One of the most important disciplines that I have embraced over the years of my ministry is to take some time of solitude and examine, in depth, the previous year. Invariably, God teaches me about things that I have experienced both through blessing and hardship.
There are numerous ways to do this but the important thing is to do it before starting a whole new year and repeating the same practices of the previous year that may have caused you some difficulties.
I take comfort in the fact that even the Apostle Paul exhorts us to do the same when he says “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.” II Cor. 13:5
Thank you all for your response to my first attempts at this blogging experience. I’ll make every effort to sustain this as we move into the New Year. I deeply appreciate your feedback. May the Lord richly bless you!
In Jesus’ love,
Dr. Jay
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
The Night Before Christmas
For most of us, there is no more special evening than this one. The Night Before Christmas.
I suppose it' s the anticipation of being together with family and friends, the idea that God has made a statement of His love for us that stands forever, but most of all... it's the fact that God is with us no matter what life brings.
Last evening, three men stopped by our home to share their story of delivering some basic food and three beds to a single mom and her family in the inner city. It was a classic illustration of how the joy of giving probably eclipsed the joy of receiving as these men literally bubbled over with what that moment had meant to them.
That's what happens on the night before Christmas when we take the time to express our love and compassion, our appreciation and our faith. Most of all, let's take the time to honor Jesus for making this more than a myth or a fable, but rather, a literal promise signed in His blood, that assures us that He will be Immanuel, God with us, forever!
May you have a merry, meaningful and memorable Christmas!
Blessings,
Dr. Jay
I suppose it' s the anticipation of being together with family and friends, the idea that God has made a statement of His love for us that stands forever, but most of all... it's the fact that God is with us no matter what life brings.
Last evening, three men stopped by our home to share their story of delivering some basic food and three beds to a single mom and her family in the inner city. It was a classic illustration of how the joy of giving probably eclipsed the joy of receiving as these men literally bubbled over with what that moment had meant to them.
That's what happens on the night before Christmas when we take the time to express our love and compassion, our appreciation and our faith. Most of all, let's take the time to honor Jesus for making this more than a myth or a fable, but rather, a literal promise signed in His blood, that assures us that He will be Immanuel, God with us, forever!
May you have a merry, meaningful and memorable Christmas!
Blessings,
Dr. Jay
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
The Night Before
In 24 hours we’ll be holding our first Christmas Eve service of 2008. I’m already excited about the possibilities of what God can do in that little slice of time that so many thousands of people will be giving to honor the birth of Jesus.
My heart’s cry is that every one of us would consider the people that are all around us who, for whatever reason, don’t quite “get it”. They are good people, they might even be church goers, but they’ve never really encountered the “real” Jesus. My prayer is that not just during the service, but throughout this holiday, each of our lives would incarnate the humility, compassion and grace that Jesus exemplified throughout His life and culminated in His resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father.
I love this time of year and I love this day… the day before the night before Christmas.
Blessings,
Dr. Jay
My heart’s cry is that every one of us would consider the people that are all around us who, for whatever reason, don’t quite “get it”. They are good people, they might even be church goers, but they’ve never really encountered the “real” Jesus. My prayer is that not just during the service, but throughout this holiday, each of our lives would incarnate the humility, compassion and grace that Jesus exemplified throughout His life and culminated in His resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father.
I love this time of year and I love this day… the day before the night before Christmas.
Blessings,
Dr. Jay
Monday, December 22, 2008
So Many People!
In this Christmas season, I’m very aware of my human limitations in terms of expressing my love and appreciation to so many people for what they mean to me throughout the year.
Do you find that same challenge in your life? A card is great, but there’s nothing like a conversation or, even better, some time face-to-face where you can tell people what they mean to you and how their life has enriched yours in some specific way.
In this season, we should all make an extra effort to communicate with people that we love, but it’s understood that we’ll never fully satisfy everyone who would enjoy time together. I pray that grace would prevail in those moments so that when the together times do present themselves, they will be full of blessing and thankfulness for family and friends that make life such a gift.
I pray you have time to be with the ones that need you the most!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Do you find that same challenge in your life? A card is great, but there’s nothing like a conversation or, even better, some time face-to-face where you can tell people what they mean to you and how their life has enriched yours in some specific way.
In this season, we should all make an extra effort to communicate with people that we love, but it’s understood that we’ll never fully satisfy everyone who would enjoy time together. I pray that grace would prevail in those moments so that when the together times do present themselves, they will be full of blessing and thankfulness for family and friends that make life such a gift.
I pray you have time to be with the ones that need you the most!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Friday, December 19, 2008
Friends Are Willing
I had a conversation today with someone that I don’t get to speak to very frequently.
This person is considered a “leader” in our city and someone that has been around for a long time serving the Kingdom.
Our exchange was relatively brief but very cordial as we talked about ways in which we could unite our efforts in helping to facilitate the spiritual growth and enablement of some of our next generation of leaders. What I discovered is that when we’re willing to ask a friend directly for a favor, some input, almost invariably that friend thanks you for the opportunity to serve!
In this season, especially, let’s ask our friends to share with us in the glorious celebration of Christmas and even in the possibility of meeting some of the needs that are around us. True friends will thank you for the opportunity to step in and express their love in a tangible way.
Blessings,
Dr. Jay
This person is considered a “leader” in our city and someone that has been around for a long time serving the Kingdom.
Our exchange was relatively brief but very cordial as we talked about ways in which we could unite our efforts in helping to facilitate the spiritual growth and enablement of some of our next generation of leaders. What I discovered is that when we’re willing to ask a friend directly for a favor, some input, almost invariably that friend thanks you for the opportunity to serve!
In this season, especially, let’s ask our friends to share with us in the glorious celebration of Christmas and even in the possibility of meeting some of the needs that are around us. True friends will thank you for the opportunity to step in and express their love in a tangible way.
Blessings,
Dr. Jay
Thursday, December 18, 2008
What is it that we fear?
In this Christmas season there are many messages around us about the hopefulness that Jesus brings to our lives. As we’ve been talking in our services, the manger represents the eternal expression of the victory, love and possibilities that Jesus brought to the earth.
None-the-less, fear continues to condemn us at every turn. God often uses people, sometimes unwittingly, to deliver messages of inadequacy or even failure that cause us to think that somehow we just aren’t going to “make it”.
One of my deep desires for this Christmas season is that the eternal message of Jesus’ presence with us (Emmanuel means God with us) would also be my every day experience. That may not be the newest insight you’ve ever received, but I wonder how many of us will live that way when we face the “fear-balls” that Satan seems to hurl at us.
For today, I think I’m living above those ‘fear-balls” and keeping my eyes on the One who came to this earth, identified with all that I’m going through, and said I’ll take care of you: You’ll make it! What more could any of us ask for?!
Blessings,
Dr. Jay
None-the-less, fear continues to condemn us at every turn. God often uses people, sometimes unwittingly, to deliver messages of inadequacy or even failure that cause us to think that somehow we just aren’t going to “make it”.
One of my deep desires for this Christmas season is that the eternal message of Jesus’ presence with us (Emmanuel means God with us) would also be my every day experience. That may not be the newest insight you’ve ever received, but I wonder how many of us will live that way when we face the “fear-balls” that Satan seems to hurl at us.
For today, I think I’m living above those ‘fear-balls” and keeping my eyes on the One who came to this earth, identified with all that I’m going through, and said I’ll take care of you: You’ll make it! What more could any of us ask for?!
Blessings,
Dr. Jay
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Christmas Time
As I wandered around our church campus today, I had numerous reminders that it truly is the Christmas season! Our staff meeting this morning was full of stories of ways that individuals were expressing their love and experiences at Christmas time.
I went to be with the Seniors as they gathered to celebrate Christmas (an event that they shared with the folks from Victory Family Church) and then sat with our Worship Director as we talked about the exciting Christmas Eve service just ahead.
Along with conversations and cards, chocolates and cookies, Christmas is a time of love. It’s love expressed in ways that we take for granted throughout most of the year.
Be sure to take that extra moment and tell someone that you love them during this Christmas season. You never know when you will change the trajectory of their day … and maybe even your relationship!
Blessings,
Dr. Jay
I went to be with the Seniors as they gathered to celebrate Christmas (an event that they shared with the folks from Victory Family Church) and then sat with our Worship Director as we talked about the exciting Christmas Eve service just ahead.
Along with conversations and cards, chocolates and cookies, Christmas is a time of love. It’s love expressed in ways that we take for granted throughout most of the year.
Be sure to take that extra moment and tell someone that you love them during this Christmas season. You never know when you will change the trajectory of their day … and maybe even your relationship!
Blessings,
Dr. Jay
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