The Christmas Season Begins

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.  Luke 1:11

At times in a story a simple report does all we need for excitement. Right there, an angel of the Lord! Zacharias is troubled in the next verse, as was Mary later on, and then the shepherds in the field were greatly afraid. The best news heard thus far in human history came and nothing but troubled thoughts and great fear from the recipients. It would seem that this news was so different from the usual that glad tidings of great joy were tough to believe. And it was! Israel had fallen from a great nation to an occupied province of the Roman Empire. The people of Israel knew centuries of a drought of the word of God. Suddenly angels were popping up all over the place. And the best news of all would soon be born in Bethlehem! 

Love and joy to you in this Christmas season,

Bucky

A Little Thankful Consideration

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17

So, amongst your Black Friday choked inbox, here comes a little message of giving thanks to God. If it seems like you've been seeing BF emails for weeks, then I'm right there with you. It is interesting that Paul writes to the congregation at Colosse to give thanks in whatever they do in word or deed. Not every word of mine has been constructive to others and some have been quite mean, but I'm to give thanks for that? Thinking again, perhaps if I recall often that I will be giving thanks to God for my words, then I will take more care with those words. If that deed is not one that I would feel right in giving thanks to God, then maybe I don't need to be doin' that thing I want to do?

In remembering that we are to give thanks to God for word and deed, we may want to give a little consideration to what it is we say and do. Yes, the internet needs a big dose of that!

Thanks and glory to God our Father on this Thanksgiving weekend,

Bucky

Thanksgiving Eve 2025

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  2 Corinthians 12:9

Yesterday, I got to show off some of my weakness to a few kind folks. Strength and power are more compelling to my flesh as trophies to present to my fellow humans. As I get older though, weakness comes to the front and center more often than any strength I still possess. However, in this famous verse we read once more today, Paul makes an offer that is difficult to argue with: boasting of my infirmities, as Paul came to prefer, and gaining the power of Christ to rest on me. Does Paul mean that the One who stopped the storm with a few words, walked on water, and healed the blind would rest His power on me in my weakness? But not in my strength? It is like when the light of the Lord shines brightest in the darkness. Imagine that. Amen.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving in Christ our Lord!

Bucky

Lazarus the Spectacle

Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. John 12:9

Throwing some sort of blame at anyone for wanting to see a man who had been dead four days and then raised to life might be hypocritical on my part. Any of us would want to question Lazarus about his experience. But did anyone miss the man beside Lazarus the spectacle? Lazarus and Jesus were right there at the table. Wouldn't the one who raised Lazarus have more knowledge of what went on with the whole dead then alive thing?

We live in a time of big shows, blockbuster movies, sold-out concerts, and popular evangelists. Even the holidays that begin this week have a lot of stuff offered up to us that is beside the point. All of this distraction might lead a person away from the centerpieces of the holy days, giving thanks to God and celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Lots of spectacle to enjoy, let us remember the reason.

Bucky

Trust His Goodness

For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will still choose Israel, and settle them in their own land. The strangers will be joined with them, and they will cling to the house of Jacob. Isaiah 14:1

Gotta song stuck in my head. I will not inflict it on you. God has a nation stuck in his mind, and he sent Isaiah to tell of future mercy and preference. For those who believe in Jesus, we also have a special place for Israel in the heart. Jesus was born of that people by his mother Mary. As were the disciples he chose, and Paul the apostle he sent. Jesus is to us that special mercy God promised. But there must be more since most of Israel did not recognize the Messiah when he came to them. The future-ness of this prophecy indicates an ongoing mercy, choice, and joining. And who are these strangers? Joining sounds like a wedding of some sort. 

Prophecy leaves many questions, but we trust that God is good.

Bucky

Stay On The Lord

You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
  -- Isaiah 26:3

And just like that it was a week before Thanksgiving. Hope you are almost ready. 

Oh, the past is full of regret monsters waiting to ambush the unwary traveler in the halls of memory. And isn't the anxious imagination always ready to paint the worst sort of visions of a future that we will never see? Is it any wonder that the prophet Isaiah handed down the word from God to keep our minds stayed on Him? Perfect peace often eludes us because our minds are not trusting in the Lord our God. Instead we run back into regret or forward into anxious dread while our Lord and Savior await us in the present. 

Dear Lord, please help me, I pray, to keep my mind stayed on You! 

Bucky

A Captured Soul?

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I am against your magic charms by which you hunt souls there like birds. I will tear them from your arms, and let the souls go, the souls you hunt like birds." Ezekiel 13:20

Magic charms and captured souls seem right out of the fantasy genre to us. God has a different opinion on that according to His word passed along by the prophet Ezekiel. From the story, we also find out that the women of God's chosen people were doing prophecy, but not authorized prophecy from the Lord God. Thus by false prophecy and magic charm bracelets, they went out to hunt souls. This is not a foretelling, but a telling by the Lord of what His people are up to at that time. Therefore, as we go about our lives today, we must ask what might be trying to capture souls right now - yours, mine, or any soul?

Be wary, remain watchful, someone out there hunts souls. None of us wants to become a captured soul.

Bucky