“Behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is the newborn King of the Jews? We saw His star as it rose and we have come to worship him.” – Matthew 2:2

 

One the night Jesus Christ came into this world, there was a particular star that shined brightly above His birthplace. That star was many things to many people. To the wise, it was a symbol of hope and freedom. To the sinner, it was a stop sign. To the kings and pharisees, it was an eviction notice. To the entire world, that star was a sign that nothing would ever be the same again.

 

Whether you believe in Him or not, Jesus Christ has changed the world forever. Our common calendar is based off of Christ’s birth. Phrases used every day, such as “Go the extra mile,” “blind leading the blind,” “wolf in sheep’s clothing,” or “straight and narrow” are all words straight from Christ’s mouth. This whole time of year especially is because of Jesus. You can say happy holidays all you want, but the truth of the matter is that Christ is the reason for the season. Even in places that are cynical of Christian values, I have heard Christmas music playing. Take the time to listen to those songs. Those are songs of praise and worship and they are being played all over the place and even all over the world this time of year.

 

To paraphrase the book of Acts, if this whole Jesus thing was just of men, it would turn to nothing. However, if this really is of God, there’s nothing in this world that can stop it. It’s been over two thousand years since the birth of Jesus and there is no silencing the believer, no matter what heretical laws are passed and no matter how politically correct this country becomes. Why? Because the person who has been forgiven of much shows the most love for the Lord. I have been forgiven of many wrongs in my life and, if by chance I am ever rendered mute, my actions and my very soul would still sing out in praise of the God Most High.

 

That’s why there was a bright and shining star. Even the universe shows praise to the Creator. So remember this time of year, Christmas time. Praise Jesus for what He has done and for the promises He’s given us. A believers’ future is sealed by complete and boundless love and it all started because a star was born, and His name is Jesus Christ.

 

 

Merry Christmas and God’s blessings to you.

 

DH

 

 

 

“…Render therefore to Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” – Matthew 22:21

In Matthew 22, Jesus is confronted by the Pharisees and others who were trying to trap Jesus in his speech. They asked Jesus if they should pay their government taxes. Jesus asked them to look at the coin and tell Him whose image they saw. They replied, “Caesar’s.” So Jesus said, “Then give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” This banter has been made famous for many reasons, but there really is a follow up question to this.

Go look in a mirror. Whose image do you see?

The bible teaches us that we were made in the image of Almighty God. Just like a self portrait of a great artist, you are a reflection of God and His likeness. One bible translation even says in Ephesians 2:10 that we are God’s masterpiece. Just like any masterpiece, you are one of a kind. Not a duplicate or a carbon copy, but a single work of art.

This is what makes us special. The creator of the heavens and earth also made you. It’s not about your name, your job, or your good or bad deeds. You are special because of whose you are; whose image you are endowed with. That’s why it’s so important to take care of yourself. Your Father in Heaven made the person you see in the mirror. If He wanted you to be someone else, He would have made someone else. Be proud of who you are.

You can’t make something without putting a piece of yourself into it and that’s just what God has done with you. The bible says that God formed man and “breathed into him the breath of life, and thus man became a living being.” The very seeds of greatness and the power that created everything also courses through your veins as well, so much so that we have been allowed by God to enter into His creative power in order to bring new life into this world. New life that, just like you, has been created to know God, love God, and serve God so that we may be happy with Him in Heaven for all of eternity.

Don’t give up on yourself, because when you do, you are giving up on your Creator. God is perfect and although we are definitely not perfect, we are on the road to that perfection that is allowed to us through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Rest assured that the Creator has a plan and that plan includes you. Not who you think maybe you should be, but YOU!

Next time you are concerned with your inward and outward appearance, know that you were born the child of a king. Be cheerful in the image that you see in the mirror, because when you look at yourself, the eyes of God look back at you.

God’s blessings to you. 

DH

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.” – Matthew 5:16

 

Take a moment to realize just who Jesus is and was on this earth. The God of the universe chose to take on a physical presence among us. He could have chosen to be born a prince or someone with prestige, but He instead chose to be born of simple means. Jesus grew into a working trade, since His earthly father Joseph was a carpenter. Not the most powerful of positions, but God knows what true power is and it doesn’t have anything to do with money or status. It has everything to do with loving and caring for others. That is something that Christ takes seriously and so should we.

 

Jesus wants us to follow in His footsteps. Yes, He performed miracles that we cannot, but His main objective was to help people and show love whenever He could. That is something that we can definitely do in whatever area of society we are in. You don’t have to be big or powerful to show love or to take care of someone. You don’t need to hit the lottery to feed the homeless and you don’t need to be president to change the world. No matter what position you hold in this world, you can change peoples’ lives for the better.

 

St. Teresa of Avila once said that God moves about the pots and pans. What she was saying was that there is holiness and importance in even the most mundane of duties. No matter how great or small, each task can have a tremendous impact on this world if you take the time to see it. If you are a cook, you give people physical nourishment so they can keep strong in their lives. If you are a mechanic, you repair automobiles that can carry children safely to school every day. Don’t think for a second that you or your work is insignificant. You touch lives in ways you don’t always see or understand, but God does.

 

This is not telling you to think that you are better than anyone else. Certainly not. We are all sons and daughters of the King of Kings. We all hold a place of importance and deserve the best. Your attitude should be that you are doing the work for someone you love. You aren’t working for your company or your boss, you are working for the God Most High and His beloved children.

 

If your work is tedious or tough, then all the better to show your sacrifice. Jesus offered Himself to God for our sins out of love. It was a love offering, the highest and best there could be. Just the same, you should offer your best work up to God as a sacrifice out of love; love for God and love for your fellow person. When you show that you care about what you are doing, it makes all the difference in the output of your work. Also, over time, you might just find that your work isn’t as stressful or as boring as it used to be. Your importance rests less on the recognition you get from people and more on the reward of a job well done.

 

You woke up today, you’re breathing, and your heart is beating. Those three things right there should tell you that God isn’t done with you yet. You are important to Him and to His children. Don’t limit yourself to “if only I could…” kind of thoughts, you are significant right here and now in whatever job you do. We all have a part to play in this world, so do your best work. If you do, then I promise that one day, when time gives way to eternity, you will hear God say, “Well done my good and faithful servant. Now at last, enter into the joy of your Master’s house.”

 

God’s blessings to you.

 

DH

 

 

“I say to you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repents, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.” – Luke 15:7

 

In Luke 15, Jesus is telling a story about a shepherd that has 100 sheep. One gets lost. The good shepherd, knowing the 99 are safe, goes out and finds the one that ran away. Upon finding the little sheep, the shepherd puts it on his shoulders and brings the sheep home. As if that wasn’t enough, the shepherd is so happy to have the lost sheep back that he calls his family and neighbors and has a party celebrating the return of the sheep.

 

That’s the kind of Heavenly Father we have. He knows we are sinners.  He asks us to stay with Him, but we always seem to turn to the bad things in this world for comfort instead of Him. The trick is that when we realize we’ve gone too far down a bad path, it seems like it’s too late. We are virtually buried in our sins.

 

However, while we have breath, our story isn’t over. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, searches for us. And He doesn’t quit until we’re home. Our God loves us enough to keep going until we release ourselves to Him. By then, we are usually broken and defeated by the wickedness of this world. That doesn’t stop Jesus though. He picks us up, puts us on His shoulders, and marches home. And the Bible teaches that whenever a single sinner repents and accepts Christ, the whole of Heaven sings out with joy and celebration, for the one who was lost has been found.

 

Joy, peace, forgiveness, and a triumphant return. That’s what He offers us, even though we don’t deserve it.   Love… That’s my God.

 

 

God’s blessings to you.

 

 

DH