Unspeakable Thanks be to God for HIs indescribable gift! Indescribable - comes from anekdiēgētos and it means unspeakable. The gift He has given us really is unspeakable, there are no words to describe the fullness of it. There are few things that we say are indescribable, few things that we say there is no word to express, but He is the essence of indescribability, the essence of unspeakableness. During this December to Remember, we have only begun to list gifts that originate from THE GIFT. Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation , or shifting shadow. Your Christmas List, - A Reverse List, from the Giver to you, coming down from the Father of lights: 1. Righteous Branch 2. Favor 3. The meaning of His name 4. He Hears you call His Name when you speak your need 5. Never Walking Alone 6. No matter what man says, what God says about you is the final authority 7. A New Name 8. Bread 9. New Births 10. The Feeding Trough 11. A Flock 12. God's apparence 13. The Calm Delight 14. Today 15. Outstretched Arms 16. No Room 17. Christmas Rush - the real one. 18. His voice 19. A place to find wisdom 20. Travel 21. Family - Biological and Spiritual 22. Gifts for you to give away 23. SO Love 24. Something Indescribable - THE GIFT. And just think, we were able to list all of those gift from one story. Imagine all of the other gifts left to be opened hidden within the pages of His word. I hope this has been a December to Remember. From my family to yours, 
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So
The verse for today says more than I could ever try to write about or try to teach you, I will let the words speak for themselves. Read them slowly, paying attention to every word so that the meaning of them combined is allowed to settle into the cracks and crevices of your soul that have been longing for more..... For God so loved the world that He gave HIs only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. -- John 3:16 He so loved.
That He gave. His treasure to you. To do with as you see fit. The Giver gave, my friend, because He so loved. He opened His greatest treasure and turned Him over to you. He wants to honor you because He so loves you. Your 23rd gift this December to Remember - SO Love. His Love - both the action and the person. 
Opening Treasures....and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. -- Matthew 2:11 After the wise men came into the house, they opened their treasures.
What is it that you treasure? What comes to mind when you hear that word? Treasures, in our eyes, are worth more than money could ever buy, they are often collected and held near and dear to our hearts. Looking through that lense, I'll ask again, what is it that you treasure? Is it your family, your children, your house, your bank account? Maybe it's your marriage, or an organized life, a clean kitchen? Maybe you are really talented at something and you cherish that talent. What is held near to your heart? opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts. They didn't stop at opening the treasures, they went on to present from their treasures gifts... to Him. These gifts were given as an expression of honor. They had pursued wisdom, so they knew this child was the King of the Jews and they wanted to honor Him. Do we know that? There are days when I don't open my treasures to HIm at all. There are days when I open my treasures and show them to Him, closing the lid on them and keeping them to myself. Those are days when my heart has become disconnected and I fail to remember He is the King of the Jews. But there are a few days that I get it right, and I open what is dearest to my heart and present that treasure to Him as a gift. An expression of honor to my King. Once I give someone a gift, it is no longer mine, it belongs to the receiver to do with it as he sees fit. We can truly honor Him, by giving Him something that is dear to us to do with as He pleases. What gifts do you have for the King? We all have gifts, for they have been given to us by the Giver himself. Your 22nd gift this December to Remember - Gifts. Gifts to present to your King. To do with as He sees fit. Giver of all good things, what can I give You? What do You have on your Christmas list this year that only could come from me? Search me and know me, and then Abba Father, whisper it in my ear that I may honor you. Family Matters
And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him. -- Matthew 2:11 The wisemen pursued wisdom and the pursuit of wisdom led them to a new place. They've reached the place where the child is, where Jesus is. His house. They found Jesus safe at home with his mother.
And they came in. Into the place Jesus shared with His family. His home. A home is a place we share with family. Entering someone's home gives us a glimpse into their world, we connect more intimately when we spend time in someone's home. The wise men entered the intimate place Jesus shared with His family. Where is His home on now? Yes, our hearts, but that's not where I'm going with this. Where is the intimate place He shares with His family? There's another place that we refer to as His house . . . . . . The church. We come together as the church to enjoy Him and enjoy our family. Not just our biological family, our spiritual family. If we are wise men and women we will "come in" to His house like the magi did. We know Him more after spending time in His home. May I encourage you, if you are not part of a local congregation, find your family. It is wise. Very wise. I understand you may have experienced interractions with a church in the past that were less than pleasant, and for that I am truly sorry. These things should not be. Please understand before you try it again, there is no perfect congregation, but we have a perfect Savior, and that is what matters. We have to stay connected if we are to stay strong. The enemy wants you isolated and alone, away from family so that he can destroy you. Dare to come in my friends, for it is wise. On the other hand, for those of you who are an active part of a local church, it's our jobs to create a homey atmosphere. What are you doing to make it feel like family? Would it feel like a home to someone? When others taste wisdom and dare to come in to the home you share with Christ and His family, is that atmosphere one that would lead them to fall down and worship Him? Your 21st gift this December to Remember - Family. I Don't Like to Travel Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him. -- Matthew 2:2 We talked about the journey for wisdom yesterday, and we are still on a journey, but our destination is different. The wise men had pursued wisdom which is how they knew to follow the star, but the journey itself was even more than a pursuit of wisdom, it was also for worship. We can pursue wisdom, but then what we do with it is vital. They searched out wisdom and used it to move from where they were to a new place, a place of worship. Simply moving from where we are now in life to the new place wisdom has revealed is a form of worship. Obeying God is one way we worship Him. Trusting that you will meet God more closely in the new place and anticipating that deeper relationship is worship. You can celebrate throughout the journey. It doesn't always have to be 800 miles and it doesn't always take 40 days, sometimes the trip He wants to take us on is short both in distance and time, but what He wants from us is the willingness to travel. He doesn't even expect us to walk alone, He will be your travel companion and He has an itinerary planned for the journey that is specific to each of us if we would but pack our suitcases and move from one place to the next. Truthfully, I don't really like to travel. I like to be at home. Even when we are getting ready for vacation, I always dread the process, but when I get there, I am so glad I didn't back out. You will be too. The trip will be worth it. Are you willing to travel? He has your itinerary ready. The world has an itinerary for you and you may have one for yourself. Wisdom calls us to choose His itinerary over the others. Are you packed? Step out with one foot - the journey begins, so does the worship. Your 20th gift this December to Remember - travel plans, a trip that is worth it. For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. -- Jeremiah 29:11 Can It Really Be Found? Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem if Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem -- Matthew 2:1 Who were these men called wise men? Who were the magi? Some say they were astrologers, some say they were magicians, some say they interpreted dreams, and all of those things are probably true, but what catches my attention about who they were has to do with wisdom and what they did for it. They were in pursuit of it. They were men in pursuit of wisdom. They knew to follow the star because they had studied the old sacred writings including the Old Testament. If they hadn't sought wisdom in study, they would never have known of verses like Numbers 24:17 I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel They were seeking wisdom long before Wisdom arrived. They were hungry for wisdom long before they knew what they were hungry for. They were in pursuit of it. When they left for Bethlehem, if they had traveled the common path, it would have been an 800 mile trip, one way. If they averaged 20 miles a day, the entire journey would have taken 40 days. By the way, I don't think that the trip taking 40 days was a coincidence - God seems to like that number! The wise men wanted answers. They wanted wisdom. They wanted it badly. It forces the question - How severely do I want wisdom? Do I desire it as the magi? My journey for wisdom is often much shorter than 40 days, I think I'm really doing well if I seek wisdom for 40 minutes. More times than not, my mind becomes distracted, and I default to "just roll with it" never really settling the issue. It's usually not a long journey, sadly. How far would you journey for wisdom and how hungry are you for it? Can it really be found? The answer is yes. Wisdom can be found. The wise men found Wisdom at the manger. So can we. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. -- James 1:5 I see the lack, Lord. I see where my default takes me. Default leads right back to me, relying on self to figure something out. My default is not to ask wisdom of You, but to ask me. Oh, yes, I often ask You for wisdom generally speaking, but I don't ask you enough for specific wisdom in specific circumstances. I don't allow You time to wrestle with me so that my heart is convinced on a matter. Father, first, I ask for the fervor of the magi in seeking wisdom, focus my thoughts to be yours, ready my heart for journeys with yours. You have shown me in James 1:5 that you will give me wisdom when I ask, and I believe what You say. When you give me a portion of your unending wisdom, help me to understand what You reveal at my seeking and protect my mind and heart from things too great for me to comprehend. I love You, my Wise God, my new place to come for wisdom is your manger.
There's Nothing Like The Sound of Your Voice Oh, my friends, we have made it to the manger. We've made it to the feeding trough and there before us is the Bread of Life, the Righteous Branch oustretched, and at peace. The heart knows all is well in this moment. A calm delight wells up within. Stop and take it in for just a moment. You are there in the presence of His complete pureness. It's time to worship. How? Still your body. Still your mind. And worship........... Come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the sheep of HIs hand. Today, if you would hear His voice..... -- Psalms 95:6-7 Worship - to depress oneself, not in the sense of the word depression as we hear it today, but to lower self, self desires, our selfishness. Depress ourselves, press self down so that He may be lifted up.
We become less. He becomes more. Today, if you would hear His voice.... You're at the manger. Depress yourself and - Hear. Hear in passage comes from shama and it means to hear with the intention of obeying. Hearing with the intention of obeying is a true form of worship. Self is truly pressed down, self interest removed and God interest is at the forefront. Today, my sisters, if you would hear His voice.... He wants to talk to you. Go - hastily - to the manger. Stop.... Yes, now.... Worship.... Listen..... He will speak. His voice - your 18th gift this December to Remember. Tears fill my eyes at the thought of your voice speaking within. When I depress myself in worship and then hear You, its I want to depress myself farther, allowing You to speak more and more. Nothing can replace those times I have shared with You, Father, and I ask You to give that wonderful gift to every heart that reads these words. Some of them may have never realized your voice, and I don't want them to miss out on the beauty and peace of knowing You have spoken. Dance upon their hearts, Father, so that their hearts may dance before You. Make today a day of worship that they have never known. I know You want to do that and I know that You will. Today, God, I hear your voice..... In Haste. Rush. Rush. Rush. There are more things to do and more places to be than there are of you to go around. Is that how you feel this time year? I assure you, I can identify. Often, the nights don't seem so silent. The manger seems so far AWAY , that I have to really refocus to find it. Away in a manger, where the little Lord Jesus lays down His sweet head, I think the stars in the sky got it right by staying right where they were and looking down where He lay. The stars, right there at the manger. Right where I need to be. Everyday. Not just at Christmas. Remember that thing about you being a shepherd? Yeah, that.... Since we're all shepherds, I guess we need to learn what the shepherds did after the angel came to visit. And it came about when the angel had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us." And they came in haste and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in a manger. -- Luke 2:15-16 How did the shepherds come?
In haste. Isn't that how me are moving about these days? In haste? What does haste mean? Here's what Merriam-Webster.com says: 1 : rapidity of motion : swiftness 2 : rash or headlong action : precipitateness <the beauty of speed uncontaminated by haste— Harper's> 3 : undue eagerness to act You know what it's like, you wake up each morning with a to do list in mind and as soon as your feet hit the floor, you do the best you can to get to the finish line. You do it all with a sense of urgency. But where are we going in our haste? Where did the shepherds go in theirs? Don't forget, that no matter who we are or what we do, we all have a flock of some sort. Where the shepherds went the flock went also. Where are you hastily leading your flock? Let's plug in some of what we have learned in this series and go through these two verses again Let us go straight to the house of Bread then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us. And they came in haste and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as the Bread of Life lay outstretched in the feeding trough. They led them straight to the feeding trough, where the Bread of Life was. If your flock is following you, would they end up at the manger? Would the destination be one filled with the food of everlasting life? God, I shudder to think of where I have led people sometimes with my words, my actions, my attitudes. Please forgive me and restore new opportunities to lead the sheep to the trough to eat from your hand. Let me do your work and give people a chance to taste the manna from above. Spirit, I give you permission to interrupt me and ask me where I am leading people in the day to day moments, not just during this season but during all seasons. No Room. Maybe That Was A Good Thing.
Let's travel back just a few verses so that I can share something with you that occurred to me this week as I thought about the Christmas story. Let's rewind to Luke 2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. --Luke 2:7 There was no room for them.
Rejected. Contractions are closer and closer. Rejected. Droplets of sweat cover her forehead and she breathes deep with agony. Rejected. She braces her swollen womb with one arm to hold back pain, she clings to Joseph with the other to merely stand. No more time for rejections. There is no room. How sad I have thought and been taught for years, and sad it is. Even His entry was rejected. But what about God's perfect plan? I think this is exactly what He had in mind. There are three reasons I can think of with my small mind, and I am sure there are many many more if I were to be able to sit across the table from the Father to learn from Him. First, He was born in a stable, among animals, among sheep. The perfect one came and dwelt with the imperfect. A Shepherd born among sheep. How fitting. He wasn't afraid to be amongst those less than Him. No Room? Maybe that was a good thing. It may not have been as bad as we may think. God's plan and will are perfect, He knew this was going to be the case. If Jesus, God Incarnate, had been born in an inn, He would have been born in man's home. Man's dwelling. And men, in our greed, we may have tried to take credit for Sovereign activity. Thre was no room for that. No room for man to interfere. No room for man to set up a museum. No room for man to alter the true story. Outside of the inn, there was no room for man to boast or brag about being involved. God took man out of the equation and brought the High and Exalted One down to dwell with the least of these, and my friends there was nothing man could do about that. Lastly, birth is a private moment. A time to be cherished. And God kept it such by keeping it outside of the inn, away from all of the people who had arrived for the census. Just Mary, Joseph, and the Father. In the still, quiet of the stable, the Father got to see His Son be born on that Silent Night in Bethlehem. Your 16th gift this December to Remember - No Room. No room, to Mary's ears, must have sounded like the worst thing that could happen, but You knew exactly how things needed to be, and now 2000 years later, no man can take credit for what You brought forth to be laid in a manger, the Bread of Life, from which all could eat and be filled. Thank You, Sovereign God that you didn't allow us to mess up what You already had planned. Outstretched
And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. --Luke 2:12 As if you haven't noticed by now, I love to dig up meanings to words. There are so many gems hidden within the common verses we often read over without much thought. Digging out those gems makes me ponder the depth of what He has written and left for us to know. There is something new to be learned everyday if we refuse the familiar and search for the new. Upon discovery of a hidden gem, I feel just like the young lady in the picture above. I feel like I could just outstretch my arms, throw back my head and bask in the One who created me, wants to know me, and wants me to know Him. It's just marvelous. Today's hidden gem for me is the word "lying". Our familiarity races over this word and we envision a little sweet infant wrapped snuggly in white, sleeping peacefully on a bed of straw. Lying comes from the word keimai and it does mean to lie. But - it also means outstretched. It also means to be appointed. Ironically, or maybe not so ironically, when I think of Jesus, the image that comes to mind is just that.... 
With a strong hand and an outstretched arm, For HIs lovingkindness is everlasting. -- Psalms 136:12 The babe lying in a manger was appointed to be outstretched on the cross for you and for me.
Your 15th gift this December to Remember, Outstretched Arms. God, with arms wide open you wait for me to run into them. With arms wide open your Son died for me. Thank you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for the gift of outstretched arms. |
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