Sacred Words for the Season

An Introduction to the 2013 Advent Devotional

I heard it on the radio May 2012.  Two voices discussing words they had chosen for the year as a spiritual focus.  I was a little let down because it was already May and I had missed this idea… and it was a great one.  I filed it away somewhere in the back of my mind for 2013.

Two weeks before Christmas and the thought comes to mind.  What word would you choose for 2013?  Some type of spiritual focus for an entire year.  I had no idea and so I waited… for a Holy Spirit inspired vocabulary word.  One week after Christmas… on the brink of a brand new year… I chose a word not only for me but the four who live under my roof as well. 

I often tell my friend Carol that I believe Webster’s is a holy book.  I am always astonished by the things I can learn by simply looking up the definition of the word. 

This word that has become my focus for the year hangs on the front door.  I read it every time I leave the house.  As I look back over this year’s journey I can tell you I have had so many emotions as I have read that word.  I’ve been encouraged and convicted.  I’ve been reminded when I lost focus.  I’ve prayed for those who close the door embarking on a new journey.  I’ve argued with God over what it meant.  Thought long and hard over what it must look like in my life.  Praised Him on the few days I got it right.

I shared this new idea with a few of my friends at Bible study, work… mini-Methodists.  They too were inspired and have words of their own.  You will find most of them in the pages of this devotional,  Sacred Words for the Season.  Though we didn’t realize it then God would not only use those words to help us individually grow, He would use the words to encourage a church family to grow.

My word for the year… Presence.  And it dawns on me that this word thing has come full circle.  The season when we celebrate the presence of God in human skin.  One of Webster’s definitions of presence is something present of a visible or concrete nature.   An invisible God becoming visible, concrete… a baby. 

My prayer for you this Advent season is that you might remain in the holy presence of Jesus… as you work… play… wrap gifts… sing songs.  May Jesus be more visible… more concrete… more present than ever before.

Stacy

Return Thanks: Go Beyond the Expected

Read Luke 17:11-19.

(Click the Scripture reference above if you don't have a Bible near.)

Returning thanks was the heart of the message preached on Sunday.

Of the ten lepers, all obeyed in setting off to show themselves to the priests. Their steps of obedience resulted in the cure. But only one returned to thank Jesus. And he was a Samaritan. Rev. Stephenson noted that returning to give thanks set this one Believer apart from all the rest.

Giving thanks goes beyond the expected.

Recognizing the blessing and acknowledging its source is an important part of our faith. Most of us quickly return joyful prayers of thanks when we see the healing, the provision, the shelter from the storm as coming from the hand of God.

Giving thanks for what we see as good is easy.

But what about the storm? the difficulties? the challenges? whether physical, financial, emotional or spiritual? The circumstances that send us to our knees in the first place? times that test our faith?

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, 

consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know 

that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 

So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, 

you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

James 1:2-4 NLT

God does not shy away from taking credit for trials in our lives. 

Who has spoken and it came to pass,

unless the Lord has commanded it?

Is it not from the mouth of the Most High

that good and bad come?

Lamentations 3:37-38 ESV

In His sovereignty nothing happens apart from His OK. He is Most High. That does not mean He is the source of evil. He has power over the evil one and only allows what He allows for our good and for His glory.

Here is a step of faith that takes practice. Choosing to believe that He is Most High and trusting that He has only good in mind for each difficulty He allows. From a fender bender to metastatic cancer.

Do you have room in your faith to return thanks to God in the middle of the hard? the difficult? the scary? and the life threatening?

We all face difficulties of varying degrees each and everyday. Begin giving thanks for the hard and the assurance that He will work it for good. 

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.

The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything,

but in everything by prayer and supplication

with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:4-7 ESV

Go beyond the expected.

[More thoughts on giving thanks in the midst of hard...
Ending the Stealing of Thanksgiving: A Parable at AHolyExperience.com]

Eyes on the Prize

Dr. Randall Smith taught from the pulpit this week. The message:

Look up --- anticipate the real world.

Read the passages from Sunday, Isaiah 65:17-25 and Luke 21:5-9, 20-28.
(If you don't have a Bible within reach, click the Scripture reference to read online.)

Isaiah's message from God speaks of the future, the time when the heavens, earth, and all creation will be redeemed. Restored.

Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth,

and no one will even think about the old ones anymore.

Isaiah 65:17 NLT

Living in a broken world, a world that appears bent on self-destruction, we often lose sight of this truth. There aren't just rumors of wars... there are wars. There are earthquakes... typhoons... famines... and plagues... terrifying things.

"People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth,

for the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then everyone

will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory.

So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up,

for your salvation is near!" ---Jesus

Luke 21:26-28 NLT

When things look shaky, Jesus told His disciple: Stand and look up! 

We are not to be terrified along with all the rest. We are called to see beyond the terrifying, to the hope of the eternal. A perspective that inspires us to draw others to the reality found in Christ.

Set your focus on what is to come, not on what is or what was.

As Rev. Smith reminded us:
keep your eyes on the prize...
your hand on the plow... 
hold on...

[email subscribers click here to view on YouTube or click post title to view on Growing in Faith at FUMC]

Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation!

And look!

Isaiah 65:17 NLT

Where are your sights set? feeling hopeful or terrified?

Father God, fill me with the hope found in Jesus 

and keep me focused on the reality found in Him.

When You're Thirsty for Him

Last Sunday, the pastor taught from Psalm 42. Read it for yourself. (Click on the Scripture reference to read it online.)

Rev. Stephenson made note of a troubled world asking Believers: Where is your God?

But the greater grief comes when our own soul asks: Where is your God? 

Why, my soul, are you downcast?

Why so disturbed within me?

Psalm 42:5 NIV

In these times, when we thirst for His presence, Rev. Stephenson gave us four steps to encourage our souls and settle our spirit:

Remember
Practice now. Remember a time in your faith journey, when God was near. 

Hope
There is no greater hope than that found in Jesus. Place your hope in Him for whatever need you have.

Praise
What aspect of God's character do you most appreciate at this moment in your life? Find a Scripture that speaks to that attribute. Praise Him now and throughout the day. 

Trust
He has promised many things, among them that He will never leave us or forsake us. He cannot lie, He is completely trustworthy in all His ways. Place your trust in Him now, with a prayer.

Whether the whole world is in turmoil or if it is just your personal world that's falling apart, remember, in Him you are not alone, there is hope to praise Him for and trust Him in.

Standing in Lazarus's Place

Rev. Stephenson preached this past All Saints Sunday from John 11:32-44, the raising of Lazarus from the dead. Read the passage yourself. (If you don't have a Bible near, click the Scripture reference to read it on-line.)

Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead by His word:  Lazarus, come out.

And as Jesus commanded, Lazarus came out. Wrapped in his graveclothes, needing to be unbound in order to be free.

I think about the contrast with Jesus and His resurrection...

Then Simon Peter came... and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.

John 20:6-7 ESV

Jesus left His graveclothes behind, in an orderly arrangement. John Stott, in his book Basic Christianity, teaches that He rose out of the linen shroud just as He walked through the door of the upper room when He appeared to the disciples. Completely free of the linen wrappings and pounds of myrrh and aloes used to prepare His body for burial. Quite unlike Lazarus who arose still tied up.

Perhaps, in our spiritual resurrection (our being raised to eternal life) we look more like Lazarus. We do not receive a resurrection body, but we are a new creation still bound up in the old. We need to be unwrapped from the graveclothes.

This leaving behind of all that binds seems to me like the process of sanctification. Through our increased knowledge of God and His love for us we become freer and freer to live as the new creation He intended us to be.

Lazarus was resurrected before the cross and needed someone to physically loosen the graveclothes and release Him.

On this side of the cross, in our spiritual raising to new life, our graveclothes are not visible. Only Jesus sees what binds our hearts and prevents us from being fully free. It is God: Father, Son, and Spirit who loosens us from what binds. 

As He frees us we find His Word written on our hearts and here is where we begin to share it with others. Reaching out to those who do not yet know Him and to those who are still bound up in their graveclothes.

We stand in the place of Lazarus. Raised from the dead by Christ. Needing to be loosed. 

Imagine what Lazarus felt as he stood there alive but bound. What do you think was going through his mind? How do you think he lived after he was set free?

Can you relate Lazarus's experience to your spiritual resurrection? Are you alive but bound? free of what bound? or somewhere in the process of being loosed?

How are you living your resurrected life?

Allow Him to work in your life to bring healing, wholeness, and freedom.

Father God, loosen me from whatever continues to keep me bound. 

Free me to love You as You created me to.

Who Knew?

Studies show that the discipline of gratitude makes us 25% happier.  Who knew? Those who went before us in the scriptures knew.  From the Old Testament and throughout we see God's people giving thanks.  Jesus knew.  He gave thanks and encouraged others to do the same.

Gratitude is not just a November thing...it is a daily discipline.  One that has the power to make us healthier...body, mind, and spirit.

I challenged the little ones in Children's Church to give thanks.  Even told them that at meal times they should lead their families in a time of thanksgiving.  Asking each one to tell something they are thankful for.

The little one with the pigtails takes me at my word. 

The family goes to lunch and she says,

"Mrs. Stacy says that we should go around the table and tell one thing we want for Christmas and one thing we are thankful for." 

God, thank you for that little one and the laughter she brought me today.

We are developing this discipline of gratitude with the children on Wednesdays as well.  Each class making a list...our goal is 1000 things by the end of the year.

Won't you join us in the challenge?  Thirty days of giving thanks for what God has done.  Make a list, have a family meal, or post it to our facebook page.