Give the Bells, Give the Word

"Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” Luke 6:38, NASB

On Sunday, a lady came by the preschool desk (my volunteer job) and gave a knitted bell to my co-worker and to me. To my knowledge, I have never seen her before but she was passing on the spirit of Christ during this Christmas season. She reminded us to give the joy of Christ to others.

In the last few days, I have given out several of our new HeartCall Bibles. These use our logo of a heart, cross and an arrow to share the gospel message. I am amazed and how many who say they will read it! Today I gave one to two ladies who spoke little English. I also gave them a copy of the HeartCall Spanish-English tract. They seemed grateful and interested. I pray that God uses His Word to reach the hearts of His kids, as well as those who want to know Him.

Regardless of how you give during this Christmas season, whether it be by knitting bells or giving Bibles, I pray that when you give, you will share the joy of the Lord and the promise of salvation. It IS the Christmas season and it was...and still is...an announcement of great joy! Ring the bells! Share the Good News! Pass on the love of Christ every way you can!

Merry Christmas to all,
Jaye

You can order HeartCall Bibles and other resources at www.jayemartin.com/shop. If you would rather give so we can train people to go, visit our give page at www.jayemartin.com/give. Blessings to all!

a spark on an ordinary, dark night

"The shepherds began saying to one another, 'Let us go straight back to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.' 

So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as he lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child…

The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told to them" (Luke 2:15b-17, 20, NASB). 

Aisles and aisles of red, green and white was all I could see for a while. My shopping cart was popping out with the same colors as I emerged from this sea and approached the check-out line. Then - in the middle of this busy day - a man at the check-out begun talking with me about Christmastime and church. And there it was - a glimmer in the middle of the day of Christ, our Savior, who was part of God's plan to sacrificd Himself as a ransom for all. This message is for all people. Even on the seemingly most normal of days, God is at work to spread this message, to save us and  to draw us all closer to Him.

That night, I was reminded of the shepherds' reactions in Luke 2, the night of Christ's birth:

• First, they were terrified by the angel that visited them in the fields (v. 9). Who wouldn't be? A heavenly creature appeared during their work shift and in the dark.
• They went to see what the angel had told them (vv. 15-16). After hearing the angel's message that the Savior was born in Bethlehem, they decided to check it out. They were filled with joy to see that what the angels had told them about Jesus was so accurate.
• They praised God and told others what the angels had told them about the Child (vv. 17-18, 20). And they brought glory to God.

I pray that God helps us see each day - no matter how ordinary or how unusual it seems - as a time that He can move and bring light along with His love. I pray He gives us His heart, along with the words to share what He has shown us about Him, this good news for all people, that our Savior is here.

"But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord'" (Luke 2:10-11). 

the hope of Christmas

My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken. On God my salvation and my glory rest; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah. Psalm 62:5-8

On this cyber Monday, you may catch yourself glancing at all the sale messages in your inbox or on Facebook and for just a moment think that your hope is in finding the perfect gift at an unbelievable price and that securing it will give you and others the ultimate gift of hope for a cheery season. Be not mislead. While the ads promise all these things, in our hearts we know that the only real hope we have is in Christ.

 

Christ is the perfect gift. He is all knowing, all understanding, all sufficient, all powerful, and

full of hope!

 

The psalmist says to wait in silence for God only; and reminds us that our hope is in Him. No matter what the Christmas season brings, we are not shaken if we hope in Him. He is our rest, strength, salvation, refuge and more. As we pour out our hearts to Him, He meets us at our point of need.

 

Amy Grant's song, I need a little silent night, really speaks to me. http://www.metrolyrics.com/i-need-a-silent-night-lyrics-amy-grant.html#startvideo

Take a moment and listen. Let's live the hope we know we have. Let's share it with others so they too may have the hope of Christ this Christmas.

 

Hope in Christ is the first chapter in our new work, HeartCall New Heart: What it Means to Believe. Find it in the shop. Bless someone this Christmas with our Fresh Start Kit: this book, the Bible, the journal and our new devotional book. www.jayemartin.com/shop.

 

 

The Beauty of Need

"For he trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. For he clung to the LORD, he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses" (2 Kings 18:5-6). 

With Thanksgiving coming up, I bet you've heard lately, "What are you thankful for?" At the same time, I have been seeing a flood of ads that suggest what we may need for Christmastime.

My prayer is that as we realize our blessings and our needs, we are drawn to an even deeper relationship with God. This may seem odd in a society that often praises independence and self-reliance. Yet, I know God is stronger than anything I can do myself. So, when I read the passage above, I long to have a solid trust in God like King Hezekiah's.

Hezekiah's trust was not only remarkable in itself but also stood out among his generation. How did he trust? Hezekiah clung to the Lord. He persevered in following God and keeping His commandments.

Kelli Martin

Wherever God leads you today, cling to Him. Remember His faithfulness and saving grace. Keep learning from His Word and following the Holy Spirit's guidance. Turn to the Lord in prayer and reliance. Express to Him your thanks and your needs in full trust of His listening ear, faithfulness and plans.

There's a world full of people who may be noticing their blessings or needs this season. In prayer, let's ask for moments to share about God, the One we trust with our lives. Let's share stories of what He has done in our hearts and lives, and what He can and wants to do in anothers' heart and life.

"Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah" (Psalm 62:8). 

God's stream or Twitter stream?

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
² But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
³ He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers. (Psalm 1:1-3, NASB)

Today I was blessed by the simple truths found in Psalm 1:1-3. I was reminded that God wants us to bask in Him, His wise counsel and in His Word. I am not to be under the counsel of the ungodly. I am to meditate on Him and His law. When I do, I will see the fruit of His love and wisdom in every area of my life.

Last night, I looked at my Twitter feed. I do love social media. I love seeing the clips and thoughts and things happening. I love the photos on Facebook and I love to keep up with people. The difficult side is that I just don't have the time to see all the posts and to respond to each one. The further challenge is that I can be distracted by those who are not responding to me. Not good! I found myself frustrated by the need to promote and connect with thousands of people. I also found myself discouraged that I was "not where I needed to be" in getting the word out about my ministry.

Yet this morning, there it was...God's Word. Ready to instruct and encourage me. My worth is not found in Twitter or Facebook! Not a new thought but a timely reminder. My concentration needs to be on God and His Son; when it is, I delight in Him and He delights in me. His streams of water are better than any Twitter feed.

Spend time with Him today.

Light Up the Night - Fearlessly

"Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?...the heavenly Father knows you need these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself" (Matthew 6:25b, 32-34; NASB). 

Do you have plans for Halloween night? Our church is encouraging people either to go to or help with the fall festival or to "light up the night" in their own neighborhoods. I love the phrase "light up the night." That's just what God does. 

No matter what you do on this night, let's just not forget that there's just something that stands out about God in contrast to fear, death and darkness:

• In contrast to fear, we find trust in Him: His kind of love does not feed on fear; rather, it encourages trust, hope and faith in Him and in who He is. He is full of goodness and faithfulness (Psalm 100). We can see His sacrificial, selfless love as He sent Jesus to die for us (Romans 5:8).
• In contrast to death, we find life in Him: He didn't stop there, though, as Jesus rose from the dead. He breathes new life to those who turn to Him in trust asking for forgiveness (Romans 10:9-10). He gives believers the Holy Spirit, and we are made new, as we are seen by Him as the forgiven, as white as snow (Isaiah 1:18). And He continues to be there to forgive us.
• In contrast to darkness, we find light in Him: His light shines like a beacon in the darkness. He is full of truth, goodness and mercy. He brought light into the world, and He wishes to light our paths and guide us (Psalm 119:105). 

God is greater than any fear or worry we may have. He has kept His promises, and He won't stop now. He made us and loves us (Psalm 139:14). He desires a relationship with us that's full of life, truth and trust. 

Kelli Martin

Let's pray we see moments to share Him with others without fear. May we let Him shine into dark places. Let's burn for Him.

"O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:55-57, NASB). 

All Sons & Daughters' "Wake Up"

Matt Maher's "Lord I Need You"

Christy Nockle's "Waiting Here for You" (Live at Passion version)
Jesus Culture's "One Thing Remains"

Kari Jobe's "We Are" (Acoustic version) 

Sarah Pierson - A Shining Light at a Public School

Last week, Cypress Ridge High School in Houston, TX, did a spotlight on Sarah Pierson! Sarah is an incredible young adult who has a passion for the Lord. She teaches at Cy-Ridge and has been a shining example for Christ. I included the first page of the newsletter but read the second page and thank God for Sarah!

Way to go Sarah! We are so proud of you!!!

What are you doing to shine for Christ? Let's pray that our lights are shining bright!