Christmas

I a WOKE this Christmas!

Before you applaud or unsubscribe, maybe you too should consider becoming “WOKE.” As I understand it, WOKE is a term used to describe an awakening that takes place when an individual who has not experienced life the same way another individual has experienced it due to factors such as race, socioeconomic status and historical factors, views life through the lens of the people who do not share the privileges they have simply because they were born in a different environment.  While this term has become a battle cry for social Marxism (here comes the unsubscribes and the applause) this term based on the definition I have created above, can be a great way to view December 25th and Jesus’ birth. 

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Merry Christmas

Blessings to my brothers and sisters in Christ as you celebrate the birth of the only one that can be called the Way, the Truth and the Life.

I pray that you will experience His peace, hope, love and joy in the middle of this very busy time of year.

As you reflect and anticipate remember there was nothing last year that caught God off guard and there will be nothing this year that will shock Him.

Joy

Boy, I struggled with this Advent theme! I feel… I guess I should stop there because I have already started off on the wrong foot. Joy is not a feeling. Joy is supposed to be a constant. Joy is not influenced by situations but rather situations should be influenced by joy with one notable exception. Joy should grow stronger as we recognize that God has a plan no matter what situation we go through. Should’ve, would’ve, could’ve, when it comes to me and joy. Often I allow my feelings to bury my joy, even deplete it. Joy shouldn’t be influenced by situations but if Satan has his way, joy is all but eliminated or at least forgotten/overlooked when life doesn’t go the way we had hoped…

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Love

What does love mean? I am lost in a sea of ideas most of which end up suggesting that I benefit from love. I cannot argue against this idea. Whether I apply a worldly/cultural definition or a biblical one, love always benefits me. That being said, true love in its purest biblical form doesn’t set out to benefit the one who practices it. When one sets out to love like God loves, one must accept that the benefit comes from obedience to the calling of God to love one another. When we love like God does if we expect it to benefit us by making us feel good, we will soon become jaded and withdraw from this practice. Loving like God loves more often than not, hurts…

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Peace

As we continue the Advent series we find ourselves with the same dilemma as we did with Hope. The biblical definition of peace, like hope, does not match the world’s definition. We find in the prophesies of Isaiah a difficult passage about the coming Messiah. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. Isaiah 9:6-7a (NIV). I personally do not doubt that Jesus was the one Isaiah was referring to but I believe that you can put up a good argument that peace was not and still has not been realized through His arrival. As a matter of fact, things actually became less peaceful once He established a following during and after His life on earth. Even Jesus said…

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