Truth and Grace In The New Year

Truth and Grace In The New Year We are not simply born by the joining of our mother and father and lab created through our mother’s womb. We are all born by the miracle and will of God. We can trudge through, weigh and judge our trials and triumphs. We can painstakingly comparing ourselves to man and strive for our own selfish ideals. Or we can acknowledge God’s hand on the result of everything that comes to pass for our personal benefit. Whether the result of our choices or circumstances is not to our liking or a dream come true, it can never lessen the greatness of God and what He has planned for you. With confidence embrace what you face, celebrate today, and look forward to the highs and lows of tomorrow knowing God’s working behind the scenes for you. God works for the good of all. May you see the truth and behold God’s grace in the New Year! John 1:1-18 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'") From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known.

A Servant In Peace

A Servant In Peace Will your every desire come to pass? Can you keep your heart from never knowing disappointment? Can you prevent tragedies from occurring in your lifetime? Before your life is over, will you trust in Christ, freely yield your troubles onto Him, and endure all triumphs and trials with faith, joy, hope and love? In our lives there is much we have no control over. We cannot alter yesterday. We cannot foresee the definitive end result of tomorrow. We cannot improve someone else’s sour attitude. But today, by our actions, words and deeds we can endeavor to show our trust in the Lord. Our faith can be so much so, that sorrows, tragedies, peaceful moments and extraordinary accomplishments can all be experienced with the same faith, trust, joy, hope and love. Our inner thoughts will be revealed by our actions, attitudes, words and deeds. We may be able to fool, justify, manipulate, deceive and callously convince one another that what we think, do and speak is right and just. God knows the true you. Well before your life is over, strive to continually trust in the love of Christ, consistently yield your troubles onto Him, and endure all triumphs and trials with growing faith, increasing joy, encouraging hope and love that is contagious. Before God calls you home, pray that you might truthfully pronounce, “Master, I know your Son, I await my calling, I live, a servant in peace.” Luke 2:22-35 When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord"), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons." Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." And the child's father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed--and a sword will pierce your own soul too."

Rooting A Fickle And Wandering Spirit

Rooting A Fickle And Wandering Spirit What will we do to keep our children safe? How far will we go to protect our spouse or family member? Do we do enough to show concern for their welfare, interests and spiritual growth? Joseph and Mary left their home to protect their child. All things that happened after that were in line with what was written by prophets before Jesus’ time according to the will of God. When God moves a heart He has not made a mistake. When we try to change “His Will” we often endure more pain, more deadened space between our relationships, and the opportunities to acknowledge God’s blessings seem fewer and far between, or even worse ~ nonexistent. When our hearts nudge us to protect, teach and express our love, let us not mull it over or weigh the pros and cons. For the welfare and promotion of our loved ones, for the spiritual sake of stranger, for the purpose of saving a lost or broken spirit, let us act with quick compassion, love and protection. God moves mountains, softens hardened hearts and opens closed doors for each of us every day! God does not ask us to uproot our families He simply offers us a safe haven to eternally root our often fickle and wandering spirits. Matthew 2:13-18 Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called my son." When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more."

Meet Your Faith

Meet Your Faith When we see the remains of a candy wrapper we know a delightful treat was enjoyed by someone. When we’ve disposed of corn husks we can imagine the savory taste of a meal that had been wrapped inside. In our sorrow we might cling and find comfort in the scent of a loved that may remain on an article of clothing or a scarf. Do we think that there is nothing for us to enjoy or all is lost or gone because all we see are empty wrappings or a memory? Jesus’ followers continued to believe in Jesus even after death. They did not say, “He is gone now. What good was it all? He is no longer in our midst.” They followed Him to the tomb and still opened it and continued to believe when His body was gone and all that was left was the wrappings from his limbs and head. We cannot see our spirit that connects us to God. We cannot physically touch our soul where Jesus lives. But we can feel it. When the world throws you a curve ball, stand strong in your beliefs and do not cave in when all else seems to crumble. Nothing can take away a strong and determined spirit. Anyone can imitate the physical action of the sign of the cross. However, only the faithful can feel the power of The Holy Trinity that never fades. Know intimately the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit so that all who look at you may witness the Spirit of Christ. Don’t wait to meet Christ to believe, at that late hour it may be too late to meet your faith. John 20:2-8 So Mary Magdalene ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed.

Our Christmas Tradition

Our Christmas Tradition The shopping is done, the gifts are wrapped and the food is prepared. It’s time to gather with your family this Christmas and begin, renew or continue with traditions that will last for generations to come. This Christmas you are invited to share in our family tradition at your home. Invite your guests to bring nativity sets, candles, manger animals, and straw for use for a miniature nativity scene. You may request family and friends to bring a framed picture of a loved one who has passed. Play a beautiful holiday song and lead children in a slow procession into a dim family room and place on a low coffee table offerings and items that have been shared by your guests. Then when a beautiful scene has been created have an adult light the candles and lead your family in prayer while the second song is playing softly. (song suggestions: Who Would Imagine a King – Whitney Houston (during procession) and Silent Night – Christina Aguilera during a slow reading of “A Christmas Prayer”) A Christmas Day (Eve) Prayer Dear God, tonight (today) we offer our Christmas tradition to honor your Son and this special prayer from All Of Us: We are thankful that on this Day (Eve) of Christmas we, along with millions of people around the world, are celebrating together the miraculous birth of Your Son, Jesus Christ. We are grateful for our family and friends who have safely traveled near and far to be together on Christmas. Our decorations and beautiful lights serve as gentle reminders of the star filled night of Your son’s birth. The Christmas tree which represents eternal life is in the midst of our homes putting Christ at the center of our lives --and we pray --together --for His presence every day of the year. Tonight (Today) we gather around the tree to share the gift of giving and honor Jesus on this glorious holy night (Day). We thank you Lord for blessing us with food to eat, and acknowledge our gift of abundance while so many others have less or none. We pray that the less fortunate are not forgotten and have received blessings from others who are near them. We pray that we become compassionate people that will serve one another and please you. We offer this (new) tradition tonight (today) as a reminder to ourselves and to our future heirs that we desire to share and will strive to keep alive in our spirits the “true meaning of Christmas” for generations to come. It is through Christ’s birth and resurrection that we have hope of reuniting with all those who have gone before us -- and who will go after us to their rest, especially . . . [name all the departed (show brief slide show if you are able] or ask children to walk around room with framed pictures, and all others who have gone to their rest in the hope of rising again. Dear Jesus, We pray that through God’s grace they are in Your midst celebrating the mystery of your birth, for everyday in Heaven is Christmas and that every person who passes from this earth will be in your divine presence. On this Holy night we pray together for the world to be at peace and united in love and that the spirit of Christmas will live on in our daily lives through our acts of kindness, compassion and love. Jesus, we pray in your name, Amen! Originally Posted by Cecilia Holling at 7:13 AM GODINSIGHT4ME.BLOGSPOT.COM Wednesday, December 22, 2010

My Heart Leaped For Joy

We are all sacred fruit of the womb of our mothers. We are all miracles and complete the intended holy family of God. Rise above little and selfish thinking. Let us live, teach and treat each other as virtuous relatives of God’s holy family. Regard family members with kindness and respect. Show interest and give time to the estranged so they would suffer no more. Forgive one another his blunders. Lead back home the one who strays. Offer the strength of your able hands, body and spirit so the weak might have hope. Regard one another as regal relatives so that when we hear the sound of another’s greeting, our hearts might leap for joy! Luke 1:39-45 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."

Enjoy Who God Puts In Your Midst

Enjoy Who God Puts In Your Midst Wherever you are take time to acknowledge the good in people. Every person possesses a gift from God and is capable of contributing talents, assistance and caring traits to a hurting world. Lovingly acknowledge others offering sight to blind attitudes, imparting healing on a broken heart, and hope to an unhappy soul. Keep your own spirit roused, soul spiritually fed and heart gentle so that you can recognize, teach and enjoy who God puts in your midst.

Imitate What Is Good

Imitate What Is Good If you object to another’s attitude or behavior ask yourself, “ Why?” If another’s actions are appalling, caringly reproach them. Remove yourself from the midst of an offender if they pay no heed to Godly ways. If necessary detach yourself from all association of a heartless sinner. If another’s mindset is righteous in deed, but without humbleness in speech, be weary. If you encounter those who are genuinely kind, considerate, compassionate, charitable, joyful and peaceful gravitate toward them and imitate what is good.

Take That Bold Step

Take That Bold Step Have confidence in what virtuously moves your heart. Be not afraid of advocating strong upright morals. Do not fear what people will say or how they will look upon you for amending your honest ways. Follow through if you feel in your gut it is the right thing to do. When you are being urged by a forceful honorable spirit inside to go against the grain take that bold step. When our actions and deeds align with Jesus’ teachings, we know our journey will be nothing less than victorious. Matthew 1:18-24 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife.

Deeds That Mirror Christ

We may mindlessly speak freely and negatively about one another citing the right of speech. We might mechanically judge one another because of our different upbringing and past experiences. We may involuntarily stop short of compassion, charity and love because we did not receive such things. We are all vindicated by our deeds. Care not about what earthly creature is watching or objecting. With spiritual consciousness, care only about imitating Christ. Your deeds that mirror Christ can only be consistently affirming, always forgiving, continually compassionate, boundlessly charitable, and unconditionally expressions of love. Today live your best day yet! Matthew 11:16-19 Jesus spoke to the crowds, "But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another, 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon'; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."

Rest For My Soul

Rest For My Soul There is so much we wrestle with in life. We agonize and place importance on our distressed personal feelings and lack of capabilities. Rather, we can release our burdens by giving them to Christ. We will not experience more than we can bear. Worrying will not allow a weary heart to be refreshed. Discouragement will not lend to a hopeful attitude. Negativity will never meet cheer. If you want rest for your soul, faith in your life, hope in your heart, and joy in your eyes seek the One who can make your burdens light. Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus said, "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

The One Who Needs My Love

“The little ones” who get lost should be sought after, found and then all should rejoice. The “little ones” include “big ones” too! Just because adults are grown doesn’t mean they couldn’t use a hand to lead them, a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen, words to encourage, or a place to rest their head. With confidence, leave for a while those who you confidently care for and go after the stray one who needs your love. Matthew 18:12-14 Jesus said to his disciples: "What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish."