I Need An Angel

I stood in the darkness, alone in the night.
I stood against evil, and danger and fright.
I looked up to heaven, to the Lord up above,
“I need an Angel,” I cried. “I need Your Love!”

From stars overhead came trumpets of joy,
To here in a manger, this small baby boy.
Born to a world of anger and sorrow,
Promising hope and a bright new tomorrow.

Throughout all the earth God’s creatures gave praise.
They sang through the nights and into the days.
Their song flew to heaven, their mighty chorus soared,
“My Angel is here, ‘tis Christ the Lord!”
Raymond Bechard

May your family experience the grace and peace of many Christmas blessings this holiday season.

Today’s Prayer
Dear Lord, On Christmas day we celebrate your gift to the world, Your precious Son Jesus. I accept this gift, as my Savior and Lord. Forgive my sins and renew my mind for the fullness of your Glory forever. Amen.

The Winning Move

She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Matthew 1.21-25

Years ago, an irritated journalist wrote a column about his experience trying to navigate his way through a crowded store. “Hurry as we may,” he wrote, “we are hemmed in by a surging crowd in front and a dense throng of people pressing in from the rear. One man digs his elbow into me, another carelessly hit me with a pole; one bangs my head with a plant. You can be considered foolish and thoughtless if you go out without your will made!” Sounds like a typical Christmas shopping trip at the mall, doesn’t it? Later, the columnist complains about the economic stresses of modern day life by writing that “here you may pay a big rent for a miserable house and everyone dresses above their means.” His frustrated insight is certainly shared by many of us.

Was this the account of a blogger from a recent trip to the mall? No. They are from the Roman writer, Juvenal, who lived from A.D. 60 to 140, just after the time of Jesus. Apparently, human nature has not changed much in at least 2000 years. Yet, while humanity often has a selfish and sinful heart, Christ can change us. In fact, He initiated that change in all of us long ago. Whether or not you choose to see it, that change can take place any time.

More recently, Benjamin Garrison, a Christian writer, found himself desperately trying to win a game of chess he was playing against his computer. His computerized opponent had made a brilliant, winning move several minutes before; a move Garrison had not seen. The computer let him continue making his moves, some good, others quite bad. And all along the computer was moving toward its own inevitable victory.

This is the just like the change God made with the birth of His Son, Jesus. Twenty centuries ago God made the decisive, but mostly unnoticed, move of sending Christ into the world. That move secured His victory . . . and ours. That move guaranteed the outcome. Meanwhile, He allows us the freedom to go on making our moves on the chess-board of life, some good, others incredibly bad.

And while we struggle on, God is calling us to join Him on the winning side. That is the simple message of Christmas. God has not forgotten you and me, His people. It is with Him that our nature can change forever. Jesus is the only winning move!

Today’s prayer

Lord Jesus, I don’t want to keep going on the same path. This Christmas, I don’t want to hurry about through life, ignoring and forgetting all the things that matter. I don’t want to live without you any longer. Your Son Jesus came into our world to save me. I know He is reaching out His hand right now to take hold of my life. Please give me the strength and will to take His hand and join the Victory of Christ! Amen.

God's Fingerprint

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.

Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14

According to Matthew, Immanuel means, "God is with us." You see, Mary's miracle is one of hope for all of us. It's a miracle that says that God has not abandoned us to the consequences of our own sinfulness. Rather, God sent Jesus as our deliverer, and our savior.

Only a few years ago, just before Christmas, an unemployed mother in Dallas was sick with grief. Doris Young’s six month old son had just died from sudden infant death syndrome; and the funeral home wouldn't bury him until she could come up with the $700 fee. Heather Hoffman, a social worker was doing her best to help. "I made dozens of phone calls... but no one had an emergency fund for funerals," she said. Then one of Hoffman's coworkers put in a call to a local officer who frequently urged neighborhood residents to call her if they ever needed anything. The officer was not on duty, but Sergeant Williams was on duty. As he heard about the woman's plight, he sent out an alert to patrol cars citywide. Almost immediately, officers began showing up at his police station, handing over five, ten, even twenty-dollar bills. Within hours, Williams had collected the needed money and an additional $300, including cash from his own pocket. "Maybe my son won't get that special toy for Christmas, but this was a child who would never see Christmas," said Williams. Young cried when Hoffman called to tell her the news. "I didn't know what I was going to do," she says. "I would have been lost without those officers."

That is the miracle of Christmas. Jesus, the Christ child, turns our despair into hope.

Today's Prayer
Lord God, Thank You. You have given me so much. Above all, I know that Your Son, Jesus died for me. For that, You have my eternal gratitude and faith. In the spirit of thanks, I ask you to renew my mind. Make me grateful for all Your blessings. Let me not dwell on scarcity and loss. Take away my fears. For with You, I truly have nothing to fear. Guide me; strengthen me, so that I can bring the blessings You have bestowed upon me to a world in need. Amen.

Running into The Flames

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Galatians 1:3-5

Time and again, we hear the story of soldiers in combat, “going back for their buddies” who were injured on the battlefield. From the American Revolution to Iraq, brave soldiers have risked and sometimes lost their lives running into the fire instead of away from it.

Police and fire fighters do the same thing every day. As all of us run away from the danger, they run not just toward it, but into it. And the most incredible aspect of this is that they do it with the full knowledge of what may happen to them. They know they are facing death and they do it anyway.

Whenever I see this kind of bravery and courage, the kind it takes to run in the opposite direction of everyone else, I think of Jesus. Because Jesus did the very same thing. He didn’t stay by His Father’s side in heaven. He didn’t observe from a mountain-top and safely proclaim wisdom from on high. No. He ran into the sin of humanity to save us . . . and He did it knowing the sacrifice He would have to make.

From the time of His birth in the manger until His death on the Cross, Jesus was with us, here in the evil flames of the world, desperately trying to pull us out of danger.

What an inspiration! The Lord has called each of us to do the same thing every day. He expects us to do things that go against the flow of the world, to go in the opposite direction as everyone else. And that’s not always easy.

But, there have been others who have paved the way. Noah built an enormous ark at God’s command. Abraham took his only son to be sacrificed. Gideon went to war against thousands of enemies with only three hundred soldiers on his side. The disciples left all their possessions and followed the Lord.

And now, there is your story. That’s right. You can start running in the opposite direction today! Do that thing God has been putting on your heart. Hug that person who’s been on your nerves. Give away something you have to someone who needs it more. There are so many victories waiting for you, if you simply turn and run in the same direction as Jesus. Yes, follow Him. He’s always running in the right direction, and yes, it’s usually straight into trouble. That’s His specialty.

Remember, it’s easy to stand up for the innocent. But, Jesus stood up for the guilty. He stood up for You and I.

At Christmas time, you may have some unique opportunities to explain the story of Jesus and the message of His Word. Don’t worry. It’s easy to explain what Jesus did. He was just “going back for his buddies.”

Today’s Prayer
Father, I know where I am needed most. It may not always be easy to face, but with You by my side, I know I can run toward the flames of trouble. Show me what to do today. Give me the strength and courage to face the challenges and not run away. And please stay with me, as I will stay with You, so that together we will claim Your victory in every situation. Amen.

Your Angel Story

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

Acts 12:5-10

I love this story of Peter’s deliverance, because I love angel stories. Almost every day I hear stories of angels working in and through the lives of the people all over the world. Yes, angels are real, very real! They are God’s helpers and messengers and the Bible is filled with their incredible stories and adventures.

During the Christmas season, we often hear the story of the angel who appeared to Mary and told her that she would have a son called Jesus. Joseph was also visited by an angel who told him what his role would be in this world-changing event. After Jesus was born, another group of angels appeared to the Wise Men, as well as to a group of very surprised Bethlehem shepherds.

Today Christmas angels are alive and well, appearing just in time to help save or comfort us. They appear in many ways, but their mission never changes; they are here to help us in times of great need.

Here is my own Angel story for today. A few years ago, I was driving home late one night after a long day of work and some last minute Christmas shopping. The road was very dark and I was very tired. I was fighting to keep my eyes open and I was losing the fight. After dozing for only a second, the steering wheel was torn out of my hands and pulled sharply to the left. The sudden movement woke me out of my dangerous slumber as I grabbed the wheel. Just then I passed a parked car in the breakdown lane. I missed it by inches. I had fallen asleep at the wheel, drifted into the emergency lane and was headed directly at that car. In that one, life-saving moment, an angel was driving my car – and probably saved my life.

What is your angel story? You probably need only a minute to remember that one moment in your life when something unexplained happened; when someone seemed to be helping you – maybe even saving you.

Yes, I love angel stories and I want to hear yours. Please tell us your angel story by posting your response here. Give us all the details. It’s time we spread the miracles!

Today’s Prayer

Dear Lord, I know your angels are all around us. And I know I need them more than ever. Yes, Lord, I need an angel. But, most of all, I need the love and grace of Your Son, Jesus, through whom all things are made new again. Amen.

Joyous Giving

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”
John 15:11-12

Why is Ebenezer Scrooge so unhappy? He has everything. More money than he will ever need. A comfortable mansion in a nice city. A successful business. Yet, as Charles Dickens describes him in “A Christmas Carol,” this is the most miserable man on the face of the earth.

His horrible nature is no mystery, although its simplicity is often overlooked. And that is because many of us have the same basic beliefs as Scrooge. Yes, that’s right. Scrooge was an old crotchety miser and many of us are not that far off from being just like him.

Why? Because most of us believe - if we are honest enough to admit it - that happiness comes from getting things and having more stuff. We convince ourselves that if we could only get more money, or a bigger house, or better job … then we would finally be happy. But it never quite works out that way and it didn’t work that way for Ebenezer Scrooge either. You see, he was unhappy not because of a failure to get, but to give.

And in this one truth is the most important message of Christmas.

President Woodrow Wilson said, “You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.”

Our best joys come through giving. Christmas reminds us of that truth. In fact, the most important message of Christmas is that of joyous giving. Remember, the baby in Bethlehem's manger was a gift of joy, a present from a loving Heavenly Father to his lost and hurting children; a gift the Bible says brought “good tidings of great joy” to giver and receiver alike.

Look around you. Where are the places in your life for joyous giving? These are your best opportunities to bring the joy of Christmas and of Jesus Himself into the lives of all those you encounter. There is no limit to ways in which you can be an angel to someone every day.

Yes, Jesus came to us because we were hurting and needed help. Today, people still need help. That’s why Jesus needs you to joyously give healing, love and maybe just a word of encouragement at Christmastime and throughout the year.

Today’s Prayer

Dear Lord, You have blessed me with such great joy. Now and forever, I ask that you remind me to be a blessing to others with that same joy. Fill my heart with Your presence so that every person I know will come to know You. Let me be a messenger of Your immeasurable peace and joy for all eternity. Amen.

I Need An Angel

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
Luke 2:10-16

I stood in the darkness, alone in the night.
I stood against evil, and danger and fright.
I looked up to heaven, to the Lord up above,
“I need an Angel,” I cried. “I need Your Love!”

From stars overhead came trumpets of joy,
To here in a manger, this small baby boy.
Born to a world of anger and sorrow,
Promising hope and a bright new tomorrow.

Throughout all the earth God’s creatures gave praise.
They sang through the nights and into the days.
Their song flew to heaven, their mighty chorus soared,
“My Angel is here, ‘tis Christ the Lord!”
Raymond Bechard

Today’s Prayer

Dear Lord, On Christmas day we celebrate your gift to the world, Your precious Son Jesus. I accept this gift, as my Savior and Lord. Forgive my sins and renew my mind for the fullness of your Glory forever. Amen.