Wednesday, December 31, 2014

New Years Eve 2014 - Sacred Time

"This is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it." - unknown
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Time is an interesting concept to meditate upon. It is my personal observation that most people do not pause and reflect upon the concept of time or the calendars/cycles by which they mark the passage of time. The use of calendars has allowed mankind to celebrate births, commemorate events, observe sacred rituals, and optimize our work and leisure efforts. These calendars/cycles can provide a sense of consistency in our lives that allows us to plan our days, weeks, months and years. While useful, these calendars/cycles can also provide us with the illusion of certainty and security.
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Have you ever found your self wishing for more time?
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What if God miraculously added 60 minutes to each day of your life? Imagine 7 more hours each week, or another 365 hours a year! What would you do with all that time?  I suspect each of us would just continue doing the things that we are currently doing. Working more, watching more TV, surfing the Internet, gaming, sleeping, and wishing we had more time.
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It is not about having more time.
It is all about being present in the time you have.
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So as we approach the end of 2014 and look towards the new year I hope that everyone will pause and reflect upon the way they view and use the time they have been blessed with.
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Do you view your time as a sacred gift from God?
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May...
 "The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face to shine on you
and be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His Countenance on you;
and give you peace" - Numbers 6:24-26
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Monday, December 22, 2014

2014 Advent Season - Week 4

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. - Luke 2:8-11, NASB
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Familiarity is something that each of us must be on guard against in every aspect of our lives. We can become so familiar and so comfortable with what we think we know that our responses, both verbal and mental, can become conditioned and automatic (aka non-thinking). The story surrounding the birth of Christ is one such story and if we are not careful we can lose out. In the verses above did you even pause on verse 9 "..an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them..." I mean these shepherds saw "an angel of the Lord" and they were terrified. How do you think you would have responded?  Also in verse 11, "...there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.". What does it mean to you to have Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?
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"Do you really believe that what you really believe is really real?" - Del Taggot
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Shalom

Sunday, December 14, 2014

2014 Advent Season - Week 3

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”
Luke 1:26-28 NASB
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As I sit this morning drinking my hot tea, reading and contemplating the 2014 Christmas Season I find myself in the book of Matthew chapter 2:1-10 reading about "The visit of the Magi". We often see the "Star of Bethlehem" portrayed as bigger and brighter than anything else in the sky. I don't know that was the case. I assume that these "magi" were very familiar with the night skies and that the "star" they saw and followed was a more subtle change that went unnoticed by the vast majority of the population much like a small child being born in a manager. Many Christians I know, myself included at times, are often looking for answers and signs from God that are big, bright and obvious. My experience also reminds that most answers are small, subtle, and revealed over time.
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What are you paying attention to these days?
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What prayers/questions are you lifting up to God?
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Grace & Peace