Christmas Secrets

My siblings and I have a tradition of exchanging Secret Santa gifts every year. We draw names and don't reveal who-has-whom until Christmas Day when the gifts are opened. We aren't kids anymore, but it always makes me feel like one.

What is it about good secrets that are so fun and joyful? Secrets can be a bad thing that cause a lot of devastation and pain--but good secrets are the complete opposite. The subject of secrets can be found in the Bible more often than you may think. There are bad secrets like when David had an affair with Bathsheba and then sent her husband to the front lines of battle to be killed. He didn't get away with it and later penned these words of repentance: You desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. (Psalm 51:6) The word for "inmost place" can also be translated as secret.

Jesus, however, talked about good secrets. Secrets of The Kingdom. His Parables contain secret messages about God's character and ways, and He talked about having a secret-life with God in the areas of prayer, giving, and worship. Prayer is meant to be personal--confession, sharing your deepest needs, listening to what God has to say specifically to your heart.

Giving is also meant to be a secret activity. Not something to do for show or to impress others or gain praise. It's an act of trust between you and God. Giving to others with the belief He will provide for your needs.

At Christmas we talk about giving to Jesus--it's His birthday after all. But what Jesus wants is for us to receive what He has for us. We are in need of His grace. That's why He came: To save us. In Luke 9:23 He says, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me."  These words are often interpreted as, 'Put aside your own needs. Stop thinking about yourself. Carry the cross you are meant to bear and live your life for Me.' But that is not the heart of Jesus.

When He says, deny yourself, He means, Stop trying to be self-sufficient. You can't do life on your own, so stop trying. You can't save yourself so 'lift up' that heavy cross you bear and let Me carry it for you. Just follow Me--you don't have to figure out your own way. I'll show you.

This Christmas, share secrets with Jesus. Confess to Him what you need to confess and receive His forgiveness. Share your burdens, needs, and desires with Him, and then listen to the secrets He has for you. Hear Him say, "I know what you need more than you do. I know the secrets to a life of blessing, purpose, and joy. Just come to Me and I'll get you there."

"The secret of the Kingdom of God has been given to you." Mark 4:11

Girl Praying photo credit: Crissy Pauley (freeimages.com)

Hope Is Here

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Advertising is big business. Wikipedia defines advertising as "a form of communication used to promote or sell something". Most commonly this means that advertisers are trying to get us to buy stuff that we may or may not need. We see this all year round in our consumer-based society, but Christmas is a time when they go full-throttle. Special deals on products, one-day sales, limited-time offers, "the newest best thing your Christmas won't be complete without!"

It can be overwhelming. With so much demanding our attention, time, and money, it's easy to get distracted from what Christmas is all about. But I think we can also learn something from those who are demanding our attention during this Christmas season. Letting people know what is available to them and convincing them they need it is the key to good advertising. And advertising is not always bad if you have something that's worth sharing.

Advertising at Christmas is not just a modern-day practice. God is in the business of advertising too, and that's really what the first Christmas was all about. He had something that people needed, and He sent messengers to proclaim the good news of Jesus' birth. But He started way before Christmas Day. Even Black Friday retailers don't have anything on God's advance planning. Many of the Prophets of the Old Testament proclaimed a Savior was coming hundreds of years before Jesus arrived, and God sent an angel months ahead of time to tell Mary and Joseph all about the role they would play in bringing this Savior to the world.

On the night of Jesus' birth, more angels came to announce His arrival and proclaim, "Peace on earth and good will toward men."  But that wasn't the end of God's marketing scheme. He sent John the Baptist to "prepare the way for the Lord", and when Jesus began His public ministry, He was a walking advertisement of what God wanted the people to know: "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe this good news!"

 

Salvation has come.

God's mercy is alive and well. Hope is here!

I was doing some research on the word "hope" in the Bible, looking for encouraging verses to share with those who need hope because of difficult circumstances they are facing. In the Old Testament I found it 86 times, used in both positive and "I have no hope" ways; and from Acts to Revelation, it is used 80 times. But in the gospels, it occurs once—as a quote from Isaiah in the Old Testament, not from the mouth of Jesus.

Doesn't that seem odd? When the Old Testament Prophets and Poets talked about hope, they were talking about God bringing salvation to His people. Oftentimes they were talking about Jesus, the Savior who would come and deliver them. And the New Testament writers were speaking about Him too. And yet Jesus Himself never used the word.

I think the reason for this is that Jesus said it a different way. He was much more specific in how He described Himself and His role. He didn't say, 'Your hope has come. I have arrived,' and leave it at that. He said, "I am the bread of life; I am the light of the world; I am the good shepherd..."  I bring healing, forgiveness, satisfaction, peace, joy, and everything you truly need. He told them about something they'd had all along. Jesus didn't come to proclaim anything new, He just used different words. He came to say: 

You are loved.

You always have been, and you always will be.

The Prophet Isaiah proclaimed: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)

Isaiah was one of God's advertisers, and I see myself the same way. I "communicate to promote something".  But it's not just hype. It's not about greed or running a successful company or inventing the newest best thing. It's about sharing a basic truth: You are loved.

In John 17:26, Jesus says these words to His Father during prayer: "I have made you known to them, and I will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them, and that I myself may be in them."  What did Jesus come to do? He came to advertise God's love. He came to show us what we really need. And He never stops!

I encourage you to look for ways God has displayed His love to you. As you celebrate the Savior's birth this season, think about what God's love really means for you. What difference has God's mercy and love meant to you in the past, and how can it make a difference today?

 

Photos by Rick Jemberg, jaylopez, Billy Alexander, César Rodriguez, johan van den berg, Yarik Mshini (Freeimages.com)

Made For Joy

I watched the World Series this week. I'm not a big baseball fan. I enjoy watching a game now and then, but I didn't have a preference for who won the Championship and could tell you very little about the teams and players. My reason for watching didn't have much to do with baseball; It was about whom I watched the games with. My son is a huge sports fan, and he enjoys watching, so I enjoyed it with him.

As we were watching Game Five where a record number of home runs in the World Series were hit, something stood out to me: the joy of the stadium crowd. People were cheering loud, giving high-fives to everyone around them, and smiling in abundant measure. Fans celebrating is nothing new certainly, but with the abundance of runs being scored in one game, the crowd was electric with joy. It couldn't be contained. They were ecstatic.

This stood out to me for a couple of reasons. One because the game took place in Houston, a city that has suffered great devastation from Hurricane Harvey. I wondered how many people in the crowd had their homes flooded or suffered another loss in the storm. I also wondered how many were facing other hard times: illness, family strife, personal heartbreak... Every person there has a story, and yet for that night they were all celebrating together for a common love of baseball. A phrase came to mind as I was watching those fans and players:

We Are Made For Joy

We, as human beings, are made for joy. It doesn't matter who we are, where we live, what family we come from, what trials we've faced, or blessings we have; We are all made for joy. To see it, just watch a group of people in a sports arena from different walks of life, different races, different religions, different ages and genders cheering for the same big plays and winning team. If given the choice between thinking about their problems or living the joy of the moment, joy will win every time.

It's what led me to watch the game with my son. The game itself I could have easily missed in favor of watching a Hallmark movie or working on my latest book. But I knew I would enjoy watching the game with my son, so I did. We all make choices like that every day. Our motive for what we do often comes down to joy. We may not always look for it in the right places, but our initial hope in anything we choose to do is to experience joy. In this life we will experience sadness, grief, stress, disappointment, frustration, shame, despair...  

But we were made for joy.

There is no question we all want joy and seek joy. But how do we find it? Some ways are obvious, like choosing activities and friends to enjoy. We look for love, purpose, and success. These things generally bring joy but can also lead to heartbreak, failure, and dissatisfaction. What we wanted doesn't make us as happy as we thought it would, people let us down, and things don't always go the way we plan. 

My husband is a pastor, and one of his common sayings after having "one of those days" is, 'Ministry would be great if it wasn't for the people.' What does he mean by that? Serving God is great, serving people is great, the potential for joy in his job is great, and he strives to make the worship and other areas of his ministry great for everyone; but people don't always cooperate. They complain, they don't listen to guidance, they know the truth but don't make right choices, they have their own agendas. It's frustrating. It's exhausting. It steals his joy of doing what God has gifted him to do. If you have ever been involved in ministry, you can probably relate to that. If you have family members or friends you care about who sometimes say hurtful things or make poor choices, you can relate to that.

But it's not just others and life's hardships that can rob us of joy. There is plenty we can do on our own to let it slip away. Our lives may be filled with blessings in abundant measure, but we either don't recognize it, focus on the negative instead of the positive, or we forget who we are and where our hope lies. So I'd like to offer a few suggestions for experiencing more joy in your life.

You will fill me with joy
in your presence
with eternal pleasures
at your right hand.
 Psalm 16:11

The writer of these words knew that spending time with God brings joy. Time in prayer, reading the Bible, listening to God, worshiping Him: these spiritual activities will give you a different perspective. His presence alone can fill your heart with joy, let alone all the blessings and pleasures He brings.

The joy of the LORD
is your strength.

Nehemiah 8:10

We are made for joy. That's just how we were created to function. So when we take steps to find joy in God and choose that joy during hard times, we will be stronger. Joy is more than a pleasant emotion; it can be your lifeline.

The commandments

of the LORD

are right,

bringing joy to the heart.

 Psalm 19:8 (NLT)

Following God's ways brings joy. Obeying His commands, following His instructions, doing what He says is right. We may follow Him reluctantly at times, but He is always faithful. Following His commands will result in joy. Live by His words and promises.

You turned my wailing
into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth
and clothed me with joy.
 Psalm 30:11

During difficult times, trust God. Trust Him to give you what you need. Believe He is with you and better days are ahead. Knowing your sorrow will turn to joy in the future can bring joy and peace in the midst of tragedy, illness, stress, heartbreak, struggles... He knows you can only handle so much of that, because you are made for joy.

Believe in God's goodness. Believe He is the source of the blessings you have and He will continue to bless you. He will meet your needs. He sees you. He knows. He is faithful.

Clap your hands...

shout to God with cries of joy.

Psalm 47:1

Express your joy to God. Be thankful. Declare His greatness! Expressing your joy will lift your heart even more, and it will also spread joy to others. Be visibly happy too: Smile. Laugh. My children often bring me joy by simply being happy and expressing their joy--sometimes quite exuberantly! That's one of the things I enjoy about watching sports with my son. The sports themselves may not thrill me (unless it's the Seahawks), but his joy is contagious.

Those who promote peace have joy.

Proverbs 12:20

Doing what you can to promote peace will bring joy to your heart and to others. Don't complain. You might think it will make you happier to get your way, but it won't, and you make others miserable in the process. Be positive. Compliment the efforts of others. Don't get frustrated or angry. Give difficult people and circumstances over to God. Let Him handle it. Paul said, May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him. (Romans 15:13) Trusting God brings peace and joy to your heart. Not whining, not complaining, not getting back at others. Those are just fast-tracks to more misery.

Shout for joy...

for the LORD comforts his people

and will have compassion

on his afflicted ones.

 Isaiah 49:13

Allow God to comfort you. His love is all-consuming, like a warm comforter on a cold night. In sorrow, hard times, heartbreak--allow His love to comfort your heart. Don't lose hope. Don't give up. God is faithful.

"As the Father has loved me,

so I have loved you.

Now remain in my love...

I have told you this

so that my joy may be in you

and that your joy may be complete."

John 15:9,11

Jesus speaks these words of truth to give us peace and to make our joy complete. He also tells us to pray, seek God, love others, forgive, don't worry, trust, remain in Him and His love, ask for whatever we need. We need joy. We were made for joy. So if joy is something you lack, ask for it. Ask Him to help you believe in His love and faithfulness.

To him who is able to keep you
from stumbling and to present you
before his glorious presence
without fault and with great joy--
be glory, majesty, power, and authority...
now and forever.
 Jude 1:24-25

Remember you are a joy to God. He delights in you. He rejoices over you. You please Him by being His. There is no greater joy for Him than to see His children living in the truth. When He says, 'I love you', believe Him. When He says, 'I am with you', believe Him. When He says, 'You are my joy', believe Him. When you are believing these things, you will overflow with joy.

So I commend the enjoyment of life,

because there is nothing

better for a person under the sun

than to eat and drink and be glad.

Then joy will accompany them

in their toil all the days of the life

God has given them.

 Ecclesiastes 8:15

Enjoy your life. Be happy. Live joy. It takes a little effort to overcome the trials of life, but not a lot. A little joy can go a long way. So go to that game. Spend time with those you love. Do things you enjoy. Spend time with God. Believe everything is going to be okay. Know you're not alone and you are loved. You matter. Your happiness matters to God. So listen, trust, and believe.



 
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Bible photo taken from freeimages.com

Photos 5-8 by Cindy Riggs © 2012, 2015, Used by permission. All rights reserved.

I'm Coming To You

This is a song in one of my latest books. I won't give anything away by saying who wrote it or which book it's in, but I wanted to share it with all of you who read my blog. It's been coming to mind often whenever I'm feeling stressed and overwhelmed by life and various trials, and speaking (or singing) these words to God brings me peace. I hope with whatever you are facing or watching others struggle with, you will cry out to God and allow Him to bring you rest as you leave it all in his hands.

I’m coming to You

I’m trusting You

To guide my steps;

I’m coming to You

I’m trusting You

To know the way;

I’m coming to You

I’m trusting You

To hear my prayers;

I’m coming to You

I’m trusting You

To make it all okay

There is sickness; There is pain

There is brokenness; there is shame

There is sin; and there is fear

But I’m trusting that You are near

There is no other God

And there never will be;

You alone can save me

You alone can rescue me

So, I’m coming to You

I’m trusting You

To provide;

I’m coming to You

I’m trusting You

To walk by my side;

I’m coming to You

I’m trusting You

To hold me close;

I’m coming to You

I’m trusting You

To heal my weary heart;

There is sickness; There is pain

There is brokenness; there is shame

There is sin; and there is fear

But I’m trusting that You are near

There is no other God

And there never will be;

You alone can help me

You alone can carry me

I’m coming to You

I’m trusting You

To be my God;

I’m coming to You

I’m trusting You

To make a way;

For You are mighty to save

Only You make it okay

My Hope

My Savior

The Way

Only You, God

My Hope

My Savior

The Way

There is no other God--there never has been, and there never will be. I, yes,I, am the LORD, and there is no other savior. (Isaiah 43:10-11 NLT)

The Right Path

Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. (Psalm 25:4-5)


Do you know what road you're on?

The Bible talks about two different roads in life. There's the path of blessing and the path of destruction. Have you ever thought about the path you are following?

A path is a series of choices. One mistake, one poor thought, one negative act: those are steps. Not much damage can be done with a single step; but a series of mistakes, poor thoughts, and negative acts can land you in a heap of trouble or a pit of misery. Likewise, one good choice, one good thought, one good deed is a step in the right direction; and continuing on the right path will take you to good places.

Every day is a series of choices. Some people make a lot of bad choices every day. Some make a lot of good choices. And some dance around a lot. A good step here, a bad step there—they mostly go in circles.

When we think of following a specific path in life, we often think in terms of big goals and destinations: Making the team. Winning the championship. Getting good grades. Getting into college. Having a great career. You have a goal in mind and take the necessary steps to get there. You would never consider doing the opposite. You don't settle for going in circles. You're focused. You have a destination and take the best path.

But when it comes to daily life, to living a path of blessing or one of misery and pain, we don't think so much about the road we're on. We often end up somewhere, look around, and think, How did I get here? This isn't the kind of life I want to be living, so why am I?

Jesus talked about the "narrow road" and the "wide path". (Matthew 7:13-14) The wide path is easy to follow but leads to places you don't want to be. It's easy to go along with the crowd. It's easy to do what your friends are doing. It's easy to speak an unkind word here and ignore a need there. It's easy to lie or break the rules or do whatever feels good.

But the narrow road leads to life, blessings, and happiness. It's harder because a lot of good choices are necessary. It's easier to hate than to love. It's easier to hold a grudge than to forgive. It's easier to be mean than to be nice. It's easier to ignore the truth than to listen. It's easier to complain than to have a helpful attitude. It's easier to give in than to stand your ground. It's easier to give up than to hope for better days.

But here's the good news. The narrow road is so much better, and you don't have to walk the path alone. In Psalm 25, David cried out to God this prayer: Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.

It's a life of blessing and joy. If that's what you desire, you can have it! Jesus will show you the right steps to take. He will give you specific instructions. He will lead you. He will teach you. He will save you when you're tempted to go another way. He will help you to make the harder choice. All day long you can put your hope in Him, and He will be there every step of the way—even to pick you up when you fall and carry you when you can't take another step.

He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths. (Psalm 23:2-3)

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.  All rights reserved.

Choices

We live in a society of choices, freedoms, and independence. We can choose what we want to do when we grow up, what hobbies and activities to try, what friends to have, whom to marry, whom to worship, what to do with our bodies, what music to listen to, what movies to see...

But just because we can make our own choices, doesn't mean one choice is just as good as another. The choices we make matter. We can make bad choices and good choices. We can make good choices or better choices. We can make thoughtless choices and well-informed ones.

In the Old Testament, we can read about a choice God's People made that wasn't good. God told them they didn't need a human king, that He would be their King; but the people insisted on having a leader they could see. So, God gave them a king named Saul, but it didn't turn out well for Israel. Saul and others after him were often corrupt. They didn't listen to God and lead the people well, resulting in the destruction of their nation rather than its prosperity. The people had a choice to make, God told them what the best choice was—to depend on Him to lead them; but they made a different choice. The wrong choice.

The Bible is full of stories like this. God created people and gave them free will to make their own choices. He also instructed them in which choices to make—what was best for them; The same is true for us today, and my question for you is this: With the choices you have to make today, tomorrow, and in the future, how are you going to make those choices?

Will you follow the advice of society, family, friends? Will you make choices based on how you feel? Will you go by what you can see and understand? Or will you listen to God and choose His best for your life?

Sometimes listening to God involves following the advice of others, how you feel, and what you can see and understand; but not always. How can you know? It's all about knowing the One who is leading you.

In Jeremiah 29:11, God tells His People, who were feeling lost at the time, "I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you."  And later He says this: "I will put my law deep within them...I will write my instructions on their hearts." (Jer. 31:33)

There are right choices, and there are wrong choices. There are good choices and there are better choices. There are thoughtless choices and informed ones. And there is a God who will lead you. He promises that. He loves you. And you can trust Him.

Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.

Psalm 25:4

Photos by Fran Priestley and bj mcmichael. Freeimages.com

Jeremiah 31:33; paraphrase mine