Month: December 2020

The Christmas season for most usually means the buying and getting of gifts. Every year it seems to start earlier and earlier. For most with families, the stresses of buying for kids, family and others seems to dominate the whole holiday season. With all this busyness going on we forget why we celebrate Christmas to begin with.The gospels provide us with a unique picture of the birth of Jesus Christ. They provide his parents journey and the famous story of the wise men. Most importantly they provide us with unique incite to why he came. Matthew 1:21-23says,“ She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus,for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place tofulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:“Behold, the virgin shall conceive andbear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel”When we think about the birth of Jesus we don’t typically think about the mission of Christ. But if you look at the verses above you can clearly see that Christ’s mission was to save his people from their sins.Since Adam in the garden, all mankind has struggled with sin. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. As a result, we are all separated from God. This isn’t your typical Christmas cheer, but very bad news. However, scripture teaches us about the good news of what would come from the life of Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 says, “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures”. Going back to Matthew we see the fulfillment of the promise in the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. He lived that perfect life that you and I never could, and he died the death that you and I deserve. BUT he rose again on the third day proving that he had dominion over sin and death. This holiday season I want you to focus on not just the birth of Jesus, but also his death and what that means for sinners like you and me. Danny Akin recently said, “Christmas makes no sense apart from Easter. If you want to look at the real Christmas tree you should look at the cross on Calvary. That is why He came!” This Christmas season I challenge you to not only look with anticipation to celebrating his birth but remember why he came. To forgive the sins of his people and restore them to God forever. Do you know that truth this season? If not, repent of your sin and enter into his presence today!

Psalm 139:14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. 

Psalm 139:14 says it so well, I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Each person has value because they are made into the image of God, by God. With that in mind, I am thankful that my baby girl is turning 1 year old today. She has brought me such joy, and I couldn’t image life without her.  The first time I saw her she stole my heart, and it has been amazing seeing her grow this past year. I love her smile, her laugh, and her personality, and day by day my love for her grows. Yet as she turns 1 today I cannot help but miss her twin sister Hannah Joy. 

Often in life Joy meets sorrow. This doesn’t mean that I don’t love Isabella, but I often mourn the what ifs in life. The biggest what if in my life in Hannah Joy. Hannah was the one I never got to see smile, laugh, and see her personality, yet as each day goes by my love for her grows. I often think about it like this, when I hold my sweet girl Isabella  my heavenly father is holding Hannah. See life is full of many emotions, and today I am overwhelmed by joy, and still sorrowful that my baby Hannah is not here with me. 

I named her Hannah for a few reasons. Hannah was the mother of Samuel, and she did not have children, and yet that did not keep her from praying to God that she would have a child one day. By the grace of God he gave her a child. Look at these powerful words found in scripture, “She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” 

12 As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. 14 And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” 15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” 17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” 18 And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. 

19 They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. 20 And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.” 1 Samuel 1:10-20 

The same words that Hannah echoed were ones that my wife and I echoed when we were praying for a child, and while it took longer than we wanted the Lord gave us a child. Not only did he give us a child, but he gave us two. We found out we were having twins because of a scare one night that led us to go to the hospital.  During our time there they did an ultrasound, and found two healthy heartbeats. We were surprised, but overjoyed of the thought of having twins. But a little over a month later my wife had an ultrasound, and Hannah joy was gone. She not only didn’t have a heartbeat any longer, she was not even  seen on the ultrasound. One of the children we had been praying for went home to be with the Lord. A loss of a child is a pain you will never forget. 

I quickly remembered in Scripture the story where David losses a child himself and was quickly reminded of theses words, “I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” 2 Samuel 12:23b While I will not see Hannah on this earth, I will see her in heaven one day. Not only will I see her in heaven one day I get to be her dad and I get to be the dad to my Isabella Hope on this earth. See Often in life Joy meets sorrow, but when you are in Christ Joy overshadows the darkness of days. 

See I didn’t say how that Joy reigned in my life during those dark times, and those moments of darkness. It is because Christ is the source of my joy. John 15:11 says, These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” John Piper says it like this, “ Fullness of joy in the age to come means so much joy that all competing, contrary emotions will be gone.” While this is hard to grasp when I put my joy in Christ the overwhelming sorrow, and hurt seems small in comparison. The beauty of Christian joy is that is doesn’t depend on circumstances. This is why when tragedy strikes you can set your eyes upon Jesus, and everything else seems so small. While days like today are hard, they are full of so much joy, because of Christ, and what he has done for me on the cross. I am thankful for the words that follow in John 16:20-33 that say, “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. 23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. 25 “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.1 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” 29 His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 30 Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. iIn the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” 

Often in life Joy meets sorrow but Christians should take note that Jesus has overcome the world! That means your joy can be full.