“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
Approaching the Christmas season I am reminded again of the miracle of the incarnation. In fact, I’m in awe of the truth that God acquired flesh and became man! John revealed the wonder when he established, first that the Word is God, and then proceeded to explain that that same Word became flesh and lived among us. It was deity in diapers, majesty in a manger. No wonder the angels hung out with shepherds and wise men trekked from a distant land. The celestial realm got involved by providing a bright star and history was altered forever.
The prophets predicted the event, prophesied the place, and told the time of this momentous occasion. Isaiah said, “The virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). Literally, He is “God with us!”Micah prophesied, "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel" (Micah 5:2). So the scribes in Jerusalem looked at this verse and directed the foreign emissaries to the town of Bethlehem while they remained in scholarly seclusion, unconvinced and unconcerned that the Savior was born.
The prophet Daniel predicted the time of the arrival of “Messiah, the Prince” in the cryptic construction of “seven weeks and sixty-two weeks,” which has been calculated to culminate at the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem on a young donkey. God’s calendar carefully coincided with the prophesied events. “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman” (Galatians 4:4).
The Word was that indefinable, indiscernible entity of God that was wrapped in the womb of the Virgin Mary. On that first Christmas at the birth of the baby, humanity looked upon the first glimpse of the Divine. Before the incarnation, any view of God was fearful and temporary: a cloud, a pillar of fire, the burning bush, the appearance of an angel, a voice, a presence. All of these were symbolic signs of the existence of deity. The invisible God was without image. In fact, the commandment was that there should be no making of an image for God. Only one image would be needed – the incarnation, God revealed in flesh. Jesus is the only image of God! “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” (Colossians 1:15).
The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us! Good news, Christ has come!
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Saturday, November 29, 2008
God Loves Leftovers!
“So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.’ Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten” (John 6:12-13).
Just days after Thanksgiving and the tasty morsels of the banquet meal begin to be the bane of meal time. Turkey has been transformed into casseroles, sandwiches, soups, and other creative dishes to disguise the fact that you are eating leftovers! After the virtual feast where so much food is prepared that you couldn’t possibly eat it all in a single day, the inevitable leftovers persist for days until finally the remains are finally either consumed or discarded. My upbringing of frugal conservatism causes me to try to save every salvageable, usable item for future use. So when it comes to leftovers we will save them in the refrigerator until they are either eaten or growing mold. Only then am I able to discard them without guilt!
I am consoled in the fact that the Bible demonstrates that Jesus also saved the leftovers! On at least two occasions Jesus miraculously fed large multitudes of people, over 5,000 in one and more than 4,000 in the other. In both settings after the people were filled, He instructed the disciples to collect the fragments—the leftovers. After the feeding of the 5,000 there were twelve baskets remaining. On the other occasion there were seven baskets of leftovers. On both occasions there was more left over than what Jesus had started with! It always seems that way after Thanksgiving when you are trying to find room to store the leftovers.
Though I’m not sure of the reasoning for collecting the fragments of the miraculous feeding (couldn’t Jesus just have taken a couple of loaves and fishes for the next miracle?), I am sure that a principle is being demonstrated. Jesus loves leftovers! There is nothing too insignificant for His attention. Not even a bird falls from the sky without His knowledge and notice. How much more does He take notice of his special creation—you and me? There is no one out of His reach and out of His care.
Demonstrated in the story of the prodigal son, the love of the father caused him to wait with longing eyes to see his son return down the lane. Empty arms waited to embrace the lost son, and a heart full of pain longed to love him again. Though lives are squandered and wasted, there is always the certain knowledge that our Father’s grace will restore one to life. He values the leftovers; whatever remains of your life He will add value to it. “Gather up the fragments,” He said, “so that nothing is lost.”
So while you eat the leftovers from your holiday meal remember that your life was once just the “leftovers” and someone loved you enough to make the fragments more than the original!
Just days after Thanksgiving and the tasty morsels of the banquet meal begin to be the bane of meal time. Turkey has been transformed into casseroles, sandwiches, soups, and other creative dishes to disguise the fact that you are eating leftovers! After the virtual feast where so much food is prepared that you couldn’t possibly eat it all in a single day, the inevitable leftovers persist for days until finally the remains are finally either consumed or discarded. My upbringing of frugal conservatism causes me to try to save every salvageable, usable item for future use. So when it comes to leftovers we will save them in the refrigerator until they are either eaten or growing mold. Only then am I able to discard them without guilt!
I am consoled in the fact that the Bible demonstrates that Jesus also saved the leftovers! On at least two occasions Jesus miraculously fed large multitudes of people, over 5,000 in one and more than 4,000 in the other. In both settings after the people were filled, He instructed the disciples to collect the fragments—the leftovers. After the feeding of the 5,000 there were twelve baskets remaining. On the other occasion there were seven baskets of leftovers. On both occasions there was more left over than what Jesus had started with! It always seems that way after Thanksgiving when you are trying to find room to store the leftovers.
Though I’m not sure of the reasoning for collecting the fragments of the miraculous feeding (couldn’t Jesus just have taken a couple of loaves and fishes for the next miracle?), I am sure that a principle is being demonstrated. Jesus loves leftovers! There is nothing too insignificant for His attention. Not even a bird falls from the sky without His knowledge and notice. How much more does He take notice of his special creation—you and me? There is no one out of His reach and out of His care.
Demonstrated in the story of the prodigal son, the love of the father caused him to wait with longing eyes to see his son return down the lane. Empty arms waited to embrace the lost son, and a heart full of pain longed to love him again. Though lives are squandered and wasted, there is always the certain knowledge that our Father’s grace will restore one to life. He values the leftovers; whatever remains of your life He will add value to it. “Gather up the fragments,” He said, “so that nothing is lost.”
So while you eat the leftovers from your holiday meal remember that your life was once just the “leftovers” and someone loved you enough to make the fragments more than the original!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
A Time for Thanksgiving!
A Psalm of Thanksgiving. Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!
Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.
Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations (Psalm 100:1-5 NKJ).
Of all the American holidays, Thanksgiving seems to be the least commercialized. Though not strictly a religious holiday, certainly the principle of thanksgiving has a biblical foundation.
By implication, the name “Thanksgiving” causes one to ask, “Give thanks to whom?” From the model of the early settlers who gathered with the Native Americans on that first festival there is an acknowledgement of God’s provision for our well being. It should bring recognition that there is a higher power that has brought blessings into our lives.
The psalmist found it helpful to compose a Psalm of Thanksgiving. When feeling especially thankful it is a song to rehearse, to give voice of our appreciation for God’s great gifts.
Thanksgiving is more than a day of feasting. It is a day to reflect on our blessings and voice our appreciation not only to God but to others who have blessed our lives. It is particularly appropriate to recognize the contributions that others have given to our lives.
During this season reflect on the blessings you have received and then share those thoughts of thanksgiving to family, friends, and to God who has given so liberally to us! The Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting, and his truth endures to all generations!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.
Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations (Psalm 100:1-5 NKJ).
Of all the American holidays, Thanksgiving seems to be the least commercialized. Though not strictly a religious holiday, certainly the principle of thanksgiving has a biblical foundation.
By implication, the name “Thanksgiving” causes one to ask, “Give thanks to whom?” From the model of the early settlers who gathered with the Native Americans on that first festival there is an acknowledgement of God’s provision for our well being. It should bring recognition that there is a higher power that has brought blessings into our lives.
The psalmist found it helpful to compose a Psalm of Thanksgiving. When feeling especially thankful it is a song to rehearse, to give voice of our appreciation for God’s great gifts.
Thanksgiving is more than a day of feasting. It is a day to reflect on our blessings and voice our appreciation not only to God but to others who have blessed our lives. It is particularly appropriate to recognize the contributions that others have given to our lives.
During this season reflect on the blessings you have received and then share those thoughts of thanksgiving to family, friends, and to God who has given so liberally to us! The Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting, and his truth endures to all generations!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
For the Sake of the Call
Anniversaries are a great time to reflect, to look back on where we have come from and the experiences we have enjoyed together. It hardly seems like it has been seven years since our first service in Pleasanton as a new church plant. We met in the Courtyard Marriott meeting room with just a few people for that initial service, but there was the freshness and excitement of a new beginning. God has met with us in every service from the first!
As I looked back over the years I stopped to consider the investment we have made in the launch of this church. In seven years of commuting to Pleasanton I calculate that we have driven over 100,000 miles, spent about 1,800 hours driving (that’s 75 days on the road), and consumed well over 5,000 gallons of gas. Thankfully, gas was not always over $4.00 per gallon!
We have held more than 1100 services, Bible studies, prayer meetings, and Friendship group meetings. We have canvassed a large portion of the city, praying and leaving door hangers on 15,000 homes, distributing over 20,000 pieces of literature. We have advertized in newspapers, on the internet, and provided inserts in mass distribution to every home in Pleasanton. We have produced signage to direct people to our meeting places and left countless business cards in places of business around the city.
Why have we done it? Because of the call of Jesus Christ on our lives. From the first nudging of the Spirit in 1997 until the first service on November 18, 2001, there was a growing urgency to fulfill the call of God and plant a new church in Pleasanton. His call has sustained us through difficult times and disappointments. His call has encouraged us when victories were enjoyed and as times of growth were experienced.
In Paul’s writing to the Corinthians he acknowledged his own calling, but also recognized the calling of every member of the church.
“Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, … To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, …” (1 Corinthians 1:1-2).
The pastor and wife are not the only ones who have sacrificed. Every person who has felt drawn to become a part of this congregation has responded to the call of God. Several have driven further than necessary to attend church. Others have taught Bible studies and reached out to friends and neighbors. Some have given sacrificially to meet the financial needs of the church or to support missionaries around the world. It has not gone without notice that you are a part of this group of believers because you feel you need to be here. The biggest reason that any of us are here is “for the sake of the call.” Jesus called and we responded.
The calling of God and burden of His Spirit has brought you into The Pentecostals of Pleasanton family!
As I looked back over the years I stopped to consider the investment we have made in the launch of this church. In seven years of commuting to Pleasanton I calculate that we have driven over 100,000 miles, spent about 1,800 hours driving (that’s 75 days on the road), and consumed well over 5,000 gallons of gas. Thankfully, gas was not always over $4.00 per gallon!
We have held more than 1100 services, Bible studies, prayer meetings, and Friendship group meetings. We have canvassed a large portion of the city, praying and leaving door hangers on 15,000 homes, distributing over 20,000 pieces of literature. We have advertized in newspapers, on the internet, and provided inserts in mass distribution to every home in Pleasanton. We have produced signage to direct people to our meeting places and left countless business cards in places of business around the city.
Why have we done it? Because of the call of Jesus Christ on our lives. From the first nudging of the Spirit in 1997 until the first service on November 18, 2001, there was a growing urgency to fulfill the call of God and plant a new church in Pleasanton. His call has sustained us through difficult times and disappointments. His call has encouraged us when victories were enjoyed and as times of growth were experienced.
In Paul’s writing to the Corinthians he acknowledged his own calling, but also recognized the calling of every member of the church.
“Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, … To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, …” (1 Corinthians 1:1-2).
The pastor and wife are not the only ones who have sacrificed. Every person who has felt drawn to become a part of this congregation has responded to the call of God. Several have driven further than necessary to attend church. Others have taught Bible studies and reached out to friends and neighbors. Some have given sacrificially to meet the financial needs of the church or to support missionaries around the world. It has not gone without notice that you are a part of this group of believers because you feel you need to be here. The biggest reason that any of us are here is “for the sake of the call.” Jesus called and we responded.
The calling of God and burden of His Spirit has brought you into The Pentecostals of Pleasanton family!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Ministry trip to India
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