The weather is turning colder and the wind makes it more miserable. I did have a chance to get out during a break in the weather and go to the fitness center and run a few errands. This morning after getting some additional rest, I was able to get some work done in my office that had been hanging over my head.

One of the results of last week’s visit to the doctor was some new lab work. What I found interesting was my white blood count and pseudomonas bacteria levels were elevated fairly high. My doctor however, was not overly concerned if I didn’t have other symptoms. This bacteria is the source of the infections that I have fought this past year. So I will continue to monitor my symptoms and level of fatigue in the coming days.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people….suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”  Luke 2:8-10,13-14

As I reflect on the events surrounding the birth of Christ, the appearance to the shepherds is of great significance. It wasn’t as those God was desperate for an audience to witness the birth of His Son. Angels could have appeared over the stable where Jesus was born and that would have attracted a great crowd.

Shepherds were significant for many reasons that I can think of. The history of God’s people was a history of shepherds. When Israel traveled to Egypt Joesph told his father to address Pharaoh with these words, “…Your servants’ occupation has been with livestock from our youth even till now, both we and also our fathers,’ that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”  (Gen. 46:33,34)

The reputation of shepherds had not improved over the hundreds of years from the exodus to the birth of Christ. They were common men, rough and not to be trusted. When the angels appeared to them, they may have thought of all the wrong things they had done in their lives. But the birth of Christ is good news to those who expect it the least and it brings dignity to those who the world despises.

The birth place of Jesus was the perfect setting for the shepherds to visit. These men would not be comfortable in a palace or in a setting with people from a cross section of economic or social status. But they were at home with animals and hay.

Jesus birth and the life he lived, those who followed Him, those He ministered to, showed He identify with those that others would cast aside. He came to bring hope that your life can be more than what it is. You can experience a change in status.

So fishermen became “fishers of men.” The demon possessed found freedom. The lepers despised and cast aside found healing and reintegration back to society. The blind received their sight and needed to beg no more. Those caught in sin were forgiven and granted a new beginning. He announced that in His kingdom the first shall be last and last shall be first.

Did Jesus have to be born in a stable? No prophecies predicted this detail. But the circumstances and what they speak about the Son of  God humbling Himself and taking on the form of man could not have a more explicit exclamation point. Jesus was not born with a “silver spoon in His mouth” but rather “a piece of straw.” After all, He is the Lamb of God.

When the angels announced tidings of great joy for all people. They really meant ALL people. That includes us today.

I am finally having some good rest at night. That is helping with my overall strength and energy levels. Today Debbie and I had lunch with Sue and Sam Schmidt and Gwen Kovac. We enjoyed the time with them and hearing some great reports about Sue and Sam’s church that we will visit in coming weeks.

Outside of that it has been a restful day and one of preparation for the coming week. Debbie has a fairly intense schedule and only has Christmas day off this week. We hope to go to Lakewood to join Christian and family on Christmas Day.

For those who read on a regular basis, I made reference to a job interview. The Lord answered prayer (at least Debbie’s :)) I didn’t get the job, but the process was good to go through. I had mentioned not having interviewed for a job for over 20 years. I also realized I had never interviewed for a job that I didn’t get!

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…  ^“When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”  Matthew 2:10,11

There is much mystery about the visit of the “wise men.” It is clear from the Bible text and the edict of death from King Herod that Jesus was two or younger at the time of the visit. We really don’t know how many and how extensive their gifts were. However, based on the common practices of the day in recognition of a new King, there would have been an large group and gifts that were worthy of the person and the occasion.

When the Queen of Sheba visited Solomon her gifts included,   “…one hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in great quantity, and precious stones….” 1 Kings 10:10 I believe we can picture not three gifts but a house filled with gifts that included gold, frankincense and myrrh.

The other aspect of the wise men’s journey of note is their response to the star that lead them to the house where Christ was. The Bible says, “they rejoice with exceeding great joy.” What did that look like? What comes to your mind when you think of “rejoicing with great joy?” A super bowl win, a world series championship, a come from behind win, the birth of a baby, the unexpected bonus? What has created the greatest rejoicing in your life and how did you respond? I would imagine that it included laughter, loud voices, “high fives” hugs, dancing and an euphoria that comes from the release of strong emotion. I believe the wise men’s response included that type of response, minus the “high fives” (maybe)

They rejoiced, they humbled themselves in worship and awe and they presented gifts, they opened their treasures. I find what we observed in the life of the wise men is a model for us today when we encounter Christ.

I recall a college student who helped on our worship team and she would consistently worship with joy, lifting her hands, bouncing up and down. There were a few grumblers who did not relate to or appreciate the exuberance. One day at the end of worship I slipped to the side of this young woman and asked her to share what the Lord had done for her. She shared about a broken home, suicidal tendencies and living a pretty “wild life.” But then, the light of Christ pierced the darkness of her life and she was changed. Despair turned to hope, purpose replaced aimless living and love from the Lord filled her life. My response was, “when you encounter Christ like that, it is easy to rejoice like like that!”

A personal encounter with Christ still brings unspeakable joy. Then there are those times when we understand the greatest of God and depth of our need and all we can do is bow and worship in honor and reverence the One who is “our all in all.”

When God touches our heart, we open our treasures. I don’t believe you can have a true encounter and relationship with Christ and be a “stingy” person. God is a giver and when He is in our life, we give. We give in worship, we give in faith, we give in obedience, we give so Christ can make a difference in others as we have experienced ourselves.

Wise men (people) today are those who, rejoice, worship and give as a result of their encounter with the living Christ, God’s gift, God’s Son.

I made an early morning trip to Denver today. It was actually for a job interview. I’m not sure what will come from the meeting and I will let you know what develops. I found myself walking through some open doors and engaging in the process. It was the first time in over twenty years that I have been in a structured interview process. Since it was an interview team, it was like being before a church board or search committee.

I did have the opportunity to visit with my mother and that went well. She had friend over making fudge and peanut brittle. I return to Fort Collins in time for a nap before Debbie and I head to Cheyenne to join Charlie Simineo for an improv play that features his son.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…“Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? …..[The scribes told Herod] “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:“‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’                                                                                  Matthew 2:5,6

One of the more remarkable aspects of Jesus’ birth is the number of prophecies that were fulfilled as it took place. In addition to the place of his birth consider these…

^“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” Matthew 1:22,23

“[Joesph] rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egyptand remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Matthew 2:14,15

Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:“A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation,Rachel weeping for her children;  she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”                                   Matthew 2:17,18

The birth of Jesus was a surprise to Mary and Joesph. It was disturbing to King Herod. It was a mystery to the wise men. It was a wonder to the shepherds. But it was all planned by God in His time and in His way in order for the words of the prophets to be fulfilled.

These words spoken by the prophets at the time didn’t have a direct connection to the coming Messiah, but as the events of the birth and early days of Jesus unfold we see the meaning unfold. All of these individual prophecies spoken at different times and by different prophets converge into a sequence that is revealed in the birth of Jesus.

The basic reminder and “take-a-way” for today is that  God has a plan and purpose that is still unfolding and will continue to unfold throughout time until the return of Christ. If you would have placed the details of these prophecies out on a table or some format to study you would have, “virgin birth, born in Bethlehem, out of Egypt, called a Nazarene.” Trying to picture how these would all be fulfilled would have been a challenge and a good occasion to “throw up your hands” in confusion.

I recall many years ago in my Bible study thinking, “If the stage is going to be set for the end times, the USSR as we know it today will need to come to an end.” I was a little surprised when some years later the “iron curtain” fell. I remember prophecy teachers saying that, “in the end times, it appears the U.S. may have lost its significance on the world stage.” As I see some current events and foreign policy decisions and practices put into place, I can see how that can happen.

When it comes to our life of faith and God working out His plan, be prepared to be surprised. Mary and Joesph were, King Herod was and I believe when the time comes for the Lord’s return people will be as well.

I finally slept better last night and after going to bed early had a better day. My improvement was just in time for my doctor’s appointment! I does feel like I am getting to the end of my coughing spells and the NP I met with said three weeks isn’t that abnormal.

After my appointment and a “longer than it should have taken” wait at the pharmacy for a prescription, I did get in a good work out at the fitness center. I than ran some errands which took longer than anticipated, so by the time I returned home the dog was hungry and I was behind on my noon pills by about three hours.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”   Isaiah 9:6

I recall a great-uncle who seemed to have a “nickname” for everyone of his children. Then add a few other family members who was known by some moniker other than their given name and it was very confusing. Especially for a little kid at family reunions. Nicknames can originate for a wide variety of reasons. I had a nickname that I was “christened” with from a fellow student in a junior high shop class that stuck with me through my high school years. Many students had no idea how the name originated they just called me by that name because “everybody else did.”

The  names of the Messiah that we find in Isaiah are not really “nicknames” as much at titles. They were not names that became a common way to refer to Jesus, but they still show who He is and what He is to those who follow Him.

He is the One who is wiser than Solomon and can provide the counsel, comfort and direction that is needed throughout our life. It is right to call Him a “Wonderful Counselor”.

During His earthly ministry the miracles He performed were often more amazing than we can really comprehend. It is true that there is “nothing too difficult for God.” He is the “Mighty God.”

John in his gospel opens with the simple declaration that, “In the beginning was the Word….” Jesus said of His words, “heaven and earth will pass away but my words will never pass away.” The writer of Hebrews declared Him, “the same yesterday, today and forever.” He is the “Everlasting Father.”

He was born into a world of unrest and strife. He faced opposition, doubt and ridicule. His death was torturous and filled with strife and confusion. His resurrection brought comfort and hope to many, but there were those who doubted and they persecute those who believed. Yet in the midst of it all, He is, the “Prince of Peace.” That is because peace is more than the absence of outside conflict it is that which is in our hearts. The angels at His birth declared,“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14) The prophet said, “…the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) And we realize that one day when Christ reigns supreme peace will come to the world and its systems.

The wonder of Christmas is not the baby in the manger. It is God coming to the earth and His abiding presence in our life today by the Holy Spirit. We can know Him by more than a nickname or a title, we can know in a personal way the reality of this Wonderful  Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace in our lives.

My nagging night time cough is moving into about week three. Last night I tried to give Debbie a break and slept in another room. I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow, but I am not sure if there is anything specific they can do. Hopefully it will end soon. The biggest issue beside the annoyance is that it is impacting my energy level during the day.

I did get out some today to run some errands and take care of some appointments. Other than that it was work at home. I am getting off my normal workout routine but that should return soon. We did have a visit from one of our neighbors and his little girl. We enjoyed the memories he had of Debbie’s mom when she lived in our house.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…  “…It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.”  2 Timothy 2:6,7

In these illustrations of the Christian life: the soldier, the athlete and the farmer, we find specific application to the work of the ministry. In being true to the context, Paul’s instructions to Timothy are, “what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2,3

I often us the “FAT” acronym meaning, “faithful” “available and “teachable.” These are good attributes for any disciple, but especially those who give their life efforts to full time service to God’s work.

Paul points  out two aspects of the life of the farmer. The first is the aspect of “hard work.” The work of the farmer is often from sunrise to sunset. Then during critical times of the year the intensity of work and the stress increases. Such as harvest time and when animals are having their babies. The work of plowing a field for centuries has been much harder than our present day with large tractors and farm implements. I was recently reading some papers from my father-in-law’s military enlistment and it recorded as part of his work skills the ability to farm using a team of horses. I don’t think those days allowed too much time to listen to the radio while you worked!

There are times when the Christian life can be hard, it feels like work. The same is true certainly of ministry. In my early years of ministry I recall the pressure to prove myself since my vocation was not viewed as legitimate “work.” I soon developed my definition of an “easy job.” It is the one someone else has!

Work simply requires persistence, keeping the end in view. That is why Paul wrote, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

The next aspect of the life of the farmer is “reward.” When harvest comes, it is the “payday” for the farmer. In the past that was true in that it provided the food for his family as well as a product to sell to sustain a livelihood. In the Christian life there is a reward for faithfully serving the Lord. It doesn’t always come in a monetary sense or we don’t always have to wait until Jesus returns. The reward often comes in the spiritual fruit of the lives we impact. Paul told the Thessalonians, “…you are our glory and joy.”  [reward] (1 Thessalonians 2:20)

We also see the practical aspect of the financial support for those who give their lives to the work of the ministry. In another passage we read, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain. Is it about oxen that God is concerned?… If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?…the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. (1 Corinthians 9:9-11,14)

As we summarize these three illustrations, we can see a commitment to please the commander, avoiding distraction from the world around; the importance of character and “playing by the rules”; the value of persistence in the “work” knowing that there is a reward.

Remember Paul says, “… think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.”  I have shared my thoughts, I would challenge  you to give consideration to these and add your own.