Making the Holidays Holy Days

Making the Holidays Holy Days

“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her” (Luke 1:45).

     How can we make the holidays holy days?  One way is to join our praises to those of Mary, the mother of Jesus. While visiting her miraculously, pregnant cousin Elizabeth, the rejoicing spirit of a newly pregnant Mary, cried out praise known as The Magnificat. This ancient song, found in the Old Testament, was traditionally sung or chanted by boys. However, on this day, Mary, full of joy at the wonder that she would give birth to the Messiah, either said or sang these beautiful words. You can find her story in Luke 1:26-56. 

The Harp with Ten Strings

  Charles Spurgeon, a great British preacher of the early twentieth century, said that The Magnificat, a celebration of God’s faithfulness and power, is like a “harp with ten strings” because of the ten reasons to rejoice contained within these Old Testament praises that poured out from Mary’s rejoicing heart.  Are you ready for the music of these ten strings?

  • God is my joy. {Luke 1:46 NIV} And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord.
    ~ Mary had profound reasons to praise God.  She was joyful, having settled confidence that God is who He says He is and can do what He says He can do.
  • Jesus is God. {Luke 1:47 NIV} and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
    ~ Mary recognized that this life growing within her was “Immanuel,” God with us and mighty to save.  Jesus would one day say, “Before Abraham was, I am (John 8:58).
  • God bends low. {Luke 1:48 NIV} for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
    ~Mary was amazed and thrilled that God was coming down to put on humanity’s skin to save us.  She saw God stooping down to deliver those who were willing from the clutches of death.
  • God is good. From now on, all generations will call me blessed,
    ~ Mary remembered God calling Himself “good” in Exodus 33:19, and she praised Him for His goodness toward her, recognizing His compassion, love, mercy, patience, and power.
  • God’s grace is holy. {Luke 1:49 NIV} for the Mighty One has done great things for me– holy is his name.
    ~ Mary celebrated a pure and sinless God offering His undeserved favor to sinful humanity.  His “great things” included cleansing, forgiving, and giving us a way to come to His “throne of grace” to receive love, healing, hope, and peace.
  • God is merciful. {Luke 1:50 NIV} His mercy extends to those who fear him.
    ~ Mary praised a strong but tender God who comes to us as a compassionate priest, remembering “that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14).
  • God does not change. from generation to generation.
    ~ Mary praised God for never changing. He is not subject to bad moods or difficult times.  He never lies; He is always a reliable protector and keeper of promises.
  • God is powerful. {Luke 1:51 NIV} He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
    ~ Mary knew the power of reciting the specific times in which God had shown His wonder-working ability. God’s resume is a faith-builder because what He has done in the past can do now and in the future.
  • God is the boss. He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. {Luke 1:52-55 NIV} He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
    ~Mary yielded to God as a trustworthy king, believing that His will for her was good.  She let God be the judge and rule-maker, which freed her to experience fulfillment in the new adventure He had for her.
  • God is faithful. “He has helped his servant Israel,remembering to be merciful {Luke 1:55 NIV} to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”
    ~ Mary trusted that God would carry His plan for our salvation and the defeat of death all the way to completion! She trusted Him never to abandon His good plan for her.

What is your favorite string in Mary’s harp?  Perhaps you might enjoy meditating on these ten big ideas as you move through this holiday season and add your praises to those of Mary.

Prayer: 

Lord, I praise You and thank You for coming down to be with us so that death would no longer defeat us and our mistakes would no longer define us.  You are a faithful, strong, good God and the source of my joy.  You make the holidays holy days.  Help me to play my own harp of ten strings as I praise You. Amen.

GATHER WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS

GATHER WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS

Thanksgiving Day is arguably the best holiday of the year because… FOOD. Here is a glimpse of what I cooked last year:

But menu aside, this November holiday is deeply rooted in spending time with family, and above all else, gratitude, making this special day the perfect opportunity to tap into a more reflective mindset. So after you’ve said a Thanksgiving prayer over the bounty of food, consider capping off your meal with a few meaningful Thanksgiving Bible verses to share around the table.

NOTE: Even if you are not surrounded by food and family on Thanksgiving Day, you ARE surrounded by the love of your Heavenly Father. Paul assures us of this in Romans 8:39, saying, “No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” And that’s worth being thankful for!

I have compiled a bunch of verses from the Bible on gratitude, Thanksgiving, and praise. In case you don’t have time to make a list of your own during the hustle & bustle, feel free to use mine. Adding Thanksgiving to God into the mix of holiday traditions may just be your NEW favorite reason for loving Thanksgiving.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.

1 Chronicles 16:34

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Colossians 3:15

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

Colossians 4:2

I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 1:4

Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks. For we know it is made acceptable by the word of God and prayer.

1 Timothy 4:4-5

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the Lord alone.

Jonah 2:9

Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High.

Psalm 50:14

You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.

Psalm 4:7

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

Colossians 3:16

Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.

Hebrews 12:28

Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods. The gods of other nations are mere idols, but the Lord made the heavens!

1 Chronicles 16:23-26

O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name!

1 Chronicles 29:13

Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.

Hebrews 13:15

The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

Psalm 28:7

I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?

Psalm 56:4

Then I will praise God’s name with singing, and I will honor him with thanksgiving.

Psalm 69:30

I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever! Young and old will hear of your faithfulness. Your unfailing love will last forever. Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.

Psalm 89:1-2

Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him. For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods.

Psalm 95:1-3

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening, accompanied by a ten-stringed instrument, a harp, and the melody of a lyre.

Psalm 92:1-3

Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

Psalm 107:8-9

Smelling Like Jesus

Smelling Like Jesus

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. [2 Corinthians 2:14]

What is your favorite scent? What aroma do you find most tantalizing? The smell of baking bread? The way the air is perfumed after a rain? What perfume really pleases you? The apostle Paul spoke of his favorite scent in 2 Corinthians 2:14. To understand the context, you have to attend a once-in-a-lifetime Roman parade!

In Paul’s day, after a hard-fought, long and arduous campaign, the victorious Roman general would return home in a triumphant, loud, colorful, parade. What a spectacle! The procession would be led by state officials followed by trumpeters filling the city with ear-splitting blasts. Then large drawings and of the conquered lands and models of fallen citadels would be carried in to the cheers of the crowd. A white bull, destined to be sacrificed, was also a part of spectacle. Chained captive princes, leaders, and generals came next, knowing that prison and execution awaited them at the parade’s conclusion. Officers in charge of punishment, called lictors, brandished their rods as they followed the prisoners. Then came the musicians with lyres followed by priests swinging their censers with sweet smelling incense burning in them. Finally, the general and his army paraded in, wearing all their decorations and garlands, shouting, “lo triumphe!” a cry of triumph. What sights! What sounds! What sweet aromas! Feast your eyes, indulge your nose, for you may never see or smell another one of these parades in your lifetime!

This is the picture Paul has in mind in 2 Corinthians 2:14. He sees Jesus, God’s Christ, marching in triumph throughout the world in a victorious, fragrant parade. You and I, as believers, are part of that magnificent profession! The loving, Christ-like way in which we live our lives is the perfume that wafts over the onlookers, drawing them to Jesus. All the sweetness, tenderness, courtesy, unselfishness, and desire to build others up combine to make the “fragrance of Christ” a scent of selfless love that invites others to join the parade.

Realizing that you and I leave a spiritual scent-trail as we move through each day, perhaps we should ask ourselves, “What kind of aroma or odor does my behavior and attitude release into the world?” I have to confess that my times of selfishness or anger have released some pretty noxious clouds of “Stephanie-stink” into the room. The “fragrance of Christ” was nowhere to be found! No wonder people ran for their lives!

The key to perfuming the world with the love of Christ begins the moment we awaken in the morning. We can pray, “Holy Spirit, help me choose the right scent today. I want to smell like Jesus.” As believers, we can ask our divine Coach to energize our desire to wear Eau de Love instead of going out into the world reeking of self-pity, self-righteousness, or any of the other stenches that come from our smelly, unwashed flesh. We can pray for help because our Daddy-God, our Abba receives us with such grace and mercy. When he sniffs the stink of self, He tells us that we don’t smell good, then offers to wash us with the healing soap of His Word. Our job is to admit we stink, jump in the tub, then, in gratitude for Jesus’ love for us, carry His perfume out into the world.

BY: Stephanie Murillo

Scripture Soap:

  • 2 Corinthians 2:14-16
  • Ezekiel 20:41
  • Ephesians 4:2, 15
  • Ephesians 5: 2
  • Psalm 51

Flip the Narrative

Flip the Narrative

I am very ugly
so don’t try to convince me that
I’m a very beautiful person
because at the end of the day
I hate myself in every single way
And I’m not going to lie to myself by saying
There’s beauty inside of me that matters
So rest assured I will always remind myself
That I am a worthless, terrible person
And nothing you say will make me believe
I still deserve love
Because no matter what
I am not good enough to be loved
And I am in no position to believe that
Beauty does exist within me
Because whenever I look in the mirror I always think
Am I as ugly as people say?

👉🏻 NOW, read from the bottom to the top! 👈🏻

It’s all about perspective! What story are you telling yourself in the mirror every single day? Flip the narrative and change the story, it will change your life. I get it, you are saying Liz… if it was that easy we’d all be problem free. And I know changing your perspective is hard. We are usually pretty committed to our perspectives. We have invested a lot in them.

Kind of like Jonah. He was a prophet and committed to telling people to repent and be saved. He did it well. So well, that when God told him to go preach repentance to Nineveh Jonah said “no way”! When he preached people changed and Jonah didn’t want Nineveh to be saved. They were BAD NEWS. So God had to give Jonah a new perspective, being swallowed by a whale.

Inside the whale Jonah finally got the idea that God was in control and God was the one who could save. He got the narrative straightened out. And once he was seeing clearly God could use Jonah again.

Is there a narrative that you need to flip? What are you telling yourself that isn’t true. Maybe you think you are in control when you need to trust. Maybe you are calling ugly what God has called beautiful. Maybe you are running from what you know God has called you to.

Flip the narrative by praying like Jonah! (chapter 2)

Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the belly of the fish, saying, “I called out to the LORD, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice. For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me. Then I said, ‘I am driven away from your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.’ The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped about my head at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God. When my life was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the LORD!” And the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.

The Anchor Holds though the Ship is Battered

The Anchor Holds though the Ship is Battered

Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:2

The Run Free series of sermons has REALLY been powerful. I have been encouraged, convicted, and challenged through every sermon.

This past Sunday, Pastor Rick Blickenstaff took on the monuments topic of doubt and unbelief. Two of the metaphors he used really struck a strong chord within me were: the Anchor and the Post of Honor.

THE ANCHOR

In my last post, I talked about facing the empty nest as a single parent. This is my story of how the life I had planned and the life that I have do not match up. I have wrestled with many ideas connected to this incongruity in my life. The one constant that I have never wavered on is that God is in control.

Pastor Rick told us that the physics behind the rope and anchor is that the load it can bear should be five times more than the load it carries. WOW! That’s a lot of strength. More strength that I have ever had at any point in my life. I know that as I have trudged through the quicksand of depression, confusion, and despair the load that I carried was ALL that I could bear. Fortunately, I am not the anchor in my life. Jesus is my anchor, and that load is way less than 1/5 of the load He can bear.

THE POST OF HONOR

My post of honor is multi-faceted.

  • I am living as a single person in a world that promotes a sinful lifestyle for singles.
  • I have raised two children by myself.
  • I am a prodigal parent.

That is the race marked out for me at this time in my life. We all have difficulty in our personal races. It’s easy to look at other people’s social media feed and think that they have the perfect life. Remember that is the highlight reel. Most of us do not share our struggles publicly. They are reserved for the people who have earned the right to share our vulnerability.

If you’re trudging through quick sand, reach out. There is someone who has been down a similar path or paid the dues to join that awful club before you. If you don’t know anyone, contact Amy. She’ll be gentle, compassionate, and discreet. Just don’t struggle alone.

Sunday is not for Sleeping

Sunday is not for Sleeping

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. Genesis 2:1-3

Anxiety and 2020 were like two sides of the same coin. One minute you were coping like a boss and the next you couldn’t concentrate because your kids are tapping on everything with chopsticks. There were so many afternoons when I would have loved a nap… and I actually did take quite a few.

But exhausted and over it, frustrated and bored longing for a nap isn’t how I picture God on the seventh day. After all, Isaiah 40:28 says “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

So if God wasn’t tired why didn’t he just keep on going? Well… maybe God knew that we needed to rest our hearts fully in HIM once a week. Before the fall we were constantly immersed in God’s presence. We were created for that life. And in the above verses from Genesis God has given us this instruction: yes we must work hard, but we also need to restore our souls in Him.

Mark 2:27-28 says, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” This clearly points to the idea that God rested after creation to establish what He wanted US to do.

So was God napping in Genesis 2? No. Not likely. He was finding rest in the expression of Himself as Creator. Likewise, true rest is stopping our busy lives, reflecting on God’s goodness to us and resting in the expression of who we are in God.

If you are struggling, perhaps you need to take time to rest in God. We were made for His presence! Below are a few practical ways to rest in Him. Please comment with more suggestions for us! We would love to know how you choose to rest in God.

  • Talk to a friend about your faith and encourage each other.
  • Read the Bible and find verses that comfort you.
  • Listen to a podcast, sermon or VeggieTales that makes you remember why you love God.
  • Be grateful for God’s gifts in your life.
  • Sing songs that worship God.
  • Go out in nature and enjoy the things He has made.
  • Sniff a kitty that has been laying in the sunshine (best smell God created).
  • Tell stories of God’s faithfulness in your family.

One Big P.U.S.H.

One Big P.U.S.H.

They told him, “This is what Hezekiah says: This day is a day of distress and rebuke and disgrace, as when children come to the moment of birth and there is no strength to deliver them. – 2 Kings 19:3 [NIV]

Do you enjoy epic adventure stories that spill across a big screen with badly outnumbered good guys fighting bravely against the bad guys who are threatening their very existence? I sure do! Two chapters, 18 and 19 in 2 Kings are particular favorites of mine because of the way a terrified King Hezekiah responds to the vile threats breathed against him and God by the invading King Sennacherib and his field commander. If you take a moment and read those blood-curdling chapters, you will discover King Hezekiah’s healthy response to a sickening situation.

911!

King Hezekiah first admits that he is in over his head, asking the prophet Isaiah to pray (2 Kings 19:2). When you and I are in trouble, asking prayer warriors to intercede for us is a healthy strategy that connects us to one another and to God.

Read this, God!

When King Sennacherib doubles down by putting his taunts and blasphemy into a letter, the King takes all that evil ridicule into the temple of the LORD, spreads it out before God and takes his battle position by hitting his knees (2 Kings 19:14-19).

There are times we just run out of words when that terrifying letter, text or social media post is opened. Like King Hezekiah, we can call out, “Read this, God! Only You can tell me what to do! Only You can deliver me out of this mess. I am not making a move until I hear from You.”

Wait for the P.U.S.H.

King Hezekiah waited before God without making any impulsive or rash moves. Maybe not having energy for that last, big push was a blessing, forcing the king to sit tight and trust God. Hezekiah wasn’t disappointed. That night, we are told, that the angel of the Lord puts to death 185,000 men, forcing Sennacherib home where his own sons assassinate him while he is worshiping his god (2 Kings 19:35-37).

Today, with Jesus in our hearts, we have access to the power and personality of His Spirit in our lives. The Holy Spirit gives us the gifts and fruits we need (Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 12:8-10). These powerful gifts create unity if we are willing to cooperate (Ephesians 4:3). God’s Spirit inside of us helps us work with people we ordinarily wouldn’t tolerate. The Holy Spirit also supervises the church, comforting, guiding, praying, freeing, and bearing witness to our salvation. The Holy Spirit also, over time, makes us holy. He cleanses us from sin and “me-sickness,” rubbing us against life’s washboard until our spots and stains are scrubbed away (1 Corinthians 6:11; Titus 3:4-7). You can find this idea and more in Max Lucado’s book: Unshakable Hope.

Are you willing to call out a 911 to God and safe others? Are you willing to pause, pray, and wait for the P.U.S.H of the Holy Spirit? God wants to fill you with all that He is. You have only to ask.

Meditate and Marinate:

  • Psalm 104:27-30
  • Acts 9:31
  • John 16:13
  • Romans 8:26
  • John 3:5-8

BY: Stephanie Murillo

Easter Resolutions

Easter Resolutions

When 2021 came around it was universally accepted that we were out with the old and in with the new. Of course we hoped to be “out” with masks, social distancing & eating outside and “in” with hugs, parties & traveling. We made personal resolutions to stop eating so much and spend more time at the gym. And whether any of the outs really out-ed or ins really in-ed was never exactly the point, it’s the ferver with which we HOPE things will change when the calendar does that wins our hearts every year.

Easter is the Christian new year. Lent begins the holiday season and by Easter we are always primed to make our spiritual resolutions. This year I will stop taking Jesus for granted and have a relationship with God. This year I will trust God with my finances and start to tithe. This year I will put down the idol that I’m so drawn towards (drinking, food, shopping, relationships, money, etc.) and focus on letting God fill my emptiness. In the final Easter sermons we are primed for repentance.

But as Paul says to the Galatians, who cut in on you? I’m guessing that already (April 14th) you’ve messed up your resolution. I know I have! Galatians 5:7-8 says, “You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom.” See, like pastor Matt on Easter, Paul made it clear to the Galatians that in Christ they were truly free. Free from the power of sin and free to live under God’s grace. Just like us.

So why would we ever want to give up the freedom we found in Christ that refreshed our hearts on Easter? Bondage is subtle. Our New Years resolutions and our Easter resolutions often fall to a slow dependence on behaviors, substances and attitudes that give us security. But… as we turn our lives over to God, he will graciously give us the power we need to overcome.

Last Sunday Pastor Kyle at Journey Church, reminded us that we don’t need a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night to guide us. While it seems super helpful, we actually have something better as Paul reminds us in Galatians 5:16-17: “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.”

Resolutions aren’t bad. They are usually the prompting of the Holy Spirit, showing us where we could be living better for God and his kingdom. But in our own power we are usually unable to keep them. So let me encourage you in this… God desires a relationship with you. He didn’t die to make you better behaved. He didn’t die so that you’d finally follow the rules. He died because he loves you. He wants to know you, do life with you and spend forever enjoying you. Because he made you.

If you felt God stirring your heart this Easter I hope you resolve to be HIS this next year. Spend time with the one who knows you best and loves you most. Everything else you could possibly resolve to do will come in his timing, if you let the Holy Spirit guide you into doing life with God.

Love is a Highway

Life is a Highway, I wanna ride it all night long! ♫♩♯

This song was originally recorded by Tom Cochrane in 1991. The song was originally conceived in the 1980’s with the working title “Love is a Highway.” Then was made popular again in 2006 by its use in the movie Cars.

Highways are interesting things. They are so common to us that we don’t see them as an invasion of the environment, but that’s exactly what they are. They are envisioned, created, and maintained by humans for our convenience.

Sometimes religion is like that. Religion can be so much a part of our interactions with God, that we fail to see it as an invasion of that relationship. In the Resurrection message, Matt talked about how God was robbed of the relationship He had intended to have with humankind. Then he set out on a journey to reconcile that relationship.

Like most highways, that journey has lots of ups, downs, twists and turns. Several side roads that eventually make us turn around and go back to where we started.

Human nature is to want the road to look like this:

Or I at least want other people to THINK this is what my highway looks like!

For most of us it actually looks like this:

As I contemplate what Jesus went through from Palm Sunday through Resurrection Sunday, I think of a bumpy, curvy, unpredictable road. He knew what was going to happen, and He still willingly went into the journey to restore the relationship between humans and God.

When I think of the working title “Love is a Highway” as it relates to God’s love for me it becomes very personal.

Jesus didn’t make a turn down a side street then find out it was not where He wanted to go. He intentionally and deliberately set off on a journey down the most dangerous highway imaginable because He loves you and me. Religion can be a vehicle on the highway to God, but it is not the Way, the Truth, and the Life. That is Jesus.

God has given us the relationship that restores what was stolen from Him and us in the garden. Will you accept the gift? It comes completely free….that’s Amazing Grace!