Wednesday, December 26, 2018

' A Spark From Brother Mark '

Happy Holidays Dear Family !

Or perhaps, ..... not So much !

By now, we've all celebrated our Christmas', Hanukkah's, Kwanza's etc., and we find ourselves
mid-drift in what has become the toughest time of the year for 'many'. Especially in this world of darkening times and spiraling world morality. 

So, I would ask you for very fervent prayer for the many brothers and sisters who may struggle with their faith, this world, and the Holiday Season when all voids of the heart may be filled with the Love of Yeshua / Jesus !

The following is offered in inspiration from Step With Christ Ministries brother in Christ, Mark Cable. Mark leads small groups for Next Level Church . Mark was also instrumental to our
' UNITED In MESSIAH ' conference and recently travelled down to Stoughton MA with our ministry as well as many others to the Hanukkah Conference provided by our family at Sha'ar Hashamayim ................. The Messianic Synagogue led by Rabbi Henry Morse.

We are Happy to Announce that Mark will be providing further inspirational Blog posts and more in 2019 and beyond.
Be sure to sign up for blog post notification while visiting our blog !      God Bless !


Bill, Donna, and family!
Merry Christmas   
This is something I was compelled to write this morning.  Feel free to share it if you like.

Mark

Are you in God’s favor this Christmas?

I was terminated at work a week ago after 20 plus years there.  In my circle of family, friends, and acquaintances there is a lot of pain and hurting in this Christmas season.  Death of a parent, loss of job, suicide of a 13 year old girl, short of rent money before buying any gifts.  I know most of them well enough to know they believe in God and have an ongoing relationship with Him.

Are we all in or out of God’s favor?

When the angle appeared to Mary and told her she was in God’s favor and she would be with child was her first thought keep your favor God? You’re ruining my life. Joseph is never going to marry me now.

What about Joseph, fifteen or so years older than Mary, confronted with his girl with a baby from another daddy. What the …none of my friends or family are going to believe me when I tell them the angel said…

And it gets better.  Out of the blue a decree comes out that the government is taking a census and instead of mailing them a form he has to hit the hot and dusty road and hike 80 miles with with his nine month pregnant wife! God’s favor, yea hah!

And Mary we have to go where? Are you crazy? I have trouble walking across the room and you’re telling me we have to walk eighty miles! Camping out, no bathrooms, or electricity? Who’s paying for this I want to know because we sure can’t afford it. God’s favor, yea hah!

Then they arrive in Bethlehem and you know they are poor cause there is always room in the Inn if you have the big bucks. Can’t you picture it, wait here Mary I’ll just run in and ask i’m sure they just forgot to take down the no vacancy sign.

Um Mary no dice they are full.  Mary, let me come in with you at the next place. Surely they won’t leave a girl who’s about to drop one out in the street.  

That worked great, nothing says we’re in God’s favor like sleeping with the animals. Oh crap Joseph my water just broke!

We know the rest of the story. It has a glorious purpose and ending. We celebrate this birthday 2018 years later! It contains hope, love, and wisdom. It is the key to shedding the pain, wants, and hurt in our lives and is the source of a future in a family full of love and compassion for all time. 

I just can’t see that from here in my life today.  Just like Mary and Joseph I’m in the middle of my life story and I can’t see the end. God says He has a plan and purpose for good for all who believe, but good luck seeing it from the middle of your life story. What’s the proof God?

For Mary and Joseph part of the proof was in the foretelling of what the Angles said to them.  Mary ran off right away to check if her old, barren relative was six months pregnant like the Angel said. And she was.

Mary and Joseph were also practicing Jews and knew the stories of God’s faithfulness through the ages with the Jews from the Torah.  They knew God’s word was truth. God’s love was true.

God doubled down and wanted to show that His love and truth was undeniable. He was willing to make a love sacrifice so great know one could doubt His love for them.  WE are still free to reject His love, but anyone exposed to His love sacrifice can’t deny His love.

This act of sacrificial love was birthed with the animals, out in the barn 2018 years ago. It was God’s son born a baby who years later would give up his life for each of us. Take our bullet so like Him we can rise from the dead and stand before our Father and claim our room in His house that He prepared for us at the beginning of time.

We truly are in God’s favor when we acknowledge He is our creator, father, source of all that is true and beautiful.  The giver of our life.  All he desires from us is that we come back to  Him.  Rejoin the family.  The light is on. He has our room ready.

Don’t give up, don’t despair. We can’t see the fantastic end of our story that was written long ago, but God has proved it with His freely given sacrifice of love and all we have to do is claim it with our faith in His love.

Rejoice a baby was born. It lived, loved, suffered and died. Then rose up with a new life, full of love, pain free for all time.

The baby’s name was Mark, Beth, John, Debbie, Sheniqua, Jose, Deshawn…insert you name here__________.

God loves you! 

Your story has a perfect ending!

You, we are in God’s favor if we have acknowledged His love.

Merry Christmass!!

Love to you all!


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