I hope you all had as merry a Christmas Day as the Hodges family did...we ate, and gifted, and talked, and ate, and did one of the silliest things ever...we pulled off our socks and shoes and ran out in the 4" of snow that Amarillo surprisingly received to make it one of our rare White Christmases! Even 5 year old Genny joined in our "Polar Bear Run"! Fun times that make for good family memories!
On Christmas Eve we celebrated Christ's birth with wonderful services at Hillside Christian Church. It was an evening of true praise to Christ our King. My mind was renewed with the truth of the gift of God to us in the form of His Son, coming as a baby in Bethlehem.
When we dwell on the truths of God, we will find ourselves being non-conformists to this world, to this age of the temporary. We will find ourselves realizing that the lies that are being told to us by this world do nothing for us other than increase our levels of discontent and frustration. Lies such as...
Philippians 2:3
Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.
Or as The Message puts it,
Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead.
That is not what the world tells us...but it IS what God's Word tells us and what helps us in our quest to understand God's good, perfect and pleasing will for our lives.
On Christmas Eve we celebrated Christ's birth with wonderful services at Hillside Christian Church. It was an evening of true praise to Christ our King. My mind was renewed with the truth of the gift of God to us in the form of His Son, coming as a baby in Bethlehem.
When we dwell on the truths of God, we will find ourselves being non-conformists to this world, to this age of the temporary. We will find ourselves realizing that the lies that are being told to us by this world do nothing for us other than increase our levels of discontent and frustration. Lies such as...
- getting more "stuff" will add to our happiness
- our physical appearance determines our value
- making more money should be our ultimate goal
- bigger, better homes/cars/clothes/toys increases our enjoyment of life
- growing old gracefully is an idea that you should never embrace
Philippians 2:3
Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.
Or as The Message puts it,
Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead.
That is not what the world tells us...but it IS what God's Word tells us and what helps us in our quest to understand God's good, perfect and pleasing will for our lives.
1 comment:
I am so glad you were able to enjoy Christmas and put your sadness aside for your family's sake. I had a great Holiday Season. Adult movies with my sisters and animated movies with my grandson and great-nephews; dinner with an aunt and then with my uncle (both loss their spouses this year), and candlelight services with my family. My grandson didn't want to blow his candle out. We took a couple home and re-lit them for my grandson and great- niece. Remembering our special gift of Christ Jesus made the holidays complete.
This world does try to define us through all if the outside influences we receive from television shows and advertisements and movies we see. They are
influences that do not come from God. Rivalry and conceit vs. humility. I am
transformed each day when I spend time with Jesus. He renews my spirit and my
mind. He shows me the way to righteousness. Christ is my leader, He is the
President of my spirit. He rules the world through Truth and Grace.
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