“I PROMISE…”

============
“Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’” Matthew 5:37

Love can be defined in myriad ways, but in marriage “I love you” really means
“I promise to be there for you all of my days.” It is a promise that says,
“I’ll be there when you lose your job, your health, your parents, your looks,
your confidence, your friends.” It’s a promise that tells your partner, “I’ll
build you up; I’ll overlook your weaknesses; I’ll forgive your mistakes; I’ll
put your needs above my own; I’ll stick by you even when the going gets
tough.”

This kind of assurance will hold you steady through all of life’s ups and
downs, through all the “better or worse” conditions.

The Lord has demonstrated throughout the ages that He keeps His
promises—including the most important one of all, reserving a spot in heaven
for each of His followers, for all eternity. Since God keeps His promises, we
must keep ours too—especially the one we made before God, our family, our
friends, and our church on our wedding day.

Just between us…
================
What part of my wedding vow means the most to you now?

In what ways has our pledge to “stick together no matter what” seen us through
hard times?

How do we benefit spiritually from keeping our commitments?

Dear Lord, give us Your strength today to honor our promises. May our word be
our bond—to each other, to our friends, and to family and associates. Thank
You that You never waiver on Your promises to us! Amen.

MODELS OF FAITH IN HOSTILE SOCIETIES

There is no single correct way for how God’s people should respond to a culture hostile to faith. In the Old Testament, God called the Israelites to develop their own society. He designed laws to keep out pagan influences. But He sent New Testament followers into the world to impact unbelieving cultures.

As we reflect on our relationship to societies that are hostile to Christian faith, it helps to consider Old Testament figures who found ways to honor God even after they were plucked from safety and placed in unfriendly circumstances.

Example 1: Joseph

His story is found in Genesis 37-47

- Sold as a slave and taken to Egypt but maintained his godly character despite recurring setbacks.

- A model of integrity both in adversity and prosperity

Example 2: Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego

Their story is found in Daniel 1-6

- Taken to Babylon as prisoners of war and trained for service in a pagan government.

- Models of integrity and commitment to the Lord while serving unbelievers.

Example 3: Nehemiah

His story is found in Nehemiah 1-6

- A strategically placed official in the Persian court who was allowed to rebuild Jerusalem’s wall.

A model of leveraging position to accomplish God’s purposes while overcoming opposition.

Example 4: Esther and Mordecai

This story is called the book of Esther

-Members of an ethnic minority who found themselves in a position to influence a godless king.

- Models of acting courageously and wisely in order to withstand evil.

* * *

The people in these examples had several things in common:

They were all laypeople. They were not among the priests or Levites, so they had no vocational reasons for exercising faith in their day-to-day work. Yet they carried out God’s purposes faithfully.

They were all believers living in foreign lands. These followers of God did a better job of obeying the Lord in antagonistic societies than their contemporaries did back in a Judean society that had been formed around a covenant with God.

They all remained committed to God. The pressures of their surrounding cultures deepened their spiritual commitments. They were aware of a larger purpose beyond their immediate circumstances, which enabled them to act wisely. While others surrendered to their culture, these followers of God held on to their fundamental convictions.

MESSIAH, DESCENDANT OF ABRAHAM

Prophecy

Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. — Genesis 12:1-4

What an amazing promise! The Creator of the universe chose to make this everlasting and irrevocable promise to Abraham and his descendants. Speaking these words recorded in Genesis, the Almighty pointed to the greatest blessing of all, a blessing that would be for all the earth: God would give His Son to die for sinners like us, that we might know forgiveness and eternal life.

Through two thousand years and forty-two generations, a new chapter in the sovereign Lord’s plan for humanity was beginning to unfold — and all the families of the earth would indeed be blessed.

FULFILLMENT:

Jesus' Geneology

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham... So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations. — Matthew 1:1, Matthew 1:17

Promise made, promise fulfilled! Writing to a primarily Jewish audience, Matthew outlined Jesus’ ancestry. The gospel writer wanted his Hebrew audience to clearly see that Jesus was indeed the long-awaited King of Israel, in the line of David, who would set God’s people free from captivity to sin and its consequences.

Yet Matthew did something unusual as he outlined the family tree. He named fivewomen: Tamar, a Canaanite; Rahab, a Gentile; Ruth, a Moabite; Bathsheba, King David’s wife; and Mary, the teenage mother of Jesus.

Why? Because their stories, recorded in the Old Testament, demonstrate that God’s grace is available to all, regardless of gender, race, or personal history. In fact, even today God seems to delight in welcoming into His family those we might never expect.

HIS BLESSING:

When God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. — Hebrews 6:13–15

Our God loves to pour out blessings! He demonstrates His love to those of us who love Him — who show our love by obeying Him — when He provides and protects, when He guides our steps and goes ahead of us, when He walks with us through hard times and brings us to good and pleasant places. God blesses us with His constant presence. Whatever trials we face, nothing can separate us from His love. Whatever twists in the road, nothing can interfere with His sovereign power and goodness. Whatever missteps we take, He can redeem. Whatever hurts we experience, He can heal. Yes, our God loves to pour out blessings!

HEALTHY HOPE

============
“Faith is being sure of what we hope for.” Hebrews 11:1

Hope based on the realistic expectation that something can or will change is a powerful, positive, driving force. It motivates us to do our best and helps us achieve what may seem impossible to others. But naive hope that’s grounded in wishful thinking can be deeply disappointing and even destructive. I (JCD) know a woman—I’ll call her Martha—who was hurt repeatedly by her father’s lack of interest in her. As long as Martha continued to hope he would change, she suffered a fresh wound whenever he missed an important family event or failed to consider her feelings. I urged Martha to realize that her father was emotionally blind—he was incapable of seeing her needs.

Once she began to accept his “handicap” as permanent, her pain lessened considerably. Your partner’s temperament or experiences may prevent him or her from fully comprehending your feelings and frustrations. My advice is that you change what can be altered, explain what can be understood, teach what can be learned, revise what can be improved, resolve what can be settled, and negotiate what is open to compromise.

Then determine to accept the rest. As you overlook these few “unresolvables” in your relationship, you’ll develop a perspective that brings realistic hope for an honest and satisfying marriage.

ARE YOU ARE SPIRITUALLY AND PHYSICALLY TIRED?

In Psalm 68:35 the Psalmist writes of a living God whose might and power sustained the people with power and strength. I was in need of that kind of help.

The writer of this verse responds to the Lord with great joy and praise. "You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!" (NIV) When we take our eyes off of worthless and powerless gods or even our own selves we rediscover the power and might of God. I needed to take my eyes off of the self-sufficiency of Suzie to rediscover what God had waiting for me.

Kneeling, I surrendered my schedule, time, and need to just keep going. I confessed that I was exhausted and needed my Heavenly Father's strength to complete the tasks in front of me.

When the weekend ended, I was me again. It wasn't that I walked away with all my challenges erased, but I left filled up with God's strength.

Maybe you're like me. You are spiritually and physically tired, but you don't feel like you can take time to take a break. You think running full steam ahead is the strong way to handle things.

If we continue to run on empty and never stop to let the Lord fill us up, we will eventually discover the limits of our own strength.

Is it time for a prayer retreat of your own? Your special time with God might be in a park or a quiet place like the corner of a library. It's not the place that matters, but that you find one and take time to meet with the Lord.

We schedule everything else. Why not take time to rest in our Heavenly Father? Let's take a break and allow Him to fill us up as we seek His strength for the days ahead.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, I am spiritually and physically tired, and I have heard the whisper to stop and be refilled. Thank You for the sanctuary I find in You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

THE DEVIL IS REAL

The Bible is clear that the devil is real and his schemes can be traced back
to Eden. Beyond our limited vision lies a spiritual realm where the war for
souls is waged. Jesus Christ has already won the ultimate victory, but battles
still rage as Satan tries to make Christians and Christianity ineffective and
impotent. Those battles play out in various arenas. Paul described them as
“rulers,” “authorities,” “powers of this dark world” and “spiritual forces of
evil in the heavenly realms.” Spiritual warfare in unseen realms is as real as
the battles waged here on earth.

There are also battles that occur within our thoughts, our relationships, our
attitudes and our everyday choices. If the devil can wear us down so that we
snap at our children or belittle our husband or pass on a tidbit of gossip, he
has weakened our witness.

For every battle we face, God provides us with a full set of spiritual armor.
God’s armor is based on truth and righteousness, faith and peace. He asks us
to be armed with his attributes, not our own. Above all, we have prayer, which
reaches into the spiritual realm and places the battle into the hands of the
One who has already won the war.

The presence of evil need not make us suspicious or fearful. We don’t need to
look for a demon behind every door. But we should be alert and prayerful so
that we are aware of the devil’s schemes when they come and so we can fight
the battle in the spiritual realm.

JOSEPH'S PRAYER

Joseph... did what the Lord’s angel had told him to do. — Matthew 1:24

The white space between Bible verses is fertile soil for questions. One can hardly read Scripture without whispering, “I wonder...”

“I wonder if Eve ever ate any more fruit.”

“I wonder if Noah slept well during storms.”

“I wonder if Jonah liked fish or if Jeremiah had friends.”

“Did Moses avoid bushes? Did Jesus tell jokes? Did Peter ever try water-walking again?”

“Would any woman have married Paul had he asked?”

The Bible is a fence full of knotholes through which we can peek but not see the whole picture. It’s a scrapbook of snapshots capturing people in encounters with God, but not always recording the result.

So we wonder:

When the woman caught in adultery went home, what did she say to her husband?

After the demoniac was delivered, what did he do for a living?

After Jairus’s daughter was raised from the dead, did she ever regret it?

Knotholes and snapshots and “I wonders.” You’ll find them in every chapter about every person. But nothing stirs so many questions as does the birth of Christ. Characters appear and disappear before we can ask them anything. The innkeeper too busy to welcome God — did he ever learn who he turned away? The shepherds — did they ever hum the song the angels sang? The wise men who followed the star — what was it like to worship a toddler? And Joseph, especially Joseph.

I’ve got questions for Joseph.

Did you and Jesus arm wrestle? Did He ever let you win?

Did you ever look up from your prayers and see Jesus listening?

How do you say “Jesus” in Egyptian?

What ever happened to the wise men?

What ever happened to you?

We don’t know what happened to Joseph. His role in Act I is so crucial that we expect to see him in the rest of the drama — but with the exception of a short scene with twelve-year-old Jesus in Jerusalem, he never reappears. The rest of his life is left to speculation, and we are left with our questions.

But of all my questions, my first would be about Bethlehem. I’d like to know about the night in the stable. I can picture Joseph there. Moonlit pastures. Stars twinkle above. Bethlehem sparkles in the distance. There he is, pacing outside the stable.

What was he thinking while Jesus was being born? What was on his mind while Mary was giving birth? He’d done all he could do — heated the water, prepared a place for Mary to lie. He’d made Mary as comfortable as she could be in a barn and then he stepped out. She’d asked to be alone, and Joseph had never felt more so.

In that eternity between his wife’s dismissal and Jesus’ arrival, what was he thinking? He walked into the night and looked into the stars. Did he pray?

For some reason, I don’t see him silent; I see Joseph animated, pacing. Head shaking one minute, fist shaking the next. This isn’t what he had in mind. I wonder what he said...

This isn’t the way I planned it, God. Not at all. My child being born in a stable? This isn’t the way I thought it would be. A cave with sheep and donkeys, hay and straw? My wife giving birth with only the stars to hear her pain?This isn’t at all what I imagined. No, I imagined family. I imagined grandmothers. I imagined neighbors clustered outside the door and friends standing at my side. I imagined the house erupting with the first cry of the infant. Slaps on the back. Loud laughter. Jubilation.That’s how I thought it would be.The midwife would hand me my child and all the people would applaud. Mary would rest, and we would celebrate. All of Nazareth would celebrate.But now. Now look. Nazareth is five days’ journey away. And here we are in a... in a sheep pasture. Who will celebrate with us? The sheep? The shepherds? The stars?This doesn’t seem right. What kind of husband am I? I provide no midwife to aid my wife. No bed to rest her back. Her pillow is a blanket from my donkey. My house for her is a shed of hay and straw.The smell is bad; the animals are loud. Why, I even smell like a shepherd myself.Did I miss something? Did I, God?When You sent the angel and spoke of the Son being born — this isn’t what I pictured. I envisioned Jerusalem, the temple, the priests, and the people gathered to watch. A pageant perhaps. A parade. A banquet at least. I mean, this is the Messiah!

Or, if not born in Jerusalem, how about Nazareth? Wouldn’t Nazareth have been better? At least there I have my house and my business. Out here, what do I have? A weary mule, a stack of firewood, and a pot of warm water. This is not the way I wanted it to be! This is not the way I wanted my son.

Oh my, I did it again. I did it again, didn’t I, Father? I don’t mean to do that; it’s just that I forget. He’s not my son... He’s Yours.The child is Yours. The plan is Yours. The idea is Yours. And forgive me for asking but... is this how God enters the world? The coming of the angel, I’ve accepted. The questions people asked about the pregnancy, I can tolerate. The trip to Bethlehem, fine. But why a birth in a stable, God?

Any minute now Mary will give birth. Not to a child, but to the Messiah. Not to an infant, but to God. That’s what the angel said. That’s what Mary believes. And, God, my God, that’s what I want to believe. But surely You can understand; it’s not easy. It seems so... so... so... bizarre.

I’m unaccustomed to such strangeness, God. I’m a carpenter. I make things fit. I square off the edges. I follow the plumb line. I measure twice before I cut once. Surprises are not the friend of a builder. I like to know the plan. I like to see the plan before I begin.

But this time I’m not the builder, am I? This time I’m a tool. A hammer in Your grip. A nail between Your fingers. A chisel in Your hands. This project is Yours, not mine.

I guess it’s foolish of me to question You. Forgive my struggling. Trust doesn’t come easy to me, God. But You never said it would be easy, did You?

One final thing, Father. The angel You sent? Any chance You could send another? If not an angel, maybe a person? I don’t know anyone around here, and some company would be nice. Maybe the innkeeper or a traveler? Even a shepherd would do.

I wonder. Did Joseph ever pray such a prayer? Perhaps he did. Perhaps he didn’t.

But you probably have.You’ve stood where Joseph stood. Caught between what God says and what makes sense. You’ve done what He told you to do only to wonder if it was Him speaking in the first place. You’ve stared into a sky blackened with doubt. And you’ve asked what Joseph asked.

You’ve asked if you’re still on the right road. You’ve asked if you were supposed to turn left when you turned right. And you’ve asked if there is a plan behind this scheme. Things haven’t turned out like you thought they would.

Each of us knows what it’s like to search the night for light. Not outside a stable, but perhaps outside an emergency room. On the gravel of a roadside. On the manicured grass of a cemetery. We’ve asked our questions. We questioned God’s plan. And we’ve wondered why God does what He does.

The Bethlehem sky is not the first to hear the pleading of a confused pilgrim.

If you are asking what Joseph asked, let me urge you to do what Joseph did.Obey. That’s what he did. He obeyed. He obeyed when the angel called. He obeyed when Mary explained. He obeyed when God sent.

He was obedient to God.

He was obedient when the sky was bright.

He was obedient when the sky was dark.

He didn’t let his confusion disrupt his obedience. He didn’t know everything. But he did what he knew. He shut down his business, packed up his family, and went to another country. Why? Because that’s what God said to do.

What about you? Just like Joseph, you can’t see the whole picture. Just like Joseph, your task is to see that Jesus is brought into your part of your world. And just like Joseph, you have a choice: to obey or disobey. Because Joseph obeyed, God used him to change the world.

Can He do the same with you?

God still looks for Josephs today. Men and women who believe that God is not through with this world. Common people who serve an uncommon God.

Will you be that kind of person? Will you serve... even when you don’t understand?

No, the Bethlehem sky is not the first to hear the pleadings of an honest heart, nor the last. And perhaps God didn’t answer every question for Joseph. But He answered the most important one. “Are you still with me, God?” And through the first cries of the Godchild the answer came.

“Yes. Yes, Joseph. I’m with you.”

There are many questions about the Bible that we won’t be able to answer until we get home. Many knotholes and snapshots. Many times we will muse, “I wonder...”

But in our wonderings, there is one question we never need to ask. Does God care? Do we matter to God? Does He still love His children?

Through the small face of the stable-born baby, He says yes.

Yes, your sins are forgiven.

Yes, your name is written in heaven.

Yes, death has been defeated.

And yes, God has entered your world.

Immanuel. God is with us.

 * * *

Your Turn

Lord, help us to obey You! During confusion. When our story is full of questions. When the world seems to have gone haywire. When God's plan looks so different from anything we ever imagined it would. Help us to authentically bring our questions to You, to be real with You, and then, even if we don't hear a clear answer to the "I wonders", to choose to obey You. We trust in the promise that You are with us!

TRANQUILITY

===========
“Be at peace with each other.” Mark 9:50

If you don’t protect yourselves from outside stresses, married life can seem
more like a marathon than a stroll in the park. With relentless pressure at
work, a demanding schedule of carpooling and sports, and the stress of keeping
up with home and church duties, moms and dads can begin to lose heart. Then
fatigue and irritability set in, angry words are spoken, and soon every member
of the family is at one another’s throats.

All of us, especially at the end of pressure‐packed days, need a safe retreat.
As a working husband or wife, you need a chance to unwind privately for a
while when you first come home. School kids (teenagers, too) need
uninterrupted “down time” on a regular basis. No one can keep up a frenetic
schedule for long without it affecting his or her attitude.

Jesus told His followers to “be at peace with each other.” If you’re finding
hopefulness in short supply in your marriage, maybe it’s time you get off the
treadmill of continuous stress. If it’s just the expectations of others that
is keeping you on the run, say “no” more often. Take an afternoon off. Get a
babysitter so you can have some time to yourself. Set aside quiet time
regularly—and guard it. Slow down your mealtimes together. Simplify.

As you make a priority of creating tranquility at home, you’ll feel your heart
lifting and hope returning.

Just between us…
================
•When you feel overwhelmed by demands, do you ever lose hope?

How can we do a better job of protecting each other’s “down time”?

How can tranquility at home promote a better spiritual life?

Prayer:

Dear God, forgive us when we allow external demands to dictate the quality of
our home life. Give us the foresight and discipline to create a sanctuary of
peace and renewal. Amen.

GOD’S DEAL OF DEPRESSION

We construct walls over which no one can climb because the cost of friendship is too high. We fill the windows of our soul with emotional excuses in order to avoid dealing with pain. The result is darkness, loneliness and missed opportunities for restoration. We don't want to understand depression or find the treasures of that darkness; we simply want to be rid of it.

Many people try to understand and deal with depression on a surface level –refusing to face painful experiences, difficult relationships and, in general, the broken places where darkness lives. We look for the nearest exit, hoping to bypass transparency because the price is just too much to pay.

Emotional integrity is an essential step to recognizing, understanding and dealing with depression. We must be real before we can be right, and until we are willing to risk being transparent, we can neither understand nor effectively deal with depression during the holidays or any other time of the year.

Let's Pray:
Father, I want my life to be filled with light instead of darkness. Please help me discard my emotional masks and be real before You as well as with my family and friends. Give me the courage to be obedient to You in every holiday setting. Give me eyes to see those You bring into my life that need my encouragement because they are on the same journey. Father,prepare and enable me to make my life an offering of praise to You.  In Jesus's name.  Amen.

HOPE

Can any of us live without hope? I think not. Without hope, we have no reason
to get out of bed in the morning… no motivation to complete our daily tasks at
work, home, church… no desire to take on the sometimes dizzying array of
problems in our world. A life without hope is a life without meaning.

Yet as Christians, we always have hope. In Jesus Christ, we have a holy
protector, friend, confidante, and guide. We have a reserved seat in heaven
that promises unimaginable joy. This is what gives us the endurance, patience,
and motivation to bring glory to our Creator during this imperfect existence.
In the days ahead, we’ll talk more about how hope can strengthen our marriage.

John tells us, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3:36). Can
you imagine a greater source of hope?

God Had a Plan to Save His People

Verses for today:

Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, He was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them. — Judges 2:18

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my Savior... I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and have been saved from my enemies. In my distress I called to the Lord; I called out to my God. From His temple He heard my voice; my cry came to His ears. The earth trembled and quaked, the foundations of the heavens shook; they trembled because He was angry. Smoke rose from His nostrils; consuming fire came from His mouth, burning coals blazed out of it. He parted the heavens and came down... He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me. — 2 Samuel 22:2–4, 2 Samuel 22:7–10, 2 Samuel 22:17–20

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from His roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him — the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord — and He will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes, or decide by what He hears with His ears; but with righteousness He will judge the needy, with justice He will give decisions for the poor of the earth. — Isaiah 11:1–4

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all. — Psalm 34:17–19

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. — Romans 10:13

Meditation

God had a plan all along to save His people and deliver them from their sins. The judges modeled the role of deliverer, but their work was always temporary. They may have been able to defeat an oppressive army who had conquered the Israelites, but they could not save the people from their own sinful tendencies; they couldn’t even keep from sinning themselves.

But Jesus could. And the name Mary and Joseph gave their Son — our sinless Savior — tells the whole story. The name Jesus, in Hebrew, means Yahweh saves. There could be no clearer message.

God is a saving God.

Yet the problem the people in Jesus’ time had in receiving Jesus is the same problem we face now. We all want a deliverer, someone to help us out of our financial struggles, our troubled relationships, our sickness. But no one can keep God’s required end of the agreement.

Instead of daily living for Him, we break God’s commandments and go our own way. We seek our own righteousness, ignoring the fact that the blood of a sacrificial death is required as payment for our sin.

Sin leads to bondage. Our God, who has control over all powers and authorities, over all of the spiritual forces in the world, over all of the rebellious people throughout the course of history, hears our cries for help. And nothing can stop Him from saving us except our own foolish rejection of the Deliverer Himself.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, You are my hope and my deliverer. In spite of my folly and waywardness, You hear my prayers and work in ways that are too marvelous for me to understand. I give thanks that You really care. Though I live in a broken world of sin, disease and death, I know that nothing can ever separate me from Your love. In spite of the uncertainties of this life, I know that You will never leave or abandon me. You have set me free from the bondage of sin and death. May I freely lay hold of the benefits of prayer and seek Your wisdom and power amid the adversities and uncertainties of this life. In Your powerful and saving Name I pray. Amen.

EMPHASIS ON ASSISTING THE POOR AND HELPLESS

The Bible places great emphasis on assisting the poor and helpless, especially orphans, widows, and the handicapped. In Israelite society, no paid work was available to women; thus, a widow and her children had no livelihood. Neither was work available for the seriously handicapped in this nation of farmers and shepherds. The poor were to be helped without charging any interest. God said that neglecting the poor was a sin. Permanent poverty was not allowed in Israel. Financially secure families were responsible to help and house those in need.

Many times we do nothing, not because we lack compassion, but because the size of the problem overwhelms us and we don’t know where to begin. God doesn’t expect you to eliminate poverty, nor does he expect you to neglect your family while providing for others. He does, however, expect that when you see an individual in need, you will reach out with whatever help you can offer, including hospitality.

Respond
=======
Ask God to open your eyes to the desperate needs of people in your world.
Consider what you can do to help alleviate those needs, to show compassion in Christ’s name. Then pray for the courage and wisdom to respond to the needs you see. 

HE IS- HOLY

===========
Leviticus 19:2

God describes himself as holy. Holy means perfect, set apart, free from evil.
And God wants us to follow his example. The only way to holiness is through
spiritual transformation, becoming like the only perfect human—Jesus Christ.

Because God is holy, we should be and can be holy. We could never do this on
our own—only through Christ’s work in us. If holiness seems too lofty a goal,
think of it as a process. You became holy when you accepted Christ’s sacrifice
on the cross. You are becoming more holy as you follow him. And you will
become completely holy when you reach heaven.

TWO HUNDRED LAUGHS

==================
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
Proverbs 17:22

It’s been said that the average child laughs two hundred times a day, while
the typical adult laughs only four times every twenty‐four hours. So what has
happened to us grown‐ups? Maybe it has something to do with those grueling
hours at the office, long lines at the grocery store, and piles of bills on
the kitchen counter.

Of course, life can be very difficult, and some people face serious obstacles
and hardships. But many of us frown or complain over relatively minor
inconveniences. I (JCD) knew a woman who made herself and her husband
miserable just because she had one more child than she had bedrooms in which to put them. Too many irritations come from a complete inability to appreciate the humor and blessings that exist around us. When your husband forgets to take the kids to their dentist appointment, or your wife accidentally gives away your favorite sweatshirt, or your toddler draws his version of the Mona Lisa on the living room wall—wouldn’t it be easier on everyone if you looked on the funny side of the situation?

Kevin Jones, dealing with increasing paralysis from Lou Gehrig’s disease, was asked to describe the worst thing about his condition. He replied, “My wife’s driving! She has to take me everywhere.”

No matter what you’re facing, a smile can only make it better.

Just between us…
================
How often do you laugh each day?

Do we keep our heavenly destination in mind when adversity strikes?

How could we add humor to the next difficult situation we face?

Prayer:
Dear God, when problems threaten to affect how we treat each other, help us tosee them in the perspective of Your unfailing goodness. Amen.

JESUS' BIRTH

 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. — John 1:14, John 1:17–18

It all happened in a moment, a most remarkable moment that was like none other. For through that segment of time a spectacular thing occurred. God became a man. While the creatures of earth walked unaware, Divinity arrived. Heaven opened herself and placed her most precious one in a human womb.

God as a fetus. Holiness sleeping in a womb. The creator of life being created. God was given eyebrows, elbows, two kidneys, and a spleen. He stretched against the walls and floated in the amniotic fluids of His mother.

God had come near. No silk. No ivory. No hype. To think of Jesus in such a light is — well, it seems almost irreverent, doesn’t it? It is much easier to keep the humanity out of the incarnation.

But don’t do it. For heaven’s sake, don’t.

Let Him be as human as He intended to be. Let Him into the mire and muck of our world. For only if we let Him in can He pull us out.

IF YOU GIVE,YOU WILL RECEIVE

If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure,pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over.Whatever measure you use in giving—large or small—it will be used to measurewhat is given back to you (Luke 6:38

GOD’S PLAN FOR SEX

==================
Read Leviticus 18:3
===================
“So do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life.”

Reflect
=======
God’s laws in Exodus and Leviticus were launching a new culture. The
Israelites were moving from idol-infested Egypt to idol-infested Canaan.
Creating a new culture was much harder than adopting an established one.

As God helped establish this new culture, he warned his people to leave their Egyptian experiences and artifacts behind. He also warned them how easy it would be to adopt the Canaanites’ pagan culture. Canaan’s society and religions appealed especially to sexual immorality and drunkenness. The Israelites were to keep themselves pure and set apart for God.

Part of establishing this new culture involved building good relationships. Maintaining good relations meant not having sex with just anyone. If sexual relations were out of control, God knew the people would hurt and kill one another because of them. He knew that sex was intensely personal.

Respond
=======
If sexual abuse is part of your history, you know how much heartache it can cause. But you also need to know that God’s love for you remains unchanged. He still loves you deeply. Whatever your history, God wants to bring healing to your life through right relationships with him and others.

JESUS WAS A VERY BUSY MAN,AND YET,HE WAS NEVER TOO BUSY TO OFFER SALVATION.

Jesus was a very busy man. And yet, He was never too busy to offer a kind word to the men and women who crossed His path on a daily basis.

He stopped and spoke to the diminutive Zacchaeus who was perched in a tree to get a better look at the parade of followers.

He took a break from His travels to engage in one of His longest recorded conversations with a weary woman who was at a well.

He interrupted His schedule to comfort a mother who was in the funeral procession of her only son.

He took time to deliver a demon-possessed man who stood in His way on the shore.

He noticed a lame man by the pool of Bethesda who waited for the healing waters to stir. 

He comforted His crying mother as she stood at the foot of the cross.

He instructed the frustrated fishermen as He stood watching from the shore.

Jesus noticed…and then He offered words and deeds of comfort and concern.

It appears that each of these incidents in Jesus' life was an interruption in His packed schedule, but they were not interruptions at all. Each encounter was a divine appointment from His heavenly Father who controlled the moments of Jesus' days.

Could it be that God is sending you out on a special assignment each time you cross the threshold of your home? I wonder who will God put in your path today?

LET'S PRAY:
Dear Heavenly Father, open my eyes to see people who need a word of encouragement, a word of acknowledgement, or a word of thanks. Help me to slow down enough to see the needs standing right in front of me. Thank you for
giving Jesus as our example of how to care for a hurting world. In Jesus' Name, Amen.