The Prayer Principle of Cooperation

""While He (Jesus) was praying...The Holy Spirit descended...and a voice came out of Heaven..." Luke 3:21-22

The Prayer Principle of Cooperation

Principle: Effective prayer operates in the full cooperation with the work of the Trinity.

Hearing people pray in public can be a very disturbing and confusing experience. Most prayers are a mix mash of catch phrases, and divine platitudes that leave the listener longing to hear the word "Amen." They seldom inspire more people to pray, and they rarely produce answers to prayer. They are like well intended letters that have a scribbled address, and end up back in the hands of the sender with the pasted label, "Address Unknown." Perhaps the most impotent of prayers bounces around a few references to Lord, Jesus, God, Father, but treats the Holy Spirit like a silent, junior partner in the Trinity.

Thank God, He has assigned the Holy Spirit with the responsibility of interpreting prayers, and He has Jesus seated at His right hand to intercedes for those who pray. Without their help, prayers would have little hope of being answered.

There may not be a more concise,and yet revealing verse of scripture regarding the work of the Trinity. In a few brief words, Luke records that Jesus prayed, the Spirit descended, and the Father blessed. In two short verses, the Scriptures set in stone the simple truth of believing prayer. There is no other key that will unlock the total power of the synergistic relationship that exists between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus established the standard for full cooperation: intimate communication with the Father.

Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus immersed Himself in prayer, until He was saturated with the desire to be obedient to the will of the Father. He was fully God, and fully man. God's call upon His life was stamped by the authority of heaven, but He could be tempted to yield to His own personal preferences. His passion to carry out the will of the Father was preceded by His willingness to enter into The Presence of God in prayer. His consistent companionship with the Father in prayer melted His heart and molded His will until He was fully obedient to do the will of the Father.

The power of believing prayer can be found in the synergistic work of the Trinity. Jesus prayed, and this power was released in His life. Jesus promised His disciples that this same power would be available to them. "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever, that is the Spirit of truth." (John 14:16)

When the Christ follower comes to the Father in prayer. There is a power that is released by the full cooperation of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. This is why Satan fears prayer so much. He is outnumbered, outgunned, and overwhelmed by the power of God that is released when God's people pray. Never forget that Satan is afraid of "The Ghost."

Sending an indistinct message to an obscure address and expecting clear communication is often an act of futility. Prevailing prayer becomes more effective prayer by clearly addressing one's request to the source of the answer. The prayer life of Jesus gives contemporary prayer warrior a picture of what they can expect when they confidently address their needs to the full house of God's Presence and power.

The Practice of Prayer: Discipline yourself to address your prayers to God, The Father, in the name of Jesus, The Son, and through the power of The Holy Spirit.

Thought for the Day: Send your message to the right address, and expect to have an answer.

"In every prayer the triune God takes part - the Father who hears; the Son in whose name we pray; the Spirit who prays for us and in us. How important it is we should be in right relationship to the Holy Spirit and understand His Word." Andrew Murray

The Prayer Principle of Initiation

"...While He was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove." Luke 3:21

The Prayer Principle of Initiation

Principle: Prayer precedes and initiates the fresh movement of the Spirit of God in the life of the Christ follower.

Several years ago, I was sharing Christ with a man who appeared to ready to receive Jesus Christ as his Savior. We had been talking about this for some time, and yet there was a hesitancy on his part. His heart was open to the truth of the Gospel, and he was aware of his need for Jesus to be his Savior. He paused at the threshold of the door of his heart, and couldn't quite take the step of faith to invite Jesus to come in and take over his life. I was having lunch with him at a Mexican restaurant, one Sunday after church, and I asked him, "Is there any reason why you cannot respond to the voice of Jesus?" He was honest to say, "I don't know if I am ready for graduation." I had never heard this statement before, so I know my response had to be from God. I asked him, "Are you ready for initiation?" His eyes lit up, and he said that he thought he had to know more than he knew, before Jesus would count him worthy to be saved. It was my joy to relate to him that none of us is worthy to be saved. He turned his eyes towards Jesus who was prepared to initiate a new relationship with him through the power of the Holy Spirit. His prayer released a fresh movement of God in his life.

That evening we baptized him and his wife in the lake that is near our church. I found out from them after the baptism service that this was the first time in years that they had been in the lake. His wife told me that one of their grandchildren had drowned in that same lake, and it bore too much trauma and pain for them to ever step into it again. My heart sank. I had no idea that this had happened to them. When I apologized they stopped me. Still wet from the step of obedience they had taken, they said these words to me, "We believe God has taken something that was painful to us, and replaced it with something that was joyful." I had to agree with them. Their smiling faces said it all. God had indeed initiated something new in their lives through the power of prayer. You can't make this stuff up.

Luke's Gospel contains great insight into the prayer life of Jesus. While Jesus was praying, a movement of God was being released into His life that would change the world. The Bible does not record that Jesus was preaching, singing, rehearsing, studying, tithing, serving, teaching, worshipping, fellowshiping, or discipling. He was praying.

When the purpose or the mission of the church is discussed, prayer is rarely given the priority it deserves. To discover what the church should be about, it is safe to look at the life of the founder. Before Jesus began His ministry on earth, He was praying. The very word praying describes an on going process, rather than a one time event. The process of prayer was something Jesus consistently performed in order to prepare Himself for the will of God in His life. From His baptism at the Jordan River to the Garden of Gethsemane, Luke records Jesus was always praying. From cross to His seat at the right hand of the Father, Jesus can be seen as a picture of persistent prayer.

For years, the church has made a priority of everything under the sun except prayer. Men tend to think of it as women's work. Women can certainly do it well, but it doesn't excuse a man from the responsibility. The best way to clear a room in most churches is to call a prayer meeting. Few people attend, and very little is expected to happen by those who show up. What a difference in the life of Jesus. He must cringe when He looks as the schedules of the week posted by churches that call Him Lord. Schedules of the week become the schedules of the weak, when they are not empowered by the Presence and the power of the Holy Spirit.

My father, Don Miller, has a phrase he uses to describe churches that try to keep up appearances. He calls them, "painted fire." He refers to the tendency of churches to put more fire in their logos, and on their websites than they have stirred in the hearts of their people. God forgive us for not taking advantage of the Holy Spirit's desire to be at work in lives of Christ followers. Prayer preceded a fresh movement of the Holy Spirit in the life of Christ, and the same will be true in the life of His church.

Prayerless people not only miss out on what God is doing. They miss God. When they leave out prayer, they are left to their own resources. In their zeal to initiate or to sustain some great work for God, they fail to take time to connect with God. It is an act of futility to launch out in the work of the Lord without spending any time with the Lord of the work.

The Practice of Prayer: Place your daily schedule and weekly responsibilities before God in prayer. Take time to write it down in a journal. Getting it off of your mind and on to paper (or into the electronic aid of your choice) is part of the process of prayer. Great men and women of God have used journals of this kind to help them keep track of their prayer life. Create this kind of holy tension in your life every day. You may have so much to do that you resist taking the time to pray about how to do it. This just reveals how much you to need to pray over every single thing, before you take it on in your own strength. Talk less! Pray more! Before you do, pray before!

Thought for the Day: Initiate a fresh movement of God in your life today. Yield control of every area of your life to Him. Ask the Spirit of God to transform your life, home, church, community, and country.

"When God desires to do something, He first sets His people apraying. " Matthew Henry

The Prayer Principle of Isolation

"But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and great multitudes were gathering to hear Him, and to be healed of their sicknesses, but He Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray." Luke 5:15

The Prayer Principle of Isolation

Principle: Isolation with God in prayer is enhanced by separation from others. Separation from the herd provides the quietness and solitude that enables the voice of God to be heard. Getting alone with God often requires getting away from others. General crowd noise is a detriment to uninterrupted, barrier breaking conversation with God.

Luke's Gospel reveals a great deal about the prayer life of Jesus. Jesus lived in a climate of consistent companionship and constant communication with His Father. While He was praying, The Holy Spirit descended on Him for ministry, and God expressed His pleasure with His Son. The synergistic work of the Trinity was revealed and released through the prayer life of the Lord Jesus. (Luke 3:21-22)

After Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, His ministry expanded. Luke records that people were pressing around Him, and listening to the word of God. (Luke 5:1) Jesus was having a great deal of outward success, and with it came a need in His life for time alone with God. More than the outward signs of a vital ministry, Jesus loved His time alone with God. His powerful public ministry was directly linked to His private retreats to find The Presence of God.

Jesus did not wait until a crisis in ministry developed before He got alone with God. He would often slip away into the wilderness and pray. This retreat was His way of maintaining and sustaining a healthy public ministry. Compassion fatigue and burn out are not recent ministry developments. Jesus resisted being drained dry by the demands of needy people, by making sure He kept in touch with God in prayer. He risked burning bridges with some people, by maintaining His bridge to God in prayer. He was stronger for it, and His prayer life empowered Him to build a bridge strong enough to carry a lost world into the Presence of God.

Private prayer is a powerful means of communication that is at the disposal of the believer, and allows for uninterrupted time with God. It often requires isolation from the distractions of life to achieve the highest quality of intimacy. Isolation does not always mean a departure from evil. Satan is the enemy of the best. If he can get a Christ follower to be content or focused on a good ministry, then they may let that become an idol for time alone with God. Isolation in prayer will often require a separation from what is good, in order to get in on what is best. Time alone with God.

Total availability to others does not allow for adequate availability to God. Time with God has to be carved out of busy schedules, and pressing agendas. Unless private prayer becomes a personal priority, then time with God will never be pried out of the clutches of demanding people and pressing circumstances.

The Practice of Prayer: Take time today to free yourself from texting, Twitter, I-pods, telephones, Blackberry's, call waiting, Facebook, My Space, email, instant messaging, faxes, cable, TV, talk radio, and total Internet access. Take a good hard look at your daily schedule or weekly routine. Is any time being lost that could be spent getting alone with God in prayer? It will cost you to carve out time for prayer. It will cost you more if you do not. To make time for God, you will have to take time away from someone else. Don't feel guilty. Jesus did it. When we follow Jesus, He will often lead us to time alone with His Father.

Thought for the Day: The wilderness is a relative concept. It does not require an escape to the sea shore, the mountains, or the desert. Many people vacation to these locations, and still never find time for God. They pack their distractions, or plug into them when they arrive. Your wilderness is any place in this world where you achieve a separation from demanding people and draining distractions. It may be early in the morning, late at night or any time day or night where you can achieve an isolation with God. Remember, if you are totally available to others you will be of little use to God. He does not need your ability, but your availability.

"Pray without ceasing. How can we learn to do that? The best way of learning to do a thing, in fact the only way, is to do it. Begin by setting apart some time every day. Christ chose you and appointed you to pray for others." Andrew Murray

The Prayer Principle of Affirmation

"Now it came about when all the people were baptized that Jesus, also was baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, 'Thou art My beloved Son, in Thee, I am well-pleased." Luke 3: 21-22

The Prayer Principle of Affirmation

Principle: Prayer provides the means by which a child of God is able to identify with his Father, and to cultivate a spirit of obedience toward His Word. The Father affirms this family resemblance, by releasing His favor upon His obedient children.

"You are my beloved Son, in You I am well pleased." Luke 3:22

The Christmas Story too often leaves Jesus in the manger, or at best reveals Him receiving gifts in His home. For the Christ follower, the journey continues beyond the shepherds and the stable, and the magi and the star. Luke has the last word on the Christmas story when he records, "And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." (Luke 2:42)

After thirty years of preparation in God's waiting room, Jesus stepped out of the shadows of a carpenter shop, and into the limelight of public attention. He offered Himself to be baptized by John the Baptist. The first encounter between John and Jesus was recorded in Luke 1:39-45. When Elizabeth was pregnant with John, she welcomed Mary into her home. At the sound of her voice, John leaped for joy in his mother's womb, at the presence of Jesus.

The second encounter occurs at a baptism being offered by John the Baptist. It was a a public, and yet a personal immersion. He called people to repentance, a turning away from their sin, and a turning toward a life of obedience to God. The repentant, recipient of baptism showed they were turning from their sin, and starting a new life of obedience, by presenting themselves to John at the Jordan River. The picture was graphic. Slipping beneath the water was a symbolic burial to an old way of life. Bursting out of the water, and gasping for air illustrated a desire to begin again, like a child entering the world from their mother's womb. When Jesus approached the water, John hesitated to baptize Jesus. "But John tried to prevent Him, saying, 'I have need to be baptized by You, and do you come to me?' " (Matthew 3:14)

Jesus was sinless, and did not need to identify with John's call for repentance. He did need to remain obedient to the voice of His Father. The Psalmist had prophesied that God's Servant would delight in obedience to the Law. " I delight to do Thy will, O My God. Thy Law is written in my heart." (Psalm 40:8)

The pattern of the prayer life of Jesus should become a principle of prayer for the Christ follower. "And while He was praying, heaven was opened." (Luke 3:21) Jesus prayed and obeyed. God heard and affirmed. Jesus chose to make Himself available to God in prayer. The result was a movement of God that was heaven sent. The favor of God falls from the windows of heaven that are opened by the prayers of His children.

Without spending time with God in prayer, there is little hope of being affirmed by The Father. If being identified with God, as one of His children does not fill a person with a sense of well-being and security, nothing else will. Sometimes believers try to substitute God's affirmation with a man-made self-esteem. Anything that starts with man will have to be sustained by a super human effort. It is as futile as quenching a raging thirst with a sea of salt water. There may be an abundance of it available, but there is no satisfaction to be gained from its content. It results in more thirst, and a devaluation of one's net worth.

The Practice of Prayer: Make a list of everything about you that has been made by God. Make a list of what you have accomplished with out Him. Compare lists. Which one holds the most value to you? His or yours? If you want to assess your net worth, Adrian Rogers said it would be wise to, "Add up what money can't buy and death can't take away."

Thought for the Day: While Jesus was praying, heaven opened up to Him. God affirmed His Son, after the climate of prayer produced the attitude of obedience that God values. God's pleasure was at the very heart of the Savior. The Christ follower seeking the Father's affirmation will apply their Savior's principle. Prayer precedes a movement of God in the life of His children. For many people, their self-worth is based on their net worth. For a child of God, His pleasure is their delight and prayer enables them to hear the language of His love. Talk less and pray more...today.

"Prayer is the intimate communication between the Heavenly Father and His Child." Don Miller

GMillerLight4U

The Rest of The Story

"Now while the people were in a state of expectation, and all were wondering in their hearts about John, as to whether he was the Christ, John answered and said to them all, 'As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.' " Luke 3:15-16

Every Christmas our families descend on my parent's home for dinner. Mom turned 89 this month, and Dad will be 88 in March 2010. Mom began a tradition in 1977 of making Christmas stockings for her four kids, their spouses and her grandchildren. For a couple of years, the mantle looked a bit bare. Yesterday, 32 years later, their little living room is lined with red flannel. The original four made for Roger, Gary, Joy and Ken have grown in number. Mom has had to make quite a few trips to the fabric store. There is now a total of 35 stockngs representing spouses, additonal grand children, and great grand children.

Dad always gathers everyone around the room after dinner, and asks for each member of the family to share something about The Christmas Story. This year, the question had to deal with what is the one thing that stands out in your mind about the story of the birth of Jesus. I enjoyed sitting back and listening to the responses. I had a lot to share, but didn't say anything this year. Sometimes listening is the best way to learn. There is alot of truth to the proverbial statement, "If you are talking, you aren't learning anything."

After driving home, and thinking about the question, I have a few observations that I would like to share with you. With my apologies to the great Paul Harvey, I refer to my thoughts as, "The Rest of The Story."

The Angel Gabriel: The angel struck the right balance between being a faithful messenger for God, and a great comfort to Mary. He did not just deliver the message and depart the scene. He responded to her fear. By exhorting her, and exalting God, he set the bar for every messenger of God. It is not enough to hit people with the shock and awe of the Word of God. Gabriel knew his audience. He honored the One who sent him by making sure the message was not just sent, but it was received. His famous last words ring true to this day, "For nothing will be impossible with God."

The Virgin Mary: She offered up the ultimate response to the Word of God, she received from the angel. "May it be done to me according to your word." If obedience is the immediate response to the word of God, with the right heart attitude. Mary is the role model for us all.

The Cousin Elizabeth: This lady teaches us how to rejoice when God is doing something great in another person's life. Rather than look down on a family member or friend with the green-eyed, two headed monster of envy and jealousy, Elizabeth shouted to Mary, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!"

The Forerunner, John the Baptist: The apples does not fall far from the tree. John leaped for joy in his mother's womb, even before he was born. When he was born and came of age, he ran out ahead of Jesus to let people know that the Messiah was on His way. John is the poster boy for those who are called to preach. They may draw a huge crowd, but they never fail to deliver the right message. For two thousand years, the message is still the same, "The King is coming."

The Dreamer, Joseph: Five times God spoke to Joseph in a dream. Each time Joseph heard from God, he responded by changing his plans in order to get in on what God was doing in his life. Very little is known about Joseph. He was a carpenter. He was chosen by God to provide and protect His only Son. To this I would add, Joseph never missed God. His is a legacy that any father would be proud to leave his family.

The Heavenly Host: The army of angels gives us a glimpse of heaven. They praised God, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." The angels remind us to believe in the reality and the sovereignty of God. They also provide evidence for the statement, "You believe in God, but God also believes in you." His pleasure in His children led Him to send them a Savior in spite of their sin.

The Watching Shepherds: They were faithfully carrying out the same work once done by King David. When God called him to be anointed King of Israel, he was an unknown, and forgotten shepherd boy watching his father's sheep on the same hills outside of town. Hundreds of years before, the angels announced the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, God had chosen a king from this village. The shepherds raced to the stable, and served as an honor guard for Jesus. Their presence is a reminder for the people of God to never forget where they come from, and never doubt the greatness that He can bring out of small people in obscure places.

The Waiting Priest, Simeon: This dear priest was used by God to announce the coming of The Messiah, and declare He would be a light for the Gentiles. As a representative of the established Temple bureaucracy, he had never let the system overshadow the Savior. His heart and his hands had not grown calloused handling the holy. While he was waiting, he remained tender to the touch of the Holy Spirit. When God placed His Son in His hands, Simeon was grateful. He did not harbor resentment, and spew, "It's about time." His eyes had been dimmed by age, but he could see the big picture, "The Savior of the World." He shouted with confidence overflowing from the fulfillment of his heart's desire, " For my eyes have seen Your salvation."

The Prophetess, Anna: Rather than allow death and destitution to become her destiny, Anna attached herself to the one place in her world where the love of God could breath new life into her heart. Her ancestors had been banished from the Presence of God, and dispersed all over the known world by the Assyrians. The Northern Kingdom had rejected God, and replaced Him with idols, but Anna broke with her past, and found redemption of God being offered through the Christ Child. She thanked God for His gift, and told people she met about Jesus. This lady reminds me that we are never too old to tell the good news to the people who are seeking the Savior.

The Wise Men: Long before Mary heard from the angel about the birth of Jesus, God had sent a star to guide The Maji to Bethlehem. When they arrived, they worshipped Jesus and they gave Him gifts. The journey took them approximately two years. It extracted a great cost in time and treasure for them to find their way to the home of Mary and Joseph. Their response to finding Jesus is a great inspiration to those who desire to put Christ back in Christmas. They fell down and worshipped Jesus, and gave gifts to Him and not to one another. Too many people want to throw a birthday party for Jesus, but they want to be the birthday boy and walk away with all the presents. If giving gifts are a meant to be part of Christmas, a look at The Wise Men reminds us of who should receive the very best. After all, it is His birthday, not ours.

The Impostor, Herod: God is always up to His best in the worst of times. Satan is always going to try and counterfeit the creation of God. His character is corrupt, and depraved. His fall from heaven was a result of leading a rebellion that tried to usurp the power and the praise that belonged only to God. He continues to have puppets on thrones and in places of prominence who carry out his work. When evil attempts to thwart the will of God, it brings the shadow of darkness over the lives of all who must walk through it. There will always be impostors who try to intimidate believers into doubting in the dark, what they know to be true in the light. It may have looked like Rome and all its regimes were in control of the world, but God was up to something that was greater than anything the world had ever seen.

The Savior, Jesus: The Rest of the Story is not complete until Jesus moves from the manger, and into the hearts of people who know they need a Savior. He never told His followers to celebrate His birthday, but He told them to remember, "His death, burial and resurrection. The baby Jesus is not the focus of the Christmas Story. God intends for people in need of forgiveness, to receive His Son as their Savior. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life."

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

GMillerLight4U

Fill the Pots

"Jesus said to them, 'Fill the water pots with water.' So they filled them up to the brim. And he said, 'Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.' So they took it to him...This was the beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him." John 2:7-8, 11

Jesus is the Son of God. He was born of a virgin in the little town of Bethlehem, but His home was in heaven. He came into this world, fully God, and fully man. There is no explanation, illustration or comparison that is adequate to put into words or draw a picture of the divine dynamic God created, when He sent His Son into the world.

From childhood, the words of John 3:16 have guided me into a basic understanding of the love of God. For over 50 years I have been trying to comprehend why God would send His Son to die on a cross for my sin. My belief in God's love for me is still the greatest, life-changing encounter I have ever had with Him. I have yet to plumb the depths of, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

After the birth of Jesus, there was a three decade waiting period before He began His public ministry. The Gospel of John records the wedding feast of Cana as the site where the favor of God fell upon His Son. It was in this unlikely setting, that people were able to see God's glory reflected off of the face of His Son.

How many times had Jesus wondered if today might be the day of God's visitation on Him for the fulfillment of His calling? Surely, the home of Mary and Joseph was filled with reminiscences and reminders of The Christmas Story. The Bible says that Mary pondered in her heart all the things she had seen and heard, regarding the birth of Jesus. When she weighed all of the wonders she had witnessed, it must have been a heavy burden to keep to herself. There must have been times when she and Jesus would talk about His birthday, and the significance of all the events that surrounded it.

Mary and Joseph had received a mild rebuke from Jesus, when He was a boy in the Temple. When they found Him conversing with the rabbis, He seemed surprised that they did not know that He was where He needed to be, doing what He needed to be doing. At a very early age, Jesus must have been guided to a rendezvous with His destiny, by the hands of godly parents and the Holy Spirit of God.

Mary approached Jesus about the embarrassing dilemma of the wedding party running out of wine. She apparently expected His days as a carpenter in Nazareth to be numbered, and any day His main ministry in life might blossom forth. Her response to Jesus was a curious mixture of submission to His judgment, and a confidence in His ability. She told the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."

Jesus was in the habit of getting with God on a regular basis. His divine nature hungered for conversation and communion with God. He ordered the servants to fill six stone pots with an estimated 120-150 gallons of water. This would have been a task that required some time and effort to complete. Drawing water from a well involved dropping a goatskin into a deep hole. The process included letting the skin fill up, drawing it out of the hole, carrying it to the pots, and filling each jar until the water reached the brim. The record does not indicate Jesus was praying, but He had enough time to do it, if he sensed the need.

When the pots were prepared, He simply told the servants to take the contents to the master of ceremonies. The result was a commendation to the bridegroom for saving the best for last. Jesus did not receive any credit, or citation. He had made Himself available to God. He filled the pots, waited on God, and God did the rest. This may be the greatest lesson to leave with Christ followers, as they contemplate the significance of The Christmas Story.

John's Gospel records the favor of God on the life of Jesus caused His disciples to believe in Him. It was His dependence upon God that attracted people to Him. His willingness to reflect the glory of what God did through Him, back to His heavenly Father, was the key difference between Him and the key men of Israel.

Jesus did not shine the light on Himself. He reflected the light back to The Source. God's favor on Jesus did not lead Him to name a building, a school, or a ministry after Himself. He reflected the radiance of God back to the One who was the source of His power and influence. Jesus did not seek to become a celebrity or make a name for Himself. He was a willing instrument, and His times were in God's hands. For thirty years, Jesus was a regular attender in God's waiting room. God knew His Son could be trusted to point people to His Father. God is still looking for people who will fill the pots, and get out of His way, and let Him do what He does best...transformation.

Jesus found the power of prayer through unbroken, consistent companionship with the God. Conversation with Him, over matters great and small, still leads the believer to a sense of direction that cannot be gained from an intermittent crisis search for truth. When life puts the unexpected squeeze on the life of a believer, it will always reveal what is inside. Prayer is the means by which Christ followers saturate themselves with the Presence of God. God turned the water into to wine, not whine. When believers whine under pressure, there is a strong indication that they need more time being aged in the waiting room with God.

Jesus is still in the miracle working business. Mark's Gospel records a visit to Nazareth made by Jesus. This was not the city of His birth, but it is where people who knew Him, thought they knew Him best. It says, "And He could do no miracle there except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He wondered at their unbelief." (Mark 6:5)

Jesus was sent to build a bridge between God and man. From filling stone pots with water, to carrying a cross up Calvary's hill, Jesus waited on God tor God to show up and do what only He could do. He waited on God to reveal His power through Him. Jesus marveled when people did not respond to what God was doing right in front of their faces. Most people would call healing the sick a miracle. Jesus didn't think of it as that great of a work. The greatest miracle of God is the turning of a non-believer into a believer. Jesus knew that healed people eventually die, but believing people would live forever. That is the miracle of The Christmas Story. People are lot like those empty pots. They need to be filled and transformed by the work of God in their lives. Christ followers do not change lives, but they can fill pots. Fill the empty pots around you with Living Water, and watch, wait and see what God can do. Don't be discouraged if some of the crack pots around you leak, and miss out on what God wanted to do in their lives. Jesus had it happen to Him, and it will happen to you. Fill the pots up anyway. 2010 is going to be a great year for wine. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

GMillerLight4U

Growing with Christ

• "The child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him." Luke 2:40
• "Why is is that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's" Luke 2: 49
• "And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." Luke 2:52

Too many people are graduates of the Ricky Bobby School of Theology. They have become fixated on the baby Jesus. This results in a stunted perspective of His mission, His mandate, and His ministry. People that never let Jesus get out of the manger and into their hearts, miss out on the real joy the Christmas Story.

When we forget Jesus grew up to become a man on a mission, it has a negative impact on our spiritual development. Remember, Jesus was not just a baby born in Bethlehem, but He died on a cross at Calvary. He defeated death, hell and the grave, when He rose from the dead. Today He is seated at the right of the Father, and He lives to intercede for the children of God.

The three verses quoted above are a gentle nudge away from the stable scene, and an early glimpse into what God had in mind for His Son. God intended for His Son to be a source of wisdom. As He grew, people were drawn to Him, not because of where He was born, but because of His favor with God. They were attracted to His life, not His birthplace.

Every year, the City of Bethlehem celebrates the birth of Jesus, but they live in a war zone the other 364 days of the year. The got it right about the place of His birth, but they have missed out on where He wants to live today. Real peace on earth begins in the hearts of wise men who still seek Him.

His mission was to be about the business, or the affairs of His Father. His parents were supposed to know this, and we should not forget it. Luke gives us a picture of His every-growing awareness of His mission, to carry out the will of His Father. By the time He reached manhood, it was a passion that was fueled by a personal prayer life with His heavenly Father.

His mandate was the presentation of the love of God, by offering His life as a sacrifice of the cross for their sin. He would be tempted to take short cuts, and to avoid the cross all together. His life of obedience to the will and the Word of God was fueled by His own intimacy with God in prayer.

Through the ministry of intercession, Jesus still brings the favor of God upon the lives of His people. Hebrews tells us, "In the days of His flesh, He offered up prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things that He suffered." (Hebrews 5:7-8) Prayer was His preparation for the handling of suffering that came His way, with the spirit of obedience. His learning curve should remind us to keep growing with Christ in The School of Prayer. Suffering is not an end in itself, but it is on the curriculum. When the course is overwhelming, go to the Headmaster to lead you through the final exam.

What Jesus did on earth, He continues to do in heaven. Throuh intercession, He has intensified to another level what He initiated while on earth. When you send a message to God, Jesus brings your prayer request to Him, personally, but He puts your heart as the return address for the answer you will receive.

This is a great time of year to thank God for sending Jesus into the world. Express a prayer of gratitude for His mission, His mandate, and His ministry. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

GMillerLight4U

Christmas Interruptus

"I thank My God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all." Philippians 1:3

Dana and I returned home from our road trip to Fayetteville last night. Her surgeon, Dr. Michael Cross was pleased with the progress of her healing from the skin grafts he performed on her recent reconstructive surgery. There was no infection, and healing should be completed in about four to six weeks. This was welcomed news, answered prayer and a great relief all wrapped up in the best Christmas present we could have received.

Someone asked me how long we were on the road. My first response was to give them the driving time from Arkansas to Texas. In truth, we have been on a two year journey. Since Dana's diagnosis with breast cancer in March 2008, there have been many bumps, twists and terrifying, hairpin turns on this rocky road. We have driven over 12,000 miles in the past two years to medical appointments, treatments, procedures, and surgeries. When we pulled into the driveway last night, we were at the end of our trip, but looking forward to what lies ahead.

At the risk of failing to mention everyone who has helped us along the way, I wanted to put on pause my blogs on "The Christmas Story," and attempt to put together some words of appreciation.

When Dana told me of a lump under her arm, I was holding a meeting at First Baptist Church of Sylvester, Georgia. Dr. Ben and Cathy Bush, long time friends, had invited me to their church, and I was having a wonderful time with some of the finest people in the world. Dana told me her doctor recommended a precautionary biopsy be taken. We decided to wait until I got back to Texas for her to have it done. When I shared this news with the people of FBC, Sylvester, the women of the church were moved to pray for Dana. For the past two years, their cards and letters have sustained her through the prolonged battle with breast cancer. Thank you Ben and Cathy for leading your people to care for someone they have never met. We are grateful.

Three churches sent Dana prayer blankets. This is a tremendous ministry. Starla and Russell Harbin, Rev. John McCullough, and Jeep Morse sent these beautiful shawls, hand-made by the ladies in their churches. They not only provided warmth from the cold, but comfort from God. It blessed Dana to know that each one of the comforters was prayed over by the people of the church before it was sent. Opening the mailbox and finding one of these precious gifts sitting on top of all the medical bills is like a spoon full of sugar. Like the song says, it does make the medicine go down. Dana would take these to each chemo treatment, and wrap them around her. The product and the prayers of people she had never met, and those she has loved for years made the toxic shock of "red devil" chemo endurable. Thank you for thinking of her.

Rev. Ricky and Pam Griffin are two of the greatest gifts God has ever given to us. Ricky called a few minutes after Dana and I received the news, "It's cancer." I was in a fog of shock at the news and attempting to drive to meet our daughters to tell them the report face to face. Ricky's call was a message from God. He said, "Dude?! WHAT is going on. I cant' get you off my mind. Is something wrong?" I told him, choking on every word that came out of my mouth. His response was a quick fix. He told me about Pam's diagnosis a year before Dana's. He exhorted me, and assured me this was a battle we could win. God used Ricky like a bolt out of the blue to let us know we were not alone. The grip of fear loosened its icy grip from my mind and my heart.

Dr. Michael and Terri Catt pastor Sherwood Baptist Church of Albany, Georgia. Just before I met with my daughters, I called Michael on his cell. I told him Dana had cancer, and I was about to meet with my girls to break the news. I told him, I didn't know what to say. It was like I had a claw in my brain raking it clean of the comforting words I needed to come out of my mouth. He prayed for me. It was the sound of his voice, not the words of his prayer that I remember. He was hurting with us. It was a moment in time for which good friends are made. Thank you Michael. Since then, he has encouraged Sherwood to send countless numbers of prayer cards to Dana over the past two years. We are grateful to Michael and Terri, and their fine staff for keeping Dana's condition before the praying people of their church.

Lowell and Shirley Thomas are a huge part of our lives. We met in their home on the east side of Fort Worth in September of 1974. When they heard the news of Dana's cancer, they made a wonderful product, Mannatech, available to us, and introduced us to Dr. Oliveros. They were vital pieces of the mosaic that God was piecing together to give us a portrait of His Presence.

When Dr. Oliveros became Dana's oncologist, he told us that we were going to hit this hard, but the first thing we were going to do was pray. He is a man of faith and great prayer. His own wife had been diagnosed with breast cancer the year before. He took Dana's condition as a personal challenge. He assured us that prayer was the first and foremost weapon we could bring to the fight. With his beautiful Colombian accent, he mobilized and managed Dana's fight for her life. He emphasized the use of powerful prayer, healthy nutrition, positive people, consistent exercised and medical science. Dana balled these five individual fingers of fury into a fist, and hit cancer hard. Thank you Dr. Oliveros for teaching us what total warfare looks like.

Dana began six months of chemo in April of 2008, and in the middle of the treatments we were blessed by a trip to California from long time friends, David and Cindy Lane. Cindy took Dana shopping for the most beautiful scarves in the world. Dana chose to use scarves as a fashion statement after she lost her hair. Cindy was just the right medicine to combat chemo. Thank you for stepping in with a boost over this obstacle in her road to recovery.

Dr. Gail Lebovic was Dana's first surgeon. Her upbeat, but no nonsense counsel led us to the decision to agree to radical surgery to make sure the cancer was taken out of her body. Her trust in God had been evident to us during the examination process, but on the day of surgery it became even more apparent. Dr. Lebovic entered the small curtained cubicle on the morning of surgery with three of her associates. She asked me to pray for her. In 30 years of ministry, I had never had a surgeon ask me to do that. Her humility to make sure that all of her skills were guided by the hand of God was a very moving experience. Thank you Dr. Lebovic for being an instrument in the hands of God.

When a back injury forced Dr. Lebovic to shift her practice from the operating room to the training of surgeons, she pointed us to Dr. Michael Cross. She believed he would be the one to make the final reconstruction surgery a reality. After several months of trying to coordinate his schedule with hospitals in Texas, she asked us to consider going to him in Fayetteville for the surgery. We agreed to go there, and trust God to work out the logistics. Little did we know, God had this own His agenda long before we brought it to Him in prayer.

Our family has been an awesome support sytem. Our parents, brothers and sisters, and their children have been a daily source of laughter and light through the dark of the night. Thank God for friends like, Don and Ruth Stokes and James Nance who sat with us all day throughout Dana's first surgery. God used many others to give us a call, send a card or text us when they could not be with us in the same room. We knew you were there. Thank you for standing with us.

Thank you for a group of men who formed, "DANA'S HAIR CLUB FOR MEN." With genuine enthusiasm and a great sense of humor, they were willing to let us process the trauma of hair loss with a head-shaving party at the church. What Satan tried to use to intimidate Dana, you used as a way to inspire her. Through the past two years, these guys have been there to help me get over the shock and the sting of not being able to fix "THIS" for Dana. They have let me share some crazy observations along the way. I still laugh every time I look at the business cards I have collected from doctors and practitioners who battle in this arena. When I was a high school kid in New York, I don't remember Career Day offering the option of becoming a , "Breast Specialist." I'm pretty sure the guys I ran with would have packed the room, and formed a line that ran around the building at Kings Park High. Oh well, God had another plan.

Our daughters, Ashley and Allyson, have been a tremendous source of blessing and comfort to Dana. They have been there for her, and have developed into mature ministers of God's grace as they walk with their mother through her Great Adventure. Ashley and Allyson ran in a "Race for the Cure" in April 2008 and Ashley's fellow employees at INPROV chose to run in honor Dana. It was a sobering reality check to witness thousands of people gathered on the Saturday morning of race day in Sundance Square of Ft. Worth. Cancer is no respecter of persons, and it has forged a huge sorority of courageous women who have inspired me to have whole new appreciation for the statement, "FIGHT LIKE A GIRL."

Whitestone Fellowship has been the tip of the spear in our battle against breast cancer. Thank you for standing with us through the greatest challenge of our lives. Carol Tanksley, Mottie Huber, and Dee Farber, all warriors against cancer, have been armor bearers for Dana in her own battle. Anita Bernardo added a personal touch by leading a team of women to clean our home while Dana was recovering from radical surgery. It was so nice to come home, and find everything in place. I still can't find anything in my study, but it looks great. God bless you ladies.

Carol Cunningham and Ruth Stokes, owners of two health food stores in Decatur, and Jacksboro, have been an immense source of encouragement, and support to Dana. Literally, she could not have reached this level of her recovery without you. Thank you for taking her health on as a matter of personal concern and major ministry.

When we hit a wall in our own prayer life, Dana encouraged me to get on Facebook and enlist Friends to pray with us for God to provide a solution to her final reconstructive surgery. I have to admit, I resisted. I went over to the dark side kicking and screaming. As usual, Dana was right. One of the world's greatest sources of energy in the world is a little dynamo in Houston, Donna Martinez Bell. She was a key factor in being able to locate and mobilize an amazing group of people on Facebook. These are the single adults that we were privileged to serve with at Houston's First Baptist Church from 1980-1983. Thank you Donna for what you did to point people on Facebook to Dana's need. You are an amazing lady. In a few short days, we had hundreds of people praying for the scheduling and completion of her surgery in Fayetteville. What had built into a ten month log jam of delay, God released into a free flow of His grace. In less than 72 hours, we were scheduled to go to Fayetteville. Still, we didn't know anyone there, or so we thought.

Steve Moore called after we posted our need. He and Laura had just moved from Fayetteville to Fort Smith, Arkansas. He offered to help us coordinate our stay in the area. Through him we reconnected with Ronnie Floyd, Jonathan Beasley, Debbie Beasley, Marcia and Anthony Powell, Mike Lumpkin, and Bob and Sharna Arthur. The Arthurs graciously provided us a place to stay when Dana had her surgery. What a wonderful surprise when we discovered that their home was five minutes from the hospital, and three minutes from the doctor's office. Wait there's more. Sharna follows the same nutritional guidelines as Dana. Bob and I are kindred spirits of another philosophy. Dana and I are so grateful that He brought them back into our lives, for such a time as this, and for the great times that are ahead. Also, Steve called after surgery had been scheduled with Dr. Cross to let us know that his daughter, April, was the nurse assistant for surgery and post-op. We have known her since she was in high school. What a blessing she was to Dana, as she gently guided her as an angel of mercy through the whole intimidating process.

Thank God! He prepared the way for Dana's surgery and recovery long before we knew we would be on the road to Fayetteville. I am trying to transfer this truth to every other aspect of my life. God is Sovereign over everything that comes our way. What comes to us passes through His heart, before it arrives at our address. Some of God's greatest gifts are wrapped in a very unusual way, but always have His hand prints all over them.

OK. This is taking longer than I thought. Let me wrap this up with a big bow. Please forgive me for any slight that may come as a result forgetting to make a personal reference. Trying to express my gratitude for the past two years with weary brain cells, and limited space is harder than I thought it would be. Thank you to all of our Facebook Friends who have been willing to pray with us through Dana's scheduling for and recovery from surgery. Your notes, posts, and likes have been a daily reminder of the Presence of God. He has guided us through the darkness with the points of light reflected from the faces of His people. Because of you, but in honor of Him we are able to wish you and enjoy ourselves this special time of year. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

GMillerLight4U

Awakening

"But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, 'Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child's life are dead.' So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets; He shall be called a Nazarene." Matthew 2:19-23

"When they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth." Luke 2:39

Mary, Joseph and Jesus escaped safely to Egypt, and successfully avoided the wrath of Herod the Great. After Herod died, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, and gave him marching orders to return home. Apparently, Joseph started on the trip, but as he got closer to home, he balked. Joseph became filled with fear. When he found out that the son of the man who had tried to murder Jesus was now on the throne, Joseph pulled off the road. He fell asleep in a Rest Area, and put the will of God on hold for a night.

It is interesting that in spite of all Joseph had seen God do in his life, and the life of his family, he froze like a deer in the head lights, and did not take the next step of faith. The prospect of facing the son of Herod, became a roadblock to his return home. His fear of man overwhelmed his fear of God. The dark fear of what Archelaus might do to him overshadowed all the light God had brought into his life.

"Then, after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee." This passage indicates that God never intends for fear of man to be an obstacle to His plan of redemption. This time, God came to Joseph, and warned him personally. The results were immediate. This fresh encounter with God turned around the life of Joseph, and put him back on course. The intimidation of a possible encounter with a counterfeit king evaporated in light of the inspiration he received, from a night time vision from the real King of Kings.

• Gary Busey, Hollywood's theologian in rehab, once said, "Fear is spelled F.E.A.R. and can be described as False Expectations Appearing Real." Not bad Mr. Busey.
• Vince Lombardi, legendary coach of the World Champion Green Bay Packers, believed, "Fatigue makes cowards of us all."

These two quotes from the world of entertainment and the sports arena should remind us that the celebrities are not immune from self-doubt and the weariness of the battle. They have found the lime-light of fame and fortune only exposes their weaknesses and magnifies their fears.

Have you ever noticed that the Word of God is filled with warnings to "Fear not!" From Genesis to Revelation, the people of faith have always had to overcome their fear in order to move forward in the journey God has for them. The plan of redemption will always be opposed by the enemy. Satan knows that fear is a very effective weapon. The darkness always makes things seem bigger in the night than they really are in the light of day.

When Pharaoh tried to kill the male babies of his Hebrew captives, courageous women refused to obey his command at the risk of their own lives. "The midwives feared God." Exodus 1:21

David was the ancestor of Joseph, and the shepherd boy from Bethlehem who became king. When faced with an intimidating, shadow of death experience, he turned from his fear and to His God. He said, "I will fear no evil." Psalms 23:4

Solomon, son of David, King of Israel, and a man of wisdom and wealth, taught his princes, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." Proverbs 1:7

Proverbs warns of the inevitability of conflict with evil, and the availability of the Presence of God. "Do not be afraid of sudden fear, nor the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; for the Lord will be your confidence (at your side). " Proverbs 3:25-26

When the first century church was dealing with circumstances beyond their control, God inspired the writer of Hebrews to remind His people, " 'I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,' so that we confidently say, 'THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?' Hebrews 13:5 (Joshua 1:5, Psalms 118:6)

It is comforting to know that the first words Jesus said to those who would become Christ followers were, "Follow me." (Matthew 4:19) It was his invitation to a great adventure. His way was not to be a walk in the park, or a day at the beach. His command was a call to, "Come here by My side. I will show the way and you can come after Me." In other words, Jesus was saying, "Follow after Me. Accompany Me. Join me. Walk with me." He did not say, "CHARGE!" He said,"Follow!" Christ followers are invited to consistent companionship with the One who is The Source of confidence.

Thank God, Joseph didn't roll over in bed and ignore the second warning he received from God. His misguided zeal to protect his family, and to avoid the conflict ahead was a danger to the culmination of the plan of God. Egypt had been a safe harbor that protected his family from the storms of life, for a time. Harbors are only temporary points of pause along the rigorous route of the redemption story. They are meant to give God's people time to refit, regroup, rest, and reawaken to the His call on their lives to carry the message of His Son around the world. Not all who hear will believe what they hear, but the call of God is to tell them the story of Jesus anyway.

The sea will always be rough for any Christ follower. Those who desire to awaken from their slumber, and take a fresh step of obedience will be opposed. There will always be an element of fear, and a ready opposition to any venture of faith. The world today is in need of an awakening that only God can provide. A world-changing movement of God begins with a life-changing confidence in Him to face our fears, and sail into the wind with the promise of His Presence. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

GMillerLight4U

The Dark Side

"Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all it vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: 'A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH, WEEPING AND GREAT MOURNING, RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN; AND SHE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED, BECAUSE THERE WERE NO MORE.' " Matthew 2:16-18

The birthday of Jesus was not good news for Herod. He was an insecure, ruthless man. His man made throne, was invented in Rome when the Senate voted him the title, King of the Jews. He knew he existed only because he was the puppet of an invading army that now occupied the nation of Israel. He was supported by the might of Rome, as long as he kept the tribute money flowing their way. The Pharisees, the religious elite of Israel, did not trust him or accept the legitimacy of his conversion to Judaism. Herod tried to gain their support by rebuilding the Temple. The overtaxed people of his kingdom hated him and his puppet masters equally.

Herod would have sold his soul to Rome to remain king, but he had already found a buyer from the dark side. Herod's entire life was filled with palace coups, international intrigue, and murder. He had three of his own sons executed in order to secure his throne. It was no stretch for him to send soldiers into the village of Bethlehem to massacre the male children under the age of two. He and he alone was going to have the title of The King of the Jews.

The order of the massacre of the innocents did not catch God by surprise. God sent His own Son to die on the cross in order to shed light into a very dark world. Before Herod ordered the soldiers to Bethlehem, God knew what he was capable of doing. He knew Herod would consider the murder of little children as acceptable behavior. They were merely the collateral damage that was necessary for the consolidation of his throne.

The Gospel of John confirms why Herod could not see Jesus as a way out of the dark night of his soul. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him, nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." (John 1:1-5)

In 1983, I was asked by a Jewish rabbi in Houston to serve on a panel that would present to the congregation of his synagogue, "The Christan View of Suffering." The impetus for the discussion was the book, "Why Bad Things Happen to Good People." When I arrived at the evening's event, I discovered I was the only Christian member of the panel. The other three were rabbis representing conservative, reformed, and orthodox branches of their theology. As I reflect back on that night, I am amazed at the chutzpah I brought to the packed assembly room. It took alot of moxie for me to think I could represent the view of suffering held by the entire Christian movement. I was young. What can I say?

The impact on me was far greater than any insight I could have given them. It began when the presiding rabbi asked his people to raise their hands to show how many of them had lost family members or loved ones in The Holocaust. Thirty eight years after the end of WW II, out of a room of 500 people, an overwhelming wave of hands rose up and were held in the air. There were tears in their eyes, and anger on their faces. Some even rolled up their sleeves to reveal numbers tattooed on their arms. They had been there. They were survivors, and they would never forget.

When I read Matthew's account of the murder of the little children of Bethlehem, I am moved by thoughts of their mothers, and memories of that scene in a Houston synagogue. Where was God when they were suffering? He was there. He knew it was coming their way, and that death was leading the charge. That is why God sent His Son. He knew there was suffering in this world. He also knew that it often hits innocent people who do not deserve it, and did not cause it.

When I presented the Christian view of suffering, I walked them through Old Testament passages. I said that some suffering is self-inflicted, due to disobedience. They knew all about stiff-necked people taking 40 years to walk into the land of promise. I pointed out that some suffering is a result of an evil influence. Satan's power comes from his deprave heart, and it is sent right out of the pit of hell. They knew all about the book of Job. The major emphasis I made was on the coming of the Messiah, The Anointed One, The Christ. I called His name Jesus. They expected me to do nothing less. I told them God was always there in the midst of suffering to remind people that He loved them enough to send them His Son to be their Savior. I may not have been the brightest bulb in the room, but I shed the light that I had with people who had seen their share of darkness. When I get to heaven, I may be surprised at what Jesus did with a dim bulb in a dark room.

Jesus said, "I am the Light of the world; and he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." (John 8:12) This is point of the Christmas Story. The children of Bethlehem were massacred, not because Jesus was born, but because Satan opposed His birth. The influence of evil that Herod had allowed to saturate his life was the cause of the blood shed and the heartache. Long before Herod thought of this corrupt final solution, God saw what Satan was capable of doing. The prophet foretold of it, and God sent His Son anyway.

When women of a small village wept over the loss of their children, the prophet said they would not be comforted. It sounds terribly glib in light of their condition to say, "I would rather light a candle than curse the darkness." Their darkness was something only God could lift with the light of His love. It is sobering to realize that God was not in the dark. He knew about the consequences that would come to the mothers of Bethlehem, by sending His Son Jesus to die on a cross for our sins. That is precisely why Jesus came into the world. God was shedding His light on the dark side of sin. If Jesus had never been sent, the world would have never known any moral outrage over the loss of life of a few children in an obscure village.

As far as Herod's decision to kill the babies of Bethlehem, it is impossible to make sense out of the senseless. The people around him apparently did not expect anything less from him. They had seen him murder his own sons, to keep his crown. The killing of a few peasant children did not create a blip on Rome's radar screen. They had set him up as the "King of the Jews." If this action was required to maintain Roman honor, then so be it.

The cold, hard truth is...bad things really do happen to good people. The great concern of today is not "Herod the Great." It is more about the evil that influenced him, than the evil he did. How can a nation celebrate Christmas by honoring the birth of Jesus, and still be so calloused to the death of millions of babies who are killed in this country every year? Since the legalization of abortion in America, over 50 million children have been massacred. Today "little Herods" still sit on the thrones of their lives, putting their own children to death. They too are supported by the power of a government that has told them they are lord over their lives and they can do as they please. They are more focused on claiming their rights, than protecting the gift of life, regardless of the consequences.

This nation, individually and corporately, has been sitting in the dark too long. Putting Christ back into Christmas is not an end in itself. It is a beginning. It is the first step of repentance that will lead to personal, and then to an ever-widening circle of a corporate, spiritual awakening. This awakening is a renewal of our First Love for Jesus. This is what is needed to have a profound influence on the people around us, and change the culture that surrounds us.

To make a return trip, there must be an about face. To start a great journey, there must be a first step. Jesus is still turning lives around, one person at a time. Shine His Light on the dark side. The slightest light brightens the darkest night. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

GMillerLight4U

What in the World

"Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, 'Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.' So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet; 'OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON.' " Matt. 2: 13-15

The magi left their presents, and left the scene. They had been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, and tell him where he could find Jesus. Obedient to God, they returned home to their own country by another way. (Matt. 2:12)

Hosea had prophesied, "OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON." The flight to Egypt was a practical necessity and a prophetic fulfillment. God, not Herod, was in charge of the events that were unfolding. God's omniscience was revealed in prophecy, long before Herod's corrupt soul was on the throne. Prophecy had told what was going to happen, but it took contemporary events to unfold why they were happening that way.

I have to admit, there have been times I have called out to God, "What in the world are you doing?" When I say this, it does not reveal my deep concern for the welfare of the world. I will leave that to Miss America contestants. They always seem to be concerned about world peace. My outburst is caused by the collision of God's "What" on the beach of my "Why." In retrospect, my only vision that is 100% accurate, I can always see "Why" God did "What" He did. My goal in life is to make the faith of my windshield as clear as my rear view mirror. It takes constant cleaning, and the willingness to drive into the fog and trust God to clear the way ahead.

In Oklahoma, they have warning signs posted on their turnpikes urging people not to drive into the smoke. I was confused about the reason for the signs, and asked a long time resident of the state what the reason was for the warning. He told me that the plains are notorious for grass fires, and they can rage for many miles before they are brought under control or burn themselves out. The toxic fumes of the smoke are carried by the same high winds that propel the fire, and can make driving hazardous due to the fog that is cast across miles of highway. People have been known to drive into the smoke and be overcome by the fumes. They cannot drive fast enough to outrun the smoke, or they can't turn around fast enough. The signs are taken very seriously. Smart people live in Oklahoma, Boomers, Sooners, Cowboys and all. Now if they would get their deacons to quit smoking on the front steps of the church, then maybe people could find their way into the building. A cheap shot, but worth taking. Hate it when that happens. Fighting cancer lowers your tolerance for people who blow smoke in your face.

Thank God, Joseph did not respond to God's work in his life with, "What now?!" or "Why me?!" He woke up, got up and loaded up for Egypt. God's plan for my life is rarely convenient with the plans or agenda that I have painstakingly outlined for Him to follow. God's will is filled with divine appointments, inspired interruptions, and holy Ah-Ha's that cause me to flinch with resentment when I can see the "What" but don't understand the "Why."

It comforts me to know that Mary and Joseph weathered some of the same stormy, sanctified surprises that come my way. Packing up and leaving Bethlehem may have been inconvenient, but it moved them out of the line of fire of a king who had sold his soul to the devil.

The next time God interrupts my plans with "What" He has in mind, I am going to try to and hold my tongue, and not ask "Why?" There is nothing wrong with asking God to help you make sense out of what He tells you to do. The danger is in the delay. Henry Blackaby has taught, "Delayed obedience is still disobedience. " In the case of Mary, Joseph and Jesus it would have been disastrous.

Thank you Joseph for being the kind of man God could trust to obey "What" He said the first time you heard it, and not wait for "Why?" to be explained. Jesus was meant to die on the cross for our sins, and not be slaughtered by a paranoid tyrant. Timing is everything in being in sync with the will of God. Jesus would die, but He would die for the purpose God had sent Him to achieve, the redemption of the world.

When you hear God tell you "What", don't respond with "What in the World?" Take a deep breath and drive into the smoke. 'Why?" because it is HOLY SMOKE! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

GMillerLight4u

Follow the Star

"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem saying, 'Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.' When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.' " Matthew 2:1-3

One of my favorite Christmas cards of all time was sent to me by Leon Pepper. It pictured a trio of firemen, covered in soot, soaking wet, and holding axes and hoses. Distinguished by Texas A & M logos on their clothing, they were obviously fresh from battling a blaze. When I opened the card, the punch line said, "We are three wise men, and we have come from a far!" This may have to be explained to anyone outside of Texas, but I think you get the picture. Very funny, Leon. Gotta love Aggies with a sense of humor.

By the time Luke's account of The Christmas Story is completed, the reader is left with the impression that the magi, or wise men never made the trip to Bethlehem to see Jesus. Matthew's version of the story includes these astrologers who had been following the star for approximately two years. They were six miles off course when they pulled into Jerusalem, and when they told the king of their mission, they made quite a stir.

Herod was threatened by the news of a Messiah being born, and called a crisis management meeting of the religious elite. They had no problem pointing him to Micah the prophet. He had foretold of the birth of a child in Bethlehem who would become a ruler of Israel.

"AND YOU BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL." (Micah 5:2)

Herod's response to the word of God was deceitful and destructive. He met secretly with the magi to determine when they first saw the star. He would use this information to murder all the male children born during that time period. (Matthew 2:7, 16)

The Bible records the magi left the court of Herod, and made their way to Bethlehem. "After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming to the house, they saw the Child with Mary, His mother, and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, they opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh." (Matthew 2:9-11)

This is where things get a little confusing for people who have a tendency to put the EM-pha-sis, on the wrong SYL-la-byl. From this encounter the legend of the three Wise Men, with their names and their camels get launched. The three gifts probably led people to believe there were three men. The men would have required three names, and that legend was born. They surely would have needed transportation for a long journey, therefore the camel was drawn from logical minds, if not vivid imaginations and placed in the manger scene. The best guess that the magi were astrologers, and students of Zoroastrianism may have been pretty close to the mark. They were not kings. They were not there on the same night with the shepherds. They did arrive at a house, not a stable. They did worship Jesus, and by virtue of the length of their journey he was two years old.

OK. The record is straight. The stable has been cleared of the camels. The shepherds are back on the front row. Now, what did the arrival of the magi mean? Luke has already made clear that John the Baptist was being prepared to announce the coming of Jesus. He would call out the the people of the land, the peasantry of Israel, to repent. The testimonies of Simeon and Anna, revealed that the message of Jesus would be offered to the remnants of the tribes of the Southern and the Northern Kingdoms. The Gentiles would be enlightened too. The bankrupt religions of the Graeco-Roman world had left people spiritually impoverished, and Jesus came to invest His life in them. The coming of the magi, revealed a hunger in the hearts of men who had been been trying to find spiritual nourishment in ancient eastern religions, and philosophies. Isn't it just like God to point hungry people to a little town whose name meant, "House of Bread."
It is so important not to miss the point of the journey of the wise men. It often gets lost in spasms of sentimentality and convulsive creativity. The magi fell face down on the ground, in a prone position, to indicate worship of Jesus. Then they gave Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. This simple statement says it all. They came to the end of their journey by coming to the end of themselves. By coming to the end of themselves, they came to the beginning of God.

Much has been made of the gifts they gave to Jesus. Gold is self-explanatory. It could be used for living expenses. They reveal God as Jehovah Jireh, The Provider, who meets the practical and spiritual needs of His family. The poverty of Mary, Joseph and Jesus was revealed by the offering of doves they made at his dedication. It was the best they could do, and the least that could be offered. They had little to offer Jesus in the way of food and clothing but they gave what they could give, their obedience to the Word of God.

God is not limited to the resources of His people, or the resources of the people they know. Long before the arrival of the gifts Jesus received, the gifts were on their way. Mary heard from the angel about her role in giving birth to Jesus. Months before, the magi had seen a star and were on their way with the provisions they would need. Mary and Joseph had been on a journey of faith for about 10 months, the men from the east had been following a star for two years. They were bearing gifts that would meet the needs of this special family. The magi followed the star, and Mary and Joseph followed God's word. These were God given coordinates that brought about the meeting of their needs.

Mary and Joseph did not panic at the requirements of following God's word. There was cost involved in being obedient to The Law of the Lord. There were trips to be made, and sacrifices to be offered. What did they do? They obeyed God anyway. What parent has not questioned whether they could afford children? Children are a gift from God to any family, and those who try to wait until they can afford them are usually called childless couples. Mary and Joseph knew instinctively, where God guides He provides. He knows the needs of His children, even before they ask for their needs to be met. As Jesus was being raised in the home of Mary and Joseph, there must have been many times that He saw God meet their needs. He encouraged His followers, "For your heavenly Father knows that you need these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:32-33)

The magi are the ones that can be thanked for introducing gift giving to the celebration of Christ's birth. They were obedient to follow the star, and they found Jesus. When God gets ready to do something great, He points people to the stars. Abraham in the Old Testament, was told to look at the stars, and get an idea of what God was going to do through him. The magi were pointed to a star and it led them to Jesus. At the risk of sounding like a sanctified Scrooge, I want to remind contemporary followers of Christ's star, THEY GAVE THE GIFTS TO JESUS, NOT TO EACH OTHER. This is the divine detail of The Christmas Story that is most often ignored, or lost in translation. Somewhere in the past 2,000 years the focus has moved from "Thee" to "Me."

Nothing will make The Christmas Story come alive like giving your best gift to The One whose birthday you are celebrating. This is not hard to understand, but it is hard for people to get excited about. Christians should be asking, "What are you giving Jesus for His birthday this year?" Wouldn't it be novel if Christ followers would compete in out giving one another in what they gave to Jesus on His birthday. What a shame that Christians are hardly distinguishable from the most commercial crazed consumers during Christmas.

Please listen carefully to me now. I am not suggesting you don't get a party favor at His birthday party. You just don't get to be treated like the birthday boy. Remember this party is not thrown for you. It is for Jesus. Say it with me, softly, "Not me, but Thee!" A little louder now with conviction, "Not me, but Thee!" There you have it. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

GMillerLight4U

Anna

"And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after marriage, and then as a widow to the age of 84. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem." Luke 2:36-38


Can you remember when you first heard The Christmas Story? I was a small boy, ages 2-10 years of age, when my father, Don Miller, pastored the Forney Avenue Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. The name of this church was no help in finding it. It had relocated, at least once, before I was born. When I began attending Forney, it was on Rowan Street. The people moved the church, but kept the original name, Forney Ave. When I was three it relocated again to Dolphin Road. Again the church kept the same name. See what I mean. You really had to be tenacious to make your way to church. The people who found their way to Forney Avenue were part detective and part bird dog. Thank God they did find it. They impacted my life in a great way.


My earliest childhood memories include fond reminiscences of an awesome foursome of widows. They were Miz Bennett, Miz Canada, Miz Frasier, and Miz Burmingham. I sat at their feet for many hours of fascinating flannel graph Bible stories. They also served in two week vacation Bible Schools and week day meetings of Sunbeams. They guided me to a basic knowledge of the characters and stories that formed the bedrock of my faith today. They fanned my competitive flames with Bible Sword Drill, and taught me how to find my way through the Books of the Bible. They unlocked the Scripture for me by teaching me how to use the key of a concordance in the back of my Bible. They made sure church was a safe place to be with their warm hugs, and swift response to any disciplinary problems. They won me over by handling things themselves. They never threatened me with, "I'm going to tell your Dad." They didn't put me on a guilt trip with, "That's no way for a preacher's kid to act." They treated me with respect and retribution, equally measured out, and determined by the behavior I brought to their classroom. They were early practitioners of the Gospel According to Vegas. "What happens in Primaries, stays in Primaries." (FYI: Beginners, Primaries, Juniors, Intermediates were the age group divisions of the children/youth ministries of the 50's). They were tough, tender, and tenacious, and not the least bit intimidated by the task of training up a child in the way he should go. When I think of them, I smile, and I believe I know why God has such a tender place in His heart for widows.


The Old Testament is filled with warnings about the dangers of bringing any affliction into the life of a widow. I'm pretty sure God has cleared me of what I did to those dear ladies. The New Testament gives widows a place of honor in the church, the Body of Christ. When Jesus looked for an example of generosity, he pointed His disciples to "The Widow's Mite." What others saw as small, He viewed as sacrificial. For two thousand years, the widow's gift of minute copper coins has been the industry standard of sacrificial giving. The widow's example teaches us that is is not how much you give, but how much you have left after you give that makes the difference. Never underestimate 'The Widow's Might" in the eyes of God.

The widow, Anna, is introduced in Luke's account of The Christmas Story. She was at the right place at the right time, and found herself at the epicenter of a movement of God. She had been married as a young girl, and had seven years of marriage before her husband died. Death of a spouse left women in a very vulnerable position. There were not alot of career choices open to them. Often the choice was between indentured servanthood, or starvation. Too often a young widow was forced by her circumstances to resort to prostitution. Anna took the high road, and went to the Temple. If married at 17 years, and widowed at the age of 24, she had spent at least 60 years as a widow. Regardless of the math, at the age of 84 she had a lengthy track record of service, prayer and fasting. These signs of righteousness reflected a heart for God.


My seminary professors emphasized that prophecy is more about forth telling than foretelling. The point of prophecy is to point people to God. If prophecy is more about "forth telling in the present" than "foretelling about the future," then Anna was a genuine prophet. Her immediate response to a work of God was to thank Him for what He had done, and point people in need of redemption to The Redeemer. What a great way to live.

Anna's name is the Greek form of the Hebrew name, Hannah. Literally it means grace, gracious, merciful, or he that gives. Her name graces the message she tells of God's favor. She spontaneously announced to all who would hear, that God had poured out His favor on His people. Isn't it just like God to be trusted to deliver His message with truth in advertising. Anna was a messenger whose message matched what was on her label. Grace to you!


Anna's family was from the tribe of Asher. The tribes of the Northern Kingdom had been taken taken captive by the Assyrians, resettled in Iran, and centuries later remnants returned to Israel. Her family heritage was not in Judea, formerly the Southern Kingdom, and it probably explains why she had to turn to the Temple for support in her hour of need.


Through the priest, Simeon, the Christmas Story shines the light of God's love on the Gentiles. From Anna's testimony, it becomes clear that remnants of the scattered Northern tribes are being included, and welcomed back into God's family. A woman whose ancestors had been punished for their idolatry and disobedience, was blessed by God to tell His story of redemption.


The Christmas Story is filled with the message of redemption. Sin separates people from God. God's character requires sin to be dealt with before people can be restored to fellowship with Him. God's solution to the separation of sin is the sacrifice of His Son. The cost of redeeming people from their sin will be the blood of Jesus. The cross, not the cradle, was the conduit of God's compassion. Encourage people seeking redemption not to miss the message by stopping at the manger. A seasonal spiritual experience is a poor substitute for eternal salvation.


The very hour Anna saw the Savior, she began thanking God for His grace, and began telling people about Him. Anna's response reveals two things. Both are at work in the dynamics of the redemption story. The widow was telling what she had seen to people who were looking for God to show them the way. Speaking of God to people seeking for Him are two sides of the same coin. The Christmas Story will have more value to you when you invest it in others this year. Let this "Widow's Might" encourage you to shed The Light. MERRY CHRISTMAS!


GMillerLight4U











Anna

Let it Shine

" 'Now Lord, you are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your Salvation. Which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, and the glory of Your people Israel.' And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, 'Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and the rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed - and a sword will pierce even your own soul - to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed." Luke 2:29-34


Warm, unforgettable memories break over the shores of my heart with waves of nostalgia at this time of year. The bright lights of New York City have always been an amazing sight to me, but they put an additional, serious strain on the eastern power grid at Christmas. To a ten year old boy they are truly awe-inspiring. In 1960, it seemed every store, and major avenue competed for a prize for shedding the most light on Christmas. The Avenue of the Americas was guarded by rows of trumpeting angels, the skating rink of Rockefeller Center was ablaze with garlands of lights, but no display could hold a candle to Macy's. Their famous, flagship store windows were displayed with one Christmas scene after another. All around the block, each one of their presentations was more impressive than the other. They depicted Bible stories, and Christmas around the world. From Currier and Ives to the North Pole, each window was a huge Christmas card of creativity and light. The scenes still leap from my mind fifty years later. No one knows how to light it up like New York City.

The Christmas story is all about light. When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple, they were looking for a priest who would set him apart for the service God had sent Him to perform. Simeon's life had been spent waiting for this moment. He knew immediately that he held the Light of the World in his arms. Many people witnessed the priest conduct the ceremony, and the parental act of obedience. They only saw a child being placed in the hands of an old man. It might have given them a warm feeling, to see someone so old holding an infant in their hands, but there was more going on than mere sentimentality. With eyes blinded by the darkness of sin, they saw a child, but Simeon saw The Light.

Simeon took the child from Mary and Joseph, turned his thoughts to the prophecy of Isaiah, and said, "A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES." His parents were amazed to hear these words. With all they had experienced, they could not have been easily surprised. Still to hear Simeon pronounce that Jesus was a fulfillment of messianic prophecy, gave them pause. The Messiah was not going to be a Savior for the Jews, but be a light of revelation for the people of the whole world.

Simeon did not pronounce all sweetness and light over the Child. His words are understood by us more today than they were by Mary and Joseph. He told them that their Child would be person of great significance, but "a sign to be opposed." The cradle and the cross are inseparable in the Christmas story, and those who oppose one must reject the other.

The contemporary culture of commercialism is not opposed to making a buck off the birth of Jesus, but it is growing increasingly opposed to the purpose for which He was born. Simeon's prayer of dedication reminds Christ followers, He was sent by God to be The Light of the world. People who have grown accustomed to being in the dark, rarely appreciate a sudden flash of light. It blinds their eyes, and shoots pain to the brain. This might explain why they are opposed to the greeting, "Merry Christmas!" The opposition to Jesus is not limited to Christmas greetings, and nativity scenes on the town square.

For centuries, ancient armies of evil have been mobilized to stop The Light from revealing the "thoughts from many hearts." Satan is not opposed to the Christmas season. He hates the Christmas Story, and The Light of The World. He hates it when The Light of Jesus exposes the consequences of sin for what it is, separation from God. When Jesus enters into a person's heart, His light overwhelms the forces of darkness, and guides blinded people to see the grace of God. This is the reason for all the opposition. When Satan sees The Light, he is threatened, and turns up his opposition to any "sign" that Jesus is the reason for the season. Hold up The Sign anyway!


The little song we learned as "Sunbeams" is running through my mind, and humming in my heart. "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. Won't let Satan, whoooosh, blow it out, I'm gonna let it shine...." Sing it with me. Everybody on the chorus..."Let it shine! Let it shine! Let it shine!" Now, that is a Christmas carol that can point people to a very...MERRY CHRISTMAS!

GMillerLight4U

What and When

"And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms and blessed God..." Luke 2:25-28

Dana was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2008. The adventure, as she likes to call it, has led us to many waiting rooms during 2008 and 2009. The thousands of miles we travelled on these road trips have taken their toll in more ways than one. There have been biopsies, blood work, mammograms, imaging centers, oncologist appointments, six months of chemo treatments, loss of hair, a year of herceptin treatments, two major surgeries, followup exams, and checkups hosted by a wide variety of waiting rooms. Bonding with courageoues people was the one common denominator of all the rooms we visited. There is a band of brothers and sisters that is forged from fighting a relentless war against a common enemy.

I know God's waiting room is the safest place to be, but still, it has grown wearisome. It is alot like an adult "time out." Remember when your child needed an attitude adjustment? You didn't know whether to ground them or pound them, so you put them in time out. My kids hated it. Now I know why.

I wish I could tell you that I entered every waiting room experience with a joyous expectation of answered prayer. There have been many times, I have been overwhelmed by the sheer monotony of waiting. Yes, I still believe God's waiting room is the safest place to be, but I must admit that I have gotten tired of the magazines.

Knowing "what" to pray for, her healing, has not been hard. The rock in my shoe and the bone in my throat has been caused by waiting for "when" she is healed. "When" and "what" are where Heaven and earth meet. Persistent prayer has prepared my heart to receive God's answer. I have learned it arrives in my heart, before He places it in my hands. The Holy Spirit guides me to a place where I can stand on the promise of God, and lift up Jesus...not the answer. There was a popular Christian song in the late 80's, "When Answers Aren't Enough, There is Jesus." The heart and the hands are always in conflict with the "what" and the "when" until I come to the place where Jesus is all I need. Still waiting, and still praying. Still heart. No lie.

Never underestimate the capacity of a commercialized Christmas to swallow a camel and gag on the truth. Every year churches and communities celebrate this season with all kinds of symbols, both sacred and secular. One of the best kept secrets in the Christmas story is Simeon. This time of the year, more is made about nameless shepherds, and wandering wise men than the man that Luke introduces to us as Simeon. His name had a rich heritage for answered prayer in Hebrew culture. It was the name Leah, wife of Jacob, gave to her son after crying out to God for His favor. She knew that Jacob loved Rachel more than her, and she called out to God to hear her prayer for a child. The name, Simeon, means "hear, or heard." The name she selected was Leah's grateful response to God for hearing her and sending a son to be a comfort to her in the middle of her heartbreak and rejection.

Similarly, Simeon had cried out to God for His favor. He prayed that God would allow him to see the Messiah, The Christ, before he died. He had received word from the Holy Spirit that his prayer had been answered. There is no indication in Luke's account of how long he had been waiting for the answer to be revealed, but he was counting on the reliability of the Spirit's promise.

Simeon lived a life of holy expectancy. He is described as, "'righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him." Simeon had a confidence and a hope that kept him ever ready to receive in his hands, the answer God had already given him in his heart. He continued to show up for work every day, devoted to doing what God had called him to do. His waiting resulted in righteousness, not resentment. The Holy Spirit's hand empowered him to trust in God, placing his faith in Him, believing that His delay did not mean God's desertion.

It is one thing to wait on God. It is quite another to wait with the right heart attitude. When Mary and Joseph arrived at the temple with the Child, Simeon was ready with open arms because his heart had never been closed off to God. This passage is a tremendous encouragement to people to pray with persistence. This kind of prayer is not a soul-wrenching, ear splitting whine that grinds a person's joy to dust. This is a consistent companionship that keeps the heart warm in the presence of God, and lifts the eyes of the prayer warrior to see the victory above the dust of the battle.

Simeon knew his prayer had been answered, by the work of the Holy Spirit in his life. He no longer agonized in prayer over the "what." He spent his life focused on making sure he was ready for the "when." "Simeon was faithful to carry out his calling, under the influence of the Spirit of God. God was faithful to deliver His promise to a waiting heart, prepared to appropriate the Gift of His Son. God had arranged a joyous junction between the obedience of the parents and the acceptance of Simeon. Luke gives us the coordinates of the crossroads between "when" and "what." "And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus..."

Simeon's initial response to the Child was to embrace Him. His second response was to praise God. Luke says a great deal with the words, "...he took Him into his arms and blessed God." Simeon's capacity to see "what" God was up to "when" God was doing it, was based on the preparation of his heart by the Holy Spirit. The work of the Spirit, prior to Pentecost, was often exhibited by His Presence coming upon a specific person, for a specific period of time, to perform a specific task. Simeon's prolonged possession of the Holy Spirit's Presence was a foretaste of what Jesus was to promise to His followers.

Jesus promised His followers, before His death, "It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you, but if I go, I will send Him to you...But when He comes, He will guide you into all the truth...He will glorify Me." (John 16:1-14)

Before he had tinsel, and trees to light his way, Simeon was guided by the true Spirit of Christmas. The Spirit will always glorify Jesus. Any spirit that tries to counterfeit the true worth of the Christmas story by lifting up the season, more than the Savior, is a false spirit. This Christmas make sure you have your heart ready to receive The Greatest Gift of All, Jesus. What are we waiting for? Lift Jesus up! If not Him, who? If not now, when? MERRY CHRISTMAS!

GMillerLight4U














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