The Bible - Our Greatest Source of Wisdom

Our Friday Devotion comes to us from Council Member, Dolly:

On Monday many of us will take time to remember Martin Luther King, Jr. during the commemoration of his birth. Dr. King is revered by many Americans because of the work he did for human and civil rights. Have you taken the time to consider whether Dr. King was someone who should be honored? We should consult the Bible when we consider such things:

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1

Let’s test some well know quotes from Dr. King by consulting our greatest source of wisdom, God’s word.

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Eph. 6:12-13

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that”. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. Isa. 42:16

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. John 8:12

You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matt. 5:43-44

“I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways [shall be] made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Luke 3:5-6

I just want to do God's will. And he's allowed me to go to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the promised land! I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the Promised Land. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: "Keep all these commands that I give you today. When you have crossed the Jordan into the land the Lord your God is giving you, set up some large stones and coat them with plaster. Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, promised you.” Deut. 27:1-3

To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Eph. 6:18

I believe Dr. King did his best to live a Christian life and to show God’s love to all. We may never reach the fame that Dr. King reached, but we can all do something to make someone else’s life better. As we focus on loving others this year, let’s remember to consult our guide book, God’s Holy Word, for instruction.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:7-12

Consult God's Word for all things,
Dolly

How to Have Complete Happiness

John 3:27-30 "John (the Baptist) answered, 'No one can have anything unless God gives it.' You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, 'I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of Him.' 'The bridgegroom is the one to whom the bride belongs; the the bridegroom's friend, who stands by and listens, is glad when he hears the bridegrooms's voice.' 'This is how my own happiness is made complete.' 'He must become more important while I become less important.'"

John the Baptist in this passage is responding to a comment made to him by some who were following his teachings and the baptism for repentance and were letting him know that Jesus was teaching and many people were following Him. He, in effect, is saying that the reason people are following Jesus is because that is what God the Father wants and is giving that response to the Christ. John then reiterates his position that he is not the Messiah, but points to the Messiah. Then he gives this beautiful illustration about how he is the bridegroom's friend and that all those who follow are the bride and therefore he is doing just as the Lord wants...... pointing the way and serving His Lord.

The words that are part of the title of today's devotional resonate with me. Complete happiness is made complete when people see Jesus. Inscribed on many pulpits that I have preached from are the simple words, "Sir, we would see Jesus." Good counsel. Those who truly serve Him do not do so to draw attention to themselves but to point to Jesus. I am happiest when that happens. When anyone is drawn closer to Him by the ministry He has called me to, I am happiest. Absolutely I would say that my joy is complete only at those times. Throughout our lives we must become less important as He becomes more important.

So here is the question of the day. Do you want complete happiness, total joy and absolute fulfillment? Serve the Lord. Point to Him. Become less so He can become more. Be glad when you hear His voice. Help Him to be one with His Bride. The beautiful illustration that John the Baptist shares with us is one that paints a picture of total surrender to God's will. When we are willing to give our lives completely to the service of the Lord, there is a happiness like no other that will fill our hearts.

As a shepherd or pastor I love the sheep. But they are His sheep. I am His sheep too. As pastor we don't own, possess or hold any power or sway over His flock. We merely serve Him and are happiest when believers draw closer to Christ. Soooooo...... not only is it not about the pastor, it is not about one particular church either. All pastors point to Him, wherever the sheep go, as long as they call Him Lord, that is a good thing. I am blessed to be the pastor of Grace Harbor Church and I want to serve the bridegroom in any way I can to make His relationship with His bride possible. May you draw even closer to Him. That would make me completely happy.

For Him,
Pastor Fred

They Will Know Us By Our Love

John 13:33 "If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples."

When we are not loving to one another as believers it is the worst hypocrisy. God is love. He sent His only Son to save us because of His love for us. He then commanded us to love one another. We say in our minds that you can't make people love each other. Love is not some magic feeling that wells up inside us and spills mysteriously over onto people. Love is a choice. I don't love because I feel anything in particular. I love because God loves. He gives me love to share. He loves through me. I love that.

It is a biblical mandate that we must love one another. Scores of times in the teachings of Jesus and throughout the Word of God, we are told that we should love one another. Plain and simple. Get over your emotions and do something about being loving. Can you love just because it is the right thing to do? Sure you can. Love is not a matter of preference or something that is supposed to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Love is unconditional commitment and devotion. It is a verb that needs to be expressed from choice. When I choose to love, that is special because no one has to earn it. Neither do I have to earn it.

Granted, it is easier to love some than others. But we are not talking about ease, we are talking about commitment. I am committed to this ministry, to my marriage, to my principles out of love, not because it is easy. Love doesn't have to be rewarding or fun. We shouldn't expect reciprocation or mutuality. It is truly unconditional and no strings attached. Different than the overwhelming majority of games we play with our emotions and feelings.

Love is words, but not only words. Love is action, but must be genuine and sincere. Sounds more and more difficult doesn't it? Love is an opportunity to glorify God. Love is a free gift. Love is real. We have so romanticized and fantasized and emotionalized love that we have put ourselves in the position of not knowing how to share it. So we don't. We either 'like' or 'don't like' instead. Like ice cream flavors. Love means the sum total of grace and mercy together. God is love because He is the sum total of all that is good. Ask God's help to love. He knows how and can teach you how to love. Begin with Him, then yourself, like He loves you and then others like He loves you.

I hope we can be more loving. A good starting point is to stop being unloving. You know...... unkind, rude, mean, gossipy, cruel, harsh and generally not nice. I am going to make a concerted effort to love more and be unloving less. How about you? Will you join me in making this verse a reality in our lives? After all, they will know we are Christians by our love, and it was Jesus himself who asked us. He surely loves us enough to ask. Can't really be a disciple unless we try harder.

With His Love and Mine,
Pastor Fred

"Greetings From Around The World"

2 Corinthians 13b "All of God's people send you their greetings."

After ten days in the Caribbean I have volumes of stories and illustrations about the people there and folks who cruise and the crew of the Celebrity Mercury. As we traveled we were struck by just how many Christians there are everywhere. We, of course are very much open and sensitive to spotting believers, but I am talking about a boldness that was fresh and compelling. This particular cruise out of Baltimore took two days cruising just to get to the Caribbean. The first port we went to was Labadee, Haiti. Not at all what I was hoping or expecting.

The resort of Labadee is owned by Royal Caribbean and in partnership with Celebrity Cruises they have built a beautiful beach resort with many attractions, activities, shops, restaurants and ways to spend money. It was not like really going to Haiti and we met very few Haitians there. But we did have an opportunity to meet a few vendors who evidently were allowed to set up shop in an area that if were say at Disneyland it would have been called "Haitiland". Almost all of the items for sale seemed to be very mass produced and the shopkeepers were just employees of the resort.

We decided to do something outside the box. We struck up conversation with two young men and asked them if they had any Haitian money on them. They laughingly said yes and showed it to us. You could tell it had little or no value because they were joking about the different coins and bills and how meaningless they were. (I am sure the money was completely devalued and almost worthless) We asked if we could buy their money with American money. They were overjoyed. We payed them more than full value of the money so Dawn could give all her students coins from Haiti. The coins are more beautiful than ours and were inscribed with the words, 'Liberty, Equality and Fraternity'. Wow, did that speak volumes to me. In very poor French I awkwardly communicated to them the beauty of these words, their meaning and my Christian perspective on Freedom, Equality and Brotherhood.

One young man in particular who had dug deep in his pocket to find more of the matching coins we wanted said to me as we parted, "God bless you and your people." That would be you. Out of sincere gratefulness and appreciation he sent blessings and greetings to you through me. I think that is important. We had an understanding about who we were, what we were doing, why we were doing it and the meaning of the words on the Haitian coins. I remember his smile. We both knew that the value was in the transaction not the goods it was in the freedom to do what was really equal because of brotherhood. Indeed, 'all of God's people do send each other greetings', from around the world.

I hope this story touches you heart with a sense of a Biblical Worldview. We are part of the family of believers around the world. Whether they are poor in Haiti, persecuted in the Middle East, human trafficked in Southeast Asia or lonely in Europe, we are brothers and sisters in the same Christ. I am closer to that young man in Labadee than I am to people just like me who don't know the Lord.

One little postscript note from Haiti. During a taxi ride in a different port, a man that we rode with for a few miles said that in Labadee they had a similar impression as us of the situation and that his wife had bought a pair of sandals from a woman in an isolated little shop, put those sandals on then gave her new shoes that she was wearing to the woman. Tears followed and hugs too. We need to keep thinking outside our boxes so God can work through us more.

So blessed to be a blessing,
Pastor Fred

Wise Men Came to Worship the King

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.” Matthew 2:1-2, 7-12

“We three kings of orient are, bearing gifts we traverse afar, Field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star….” Just when you thought it we had finished all of our Christmas carols, today’s devotion will address one final aspect of the Christmas season. The arrival of the WISE MEN! The famous American carol “We three Kings of Orient Are” was written in 1857 by Rev. John Henry Hopkins, and usually is included in our consideration of what the manger scene included on the night of our Savior’s birth, however it is a common misconception that three wise men visited Jesus at the stable on the night of His birth. Keep in mind that the scriptures never identified only three kings or wise men visiting the Christ Child, but according to an old church legend, there were three kings named Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar who followed a bright star, followed it to Bethlehem and found there the Christ child. In fact, the actual wise men came days, months, or possibly even years later. That is why Matthew 2:11 says the wise men visited and worshiped Jesus in a house, not at the stable. They must have traveled several months and years to arrive in Bethlehem to worship and honor the unknown newborn king. Imagine their surprise when they found themselves facing Mary, Joseph and Jesus! They also gave extremely unusually AND extravagant gifts if you consider that one was not usually available to commoners (Gold), one was extremely valuable and only used for incenses in the priestly duties of the temple (frankincense), and the third was used for burial services to preserve a dead body (myrrh).

Lovers of Christmas carols are probably also familiar with another traditional holiday song that is historically associated with the wise men, “The Twelve Days of Christmas”, a rather lengthy and difficult memory assignment for singers to remember all the verses which are packed with golden rings, calling birds and various kinds of gentry, musicians and domestic workers. So what does this song refer to… are there 12 days of Christmas? Not just December 25? Church history shows us that for centuries church calendars in the East and the West have agreed that there are twelve days of Christmas and they begin on Christmas Day and end on January 6. Realistically we know that Jesus was probably not born on December 25th It wasn't until A.D. 440 that the church officially proclaimed December 25 as the birth of Christ. The Bible itself tells us that December 25 is an unlikely date for His birth. Palestine is very cold in December. It was much too cold to ask everyone to travel to the city of their fathers to register for taxes. Also the shepherds were in the fields (Luke 2:8-12). Shepherds were not in the fields in the winter time. They are in the fields early in March until early October. This would place Jesus' birth in the spring or early fall. It is also known that Jesus lived for 33.5 years and died at the feast of the Passover, which is at Easter time. He must therefore have been born six months the other side of Easter - making the date around the September/October time frames.

The twelve days of Christmas have traditionally ended with the Feast of Epiphany also called "The Adoration of the Magi", celebrated on January 6, and also known as the day of the Three Kings (or wise men/magi). January 6, the last of the 12 days of Christmas, comes with its own traditions, rituals and symbols. Carolers go from house to house; in many homes the Christmas tree is taken down and in some areas is burnt in a big bonfire. For the children this is an especially joyous occasion because, associated with taking down the tree goes the "plündern" (raiding) of the tree. The sweets, chocolate ornaments wrapped in foil or cookies, which have replaced the sugar plums, are the raiders' rewards. On the evening before Three Kings, traditionally there were prayers, blessed dried herbs would be burnt and their aromatic smell would fill the house. The master of the house would then write with chalk C + M + B and the year above the house and barn door. C + M + B has traditionally been translated with Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar, however, according to later Latin traditions it stood for "Christus Mansionem Benedictat" (Christ bless this home).

All of this to simply say, God provided one more way to confirm the supernatural arrival of His Son, the Messiah. Jesus quietly came to this earth in the form of a tiny human baby in a tiny city named Bethlehem, and although the prophets had foretold every detail down to the very date and place, God didn’t want anyone to miss it, including the wise men of that day. Father God lined up the constellations at that pinpoint moment in time as if the very finger of God was pointing down on that location on the earth at that very moment. It brings me great peace and JOY to know that even though I may not have been there when the wise men arrived, I too can worship at the feet of Jesus and give thanks that He came. I too can present my gifts to Him even today….

My gold in offerings,
my frankincense in worship, and
my life to Him as a sacrifice.

Shalom, sister Lahoma

Loving Others

I John 4:11 “Dear friends since God so loved us we also ought to love one another.”

The commands to love God, love ourselves and love others are individually important but intertwined. We love God because of who He is. We love ourselves because of what He did for us on the cross. We love others in the same way, because of what He did for them. I have a little exercise that I use when leading groups on the subject of loving each other, and I'd like to share it with you.

When asked to love others, picture what God thinks of them instead of what you think or feel about them. If the mental picture is not enough, then stick out your arm like you have it around someone's shoulder and picture the person you should be loving there. Sometimes when we do this, it feels uncomfortable because we do find it hard to love each other. The next step, while your arm is sticking out around your imaginary person, is to ask God what He thinks of him. For example, the conversation might go like this, (picture my arm around someone imaginary):

“God, this is Hank", (not really, but it is a good name to use as an example). “How do you feel about him? Give me the strength and compassion to think of Hank as you do."

This is not at all easy to do! (not particularly because Hank is the example either) When I have done this, I sometimes drop my arm because I find it hard to be honest when I have my arm around somebody. Also, when I am before God asking questions, I find it harder to complain about anybody.

I suggest this exercise with your church family. Start with someone who is easy to love and then try someone who is harder. You'll be surprised at the results. I want to encourage you to love others in word and indeed. It is easier to say something nice than to do something nice. One of the most loving things we can do is just simply encourage each other.

Would you agree with me that some people are a lot easier to love than others? I believe that when we pray for people, we are loving them, even when we pray for our enemies. God's love is unconditional. He loves everybody, and He'll help us love everyone, even if they seem unlovable. If you struggle with this concept and the actions I have recommended, maybe you are really struggling with loving God or yourself...something to consider. I sometimes must forgive someone before I can love them or accept their forgiveness.

Loving one another glorifies God. I think He would appreciate our best effort in this area. It is so easy in one sense, yet so very difficult in another. I figure, if Jesus died for someone, they must be redeemable and lovable.

His love and mine,
Pastor Fred

Staying in Spirit

Our Devotion today comes to us from Council Member, Alan:

Matthew 2:11 "On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh."

January 6th is celebrated in many places as "Three Kings Day" when the Magi, almost certainly not kings, visited the one "born king of the Jews" in Bethlehem. Contrary to popular belief, the Magi were not present at the Nativity and may have arrived up to 2 years after the birth of Jesus. This waiting period is often observed as the 12 days following Christmas.

I'm sure most of you have heard the traditional carol about The 12 Days of Christmas...I must admit I can only make it to 5 Golden Rings before needing a song sheet. Then again most people don't make it 5 days before Christmas is over for them. So when does Christmas end for you? Is it after opening presents? How about after coming home from friends and family? Most the decorations in my neighborhood were gone the day after New Years.

I think we should hold on a little longer, marveling at the miracle of His birth, and not allow ourselves to be pushed into the next holiday so soon just because the Valentine displays are up. Then next year maybe we won't be so eager to declare the end of the season. We might even enjoy staying in spirit enough to have Christmas in July! What if we could maintain our joy of meeting Jesus for an entire year or more like the Magi? Doesn't that seem something worth striving for...I believe so.

Hmmmm...The 12 Months of Christmas...has a nice ring to it!

Staying in Spirit,
Alan

Take the Time with God’s People

Luke 1:56 "Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home."

Sometimes Scripture reveals truth and meaning even in the minor details. I have been studying the Bible for a long time, but it never ceases to amaze me the interesting insights you can gain from reading the same passage again and again. Recently I used the encounter of Mary (pregnant with baby Jesus at the time), and Elizabeth (pregnant with John the Baptist at the time), as an illustration of joy. When they met up, Mary's baby leaped in her womb in recognition of Elizabeth's baby. That all makes sense to me, but as I was rereading this passage I realize that immediately after this encounter two very significant things happen. One, Mary sings or recites this beautiful song or poem that in traditional terms is referred to as the Magnificent. I hadn't put it together that these events were related conversationally. Elizabeth says to Mary, "Why am I so favored that the mother of my lord should come to me?" Wow, that she knew that, blows me away. Amazing. Then Mary shares the wonderful words of humility, subservience and revelation. Beautiful words, meaningful encounter and very special moment in History.

What is said next is the verse for our devotional today. Simple words of information, but they reveal a principle that is so important to us today. Mary stays with Elizabeth for about three months and then returns home. I'm sure they were helpful to one another in pregnancy. I gather that they were unusually close, especially after the encounter. I also can figure that they needed to debrief just a little. Think about it. Maybe debrief for about a day or two or week? But three months? Here is my thought today. I can't relate, because I don't do very many things in a three month window. I work a lot on weekly responsibilities, some monthly and also some on long range planning, like envisioning 6 months or more down the pike. Three months is a strange amount of time for me. I know this is 2,000 years ago and there is a different culture and a way different technology or lack thereof. But I am picking up on a principle that is important.

Recently I spoke with a dear friend who told me that a grandbaby was to be born soon. My response was surprise because it just seemed that yesterday we were in long-range planning mode about the pregnancy. Well, time has been passing and 9 months has come and gone, so guess what? I just hadn't thought about it in about three months. A lot can, will and should happen in three months you know. Here is my point today. We think moment to moment pretty well and day to day best. Our weekly planning is pretty good also, as well as month at a time. And, frankly, we do some pretty decent annual planning. Quarterly planning is another subject altogether. I, for one, definitely need to think about getting from weekly survival planning to quarterly planning.

Mary and Elizabeth took a good chunk of time and redeemed it. They took the time necessary to prepare themselves together for one of the most important event in History. Time well spent I'm sure. Time to just be family. Time to think and talk about the impact of the babies they were carrying. I'm sure a lot of it was just being mothers together with something special in common. But I also think we could use some quarterly planning in our lives at Grace Harbor. I will be thinking and praying on these things and hoping you will too. God has a way of revealing to us truth from His Word even in indirect or related ways. I hope you got this application today. If it was only meant for me, it was worth it. Hopefully someone out there sees that we need to think about the intermediate periods of time too, and use them for redemptive purposes. May the Lord guide us in the moments, weeks, months and years and also the quarters too.

In His Service, Pastor Fred

Hidden Treasure

Matthew 13:44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field."

Everything in life can only be appreciated to the degree that we understand the value of it. When we truly acknowledge the cost of what salvation is it will bring the fullest measure of joy. A joy that will translate into doing whatever is necessary to acquire all that treasure has to offer. For example, if I am told that there is a book that contains all the meaning of the of thing that can bring you the greatest joy, wouldn't I make the acquisition of, reading and study of that book paramount in my life? Of course I would. That book is the Bible.

Additionally, if there was a system of communication that would assure me of constant contact with the person who made that treasure possible, and constant contact with the one who gave me that treasure, wouldn't I utilize that system on a regular basis? That system is called prayer. When we pray and study the Word we show appreciation for the one who gives us the greatest treasure. That is how we value the treasure and experience the joy of our salvation.

One final thought. When I have this treasure, value it, celebrate the joy of it and do whatever that is necessary to acquire the full value of it, one of the most important features of it is the compelling need to share it. When we are really saved and really have the greatest treasure we must tell everyone about what we found. For me, I must share my faith in order to value my faith and to experience my faith. It is no secret. I have found the greatest treasure, His name is Jesus and I must tell everyone about Him, what He has done for me and why I treasure that so much. Please ask me if you do not know about my treasure. It is the most wonderful thing I have ever found and the most valuable thing I have. I would love to share it with anyone who is looking for the greatest value.

In Him, Pastor Fred

A Family Never Ends

I John 5:11 And this is the testimony, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

The older I get, the more grateful I am for eternal life. The past few years have been difficult ones for my family. My Sister and my Dad died within two years of each other, I , lost my job after nearly 12 years, and my Mother-in-law was diagnosed with dementia and now lives with us. But through it all, we have become closer as a family, and we have learned so much about the depth of love God gives us through each other.

This year, for Christmas, I wanted to give something to my Mom that would comfort her with the truth that, even though my Sister and Dad are no longer with us here on earth, the family we have is an eternal one, and nothing, not even death, can take that away from us. So I began by collecting photographs containing my Sister and Dad for a collage. Then my amazing wife came up with a brilliant idea. She said, "Why don't you write a poem about family and put it in the middle of the collage?" And so I did just that. This Christmas, I hope you will be as blessed as I am by the experience of God's love shared with your family, and by the knowledge that the family of God never ends. Here is the poem. Merry Christmas, Everyone, and Happy Birthday, Jesus!

A Family Never Ends

A family begins, but a family never ends.
Across time and eternity, its loving reach extends.
It shapes who we are, and who we will become,
And reminds us with pride where we all came from.
It stays in our hearts no matter where we roam,
And provides us a place we can always call home.
God provides the love on which a family depends,
And since a family is love, a family never ends.

Love in Jesus,

Hank