Shiner Moment

One of my favorite episodes of Andy Griffith is when Opie faced a bully and ended up with a black eye. Do you remember what he asked his dad? He said, "Paw, if I take real good care of it, how long do you think it will last?" I love it!

How many shiner-moments of life do you remember? I remember a few but one, in particular. Dad and I disagreed on something then he explained how things would be and why: "Because I'm the Daddy." Yeah, that was a shiner-moment in my life! Do you remember hearing The Gospel for the first time? I don't remember a lot of details about when and where, but I'll never forget how the message pierced my sinful heart. It was certainly THE shiner-moment of my life. I love to think about the shepherds who saw and heard from God in the Bethlehem sky. They had quite a story to tell and I know it was more than lights and angels. Their story was about His Shining Light and how His Message changed their lives. It was the shiner-moment of their lives! Have you experienced The Light and His Message? If not, I pray He will draw you near to the manger this Season, you will hear His Message, then know The shiner-moment of your life.

Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul. Thank you, Lord, for making me whole.
Thank you, Lord, for giving to me. Thy great salvation so rich and free.

From my home to yours, I wish you the deep and abiding love of The Savior this Season.
May His Joy be your genuine delight and His Peace warmth that radiates from inside-to-out.
Until Tuesday, January 8 … Merry Christmas & Miles of Smiles, Beverly

He Is Enough

By now most folks I know have had enough of Christmas. I don't mean enough of the "real" Christmas. I mean all the craziness and hoopla –shopping, baking, wrapping, last minute runs to town, stress. Christmas Day is only a few days away – how long is your to-do list!

Praise be to Almighty God, our Father -- Jesus is ENOUGH. He was ENOUGH for the angels to herald the good news. He was ENOUGH for the shepherds to leave their fields. He was ENOUGH for the magi to leave their palaces and travel great distance. He was ENOUGH for Mary to give birth in a cave then lay her child in an animal trough. He was ENOUGH for Joseph to honor his betrothed. He was ENOUGH for Elizabeth's child to leap inside her. Is He really ENOUGH for you and I this Season? Yes, He is. HE IS ENOUGH!

The Family Tree

Family trees are interesting. If your family tree is anything like mine, it has some colorful personalities. The Sustas (aka sisters -- Debbie, Sherri, Joy, and I) are fun and rowdy! As we grow old together, we're take every opportunity to "color" our family tree! Did I mention we sometimes color outside the lines!

The family tree of Jesus Christ is interesting indeed! Consider the lives of Abraham and Isaac, Jacob and Judah, Boaz and David. Think of the stolen birthright, the adultery and murder, and the Babylonian captivity. Sounds shameful, doesn't it? Christ's genealogy is full of real people just like you and I -- disobedient, foolish, and unfaithful. That's why He came to a manager and to a cross. There was enough sin in The Garden to need a Savior. The wonderful news is Believers are members of the Family Tree of Jesus Christ, and we have a royal heritage!  Isn't it just the perfect reason to celebrate His birth!

Joy In The Gift

Most every December magazine has pictures of holiday perfection: the rooms are free of clutter, decorations are coordinated and thematic, and there's always a perfect Christmas tree. Instead of gleaning decorating ideas many of us become challenged to recreate these unrealistic scenes in our own homes, which becomes a source of Christmas stress!

Few of us need to be reminded of the "Reason for the Season," but our December behavior doesn't always match up to what we know. Our part in The Season isn't creating perfect parties, duplicating a picture in a magazine, or even outdoing last year's Christmas tree. No, it is to simply to joy in The Gift -- the greatest gift of all time ... the arrival of The Messiah. Rebecca Bauer said , "In the midst of making things 'special,' don't lose the simple." Don't lose your joy this month, stay close to the basic and the simple. Make it your motto this Season ... Joy in The Gift.

Blessed Moment

I'm not a hunter, but I seem to do a lot of hunting. With great forethought and intentions, I gather items together and put them collectively in a safe place -- so safe even I can't find them! Maybe there's a hunter instinct in me after all. Oh, no!

God doesn't hide away His Joy. He desires us to have it. So why is it so difficult to find at times? Several Christmas seasons ago, I asked myself this question. A health problem kept me from baking and taking, shopping and wrapping, decorating and designing in typical Christmas fashion. With depression threatening, quick frankly, I found myself "hunting" for the Season's joy. Finally, soaking in a tub of hot water, I found myself unconsciously singing "Joy to the World" ... and I asked, “where did THAT come from?” "For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart." (Ecclesiastes 5:20) For that brief moment, the Joy of Christmas broke through rotten circumstances and manifest itself in song ... God's Heart of Joy answered my own searching heart. A blessed moment! Surely it must have been the same moment for Mary when she first held her Holy Child, after the pain of a long hard journey and the anguish of physical birth. Despite and beyond all unpleasantries, God answered Mary's heart and the hearts of men with The Joy of all joys -- His blessed eternal Peace and Joy. Oh, what a blessed moment!

First Christmas

The following was written by Nancy Leigh DeMoss, and was just too awesome not to share. Read, ponder, and worship The King!

What Happened on the First Christmas?
Think with me about how many amazing things happened on the first Christmas. 

• The God who opens the womb, giving the gift of children, became a child growing in the womb of a woman.
• The One we depend on for everything became dependent on human parents.
• The One who holds the universe in His hands was held in the arms of Mary.
• The One who created the first woman was born of a woman.
• The Ancient of Days became a newborn.
• The Helper became a helpless baby.
• The Creator became a creature.

Psalm 29:4 tells us God’s voice is powerful and majestic. That powerful, majestic voice was reduced to a baby’s cry. If you think about it, Christmas is astonishing. This God in flesh deserves our thanks and worship.

Humility of The King

And the song goes, “Oh, Lord, it’s hard to be humble when you’re perfect in every way.“ We may roll our eyes at the foolishness of these lyrics, but we sure do grit our teeth trying to “be humble.”

You may ask, what does humility has to do with Christmas – it has EVERYTHING to do with the Season. In case you haven’t heard, we have rights! Don’t you know we have the “right” to shop in orderly fashion (“Hey, lady, wait your turn in line like the rest of us.”); we have the “right” to travel the roads in obedient manner (“I’m not letting that guy cut in on me.”); we have the “right” to spend our money however we want (“I work hard for my money and I’ll spend it how I please.”). True, it may be the season of giving but our rights (our pride) show up a lot in our attitudes. What if you were asked to condescend this season -- to lower yourself, to humble yourself, to give up your rights? Christ did: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:5-7). Jesus didn’t cling to His rights as God; rather, in genuine (perfect) humility He … condescended! Condescend – big word for a big act! As you move through the days of this Season, consider the humility of King Jesus and what He laid aside to become flesh, Emmanuel – God with us!

His Plan

Not much of a card player myself. Not good at hiding the hand I have or bluffing -- it's just not my game. Everyone else, on the other hand, loves for me to play because I am easily "beatable." When I lay my cards on the table, no one ever seems surprised!

Jesus in human form was God's expression to man of both the seriousness of our sin and the seriousness of His redemption for us. The Savior's arrival on earth was NOT God's last ditch effort to save mankind; oh no, it was part of His gracious plan from the beginning. First John 1:1-2 says, "What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life - and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us …" This is the celebration of the season -- that while we lost in our sinful state, God loved us enough to carry out His plan. He didn't just lay it out -- He carried it out, from manger to tomb, Heaven's Best to redeem us. God's love -- unfathomable. God's plan -- perfect. Surprised -- absolutely not!

Room for The King

What fun I had preparing a guest room when Danny moved to his new house. I declared it the "guest room" to which Dennis & Dustin wanted to know right away to whom it was officially designated. They were quite puzzled when I simply said ... guests!

No one likes the sign, "No Vacancy." This is exactly what a weary Joseph and Mary were told when they arrived in Bethlehem. The Savior of the world to be born, and no vacancy! One might wonder if God had overlooked a detail. The inn or cave as described in Luke 2:7 is believed to lie beneath the present day Church of the Nativity in Israel’s Bethlehem. It most likely had an adjoining "stable" where Jesus was born. No room for The King? Much like our lives today -- no room for The King. This special season when we should honor Him, we squeeze him in a few carols and display Him in nativity scenes but leave Him out of our lives. We allow the Season’s hustle and bustle to declare "No Vacancy" in hearts that otherwise should delight in honoring Him. The Season is young: hear Him in the music, feel Him in a touch to the lonely and needy, speak of Him to others, and worship Him at every turn. Declare room for The King!

Glory of The King

Has anyone ever told you, “be careful what you ask for”? You know, of course, it’s the wishin’ season? Many little boys and girls (big boys and girls) have already made their wish-lists. Those otherwise wonderful “wishes” have a distinct way of leading to the what-was-I-thinkin’ season!

Consider with me what else was revealed in Bethlehem those many years ago. For sure, it was God’s greatest perfection, His love to man -- bursting in God’s Glory! My Pastor read this Scripture on Sunday, “And blessed be His glorious Name forever: and let the whole earth be filled with His glory; Amen, and Amen.” (Psalm 72:19). The psalmist seems overcome with prophecy and promise of The Messiah! Can we really comprehend that God, Who does all things wondrously, chose man in whom to manifest His Glory! Would we, like Moses, say to Almighty God: “Please, show me Your Glory.” (Exodus 33:18). Is it possible, like Mary, we rejoice so deeply “my soul magnifies the Lord.” (Luke 1:46). Can our voices blend with the heavenly multitude, “Glory to God in the highest.” (Luke 2:14). Such glory is not contained but rather exclaimed and proclaimed; not in a one-event occasion but an anthem of daily praise. Dare we ask for a new and fresh revelation of the Glory of The King? Oh, yes, but be careful what you ask for – you just might break out into something … totally glorious!

Majesty of The King

There is protocol to meeting royalty. Personally, I’ve never had to concern myself with such since the most famous of folks I’ve ever met wouldn’t know royal protocol if it showed itself!

Bethlehem wasn’t prepared for The King’s arrival. Heaven’s majesty came forth nonetheless! The Messiah’s coming was no secret, “See, your Savior comes!” (Isaiah 62:11). Furthermore, His reception was to be like none other: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is He, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zechariah 9:9). Not just any king but “your king” – your own, long-promised, long-expected, and “Righteous Ruler among men” (2 Samuel 23:3). Much like Bethlehem, where The Savior found no room, the world will spotlight the irrelevant this season. The hearts of men, His rightful throne, will otherwise be occupied with tinsel and lights – contrary to Zechariah’s call to rejoice greatly. Oh, to see – to comprehend – to acknowledge the Majesty of King Jesus. ‘Tis not a season but an attitude of heart that we rejoice in our Maker and be glad in our King! (Psalm 149:2). Celebrate the Majesty of The King!

Finely Tuned

A finely tuned harp is soothing. A finely tuned piano is enchanting. A finely tuned guitar is calming. A finely tuned heart is divine. Let us be finely tuned instruments of God's Peace today!

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light; and
Where there is sadness, joy. --St. Francis of Assisi

King Everlasting

Really, now, what lasts forever? Even things deemed permanent aren’t permanent. I remember one of the boys asking me why I had to get a permanent in my hair over and over. No answer to that one!

Scripture gives us perfection of the term lifetime warranty: “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be Ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” (Michael 5:2). Of Israel’s least comes Almighty’s greatest! Though the line of Davidic kings was temporarily past, God promised a Ruler from David’s family; His rule would be eternal, and His Name would be Jesus -- Son of the Living God! “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the Ruler’s Staff from between His feet, until tribute comes to Him; and to Him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” (Genesis 49:10). The promised Messiah King – stands in the Strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the Name of the LORD His God, will be great unto the ends of the earth, shall be The Peace (Micah 5:4-5). Yes, we live in flesh among the temporal but surrendered souls rest in Him, the Ancient of Days, King Everlasting!

Fragrance of The King

Is there a difference between an odor and a fragrance? Certainly, there must be! After all, “deodorizing” is big business!

The smells associated with an eating trough for horses and cattle may be missed in Scripture, but present nonetheless. A king’s fragrance may also be missed but absolutely noteworthy! In Exodus 30, God instructed Moses to take sweet spices with pure frankincense and with great care and precision, make a pure and sacred perfume holy to the LORD. (V.34-37). Imagine it – a recipe for divine fragrance! Oh, how I would loved a first- whiff of The Savior’s arrival that holy night: the residual fragrant atmosphere of heaven, aromatic traces of ivory palaces (Psalm 45:8), scents of a heavenly nature, perfume of eternal glory, lingering sweetness of the Father. Surely, sweet was the unexpected fragrance of the evening! Believers are to be that “sweet fragrance of Christ unto God.” (2 Corinthians 2:15), reminding the world of The King.

Selah sings:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a63Lga6aEL0

There's a Rose in Bethlehem, with a beauty quite divine

Perfect in this world of sin, on this silent holy night

There's a fragrance much like hope, that it sends upon the wind

Reaching out to every soul, from a lowly manger's crib

Oh, Rose of Bethlehem, how lovely, pure, and sweet
Born to glorify the Father; born to wear the thorns for me

The King's Majesty

Especially delightful for me each December is reading otherwise familiar Scripture passages in pursuit of new gems of truth. I never really know where my mind will take me, but this year, it turned to an Israel memory from February2000 and the announcement our tour bus was moving through the Plain of Sharon. I was already reeling from a breathtaking morning view of the Mediterranean, but to be traveling through this “garden of Palestine” … well, it was almost too much!

The Prophet Isaiah wrote, “The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the rose and the autumn crocus. It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the Excellency of [Mount] Carmel and [the plain] of Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty and splendor and Excellency of our God.” (35:1-2). Do we not know the sweet promise spring brings of warmth to cold and barren days of winter. It is true -- Isaiah’s “rose” does not explicitly refer to Christ, but such a flower’s beauty and splendor most certainly do! Peter reminds us, “For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His Majesty.” (2 Peter 1:16). What an amazing parallel of Sharon’s rose to the Majesty of the Newborn King! What a way to welcome The Season – let the celebration begin!