How did Jesus expect His disciples to react under persecution? (In Matthew 5:12 He said), “Rejoice and be glad!” We are not to retaliate like an unbeliever, nor sulk like a child, nor lick our wound in self-pity like a dog, nor just grin a bear it like a Stoic, still less pretend we enjoy it like a masochist. What then? We are to rejoice as a Christian should and even “leap for joy” (Lk. 6:23).
John Stott

Dreaming of a white Christmas

Dreaming of a white Christmas

Dreaming of a white Christmas

Today we celebrate the birth of Jesus, who not only once was born, died, and overcame death to offer mankind Life – but who offers us Life today, each day.

This same Jesus is coming again for those of us whose lamps remain lit, like the maidens of Matthew 25:1
1"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.  2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.  3For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them;  4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.  5As the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.  6But at midnight there was a cry, `Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.'  7Then all those maidens rose and trimmed their lamps.  8And the foolish said to the wise, `Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'  9But the wise replied, `Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.'  10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut.  11Afterward the other maidens came also, saying, `Lord, lord, open to us.'  12But he replied, `Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.'  13Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

We are those maidens.

Many reading this email attended a Christmas Eve candle-light service last night.  Your service may have been somber like a funeral, or it may have been an exciting joyful event, truly celebrating the birth of the most important person ever born – our Savior.  I hope yours was a joyful celebration!  I hope we have not been deluded by the world's empty X-mas event (which distracts us with self-indulgence), so that when we hold our candles high, they fail to shine with the white light of God's glory.

In John 4:7, Jesus talks about Living water:
7There came a woman of Samar'ia to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink."  8For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.  9The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samar'ia?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.  10Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, `Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water."  11The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep; where do you get that living water?  12Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, and his sons, and his cattle?"  13Jesus said to her, "Every one who drinks of this water will thirst again,  14but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

Whether it's oil for our lamps, or Living water for our soul, Jesus is the provider.

And Jesus has something else for us today – a white fire that is able to consume the corruption we have allowed to grow in our souls, which has stopped His Glory from shining from our lives for so long.  The question is, will you allow His white fire to burn, out of your control, in your soul?

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas – one where the power of God is no longer held in check by my self-serving interests, but where God's Glory spreads like crazy and He shines so brightly that the light illuminates the path of those around me, and He guides my life daily. 

If you're like me, and want God to take your purposeless or confused life and give you direction and meaning for living, take time today to speak with Him, and give God full permission to let his Spirit spread into your life in every way – let His white fire begin to shine, burn away the garbage, and give Life to you and His white light to those around you.

Join me in making it our passion to love and pursue God, giving everything to Him.

Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!