Mentoring Minutes

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.    Isaiah 9:6

Love and Lordship in Focus…What does CHRISTmas mean to you?  What if we took CHRISTmas to heart…“more of CHRIST?”  The birth of CHRIST brings with it the promise of something so much better than our day-to-day humanity with all it’s ups and downs.  It literally means that God became flesh (human)…Eternity entered into humanity and made the way for us to enter into Eternity!  That’s the reality of CHRISTmas.  I pray that you will come to know Him for the first time or more fully in this CHRISTmas season.

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned… 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. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.  Isaiah 9:2, 6-7

Before we start this article and CHRISTmas series I want to let you know to look for a Top CHRISTmas list at the end of each article leading up to CHRISTmas!

As I prepare this article I’m listening to Classical CHRISTmas music and I’m reminded each evening when I come home that Ami, my wife, nearly always has the CHRISTmas lights on. She usually asks me if I like it that they’re on when I arrive home to which I always heartily answer, “Absolutely!” Because I really do!

Don’t know about you but I have great CHRISTmas memories…Early on it’s always been about the lights, decorations and trees (which were always live as I didn’t know they had fake trees when I was growing up).  Even if we’d known about fake trees, we likely couldn’t afford them, which probably helped fuel my “obsession” with real trees to this day…that and the awesome smell…even though it’s getting harder to afford those!?!

Most importantly, my greatest memories every year always draw me back to the Nativity, the angels, the shepherds, the manger and the Biblical account of CHRIST’s Advent, His coming to earth in the form of a helpless Baby ultimately to save us!  More on that throughout this series!

Memory #1 – CHRISTmas? A Bundle of Switches and a Lump of Coal

Many memories of CHRISTmas flood my mind and fill my heart but there are 2 specific CHRISTmas memories that push to the forefront of my thoughts as I begin this series.  The first is one that hopefully few but likely many can relate to…I was 7 years old, my brother, 5, and sister, 3.  We came running, and I was jumping, down 10 steps at a time not even worried I might go right through the front door. I remember we’d not been, let’s just say, particularly good that year and sure enough, as promised, Santa had us on the “Naughty List.” He left us each a bundle of switches under the tree and a lump of coal in our stockings hung on the fireplace mantle. 

What?!?  Was it really true that Santa Claus would leave these “gifts” to children that were disobedient and maybe even a little defiant?  Yes He would. 

After my parents made us go to our rooms to think about it and making sure that our tears and remorse were real, they called us back downstairs.  Much more slowly than our earlier pace, we sadly sauntered down to offer heartfelt apologies.  To our childish delight, presents had magically appeared and our stockings were full!  I remember getting a Big Wheel that year – what better gift is there for a 7-year old boy!?!  My brother and I wore out the heavy duty plastic wheels before the next summer was over!  How could I ever forget that CHRISTmas or the related lessons?

Year after year, no matter how difficult, CHRISTmas was always special and I have nothing but wonderful memories of the season. Sadly, I know that’s not true for everyone and maybe that’s why my wife and kids think I go just a little overboard each year but I love everything about it!  

I like to be first on my street, if not neighborhood, with lights and tree up! Sad, but can’t help it.  Even more sadly I must admit in full disclosure…a couple years ago I lost to a blow up Santa and Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer display! I love it! 

Memory #2 – Our First Family CHRISTmas…spent in a Hospital

The second vivid recollection was the year our first child was born.  He was born on December 21 and the plan was to be home by CHRISTmas Eve and celebrate our first CHRISTmas as a family.  I had decorated the house prior to heading to the hospital.  The team I was coaching at the time had given us a white rocking chair for the occasion and I had come home on the last day of practice before CHRISTmas break and fallen asleep on my wife’s pregnant lap. 

A couple of hours later she awakened me and said, “It’s time!”  I helped her into the already packed car and we headed to the hospital.  From the moment we arrived we should have known it was going to be memorable.  It was all worth it as I held our son while my wife slept soundly for the first time in weeks.

The doctor came in the next morning and said they would need to place our son “under the lights” in order to help him overcome the jaundice (infection) that he had.  He was placed in isolation on December 23 and was there for 3 full days. 

There went our “perfect” CHRISTmas plans in our new home with our first child.  We ended up staying on the top floor of the hospital, which had been converted into a “hotel” type setting for just such occasions to accommodate the family of patients that needed to stay under hospital care. 

To exacerbate the situation, except for a limited holiday staff, we were the only ones on the entire floor! 

As CHRISTmas Eve rolled around, my wife (neither of us had been able to hold our newborn since the first few hours after his birth) became understandably dejected and tearfully expressed, “This is not how I envisioned our first CHRISTmas as a family to be.” 

I truly believe The Holy Spirit gave me my next idea.  I went to the greatly reduced holiday staff on the floor and asked if I could gather any/all CHRISTmas decorations on the floor (except for those at their workstation) and put them in our room?  They gladly consented and I grabbed a couple fake trees (maybe the only time ever?!?), garland and lights and every other CHRISTmas décor that I could find and brought them into our room.  It was beautiful and right on queue, as we looked out our window, God blessed us with a snowfall that glistened through all the lights as we looked out over the city from our seventh floor room. 

I called our families and they sacrificially but excitedly agreed to bring all the gifts, food and trimmings the next day…CHRISTmas Day…to celebrate with us in the little hospital/”hotel” room!  It was magical, except that we couldn’t hold our son…

Until 2 days later when he was released in good health and we took him home!  The evening of December 27, I sat rocking my son in our brand-new white rocking chair right next to the CHRISTmas tree as his eyes locked in, literally, for minutes at a time on the twinkling lights on that tree!  Tears ran down my face as I thanked God for CHRISTmas and His greatest gift as I sat rocking a very similar gift in my arms. 

For these memories (the good and the bad) and all the others, I choose to see everything…time with our families, the lights, trees, decorations, food, stories (even Santa and all related stories – St. Nicholas – real life ‘St. Nick’), my CHRISTmas ties, the music (love it) and every memory in light of The Spirit of CHRISTmas and the real reason for it…CHRIST…God With Us.  I encourage you to consider doing the same thing, no matter what past experiences or memories hold.

The Greatest CHRISTmas Memory and Gift

How do you choose to see CHRISTmas and how does it affect you and your family?

The Greatest Memory and Gift of course is that CHRISTmas is CHRIST!  That’s what we’re going to unpack in some unique ways over the next two weeks leading up to that most wonderful of Holidays in which we received the Greatest Gift of all – Jesus – God as a Baby in a manger…God in the flesh!  After all, that’s what it’s really all about – God dwelling with us, making a way through His Son (Immanuel – God With Us) and His Spirit (abiding in us) – this is CHRISTmas and if we choose we will see it all around us throughout the season and beyond, even in the tough times.

This CHRISTmas is one of the most difficult and even while I’m sad it only heightens the meaning and Joy of CHRISTmas.  In the last four months two dear and precious family members passed away – one was my 80 year old Mom and grandmother to my children and nephew. Her final days were full of Joy because she knew Christ had made a way for her and she had fully accepted this Babe in a Manger as her Savior and Lord. I know where she is and I will see her again some day because Jesus came!  The other was my wife, Ami’s, stepfather who passed away very peaceably at the age of 89 after two to three years of gradual decline. We are assured both at this season and all year long because the prophecy and promise that came true on that First CHRISTmas… Matthew 1:21-23

Food for Thought…What are your favorite CHRISTmas memories?  Which memories are not so pleasant?  How have you chosen to view the memories and how has that affected you, your faith and your family? 

Love in Action –

1. Read the Scriptures in this article and ask The Holy Spirit to teach you.
2. Journal how your CHRISTmas past has impacted your CHRISTmas present.
3. What will you choose to do with the memories or feelings that bring you down?
4. List some things you can do to experience the Love, Joy and Peace of Christ this CHRISTmas for you and your family. Follow through even when it’s not easy.

BONUS:  My All-time Top 7 CHRISTmas movies…let us know your favorites!

1. The Nativity (2006) – brings the True story to life!
2. The Shepherd by The Chosen (2017…see below) – POWERFUL! Really makes you think about the role of Christ in fulfilling the old covenant in His New Covenant!
3. A Christmas Carol – starring Alastair Sims (1951) – how Christ changes lives!
4. A Charlie Brown Christmas (animated, 1965) – The True Scriptural story read on TV!
5. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) – the difference one life can make!
6. Miracle on 34^th Street (both versions, 1947/1994) – the need for Faith!
7. How The Grinch Stole Christmas (animated, 1966, 2018) – really about loving each other!

Bonus: I highly recommend you take 24 minutes to watch The Chosen’s “The Shepherd – The story of the First Christmas.” See it here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paOjgZZDads&t=13s. You will be blessed!

Make it a great CHRISTmas season with family and loved ones in and for The Lord and God bless in Christ (Isaiah 9:6)!

Love and Lordship Prayer Focus…Gracious Heavenly Father, what an incredible thought that you would leave all of heaven and its glory to take on flesh and dwell among us.  Help me to understand this CHRISTmas more fully than I ever have what you have done for me.  Help me to receive it and share it with others so those that I love, and all that need to know You, will have the opportunity to do so.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”  2 Corinthians 5:17

Love and Lordship in Focus…Perhaps the greatest identity we have in Christ is that He makes us completely new in Him. The old person and selfish flesh no longer have to rule over us as we choose Christ and His Holy Spirit in us by faith. Are you choosing to live as a new creation in Christ…or still living in the flesh?

As we celebrate Thanksgiving and look forward to CHRISTmas, because of Christ and who we are in Him we have everything to be thankful for. Stay with me here as we wrap up our series on our identity in Christ and I pray you are not only thankful but are becoming more confident and content in who you are in Him…and loving the new self He has recreated you to be in His Kingdom!

Because I am a believer and follower (disciple) of Jesus Christ, I am a personal witness to Him in and through my life (Acts 1:8).

In Christ I have been given the power (the Greek word for power that is given to all true believers is “dunamis” where we get our word, “dynamite”…now that’s powerful) of The Holy Spirit in me to shine The Light of His Truth and Love (these are inseparable) to the world.

My life should reflect in every way that He is my Lord and His Truth and Love comes through me in every motive, thought, decision, action and relationship. In this way I am a testimony of His Love and Authority for others to see in every situation I engage or encounter…in your home, across the street or around the world!

God has chosen to partner with us in Truth and Love to show the world Who He Is. The way we think, choose, act and relate every moment of every day reveals whose Lord of our life and reflects, positively or negatively, on what others see of Jesus in us.

How awesome is it that God chose us, you and me, to be a testimony of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world! Do you realize your identity in Him?

What is your witness of Jesus Christ? Savior only and you live the way you like otherwise…not possible according to Scripture. Do others know He is Lord of your life…spouse, children, family, church, coworkers, acquaintances, even enemies?

Is your life a living witness of His grace, mercy, Truth and Love in and through you so others might know Him as Savior and Lord?

Think about this…because God values you and me so greatly as His temple, His workmanship, a personal witness of Christ, chosen and appointed to bear His Kingdom and Spirit fruit…and so much more, He has called and equipped us to be salt and light in this world (Matthew 5:13-14)!

This is one of the very first proclamations that Jesus made in His public ministry in what we have come to know as The Sermon on the Mount. If you doubt it think of what those who heard Him said at the end of that message…”they were amazed because He spoke as one who had great authority” (Matthew 7:28-29).

Salt sharpens, enlivens and preserves. Light illuminates, clarifies and exposes. In some cases we like salt and light…and in others we don’t. However, in both cases God has a great and perfect purpose for us to be both salt and light to a sin-ridden, lost and dying world. Sin must be exposed, Truth must be revealed and we are His witnesses to graciously make Him known.

Don’t let your salt lose its saltiness and be good for nothing but the manure pile. Don’t let your light…His Light in you be dimmed and extinguished. He has a great purpose for you in His Kingdom!

Are you salt and light to those around you? Do they see Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life and the only way to The Father (John 14:6) through your life and mine?

As we conclude our 2nd series on fulfilling the Greatest Commands (Mark 12:29-31). The 1st series was the Names of God with 70 or so names to encourage us to know and love Him more and with all our being and to worship Him alone (1st and Greatest Command).

This 2nd series has been on our identity in Christ and through His Word He has shown us very plainly and graciously that we are fully accepted, totally secure and of great value and significance to God in Christ and by His Holy Spirit in and through us!

As we wrap up all of this comes together in this final assurance of our great value to Him…He has reconciled us to Himself (we have an intimate, personal relationship with Him) in Christ and He has given us this same ministry of reconciliation to share with others (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). Think about it…God has made you a brand-new creation in Christ and has entrusted you with the Gospel of Christ so that you can minister to and help others be reconciled to Him just as you are in Christ.

You are made righteous in Christ and are recreated to help reconcile others to this same new creation and righteousness in Him! Whatever else He entrusts to us in terms of time, wealth, abilities, etc., the greatest thing that He can trust us with is the eternal souls of men and women so that we can point them to the reconciled relationship they can have individually and we can have collectively as Christ’s Body, The Church, with God in Christ! How absolutely awesome is that?

You and I have EVERYTHING to be thankful for in Christ…and because of Christ! Are you living a life of gratitude that reflects the new creation that He has made you to be in Him for God’s Kingdom and Glory?

Food for Thought…A few questions to reflect on our Identity in Christ… How are you doing with this great trust that God has given to you as a new creation in Christ? Do you know and are you sharing Christ, the Great Reconciler, with others so they can be in an intimate, loving, personal relationship with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?  Are you thankful? How does it show?

Love in Action –

1. Read the Scriptures in this article and ask The Holy Spirit to teach you.
2. Journal what you’ve learned about your identity in Christ in this post. 
3. Write down what it means for you to be a witness to Christ, salt and light of His Truth and Love.  
4. Take time to meditate on who you are as a new creation in Christ. Give Him thanks in all things because of all that He’s done for you.

If you have not accepted Him as Savior and Lord, find someone to talk to find out more.

Let me know if you have any questions or concerns and we’ll walk through them together in The Lord and His Spirit.

Contact us at loveandlordship@gmail.com to find out more about how you can know God the Father, Christ His Son and The Holy Spirit.

Love and Lordship Prayer Focus Heavenly Father, to think that You would not only save and reconcile us to an intimate relationship with You by grace through faith in Christ but that You entrust us with this ministry of reconciliation to help others know Him as Savior and Lord and be reconciled to You as well! That’s amazing and THANK YOU for making me a part of this. May I be found trustworthy with this ministry that You have entrusted to me (and to all) who believe in and walk by faith as a new person in Christ. In His Name. Amen.

“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” 1 Corinthians 3:9

Love and Lordship in Focus…We are God’s chosen workers, individually and collectively, in Christ! We are His cultivated and prepared field or land in which He can produce good fruit and good harvest for others to know Him. We are His dwelling place…His building!

In the last several weeks our focus has been on how significant and valued we are in Christ…our identity in Him! We are grafted in by grace through faith as branches in The Vine, appointed and chosen to bear His fruit; we are God’s masterpiece recreated in Christ to do the good works He’s prepared in advance for us to do in His strength; we are literally a holy dwelling place (temple) for God’s Holy Spirit!

In line with all of these we are also assured in His Word that as we abide and remain in Him we are a co-laborer or co-worker with God in His creation for His eternal purposes (1 Corinthians 3:5-9). Not only are we equipped and chosen to join in this eternal work to point others to Christ but we need to recognize the value He has placed upon us so our laboring with Him is not in vain, i.e., we don’t miss His purposes and will (2 Corinthians 6:1).

He has a great purpose and desire to save every person who has ever lived while giving each of us the freedom of choice to accept or reject His calling and work of grace in salvation. And get this…He has called you and me to join him in this eternal endeavor! That’s incredible that we get to work alongside God to help others know Him.

No matter what you’ve done, what you’re facing or where you’ve been, He has a purpose for your life and He calls you to come and walk with Him and work with Him. Remember He will finish what He started in Christ (Philippians 1:6)!

Do you know Christ? Are you pointing others to Him and helping them to know Him as Savior and Lord? Are you giving Him the access to your life by your choices for Him to finish that work?

I had the privilege a few months ago to share through a message and workshop a wonderful church here in KY. I shared on the True Authority we have in Christ.

I had two single people approach me after the message and they were both encouraged and concerned as the focus was more on relationships and marriage. My response to them was that as with all people our first and most important identity is in Christ…everything else flows from this…singleness, dating, marriage, parenting, family, and even Christ’s Family, The Church. They were encouraged to keep pressing forward in their walk and identity in Christ and know they were being and would be used of Him for His Kingdom and Glory as they did so!

That’s why we’re doing this series on Identity in Christ so we can know and love who we are apart from anything else the world says or has to offer in order for us to be truly confident, content and therefore, humble in Him.

With that said the simple yet profound significance in Christ today is that all of who we are in Him is literally and spiritually “seated with Christ in heavenly realms” (Ephesians 1:18-23; 2:4-7) to carry out His eternal purpose for His Kingdom! This is amazing and nothing or no one on earth can keep us from this position spiritually…literally reigning with Him…but remember this only happens in Him…as we walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh (Romans 8:1-8)!

I pray that you know Christ and you are abiding in the here and now in your day-to-day walk with Him and know that you are also reigning with Him in the heavenly realms in His Spirit.

That is an incredible identity and He loves you so much that He has made it a reality!

We continue with Paul in Ephesians finding our wonderful identity in Christ in 3:11-12 where we are told that because of Christ’s sacrificial grace to us we can (and should) approach the very Presence of God…His very Throne Room!

Think about all the precious blessings we have been given and all the ways we’ve been united with God in Christ and The Holy Spirit as we are fully accepted, secure and of great value to God in Christ! Why would we allow the world or culture to define us in any way other than what He has done and what the Truth of His Word has declared us to be?

Not only what we are declared to be and that He dwells in us, purified by the blood of Jesus so that His Spirit can do so but we can come right into His presence, boldly and confidently, and be assured that we are received by Him and He hears and loves us!

I want to close with this Scripture that reinforces what we’ve just talked about and who we are in Christ and the access we have to God The Father Himself…right into His very presence…

Food for Thought…Hebrews 10:19-25 reinforces that Christ is our Forever High Priest and is always interceding for us before God the Father and ushers me, you, all believers right into His very Presence. Do you know Him in this way and avail yourself of all that He has made you to be and given to you? Do you know Jesus as Savior and Lord?   

Love in Action –

1. Read the Scriptures in this article and ask The Holy Spirit to teach you.
2. Journal what you’ve learned about your identity in Christ in this post. 
3. Describe in your own words what it means for you to be a co-worker with and in Christ for His Kingdom.  
4. Write down what it means for you to reign with Him…right here and now? To actually enter right into God’s Presence?

Let me know if you have any questions or concerns and we’ll walk through them together in The Lord and His Spirit.

Contact us at loveandlordship@gmail.com to find out more about how you can know God the Father, Christ His Son and The Holy Spirit.

Love and Lordship Prayer Focus Heavenly Father, I am not only recreated as Your masterpiece but I and indwelt by Your Holy Spirit and can enter right into Your Holy Presence. Thanks so much that I am all of this and have all of this because of Jesus! In His Name. Amen.