YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHO TO TRUST

Advent Devotions 2010

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TEXT: Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, who made heaven and earth. ... The LORD watches over the sojourners (Psalm 146:5, 9a).

Putting up Christmas lights by yourself isn't very easy, and often it's not very smart either. In the first week of December 2006 three men in northern Texas fell off ladders while decorating their houses. Two were paralyzed and the third died. They broke one of the first rules of using a ladder: always have someone there to help steady the ladder. They forgot the second rule too: if you must climb the ladder yourself, make sure it is secured to the roof.

We tend to trust in our skills, our abilities, and our knowledge-even our balance-more than we should. But asking someone to help who has no idea how to hold a ladder would be no better.

This week in church we light the third candle in the Advent wreath. Traditionally, and still in many churches today, that candle is a different color from the others. It is a reminder to turn our attention to Christ Jesus who is different from all other people. He is absolutely trustworthy and able to handle every single problem that could possibly come our way.

Are you hoping for a "perfect Christmas" this year? What are you counting on to make it perfect? Is it the perfect present under the tree? Is it getting all the presents bought and wrapped? Is it getting every string of lights onto your house and your Christmas tree and then keeping them lit all through the holiday season? Will it be the perfect Christmas if you are able to get each member of your family to join you? Will it be perfect if everyone is healthy?

 

How often do our hopes and aspirations for Christmas-and for life itself-depend on our accomplishments or someone else coming through for us? Whenever you have placed your confidence in an Internet business, a department store, or the forecast of the local meteorologist, how many times have you been disappointed at Christmas because you or somebody else has failed?

 

There is only one safe place to set our hope, and that is in the God who made the heavens and the earth. He alone has the power to do all we need. He alone loves us enough to give us more than we can ask or imagine. He is the God who became human and lived among us. He is God who laid down His life on the cross and rose again in glory for us. He is the God who walks along with us and guides us to our heavenly home. Our hope is in Jesus Christ our only Savior, for whose sake our Heavenly Father stands at the end of life's road with His arms widespread, waiting to welcome us into His heavenly Kingdom.

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son to be our Lord and Savior. Forgive us for placing so much trust in ourselves or in others. Teach us to rely on Jesus Christ alone for He can never fail us. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

~Lutheran Hour Ministries

(If you wrestle with having a perfect Christmas, please read our booklet What Is Christmas? You can order it by calling us at 800-876-9880.)

(Used with permission by Lutheran Hour Ministries)



"Helping Others"

"Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men." Ephesians 6:7

During the American Revolution, a man in civilian clothes rode past a group of soldiers repairing a defensive barrier.

Their leader, a low-ranking corporal, seemed to delight in shouting orders. He shouted, but he made no effort to help with the task at hand.

When the civilian asked the corporal why he was conducting himself in such a manner -- calling out commands but making no effort to provide assistance -- the corporal drew himself up tall and said, "Sir, I am a corporal!"

The civilian apologized for his ignorance. Then he dismounted from his horse and helped the exhausted privates.

When their job was completed, he turned to the corporal and said, "Mr. Corporal, the next time you have a job like this and you don't have enough men to do that job, please go to your commander-in-chief, and he will come and help you again."

If that story about George Washington isn't true, it ought to be.

It ought to be true for all of us. We all ought to be helping each other whenever we can, with whatever gifts the Holy Spirit has given us.

That's what the Lord Jesus did when He was about the work of saving us.

He knew we couldn't save ourselves. We couldn't get that job done. So He pitched in and did everything -- everything that was necessary to win our forgiveness and salvation.

Now He has entrusted us with the opportunity of glorifying Him by helping others.

Following the Lord's example and doing as Washington did, parents can provide direction to their children; employers can give encouragement to those who work under them; churches can reach out to those who are floundering and lost.

Helping those who can't do the job themselves is not just an obligation; it's an opportunity that can change the world.

From a devotion originally written for "By the Way"

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help us use the gifts You have given us to uplift and uphold those who need the help and comfort we can provide. This we ask in the Name of Jesus who did that for us. Amen.

(Used with permission by Lutheran Hour Ministries)

 Greetings friends,

Like these books helping each other to hold the shelf up; so we as His children are to help each other to hold His Word up -- to hold each other up. 

During this time of season, Advent, our church congregation gathers each Wednesday before service in the fellowship hall for fellowship & a delicious meal prepared & served by one of the many groups within our congregation.   In past years the three groups have been LWML, Youth, and Preschool.  This year the Youth group wasn't able to serve but we didn't know (Only because the "messenger" was in the hospital.) until that Saturday before when it was announced in the monthly newsletter.  

The following day at Pastors Installation meal, the Fly Away Gang (band) stepped up and filled the "opening" serving a wonderful meal with great fellowship. 

One of the blessings I recieved when moving up to MN from AZ to help Mom & Bob out was that I was able to get an apartment just 3 blks from them. 

On the 6th of December, my step-dad had hip replacement surgery. When Mom announced this in email -- I replied back saying I'd do the shoveling realizing that Mom would enjoy waking up to the daily paper with her morning coffee anyway. 

Not only that but it's an incentive to get fresh air & exercise by walking over every day.  Another blessing because Winter months I tend to hibernate in my apartment not getting either one -- I dispise the cold & the white stuff aka snow!  Hench the reason for moving to Arizona in 1996.  :-)   Not that I was running from family, it was the COLD weather Minnesota gets.

I do LOVE being active with Summer sports such as bicycling, motorcycling, swimming, hot-tubing, camping, hiking... all of which I can do year-round in AZ ~ not to mention the social activities that still occur outside during Winter!  :-)

Helping others is a big part of who I am, it comes natural for me.  I believe much of that was ingrained in me through both my parents.  Dad was always ready & willing to help or teach someone with whatever the need was.  He was quite the gifted & talented man, able to do many different things.  Another blessing that I recieved from of him!  He taught me well.  Along with my mom who taught me "office procedures," sewing, math, reading, card making, cleaning, etc.  Yes, I'm a fortunate & blessed person in many ways. 

Today, as I sit here this EARLY Sunday morning with my coffee, it's hard not to share with you a smile across the miles.  I'm so very Thankful for what Jesus has done for all us if we only believe & accept Him into our lives.  FAITH!  What a glorious day it will be!  Hallelujah! 

Sharing the Love of Jesus!   Prayers go out to my step-dad for his healing during his recovery of hip surgery.  And to all those who are homeless, fatherless, or suffering.  May your Sunday & weeks to come bring you many blessings from Him above!

                                     Audio for todays devotion click here.

"Following The Son"

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries 

By Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®

For Audio Listen Here

"Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make Your way straight before me." Psalm 5:8

Do you have a really good friend? I mean a really good friend?

The reason I ask is this: if you are going to try this experiment, you are going to need a really good friend.

The experiment to which I refer is one done by Jan Souman for the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics. The experiment was simply this: can people walk in a straight line.

Souman took people to a park, to a beach, to the Sahara desert, and to the Bienwald forest of Germany. Most of the time he blindfolded his volunteers and asked them to walk a straight line.

They couldn't do it.

If the sun was out, that helped people, but if it was a cloudy day, they generally ended up going round and round. The best straight lines looked sort of like a corkscrew.

Now if you're curious as to why people can't go in a straight line, nobody can tell you. All the scientists know is this: it can't be done.

I suppose that finding isn't much of a surprise to the Lord. God asked Adam and Eve to walk a straight line and they failed. Since then, to this day, humans haven't successfully done that which God asked of them.

This is precisely why we needed Someone who could walk that straight line on our behalf. Jesus Christ, God's Son, our Savior did exactly that. He kept the commandments we had broken. He said "no" to the temptations that had tripped us up. He defeated death, which was our final demise.

Now, because Jesus has walked that straight line successfully, we are given faith. We are blessed with forgiveness, and we know we will be taking a straight line to heaven when we leave this world.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, we thank You for doing all that we could not. Now we ask that the Holy Spirit will help us walk as best we can the straight line which will show our appreciation and thanks to You. In Your Name, I pray this. Amen.

Many thanks to Clifford, J. Baumer, PE, environmental engineer, for sharing not just the story on which this devotion is based -- he also shared the idea of the message.

Thanks, Cliff.

Pastor Klaus

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(Used with permission by Lutheran Hour Ministries)

 

Greetings Lovely Ones,

A joyous season is amoung us... for some it is in preparation of Christmas -- gathering of loved ones, family, friends; for others it is in preperation of the coming of our Lord, Jesus, Our Savior, King of all Kings (Advent).  And yet for others, it means running around trying to find that perfect gift to give someone who, you may have or may not have seen 364 days before Christmas mean while comparing prices with the money to buy it.

 

As Pastor Klaus spoke in the daily devotion today, that perfect line... I ask then how are we to find that perfect gift to give?  Here's my thoughts.

 

While we think of our loved ones to buy for who already have every worldly thing  possible why not think of those who have nothing?  I'm not talking materialistic either.  I'm speaking of the Love of Jesus, Our Lord & Savior. 

 

There are plenty of people who are broken-hearted.  There are many who do not know Jesus and many who do but have no faith.  The perfect gift you could possibly give someone is inviting them to church with you, inviting them into your home for a hot meal, a warm shower, a clean change of clothing, even a clean pair of socks.  Or perhaps even a forever home. 

 

Now I speak of the last with a real sense of Love of Jesus.  Many know that I'm single & a 3x cancer survivor.  Thus, puts a damper for me adopting however, I can be a part of someones adoption by being supportive.  2009, I chose to support orphans through Show Hope.  A family founded organizing of Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapmen and through other .orgs.

 

This year I chose to support the adoption of orphan(s) through Abby Riggs Ultimate Wish.  Abby has come along ways in her young 6 years of life.  Learning to accept life isn't all roses has she sat in an orphanage praying for a forever family.  Having to face chemo at age 3 & finished that process on Nov. 19th, 2010.  (Glory be to God!!!) Nearly dieing twice.  And the list goes on!  All while being able to come through with the Love of Jesus. 

 

If there's anyone who has taught me how to smile, and I mean really smile it is the Love of Jesus through Abby Riggs!    Won't you please help Abby (& another orphan or two) make their Ultimate Wish come true? 

 

By giving Abby her "Ultimate Wish" of a giving a forever home to another brother(s) or sister(s) you are giving the gift of LIFE!    What more "ultimate" gift could you possibly give Jesus, our Lord Savior, King of Kings?  

 

Thanks for your time here today & remember this is the season of preperation for the coming of Jesus.  Christmas is just 16 days away.  Happy Adventing.

 

"We have become orphans, fatherless; our mothers are like widows."  Lamentations 5:3
"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."  James 1:27
"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."  John 14:18
"Leave your fatherless children; I will keep them alive; and let your widows trust in me.”  Jeremiah 49:11
"They deprive the poor of justice and deny the rights of the needy among my people. They prey on widows and take advantage of orphans." Isaiah 10:2