^“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”
Hebrews 10:23-25

The couple had a relaxing weekend away, thanks in part to Grandma’s willingness to watch the kids. Late Sunday afternoon, they returned home, and after settling in, mom asked:

“So, what have you been up to while we were gone?”
“Lots of things-and we even went to church,” Trevor replied.
“You all got ready and went to church with Grandma?”

Before Grandma could respond, Trevor quickly piped in: “Well, not exactly-we did couch church!”
Our world is transforming before our eyes, and there’s no better example than Trevor’s “couch church” description to emphasize this truth. On that Sunday morning, he and his sister enjoyed a television service that their grandmother watches. When later queried by his father about what he’d learned from the sermon, Trevor even had his own personal take-away.

Today we not only have television options for learning about God, but there are also numerous resources on the Internet, too. My brother-in-law is a pastor in Texas, and we tune in to his Sunday morning service thanks to streaming technology. We get to enjoy that worship service as we’re getting ready to head out the door to our own church!

There are also many “old school” methods for getting closer to God. Not long ago in Montreal, we watched as two men had “café church” – in French! Hovered over a Bible, the two sipped coffee while reading and vigorously discussing a portion of Scripture. This is exactly what the verses above are telling us about: meeting together, encouraging one another, and offering motivation for acts of goodness and love. This kind of spiritual empowerment doesn’t have to happen in a particular building; it should be happening everywhere we go, all throughout our day!

I learned a valuable lesson from Trevor’s story. People worship in different ways, and in a high-tech world like ours, there are multiple options to help people know more about God and the goodness, mercy, and love He has to offer. As you begin this amazing New Year, take time to think about the way you worship. Stay involved in a Bible-believing church. Meet with friends and family often, and be sure to share about what God has been doing in your life. Look for new opportunities to reach out to others, encouraging them in life’s journey. Most of all, keep your focus on the wonderful future your Heavenly Father has planned-just for you!

Happy New Year to you and your family from all of us at Sonkist Ministries!

Thought of the Month

“Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people. . .”
Psalm 100:1-3a

Several weeks ago, I heard a story on the evening news that seemed unbelievable. Even the seasoned anchorman shook his head at the end of the segment before the station cut to commercial. Apparently a school system in Wausau, Wisconsin decided to deal with the Christmas “dilemma” a bit differently this year. District officials issued their final decision on December music programs this way: for every religious song played, five secular songs must be included as part of the presentation.

That’s right-not one for one, two for one, but a FIVE to one ratio is now standard procedures for all “holiday” performances. Evidently this is what those educators feel is the fair and balanced way to counter Christian references at Christmas.

But this strange reaction to the celebration of Jesus’ birth isn’t new. Indeed, visceral responses to the mere mention of God’s Son started long ago. Let’s look at Scripture to get a glimpse of an early manifestation of such intense emotion:

“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, ‘Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.’ When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.”

(Matthew 2:1-3, KJV)

The wise men had been following a star which portended the birth of the King of the Jews. Herod, the ruler of the day, was troubled-but notice he wasn’t alone. “And all of Jerusalem with him” tells us there were many others who didn’t like the idea of Christ’s birth, either.

Herod quickly devised a plan to deal with this problem:

“Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, ‘Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.'”

(Matthew 2:7-8).

This treacherous king wasn’t going to let some baby fulfilling a God-given prophecy interfere with his lifestyle (read verses 4-6 which explain what his own advisers told him about Jesus’ birth). He feigned enthusiasm, and he even lied to the wise men about his real intentions for the innocent babe.

The contrast between Herod’s mounting fear and animosity and the wise men’s responses to the birth of the Savior couldn’t have been more glaring:

“When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.”

(Matthew 2:9-11)

Their “exceeding great joy” prompted these travelers to not only worship the Christ child but to also offer precious gifts to Him-a tradition of giving still witnessed at Christmas to this day.

Sadly, we see a similar divide of emotional reactions impacting this celebratory season. Some people, either for secular interests or outright outrage, want to wipe away the Christ in Christmas and any evidence of holy in the “holi-day.” Herod certainly did. In fact, he took his hatred to horrific extremes: a zero quota was his ultimate decree (see verses 16-18). Yet God’s plan for the salvation of humankind wouldn’t be thwarted so easily. The same is true today, too.

Sure, there will be those who keep trying to put a quota on how much religion we can put in this holiday. There will be others who want to celebrate Christmas, but they won’t want to hear anything about the Christ who started it all. Yet for millions around the world, no amount of fear or anger can change the reality of what God did by sending His Son. Like those wise men of old, we can and should rejoice with “exceeding great joy” no matter what else is going on around us!

Thought of the Month

“And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.’ And 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, good will toward men.'”

Luke 2:10-14

Like many of you, my life seems to get busier and busier this time of year. As much as I try to simplify, the schedule and lists of “to do’s” multiply. Between the regular calendar of events, special activities are getting added to the agenda. Many of these are festive happenings, including pre-holiday parties so we have more time next month to enjoy the holidays!

In the midst of fall festivals, football games, and the final touches on our Thanksgiving shopping lists, we may wonder what God really thinks about all of these frivolities. In fact, I recently found myself contemplating whether or not any of these things really matters in the Lord’s economy. Fortunately, I found a little verse tucked away in the thirty-seventh Psalm. It reads as follows:

“The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.”

(Verse 23)

Imagine that-the God who created Heaven and Earth is not only interested in your life, but He also “delights” in its every detail! The psalmist didn’t say some details, or only those details that relate to going to church or reading your Bible, but rather each and every single intricate aspect of your daily experiences!

What does that mean when it comes to your thoughts and feelings? Does the Lord care about whether your are happy or sad or frustrated or excited? Of course He does! Look at these famous words King David penned earlier in the same psalm:

“Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.”

(Verses 4-5)

It appears that “delight” is a two-way street. Not only does the Lord delight in us, but He also desires us to find joy and happiness in our relationship with Him. We’re encouraged to commit everything to Him, trusting that He knows when and how our needs will best be met.

I don’t know about you, but I take great delight in the fact the Creator of the Universe is into details: my details-and your details. That’s definitely something to be thankful for this season.

Thought of the Month

For the Lord delights in his people;
he crowns the humble with victory.
Let the faithful rejoice that he honors them.
Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds.

Psalm 149:4-5

Over the years, much emphasis has been given to the wonderful description of the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31. This certainly is one of my favorite portions of the Bible, and it has provided inspiration for my marriage and my parenting. But lately I’ve been intrigued by another aspect of this celebrated section of Scripture: the Proverbs 31 Man.

Without directly focusing upon him, Solomon frames this portrait of a woman worthy of praise with subtle hints about her godly husband. First, we’re reminded that because of this man, the Proverbs 31 woman is both wife and mother. Second, this woman’s glorious attributes seem to blossom within the special relationship she has with her spouse.

So, what can we discover about the Proverbs 31 Man who undoubtedly aided in the development of this timeless example of godly womanhood?

1. “Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life” (verses 11). Yes, this wife is trustworthy-but the husband returns the favor by offering his complete confidence. She can build upon that trust, but he must offer it, too.

2. “She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls. She goes to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard” (verses 15-16). This wife and mother is a hard-worker, but her husband establishes an environment where she can best use her talents-both inside and outside the home. He seems to appreciate her wisdom with finances, allowing her to invest and add to the family’s income.

3. “She has no fear of winter for her household, for everyone has warmclothes” (verse 21).This woman is industrious, but she’s not the only one. If she were trying to provide for the entire household on her own, she’d probably have lots to be concerned about-yet she isn’t fearful at all. Why? No doubt because her husband is equally hard-working and diligent about providing for his family’s needs.

4. “Her husband is well known at the city gates, where he sits with the other civic leaders” (verse 23). The Proverbs 31 Man is an important person in his sphere of influence. In those days, men of authority helped make decisions at the city gates. In our times, these men are part of community groups, civic leadership, and church mentoring and eldering.

5. “Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: ‘There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all'” (verses 28-29). There is a culture of appreciation in this home, and the Proverbs 31 husband and father is an active participant of it. He offers his wife and the mother of his children sincere praise.

With a spouse like this, is it any wonder that the Proverbs 31 woman “brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life” (verse 12)? He is her teammate, her cheerleader, and her best friend. They work together for one another’s good, and, because of their devotion to God and each other, they’ve left a legacy worthy for us to follow today.

Thought of the Month

“As the Scriptures say, ‘A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”

Ephesians 5:31-33