Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Christmas Movies, Facts of Christmas Sermon, Devotionals

 Hi Folks,

I hope you are having a good week!  I have a number of things for you this week which I hope will be a big blessing to you and your families this week and next!  

I have linked some family friendly Christmas movies below that looked wonderful!
The Nativity Story I have watched twice this season and it gets better each time I watch it!!  The movie sticks to the Biblical storyline other than 3 liberties taken that are not true (just for your FYI:)
-Mary and Joseph did not have a near drowning experience in a lake; the Wise Men did not come at Jesus' birth, but when He was around 2 (Matthew 2:11-"young child" meant 2+) and Mary was more than thankful to accept Joseph's hand in marriage (rather than being grumpy about it) as the custom was to marry young, have a family (age expectancy in Bible days was only 50) so that a family's lineage could go on. 

We Three Kings is a brand new release this month and it gives the true story behind the Christmas carol.  It features some well known folks in the Christian music industry as well (Michael W. Smith is one).
I've seen the trailer and I can't wait to watch the whole film!

Chasing the Star is about the Wise Men and their long, audrius journey to find the Savior (they came from Persia, not the Orient as the carol states:) and it would have taken many months/miles to get to Him.
I watched the trailer and it looks thrilling, but I can't guarantee how close it sticks to the Bible story, but it looks interesting:)

The Christmas Candle I started to watch and the story line looks very sweet.  It was written by a well known, Christian author who is a fabulous storyteller, so I think it would be enjoyable to watch.  

The Facts of Christmas:  Sometimes it's hard to tell fact from fiction when you consider all the traditions of Christmas.  Unless you read the Christmas Story firsthand, it's hard to sort out.  My mom and I also listened to this sermon Sunday and I really enjoyed it!!  
It held my attention, I learned much and it was ideal for someone who had recently trusted Jesus as their Saviour, either in the last few years, weeks (the applications to life were great!), or for someone who needed a reminder of what happened in their life when they trusted Christ.  Would HIGHLY encourage a listen in snippets as you can, AND LISTEN TO THE END! 
https://livestream.com/opendoorchurchlive/services/videos/215163200. (Move to the 22 minute mark for the sermon)

Devots.  Below are 3 devots. that I picked up. They go along beautifully with the sermon link above if you take a listen to it in the next 2 weeks.  

The 3rd devot. listed mentions Jesus saying that we did not praise Him or proclaim Him as Lord, (He was speaking to His disciples, but it could be applied to all who have trusted Christ), the very rocks they walked on would cry out!!  And if God said it, He means it!   Could not we praise Him this week, through listening/singing to Christmas carols or even by wishing someone "Merry Christmas" as a way to remind them of the True Meaning of the season right now???

I pray that the Lord richly blesses you and your family this Christmas week!  
God bless!

Devots.  (Used by permission.  Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/). 

The Wonder of God's Plan (This ties in great with the sermon link above!)

Good News for All the Earth: 

The Rocks, Stones, and Stars:

Family Movies:
Chasing the Stars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em6JOnNDC9c
The Christmas Candle (below):
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Devot. The Shepherds Told Their Story

 Hi Folks,

I hope you are having a great week!!! Below are 2 devots. that caught my eye this week.    The first one is about poor shepherds who were the first ones to be told that The Savior had been born.   

There is something very significant about the angels proclaiming the news to the shepherds first. At that time they were considered ceremonially unclean.  I asked my Pastor to give me a little more insight on this and he said, "It would appear that by Jesus time they were considered "unclean" because these shepherds were not nomadic, but would live on the hillsides with the sheep from March-October.  Because they were unable to "separate" themselves from the livestock for any period of time and because they were unable to practice the "ritual washing" required by the temple priests they were considered unclean."     

Now what interests me is that these shepherds may have been some of the ones to raise sheep to be bought and used as animal sacrifices in the Temple in Jerusalem.  At that time, God's way of the people being cleansed and forgiven of their sin was through the blood of certain animal sacrifices.   

Hebrews 9:22 says, "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission {forgivensss}."  But When Christ came, the Bible says that He became our sinless sacrifices, the Lamb that was slain for the sins of the world.  

1 Peter 1:18-19, "knowing that you were not redeemed (using the terminology of a slave being bought from the slave market-i.e. we being bought  back from the slave market of sin) with [a]corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,  but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." 

In light of this, I was thinking how sad it was that those who were a part of something so important-raising sheep whose blood would in turn  be God's means, at that time, of cleansing, covering and forgiving sins- would be considered the lowest of the low, "untouchables."  And yet God made a point of sending a great multitude of angels to them in the sky to proclaim that God had come!!  And then they were to  be the messengers to spread the word to others.   Wow!!!    I believe this was God's way of showing that He was no respecter of persons, He was coming to save everyone-rich, poor, those who considered themselves righteous and those who were humble enough to admit that they were sinners. But God wanted to tell the lowest of the low first in order to show how greatly He loved them!

Romans 2: 6, 10-13 says, "Who (God)will render to every man according to his deeds:  But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:  For there is no respect of persons with God.  For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;   (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified."

The 2nd devot. I have below reminds of Christ's humble beginnings.  Think of coming from a place where there are streets of gold and gates with different precious gems on them (Revelation 21), the worship of angels, (Revelation 7:11), the adoration and praise befitting the King of all (Revelation 17:14, 19:111-16) and coming to a smelly stable and having a feed trough as your bed?   From a human standpoint, I'm not sure I would be willing to do that for anyone, but Christ was willing to do that FOR US.  

"Let this mind be in you, (have the following mindset of humility) which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: (i.e. because He WAS God)  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: (God took on human flesh and yet remained God)  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (1 Pet. 2:5-8).

It's an awesome  thought if you dwell on it long enough.....

Well, enjoy pondering the below devots. I hope you and yours have a blessed and healthy weekend!!!! 



(Devots. used by permission.  Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/)

The Shepherds Told Their Story:

Humble Beginnings: 

Devot. Prophesying Christ's Birth

 Hi Folks,

I hope you are having a great week!!!  The below devots. are some great ones for the Christmas season. 

The first devot. below brought to mind a conversation I had via phone with my pastor this past weekend.  I was hosting a zoom movie for some of the teen girls I mentor and I was showing "The Nativity Story" from 2016.  I was going through the film and researching details so I could give the girls some in depth background on the Christmas story they may not have thought of. 

I was asking my pastor exactly where do we find some of the Old Testament prophecies that predicted Christ's birth and how many years were they prophesied before they came to pass?

~Numbers 24:17 and Isaiah 9:6-7 predicted Christ's birth (the passage in Numbers was written 1,4000 years before Christ's birth)

~Micah 5:2 predicted Christ's birth and the exact town He would be born in.

~Isaiah 7:14 predicted that specifically a virgin would would birth to the long awaited Messiah (Savior) (this was prophesied 750 years before Christ's birth)

If you read through Luke 1-2 and Matthew 1-2, you will find words like "as it is written" (Luke 2:23) to give credit to the fact that the words or incidents that just occurred were spoken of in the Old Testament and were now coming to pass.

As I thought of this on Saturday, I just sat back and thought, "Wow, here we have prophecies of Jesus, God Himself, coming to earth for us down to the exact town He would be born. God made sure it was recorded so that when it happened, we would see The Truth and know that God keeps His Word! Wow!!" 

I hope the devots. below are a big blessing to your weekend/week ahead and that it refreshes your mind on the Christmas story.

As a thought, consider reading through Luke 1-2 and Matthew 1-2  through this season (on your own or as a family), maybe as bedtime reading.  I plan to do the same with a pencil and sticky notes in hand as I read carefully through the accounts.  
Each writer  God inspired to write the Christmas story had their own flare based on 2 factors-their profession and the audience they were writing to. 

My pastor gave me these details of the 2 writers, the audience they were writing to and how they wished to present Jesus in these books, "Each of the Gospel writers present Jesus in a unique way to a unique audience so that taking the four together we truly get a better view of Jesus and how He revealed Himself to humanity.  Matthew is writing primarily to a Jewish group of believers, so he presents Jesus as the Messiah, the Anointed One so they could understand His coming from Old Testament Scripture.  Luke is writing primarily to a Greek audience, so He presents Jesus as the Son of Man (God's Son).  Matthew 9:9 records that Matthew was a tax collector.  In Mark and Luke he is listed as Levi, but the description and calling by Jesus indicate that Matthew & Levi were one and the same person." 

I pray that the devots are a blessing to your weekend.  
God bless you and yours! 

(Devots. used to by permission. Take from https://www.dayspring.com)

Prophecy: Born in Bethlehem:

Jesus the Savior:

Names: 

Devot. Advent

Hi Folks!

I hope you are having a good week!!!   Well, here we are at the first week of December and the countdown to Christmas begins:)

The below 3 devots. are a great start to the Christmas season, they are practical, but contain some valuable lessons to be learned that you can apply to your life and pass onto your family as we prepare for Christmas.
I pray you and your family has a blessed week!

A touching song to prepare our hearts for Christmas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUFSxt7qkNw

(Devotionals used by permission.  Taken from https://www.dayspring.com)

Introducing Advent to the Next Generation: 

Advent: A Season of Hope, Love, Joy, Peace:

6 Ways to Prepare for the Christmas Season:

~~"Without the humility of the stable, there is no hope of Heaven." (Jennifer Reed) ~~
"...Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:" Philippians 2:5-9

Thursday, October 22, 2020

Devot: Security in Christ

 HI Folks,

I hope you are having a good week!  I didn't know what devotional topic to use this week, but a conversation I had with my mom brought an idea to my mind: Our Security in Christ (God can be trusted).  

If you have trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, as your only way of getting to Heaven, so matter what the world is dealing with, you are safe in Christ.  

In John 10:27-30, Jesus compared those who had trusted Him to sheep needing a shepherd.   Sheep cannot find a watering hole,  grass or stay protected from predators without the shepherd's help. 
 
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.  I and my Father are one (this short verse is proof that Jesus and God are One-Jesus said so Himself!)."

We cannot make it to Heaven on our own merits, we cannot live without the breath God chooses to give us each day, we cannot even find our way through life (His will for our life like I mentioned last week), without His guiding hand.   
But with Him as our Saviour, we are eternally safe in His hands-forever. 

I pray the devots. below are a timely reminder that if you have trusted Jesus as your Savior/Way to Heaven, you are safe, even in the midst of this pandemic.   
The devots. below are some really great ones, so pick the one that perks your interest title wise, or take the next week and read one every few days, they aren't long and detailed, but practical and encouraging. 

Lastly, I am including a sermon link that I would very highly encourage you (even beg you) to listen to, even in 5 or 10 minute clips.  It was encouraging, very hopeful in tone, but also had some lighthearted moments along the way.  The topic was our security in Christ,  and that we will make it through this tough time.  It also explains also how Jesus forgave our sins when we trusted Him, how He views us when we sin now and the magnitude of what happened when He died for us. If you have recently trusted Jesus as your Savior this would perfect to listen to!!!!!  It was powerful to listen to and encouraged my heart, so please take a listen. 

Have a blessed rest of your weekend! 

Move your cursor to the 30 minute mark and you will get right to the sermon

First 3 devots. used by permission.   Taken from https://www.intouch.org)

God Will Never Forsake You:

Faithful Father (God Can Be Trusted):

How God Works:

Your Lantern and Compass: (A devotional that encouraged my heart this week!)
(Used by permission.   Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/daily-devotion/)

Devot: God's Will for Our Lives

 Hi Folks,

I hope you had a good week so far!

The topic that came to my mind 2 weeks ago for our devotional topic this week was "God's Will".

Have you ever heard someone say, "It was God's Will" or "I'm looking for or praying about God's Will" ?

If you have grown up in church then the term is probably familiar, if you have not and heard someone say that, then you probably wondered what on the earth that meant! :)

In a nut shell, what it means is that God has had a specific plan for your life since before the day of your birth (Jeremiah 1:5, Ps. 139:13-16).  This is for the person who has trusted Jesus for their salvation and even those who have not. 

What happens though is that most of us do not pray and ask God to direct our lives in the way HE thinks best.  We decide that by fate, chance, accident, or by our own will or means, we will lead our lives.

Through the years I have found that my life never goes well when I approach my life that way.    God wishes to be the Captain that steers my life into the opportunities, avenues, jobs, the career, life partner,  that He knows will be the very best for me (He is looking out for my good and knows the future), even designs bumps along the road to help me grow closer to Him.  He will also most especially direct my life in order that I may serve Him the very best.

He has created each person for His glory, praise and purpose and if we ask and let Him, He will direct us where He wishes to go in life order that we might fulfill the purpose He has always had for us.  Doing life this way will also bring the most joy, peace and productivity as well.  I can say personally that there are certain key times in my life where He has taught me this lesson, right now happens to be another time of growth in that area:)

Below are some very super devotions that give clarity.  The first one I have linked is a short sermon my mom and I listened to a few weeks back.  You all came to mind at that time and I knew it needed to be shared.  It is a short sermon with a practical 
explanation of what it means to be "In God's Will" and how to do it, it was super! Would highly encourage you to break it into 5 minutes a day and make it a priority to listen.  The other 2 devots. below are practical and understandable.  

Pray you would get much out of our topic this weekend and look inside of yourself and you listen and read the below.  Lord bless you and yours!

(Devots and sermon used by permission.  Taken from https://www.intouch.org)

Rocky Road to the Will of God (i.e. being willing to let God lead:)
(Read the sermon notes on the right side of the screen)

Discovering the Will of God for your Life:  (sermon notes on the right side of the screen)


Devotional: Hope

 Hi Folks,

I hope you have had a great week so far!! Our topic for today is "hope."  The definition of 'hope' is not, "Well, I HOPE this will happen, but I don't know," but instead, as a noun it means "the grounds for believing something good will happen," "a feeling of trust."  (https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/hope)

Jeremiah 17:7 states, "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is."

Lamentations 3:24 says, "“The Lord is my portion,” (i.e, "He's everything I need!") says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”

Psalm 119:114 ,"You (God)are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word."

Romans 5:5, "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

Romans 15:13, "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope (abound means 'be full of hope') by the power of the Holy Spirit. "

Romans 15:4, "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the [a]patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope."

God wishes us to trust and have hope in Him, His Word because He/His word can be trusted!  
I pray that the devotionals below bring you HOPE from God's Word and He reminds you through them, that He is right beside you this weekend.  Lord bless you and yours!

(Devotionals used by permission.  Taken from https://www.dayspring.com)
Surrounded:

Finding Hope Through Prayer: 

Where Does Your Hope Come From:

When the Death of a Dream Brings Hope:


Thursday, August 6, 2020

Devot. Kindness

Hi Folks,
I hope you have had a good week!   I had the topic of 'kindness' in my mind for our devotional this week.  

I had an assortment of devotions land in my inbox that had some very encouraging and Biblical lessons.  None of them were specifically on kindness, but I believe the lessons in the devotionals, esp. in the first 2, would reflect a spirit of kindness to those around us.   I still say that we are not seeing this type of heart and attitude at this time like I was seeing when the pandemic first started.  
But maybe we could start the wheels of change on that, starting with our own Christlike actions and heart!

Pray that the Lord would direct you to the devotional that would encourage and inspire you and strengthen your heart in Him this week.  Lord bless you!

(Devotions used by permission.  Taken from https://www.dayspring.com)

Made to Shine: 

Be a Blessing:

Let's Cheer Each Other On:

Uncertain Times: 

Take Heart:

Heart Health: 

Two Words to Bring Peace:


~ ~ "You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you."  John Bunyan, Writer of Pilgrim's Progress ~ ~