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I am sure we have all been asked, or pondered the question on our own, “What would you do differently, if you knew you only had 6 months to live?” A truly contented person might respond, “Nothing, I’m already doing what I would do under those circumstances.” But then there are the rest of us. How I respond to that question probably reveals the internal conflict that rages inside me between selfishness and selflessness. Even my most “spiritual” responses would probably be tinged with a little selfishness – doing good things to bulk-up my heavenly savings account, or wanting to be remembered positively. “What would you do differently if you knew you were going to live forever?” It’s like the senior who quips, “If I had known I was going to live this long, I would’ve taken better care of myself!” Living life for the long run might, at first glance, appears to be inconsistent with burning brightly to win the sprint. But, in a thoroughly integrated world-view, the answer to both questions might be the same. The writer of Hebrews says: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebr. 12:1-2) Nowhere in this passage does it state whether the race is a sprint or a marathon. In fact, I know not if the race before me is a sprint or a marathon. Nevertheless, I need to run it in the same way, with the same world view. The passage tells me what kind of world-view I need to finish strong. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith… Jesus must be at the center of my world-view. Only then am I going to run the race successfully. He is the finish line, and by keeping my focus upon Him, I will stay on course and not be distracted from the task at hand. Only then will I be able to …throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles… I often forget that there is an adversary that would love to see me fail, and so rob God of the glory He intends to reveal in me. The enemy will throw enticements into my path to distract my attention, or obstacles to trip me up, or obstructions to discourage me. If he can get me to dwell on my meager strength, he will convince me that I am not able to finish, nor even worthy to compete. But if my focus is on Christ, I will continue to move towards Him, no matter the enticements offered. I will hurdle over obstacles in my path. If I stumble, I will be able to pick myself up and continue in the right direction. And if I find my way blocked, I will wait upon Him to reveal the way around, over, under, or through the obstruction, because I will know that I am running in the right direction. If I am focused on Christ, I will also know that it is by His strength that I run, not my own. I will not limit myself to what I have accomplished in the past, but I will look forward with confident expectation (hope) for the miracles He will perform in my behalf as I run in obedience to His call. Have you ever seen an Olympic runner race with his previous medals around his neck. Often, my past achievements can be my biggest “hindrance.” I can also learn something from the way Jesus ran His race. …who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. What stops most from completing a footrace is the discomfort involved in running. When my sides ache from the build-up of metabolic waste products in my muscles, my legs feel like rubber, and it seems I cannot suck in enough air to keep going, it is easy to give up and drop out of the race. What many runners have learned, is that they can push beyond that “wall” and get their “second wind.” The difference comes in having a good reason to push past the pain and discomfort, to …run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Jesus knew to what He had to look forward, so He was able to push past the pain of Galilee, Gethsemane and Golgotha to take hold of the glory that was His. In the same way, if my eyes are fixed upon Him, I will know enough about my reward that I will be motivated to push past the pain and finish strong. And, as if that isn’t enough by itself, I also have a cloud of witnesses cheering me on in this race. Some of those witnesses are identified in the preceding chapter of Hebrews (what the “therefore” is there for!). They have run the race, and know that I can too. The Apostle Paul tells us that our goal is worth the hard work of sanctification. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (1Cor. 9:24-27) He stresses the importance of focus, discipline and single-mindedness. Every four years we are reminded of the hard work that precedes the stellar performances in the Olympic games. We hear and read stories of years spent in physical and psychological training – all for a medal. How much greater is the reward towards which we strive, and how much more permanent. Even the best Olympic performances are eventually outdone, and that medal may buy me temporary notoriety, but it will not sustain me for the rest of my life, much less for eternity. If my world-view is centered on Christ, is intentional and educates my entire being, I will have the will to do the hard work of sanctification. I will have confidence in the reward. And I will be encouraged by the great cloud of witnesses as I run this race.

The speakers in the mall are playing sleigh-bell songs, Santa is in his grotto with a long line of children waiting to stroke his whiskers and the media is full of adverts for the latest ’must-have’ toys. Grocery trolleys are piled high with calories, and the glossy magazines are enticing you to throw away last year’s decorations and go with a whole new theme. And maybe, if you hunt for it, you will find a tiny manger filled with hay huddled in a dark corner, covered with dust. It may even be empty. 2000 years later there is still no room for Jesus amongst the crowds of people who have forgotten why they celebrate. As Christians we think we understand something of the true meaning of Christmas. But what would you say was the real meaning of Christmas? Peace, love, good news for all people, God with us, God saving us, equality, humility, giving generously, hospitality, acceptance, courage, caring for the homeless…? The Advent story has many facets. If we want to make Christmas spiritually significant for our children, we need to understand the spiritual significance it has for us. Discover the aspects of Christmas you are most passionate about, and then find ways to share your passion with your children. The story of Jesus’ birth has been carefully constructed with us and our children in mind. The Bible could simply say that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but the story takes on added dimensions when there are political upheavals; a young, homeless, pregnant mother gives birth in a stable; angels sing to shepherds and stars guide wise men across distant deserts. This has been choreographed by God himself. The action unfolds with Bethlehem center stage in the Universe, and a story is created to be retold and re-enacted. It is carefully balanced. Poor shepherds visit the baby as well as rich men. There are plots and subplots and an evil villain of a king. Danger lurks around dark corners, but the Light of the World cannot be extinguished, tiny and vulnerable though He is. The story has been told to inspire a sense of wonder and mystery. It captures our imagination and it is especially appealing to children. Take some time out to immerse yourselves in the story. Read it from different books. Ask each other, ‘which part of the story do you like the best? Which part is the most important to you? Where do you see yourself in the story?’ And then ask yourself which aspect you most want to celebrate with your children and family this year? And why this aspect now? Maybe your family needs to experience peace after a time of confusion and pain, or a sense of God being with you (Immanuel) during a time of uncertainty. The best antidote to all the commercialism is to keep the real story alive in your own mind. Keep telling it to your children in different ways. Bring it to life. Talk about what you are going to give other people, rather than what you want to get. Keep plans and decorations simple, and focus on the needs of your children and the people around you who are struggling. Find ways to share what you have and involve your children in the projects. Help them to see, feel, smell, hear and taste what the real story is all about. Maybe you can camp in a stable for one night, play choral music that sounds like angels, and share a sense of wonder about God’s amazing love that would give his only son to be born as a fragile human being, just for you. In the margins there are some ideas to help you bring Christmas alive and make it more meaningful for you and your children. Ask the Holy Spirit to inspire your season; to help you put Jesus at the very center of everything you do; and to give you God’s perspective on all your plans. Then your children will have a deeper understanding of the spiritual significance of this amazing event, and you will help them to live in a deeper understanding of God’s love.

Believing the best is a challenge. It is so easy to focus on what’s wrong with someone rather than on what’s right about them. It’s the natural human response. But when we do this, we risk discouraging others and damaging relationships. Even when it is necessary to point out a mistake, appreciation for the effort is needed in generous proportions to the necessary correction. Ten parts affirmation to one part correction is about right, the experts say. if you can’t think of then good things to say, then just affirm what you can and forget the correction this time. We all become skilled through practice, and with each repetition, there’s opportunity for improvement. In the meantime, even a small dose of gratitude and affirmation keeps people motivated to good works. Even more importantly, it helps them feel good about who they are and the contribution they are making to the family enterprise. The secret is simple. Celebrate the kinds of behaviors you want to see more often. Appreciation is never wasted. You may even share in the rewards! From Jumpstart Connections, Karen Holford and Ron Flowers, p. 15.

Dear Roger, Does the phrase, “Amen”, said at the end of a prayer, relate at all to the Israelite’s captivity in Egypt and the Egyptian god Amen as in the Amenhoteps? Sincerely, Amanda Dear Amanda, My initial response is that, no, the words sound alike by chance and are certainly not related. After all, the Egyptian, Hebrew and Greek languages are from three different language trees-so, no connection. However, upon further review, I believe that there is a connection in the meaning of the words. The Egyptian god you mentioned was named “Amun.” In the pantheon of Egyptian gods, Amun was tops! All of the other gods were viewed as extensions of Amun. He eventually evolved, during the short reign of a dynasty of kings known as the Amenhoteps (which you mentioned) into being the one and only god. This is monotheism–one god–as opposed to polytheism-many gods. According to the Egyptian theology of the time, amun was self-created and was worshipped as a transcendent deity. When the line of the Amenhoteps died out, the Egyptionas returned quickly to their polytheistic pantheon. While it is impossible to pinpoint the exact time of the 400-year Israelite slavery sojourn in Egypt, some think that the Amenhoteps were ruling for at least a portion of that time. (Remember, “There arose a pharaoh who knew not Joseph.”) Hence, there may well be a monotheistic connection in both Israeli and Egyptian theology. The above is significant because during their years of slavery, the Israelites lived side-by-side with the Egyptians. The Egyptians, Hebrews and Greeks all had a word for “contentment”. The word for “contentment” is “amum” in Egyptian, “sea’pook” in Hebrew and “autarkeia” in Greek. What gets interesting is when we compare the Egyptian word “amun” with the Greek word, “amen” (which is the word we often use to conclude our prayers). While the Egyptian word, “amun” means “contentment,” the Greek word, “amen,” means “truly”, “surely”, or “let it be.” When you ponder this thought, when we conclude our prayers with the word “amen,” we are affirming our faith in the God to Whom we are praying. In essence, we are content that our prayers will surely be heard and answered by God. Few things speak more to contentment than the words, “let it be.” Without sounding trite, one of the most influential Beatles songs was entitled “Let it Be.” This song had a powerful impact that calmed down an entire generation of rebellious young people in the late 1960’s and 1970’s. The Beatles sand “Let it Be” and all was quiet–for awhile! Thank you Amanda, for such a penetrating question. I hope my answer is helpful to you. Ask me another soon. Love, Roger

Furnaces come in all shapes and sizes. Some are the fires fueled by pain and suffering. Some fires are caused by our broken world. Some fires are heated for God’s purposes. We lose our bonds in the fire. We don’t lose our eternal rewards in the flames. When unbelievers see us go through the flames and survive, they become believers in God.

Jesus describes His return in Matthew 24. Other passages in Thessalonians, Daniel’s prophecies and John’s vision in Revelation teach that Christ will come twice. He will come in secret for His saints at the rapture and with His saints to judge the earth at the end of time. Are we ready?

Brain cancer survivor Matt Chandler talks about making the most of every moment by rejoicing in God and remembering His goodness, His redemption and His sovereignty. Every day, we are several hours closer to stand in front of our Great Father.

In Psalm 127, Solomon encourages parents to establish a stable home environment, to set appropriate boundaries, to practice the art of being “with” and to meet the children’s primary intimacy needs. Parents need to aim their children for a future with the Master

Technology is part of who we are. We should embrace it. But there is also value in “unplugging” occasionally. Jesus unplugged from the crowds and learned to know His Father in prayer. He unplugged to rest and awoke to calm the storm. He unplugged enough to feel the timid touch of the woman with the issue of blood. He processed His pain at Gethsemane. He unplugged to clearly know God’s plan for His life, so in His dying breaths He could say, “It is finished.”

We need to suffer in order to reign with Christ. When you are in the middle of suffering and you doubt that Jesus cares for you, picture Him stretching His scarred hands and showing you proof of His love for you. Desiring God Conference, Used by permission.

The value of women is discussed from the scriptural, cultural, historical, traditional and contemporary lenses. Women blessed, encouraged and helped Jesus throughout His ministry. They accompanied Him on His ministry tours and financially supported Him. They remain at the cross after the disciples fled and they were present at the resurrection. The Old and New Testament are filled with examples of the impact women made for the cause of Christ.

Many people in our society are blind to spiritual things, especially to the unconditional love of Jesus and His free gift of salvation. A woman, an outcast in her land with three failed marriages was astounded by this “man who told her all she ever did” and offered her vibrant spiritual life in Him. Music video precedes sermon.