YOU and GOD

Try, Try Again

In 1953, a small, struggling chemical company set themselves to producing a rust-prevention solvent and degreaser for use in the aerospace industry. It took 39 unsuccessful tries before they succeeded. That’s why that can in your garage, or on some shelf in your utility room, is called WD-40 (i.e., water displacement, 40^th attempt). I used my spray can of WD-40 less than two weeks ago. I am glad they did not quit on the 30^th or 35^th or 39^th try!

Things worthwhile usually don’t come easily or quickly. I read once that “a red clover blossom contains less than one-eighth of a grain of sugar. Yet seven thousand of these grains are required to make a pound of honey. A bee, therefore, must visit 56,000 clover heads to get enough sugar for a pound of honey. There are about sixty flower tubes to each clover head.

So, the bee performs that operation 3,360,000 times to get enough sweetness for a pound of honey!” If you are a honey lover, as I am, you are grateful that God created the honeybee with a persevering constitution! Especially so that we can enjoy the pure goodness of Sourwood honey!

Winston Churchill made famous the phrase, “Never, never, never give up!” The Allied forces didn’t, and we won World War 2!

The key is most often old-fashion perseverance. It was what Jim Leyland attributed to his being able to hoist the 1997 World Series champion trophy after the underdog Florida Marlins beat the Cleveland Indians, four games to three. Leland had spent 37 years chasing this dream, and at the conclusion of the Series, as he stood at the winning dugout, Leland remembered those years he spent in the winter ball and instructional league with “guys like me that weren’t very good players, they weren’t going anywhere, thinking they have no chance to get to the major leagues.” Then, the Marlins manager said: “This win is dedicated to those guys. You’re looking at a back-up catcher in Double-A,” he said. “And I finally arrived at the pinnacle of this sport tonight, so there’s hope for all those guys out there. Don’t give up.” (Indianapolis Star, October 28, 1997)

We can all be glad that a lanky failure from Springfield, Illinois, did not give up! Failure? Yes, in business, at age 22; in his bid to win a seat in the Illinois legislature, age 23, and again in business, age 24. Then he was elected to the legislature at age 25; his sweetheart died the next year; he had a nervous breakdown at age 27; he was defeated for Speaker at age 29, defeated for Elector at age 31; elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, age 37; defeated in his bid for a Senate seat, age 46; defeated in his bid to be Vice-President, age 47, and defeated again for a Senate seat, age 49. BUT he was elected President of the United States at age 52! Thank God the 16^th President of the United States—one of the best—was a man that persevered! (Did you know that Abraham Lincoln, as a wrestler, lost only one of his 300 matches!)

George Truett pastored the First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, for 50 years. His last charge to the church was the following: “My final word to you is ‘on and on;’ there remaineth yet very much land to possess. On until the last dollar of our building indebtedness is paid; on until the last seat in this great auditorium is regularly filled; on until our Sunday School attendance tests the capacity of Jackson Hall and this auditorium combined; on until our young people’s work knows no superior; on until our missionaries bless America and belt the world; on until our theological school is not exceeded on earth; on until our testimonies to the verities of God’s Word shames all skepticism. Yes, on and on until the King comes to say, ‘Well done!’”

So, welcome 2024! May our watchword be now and ever “On and on!”

“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil.3:14)

How Would Jesus Evaluate Your Giving?

Jesus is pictured sitting near the Temple treasury observing how people were giving to God. (Mark 12:41-44) While many who were “rich” cast great sums into the depository, a widow who lived in poverty cast in just two mites, called a “farthing.” This was the least valuable of any Roman coin, said to be worth about two-fifths of a penny. But Jesus said that her giving—out of her “want”—was “all that she had.” In God’s sight, compared to the rich people who were at that time casting in “of their abundance,” Jesus affirmed that “this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury…she of her want (poverty) did cast in all that she had, even all her living.” (Mark 12:43,44)

That evaluation cuts against the grain of how most people evaluate giving. Great sums of money left to one’s favorite charity—or given to one’s heirs, or to a person’s church—cause wonder, even amazement. A pittance dropped into an offering plate by some poor soul would not be given a second thought in this materialistic age, in which the latest lottery jackpot might have reached one billion dollars!

Picture Jesus watching you give to God in an act of stewardship, whether through an offering as part of church worship, or through an on-line gift that one gives systematically to support the work of God. Question: How would He evaluate your offering? He and only He can make a true assessment of your gift—whether it is sacrificial, by faith, out of abundance or “want,” and given cheerfully. (2 Cor.9:6,7) What do you think He would think about your giving last week? Last month? Last year?

I read a story about a father who had just purchased a meal at a fast-food restaurant for his son. The dad reached over to sample one of the boy’s french fries, asking, “May I have one?” The son responded by pulling the serving of fries closer to him and saying, “No, these are mine.” Not particularly overjoyed, the father had three immediate thoughts about his son’s stinginess: (1) “He doesn’t understand where his fries came from; (2) He doesn’t realize that I could take all those fries from him, or bury him in fries; (3) He doesn’t realize I could get my own fries, and I do not need his.” (John Maxwell)

The late W.A. Criswell, pastor for half a century of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, once illustrated the importance of liberal, cheerful stewardship: “When God gits His, and I git mine; then everything will be just fine. But when I gits mine, and keeps God’s too, well then, what do you reckon God will do? I believe He will collect, don’t you?”

H.G.B., one of the “old-time” writers for the early Radio Bible Class (M. R. DeHaan) editions of Our Daily Bread, offered this testimony about giving in one of his devotionals: “August Hermann Francke, a well-known preacher of Halle, started an orphanage for homeless children. One time, when the pastor was in sore need of money, a desperate Christian widow came to him asking for ‘one gold ducat.’ Francke politely told her that he could not help her at that time, but the persistent widow begged him for the help. At last, Francke said the Holy Spirit moved him to help the widow and trust the Lord for his own need. A few mornings later the pastor received a note of thanks from the poor woman, assuring him that she had prayed that God would shower gifts of money on the orphanage in return for his generosity. H. G. Bosch writes: ‘That same day Francke received from a certain lady 12 ducats, plus a package from a friend in Sweden containing 2 more. Hardly had he put the money away when a total stranger dropped by to give him an additional 25 gold pieces. He now felt richly rewarded by the Lord, but shortly afterward, on the same day, he was informed that a certain prince had died, and in his will directed that a bag filled with 500 gold ducats be given to the work of the orphanage! Francke was deeply impressed that when the Lord pays back our ‘loans,’ He does so with an abundant hand, yea, ‘good measure, pressed down, and running over!’”

As you have no doubt heard it said, “You can never out give God!” Or, as my friend Lonial Wire would often testify about God’s faithfulness and generosity, “When I shovel out a gift to God to meet a (missionary’s) need, God shovels it right back to me; only, His shovel is a lot bigger than mine!”

At the start of a new year, maybe it’s time to reevaluate our giving to God. As in the Temple at the Treasury, God is evaluating the giving being done. Is He pleased with how and what and why you give to Him?

“Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” (Luke 6:38)

Overcoming

It has been almost 45 years since I met Dan. He was 18 then and headed for Bible college. His parents were members of the church I had just been called to pastor. Danny, as he is known to most of us, had been playing the piano and occasionally the organ at church. He would major in music at Pillsbury Baptist Bible College in Owatonna, Minnesota. Upon graduation, he returned to Indianapolis and resumed music ministries as a lay person in our church.

I had coffee with Dan Brown a few days ago, for he has been a significant person in the ministry that I am still affiliated with as “pastor emeritus.” He still plays the organ. In the past 40-plus years, he has missed only a handful of services aside from occasional family vacations. In today’s mobile world, he is undoubtedly an exception. Most people have been members of several churches over the span of 40 years.

Danny is exceptionally bright. By his own admission, verbal communication skills are not his forte. But as one listens to his music, there is little doubt that he communicates deeply, soul to soul. He sings regularly, accompanying himself, and often composes the music that he sings. He writes poetry as well as hymns.

When Dan was about a year old, his parents moved to Three Hills, Alberta, Canada, where his father took some courses in the Prairie Bible Institute, founded and led by Dr. Lee Maxwell. A neighbor of the Browns, a widow, took an interest in Dan and invited him to practice his piano skills while serving as a “coach” and teacher of sorts. Jack and Ruth, both long-time members of the church I pastored, moved back to Indianapolis when Dan was about 8 years of age.

For most of his adult life, Dan has suffered with a mild case of a disorder known as Tourette Syndrome. Those who are afflicted with this are given to sudden uncontrollable outbursts, or sometimes just abnormal jerky movements known as tics; at worst, they might unleash a verbal volley of uncomplimentary oaths. It can be a terribly crippling disorder, especially if and when one must be with and around the public, where there are people who do not understand what is happening when an episode occurs. Danny has at times taken medication for this, but often the side effects have complicated matters. He has pretty much learned to live with it, and his piano and organ music, with his hymn writing, are therapeutic outlets. In this pastor’s judgment, Dan is a deeply spiritual person which, in the final analysis, has been the first and foremost factor in his ability to live and function with this neurological syndrome.

I said that Dan has a keen mind. At one time, he had been delving into some science and was struggling with matters that can only be resolved by faith. I visited him once in his home and had a heart-to-heart talk with him and, evidently, he got those issues worked out in his own mind and soul. He has a strong faith, and he is extraordinarily faithful in his service to Christ through his local church.

About 28 years ago, a young lady showed up in one of our revival services. It was not long before she was observed spending time before and after services at or near the organ where Dan was often playing hymns. In time, not only did she show interest in Dan, but Dan became interested in her; and, wouldn’t you know, they eventually married, had two children and, to date, have lived happily ever after. No one would have ever “pegged” them as a possible pair, but God….

Dan has made and is making a living by driving a truck locally. He recently bought a CNC router and is crafting beautiful creations in his garage, to complement his other interests. Sherie, his wife, tends to her chickens and various other animals she has adopted. The Browns love to travel and enjoy the wonders of God’s world in the outdoors.

There may be someone who reads this article who is taunted by Satan, society, or self because of a handicap that you are living with. Maybe it has you defeated, so that you are asking: “What could I ever do for Christ?” Let Danny Brown answer that question. In his words: “I determined to serve God anyway, and not let that obstacle get in the way.” You can do whatever God wants you—and has equipped you—to do! Be faithful. Use and cultivate whatever skills you may have, dedicating them to Christ and His church. And, even with a menacing affliction, God can and will use you for His glory. I have observed it first-hand in Dan’s life for more than four decades. God can do it in your life also. Decide today!

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Phil.4:13)

Comfort for the New Year

As we face a new year in this relatively new millennium, there is much cause for consternation. Economic inflation; brutal warfare instigated against Israel by the Palestinian terrorist group, Hamas; Russia’s continued assault on Ukraine; world health crises, as we are still reeling from the world-wide pandemic—these are just a few concerns that keep prognosticators busy adjusting their forecasts for the future.

Most of us were here to witness the second millennium A.D. give way to the third, and we are still living somewhat in the twilight zone between the two. Only those who are deceived can look to the future without wondering how long God will allow humans to continue in their arrogant atheism before He will once again intersect the unfolding story of history with a dramatic intervention onto the stage of world events.

Regardless of what this coming year holds for each of us, we can face the future hopefully, expectantly, and enthusiastically. God has given us some treasured truths about what He has planned for what we call “the end times.” The next major happening on that timeline of future events is called the rapture—a biblical teaching but not a biblical term, though used by Biblicists to refer to the “catching up” by Christ of His Church to meet Him in the air.

Here is a brief outline of the importance of this eschatological heavenly intrusion into human history, as recorded in I Thessalonians 4:13-18:

(1) Clarification: those who are “asleep” (I Thess.4:13) are those who have died since the inception of the church on the Day of Pentecost, having embraced Christ as Savior by faith, called “the dead in Christ” (v.16). God will bring the spirits/souls of these back with Him at the time of the rapture, their bodies being recomposed (“raised”) from their dead status and reunited with their souls/spirits, while believers who are at that time living on earth will be caught up, after the dead have been raised up, to meet the Lord in the air.
(2) Certification: the fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from dead (v.14) certifies that those who have died in faith will come back with Christ when He returns to catch up His Church.
(3) Authorization: Paul set forth these future facts “by the Word of the Lord.” (v.15)
(4) Organization: The dead in Christ will be raised first; then, believers who are alive at that time will be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. (vss. 16,17)
(5) Annunciation: This cataclysmic end-time event will be announced by a shout (the voice of the archangel), and with the trumpet of God heard worldwide. (v.16)
(6) Finalization. Paul, on the authority of God’s Word, declares “so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (v.17) For the Church, we will be gathered together complete in Christ, to ever live in His presence. No more sorrow, separation, suffering; just eternal life with our Lord!
(7) Application. “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (v.18)

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.” (I Thess. 4:13)

Ellen joins me in the prayerful wish that the coming year will be a truly happy (blessed) one for you and your loved ones!

Exclamation Marks, All the Way!

A new year is about to dawn. When I was a young husband/father, I remember talking with an insurance agent, and mention was made of the fact that I would be eligible for retirement or Social Security in the year 2007. At that time, “2007” was inconceivable to me. I had not thought of ever getting that old, or of the world lasting that long, or of our Lord delaying His return so far into the future. Many of my seminary classmates were discussing the possibility of not having children because of the upside down world into which their offspring would be born. Cities were burning, whole blocks at a time, due to race riots. The Vietnam war was raging; “free love” was the in thing on college campuses, along with smoking “pot” and doing other drugs, and the Cold War was not so cold, as the Cuban missile crisis attested.

But, as we face 2024, the world still rocks and reels, and the coming of Christ is still imminent; there are still wars and rumors of wars, and promiscuous sex has taken on a new and even uglier face in the 21^st century, while drugs claim the lives of tens of thousands of our people every year. And those of us who were either not smart enough not to have children in the mid-60s, or too brave not to, or just blessed of God with them as a natural and joyous consequence of marriage, are now praying for our grandchildren—who face a world with an even more foreboding future than what my generation faced decades ago.

I am thankful for new beginnings. Jesus said that ultimately He would make all things new! That benchmark year of 2007, spoken of by the insurance salesman when I was 25 years old—the year that I would be old enough to “retire” and draw Social Security—has long since come and gone. That was the year that our precious 11 year-old grandson, David, was claimed by the icy clutches of death, along with some other beloved family members. Retirement for a pastor was, of course, not in the picture; but in 2019, I do believe God led me to step back from the senior pastorate to begin a new phase of ministry with Gospel Fellowship Association as an interim pastor. A couple years after my official last Sunday as senior pastor at Thompson Road Baptist Church, I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, for which I am receiving systematic treatments; and by God’s grace, I have been able to preach a couple times a month, assist in our church ministry as opportunities arise, and write this biweekly blog, “You and God,” for almost four years now.

During these past years we have bid “farewell” to many of our family and friends, former colleagues in ministry, church members, and members of our family. As some have said, the prospect of heaven is becoming nearer and “sweeter” with the passing of each loved one, and we look forward with great expectation to, in God’s good timing, taking up residence in that city not made with hands, whose builder and maker is God. Our permanent citizenship is a matter of record, irrevocable. God, who cannot lie, guaranteed and promised it “before the world began.” (Titus 1:2)

So, as you stare with me into the face of 2024, maybe you will be heartened by these words: “Well, Lord, here’s this whole new year ahead, and I know that prospect doesn’t shake You; but for me it’s question marks all the way. Family, health, finances, world peace—You know what a crisis in any of them would do to me. And yet, I’ve been thinking, Lord, that looking at the New Year with question marks is really looking at You with them. Right? That’s not trusting. Forgive me, Lord. I have this request: Please, this year turn my question marks into periods—into certainties—settled convictions. Faith with finality. On second thought, what’s better, Lord, turn them into exclamation points! Into certainties with excitement! That’s it, Lord! The exclamation point will be the symbol of my year in place of the question mark! Fill my days with thrilling assurances! Victories! Miracles! Dynamic challenges! Battles won! Souls won! And glory to You whatever the crisis in family, health, finances, world peace! What a year this is going to be, Lord! With You in charge of the punctuation!” (Alegra McBirney, missionary and author)

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5,6)

Christmas Through the Eyes of Mary

(This is not original with me; I hope you will be blessed by it as I was)

“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria). And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city. And Joseph went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, (because he was of the house and lineage of David) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

For this taxing census, the royal family has to travel eighty-five miles. Joseph walks, while Mary, nine months pregnant, either rides sidesaddle on a donkey, or walks, feeling every jolt, every rut, and every rock in the road. By the time they arrive, the small hamlet of Bethlehem is swollen from an influx of travelers, all there for the same reason. The inn is booked full and people felt fortunate if they were able to negotiate even a small space on the floor.

And now it is late, everyone is asleep, and there is no room. But fortunately, the innkeeper is not all shekels and mites. Even though his stable is crowded with his guests’ animals, he offered them a spot there for a little privacy. Joseph looks over at Mary, whose attention is concentrated on fighting a contraction. “We’ll take it,” he tells the innkeeper without hesitation.

The night is still when Joseph creaks open the stable door. As he does, a chorus of barn animals makes a discordant note in the intrusion. The stench is pungent and humid, as there have not been enough hours in the day to tend to the guests, let alone the livestock.

A small oil lamp, lent them by the innkeeper, flickers to the dancing shadows on the cold walls—a disquieting place for a woman in the throes of childbirth.

Did she wish for her mother to be there at this special moment? Did she long for her Dad to be standing by and assuring her? Was she glad to be out of Nazareth where people on the street looked at her and whispered about the unwed pregnant teenager in town? Now, she is far from what she had expected for her firstborn.

But Mary doesn’t complain. It is such a relief to just get off her feet. She leans back against the wall, her feet swollen, back aching, contractions growing stronger and closer together.

Joseph’s eyes dart around the stable. Not a minute to lose. Quickly. A feeding trough would have to make do for a crib. Used hay would have to serve as a mattress. Blankets? Blankets? Ah, his robe. That would do. And, those rags hung out to dry would help.

A gripping contraction doubles Mary over and sends Joseph racing for a bucket of water. This birth is not going to be easy, either for the mother or the child. The royal privileges for this child ended at conception.

Mary screams through the calm of that silent night. Joseph returns, breathless, water sloshing from the wooden bucket. The top of the baby’s head has already pushed its way into the world. Sweat pours from Mary’s contorted face as Joseph, the most unlikely midwife in all Judea, rushes to her side. The involuntary contractions are not enough, and Mary has to push with all her strength, almost as if God were refusing to come into the world without her help.

Joseph places a garment beneath her, and with a final push and long sigh, her labor is over—the Messiah has arrived!

Elongated head from the constricting journey through the birth canal. Light skin, as the pigment would take days or even weeks to surface. Mucus in His ears and nostrils. Wet and slippery from the amniotic fluid. The Son of the most High God is umbilically tied to a lowly Jewish girl. The baby chokes and coughs. Joseph instinctively turns Him over and clears His throat. Then He cries. Mary takes the shivering baby to her breast for His first feeding. She lays Him on her chest and His cries subside. His tiny head bobs around the unfamiliar terrain. This will be the first thing the infant-king will learn. As she nurses, Mary can feel his racing heartbeat. Deity nursing from a young maiden’s breast. Could anything be more puzzling—or more profound?

Joseph sits exhausted, silent, full of wonder. The baby finishes and sighs, the Divine Word reduced to a few unintelligible sounds.

Then, for the first time, His eyes fix on His mother’s. Deity straining to focus. The Light of the world squinting. Tears pool in her eyes. She touches His tiny hand. And the hand that once sculpted mountain ranges clings to her finger.

She no longer cares what the people of Nazareth think of her or where she is at the moment in time. She looks at Joseph and through a watery veil, their souls touch. He crowds closer, cheek to cheek with his betrothed. Together they stare in awe at the baby Jesus, whose heavy eyelids begin to close. It has been a long journey. The King is tired. And so, with barely a ripple of notice, God stepped into the warm lake of humanity. Without protocol and without pretention. Where you would have expected angels, there were flies. Where you would have expected heads of state, there were only donkeys, a few haltered cows, and nervous ball of sheep, a tethered camel, and a scurry of curious little barn mice. Except for Joseph, there was no one to share Mary’s pain. Or her joy.

Yes, there were angels announcing the birth of the Savior’s arrival, but only to a band of shepherds in the field.

And thus, in the little town of Bethlehem, that one silent night…the royal birth of God’s Son tiptoed quietly by—as the world slept. (Author Unknown)

Christmas, Past and Future

Under a blanket of white, fresh snow on Christmas morn, the sleepy village woke as church bells rang in honor of the Christ-child born.

Beside the tracks, white-framed, the old home-place still stood where 7 girls and 7 boys once gathered firewood.

Long since were gone, forever past, those glee-filled days when children laughed, half-wild with Christmas craze.

Not much remained the same. The well was gone, no pets now came to meet you as you sauntered up the lane.

The old pair, still there, with furrowed brow and frosted hair, wait in silent gaze, and for the world and all—have little care.

Children and their little ones return once more this Christmas Day, to eat and reminisce and let the cousins play.

The time flies and soon the happy Day is past. With pain we learn anew that Life—and Death—is fast.

The gifts we gave and got become a reason for a prayer of thanks for this glad season.

Together, one time more. The hours, oh so few; yet worth the work and toil that many hands must do.

Someday, maybe one day very soon, the family Christmas choir will sing its final tune.

Then wait to gather once again—next time to sing around the Throne—and in the Home, of Christ the King!

(Anthony Slutz, 1997)

Merry Christmas to all our family and friends, far and near!!

Anthony & Ellen Slutz

“The Best Day I Ever Had!”

Those words were not spoken by someone who had just won the lottery; or by someone who had just gotten promoted to a coveted position after years of hard work; or by a parent, reconciled to an estranged child after years of waiting, hoping, and praying; but by an 8-year-old bus kid two weeks ago at church, following the children’s Christmas program. With exuberance that could not be contained, he said with all of his little might, “This is the best day I ever had!”

Were his parents there to watch him sing the Christmas carols with the children’s choir? No, nor were any of his family members. Was he excited that he had gotten a chance to be “Joseph” in the annual reenactment of the manger scene? Not so. Or, did he get to play a special musical number on an instrument? Or say two or three lines of a poem by himself? None of the above. It was just that this little bus kid, not used to any special treatment, day in and day out, was part of a Christmas celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ—with songs, mirth, treats, presents, and goodwill spread generously around, to all present. The joy welled up in the little lad’s heart in wave after wave, until he could hold it in no longer, and, finding his teacher, he let it out: “This is the best day I ever had!”

Well, that teacher shared the moment in the midweek prayer and praise service, so that all who were present were touched deeply by the thought that just a bit of love, kindness, and praise spread all around—out of a heart of goodness and thanksgiving to our great God—can make a world of difference to a child who may never see much of God’s grace at home, in the neighborhood, or at school. But in God’s house, on the Lord’s Day, with His people gathered to commemorate the birth of the Savior of the world—well, it was enough on that special Sunday to cause a child to burst forth with, “This is the best day I ever had!”

I am deeply grateful for those bus workers who, over weeks and months, called and cultivated the contact that eventuated in that 2^nd grade boy riding the bus to church on that special Sunday. May God increase their tribe in a world where their kind has become almost an oddity!

I am deeply grateful for Sunday School teachers and church-time workers who planned, prepared, and presented a lavish helping of God’s love and grace, kindness, and goodness to every child in attendance on that Sunday, even as they do every Sunday.

For teachers like Shirley and Barb, who showed up for 40 years, Sunday after Sunday, to give God’s Word lovingly to 2^nd graders; and Beth—who, for 40 years and counting, has shown up to dole out His love to 2- and 3-year-old little ones, no doubt remembering that Jesus said “Suffer the little children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

Name after name is flooding this grateful pastor’s mind right now. But of course I cannot begin to list them all. Faithful servants of their Creator Savior, whose lives were so transformed by the Lord Jesus Christ that they have selflessly given themselves to a lifetime of serving Him through serving His, beginning with the littlest and often the least amongst us; so that, on any given Sunday, one of those tykes just might say, “This is the best day I ever had!”

“Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom. And whoso’ shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.” (Matt. 18:4,5)

The Holy Spirit of Christmas

The world at large is now into the “spirit of Christmas,” which can mean multiple things—from gift-giving and parties to special musical cantatas and candlelight services to Christmas eve and morning around the Christmas tree, to mention just a few.

But, I have been thinking about the Holy Spirit of Christmas. God’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit, has always been a central figure in the Christmas story. We learn in Matthew 1:18-25 that Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb by the Holy Spirit even before she had “known” her husband Joseph. Then, again, in Luke 1, when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to announce to her that she would give birth to the Messiah, the angel answers Mary’s question as to “How?” by affirming: “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35).

The Holy Ghost was present and at work before, during, and after the birth of Christ, and He is still at work today in the hearts and lives of each follower of Jesus, for “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given us.” (Romans 5:5) Since that is true, everything we do during this Christmas season should be governed by the love of God, which has been planted in us the by the Holy Spirit. “Everything” includes:

(1) Our Greetings. Seems so simple. Greetings in person, with a salutation, or over the miles through a card or an email. Reviewing the New Testament, one finds that in almost all of Paul’s epistles he encourages saints to “Greet them that love us in the faith,” (Titus 3:15) or some such greeting. Christmas lends itself to special times of cordial and Christian greetings. We may have, in our culture, replaced the “holy kiss” with a holy hug or handshake, but let us never cease to take opportunities to greet the brethren!

(2) Our Gatherings. Israel, as a people of God, were commanded to gather several times a year for worship. These gatherings often required arduous trips to Jerusalem for feasts. Special songs were sung as entourages to the Holy City were made by groups that sang along the way (Ps. 120-134). Then, after the New Testament church was born, God’s people gathered weekly—and often several times a week—for fellowship, doctrinal instruction, prayer, and strategizing on missions and ministry (Acts 2:42). Believers are commanded to not forsake these gatherings. At Christmas time, we have special commemorative and celebrative gatherings, focused upon the Advent of our Messiah to this world in the form of an infant. It is well that we gather with family, friends, and flock in the spirit of love to perpetuate the music and message of Christmas, with His light shining in our hearts and homes in this darkened world.

(3) Our Giving. What blessed opportunities to give in the spirit of our Savior, who gave Himself a ransom for our sins; and in the spirit of His Father, who gave His only begotten Son. Paul told us that Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35), and Jesus taught His disciples that they should give, encouraging them that when one does so in the right spirit, they will receive immeasurable blessings. (Luke 6:38) The Christmas season affords us unique opportunities to give in the holy spirit of Christ-like giving. “What can I give Him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I’d give Him a lamb. If I were a wise man, I’d do my part. What can I give Him? I’ll give Him my heart.” (Rosetti)

(4) Our Glorying. As we weave our way through commemorations and celebrations at Christmas time, it is well that we take to heart Paul’s admonition: “Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (I Cor.10:31) And also, “But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” (2 Cor. 10:17) Christmas is, first and foremost, about Christ. It is not about what we get (or give), about pageants or performances, or about parties or parades. It is about the incarnation (enfleshment) of the Creator of the universe, God taking on human flesh, made in our likeness, yet without sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor. 5:21).

“Thou are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou has created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Rev. 4:11)

Israel: the Big Picture

Bible-believers are following the events in the state of Israel with heightened interest, observing as always history past and present through the lens of scripture. As a pastor I have been musing about what and when to pen some thoughts on the subject. Until I do, I offer, with permission, the following article written by a friend, Pastor David Oliver, pastor of Ashley Baptist Church in Belding, Michigan, as a column for a local newspaper in his county. His thoughts reflect what I and other pastors who preach and teach the Bible as the inspired Word of God believe.

Although it has been over thirty years since I visited the nation of Israel, my memories of the experience remain vivid. In addition to touring many cites significant to the events in the Bible, I also visited Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem. Visitors walk through numerous rooms displaying photographs, videos, and artifacts chronicling Nazi Germany’s systematic effort to exterminate the Jewish race. Before we entered the final room the guide leading my tour excused himself from the group. While he visited Yad Vashem regularly, he wanted personally to avoid this last display. He found it distressing. His departure made me a little apprehensive as to what to expect. I entered a dark room with a single, small glass case in the center with a beam of light shining down upon it. Inside the case was a tiny child’s shoe. There was nothing else. This was a somber reminder that of the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust, one and a half million were children.

Many may have concluded that with the defeat of Nazi Germany, and the exposure of the horrors of the Holocaust, antisemitism would be irradicated. But it has not been. Antisemitism predated the Nazis, and it persists today.

On October 7, Hamas terrorists unleashed a coordinated surprise attack on Jewish people in Israel, killing over 1400, included children and babies. Additional atrocities such as kidnapping and rape were carried out, motivated by hatred of the Jewish people.

The global response has not been universal condemnation. On the contrary, from Muslim countries to civil rights groups supposedly opposed to racism, to students on American college campuses, and even some elected representatives in the U.S. Congress, people have defended the acts of terrorists, and attacked Israel’s right to exist.

While this is all sad and troubling, for students of the Bible this should not be surprising. In Revelation 12, the Apostle John sees a vision of a dragon. There is no need to speculate about who this dragon represents. He is identified as the devil. (v. 9) In this vision the dragon endeavors to devour a child a woman is about to birth. Again, there is no question about the identity of this child. It is Jesus Christ, Who after dying for the sins of the world and being raised from the dead, “was caught up unto God and to his throne.” (v. 5) But Satan’s hostility is not over. Verse 13 says the devil persecutes the woman. The woman that brought forth the child in Revelation 12 is the nation of Israel. The man Christ Jesus sprang from the Jewish race. (Rom. 9:5) The Bible calls Him the King of the Jews. (Mt. 2:2) Satan is anti-Christ and anti-Israel. Antisemitism comes from the devil himself.

God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), and He loves the world (Jn. 3:16). Yet at the same time, the Bible makes plain that one race has been chosen of God, blessed, and made to be a blessing to the world. (Gen. 12:2, 3) It was through the nation of Israel that the word of God came (Rom. 3:2), and even more importantly, the Son of God, the Savior Jesus Christ. And so, the devil hates Israel. From wicked Haman in the book of Esther, to Adolf Hitler, to modern day Hamas terrorists, those seeking the destruction of Israel are doing the work of Satan. And those who sympathize with them – those who hate the Jewish race – share the sentiment of the devil.

The Jewish people need the prayers of Christian people. They also need the gospel. The Bible teaches us that someday the Jewish Messiah will come again to deliver His chosen people. When He does, He will “pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and supplications; and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced…” (Zech. 12:10) When Christ returns “all Israel shall be saved.” (Rom. 11:26) The fiercest efforts of the devil and his followers will never succeed in eliminating Israel, nor stop that great day of deliverance from coming.