Thought for Tuesday January 1

May God bless us in his mercy.
May the peoples praise you, O God;
   may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
   and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
May God bless us in his mercy.

Luke 2: 16 – 21  Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen,  just as it had been told to them.

What did I glorify God for in the last year?  Did I glorify him enough?

Action: Resolve to glorify God for one thing each day of the new year.

Thought for Monday December 31

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult before the LORD.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!

 

John 1: 1 – 18  What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Does the darkness ever overcome me?  Do I sometimes look for the darkness i.e. pay close attention to all of the negative stuff that is or might be happening in the world?

Action:  Resolve to pay close attention to the good going on in the world instead of obsessing about the bad.

Thought for Friday December 28

Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Broken was the snare,
and we were freed.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.

 

Matthew 2: 13 – 18  The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you.  Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.”

 

Is “run away and hide” the advice I would expect from the God who sent plagues to Egypt, wiped out the Amalekites, and destroyed Jericho?  Does the birth of Jesus seem to usher in a new era in God’s dealings with his people?

 

Action: Make a point of doing something nice for the “innocent” people around you.

Thought forThursday December 27

Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the LORD of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
Rejoice in the Lord, you just!

 

1 John 1: 1 – 4  what we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; for our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.  We are writing this so that our joy may be complete.

Is my joy complete?   What have I done to make others’ joy complete?

Action:  Keep singing Joy to the World.  All of the boys and girls and all of the fishes of the deep blue sea will appreciate it. Just don’t call me at 0430 singing (you know who you are). 

Thought for Christmas Eve

Luke 2: 1 – 14

 

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields
and keeping the night watch over their flock.
The angel of the Lord appeared to them
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were struck with great fear.
The angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David
a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.
And this will be a sign for you:
you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel,
praising God and saying:
“Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.

 

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Day!

Thought for Friday December 21

Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
Sing to him a new song;
pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of gladness.
Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.

Luke 1: 39 – 45  Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.

What am I hoping for this Christmas?  What would it take to fulfill my hopes and dreams?

Action:  If the world doesn’t end before you read this, spend this weekend preparing yourself for Christmas – this may include letting yourself off the hook for not doing everything you wanted to do.   If the world does end before you get this, then I probably won’t send out any more of these.

Thought for Thursday December 20

Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory.

 

Luke 1: 26 – 38  …for nothing will be impossible for God.

 

Do I believe that nothing is impossible for God?  Do I believe he can do great things through me?

Action:  Take on something that is a little over your head and trust that God will help you.

Thought for Wednesday December 19

My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!

Luke 1: 5 – 25  And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.

Does the way I live my life  bring joy and gladness to my parents?  What could I do to make many people rejoice over my existence?

Action:  Do something today your Mom & Dad and God the Father would be proud of you for.  If it happens to be your birthday, do two great things.

Thought for Tuesday December 18

Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
who alone does wondrous deeds.
And blessed forever be his glorious name;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

 

Matthew 1: 18 – 25  She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.

How do my actions give my name meaning?   What do I want my name to mean?

Action:  Make a point of calling people by their names today, conscious that we are all still creating ourselves as persons.

Thought for Monday December 17

Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

Matthew 1: 1 – 17  Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab.  Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab.

Who cares?  Why are people interested in genealogy?  Is it important to see ourselves as a product of a long line of people even if we don’t know who they are?

Action:  Send a Christmas card to your most distantly related, shirttail cousin or friend just to acknowledge that we are all one family in Christ.

Thought for Friday December 14

Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.

 

Matthew 11: 16 – 19  But wisdom is vindicated by her works.

 

Have I ever been vindicated after some controversy?  Is this the age of wisdom?

Action:  You will have opportunities to be foolish this weekend, chose to be wise.

Thought for Thursday December 13

The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness.

 

Matthew 11: 11 – 15  From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force.

We still have violence, but is it different than it would be if Jesus had not come?  How does Jesus help me “survive” the violence that is around me and in my own heart?

Action:  The next time you have a violent thought (like slamming into the guy who just cut you off in traffic) ask Jesus to help you resist the temptation and then do something nice for the next person you see.

Thought for Wednesday December 12

You are the highest honor of our race.
Your deed of hope will never be forgotten
by those who tell of the might of God.
You are the highest honor of our race.

  

Luke 1: 39 -  47  And Mary said:  “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;  my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”

 

What does my soul proclaim?  What does my mouth proclaim?

 

Action:  Do something today to rejoice in God’s greatness.

Thought for Tuesday December 11

A voice cries out:
In the desert prepare the way of the LORD!
Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!
Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill shall be made low;
The rugged land shall be made a plain,
the rough country, a broad valley.
Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together;
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

 

Matthew 18: 12 – 14  If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills  and go in search of the stray?

 

Have I ever been the stray?  If so, who came looking for me?

Action:  Help out a stray even if you can’t bring him all the way home.

Thought for Monday December 10

Our God will come to save us!
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps.
Our God will come to save us!

Luke 5: 17 – 26  Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, “We have seen incredible things today.”

When was the last time I was astonished?  Has God ever shown me incredible things?

 

Action:  Astonish someone with kindness.

Thought for Friday December 7

The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
The Lord is my light and my salvation.

 

Matthew 9: 27 – 31  When he entered the house, the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?”  “Yes, Lord,” they said to him.

 

Did Jesus really think they would say, “No”?   How important is it to proclaim your faith?

 

Action:  Tell someone you love/care about them even if you think it is so ridiculously obvious that you don’t need to say it.

Thought for Thursday December 6

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

 

Matthew 7: 21 – 27  Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.  The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house.  But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.

What is my spiritual house built on?  Who among my friends, family or acquaintances has the strongest foundation?

Action:  If there are in soft/sandy spots in your foundation, make a plan for strengthening them.

Thought for Wednesday December 5

I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

 

Matthew 15: 29 – 37  Great crowds came to him, having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others.

 

Is Jesus so inspiring to me that I try to bring other people to him?  Do I ever make a conscious effort to be Christ to someone in need?

 

Action:  Be Christ for someone today: smile, encourage, help, give …

Thought for Tuesday December 4

Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever.

 

Luke 10: 21 – 24  Turning to the disciples in private he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.  For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”

 

What do I see and hear that prophets and kings missed?  What have others seen that I missed?

Action:  Share something you have seen or heard with someone who has not seen or heard.

Thought for Monday December 3

Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Because of my relatives and friends
I will say, "Peace be within you!"
Because of the house of the LORD, our God,
I will pray for your good.
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

 

Isaiah 2: 1 – 5  They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.

Are we getting closer to this or farther away?  Do I accept war as necessary or can I imagine a world without it?

Action:  Do something to support the people who are training for war because we haven’t found a better way yet.