Tis The Season

 Tis the season for giving, receiving, family, and lots of food--but what is this season truly about? This season is a time we celebrate and thank God for giving us His Son. We share joy and peace with those around us, and give more to the less fortunate. The idea of giving out of love for God is in numerous scriptures, and not one of them gives a reason to only give once a year? Just to clarify, I am not specifically talking about purchasing gifts and giving them away all year long (although, I am not opposed to that idea) but giving food to the hungry, clothes to the cold, or even a prayer for those who are hurting. These are gifts God can use to bless someone through you.  So, why is it at just this time of year we become more gracious and giving? 

 I am personally very grateful to have been blessed beyond belief with all God has given me, and would want to share His love all year, not just in the Christmas spirit for November and December. Why not give in July, just because? If you ever need a reminder as to how gracious God has been to you always remember scripture, one of my favorites is Psalm 37:4: “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Be reminded of His promises, and look at all the blessings you have in your own life. Instead of beginning your prayer time with requests, try beginning with a spirit of thanksgiving every day.  Scripture can also encourage you to continue your gracious giving after the Christmas lights have come down. An example would be Deuteronomy 15:10: “Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.” (NIV)

We can make any day Christmas by sharing God with those who need Him the most. So, as we reflect on 2012 and look at what is to come in the New Year, what will you be doing different to spread Christ’s joy all year round? After all, isn’t Jesus the greatest gift the Father has given us, shouldn’t we share Christ’s spirit and give like every day is Christmas?

Christina Lynn-Valencia

The Best Gift-

Growing up, I always thought that Jesus must be a pretty cool dude. The reason for this was simple: none of my Christmas presents ever came from “Santa”; MY presents always came from Jesus. (According to my dad, at least.) So, in my mind, even though it was Jesus’ birthday, I still got presents. And when you’re a kid, that’s a big concept to swallow. I’ll be real with you; I don’t believe I would ever give presents to other people on MY birthday.

However, as I got older, I began to realize that the gift that Jesus gave me at Christmas was actually far better and far greater than any doll, game, or clothing I opened from under the tree. From the Father in heaven, Jesus came to give us eternal life. I don’t know about you, but to me, that’s the ultimate gift. It just doesn’t get any better than that.

            “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 NASB) This Christmas, let’s remember the REAL reason for the Christmas season; and the ultimate gift of Eternal Life that we can receive through Jesus.

Merry Christmas everyone!

-Lacey Slifkoff 

A Simple Breakfast

            I suppose this is what happens when you get a few Bible-college students together.

            I was sitting, for the first time in a long time, with two of my friends for the express purpose of fellowship. There was nothing to accomplish; there was no work to get finished; there were no agendas, committees, or meetings taking place. We were determined to simply sit, eat some food, and enjoy each other’s company. It was refreshing.

            During our time together – somewhere between the scrambled eggs and pancakes – the subject of the great commission was brought up (Mat. 28:19-20). What struck me, however, was not the subject but the perspectives. We all saw the need to fulfill the great commission, but we each saw ourselves as fulfilling different parts. For example, my friend across the table from me (who has a beard worthy of coveting) proceeded to communicate that he, as a missionary, found his calling in the word “go” (Mat. 28:19) My other friend, on the other hand, told us of how he (as a teacher/pastor) understood his calling to be linked to the phrase, “teaching them to observe all that I [Jesus] have commanded” (Mat. 28:20). I thought it was interesting how I – as I sat next to my bearded friend and my friend with a beautifully shaved head – derived my calling from a completely different portion of that text. I felt God had called me to “make disciples” (Mat. 28:19).

            As we were finishing the last of our eggs and bacon, this scenario struck me as a beautiful picture of the Body of Christ. Each of us served the same God, our names were written into the Lamb’s book of life, and we were committed to following the way of Jesus; but we all saw the great commission a little differently. It was not that one of us was wrong, and the others were right. Instead, I saw this as a depiction of diversity in unity.

            If the Body of Christ is to fulfill its mission, there needs to be different perspectives, callings, and passions. If we all saw ourselves as teachers, there would be no apostles or missionaries. If we all viewed ourselves as evangelists, the ministry of discipleship would be completely neglected. There needs to be a healthy diversity within the Community of Faith. The Bible says:

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free--and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

For the body does not consist of one member but of many. (1 Cor. 12:12-14)

I pray this illustration will inspire you to seek out and fulfill your own calling, but I also hope this encourages you to appreciate the ministry of others. Be blessed!

-          Dusty

An Orphan and The King

I sat silent in the avenue,

When something came into view.

I tried to stand and see,

Why all the shouts of glee.

I raced down the street

To see whom I would greet.

I stopped. No. It cannot be.

Who would be in this filth and debris?

This barn is far too dirty

For anyone of high degree.

So why the gathering?

It's not like there's a king...

I couldn't stay back;

I sneaked closer to the shack.

Shepherds and animals every where,

And I could feel peace in the air.

What riches I was laid down

By men in royal gowns.

But to whom is all this for?

I wanted to speak, to implore.

There! In the center!

What is it? I couldn't be sure...

Just then it moved;

From the hay, it was removed.

Bundled up, I still couldn't see!

So I stepped up higher in the tree.

And then I stopped.

The cloth dropped.

And I knew who he was.

Veil gone; truth emerged from the fuzz

Such joy, such surprise,

Such love in His eyes.

Just a babe, yet so much more.

The Son of God, I did adore.

So I, once an orphan,

Look back yet again

To the night I saw life,

Pure, unstained by strife.

And I smile to my Father above

Thanking Him, for this gift of love!

-Cherisse Peters

The Hidden Christmas Message

Have you ever wondered about the many Christmas songs or carols that we sing this time of year?  Some of them use very powerful word pictures and others just powerfully glorify our savior.  This month, I am going to concentrate on researching some of our Christ-centered carols and hopefully bring some enlightenment to their deeper meaning and message.

                Let’s start with “The Twelve Days of Christmas”.  I always thought of this song as a rich princess’ gift list; so was pleasantly surprised when I learned in my Medieval Church History class that it was written as a hidden Christmas message.  During the persecution of Great Britain between 1558 and 1829, Roman Catholics were afraid to even hum their favorite carols.  So, one clever and anonymous composer carefully chose “gifts” that appeared innocuous, yet were filled with meaning to those who knew the hidden message.  Here are the hidden meanings of the song’s gifts:

A partridge in a pear tree                                             Jesus, God’s only Son

Two turtle doves                                                          The Old and New Testaments

Three French hens                                                       Faith, Hope and Love
Four calling birds                                                         The 4 Gospels

Five golden rings                                                         The 5 Books of Moses

Six geese a-laying                                                        The 6 Days of Creation

Seven swans a-swimming                                           The 7 Gifts of the Spirit

Eight maids a-milking                                                 The 8 Beatitudes

Nine ladies dancing                                                     The 9 Fruits of the Spirit

Ten lords a-leaping                                                      The 10 Commandments

Eleven pipers piping                                                    The 11 Faithful Disciples

Twelve drummers drumming                                      The 12 points of Doctrine in the
                                                                                      Apostles’ Creed
Oh, and let us not forget who the “True Love” mentioned represents:  God the Father.  Our loving and Heavenly Father gave us the greatest gift of all, “a partridge in a pear tree” or in other words-- Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son who was sacrificed for us on a tree.  So, when you hear this song again, remember the hidden meaning and let it lead you into the Christmas spirit of true thanks for the gift of God’s Son.

Sending Christmas Joy to You,

Michelle McDermott

Simply Intricate

I walked outside today

And there Your handiwork lay

The simple beauty of the leaves

The way the wind blows and weaves

How the trees grow so tall

These are the signs of fall

The leaves fall one at a time

Leaving piles that rustle and rhyme

Their colors change every day

Then fall for us to make play

This simple beauty is the best

It shines brighter than all the rest

Yet every day you just pass it by

So I am befuddled and wonder why

Why don’t you stop to admire?

The beautiful things of which I never tire

Why don’t you pay attention

To God’s amazing creation

If you stopped to look any way

You would see God’s beauty where it lay

You would see those simple leaves

The way the wind blows and weaves

This simplicity of nature that interweaves

Intricately with these simple leaves

Sometimes we forget to admire God's creation. Take some time today or this week to just stop and look around. All around you are little miracles and the most amazing masterpiece, molded from God himself.

-Cherisse Peters

"Unshakable Joy"

          Much can be said about joy! The concept of the “Joy of the Lord” (being our strength) is one in which I find great fascination (Neh. 8:10). Not only is it the cry of my heart to see God’s people strengthened, but I also desire to see joy restored to broken lives. While I was meditating on this verse the other day, I realized that the joy of the Lord could mean one of two things. It could either mean that we can find strength in the joy that God has given us, or it means we can find strength in the fact that God has joy for us and over us (Zeph. 3:17). Meaning, it can be our joy or God’s joy.

            Both of these concepts have consequences, however. If, in fact, our strength comes from the joy that God has given us, it seems easy to find strength while upon the mountain top yet difficult while hidden in the valley. If, though, our strength is to be found in the Lord’s joy for us, it seems easier to find strength in the valley than, perhaps, it does upon the mountain. If a mere mortal as myself had to choose one over the other, I would be in danger of offering counsel to the Counselor. I prefer, therefore, to accept both. Besides, is not life composed of seasons and choices (Ecc. 3:1)? Will not the mountains give way to the valleys, or the valley eventually provide the gradient for the mountain?

            In either situation, strength is the common denominator. I feel as though a divine desire can be found in this: God desires to strengthen His people with, or through, joy. If we can accept both of the above concepts, we can be strengthened through joy no matter where we are in life. We will be strengthened by the joy that God has given us, when we dance upon the mountain summit. Or we will be strengthened by the Lord’s joy for us, even while the valley walls cast long and daunting shadows.

            It seems to me that the Lord longs to strengthen us no matter where we are – upon the highest heights or within the lowest lows. Let us be strengthened by the Lord, dear redeemed! Let us receive the joy of the Lord and be strong. Let us stand upright though our burdens weigh heavy upon our shoulders. Let us sing a new song and reveal the joy of the Lord to other weary travelers who may be stuck in the canyon of despair. Have joy, friend, and be strengthened!

-          Dusty

Fruit of the Spirit “Love”

In a world full of chaos, turmoil and our own desires, there are two forces, which are constantly fighting in our lives. God desires us to see all people through the eyes of Christ. I want to begin with asking each of you a question. Do not hold back! Please rate yourself honestly on a scale from (1) to (10), on the fruit of the Spirit in your own personal life. On a scale of (1) to (10), (10) means this is the way I am acting right now at this very moment, and (1) means I am not bearing fruit and I certainly have a long, long way to go.

For example, if you are walking down the street enjoying the fresh, cool breeze in the early morning and suddenly you look down at the sidewalk and you see a brand new crispy clean one hundred dollar bill. What should you do? Your first instinct will be to cry out to Jesus and say “Hallelujah Thank you Jesus for the blessing”! Then something inside of you says to look around to see if someone is playing a trick on you or if this is real. There will be a lot of ideas that flood your mind, before you bend down to pick up that new one hundred dollar bill. Then of course, the thought comes maybe this is not a financial blessing, but actually this lost one hundred dollar bill belongs to a person who worked diligently hard to make ends meet. In fact, you even wonder if this money was supposed to be used for food or bills.

According to the Bible, the love of money is the root of all evil (I Timothy 6:10). Now, as a Christian, this entire scenario poses a problem. Let us go back to our fruit scale of (1) to (10). What is the right thing to do in this situation? Our selfish desire would be to check once again to see if anybody is watching and if not, then we quickly place the one hundred dollar bill in our pocket. However, if we desire to have love and to walk in the fruit of the Spirit; then although it may be painful to turn the money in we must do what Christ commands us to do. It is better to be compassionate and go the extra mile to do the right thing even if it hurts. We must never forget that God sees and hears everything; and that our treasures are stored in heaven.

Tui Tikoduadua

The World’s Most Dangerous Word

            When we think of the world’s most dangerous word, what would an Epic Bible College student come up with? For me, such word would be procrastination. I am the best in my family at finding distractions, and reasons why something else is more important than that research paper, studying for that test, and even writing this blog.

The world’s most dangerous word, procrastination (according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary): to put off intentionally or habitually. I’m not gonna lie, that stung just a little bit, probably for you fellow procrastinators as well. We all fall into the category at some point in our educational path, when some things are truly a reason to procrastinate, or we push something of no importance up on the responsibility pole and make an excuse.

So, in order to resolve this dilemma, what shall we be doing right now? Writing that paper, studying for that test and thinking of the next homework assignment! Well, we are human and I am thankful for all the grace and mercy I can receive when I fall back into the world’s most dangerous word. I shall end with a prayer for all who have enjoyed this blog that it finds you well, blessed and not procrastinating.

Best of Luck and God Bless,

Christina Lynn-Valencia

God is weeping

God is weeping tonight.

He looks down on this world,

where pain creates more pain.

He cries, "My children, I love you.

Why do you harm-even the most innocent?"

Look to Him, not to others

Not to violence.

His word promises peace.

Peace in the next life,

If not always in this.

He will break through the nightmare.

He will walk with you,

carry you past the trauma.

Pain is only for the moment.

Do not give in to its darkness.

Lean on His love.

Lean on His strength.

He will wipe your tears.

He will calm you fears.

The morning is on the way.

Tana Colburn

Who Are The Poor?

My husband and I were talking recently about the poor over this holiday season and we pondered who truly is poor.

To whom shall we give love if not the poor? According to Jesus Christ we are supposed to love one another, but he also did seek out the poor and the disenfranchised; but who are the poor? Are the poor to be considered those with no money and part of a lower social class? When we think of poor, we mostly think of it in monetary terms because we have learned that in society. Nonetheless, the reality of the situation is that poverty, as per the Bible, is not of superficiality or materialism, poverty, and thus the poor, is defined by the lack of spiritual knowledge and faith.

In the Bible, poverty might have been portrayed as belonging to those who owned nothing, but I think it is a mere analogy which reflects on spiritual starvation. God wants us to speak to those whom life has been negatively affected, and thus have little to no faith in God. Ministering to someone who needs to believe into a Christian is an easy task; however, converting someone who lacks faithfulness proves more difficult, one that Jesus Christ accomplished quite well. Herein lays the true difficulty of missions and preaching.

So, next time we think about living like Christ, and to whom we should primarily preach, we should remember that while God and Jesus did prefer to speak out to the poor, they spoke to those who were spiritually poor, because they are the most difficult people to reach, and thus the most faithful believers when they do see the light of God.

The Apostle John is a perfect example for those who desire faith, but are not exposed to it. While at the same time being the perfect example of someone who is poor, difficult to reach, and at the same time a key figure in Christianity, once he found the light of God.

Christina Lynn-Valencia