Who Is your Support Crew?

by Chris Freet

As some of you may know, I enjoy running as a means of exercise and stress relief.  There is a man named Dr. David Horton who is an exercise science professor at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.  Dr. Horton is also a legend in the world of ultra running.  For example, he has the third fastest time in history for running from Los Angeles to New York.  He is only one of nine men who finished the Barkleys ultra marathon--100 mile run has been around for over 25 years!  He also has held numerous speed records on long trails such as the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Coast Trail.  The Pacific Coast Trail is over 2600 miles long and he ran it in 68 days!

But I bring Dr. Horton to your attention for another reason.  Not only is he a running legend but he is also a born again believer.  And during his attempt at the PCT spped record a few years ago God laid something on his heart.  The illumination Dr. Horton received was this:  We need people.  Sounds simple, right?  It is really more important than we realize.  Dr. Horton could not have set the speed record on the PCT without a good support crew--people hiking food to remote spots, a doctor to 'doctor' his feet and blisters regularly, people to set up camp daily so that when he arrived at the certain point everything would be ready.  This simple but deep truth is something that is vital for Christ-followers as well.  For example, the apostle Paul wrote:

"Carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."  - Galatians 6:2

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching."  - Hebrews 10:24-25

You see, in the New Testament alone there are over 60 "one another" verses calling the church (gathered people, not an organization) to encourage, build up, edify, etc.  This means that it is vital for the church to regularly meet together.  If we are not regularly meeting with the church then how can we edify each other?  This is the point of spiritual gifts according to Paul in 1 Corinthians and Ephesians.  They are given to edify and build up others.

With this we can see how important it is to meet together with other believers.  It is not something that can be negelcted if we are to grow in our faith in Christ.  Like Dr. Horton realized so must those who call on the name of Christ--we need people.

So this is Christmas

     You have probably all heard the song "so this is Christmas" written by John Lennon. well I was thinking about the lyrics to this song "so this is Christmas and what have you done" as I pondered them I thought "what have I done this Christmas" what have I done other than shop for presents, bake cookies, decorate the tree and sing Christmas carols?
 well I was very disappointed in myself. I know the true meaning of Christmas. I know that I am celebrating the birth of our lord and savior Jesus Christ but what have I done. Then I realized Christmas is not about what I have done it is about what God has done.
"for God so loved the world he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" John 3:16.

There is nothing wrong with giving presents putting up Christmas lights and decorating a Christmas tree as long as we remember to keep Christ in all these things.

So when you give gifts remember the gift God has given his son Jesus.

When you hang your Christmas lights remember that Jesus is the light of the world.

When you decorate your evergreen tree remember the everlasting life that we have through Jesus.

Christmas should bring us great joy our saviour has arrived!

                                                                                                                         Chris Sherman

"Bah, Humbug!"

Yup, I just can't let this season pass without mentioning one of my favorite Christmas movies, "A Christmas Carol", based on the book by Charles Dickens.

Hollywood made a few versions, but I grew up watching the 1951 version with Alastair Sim playing the title role of Ebenezer Scrooge, so I'm partial to that one and consider it a "classic". 

The wonderful thing about the movie is that the the basic message of man's redemption not only remains intact, but is also highlighted in a way that undoubtedly would not be part of a modern day screenplay. I love how we rejoice in the conversion of an old, amoral curmudgeon ("Oh Spirit - can't you find some younger man to save?"), into one whose abundantly generous nature leads people to say that he epitomizes the spirit of Christmas. 

How perfectly does this illustrate God's desire to offer us His "Divine Exchange". He wants to take our wretched sin nature, and give us His Divine nature, in its place. He sent His Son to be born into time, so that we might be "born again" to live eternally with Him.

So, at this time of year, if you're tempted to give up on that loved one that rebuffs you with a "Bah, Humbug!" each time you try to speak to him about your new life in Christ, don't despair - if God can redeem Ebenezer Scrooge, He can redeem anyone - and He DOES! Thank You, Lord!!!

Maria McKiernan

Christmas Miracles

by Ken Platt

It's that time of year again when inevitably you see the commercials, pictures, and movies that stress the importance of making Christmas something special.  One of my favorites is "Christmas With the Kranks" where Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis make plans to go on a cruise since their daughter is over seas.  When their daughter surprises them and tells them she will be home they rush all over the place to make sure everything is just right for their daughter.  They try to get the perfect food- a Hickory Honey Ham- which ends up getting run over by a semi, meanwhile, Tim Allen steals a tree from a neighbors house all in the hope of making Christmas 'special.'
I am all for making Christmas special.  Renee and I have a tradition of making Cinnamon Buns on Christmas morning.  Some friends of ours invite us over on Christmas eve for a party which includes Crab Bisque from Cooper's Seafood in Scranton.  This is a tradition I love.

But I have to wonder...in the midst of our traditions and making Christmas special, are we missing it?

It is almost cliche to say keep 'Christ' in Christmas, yet many of the people who may say that are the people Jesus decried in Matthew 23.  We get frustrated and angry that they are taking down nativity scene's yet in our anger we say and do things which in no way represent the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which the birth of Jesus represents.
You see, the miracle of the birth of Christ was only the beginning.  A part of the story that ushered in a new era in the divine drama.  A birth which would ultimately lead to death, resurrection, and in-dwelling.  
I don't care how many nativity's they take down, or how many times they write X-mas, or if people say happy holidays, or whatever.

A follower of Christ is the true sign of Christmas. 

If you proclaim Christ and follow him-You are a Christmas miracle.

Live the miracle-act justly, love mercy, walk humbly.*

*Micah 6:8

Learning to Listen and Listening to Learn

by Jim Corbin

In the great American Wild West the title of ‘fastest gun’ was coveted. The greatest gunslinger could draw quicker than the eye could see (or so the stories say). For most, the life of a young and immature person is much like the fastest gun in the west: quick to speak and slow to listen. Young Christians are often characterized by an overflow of opinion followed by an unquenchable desire to be heard. They draw fast and unleash a fury of ammunition aimed at shooting down opposing ideas and the thoughts of those who seem to be far less informed about the things of God. For them, to listen simply provides more time to reload.

Many of us are like the gunslinger. Wherever we venture our six shooters are loaded and we are ready to use them quicker than the eye can see. We don’t learn much because we already know all we need to know about a deep relationship with the Lord and his people. What we may not know is, after all, just incidental. If people would just see things our way everything would fall into place. Listening remains a foreign concept.

In the Keel Life we can go deeper than this. Listen to Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes 5:

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

 ² Do not be quick with your mouth,
   do not be hasty in your heart
   to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
   and you are on earth,
   so let your words be few.
³ A dream comes when there are many cares,
   and many words mark the speech of a fool.
It’s amazing what you hear when the noise of your own words is silenced. The Keel Life is where one ‘learns to listen and listens to learn.’