The Sunday before Christmas

It’s hard to believe that yet another year has passed and we are nearing the celebration of our Savior’s birth.

 

The message of Jesus’ birth has been heard in messages all across the world during December and these messages have led up to this message. Christmas is coming!

 

These next few days are some of favorite of the year. The Sunday before Christmas leads us directly to Bethlehem. And on Christmas Eve, we are there. We hear the announcement of the Christ child’s birth. We sing with the angels and shepherds. We glorify God for the gift of His Son. We celebrate the redemption of mankind. And we each experience a night of remembrance.

 

I pray that you will find peace in this season. I know some of you are going through difficult times. But I still pray that you’ll find peace. Jesus came as the Prince of Peace and He offers His peace (Philippians 4:7) to those who love Him.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance! Merry Christmas!

 

Building a Doll House: Christmas Morning – Chapter 13

 

Christmas morning arrived. It was time for Joy to see her dollhouse for the first time. However, it was a pretty large gift and would not fit under the tree. So I created a scavenger hunt for her to search for her gift. The hunt ended in the guest room where Joy found her doll house.

 

Christmas 2010 006mmmmmmmmmmmAll the anticipation leading to this moment was worth it. Wondering whether she would like her doll house disappeared the moment she saw it. When Joy saw the doll house, her face told us how she felt. The excitement, the thrill, the joy. It was all there. Expressed by wondering eyes, a smile that melts the heart, and uncertainty of where to begin the exploration. It was priceless!

 

I wonder if this isn’t how God feels when we accept Him as our Father and His Word as our guide to live by. When we get the picture that it isn’t all about “me.” When we willingly and cheerfully give of ourselves to others. Then He looks at us with joy in His heart. With excitement that cannot be contained.

 

He is the Designer and when His creation accepts the challenge to be as He originally designed, God is most satisfied and thrilled by our actions.

 

Christmas 2010 013mmThe Apostle Paul encouraged the Christians in Thessalonica to live lives that pleased God. Take a look at these words. “Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.” (1 Thessalonians 4:1 – NIV)

 

This group of people were pleasing God by their actions and their attitudes. But that didn’t mean they had reached their goal. They needed to keep on doing what they were doing, but do it more and more. So what lifestyle is pleasing to God? Let’s continue with this passage to find out.

 

Paul begins with being sanctified. Sanctified means to be holy or blameless. To be set apart for holiness. There are other passages that call us to be holy. Romans 12:1; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:9; and 1 Peter 1:15 to name a few. It means we must live to please God instead of our sinful nature.

 

Which Paul mentions next. “You should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3a-6 – NIV) In order to please God, we must rid ourselves of anything that is displeasing to Him. Our hearts and minds must be pure of sexual immorality, lust, and uncontrollable urges.

 

Paul then moves to our treatment of others. He instructs them to be careful not to wrong another brother or take advantage of him. (1 Thessalonians 4:6) As we come to a better understanding of how God wants us to live, we acknowledge the second greatest commandment. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:31 – NIV) Paul was simply restating Jesus’ words.

 

In the next section, Paul encourages these brothers to treat others well, but also to grow their brotherly love. They obviously were doing so, but Paul told them they could improve. “You do love all the brothers throughout Macdeonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more.” (1 Thessalonians 4:10 – NIV) Regardless of how much we love, we can love more. It is part of what pleases God.

 

This group of Christians were then asked to “make it their ambition” to do a few more things. To lead a quiet life. To mind their own business. To work with their hands. To live lives that will win respect of outsiders. To be independent of others. (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)

 

For me, this seems like an odd list of objectives for living a holy life. The only directive that seems to be related to God in any way is the section about winning the respect of others. That our holy lives would reflect God and that would bring others to Christ. But clearly, these elements are to be pursued. Pursued ambitiously!

 

I suspect by using these guidelines to live by, we would have less opportunity to allow sin to creep into our lives. A quiet life would imply that carousing isn’t taking place. Minding our own business would imply that our lives are free of gossip. Working with our hands would imply that we desire to accomplish good, not evil. Being independent in our well-being would imply that laziness is absent.

 

In all of these areas then, others for certain would see God working in us and through us. Our holy lives would indeed win the respect of non-believers.

 

And holy lives are pleasing to God. I said it earlier, but it is worth repeating. God is the Designer and when His creation accepts the challenge to be as He originally designed, God is most satisfied and thrilled by our actions. Tweet this.

 

So, what steps are you taking today to live a holy life? What ambitions have you set for yourself? What more do you need to do?

 

As Paul said, “do so more and more.” There is always room for improvement. Each of us can move a little closer to God. And in doing so, we are living a life that is pleasing to Him.

 

Many playful hours have been spent in the rooms of the doll house. And I suspect there will be many more to come. This play area has brought great pleasure to our granddaughter, but to be honest, it brings great pleasure to my husband and me as well.

 

Each moment Joy spends rearranging furniture or playing with “the family” brings joy to my heart. Her imagination, her enthusiasm, and her enjoyment make the building of this doll house all that more meaningful. And I smile!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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