THE BEST IS YET TO BE!

Traditionally, the New Year is a time for reviewing the past 12 months and thinking forward to the time ahead. The New Year unfolds day by day and each new morning brings us into unchartered territory.  For me that is both refreshing and challenging. 2011 has been a wonderful year for Silver Creek Fellowship; we have seen growth at both campuses – both numerically and spiritually.  Mission of Hope has had a dramatic effect on our church and in the community.  It is now the fourth largest emergency food distribution agency in Marion County.

As good as a year as 2011 has been, I believe the best is yet to be!  Let me share a few things that I think God is leading us into over the next few years. Habakkuk 2:2 says, “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it” and so this is the (much shorter!) written down version.

Why do we exist?

þ We exist for mission. We exist to make Jesus known to our local communities and to the nations of the world. There is a big distinction between a pastoral church and a church on mission. Rick Warren says, “…at the heart of the distinction between a pastoral and missional church is the difference between a church organized around sustaining, developing and promoting its own life and a church organized around participating in God’s mission to the world to establish his redemptive purposes in the whole of human life. A missional church is a church which takes its identity, priorities and agenda from participating in God’s mission in the world”. We are a church on mission.

What sort of church are we?

þ We have both individual and corporate values. Individually we love God, love people and enjoy God’s grace. Corporately we are committed to being a church of Word and Spirit, a community church and a resource church.

What are we called to do? Or what is the vision?

We believe God is calling us to impact our communities, to care for and develop our people, and to connect, equip, train and send them into our neighborhoods and the nations – filled with the power and presence of God.

þ Impacting our communities by reaching more people with the gospel:

• We want to reach more people in the Silverton – Salem – Keizer area impacted with the gospel, see more people saved and baptized and see our regular Sunday attendance grow.
• We want to demonstrate the gospel with acts of kindness that meet the needs of people from every walk of life.
• We want to be a church that blesses the local communities in very real ways; practically, emotionally and spiritually.

þ Care for and development of our people.

• We want to see all of our people encouraged, supported and cared for through Home Fellowship Groups and pastoral support structures.
• We want to see every age group and life stage in our church provided for, from the very youngest to the very oldest.
• We want our people to be set free in Christ and grow in maturity as believers.
• We want to see marriages and families strengthened and built on strong biblical foundations.

þ Connect, equip, train and send our people.

• We want to see people fully empowered to be effective ambassadors for Christ and fully trained to be missionaries in their local context.
• We want to train and send people to be involved in planting churches in this nation and the nations of the world.

þ Power and presence of God

• In everything that we do we want the genuine power and presence of God to be manifest.
• We want to be a prophetic people, filled with the Holy Spirit, exercising spiritual gifts and allowing God to move freely in our lives.
• We want to be a people of praise and prayer where signs, wonders and miracles are commonplace.

How are we going to do it?

If we are going to fulfill all that God has called us to do over the next 5-10 years then we need to do two things:  1.) Guild on what we have already accomplished over recent years, and 2.) Step out into new areas by investing our time, energy and finance into some new things. This means change.

I love this Jack Deere quote: “Leaders need to teach people that change is an inevitable part of life. Dead things don’t change. Living things change because they grow. And growth means pain. Dead things don’t have growing pains. Neither do dead churches. Part of the price of growing is pain and insecurity. Remember when you were still physically changing during your adolescent and teenage years? Not only your body, but your emotions were changing. You were going down a road you hadn’t been on before. Remember how insecure you felt? But you accepted the pain and the insecurity because you wanted to grow. You didn’t want to stay a child. It’s the same way with a growing church. It is going down a road it hasn’t been on before. Being a leader just means learning how to manage the conflict that comes from the pain and insecurity of growing. Of course, we could avoid the pain by simply refusing to change, but most of us would rather go to church than a cemetery.”

2012 will be a year of change at SCF.  We will be making a number of changes across the life of the church: new guest Sunday strategies, new services, new ministries, new leadership opportunities and a number of other positive (we hope!) changes.

How can we all be involved?

A vision only becomes real when those who receive it begin to put it into practice. So how can we all be involved? You can be involved by giving your…

§        Time – we’re not the kind of church that people visit like a club. Our commitment to Jesus is reflected in our commitment to his purposes and to the local church

§        Abilities – no one can ever say “I have nothing to give in this church”, we all have a part to play so get involved!

§        Money – if you are committed to this church and this vision then surely you will give! It is a reality that we need finances to make everything in this church happens. The giving of your money really does make a huge difference as we seek to make Jesus known to our local communities and to the nations.

I love being a part of Silver Creek Fellowship. It’s not comfortable, it’s not passive, and it continues to embrace change, but there’s a reason. Our story is not finished. It’s hardly begun in many ways. We have a future.  We are a church family, together on a mission, transforming our local community by proclaiming a gospel that has the power to change people completely.

Come and join us, become part of the story.

Hark! the Herald Angels Sing

Hark! the Herald Angels Sing is one of the more than 6,500 hymns from the pen of Charles Wesley that has enriched Christian hymnody. It is thought to have been written one year after his dramatic, Aldersgate conversion experience of 1738 and is generally considered to be one of Wesley's very finest.

Hark! The Herald Angels sing,
"Glory to the new-born King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!"
Joyful, all ye nations, rise.
Join the triumph of the skies.
With th' Angelic Hosts proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new-born King."

 Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that men no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Risen with healing in his wings,
Light and life to all he brings,
Hail! The Sun of Righteousness!
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hark! The herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn king.

Christ by highest heaven adored

Christ the everlasting Lord
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin's womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel Hark!
The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

 Come, Desire of nations come,
Fix in us Thy humble home;
Oh, to all Thyself impart,
Formed in each believing heart!
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new-born king;
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!"
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the New-born king!"

Adam's likeness, Lord, efface,
Stamp Thine image in its place:
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.
Let us Thee, though lost, regain,
Thee, the Life, the inner man:
O, to all Thyself impart,
Formed in each believing heart.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the New-born king!"

Christmas is a glorious celebration of new birth. The famous carol Hark! the Herald Angels Sing celebrates not only the birth of Christ but also the second birth that takes place when we have true faith in Him. Christ was born to give us a second spiritual birth and without the second birth we cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. I was once asked if I was one of those 'Born Again' Christians and I replied that there is no other kind of Christian than the born again kind!

What is Christmas all about? The Christmas story is not about religious organizations, church services, or human efforts to please God.  The Christmas story is not about presents, retail targets, family gatherings and holidays. The Christmas story is all about the supernatural grace that comes to us through the virgin birth of the only Son of God. The second verse of this carol, written by Charles Wesley, explains the incredible truth of the Christmas story which is all about incarnation - that in Christ, God became man.

Why was Jesus born?

Jesus was born for a mission; he came as a baby but he didn't stay in the cradle. He was born to die on the cross for the sins of the world. Little baby Jesus would grow to become the berated, battered, and bruised Messiah, taking the punishment that we deserve.   

In this carol Wesley gives us three reasons why Jesus was born.

1.) Born that man no more may die

Just as Jesus taught about two births - one physical and one spiritual - so there are two deaths that are taught in the New Testament, one is physical and one spiritual. God never intended man to die and it was, in fact, Adam who brought death into the world and not God. When Adam rebelled against God he fell from grace and took the whole world down with him. His sin brought both physical and spiritual death to all mankind. No matter how long a person lives they will eventually die physically, but the Bible also declares that physical death is not the end, there is also a second death, a spiritual death with eternal punishment that waits for all who die in their sins.

 
Christ was born to conquer the greatest enemy to Mankind - death! Christ was born of a virgin and he was born free from Adam's sin. Jesus lived the perfect life, and he did it all for us. He was born for us, he lived for us, he died for us and he was raised from the dead for us. On the cross Christ died physically and spiritually carrying all the punishment due to the world. Now whoever believes in him shall never taste spiritual death.

2.) Born to raise the sons of earth

Without Jesus we are spiritually dead and in our sins, "And you who were dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1). But the moment we believe the gospel we are spiritually raised from the dead; we are born again. "But God who is rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) and raised us up together ... with Christ." (Ephesians 2:4-6).

At the center of the Christian faith is the truth of the physical bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because Jesus was raised from the dead we know that when the believer dies and goes to heaven he will also be reunited with his body on the day of resurrection when Christ returns. We have been raised spiritually and one day we shall also be raised physically. Jesus Christ was born to give us resurrection.

3.) Born to give them second birth

Jesus said to Nicodemus "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John3:3). Jesus was born to give us a second birth that is spiritual in nature and necessary for salvation, indeed He said that we must be born again.

When you become born again you are a new creation and the old person that you were has passed away. You are born again into a totally new realm of grace and have been delivered from the realm of Sin, Satan and condemnation. As you celebrate the birth of Christ this Christmas make sure you are born again, and if you are -- then celebrate the fact that his birth was to give you new birth.

Now is it any wonder why the herald Angels sang? Hark then to their message.

OUR HEART FOR THE POOR

We don’t have to look very far to realize that there is great need and injustice in the world. Nearly half the world’s population live on less than $2 a day; nearly a billion people are unable to sign their name or read; 850 million people go without even 1 meal everyday and a child dies of malnutrition every 5 seconds; an estimated 15 million children have lost one, or both their parents to AIDS.

The sheer size and complexity of the problem can leave you so overwhelming that it sometimes prevents us from responding at all. But as Christians, God’s Word tells over and over again about our responsibility to the poor.

Psalm 41:1 reads, “Blessed is he who considers the poor…”  My question is, “Do we?” I wonder how much time do we actually spend considering the difficulties of the poor?  And who are the poor? Is it just the homeless person who lives under a bridge or on a city street?  Is it just those living in poverty in parts of Africa?

 We do not always see the needs of the poor on a daily basis. But considering the poor is the responsibility of every Christian, and it’s a responsibility that comes with promise. If we read on in Psalm 41 it says: “Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed.”

Our compassion and generosity towards the orphan, the widow, the alien and the poor moves God’s heart. There’s no doubt about it, the Bible has a lot more to say about our attitude to the poor than it does about many of the other things we are very concerned about. Here are attitudes to guard against if we are to effectively respond to the needs of the poor:

Excuses
In the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 30-37) Jesus shared the story of the man who was robbed, attacked and left for dead on the street. He parallels the response of two religious men who crossed the street when confronted by the dying man and the actions of the Samaritan who stopped to help. I’m sure the two men who kept walking would have been able to justify their inaction. Perhaps they had to get to an important meeting or the supermarket before closing time. Maybe they thought they were not in a position to help.

We can have countless excuses that prevent us from helping the poor. We can hide behind our busyness, our lack of resource or our perceived distance from the problem. This is the equivalent of ‘crossing the road’ when faced with the reality of people’s needs, circumstances and situations. It actually says a whole lot about our priorities and who we are.

A Judgmental Attitude
Ignorance can cause us to make wrong judgments about the underprivileged and the poor. We can make presumptions about why people are poor; we can make judgments about their happiness, how smart they are, and their willingness to be helped. Let’s never allow a judgmental spirit affect our willingness to extend a hand to the hurting.

A Moralizing Attitude
Generosity is fantastic, but when our giving is done in a flashy way it can be elitist.  That kind of giving can be hollow and unattractive, and the very people we want to help are likely to see right through it!  We need to be sure that we keep a spirit of cooperation and an attitude that says ‘together we can make a greater difference’.

HOW CAN WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
Now that we have identified attitudes that hinder our response to the poor, let’s consider how as individuals we can start making a difference today:

Keep building your own life
We’re all alive for God’s Kingdom purpose and as part of the Church, we’re all part of God’s plan for humanity. Our Christianity should never be just about us having enough for ourselves; it’s about building the kind of life that helps others. The best thing we can all do is take what God has placed in our hand and become successful at it. We should all be committed to continually building our lives in a way that sets us up to be a blessing to others.

Be part of something bigger than yourself
On our own we can do a little, but together we can do a lot. Being a part of a church that has vision and getting behind that vision will cause us to be more effective than each of us trying to do it on our own. There is truly strength in numbers.

Practice generosity everywhere
I don’t believe generosity comes naturally; in fact our human tendency is to hold back or think of ourselves first. I believe we need to challenge this thinking by building a culture that practices generosity everywhere. It may be a smile or a kind word to the cashier at the grocery store, or a gift to someone going through a tough time.  We need to work against anything in us that tries to draw back from being generous with our finances, our words and our actions.

Befriend someone less fortunate than you
I’ve already mentioned it, but it’s worth repeating; there are people in need all around us. Sometimes we can become so consumed with our own things that we become removed or distant from this reality. Why don’t we decide that we’re going to come alongside somebody who may be less fortunate than us? I’m not talking about a patronizing friendship; rather become enough of a friend to really understand their need and what the real situation is in their life. Friendship costs you something. Let’s decide together, as we build a vision for the future, that we’re going to consider the poor and find every opportunity we can to make a lasting difference. Let’s be committed to tackling the issue of injustice and poverty from every direction. 

 Bring an offering for the poor
Silver Creek Fellowship is taking a special offering for the poor on Sunday, Nov 20.  The money from this offering will not go into the Silver Creek Fellowship general fund, but will go to help us minister to the poor.  Part of the offering will go towards ministering to people who are hungry; in Kenya, where there is severe famine; in Cambodia, where extreme poverty is found on every street.  These places have massive problems and we can’t help everyone, but we can help some!  Part of what we receive will go to help our own Poor Fund to help people who are in emergency financial situations – both in the church and in the community.

Get your children involved in giving to the poor.  Talk about it together as a family.  What can you do?  Is there something you could do without?  Gather up spare change.  Purchase an item from our Mission Passport.  Do something!

7 Ways to Tell it May Be a God Thing

And without faith it is impossible to please God… Hebrews 11:6

We live by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7

For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you. 2 Chronicles 20:12

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 1 Corinthians 1:27

God calls people to seemingly impossible tasks. It gives Him glory when I can’t do something, but He can. I can do “all things through Christ who strengthen me”, but often what He calls me to do can seem foolish to attempt (at least to others…and sometimes me) at the time. Imagine what the friends of Abraham, Moses, and Noah must have thought when God called them to what appeared to be impossible assignments. God calls people to walk by faith into the unknown.

If you know God has called you to something, don’t be dismayed if others can’t quickly identify with your calling. In my experience, God is often raising up others with the same heartbeat, but you can’t always see them at the time, so there may be periods when you have to stand alone on God’s calling. That may be for a season, but at times it could be for years. (Consider the case of Noah.)

With that in mind…

Here are 7 ways to tell it may be a God thing:

• Everyone says it can’t be done…
• You feel you aren’t qualified…
• There aren’t enough resources available…
• It makes no rational sense…
• People call it (or you) stupid…
• It would give God all the glory…
• It honors God and is true to His Word…

I’m not saying this post confirms that what you are attempting to do is from God. What I am saying is that you should not dismiss the call you believe God has placed on your life because it doesn’t make sense to others around you…or to yourself at times.

Are you in the midst of a God-calling?

17 WAYS THE HOLY SPIRIT HELPS US

1. He dwells within us at all times (John 14:17, 1 Cor. 6:19, Rom. 8:16, 2 Tim. 1:14).

"Don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?" (1 Cor. 6:19)

2. He guards our salvation and assures us we belong to God (Rom. 8:16, 2 Cor 1:22, 5:5)

"The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children." (Rom. 8:16)

3. He gives us hope and peace during difficult times (Rom. 14:17, 15:13, 1 Thess. 1:6).

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Rom. 15:13)

4. He gives us strength and endurance during trials (Eph. 3:16).

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being..." (Eph 3:16)

5. He brings conviction (John 16:8, 1 Thes. 1:5).

"When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment..." (John 16:8)

6. He provides power over temptation (Galatians 5:16).

"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." (Gal. 5:16)

7. He grows us into holiness (1 Pet. 1:2)

"...[you] have been chosen... through the sanctifying work of the Spirit." (1 Pet. 1:2)

8. He helps us pray (Rom. 8:26-27, Eph. 6:18, Jude 20)

"We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." (Rom. 8:26-27)

9. He gives wisdom for decision making (Eph. 1:17)

"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom..." (Eph. 1:17)

10. He provides understanding of God's Word (1 Cor. 2:9-16).

"But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth." (John 16:13)

11. He guides and directs into specific events (Acts 13:4, 16:6, Rev. 17:17)

"The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit..." (Acts 13:4)

12. He calls us unto salvation (Ephesians 4:4).

"There is one body and one Spirit- just as you were called to one hope when you were called...: (Eph. 4:4)

13. He invests us with confidence over fear (2 Timothy 1:7).

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." (2 Tim. 1:7)

14. He gives us the right words to speak about God (Acts 1:8).

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

15. He gives every believer a spiritual gift(s) (1 Corinthians 12:7, Heb. 2:4).

"Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good." (1 Cor. 12:7)

16. He frees us from the letter of the law and gives us the spirit of the law (2 Cor. 3:16-18).

"But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Cor 3:16-18)

17. He grows within us the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (Gal 5:22-23)

THE SHADOW OVER CHRISTMAS

This is a joyful season for us; nothing in all history approaches the great blessings of Jesus’ entrance into the world. It is no wonder that the angels sang, “Joy to the World!” Words collapse under content of His great goodness and mercy. Yet in the midst of our joyous celebration there are shadows over the season: terrorism, war, disease, and economic hardship.

However, these are not the shadows of which I write. There was one shadow which covered the manger, and even on that glorious night, it spoke of a day 33 years later, when the noonday sun would hide itself from the darkness of human sin. The shadow of which I write was the Heavenly Father’s purpose in sending Jesus into the world—the shadow of the Cross where Jesus would die for our sin.

BIRTH
We cannot comprehend the magnitude of Jesus’ entrance into human history, and we can only imagine a world without Him. But when we look at regions where the Gospel has not been proclaimed, we get a glimpse of what it would have been like without Him.

John tells us that Jesus was the pre-existent Eternal Word; He was God and with God before the beginning began (see John 1). His coming into the world was foretold by prophets centuries before He came. His lineage was chosen beforehand: Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and David. “In the fullness of time,” the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would bear this child conceived by the Holy Spirit. Joseph was told to name Him Jesus, because He would save His people from their sins.

Caesar Augustus decreed that a census should be taken, and that caused the return of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, where the prophecies concerning His birth were fulfilled. And when the night finally came that would end history’s waiting, angels sang in the glory-lit sky, and shepherds scurried to the place of His birth. As many prophecies fell into place, a new story began to be told of God’s salvation.

ADVERSITY
Jesus was born in adversity; Jesus was born for adversity; and He triumphed over it. The angels’ voices had barely quieted, the shepherds and wise men had scarcely gone, when Herod (a descendant of Esau), began killing babies in Bethlehem, hoping to kill this new-born King. But he failed. Joseph, being warned in a dream, took his family to Egypt, and soon after, Herod died.

Joseph then took Mary and the young child back to the “unpopular” village of Nazareth to grow up and learn the ways of His heavenly Father and the needs of suffering humanity.

THE SHADOW
The next glimpse of Jesus is recorded in Luke 2:41-52. Jesus’ family had taken Him up to Jerusalem and to the temple. They returned with a large company of pilgrims, believing that Jesus was with other relatives. But He was not. After a search, they returned to the temple to find Jesus discussing theology with the experts. His parents issued a mild rebuke to Jesus, but He replied, “I must be about my Father’s business.”

The purpose of the Father casts a long shadow over the Old Covenant and its prophecies. It also casts a long shadow over the manger and entire life of Jesus. He was born to die for our sins. We cannot truly celebrate His life without understanding why He was born.

Sadly, many people will only see the hollow symbols of that birth and miss the content of it all. The Christmas trees, the gifts, and the Christmas pageants will play out under the sparkling lights of a festive season. But the shadow of the Cross will be missed by most.

The Gospel of Luke was written by Luke after investigating and interviewing eye witnesses. Many scholars believe that among those interviewed was Mary herself. It is completely logical to believe that at an early age, Jesus also became aware of the special events surrounding His birth. The One who read Isaiah 61 in His home synagogue must have also become acquainted with Isaiah 50 and 53. Somewhere in early life, He must have seen the shadow.

THE CROSS AND CHRISTMAS
Some would ask, “Is it really appropriate to talk about the Cross during this joyful Christmas season?” I would ask, “Can we honestly celebrate His birth and ignore the primary reason for it?” To fail to make the connection is to fail to understand the celebration. The Gospel is not just a part of the story; it is all of it.

There are three events in Jesus’ life, which are often celebrated separately, but they never stand alone. They are like three peaks in one mountain range: His birth, His death, and His resurrection. Without all three, no single one would be celebrated. He was born Savior, died to save, and rose again to prove that He could save us from our sins.

The Cross was not some coincidental tragedy that happened unfortunately to a nice person. It was not left to fickle human hands. It was the purpose of God from before the beginning. In John 12, it is recorded that He prayed, “What shall I say, Father, save me from this hour? But for this purpose I came into this hour.” He came by the Father’s will to die in our place for our sins.

Most religions have heroes—dead ones. But no other religion offers the virgin-born Son of God who Himself died for sinners, arose from the dead, and then ascended to Heaven to intercede for their deliverance. No mere religion or religious hero can stand alongside Jesus. We need to look at His entire life, death, and resurrection as we celebrate His birth. Then and only then can we give His birth its rightful place and rightful praise.

THE REAL GIFT
Our secular society has sought to capture Christmas. They might as well attempt to capture the sun. They give us an empty package nicely wrapped, but no virgin birth, no cross, and no resurrection. Such a gift is worth less than the wrapping paper and tinsel that covers it. To accept such a gift would leave one hopeless in the end. It has no warranty, only empty claims.

The real gift was wrapped in swaddling clothes—a plain, inexpensive wrapping. But what a gift—God’s love for sinners, the Hope of Eternal Life through forgiveness of sin. The real gift was more than good teaching or answers to life’s great questions. The real gift was that God gave Himself for whoever would believe and receive Him.


SEE THE SHADOW
Perception is reality to our generation. So we see surface symbols and miss significance. The manger scene is a symbol, but the shadow of the cross is the significance of His birth. He was born to save us from our sin through His death on the cross. The angels said it, “For unto you is born this day a Savior Who is Christ the Lord.”

Savior…Christ…Lord. Those three words form the essence of Christmas. He is the Anointed One to deliver us from sin and to reign in our lives.

Do you see the shadow over the manger? The shadow is not the difficulties of ancient Israel or modern America, it is the Father’s will: the cross where He bore our sins, paid the price of our iniquities, and gave us the right of justification. It is the place where we exchanged our ashes for His beauty.

Does the shadow extend into your life? Do you live beneath the shadow of the Father’s purpose? When I see the manger, and all that history has attached to it, I am reminded that the same Jesus has called me to take up my cross and follow Him. As He was sent by the Father, so He has sent me (see John 20:21). No, we are not virgin born. We are not saviors, and no, we are not called to pay for the sins of the world. But we are called to declare the One who was, and the One who did all of that.

We must not accept a lowest common denominator view of Christmas. We need to see and declare the “whole package,” and share with the world the whole counsel of God. We must handle Jesus’ story with integrity worthy of the original reality: birth, death, and resurrection. That will pack real praise and worship into this season for the great gift that we have received!

God bless you this season.

Grace & Peace

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


This greeting of Paul to the ancient church at Thessalonica is like medicine to our modern world. With increasing terrorist attacks – the most recent attempt to bomb the Christmas Tree lighting in Portland – and the continuing government policy of appeasement towards radical Islam, leaves many who are threatened to lose their inner peace.

Terrorism has its targets and these are nearly always innocent people. But behind this campaign of terror lies another sinister goal - to cause intimidation, fear and loss of peace.

Of course, believers in Christ have many promises of God to hold onto:

Psalms 91:1-2 – “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust."

Philippians 4:6-7 – “Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus.”

Great verses, great advice! Take it like medicine for your soul. God will never fail his people and will always care, protect and uphold us during times of stress and trouble.

But behind these promises lie the even greater revelation - the miracle of God's grace. It's his grace that saves us, keeps us, provides for our every need and, in the end, it's God's grace that will lead us home.

Let the nations roar, let the unrighteous gloat over their reign of terror, but the Lord is in his heavens and his kingdom will be seen. Let that knowledge settle in your spirit and bring the only kind of peace that will last in these days - the peace of God.