Presence to presents

Exodus 33:14

¹⁴ The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

This time next week we will all most likely be indulged with the Christmas day experience.  How awesome will yours be this year?  I guess that is kind of how you experience the day!  Will you put your excitement in God's presence around you?  Breathing in all that you are blessed with everyday.  Experiencing the day with all you have to give others throughout the day or year!  Even if you feel that you have nothing, you still have the greatest gift of all as long as you believe.  Share that!!!  Or will you put your day into the gift of presents that you get?  Making your day better by the pile of gifts and paper lying by your side when you are finished with the day.  What will you do? 

I say it is not that we should not enjoy the gifts that we receive.  Yet, it is better for us to do the giving.  We can experience the birth of Christ through both don't get me wrong.  I think though that we truley experience the gift of Christmas through the presence of Christ in our lives, and days.  

Take time to enjoy them all.  We are blessed so much, and never know when life might change.  Have a blessed, safe and great Christmas.

Craig

What stays, what goes?

So it is just a few short days to Christmas... Already!  Then just few more days from that is a new year to begin.  I always tend to start thinking about how I am going to approach the new year.  In order for me to do that though, I need to recap the last year.   How do I begin to do that?  What promises did I make and not keep?  What time did I waste that I won't get back?  When did I leave God out and when did I let God in?  It is indeed time to clean up again for the year and do some housecleaning.  Not talking about the kitchen and bathroom here, either.  Nope, I am talking about the mind and the heart. 

I know as I head into the new year, I need to give more time to God, more time to family, friends and church ministry.  The devil got the better part of my last year, and looking back I can see the holes that I left for Satan to slip in.  So I need to mend those holes this year, and fight harder to keep them closed.  Holes like, ill will that enters my mind, flows to my heart than spews from my mouth.  I need filters to be changed, and replaced for sure.  It has indeed been a hard year.  This past month preparing for Christmas and Advent have been a great treat for me.  Getting to help those that need help and share with many the true blessings that we have at Christmas.  Heck, just sharing with folks the true meaning of Christ-mass. 

Many folks share their thoughts about how the world is taking Christ out of Christmas.  I for one disagree, Christ has never been a bigger part of Christmas...for me.  Maybe, if we are worried about Christ leaving Christmas it is not society taking him out of it.  Maybe it's the person thinking it!  Here is a new year approaching and a great opportunity to start anew with sharing God and Christ with the world, and therefore keeping Christmas going all year long.  Keeping Christ in your Christmas!



Craig 

Daily Bread!

" Give us Lord, Our daily bread."  More than food on our tables.  God supplies for us all that that we need to make it through each and everyday we have.  We tend to focus on the problems instead of the blessings a lot in life.  Stupid job I need to get up and go to! stupid car that is not worth a dime and cost me money to fix it and gas to put in it!  Stinkin' test to take!  Darn traffic!  Doesn't that just about sum up your mornings?  Well, the daily bread is the fact that you have a job, a car, an education, even the air to breathe, to wake up.  Don't say that God does not care.  God most certainly does, look at all that is given to you on a daily basis to survive.  Strength, courage, wisdom, all things to grow on. 

"God everything I have comes from you.  You are my source for all that I am entrusted to steward.  I would not even get to work, get up, go to school, etc. if you did not give me the breathe to wake up this morning.  you are my source for everything.  So, Lord give me today, and all that I need throughout it."

God Bless,
Craig

Encouragement!

Hebrews 3:13a
But encourage one another daily,

So here is my plea to you.  Find a group to get involved in.  Not just for the holiday season, for your life.  We all fall down sometimes.  When we do it is great to have encouragement from others to help you get back up right?  Well then, get involved now with a group of friends that will do that for you.  Whether it is a group from church, from school, or work.  Be accountable for not only yourself, but for others too.  The Pastor at our church and myself do a monthly fathers group ( All Pro Dad's), with in it we have all become really accountable for how we are raising our kids, and being better fathers with it.  It is a small group, but that makes no difference we are all genuine and real with each other.  That allows us to grow in Christ and in our relationships with Christ and with our families as well.  isn't that what we are to do according to the text used for this devotional?  Find something to do that keeps you focused on being a better person, and you will become that better person. 

God Bless,
Craig

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Thanksgiving Song - IgniterMedia.com from ignitermedia on GodTube.

Do what we do!

"No excuses, no explanations"- Tony Dungy " Quiet Strength"

1 Peter 5:6
⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

John 5:17
¹⁷ Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.”

So for men's group I just finished Tony Dungy's book Quiet Strength (awesome read for those looking for Dad's for Christmas!!)  Tony used the quoted phrase that begins this devotion  " Do what we do, no excuses, no explanations."  Indicating to me that we are intended to do something in life.  Whatever that may be, we should never give excuses for doing what we feel called to be doing.  From teaching to preaching, from house cleaning to house building!  All things are being served as a purpose by God.  When we come to that simple conclusion then God blesses whatever it is we are doing.  We as a society have a tendency to down play others for there jobs they perform as if God created them for a status symbol for the rest to look down upon.  It might be these very things that God is using to change someones world.  Are we to question that?  Absolutely not!!  God will lift you up in His due time to recognize you for all that you do in this earthly vessel you are blessed with. 

Pay attention to the words Jesus is saying to the folks in the synagogue in the second text.  My father is forever working, so therefore so should I.  Up to the moment of His last breathe Jesus was convincing the world that He truly was the Son of God.  how many times did people approach him while he tried to slumber or pray.  It all become part of  what Jesus did in his life, and he too was lifted up in due time for obeying what it was the God called him to earth for.  So, if God is mighty enough to save one of His creations is He not able to save others???  Of course so, That is why we are to keep working, keep truckin' along, keep plodding through.  In the very end it will be sooo worth it!

May you all have a great and blessed Thanksgiving!  Stay away form too much turkey, and the shopping centers.  Enjoy time with family instead.  God Bless!

Craig

THOU SHALT LAUGH!!

So I needed a laugh today. I turned to my trusty Tim Hawkins for that laugh! Thanks all! Enjoy it and have a great , blessed and good rest of the week! Craig