Christmas
Advent Calendar thought - December 23
22/12/11
(some of the thoughts today come from Michael Davidson)
There is so much about the wise men that remains a mystery. They appear to have been highly educated, wealthy men but as far as the Bible is concerned we have only two facts about them: they came from the east and they were wise. What was it that made them so wise?
They were wise in their decision to search for Jesus. They recognized God at work in the world surrounding them. They recognized God at work In The Word (the Bible). At the time when these wise men made their search the Old Testament would have been available to them. We have no way of knowing just how much they had actually read but they had to have enough knowledge of scripture to know that a “Messiah” was coming. They didn’t have all the answers, but they had enough to give them a desire for more. They had enough to decide to begin their search.
I think they were wise in their determination to complete their search. I discovered that they may have had to travel up to 1000 miles on their journey. In Matthew 2:16 we are told that Herod decided to kill all boy children 2 years old and younger so apparently from the time the star first appeared it took them almost two years to locate where Christ was. That means they were determined to search until they found the answer. This wasn’t a religious fad. Nor was it a whim of the moment – They would see their search through to the end.
Are you determined like that in your spiritual search? If you would like to know more then why not journey with us at the Watering Hole getting to know more about God?
(Picture from the Brooklyn Museum)
There is so much about the wise men that remains a mystery. They appear to have been highly educated, wealthy men but as far as the Bible is concerned we have only two facts about them: they came from the east and they were wise. What was it that made them so wise?
They were wise in their decision to search for Jesus. They recognized God at work in the world surrounding them. They recognized God at work In The Word (the Bible). At the time when these wise men made their search the Old Testament would have been available to them. We have no way of knowing just how much they had actually read but they had to have enough knowledge of scripture to know that a “Messiah” was coming. They didn’t have all the answers, but they had enough to give them a desire for more. They had enough to decide to begin their search.
I think they were wise in their determination to complete their search. I discovered that they may have had to travel up to 1000 miles on their journey. In Matthew 2:16 we are told that Herod decided to kill all boy children 2 years old and younger so apparently from the time the star first appeared it took them almost two years to locate where Christ was. That means they were determined to search until they found the answer. This wasn’t a religious fad. Nor was it a whim of the moment – They would see their search through to the end.
Are you determined like that in your spiritual search? If you would like to know more then why not journey with us at the Watering Hole getting to know more about God?
(Picture from the Brooklyn Museum)
Advent Calendar thought - December 21
19/12/11
Continuing with our carol theme, I heard a really beautiful one the other day called “I heard the bells”. If you haven’t heard the carol before you can listen to it on youtube.com by clicking here.
The background to this carol shows how the words the angels sang to the shepherds all those years ago still have power to bring peace into our lives. This carol was originally a poem by Longfellow, written during the American Civil War and not long after his wife had been killed. In addition his son had been fatally wounded. If this wasn’t enough their house then burned down. In despair he writes this poem. I love the fact that in spite of it all he hangs on, knowing one day peace and goodwlll to the human race will come.
Once again the message of Christmas is especially relevant to us all but brings hope to those who are going through really rough times.
Once again the message of Christmas is especially relevant to us all but brings hope to those who are going through really rough times.
Advent Calendar thought - December 15
14/12/11
Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel. It is approximately 5 miles south of Jerusalem with a population of about 30,000 people. The town is inhabited by one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, though the size of the community has shrunk due to emigration. 
Bethlehem has gone from being 90% to 30% Christian because the town has lost most of its land to Israeli settlements. Bethlehem has a Muslim majority, but is also home to one of the largest Palestinian Christian communities. (facts from wikipedia)
When Mary and Joseph travelled from Nazareth to Bethlehem they faced a journey of approximately eighty miles. Not the easiest thing to do, even today, for a heavily pregnant lady. So why attempt it? Joseph feared to leave Mary behind to face a hostile neighbourhood alone. He had to take part in the Roman census. So they travelled together. It had also been predicted hundreds of years previously that Bethlehem would be the place where Jesus would be born.
Today Bethlehem faces high unemployment, a lack of basic amenities and a lot of hostility. People are depressed, isolated, frustrated and lacking in hope in the very town where Jesus was born to bring hope, love and forgiveness. His birth brings us hope that this state of affairs, found not just in Bethlehem, but around the world will end. The angel instructed Joseph to call the baby, Jesus “for He will save people from their sins”. (Luke 2:21)
When Mary and Joseph travelled from Nazareth to Bethlehem they faced a journey of approximately eighty miles. Not the easiest thing to do, even today, for a heavily pregnant lady. So why attempt it? Joseph feared to leave Mary behind to face a hostile neighbourhood alone. He had to take part in the Roman census. So they travelled together. It had also been predicted hundreds of years previously that Bethlehem would be the place where Jesus would be born.
Today Bethlehem faces high unemployment, a lack of basic amenities and a lot of hostility. People are depressed, isolated, frustrated and lacking in hope in the very town where Jesus was born to bring hope, love and forgiveness. His birth brings us hope that this state of affairs, found not just in Bethlehem, but around the world will end. The angel instructed Joseph to call the baby, Jesus “for He will save people from their sins”. (Luke 2:21)
Advent Calendar thought - December 14
13/12/11
As Joseph hears the news he has to cope with a multitude of emotions. Pain, as he thinks Mary has been unfaithful; shame, as he considers the impact the news will have in a small village community; uncertainty, as he considers his future. I love the way Joseph is willing to listen and before he comes to a decision he takes time to pray about his problems.
In doing so he receives words from God that calm his fears and help him see things clearly.
Do you have some big decisions to make? Have you been hurt by someone recently? If so why not take a leaf out of Joseph’s book and have a chat to God about it.
Advent Calendar thought - December 12
11/12/11
A friend recently gave me a lovely homemade Advent calendar. In one window was this beautiful poem:
If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another cook.
If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing homes and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.
If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.
Love stops cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love doesn’t envy another’s home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of the way but is thankful they are there to be in the way.
Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can’t.
Love bears all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of love will endure
This was adapted by a person unknown from 1Corinthians chapter 13
If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another cook.
If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing homes and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.
If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.
Love stops cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love doesn’t envy another’s home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of the way but is thankful they are there to be in the way.
Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can’t.
Love bears all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of love will endure
This was adapted by a person unknown from 1Corinthians chapter 13
Advent Calendar thought - December 11
11/12/11
What comes to your mind when you think of peace? Is it an absence of war, a blissful silence, a lack of stress?
The Hebrew word for peace is “shalom,” This phrase appears more than 200 times in the Old Testament. Basically it means calmness, quietness, freedom from anxiety, tranquility. The root meaning of shalom is “to be whole.” Shalom describes a “state of being at ease.” It pictures a condition in which people “feel at ease or comfortable with each other.”
That was the message that the angels sang to the shepherds, “peace on earth, goodwill to all men”. That is what Jesus offers as a gift for not just for Christmas but for life. No Jesus no lasting peace. Know Jesus, know peace.
Advent Calendar thought - December 10
09/12/11
What motivates you to buy a gift for someone at Christmas? I know I try very hard with my limited budget to get presents they either want or need. Have you noticed how many gifts often end up in cupboards or sold at car boot sales or on Ebay?
The ultimate gift is a gift that will meet such a deep felt need that it is not sold or hidden away in a cupboard.
Back at the start of the human race when Adam and Eve had sinned by taking of the forbidden fruit, they lost their closeness with God, and all of the blessings that God had given them.
As a result of their sin, from that day until now, humans have struggled with the hardships of life; a life always ending with death.
God promised that it would not always be like that. In the Bible book of Isaiah He says: I’m going to give you the ultimate gift. I’m going to give you a gift that will last forever: a child, a son. He goes on to say about this child, “Power and peace will be in his kingdom and will continue to grow forever.... ruling with justice and goodness from now on and forever.”
So you might say that the purpose for child being born, this son being given as a gift, was to establish a kingdom. A Kingdom of peace, and justice and righteousness, which won’t last a mere 40 or 50 years; not even a kingdom of 1000 or 2000 years. This Kingdom, ruled over by the Eternal Father - originator of life, peace and love, would last forever.
Now that sounds like a Christmas gift worth having. He’s giving are you receiving?
The passage referred to above can be found in the Bible in the Book of Isaiah 9:5-7
The ultimate gift is a gift that will meet such a deep felt need that it is not sold or hidden away in a cupboard.
Back at the start of the human race when Adam and Eve had sinned by taking of the forbidden fruit, they lost their closeness with God, and all of the blessings that God had given them.
God promised that it would not always be like that. In the Bible book of Isaiah He says: I’m going to give you the ultimate gift. I’m going to give you a gift that will last forever: a child, a son. He goes on to say about this child, “Power and peace will be in his kingdom and will continue to grow forever.... ruling with justice and goodness from now on and forever.”
So you might say that the purpose for child being born, this son being given as a gift, was to establish a kingdom. A Kingdom of peace, and justice and righteousness, which won’t last a mere 40 or 50 years; not even a kingdom of 1000 or 2000 years. This Kingdom, ruled over by the Eternal Father - originator of life, peace and love, would last forever.
Now that sounds like a Christmas gift worth having. He’s giving are you receiving?
The passage referred to above can be found in the Bible in the Book of Isaiah 9:5-7
Advent Calendar thought - December 8
07/12/11
Wonderful Counsellor, one of the names given in a prediction about the birth of Jesus was given to the people during a time when they lived in fear. They were stressed out about their future, unsure what to do for the best. Ever felt that way? Decisions to make and no one to talk through your best course of action? Then you will understand why this name of Jesus would have come as a great relief. Maybe there just might be someone who had power, insight and the ability to help. The Bible places a high premium on wise counsel. Wisdom and counsel are important.
In our society counsellors, lifestyle coaches and mentors are becoming more necessary as the pace and expectations of life become even more frantic. There is nothing wrong with seeking advice. However, the best advice of all comes from Jesus. He understands our struggles, cares about us and is such a wonderful counsellor that He offers what no other counsellor can give.
So this Christmas why not investigate further some of the advice Jesus has given others and see if any of those principles could improve the quality of your life in the months to come.
So this Christmas why not investigate further some of the advice Jesus has given others and see if any of those principles could improve the quality of your life in the months to come.
Advent Calendar thought - December 7
06/12/11
As I write these words we are still fighting in Afghanistan, there is trouble brewing with the Iranians, Egypt is still in crisis and the news reports of rising unemployment all make for grim reading. Ever wondered why we have a Christmas story at all? It was to put an end to tough times that Jesus came. The angels who appeared to the shepherds sang a song of rejoicing and hope predicting that with Jesus birth comes hope in peace on earth.
Jesus is called Wonderful Counsellor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace.
The first advent would be no good without the promise of a second Advent. A time when Jesus will come back again, not as a helpless baby, but as a powerful God to put a permanent end to suffering. What a Christmas present.
If you’ve got it why not listen to part of Handel’s Messiah or take time to download or buy it. As you listen to the hope in those words I am sure you will feel not only more positive about Christmas but about everything else as well.
Jesus is called Wonderful Counsellor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace.
The first advent would be no good without the promise of a second Advent. A time when Jesus will come back again, not as a helpless baby, but as a powerful God to put a permanent end to suffering. What a Christmas present.
If you’ve got it why not listen to part of Handel’s Messiah or take time to download or buy it. As you listen to the hope in those words I am sure you will feel not only more positive about Christmas but about everything else as well.
Advent Calendar thought - December 6
05/12/11
Mary was a young teenage girl when she was told by an angel that she had been chosen to be the mother of baby Jesus. So often Christmas cards and paintings depict Mary in a romantic way but there was nothing romantic about the situation she found herself in. Being pregnant and unmarried in her culture was to be feared and even came with a death penalty attached.
What I like about Mary was her trust in God in a difficult time of her life. Her trust in Him gave her strength to come through the problems that faced her and helped shape her into the ideal mother to be entrusted with the baby Jesus. If you are going through a tough time right now be aware that God knows your circumstances and offers help through these tough times.
Advent Calendar thought - December 5
04/12/11
We are not alone in having to prepare for Christmas. God too had much to do to get people ready that first Christmas and the birth of His Son Jesus. He knew that the Jewish nation was not yet ready to receive the saviour of the world. 
So He sent someone to prepare people’s minds and get them thinking. Before Jesus was born in Bethlehem another special baby was born.
You can read the story of how God intervened in the lives of an elderly childless couple giving them a son, John, who when he grew up would help people understand the importance of what happened that first Christmas morning. (Read it in Luke chapter 1).
So as you prepare the tree, the turkey and the mince pies let someone or something (such as this website’s Advent Calendar thought) prepare your heart for something quite special this Christmas time.
You can read the story of how God intervened in the lives of an elderly childless couple giving them a son, John, who when he grew up would help people understand the importance of what happened that first Christmas morning. (Read it in Luke chapter 1).
So as you prepare the tree, the turkey and the mince pies let someone or something (such as this website’s Advent Calendar thought) prepare your heart for something quite special this Christmas time.
Advent Calendar thought - December 3
02/12/11
What happened to you and the person I challenged you to speak to yesterday? Was it good?
Down through the centuries we have struggled to describe what God was like. Greeks thought of passionless gods who looked at humans in calm, unfeeling ways; seeing them almost as their playthings. The Jews thought about Him as a tyrant, a stern and demanding judge. But with the birth and life of Jesus we see a caring, compassionate,hard working, people-person God.A God who is so passionate about people that He is driven to do something about injustice, pain, heartache, loneliness and suffering. Christmas gives us hope as it connects us to Jesus who really understands the human race because He was a human being but it also reveals to us what God is really like.
This is not my opinion alone. In the Bible I found these words: “Going through a long line of prophets, God has been addressing our ancestors in different ways for centuries. Recently he spoke to us directly through his Son. By his Son, God created the world in the beginning, and it will all belong to the Son at the end. This Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God's nature.” (Hebrews 1:1-3)
So why not pause in your agenda for today and take a look at one of the incidents in Jesus life and discover something about Him that will help your situation today. My challenge to you today is to be honest with yourself and ask, “In what way has Jesus changed my personal view of God?”
Down through the centuries we have struggled to describe what God was like. Greeks thought of passionless gods who looked at humans in calm, unfeeling ways; seeing them almost as their playthings. The Jews thought about Him as a tyrant, a stern and demanding judge. But with the birth and life of Jesus we see a caring, compassionate,hard working, people-person God.
This is not my opinion alone. In the Bible I found these words: “Going through a long line of prophets, God has been addressing our ancestors in different ways for centuries. Recently he spoke to us directly through his Son. By his Son, God created the world in the beginning, and it will all belong to the Son at the end. This Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God's nature.” (Hebrews 1:1-3)
So why not pause in your agenda for today and take a look at one of the incidents in Jesus life and discover something about Him that will help your situation today. My challenge to you today is to be honest with yourself and ask, “In what way has Jesus changed my personal view of God?”
Advent Calendar thought - December 2
02/12/11
Glad you made it to day two - so take a deep breath, relax and think about these words.
I have found that no one thing, place or event alone helps me connect to God. I slowly get to understand what He is like through building up a jigsaw. I see Him through the love and thoughts of friends, when I am gardening and admiring the complexities and interconnection of plants and insects, or it might be a thought from the Bible when I am being still and quiet.
Christmas is also a time when I see a particular side of God - a more human God, a God who came as a baby and then experienced all the joys and troubles that we face as we grow up. Baby Jesus became child Jesus, then teenage Jesus before becoming man Jesus. People most got to know God through His Son Jesus- someone they could see, talk to and interact with.
What people make your life better? Consider who has helped you see things more clearly, someone who has shown you love and help. Why not also send a text, an email, a card or pick up the phone to tell someone in your friendship circle how much you love them and appreciate what they have done for you. If you did that everyday till Christmas - I wonder what would happen?
I have found that no one thing, place or event alone helps me connect to God. I slowly get to understand what He is like through building up a jigsaw. I see Him through the love and thoughts of friends, when I am gardening and admiring the complexities and interconnection of plants and insects, or it might be a thought from the Bible when I am being still and quiet.
Christmas is also a time when I see a particular side of God - a more human God, a God who came as a baby and then experienced all the joys and troubles that we face as we grow up. Baby Jesus became child Jesus, then teenage Jesus before becoming man Jesus. People most got to know God through His Son Jesus- someone they could see, talk to and interact with.What people make your life better? Consider who has helped you see things more clearly, someone who has shown you love and help. Why not also send a text, an email, a card or pick up the phone to tell someone in your friendship circle how much you love them and appreciate what they have done for you. If you did that everyday till Christmas - I wonder what would happen?
Advent Calendar thought - December 1
01/12/11
Over the next 24 days there will be a thought everyday on this website. Hopefully on more than one occasion there will be something that you find connects with what is going on in your life. Why not take a breather and make reading it part of your Christmas preparations. You never know you might just find something that will help you have a very happy Christmas.
Christmas Time
15/12/10
For many of us, Christmas is a time for family and friends. For some, it might be the only time of the year we see family members who live far away from us. After all the rushing around it is great to relax in one another’s company, catch up on the news and have a laugh together. In other cases, the only contact we manage is by phone or a card. Nice though that is, nothing beats being able to spend time enjoying their company in person. It is only natural that we want our loved ones with us at Christmas. Read More...