Good morning,
It is a common sentiment in our world today that “Christmas has no meaning” because “I just can’t get into the spirit” and “it’s all so commercialized anyway”. Have you ever wondered why that was? As for commercializing Christmas, it has been going on since about 1840. If families could make Christmas special through the lean years of the 20’s – 80’, why do we struggle with it so bad? Could it be that the problem is not so much the external noise like “political correctness”, “federal laws”, etc, but it is our attitude, what we allow into our homes, and whether or not make to set aside certain days for the Lord like the Sabbath? When we allow our joy to be stolen or handed over to the world simply because we don’t want to offend anyone just once, the world will keep putting more demands on us until we have no joy. When Jeroboam the son of Nebat offered the people to worship the golden as their god, it was their choice to accept or deny. Along that same line, Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego could have capitulated to King Nebuchadnezzar’s demands or be remanded to a burning fire pit and they chose the consequences of denying the pagan king. In the same way, you and I have a choice, capitulate to the never-ending demands of the world or live to honor the Lord in our homes and our lives.
Verses: Daniel 3, 1 Kings 12:25-33, Joshua 24:14-15, Deuteronomy 5:12-15, Mark 2:23-28
Famous Verse: “If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn’t sit for a month.” – Theodore Roosevelt.
Father,
You give us the power of “choice” over our lives. We can either choose to keep our lives decluttered or be cluttered with the cares of the world. Once we allow the world to dictate the confines of our lives, they will never stop sort of like using a credit card. Help me all the days of my life to honor you and to keep my life decluttered and open to hearing what you will say to me. Christmas is a special time Lord and I can either be like the world, “callus” or pliable for your use. I commit my life and family into your hands, Lord. I pray that you will continue to shake the world and its elected leaders so that they may be silenced before you. I pray for the military, law enforcement, and EMT communities that you will be with every one of them and bring them safely home. I pray over our politicians that you will continue to shake them to their core with the message of the Ephod so that they fully understand whom they serve. I pray for the city of Stacy, the state of Minnesota, and the USA may your Spirit fall fresh upon us. I pray for the truckers who carry supplies to our communities. I thank you for healing our land with rain that refreshes the land and the storms that shake the heart of mankind. I pray for those who need a special touch from you today. Finally, I pray that my words will always be an encouragement to all who read these words in Jesus’ name I pray. May your peace be upon my family, city, state, nation, and world. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer (Psalms 19:14).
IHS
MK
All of my writings can be found at
Mikes Encouragement 