Notes of Faith December 18, 2022

Notes of Faith December 18, 2022

The Best of You This Christmas

The holiday season is here. Like me, your focus is likely shifting to all of the needs and expectations around you. You can quickly fall into painful patterns of pleasing everybody else — only to find yourself exhausted and running on empty.

That’s why I want to invite you to pause, take a deep breath, and check in with yourself:

What do you want from this Advent season?

What needs are you dying to have met?

What convictions are you aching to protect?

What step can you take toward honoring a limit?

What or who will bring out the best of you?

Whenever I talk to people about the importance of focusing on what they need and want, I get pushback like this:

“But . . . isn’t that selfish?”

“Didn’t Jesus teach us to deny ourselves?”

“Isn’t it good to be selfless?”

My answer is this: there is a big difference between selfhood and selfishness. Furthermore, being selfless is not always the right choice.

Here is one way to illustrate the differences:

SELFISHNESS

It's all about me.

SELFHOOD

It's about you and me.

SELFLESSNESS

It's all about you.

Jesus was no doormat.

Selfhood is rooted in the idea that you were made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). You bear the image of God inside your soul. You are God’s handiwork, created to do good in this world (Ephesians 2:10).

Uncovering a deep sense of yourself doesn’t just “happen.” And it’s anything but superficial. In fact, a healthy sense of self is something you develop, with care and intention, in partnership with God’s Spirit. Selfhood starts by facing yourself honestly. It includes acknowledging what’s hard and celebrating the gifts you’ve been given.

Selfhood is necessary to make wise decisions, show up with integrity, and create the rhythms you need to stay healthy — especially during the holiday season. It’s not being selfish, and it’s also not being a doormat. It’s an understanding that in any relationship, two people have perspectives that matter, and you are one of those people.

In fact, developing a sense of self is the most foundational step to setting healthy boundaries with other people. Without selfhood, your decisions are driven by guilt and fear. You take the path of least resistance or work overtime to please everyone else. You prioritize the expectations of other people instead of honoring your own authentic wants and needs.

You don’t show up as the best of who you are.

You don’t live out of the best of who God created you to be.

The Example of Jesus

Jesus gave us an amazing example of selfhood during His short time on earth. In fact, Jesus’ strong sense of self empowered Him to sustain healthy boundaries. He demonstrated a clear pattern of letting His yes be yes and His no be no (Matthew 5:37), whether He was taking time for Himself or spending it with other people.

When you live from a strong sense of self, your yes and your no become strong, clear, and powerful.

Consider some of the following examples:

Jesus said yes to asking for help (Mark 14:32–34).

Jesus said yes to choosing friends carefully (Luke 6:12–16).

Jesus said yes to honoring His emotions (John 11:35; Mark 3:5; Luke 22:44).

Jesus said yes to developing His potential (Luke 2:46).

Jesus said yes to sticking to His convictions (Luke 4:1–13).

As a result of the foundational ways in which Jesus claimed His identity, talents, and purpose, He was also able to say no when it was needed. Here are a few examples.

Jesus said no to being “on” all the time (Matthew 14:23–24).

Jesus said no to pleasing and performing (Mark 15:1–5).

Jesus said no to toxic behavior (Matthew 23:13–36; Luke 11:37–54).

Jesus said no to manipulation (Matthew 4:1–11).

Jesus said no to bullies and abusers (Matthew 18:6; John 8:1–11).

As you can see from His example, Jesus was no doormat. When Jesus said to “deny yourself” (Matthew 16:24–26), He understood the difference between denying your selfishness and denying your selfhood — your God-given, image-bearing self, which is your soul made to shine who God is through your life.

If these words resonate with you, can I encourage you to get curious this holiday season:

What are some ways you have learned to stay hidden? What are some messages you have picked up, such as:

“It’s better to stay small.”

“I shouldn’t feel angry or sad.”

“I should never think of myself.”

What is a new message God might be inviting you to consider instead?

What if walking with Jesus this Christmas means to learn how to say yes to reclaiming your God-given light?

Adapted from Chapter 1 of The Best of You, by Dr. Alison Cook.

Enjoy the most spectacular time of year being the you God created you to be, a reflection of His image to all who interact with you. What a blessing to be a blessing to God who gave everything to have a relationship with you!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith December 17, 2022

Notes of Faith December 17, 2022

Oh Come, Let Us Adore Him

Topic: Christmas

Scripture: Matthew 2:11

They saw the child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. —Matthew 2:11

If you saw your very best friend in the school hallway, would you walk right by without saying a word — even if you were in a hurry to get somewhere? Chances are, you wouldn’t. You’d stop for just a moment and say hi or at least smile and wave as you went past. Somehow you’d make a connection. If you had a little more time, you’d hang out with your friend for a while, and the two of you would enjoy just being together. That’s important for a relationship between friends.

It’s also important for your relationship with Jesus. He knows that you have a lot going on, and He understands that you can’t always spend a lot of time with Him. But He wants to make a connection with you each day — not just on Sundays and holidays such as Christmas but all year long!

Today’s devotion is based on Matthew 2:11, which says, “They saw the child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him.” The devotion is called “Oh Come, Let Us Adore Him.”

“Steven, you’re here!” said Mrs. Anderson. “Hurry and get dressed.” On Christmas Eve Mrs. Anderson was directing the live nativity scene at the Christian school Steven attended.

“Sorry I’m late,” Steven said, rushing to put on his shepherd’s robe. “I had to run errands with my mom before she dropped me off.” He grabbed his staff, ran outside, and took his place next to the stable. Joseph, Mary, and the angels were already in position. So were the animals. People started arriving to see the display. Steven tried to look worshipful, but he was flustered. Besides, he was cold, and the sheep kept biting his robe. Steven sighed. He’d thought this would be fun. And meaningful, like being at the first Christmas. After all, he really did love Jesus.

The angels began to sing. Staring at the manger, Steven started thinking about everything Jesus meant to him. Soon he truly was worshiping his Lord and Savior.

Everyone’s busy nowadays — even kids! Take a moment every day to worship Jesus, no matter how busy you are. He is God’s Son, who came to save the world. He deserves to be praised. You can celebrate Jesus’ birth all year long by coming to Him daily and giving Him your love.

Come, let us bow down in worship.

Words to Treasure

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord. — Psalm 95:6

1. What are some reasons why people fail to connect with and worship Jesus every day, however briefly — even if they really want to and know it’s very important?

2. What could you do to make sure you connect with Jesus for at least a little while each day? Spend some time brainstorming to come up with a list.

Are there some things in your life — some possessions or activities, perhaps — that might be getting in the way of your relationship with Jesus? Have you ever thought about getting rid of one or more of these in order to give yourself time to connect with Jesus and worship Him for a little while each day?

3. Why is practicing a spiritual discipline — like reading your Bible every morning, praying at the same time every evening, or keeping a journal about your spiritual journey — a good way to maintain your relationship with Jesus? Do you practice any spiritual disciplines like that? If you do, how do they help you connect with Jesus?

4. What is the one thing that will destroy your desire to connect with Jesus each day, and what can you do about it?

Answer: Sin will always interfere with your relationship with Jesus. But if you confess it and repent of it, you’ll rediscover your passion to draw near to Jesus and worship Him.

Consider spending some time playing a game or doing an exercise to help children memorize the “Words to Treasure” Scripture verse.

Material taken from the NIV Adventure Bible Book of Devotions.

I remember, treasure and still have my bedtime bible story book. Children learn and remember the truths of Scripture and can apply them growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and come to Him in faith at a very young age. May we be an influence in their lives, giving them such gifts, reading to them, and testifying how Jesus has changed our life, that they might believe! May God give you great wisdom in the gifts you give this Christmas.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith December 16, 2022

Notes of Faith December 16, 2022

The Day When Hope Was Born

The tree is trimmed and decorated and glowing with lights. The gifts are wrapped and tied with bows and arranged carefully beneath. The stockings are hung by the fire and bulging with trinkets and surprises and sweet delicacies. The table is set and waiting for a great feast to be laid out upon it. Christmas has come again — again with all its joys, with all its pleasures, with all its precious traditions.

But look again, look more carefully, look and see that there are fewer gifts than there were in years past. There is one less stocking than there was before. The table has been set with one less place. When the family gathers to celebrate this year, there will be one member who will not be gathering with the rest, one person who will not be home for Christmas, one person who will be sorely missed.

This will be the reality for so many families this season, so many families who have had to bid farewell to one of their own. And never do those losses stand out so starkly, never do they cut so deep, never do they cause so much pain as during the holidays, as during times of celebration. For holidays are about gathering with the ones we love, spending time with the ones God has given us, observing the season together.

This will be the reality for my family this Christmas, for just a couple of years ago, the Lord saw fit to call one of us to himself. My son Nick was seemingly healthy and well, thriving in life and preparing himself for marriage and pastoral ministry, when he very suddenly collapsed and died and was gone. Christmas has never been the same. Christmas never will be the same, never can be the same, for our little fellowship has been shattered, our little family has suffered a grievous loss, our little home circle has been broken.

My mind sometimes drifts back to the evening we learned the news that broke our hearts and changed our lives. My mind sometimes drifts back to the thought that flashed through it in that moment when my entire world was rocked: God knows what it is to have a son and God knows what it is to lose a son. And this thought reminds me today that even though Christmas is the day when the pain of my loss is particularly sharp, it is also the day when my hope is particularly strong. For

without Christmas I would be despondent, but because of Christmas, I have the greatest of all hopes.

Christ had to be born for us.

The wonder of the Christian faith, the miracle that we celebrate every Christmas, is that God became man. The Son of God who had existed from all eternity, the God who had been present at the creation of the world, the God who holds together all things by the word of His power, took on flesh and was born as a weak, helpless, crying baby. He grew up surrounded by the chaos and sin of this world, He proclaimed the glorious message God had given Him, and at the end of it all, He was crucified and died. The Father witnessed the death of His beloved Son.

But that is not the whole story, of course, for death could not hold Him! Death could not keep back the One who lived a sinless life and died an atoning death. He left the tomb and ascended to Heaven and now prepares a place for each of us who have loved Him and believed in His name and received His forgiveness.

In order to save us, Christ had to die for us. And in order to die for us, Christ had to live for us. And in order to live for us, Christ had to be born for us.

It is at Christmas that we tell the beginning of the story of His incarnation, at Christmas that we celebrate His birth, at Christmas that we mark the dawning of hope. For when Christ was born on Christmas morning, hope was born with Him — the hope that our loved ones are not lost forever, but merely separated for us from a time, the hope that though we may grieve for a while, sorrow will at last give way to a joy beyond all we’ve known or even imagined. Our hope and our confidence is rooted and grounded in this day.

I wish Nick could be in our home this year to celebrate Christmas with us. But I know God has called him to a different home, a higher home, what I know to be a better home. And if Nick is experiencing nothing but happiness, as I truly believe he is, why would I spend the day in nothing but sadness? Why should I mourn as he rejoices? And so as we gather to celebrate Christmas, we’ll pause for at least a time to turn our hearts away from this home and instead fix them on the home above, the home where there is a much greater celebration, the home where Nick dwells with his Savior. We will fix our hearts on the time when all our tears will be dried and the time when the circle that has been broken will be fully and finally restored. And then we will return to celebrating the wonder of that baby in a manger, for this is the day when He was born — the day when hope was born.

Written for Devotionals Daily by Tim Challies, author of Seasons of Sorrow.

When you come to understand true spiritual hope, it is something that is sure yet still future. God’s promises never fail. And the hope that is found in Jesus is sure from eternity past to eternity future. Place your hope in Jesus!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith December 15, 2022

Notes of Faith December 15, 2022

Breath as Prayer: Christmas!

They say it's “the most wonderful time of the year,” but it sure can sometimes feel more like the most stressful time of the year. For all its wonder and joy, the holiday season can be the most anxiety-ridden season of the year. Unrealistic expectations, overwhelming demands, overflowing calendars, and increased social obligations can lead to all kinds of increased stress and anxiety.

If you struggle with anxiety through the holidays, you’re not alone.

The pressure to try to do everything, to plan the “perfect” Christmas and implement all the traditions, not to mention traveling to visit family, meeting year-end deadlines at work, the financial burdens of shopping for everyone on your list, along with all the cooking and cleaning and wrapping and decorating…. whew! Just typing out that list is raising my anxiety already!

But what would happen if we let go of all the to-do's and the lists and the expectations this Christmas?

What if we chose to enter this season with only one goal: to rest in the presence of God and let His peace fill our hearts?

After all, this is the season of Advent. It’s a time of anticipation, a season of expectant waiting for the coming of our Savior. Advent invites us to slow down and believe that there's more to Christmas than the loud noise of the holidays, more than the hustle and bustle of the crowds, more than the pressure to produce and perform and perfect.

Advent is a season of hope, peace, love, and joy.

The truth is, there's nothing you have to buy, nothing you have to do to make this a good Christmas. Christmas is already good because our good God has already given us the greatest gift the world has ever known: Jesus.

So how can we intentionally seek peace this Christmas? How can we ease the anxiety and the stress and the pressure that so often fills these days and instead learn to simply rest and wait in Christ, and breathe in His love and goodness through the season?

Plan ahead for peace. Pull out a calendar and be proactive. List all the things you know you will have to do: events to attend, shopping, baking, travel, etc. Identify what brings you joy and what brings you stress. If possible, eliminate things that bring you unnecessary anxiety. At the same time, be intentional about planning things you know will bring you peace and joy. Be sure to leave plenty of white space in your days. Plan for rest, for time outside, for prayer and quiet time with God.

Set good boundaries with realistic expectations. Know your limitations. You don’t have to do all the things. Let yourself off the hook and learn to say no. If you can’t say no, plan time around the stressful things for some self-compassion and down time. Simplify. Don’t spend money you don’t have. You can’t buy peace with a carload of gifts and a wallet full of debt. Slow down the pace. Take a deep breath. This season is not an emergency. There is no race to Christmas day.

Anxiety doesn’t have to be your enemy this Christmas.

Give yourself grace. Anxiety and depression can be especially hard at the holidays. Be gentle with yourself. It’s ok if you’re not feeling in the “holiday spirit.” There can be pressure at the holidays to be happy and social, but it’s really ok if you’re not. You may be walking through deep hurt or loss this season. Be kind to yourself and gentle with the feelings you are processing. Remember: Jesus entered this world in the middle of the mess and muck of a lowly stable to meet you right where you are, in the middle of whatever hard things you’re going through. He came to be your Savior, and He invites you to give Him your burdens and let Him give you rest.

Take time to breathe and pray. Want a practical and powerful tool to help ease your anxiety while drawing your heart closer to Christ? I invite you to try the centuries-old Christian practice called breath prayer: a simple but deeply meaningful spiritual practice that combines deep breathing with prayers of meditation on God’s Word.

Made of just two lines from a verse of Scripture, breath prayers are prayed to the rhythm of your breath. You inhale slowly and deeply as you pray the first line of the prayer, then exhale slowly and fully as you pray the second line, repeating the prayer as many times as you’d like.

The slow, deep breathing is scientifically shown to help calm the physical symptoms of anxiety, while prayer turns your mind toward Christ and the truth in His Word.

I’ve personally found breath prayer to be an amazing tool to not only help manage my anxiety but also to strengthen my faith. It has helped me change the way I respond to feelings of anxiety. Instead of spiraling into overwhelm and panic, when I begin to feel anxious, I simply slow down for a few minutes and take time to breathe and pray a short breath prayer. As I do this, I can feel my anxiety begin to ease and my soul finds renewed strength as I focus on a truth that is greater than the overwhelming feelings of my anxiety.

You can give it a try with this simple prayer from 1 Peter 5:7:

Inhale: I give You my worries and cares,

Exhale: for You care about me.

Repeat this prayer a few times, breathing slowly to the rhythm of God’s Word.

Anxiety doesn’t have to be your enemy this Christmas.

There may be hard and stressful days, but you don’t have to spiral out of control when anxiety builds. You can change the way you respond to your anxiety and use it as an opportunity to slow down and turn your heart toward Christ. When you do this regularly, you may just find that you are able to experience a deep and abiding peace as your soul draws closer to the One who split the veil between heaven and earth to be wrapped in infant skin so He could be near you and rescue you and give you real hope and true peace.

So, when you begin to feel overwhelmed or stressed this Christmas, simply slow down, breathe deep, and try praying a breath prayer. Better yet, try beginning every day with a few quiet minutes of breath prayer. Before the stress piles on, invite Christ to meet you right where you are as you turn your mind toward the truth in His Word and give your worries to Him.

He is Immanuel.

God is WITH us.

You can breathe deep this Christmas season and know:

You are safe and held and loved.

You don’t have to worry. You don’t have to stress.

Jesus is here.

Written for Devotionals Daily by Jennifer Tucker, author of Breath as Prayer.

This is the air I breathe

Your holy presence living in me!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith December 14, 2022

Notes of Faith December 14, 2022

Turning Adversity and Heartache Into Miraculous Living

The Other Joseph

Joseph, the son of Jacob, was only seventeen when his world came crashing down.

His own brothers threw him into a well and left him for dead. Then they had a change of heart when they happened to see a caravan of merchants headed toward Egypt. They decided that instead of leaving him for dead, they would retrieve him from the well and sell him into slavery. In a matter of minutes, Joseph went from being the most cherished son of his father to becoming a slave transported to a foreign country. Everyone he loved was ripped from him in an instant. He lost all of his privileges and rights; he lost his beloved family, his friends, and all of his hopes and dreams were stolen. He found himself in the middle of hardship and suffering. The only future he could see was that of being a slave.

Later, after becoming a trusted servant and manager of his owner’s estate, he was thrown into prison for refusing temptation and instead choosing to honor his owner and honor his God. Yet, despite his terrible circumstances, he became the most revered and highest-ranking individual in Pharaoh’s empire. His actions saved two nations from starvation. How could this happen to someone whose whole life had been stolen and whose future had been trashed? The answer can be found in his intimate and unique relationship with God.

Now consider the “other” Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. He and Mary were betrothed. They planned a future together and, in a moment, their plans changed. Suddenly the future the “other” Joseph saw looked totally different.

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. — Matthew 1:18

The “other” Joseph knew something about hardship and suffering. He found himself in an impossible and unimaginable situation. His betrothed was having a baby. He actually contemplated a divorce and then God intervened.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit’. — Matthew 1:20

The Joseph of the New Testament heard from God and then he chose to follow Him in an intimate relationship with God. He and Mary were called to parent God’s Son, the Messiah. Together they raised Jesus. They parented Him as a baby, a toddler, and then a teenager. They parented the Savior of the world.

Both Josephs, the son of Jacob and the earthly father of Jesus, were chosen by God to endure hardships and suffer difficult things to impact the lives of others. They recognized the sovereignty of God and trusted their futures to Him.

When you believe in your heart that God is truly sovereign and that He loves you more than you love yourself, you will experience a supernatural peace and joy even amid extreme adversity, hardship, and suffering.

God wants to give us a spiritual joy that is not based on circumstances. Not only does He want to give us this joy — He wants to give it to us abundantly. He wants to fill our hearts with this joy to the point of overflowing — spilling out of our hearts and affecting those who surround us and those who enter our path for even a moment. This is the kind of joy Jesus had, and He even referred to it as “My joy.” In John 15, Jesus told the disciples and us some things that He promised would put His joy in us. He said,

These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. — John 15:11 NASB

Jeremiah wrote,

Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,

Let not the mighty man glory in his might,

Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;

But let him who glories glory in this,

That he understands and [intimately] knows Me,

That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,’ says the Lord. — Jeremiah 9:23–24 NKJV

God said that the great joy and purpose of our life — our glory — should flow out of our intimacy with Him. The word translated as “knows” in this passage is the Hebrew word for “intimately knowing.”

The Joseph of the Old Testament and the “other” Joseph understood having an intimate relationship with God. He called and they followed because they trusted Him and knew Him.

If God says that intimacy with Him is to be our glory and Jesus equates eternal life with intimately knowing Him and the Father, then of course They want intimacy with us. Knowing that Jesus defined eternal life as intimately knowing Him and the Father, take a fresh look at John 3:16:

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

When you believe in Christ to the point of hearing and doing what He says, you will have eternal life — intimacy with the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent.

Written for Devotionals Daily by Steven K. Scott, author of The Joseph Principles,

How could it be . . . How can a man be father to the Son of God? The other Joseph was chosen and given great responsibility, and honor to be the earthly father of Jesus, the Savior of the world! Trust and obey the call of God on your life for the highest of glory and blessing both now and forevermore.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith December 13, 2022

Notes of Faith December 13, 2022

What’s the Best Christmas Gift for Your Kids?

Good question.

I’ve tried everything, from ridiculously expensive “must-have” toys like My Size Barbie (a gift that was abandoned as soon as our four-year-old stole all her clothes) to a posture brace for our teenagers that was not, as the advertisement optimistically proclaimed, “virtually invisible” under your clothing.

Praying the Scriptures for Your Children

Looking back on our family’s growing up years, I can’t help but think that a lot of my Christmas mistakes could have been avoided had I stuck with my grandmother's gift-giving strategy. Gammy never gave us anything, at least nothing you could wrap. Instead, she asked her grandkids to memorize a Bible verse for her every year and, in return, she promised to pray for us.

I will admit that, as a teenager, I was less-than-enthused by my grandmother’s scheme. I don't know how I ever memorized any verses, given that my eyes were rolled so far back into my head. Today, though, many of these nuggets are still locked in, and in terms of things like wisdom, joy, and peace I can promise you this: The Bible verses have been a far better — and infinitely more comfortable — support system than even the most discreet posture brace.

I will never know the full impact of Gammy’s prayers, but I am confident that her gift to her grandchildren protected us from all manner of evil we likely deserved — and opened the door to immeasurable blessings we didn’t. And now that I’ve got grandkids of my own, I can’t think of anything I’d rather give them than prayer — the same gift I (finally) learned to give to my children.

So what does it look like, in practical terms, to “give the gift of prayer”?

Every December, I spend some time thinking about each of our kids and grandkids. I consider where they are (spiritually, as well as socially, physically, emotionally, and in other ways), and I ask God to clue me in as to what He might want to do in their lives. And then, because I love the power that comes with praying the scriptures, I go poking around in the Bible. When I find a verse that seems to speak to a child’s particular situation or need, I pick that as an “annual prayer,” personalizing it with his or her name.

Here are a handful of the prayers I’ve relied on over the years:

For a child’s academic or career success: May _______ show aptitude for every kind of learning, be well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve. (Daniel 1:4)

For a child who needs wisdom and guidance: Instruct and teach _______ in the way they should go. (Psalm 32:8)

For a child who wants friends: Surround _______ with good friends who are kind and compassionate, and quick to forgive. (Ephesians 4:32)

For a child to live out their faith in a winsome way: May _______ be wise, shining like the brightness of the heavens and leading many to righteousness. (Daniel 12:3)

When our children were little, I’d trace their hands on a piece of colored cardstock and write out the verse, along with the date. I’d cut out the hand, laminate it, and stick it on the refrigerator, where they’d serve as a visible reminder to me (and to my kids) that God was at work.

After a while, when the kids’ hands got so big that they were more creepy than cute on the fridge, I began making bookmarks with the verses instead. And after doing this now for more than twenty years, here is what I’ve discovered.

I’ve discovered that when you commit to spending a whole year praying about one particular thing, you learn to wait well, trusting God even when you can’t see what He is doing. You give Him time to work. And you get out of the way so that He can weave in answers and blessings that you had not even thought to pray for, or that your children needed.

For instance, one year I chose Isaiah 62:2-4 as a prayer verse for our daughter, Hillary. “You will be called by a new name,” this passage says. “No longer will they call you Deserted or name your land Desolate... the Lord will take delight in you and your land will be married.” Hillary was facing some uncertainty in her job at the time, and I wanted her to know that God delighted in her. I wanted God to give her a new name — a new “sense of identity” — and let her know how much she was loved.

God did that, all right. He filled my girl with purpose and joy. He gave her favor at work. And he introduced a young man into the picture — one who became her fiancé that year and then literally gave her his name. Marriage was not even on my radar when I picked that prayer verse — but it was on God’s!

Truth be told, I love gifts you can wrap and tuck under the tree (and if nothing else, the posture brace made every other gift shine by comparison). But as I think about the varied ways we can shower our children with love, I’m increasingly convinced that prayer is the best gift of all. It’s a gift that lasts. It’s one that comes with the power to influence and shape lives. And it brings peace and joy to the giver, knowing that when we come before our heavenly Father on behalf of our children, He can be trusted to accomplish good things in their lives.

Written for Devotionals Daily by Jodie Berndt, author of Praying the Scriptures for Your Children (20th Anniversary Edition), Praying the Scriptures for Your Teens, and Praying the Scriptures for Your Adult Children.

Don’t forget the spiritual gifts for your children and grandchildren. They bring eternal joy and blessing, unlike the gifts that are tossed aside or broken in their first few hours after opening. The gift of prayer is never-ending and the lessons learned and growth toward maturity in Christ works in giver and receiver. May we bless our friends and family with the best the Christmas season has to offer . . . Jesus, the indescribable gift!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith December 12, 2022

Notes of Faith December 12, 2022

Overshadowed by the Spirit

When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, he gave her the startling announcement that the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

When you and I place our faith in Jesus Christ and invite Him to come live within us, the Holy Spirit comes upon us, and the power of God overshadows us, and the life of Jesus is born within us. We do not conceive a physical life but rather the spiritual life of Jesus in the person of the Holy Spirit.

It is the indwelling powerful person of the Holy Spirit who sets me free from the habits of sin. But the power I possess to live a life pleasing to God is directly related to how much control of my life I give to the Holy Spirit.

~ Just Give Me Jesus

Unconditional Surrender

By this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

— 1 John 3:24 NKJV

When the Holy Spirit comes into you at your invitation, you receive as much of Him as you will ever have. You do not get a little bit of Him then and a little bit more at later experiences. Since He is a Person, you cannot get Him in pieces. You either have all of the Holy Spirit or you have none of the Holy Spirit. Why is it, then, that He seems to get us in pieces? He comes to us unconditionally, while we surrender to Him conditionally.

We give Him our Sundays but not our Mondays.

We give Him our actions but not our attitudes.

We give Him our relationships but not our reputations. We give Him our time but not our thoughts.

We give Him our burdens but not our bodies.

We give Him our prayers but not our pleasures.

We give Him our crises but not our children.

We give Him our health but not our hearts.

Would you drop the conditions and give Him all of you?

~ Just Give Me Jesus

Excerpted with permission from The Joy of My Heart by Anne Graham Lotz, copyright Anne Graham Lotz.

How can we not give everything to the One who gave us everything? We have abundant life and the promise of eternal life, the joy of peace and freedom from sin! Let us surrender our lives to God, who is our all in all. In Christ we are made new. We will be made perfect when He calls us to Himself. Let the awe of His work bring complete surrender to His Lordship in our hearts and lives!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith December 11, 2022

Notes of Faith December 11, 2022

The Most WONDERful Time of the Year

A few years back I had the amazing, awe-inspiring privilege of going to the Grand Canyon. My band and I were touring my new album, and while in Phoenix, we had the realization that we were only a few hours away from the Canyon. Since none of us had ever visited it for ourselves, we decided on a whim to make the quick detour before heading home to Texas.

As we stood around plotting our adventure, a nearby eavesdropper interrupted, “You don’t want to see the Grand Canyon. It’s not that great. It’s just a big hole in the ground that looks like a painting. Just go check out Sedona and then head home.”

I couldn’t help but wonder if we were about to drive hours out of our way just to be disappointed. In the end, we succumbed to our fear of missing out and decided to do both. The next morning, we made our way to the Grand Canyon by way of Sedona.

And we did not regret it.

As soon as we could see Sedona in the distance, we couldn’t help but stop every few seconds to take pictures. Every corner revealed a new angle of breathtaking grandeur. It didn’t matter that we were taking essentially the same picture over and over. We had to take turns driving because none of us could keep our eyes on the road.

I couldn’t bring myself to stop exclaiming, “Wow!” Could there be anywhere on earth more beautiful?

Then we came to the Canyon. I have never seen anything like it. It’s truly glorious in every way.

We walked around this huge chasm for hours trying to get a better vantage point to see its glory from another perspective and feed our sense of awe and amazement. I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face as joy overwhelmed me. It felt transcendent — like I was participating in something much bigger than me, and not about me.

Thank God I didn’t listen to THAT guy. I never regretted the extra hours we tacked on to our journey. It was just a little inconvenience for a seemingly infinite amount of awe.

A few months later, I was hanging with a friend of mine and telling him the story, and he said, “Have I ever told you about the time I went to the Grand Canyon? I got out of the car, took a quick look, turned to my wife, and said, ‘Cool. What’s for lunch?’ ”

I was absolutely floored. How on earth were our experiences so different? Did we go to the same place? I almost felt offended!

But the Grand Canyon doesn’t need my defending. It’s one of the seven natural wonders of the world for a reason. However, we sometimes miss out on even the greatest wonders not because they’re “not that great,” but because we are distracted. Or cynical. Or hurt. Or burnt out. Or entitled. Or just actually hungry.

If you want more “WOW!” in your life, sometimes you gotta go out of your way to experience it.

I think we can sometimes do that with Christmas. I don’t know how that is when you consider that we are talking about GOD becoming a BABY so He can save His people and give them life forever. It’s not because the story isn’t actually that great. It’s a classic case of “it’s not you, it’s me.”

Maybe the wonder gets lost in the hype.

Maybe the awe gets swallowed up in exhaustion. Maybe we feel like we’ve been there, done that and just stop looking for it. Or maybe we are just looking at it all wrong.

Rather than immersing ourselves in the wonder of God coming to be with us and letting that amazing truth captivate our imaginations and childlike sense of “WOW”, we celebrate the season like we are looking at pictures in an old album.

Like that man who said the Grand Canyon really isn’t that great or my friend who just wanted some lunch, perhaps we are settling for watching from a distance, or we’re distracted by the wrong things — like “Cool. Where’s my present?”

In my book The Art of Getting it Wrong, I throw myself under the bus quite a bit because of my own propensity for being so distracted that I miss out on the moment. Whether it’s because of my blind spots of dreaming about tomorrow or simply being too busy today, I don’t want to allow those things to rob me of the wonder and awe of this season — which can happen far too easily if we aren’t careful!

All the hustle and bustle of finding the right gift and planning the perfect meal and entertaining guests and going to parties and decorating the most aesthetically pleasing Pinterest house for the ‘Gram — it can leave you hungry, missing the Grand Canyon-sized sense of hope and happiness of Christmas because you can’t see past the metaphorical lunch you’re so fixated on.

We find many things in this world amazing, yet we are far too easily distracted by lesser things — and that robs of experiencing what is ACTUALLY wonderful!

My band and I wouldn’t have experienced the awe of one of the greatest wonders of the world if we hadn’t gone out of our way to do so. If we had just kept coasting comfortably toward home, we would have missed out on it completely. But that’s how wonder often works. You have to be intentional. If you want more “WOW!” in your life, sometimes you gotta go out of your way to experience it.

Christmas is all about disruption. It disrupted darkness and gave us the light of Heaven. It disrupted the old religious “pick yourself up by your bootstraps and just do the list of rules and regulations only to realize that they’re completely impossible” ways and gave us grace. Heck, it disrupted space and time itself by putting an infinite, boundless, eternal God into the physical limitations of human flesh! Having God be subject to the laws of physics, the passage of time, the weaknesses of the human body, and death itself is pretty disruptive! If Christmas is that great, I think it’s worth a little disruption in our own lives and schedules.

Maybe today before you coast your way into your bed tonight, just sit down by the fireplace if you have one (or put a fake one on the TV), turn on the Christmas tree lights, and spend a little time thinking about how absolutely incredible it is that the infinite greatness of God would wrap Himself in the tiny form of a baby human born to a carpenter named Joseph and a teenage girl named Mary in the humble barn of a little town called Bethlehem — all to show how much He loves you and make sure you could live forever with Him in Heaven! That’ll blow your mind way more than a million Grand Canyons combined.

Written for Devotionals Daily by Stephen Miller, author of The Art of Getting It Wrong.

We often take things for granted. But the indescribable gift of God is not one of those to be missed. It should be celebrated and given thanks for every day, for in it we have life abundant and eternal! Celebrate the wondrous gift of Jesus with me every day! Praise Him for this wonder of wonders not to be taken for granted.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith December 10, 2022

Notes of Faith December 10, 2022

God’s Peace that Passes All Understanding

As I write this, it’s the day before Thanksgiving, and this is how I feel right now. The holidays are officially here. Before the first one has even started, I’m working on the next one — running around with a list and checking it twice, trying to find the perfect gifts for loved ones. (Yes, I know about online shopping, but I still like to hand-pick some special gifts!) I’m also taking care of elderly parents and trying to love them well in the midst of everything. I also have to make sure that my own family is happy and taken care of.

So after the madness of shopping and the long grocery lines, I’m sitting in my car in bumper-to-bumper traffic. And right then, in the middle of stand-still traffic… my car idles. It just stops right in the midst of all the chaos. All I can do in this moment is stop and pray for God’s peace that passes all understanding. And it comes to me. I hear the Lord whisper to my heart that His peace is there for me, in this moment and for this entire holiday season.

What does peace look like to you this holiday? Consider these practical ways to find God’s peace that passes all understanding for you and your family!

Peace

Prepare. Prepare your heart! How do you do that? First, dig out anything that would hinder an intimate relationship with God. Psalm 51:10 says,

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. — NKJV

Many years ago, I taught a group of young children about clutter in their hearts. I used a beautiful bowl, decorated on the inside with bright, beautiful colors, as an example of what our hearts are like. Then we discussed how things like lying, meanness, and jealousy upset God and make our hearts dirty. We wrote down all these things on pieces of paper and then wadded them up and filled the bowl so that we were no longer able to see its beauty. We then talked about how we can “dump” out all the ugliness by asking God to forgive us and create in us ‘clean’ hearts. The simple act of just coming to God on a daily basis and asking Him to wipe away anything that would make our hearts unclean is a great way to prepare ourselves for Advent. Is there anything that you need to ‘dump’ out of your heart before the Lord today? Spend time asking Him to create a clean heart and to renew a steadfast spirit within you. He is faithful to do so always.

Engage with God. 24/7. Not just in the prayer chair or during your 15-minute quiet time. That is all important — please don’t get me wrong. But engage with Him all throughout your day. Talk to Him. Argue with Him. Pray to Him. Surrender to Him. Trust Him. Call upon Him. I love the story in Acts 10 about Cornelius, a Roman army officer who was a devout, God-fearing man and who prayed regularly to God. Scripture doesn’t tell us how, when, or where he prayed; it just says that he prayed regularly. We can do that too. Let’s engage with God in prayer all day long… in the shower… in the grocery lines… in the standstill traffic. Remember that you can pray to a living God who sees you and knows your every need. Don’t stop engaging with God after your quiet time, but continue throughout the day and even right up until you lay your head down to sleep!

Align your heart. Proverbs 3 teaches us how to align our hearts with God. This scripture starts out by telling us not to forget the things that God has taught us (v. 1, NIV). Then it goes on to tell us to store His commands in our hearts and to never let love and faithfulness leave us (vv. 1, 3). In verse 5, we’re told to

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

Aligning our hearts in preparation for Jesus means that we remember what God has taught us, we live out love and faithfulness, and we trust God for all things. When we do this, we will know the true reason for the season.

Carve out time to dig into God’s Word. It is so important that we know God’s Word. His Word is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword. It is our powerful weapon that we need to hold on to and speak into every situation of our lives. I know the Bible can be intimidating — it’s a big book, after all! But it is a big book of His promises. If you are just starting out and opening the pages of God’s Word for the first time, I encourage you to carve out regular time to memorize a verse or two. And if you don’t know how or where to start — try the Psalms. Every day I open my Bible to the book of Psalms for that day. For example, today is November 23rd, so I open up to Psalm 23, one that you may be familiar with. And in the midst of all the chaos going on, it brings a calm to my spirit. I find great peace as I read, “The Lord is my shepherd…” That is all I need!

Enjoy. There is so much to enjoy this season. Take a moment to truly enjoy the reason for the season. Jesus is our greatest gift.

Prayer

Precious Lord, I pray for our world this holiday season. Today, more than ever, we need the peace of Christ to surround us. We need healing in our world. Where anger rages and division runs rampant, we need Your PEACE to flood our hearts. As we scurry around to fill our Christmas stockings, we need You to fill our hearts with Your Word, Your promises, and Your truth. I pray that each and every one of us would open our hearts to receive the greatest gift of all — Jesus — who was born in a manger and now reigns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Amen.

Written for Devotionals Daily by Anne Neilsen, author of Angels.

If only we would live as if God is with us every day 24/7, because He is! Our focus on truth and the realities of the future, heaven, eternal life, seeing the face of God, worshipping in His presence, never sick or dying, are reasons for our relationship with God every moment of every day. Stay focused on Jesus and the circumstances of this life will be filled with hope and joy of eternal expectation of the promises of God! Learn to be with Him every day!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith December 9, 2022

Notes of Faith December 9, 2022

Prepare Your Heart

We usually attend a little church in Big Sky Montana during the Christmas season. As I ponder what Advent means to me, I think about the people in our church and how they are so caring and how they desire to bless those less fortunate. My wife, Marsha, and I discussed what we might do to help those in need this year. We considered giving gifts to children, food for families, and perhaps including a few Christian books to share a sense of peace and to reveal how much God loves them all the time, not just at Christmas.

The Advent Season is a time to reflect and find ways to prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of Christ, and the true meaning of Christmas.

This is done in many ways — prayer, reflection, music, and good deeds. It should be a time to stop amidst the frenzy of parties and shopping to celebrate Jesus’ birth and prepare for His second coming.

Let's prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of Christ, and the true meaning of Christmas.

Many churches, like ours, take a dedicated time to light one candle on each of the Sundays of Advent. The first candle (purple) represents HOPE. When everything else in our lives fail, our only hope is found in Jesus Christ. No matter where we find ourselves, let us always remember our hope is in Him.

The second candle (also purple) represents PEACE. We need peace in our lives, our homes, our families, and in our world. May we take the time to slow down and seek the peace that passes all understanding from Christ alone.

The third candle (pink) represents JOY. Open your eyes to the simple joys all around you. Find joy in a hug or a smile or laughter or in the many small things around us each and every day. The fourth candle (also purple) represents LOVE. In Matthew 22:37–39, Jesus tells us that love is the greatest commandment, first to love God above all else, then to love our neighbors. Sharing the love of Christ is a gift, let us find ways to give that gift this season.

Written for Devotionals Daily by Jack Countryman, author of The Miracle of Peace.

Join me in celebrating every day the indescribable gift, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. May we awake with a worshipping and thankful heart and serve the Lord each day as He brings opportunity. Love God. Love others.

Pastor Dale