Sunday, December 30, 2007

I Have Come

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,...I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (Romans 3:23-24; John 10:10b) Good news! Jesus is born! The savior of the world has come and is amongst us! Even better news is that, even though we ALL fall short of deserving it, through God's grace and the gift of this tiny baby, if we have faith, believe, and give our lives totally to God, we will be saved and WE will have eternal life. Every baby that comes into the world is a miracle but the miracle of baby Jesus is the biggest miracle of all...and every time we see a newborn child may we be reminded of this biggest miracle, and gift, of all. Amen. Love, Beau

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Beaus Christmas Sermon

"And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Glory in the Highest. Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 'Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men' So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.' And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them. (Luke 2:1-20 NKJV) "I am a poor boy too, ...I have no gift to bring,...That's fit to give the King,... Shall I play for you,... I played my drum for Him,... I played my best for Him." (Little Drummer Boy, Katherine K. Davis, Henry Onorati and Harry Simeone 1958.) Everyone had God given gifts that can be used to celebrate His birth. What gift will you bring to the manger this week and do your best with them this year???

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Faith and Prayer

"So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt,...it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive...Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God...For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. ” (Matthew 21:21a-22; Phillipians 4:6; Matthew 6:8 NKJV) Christmas is a time of faith...of redemption, trusting in God, new beginnings, and miracles. When we pray, we are to have that not only will our prayers be heard, but they will be answered. When we pray we are to go into it believing that God has already answered our prayers. God knows our needs, wants, and desires of our hearts before we even ask Him, therefore He is already at work on it. But we must remember that things happen in God's time, not ours...and sometimes He answeres our prayers differently that we expect or want. But. have faith just as Mary did when she said yes to God, that not only will our prayers be answered...they already are!! Love, Beau

Sunday, December 9, 2007

The Love of God

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16 NKJV) God loves you and you are very important and special to Him. God loves you so much that He sent His son into the world to suffer and ultimately die for us, in our place. If you do not "get" anything else this Christmas, get this: God loves you so much that He gave up His only son for YOU. Christmas, and this time of year, is all about love, God's gift of love, and how much He loves you. You are so important to Him, and He loves you so much that, "the very hairs of your head are all numbered." (Matthew 10:30 NKJV) Love came down at Christmas, and God meant it for each and every one of you. Be blessed!! Love, Beau

Sunday, December 2, 2007

(not) Beau's Sunday Sermon -- A Baby's Hug

This was sent to me and is being circulated through the internet right now, but it makes a perfect modern day story of the Christ child, and how we all should be and live...so it is my sermon for today: We were the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly sitting and talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, 'Hi.' He pounded his fat baby hands on the high chair tray. His eyes were crinkled in laughter and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin, as he wriggled and giggled with merriment. I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man whose pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map. We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he smelled. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists. 'Hi there, baby; hi there, big boy. I see ya, buster,' the man said to Erik. My husband and I exchanged looks, 'What do we do?' Erik continued to laugh and answer, 'Hi.' Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby. Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, 'Do ya patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek-a-boo.' Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously drunk. My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence; all except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid-row bum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cute comments. We finally got through the meal and headed for the door. My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot. The old man sat poised between me and the door. 'Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik,' I prayed. As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he might be breathing. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's 'pick-me-up' position. Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself from my arms to the man. Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their love and kinship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain, and hard labor, cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his back. No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time. I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms and his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm commanding voice, 'You take care of this baby.' Somehow I managed, 'I will,' from a throat that contained a stone. He pried Erik from his chest, lovingly and longingly, as though he were in pain. I received my baby, and the man said, 'God bless you, ma'am, you've given me my Christmas gift.' I said nothing more than a muttered thanks. With Erik in my arms, I ran
for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, 'My God, my God, forgive me.' I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not. I felt it was God asking, 'Are you willing to share your son for a moment?' when He shared His for all eternity. The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, 'To enter the Kingdom
of God, we must become as little children.' Sometimes, it takes a child to remind us of what is really important. We must always remember who we are, where we came from and, most
importantly, how we feel about others. The clothes on your back or the car that you drive or the house that you live in does not define you at all; it is how you treat your fellow man that identifies who you are. Love, Beau