All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others

Christine's Blog – December 2009 Archive (16)

Happy New Year's Eve

December 31, 2009. . .

There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under Heaven

. . .a time to plant, and a time to uproot

. . .a time to tear down, and a time to build

. . .a time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them

. . .a time to keep, and a time to throw away

. . .a time to be silent, and a time to speak. from Ecclesiastes 3

How eloquent are the words of the philosophical writer of… Continue

Added by Christine on December 31, 2009 at 8:07am — No Comments

Christmas Eve Greetings

Luke 2.10 ~ I bring you good tidings of great joy. . . today. . . a Savior!!

Christmas Greetings to you, dear friend~

I bring you good tidings of great joy this morning, from Jesus--

Dear child, maybe now that your preparations are through, you can make some quiet to be with me. You will have to take the time, it won't just happen. Just as the townspeople of Bethlehem missed my birth all those years ago, it would be easy for you to go through Christmas, and miss me,… Continue

Added by Christine on December 22, 2009 at 10:15pm — 1 Comment

Wise men seek him

WISE MEN SEEK HIM

After the angels proclaimed to the shepherds, ‘good news of great joy which was for all the people,’ the shepherds gathered their robes and hurried to the babe. Later, the Magi braved deserts and mountains to find him, bringing gifts. While we do not know how many wise men there were, we do know they brought three gifts . . . highly significant and symbolic gifts.

Gold. Frankincense. Myrrh. ‘With the exception of gold, the three gifts the Wise Men brought… Continue

Added by Christine on December 22, 2009 at 6:45am — 1 Comment

Where is God in our pain?

Note: If you haven't listened to a podcast, this would be a good day to 'give it a go'-- you will need to sign up for itunes, which is free, and then you will be able click on the icon and play each day's podcast. Today's podcast includes a moving, inspirational song.

GOD’S PRESENCE IN OUR PAIN

So, if “Immanuel,” (meaning “God with us”), was one of the names given Jesus, and Scripture promises believers he will never leave us or forsake us. . . well then, how do we come to… Continue

Added by Christine on December 20, 2009 at 10:13pm — No Comments

Are there things I do that silence God's presence?

ARE THERE THINGS YOU DO THAT SILENCE GOD’S PRESENCE?

Jesus Christ, our Immanuel, God with us. . .

Yesterday, I discussed how to feel God’s presence in and around you, but today I ask the question: Are there things I do, or might do, that would silence his presence?

I think so. . . while he will not go away necessarily, your ability to feel him will be dimmed. So, what can you do?

Refrain from activities that would “grieve” Him~

To grieve God is to hurt… Continue

Added by Christine on December 17, 2009 at 9:37pm — 3 Comments

How do you feel God's presence?

HOW DO YOU FEEL GOD’S PRESENCE? At Christmas time, or any time!

“The Lord himself will give you a sign:

The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son,

and will call him Immanuel,”

spoken by Isaiah some 700 years before the birth of Christ. Isn’t that amazing?

Matthew’s account of the birth of Jesus Christ includes the angel’s announcement to Joseph that his betrothed, Mary, was to bear a son. This was a fulfillment of the above… Continue

Added by Christine on December 16, 2009 at 7:56pm — No Comments

The old familiar story - Luke 2

Good Morning, dear ones~

The day we celebrate our Lord's birth draws nigh . . .

He was born in an obscure village, the child of a simple peasant woman. He grew up in another obscure village, where He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher. He never had a family. He never owned a home. He never set foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place He was born, and where he did go he usually… Continue

Added by Christine on December 15, 2009 at 9:38pm — No Comments

Cognitive Dissonance

COGNITIVE DISSONANCE

Sometimes as I am simply ‘doing life,’ I am aware of a dissonance, though not fully cognizant of just what I am seeing, until I mentally unpack it at a later time. Permit me to do that just now. . .

The first visual struck me late on a Thursday night, as my husband and I quickly strode past Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in Manhattan. Within just a few feet on our left was the beautiful, historic church . . . her steps filled with homeless people, trying… Continue

Added by Christine on December 14, 2009 at 9:58pm — No Comments

Ready . . . action! 2 Thessalonians 2.13 - 3.5

READY . . . Action! 2 Thessalonians 2.13-3.5

Good Day, Friends.

Everywhere we look in this passage, the verbs steal the action. God made the first move by loving us and choosing us to be his children . . . okay, how great is that? We were not born out of wedlock, so to speak, or by accident, but he deliberately chose us by name to be his children. The other day when we talked about ‘personal brand’, when you thought of the list of synonyms to describe yourself, was… Continue

Added by Christine on December 13, 2009 at 9:00pm — No Comments

What can I give him?

Isaiah 9.6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given...

And He will be called Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Merry Christmas, Friends.

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,

Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;

Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,

In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, heaven… Continue

Added by Christine on December 10, 2009 at 9:39pm — No Comments

Is Obama the Antichrist? 2 Thessalonians 2

IS OBAMA THE ANTICHRIST? 2 Thessalonians 2.1-12

Good Morning ~ Here we are . . . back to talking about the coming of the Lord . . . a little more on the topic Paul had discussed in 1 Thessalonians, chapters 4 and 5. If you would like to reread the associated briefings, go to www.pastorwoman.com, Morning Briefings, “A Hope Like No Other,” and “Can You Tell Me the Date?”

But first – “Dear Lord, Please help us understand the… Continue

Added by Christine on December 9, 2009 at 10:14pm — 1 Comment

Remember . . . Remain 1 Thessalonians 1.1-12

REMEMBER. . . REMAIN 2 Thessalonians 1.1-12

Good Day~

Almost as soon as Paul closes his first letter to the Thessalonians, he begins another—even as he continued to minister with Silas and Timothy in the city of Corinth. In his opening words, he endeavors to bolster the faith of the Thessalonian believers—through reminding them of how God had answered their earlier prayers (1 Thess. 3.10, 12), for increased love and tenacity in their faith—now, both were evident—that is to… Continue

Added by Christine on December 8, 2009 at 9:44pm — No Comments

Window Woman and the Scripture

WINDOW WOMAN and SCRIPTURE.

Last Thursday, on my cross-country flight from Newport Beach, California, to New York, on one leg of the trip I had the aisle seat, and wonder of wonders, the middle seat was open, and then the window seat was filled by a jolly woman. She no sooner sat down than she began prattling about first one thing and then another. So I put my studying away, got out my knitting, and decided to make a new friend of my fellow traveler.

It wasn’t long until… Continue

Added by Christine on December 7, 2009 at 10:36pm — 1 Comment

Christmas gift ~ for your consideration

CHRISTMAS GIFT for your consideration. 12.3.09

Good Day~

Today it feels like winter outside—at least as winter-y as Southern California gets.

The calendar page has been flipped from November to December; my tree has already been up a week, covered in beautiful white lights, and Sarah Machlachlan is crooning “What Child is This?” on my kitchen CD player. ‘Love this time of year. Last week or so, I mentioned giving a gift to the Christ Child, contemplating what that… Continue

Added by Christine on December 3, 2009 at 6:26am — 2 Comments

What did you learn? 1 Thessalonians 5.23-28

WHAT DID YOU LEARN?

1 Thessalonians 5.23-28

“May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.

Beloved, pray for us.

Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss.

I solemnly command you by the Lord that this letter be read to all of them.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with… Continue

Added by Christine on December 2, 2009 at 9:25pm — 1 Comment

Lessons for Living ~ 1 Thessalonians 5.12-22

LESSONS FOR LIVING~ a summary ~ 1 Thessalonians 5.12-22

Good Day!

Paul is wrapping up his letter to the Thessalonians, and he summarizes proper behavior, which can almost be divided into areas of responsible living. (In the following, the Scripture will be underlined, and the explanation will follow it.)

Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love… Continue

Added by Christine on December 1, 2009 at 10:15pm — No Comments