Tag: witnessing

Attending the Party

On By vickleaIn Christmas, Holidays, Scripture, YouVersion App2 Comments

From the YouVersion Bible App, “Advent, Day 18”

Will You Come to the Party?

Let’s go back to the countryside outside of Bethlehem around two thousand years ago. Shepherd families around campfires, with few scattered among the sheep, when a stranger appears among them—an angel sent from God with good news.

The angel announced the birth of the promised Savior of the world, born in the nearby town of Bethlehem. Then, several angels appeared among the shepherds, singing praises to God.

But why these shepherds? Why not the people in town, the king of Israel, the Emperor in Rome?

Could it be that God has a habit of including shepherds like Abel, Abraham, and David in the story of the Bible and wanted shepherds present at the birth of Jesus?

  • Or maybe God wanted to highlight how this good news wasn’t just for powerful rulers or religious elites, but it was for all people—from the king, down to lowly shepherds.
  • Or God might have chosen the shepherds because they were mobile people, well-suited to spreading this joyful message all over the region.
  • Or it could be that this was the largest group of people around, and the angels wanted a big worship party for the biggest night in human history up to this point.
  • And could it be that, from day one, God wanted people to recognize Jesus as a good shepherd, kindly guiding His people?

The most likely answer is that it’s for all these reasons and more.

The angelic stranger announces the birth of Jesus and invites the shepherds to meet the newborn King. And when they hear the message, they don’t hesitate. They hurry to the town to meet baby Jesus, then go around town and all over the region telling the story of what they’d seen and heard.

This Christmas, you’ve heard a message of joy. Good news for all people. God hasn’t forgotten us or given up on us. Instead, He loves us and is working all things together for good.

So, how will you respond to this good news?

Hopefully, you follow the shepherds and work to share joy this Christmas. How?

  • By worshiping God, even if it feels embarrassing or awkward.
  • By giving good gifts to friends and strangers.
  • Or by inviting someone to get to know God better through sharing a verse, or inviting them to church.

Joy is a resilient cheerfulness anchored in the goodness of God. And God’s given each of us the opportunity to spread joy wherever we go. So today, we invite you to say yes to God’s invitation and find a way to share the joy of Jesus with the people in your life.

Pause and Pray:

Lord, thank You for Your gift of joy. Please help me to enjoy Christmas as I remember who You are and what You have done. Let my celebration demonstrate Your love and faithfulness to everyone I meet. In Jesus’ name, amen.

My Thoughts

I am going to be honest and tell you all that my joy was nowhere to be found about 3 a.m. today. You see, I got another bladder infection that sent me running to the bathroom every 3-5 minutes, experiencing a lot of pain and losing a lot of blood in the toilet each time. By midnight, I gave in to my sister’s pleas and called an ambulance to pick me up. (Neither of us has a car here.) I got there and was kept until about 9 this morning for them to tell me that I have a bladder infection. The news I did not know is that it could have spread to my kidney (my single kidney) and so they were using strong antibiotics to help me fight it faster and better. Anyway, as I said, about 3 a.m., I was not quite ready to concede that God has a plan for me and even this could be used for His good purpose. Nevertheless, I persisted in saying scripture verses to myself that I had memorized (Psalm 121:7-8 was especially helpful).

Later, as I rode home to my sister’s apartment with Demetrius in a “We Move Taxi”, I got to talk to him some about faith and prayer. If those few minutes were the only reason for my suffering, they were worth it. Coming to the party? Yes, I will be there, rejoicing and praising God for His good plan!

Our Calling

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion App2 Comments

www.bible.com/reading-plans/13952/day/11

We are called to never give up on anyone. Keep praying, keep saying the gospel message to them and keep an open relationship with them. God did not give up on Israel. He allowed them to be taken into exile, but He still kept a root that He nurtured and is continuing to nurture. And He never gave up on us. You may think you were not as stubborn and sinful as Israel, but think again. Indeed, we all were and our turning to God was not a fluke but His plan for us. He may not have sent a prophet like Isaiah into our personal space to warn us and get us to change our ways, but He sent His word, drew us to Him and then showed us the truth of our need for salvation so that we would accept His grace and mercy. So, when we are discouraged about friends and family members who seem to be turning a deaf ear to our witnessing, remember that Isaiah just kept doing what the Lord told him to do and he never gave up.

Pleasing God

On By vickleaIn Scripture3 Comments

I am currently spending time with family and it’s important to me that God answer this prayer as I share Bible truths and stories from His Word with my young grandchildren. Curious by nature, one of the children has been asking repeatedly about stories from the Bible. I have told her the stories of David and Goliath, Abraham and Isaac, Gideon and his fleece, Saul on the road to Damascus and creation. My prayer before our visit was to help me make a difference in the lives of the children. So, as I continue to share, pray and speak about Jesus and His saving power, may my words please the Lord who has given me the opportunity to be with these precious little ones.

Abiding in Him

On By vickleaIn Dr. Denison’s Forum, Scripture9 Comments

This morning, I read my devotional as usual. I’m currently reading the book of Jeremiah and there is a reason he is called the “weeping prophet.” He went around telling everyone to repent and people ignored him, to their detriment. I see so many parallels with what he wrote and with what is happening in nations throughout the world that it saddens me to see such rampant and flagrant sin. Sins that were once shamefully hidden are now “out there” for all to see, flung into the face of God. There is a price to pay and we are just now beginning to pay it.

I also read my daily dose of Dr. Denison and was not at all amused to read that a high school in FL crowned a transgender as homecoming queen. As I said, sin is no longer hidden, but it is flaunted and outrageously proclaimed as right.

Dr. Denison’s Forum October 11, 2021

So, what are we as Christians to do? We are told to shine our lights to a dark world. But we are also told to “abide.”

Image from Pinterest.com

I’m sure since we have all studied science, we know that the moon has no light except what is reflected from the sun. Thus, we have no light unless we are reflecting the Son. We have to be part of the branch of Jesus in order to produce fruit. Frankly, just to be able to stand and say that sin is sin in today’s world requires a close contact with the Lord, an abiding, if you will.

The definition of abide will not surprise anyone, but it is worth pointing out. From http://www.dictionary.com:

verb (used without object), a·bode or a·bid·ed, a·bid·ing.to remain; continue; stay: Abide with me.to have one’s abode; dwell; reside: to abide in a small Scottish village.

We stay in the Lord Jesus. We don’t walk away and join in the darkness, but we stay in His light and reflect it to others. Some may be repelled by the light because they prefer the darkness. But our hope is always that some will be attracted to the light and come to the knowledge that can offer the assurance of an eternal future with Him. We dwell with Jesus. We are not just occasional visitors eating at the table of plenty that He has provided us. We live there! Every day, every minute of every hour. That’s our home, where we should feel the most comfortable. Going out into the world does not mean leaving Jesus behind. He dwells in us, just as we dwell in Him. So, when we are doing our daily activities and interacting with others, we have that light to reflect to others because it is in us.

I fall far short of what I should be as a Christian, but all of the sin in the world is not pulling me away from Jesus. Rather, I am tucking myself in closer to Him, desiring not just His grace and mercy but also His protection from the evil of the world. I desire that protection for all those with whom I come in contact, too. They will not know He is there for them unless I tell them, or unless you tell them. The consequence of sin is death and eternal separation from God. I agree that it is often difficult to share our faith with unbelievers who mock or who walk away as fast as they can. However, if one life is changed, it is worth it.

My prayer for each of you today is to be that light that the world needs and to abide in the Lord so that you can reflect His glory, grace, goodness and mercy. Be the person God created you to be, His beloved child. God bless you, my friends.

You Were Seen Movement

On By vickleaIn Uncategorized1 Comment

The Seen Movement is about really seeing people, and helping those same people know they are seen by God every day. It’s about caring and kindness and making a difference. The Seen Movement is about being generous … every time you leave the house.
— Read on www.youwereseen.com/

We need kindness in today’s world. Only love can push back the darkness and this site, with these cards can make a difference. You can even make your own cards. You can’t do everything, but you can do one thing. Help the workers that touch your lives know that you truly see them, and more importantly, God sees them and loves them…really loves them.

This sounds like a commercial and it is not meant to be. It’s a cry from my heart for you to join me in doing something to help a hurting world. I feel broken right now, devastated by what is happening in America and I only know one way that healing can come and that is through Jesus Christ and His love. How will they know that they are loved if we don’t show them?