An Unconventional Christmas Eve Message
December 24, 2024
Last week’s blog post HERE was about two of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, kindness and goodness. This week I continue the theme by sharing Chapter 11 from Max Lucado’s book, When God Whispers your Name. My heart cries out in alignment. I choose!
Perhaps your heart will cry out too.
It’s quiet. It’s early. My coffee is hot. The sky is still black. The world is still asleep. The day is coming.
In a few moments the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm of solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race. The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met.
For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day’s demands. It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I’m free to choose. And so I choose.
I choose love…
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.
I choose joy…
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstances. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical…the toll of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.
I choose peace…
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. In stead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clenching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.
I choose kindness…
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God treated me.
I choose goodness…
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse, I choose goodness.
I choose faithfulness…
Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife [spouse/family] will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their father [mother] will not come home.
I choose gentleness…
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it only be in praise. If I clench my fist, may it only be in prayer. If I make a demand, may it only be of myself.
I choose self-control…
I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only with joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control.
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek his grace. And then, when the day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.
Bible Plan Giveaway
This chapter makes me want to live the Spirit-filled life all the more, reflecting the character of Christ to all who know me. In 2021, I have benefited once again by reading through a bible plan. A daily dose of God’s Word has kept God’s perspective about life in the forefront of my mind.
Once again, I am offering to send a FREE bible plan to the first three people who ask in the comments. Choose either THIS Option A (OT, NT, Psalm, Proverb selection each day) or THIS Option B (Chronological). Both are New Living Translation. I will email you separately about where to have it shipped.
Picture Explanation: I read God’s Word with pen in hand to stay focused. I don’t want to mark up my Bible up this way, so having a bible plan to mark up is wonderful! Want to read through the Bible with me in 2022?
© 2021 by Oaks Ministries. All rights reserved.
I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes growth.
1 Corinthians 3:6
8 Responses
So good… disciplining the mind.
My mind needs disciplined. It wants to go places it ought not.
I am so encouraged to do something like this in 2022. What a blessing you are to so many with your transparency and do love for God and others.
Your bible is on the way!
Thx for the encouragement to be purposeful about living out the fruit of the Spirit and to regularly and consistently read through the entire Word of God! It is a blessing and privilege to be able to do so. We so often take that for granted!
I just keep looking at the size of the Bible. Reading it is manageable, yet all we need for life and godliness is in its pages. Each year that I live, I find less excuses not to know it well.
The battle is in our minds, and keeping focused on the Lord and His Word is essential to winning the battle! Thank you for your blogs that remind us to stay in the Word of God and to keep our focus on Jesus.
Yes, the battle is in our minds. Seeing things through God’s eyes is key for setting priorities and staying calm as life swirls chaotically around each of us. Don’t know what I would do without a well-read Bible.