Who Told You That

   
  Robbi and I will be leaving Monday morning to spend the holidays with our family.  We enjoy being in Arizona but miss our families.  This is the first time in several years that we will have been with family on Christmas.  Kevin and Julie, our son and daughter-in-law are in their new house.  Karla is married.  This will be her first Christmas with her husband Jim.  Robbi’s mom’s health is not as good as we would like. She is eighty-one years old.  It doesn’t seem right.  It seems like just yesterday Robbi and I married.  Her mom was younger than I am now.  We are having a family gathering with Robbi’s mom and the family on Christmas day.  It has been four years since Robbi’s dad passed away.  Every Christmas her family would gather at Drennans, all the children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.  It was a great tradition. Even as an in-law I miss those days.
    This is the first time we will have a Christmas gathering at my moms in several years.  I haven’t seen my sister and her family in three years.  I am excited.  Dad has been dead for twelve years.  It is hard to keep the traditions together when one of the parents passes on.  
    I long for the time when we will be able to gather on the other side, a time when death will no longer separate families and friends.  I regret not living close enough to our families that we could build those precious Christmas traditions in our home.
    Our drive home is twenty-three hours.  I hope that all of you will remember us in your prayers.  Friends and family used to ask me why we always drive when we could fly.  I have always given a number of different reasons.  I am going to share the real answer with you.  The Lord said in His great commission, “and lo I am with you always.”  God never said anything about being with us anytime but “lo”. Therefore, I drive.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

                                                                                dell kimberly

I ran across this story in one of our local newspapers.  The material is not mine.  I do not wish to push any particular political agenda.  I simply enjoyed the humor and hope you do as well.  Merry Christmas,    dell kimberly

OLD VERSION

   The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for winter.  The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.           
   Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed.  The grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold.

MORAL OF THE STORY:  Be responsible for your well being.

MODERN VERSION

   The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.  The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.
   Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving.  CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN, and ABC show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food.  America is stunned by the sharp contrast.
   How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?  Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper, and everybody cries when they sing, “It’s Not Easy Being Green.”
   Nancy Pelosi and Obama exclaim in an interview with Larry King that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and both call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share.
   Finally, the EEOC drafts the Economic Equity and Anti-Grasshopper Act retroactive to the beginning of the summer.  Having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, the ant’s home is confiscated by the government.
   The story ends as we see the grasshopper finishing up the last bits of the ant’s food while the government house he is in, which just happens to be the ant’s old house, crumbles around him because he doesn’t maintain it since he didn’t work for it.

SCRIPTURE SAYS, “If he doesn’t work, neither shall he eat.

     We are entering a most awkward time for those who are members of the fellowship the world knows as the Churches of Christ.  As a fellowship we accept both the commercial and national implications of the day the world calls “Christmas”.  Yet in most congregations we go to great lengths to make sure that we do not recognize this day  from a religous standpoint.  As a matter of fact we have made it a point of doctrine to let the world know we refuse to participate in celebration of this event.  Is this a wise decision?  More important do we have Biblical precident or right to bind this view as doctrine?  Let us consider some basic Biblical truths. 
     First, the birth of Jesus happened.  As we read the accounts of Jesus birth in the Gospels it becomes very apparent that Jesus birth was a special event.  Scripture gives attention to the details of that birth.  The birth of the Messiah was and is a Biblical event.  The description of that birth is explained to us through the inspiration of  none other than the Holy Spirit Himself.
     Second, as the Holy Spirit describes Jesus birth, we see the recognition of the birth of the Son of God.  In Matthew we find the account of the wise men. They sought Jesus that they might worship Him.  As a result of their actions we find Biblical precident for celebrating the birth of the Christ child.
     Third, even more important we read that God prepared a star to recognize the birth of His Son.  In Luke 2:13 the Bible tells us that a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, paising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rest.”  This shows us that even God the Father recognized and celebrated the birth of His Son.
      For us to make laws forbidding the recognition of the birth of the Messiah is to make laws against the very intent of God Himself.  Not only do we look foolish to the very ones we seek to reach with the Gospel.  We stand in opposition to the reaction of the Father.  God prepared angels to worship the Christ child at His birth.  What God prepared the angels to do at His birth we forbid today.  How foolish we must seem to the Father as we forbid the recognition of the very event God Himself celebrated.

                                                                       dell kimberly

 
     I was in Bible class a few days ago at the Majestic Rim.  This is a retirement home.  I enjoy this class as much as any I have ever taught.  The Bible knowledge of my students is tremendous.  The class usually consists of 10 to 12 individuals whose age ranges from 80 to 98 years old.  One of the ladies who don’t attend often was scheduled to have surgery.  I was trying to determine which lady they were talking about.  I ask what I thought was an appropriate question.  I asked, “Is she an elderly woman?”  Immediately they told me in no uncertain terms, “No she is only in her early 90’s.  Perception and reality are hard to determine if our circle of fellowship is isolated by preset standards.
     Sometimes we think we are right because we limit our access to the facts we need to make good decisions.  Paul found himself in this situation.  As Saul stood at the stoning of Stephen he believed he was exactly where he should have been.  Saul did not have all the facts.  Saul had limited his thinking to his circle of fellowship.  He was raised to follow Moses law.  This was all he knew.  Stephen stood against his perception of Moses law.  As a result of Paul not having access to Christ covenant he made a poor determination of doctrine.  Overseeing the stoning of Stephen passed several important tests in Saul’s mind.  
     Saul’s action passed the test of conscience.  It certainly did not offend the conscience of Saul.  Saul’s action passed the test of context since the context of Saul’s knowledge was built around the teaching of the day in Moses law.  Saul had considered no context outside his fellowship bubble.  Saul’s action passed the test of peer approval.  Since Saul was limiting his fellowship to other Jews who saw religion exactly like Saul saw religion his peers approved his action.  His circle of fellowship accepted Saul’s action since they met these predetermined rules; therefore these rules became the standard.
       If we limit our influence to the preset standards of our circle of fellowship we run the risk that our perception of reality could be skewed.  We have determined in our circle of fellowship that the only hermeneutics that are acceptable to God are command, example, and necessary inference.  Is this a way to interpret Scripture? It certainly is.  Is this the hermeneutical process inspired by God?  I think we know that it is not.  We have accepted this process because it has historical precedent and it helps us prove our predetermined doctrine.
      The danger we find ourselves in is simple.  When we limit our influence and study to only those who are in our fellowship bubble we run the risk of finding ourselves in the same position the ladies in my class found themselves.  Paul said in 2 Corinthians 10:12, “When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.”
       We find many in the Churches of Christ with a dangerous perception.  We often have the perception, “We have arrived, and we have the truth.  If you don’t see everything as I see it you are wrong.”  We only fellowship those who have arrived at the conclusions and hold the same doctrines we hold.”  Not only is this self-righteous and arrogant.  It is dangerous and as Paul stated, “Unwise.”  May we ever hunger and thirst after righteousness.  Let us continue to strive to be correct in all that we do.  May God guide and give us strength in all we do.

                                                                                                               -dell kimberly-

     Tonight I had the pleasure of sharing the message of Jesus with Randy Everett, Lori Long and her two grown daughters.  The church in Payson first made contact with Randy and Lori when Lori’s youngest daughter was fighting cancer.  Lori needed someone to reach out to her.    Those were difficult and dark days in her life. These days provided an opportunity for the church to make a difference in her life.   This was almost two years ago.  Today the daughter is cancer free.          
     I never cease to be amazed when I see the power contained in the Gospel.  Tonight Lori and Randy were baptized into Christ.  They were truly born again. As they were leaving they thanked me for teaching them about Jesus.  Both told me at different times they felt like new people now that their sins had been lifted from them.  Tonight they will spend their final night in separate places as Lori Long and Randy Everett.  Tomorrow they will be united in marriage.
     The greatest blessing in the world is the blessing we get when we share the Gospel with others.  There is no joy greater than knowing that we have a hand in sharing Jesus with those who are searching.  What we fail to realize is that there are many in the world who are searching for the truth of Jesus.  We don’t see them because we look in the wrong places. 
     It is easy to teach those who come to our buildings.  We are comfortable reaching out to those who have their lives together.  We enjoy sharing Jesus with those we consider our equals.  The hard thing is to look for those who aren’t like us, those who have allowed the world to control their direction.  Most of the time those who need Christ the most are those whose lives are the biggest mess.  
     Christianity is more than Sunday morning religion.  Christianity is making a difference in the lives of those who need direction.  There are multitudes searching for reconciliation.  It is up to us to find them.  If we are willing to get out of the pew and into the highways and byways we will find those who desparately need what we have to give.  Thank God for those like Randy and Lori.  Thank God for those who are searching for the Gospel.

                                                                           -dell kimberly- 

   Two years ago this congregation met a couple with three young boys.  They were introduced to the work of the Lord and the power of the gospel.  After hearing the good news Amanda and Gary Edwards made the decision to be baptized.  Since that time they have continued to grow in the Lord.  They have matured in their walk with Jesus.  They are growing as parents and as partners for each other.  I am very proud of them for the continued effort they have put forth to grow and serve in the Lord.  Last night their oldest son Matthew was baptized into Christ. 
     These souls would never have been reached had this church not been willing to reach  outside our walls and our circle of friends.  Churches must remain “ditch-concious, as was the Samaritan.  Without our willingness to reach into the community we die.  Countless souls are searching.  Our responsibility is to help them find the hope for which they search. 
     To all Christians, don’t be afraid to reach outside your zone of comfort.  To truly be like Christ we must be willing to reach across all lines and boundries.  It is easy for us to be comfortable with the status quo.  We must learn to do more.  We can’t see color, language or economic lines.  Churches need to see souls pure and simple.  May we always be like the Samaritian.  May we always search for those who have
lost their way. 
     Thank God for the Gospel. From Payson may we thank God for the Edwards family, Gary, Amanda, Matthew, Kody and Kyle.  May God bless you in your continued growth and your service to the Lord.   
                                                      
                                                              dell kimberly