Where You Gonna Get Your Fill?

Many thanks to Laurie Hock for this excellent post. After reading it, I just want to yell, "Fill 'er up!" Laurie and I met at She Speaks, and we are now part of a writer's critique group. She is a dynamic ball of fire for the Lord.

The weeks leading up to Christmas are best described as...full. Christmas parties, decorating, purchasing gifts, performances, programs, and other unmentioned clamor. There’s no arguing our holidays are jam-packed, plum full, stuffed to the max. But let’s pause for a moment and ask ourselves, “What what kind of fillers are these?”


Our hearts, souls, and minds naturally need to be filled, but with what? God created us with a need for Him, a hunger for the Holy. This hunger has been misinterpreted in our rush-rush culture of over-scheduled and overtired men, women, and children.

The majority of us aren’t getting “full” on daily doses of the presence of God, nor by fellowshipping with Him through prayer and praise. Instead, most of us end up stuffing our lives with commitments, busyness, and a lot of other eternal unnecessaries. These earthly and temporal fillers are fake. They distract us from our true God-given purpose. These can never satisfy us the way God can.


Fake fillers end up making our schedules fat but leave our souls starving.


We can’t afford to spend our energy filling up on temporal things while sacrificing intimacy with God. The world is stacked with alternative fillers the devil has disguised as good and seemingly godly. These may indeed be good things. But when these activities and obligations fill us up before we give God a chance to, we’re going to be running on empty. We’re not full at all in the way we should be. These fake fillers tend to take more out of us than they give to us.

God desires His children to depend upon Him. He is our ultimate satisfaction. He is the eternal fullness available for us to experience everyday here on earth and forever after. God is the answer to our every need and desire. Our hunger for Him must be quenched above all else. We must look to Him to get our daily fill.


It sounds spectacular to be filled by God, but perhaps intimidating, right? How do you begin to develop and deepen a relationship with Almighty God so He can fill you up? How does He become your fulfillment, your everything?

Psalm 81:10 gives insight. “I am the Lord your God...Open wide your mouth and I will fill it” (NIV).

It’s that simple. God asks us to ask Him. He responds with the promise He will fill what we set before Him. He is our satisfier. God exists to be our Father, our Provider, our Wisdom, our Grace and Guide. He holds all the answers, all the peace, and all of time. What better place to fill up?



Can you think of anything else that can offer you such satisfaction? Will you let God be your fill today? He will fill you up when you make time for Him. God fills us up when we start our day with prayer and praise. God fills us up when we show His love to His people.

God fills us up as we read, meditate on, and proclaim His Word and truth each day. God fills us up as we listen to songs offering Him worship and adoration. God will fill each of us the way He knows we uniquely need. To activate His loving power, we must tell Him that He’s where we want to get our fill. We must offer Him our heart, our time, our lives.

How do you need to rearrange the days leading up to the holidays so you can be full of God, His patience and love instead of stress, frustration and anxiety? Tell me... where you gonna get your fill today?

Laurie Hock

Years ago, my husband, Tony, wrote a song titled, Fill Me Up. Some of the lyrics are: "Fill me up, Holy Spirit. Fill my life to overflowing... that I might be a reflection of Your love."

Lord, Fill me up to the brim with Your truth, Your Word, Your peace, Your presence... that I might overflow and be a reflection of Your love. Thank you, Jesus, that You desire to fill us with Yourself.

Susan

Live Nativity

For those in NJ/NY, you are invited to attend an outdoor Live Nativity. Pictured above are my son, AJ as Joseph, and Sophie Boland as Mary. There is music, live animals (& petting zoo), refreshments. It's a wonderful opportunity to experience the sights and sounds of the 1st Christmas in Bethlehem so long ago.

When:   Saturday, Dec. 12 @ 7:00 pm
              Sunday, Dec. 13 @ 6:30 pm

Where: High Mountain Church, 681 High Mountain Rd., North Haledon, NJ
For additional information, call the church at (973)427-2575.

If you don't live nearby, check your local churches to see if there is a similar event in your area. It's a wonderful experience for the whole family, and a great opportunity to invite friends who don't know the Lord. Make the most of every opportunity ... Eph. 5:16

Susan

The Real White Christmas

Here's a post of mine from last year:



Bing Crosby may have been dreaming of a white Christmas, but Jesus can make it a reality for you.




"Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow." Isaiah 1:18

Scarlet was the color of a deep-red permanent dye, virtually impossible to remove from clothing. The stain of sin may seem equally permanent, but God can remove sin's stain from our life just as He promised to do for the Israelites. God's Word assures us that if we are willing and obedient (v.19), God will forgive and remove our most indelible stains. He will make us "as clean as freshly fallen snow" (NLT).




"Cleanse me, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." Psalm 51:7 Because David was truly repentent for committing adultery and murder, God mercifully forgave him. No sin is too bad to be forgiven! Sometimes, I feel separated from God because of having done something wrong. Do you? Well, nothing could be further from the truth. God is waiting for us to confess and repent, to "come clean" as the saying goes, so He can make us truly clean and restore that close fellowship that He longs to have with us.


May this Christmas be one of reconcilation with the God who emptied Himself, took on the appearance of a human and the position of a servant, died the death of a criminal - the death that we deserved, then rose from the dead in total victory! (see Phil. 2)

Oh Little Town of Bethlehem

O little town of Bethlehem,

How still we see thee lie!

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep

The silent stars go by;

Yet in thy dark streets shineth

The everlasting Light;

The hopes and fears of all the years

Are met in thee tonight.

 

For Christ is born of Mary,

And gathered all above,

While mortals sleep, the angels keep

Their watch of wondering love.

O morning stars, together

Proclaim the holy birth!

Praises sing to God the King,

And peace to men on earth.

How silently, how silently,

The wondrous gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of his heaven.

No ear may hear his coming,

But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive him, still

The dear Christ enters in.

Where children pure and happy

Pray to the blessed Child,

O holy Child of Bethlehem!

Descend to us, we pray;

Cast out our sin and enter in,

Be born in us today.

We hear the Christmas angels

The great glad tidings tell;

O come to us, abide with us,

Our Lord Emmanuel!

Susan

Have a Mighty Christmas!

Jean Matthew Hall of Encouraging Words for Writers is sharing today's devotion which has spoken loudly to my heart and mind.

Have a Mighty Christmas

I’m reading a little book by Ace Collins, 25 Days, 26 Ways To Make This Your Best Christmas Ever. In the reading for Day 3, Collins explores the Christmas carol “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.” He takes a serious look at the word merry in this song. In Old English, the word could mean happy, but it had several other meanings. One of them was “mighty.”


That sets me to thinking about our greeting of “Merry Christmas.” Is that what we really want for everyone? A happy, jolly Christmas? Or do we want the people we love and respect to have a Mighty Christmas?

Do we want them to go through Christmas after Christmas laughing, singing, eating and drinking too much? Or do we want them to let God make Christmas mighty in their lives?


Do we want those around us to be caught up in all the trappings and traditions of Christmas? Or do we want them to be caught up in the saving love poured out on us by that child whose stable cradle was overshadowed by a cross?


Do we want people to simply have a Merry Christmas? Or do we want them to know the mighty power of God through Christ our Lord this Christmas? For that to happen they must surrender their hearts, their lives, and their all to Christ.


I’ve made my own little private promise to God this year. I’ve promised that each time I say a cheery “Merry Christmas” to someone, I’ll silently pray he or she’ll have a “Mighty Christmas” by accepting Christ as Savior.

Want to join me? Want to make your Merry Christmas a mighty one? Wish all those people well, but also pray for God to save their souls and change their lives into true celebrations of the Mighty Savior—to make every day Christmas in their hearts.

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11

Jean Matthew Hall, 2009

Lord, You are mighty, and we pray that You will be mighty in us. When we hear "merry", may we think "mighty."

Susan

The Right Gifts

Today, I am grateful to Sonya at Truth 4 The Journey for this excellent post. Sonya also writes parenting pointers for Titus 2 In Action. As you read this, you'll see why. Be sure to visit her at  http://truth4thejourney.blogspot.com.





Only 18 days remain until Christmas! Have I bought the right gifts? Have I made my lists, and checked them twice? These are common thoughts for many of us right now. We need to make Christmas special and memorable, right?


Wait! Whose birthday is it, anyhow? Most likely it's not someone in your family or circle of friends. It's Jesus' birthday. So where is He on your list? After all, it is His birthday. Shouldn't He be on your list?


I know that in today's society we are pressured to make a list of loved ones and to put down the perfect gift idea for each one. But what if we put the name Jesus first under each loved ones name. Next, pray and ask what God would want you to give that person. I'm not talking about material things here. No, I'm talking about relational gifts.



Here are a few examples:


Christmas List:

1) My husband
a. Jesus - Pack his lunch at least once per week with a love note.


2) My daughter (toddler)
a. Jesus - Plan a play date for just the two of you and play what she wants to play.

3) My daughter (teen)
a. Jesus - Go online together to find a child to sponsor (this was her desire for Christmas this year). Then take her shopping to buy gifts for that child.


4) My daughter (tween)
a. Jesus - Put a love note from God (He inspired me to write love notes based on scriptures. If you are interested in them you can contact me) under her pillow every Monday this month.

5) My son
a. Jesus - Spend the time to read the Bible with him two nights per week.

These are a few examples from my own Christmas list. As I study the Bible, I find that God is not interested in the material things that we can give as much as the relational things. He is all about relationships and we need to put those at the top of our lists.


I pray that God will lead you and guide you this holiday season as you remember that relationships are far more important than material things.
 
Dear Lord, I thank You and Sonya for this precious reminder to keep the Giver of all gifts at the forefront of our gift-giving. Help u's to remember that it's relationship that is most important - with You and with each other.
 
Susan

The Calm of Christmas

Today, I thank Pastor Jan Rizzo of the Maranatha Church of the Nazarene for contributing this beautiful post. May we take heed to her words and experience true calm!

What an odd definition of Christmas with all that we find ourselves doing this time of year! The Calm of Christmas enables us in the midst of our busyness to stop and ponder the true meaning of this glorious time of year! For it is not in the giving, as wonderful as that may be; but it is in receiving the One who came for us and desires to live within us.



The Apostle Paul in Galatians tells us that In the Fullness of Time God sent His Son to redeem (4:4-7). That time in history was anything but calm with persecution under Roman domination and a people waiting for the Messiah. But in the middle of such history … His-Story began and The Calm of Christmas heralded throughout the sky as the angels proclaimed: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men (Luke 2:14).


Someone once said … it is not easy to hear the angels sing. There is so much in our lives and in our world that would persuade us that there is no angelic music, and certainly nothing to sing about. But if we listen with faith, we can hear the angel’s sing, and we find that we also can sing!


It was The Calm of Christmas that enabled Mary to say: Let it be to me according to your word (Luke 1:38) as she lived in calmness of strength and pondered all things in her heart. It is the calmness of faith … not an easy faith … but a faith that still believes when life is anything but calm that enables us to say yes to what God has for us!

CeCe Winans states: Faith is about how you live your life in the meantime. How you make decisions when you don’t know for sure what’s next. What you do with yourself between the last time you heard from God and the next time you hear from Him is the on-going challenge of the life of faith.


Has your faith been challenged in 2009? If yes, then I pray The Calm of Christmas brings you serenity, quietness, stillness and peace as you ponder the true meaning of this year … as you say let it be to me according to your word … as you sing with the angels and as you live by faith in the meantime.

Pastor Jan Rizzo, Maranatha Church of the Nazarene, Paramus, NJ

Joseph Mohr penned the words, "Silent night, Holy Night...  All is calm. All is bright."
Dear Lord, may we experience such calm in the midst of the busyness.

The Checkout Lane

Today, we have a gifted writer, Lynn from Heading Home, as our guest blogger. And you can read my post "How Can It Be?" on her blog at www.lynnmosher.blogspot.com.

The Checkout Lane

With the parking lot full, finding a space was almost impossible. Shopper after shopper filed in the store’s front door, list in hand, and most lacking the Christmas spirit.


The lines at the checkout lanes stretched halfway through the store. As angers were on the verge of erupting, loneliness carved a swath through the throng of shoppers, fighting for a place in each line.


“Why don’t they have more checkout lanes open?” complained one shopper.


“I don’t know. This is so depressing,” grumbled another nearby.


Each lane had its share of Grinches and lonely hearts, each moaning over all the congestion. In one lane, stood a mother with three small children in tow, all whining and wanting everything in sight.


In the next lane stood another mother with her three little ones, all in a joyous mood. Six year-old Olivia asked her mother, “Mommy, why is everyone so grumpy?”


Lowering her voice so others wouldn’t hear their conversation, Olivia’s mother whispered, “I’m not sure, dear. I think everyone is in a hurry, and they don’t know the meaning of Christmas.”


“Don’t they know it’s Jesus’ birthday?”


Trying to shush Olivia, she lowered her voice again, “I guess not. Some people just don’t know.”


“Well, why don’t we tell them?”


“I don’t think this is a very good time, dear.”


“Why not, Mommy? Didn’t you say it’s always time for Jesus?”


“Well, yes, I did, but…”


“Well, let’s tell them.”


Overhearing their conversation, those standing near this family began shifting their weight from one foot to another, uncomfortable as to what they might hear next.


The mother began to silently pray, “Oh, Lord, if You desire others to know it is Your birthday that they’re supposed to be celebrating, then please resolve this situation.”


Olivia bowed her head and thought for a moment. Then, a very soft, little voice began to sweetly sing…


“Away in the manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head;
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.”


Silence fell on the checkout lanes. All that could be heard was the whirring of the cash registers. No one said a word.


Then, that sweet little voice began to sing again…


“Joy to the world! The Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room,
And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n, and heav’n and nature sing.”


Just as a place was made for baby Jesus to be born so many years ago, a place was made for Him in the checkout lanes. Smiles erupted across the stone-cold faces of the Grinches. Peace swept across the store, carving a swath through the crowd of shoppers and banishing loneliness and the Grinch from the checkout lanes.


As you weave your way in and out of the stores this Christmas season, remember the Reason for the Season…it’s the celebration of Jesus’ birth! May the blessings of the manger find a place your heart.



Lord, we surely can be grinches ourselves from time to time. Help us to sense Your presence with us as we search for presents for others, and  help us to be patient with those who don't know You. May we be a light in the darkness.

Susan