The Perfect Gift

December 25, 2013

The Perfect Gift

Galatians 4: 1-7

John Grisham’s book Skipping Christmas is about a man who got tired of all the hoopla surrounding Christmas. He decided to skip all the decorations and celebrations, much to the consternation of his neighbors and friends.  His book reminds me of the man who got tired of all the frantic haste and commercialism associated with Christmas and decided not to go along with the crowd. As a part of his protest, he decided not to send Christmas cards.  For the first two weeks of December all went well, but as the mail brought him cards with greetings from friends and family he began to feel guilty about sending no cards. A few days before Christmas he could no longer stand being the odd man out. He rushed to the store and grabbed the only box of cards still on the shelf. He bought it, purchased stamps, went home and addressed cards frantically all evening. He addressed 49 cards. He had one card left over which he tossed on the table on his way to mail the cards. The next day it occurred to him that he had addressed and signed all those cards but had not actually read what the card said. So, he grabbed the left over card and took a look. This is what it said:

"This cheery card has come to say:

A gift from us is on the way."

Now comes the really frantic “have to” gift shopping. When we “have” to do something, the stress generally steals all of our creativity; when we “get” to do something, all of our creative energy is free to flow.

God did not “have to” create the world. The beauty, splendor and precision of the universe are evidence of God’s “get to” creativity. When the world became corrupted and lost to the power of sin, God did not “have to” redeem the world. He chose to do so, and God, with His creativity flowing through His “get to” decision, made the choice of the Perfect Gift.

“But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.  God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children” (Galatians 4: 4-5).

Many people have refused God’s gift because they thought what the world really needed was a strong military, or political leader. Perhaps they choose not to accept God’s gift because they are caught up in the thinking that all we need is more education, good government and good habits to save ourselves. God’s gift is so simple, yet so profound. He offers salvation to us one at a time, so that we can then become the people of God. As the people of God, with our lives transformed by God’s grace, we then become witnesses of God’s glory to the world and lead even more to receive God’s gift of life. Together we become co-laborers with Christ for the Kingdom of God. That I believe is the true hope of the world; but it is so simple that many people, caught up in their frantic lives, often do not see God’s Perfect Gift.

On this Christmas Day, let us offer our lives anew to God as our expression of thankfulness for His Perfect Gift, Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.

In Desperate Need of Hope

December 24, 2013          In Desperate Need of Hope

People came early one Christmas Eve for the 11pm service at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, New York City. Among them was a recovering alcoholic, six months sober, who slipped into the eleventh row. This was his first Christmas since having lost his family. A family of four sat down two rows in front of him. Seeing them together was crushing. He decided he couldn't handle it -- he had to have a drink.

As he moved from the sanctuary to the narthex, he ran into Pastor Thomas Tewell. "Jim, where are you going?" the pastor asked.

"Oh, I'm just going out for a Scotch," Jim replied.

"Jim, you can't do that," the pastor responded. He knew that Jim was a recovering alcoholic. "Is your sponsor available?"

Jim replied, "It's Christmas Eve. My sponsor is in Minnesota. There's nobody who can help me. I just came tonight for a word of hope, and I ended up sitting behind this family. If I had my life together, I'd be here with my wife and kids too."

Pastor Tewell took Jim into the vestry to talk with a couple of other pastors. Then he slipped into the auditorium, having no idea what to do. He whispered a prayer: "O God, could you give me a word of hope for Jim?" He welcomed everyone and told them about the church. Then he said, "I have one final announcement. If anyone here tonight is a friend of Bill Wilson -- and if you are, you'll know it -- could you step out for a moment and meet me in the vestry?" (Bill Wilson, better   known as Bill W., is a cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous.)

From all over the sanctuary, women, men, and college students arose and made their way out. "And there while I was preaching in the sanctuary about incarnation," said Pastor Tewell, "the Word was becoming flesh in the vestry. Someone was experiencing hope."

I suspect if we ask God to help us to be sensitive to the needs of others, we will cross paths with someone in desperate need of experiencing hope. Perhaps even at the Christmas Eve service we will attend today. May someone experience hope through your witness today.

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.

Jesus and the Samaritan Woman (Part 2)

Monday, December 23, 2013      Jesus and the Samaritan Woman (Part 2)

John  4: 16-26

At the time of the Gospel of John, the phrase ‘living water’ was a common way of referring to running water, as in a stream or river. Such water was considered to be pure and fresh as compared to standing water in a pond or well. Jesus was telling the woman that worshipping God in truth and spirit was not about on which mountain (church) you worshipped. It meant turning away from her present life, which was symbolized as stagnant water, and receiving God’s new life, which Jesus symbolized as living water.

Isn’t it interesting that two millennia later, people still grossly misunderstand Jesus’ simple teaching to the Samaritan woman. So many people love their local church or denomination (or non-denomination) more than they love the Kingdom of God. For these people, truth and spirit has been reduced to the doctrine and teaching of their local church. There are also many other people who think worshipping God in truth and spirit can be accomplished apart from God’s chosen means to build his Kingdom, which is through the local church. These people shun the local church in favor of their own spiritual experience.

Each group has the potential of an authentic encounter with God. Each group has the potential of being deaf to Jesus when he says, “I Am the Messiah!” (John 4:26). Recently, our Sunday school class had a thoroughly engaging discussion on grace. However, as exhilarating as the class was, I was lukewarm about attending the worship service that followed. I had looked at the Order of Worship, the hymns and scriptures, and wasn’t anticipating much. I thought my time could be better spent at home in front of the fireplace with a mug of hot coffee and a good book. My wife thought better, and we stayed for worship. An hour or so later I realized the service was a Word from God which I much needed. I left the sanctuary thanking God for the opportunity to worship the Father in spirit and in truth. I thanked God that I had heard Jesus say, “I Am the Messiah!”

“True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24).

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.

Everyone Has Access to Digital Books

Everyone Has Access to Digital Books

I was asked recently whether I had plans to publish, in print, my book on prayer, First Think / Then Pray. (The Second Edition of this book is only available in the digital format from Amazon Kindle.) I am considering publishing a workbook style edition of this book to use in a Bible study class next fall. However, you don’t have to wait until then to purchase this book, or any of my other books on Amazon Kindle, because you don’t have to have a Kindle Reader in order to read Kindle digital books.

Amazon has a FREE Kindle reader application that is available to install on your iPhone, iPad, Smart Phone, personal computer or laptop computer. Once you install the application, you have access to all of the books and other publications available on Amazon Kindle.

Several members of our Sunday school class, men and women, young and older, when asked to read Scripture, open up their iPad or Smart Phone and read from their favorite Bible translation. You don’t have to have one of the Kindle readers, such as Kindle DX or Kindle Fire, to read digital books. Just install their FREE Kindle application and enjoy!

(You can also give digital books from Amazon Kindle as a gift. The recipient will receive an email from Amazon providing them with instructions on how to download your gift to them.)

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.