12/8- Spirit of Perfectionism

12/8     Scripture –   ^“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:  “’The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’).  When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.” (Matthew 1:22-25)

Of all the spirits of this age the spirit of perfectionism may be the one that most robs me of Christmas joy and defeats me.  I love holidays and want make everything perfect for those I love.  I am the one the magazines are targeting when they show lovely decorated homes with perfect tables and declare that 1001 Christmas ideas and recipes will be mine if I only pay $1.99. Never mind that there are stacks of these magazines already at home or that there are only 365 days in the entire year!

Every year I wrap our staircase in magnolia and then sigh disappointedly as it never looks as pretty as in Southern Living. My dishes are less than Martha Stewart’s and my table cannot measure up to the Barefoot Contessa. Yet I believe if I just try hard enough I too will achieve glossy perfection. Yet this world of endless projects and countless things to bake even as one follows all the holiday diet tips make me feel very small and insecure.

But Christmas is not about worldly perfection. The first Christmas was in a stable and one that was not the sparkling clean panorama featured in our Christmas cards. It was dirty and smelly and yet the Son of God chose to be born in poverty not perfection. He chose to be with us in our sin, shame, discomfort, and pain. Jesus chose to be “God with us” - and not at our best but at our worst. He left the splendor of heaven, exchanged His crown for a cross, and died for us – not because we were perfect but because we weren’t! What an assuring reminder that our best efforts are enough for Him and that He will clothe us with His sinless perfection if we accept Him as our Savior and Lord.  Our Christmases need not be perfect, because they and we are made perfect in Him! That is grace!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, by the power of your Holy Spirit help me to place you at the center of my holiday.

Application: Give up doing one thing you do not enjoy this holiday season. Spend the time with the Lord instead.

12/7- The Spirit of Doubt

WEEK 2- Devotion on Matthew and Concentration on Spirits of our Age.  By Tracie Stewart

12/7 - Scripture           - “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.  Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 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.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:18-21)

Like all children, I loved Christmas. But I also remember being terrified of one beloved Christmas tradition.  A Christmas Carol confounded me. What did one mean man and three spirits have to do with the holidays?  I was especially tormented by the Ghost of Christmas Future who seemed more Grim Reaper than Christmas joy. Over the years I have come to love and appreciate Dicken’s work, but I confess those spirits still haunt my nightmares!

As an adult I think there are spirits of the age and our culture that have the potential to rob us of our Christmas joy and more importantly, our focus on Jesus Christ. The spirit of doubt comes to mind. This time of year there is much pressure to do things well. Yet we can doubt if our gifts and abilities are needed. We may hesitate to involve ourselves in new ministries or to reach out and try and get to know others better. We may feel lonely yet doubt anyone cares. We may hunger for the wonder and faith of Christmases past yet doubt we can rekindle those feelings.

Joseph had a great love. But he doubted her loyalty and faithfulness. And who among us could blame him? But the Holy Spirit gave Joseph the confidence to return to his faith in Mary and to stretch His faith in the Lord to the point that he was able to be the step-father to the Son of God.  Our doubts tell us virgins don’t give birth. But faith, hope, and love proclaim that they do! Our God is a God of miracles who can transform us and our circumstances. If we seek Him and His perfect will, everything else – no matter how challenging or frightening – will fall into place. The name Joseph was instructed to give Mary’s child was Jesus which means “He saves.” Surely Jesus’ love for each one of us is stronger than our greatest self-doubts!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, Save me! Send your Holy Spirit to fill me with the confidence to serve you each day to the best of my abilities.

Application: Try a new ministry that attracts you yet stretches your gifts. Enjoy it and let God use you rather than worrying about your abilities. Just do your best!

12/6- i am the Vine

12/6       John 15:1             I am the Vine

1"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2"Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit….I am the vine you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.  Apart from me you can do nothing.

Thoughts: Jesus is the vine for us. He comes to nurture us so that our lives would not just exist, but would be productive and fruitful.  If we are cut off from Him we may exist for awhile like a branch that has been cut off.  A few months ago I trimmed some pine trees.  For several months these chopped off branches lay on the ground.  They were green at first but with time turned brown.  A young person cut off from Christ not only is unproductive, but begins to wither.  With God nothing is impossible.  But cut off from Him- we can do nothing but retreat more and more into ourselves until we are gone.  The great news is that He has come so that we may continue to live.  We are grafted into His living vine so we may live.  The spirit is the Spirit of life.  The Spirit of Christ gives life to our bones even when we are  tired and weary.

Prayer: Lord, may my life live for you and in you.  Bear fruit in my life, O Lord.  

12/4- I am the Way Truth and Life

12/5       John 14:6             I am the Way, the Truth, the Life

5Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?" 6Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. 

Thoughts: What do these three things have in common?  They are adjectives that build on each other pointing toward hope.  The way is not the way of falsehood and death- but the way of truth and life.  The truth is not a dull fact, but points to a direction-- toward the abundant and eternal life.  The life is not just a bourgeois meaningless existence, but an existence that has direction, integrity and leads to the right end.  Jesus came to be our way out. He came to show us the truth.  He came to give us life. 
     How do we get into the spirit of Christmas?  It is by having hope- not in the shallowness of our consumer mentality, or in the selfishness of getting- but in the deep hope of Jesus as offering us a true way and a hopeful life. 

Prayer: Lord, let me rely on you as my way to hope, my hope that is true, and the hope that leads to life.  May this hope inspire me to get into the spirit of this special season. May this hope inspire me to follow closer to you. 

Application: Think, in this early part of advent, of what you would really like to see happen in your actions, but also in your life with those around you.  Do one thing today that would point to Jesus- our way, truth, and life. 

12/3- I am the Resurrection

12/4       John 11:25           I am the Resurrection and the Life

24Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." 25Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,26and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?"…

Thoughts: All of the “I am” sayings of Jesus point to the idea of life and health.  Jesus does not come to steal away our life, but to give us the life we so richly need.  When we are dead to God, Jesus can raise us up.  When we are dead in this life, Jesus can give us eternal life.  Jesus did not just say these words.  These words, by the way, are inscribed in stone in the middle wall of our columbarium.  Jesus lived these words as He visibly and literally raised Lazarus from the dead.  The witness of this was so strong and clear that Jesus’ enemies tried not only to kill Jesus, but tried to kill Lazarus as well  In concrete terms, Jesus can make a way when there is no way.  He conquered death so that there is always hope.  He can make your Christmas hopeful when you didn’t think it could be.  Before Jesus raised Lazarus he wept for him.  Jesus cares about our pain and trouble, but He, more than a psychologist or therapist, can do something about it.  Let Him turn your mourning into dancing.

Prayer: Lord, weep with me, but give me hope this Christmas.  May my hopelessness be twisted by you into meaning and hope. 

[Ben Sloan inside Lazarus' empty tomb in Bethany]

12/3- "I Am the Good Shepherd"

12/3-  11"I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12"He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.… (John 10:11-12)

Thoughts: Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd.  A hired hand, when faced with a wolf or bear, may say, "I don't get paid enough for this" and leave.  But the Good Shepherd knows His sheep, loves them, and lays down his life to save them from their enemies. The only way He lays down His life is to help His sheep. The Good Shepherd sleeps with the sheep, heals the sheep, feeds the sheep, finds the sheep and cares for them. So Jesus came down to lead us to God and to His love. 
     We can get into the spirit of Christmas as we remember He cares for us.  He came to care for us- and to show us that.  He reminds us to call God “Father” and healed the sick and encouraged the weak.  Let Jesus shepherd you through the busy-ness of this advent season with His peace.

Prayer: Jesus, my Shepherd, help me to hear and respond to your voice and guidance.  

12/2/14 Jesus the Gate

12/2- I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. (John 10:9).

Thoughts: The seven “I am sayings” of Jesus are an essential element to the Gospel message.  It is not a secondary addition but the framework around which everything else is built.  Belief in the identity of Jesus with the identity of the God who describes Himself as “I am who I am” (Ex. 3:14) is important.  Interestingly, God the Creator describes Himself with His own “I am saying in Exodus 3 when He says, “I am concerned” (3:7).  God is concerned about our slavery to sin and oppression in this world.  This is why He comes down to be a gate to heaven. 
       In John 10 Jesus was speaking about being the shepherd of His flock- His sheep.  The shepherds in Bethlehem would have stone walled corals to keep the sheep safe at night.  They would lie down at the entrance to be the living gate for the sheep.  Jesus is the living gate who keeps out evil and keeps us in His care.  He is the One who leads us to the safety of heaven, and the safety of His care on earth.  He is the One who is our protector from evil without and keeps us in His care.  Get in the Spirit of the season by inviting another to join you in the flock- inviting them to an event- a party or a worship service.

 

Prayer:  Lord, my keeper, help me to come to you as my way in and my protector.  Give me grace to remember you are the gatekeeper.