I have a sign from God...so do you!

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” - Isaiah 7:14

How many of us can say, "God has given me a sign?" Well, all of us...every person on this planet, of every color and creed, of every age can say they have received a sign from God. It is the birth of Jesus. Yes, he was born 2000 years ago and yes, He is just as relevant today as ever.

How? To the couple hurting from growing apart and selfish living, Jesus is the answer to our self serving desires and gives us the wisdom to think of the other person before and ahead of thinking of our own desires. To the person scorned by bias and prejudice, Jesus is the one that experienced complete and total rejection and He understands the world is not a place that serves, but Jesus will serve. To the outcast living a life of loneliness, Jesus was alone many times and truly felt alone even in a crowd just like when you attend the Christmas parties with crowds of people and feel like you are the only one there. To the parents of the child that is living outside the love of God and living in sin, Jesus cried over Jerusalem and over the loss of those that did not hear the message of hope. To the Muslim wondering why I have such a large religion, yet live with a whole in my heart that is missing the love and compassion that restores my life with my creator, Jesus rises up and declares, "I am the Way, follow me." I could go on and on and on....

You see ... Jesus is the sign to all the world. The virgin conceived a child and they called him Immanuel, God with us. Jesus dwelt among us so that we might know God. As we grow to know Him, we learn to share that knowledge with others....every other person we come in contact with.

It is every Christ-followers task to go and tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ was born. Notice we don't shout it into the hole of our self desire, but we shout it out from the mountains and over the valleys so that everyone in the valleys and on the mountains across the valleys can hear..."Jesus Christ has come." Join me in shouting it out and declaring there is hope for every situation...trust in Jesus and He will get you there.

You know I love ya, Don

God Speaking Devotions!

Deidre Woods has been putting together devotions for our Christmas Musical on December 18th. This is our devotion from Sunday!

I recently got the opportunity to see “A Christmas Carol” on stage in Chicago. A series of events in the life of Ebenezer Scrooge had hardened his heart to the point of no return. I found myself crying as Scrooge’s wife was leaving him. I wanted to shake him. I kept thinking to myself, “Wake up, Scrooge! If you could only see. If you could only see what we see--- A hardened heart, no pity for others, self-centered, and so angry.” But then the tables turn, and he does get to see himself. Each ghost shows him something about himself that he couldn’t see before. As the last ghost concludes her visit, that’s when he realizes how bad it had gotten. You see a sparkle in his eye again, and he can’t move fast enough to right all the wrongs. He smiles again. He runs around town like a crazy man. He seems ready to scream at the highest rooftop through the little town. I think he would have ran to the chapel to ring the bells if he could. Everyone in the town would have stopped to wonder why the bells were ringing. He would have had their attention. He was a changed man, and he wanted everyone to know!

In our times, it wouldn’t do any good to run to the chapel with so much excitement and ring bells over and over proclaiming the good news as they might in Scrooge’s time. No one would even notice today. What would get people’s attention today? The people need to know the good news we have to share. It should get us so excited we can hardly contain ourselves. We should be bursting with happiness as we tell the greatest story ever told. How can you ring your bell this week?

Today’s Prayers: Pray for how you will ring your bell over the next few weeks as we go into the Christmas season with family and friends

Today’s Verse: Matthew 5:16

“Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Twelve days until our “God Speaking” musical! Thank You, Deidre. Praying God's Blessing on You. Don

The Wonder-Filled God

Sermon Notes to the above Sermon Video.

Isaiah 9:6

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Mary was an ordinary girl that was given an extraordinary life through the wonder-filled counsellor.

1 - GOD'S WONDERS ARE OFTEN UNEXPECTED.

2 - GOD'S WONDERS ARE OFTEN DIFFICULT TO FULLY COMPREHEND.

Many times we have no idea what God is doing in our lives. But . . . the Wonderful Counselor grants us wonders that are often unexpected and often hard to comprehend...our response is...

3 - WHEN IN DOUBT . . . WE ARE ALWAYS WISE TO TRUST GOD'S WONDERS

Three suggestions on how we can move toward Wonder-Filled faith.

• Remember God's Character.

• Remember God's Track Record.

• Remember God's Gift of His Son.

GOD IS OUR WONDERFUL COUNSELOR

The response, "I am the Lord's servant, may it be to me as you have said" to God's wonders in your life may change the world, but if not the world . . . they will certainly change you.

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You know I love ya, Don

Ordinary & Wonder Filled to the top and over-flowing!!!

Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her"

She was a beautiful, young, vibrant, bubbly, jewish girl. She had dark hair and dark eyes. She was around 14 years old and had it all planned out...she was going to have it all. The wonder in her eyes said enough....Her parents had arranged a marriage to a good man, a solid man, a man with a skill and was well known among the people. He was even a descendant of King David. He was a carpenter and could make anything out of wood. He also handsome and bring great envy among her peers.

He might someday have a seat in the Synagogue. He could build them a nice house and fill it with great carvings, and cabinets, and furniture, and happiness. They were going to have many children and she would be the rave among all the other woman... a wonderful husband, wonderful children, a wonderful house, and a wonderful life.

Mary was an ordinary girl that was given an extraordinary life through the Wonder-filled Counselor.

I don't know what wonders are in store for you this Christmas. Some will sting, some will make you jump for joy, some will take you down uncharted paths, others will stretch you in ways you never imagined. But each surprise comes from the hand of the Father who loves you. And I pray that you respond with the words of Mary . . . "I am the Lord's servant, may it be to me as you have said."

If you respond in that way, who knows, maybe God's wonders in your life will change the world. Yet, if not the world . . . they will certainly change you. I am chosing to make a point and follow Mary's example. You know I love ya, Don

Equation for Intentional & Effect Leadership (& Living)

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,” Hebrews 12:28

This verse has always inspired me to be a better citizen in God's kingdom. I see it as an equation for leadership and for productive living. Think of all the times you and I take advantage of the gifts being a Christ-follower brings to everyday life. Let me list a few...security in a great future, blessings of abundant life in joy and sorrow, relational gifts of love and mercy, eternal treasures that will never end, and knowing the creator of all the universe is in love with me. These are just a few of the benefits of God's Kingdom. I also like to notice in the verse that all these benefits and the benefits I didn't mention are "unshakable." In other words, they will never end nor can they be taken away.

Church leadership would do well to connect with this verse as well. Too many times church leadership pushes and pulls to gain position. In my experience, the best and most effective leadership I have had the joy and honor of serving beside has a humble and reverence for God. I think of Bob Russell of Southeast Christian Church. One of the largest church in the United States and Bob is one of the humblest men I know. I think of David Jeremiah and the same applies. Then there is the people in my life such at Lloyd Menning, Bob Kelly, Ronnie Jones and David Woods. Each of these men and their wives served with humility, with awe, with reverence, and a security in knowing their God and His Kingdom was unshakable. I wish there was space, I could go on and on about the effect Christ-followers such as these in my life.

Karen and I have tried to be ministers and Christ-followers after their example. The equation is given out in this verse of Hebrews. First: give thanks...saying thank you to God, His Son, and to others. Second: worship...declare on a public and personal level how much God is worth everything in our lives. Third: live in awe and reverence...allowing the Spirit to grant your heart, soul, mind, and strength an over-powering, over-whelming sense of God's greatness and might. As an intentional leader, I make it my goal to live this equation.

Giving Thanks + Declaring God's Worth + Living in Awe = Effective, Intentional Kingdom Leadership

For those of us that are not leaders, this is also a great equation for daily productive living. A result of the equation is a keen awareness of how unshakable God's Kingdom truly is. The awareness of God's power granted to the humble of heart brings a new and heightened level of God. Although, we may not be leaders in a large scale of the church, every Christ-Follower must always remember their leadership influence on those around them. The world is watching and waiting to point out how Christ does not work. So, we can all say we are leaders of some sort or another. Thus, the equation of Hebrews 12:28 is important to all of us. It is important so that Jesus will be praised and the non-believing world will see that He is Lord.

"Lord, Thank you for this equation that brings benefits to us all. Thank You for the wonderful examples in my life that have made this equation real to me. Please bring thanks, worship, and awe to my life so that I may return it to you and you alone. In Jesus' Name, Amen."

Thank You for sharing this with me and reading it. You are a joy and you know I love ya, Don

Happy Thanksgiving ... thoughts to ponder

All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. - 2 Corinthians 4:15

Thanksgiving prayers were first uttered by God's people in the Old Testament and God ordained a specific sacrificial offering for thanksgiving. David, the psalmist, wrote many Thanksgiving devotions and Paul the apostle taught that we are to always pray and give thanks to God in all circumstances. When we use the Bible for devotions and for prayers, we are following after the hearts of men and women who led exemplary ideals for worshiping God. This Thanksgiving, if you are looking for good lessons to share with family or for prayers to pray during the day, turn to the Bible and find inspiration that turns a heart towards gratitude and finds the peace that much of the holiday season is promoting.

It's interesting that during the very seasons that Christians celebrate gratitude and the birth of Christ, our lives get the busiest and we are often so overloaded with schedules and shopping lists (turkeys to cook and potatoes to smash) we experience extreme stress and time seems to slip out of our grasps. This is actually the perfect time to stop all activities and reflect upon worshipful Thanksgiving devotions.

God ordained many traditions and specific rituals to teach His people proper responses to His love and mercy. "And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the Lord. If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil...." Jesus fulfilled the law of the Old Testament, and because of His ultimate sacrifice, we no longer must practice the laws that were in place to teach us of our shortcomings. But, Christ clearly promoted special times of giving thanks, and the teachings of Paul include turning our attitudes constantly towards gratitude.

Gratitude is a choice. When Nicholas died in January of this year, Karen and I made a choice to praise God even in the hardest time of our life. This Thanksgiving is a blessing because of the two new ones in our family, but it still just as hard because one is missing. Nicholas' absence is the new reality and the normal we will live on this side of heaven. The choice to praise and give thanks is the strength granted by God to live the journey. So, we give thanks and we turn to God's word for sustaining grace in everyday life.

Giving thanks for a great family and for a very special little boy that made last year's Thanksgiving one that I will never forget. You know I love ya and have a great Thanksgiving! Don

Thanksgiving

I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. - Psalm 69:30

THANKSGIVING

I AM SO THANKFUL THAT JESUS CAME
TO THIS EARTH AND ENDURED SUCH PAIN.

FOR YOU AND ME, HE WAS BEATEN AND SHAMED.
OH, HOW I LOVE HIM FOR TAKING MY BLAME.

THANKSGIVING IS A TIME TO GIVE THANKS TO HIM.
PLEASE DON'T FORGET THAT HE PAID THE PRICE
FOR MY SALVATION AND YOURS; HIS SACRIFICE.

I THANK HIM FOR YOU, THAT HE HAS PLACED IN MY LIFE.
ISN'T HE THOUGHTFUL AND SO VERY NICE ...

TO GIVE US OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO LOVE AND ADORE,
THE CHURCH AND THE SMILES AS WE WALK IN THE DOOR?

I AM SO GRATEFUL TO MY LORD, JESUS CHRIST,
THAT LOVES ME AND KNOWS MY EVERY THOUGHT.
I PRAY THAT HE CAN SMILE AS HE KNOWS WHERE I WALK.

MAY YOU THINK OF ME AS YOU GIVE THANKS,
BECAUSE I LOVE YOU ON THIS THANKSGIVING DAY.
JUST BOW YOUR HEAD AND, TO HIM, WE WILL PRAY.

GOD'S BLESSING ON YOU AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

© 2003 by Sarah Berthelson

I am giving thanks for you...you know I love ya, Don