Hope Has a Name Part 2

THE INVITATION OF HOPE

THE CHRISTMAS STORY IS A BEAUTIFUL INVITATION. IT’S AN INVITATION FOR ALL TO COME AND SEE THE HOPE THAT HE HAS FOR ALL THOSE WHO COME TO HIM. IT’S AN INVITATION FOR ALL WHO ARE HURTING, WHO ARE HOPELESS, WHO HAS FEAR, WHO HAS SICKNESS AND WHO DOESN’T HAVE A SAVIOR.

THE NIGHT JESUS WAS BORN, THE HEAVENLY HOSTS WENT TO THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN TO LET A GROUP OF SHEPHERDS KNOW “A SAVIOR HAS BEEN BORN.” THE ANGELS MARVELED THAT CHRIST HAD COME TO RESCUE AND REDEEM, AND THEY LIT UP THE SKIES WITH THE THUNDEROUS PRAISE OF GOD. THAT NIGHT AN INVITATION WENT OUT: GO INTO BETHLEHEM TO SEE THE ONE WHO WILL BRING PEACE TO THE WHOLE EARTH.

LUKE 2:8-20

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 

“Glory to God in the highest,

    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over too Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

THE INVITATION FOR US TODAY IS TO COME ADORE THE ONE WHO BROUGHT OUR HEALING, OUR WHOLENESS, AND OUR PEACE WITH GOD.

COME, ENCOUNTER THE COMPASSION, COMFORT AND KINDNESS OF OUR SAVIOR.

COME, APPROACH WITH HEARTACHE AND BROKENESS WITH OUR WOUNDS AND OUR SCARS.

Hope has a name

Peace has a name

Joy has a name

His name is Jesus, Immanuel, God with us.

<p value="<amp-fit-text layout="fixed-height" min-font-size="6" max-font-size="72" height="80">COME, JOYFUL AND TRIUMPHANT FOR OUR VICTOR OVER SIN, HURT, AND PAIN HAS ARRIVED!COME, JOYFUL AND TRIUMPHANT FOR OUR VICTOR OVER SIN, HURT, AND PAIN HAS ARRIVED!

Will You Open?

IMG_0045

PART 1

In each of us figuratively speaking we all have the same number of apartments. Each room senses affection, sentiment and so forth. But there is an apartment in our soul house that many never open; remains locked up. Usually the best apartments are the ones neglected because of the price for the space, but Jesus already paid that price. The best apartments have a glorious outlook that takes your breath away, that stand up to sun and air, from whose windows one may look clear across Jordan and see the fields and hills of the Promised Land, into this room men seldom go into.

They choose rather to live in that part of the soul house that looks into the backyard, where nothing but rubbish is gathered and the fence that seems to high to jump over as troubles cascade down from the room that you choose to live in, many men live in this room, instead of visiting the best apartment of the house.

EVERYDAY IS AN INVITATION

To open. Like a plate from a buffet line we hold to much stuff, we fit everything and anything that looks good on it, we make space even when there is none. We walk to our table hoping that our over loaded plate doesn’t fall, we dodge to the left, then to the right as we perform this dance around others. Sometimes we get to the table without an incident but at times the overloaded plate falls to the ground as then others stop and stare as we hurry to pick the remaining pieces up off the floor and dispose of it. What looked so good is now waste.

That stuff is what is causing us to not open that door that He eagerly awaits for us to open. Are we pursuing what makes us feel complete or are we pursuing what has already made us complete?

 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42 ESV)

Martha had the same problem, her plate was overloaded. It was heaping with distractions. While Mary just sat, her heart open as Jesus began to fill her with the Word of God, Martha who was more worried about needing help in the kitchen rather than her sit and listen to Jesus was upset because of the tasks that she had to complete. The important things that we think are important is not necessarily important.

The hinges of the door creak as its being opened. Fragrance that was present has now vanished as the tear stained floor is now covered with dust and the walls have become dull, days have passed and the memories that you once had in this room is all that is left. Only now Jesus awaits you on the other side of the door asking you to “come in and sit at my table”

cropped-he-has-risen.jpeg