The will of God will never take you:
Where the grace of God cannot keep you
Where the arms of God cannot support you
Where the riches of God cannot supply you
Where the power of God cannot endow you

The will of God will never take you:
Where the Spirit of God cannot work through you
Where the wisdom of God cannot teach you
Where the army of God cannot protect you
Where the hands of God cannot mold you

The will of God will never take you:
Where the love of God cannot enfold you
Where the mercies of God cannot sustain you
Where the peace of God cannot calm you
Where the authority of God cannot overrule for you

The will of God will never take you:
Where the comfort of God cannot dry your tears
Where the Word of God cannot feed you
Where the miracles of God cannot be done for you
Where the omnipresence of God cannot find you

Everything happens for a purpose

By now, the after-holiday blues have settled in: the decorations are packed away, the routine of work has resumed, empty boxes have been taken to the dump, and the first few toys have already proved less-than-satisfactory.

It’s far too easy for us to put too much stock in one particular present that we hope to receive.  Whether a toy… a particular kitchen appliance… or the latest electronic gadget, we often find ourselves disappointed in some facet of a gift we receive.  It doesn’t live up to its hype, it doesn’t do what we wanted, it breaks within the first week, or it just doesn’t fit right.  Or maybe it was a cheap substitution to the gift we really wanted to receive.

I’m grateful that God’s gifts are always the best available on the market!  They aren’t cheap substitutions, they don’t wear out or break, and they always fit just right!  Paul tells us about some of those gifts:

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement
give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15: 5-6)

Endurance.  Encouragement.  Unity. When you’re tempted to give up this year, remember that God gives endurance.  When you it seems that all hope is lost, claim the gift of encouragement.  And in our broken relationships, let us join Paul in asking for the gift of “one mind and once voice”–the gift of unity.

These gifts are not simply to sit on a shelf or to display as a household decoration.  They are not simply gifts to give us “warm fuzzies.”  These gifts are to enable us to glorify God – that our very lives might bring praise to His Name.

Everlasting God – Far too often I have put my hope in the gifts that this world has to offer–money, power, fame, or luxury.  Help me to learn to seek out your gifts instead.  I thank you for the endurance to continue on through the night.  I thank you for the encouragement found in scripture and in the Body of Christ.  Help me to live at peace with all, that we might glorify your Name together. (PASTOR JON TWITCHELL)

When Queen Elizabeth II first visited New York City, in 1957, the glamorous young monarch was welcomed with a ticker-tape parade befitting war heroes. She visited New York again on July 7, 2010 at age 84, but this time the fanfare was low key when she visited Ground Zero

For us as Christian, our Christmas celebration celebrates not the arrival of an earthly monarch but the arrival of God in all His majesty. But unlike a visiting monarch, Zechariah tells us something special, something extraordinary unexpected. God said “Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you declares the LORD.”

Can you fathom what has transpired? Today we celebrate the birth of Christ. Today, the unexpected has come, God living among us, God dwelling not only in our midst but in our hearts. Though the reign of Queen Elizabeth II has spanned decades, it will eventually end. Though the monarch praised the United Nations for their efforts in a changing world, it’s the prophetic word of Zechariah that brings us lasting hope. The Scriptures promise “Many nations will be joined with the LORD in that day and will become my people.”

As we consider the Bethlehem story, there was no room in the Inn. If the birth of Jesus would have taken place in the Inn, it would have been a temporary residence. God is looking for a permanent residence; He wants to live with you. He wants to make you a Holy dwelling.

“We are sealed by the Holy Spirit of God, by our receiving His real stamp upon our souls; being made the partakers of the divine nature. This is, indeed, the design of His dwelling in us, to heal our disordered souls, and to restore that image of His upon our nature.” – John Wesley                                                                                                                                                                                                        (DR ERNEST PEETS  JR)