So how have you been doing focusing on Jesus as Christmas is approaching? I've been good at some points and pretty lame at others--but I'm still working at it. As we come into our weekend readings, we're turning to Luke and the Christmas story. Our prayer group here at BB read through a bunch of it this morning. As I was listening as several people read this morning, it just hit me how because we're so familiar with the story, the awesomeness of how Jesus came to earth can get overlooked. So keep your awesomeness radar on as you start reading in Luke.
The other thing that grabbed me this morning (Thursday) was Luke 1:28. This is where the angel of the Lord speaks to Mary for the first time. I love this greeting. "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with You!" First off, can you imagine being greeted by an angel? And secondly, what incredible words for Mary to hear, "O favored one." It got me thinking. If I were so fortunate to meet up with an angel today, how might he greet me? Ok, I know it's highly unlikely that any of us will be talking with an angel here on earth this week, but that angel was sent from God, and God knows everything about us. So think about that greeting for a minute and then let me know your thoughts. Have a good one. Tami W.
I love Christmas, and look forward to the candlelight service at my church. But I spend most of December almost as a recluse to escape the circus out there in the marketplace, which, by the way, have you noticed, now starts right after Halloween? Don't know what else to do.
Hi Tami,
I'm just about to head out the door and to the emergency room. I know you area already praying for us, and wanted to say thanks while I still can. I also wanted to give you some names to go with the prayers.
Polly - My mother, fighting and losing a battle with cancer.
Margaret - My wife. In need of bilateral knee replacement surgery and has diabetes.
Abagail - Our daughter. Worry and stress.
Charles - Me. Details don't matter, but prayer always helps.
The Lord will see us through this, and even if my mom and I both pass away, I know He will take care of the ones we leave behind, I know the Lord will help them deal with their grief and find a way to live on. That said, we need all the prayers we can get.
Thank you all so much for your loving support.
May the Lord bless you all and keep you well.
Charles
I Love Christmas very much.
Even though, it is a very busy time a year, but it won't change the fact, that Christmas is one of the best time all year around.
Yes I love also very much everyday of the year, don't get me wrong here.
Charles, I want you to know, that I'm Praying for you and your Familie, and remember God is good, and He will work it out for your own good. I Praise God for all the things He has done for us. He will never leave you or forsake you.
Yes, I believe, it can't be easy to go through all that, at the same time. But hold on to Jesus, He will lead you, He will give you Strength, He will guide you, He will take care of you and your Familie.
God Bless you
Thanks for sharing this, so We are in this together.
Tami, the other day I was visiting my new grandson, 3 wks now, and was thinking how awesome it was to have our Savior come to this world no bigger than Zeth. Yet he came into this world with so much less than what I was holding. It helped to remind me that this was what we are celebrating, the birth, a new born baby, of our Lord on this world. May you all look upon a baby this Christmas and remember. Have a Merry Christmas. Jay
Greetings, O favored one!
I would like you and the others at BTTB to know what a blessing "Powered by 4" is to me. Even though I don't have time to write in the blog I visit it also and enjoy your video messages and the effort others put into their posts. I have encouraged the use of this ministry to the men in my Bible Study (we are in Wood's Hebrews study book right now) and hope some of them will start it as a New Year discipline.
God Bless you all in this coming year.
Tami thank you so much for starting P4Blog. It has been very inspirational and the comments have been a blessing as well. Thank you brothers and sisters in Christ for making this grandmother have a pleasant year. It's as tho we truly are a family.
Charles,, I have the exact same problems as Margaret your wife and I can truly sympathize with you all. I am sorry that at this yule season your family is so heavy hearted but be assured that you will have a lot of prayers going up for you all. With my love, Alyce.
:) Well, I'm back and finally commenting again. Merry Christmas to you all there at BTTB and readers!
You asked if we could imagine being greeted by an angel, and I have to tell you ABSOLUTELY YES because I have had an angel come to me on 5 separate occasions (yeah now you think I'm crazy) But I'm not...seriously...
When I was in high school, right after I got saved, I was going through a tremendously difficult time, and I was depressed beyond words. I won't bore you with the whole story, because it will take way too long, but let me just say this, God sent me an angel to come and comfort me, one evening at about 1:10 AM in my bedroom. I will NEVER forget this encounter or what I saw...it was unbelievable.
And the morning after this encounter with this angel, I was not suicidal anymore and more on fire for Christ than I was before.
So yes...like Mary...I can absolutely imagine being touched by an angel. :) They truly are God's messengers.