Craig Cooper

Here we are, a few days into the new year. In a way, it’s just another week. Yet, moving into a new year is a reminder of new beginnings and fresh starts.

It’s important to invest time reviewing what we have accomplished over the past year as well as what remains undone. But such contemplation can only take us so far in our journey of progress. To move forward, we must move past our failures, build on our successes, and apply what we’ve learned from them to achieve our new goals and objectives.

One of the challenges of moving into a new year is not allowing the failures and successes of the past to trap us, robbing us of the opportunities that lie ahead in this new year. An old proverb goes, “Yesterday is a cashed check, tomorrow is a promissory note, and today is the only cash we have on hand.” Again, we ought to learn from the past and, certainly, plan for the future, but living in the moment with an understanding of the gift of renewed opportunity is crucial.

For us to rightly move forward, we must look to the Lord. He invites us to move forward with Him amid all life’s circumstances. When we come to Him, He receives us and empowers us to press on with His leading to seize the moment.

In Lamentations 3:22-23, we read, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” God’s “steadfast love” speaks of His beneficial action on His people’s behalf. Such workings of the Lord in a believer’s life “never ceases.” In the context of this verse, Judah had been unfaithful to the Lord, but the Lord continues to be faithful. Each day provides us with a new opportunity to make progress by leaving the past in the past and living today for the Lord.

The Lord’s “mercies” or compassion go the second mile by replacing judgment with restoration. God displays great care for us when we fail by providing a new opportunity. God is always willing to begin anew with those who turn to Him and repent.

Paul writes, “I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14). Notice that Paul’s life is purposeful, for he constantly aims toward God’s goals for his life. Paul focuses on being in perfect fellowship with Christ forever. This is a worthy goal for all of this in this new year.

So, yes, this week is just another week. But let the new year remind you of new beginnings and opportunities. Place your trust in the Lord and let Him lead you into this new year and, more specifically, this new day. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

The all-important message of Christmas is Immanuel – God is with us. Whether you are a happy person, a hurting person, a lonely person, or a sorrowful person, we can find encouragement in this gospel truth: God is with you, will help you, and will strengthen you. This is a message worth embracing and sharing with others.

The real reason for Christmas is found in the angel’s pronouncement to the shepherds that first Christmas night, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:11-12). We discover that the purpose of Christ’s coming was not to merely present us with a sweet picture of a baby lying in a Bethlehem manger but to be our Savior. There is a lot we can celebrate about the Son of God being born by such modest means. The picture of Mary and Joseph and the Christ child in a stable with shepherds visiting is worth reflecting upon. The scene is quite awe-inspiring. However, I would encourage us to go beyond the manger scene. Christmastime is about more than the Christ child lying in a manger. The angel declaring Him Savior means Christmas is about much more. Christmas is about God coming to earth in human flesh so He could die on the Cross to pay for our salvation, which makes available to each of us life abundant.

People rarely think about the Cross at Christmastime, and few look at Philippians 2:5-8 as a Christmas passage, but both address the true meaning of Christmas. Paul writes, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:5-8). Paul clearly connects the thoughts of the birth of Christ and the Cross that awaited Him.

As Paul writes about God becoming a man, he goes on to express the ultimate reason God chose to demonstrate this incredible act of love. Paul writes in verse 8, “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” There is something noteworthy about the Greek word we translate as “form.” It’s the same word used in an account from ancient times to depict a king who exchanged his royal garments briefly for the clothing of a beggar. Consider how the Spirit of God inspired Paul to use this phrase and specific word to describe Jesus’ coming to earth. When Jesus came, it really was a moment when Almighty God shed His glorious appearance and exchanged it for the clothing of human flesh. For the purpose of our salvation, God laid aside all of His radiant glory, took upon Himself human flesh, and was manifested in the very likeness of a human being.

Jesus, our King, not only humbled Himself and exchanged His royal garments with the clothing of a servant (human flesh) but, out of profound love for us, was “obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Jesus, God incarnate, was willing to stoop to any measure needed to bring us salvation. Jesus being born, born in a modest stable, lying in a manger (an animal’s feeding trough), demonstrates the attitude of God humbly lowering Himself to become like a member of His creation to offer salvation to each of us. According to Philippians 2:8, Jesus humbled Himself and chose to go to any measure in order to provide us with salvation and His eternal presence.

The late great storyteller Paul Harvey told the story about a family on Christmas Eve. This family had a tradition where the Mother and children would go to the Christmas Eve service, and the Father would stay home. Then, when the family returned from church, they would all gather to open up their presents.

The Father was not an evil man, but he just couldn’t believe in the childhood stories anymore of God coming as a baby, lying in a manger, and dying on the Cross for our salvation. So, as the family left for church, he sat by the fireplace and read a book. Suddenly, he heard tapping on the window. It was a bird flying against the glass of his window, trying to get out of the snow into the warmth of his home. The man had compassion for the bird and went outside, hoping to bring it in. But, as he approached the bird, the bird just flew against the window even harder. Pretty soon, the bird flew into the bushes below the window, half frozen yet too afraid to be caught by this huge man. The more the man tried to reach for the bird, the more the bird flew frantically into the snow and thorns of the bushes. Finally, after a few minutes in the cold and seeing the bird continue to injure itself, the man yelled in frustration, “Dumb bird, can’t you understand that I’m trying to help?” The man paused and thought, “If only you understood, you wouldn’t fly away … if only … if only I could become a bird and get you to understand.” Just then, the church bells rang, as they always had on the hour. But when the man heard the bells this time, he fell to his knees and began to cry, saying, “Oh, God, I didn’t understand. Oh, God, I didn’t understand.”

God’s Son came in human form so that we might understand from where we have come, why we were separated and how we could be restored to Him. He was willing to come and die so that we can have abundant life in Him, our living Savior. This is what Christmas is all about. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

When I consider that first Christmas, one of the things that stick out to me is the role of the shepherds. When I was in High School, I was in a Christmas production at our church, and I played a shepherd. There is really no skill needed to play a shepherd. I didn’t even have any lines. If all I had was my experience playing a shepherd, I would have thought they played a small part in the account of Christ’s birth, but I would be greatly mistaken. They played a significant role that first Christmas. They are common people doing an ordinary job, and God shows up in a way that can only be described as quite miraculous.

We read in Luke 2:8, “And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.” The shepherds spoken of here had a very specific purpose. We know that they are in the field outside of Bethlehem. Due to the proximity to Jerusalem (I can remember standing and seeing the lights of Jerusalem from these actual fields), some scholars have suggested that the flocks here are temple flocks raised for sacrifice. What’s most interesting is that in Christ’s time, shepherds were kept from participating in the religious activities of their communities due to them being considered unclean. Nevertheless, the shepherds served as an important part of life in Israel as they provided sheep to be sacrificed in worship as well as to eat, wool for clothing, and all kinds of much-needed goods. Still, they were not considered respectable, especially by the religious elite.

Then, we read in the next verse, “And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear” (Luke 2:9). We read account after account in the Bible of how the revelation of God’s glory, such as the appearance of angels, elicits fear among people. I mean, go figure. I would have also feared the appearance of an Angel in the night sky.

The account continues in Luke 2:10–12, “And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.’” The angel says, “Fear not!” Ya…right! The angel continues, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news.” The one born in this stable would bring salvation as the one and only Savior and Lord of the world. God intends for us to receive this proclamation of the angel as “good news” because of God’s salvation, brought by the birth of our Lord and Savior.

What happens next is remarkable. “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased’” (Luke 2:13-14)! The peace the world seeks is the absence of conflict, which will not happen for any length of time on this side of paradise. Even then, it can’t bring peace to a person’s heart. The angel told the shepherds that genuine peace was to come. The Bible teaches us that true peace can only be found in Jesus, who is Savior, the anointed One, and God Himself. Further, the peace Christ brings is blessed fullness. This peace is not the absence of conflict but a peace that exists even amidst conflict; it’s peace with God and within our very own hearts.

The angel states, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” The Greek word used for “all the people” is where we get the word laity. The laity is not a mere Christian category but a term referencing all the people of God. Followers of Christ, His church, are those being spoken of when the angel says, “all the people.” Therefore, the peace God brings is available to all but is possessed by people who receive Christ as Lord and Savior, who bring glory to God. When we give glory to God in the highest, receiving Jesus as Savior and Lord, He fills us with His peace, a blessed fullness only He can provide and for which our hearts long.

The account concludes, “When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.’ And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them” (Luke 2:15-28). The shepherds probably checked stable after stable till they found the one with a baby. Those whose witness was not even acceptable in the courts of the day share the good news with others. How truly wonderful that the shepherds aren’t only spectators of Christ’s birth but evangelists telling others what they have heard and seen. In fact, those who receive God’s peace in Christ can’t help but share the good news with others.

I believe the shepherds were never the same after coming to Jesus. These events changed their lives. How does the good news change yours? If you believe the message the angels shared, you can never be the same. How are we to respond? We receive Christ, His peace, and then share the good news with others. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

One of the themes of the Advent season, the Christmas season, is joy. It’s central to worship, as worship ought to be an expression of joy. This season is a time of personal worship through devotion and remembrance of Christ’s coming, as well as His Second Coming.

We can’t look at the Christmas account without mentioning Mary. We can surmise that Mary was a young girl in her teens. She had a solid knowledge of Scripture but, like most people of her day, would not have had a copy of God’s Word. Her familiarity with the Old Testament must have come from hearing it regularly read in the synagogue. Scripture had settled in her heart, and we can confidently assume it was readily on her mind. When we look at Mary, we see an example for all believers of faith, humility, and obedience to God’s will.

When reading the account of that first Christmas, we discover that after hearing the astonishing news from the angel Gabriel that she would be the mother of the Messiah, Mary went to visit her older relative, Elizabeth. Elizabeth was over six months pregnant with John the baptizer. As Mary greets Elizabeth, John leaped in Elizabeth’s womb, and Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaims, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb” (Luke 1:42)! In this miraculous way, God confirmed His promise to Mary, which the angel Gabriel had spoken.

What happens next is extraordinary. Mary’s response is a poetic song of praise to God. It’s known as the Magnificat. The title “Magnificat” comes from the first word in the Latin translation, meaning magnify. Mary’s song is filled with allusions to Scripture, revealing how deeply she cherished God and His Word. It’s found in Luke 1:46-55 and expresses faith in God, her love for Him, as well as a deep understanding of Scripture. The result is an example of joyful worship for all believers to emulate.

The song presents the attitude, object, and motive of joyful worship. We read in Luke 1:46–48a, “And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.’” These verses teach us the attitude of joyful worship. Notice that Mary’s worship is internal as she worships with her soul and spirit. She worshiped God with all she was and had, praising Him with her mind, soul, heart, and strength.

Not only is Mary’s worship internal, but it’s intense. “Magnifies” in Greek literally means “to make great” or “to enlarge;” figuratively means “to exalt and celebrate” and “to esteem highly.” It’s a word that expresses genuine praise and pronouncement of glory. Simply, the Magnificat is the outpouring of deep emotion and joy.

Not only is Mary’s worship internal and intense, but habitual. Mary’s worship is a way of life. The way the word magnified is written suggests that worship occurred as a continuous flow of Mary’s life. Genuine worship is not self-focused but God-focused, honoring Him from a heart filled with His joy.

Finally, as we look at the attitude of joyful worship, we discover that not only is Mary’s worship internal, intense, and habitual, but it’s marked by humility. Mary demonstrates her humility by declaring, “He has looked on the humble estate of His servant.” She expresses her wonder and amazement that God would choose to bless her. Mary did not view herself as anything but a servant of the Lord who was flawed like the rest of humanity. In fact, in the New Testament, she is the first to identify herself as a servant or “bondservant” of God. The attitude of joyful worship is internal, intense, and habitual worship marked by humility.

Not only does Mary demonstrate the attitude of joyful worship, but its object. Look at what she declares, “And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior’” (Luke 1:46-47). Mary’s object of her joyful worship is God, her Lord, and Savior. All believers’ worship needs to focus on God being the Savior and Lord of their lives. Mary acknowledges that she, like everyone else, was a sinner in need of a Savior. Like all true worshipers, Mary had an exalted view of God and a humble view of herself. Such humility God requires and blesses. Mary knew the coming Messiah, Jesus, to whom she was to give birth, marked the apex of redemptive history. Jesus would save those who receive Him as Savior and Lord from their sin. The very purpose of His coming was “to seek and save the lost” so that they can be found and saved, offering life everlasting. Mary demonstrated the object of joyful worship, which is God, our Lord and Savior.

Lastly, not only does Mary demonstrate the attitude of joyful worship and its object, but also the reason for joyful worship. Look at the rest of the song, “For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever” (Luke 1:48b-55). Mary shares the reason for joyful praise in her song.

In verse 49, we discover that the reason for joyful praise is that God is mighty, the mighty one, who has done great things for her. Further, these great things are so wonderful that all generations will call her blessed. To be chosen as the mother of the Messiah was a great honor. The thought that she was flawed like everyone else but chosen by God to bear her Savior and ours was a reason for joyful worship. This understanding that God has mercifully and lovingly sent His Son to save all who receive Him is the theme of believers’ worship throughout eternity (Rev 5:9). However, Mary’s worship went beyond herself to embrace all God would do for others in the future, like you and me, and unto Christ’s return.

Mary praised God for the salvation offered to all who enter into a saving relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. The final section of Mary’s song, verses 51-54, recounts what God had done for His people in the past. They mention God’s mighty deeds. We even have statements that can be applied to Christ’s second coming, when all will be made right. Think about it. Mary praises the Lord for what he has done, is doing, and is yet to do. The reason for joyful worship is God’s mighty and great works He has done for us.

Like Mary, we too can experience such joy that leads to joyful worship when we, like her (1), possess an attitude of humility leading to a deeply internal, intense, and habitual life of joyful worship. Then, as we (2) make our Lord and Savior the object of our life of worship. Lastly, when we (3) understand that the reason for our joy, our joyful worship is God’s might and the great works, He has done for us. The key to allowing that first Christmas to impact our present Christmas is acknowledging our need for the Lord, His wonderful works, and His offering us salvation through Jesus Christ, which leads us to engage in a lifestyle of joyful worship of Him. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

Advent prepares us to celebrate the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It’s a season of devotion and remembrance of Christ coming in the flesh and moving into our neighborhood, so to speak, as well as anticipation of His Second coming. God demonstrated His love for us by sending the Savior. Remembering that first Christmas allows us to make our current Christmas celebration one to be remembered. Advent is a journey of sorts. We are exploring the gifts of Christmas delivered by and through Christ: hope, love, joy, and peace. We are going to look at love.

It would be right to see, at least in part, the Advent journey as a journey of love. John reveals to us God’s view of love in 1 John 4:7-16. This passage speaks of God’s love for us, as well as the love He intends for us to have toward others. Last year Americans spent nearly a trillion dollars on Christmas. This is shocking. They also spent almost a hundred billion on their pets. Why? Because they loved their family, friends, and, yes, even the family dog enough to give. Now, I’m not saying God loves us like our dogs or that His love for us doesn’t exceed that of those we love most deeply, but it demonstrates His love’s selfless and sacrificial nature. God does what he does for us out of love. He loves us. It is so important to dive deep into the love of God. We ought to explore a love that manifested itself by God entering the world through His Son that first Christmas. Here’s the point: God’s love that sent Christ into the world that first Christmas, which has been present since before the world’s creation, is abundant enough for us all to receive and share with others.

The history of the world, the Sacred account of Holy Scripture, is a love story from Genesis to Revelation. Creation, to now, to the unforeseen future, is the story of God’s love for people (you and me) and His plan of redemption to bring us back into a saving relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. No doubt, the love of God came spectacularly in the stable in Bethlehem. But Jesus’ birth was the culmination of a long history of love. This love of God that sent Christ to us then is the love He has for us today, this Advent season; it’s not something new. Psalm 139 declares that God knew us intimately before we were even born. Paul writes in Ephesians 1:4-6 that it’s important to realize and accept that God’s love does not depend on us. His love is not something we have to earn or perform or maintain. God’s love start’s with God, not us. God’s love for us existed before even we did and will continue throughout eternity. The reality of God’s love can be mind-blowing. However, we must accept that God’s love for us exists beyond the constraints of time, space, and our limited understanding. The love of God is worth focusing on, meditating on, and basking in during this season of preparation and always. In fact, receiving God’s abundant love begins by accepting that it originates with Him and Him alone.

Despite what we know in our heads, believe in our hearts, or even confess with our mouths, a struggle exists to live in the reality of God’s love for us. God’s love is far beyond ours or anything else we have experienced, making it difficult to embrace. Here’s the good news, despite our inability to completely grasp God’s love, He does love us – He loves you! God’s love is unconditional. His love is constant. His love does not disappoint. God’s love is pure, perfect, and plentiful. Think of Mary and Joseph. God chose them to parent Jesus. They were ordinary people. How about the shepherds? They were ordinary workers. A smelly band who were divinely told of Christ’s birth and the first recorded witnesses. Then, we have the Magi (the wise men). They are a foreign group of mystics. Yet, led by a star, they come to worship the Lord. Look beyond the typical picture of that first Christmas. Where would you fit into the scene years ago there in Bethlehem? Where do you find yourself in the here and now? No matter where you are on the journey, God’s love is for you.

Paul writes in Ephesians 3:17-19 that God’s love is deep, wide, long, and high. His love doesn’t rise and fall on the waves of our fickle feelings. Even when we feel distant from God, He is still close to us. Nothing can shake God’s love. Nothing can tear the believer away from God’s love (Romans 8:38-39). His love will never fail us now as we await the celebration of Christ’s birth this Christmas or when He returns at the Second Coming and His ultimate work is complete. The truth is that receiving the abundant love of God continues as we walk in the knowledge of its unfailing consistency.

Christmas can be a wonderful time to gather with friends and family, but it can also be challenging. The nature of God’s love is that it’s unending and unlimited and cannot be contained. God does not want His love to be contained. We are instructed in God’s Word to love others. We are even to love the unlovable. To love can be easy at times and so hard at other times. Sometimes the hardest people to love can be the closest to us, living in the places we live, work, go to school, and play. The people we are called to love may drive us crazy. Practically speaking, the Advent journey of love is about God’s love in us overflowing to others.

We can’t love with Christ’s love in our own strength. We can’t self-manufacture selfless love for long. It must come from the true source of love, and it can. We must cease trying hard to love others and experience the depth of God’s love in a way that overflows from our life to the people around us. When we boil it all down, receiving the abundant love of God continues to be a blessing as we allow it to overflow to others.

The gospel truth is that God is love, and He sent His Son as a sacrifice for us due to His eternal love that originates with Him and Him alone. Secondly, we can rely on God’s love and walk in the knowledge of its unfailing consistency. Lastly, the love of God, which He first had for us, enables us to love others by its overflowing from our lives to others. Advent and Christmas is a great time to receive, grow in, and put this love into practice. I pray this Advent season, this Christmas, will find us basking in God’s love and sharing it with others. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

This week marks the start of the Advent season. Advent means “to come.” It prepares us to celebrate the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The Advent season includes the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. It’s a season of devotion and remembrance of Christ coming in the flesh and moving into our neighborhood, so to speak, as well as anticipation of His Second coming. God demonstrated His love for us by sending the Savior. I believe remembering that first Christmas can make our current one a genuine Christmas to remember.

Advent is a journey of sorts. During this season, we explore the gifts of Christmas delivered by and through Christ: hope, love, joy, and peace. No matter where you find yourself today, this Advent journey is for you. We begin by looking at how we’re to embrace the hope offered to us in Christ.

Each and every one of us needs hope as we navigate the ups and downs of life, which exist on this side of paradise. Is your Christmas season already hectic, perhaps even filled with struggles such as financial stresses, relational issues, memories of loss, and/or commercialized expectations? If you find yourself there, let me encourage you, that’s exactly where hope shines the brightest.

We read in Isaiah 7:10–14, “Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz: ‘Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.’ But Ahaz said, ‘I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test.’ And he said, ‘Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.’” In context, our passage is tucked between verses where God gives Isaiah a message of judgment because of Israel’s sin and disregard for the Lord. However, we discover a reminder that in the darkest of times, the light of hope shines the brightest. I have found that far too many people seek solace this time of year by distracting themselves in ways that are not truly helpful to avoid acknowledging the darkness. The truth is that it’s when we face the darkness and call it what it is, then and only then can we begin to see the light of the hope offered by the Lord. In fact, to embrace the hope of Christ, we must first acknowledge the darkness.

As we take this Advent journey together this Christmas season, let’s be honest about the darkness we may find ourselves in or see in the world around us or perhaps even in our own hearts. We live in a world often characterized by darkness and fear, but it’s amid this darkness that the light of the hope we have in Christ appears brighter to light the way. Isaiah speaks of both the coming light and the present darkness. That darkness continued to grow through the centuries. Isaiah proclaims, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone” (Isaiah 9:2). The light would come, but the One hoped for did not arrive for generations.

Advent is a time of waiting. The waiting of Advent reminds us where we are to set our hope. To embrace the hope of Christ, we must embrace the wait. John writes of what the believer awaits, “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands” (Revelation 7:9). He further writes, “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:16-17). In a genuine sense, it’s this hope that fuels our faith.

Waiting is often seen as something passive, but waiting is actually quite active. Waiting is being present in the moment while anticipating what is to come. We don’t stop living. We journey on in life. This is not easy. Waiting while living on journey takes strength and courage. We can take encouragement from this psalm, “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord” (Psalm 31:4)! Such strength and courage come from the Lord as we trustingly wait on Him. The gospel truth is that if we are going to embrace the hope of Christ, we must commit to the journey.

Advent is about a hope to remember. First, we must acknowledge the darkness. We do live in a fallen world. This is not a perfect world. We’re not in paradise. We must be honest about what we are going through with ourselves and God. Then, we need to embrace the wait. We are currently living in the here and now, waiting for the promises of God to be fulfilled. We’re awaiting our Lord’s return, His completed work in our life, and paradise. Lastly, we need to commit to the journey. This life isn’t always easy, but we don’t have to make it harder than it needs to be. All God asks of us is to stick with Him, walking in faith, led by His Spirit.

When we boil life all down, we are called to know God and make Him known. God desires to fill our hearts with hope for the ultimate healing and eternal life with His Son. This life begins when we receive Christ as Savior and Lord and extends into the unforeseen future. This is a hope to remember that fuels our journey through Advent and beyond. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

Whenever I think about thankfulness, at least two people come to mind, Ms. Harris and my Granny (my Dad’s Mom). When I had the opportunity to know these two women, they were single and deeply in love with Jesus. By human standards, they did not have much, but they were two of the most thankful people I’ve ever met.

Mr. Harris was my friend Ron’s Mom. She hadn’t had an easy life. She was homeless for a while, with two kids. Ron said, “We lived in a car for that time but always went to school clean.” By the time I knew Ms. Harris, she was living in an apartment complex. What I remember most were her genuine smile and contagious spirit.

Once, some individuals vandalized an outer wall where she was living with racial slurs and told her to leave in no uncertain terms. When others who lived in her complex saw what had happened, they went to work painting over the remarks and, in many ways, showed their support for her. I don’t know if this is true, but a story circulated that some men found out who had perpetrated this hateful and cowardly act and paid them a visit to ensure it didn’t happen again. Something can be said about community accountability, but I digress. All I know is that she never had any problems from that point on.

What I found utterly amazing is that she did not complain about what had happened. She didn’t cover up the tragedy of it all but praised God that through the incident, she was able to know how much she was loved by her neighbors. Her thankfulness was used by the Lord to guard her heart and mind and bless others.

Similarly, my Granny also had a tough life. My Grandfather ran out on the family, leaving her with six children to raise. She had no source of income. Yet, at some point in her life journey, she entered into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. By the time I knew her, she had been walking with Jesus for many years. She had few material possessions but shared them extravagantly. In fact, my family would bring her a gift, and the next time we visited, it would be gone. We would ask where it went, and she would say she ran into someone who really needed it and felt led by the Lord to give it away. Now that’s regifting at its best.

Both of these women of God have left a lasting impact on my life. When I was in High School, the whole WWJD (what would Jesus do) thing was the craze. For me, when I hit a rough time, I think about what Ms. Harris or Granny would do in this situation. After all, like Paul, both of them could proclaim, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). I know that they both exemplified 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” After all, Christians are to be marked by thanksgiving. They certainly were, and I desire to be too. Soli Deo Gloria (to God alone be the Glory)!

The first four words in the Bible are “In the beginning, God” (Genesis 1:1). They may be, along with John 3:16, among the most known words in all of Scripture. These four words have much to say about God and how we should understand life and our part in it.

Think about it. While the earth was formless, there was God. He existed before land and sea. He created the animals and man and woman. Nothing existed before Him, and all that exists is due to Him.

This is a remarkable truth. Its implications are many, but it directly affects how we should live our lives. For one, since God is our Creator, we ought to desire to see our lives from His perspective. There are many philosophies of life, but only One who is the originator of life. Therefore, it would seem most valuable to see life through His lens.

Secondly, I would pose that since He is our Creator, who has always existed, we ought to desire to know His purpose for us. People invest tons of time and money speculating on why they exist. Tragically, most people never find the answer to this pivotal question. God has the answer, and we can receive it from Him.

On last thought, when I look at the world and perceive it spinning out of control, I want to know God’s part. He created it. What is He doing with His creation? Is it truly out of control or in His control? Does He have a plan? Again, we can find the answers from God.

The good news is that He’s provided for us in the Bible with all these answers to these questions and much more. In a simple way, I think about getting something new with an instruction manual. Unlike the stereotype of men, I do read the manual. At least, I skim it. I want to know about this new gadget. How does it work? What can I do with it? And on-and-on. If I do this with something like a new device, why would I not read the book provided by our Creator to help me navigate life and, most importantly, know Him?

“In the beginning, God” has real implications for my life and yours. He is our loving Creator and worthy of being sought before we seek answers elsewhere – before we try to find the meaning of life anywhere. Not only is He worthy of such action on our part, but ultimately it’s for our good.

Interestingly, the last verse of Scripture reads, “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all. Amen” (Revelation 22:21). Think about it. The Bible begins by telling us that there was our eternal God before there was anything. It ends with words of blessing that God’s loving favor, which is not earned, would be ours. God existed before me, He is with me, and His loving favor, due to me entering into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, not by anything I have done, is upon me into the unforeseen future. This is true for all who begin a personal relationship with our eternal God through Jesus Christ. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

The central theme of the book of James is practical Christianity. It’s the thread that runs through the entire book holding it together. The first chapter sets forth the principle that we must not merely hear the Word but also doers of it (James 1:22). If we are merely hearers and not doers, we deceive ourselves into believing we are something we’re not. Faith without works is worthless for James. Saving faith is an active faith. In James 2:14-26 James answers the question, what makes faith real? And, can we be sure that our faith is saving faith?

Our English word “Faith,” as found in the New Testament, is the translation of a Greek noun that is often defined as firm persuasion, conviction, or trust. This noun comes from the Greek verb, translated as believe, have confidence, persuade, trust, or obey. This quality of faith is fundamental to Christian living.

We discover four ways faith is defined in James 2:14-26. First, saving faith includes works (vv.14, 20). In fact, James clarifies that any faith without works is useless. Second, faith without works is dead (vv. 17, 26). As the body without the spirit is dead, faith without works is dead. Third, faith can’t be limited to intellectual belief (v.19). James explains that the demons have a belief in God, but it’s not saving faith. Fourth, biblical faith is best defined as active obedience (vv. 23-24). James offers as two examples of active obedience, Abraham and Rehab. Interestingly, the one common factor of every person in Scripture who honored God by their faith is actively obeying Him.

Saving faith is demonstrated by ever-increasing godly works. There are two categories of works mentioned in Scripture. The first category is works of the flesh. Works of the flesh are accomplished by one’s effort alone. We find a list of works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21, which include sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. The second is works or fruit of the Spirit. Works of the Spirit are done with the help of the Spirit, which brings glory to God. The works of the Spirit do not originate with us (our lust or flesh) but flow from the Holy Spirit. Paul teaches that we are to live by such good works (Ephesians 2:10). Paul lists the works or “Fruit” of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, which include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, and self-control. The works James refers to in reference to faith are the works or fruit of the Spirit.

Without the works or fruit of the Spirit present in the lives of believers, their faith is dead. James describes three major principles concerning faith and works. The first is that saving faith demonstrates appropriate works (vv. 14-16). It’s inconceivable for a person walking in the Spirit to say that he has faith if that faith isn’t translated into appropriate works of the Spirit. Such works include caring for the needs of others. Then, saving faith is accompanied by godly action (v. 17-19). James has already demonstrated the need for faith in action by sharing about helping those in need; now, he argues from a more theological perspective explaining that it’s impossible to prove a faith that has no works, as well as that mere belief does not save, since the demons believe in God, but are not saved. Our faith must show itself in action. Lastly, faith without works is not saving faith, but dead (vv. 20-26). We see this through James offering the biblical examples of Abraham and Rehab, who demonstrated their faith in action. We also see this in the very practical illustration of a body being lifeless without the spirit. Similarly, faith without works is dead.

Saving faith goes beyond mere lip service. The Bible describes saving faith as knowing about the gospel, assenting to the gospel, and trusting in the gospel. Proof of faith that saves is trust and commitment that accompanies a profession of such faith; it’s active faith. Such faith is made available to us through the finished work of Christ on the cross. We are not saved by our works, but as we walk in the Spirit, we produce godly works because we are saved. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

In James 2:8-13 we discover how we as believers can fulfill the law of love or what James calls the royal law. Love is to be core to the lives of believers. Jesus proclaimed, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). Those who have received Christ as Savior and Lord desire to respond by giving their whole lives to God through godly living. Since God is love, believers are to love Him and others.

Before telling us how to fulfill the royal law, James reveals something we all need to know. We read, “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. For he who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder.’ If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law” (James 2:10-11). In other words, we have all broken God’s law.

To say that one of the commands does not apply to you or me is to say that there is some aspect of God’s nature that does not matter to you or me. If you could live your whole life and only break one of God’s moral laws, you would be guilty of breaking all of them. The simple truth is that we have all sinned by breaking God’s law.

James then tells us what fulfills the royal law. He writes, “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors” (James 2:8-9). Therefore, only love can fulfill the law.

Paul summarizes the royal law well, “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Galatians 5:14). This was accomplished perfectly through Jesus, who did not only teach the royal law but lived it. Therefore, since a disciple is a person who is following Jesus, being changed by Jesus, and committed to the mission of Jesus, it ought not to surprise us love is expected in the lives of those who have received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

After sharing that we have all broken the law and that only love can fulfill the law, James writes how we who can only offer imperfect love can fulfill the law. Our passage concludes, “So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:12-13). We discover that only Christ can supply the love that fulfills the law.

We can’t fake it or make it; only when we have received Christ and we surrender to the Spirit’s working in us can we enjoy the unconditional love of the Lord and share it with others. Therefore, to fulfill the royal law of love, we must come to Christ for salvation and allow His Spirit to love through us. This is the good news of the gospel. Through Christ, the believer satisfies the royal law of love.

We can only fulfill the royal law of love when we acknowledge that we have broken God’s law. Discover that only love can fulfill the law. Believe that Christ can only supply the love to fulfill the law. Then as believers, we must walk, directed by the Spirit, enabling the love of God to fill us and flow through us to others. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!