A new reason to love Chick-fil-A

I love Chick-fil-A. 

The food is great, the service is almost always better than anyone else’s, and they are absolutely clear about the fact they are a faith-based business. 

I was in college when Chick-fil-A wanted to open a place in the mall where I worked. Their opening caused a big stir.

The mall owners tried to insist they remain open on Sundays like everyone else, yet Chick-fil-A was dark every Sunday when I got to work. The store owners were all saying they would never last if they stayed closed, yet the lines at Chick-Fil-A are always much longer than at any other spot. 

It doesn’t look like they will be out of business anytime soon. 

I love Chick-fil-A because they represent something every Christian should know and trust: When God is blessing our choices, success will likely follow! Chick-fil-A, Hobby Lobby, In-N-Out Burger, and so many other faith-based businesses stand as examples for us. When our priorities honor God, we can accomplish more than we can imagine.  

I saw a Christmas ad from Chick-fil-A that prompted this blog post. It spoke of their Christmas movie for 2022 and provided a QR code people could use to watch it. I found it online instead and I’ve included the link for all of you. (Let’s just say I’ve not yet mastered that whole QR code idea.)  

So, in case the Christmas peppermint shake wasn’t enough, there is a new reason to love this favorite fast-food restaurant. The movie takes about seven minutes to watch and is worth it. I hope all of you can find a child, grandchild, or friend to share this with. The message is compelling and could provide some great conversation at dinnertime, carpool time, or anytime! 

Here is this year’s Chick-fil-A Christmas movie, The Snow Globe.

I hope you enjoyed it! 

What did you think?

I wish we were able to share our thoughts right now. What stood out most to you? 

Here are some of my thoughts: 

  • The emphasis on the clock and the value of time itself was an important point. Time, especially during the holidays, just seems to disappear if we aren’t careful. The snow globe is a timeless tradition at Christmas and there is a reason for that. It doesn’t need batteries or even a list of instructions. It just needs to be used with an imagination to be enjoyed.
  • I love that the child was supposed to think and imagine how she could help others. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if kids grew up with that goal? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if that was our goal for the holiday season as well?
  • The movie wasn’t about a complex plan or organized effort to accomplish a big event. It was simply about a young girl living with an awareness of the people God had placed in her life. Most evangelism and service will be accomplished through the moments God guides us to experience. It is the everyday, normal interactions we have with others that can most serve God’s purpose.
  • Finally, at the end, the child learns that her small acts of service at Christmastime were just the beginning. Serving others is a lifelong commitment for the sake of others and for the sake of our own joy. We just need to put on our aprons, our armor (Ephesians 6:1–20), and get to work.

All of us can be a blessing

If God handed us one of those special snow globes, who would we see inside? 

Would we close our eyes and hear God’s thoughts as we imagine possible ways to help? 

Would we get busy right away to bring God’s ideas to reality? 

I don’t know most of my readers . . . yet. I wish I could pour all of you a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy a great conversation about the impact this little seven-minute film could have in the life of a child, especially in the life of anyone who is a child of God. 

We should live and teach the benefits of knowing our God-given ability to be a blessing in the life of the people we meet each day. You + God = a blessing for someone else.  

I love Chick-fil-A for wanting to provide our Christmas season with this short film. I hope you will share this blog post or the link provided so that as many people as possible can see that film. It is a message for our culture, but it is especially a message provided for the sake of the people who will act on what they see.

As the Apostle Peter said, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10).  

Whose life will be blessed this week because Chick-fil-A serves God as well as great fast food? 

Whose life will you bless because you are a good steward of God’s grace? 

Take some time to think with God and imagine the possibilities.

Have a wonderful week looking around at the people God brings across your path. I am imagining all the blessings that he might inspire through all of you. 

Joy to our world, the Lord is come. We all have a reason to rejoice today and serve our King.

The word of the year: Gaslighting

Merriam-Webster has a formula for choosing their word of the year. It involves the number of times a word is searched on their site throughout the year, eliminating words that are frequently searched for spelling or punctuation. 

The word gaslighting was chosen as the 2022 word of the year because it was a term most searched for its meaning. 

What does the word mean, and why should that be a subject for this week’s blog post?

What does gaslighting mean?

Merriam-Webster’s broad definition of gaslighting is: “The act or practice of grossly misleading someone especially for one’s own advantage.” 

Interestingly, the definition read most often was this: “the psychological manipulation of a person, usually over an extended period of time, that causes the victim to question the validity of their own thoughts, perception of reality, or memories and typically leads to confusion, loss of confidence and self-esteem, uncertainty of one’s emotional or mental stability, and a dependency on the perpetrator.” 

What caused gaslighting to be the word of the year?

A HuffPost article reported that the word gaslighting had a 1740 percent increase in lookups for the term throughout the year. Why was that? 

Usually, a specific event sparks a search, but, in the case of gaslighting, the increase happened each month throughout the year. Gaslighting isn’t a new word. It is actually traced back to a play written in the 1940s. (For more on the history of gaslighting, see “What does gaslighting mean? Is gaslighting in the Bible?”

Why then has the word made a comeback, and why should Christians pay attention? 

The HuffPost article explained the rise in interest saying, “During Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and then during his time in the White House, the media frequently used the term ‘gaslighting’ to describe his habit of making claims that were patently not true. The United States government also used the word this year to characterize Russia’s propaganda and misinformation strategy during its invasion of Ukraine.” 

Could it be that people are interested in the word gaslighting because our various forms of media and communication have become less trustworthy? 

People are feeling “misled” by the television news and by their political leaders. People feel like they can no longer trust what they hear and question what they have grown up believing. 

Why should the church pay attention?

The church should pay attention because there is great news to consider. Barna has been studying the church and cultural trends for more than four decades now. They have discovered a surprising trend. 

Millennials and the next generation, called Gen Z, are returning to church. The Barna article reported, “Although Millennials (and, emerging behind them, Gen Z) are known for declines in religiosity, data show that, since 2019, the percentage of Millennials reporting weekly church attendance has increased from 21 percent to 39 percent.” 

Churches have a reputation for telling the truth that our culture can be drawn toward these days, especially the younger generations. People want to trust those who lead. The church plays an important role in the trends and values of our culture. 

We should be wise about the influence of our witness. 

Wisdom is timeless truth

King Solomon was blessed by God with the gift of wisdom. He had great wisdom because that blessing is what Solomon most wanted (1 Kings 3:1–15). I’ve always been a fan of the book of Ecclesiastes because it was likely written by King Solomon at the end of his very fascinating, amazing life. During his reign, the nation of Israel rose to be the world power. 

Ecclesiastes 7 is one of the most practical chapters in the Bible (although I’m not a huge fan of Solomon’s take on women!). Ecclesiastes 7 discusses the difference between living wisely and living with folly. Verse 12 of that chapter says, “For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.” 

I love the phrase “the protection of wisdom.” Sometimes we forget that God wants to be our protector. We look for protection in so many ways these days. We think we are “okay” if our bank accounts, our doctors, or our politicians say we are. We feel safer when we set our alarms or live in a safe neighborhood. Yet, we also know those protections are temporary and not guaranteed. Solomon understood that and said, “Wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.” God’s wisdom is our best protection. 

Wisdom is the opposite of gaslighting. Gaslighting misleads and deceives while God’s wisdom is a guide to pure, certain truth.  

Social media has contributed to gaslighting in our world. How many pictures on Facebook showed the tantrums, spills, or burnt food that happened on Thanksgiving Day? We view pictures of happy faces knowing there are some “real” stories behind those smiles. 

Gaslighting is about misleading people, and there is a lot of that in our culture today. I considered making a list, but you are able to make your own. Consider the many ways our culture has been “mis-led” by using words to rephrase and misrepresent the truth. Consider the various forms of social media and how people who consume “pictures” can be abused or misled. 

Solomon, on the other hand, speaks proverbs that give wisdom, not misdirection. Gaslighting has been around for a long time; Solomon just used the word folly to describe the bad behaviors. In the last verse of Ecclesiastes 7 he writes, “See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes” (v. 29). 

God created us to live wisely, with his truth. God created us to be people of value and godly character. He wanted us to have a culture of truth and integrity rather than schemes like gaslighting.  

Our daily choice

I think Jesus would like the opportunity to “manipulate” our thoughts for a godly advantage. Truthfully, when we made Jesus our Lord, we gave him the right to influence our thoughts and actions. We should want to think of ourselves like the Lord would “cause us” to think about ourselves. The thoughts Jesus would convince us to think would be authored by our Creator, who absolutely knows what is best for our lives. Jesus taught us to make one decision that will dramatically change our lives and witness.  

Jesus told his disciples in his Sermon on the Mount how to live each day with a godly perspective. He said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19–21). 

We live in a culture that searched for the term gaslighting most often. What does that tell us about the way many people are feeling today? 

People want to find truth they can trust.  

How does the influence of Jesus’ message to his disciples provide an answer for the angst in our culture? 

Jesus said our hearts will be drawn to whatever we treasure. That is the wisdom of Christ, and it will always be truth for our lives and our choices.  

Godliness is the opposite of gaslighting. 

Just imagine if godliness became Merriam-Webster’s word someday! 

That’s a hope-filled goal for God’s people. 

 

The quiet moments of Christmas

Quiet moments are rare these days, especially at Christmas. We live during a time in history when there is always something available to divert our attention. Have you noticed kids rarely say “I’m bored” anymore? Adults don’t say it very often either. We can always glance at a screen and find something interesting to fill our thoughts.

God said, “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10). There is something about complete silence that fills our thoughts with the greatness of God.  

WebMD has an interesting article saying, “Even just five minutes of sitting quietly can have a transformative effect on your entire day.” The article paraphrases a quote from Blaise Pascal saying, “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” 

How would a few moments of silence change our day?

Scripture says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Could it be that when people do not take time to be still, they forget there truly is a God? Is the pace and noise in our world one of the reasons for our statistics these days? 

The WebMD article encouraged five minutes of silence and then discussed all of the many things that can distract us from that time. The article suggested people focus on their breathing to gain a sense of silence. God would suggest we focus on the One who gave us the air and the ability to breathe. 

How would it change our day if we spent at least five minutes quietly thinking about God and all he has done for us? 

How would those moments change your relationship with your Creator? 

How would those moments change whom you spoke with or helped today? 

Five minutes with the Lord

People will spend an hour waiting for their children to see Santa this week. People will wait in long lines to check out just so they can purchase a gift for someone they care about. How long would you have waited in line at the Bethlehem manger if it meant you could have glimpsed the baby Jesus?  

Habakkuk 2:20 says, “But the Lᴏʀᴅ is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.” When Jesus died on the cross, the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom. The veil was the thickness of a man’s hand. Only God could have “torn” it that way. God wanted us to know that, because of Jesus, we could come into his holy Presence. Christians can spend our “five minutes” of silence each day at the feet of the Creator God. 

We can be still and know God. We can recognize his perfect greatness and exalt him as our King. We can realize that he is our Abba Father and we are his children.  

If I could spend five minutes with my dad today, I would do whatever was necessary to be there. That five minutes would not feel like enough time, but I would do it every day if I could. Who would you love to spend five minutes with each day? 

We have the gift of God’s presence anytime we seek him. Words aren’t even necessary. We can just enter the holy temple and sit at his feet. He invited us to do that the moment his Son died for us. The God of the universe wants you to know him and spend time with him.

Just do it

Silence is a spiritual exercise. It doesn’t help to think about it; it only helps if you “just do it.” I’ve written before about becoming a “Nike Christian.” Sometimes the greatest weakness we have is that we “know” enough about God and we believe that means we actually “know” him. 

We can know God if we take the time to “be still and know” that he is God. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). If we spend our moments of quiet for the sake of purifying our hearts and minds, we can enter the temple and “see God” with our hearts and minds. 

Paul taught that Christians should make their lives a “living sacrifice” in Romans 12:1. The next verse helps us understand how to do that: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). 

How would our minds be renewed and our lives be transformed if we stepped away from the world, even for just a few minutes each day, to sit quietly at the feet of our holy God?  

Don’t just think about it—do it.

Silence is strength for your soul

God told Isaiah to tell the people, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength, but you were unwilling” (Isaiah 30:15).  

It must be difficult for God to know he has our greatest help and is willing to give us all that we need. Yet he honors our free wills, even when we refuse his blessings.

How will your Christmas season change with quiet rest?

This might be the perfect time of year to discover a daily time of pure quiet rest in the Presence of God. We could develop a new habit that would carry us through the holiday rush and lead us into the next year knowing God in deeper ways. 

Will you choose now to spend five minutes of pure silence at the feet of God? 

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Now, in complete reverent silence, climb the steps to the Holy of Holies and enter through the torn veil. God is there and waiting for you, his child. 

Be still, and know he is your God. Keep complete silence before him. You aren’t there to “ask” as much as you are there to listen. Remain at his feet, undistracted for at least five minutes. That time will change you as a result. 

Keep returning to the temple each day and that time with God will become your favorite time of the day. Remember: it is in “returning and rest” that God can accomplish his work in your life. Quietness and trust will become your great strength. And don’t we need that for the rest of the day! 

The only question left is will you just do it? 

The God of the universe, your Father, is waiting for your visit. Start with five minutes of complete silence each day and he will take it from there. He is a good Father and wants to bless and guide your life.  

God is worthy of our time, our praise, and our attention. 

Will you freely give all that he deserves? 

Why should we consider Christmas before Halloween?

The kids are planning their costumes for Halloween. The news is already discussing the shortage of turkeys and the cost of this year’s Thanksgiving meal. The airlines are scheduling holiday travel and the big box stores are already lining their aisles with Christmas trees. We have reached that time of year when one holiday merges right into the next. 

It is the “most wonderful time of the year” in many ways. 

That said, there are many people who have arrived in this country who will want to celebrate Christmas but might not have a home or the means to do that this year. The entire population of Ukraine is likely to have the most difficult Christmas season of their lives. 

Every Christmas season has its own unique stories, but every Christmas season is truly about the original Christmas story. That is why we should consider Christmas now, before Halloween.

These holidays are something most people have in common

Embedded in this long holiday season will be a political election that promises controversy. Some of the issues making our news may also gather around our Thanksgiving tables and Christmas celebrations.  

It will be easy to know the things we disagree about, but what do we have in common? 

I was outside of a Trader Joe’s supermarket this week and saw a sign that stated their company values. It said things like integrity, kindness, courtesy, quality, friendly, helpful, and top quality. It struck me when I looked at the sign how much most people have in common. Who doesn’t appreciate high standards and great character? 

We all have a lot of differences these days, and it was good to realize that we also have a whole lot in common. 

The holiday season is a great time to remember that most of us share similar goals in life, even if we believe there are different paths to reaching those goals. It might help if we would focus more on what we have in common than what we consider to be our differences. 

“Happy” Halloween?

I like the pumpkins but not the skeletons. I enjoy the kids in cute costumes but not the adults who scare the kids with what they chose to wear. I probably wouldn’t mind Halloween if it were celebrated as it was intended, the eve of All Saints’ Day. The saints are worth celebrating, not Satan. 

A verse for Halloween: “O you who love the Lᴏʀᴅ, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked” (Psalm 97:10). A happy Halloween is remembering we live to honor the saints and celebrating the fact Christians are delivered from all things evil or wicked. 

A day for thanksgiving

I have always loved Thanksgiving. I love the food, the football, and the idea that we should take a day to be truly thankful for the lives we are blessed to live. I am thankful for my family, my friends, and mostly for the faith we share. God deserves our praise and our expressions of gratitude. It is good for our souls to be thankful. 

My favorite verse for Thanksgiving is: “Oh give thanks to the Lᴏʀᴅ, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” (1 Chronicles 16:34). 

God is good and deserves our deepest gratitude. 

A Christmas about Christ

Every year I am determined to celebrate Christmas with greater simplicity. I sometimes wish for the holidays I see pictured in movies. Busy schedules, various cities, and diverse families often don’t blend during the holidays. In many ways, Christmas seems more about scheduling than celebrating. 

But one thing holds firm. Christmas is the story of Christ. 

Christmas is about “Joy to the World” that arrived on one “O Holy Night.” 

Christmas is about the “Angels from the Realms of Glory” who announced that “Love Came Down at Christmas.” 

Christmas is about how “Good Christian Men, Rejoice” and the time “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” 

Mostly, Christmas is about “The First Noel” and the “Sweet Little Jesus Boy” that “The Little Drummer Boy” worshiped.  

Every Christmas is celebrated with important traditions that just need a few adjustments each year. Even in changing seasons, the theme of Christmas will always be the same: “O Come All Ye Faithful” to praise, sing, and pray, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” 

Why should we consider Christmas before Halloween?

This year’s Advent Book is a second printing of The Songs Tell the Story, first published for Christmas 2019. I wrote it as a reminder that the great hymns of Christmas tell us the true and timeless story of our Christmas season.  

We sold out early in 2019, and many people expressed a desire to purchase more copies than we had to share. This year, we are taking preorders so that, hopefully, everyone who wants a copy can receive one. As always, many of our donors will be sent a copy as our gift, but if you would like additional copies, you can preorder those now. 

Why should we consider Christmas before Halloween? 

Because, while all the holidays are special, Christmas and Easter are truly “holy-days” for Christians. 

Our ministry wants to help you keep your Christmas holiday focused on the pure story of our Savior’s birth. The Songs Tell the Story is something you and your family can share this Christmas season, and we hope it will bless your holiday. 

The Apostle John said that Jesus, “the true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world” (John 1:9). Jesus is the “light of the world,” and sharing the celebration of his birth is something most people have in common. I hope this year’s Advent book, The Songs Tell the Story, will help you spend time with Christ each day of your holiday season. 

Let the holiday season begin! And may the holiday be a holy-day. 

Preorder The Songs Tell the Story here. 

 

P. S. While supplies last, you may request both the adult and children’s editions of The Songs Tell the Story for your donation of $50 or more.

A moment with Christ

The shepherds “went with haste” (Luke 2:16) to look for the baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. I took some time this week to join them.  

I thought about what it would have been like to look for Jesus, the baby an angel had told them about. So, I placed myself in their group as they hurried through Bethlehem, inquiring about a newborn baby. When they found the stable, how did they enter? What would I have done if I had been invited to join the shepherds and be with the holy family? 

It only took a short moment of reflection to realize what I would have wanted to do. 

I’m a mom and a grandma. I would have wanted to do the same thing I did when I first held all my “babies.” I would have been enthralled with the tiny hand of Christ. I would have placed my finger in his tiny palm and smiled with joy when his little fingers instantly wrapped around mine. 

That was my moment with Christ. In my quiet meditation, I knelt at the manger and was held by the tiny hand that would one day be held to a cross, for my salvation. 

For me, that is the deepest meaning of Christmas. 

A quiet moment in a busy week

I have a lot to get done this week. 

I’ll be at the stores buying supplies for the holiday. How many people can Costco hold? 

It is a year of old traditions and some that will be new. I’m not a great cook, and now I have a “gluten-free” one to feed! But, I can cook his dishes with gratitude and love. I held his tiny hand as a baby too! It’s a great blessing to know that he will be here to hold mine one day when I need it. 

The gifts are under the tree and I’ll be ready for the family to arrive. It will be a Christmas with grandkids ranging from three to almost eight years of age. There will probably be someone with a cold and another who didn’t get enough sleep. There will hopefully be enough food for everyone to find what they like. And I think I remembered to install all the batteries so those toys come alive!  

As I look forward to the chaos, I’m thinking about that quiet moment with the baby Jesus. He was a three-year-old and an eight-year old too. I wonder what he liked to eat? I wonder what and who he loved to play with? 

I wonder if he looked at his hands and thought about their future?

We are called to be his hands today

Last week I wrote about giving to the great needs in our country following the tornado outbreak. My heart wrenched as I saw a woman interviewed who held her face in her hands and said, “I just want to go home. But I don’t have a home anymore.” I hope you were able to give what you can to a group that will help her be “home for Christmas” next year. 

As I was typing this blog post, I received a text from a friend. A forty-five-year-old Vietnamese evangelist just passed away. Debbie Tran worked to share the love of Christ with as many Americans as she could. She knew how amazing it was to live in this country and how blessed she was to have been saved through her faith in Christ.  

I’m glad I can spend Christmas with my Messiah. I can’t imagine what the holiday would be like without him. I hope the Lord will continue Debbie’s ministry through many others who will do the work of evangelism. We are in a season of history that requires “all hands on deck!” 

May the Lord’s presence fill your Christmas holiday

Whatever your Christmas will look like this year, I pray it will have moments for you with the presence of Christ. If you have the chance to hold a baby, think about that tiny baby in the manger and allow his hand to wrap around you. 

  • If you have grief, allow his hand to comfort you.
  • If you have chaos, allow his hand to quiet you.
  • If you have joy, allow his hand to joyfully squeeze yours.
  • If you have a chance, allow his hand to guide you to give, speak, and share the story of Christmas with someone who needs it.

Know that I, and all of us at Denison Ministries, are grateful for the chance to share God thoughts with you each week. God’s word is powerful, life-changing, and perspective-giving. So, I leave you with a picture of the newborn Messiah. Don’t move on with your day until you move to the edge of the manger and give the baby Jesus a chance to wrap his tiny fingers around yours.  

Scripture says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Jesus is Immanuel, God with us.  

The tiny fist that grips us is the hand of God. 

Let’s meditate on that moment this Christmas, and rejoice. 

I wish you joy, peace, and God’s glory for Christmas!
Blessings to you and yours.
—Janet

God wanted you to have Christmas

According to a Harris poll, Americans still pick Christmas as their favorite holiday, by a wide margin. Forty-six percent of all Americans enjoy celebrating Christmas more than all others. 

I was curious why people felt that way. 

I googled and read several articles from a variety of ages and backgrounds. Interestingly, the number one reason people listed Christmas as their favorite holiday was because of the “spirit of the season.” 

One writer simply said, “Christmas just makes everyone act like better people.” 

God knew we needed Christmas

God knows and has planned for every moment of human history. He doesn’t control every choice because he created people with free will. So God chose to give us Christmas, a season that reminds us of the blessings and the costs associated with a world full of free will choices. 

Most people use their free wills to help others—not always, but often. It’s been encouraging to watch the volunteers who have jumped to help those impacted by the terrible tornadoes that ripped through this country. Help has poured into these towns from all directions.  

A lot of the reporters describe such generosity as the “spirit of Christmas.” We know the spirit’s Name. The spirit of Christmas is Christ. 

Everyone needs Jesus, so God gave us Christmas. 

Christmas giving 2021

God knew in advance that a lot of our Christmas gifts would still be floating around on ships or not yet manufactured. 

Could that be God’s gift for Christmas 2021? 

My husband has used an illustration in the past about a wealthy man who gave a great deal of money to a university, just before the stock market crash of 1929. The Great Depression followed, and the man who had been wealthy became poor. The university felt bad about owning more of the man’s money than he did. His response was profound. 

He said he didn’t regret giving that money at all. 

He pointed to the new buildings his gift had purchased and said, “If I hadn’t given my money to you, it would have just been lost.” 

This is a good year to consider what we do with what we have. Maybe we should be giving less under our trees and more for the people who have the greatest needs. 

A passage to ponder

Paul passed his philosophy of giving to Timothy, his protégé, and his words speak to Christmas 2021. Paul wrote, “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:17–19). 

There are a lot of people in need this Christmas. And, even though I know this will sound a bit Scroogish, I want to say it: the children of this country don’t need more toys as much as some adults and children of this country need shelter, food, and clothing. 

Many adults of this country don’t need more now either. There are ways we can give this year that will provide what will not be used up, thrown away, or regifted someday. In the process, we can remind people to consider those things that matter most. 

For those of us who have what we need, let’s invest our Christmas spirit in “good works” and “take hold of that which is truly life.” 

There are a lot of great organizations that stand ready to help the people who are without everything this Christmas. My husband and I give to the Texas Baptist Men because we like to donate to a group that gives the gospel as well as meals, church recovery, clothes, food, and showers, and provides for so many other needs. 

People need help with “life,” but everyone also needs “to take hold of that which is truly life.” Christians should want to give to every aspect of a person’s life and well-being. 

God gave us Christmas

Christmas is a unique holiday that almost every country in the world celebrates this time of year. There is something unique about Christmas that unifies the world. Actually, there is Someone. 

The hope of Christmas is universal. “For God so loved the world” he gave us Jesus (John 3:16). God gave us Christmas for a reason. God gave us a season to help us remember we are to live and give as Christ exemplified. He left his throne and chose the manger. He left eternity to choose the cross. 

What will we sacrifice this Christmas for the sake of others? 

Christmas giving

If your inbox is like mine, there is no shortage of “requests” for giving. In fact, I’ll send a request for our ministry in a week or two. But, that isn’t my point today.  

God speaks to his children, and we need to be listening. Someone needs you today. Someone needs you to give them the love of Christ this Christmas. Pray, asking God to direct your thoughts and choices. We can help someone “take hold of that which is truly life.” Giving that gift is how you can take hold of Jesus too. 

I write to you each week but only know some of you. I want this message to be the gift I give each of you this Christmas. If I can encourage you to share the love of Jesus with others, God will give you the blessings of this Christmas season and the coming new year.  

God gave us Christmas so we could give Christmas away to those around us. The “spirit of Christmas” has a name and we know him. Give, in the name of Jesus, and you will experience Christmas yourself. 

May you “take hold” of the Christmas season and experience “that which is truly life.” May the blessings of Christmas fill your home today as you share the Christ of Christmas with others. 

God gave us Christmas so we could do the same. 

Let the world be our teacher too

There is an Amazon ad this Christmas that touches my heart. 

Actually, the Lord used the ad to convict my heart and inspire this blog post.

I hope you will take the time to watch it now before you keep reading.

Kindness, the greatest gift

Amazon has a wonderful message for our Christmas season. The title and message of their ad is “Kindness, the greatest gift.”  

The marketing aspect is not lost on me, but I don’t think marketing was their only goal. They know the pandemic has made them a great deal of money. They also know there has been a human cost behind their profits. 

The reason I wanted to write this blog during our Christmas season is that the message of the ad should be our message as well. I was struck by the idea that maybe we have believed Satan’s lies about the world more often than we should. 

God created human beings in “his own image” (Genesis 1:27). First John 4:8 tells us that “God is love.” Those two verses can assure us that every human being on this planet has been created with a capacity for love and a need to give and receive love. That’s why our most important commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). God created us in his image, and God is kind. Jesus told us the most important thing we can do with our earthly lives is to act like our heavenly Dad. 

Imagine your life if you had never been “adopted”

This is a lengthy passage, but take the time to read and soak in every word. This passage is a gift from Scripture for your day: 

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:3–6). 

If you are a Christian, God is your heavenly Dad. You were created by him but lost to him. When you made Jesus your Lord and Savior, God adopted you forever. Your life and your character were gifted again with his. That is who the Holy Spirit is and wants to be in your life. 

I’ve often said, “We shouldn’t be surprised when lost people act like they are lost.” Who would you be if someone had not led you to faith in Christ? Think about the last thing you did that you know God didn’t approve of. Think about what it would be like to live without that conviction. Wouldn’t your life develop into some wrong patterns too? I know mine would. 

If we sin this much while saved, imagine how much we would blow it if we didn’t have Jesus!

The lost are closer to God than they realize

No one wants to be lost. No one wants to feel lost. No one enjoys admitting they aren’t good enough. But, deep down under the pride, is the knowledge that all of us were lost, or we still are. 

In the Amazon Christmas ad, an older woman cares about, and for, a younger woman who needs her encouragement. That is the “gift” that comes out of the Amazon box. Amazon’s marketing company was wise to know that kindness is what people most need right now. 

The point of this blog post is: Amazon has worked to understand what people want and need. Christians understand that everyone’s greatest need is to be filled with the source of kindness. Human kindness is a great gift, but it is a temporary gift. Jesus is the gift of Christmas who is the source of eternal love and kindness. 

When I watched the Amazon ad, tears came to my eyes. People know what they need most. How do we tell them how to find it? How do we explain they are so close to finding an answer to their greatest needs? The Amazon ad was a good reminder. All of us who know Jesus simply need to care enough to do something in his name and for his kingdom purpose.

The end of the ad held the answer

When the ad came to a close, the older woman was sitting on a bench with the younger woman. They were both enjoying their time together. Isn’t that a picture of what it means to “love your neighbor as you love yourself”? 

Whom is God calling you to invest in? And, let me say in advance, that investment isn’t just for the Christmas season.  

Jesus told his followers to “go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). Discipling a person is rarely a one-time conversation. Jesus wanted us to invest our lives into the spiritual growth of others. Whom has Jesus called you to disciple? That question is answered by specific names. Can you list those names? 

If Amazon knows what the world needs, how much more should we? We know the greatest gift of Christmas and every other season of life. He has a name too. The angel told Mary, “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus” (Luke 1:31). 

Evangelism isn’t just for some. Jesus called all of us to make disciples and teach them. We know what to say and we know what to do. But, that isn’t the first step. The first step is to care. 

When we see the ad run on our television sets this Christmas season, let it call each of us to this simple prayer: Father God, help me to care like that. 

Who will you be sitting next to if you do?

  

The Giver of good things

’Tis the season once again. 

Somehow the coffee just tastes better when it is enjoyed with the lights of Christmas. 

Somehow, the quiet, colorful mornings of the Christmas season put the rest of the day in a bright, more God-filled perspective. 

The news is a bit iffy right now, but our joy doesn’t have to be. Romans 8:31 reminds us, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” 

And we know that God is for us!  

God is the Giver of Christmas and the source of our peace, comfort, and joy. Let’s plan to celebrate this month with the Giver of all good things.

The Giver from a biblical perspective

Aren’t you glad that you have God’s presence in your Christmas season? 

The non-believing culture has always tried to foster belief in anything but Christ. Santa isn’t a bad story; he just isn’t the true story. God has given us the perfect understanding of Christmas in his word. 

I’ve often said that we can’t understand Christmas without Easter. If we only think of Jesus as a babe in a manger, we miss the enormity of his birth. Paul gave us an important message for Christmas in his letter to the Roman church. He wrote: “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). 

The Giver gave us Christmas so we could have Easter. The Giver has graciously given believers all things, now and forever.

The Giver from a novel perspective 

I read Lois Lowry’s novel The Giver when it was published in 1993. The book made waves in our world and in the church. It is on the list of the most banned books in the United States. Many say it is unsuited for the age group it targets because it addresses dark subjects. 

I understand the angst, but I’ve always held to the idea that we should educate children rather than indoctrinate them. Our relationship to Christ is a choice, and no one can choose if there is only one side presented. I didn’t fight the message of the novel; I used it to present the difference between truth and fiction. And, frankly, I took some heat from fellow believers over my position. 

I think the novel is an interesting read and provides a message about our world from a non-Christian perspective. The Giver won the Newberry Medal for young adult fiction in 1994 and eventually became a movie. Chances are pretty good that most junior high schools have it in their libraries as recommended reading. I read the book when it was assigned to my son and it sparked some great conversations.  

The Giver is a science-fiction novel that describes a dystopian world that aims for a utopian experience. The book teaches that truth can’t exist in utopia because people passionately desire freedom, choice, and love. Utopia can’t exist in a controlled, non-feeling existence where people are taught to obey rather than care. 

Jonas is a young man in the novel whom the “Giver” is hoping to influence. The giver, in the novel, is the one who knows the “truth” about their existence. At one point, Jonas tells the giver, “You and I don’t need to care about the rest of them.” As soon as Jonas speaks those words, he knows they aren’t the truth. The paragraph continues, “Jonas hung his head. Of course they needed to care. It was the meaning of everything.” 

The Giver is a well-written novel that attempts to inspire truth. Sadly, truth cannot exist without its Author. The giver in the novel is a man, not God. 

The true Giver of all good things 

There is so much about Christmas that sparks joy, especially this year. Or at least, hopefully this year. 

If I had to assign Satan a one-word description, I would call him a virus. As the news of this new virus progresses, it should serve as a reminder that our world continues to need our Christmas celebration. The world needs our Christian truth about the reason for this season.  

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:16–17). 

I was inspired to write this blog post as I read the autobiography from Lois Lowry’s website in light of the verses above. It doesn’t help to condemn lost people for believing “lost” ideas. Christians aren’t superior people because we know the truth; we are just blessed by learning how to live it.  

Lois Lowry wrote, “My older son was a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. His death in the cockpit of a warplane left a little girl fatherless and tore away a piece of my world. But it left me, too, with a wish to honor him by joining the many others trying to find a way to end conflict on this very fragile earth. . . . I try, through writing, to convey my passionate awareness that we live intertwined on this planet and that our future depends upon our caring more, and doing more, for one another.” I thought it was profoundly moving that Ms. Lowry is most famous for writing The Giver, a book that proves her goal is humanly impossible. 

If I could share the truth . . . 

I wish I could talk to Ms. Lowry about God, the actual Giver of all good things. In some ways, I feel like I write for the same reasons Ms. Lowry listed.  

I believe we live “intertwined on this planet” too. I believe that “our future depends upon our caring more, and doing more, for one another.” But, Lois Lowry and I believe very differently about the Giver. I don’t believe human beings can do the work of God apart from the strength of God. 

Everyone we see this week is filled with the Christ of Christmas, or needs to be. God is the true Giver, who gives perfect gifts that are humanly impossible. His word tells us that he will “graciously give us all things” (Romans 8:32).  

Let’s enter this Christmas season with his perfect strength, his complete truth, and with his inspired goals. And, may the Christ of Christmas light our way through the coming weeks. 

If the Giver is for us, who can be against us? 

Empty shelves, rich lives

I took my mom to do a little shopping and, I have to admit, the news reports were right about the shortages on the shelves. The stores are decorated for Christmas, but where are the stacks of merchandise that usually fill the shelves? “’Tis the season” but there “is no reason” to do much shopping!

Apparently, our Christmas gifts are floating off the coast of California. This is either an excellent marketing strategy for retailers, or we are going to have some amazing after-Christmas sales in February and March.  

The good news for this holiday season is the good news of God’s priorities. The most important holiday celebration this year might be Thanksgiving.  

The empty shelves at the mall might lead us to live richer lives, filled with better priorities. 

A turkey shortage?

CBS News reported that there will be ten things that will be tough to find and small turkeys topped the list. It sounds like we need to clean out our freezers to accommodate a giant frozen turkey in the next week or do without. I vote for a pork tenderloin and no stress or mess! 

Apparently, there is a gaming system that will be almost impossible to find. I think all of us can think of about forty reasons why we shouldn’t be too sad about that one! 

A lot of toys are floating on those ships. Maybe we will all use our imaginations to create gifts that require imagination instead of batteries. 

Sportswear is in short supply. But, how much sportswear do you have stacked on your shelves or hanging in the closet? I don’t want to admit this, but if I didn’t buy another piece of sportswear until 2025, I’d be just fine. 

There is an alcohol shortage. How is that a bad thing? 

As I scrolled through the rest of the article, I realized that this “CBS Essentials” article was really just an ad for all the things they were suggesting people buy that are in stock. If you click on the article and then choose to buy something, CBS makes a little money too. 

I miss the days when CBS made money for reporting accurate news or producing entertaining shows.  

A gift that “keeps on giving”?

I couldn’t help but wonder if there was a Bible shortage as well. No one has said anything yet, but a lot of our Bibles are printed in China too. How many cases of God’s word are floating on those ships? 

What if this is the year we give Bibles to the people we care about? What if we personalize them by highlighting our favorite verses before we wrap them up? It will take a while to do, but that time is part of the gift. Giving a gift that shares God’s word is an idea that the apostle Paul would recommend. 

Paul wrote about the value of God’s word to the church in Colossae. He encouraged them to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16). 

Last year was a difficult year, and we have so many reasons to be thankful this holiday season. Our gratitude will be for what we have, not for what we can or cannot buy. If every one of those cargo ships carrying toys, sportswear, and other things we don’t need sank, we would be just fine. (Unless the ship is carrying coffee . . . that would be a problem!) 

What is the Lord asking us to be thankful for in 2021? 

Our offering of praise

We don’t know who wrote the book of Hebrews, but he was a wise and godly man. The words of that book are profound, written to Christians who understood the value of a life lived with God’s priorities. 

The writer of Hebrews closed his letter with some great advice for all Christians. He said, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). He encouraged them to be strong in their faith and live godly lives that honored Jesus. The author said, “Through him [Jesus] then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name” (Hebrews 13:15). 

Christians have the most amazing gifts to give this year.  

  • We can give the benefits of God’s word and wisdom with thankful hearts. The best thing about the current angst in our culture is that Christian calm and peace are really being noticed!
  • We can encourage a discouraged world by offering our praise for all we have instead of complaining about what we don’t have or can’t get.
  • The “fruit of our lips” will be the things we say that acknowledge the place Christ has in our lives.

Empty shelves or full hearts

What are you purely grateful for today? 

God is redeeming 2020 even as we close out 2021. We have a lot to be thankful for in our lives. What will be your “offering of praise” this holiday season? 

God is at work in our lives, changing our priorities to line up with his. Christians shouldn’t be focused on the empty shelves. Instead, let’s focus on our rich blessings. We are called to “continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God” because “the fruit of our lips” will be the things we say that “acknowledge his name.” 

Allow the empty shelves to inspire

The empty shelves are a strong reminder of everything we don’t really need. God doesn’t want our lives to be filled with stuff. He wants us to fill our lives with praise for all that matters most. That is our offering to him and to our culture. 

Praise God for the ability to be thankful, not the fact you scored a small turkey at the grocery store.

 Praise God for the ability to be with family, not shop for them. 

Praise God for filling your life with his rich mercies and those empty shelves won’t bother you very much at all. 

Let’s empty our witness of the cultural angst and allow our voices to be an offering of praise. God is redeeming 2020 with the unusual blessings of 2021. 

May the empty shelves cause us to be thankful for everything we already have, starting with our salvation in Christ. 

After all, there is a reason we call our holiday Christmas.

Christmas blessings to you and yours

My favorite Christmas meditation is Emmanuel, God with us. 

That was God’s pure intention for Christmas. The Creator of all there is wanted to be with us and always has. 

If, right now, as you are reading these words, you felt him put his arm around you or take your hand, you would experience the miracle of Christmas.

One of the first things I did when I held my sons for the first time was take their tiny hand in mine. I imagine Mary and Joseph did the same thing. God was tangibly with them that first Christmas and is equally present with us today. 

Jesus is Emmanuel. 

A PERFECT CHRISTMAS 

Each Christmas is filled with traditions, yet none are ever the same. Plans change. Some things work out and others do not. This Christmas will be like any other in that respect. The only perfectly planned Christmas is told from the pages of Scripture. 

There is a sweet simplicity to the first Christmas that I would wish for all of us this year. The angel told the shepherds, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10–11).

CHRISTMAS 2020 

Christmas—especially Christmas 2020—is a celebration of God’s good news and great joy. 

Christmas is for everyone even though everyone doesn’t receive the gift they were given. Jesus was wrapped up for all of us so that he could be our Messiah, our Lord. I’m praying there will be many who meet the Christmas child for the first time. Christmas 2020 will be perfected by their salvation. 

For all of us who have known our Savior for many years, we should take a few minutes to hold the baby close and take his small hand in our own. I can’t imagine how God could have allowed that hand to one day be pierced for my sake. 

God loves us that much.

CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS 

This is my Christmas “card” to all of you. I am thankful and grateful to you for reading. It is my great privilege to share some “God-thoughts” each week. It gives me joy to know that I have all of eternity to get to know each of you—someday. 

For now, please know that I wish you a safe, joy-filled, blessed Christmas filled with special memories and moments. 

I hope one of those “moments” will be the quiet contemplation of a baby boy, born in Bethlehem, raised by ordinary people with an extraordinary calling. 

Christmas is about fixing our eyes on Jesus, “the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). He gave up heaven to become a baby and be with us. God wanted us to spend eternity with him. 

I wanted to send you this Christmas moment video to enjoy this year. It moved me to tears, and I wanted to share it with all of you. Take some time before Christmas arrives and allow Jesus to put his hand in yours as you listen. 

Emmanuel.

God is with you. 

Will you take this time to be with him? 

All of us at Denison Ministries wish you and yours a blessed Christmas.

We are privileged to send you a few moments with God’s word each week.

As you wrap up this unique year, would you consider making a tax-deductible gift to help us? 

Thank you for helping us send God’s biblical perspective to people around the globe.

Merry Christmas. 

Gratefully, Janet