THE NEW YEAR BEFORE US

The New Year stands before us
The signs speak loud and clear
The end-time is upon us
The choice you make is here.

The prophets tell of trouble
Of nations in distress
With war and famines growing
Of death and loneliness.

Ten nations, Daniel tells us
Will form a single head
And one will try to charm us
By rising from the dead.

The Beast will form a treaty
With Jews and Arabs, too
And all the world will wonder
"Can lasting peace be true?"

Then from the Temple throne
The anti-Christ will speak
As Armageddon forces
Around Jerusalem meet.

The sun will then grow dimmer
The moon will hide its face
As angels pour out judgment
Upon the human race.

A choice demands an answer
You cannot neutral be
It's either Christ or Satan
That marks your destiny.
--B. Pent

GOD'S GIFT

A thousand gifts may come your way
To bring you joy this Christmas day
With brilliant lights around the tree
For every boy and girl to see.
Yet if you miss the One who came
No other joy is there to claim.

Sweet carols fill the ethereal sky
Like angel choirs once sang on high
With peace on earth to every man
The Christmas story fills the land.
Yet fear can only be a part
If Christ no longer rules the heart.

As busy shoppers seek to find
The perfect gift with love in mind
A voice breaks through life's empty space
"Give Christ a chance to fill its place."
For if you fail to crown Him King
There is no lasting peace within.

God's greatest gift came down to earth
So man can have redemption's birth
He is enough, so please take heed
Receive His Son, that's all you need.
Then you will find fulfilled in Him
Life's deepest joy without, within.
--B. Pent

THE MYSTERY OF JOY

How vain man searches for a way
Through earthly toys that soon decay
And thinks these things bring happiness
Yet find, its only emptiness.

In every life a God-shaped void
Is built within the heart of man
So he can know down deep inside
Redeeming grace that will abide.

But joy is not made up of things
That bid one soar on eagle wings
The power is found in knowing Him
And helping others bound by sin.

The fruit of joy one can express
Is helping widows in distress
Or helping orphans find a home
So they no longer need to roam.

So as you seek help from above
Let Jesus fill you with His love
Then through the service you impart
Real joy will overflow your heart.
--B. Pent

I WONDER AS I WANDER!

My thoughts move once again to this incomprehensible mystery! I follow the shepherds from Bethlehem's hillside after hearing the announcement by angels of Christ's birth. I try to comprehend a virgin birth as I look at Mary's new born son: deity and humanity interwoven. He had no halo or visible marks of divinity I am aware of. Just a normal baby who cried, drank mother's milk, burped and needed wiping several times a day. Yet, He was God incarnate who pre-existed from eternity past: spoke the universe into being; created the world and everything in it; and even pre-arranged His visit to planet earth.

The pungent smell of an animal shelter disturbs my thoughts. I would resent spending even one night there! Where was the eastern culture of hospitality for traveling strangers? Was there no righteous family in Bethlehem available? Yet, even more disturbing is that God was coming to visit earth and all we offer Him is a dung infested stable.

It's Christmas time again and its mystery still boggles reason. Why is our King in rags? What is this covering of flesh? What was God thinking when He sent Jesus into this sin-cursed world? I sure wouldn't have risked it! Would you?

I guess the wonder of it all is that He did come. Wrapped in this indescribable Gift Paul talks about in 2 Corinthians 9:15 is the one thing every person seeks: LOVE. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son" (John 3:16).

So I find myself once again metaphorically picturing God coming into this sinfully dung-infested heart of mine, cleaning it up, and living in it forever. Jesus stands at every heart's door and continually knocks (Rev.3:20) waiting for our response: "There is room in my heart for Thee!"

Why He chose me is a question I can't answer. That is what makes Christmas so mysterious to me. I am lost in the wonder of His grace as I continually rejoice in His great salvation. So should you be!

SIGNS OF MATURITY - I Thess.2:7-16

"A dynamic Church is not built on soft seats and subdued light, but on strong courageous leadership; not tall towers with chimes and bells, but a lofty vision of its people; not big budgets, but big hearts; not what it has done in the past, but what it is doing now and is willing to invest for tomorrow."

The strength of today's Church must be visually seen in its equipped change-agents. The Thessalonian Church turned the world upside down because it was changed inside out! We seem to be spending more time on the outside than on the inside. We have beautiful structures for a church but anemic Christians to model after. The Thessalonian Christians became models because they saw themselves as participators, not just spectators.

What are the signs of a maturing people? Paul seems to indicate a three-fold stage in this passage:
I. The Childhood Stage - (vs.7-9) "as a mother caring for her little children"
Scripture is full of illustrations/metaphors of God's loving care for His children:
Isa.66:13, "as a mother comforts." Psalm 103:13, "as a father has compassion."
Ezek. 34:12, "as a shepherd looks after." Deut. 32:11, "as an eagle hovers over its young"
Matt.23:37, "as a hen gathers its chicks."

A new convert to Christ needs a lot of tender loving care. Note how Paul describes those
needs: gentle among you (v.7); caring like a mother with her children (v.7); loving to
share our lives (v.8); working night and day (v.9). Unfortunately, a large majority of
Christians are still in this infant stage. They need constant pampering; are looking for
an emotional high through music, preaching, worship; they are easily slighted and seem
to always move from church to church looking for self satisfaction.
II. The Adolescent Stage - (v.10-12) "as a father deals with his own child"
The metaphor of a father dealing with his child is a beautiful picture of a son or daughter
beginning to gain maturity in the Christian life. The adolescent is stronger, more
dependent, even taking some responsibility though he/she may have ups & downs.

The Thessalonians could see how the Apostle Paul and his staff lived. "You are witnesses
and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you" (v.10) Then
he urges them as a father would his children: "encouraging, comforting, and urging them
to live lives worthy of God who called them into his kingdom and glory" (vs12). The
sign of a maturing Christian is one who not only listens to instructions but puts them into
practice. James 1:22 states: "be doers of the word and not hearers only."

III. The Adult Stage - (vs.13-16) "you heard; you accepted; you became
imitators"
Paul bursts forth into praise for the progress these Thessalonians demonstrated as they
matured in faith: "we thank God continually because, when you received the word
of God....you accepted it" (v.13). Note how they demonstrated their faith:
1. They receive the Word of God - (v.13).
2. They Modeled the Word of God - (v.14)
3. They suffered for the Word of God - (v.14)
4. They shared the Word of God -
Where are you in your Christian walk? Are you maturing in your faith? God is looking
for growing, maturing Christians who model Christ likeness each day. Don't remain a
spiritual infant but as 2 Peter 3:18 reminds us, "grow in grace and in the knowledge
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."