Showing posts with label Celebrations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Celebrations. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Celebrate!

"Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace! Celebrate your festivals, Judah, and fulfill your vows. No more will the wicked invade you; they will be completely destroyed" (Nahum 1:15 NIV).

For all who think that we should not "celebrate" certain events in our lives--The Word gives us the right to celebrate "our" festivals. That means that we can have "festivals" that are not necessarily determined to be the "festivals of the Lord" as enumerated in the various ordinances.

Today, we can hear the chains breaking as the shackles fall--we are released from the bondage of thinking we cannot celebrate--birthdays, holidays, and other commemorative events. If we are spiritual Judah--a tribe who praises The Lord at all times--we have no need to slink away from celebrating the births of loved ones or any other of "our" festivals that do not dishonor God.

We also have a hope--that if we continue to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ--we will have peace because we will no longer need to be concerned with the wicked who shall be no more!

The wicked are those who "refuse to acknowledge God" and choose to live a life that is totally immersed with selfishness. The wicked are not concerned with justice and lawfulness; they are consumed with lawlessness and wanton destruction of everything that is of God!

If all who proclaim to believe and trust God would share the Gospel of Jesus Christ--what a wonderful world we would have to abide in peace. If all who proclaim to believe and trust God would release their fears of rejection and apathy--more people would have an opportunity to "see" what an awesome God we serve! If all who proclaim to believe and trust God would love all with whom they come into contact--the world would know love and not hate.

In Christ--there are no denominations or separate religions--we are all one in Christ Jesus when we believe and trust God in all our ways and acknowledge Him in all we do.

When we--who say we know and have a relationship with God--know we have done all we can to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ--we can rest assured that we have reason to celebrate and no need to fear retribution from God because we do. Celebrate! It's time for us to let the world know--who we are and how much God loves!

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Life's Milestones!

"O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever."(I Chronicles 16:34)

O give thanks unto the Lord for all He has done and is doing and will do in our lives!

Celebrating another milestone today--and in the lives of everyone--that milestone could be different for a variety of reasons.

Celebrations of life milestones: (Birthdays)
1st        5th      7th     10th   12th   13th   16th  21st   25th  30th  40th   50th   60th   70th   80th   90th   100th and beyond

Events:
Jobs, graduations, careers, publications, honors, awards, recognitions, births of children, losses of loved ones, etc.

Beginning to live  (beyond birthdays) is another milestone for most Believers--the day we began to understand how much God loves us and what it meant to live for Him! That's a milestone most never forget.

Thinking back to the life of Jesus--we have no idea how He celebrated milestones in His life, but we do know that receiving Him as Savior in our lives is a milestone for us. We know what happened about the time He was twelve and then when He was thirty. We know He lived and had to do something in between those times, but we do not know what it was. Is it even important to know? He accomplished more during His short tenure of ministry than many of us will ever accomplish if we live to be 100.

That does not mean we should not try to do those things that are right in the sight of God; it simply means that we should be thankful for each milestone--whatever that might be.

It took the death of my youngest brother to bring me to a place where I realized that I did not know how to live because I did not have the direction of the One who loved me the most guiding me in all I did. With his death, Satan almost succeeded in taking me out as well, but God had a plan and it began to unfold almost 30 years ago and is yet unfolding, daily.

So, today, I'm celebrating living--He has given me one more year and I pray that I have made Him proud of me during the past year. And while I celebrate--I'm giving thanks for the next 35 years--and praying for His direction in all that I do so I can hear Him say, "Well done" when the time comes.

What milestones are you celebrating? Whatever they are--O give thanks unto The Lord!

Friday, December 20, 2013

Reading Gifts!

Don't forget great reading gifts can be found on http://www.amazon.com/Mary-M.-Hall-Rayford/e/B00BAW31CQ and https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/381188 Read, Enjoy, and Review! Have a wonderful time of celebrating this holiday season! Be safe and determined to live God's best life for you!