Out with the Old . . . in with the New!

Here we are ... with less than 24 hours remaining in 2013. The new year of 2014 is staring us in the face. As to what it will hold for us, only God knows!  I always find it helpful in my own spiritual journey to take some time in both reflection upon the year that's passing and the new year that lies ahead.

For starters, I take a backward glance. I note the year's ups and downs. I look for God's faithful hand in both. I always discover that God has neither lied to me nor failed in any way in fulfilling his promises. Sure, life does not always go the way I would like. But who am I? I am a finite (read "limited" ... no read "VERY LIMITED") creature. God is the infinite (read "unlimited" or 'unlimitable") Creator. So when HIS providential plan does not unfold as I believe it should, guess what? I need to learn to trust him. He knows far better than I  do as to what is good for me. And I happen to believe that the Bible teaches us that God does ALL things for HIS glory. And that which is for his glory is also for our good!  Proverbs 3:5-6 is a passage we all need to learn to put into practice!

Also as I look in life's rear view mirror, I take time to thank God for his MULTITUDE of blessings with which he has so generously showered me. Everything in my life that has brought me happiness and joy is from his hand (James 1:17; 1 Timothy 6:17). Thanksgiving for 2013's blessings is certainly a God-pleasing and faith-strengthening way to end one year and begin a new one! And remember, nothing is as short lived as gratitude!

Finally, as I look ahead to a new year I find it fruitful to do some self evaluation (see the PowerPoint slides from my message this past Sunday on 7 key questions you can use to do this. You will find them as you scroll down). After evaluating where I am, then I set some goals. I encourage you do the same. Whatever needs done for you to grow in your faith .... make plans to do it! Don't make so many that you lose heart after the second week of January. Keep it simple. Focus on the area(s) of your life that need the most work. And then ... share those goals with someone who can "hold your feet to the fire." Our fallen human nature moves from the disciplined to the undisciplined. Like water, we seek the path of least resistance. And since discipline is required for spiritual growth (1 Timothy 4:7-8), we need help to stay at it! An accountability partner can provide that needed help.

As I close ... I encourage you to never stop preaching the gospel to yourself. We all need that daily reminder that were it not for Christ and his sacrifice for us ... none of us would be interested in pursuing a relationship with the one true and living God. All that we enjoy in life flows from God's grace. And the greatest expression of that grace is the cross! So ... if you want to boast about ... whatever, STOP and do as Paul did and boast only in the cross of Christ (Galatians 6:14).

I pray that God's blessings will move you ever closer to Jesus Christ in the new year of 2014!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

7 Questions: Taking a Look at How You Are Doing with Life!

Here are the PowerPoint slides from Sunday, December 29, 2003. Enjoy!

7 questions for spiritual self checkup dec. 29, 2013 from John Smith

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Friday Coffee with PJ

For today's edition, I thought I would dunk some humble pie in my coffee, by sharing a couple of "bonehead" moves I made recently.

1. The first occurred back on December 11th. I was taking a vacation day and we were planning to head to King of Prussia Mall. As we backed out of the garage, I failed to look in the rear view mirror and just backed out as usual. The problem was ... things were not "usual!" Our youngest daughter was at the house and her car was parked in a small angled extension off of our main driveway. I forgot her car was there and clipped her car's right front bumper with my car's left rear bumper. So ... instead of heading to the mall, we took a trip to the body shop. So glad I have car insurance (the total repair bill for the two cars combined came to just under $2K. Oh, well .... we all make mistakes, right? My wife and daughter took it all in stride (which I can't say I did ... at least initially!). Moral of this story --- DON'T FORGET TO LOOK IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR! That is also good advice for doing this thing called life. It is always good to look back ... so we can learn from our mistakes. But even more important ... it's very healthy to look in life's rear view mirror and identify those "God moments" when you experienced God clearly at work in your life ... moving you closer to Him. For what God did in the past ... he has promised to continue now and until that great Day when he returns (Philippians 1:6).

2. The second occurred just last night. Sharon and I, after 12 years, made the difficult decision to trade in our PT Cruiser. The time had come for us to buy a minivan. That's right! A MINIVAN!  I can recall across the years passing many an older person or couple driving a minivan. I always wondered why they would need a minivan. I now know the answer: GRANDKIDS! So we have now joined the grandparents-with-a-minivan club! So after doing some research on used minivans ... and keeping our eyes opened, we found what appeared to be a good deal on a 2004 Honda Odyssey. We finalized the deal last evening. After saying goodbye to the PT, we drove home. Once inside the house, I sat in my favorite Lazy Boy recliner and began to read the owner's manual. After familiarizing myself with it, I decided to go do some hands on things with the van while it was all fresh in my mind. After unlocking the door with the keyless remote, I climbed in and shut the door. I then began to check out where everything was (I took a flashlight along to give me better light). After a few minutes, I decided to head back in the house. When I opened the door, the car alarm went off ... and boy did it go off! The headlights flashed and the horn BLARED! I did everything I could think of to turn the thing off. I even started up the car thinking that would do it. Nope! So I am sitting there ... totally embarrassed (and glad that it was only 8:30 and not 10:30!). Finally after what seemed like 20 minutes, the horn stopped blaring and the lights ceased their flashing. Ahhh. The silence never sounded so sweet! I sat in the van ... a bit rattled I must admit ... well, a lot rattled! Then I reached for the door and opened it. Guess what? The horn began to pierce that beautiful silence as the headlights did their dance! Thankfully, I managed to turn off the alarm in just a few seconds. Moral of this story --- MAKE SURE YOU KNOW HOW YOUR CAR'S ALARM SYSTEM WORKS! This is also good advice on how to do life. God has given us an alarm system for our soul. It is called a conscience. The New Testament often speaks of a "clear conscience" (2 Timothy 1:3; Hebrews 13:18). The conscience is God's built in alarm system. When it is configured properly, it will warn us when we are heading off in the wrong direction! But if we are not careful, we can "sear" the conscience (1 Timothy 4:2 - click the link above for more info on this). So ... all this to say, ask God to help you keep your conscience clean and clear. Only then will it serve its God given purpose.

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I hope you have a very merry ... very Christ-honoring ... very relationship enriching Christmas! Here is some Christmas music from Keith and Karen Getty. Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by . . . and again ... MERRY CHRISTMAS!
pj

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!

I hope you will have a wonderful Christmas celebration!  Here is the acappella group, Pentatonix singing an incredible arrangement of Little Drummer Boy! Enjoy!

 Thanks for stopping by . . . pj

Friday Coffee with PJ

Here we are a mere five days away from Christmas 2013. So ... grab a cup of your favorite holiday coffee (or tea) ... and join me for a few random thoughts that are floating around my head (and there are no "visions of sugar plums" dancing around my mind!).

1. Do you realize that there were a lot of people who missed the first Christmas? If I had more time, I would discuss a number of them ... but let me just focus on one: the innkeeper in Bethlehem. Now the nativity account in Luke 2 does not mention an innkeeper, but it does mention an inn. Therefore, there was an innkeeper. Since the Bible says nothing about this individual, we have no idea if he was hostile or sympathetic to the needs of Mary and Joseph. We don't know if the stable they found for shelter was offered by the innkeeper. But the fact that the Bible is silent about any innkeeper, makes me think that he missed that first Christmas. And just why would have have missed it? Simply because he was preoccupied with running a very busy inn. It was maxed out due to all the out-of -towners who had arrived for the Roman census (that is why, humanly speaking, Mary and Joseph were in town). I wonder how many of us are in danger of missing Christmas simply because we are preoccupied with the stuff of life?  Hmm. Something to think about.


2. This morning I was reminded of a quote of William Carey, a man many consider the father of the modern missionary movement. He said, "Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God." Now there's some good advice. I think for most of us (notice I said "us" - that includes me) our view of God is way too small. We (now I am speaking of the church of today) have lost the lofty view once held of God. J.I. Packer back in the early seventies put it this way in the preface of his classic book, Knowing God: "Christian minds have been conformed to the modern spirit: the spirit, that is, that spawns great thoughts of man and leaves room for only small thoughts of God."  Hmm. What Packer wrote about Christian minds in 1973 is probably even more true today. So ... when you think about God ... how big is he?  My guess ... not nearly big enough!


3. Finally ... let me invite those of you who will be around home (and if your home is in Lancaster, PA) to
join us this coming Sunday when I will take us back in time via The Camel Driver's Tale. Our services are held at 9:00 and 10:30. Then on Christmas Eve ... we will focus on the real meaning of the season: Jesus the Christ!  Our two services will be held at 6 and 8 pm.

MERRY CHRISTMAS ... and thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

A Prayer for Your Thursday

From the pen of an unnamed Puritan comes a simple yet powerful prayer . . . take a moment and make his prayer yours!

"May I always be among those who not only hear but know you, 

who walk with and rejoice in you, 

who take you at your word and find life there." 

(The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions) 

Have a great day and a great advent season as we celebrate the moment in history that God Himself became one of us!  Wow! 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj