Christian Photographers Community

Morning Devotional...


He Has Come

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder.  And His Name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end."


Seven hundred years before Jesus was born, this prophecy announced His coming and His qualifications.  He was born - He came as an ordinary babe, relegated to a mere manger.  But yet He was also "given" - His origin was Heaven and He came as the greatest of all the gifts of God's love.  He is God.  He is Man.  And yes, He came to die for our sins, but we need so much to remember that He also came to rise from death to rule the Kingdom He took from the clutches of Satan to be His own holy people.  The "governent" - the rule - of His holy, rescued people was to be in His blessed hands.  Eventually, also at His hands, all evil will be banished from this universe, and He will be seen to be King of kings and Lord of lords, and He shall reign forever and ever. 

Oh dear saints of God!  He is now present by His Spirit to be your "wonderful Counselor!"  Wisdom that leads to eternal life comes from Him and from knowing Him!  It will indeed be seen that, even in His earthly humiliation He was and is the mighty God, the everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace.  Oh come and bow before Him now, and let "the increase of His government and peace" know no end in your life!  As you think about His advent here, remember Him as "mighty God, everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace!"  Worship Him, not only as Babe in Bethlehem, but also as your God and the Lord of your life!

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Al Moak

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Quote from: tolovemoon on December 22, 2004, 08:46:58 PM



Just stopped by to say Merry Christmas!

And God Bless! Peace!

Kids are a handfull right now so I am on the run

Thanks so much for your greeting!

Hi Pat:

Guess I got on before you locked the door.   I found out how to correct my computer & hope I don't have any more trouble.   The snow is still falling.  Looks like a bad storm is coming tonight and tomorrow.  This will make it bad for people travelling out of town.  It looks great though.  I will try and take some pictures of the outside.   God bless.

Love Ruthie

Evening folks!

It has been a long cold day.  It has been snowing all day here.  I also it is snowing in Dallas or did anyway.  That is wonderful. 

Troy has been spending most his time at the pool getting ready for his next swim meet.

Zachery has been dizzy this past few days.  Not sure what is wrong with him.

Lila Mae is being her usual skunk self. hehehe

Chandraya has been practicing her writing. 


Mike is still playing Santa. hehehe..

I hope you all have a wonderful day.  I better get to bed. 
Soni

Hi Mieka!  I'm so glad you're back!

And now I must get to bed.  Tomorrow's weather is not supposed to be nice, so must get some sleep before an early start to work.

Evening folks, in another 2 minutes, (about) it will be the next day, Thursday.

Good morning, our snow doesn't look as bad as they had predicted. Hope we can go down to Atlanta today as planned.

Y'all have a good day.

Ruth Ann

Hello Everyone
Wow, we sure are getting quite a dump of snow here.  It will no doubt be a white Christmas!!  I am leaving for Guelph tomorrow night after church so hopefully the roads are all cleared by then.  Most of my kids I watch are not even here yet.  I assume everyone around here will be a little late today!  I still have some last minute shopping to do also.  Don't really want to go out at all in this weather.  I guess that's what I get for waiting until the day before Christmas Eve.
Anyway you all a very safe and happy Christmas!
Bless you all,
Carrie

ecember 23   

Trials and Pain: Happiness is Not the Goal

You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this
life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. 
--2 Timothy 2:3-4

That we are born to be happy is scarcely questioned by anyone. No
one bothers to prove that fallen men have any moral right to
happiness, or that they are in the long run any better off happy.
The only question before the house is how to get the most happiness
out of life. Almost all popular books and plays assume that personal
happiness is the legitimate end of the dramatic human struggle.

Now I submit that the whole hectic scramble after happiness is an
evil as certainly as is the scramble after money or fame or
success....

How far wrong all this is will be discovered easily by the simple
act of reading the New Testament through once with meditation. There
the emphasis is not upon happiness but upon holiness. God is more
concerned with the state of people's hearts than with the state of
their feelings. Undoubtedly the will of God brings final happiness
to those who obey, but the most important matter is not how happy we
are but how holy. The soldier does not seek to be happy in the field;
he seeks rather to get the fighting over with, to win the war and get
back home to his loved ones. There he may enjoy himself to the full;
but while the war is on his most pressing job is to be a good
soldier, to acquit himself like a man, regardless of how he feels. 
Of God and Men, pp. 48-49

"Oh Lord, redirect my focus. Help me today to be a 'good soldier of
Jesus Christ.' Amen."

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Carrie:

QuoteI am leaving for Guelph tomorrow night after church

Wishing you a safe trip!

Chris:  Interesting note on the pursuit of Happiness from your post -  We all want Happiness for our children, friends and yes - we seek it for ourselves , yet, I feel that the highest form of Happiness, for me, is when I am able to do something for someone else.  So many people think that if they buy this one thing - they will be Happier.  It is like the neighbor who goes out to buy something similar but larger and more expensive, the people who buy a scraper house (isn't that a disgusting realtor term) and build something much larger.  I am only thinking of this because of what is happening around a little lake here - apparently a regular very nice house is not enough and they buy a place, demolish the house & build a Taj Mahah in their quest for happiness. 
A very interesting post and I am going to reread it once more. 

Carol [/size]

QuoteWishing you a safe trip!

Chris:  Interesting note on the pursuit of Happiness from your post -  We all want Happiness for our children, friends and yes - we seek it for ourselves , yet, I feel that the highest form of Happiness, for me, is when I am able to do something for someone else.  So many people think that if they buy this one thing - they will be Happier.  It is like the neighbor who goes out to buy something similar but larger and more expensive, the people who buy a scraper house (isn't that a disgusting realtor term) and build something much larger.  I am only thinking of this because of what is happening around a little lake here - apparently a regular very nice house is not enough and they buy a place, demolish the house & build a Taj Mahah in their quest for happiness. 
A very interesting post and I am going to reread it once more. 

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Carol I have copied you post and enlarged it for you.

Good Morning, How nice to have two wonderful devotionals this morning. thank you Bro. al and Bro Chris.

Chris I don't thank you often enough for the nuggets of wisdom I get from your posts. Thank you my Scottish Brother.

I have finished my baking and today I will prepare the soup for tomorrows dinner. things always taste better the next day when the flavors have had the time to 'marry' together. I will post the recipes for the cake and the pie in the kitchen later.

Have a great and blessed day.

TTYL

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Greetings from cold and snowy Kansas!  I just watched the weather on TV, and it seems the entire central and eastern parts of the US, and up into Canada, are getting loads of the white stuff.  We have only about 2 inches so far, but it makes me happy that Beth's appointment was postponed and I do not have to drive her to Liberal today, because it is very icy under the snow.  Any of you who has to get out on the roads, please be very careful!

We slept in until 8 this morning!  Yes!  And it felt great, too.  Abby slept until 8:30, and now she is ready for breakfast.  She has the eggs cracked and scrambled and is calling for me to turn on the fire under the skillet!  So I will be back in a while.

Are any of you as "OFFENDED' as I about the efforts to remove Christ from Christ-mas?? 
Even to the point of not allowing Christmas trees in some schools, not saying "Merry Christmas" and not allowing Nativity sets in some places?  GRRRRRRRR!!!!!

Back later!

Janet - it's time the majority ruled in this country, is it not?  Why do we let minorities get away with so much?  Why not some (un)civil disobedience?

Quote from: Janet on December 23, 2004, 10:11:39 AM
Are any of you as "OFFENDED' as I about the efforts to remove Christ from Christ-mas?? 
Even to the point of not allowing Christmas trees in some schools, not saying "Merry Christmas" and not allowing Nativity sets in some places?  GRRRRRRRR!!!!!

I'm very disappointed by it as well, Janet, but there is one thing I always think of - A large percentage of the people who are working hard to remove Christ from Christmas are not Christians.  In one sense, what can we expect? 

It's difficult to swallow this, but once the issue is brought to a court or to a law official by an offended party, regardless of the beliefs of the court or the official, they cannot impose them on the situation.  They must apply the law, and often the law isn't friendly to the Christian beliefs.  It is not friendly to the Christian beliefs because it has been influenced strongly by non-Christians.  Legal precedents cannot be established as supporting Christianity, so most legal officials are frightened terribly of even ALLOWING Christian expression.   

The situation is HUGE, even bigger than most of us realize.  Yes, we are appropriately offended by it, but we still don't realize how serious it is.  The ONLY religious belief suffering from this bias is Christianity.  ALL other religions are accepted as being "culturally based."  Students from India can express Hinduism, Jews can observe Hannukah, Muslims can observe Ramadan, but Christians cannot express themselves about Christianity.  Believe me when I say that this is indeed an affirmation that Christianity is the ONLY TRUE way to God.  Why do I say that?  Well, Satan has obviously attacked it, while leaving the others alone, so isn't that a logical conclusion, since Satan doesn't fight himself?

Yes, Janet, I'm with you.  I'm offended, but my offense is more sadness.  The sadness is that the Christian church in America has become so regressive that we are really a minority.  It is also that we've not been able to effectively evangelize our coutnry to keep it focused on God.  While I don't BLAME any particular person, I think it is so sad that Satan has so effectively crippled Christianity with division, doctrine, and spiritual apathy that we are no longer effective evangelists for Christ.  The battle is for the souls of men, but Satan has deceived us into believing that the enemy is those with whom we disagree.  He has left us with the lie that it is up to US to whip our country into shape based on the supposed morals and beliefs of the founding fathers.  He has left us with the lie that praying specifically for the salvation of our leaders is hopeless.  He has left us with the lie that prayer really doesn't work.  He is now scaring us into silence.  He has convinced us that a nativity scene is really the issue.  He has made us believe that we will be safe if we can fight off men marrying men.  (I'm avoiding a particular term to hopefully protect us from bad Google ads). 

We, as Christians, are in the same boat as a doctor treating symptoms.  We fight here, we fight there.  But somehow, there's a core problem.  The core problem, in my opinion, is that American citizens, as a whole, do not have a personal relationship with God.  Whether it's from atheism or from lack of devotion, that's the core problem.  Until we focus our hearts on God and on Jesus Christ, we will only be fighting outbreaks of sin.  Will we ever defeat sin?  I, personally, have not even defeated it in my own life, so I'm pretty sure I can't keep a ghetto gangster in LA from sinning.  BUT, Jesus has defeated it.  He fights with me.  The only hope for the ghetto gangster is for Jesus Christ to be in his heart and pull him out of a life of sin.  Sure, I can be an instrument, and I should be, but I can't do it myself. 

Pray.  Before all else fails, pray.  When all else fails, pray.  After all else fails, pray. 

WOW, Nards!  You have certainly hit the nail square on the head!  Yes, I, too, feel a deep sadness over the situation.  And Al, I make my protest known in my own small way by giving a lot more "Merry Christmas!" greetings, and a lot more "God bless yous" for small kindnesses and courtesies extended me or ones in my company.

But I agree that this is a spiritual battle, and will only be won in prayer and witnessing.  Our time is short, we must be about the Master's business.  If we want our children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren to grow up in a FREE America, the America we know and love, we cannot be silent; we cannot fail to act in whatever way available to us.

Al, I appreciate the words in your devotional this morning, thank you.

And now------I must go make some pie crusts! 

I have been working on Thailand photos, have a big batch ready to upload and post after Christmas when maybe some of you will have time to look at them.  Thanks, Al, for looking at the last ones!

It bugs me that Christ is being taken not only out of Christmas, but out of everything, but I try not to let it eat at me.  Seems like things will be coming to an end real soon. 

It is soooooo cold outside.  -7 degrees!  BRRRRRSSS...

I have a photo shoot at 2:00 today.  A 5 month old and the parents.

I'll be back later.

Good morning!!!  I am in for the duration.  Above is what happened around here while I was sleeping.  The snowplows have been through on my road but my driveway is packed with about 2-3 feet of snow.  Glad I don't have any place I have to be today except inside!!!

This is what I saw when I opened the inside door this morning.  The storm door was frosted over.



It is pretty, isn't it?

Quote from: Pat Scott on December 22, 2004, 02:04:19 PM


Click on the Quote button, Etta Sue just at the top of the person's post that you want to quote.

And if the quote that appears in the posting box is longer that you wanted to quote, just delete what you don't want but make sure that the codes are still there that the software puts in.


I find that the quote text is so small so I click on the Font Size button and it puts in size 10pt and I can read that better in the text that is being quoted.

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As soon as I read the above.....well, I remember that but I had forgotten.  I have done that but it went over the top of my head at that time.  (This stuff of getting old is getting scary!)

It is bright and sunny here....only 16°F and not to get much higher today.  BUT it is suppose to get very windy this afternoon which means all the roads will have to be cleared again.  Right now that isn't a problem.  All those guys running the snowplows are like kids with a new toy.  Come February and March is when you wait for your road to be plowed out.   

»ïÏï«,¸¸,»ïÏï«,¸¸,»ïÏï«,¸¸,»ïÏï«,¸¸,»ïÏï«,¸¸,»ïÏï«,¸¸,»ïÏï«,¸¸,»ïÏï«,¸¸,»ïÏï«
'Christmas Love:  He came to pay a debt He didn't owe because we owed a debt we couldn't pay."

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I don't mean it as mere flattery, but I hope, bro. Nards, that you know how greatly I esteem you and the wisdom our God has given you.  However, as you can well imagine, that will not result in my agreement with you on everything! 

Have you ever recited the pledge of allegiance?  Did you mean what you said?  If so, then you thereby pledged yourself in allegiance to the nation created by the Constitution.  You did so, as you do everything in life, before God, and He is therefore witness to your allegiance to the nation (including its flag, its laws, its territorial integrity, etc., etc.) He's given you.  If you were drafted, you would report, and you would fight at the behest of your nation.  Not only so, but allegiance to what this nation stands for must include the constitutional declaration of a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people."  The inclusion of each of us in the phrase "by the people" may not be questioned by those who meaningfully recite the pledge, and we are therefore included in the ranks of those who ought to defend the rest of that document, as well as all those lesser laws that have devolved from it.  That defense, in order to be Christian, obviously needs to be peaceful as far as possible.  But it also needs to be deliberate and emphatic.  I believe this includes both civil and uncivil disobedience in the face of unconstitutional incursions against the rights of citizens.  I believe that when anyone requires us to avoid prayer in public places, we ought to nevertheless pray.  I believe that when it is required that a plaque containing the Ten Commandments be removed that we should take arms and prevent its removal.  I believe that it's time for Christians who have meaningfully recited the pledge to defend the constitution and all it stands for.  I don't believe that all its defense depends upon me, but I do believe that my allegiance, before God as my witness, must be real, and that it must be active, whatever sacrifice that may entail.

Janet and Al I am even offended when I see someone write XMAS on a card. I saw that on the news about using Seasons Greeting or Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas. That and taking all religious holidays out. Not just the Christian views but even taking Channakah, Kwanza and Ramadan holidays out too since they all celebrate God in some way.

Al, if you are still online, you should leave your Yahoo Chat on and I could talk to you.  LOL

I never turn mine off and on.

Hi everyone.  Just back from Calvin Cove.  The director asked that I come at 11 and we sang until about noon.  They were having a pot luck luncheon with the families of the adult day-care attendees.  This gave them time to get ready for the lunch.  There must have been at least 40 people present including some small grandchildren.  This will be the last day for Calvin Cove until after the new year.

We had a call from our grandson this morning.  He had returned from basic and advanced training of 22 weeks for the National Guard just last Saturday.  He told us that his unit has been called up to go to Iraq and he will be leaving on January 3rd.  They will first have more training and then be shipped to Iraq.  He will get to spend about 2 weeks with his wife and the new baby.  We are planning on seeing him next week and seeing the new great grandson. 

Janet, Nards, and Al, I basically agree with what you have said.  Just a few minutes ago I was watching Fox News as I ate a sandwich and the upcoming report was on the attacks on Christians all over the world.  They said things are worse in other places, especially Europe now.  I never thought I would see the day when Christ would be deliberately removed from Christmas.  I was shocked a few days ago when I went to purchase some Christmas cards at how difficult it was to find a card that even had the word Christmas on it, much less a religious theme.  I refused to purchase any that didn't say Christmas.  I also think that Sonja is on target and that we are definitely living in the last days. 

Etta Sue, Tbear (and you others with the snow)  BRRRR!!  We have a cold wind and had heavy rain all night but are not predicted to have any snow.  It is suppose to get a lot colder.  It looks like it will be a white Christmas over a lot of North America.

Janet, glad you didn't have to go to Liberal today.  I know that Abby will be keeping you busy and your heart joyful.

Marilyn, are you having your Christmas family time on Christmas Eve?  That used to be our family tradition as my sister and brother-in-law would then have Christmas on Christmas Day with his family.  Now we are pretty flexible and with no little ones to bring that special anticipation we are more laid back.  We will have our family time late Christmas afternoon.

Think I feel a nap coming on.  Hope everyone stays nice and warm today.

Marilyn, I have to disagree with you when you say that Ramadan celebrates God.  It does not, rather it celebrates something about Allah, who is NOT God.  IMHO, of course. 

Abby and I just made five pie crusts.  That took a little longer because of her help.   You don't think about how many steps are needed in doing something like that, until you are teaching someone else how to do it.  We didn't make too big a mess, and now it's all cleaned up.

Mom called and said they are having a Christmas party at the care home at 3:00 and she wants Abby there because she has a gift for her.  So I must hurry and get some mats cut, feed Abby some lunch, go find a gift for Great-Grandma for Abby to give her, buy some little frames at Alco..........and all before 3!  So I'd best get after it!

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Good morning from our soggy little island.  I am stopping in to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and hope that all stay safe and well during the holidays.

Yes, it is sad that Jesus has been forgotten and been replaced by a mindless celebration of glitter and gifts.  I wrote this little poem many years ago and believe also posted it here.  Think it is still very much part of the current happenings:

                                       CELEBRATION

                         How strange that people put on such a show
                         To celebrate the birth os someone they
                            don't know.
                         The stores are gaily decked and manger scenes
                          Displayed, by folks who scoff at Christ, yet
                            celebrate His day;
                          Does a potent, mystical power, permeate the
                          Christmas air, filling the hearts of mankind
                            with an urgent need to share?
                          Will God touch the world in this season
                          Of joyless mirth, that all might seek
                             the reason for this humble birth.
                           HE WALKS AMOUNG US STILL ...

                                                -Liz


Merry Christmas to all and always remember, God is very much in control.

Liz






                 






             

Janet I added Ramadan because Allah IS God to the Muslims so it does have something to do with a religion.

Al - thanks for the kind preface to your statements

I honestly think I agree with what you are saying 100%.  That said, this cold has made my mind a little muddy and I might be missing your point entirely!!

I think we're just kind of looking at the same telephone pole from two slightly different angles and seeing two different "yard sale" signs, to be honest.  I think you are on target that we need to be vocal, visible, and very much so.  My point is that being vocal and visible without being in a good relationship with God or without praying specifically for the salvation of the people we "struggle against", we are only doing a small portion of what I personally believe Christ wants.  

Many people would stand in a picket line at an abortion clinic and never pray for the doctor inside.  There are probably those who would pray for harm to come to him.  Personally, I don't see that as Christlike.  I don't mean that as hurtful, I just believe that we should strive to be "above" the "man against man" conflict that such an attitude can bring.  

I support the 10 commandments in public places, but I don't support the attitude that they are "cultural" and "historical" and thus they should stay.  I believe they should stay because I believe that our laws should be based on God's laws.  I don't think we should make some concession and convisnce ourselves that they are not connected to God.  If we prayed for and witnessed to the atheists who want them taken down, the demands would (at least in theory) not be there for them to be taken down.  

As Christians, I believe we've fallen into a trap of trying to preserve Christianity for its historical and cultural value rather than its true message of salvation.  Thus, we've started fighting the enemy on our own, rather than letting the "battle be the Lord's".  We are indeed soldiers, and we need to fight, but we don't need to take it upon our own selves to fight the battle without properly allowing God to do what God needs to do.  

I'm all for taking a stand.  Let's take it, and let's take it publicly.  I just think we also need to make sure we are taking it in the true spirit of Jesus.  

Any less confusing?  

Marilyn, just one more comment.  I guess I don't understand what you're saying at all; because I have seen NO evidence whatsoever of any other religion than Christianity being under attack!  No, it is all right to display the symbols of any other religion openly and that is protected.  Satan is only out to destroy all evidence of this country having been founded upon God's Word.  If you have seen or read of any Muslims having any of their freedoms curtailed (or any of the others you mentioned) I would be interested in hearing about it.  Satan isn't concerned about them because they pose no threat to his kingdom, only Christ and His followers are a threat to him.  And all of this is said in Christian love.

Abby and I went to the care home for the party.  At the end, the lady who was playing the guitar and singing asked the kids to come up and help her, and Abby and two or three others did.  They sang "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."  Cute!  Santa came in and gave each resident a gift.  Mom's was lotion and powder.

Beth made it through her MRI okay today.  She and John are staying in and watching Christmas movies now.  It is snowing again and the streets in town are treacherous!