Mentoring Minutes

What Are You Looking Forward To?

Happy New Year – Hope, Peace, Joy and Love to You in Christ!

If you want to know the hope, peace, joy and love of Christ today, into the New Year and throughout your life, begin by asking and answering this question, “What’s your focus?”  In 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Paul states by The Holy Spirit, “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”  Is your focus Temporal of Eternal? 

As we wrap up CHRISTmas and 2020, the craziest of years in our lifetime (at least for most of us), what are you looking forward to…or what are you fearing as you look to the New Year? If your focus is on the things of this world (temporal) you will likely be caught up in more worry, anxiety and uncertainty that will drag you down.

However if your thoughts, no matter the circumstances, run toward God, His Word and Kingdom (Eternal) then you can be assured that He will provide, prune, prepare and protect you for His Kingdom (Eternal) fruit and purpose!

Oswald Chambers says, “We think that we must reach some predetermined goal (temporal), but that is not the nature of the spiritual life. The nature of the spiritual life is that we are certain in our uncertainty (eternal). (Parentheses mine and added)

He goes on to say that the eternal life, the life hid with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3), is a gracious uncertainty!  Uncertain because of the temporal nature of this life but gracious and even glorious as you walk with Christ into what He has prepared for you to live out for His Glory (Eternal) even as you do so in this life (temporal).  Which are you focused on?

Are you focusing on this world…or are you living in this world with a gracious uncertainty by faith, focused on His Word, His Will and His Kingdom? You can have the Hope, Peace, Joy and Love that Christ brought to us at CHRISTmas this day and year, into 2021, and beyond into Eternity as you live with your focus on the Eternal today!

Remember there is only One HOPE that will endure beyond 2020, beyond 2021…forever (Romans 15:13)!  That HOPE is found in Christ alone!

That Hope is found in His Unfailing Mercies and Amazing Grace…

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’” Lamentations 3:22–24

In the Jewish culture that the Bible was written in (which we should pay close attention to in order to truly understand context and meanings even for today) the end of one year and preparation for the next was focused strongly on repentance. We would do well to spend time reflecting not only on the blessings and trials of the past year and looking forward to better things in The Lord for the coming year…we should take the time to look introspectively to where we are personally in our walk with Him.

As we humbly repent we can be assured that His mercies are new every single day…we do not receive what we deserve because Christ came, lived and died to receive the punishment that should have been ours. Praise and thanks to The Lord for His unfailing mercies toward us!

Christ promises Hope (Romans 15:13) found only in Him; Peace unlike the world gives and one that I can’t fully understand so must accept by faith (John 14:27; 16:33; Philippians 4:6-7); a Joy in any and every circumstance that is complete in Him and allows, and even compels, me to find it (Joy that is) in the most difficult of trials and circumstances…including 2020 (1 John 1:4; James 1:2-4) and finally; Love that is based on covenant and commitment and not on fleeting feelings and emotions…His Love is forever Faithful (John 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 13:8a; 1 John 4:7-21)!  It’s not the Love of the world and you and I can count on it always. 

Notice the contrast of His hope, peace, joy and love (Eternal) to that of the world’s fleeting and circumstance and emotionally-based desires rooted in the selfish flesh (temporal).  Which are you focusing on as you wrap up 2020 and look forward to the New Year?

Faith is the key to living in His Love & Lordship that will bring and mature these incredible traits and assurances into your life regardless of what you, or we, have face, are facing or will face in the future!

COVID and pandemic will not win! Election fraud and mainstream media cover-ups will not win! Lockdowns will not win! Social anarchy and chaos will not win!

Christ has already won and promises that victory to all who believe in Him as Savior and Lord (Romans 8:26-39)!  

Make it a great Advent/CHRISTmas season with family and loved ones in Christ!

Love and Lordship…Food for Thought – His mercies are new every morning and are never ending (Lamentations 3:22-24) and His grace is all-sufficient to save us and meet all our needs in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 4:19)!  He alone is where we can find Hope, Peace, Joy and Love that endures for all time and eternity!

Love and Lordship…Action Item(s) – Do you know Him?

• Spend time with Him in His Word and prayer daily
• Seek Him and ask Him to help you know Him
• Ask Him to show you how much He loves you
• Pursue a loving relationship with Him… Christ died to give it to you
• Choose the Hope, Peace, Joy and Love found only in Him not the false pretenders found in the circumstances or struggles of the world or in our fickle feelings.

“CHRISTmas is CHRIST”

First of all, you have to know by my ties that I’m a CHRISTmas freak…I love it all…Santa, Grinch, Charlie Brown, Scrooge, 34^th Street, all of it!  You know why…because I choose to take every part of it and allow it to point me to Christ!  That’s why I share with you that CHRISTmas is CHRIST!

He is much more than a Baby in a Manger, but it began there and there would be no HOPE without that First CHRISTmas when He came in the flesh, in the form of a helpless human baby! So let’s look at all The CHRIST of CHRISTmas is…

He is much more than a Baby in a Manger, which would have meant nothing without that First CHRISTmas when He came in the flesh, in the form of a helpless human baby! So let’s look at all that Jesus, The CHRIST of CHRISTmas is…

1) Christ is the Eternal God, King of kings, Lord of lords, the Creator and Sustainer of all that exists!

As we look at Christ let’s begin with His Eternal existence as God, the Son (Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-3; 8:58; Colossians 1:17; 1 John 1:1; Hebrews 7:3; 13:8 to name a few)!  He is, always has been and, always will be the King of Heaven and earth, King of Kings and Lord of Lords (1 Timothy 6:15-16; Revelation 17:14; 19:16), the very Creator of the universe who holds all things together (Colossians 1:15-17).  In order for us to understand all that He did in coming to earth we need to remember and know Who He has always been and what He gave up (Philippians 2:3-8).

2) Christ is Immanuel…God With Us!  He gave up all the glories and lifestyle of heaven, even His Divine nature as God to become a man in the very form of a helpless human baby in a manger as Immanuel…God With Us (Isaiah 7:14; 9:2-7; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1 & 2; John 1:14).  He was fully God and fully man and it is not only crucial in our salvation but in our faith that we are of His Spirit (1 John 4:1-4).  The writer of Hebrews tells us that in becoming flesh and man, He became the perfect High Priest and perfect Lamb, the sacrifice for our sins and to bring us into a relationship with Himself as God, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Hebrews 5:1-10; 9:11-14; 10:11-18)!  Had He never come in the flesh…as us…we would still have to offer imperfect and continual sacrifices!  In coming to us as the Babe of CHRISTmas, Immanuel made the way for forgiveness of sins and for us to enter into both His Presence and a relationship with Him!  Remember that without CHRISTmas there would be no Cross and no Easter Resurrection…no Hope!  Praise The Lord…He came!

3) Christ lived as a boy and a man… He grew in wisdom and stature (Luke 2:52) yet disrespected as the son of a blue-collar tradesman (Matthew 13:54-56).  He traveled as a homeless itinerant preacher and teacher (Matthew 8:19-20; Luke 9:57-58) and was rejected by the spiritual leaders and people of His day (Luke 11:14-15; John 10:31-38; Matthew 26:65-66; Mark 14:63-65).  He experienced everything that we as human beings experienced with regard to pain, temptation and ridicule and yet was without sin (Hebrews 2:17-18; 4:14-15) and able to help us in all our struggles and temptations.

4) Christ became us so He could become sin for us, and suffer and die a humiliating criminal’s death on a Cross, which was actually meant for us (2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 2:5-8; Romans 5:8). He gave up heaven, was born as a human, lived in poverty and homeless, became sin and died so that I could be set free and become righteousness through Him (John 14:6; Roman 3:21-23; 5:17; 6:23; Galatians 5:1)! Without the Cross, His Incarnation would mean nothing and we would be lost.  But Praise The Lord for His indescribable Gift coming to us at CHRISTmas!

5) Christ rose again as a Victor of sin, death and hell and by grace through faith has given me that same victory in Him (Hebrews 2:9-10; 14-15; Colossians 2:9-15; 1 Corinthians 15:53-56; Romans 6:4; 8:1-5).  Christ has become all things in that He was, is and always will be fully God and came as fully man, existing as both fully God and man so He could overcome the flesh, sin, death and hell for the sake of all those who believe in Him (John 3:16)!  Without Easter and the Resurrection, CHRISTmas and Good Friday would mean nothing. Our Hope is in Him and His Resurrection to give us new life!  We are victorious in Christ! 

6) Christ will return again as conquering King of all the nations (Revelation 12:10-11; 15:3-4; 17:14; 19:16) and claim all of His own who believe in and Him and walk by faith in obedience to Him (Matthew 19:28; 1 Corinthians 15:57; 2 Timothy 2:12; 1 John 5:4; )!  Because He came, lived, died and rose again…because heaven was temporarily emptied of His presence and the Manger, Cross and Tomb are all empty, we who believe in Him will reign in His Kingdom with Him!  The CHRIST of CHRISTmas was not just a Babe in a Manger.  He is the Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe. He was Immanuel…God With Us, God in the flesh…God and Man.  He suffered an excruciating death in humility and rejection…all for us.  He rose from the dead as the First fruits of all those who would follow Him in resurrection life.  And He will return again as the conquering King for all those who have chosen to make Him Savior and Lord!  This is the Christ of CHRISTmas! 

Let us worship this Babe in the manger for all that He is…Creator, Sustainer, Immanuel, The Suffering Servant, The Risen Son of God and Son of Man, the returning Conquering King and our Savior and Lord! 

Do you know Him?  Let me encourage you to listen to SM Lockridge’s “That’s My King” and remember that He’s The Babe in the Manger that we love and adore…and so much more!  And thank God that He gave His Indescribable Gift (1 Corinthians 15:57; 2 Corinthians 9:15)!

I pray this new CHRISTmas song helps you enjoy all that CHRIST brings as we end this crazy 2020…”Behold Him” by Francesca Battestelli… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulGqyckf-oI

Make it a great Advent/CHRISTmas season with family and loved ones in Christ!

Love and Lordship…Food for Thought – Do you know The Babe Who became flesh to be your Savior?  The Suffering Servant as your Lord?  The One Who laid down His life for you as your Friend?  The itinerary homeless teacher as your Master?  The falsely accused criminal as your conquering King?  Do you know Him?

Love and Lordship…Action Item(s) – Do you know Him?

1) Ask The Lord to show you what it meant for Him to leave all the Glory of Heaven to become human?

2) Ask Him to show you this CHRISTmas what it meant for Him to live and suffer as we do in our humanity?

3) Ask Him to show you what it meant to die in your place?

4) Ask Him what it is like to live with Him as Savior and Lord?

5) Ask Him what it will be like to reign with Him in Truth and Love?

“CHRISTmas According to the Shepherds – God’s Grace is for All!”

Excerpted from “The Real Shepherds of Bethlehem” by Nick Harris (http://www.arielministries.org/ariel/roar_main_december2008.html)

On the first Christmas night, there were shepherds tending huge flocks of sheep in the fields near the village of Bethlehem. This was odd since in those days it was unusual for shepherds to tend large flocks near towns and villages. The reason?  The odors of very large flocks fouled the air so badly that people could not breathe. So large flocks were confined to areas far from the places where the general populace resided.

Bethlehem, however, was an exception. For thirty days, once a year, an enormous flock of one-year-old lambs grazed near Bethlehem, and that time of year was the thirty days prior to Passover. The sheep in that particular location belonged to the High Priest/his family…every lamb selected and declared by the priests as unblemished and set apart to be sacrificed in the Temple or eaten as Passover lambs. The sizes of these flocks required a huge host of shepherds working in shifts. Some watched while others slept.

Bethlehem, itself, was/is a very interesting place. In the time of Jesus it was  picturesque. It sits on a high cliff and can be seen for miles in all directions.

The grazing fields where the Temple shepherds tended these flocks are in the valley south and east of the town beneath the cliff. In the middle of this pasture was a structure known as the MIGDAL EDER or “Tower of the Flock”…used by the priests who oversaw the shepherds. By remaining in the MIGDAL EDER the priests were able to keep themselves from becoming ritually defiled.

The shepherds, on the other hand, in their defiled conditions, were not allowed to go to the Temple, offer sacrifices, or go to the synagogues.  Any religious experience they might enjoy had to be between himself and God. But to a Jew of that time and especially the Temple authorities the idea of worshipping God apart from the Temple was disgusting.

So, for all these reasons, even the most pious shepherds were labeled unclean, and, according to the authorities, could not enter the presence of God. However, it was these unclean, ritually contaminated shepherds of Bethlehem that would be the first persons God would invite to visit his Son.

Oh, the audacity of God! The Bethlehem shepherds were the last people that God should welcome into His Presence. Most people were sure God would send the “intellectual and spiritual giants” who were found in the Temple.

But God had a plan…even the least among us are invited to have a relationship with His son. None of us are excluded. We do not need to be theologians to enjoy this CHRISTmas relationship; we must simply be willing to come to Him as we are.  Just as the Bethlehem shepherds did…

The Gospel According to the Shepherds

So often in the Christmas story, we focus on the main characters: Mary, Joseph, and of course, Jesus.  But through the short account in Luke 2:8-20, we can learn from the shepherds four things that should make the top of our to-do list this and every Advent/CHRISTmas season and every day!

Keep in mind who the shepherds were in the world’s eyes and their intimate understanding regarding the perfect, unblemished Passover Lamb.

1) Believe (Faith over Fear) – Luke 2:8-14

The angel said, “Peace on earth among people with whom He is pleased.” Who is that? It’s those who respond to God’s gift through faith. Scripture says, “For by grace you are saved, through faith….”

Faith means you say yes to all that God did through Christ. Yes, he is the Savior of the world. Yes, he came to die for my sins. Yes, through him I find forgiveness and new life. Yes, I want to follow Christ as Lord. Faith isn’t a spectator sport; it’s an active embracing of all that God has promised in Christ.  The shepherds had a choice to make and they did just that…

2) Obey (Acting on their Faith) – Luke 2:15

The shepherds did exactly as they were told. Faith without obedience is no faith at all! Their obedience reinforced their Faith!  Every step from the fields of Bethlehem where they watched over the Passover Lambs to the stable and manger in Bethlehem where they encountered the Perfect Passover Lamb was a step of faith until they saw Him!

3) Tell Others (Faith becomes Sight) – Luke 2:16-18)

Faith now became sight…they were the first to see The Son of God! What would they do with what they had been entrusted with? When the shepherds arrived in Bethlehem and saw the child lying in the feed trough, “they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child.” They weren’t preachers, teachers or missionaries, but that didn’t matter. They had heard and seen the Salvation for the whole world.  What else could they do?

4) Experience (Worshiping God – Luke 2:20)

The shepherds were overwhelmed at what they saw. They experienced holy wonder and could do nothing less that worship and praise God.

Amidst all the activity, stop and treasure all these things. Ponder them in your heart. Engage in some holy wonder.  Luke 2:19-20

Chuck Swindoll once penned his thoughts about the first humans to see Jesus as a baby.  He has a unique perspective that was spawned by a visit that he and his wife took to the Holy Land a few years ago.  Read Chuck’s experience in Israel and ponder its compelling impact on your own heart.

Cynthia and I were touring Israel with the ministry.  As our motor coach passed through the Judean Wilderness, I spied some people living in tents and tending goats.  “Bedouins,” our guide sneered.  “Have you ever met one?”  I asked.  I’ll never forget his answer:  “Why in the world would I want to do that?  They’re Bedouins.”

As we drove on, it struck me that the Bible has another name for Bedouins ― shepherds.

Contrary to most Christmas pageants, these shepherds weren’t clean people in terrycloth robes and soft, rubber sandals.  They were nobodies nobody cared to know―society’s leftovers who looked after stinking animals.  Since that day, I’ve never read Luke’s gospel the same way:

There were shepherds staying in the fields . . . Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared . . . “Don’t be afraid!” he said.  “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.  The Savior ― yes, the Messiah, the Lord ― has been born today in Bethlehem!” (Luke 2:8-11).

The shepherds were stunned!  Not just because they were terrified, but because the Lord had proclaimed His message “to all people.”  Even them.  In light of God’s boundless grace, they felt compelled to go to Jesus and exclaimed, “’Let’s go to Bethlehem!’” (Luke 2:15).  But that wasn’t their only response:  “After seeing Him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened: (Luke 2:17).

They were compelled to go to Jesus, and then having met Him, they were compelled to make Him known.

Chuck went on to say, “Having met Jesus, I am continuously compelled to make Him known.  His grace compels me!  And look at how His grace makes a difference:  Cheryl wrote…

I am just a nobody single mom who works overnight in a grocery store stocking shelves.  This is when I listen to IFL podcasts.  The messages have blessed me and made me feel strong when I have felt so very weak from the challenges of life.

Cheryl is one of thousands and there are millions more who need to hear that God’s Word is for “all people.”  When they do, they will be compelled to go to Jesus, and having met Him, they will be compelled to make Him known.

Make it a great day and God bless in Christ!

Love and Lordship…Food for Thought – We have heard God’s message!  We have been compelled to go to Jesus, and having met Him, we’re compelled to make Him known!  This December, and every day, let’s remember those who feel like Bedouins…like nobodies nobody cares to know.   And together ― like those first lowly shepherds ― let’s proclaim the Good News:  God’s grace is for all!