“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5

Christmas time, every year, is the same thing. As the season approaches, I get asked, ‘What do YOU want for Christmas?” My wife, family and friends want to know so they can at least buy me something I want! In turn, I ask the same question of them…for the same reason. Someone came up with a cute answer years ago, “I’d like to have whirled peas!”

The whole gift giving thing at CHRISTmas stems from the when the magi came with gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh to present to the baby Jesus. Which is a myth in the first place! My Church folks KNOW that there were not 3 kings gathered around the manger because I TELL them the Biblical truth. However many Magi there were.. they came to Jerusalem… to a house… where the CHILD was. It confuses them… just like ‘whirled peas.’

Buying presents for my wife can become a confusing and painful duty. “What if she doesn’t WANT or LIKE it?” That is the fear. But no matter what, she can be sure that BUYING WILL BE DONE! Why? Because I don’t want to feel guilty of not giving her a gift! Since tangible gifts can seem SO much more important than spiritual ones. The Bible tells us they are not!

In the Word of God…GOD is the GIVER. I am the RECEIVER! What He requires ME to give is only what HE has given to ME FIRST! I have nothing worthy of my own to offer anyone. When I recognize that, it kinda make me sad at first because it is offends my pride. But when I realize the truth and yield to it, I can REALLY bless my wife with a gift directly from Heaven.

There is a good hint in what we all SHOULD ask for at Christmas… or ANY time. Wisdom! When Solomon asked for it, he got everything else thrown in as well. Wisdom is the ability to apply God’s truth to any circumstance. And it NEVER goes bad or out of style. But it comes with a disclaimer…Verse 6 says that you’d better be SERIOUS when you ask for it.

God wants to USE us to bless people. We are His tools. And the greatest gifts we can give are gifts from the heart… love, care, consideration, truth, help, WISDOM! They must first come from God’s heart before we can give them to someone else. They must change ME before they can benefit anyone else.

There will NEVER be World Peace until the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, literally returns to establish and rule it. Visualizing it will NEVER make it happen. I must remember that before I can GIVE anything of value, I must be willing to RECEIVE it from God…FIRST! Only then can I PRESENT it to people I love… and don’t!

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”  Luke 6:38

Florida has 2 seasons… one is Tourist Season. I don’t know what the other one is called, since it’s been a while! I was just wanting to run a quick errand to the store and planned my list and route. I mentally punched it into QUICK mode and took off. EEEEEHAW! I didn’t even need to hit a light! And then…there it was…an ‘out of stater’ driving 12 miles under the speed limit…in the left lane!! I had to hit abort on the ‘Quick Mode’ because it was OBVIOUSLY NOT GOING TO BE!

When I hit store 1, the line was long and a guy 2 people in front of me wanted to buy $2 worth of stuff… with a $100 bill! The next guy had a bad credit card. I know because I watched him scan it 5 times! My hopes of getting everything in 1 place went out the window, so I thought a quick jump to one in the same strip mall would work. I parked, jumped out, got halfway to the door and then heard “The Bell!” UGHHHHHH!

My plan to just say, “good job.. keep up the good work…” worked. That is, on the way IN. As I exited, I went into def-con 2 mode. “My church supports you guys!” I said. I say that because I dump a chunk into our offering every year so I don’t have to feel guilty every time I hear a bell. The ringer said, “yes sir… we are a church.” “No no,” I said. “MY Church supports the Salvation Army every year. I’m a Pastor.” And then… there was a crack in the force!

I cannot tell you how fast it happened because it was immediate! Faster than “Quick Mode!” She started to cry. “Pastor, will you please pray for me?” she asked as tears rolled down her face. Talk about being instant in season!!! I set my bags down, then asked her if it was physical, mental or spiritual. She said.. “YES! Please pray for me!” So I did!

As people walked in and out I touched her shoulder and PRAYED! When I was done, I gave her some Biblical encouragement as well… WITH Biblical examples. And then I left. I can’t tell you why, or how or what it was all about. I don’t need to. All I know, I within a period of 5 minutes.. OUR world changed, God made a move, and I left more blessed and honored than I could ever imagine.

I thank God that He stopped me in my tracks, right then and there, and used me for His purpose. I’m glad I don’t know what it was all about… HE does. But I think I’ll take my time going back to see if she’s there again… just to see hows she’s doing. I guess giving comes in many different ways. Because going to the store, I wasn’t expecting to receive a thing.  Whew.. I need to slow down!!!

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:5 NKJV

I had just finished putting up the outdoor lights and stepped back to make sure they looked good from a distance. Though not an expert, they passed MY inspection so I went inside… job done! There is only 1 week until Christmas Eve and we are well along on the decorating and preparations for what is to come. Let’s just say that darkness APPEARS to not prevail at our house! But looks can be deceiving!

When it was time for bed, I went outside to pull the plug on the house lights. Not having even given it a thought, I went to the edge of the patio and pulled the light string from the socket… only to be enveloped in blinding darkness! It was such a shock I had to stop and wait for my eyes to catch up before I could make my way back to the door.

Every single person, at some point in his or her life, goes through a time of darkness. Whether it be darkness from failure, darkness because of sin, or the darkness of sorrow. There is no escaping the fact that darkness is all around us. Sometimes, darkness hits with such a force and immediacy, that it can cause us to wonder, “Will the darkness ever pass? Will I ever be able to see again?”

The answer to that question was given over 2,000 years ago when Jesus Christ came into the world. To many Jews in that day, it looked like darkness was going to win. And while most people were afraid of the dark oppression of the Roman Empire, Jesus came to open their eyes to the reality of something even darker… the darkness of their own sin.

Everyday we face walking in darkness or artificial light…versus walking in the Light of Christ. Sometimes it isn’t so easy to see which is the best way to go, since feelings and fears can easily distort our view. When sin, disappointment or death crashes in suddenly, it can blind us as to our next step.

The verse today says of God’s light, that ‘the darkness did not comprehended it.’ Humans cannot understand heavenly and spiritual truth unless we are guided by the Holy Spirit to understand. But that takes commitment and discipline to STOP, take our eyes off of ourselves, and put them onto God and WAIT until we can see. It is with those ‘Spirit eyes’ that we need to focus when we are about to pull the plug on the artificial light around us, or when someone, or something else, pulls it for us. Do YOU comprehend?

“When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, ‘Do you want to get well?'” John 5:6

As I leaned in to say hello to the toddler, she winced back, turned her head and began to cry. Momma looked at dad and said, “This isn’t a good sign. Maybe we should wait till next yer for the Santa picture!” And just like that…before I even knew I even knew it, my test as a Santa double was over… a failure even! Heck… hadn’t even known there was going to be a quiz!

If you really think about it, parents should be fired for scarring their kids over the Santa picture! The bearded, big guy in the red suit and funny hat is scary!! But it never fails! Mom HAS to have a picture because it’s TRADITION! The end result is typically tears and frustration. And why? Because NO ONE asked the tiny child if THEY wanted to sit in Santa’s lap in the first place! So what mamma wants… mamma gets… and by force if necessary! Enter Jesus!

The story in John 5 is intriguing. Jesus comes across a guy who has been paralyzed for 38 years. An old wives tale says that if he jumps FIRST into a certain pool when the water ripples, he’ll get healed. So Jesus asks him a strange question, “Do you WANT to get well?” This puzzles me because it is a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question. But the guy gives Jesus an explanation… NOT an ANSWER!

Have you ever noticed that in spelling ‘Satan’ or ‘Santa,’ the same letters are used! And isn’t it interesting that BOTH are in the business of recording and reporting ‘bad behavior?” To me, it is no wonder we are all scarred! But Jesus isn’t interested in what we DO… He is interested in what we ARE!! And what we ARE is a direct reflection of what we WANT to be!

The Christmas Story is simple. Amid darkness and sin, the Son of God came into the world to bring new and abundant life! It is offered, by Him, as a GIFT.. not a reward! And it ONLY goes to those who WANT IT! Sadly, as I roam around asking the question “do you WANT the gift of Eternal Life through God’s Son Jesus Christ?” most people don’t give a simple answer. They give excuses!

Jesus wants to free us from a life of works and come and live His life… through us… by Faith! That fact will either make you smile and rest in His lap… or cry! So… do you WANT to get well with the Savior? He’s waiting for your answer.

“Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Mark 10:9

Everywhere I went it was Christmas! And I LOVE it! The grocery store had a sale on Egg Nog and cookies. The hardware store had Christmas lawn decorations and tools wrapped in red ribbon! Even the Barber Shop was decorated with lights and a tree. I couldn’t help but be joyful amid the festive decorations. Then I went to Walmart!

I HEARD it before I SAW it. A scream that would curl even my new cut hair! Being a ‘fixer’ I immediately rushed to the next aisle to see how I might help. Turning the corner I saw a little boy on the ground in the middle of a HUGE temper tantrum. Mom wanted to go! Sonny boy wanted to stay! And he had the whole thing going on, too! The meltdown look with tears streaming down his red face. As he was lying on the ground he hollered… ”IDAWANNNAAAAAA AAAA AAAAHHHH!” I left the store!

Being a kid myself once, then having had 4 of my own, I know what it is like to both HAVE a temper tantrum… and to face one. Because my parents never permitted them, I didn’t either. I knew the problem was NOT with the kid on the ground but with the mom negotiating above him! The tactic was just what the boy wanted… the growing audience only added to his bargaining power.

The world is in a growing temper tantrum toward God. The LGBTQ stuff, global warming, the abortion fight and the hostility to everything Biblical is just proof. God created the Earth, men, women, marriage and the baby making process. He then put rules in play for how it is all to be managed. The growing tantrum of the world is a direct assault against the basics of God’s design. Sadly, the REAL issue is that they HATE Him! But what about ME?

A tantrum is simply rebellion with the volume turned up. But what do you call it when it’s not so loud? When, what God is telling ME to do meets with a turn of the head, a ‘nah,’ or ‘I just don’t feel like it,’ it is still called rebellion! As a man and a preacher I both see it AND experience it in myself. So do you!

Daddy God has joined His Spirit to mine. He EXPECTS me to act and serve as His obedient son. Tantrums WILL ALWAYS be dealt with… HIS way.. and to HIS favor! His goal is to make me into the image of His Beloved Son. He will not rest until the job is finished… a tantrum only brings pain and delays the process.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14

Having been requested to sing Christmas Carols at a local retirement center, we canceled regular Church Bible Study and spread the news. Interestingly, the most interest came from families with little children! And It proved to be a telling event!

When we arrived, the children were greeted by something rarely seen in Florida… 2 flights of stairs! In the spirit of kidship, they took to them like a jungle gym! As the ‘retired ol folks’ began to assemble on the 2^nd floor, kids were laughing, running and jumping the stairs with glee! All I could do was smile! There was no way “I” was going to interrupt their fun!

A lady in charge of the facility walked up and asked about our most ‘gleeful’ boy, “who’s child is THIS?” I got nervous, until PRAISE began to come from her lips. Apparently Mikey had been running upstairs greeting and ‘high-fiving’ the residents. AND THEY LOVED IT! When it came time to sing, the kids who couldn’t read were lost. But when ‘Jingle Bells’ and ‘Frosty’ came up… they were all smiles and joyful performers.

When it was over and families left to go home, I was drawn to a group of folks hanging around in the afterglow. When I asked about their gratefulness of going to heaven because of God’s Gift of Jesus, one curmudgeonly lady informed me she was, in fact, ‘going to hell!’ Because of some poor decisions, she had been told so by her church years earlier.. and she believed it!

She had been attracted by a disturbance in the ‘normal’ around her. The quiet and settled indifference had been interrupted by children, laughter and Christmas music. As I probed the crack in her heart, fellow ‘in-mates’ drew close. Together, we shared the Gospel, offered God’s free gift…and she ‘joyfully’… accepted it!

There is NO joy greater then seeing God WORK. To see the impossible made possible before your very eyes is a gift! That first Christmas, God used a child, a few people, and joyful praise to crack the darkened heart of the world. He did it again, using the same formula, just last night! Thanks kids!

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” Hebrews 13:5

It is on! Full decoration mode is here and that means unboxing all the Christmas decorations to set them up again THIS year. I am SOO glad that my wife is dedicated to the task!!! It is an art with her. Me? I am the fixer! Last night she called from the other room…”hey, I have some half broken lights here, can you help?” I cringed!

No one seems to knows the reason, as I have vigorously sought the answers…with NO result. How is it that you can take a string of Christmas lights that are working, box them up, and a year later find they either no longer work… or only half of them do?? It frustrates me beyond belief! Over the years I have TRIED to fix them. Now, I just throw them in the trash!

Years ago I bought one of those tools that is supposed to help find and fix Christmas lights that are wired in series. I discovered that each bulb has to be removed and independently tested to find the one that is broken. After spending 2 hours on 1 string of lights, I discovered I don’t have the time or patience! The tool followed the broken lights into the garbage!

In Matthew 5:14 Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.” He didn’t say “LIGHTS” of the world. Which leads me to ask Him, “are we wired in series or parallel?” It makes a difference! Very simply put, when lights are wired in series, they ALL go out when 1 goes out. In parallel, simply replacing the one broken bulb can easily fix the problem. As quickly as I thought the question, He gave me the answer. Just like He did you!

We are ‘The Church.’ A TEAM! The Bride of Christ! That means NO one gets replaced! Which means, if one goes out, we ALL fail to shine as we were designed! Which SIGNIFICANTLY adds to Jesus problems. Because He PROMISED He would NEVER Leave or forsake even 1 of His own. Not even ME!

I am afraid for the Church today. FAR too many people are looking for entertainment and pretty than for serious shining into a dark world. Christians bop around looking for a ‘show’ instead of a ‘job.” To stand AROUND the pretty lights instead of BEING ONE is a desire from the pit of hell. And the darkness is closing in.

If I am more interested in GETTING something than GIVING it, then I am a broken light. The Gospels are very clear, we GET when we GIVE… NOT the other way around. Wanting MORE, whether it is money or a feeling, is a sign that ‘REPAIR MAN JESUS’ is on the way. And He WILL poke, prod, test and try EVERY bulb in order to get it working as it should. It’s a promise! And it can be painful. So how’s YOUR light?

“For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh.” Romans 8:3

Ahhhhhhh Christmas! Just a couple weeks away now! And if you haven’t jumped on the ‘get ready’ train, the time is NOW! I have been thinking about this very special time of year a lot lately. Having booked 6+ decades under my belt, I thought I knew everything there was to know about this holiday. But alas…. No!!

Growing up as a kid I had the opportunity to see some really incredible explanations for things no one had yet defined. Cartoons and movies explained things like the North Pole, Reindeer, Santa down a chimney, the 24 hour toy dismemberment system and…elves! But THIS year I am left with a conundrum that I CANNOT explain. It concerns “Elf on a Shelf!”

I have gone to the experts… in this case moms…and none have been able to explain this hypocrisy to me either. But I can say for certain, that if MY brain has figured it out, you can be sure that your KIDS have too. The conundrum? If it is the duty of “Elf on a Shelf” to report bad behavior to Santa, how is it that HE gets to be naughty? How can something meant for good… be so BAD? Well…The same can be said of the 10 (plus a LOT more) commandments!

The originators of “Elf on a Shelf” in 2004 did NOT include being naughty as part of its character. That came about by human nature. Some mom may have had a little nip before bed and began thinking too much! We don’t know. But we’re stuck with the 2 headed monster now! The Commandments are perfect example of the same principle. Perfect rules for being perfect do not MAKE us perfect! They only point out the fact that… we are NOT!

The Bible is clear. We have God’s perfect standard and are required to live it! But we don’t! The LAW, like the Elf, CLEARLY PROVES what we REALLY are! Failed…imperfect…SINNERS! And what do sinners need? Ahhhh Yes… A SAVIOR!!! Which, interestingly enough, is the REAL reason for this Holy time of year as our loving God sent His WONDERFUL gift to a bunch of failures!         Merry CHRISTmas!

Have YOU received His Gift of Forgiveness?

“When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” Luke 2:48

I walked in on a very serious conversation. Sensing the tone, I listened carefully, taking in the words being said so that I would not be disruptive. The look on my grandson’s face was priceless, as he was doing some intense contemplating. I learned he had committed a SERIOUS infraction, and that I had just happened to walk in during the remedial negotiation process between him and his mom! His crime? He had touched ‘The Elf!’

I had known about ‘Elf on a Shelf’ as we have had one in my family for years. My wife and daughters are all over this Christmas tradition, comparing notes and ideas to aid its effectiveness. And the Elf’s job? To watch child behavior and nightly report back to Santa so Santa can upgrade his ‘naughty or nice’ list! For behavior modification, the idea is pure genius!

When I was a kid we would actually GO visit Santa and PERSONALLY give an account of our behavior. It was a fearful thing because we were never really SURE if we were on his NICE list and had earned “toy status.” But a 1 time behavioral modification proved WAY too ineffective. Enter “Elf on a Shelf” with the job of recording EVERY action…and updating Santa EVERY NIGHT! Breaking the rules becomes VERY serious when ‘Elf’ shows up!

I had this in the back of my mind as I was reading about Jesus as a child. I was ASTONISHED when I read that Mary & Joseph were astonished at Jesus’ independence, and then gave him a harsh reprimand! “WHY HAVE YOU TREATED US LIKE THIS?” If Elf had been around, Jesus would have been reported as ‘naughty!’ Yes… JESUS! Which, when I think about it, seems to have a hint of being a little sacrilegious!

The Bible goes on to tell us that AFTER this happened, “He (Jesus) went down to Nazareth with them (Mary & Joseph) and was obedient to them.” Vs 51. Which makes me wonder… did Jesus do ANYTHING He didn’t HAVE to do… just because Mary and Joseph expected it of Him? And if He did… should I? I mean, after all… His REAL Father WAS watching… AND keeping His own list!! Clearly.. even JESUS had CHOICES! Which leaves ‘ME’ with a question for ‘ME’… What is it that motivates… ME?