The End of the World?

By Kim Stokely −

If you’re reading this post, it means the Mayans were wrong and the earth didn’t self-destruct on December 21st.

Whew. I was worried.

Not.

I hope you all enjoyed a blessed Christmas and didn’t let the threat of our ultimate demise cast a pall on your celebrations.

Honestly, I think the fact that Dick Clark died this year scared me more than all the Mayan calendar hoopla. I mean, can America really have a new year without Dick Clark? Can the Tiffany ball in Times Square fall without him?

My guess?

Yup.

The fact is, the Mayans probably ran out of room on that big rock wall they were chiseling, that’s why the calendar ended. Or maybe it was the fact that Cortez had arrived in South America and wanted to steal all their gold. I think they may have had more important things on their mind at the time, like trying to survive. And as for Dick Clark, well, much as we hate to admit it, the world does not revolve around a single human being (a household, maybe. Not the planet!)

Why are we so fascinated by the end of the world? People spend a lot of time trying to break Bible Codes, Indian prophecies and the ramblings of Nostradamus in an effort to figure out how much time they have left on this earth. The History Channel runs “Doomsday” marathons during this season—shows about global warming, rogue asteroids, nuclear holocaust (because nothing says Happy Holidays like a good, worldwide plague.)

But God alone knows the time and day of His return. He determined the beginning of the universe and the start of life on this tiny, third planet from the sun. It’s up to Him to decide when it’s done.

Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (NIV). The key is not to figure out how many days we might have left, but to make the most of the days we’re given. Worrying about the number and not how we live is like a kid who sits among his Christmas presents but never opens them because then he’ll have one less package. Me? I want to savor each present, each day, the Lord chooses to give me. I don’t want to leave one experience left unopened at the end of my life.

No Counterfeits

By Rhonda Rhea –

When I was a kid, I always wondered why anyone would ever choose Frankenberry over Count Chocula. Because…chocolate. That was my entire reason. Of course, even though I was only a kid, I still instinctively knew that cereal chocolate didn’t really count as true chocolate. It was actually the first bite of Cocoa Krispies that tipped me off. It was more like: snap, crackle, I don’t think so.
I’m sorry, but I’ve just never been all that cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. I think it might be simulated. Simulated what, I don’t know. It doesn’t even smell right. It’s like a cross between old baby oil and sweetened aluminum. Spoiled, oiled or foiled—I don’t know that either.

Calling cereal chocolate real chocolate would be like calling cereal marshmallows real marshmallows. I know it’s supposed to be to a breakfast cereal’s credit when it stays crunchy even in milk, but I don’t think that’s supposed to go for the mallows. Whenever you bite down on a marshmallow, you shouldn’t be able to hear it. That’s just not right, people. They’re not marshmallows. It’s not chocolate.

Crumble Ho Ho’s in a bowl. Add milk. There’s your chocolate cereal.

There’s always disappointment in encountering the fake. So much more so when you’re talking about what is meant to distinguish us as Christ-followers. Jesus said in 1 John 13:35, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (ESV).

We’re called to love each other without anything counterfeit or artificial. Without hypocrisy. Without self-centeredness, secret agendas or ulterior motives. Self-seeking fake-love? It’s just not right, people. Because we’ve received the forgiveness of Christ, our love is to be sincere, deep, heart-felt—just as His is. “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart” (1 Peter 1:22, NIV).

There’s no place for counterfeit love among those who know Christ. Only the genuine article will do. Paul said in Romans 12:9, “Let love be genuine” (ESV).

So how do we do that? We love the Lord first and foremost. We obey His commands and allow His Spirit to work out His love through us. Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-39, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself” (HCSB). And He will never command us to do something He won’t enable us to do.

Love is more than just an emotion. It’s the ability to sacrifice for another. Jesus lived and died showing us how to walk it out. “And walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God” (Ephesians 5:2, HCSB).

No weird aluminum smell. A fragrant offering. When we’re walking in His love, there’s simply nothing artificial about it.

Because…Jesus. That’s my entire reason.

The Little Drummer Boy

By Janet Morris Grimes –

I have this odd little quirk. Call it crazy. Call it focused. Call it annoying. Call it brilliant. Call it my attempt to slow down enough to absorb the message of something that matters.

I leave the television off, turn on my music, and listen to it on repeat. All. Day. Long.

It’s whatever I need to hear on a particular day. The music lays the foundation while the lyrics pierce my soul. I find it comforting Freeing.

Today, my song of choice was The Little Drummer Boy, by Jars of Clay.

I adored the television special as a child, until the part where the little lamb was run over by the ox cart. But later, as he is healed and dances to the music of the drummer boy, I melted. Every time.

Even back then, I recognized that this was the one true Christmas special that had nothing to do with Santa Claus, reindeer or misfit toys. It was the only one that focused on giving instead of getting, on Jesus instead of Santa, and on people instead of things.

Today, as I listened to the lyrics, minus the pa rum pa pum pums, I was fascinated by the simple message.

Come, they told me
A newborn King to see
Our finest gifts we bring
To lay before the King.
So to honor Him
When we come.

Little baby,
I am a poor boy, too.
I have no gift to bring
That’s fit to give the King

Shall I play for you?
On my drum?

Mary nodded
The ox and lamb kept time.
I played my drum for Him.
I played my best for Him.
Then, He smiled at me.

Me and my drum.

The Little Drummer Boy is a fictional story, but is still so very true.

All Jesus asks from us is whatever we have to offer. For this boy who was hurting, it was a song on a drum. Nothing more. Nothing less.

For me, it is my writing. It is all I have to offer, and the only way I know to give back to Him.

As the song says, “so to honor Him, we come…”

I will show up, bringing all that I have to offer.

And when He smiles at me?

I can think of no greater gift.

Me and my drum.

Pa rum pa pum pum.

Hiding the “Messy Stuff”

By Dawn Wilson –

Things are often not what they seem. Last Christmas, when I was crazy busy with writing, speaking, parties, and in between church and ministry events, I couldn’t keep up with my housework. I was frustrated no end! So I took some good advice from a friend.

I piled all the “messy stuff”—stacks of magazines, boxes of things to be sorted, bags of clothes I was filling for the Salvation Army—under a big colorful blanket in the corner of my living room. Then I pinned a sign on the blanket that read, “No peeking. Christmas wrapping in progress.”

I threw some stuffed shopping bags and bright wrapping paper under the blanket near the front of the pile for good effect (just in case someone did peak) and breathed a huge sigh of relief. No one would ever know.

The only problem is, my dog couldn’t read. With maddening timing, right in front of my unexpected company, dear Roscoe decided to pull the blanket across the living room. All my “messy stuff” was suddenly exposed.

In the same way, I’ve learned that the messy stuff in my heart isn’t securely under wraps either. Just when I think no one will find out about my sneaky habits—I’m a declared chocoholic; need I say more?—or other sin issues I think I’ve covered well, something happens and there it is, out in the open for all to see. And sometimes it’s ugly, stinky stuff.

It’s silly to think that no one knows. God sees everything. God knows everything. “‘Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?’ declares the Lord. ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth?’ declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 23:24, ESV). There is nowhere we can run from His presence or hide our wayward, wicked plans (Psalm 139:7; Isaiah 29:15; Jeremiah 16:17).

God probably shakes His head at my silly attempts to hide my sins. “Oh my dear daughter,” He likely says, “You’re not kidding me. Now let’s quit this foolishness and take care of this right now.” He doesn’t condemn me—He always sees me in Christ—but neither does He let me remain in my sins. He calls me to agree with Him and commit to change. And sometimes, when I get stubborn, He deals with me to correct not only my original sin problem but also my foolish rebellion, “For the Lord disciplines the one He loves” (Hebrews 12:6, ESV).

Will I use the Christmas blanket again? Probably. It’s just such a great idea! But I’ll make sure Roscoe stays outside when company comes.

And I certainly don’t want to hide my “messy stuff” from my Creator. He can see through blankets, doors, buildings, everything, right into my heart. “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13).

A Season of Joy

By Judy Davis –

Christmas, what a wonderful time of the year! I’ll never forget the memories of our older grandchildren celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Each Christmas Eve I baked a cake and lit a candle as we all sang “Happy Birthday” to Jesus. After we finished singing, I read the Christmas Story.

As I read the Christmas story, I was captivated by the simple words that there was no room in the inn. On the morning our Lord was born, there was no room for Him. In many lives today, there is still no room for Him. The Jesus of the first Christmas is the Jesus of this Christmas. Christmas means that God is where you are with your needs. Whatever you are going through, the answer is and always will be Jesus Christ.

Billy Graham stated in his message “Christmas: God With Us,” that “many cynics will blame God for the troubles of the world. We should blame ourselves. We have a spiritual disease, and that disease is called sin. Until sin is conquered, the world will not be a better place in which to live.”

Christmas is more than tinsel and lights. It is more than gifts under the tree. Christmas is a joyous time to experience Christ, to have our needs met and help meet the needs of others.

I’ll never forget the Christmas when our younger grandson Connor started to open a present. He saw my little olive wood manger scene I bought in Bethlehem many years ago. He slowly picked up Baby Jesus, the manger, a donkey, and a camel, in his tiny hand. He laid down his gifts that were still wrapped and began to play with Baby Jesus.

It was not long before he ran to me and said, “Nana, where is Baby Jesus? I can’t find baby Jesus.” We began to look for Him under the rug, etc. We both got down on our hands and knees, crawling all over the living room searching for Jesus. “I found Him! I found him!” squeaked Connor. At that moment I thought of the verse, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14).

Jesus told his disciples not to keep Him from little children, He wants them to know and love Him. As we prepare our homes for this festive holiday let us also prepare our heart and make room for Christ in Christmas.

When the holidays seem hectic with all the shopping, gift-wrapping, decorating, baking, addressing Christmas cards, and cleaning house, take time to plan. Start early with a list. If you do, you can get ahead and be ready to enjoy this most wonderful time of the year.

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