Encouraging Word

Blessings to you as we wrap up this holiday season. Hi this is Dorette Schaal with an encouraging word for your day. During the rest of this week as we prepare for the New Year, I will be talking about the 12 days of Christmas. During the 12 days from Christmas to Epiphany on Jan 6, much of the church world takes time to reflect on God’s goodness during the past year in preparation for the next. I will actually be using the song 12 days of Christmas which has often been thought to be a playful reminder of spiritual concepts. Hope you enjoy! Here is your daily eword.
I’m sure you heard this song during the Christmas season, or perhaps even saw some kids perform it at their holiday choir concert this year. If you want a real laugh, you should watch Lucille Ball’s version of it on youtube! The next time you hear The 12 Days of Christmas, it can be a reminder of some interesting facts based on the Bible. Jesus is the central figure of Christmas, and he is the reason we celebrate Christmas and Easter, so he is number 1 on the list of 12 days. A partridge in a pear tree represents Jesus our Savior. If you think Jesus being symbolized as a partridge in a pear tree sounds silly, remember these verses in Luke and Matthew.

“Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered thee under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but thou wouldst not have it so.” (Luke 13:34 and Matthew 23:34)

There is no truer lover than God Himself. The “me” receiving the gifts is each Christian. So on the first day of Christmas my true love (God) gave to me, Jesus! So as the warmth and glow of Christmas lingers, take a moment and thank God for His love, that sent Jesus so that we could experience a little of heaven on earth as we live out our days. How great is God’s love for us. So that “silly” song we sing at Christmas time has more meaning than we thought.

The last candle of advent has been lit and we can see it’s glow. Have you been changed by the love of God during this season of Advent? How has the little baby in a manger affected your world? Are you living a hope filled life, excited about the possibilities in your future? Have you experienced the joy of the Lord that is only found in Jesus? Are you using your faith, and exercising your faith on a daily basis? Do you have a peaceful spirit and have you determined within yourself to become a peacemaker, peace keeper, and a reconciler in your own relationships? Have you been changed from the inside out because of God’s love penetrating your heart? Do you really know how loved you are? Do you desire for others to know that too? My prayer is that not only have you had a meaningful advent season, but that you are growing daily in your walk with God. I pray that your daily rituals include spending time with God, and getting fed by his Word! We make time for natural things on a daily basis, like grooming, cleansing, and feeding. Let’s do the same thing for our spirit. We can definitely be washed by the Word and feed on it daily to make our outward appearance more pleasing to those who are around us, through our attitudes and our actions. You don’t have to feel like change happens for everyone else but you. You are not the exception to the rule. The Word states it very clearly that if we give ourselves daily to the word, to worship and to fellowship, we will become more like Jesus. Isn’t that our goal? Isn’t it our goal to have others be drawn to the Jesus in us? Let’s take what we have learned, and experienced this Advent, and put it into practice. We can be hope filled, joyful, faith filled, peaceful, and love filled people. When we are full, we have overflow, and spilling over the top is a great way to live. Let’s let the overflow of hope, joy, faith, peace and love fill up someone else around us. We have it in us, let’s let it out. We have the light of the world living within, and we don’t have to let the glow fade. Let it shine, and let the warmth of God’s love permeate even the hardest hearts of those you know. Let’s make this a banner year for spiritual growth and numerical growth in our own church body. When we grow spiritually, we become encouragers to others around us to do the same. When we grow numerically, we get to reach more people for Christ. When each number represents a life, we realize that Jesus came for individuals, and his desire is that all would come to know him, and live with hope, peace, love and joy. That’s how Jesus changed the world…..one life a time.

The day has finally arrived. After expecting and preparing, today begins the big celebration. We celebrate the gift… we celebrate Jesus. After being in captivity for hundreds of years, and then a period of waiting for hundred years more, Jesus, God’s gift, came to earth to deliver God’s people. Jesus came as a baby, innocent, fragile, and holy. He came as a King, longed for and long expected, who was mighty to save. At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus that changed history forever.
He came to bring hope, peace, love and joy to us.
Hope to the world, through a baby who was the prince of peace, the personification of love, and God’s greatest expression of joy. What a gift we have received by receiving Him into our lives. He came to live and never leave. Everyone longs to know that they have someone who will never leave them, disown them, or desert them. Jesus came as Emmanuel, which means, God dwells among us. That means we are never alone. In the moment of our greatest joy, or the deepest season of dispair, Jesus is always there. His Name means that He is always with us. What can know the peace of His permanent presence.

He came as love personified. God is love, and he who abides in love, abides in God, and God in him. The God of love has come to never leave us, and to abide with us.
This week we celebrate the candle of joy. Joy in new life, joy in new birth, joy in salvation, joy in redemption, and joy in a baby named Jesus. Jesus came to bring us joy unspeakable, full of glory. He brought a little bit of heaven right here to the earth. Heaven’s joy brings rejoicing that surpasses knowledge, and isn’t dependent on circumstances.
Jesus has come…..He brought hope and peace to the world. His love lives on the inside of us. What great joy and comfort that brings. Be filled with His joy throughout Christmas, and all through the year as we welcome Jesus in our world.

Intro
During this Advent season, we are doing 25 days of Christmas ewords! Hi, this is Dorette Schaal with your dailyeword. We have been celebrating Advent with a different scripture everyday that relates to Hope, Joy, Peace and Love, all the wonderful things that Jesus came to bring. He was heaven manifested on the earth, and because of Him, we can live an amazing abundant life, filled with hope, overflowing with joy, enjoying perfect peace, and surrounded with love. In Matt 6:9-13 The Lord’s Prayer, Jesus makes it very clear that he wants the earth to experience a little bit of heaven. Let’s enjoy life with a little glimmer of heaven right here on this earth during these 25 days of Christmas ewords. This weeks word is love!

Somewhere it’s snowing, as the soft flakes touch the ground, they remind us that our sins are forgiven, and we are made as white as snow, all because of the love of God. You know these familiar passages of scripture. God is love, and he who abides in love, abides in God, and God in him. (I John 4:16) The God of love has come to never leave us, and to abide with us in love. Love is the greatest of all (I Cor 13:8). We should pursue love and be love to the world. One thing love does is cover – love is like the snow. The beauty of snow is often in what it covers up. Everything can be dirty underneath, but put a blanket of snow over the top, and everything looks beautiful. That is just like love. We can bring beauty all around us when we cover other’s mistakes and when we extend grace to others. When we make an effort to cover everything in love, just like a fresh dusting of snow, beauty emerges. Just as each snowflake is unique, God demonstrates His love to us in unique ways… what could be more unique than a royal king born in a manger? When each of us, begin to manifest the love of God, the beautiful body of Christ can be revealed. And, when each member loves like Jesus, we can envision the purity of fresh fallen snow, covering ugliness and bringing loveliness to this earth.
Word for the Day: Is 1:18 Though our sins are like scarlet they will be white like snow.
#23 Go caroling with friends. Have some chili and cocoa when you are done. (Join us at AGF for caroling at and have chili and cocoa when we are done. The fun starts at 4:30 PM).

One of my favorite things to do each Christmas season is to listen to Handel’s Messiah. I love the whole thing, from beginning to end. My favorite piece contains the words “For Unto Us a Child is Born”. The emphasis in that phrase is on the word“us”. The child in a manger was born for us. It was part of an amazing plan that God thought up to bring Him to “us”. We weren’t deserving, but He thought we were. We weren’t worthy, but He thought we were! We weren’t significant, but He thought we were. When I think of the word “us” it encompasses the whole earth, and that is who Jesus came for. For God so loved the world – “us”- that He gave or sent His only son to the earth. If ever we have a moment when we feel insignificant, or unworthy, or undeserving, all we have to do is remember that the God of the universe has a totally different opinion. When God brought Jesus to the earth, his journey began in a manger, and then culminated on the cross. When the work on the cross was finished, it says in II Corinthians 5:21 that Jesus, the one who knew no sin, became sin for us, so that in HIM, we might become the righteousness of God. The righteousness of God supersedes, or trumps any feelings that we might have of insignificance or unworthiness. God calls us righteous, so we are! Once we understand what God did for us, it should propel us to share that great message of Christmas with those who haven’t heard it yet. Make it a goal this season, share the message of God’s love with someone today.

Word for the Day: John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son….

#22 Dress up for the dinner and eat with candle light. Have a manners moment, and practice your best behavior at your own dinner table. Maybe you can find a venue that is presenting Handel’s Messiah this weekend. It would be a great cultural experience for your family.

In John 14:27, Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” He was speaking of the Holy Spirit who was soon to come. He sent the Holy Spirit as the comforter so we could have peace even in the midst of stress, strain, irritation or uncertainty. In the world you shall have tribulation (we live in a fallen world where there will be persecution), but be of Good Cheer, I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

Peace is the result of resting in God. Rest is what restores our physical bodies, and peace is what restores our spirits. Rest and Peace are often foreign to us. Busy is what we’re all too good at. Rest is what we need to be good at! My good friend once said, Busy isn’t of the devil, it is the devil! Often when I ask someone how they are, their answer is “busy”. Wouldn’t it be great to answer that question with – peaceful, tranquil, and totally rested. For believers, we should live there! Life shouldn’t be a busy irritation, it should be peaceful, rest-filled, and restoring to our souls.

How do we get there in the midst of the daily hassles we must deal with? Peace comes when we choose love over hate, joy over frustration, patience over irritability, kindness over meanness, goodness over revenge, faithfulness over manipulation, gentleness over harshness, and self-control over indulgence. Peace is the result! The other fruit surround the fruit of peace so perfectly. Peace is what we want in our homes, for our communities, for our nation and for the world. It can start with your response the next time you have the opportunity to operate in the fruit or in the flesh! Choose fruit over flesh!

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you.

#21 The Mayan calendar ends with this day 12/21/12. With all the stress the world is under, isn’t it good to rest in the peace of God, knowing that our lives are in God’s hands. Talk about that with your family at the dinner table, and then have a party! Have a fun night of games with your family, and then plan to buy a new game tomorrow to give on Christmas day that you will give your family on Christmas day. Spend Christmas afternoon playing your new game.

One of the most beautiful songs of Christmas is Silent Night. It was written by two church members in a mountain village of Tyrol. Unfortunately the church organ wasn’t functioning and the song was first played on the guitar. When the words and music were put together, it was the perfect song for Christmas. They sang the brand new song that Christmas Eve service, accompanied by Franz Gruber’s guitar. The hymn was loved immediately. It was the organ repairman who saw a copy of the music on the organ and decided to spread it around that region in the alps. We think about the night when Jesus was born as a quiet celebration. The scene in the stable was certainly quiet as the newborn slept in the manger. One way that we can have a worshipful heart is to take time for quiet and calm. Often in the busyness of everyday, we need to speak peace to our soul. We need to realize that peace is what Christmas is all about. The Prince of Peace is here. He came to bring peace to the world, to our homes, to our relationships, and to our own heart. Let’s experience that peace and calm not only after all the busyness is done, but as we accomplish the necessary tasks that need to be done. It might be good to reconsider what really is important. Let’s live peaceably with all, and be peace makers, and pursue peace with a worshipful heart.

Word for the Day: Luke 2:11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you, He is Christ the Lord.

#20 Jesus may not have had Huggies or Pampers when he was born, but you could supply some for your local crisis pregnancy center in his honor. During holidays, they are swamped with needs. We can worship God by giving to those in need.

Blessed are the peace makers. Jesus came to break down walls, so lets be like him, and do the same in our own relationships. Let’s encourage others to do the same too. Do you know that because you are a Christian, you have the ministry of reconciliation? That not only helps us in our personal life, with our spouse and kids, we can help others be reconciled to each other as well. Recently when I spoke at a Wednesday night service, I prayed for reconciliation for family members who were estranged. One woman came up to me right after service and asked that I specifically pray for her daughter who she hadn’t seen or heard from in 2 years. She went home from the service, called her up, and spoke with her for over an hour, and they reconciled that evening. She is planning to come home for Christmas. I was so happy to be able to help through my prayer, to begin the process of reconciliation in their lives. Don’t you know that was God’s heart for them all along? God put us on the planet to do that. He wants everyone to know His peace and his presence. Let’s be peace makers at work, in our churches, and especially in our homes. Let’s have homes that are an oasis, and a soft place to fall. Many homes are like a war zone, with fallout everyday. Take off your combat boots! This isn’t war, this is family! Let’s hold up the standard of righteousness and live in peace, and teach our families that living in the peace of God is the best way to live. During Advent, be a peacemaker in your own family, and radiate the peace of God wherever you go.

Matt 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons of God.

#19 Make and maintain peace. Do you have a grumpy neighbor? Why not bring them some Christmas cookies, or some holiday treat. Show love through your actions.

Be a peacekeeper. Did you know that’s what we are as believers? We are called to keep peace! The Bible tells us repeatedly to seek peace and to pursue it. We are called the salt of the earth, and one of the things salt does is preserve things. We are a preservative in this world’s system. When everyone else is in turmoil, unset, or living in chaos, we are the ones who set the standard of peace. We know a soft answer turns away wrath. We know that we don’t have to have the last word. We know that we don’t always have to state our opinion, when we know it will bring a conflicting view. We do know that we can raise the standard of righteousness by how we respond and react in any situation. We don’t fight fire with fire! We are called to bring peace, and because the Prince of Peace has come, we get to bring his message and live his message everywhere we go. So why not bring a higher level of peace to each situation you enter. Remember what Jesus came to do. He came to bring peace on earth. He brought joy to the whole world, and came as the prince of peace. Let him reign in your heart and life. You are called to peace!

Ps 34:14 Seek peace, and pursue it!

#18 Why not have a potluck holiday party! Invite some friends over and have everyone bring something so no one has to do all the work. Tuesdays are usually an open night for families. Spur of the moment sometimes works better than planned long in advance!

During this Advent season, we are doing 25 days of Christmas ewords! Hi, this is Dorette Schaal with your dailyeword. We have been celebrating Advent with a different scripture everyday that relates to Hope, Joy, Peace and Love, all the wonderful things that Jesus came to bring. He was heaven manifested on the earth, and because of Him, we can live an amazing abundant life, filled with hope, overflowing with joy, enjoying perfect peace, and surrounded with love. In Matt 6:9-13 The Lord’s Prayer, Jesus makes it very clear that he wants the earth to experience a little bit of heaven. Let’s enjoy life with a little glimmer of heaven right here on this earth during these 25 days of Christmas ewords. This weeks word is Peace.

Monday

Phil 4:7 God’s peace shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace, which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount a guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. How can we experience that tranquil state of soul, that peace that passes understanding in a world that is stressed out? One of the best things to do, during the holiday and really anytime is to speak peace to your soul. Jesus spoke to the storm, and He speaks peace to us through His Word. We can remind ourselves of his words and speak peace to our inner man, to silence the turmoil, or even the feeling that things are out of control. Doesn’t it do your heart good to know that everything is going to be ok? Sometimes we need to remind ourselves of that fact. God is our provider, protector and promoter. He is taking care of us. We know that even if the enemy attacks us, what the devil intends for evil, God can still turn it around for our good. So say to yourself, soul, be still. Speak peace to your inner man, and live fearlessly and victoriously. God has a great plan for your life and it is full of the peace that only he can give.

Phil 4:7 God’s peace shall be yours!

#17 Take a peace walk through your downtown this evening. Look at the lights in the park, and come home for some hot cocoa.