christ's team! Lastly, SPORTS FANS ARE PASSIONATE...THEY DON'T GIVE UP! A distinguishing characteristic of the sports fan is their passion for their team. They never stop believing in their team. Remember the Saints near perfect season...1-15...I was and am a fan! I used to get upset at people for that gave up and left before the game was over with. When it's your team, there is always hope. And what do you make of those people on Sunday morning that will cheer so loud when their team scores, but you can barely hear them during Praise and Worship. I am afraid their passion button is malfunctioning. Unfortunately in the lives of some Christians, they have lost sight of God's love and mercy and grace. It is so easy to let things come in and crowd our minds that we forget. Be of good cheer, though and listen to Psalm 68:19, "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits..." Passion is sometimes tied to emotion, however, I believe whether you feel like it or not, your passion for the Savior of your soul should always be there. Don't ever give up on God...he will never give up on you! I truly hope that God has touched your life while reading this. As I said, I have referred to this before, but just didn't know how to put in into context. God is great and now all of you know how I feel. I think all of you know how committed I am to my Saints, my Braves, my Tar Heels and my Hurricanes (NHL), but I think you also know how committed I am to Christ and sharing the Good News whenever I can. Until next time...Todd out. Friday, 8 Dec: Good day, mates! Today was relatively slow and I got to catch up on some reading and fellowshipping with some folks around here. Before I forget, please don't leave this site without checking out the pictures of "TIKI" the Christmas Bear and his trip to Baghdad. Check it out, you'll see. Anyway, in our conversation today, the Bible came up in reference to some things that are happening in the world and how Christianity and Islam are different. Well, that in itself could be a very lengthy discussion and I am not going there tonight. However, one person said something that especially caught my attention. Paraphrasing here, he said, "I need not concern myself with either of them." Boy, I wanted to jump all over that, but I restrained myself because we weren't alone and you have to be careful when the subject of religion is brought up. So, I let it go in hopes that one day, I can have one-on-one time with that person and tell him about Jesus Christ! I said all that to preface today's entry. In Luke 2, we read about the days leading up to and after the birth of Jesus. It was perfect for the conversation from earlier today. This person, and many others, are missing out, big time! We know and remember those who met Jesus around the time of his birth...the shepherds, Simeon, Hannah the prophetess and the Wise Men. But have you ever thought about who MISSED Him...God's chosen one-Jesus. There are 3 groups in particular that totally missed out. 1) The Innkeeper and the Bethlehemites. We know why Mary and Joseph were going to Bethlehem, but so were plenty of others and by the time they got there all the rooms were full. I am convinced had the Innkeeper known who was going to be born that night, he would have made a special room up for them. But he and the people of Bethlehem were too busy with their daily routine to even give a second thought to the baby. They were just to busy to recognize that this baby was going to save all of mankind, and I am sure that they had read about him. Are you too busy with jobs, careers, and worldly ambitions that you miss the baby's birth? If so, I encourage that this Christmas you stop and take stock of WHO this baby really is-and why He came! 2) King Herod and his Court. We know King Herod knew about the baby to be born because the Wise Men stopped by his place on their way and asked him where they could find this new king. We know that he and his Court was none to happy about the competition and we know he ordered the killing of baby boys under age 2 living in Bethlehem, even killing his own son. They were afraid that this new king would overpower them and they would lose their influence...and they missed the Baby. Are you like King Herod and not willing to relinquish your life's "crown" to Jesus? If so, I encourage that this Christmas you allow Jesus to take the throne of your life, once and for all! 3) The High Priest and the religious leaders. The High Priest was probably the one man who SHOULD HAVE met the Baby. He was viewed as God's representative on earth. He and his leaders certainly knew all about the coming Messiah from the prophecies of the Old Testaments. They knew He was going to be born in Bethlehem. They had all the facts about the baby, knew how special he would be, knew that he was to save them, and they had been waiting for him for some 300 years. So, why did they miss the Baby? It is possible that the wait was a tradition, or they didn't really believe enough or care enough to check out what the Wise Men had reported. Are you acting like the High Priest and the religious leaders and ignoring the scriptures? If so, I encourage that this Christmas you check out what everyone is saying about the Baby and accept Him...Jesus...as Messiah. There is a song I used to love to sing entitled "Wise Men Still Seek Him". If you feel empty this time of year, go to the manger and receive the greatest Christmas present of all...don't miss out! Until next time...Todd out. Friday, 22 Dec: First of all, I want to thank all of you who inquired as to the reason for my brief departure from this journal. My only hope now is that everyone has not lost faith in me and comes back to visit the site. I could go on for a very long time about the reasons and excuses for my brief absence. I say excuses, because there were some days that I probably could have penned something and put it out here. But, then, I figured it was not fair to all of you and certainly not fair to God to not give it 100%. A whole lot has happened around here, for me and for the command. Let's just say I need to add International Travel Agent to my resume. Briefly, it is time for some of the Navy guys here to go home. So, in order to make that happen, I was in charge of making flight arrangements for 14 people to either come up here from Baghdad or go south and prepare to go home. Over the course of 5 or 6 days, a few missed their flights and a few flights got cancelled or changed (without our knowledge). But through it all, I had a sense of peace that all would work out and I am very excited to announce that everyone finally got to where they were supposed to be in time to do what they had to do. People got here to relieve guys so they could hopefully be home on or before Christmas. I really experienced the presence of God, because in the midst of all of that happening, we still praised and worshipped on Sunday, both of them. I am looking forward to the Candlelight Service on Christmas Eve. It should be great...we are doing some carols...contemporary style (a little country and disco beats mixed in there). I will certainly let you guys know how it goes. I don't want to make this first one too long, but I do want to share a few more highlights of the last 2 weeks. You know, I can't pass up an opportunity to celebrate the success of my Saints this year. After we manhandled the Cowboys on Sunday night, we had a little lapse this past Sunday, but still managed to win the NFC South. So, technically, we have gone from worst to first!!! We have a few more games left and then the playoffs start. This may seem a little crazy, but we are to give God thanks in all things...so I thank Him that I have been able to see my Saints nearly every week this season! Another highlight that has its roots in God's word was that nearly all the people that left here last week either emailed or called to thank me for all I had done for them. You know I told them it was my pleasure and it really was. We are to show our love for Christ by serving others. I could have easily given up after the missed flights and told them to find their own way. But, again giving thanks to God, I truly learned to be a servant and everyone was happy, including me. I also finished "The Dream Giver" by Rich Wilkinson that Angi sent me. It is not a long book, but powerful, nonetheless. Basically, the Dream Giver, God, gives us all a dream and we can choose to pursue it or not. You may have had a dream as a young person that you think is not relevant anymore...that's just plain wrong. I have to rediscover mine and am well on my way to pursuing it. Which leads me to my final highlight...I have been accepted to Liberty University's Distance Learning Program and am going to pursue my Bachelor of Science in Multidisciplinary Studies. I am going to have dual majors, if you will. It is in my best interest to choose Business and Religion (only in that order because of the alphabet) because of my past credits and those credits they are giving me from my military service. I am waiting to hear from my advisor and get started as soon as possible. I should be able to do at least 2 or 3 classes while I am here and hopefully finish up shortly after I retire. I have been thinking about maybe a future as a Corporate Chaplain. I will have to follow up the bachelors with a masters, but I have the GI Bill to help pay for that. Anyway, I know that God has a plan and purpose for my life and the lives of my family. I am listening more closely for His voice, and I still covet your prayers. I promise not to be gone for this long again, except for maybe while I am home on leave for 2 weeks. I trust you guys will grant me that period to spend with my family. Thank you all, again, for being there for me and my family through this ordeal. And I know that everything will be alright because...I know that My Redeemer Lives!!!!!!!! Until next time...Todd out. Sunday, 24 Dec: Merry Christmas Eve to you all! It is already Christmas day as I type this. It is extremely difficult to be away from my family on this special day, but I have made some really good friends here and we are celebrating together. I did get some gifts in the mail, so I will be opening them tomorrow afternoon. Well, I can't miss a Sunday entry and the chance to update everyone on football and services. First of all, we had our candlelight service tonight and it was AWESOME! The band seemed to be on like never before, rockin' some carols. I was also part of a duet that did "Oh Holy Night". That's kind of a stalwart for Christmas eve services since I can remember. If I should say so myself, it was anointed by God and there were tears of sorrow and joy all over the place. I wish everyone reading this could have experienced tonight. It was standing room only. The message was right on...and anyone there tonight that didn't know Jesus...knows Him now. If only they can recognize that yearning in their heart. Our Iraqi friends were there also and were singing along with every song. One of them collects our music after every service. I don't know what he does with them, but let's hope he is spreading the gospel. My only prayer after tonight is that we see some, if not all, of the people there tonight again. Switchin' gears now to football. MY Saints roughed up the New York football Giants 30-7! I got a chance to see all of the Saints scoring and I was very vocal here in the office. I drew a little bit of a crowd on a few occasions. So, the win makes us 10-5 and in control of the NFC South. Now, if Dallas loses tomorrow, we will shore up the #2 seed in the playoffs and a home game in the second round of the playoffs. I need everyone to be rooting for MY Saints and see what happens. Thank you all for giving me a little latitude in rejoicing over a team that no one gave any chance of even a winning season. GEAUX SAINTS!!!! WHO DAT!!!! No great words of wisdom tonight. Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. For those that have Him residing on the inside can truly feel everything that this season brings. Those without Him are missing out on the greatest gift ever. We know the real reason for the season. A very dear friend of mine sent me an email the other day that made me think. Here is what he said, "Jesus is the reason we celebrate...but you and I are the reason for the season...we're the reason He came. He loved us that much." How awesome is that? We were cursed and in dire need of a Savior. Jesus Christ is the only one that can save us now. If everyone that celebrated His birthday would also celebrate His life, remember His death and celebrate His resurrection, what a wonderful world this would be! Show the love of Christ and call someone you haven't talked to for a long time or someone that may have wronged you in the past. Really celebrate Jesus by showing His love for all the whosoevers you come into contact with. God's desire is that none should perish...let's do what we can to make His desire come true! God Bless you all!!! Until next time...Todd out. Tuesday, 26 Dec: Well, it was back to work today after a few days "off". I hesitate using the word off, because I was at work both days, but not too much happened. I did have an enjoyable Christmas day. We had a great meal and plenty of fellowship. Everyone seemed to be in an unusually good mood. Hmmmmmmm...what could possibly have done that? Jesus, that's what!! Now, how many of you were surprised by something on Christmas? I have to admit that I was surprised when I opened some gifts that had been mailed to me. In most cases, I had no idea what I was going to find when I tore through the paper. You have to admit that sometimes the surprise is just as good as what you find. We are surprised at many times throughout our lives. Jesus' birth was quite a surprise, too. It's our Christmas surprise from God...he loved us enough to send His Son so he could die for our sins. But what made it a surprise? 1) Jesus comes at an unexpected time. Now think about this. The prophets foretold of this day, but there were a few issues. Mary and Joseph knew they would parent the messiah, but he was to be born in Bethlehem. They lived in Nazareth. But, it just so happened that a decree went out that all should be registered for the census, and Joseph was from Bethlehem, The City of David. I don't think anything "just happens", so Caesar's decree went out in God's perfect timing and according to God's perfect plan to bring His Son into the world. 2) Jesus comes to unexpected people. Think a minute about Joseph and Mary. We know almost nothing about Joseph. He is not mentioned directly anywhere else in the Bible after Jesus' childhood. Why is so little said about Joseph? He was a NOBODY and look what God had him do! We don't know much more about Mary. She is relevant in Jesus' childhood, but later we just have a few references of her at the foot of the cross and then praying with the disciples. They are relatively speaking, unimportant people in an unimportant rural town. Remember people asked, "How can anything good come out of Nazareth?" But God still used them for His glory. Why? Because they were willing and He knew that. Both did exactly as God commanded. God can and will use ordinary, unimportant people to do extraordinary things if they will just say, "Yes, Lord!" 3) Jesus comes to an unexpected place. This child was to be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He was wrapped in swaddling clothes. There were no cute little outfits from Osh Kosh and no cute little rattlers or anything like that. He was laid in a manger because there was no room in the inn. Remember, a manger is a trough used for feeding animals. There were no cute little cribs, with mobiles or squeaky animals. Mary more than likely filled the manger with hay to make it soft, but that was about it. There were no birthing lamps or bright wall paper. Frankly, stables were date and dirty. We see the Christ Child born into poor and humble circumstances...what a surprise. What a concept! Jesus didn't need everything neat and clean to come in. We don't need to be neat and clean for Him to come in, either. There is no place, no heart, no life, that is so dirty, Jesus won't come in. If He lived in a feeding trough, certainly He can come and live in our hearts. All we have to do is invite Him in! So, the surprise of Christmas is that Jesus comes at an unexpected time to unexpected people at an unexpected place. Have you invited Jesus to come into your heart? Are you ready should Jesus come back today? Are you going to be the surprise of this Christmas season by giving your heart to Him? Are you just ordinary enough for Jesus to use by simply being willing? Plenty to think about. Remember that with Jesus, everyday is a surprise because everyday is new and exciting! Excerpts taken from a message by Mark Schaeufele. Until next time...Todd out. Thursday, 28 Dec: Ahoy everyone! It was a pretty good day. Not too much work going on, and band practice went very good tonight. I was contemplating my entries for the next few days and had teh thought to chronicle, if you will, characters that were related to the birth of Jesus. I had no particular order picked out or anything like that, but I heard something on the radio today that sparked something inside. The question was asked, "What is the best selling Christmas movie of all time?" I thought of the miracle on the street movie, or the one that showed past present and future, or the one about the Santa Clause, but was surprised at the answer. The correct answer, according to the station, is "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." Now, I haven't verified that, but it's not important because I now know who I should start with. In Matthew 2:1-18, we are introduced to a "grinch" by the name of King Herod. Everyone is familiar with the story, so I will try and be brief. We learn in those verses that there are 5 signs that we can look for to identify "grinches", like King Herod, in our lives. So, a person may be a grinch if... 1) ...they get upset when others invade their territory (vs. 1-6) The Grinch was highly upset when up on his mountain, he could hear the sounds from Whoville. He says something about them thinking that he went all the way up there just to hear all the racket down below. Now, we see King Herod who was equally unhappy when he found out, from the Bible, that a baby was going to be born in his "territory" and would be called the King of the Jews. After all, he was King of the Jews and could not afford for their to be another, much less a baby. Both the Grinch and Herod reacted badly when their territory was invaded, but they weren't willing to give up without a fight. Do you or someone you know get upset when others invade your territory? Well, get over it because Jesus came to do that very thing. He wants to invade you with joy and peace and love. 2)...they pretend to be something that they're not (vs. 7-8) The Grinch went as far as concocting a Santa suit thinking that the Whos would accept him. He was all ready to go, but not to deliver presents, but to steal them and ruin Christmas. King Herod also pretended. He convinced the Wise Men to go and seek out the child because he wanted to worship him. We learn later that was certainly not the case. He just thought the Wise Men wouldn't ask anymore questions if they thought he was a worshipper of Jesus. Both the Grinch and Herod pretended to be something they weren't in order to get something that did not belong to them. Now, there is nothing wrong with pretending as long as we don't do it to get something or deceive someone. Do you or someone you know pretend to be a Christian? Man looks at the outside, but Jesus looks at the heart. We have to be honest with God to fully receive all He wants to give us. 3)...they can't join others in their joy (vs 9-15) Decked out in his Santa suit, the Grinch went down the mountain and begin his pilfering of the Who's Christmas things, taking everything from toys to trees. His heart was so hard and small, he couldn't join in the joyful celebration that Whoville was experiencing. Likewise, Herod was surrounded by joy, but couldn't bring himself to join in. Joy was all around and there was plenty to spare. Herod was but 2 miles away from the celebration, but chose to keep his distance. He sent others rather than go himself and risk his hard, evil heart being changed. Both the Grinch and Herod were so close, yet, so far. Instead of joining in, they schemed to steal the joy away from others. Do you or someone you know refuse to rejoice, but instead try to steal your joy? People who truly know Jesus have no trouble rejoicing with those who rejoice. Joy is closer than you think. 4)...they get infuriated when their plans don't work out (vs.16) The Grinch's plan didn't work out because little Max was just not strong enough to carry it out. Herod we as so angry, you remember. First of all, the Wise Men never returned like he had asked. So, he came up with a new plan. If he couldn't know where the one baby was, he could still make sure he was destroyed. He had no problem ordering all the male babies that were 2 years and younger killed. What's the moral of this sign? Go against God and you are doomed to failure. Do you or someone you know think you can do something better than God can? God is not obligated to follow our plan. But, we are obligated to follow His! 5)...their heart has never been changed (vs. 17-18) The Grinch, after near tragedy, overheard Whoville singing the same song they had sung earlier around the town tree that he had taken. How could this be? Well, shortly after that, he was going to go over the cliff with the stuff, but didn't want to be destroyed himself. He then came to the realization that the joy of Christmas doesn't come from presents, decorations, food or anything else on the outside. It comes from something that is on the inside. However, Herod woke up to the weeping of mothers, not because of no presents, but because their children had been stolen. We remember what happened to the Grinch. He became a part of Whoville and no longer had to pretend. All because his heart was changed and he joined in the master plan! He was no longer a grinch, but a Who. But this is where the similarities end. Herod's story has a much different ending. His heart never changed and history tells us that he died within the next year. He had his chance, but he missed it and will be forever remembered as "a grinch". Do you or someone you know need a new heart? Ezekiel 36:26-27 says, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you al heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them." God offers to change your heart. Don't miss it by being a grinch. LET GOD CHANGE YOUR HEART TODAY!!!! I believe this is a very practical message as I believe we are very close to the RETURN of Christ to the earth. I thank Chris Talon for the outline of this message. Tune in tomorrow for another character or group of characters. Until next time...Todd out.
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