One of my very favorite Christian artists. Amazing music, talented, worshipful, and purely anointed lyrics. Listen closely in the aftermath of the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, Savior of the world. Are you willing?
Father, thank you is never enough. And never will be. It's all we've got. That and our obedience. Help us to be the ones you created us to be. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Roast Date by Heather Day Gilbert is Book 7 in The Barks and Beans Cafe Mystery Series.
Macy and her brother Bo are readying their cafe and homes for Christmas. Bo has big plans and Macy's expecting her FBI Agent boyfriend Titan for a brief visit. Macy's neighbor Vera has invited her to attend the Book Club meeting at Vera's home which includes giving Macy time to talk about The Barks and Beans Cafe, offer a gift basket drawing, and sell some of their delicious bagged coffee product.
The Mayor of their town will lead the gathering, and she's known to do it well with thoughtful and meaningful questions for discussion. However, another neighbor "Matilda" has been spreading hurtful gossip and terse comments interrupt the mayor's lead-in. Macy's upset at the women who seem to have assumed the worst, and the meeting takes a terrible turn when Vera's rambunctious pooch is somehow turned loose from her crate and within minutes a murder victim is discovered in the bathroom.
At the time, no one knows for sure if the victim was murdered, but after Detective Charlie arrives, the investigation into the death begins. Bo and Macy discuss its unusual circumstances and why none of it makes sense.
With plenty of suspects and no logical reason for anyone to murder this person, it appears there's far more to this than is limited to the "usual suspects". When there's another victim, the hypothesizing becomes urgent.
Heather does a good job of casting suspicion on multiple characters as well as doubts of their guilt. She employs some tricks, but it isn't until Macy and Bo share a Christmas tradition that they get the evidence they need. Following that, they realize this whole mess goes far deeper than it appears – leaving the reader with a mild cliffhanger which will lead to Book 8.
Father, you know Heather's every need. I ask that you bless her with the stories you have just for her to tell, keep her safe from all harm, and meet those needs with your divine provision. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherd's living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But then 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."
Luke 2:1-14 (NIV)
SILENT NIGHT. HOLY NIGHT. A MANGER.
A COUPLE FULFILLING WHAT THE LORD GOD ASKED OF THEM.
MIRACULOUS. MAGNIFICENT.
THE NIGHT PRECEDING THE BIRTH OF THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD. JESUS CHRIST.
MAY YOU DRAW NEAR TO HIM AND FIND THE JOY OF RECEIVING HIS GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE. ONCE FOR ALL. THANK YOU, JESUS.
My favorite Christmas Commercials. It doesn't matter who or what they're advertising because of the spirit of these two commercials. And, yes, the tears flow at my end every time I watch them.
Jesus Is the Reason for the Season and no one can change that. No. One.
Thank you is never enough, Almighty God. In the Name of Jesus and in the true Spirit of Christmas. Amen.
Consent to Kill is Book 8 in the Mitch Rapp Thriller Series by the late Vince Flynn. Consent to Kill is pictured above with one of its original covers and was released in September of 2006.
I've had the extreme pleasure of reading all of Vince Flynn's novels and have continued with Kyle Mills who's made sure the iconic Mitch Rapp saga progresses.
Consent to Kill remains my favorite of them all. I decided to reread it which I rarely do because of "so many books, so little time". But I wanted to remind myself of why it was my favorite. When you read as many novels as I do, it's easy to forget essential parts of prior stories which is what I discovered after barely beginning Consent to Kill. Since I've reviewed this book a long time ago, now I'm just going to hit some amazing highpoints of this incredible novel.
Chapter 24 presents the epitome of DC politics today, reiterating how entrenched in the practices of politics DC remains. Vince Flynn's masterful portrayals illuminates the characters of the political beltway.
Chapter 43: At the conclusion of this chapter, it's a big YAY!
Chapter 69: This is the beauty and power of Irene Kennedy at her finest. Smarter than most in her field, staunch protector of her protege and friend, bold and wise, and able to handle the faux-important people in positions they should never occupy. In the final paragraph, it's a giant fist pump at her performance.
And finally at the end of Rapp's long journey to accomplish what he needs to do, you get the perfect picture of who this man is, what he's made of, and why he's the icon of thriller heroes.
I loved this book. Still my favorite.
Father, you gave Vince such amazing talent, insights, vision, and just the right touch to create powerful characters and stories. Thank you for how he graced the writing world while he was with us. Please continue to bless Kyle as he carries on the torch that you allowed Vince to light. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
(Reposted from 2016.)
If you’re anything like me, you have an opinion on a lot of things. And you’re not afraid to express it. In the flesh you’ll jump in with unsolicited commentary and in the Spirit you’ll regret some of what you said.
I grew up—or attempted to—during the heyday of the “drugs, sex, rock ‘n’ roll” generation. I resisted it for as long as I could before I wondered why I was still holding out or holding onto any kind of innocence. I believed in God but didn’t know His Son.
My generation saw the ushering in of the “Ms.” women, better known as the decline and fall of real womanhood. Don’t get me wrong here. If you’re a woman doing the same work as a man as well as or better than a man, you deserve to be paid accordingly. If in your family, you have to work outside your home and put in as many or more hours than your husband, work together to manage your household chores. If you feel called to engage a job or service in a predominantly man’s field of endeavor, go fulfill your call.
But through all these trials and decisions, never ever forget who God made you to be . . . “But for Adam, no suitable helper was found.” (Gen. 2:20) Many women cannot accept their God-given roles, as if it’s degrading to be a “suitable helper” to the man God has for them. God saw the need, and he filled it with the perfect complement, the one who could meet the loneliness, the one who could inspire the desire to lead, to be responsible, to love emotionally, physically, and spiritually, the one who could maximize who he was made to be. Only a woman made just for him could fill that incredible order.
The woman was made from a man indicating she would always be a part of him, and he would always be attached to her. He would be responsible for this one who owned a piece of him. It was a perfect combination.
Enter the temptation to “do it my way” under the beguiling influence of “female reasoning and logic” and insert the male inertia of not wanting to take responsibility for direct disobedience, and the fatal flaw of sin entered a perfect world setting off the ticking time bomb of utter depravity and eventual destruction.
How generous of God to allow a very young virgin woman named Mary to bear the child who would redeem this fallen mess of humanity. He could’ve done it multiple ways—far more creatively than I could ever imagine—and eliminated the use of a female in the process. This young female was strong in her faith and absolute in her worship of God Almighty. Read Mary’s declaration after her encounter with the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:46-55). Humble obedience. “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” (Luke 1:38)
Mary would be required to follow her husband to a strange town to have her baby, to a foreign country to protect her son, to return to a new city to start life over again. And she would do it. Because it was her call to do so. She fulfilled her God-given role. Her faith and her obedience allowed her to live the most important role of all women in the Bible. She was allowed to carry and bear the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Never again. Once for all. But the female gender was redeemed by being obedient, first to God, then to her husband. Was it easy? I highly doubt it. How many of you women could pack in the middle of the night to leave for a foreign country where you wouldn’t know a soul and couldn’t even speak the language because your husband woke up with a start after hearing from an angel. Not many of us would be too willing, perhaps arguing it was bad pizza. Life was not ordinary for this family. Because God was directly and actively involved. Someone had to lead. Someone had to follow. Mary followed.
Ladies, this isn’t my idea. I’m a strong-willed, independent woman, and my husband gives me a lot of freedom. He respects me spiritually and often seeks my thoughts, even my advice. But when it comes time for the heavy-hitting decision making, he knows it’s ultimately his responsibility to make them because one day he will stand before Jesus Christ and give an account for his manhood. We women will do the same for our womanhood. Do you really want to stand before the Lord and testify that you acted like Eve when you should have acted like Mary?
Every home is different. Every household has its own order. This Christmas I would just suggest to you women who profess to honor Christ, to take inventory of your willingness to obey the One who made the rules, set the tone, gave you life, who adores you, and treasures you, and desires to guide you through the wicked world with His steadying, encouraging, loving hand. He knows you best, and He knows what’s best for you. May we all say along with Mary, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.”
Father, it’s been a long and difficult journey for this woman, as you know. But I’m ever more willing with each hour that passes in my life to obey, to seek your face, to be your servant. There is no better place to be. Help me to be the one you want to be. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
And shout it from the housetops! Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever!
Thank you, Jesus! God, we're all desperate to be rescued whether we know it or not. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
(Originally posted in December of 2006.)
As we approach our celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, I would like to encourage men today with this message from the Christmas account.
Men today have multiple challenges of all kinds. For example, their visual instincts are exploited by every medium known to the human race, enticing them into sexually sinful thoughts and/or ways. Books such as Everyman’s Battle break it all down for them in a working and understandable way, but many Christian men won’t read the book(s) which identifies the "problems" of their gender, some because they’re unwilling to face their weaknesses and be required to do something about them, some because they think their reactions are all just part of being a man, and some because they feel hopeless and just can’t take one more jab of criticism from the holier than thou set.
The requirements are stiff for a man in this world. Especially in Christianity. Because Christianity requires a guy to be a man about everything. To step up. To take responsibility for himself, his wife, his family, his place in the body of Christ. It’s a tall order, and it can be daunting.
The Bible tells us in more ways than one, and history bears it out as well, “There is nothing new under the sun.” The only new things are the advanced technological ways to present and exploit the same old problems.
Well, men, if you want to usher in the new year with some fresh resolve, take a look at the earthly father of Jesus Christ, a carpenter by trade, not wealthy, a man of faith, placed in the middle of a difficult dilemma with the young woman he was pledged to marry. (If you’re some wayward wanderer in the blog kingdom, landing upon my title of this entry and certainly not expecting to find anything biblical, of all things, I urge you to complete your reading anyway—you just might learn something.) As most of you know, you can find the account in the following places in the New Testament: Matthew 1:18-25; 2:1-23; Luke 1:26-56; 2:1-51.
Joseph had dreams and visions of angels which both challenged and amplified his faith. In the process of receiving life changing instructions through these supernatural encounters, he became an amazing man who is only discussed in these few places in the Bible. When he anticipated having to divorce his pregnant (not by him) fiancée, he thought of her, not wanting to “expose her to public disgrace”. It was after his practical consideration that the impractical took place: specific instruction of the how and who of this anointed child to come. What did Joseph do? “When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name of Jesus.”
Through the course of time, Joseph was required by the Roman government to leave his home with his very pregnant bride and travel a considerable distance to Bethlehem for a census where this unusual child was born nearly upon arrival there, started a new life in that town, sometime later was told to leave in the night for an immediate escape to Egypt, travel back to Israel and eventually settle in a not so desirable town known as Nazareth where the family started over once again.
Each decision that Joseph made had to be a difficult one: uprooting his family because of dreams and visions: the consummate man of faith with the family who trusted his ability to hear and obey God’s leading. This was the man God hand-picked to be the earthly father of the Lord Jesus Christ. No one has ever held a more difficult role in humanity. So much weighed upon each decision he had to make. Yet God sent messengers, dreams, and visions to guide him from his simple life as a man pledged to be married to the awesome task of being the husband to the woman who carried the Christ or Messiah.
Never again. Once for all. But, men, I urge you to consider the depth of faith of the man Joseph. Are you willing to listen, dream, endure visions to hear from the living God? And then are you willing to obey? Single, married, divorced—are you willing to make a new commitment to the supernatural God who desires to find men who are anxious to upgrade their spiritual lives instead of just their computers or sound systems or football channels? Are you a real man of God who knows there is so much more available to you, and you want it? Regardless of what’s required of you? Are you willing to hear and obey?
Look at Joseph, an ordinary man of faith, selected to be an extraordinary man because of that faith and willingness to obey the God who asked him to do what some would have considered out of the question, not in their house, huh-uh, no way. What kind of man are you?
Father, your love is endless, your desires often plainly expressed, but you also use unpredictable means to communicate at times. You are the one true God. You make ordinary things extraordinary when you enter into them and participate actively. I am so in awe of you. Help me to listen and always obey. I want all that you have for me. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet. "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel – which means 'God with us.'"
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Matthew 1:18-25 (NIV)
