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WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
by Linda Hull
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"I meditate on all thy works." Be Transformed! |
In This IssueDecember, 2008, Volume 14.12 "And
if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you
will serve;" Joshua 24:15a Letter From The EditorChoosing God's Best |
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Letter from the Editor...
Dear Folks,
This Christmas is especially poignant as we realize that we are moving closer to the time of our Messiah's return. Each year draws us closer still. But this year, we wonder how much longer, Lord? For all the world is in turmoil. But the end is not yet. We still have time to speak to our loved ones and our friends and our neighbors about Jesus. We still have time to right a wrong and mend a fence. We still have time to forgive and restore. This year, let us be encouraged to choose God's best, Jesus. When we choose Jesus, we will be choosing God's best plan for mankind. God is with us!
IN THIS ISSUE
CLICK ON THE LINKS TO TAKE YOU DIRECTLY TO AN ARTICLE
| Joseph, a Man of Faith |
| Musings |
| No Is Not A Dirty Word |
| Choosing God's Best |
| Grandmother's Scrapbook |
| Home School Tips |
| Thought Provokers |
| Recipe Corner |
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Copyright © 2008 by Linda G. Hull
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"Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient; whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." 1 Peter 2:1-10
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The
Believer's
Mission...
"And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, "Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women."
And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, "Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."
Then said Mary unto the angel, "How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?"
And the angel answered and said unto her, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible."
And Mary said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." And the angel departed from her." Luke 1:26-38
One of the most interesting aspects of the Christmas story is the virgin birth. In our world today a young woman having a baby without a husband is the norm. In those days, it was a shameful thing for it signaled to the world that this young woman had been involved in an illicit relationship and was guilty of the sin of fornication. That's what Joseph thought.
Who was the father of Mary's coming baby? Everyone wanted to know. Poor Mary, what a ridiculous sounding story she had told. Who could have a baby without an earthly father? How could God give her a baby? Can't you picture the scene? I imagine there was lots of head shaking and frowns and let's not forget the comments; they couldn't have been good.
Joseph, a carpenter, born in Bethlehem, was a respected man of
the community, for he was a descendant of King David (Luke 2:4) He had
entered into a marriage contract or betrothal with Mary's family in accordance
with Jewish Law. This was a binding contract designating Mary as Joseph's
wife even though they were not yet living together as husband and wife, for a
period of twelve months must pass before Mary would be taken into Joseph's home.
Their betrothal could be broken only by death or a formal divorce in accordance with
Mary had not sinned. She was not guilty of fornication.
She was not deserving of death. Yet Joseph didn't know that. He was
prepared to formally divorce her privately, citing uncleanness, thereby releasing her from their marriage
contract. Knowing that he wasn't the father of her child, Joseph
nonetheless was unwilling to cite fornication as the reason for the divorce.
"When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: them let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house." Deuteronomy 24:1
Another man might have made an entirely different decision, resulting in the death of Mary and our Savior, Jesus. The Lord God Jehovah understood Joseph's position and his confusion. Joseph must have wanted to believe Mary, but such a thing had never happened before. If Joseph had suddenly remembered the prophecy of the virgin birth by Isaiah, it would have helped him to realize the magnitude of Mary's claim.
"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." Isaiah 7:14
No, God worked a little differently, allowing Joseph to be a partner in this miraculous birth. Joseph needed divine intervention. An angel reminded Joseph of the old prophecy. The disciple Matthew tells the story...
"Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: and knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus." Matthew 1:19-25
Isn't Joseph the most amazing man? His reaction to the angel's revelation reveals a kind and just man. Joseph was a devout Jew, and was willing to exercise his right of divorce, but when he heard the truth of Mary's condition confirmed, he brought Mary under his immediate protection. This simple act silenced the critics and naysayers. He had made his decision and it would be honored because he was respected and known among the men of his Nazareth community. Joseph was a man of faith. He could have discounted the dream and the angel's visitation but Joseph chose to believe. Joseph could have chosen another plan, but instead he chose God's best. He chose to be a father to Jesus.
We know that Joseph was right to believe the angel. Jesus was God's Son just as the angel said. Jesus came as the Savior just as prophecy foretold. Jesus is God's best solution for mankind's problem of sin and separation from God.
If you are struggling to believe the truth and do not know Jesus as your Savior, then please go to Do you know for sure?
Will you choose God's Best, Jesus?
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"Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God." Joshua 23:11
MUSINGS...
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." John 1:1-5
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." John 1:14
"He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not.
He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.
But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name:
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:10-13
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"A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel." Luke 2:32
by Nancy Twigg
I admit I sometimes hear voices. Not audible voices but, rather, that clear, inner voice I’ve come to recognize as God’s way of sometimes telling me things He wants me to know.
During the time that my daughter, Lydia attended our church’s child care program, our family became very fond of the preschool’s director, Miss Mary. Never have I met anyone with such a heart for children. Because we thought so highly of Miss Mary, imagine what my first thoughts were one day when she told me the child care program was in desperate need of help. A couple of teachers had recently left, and Miss Mary was looking for new employees to fill the vacancies. But in the interim, parents who were able were asked to help out.
Maybe I could spare a morning or two a week, I thought. At the time I was in a busy season of writing. I was also heading up a prayer group and helping out with a Sunday school class at church. I had more than a full plate.
I could rearrange my schedule, I speculated, and get up a little earlier each day. I was already rising at 4:00 am to get in a few hours of work before Lydia woke up. How much earlier did I think I could get up?
Then I heard it. The words were so clear and concise, I knew better than to question what I heard: “Tend your own garden!”
Wanting to support Miss Mary was honorable. Helping fill the vacancies was a good thing, but not one of the best things God was calling me to do. When I thought about it that way, how could I say anything but “no” to that part of me that wanted to say "Sure, I'll help?"
For many of us, saying no is one of the biggest challenges we face. How do we learn to stop trying to do everything so we can do well the few things God has called us to do? Here are some strategies that have worked for me:
1. Be clear about your priorities. This may sound like a no-brainer. Of course, your first priorities are God, your spouse, and your children. But be more specific. In your mind, what does it mean to put God first? What does it mean to be a good wife and mom? Does being a good mother have to include being soccer mom and den mother every year? Does being a committed Christian mean you must be involved with every project your church sponsors?
2. Classify your priorities in order of importance. As you identify your priorities, it is also helpful to make your own “good, better, best” list of the various commitments in your life. Even within the scope of things that support your core values, inevitably there will be some things that are more beneficial and more supportive of your values than others. For example, having your kids in one extracurricular activity per year may support the priority you place on raising well-rounded children. Allowing more than one sport or club per year may fall into the “good” category—something you’d do only if it didn’t endanger carrying out any of the things in the “best” category.
3. Set a time budget for additional commitments. Once you’re sure what you should focus on, set a limit for how much time you can devote to things that are good but not the best use of your time and energy. How many hours per week can you spare without cutting into the time needed to tend to your own priorities? After looking at your list of most important obligations, you may realize that you can allot only two additional hours per week to good-but-not-best commitments. Use this limit as your guide in accepting or declining additional commitments.
When considering something new, remember that in order to stay within your time budget, you must take away one previous commitment for every new one you add.
Are you tired of living in conflict over trying to do it all? Do you want to learn to say no without guilt and yes without sacrificing your sanity? If so, it’s time to move from clutter to clarity. No is not a dirty word. Let go of being a yes-woman so you can be a woman who truly knows how to put first things first.
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Excerpt taken from: From Clutter to Clarity: Simplifying Life from the Inside Out © 2007 by Nancy Twigg, published by Standard Publishing (www.standardpub.com). Used by permission.
ABOUT NANCY...
Nancy Twigg is an author and speaker who loves inspiring women to live more simply. She is the author of three books and the editor of Counting the Cost Ezine (www.countingthecost.com/index1.htm). To learn more about Nancy’s speaking and writing ministry, visit her online at www.keepitsimplesister.com and
http://www.nancytwigg.com
Sometimes God's plan just doesn't look like
much. In fact many times we wonder what God is doing, and we know that if
we were in charge, we would have a much better plan. Sounds a little
arrogant doesn't it? If we're honest, we don't always buy into what God is
doing.
While things may not seem "right", we must trust that they are and that things are moving along according to God's plan. If you have trouble trusting God, you're not alone. Check out these true stories of others who experienced unbelief until God showed them the error in their ways.
Joseph and Mary must have wondered what God was thinking when they found there were no rooms available in Bethlehem (Matthew 2). Mary was ready to deliver her child, but there was no place for them. Was the Messiah really to be born in a stable?
The stable in Bethlehem was actually the best
place for Jesus to be born. First, prophecy was fulfilled. Mary and
Joseph could attend to Jesus' birth without fanfare in complete privacy.
The straw was clean and the stable was quiet, separated from the world.
Jesus was in a safe place. It would soon become apparent that Jesus'
whereabouts needed to be kept quiet.
"And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men." Matthew 2:13-16
Remember Naaman (2 Kings 5) He was the man who had leprosy. The prophet Elisha told him that he could be healed, but he had to dip himself in the waters of the Jordan River seven times. This made absolutely no sense to Naaman. He was an important man and he wasn't stupid. If the Jordan River had special healing powers, surely the word would have been out. Naaman must have felt insulted by this seemingly ridiculous command from Elisha, the great prophet who hadn't even bothered to come to the door to greet him. Naaman needed to know that the Lord God Jehovah can do anything. God's plan is always best, even when it makes no sense.
"And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, he will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? How much rather then, when he saith to thee, wash, and be clean? Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel..." 2 Kings 10-15a
Poor Abraham was astounded when he heard that he and his wife Sarah were to bear a child in their old age. The Bible says he fell down on his face laughing. Sarah too laughed when she heard the news. What was God thinking? The Lord God Jehovah wasn't laughing. God had made a covenant with Abraham that he would be the father of many nations.
"And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, saying I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh." Genesis 17:13-15
"And God said unto Abraham, as for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. Then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? And shall Sarah, that is ninety years old bear?" Genesis 17:15-17
Abraham and Sarah had no children. When God told Abraham that he would have many children, this seemed impossible. Sarai orchestrated her own plan. She decided God had made a mistake and needed help. Since the children couldn't come from her because she was past child bearing age, then they had to come from someone else. She encouraged Abraham to take her handmaid Hagar to be his second wife. It worked, Hagar bore a son, but that was not God's plan. God's plan was to establish His covenant with Abraham through Sarah.
"But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year." Genesis 17:21
When God's plan doesn't make sense, we always try to help Him out by substituting our own plan. It never works out quite the way we had hoped. Think back in your own life when you sought to go your way, according to your own plan without even consulting your Lord. What happened? We need to choose God's best plan, not seek a poor substitute.
God's plan is not always easy, not always pleasant, and doesn't always make sense. Sometimes we will be called to make sacrifices of our time, energy, and resources. Sometimes we will be asked to lay down our lives. Sometimes, we will be asked to love and serve the unlovely. Sometimes, we will be asked to wait and do nothing. Sometimes, we will be asked to do the ridiculous. Always we must obey.
Choosing God's best sets us up for great rewards and blessings. This does not mean you will have an easy life, or a life of wealth and success, or even a peaceful life. It means that God rewards us for our obedience and faithfulness to do His will and make ourselves available to use as He sees fit, just as Mary and Joseph did. Our reward is salvation from the punishment of sin, forgiveness of sin, restoration to our heavenly Father, a place in Heaven, and heavenly rewards in the form of crowns. Best of all, we will have His favor and good will.
God's plan is always the best plan. Why? He always knows what's best for us and for others around us. We need not fear because God is in control.
"In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil." Proverbs 3:6-7
GRANDMOTHER'S SCRAPBOOK
"Inspired by great-grandmother's scrapbook, compiled before 1918."
How Brightly Beams the Morning Star
by Johann Adolf Schlegel
How brightly beams the Morning Star!
What sudden radiance from afar
Doth glad us with its shining,
Brightness of God that breaks our night
And fills the darken'd souls with light
Who long for truth were pining!
Thy Word, Jesu, only feeds us,
Rightly leads us,
Life bestowing;
Praise, oh praise such love o'erflowing.Thou here my Comfort, there my Crown,
Thou King of Heaven, who camest down
To dwell as man beside me;
My heart doth praise Thee o'er and o'er,
If Thou art mine I ask no more,
Be wealth or fame denied me;
Thee I seek now; None who proves Thee,
None who loves Thee
Finds Thee fail him;
Lord of life, Thy powers avail him!Through Thee alone can I be blest,
Then deep be on my heart imprest
The love that Thou hast borne me;
So make it ready to fulfil
With burning zeal Thy holy will,
Though men may vex or scorn me;
Saviour, let me Never lose Thee,
For I choose Thee,
Thirst to know Thee;
All I am and have I owe Thee!O God, our Father far above,
Thee too I Praise, for all the love
Thou in Thy Son dost give me!
In Him am I made one with Thee,
My Brother and my Friend is He;
Shall aught affright or grieve me?
He is Greatest, Best, and Highest,
Ever nighest
To the weakest;
Fear no foes, if Him thou seekest!O praise to Him who come to save,
Who conquer'd death and burst the grave;
Each day new praise resoundeth
To Him the Lamb who once was slain,
The Friend whom none shall trust in vain,
Whose grace for aye aboundeth;
Sing, ye Heavens, Tell the story
Of His glory,
Till His praises
Flood with light Earth's darkest places.
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"And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord will all your heart; and turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain." 1 Samuel 12:20-21
HOME SCHOOL TIPS
SUGGESTED GIFTS FOR THE HOMESCHOOL
It's time to use our resources wisely. Think about giving gifts that will benefit your child and provide a helpful resource for your homeschool. Following are some timely gifts to enhance the learning experience for your child:
Build your school library with books that encourage and exhort to righteousness.
Add a big item like a microscope or lab experiment kits to your science lab.
Purchase play equipment that all can enjoy such as a sled, a ping pong table, or a tether ball.
Add a fun learning tool like GeoSafari or LeapFrog.
Gift your children art tools and craft supplies.
Purchase Leggos or K'NEX to foster the imagination while providing lots of hours of inventing and building.
Give a gift certificate for lessons in a hobby or sport.
Start a collection with a gift of that item such as stamps, coins, etc.
To ask questions about homeschooling please contact me!
TRY OUT THESE HELPFUL PRODUCTS! >>>Just click on the logo to go directly to the site.
Dedicated to the restoration of Christian Family Culture... Click on the catalog logo below.
TRY OUT THESE HELPFUL PRODUCTS! >>>Just click on the logo to go directly to the site.
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Purchase Christian Homeschool Curriculum and online courses for families who want to teach a Biblical worldview to their children.
TRY OUT THESE HELPFUL PRODUCTS! >>>Just click on the logos to go directly to the site.
This is a wonderful free downloadable program for all your record keeping needs! I have used it successfully for years!
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"O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." Psalm 31:23-24
THOUGHT PROVOKERS
Jesus Christ is the common bond and the point of unity that draws all believers together.
Jesus said, "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." John 12:46
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6
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RECIPE CORNER
"And having food and raiment let us be therewith content." I Timothy 6:6
GIFTS TO GIVE...
MENU
Click on the links to go to the recipe or scroll down.
TIP
OF THE MONTH
"Hear, and
understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that
which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man." Matthew
15:10-11
* More recipes can be found at Free Recipes or
Free Cooking Recipes.
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1 cup Tang 2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon cloves 1 cup instant tea 1 pkg. instant powdered lemonade mix Mix in quart jar and keep until read to use.
Put two teaspoons in cup and add boiling water. For Gifts: place tea mixture in a
decorative glass container. Type up a small note card with directions
and ingredients. Use a hole punch to cut a hole in a corner. Thread a length
of raffia through the hole. Cut out a circle larger than the lid from
decorative fabric with pinking shears. Place fabric circle on top of jar
lid. Tie raffia with directions card around the fabric circle and jar lid.
"The
Lord hath made known His salvation: His righteousness hath He openly
shewed in the sight of the heathen." Psalm 98:2 Use "buy one get one free" sales as a means to help your local
food pantry. Give the item you receive for free to the food pantry.
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This Issue