Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by David Jeremiah, from his book,  Why the Nativity?: 25 Compelling Reasons We Celebrate the Birth of Jesus  (p. 21). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Sounds a lot like us, doesn't it? Earlier David says, "Imagine this scenario: A world leader plans to send a man on a mission of the utmost urgency. The fate of the world rests upon the success of this operation. So the commander thinks carefully, strategically, about his plan. Nothing can be left to chance; every detail must be carefully considered. "The leader will send only the perfect candidate for his mission. He must decide where to deploy his agent, how to get him there, and what goals should be attempted. And timing means everything. If the mission goes into operation too soon or too late, everything will be lost." He continues, "The ultimate World Leader—the one at the very top of the chain—planned just such a mission. Th...

  A thought by David Jeremiah, from his book,  Why the Nativity?: 25 Compelling Reasons We Celebrate the Birth of Jesus  (p. 17). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) These are two of the first four writers of the New Testament in the Bible. David continues, "These writers wanted to set down the wonderful story of how Jesus first entered our world. Imagine what would have been lost to our understanding and appreciation if someone hadn’t preserved the remarkable events of Bethlehem, of the shepherds and wise men, of the inns and the stable. "Without our accounts of the early life of Jesus, we would know almost nothing about Joseph, the quiet adoptive father who protected the infancy of the Savior of the world. Of course, that was a detail our Lord didn’t want us to miss. So he sent these two men from different backgrounds and with different goals for their narratives." He goes on, "Luke, the physi...

  A thought by David Jeremiah, from his book,  Why the Nativity?: 25 Compelling Reasons We Celebrate the Birth of Jesus  (p. 11). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) But something was about to happen. David continues, "These were her final days as a young maiden. "And then, in the midst of routine and readiness, a single supernatural moment shattered the normality of her life. An angel stood before her, as the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel recounts. When did it happen? Perhaps Mary was kneeling beside her bed, attending to prayers, beginning or finishing a day. How frightening the sudden arrival of a heavenly messenger must have been! " 'Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you,' Gabriel said—for it was that particular angel, one of the greatest in God’s service (Luke 1:28). Seeing her terror, he assured her there was no reason to fear, for the news he brought was wonderful. God had de...

A thought by David Jeremiah, from his book,  Why the Nativity?: 25 Compelling Reasons We Celebrate the Birth of Jesus  (p. 7). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) So there had to be a solution for us to be introduced personally to God the Father. David continues, "But there was another way: God himself could make the journey. He could pour his Godhood into flesh and blood and visit the earth as a man himself! He could walk among people as a full-fledged human being in every respect, yet be fully God at the same time. He had sent prophets many times, but now he would do something far more shocking. He would leave the throne of heaven to walk among them—a King in disguise, the Lord of the universe in human scale, the Creator among his creatures." He says, "Then the nature of God would be clear to all. People on earth could see what God was like. They would behold his perfect love and faithfulness, his ...

A thought by David Jeremiah, from his book,  Why the Nativity?: 25 Compelling Reasons We Celebrate the Birth of Jesus  (p. 5). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Yes they are. David continues, "He made a universe of unbounded dimensions, measured out in stars and galaxies. Its size was matched by its vast complexity, in the intricate dance of atom and molecule. The range of his artistry—his color, his sound, his silence—reflected the wealth of his power and love." He says, "But God wanted more than worlds, so he created life . He turned to his special world, the earth, and filled it with plants and animals, monstrous and microscopic—a kingdom of moving and breathing and even thinking creatures, all fashioned in wild variety. There were towering, brooding redwood trees that held court for twenty centuries, decorated by mayflies whose lives began and ended within a single day. "But God wanted mor...

A thought by David Jeremiah, from his book, Why the Nativity?: 25 Compelling Reasons We Celebrate the Birth of Jesus (p. 1). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Yes it is but what is David's point? He says, "We live each day immersed in it, so we cannot imagine a life outside of it, looking in. Time marches by us, moment by moment and year by year. It leaves its mark upon us more than we leave our mark upon it." He goes on, "Imagine standing several miles from a great mountain range. You admire the majestic chain from its foothills in the west to the last outcroppings in the east. But if you didn’t have that separation—if you were standing on one of the mountains—you would see only the scenery that was right around you. "God watches over us from outside the straight mountain range that is time. He sees past, present, and future in one unbroken line. And as long as we are travelers through t...

  A thought by David Jeremiah, from his book,  Hope: Living Fearlessly in a Scary World  (p. 76). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) And He is so faithful. Psalm 37:40 says, "The LORD shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, And save them, Because they trust in Him." David says, "David knew from experience that God rewards faith with blessings. As a young man, David had been anointed as the next king of Israel. Then he spent years living in forests and caves as the reigning king hunted him down. He had to do more than merely assent to the idea of God’s faithfulness—he had to stake his life on it. Life was hard during those long, perilous years. But in time, Saul died, David became king, and he could attest to the fact that God keeps His promises." He continues, "Timothy George, the dean of Beeson Divinity School, recalls a story from one of his professors, D...

  A thought by David Jeremiah, from his book,  Hope: Living Fearlessly in a Scary World  (p. 73). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) They make such a difference. David says, "Don’t crave more than you need; demonstrate your trust in God by being content with what you have. It’s why Paul could be stripped of all he owned and thrown into prison, yet still manifest incredible joy. The world is filled with wealthy, miserable people who have everything but contentment. Their money is an empty god that can never fill the vacuum in their souls with peace. Here Paul points those with money toward right thinking: 'Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for ...

A thought by David Jeremiah, from his book,  Hope: Living Fearlessly in a Scary World  (p. 69). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Okay, this is what I need to see today. David says, "To trust is to be confident—to possess a strong sense of security. When we trust, we place confidence in someone or something. Trust is not an emotion that just springs up in our hearts as does anger, jealousy, or sadness. It is always a choice based on reason. We use evidence and discernment to conclude that this man or that bank or this investment is 'trustworthy.' Yes, God gives us the faith to act, but He first gives us a choice to make." David goes on, "To illustrate the process, let’s take a look at the stock market, which is based on high-level choices of trust. If you don’t trust in a company, you don’t buy its stock. The stock price represents an index of the overall trust people have in a company. Wis...

  A thought by David Jeremiah, from his book,  Hope: Living Fearlessly in a Scary World  (p. 56). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) That is so very true. David said, "The 'spiritual greats' of our times have made the Word a first priority. Some pastors, leaders, teachers, and laymen have read through the Bible more than a hundred times. It is said that George Müller read it two hundred times. Missionary David Livingston read it four times in succession while he was detained in a jungle town. Charles Spurgeon said, 'A Bible that is falling apart usually belongs to someone who is not.'" So true. David then says, "The Bible is the greatest source of encouragement available today. When we read it, we are changed because it is a living book. Whenever we are afraid of failure or feel as if we are failures, the Word of God should be our highest priority. The words we find there will infuse...

A thought by David Jeremiah, from his book,  Hope: Living Fearlessly in a Scary World  (p. 52). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) ". . . that you may observe to do according to all that is written in [the Book of the Law]." Joshua 1:8 David says, "Notice the phrase observe to do in this passage. It’s easy to pass over these three words as negligible, but in reality they present one of the great concepts of the Old Testament. We are not to read the Bible for information only or just to increase our knowledge. We are to study the Bible to discover God’s will for our lives. We observe in order to do. We observe the Bible in order to obey the Bible." He goes on, "One of the most subtle and dangerous errors we can fall into is to view the Bible simply as interesting reading. Yes, it’s timeless literature—fascinating, entertaining, and moving. But at all times the Word of God is no mere book....

A thought by David Jeremiah, from his book,  Hope: Living Fearlessly in a Scary World  (p. 49). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Here is what Joshua 1:8 says, "You shall meditate in it day and night." The it is God's Word. David says, "We don’t like anything slow or deliberate, and we particularly hate the idea of quiet. We like things to be fast paced. We like more action and less reflection. We like 140-character tweets instead of in-depth information." So true. He goes on, "But meditation—biblical meditation, not the emptying of the mind featured in Eastern religions—is central to the life to which God calls us. It requires that we give up our hurry and listen quietly and deeply to what God has to say. J. I. Packer describes the right way to do it:      Meditation is the activity of calling to mind, and thinking over, and dwelling on, and applying to oneself, the various things th...

  A thought by David Jeremiah, from his book,  Hope: Living Fearlessly in a Scary World  (p. 46). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) It is the place to go. It really is! David said, in conquering the Promised Land, "God didn’t tell Joshua that his priority needed to be military strategy, financial backing, or bilateral relations with neighboring countries. These things have a place, but they are not the priority. Here was Joshua’s priority: meditate day and night on the principles of the Word of God." Joshua 1:7-8 says, "Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it." David goes on, "This requires dedication somewhat like that of a long-distance runner who is training to compete in ...

  A thought by David Jeremiah, from his book,  Hope: Living Fearlessly in a Scary World  (p. 42). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) So true, so true. David says, "God’s responsibility is to make the promise; ours is to stay focused on it in the face of fear. To achieve success, Joshua and the new generation of Israelites had to focus their minds and hearts on the purpose God had given them." David goes on, "There’s a special, liberating power in knowing exactly what it is we must do. That’s why people derive great satisfaction from making and checking off to-do lists. To boil down all the complexities of the day into bullet points of activity is to see our way to productivity. On the other hand, whole organizations fail because people are confused about their job descriptions. Set a clear focus in your life, and fear will be crowded out. The more you fix your hope on God’s purpose for you, the ...

  A thought by David Jeremiah, from his book,  Hope: Living Fearlessly in a Scary World  (p. 34). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) And that is so true. David says, "They may undermine their own efforts without even realizing it in an attempt to escape the anxiety of looming failure. Have you known people like that? I have—gifted people who might have done great things in life but wouldn’t, and couldn’t, because they were protecting themselves from disappointment." He goes on, "Obviously, the fear of failure is not a modern phenomenon; it is a timeless human fear. Some of God’s choicest servants through the ages displayed this fear in spite of God’s promises of success. Their stories provide insight into how God responds to human fears. In every case, He draws alongside His servant with assurance and affirmation." He continues, "I love to read biographies of Christian leaders because they...

  A thought by David Jeremiah, from his book,  Hope: Living Fearlessly in a Scary World  (p. 9). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Yes it is. But David then says, "Fear of a storm that could happen is not. It’s an intrusive emotion that can lead us to a greatly diminished life. The imagined fear becomes so vivid that we no longer distinguish it from reality, and for some of us, that fear becomes so debilitating we can hardly get out of bed in the morning. Though the sky is clear, we’re devastated by thoughts of rain. Inside a storm, at least we can look the beast in the eye. But with the fear of fear, the imagined monster is always just on the other side of the door, looming large, even though it doesn’t exist." He goes on, "Everyone must face fear, but for the believer, its fangs are drawn in because we are protected by an overarching umbrella of hope. Nonbelievers must contrive coping mechani...

  A thought by David Jeremiah, from his book,  Hope: Living Fearlessly in a Scary World  (p. 5). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Maybe you feel your future is shaky. David said, "Pessimism doesn’t work, because it’s another form of mental enslavement. Optimism may have no basis in reality. The one way to walk with hope and confidence into an unknown future is to stake everything on the power and goodness and faithfulness of God." He goes on, "To understand why God is the answer to all our fears, we must understand what the Bible says about fear. And it says a lot. It tells us more than three hundred times not to fear. 'Fear not' is its most frequently repeated command. The word afraid occurs more than two hundred times, and fear more than four hundred. And lest you think our Bible heroes were fearless, more than two hundred individuals in Scripture are said to have been afraid. And not al...

A thought by David Jeremiah, from his book,  Hope: Living Fearlessly in a Scary World  (p. 3). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) That's true, isn't it? David says, "Sometimes we’re afraid because we know what’s coming in the future. But more commonly, we’re afraid of what we don’t know about the future. We’re afraid of what might happen. For instance, the Gallup organization asked thirteen- to seventeen-year-olds what they were most afraid of. In descending order, the top ten fears of these teens were terrorist attacks, spiders, death/being killed, not succeeding in life/being a failure, war, heights, crime/violence, being alone, the future, and nuclear war." He goes on, "Notice that all these fears are future focused, and all are merely 'maybes.' These teens may encounter none of them. Whether the future is just a minute from now (you’re waiting on a doctor’s diagnosis) or five yea...

  A thought by David Jeremiah, from his book, Hope: Living Fearlessly in a Scary World (p. 2). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) That is so true. David says, "It’s not a lucky chance. It’s not ungrounded optimism. No, it’s a rock-solid belief in the character of God. That’s not to say we are guaranteed rosebushes without thorns or a life free from tragedy or disaster. But because we know that God is all-knowing and all-powerful and for us, we can face down our fears and trust the outcome of our circumstances to Him." He goes on, "Hebrews 11:1 says, 'Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.' The antidote to fear is faith. And faith gives us hope in the midst of whatever scary thing we face. When the apostle Paul was giving counsel to Timothy, his young protégé, he knew Timothy was afraid of something—probably of his assignment to lead the large church...

A thought by David Jeremiah from his book, What to Do When You Don't Know What to Do (p. 54). David C. Cook. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Ok, did you get what you wanted for Christmas?   We were at our daughter, son-in-law and two granddaughters home for Christmas.   One morning I was out at Starbucks reading my newspapers and I got a call, my wife Margaret asked me to go to Dunkin Donuts and get a dozen donuts.   Now I love donuts, I don’t eat donuts anymore, I had at least two donuts.   Christmas is the time to get what we want but here comes New Years and that is a different story, isn’t it?   We now need to deal with temptation and how to handle it. David says, “The way to deal with temptation is not to grit our teeth and make up our minds that we will not do a certain thing. The key is to fill our minds with other things.” He continues, “Instead of resisting, refocus.  The more  ...