Paradoxes of Christmas

A paradox is an apparent contradiction which conceals a profound truth - and the Bible is filled with paradoxes: We triumph by first surrendering to God. We find rest under a yoke. We see the unseen through faith. We find freedom in becoming Christ's bondservants. We are made great by becoming little. We gain through giving. We become wise by becoming fools for Christ's sake. We can only truly live if we die to self.

Yet the greatest paradox in the entire Bible is found in the birth of Jesus Christ. During the time of Jesus' birth, Caesar Augustus was the greatest ruler of the world. He possessed absolute power and incredible wealth. Yet even with all of his earthly authority and riches, Caesar was just a man. When God Himself came to earth, He was not the leader of the largest empire. He was born as a poor and obscure child in Bethlehem. The pagan man, Caesar, was at the height of power; the God-infant, Jesus, was in the depths of helplessness. Caesar was the wealthiest man on earth; Jesus was one of the poorest. Caesar slept in a Roman palace on a golden bed covered with fine linens; Jesus slept in a manger, bundled in swaddling clothes.

But none of the wealth or power that Caesar possessed compared to the glory and splendor that Jesus had left in heaven. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9).

Jesus endured a human, earthly birth so that everyone who follows Him can undergo a spiritual, heavenly birth. Jesus found no room at the inn, yet He said, "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2). Jesus became a member of a human family so that those who love Him can become members of His heavenly family.

The infant Jesus was pursued by the ruthless and evil King Herod who killed the baby boys in the Bethlehem area, hoping to end the threat of the One "born king of the Jews" (see Matthew 2:1-18). Yet Jesus was born for the very purpose of pursuing and destroying the root of all evil, Satan.

We can learn from the paradoxes of Christmas: We should not judge things by appearance, because God hid His greatest gift in a humble package. We should not judge an end by its beginning, because the babe in the manger will one day return in full glory. We should make room in our hearts for others, so that we can find room for Jesus. By reaching out and witnessing to those who need to hear about Jesus, we can experience Christ even more fully.

In celebration of His birth, thank Jesus for giving up the riches and splendor of heaven to be born a poor and humble infant. Thank Him for dying on the cross, even though He Himself was sinless, so that we may find forgiveness and reconciliation with the Father.

"Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." Philippians 2:6, 7
Jan Bagwell
God Bless

Lord is There ! part 2

Pain and suffering can damage our faith. Throw us headlong into confusion. Convince us we are motherless children left to fend for ourselves. Almost as bad as the thought of God abandoning us is the notion that he is standing by but with a look of disapproval on his face, with an "I told you so" kind of expression, as if to say that we are only getting what we deserve.
The other day a close friend confided that she and her husband were having difficulty. Dan had suffered irreversible brain damage after a motorcycle accident two years earlier. Since then, he'd become irritable and impulsive, hard to get along with. The two had regular shouting matches. They lived in a constant state of tension. Nothing seemed to help. Not the medicine, not the therapy, not the prayers, not all the effort or goodwill in the world. The loving, mature man Jennifer had known for the first ten years of their married life was gone for good. She found it hard to like Dan, let alone to love him.
Jennifer's suffering was compounded by her sense of guilt. She chided herself for reacting so poorly to him. Why couldn't she be more patient, more understanding? The poor man had been in an accident! She could feel God's displeasure. Then she stumbled on Isaiah 63:9.
In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
This picture of God took her by surprise, suddenly altering the picture she had formulated in her own mind. Instead of seeing Dan and herself at odds while a disapproving God looked on, she saw the three of them together. All three were weeping. All three were grieving what had happened to Dan and to their marriage. She no longer felt divine disapproval but divine compassion. God was standing beside her, sharing her distress.
By transforming her picture of the spiritual reality, God was beginning to transform her understanding of the possibilities for her marriage. The answers might not be swift. They might not be exactly what she had hoped. But there would be relief because God was there, present in the midst of her suffering. Jennifer remembered the words of her favorite psalm: "For even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you."
Jennifer's story helped me. I thought about how a single Scripture passage had transformed her sense of how God looked at her. Today, as you face your own set of struggles, join me in reading the words of Isaiah as though God is speaking them directly to you: In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them.
In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

Jan Bagwell
God Bless !
Merry Christmas
Pray request Please remenber Sister Judy Pangborn she been having medical problems . Thank you Judy , for always being there for all us . And if anybody know where I can find a 93 Toyota Tercel 4cy engine , I would like to buy it ,

The Name

The Name
Strictly speaking, Yahweh Shammah is a name for a city rather than a title of God. But it is so closely associated with God's presence and power that it has often been equated with a name for God, at least in popular parlance. The name in the New Testament that is most closely associated with it is Immanuel, "God with us," a name that was given to Jesus. Yahweh Shammah (yah-WEH SHAM-mah), "The LORD is there," reminds us that we were created both to enjoy and to manifest God's presence..

Key Scripture
And the name of the city from that time on will be: THE LORD IS THERE. (Ezekiel 48:35)

***

PRAYING THE NAME

In all their distress he too was distressed,
and the angel of his presence saved them.
In his love and mercy he redeemed them;
he lifted them up and carried them
all the days of old. (Isaiah 63:9)

Even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:12)

Reflect On: Isaiah 63:9 and Psalm 139

Praise God: For his compassion.

Offer Thanks: For God's presence in your life.

Confess: Any tendency to accuse God of abandoning you.

Ask God: To reveal the ways he has been with you even in times of darkness.

God Answers Prayers

GOD ANSWERS PRAYER

There is no reason to be shy about asking God for what we need. James says we must ask in faith for what we need, and Jesus Himself encouraged His followers to ask. I've talked to a lot of folks who say God never answered their prayer, but God answers every son's or daughter's prayer. Sometimes He gives that which we ask. Sometimes He refuses. Sometimes He tells us the timing is wrong…that we must wait. But He always answers.

The father of a young family lost his job. He and his wife began to pray that God would provide for their needs, and encouraged their children to pray as well. Their son Bobby took them at their word. "God," he prayed, "I need a shirt, size seven." He wanted a special kind of shirt, in a particular size. Night after night he prayed. "God, I need a shirt. Size seven, don't forget." Finally, a phone call came in the middle of the day. It was a man they knew from church, who owned a downtown store. "I know you're having a rough time," he said. "Why don't you come down here and go through some boys clothes you may be able to use? They're mostly one size—seven—but maybe you can make do." The mother could have told her son ahead of time what they were going to do, but she had heard his prayer for weeks, and she wanted him to see it answered for himself. When they arrived at the store, the owner brought out one size seven shirt, then another, then another, until there were twelve shirts—all sevens!--on the counter. We learn to believe in the power of prayer by praying. Our job is to ask. God's desire is to answer. Ask!

MEMORY VERSE

ASK, AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN TO YOU; SEEK, AND YOU SHALL FIND; KNOCK, AND IT SHALL BE OPENED TO
YOU.
MATTHEW 7:7

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE

Genesis 19-20; John 11

Jan Bagwell
God Bless
There are somethings I would like my brothers and sisters to pray about . Brother Mike wells mother , [Naomie Wells] My mother {Hazel Bagwell ] back trouble . There is a young pastor that asking for pray his car blew it engine . This car is use to visit the sick , visited lost , and there is so much need out there . And pray for me and my leg .

The gift thatkeeps on giving

The gift that keeps on giving .
There’s a gift that keeps on giving .
Do you know the gift divine ?
It’s the Babe of Bethlehem’s manger ,
“Tis the Saviour , yours and mine .

For He brings so many blessings ,
And they brighten all our way ;
There‘s gift that keeps on giving;
“Tis the Christ of Christmas day .

There’s a gift that keeps on giving ;
One Who came from Haven afar .
“Tis the Child the shepherds worshipped,
And the wise men saw His star .

He is master and Redeemer,
And His voice our hearts obey .
There’s gift that keeps on giving.
“Tis the Christ of Christmas day .
Jan Bagwell
God Bless you my sisters and brothers !