Who Can Be Against Us?

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called His name Jesus.”

~Matthew 1:23-25

The chorus of the song, “God With Us” by Jesus Culture says:

“God with us, God for us
Nothing can come against
No one can stand between us
God with us, God for us
Nothing can come against
No one can stand between us…”

When Christ was coming into this world, few people knew about it. There was no announcement on the internet, no front-page news announcing the King is here, and no TV crews camped outside the stable awaiting the proud mom and dad to appear at the door holding their baby. In fact, aside from Mary and Joseph, and a few family members, no one even knew Mary was expecting, and it wasn’t until after Jesus’ birth that the shepherds followed the star, and it was two years later that the magi came from the east. To say this birth was kept under wraps is an understatement. But all of Heaven knew. The angels sang, and the trumpets sounded, and I imagine the birth of God Himself in the flesh was a celebration second to none in the heavenly realms. God came to earth to save His creation, to walk as we walk, to talk as we talk and to live as we live. What a glorious event!

As Christmas draws closer, I am reminded of what an event it was for Christ to leave Heaven and become a vulnerable human, subject to cold, hunger, pain and death. Who is this King of Glory who would give up so much for the very few who follow Him faithfully? Only Jesus, and I am so grateful He did. No matter what happens, I can also sing, “God with us, God for us, nothing can come against, no one can stand between us.”

^“For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:29-31)?”

Read Revelation 13

© 2018 Marie McGaha

Dubious Beginnings

“But when the right time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent Him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that He could adopt us as His very own children.”

~Galatians 4:4-5

There is a reason for everything—even when it’s not obvious to us. When Christ was born, it wasn’t obvious to the world that the Savior had been born. Only His parents knew He was the Son of God, and later, a few shepherds and some wise men were given the revelation that the prophecies of Israel’s Savior had been fulfilled. Christ’s dubious beginnings had nothing to do with His purpose or who He was, even though there were those who never forgot He was a Nazarene and the son of carpenter (John 1:46; Mark 6:3). There were those who scoffed at the idea Jesus was the Christ, the Savior they had been waiting for, because He didn’t arrive in an obvious manor, and didn’t look like what they thought a Savior should. In a few days, the world will celebrate Christmas but not all will celebrate Christ because He still doesn’t look like the Savior they want. But for those who recognize Him for who He is, those who know the reason for His birth, this is truly a time to celebrate and share His love with others.

“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:3-7).”

Read Revelation 12

© 2018 Marie McGaha

Personalize It

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  For by Him all things were created, in Heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent. For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in Heaven, making peace by the blood of His Cross.”

~Colossians 1:15-20

As we get closer to Christmas, the day we celebrate God Himself coming to earth in the form of a baby named Jesus Christ, it is even more miraculous to me that He would subject Himself to such a lowly life because He loved me! Thinking of what Jesus did in a personalized way can help us to understand the fullness of God’s love for mankind. Sometimes, reading the Bible can become something we do but not something we understand in a personal way, but when we read the Bible and insert our own names into the verses, it comes alive. One example is John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son… When we replace the word ‘world’ with our name, it becomes a personal testimony. “For God so loved Marie, He gave His only begotten Son…” Or “Because God loved me so much, Jesus Christ died so I can live with Him forever…” When you personalize verses from the Bible, they begin to take root in our hearts and become real to us.

“Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation (Romans 5:9-11).”

We can personalize this verse by changing the pronouns:

“I have been justified by His blood, and I have been saved by Him from the wrath of God. While I was still an enemy of God, I was reconciled to Him by the death of Christ, and I am saved by His life. More than that, I rejoice in God through my Lord Jesus Christ, and through Him I have now received reconciliation.” When we look at verses in a personal way, we begin to understand what a love story the Bible is, and the verses become a prayer from that touches the heart of God.

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate (me) from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39).”

Read Revelation 10-11

Focus on Jesus

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.”

~Micah 5:2

I’ve noticed on Facebook recently there have been a number of posts about saying Merry Christmas instead of happy holidays or season’s greetings. Apparently, Merry Christmas has become offensive to some, although I’m not sure why. Personally, I’ve always said Merry Christmas and always will, but I still wonder why people who don’t believe in Christ bother to celebrate Christmas at all. The word Christmas is a conjunction of two words – Christ and Mass, or a Mass in honor of the Christ. There are two beliefs where the date of Christmas came from. The first is that the pagan’s celebrated Yule, which was illegal, so the church decided to Christianize the holiday by making it Christ’s birthday. The other is that a popular holiday in the Roman Empire, dies solis invicti nati (“day of the birth of the unconquered sun”) was celebrated on December 25, and the Christianizing of that holiday related “sun” and “Son” and therefore, Christmas was born. Widespread celebration of Christmas did not occur until the late 9^th century when churches held candlelight services at midnight on the 24^th by reading verses and praying. This was the beginning of the service Catholic churches call ‘midnight Mass.’ Protestant churches adopted a similar service but held it at dawn on the 25^th, and many churches continue to have “Sunrise Services.” Whatever the actual origins of celebrating December 25^th as Christ’s birthday, it is still the day we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. So however you choose to celebrate, wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and remember, God loves you!

“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So, we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him (1 John 4:14-16).” 

Read Revelation 9

©2018 Marie McGaha

The Ultimate Verb

“For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and of peace

there will be no end, on the throne of David and over His kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”

~Isaiah 9:6-7

There are more than 400 prophecies in the Bible that foretell of Christ’s birth, telling us who He is and what He will do. God didn’t keep it a secret; He wanted all of Israel to know that He was sending a Savior, and after Christ was born, His life was recorded for all of us to know who He is and what His plans for us are. God kept nothing from us, nothing hidden, so that each of us would fully understand the scope of His love for us. And as we get closer to the day we celebrate Christ’s birth, it fills my heart even more to know what Christ gave up to live among us here on planet earth so that we can live for Him.

It can be difficult for a hurting world to understand that scope of love. After all, how do we recognize love when we’ve never seen it in such magnitude? But as Christians, that is our task every day—to show the love of Christ to others in real and practical ways. Love is the ultimate verb—and covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). So, as we draw nearer the day of celebrating the ultimate act of love, when pure love came down from Heaven, remember the sins Christ’s love covered for you and pass that same love on to another.

“So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and 

grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:17-19).”

Read Revelation 7

© 2018 Marie McGaha

This Smells Funny

“And the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of his father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.’”

~ Luke 1:30-33

There are many instances throughout the Bible that foretell the birth of Jesus Christ through God’s prophets, but this verse is just a little different. Not only is it foretelling Christ’s birth, but it’s an imminent announcement directly from Heaven to the woman who would make it possible. Mary must have been in shock—she was a virgin, engaged to be married, and now she has to tell her fiancé she is expecting a baby conceived by the Holy Spirit—no wonder Joseph needed his own visit from an angel to deal! Looking at this event from a world view, I understand why people scoff and think it couldn’t possibly be true. Human cynicism just isn’t geared toward believing the impossible. We live believing in what we can see, hear, taste, touch, and smell—and to our purely human minds, this smells funny. But as Christians, our five senses aren’t what gets us through life, it’s our sixth sense, the Spirit of God living in us, that tells us God’s Word is true. And it is these truths that we are to share with others, even if they scoff.

“For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual (1 Corinthians 2:11-13).”

Read Revelation 6

©2018 Marie McGaha

Believing Is Not Seeing

“Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”

~Isaiah 7:14

There is something magical about Christmastime; the crisp, cold air, snow, bright lights, festive decorations, and people just seem a bit more cheerful. But that sheen disappears after New Year’s and life is back to its normal pace, except for those who know that  our Savior’s birth is something to celebrate every day of the year.

Although Isaiah lived about 700 years before the birth of Christ, he had no doubt that God would fulfill His word and bring a Savior to Israel. Isaiah knew God was faithful and would do what He said He would do. His faith was steadfast and throughout the Book of Isaiah, he spoke of the Christ’s birth several times. What kind of faith must Isaiah have had to believe in a Savior that would not come into the world for centuries to come, and hold fast to that faith throughout his entire lifetime? It’s the same faith we must have to believe in a Savior that was born more than 2,000 years ago and is still saving people today.

“Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see My hands; put out your hand and place it in My side. Do not disbelieve but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed (John 20:27-29).”

Read Revelation 5

 ©2018 Marie McGaha

The Hands & Feet of Jesus

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

~John 1:1-5

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).” The Bible goes on to tell that the world was dark, void, and without form, covered in water but then a magnificent thing happened, God spoke. And when He did, the world took shape and became a place perfect for human life. The Old Testament goes on to tell us how that all happened, and then becomes a rich history of mankind and our relationship with God, all leading up to the most magnificent thing of all, the birth of Jesus Christ. Everything from Genesis to Matthew was leading up to the One who would be responsible for the salvation of us all because no matter what mankind was given, we just aren’t capable of saving ourselves. Sacrifices didn’t do it, works didn’t do it, being good didn’t do it, only the perfect sacrifice of all could cover the sins of billions and make room for us in Heaven. And when Jesus chose to leave Heaven behind, to be born into a world that would hate Him, (and not just in His own day but in all the centuries to come), to reach out to the lost, lonely, desperate generations of people crying out for something, anything at all, He made the greatest gesture of love ever known—and was born to a life none of us can even imagine. He lived only thirty-three years, yet His legacy of love and salvation has survived for more than 2,000 years.

This Christmas share the love of Jesus Christ and the message of salvation in whatever way you’re able because the world still hurts and we are still called to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they existed and were created.”

~Revelation 4:11

Read Revelation 4

©2018 Marie McGaha

Proclaim The Good News

“Sing to the Lord, all the earth; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.”

~1 Chronicles 16:23-24

There is no better day to praise the Lord and declare the good news of salvation than today! Each day is a great day to declare the glory of the Lord and sing His praises but as we go into this holiday season of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, we have the opportunity to tell even more people about what He has done in our lives. It seems impossible to me in this day and age there are still those who don’t know the goodness of the Lord. They are going through this holiday season stressed out, harried and hurried, as they attend parties, buy gifts and try to please everyone on their Christmas list while going further in debt to do so.

Years ago, when I still had children at home, one of my older sons brought his friend to our church’s Christmas service. About half way through, the friend asked if he could speak to me privately, so we went to a classroom. After a long moment, he said, “So, you believe some girl thousands of years ago became pregnant by a Spirit, had a baby, and that baby decides where you go when you die?” I couldn’t help but chuckle. After talking with him for a while, I found that he had never been to church, had no idea what the Bible was, who Christ was, or why we celebrated Christmas at all. His mother was a Wiccan, had raised him in her beliefs, and to him, Christmas was just some random holiday with a fat man in a red suit who brought kids presents. I asked him if he had seen nativity exhibits and what he thought they were—his mother told him they were a symbol of a fairy tale that weak people depended on, like the Cross, and churches. I had the opportunity to explain the Bible, Jesus Christ, and the importance of the Cross to a young man who had never heard the Word of God. I had the opportunity to proclaim the good news of His salvation and that boy accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. 

Christmas is the perfect opportunity to tell a hurting world what Christ can do for them.

“For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is also to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the Lord made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before Him; Strength and gladness are in His place (1 Chronicles 16:25-27).”

Read Revelation 3

© 2018 Marie McGaha

Tis The Season

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.  And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”  So, you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”

~Galatians 4:4-7

As we go into the Christmas season there are many reasons I feel excited. First, the weather. I love the snow. I love going up to our local ski and tubing spot with my grandkids and spending the day on the slopes. My husband and I also take our dogs up the mountain and let them run. They also love the snow and love sniffing out snowshoe hares. Winter is my favorite season with crackling fires, spiced cider, and hot soup. It’s also the time of year when I reflect on the most important event in history, the birth of Christ, which occurred against almost impossible odds, for one simple purpose—God loves us so much, He came to earth as a man, born to a simple woman to be raised by a carpenter.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him (John 3:16-17).”

Jesus Christ gave up Heaven to live as a man amongst us, to come into the world in the usual way, live a life with no frills, and offer Himself up as the ultimate sacrifice to offer you and me the chance to spend eternity in Heaven with Him. His ultimate sacrifice is offered to us for no other reason than His great love for us. So, as we go into December and celebrate this season with trees, lights, and grand decorations, giving gifts to one another, and eating and drinking our fill, let’s contemplate the true reason for this season. We are celebrating the birth of our Savior, who gave up the glory of Heaven so that we might have everlasting life.

“And this is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent (John 17:3).”

Read Revelation 1-2

© 2018 Marie McGaha

Happy Hanukah

“At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around Him and said to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 

~John 10:22-24

The Hebrew word Chanukah means ‘dedication’ and came about in the second century when the Jewish people living in Israel were subject to Greco-Assyrian influence and revolted. Determined to stay true to God and not adopt the custom of worshipping idols like the invaders, they drove the Greco-Assyrian government out and recaptured the second temple. They cleansed the temple and rededicated it to the God of Israel. They lit the Menorah, and although there was only enough oil for one day, it miraculously burned for eight days, which is why Hanukkah is also called The Festival of Lights.

This year, Hanukkah commences on the evening of December 2, 2018 by lighting one candle of the Menorah, then, each consecutive night, another candle is lit, ending on December 10, 2018, when the last of the eight candles are lit. Prior to the lighting of the candle, special blessings are said, and songs are sung afterward. Jews recite the special Hallel prayer daily, and add V'Al HaNissim (an addition to the Amidah and Birkat Hamazon on Hanukkah and Purim) to their daily prayers and in the Grace After Meals, to offer praise and thanksgiving to God for “delivering the strong into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few and the wicked into the hands of the righteous.” It is also tradition to eat foods fried in oil such as latkes (a type of fried pancake made from potatoes, vegetables or fruit) or sufganiyot (a fried jelly-filled donut).

Jewish traditions are a part of who we are as Christians, and how we became a part of God’s family. I hope you will learn more about our Jewish ancestry and celebrate this wonderful season of Hanukah.

Blessing For Hanukah

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, she’asah nisim la’avoteinu, bayamim haheim baziman hazeh.

Praised are you, God, Spirit of the Universe, who performed miracles for our ancestors in their day at this season.

Read Jude

© 2018 Marie McGaha

Pride of Life

“Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”

~Matthew 11:28-30

Life can become a burden that weighs us down with worry and stress as we try to take care of everything that needs taking care of, but that’s not how the Lord would have us go through life. We carry our burdens like badges of honor, whether it’s our physical ailments, having to care for others, lack of money to pay bills, or whatever it may be. We choose to allow those things to weigh us down rather than choosing to cast our burdens on the Lord and rest in Him.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:6-7).”

Choosing to carry our burdens comes out of pride. It’s as simple as that. We think carrying our burdens, wearing them for the world to see, talking about how they weigh us down shows how strong we are, how we endure, and what a selfless life we live but it doesn’t. It is nothing more than the pride of life that leads to arrogance, ostentation, pride in self, presumption, and boasting. It is a negative part of who we are as humans and it is in total opposition to God. Carrying those burdens is what people who don’t know the Lord does; as Christians, we are to follow Christ’s example and there is no place in the Bible where Jesus chewed His fingernails worrying about what the day would bring. Humble yourselves and cast your cares on the Lord. You cannot go with God if you keep allowing the world to drag you down.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:4-7).”

Read 3 John

©2018 Marie McGaha

Chasing The Wind

“Yet when I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended to accomplish it, behold, it all was futile and chasing after the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun.”

~Ecclesiastes 2:11

Solomon was the richest king to have lived, not only that, he was upright before the Lord and had great wisdom. But when it came to the end of his life, he knew that everything he had on earth, everything he had done, was “futile” and useless as “chasing the wind.” I think we all want to leave something behind so that we will be remembered, and there’s nothing wrong with leaving an inheritance for our children, in fact, it’s biblical (Proverbs 13:22). While it might be nice to leave an inheritance such as a life insurance policy, the family business or a home, our legacy should be something far more important than monetary value.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in or steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matthew 6:19-21).”

What we pursue, whether good or bad, our children learn what is most important to us. When we pursue the things of the Lord, like righteousness, love, peace, and virtue, they learn those things as well, and even if they stray at some point in their lives, those things remain as their foundation and they will return to them (Proverbs 22:6). The things we leave behind for our children may be a nice for them to have, but the legacy of faith, hope and love in Jesus Christ is the most important.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any virtue and if there is anything worthy of praise—dwell on these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—put these things into practice, and the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:8-9).”

Read 2 John

©2018 Marie McGaha

Doing Good

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.  So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

~Galatians 6:9-10

This time of year, there is a huge push for cash donations, and often, those who are unable to give, can feel as if they aren’t helping others. However, there are others way to do good that doesn’t involve donations. Each of us has the opportunity to do good no matter where we live or what is going on in our lives. Doing good is something that has a direct effect on the lives of others and does not necessarily involve donating money or time to a charitable cause. Doing good for others can be as close as your next-door neighbor who needs a ride to the store, or a babysitter for a doctor appointment. Doing good can be as simple as listening to someone who is having a rough time, taking a meal to someone who has been ill, or helping an elderly neighbor rake leaves or shovel snow. There are many opportunities and practical ways to do good every single day that shows the love of Christ in our lives.

“Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you (Luke 6:38).”

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “You can’t out give God.” It’s absolutely true. God has given us so very much, but His giving continues in everything we do. When we give, God gives more to us, and it becomes a lovely continuous circle of giving and receiving. When we accept Christ, He pours His love into us, and we then pour out that love on others, and as we do, He pours more into us! It’s like a fountain that continues to circulate and pour forth and allows us to continue to give to others and do more and more good. So, as we go into this season of giving, remember that you have so much to give, so many ways to bless others and show the love of Christ in real, helpful ways.

“But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing (James 1:25).”

Read 1 John

©2018 Marie McGaha

Change Someone's Life

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

~Matthew 5:14-16

The above verse from the Sermon on the Mount is to all believers both then and now. We are to be a light that shines the glory of what Christ has done for us to the rest of the world. Our light is the love of Christ within us. It is there to draw others to us so we can share the joy of the Lord and tell them the Good News of Jesus Christ. We live in a world that is quite literally going to hell—a world without love, hope, or help. But as followers of Jesus, we have love, hope, joy, and peace—all the things this world longs for and can’t seem to hold on to for more than a few seconds at a time.

“Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life’ (John 8:12).” 

The world around us is darkness, but in Christ, we have light. His light brings us peace and life free of the worries of this world. We don’t have to fear the future because ours is secure in Him. His light frees us from fear and worry of what might happen because our peace and security lie within the light of His glory. And once we are filled with the glory of Christ, we can’t help but shine like a beacon in the night. That light attracts others and gives us the opportunity to share what Christ has done for us. In a hurting world, you can be the light that changes someone’s life.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1).”

Read 2 Peter 1-3

©2018 Marie McGaha

Everlasting Life

“I will give to the Lord the thanks due to His righteousness, and I will sing praise to the Name of the Lord, the Most High.”

~Psalm 7:17

Whether we live in a mansion or apartment, city or country, have everything we could dream of, or just dream of everything we could someday have, we all have a reason to give thanks to the Lord and sing His praises. While we all have “stuff” that we are thankful for, it should not be the main reason why we give thanks or sing praises to the Lord. Our “stuff” is meaningless in the long run and will all be left here when we leave this planet. Like the psalmist, our thanks and praise is for the Lord alone, for who He is, because of His righteousness.

“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of Heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything (Acts 17:24-25).” 

The Lord is worthy of our praise and thanksgiving for no other reason than who He is, but each of us have many reasons for being thankful—salvation and everlasting life being at the top of the list. That alone is worthy of our gratitude, but He does so much more for us. As you get ready for Thanksgiving, look around at the family coming to visit, the food being prepared, the people who are working so hard to prepare that food, the home that keeps you warm, and give thanks for those things. But as you bow your head, remember what the Lord has done, His sacrifice for our salvation and the love He has given each of us by bringing us from where we were in the darkness into His marvelous light.

“You turned my mourning into dancing. You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.  So my soul will sing to You and not be silent. Oh Lord my God, I will praise You forever (Psalm 30:12-13).”

Read 1 Peter 3-5

© 2018 Marie McGaha

No Matter What

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

~1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I call these verses God’s marching orders for each of us. The will of God in Christ is for us to rejoice, pray and give thanks always and without ceasing. How many of us actually do that? From the shape of things, not many, at least not always and without ceasing. We tend to look at our circumstances and pray when we need God to lend a hand. We tend to rejoice and give thanks when God answers that prayer or handles that need. But that isn’t the way God wants us to do things. He wants us to look to Him and not our circumstances. He wants us to rejoice in every situation, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in every circumstance, which includes those we’d rather not be in.

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving (Colossians 2:6-7).”

When we accept Christ as our Savior, we are given an unimaginable gift of everlasting life, eternal and full of glory. As we live our lives rooted in Christ, that is, to accept the fullness of the Word of God and practice it in our daily lives, we become rooted in what Jesus teaches. From that we abound in thanksgiving that flows from our hearts onto everything else in our lives. So we can be thankful in every situation knowing that our present circumstances are of no real concern. We are subject to life’s ups and downs, just like everyone else but because of who we are in Christ Jesus, we can rejoice in all things, pray without ceasing, and give thanks no matter what our circumstances look like.

“Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:17-21).”

Read 1 Peter 1-2

© 2018 Marie McGaha

Give Thanks

“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence with singing! Know that the Lord, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name! For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.”

~Psalm 100

In 1621 the Pilgrims and Wampanoa Indians held the first feast that our modern-day Thanksgiving is drawn from. The Pilgrims gave thanks in prayer as part of their religious service on a daily basis, but it wasn’t until that first harvest and abundance of food that the first feast was held. Our Thanksgiving Day has evolved over the years, and we don’t necessarily celebrate Thanksgiving for the same reasons the Pilgrims did. Most of us don’t have to till the land for food, or hope we kill an animal so our kids don’t starve—we go to the grocery store where food is abundant. Most of us celebrate Thanksgiving because it’s what we do every year, and we don’t give much thought to why or for what we have to be thankful for.

“Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love, for His wondrous works to the children of man! For He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul He fills with good things (Psalm 107:8-9).”

We live in one of the most prosperous times in history in one of the most prosperous countries, but as Christians, we have much more to be thankful for than material belongings. We still must be thankful for the home we have, the job, car, and all of the things the world puts so much value on but being thankful for our place in Christ is the most valuable part of our who we are. Holding on to our faith, salvation, and our love for the Lord must always be more important than anything else in our lives. And what Christ did for us on the Cross at Calvary is not just worthy of our thanks on a certain day of the year, He is worthy of our praise and thanksgiving every single day of the year.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for His steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for His steadfast love endures forever; to Him who alone does great wonders, for His steadfast love endures forever; to Him who by understanding made the heavens, for His steadfast love endures forever; to Him who spread out the earth above the waters, for His steadfast love endures forever; to Him who made the great lights, for His steadfast love endures forever; the sun to rule over the day, for His steadfast love endures forever; the moon and stars to rule over the night, for His steadfast love endures forever (Psalm 136:1-9).”

Read James 1-4

©2018 Marie McGaha

Be Determined

“For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.”

~Romans 7: 22-25

There is a legend attributed to one of the Indian tribes that says every man has two wolves inside him. One is good and the other, evil. A young man asked the wise old man how to know which one was the strongest, and the wise old man answered, “The one you feed the most.” The same is true if we apply the story biblically. We have two natures, one that strives to do good, and the other that wants to slap the skin off someone’s face if they look at us sideways. Our old nature feeds the sin that dwells within us, and even when we are saved by accepting Christ as our Savior, that old nature can haunt us. Like Paul, our minds might determine to serve the Lord, but we still battle our fleshly desires.

“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness (Romans 6:12-13).”

Just as we are what we eat, we are spiritually what we practice, and if we aren’t practicing righteousness, we are practicing unrighteousness. Practicing righteousness is more than reading a few chapters of the Bible, a devotion, and offering up a quick prayer in the morning. Practicing righteousness is something we do all day long in everything we say and everything we do. Like eating food, what we put into our bodies determines how healthy we are. Eat junk food and sugar all day and your body is going to reflect that. Put junk into your mind and you’re going to reflect that in what you do and say. What you read, the music you listen to, and the TV shows you watch have an impact on your mind. The people you hang with do too. The jokes they tell, the conversations they have, the things they do, also have an effect.

Practicing righteousness does not come naturally, it is something we decide to do. We set our minds on things above (Colossians 3:2-17) and determine to practice those things which bring life—compassion, kindness, humility, and patience.

“For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:20-23).”

Read Hebrews 10-13

© 2018 Marie McGaha

Wallowing With The Pigs

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will.”

~Ephesians 1:3-5

Do you consider yourself “chosen” by God? It’s an overwhelming idea that the God of all Creation would look down at the billions of people on earth and choose me! But that’s what He did for each of us who follow Christ. The Lord of All hand picks each one of us no matter what our circumstances may be. No matter what kind of trouble we’ve been into, what sins we’ve committed, or what kind of blubbering mess we appear to be—we were hand-picked by the Lord. For me, that’s an awesome, awe-inspiring revelation.

“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony (Colossians 3:12-14).”

We are all chosen to be part of God’s grand plan, however, we still have a choice just like Adam and Eve in the Garden. God gave us free will because He wants us to give ourselves freely to Him, to His plan, and above all, to love Him in return. God loves us in our worst moments but it’s only in our best moments that we love Him. Once we accept that Christ is the only answer for our lives, we return God’s love, but it doesn’t end there. He expects us to not only love Him, but to love others—and not just other Christians. No, God expects us to love others in their worst moments, the way He loves us. It’s easy to love someone who loves us, but loving the unlovable, those still living in their sins, wallowing in the filth of this world—it gets a little more difficult.

I am reminded of the prodigal son who spent his inheritance on gambling, drinking, and wild living and then wound up wallowing with the pigs trying to feed himself on their slop. No matter what kind of life we’ve lived, until we accept Christ as our Savior, we are all wallowing with the pigs. Not one of us is better than another, the difference is, like the prodigal son, we came to our senses and took the hand Christ offers. It is then up to us to offer a hand to others. Love one another!

“And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate (Luke 15:21-24).”

Read Hebrews 7-9

©2018 Marie McGaha