Merry Christmas!

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

What is the true meaning of Christmas?

Is it the gifts we buy, the Christmas tree in our homes, the snow on the ground, or is it the man in the red suit??

We in our hustle and bustle often seem to forget the very popular phrase "the reason for the season".

Over 2000 years ago a child was born; this child was born to a virgin mother and a divine father.  This child came in to this word in a lowly state; He was born in a stable and laid in manger.  Can you imagine being born in a stable?  A place where animal dwells. Imagine going into a farm of live stock particularly sheep, goat and donkeys (these were normal live stock of those days) consider the smell. The stench of animal urine and waste, most of us can't even walk in to a public rest room with out gagging.  But yet our Lord was born in these conditions.  

And if being born in a stable was not bad enough he was laid in a manger. (A manger is a trough or box of carved stone or wood construction used to hold food for animals (as in a stable). Mangers are mostly used in livestock raising. They are also used to feed wild animals. The word comes from the French manger (meaning "to eat"), from Latin manducare (meaning "to chew"). He laid in a manger a place where animals feed from. In order for it to a bit comfortable Joseph probably had to layer it with hay.

Our children are born into a civil world, mother is made to comfortable, and babies are born to be wrapped in warm clothing, heating lamps if needed and much more.  Their nurseries are built before their birth, everything has been well put away and organized for their arrival.

When we think of Christmas do we think about the sacrifices Jesus came into this world to make for us? He loves us so much that He humbled Himself to be born in a stable and lay in a manger and then to died a lowly death as well. He as persecuted, spat upon, beaten, bruised all for our sake.

So, is Christmas about Santa?  No, God said that He is a jealous God and will share is glory with no man. Is it about gifts? No because we should give the give of love to our brother and sisters all through the year not only on Christmas, plus we are not saved by what we do, so it not about giving gifts either. What is it truly about then? Christmas literally means the Mass (celebration) of Christ. "Christ" is a Greek word and title, meaning "anointed" or one set apart by God for a special purpose. "Christ" is equivalent to the Hebrew word "Messiah." CHRIST-mas is the celebration of  the arrival of the Messiah promised by God as a great deliver of the people from sin, and to redeem us back to Himself through is love.

Merry Christmas!!!!!!
Celebrate the CHRIST in christmas
Elisa

Ladies, Something To Chew On!!!

Women were made from a man's rib, not from his head to be superior, not from his feet to be walked on, but from his side to be equal, from under the arm to be protected, and from next to the heart to be loved. You're true love will realize how much they want to be with you and he will call you. Be patient.
Sincere forgiveness isn't colored with expectations that the other person apologize or change. Don't worry whether or not they finally understand you. Love them and release them. Life feeds back truth to people in its own way and time.”by Sara Paddison

Press Release From My Publisher

                                                                                                  For Immediate Release

                                                            Contact:   

Shawn Street

– Public Relations

                                                                                         pr@publishamerica.com

                                                                                                     www.publishamerica.com

PublishAmerica Presents Living a Balanced Life by Elisa A. Wood

Frederick, MD October 20, 2011 -- PublishAmerica is proud to present Living a Balanced Life: The Way God Intended by Elisa A. Wood from Southport, North Carolina.

How can a woman find balance in life?  Women are always ripping and running, whether it’s working two jobs trying to make ends meet.  Going to both school and work while maintaining a family, or even if you are a stay at home mom juggling a family with daily chores.  Wood’s hope is to help you find the balance of life God intended for us to have!

Elisa Wood was born in Port of Spain Trinidad on January 1st, 1974. For several years, Elisa work in the Legal field in NYC and then relocated to Rochester, NY where she had encounter with the Lord and her life was forever changed. She struggled to make ends meet as a single mother of 3 wonderful boys for many years.  In 2004 her future was prophesied by her pastor in full details.  In September of 2005 that prophecy started coming to past.  She met her husband in September of 2005 and was married to him by February 2007. She moved with her new husband and her family to Southport where she still resides.  Elisa was called into ministry and became a licensed minister in June of 2007. She has a great passion for woman (abused, trouble etc.) and vowed to the Lord that she will do all that she can do to help them, hence the book Living a Balanced Life: The Way God Intended.

“It has been an extreme pleasure to work with this talented and dedicated author,” said PublishAmerica Public Relations Director Shawn Street.  “For ordering information, please visit http://www.publishamerica.com/.”

PublishAmerica is the home of more than 50,000 talented authors.  PublishAmerica is a traditional publishing company whose primary goal is to encourage and promote the works of new, previously undiscovered writers.  Like more mainstream publishers, PublishAmerica pays its authors advances and royalties and makes its books available through all bookstores.  PublishAmerica offers a distinctly personal, supportive alternative to vanity presses and less accessible publishers.

Follow us on Twitter at @PubAmericaNews!

Visit us online at http://www.facebook.com/publishamerica.publisher and www.publishamerica.com.

END

Our Daily Bread Devotional

Hello everyone!

I am excited today, we now have a new feed for The Daily Bread devotional that will keep us up to day with our daily devotions. If you look to the right of the screen you will see each day listed, so if you miss a day you can now go back a get caught up.

Also, you can now follow this blog by email as well!  Get up to the minute updates via your email. Right under The Daily Bread devotional is a spot for you to sign up to follow by email.

I hope you will put these exciting update to work for you, with today technologies there is no need to go without the Word of God on a daily basis!

Elisa

DAILY DEVOTION

My Fingernails Or His Hand?

Read: Psalm 37:23-26

The Lord upholds him with His hand. —Psalm 37:24

Bible in a year:
Isaiah 59-61; 2 Thessalonians 3

Tough times can cause us to get our perspective turned around. I was reminded of this recently as I talked to a fellow-griever—another parent who, like Sue and me, lost a teenage daughter to death suddenly and without warning.
She told me she had been missing her daughter terribly, and she told God she felt as if she were hanging on by her fingernails. Then she felt as if God reminded her that His hand of protection was there to hold her up—that she could let go, and He would catch her.
That’s a better perspective, isn’t it? This picture reminds us that when troubles come and we feel least able to hold on to our faith, it’s not up to us. It’s up to God to support us with His mighty hand.
Psalm 37:23-24 says: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord . . . . Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.” And Psalm 63:8 tells us: “My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me.”
In tough times, we can become so preoccupied with our role in “clinging to God” that we forget about His promised protection. It’s not our fingernails that sustain us—it’s His loving, upholding hand.

God’s hand that holds the ocean’s depths
Can hold my small affairs;
His hand that guides the universe,
Can carry all my cares. —Anon.

No one is more secure than the one who is held in God’s hand.

DAILY DEVOTION

Investing In The Future

Read: Matthew 6:19-24

Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. —Matthew 6:20

Bible in a year:
Isaiah 56-58; 2 Thessalonians 2

Jason Bohn was a college student when he made a hole-in-one golf shot that won him a million dollars. While others may have squandered that money, Bohn had a plan. Wanting to be a pro golfer, he used the money as a living-and-training fund to improve his golf skills. The cash became an investment in his future—an investment that paid off when Bohn won the PGA Tour’s 2005 B.C. Open. Bohn’s decision to invest in the future instead of living for the moment was a wise one indeed.
In a sense, that is what Jesus calls us to do. We have been entrusted with resources—time, ability, opportunity— and we decide how to use them. Our challenge is to see those resources as an opportunity to invest long-term. “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,” is how Jesus put it in Matthew 6:20. Those protected treasures cannot be destroyed nor taken away, Jesus assures us.
Think of your resources: talent, time, knowledge. These are temporal and limited. But if you invest them with an eye toward eternity, these temporary things can have enduring impact. What is your focus? Now or forever? Invest in the future. It will not only have an eternal impact, but it will also change the way you view life each day.

Whatever is done in love for Christ
Will one day have heaven’s reward;
Today let’s do what we can for Him,
Our loving Savior and Lord. —Hess

The richest people on earth
are those who invest their lives in heaven

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Papa Didn’t Say “Oh!”

Read: Ephesians 5:1-10

The Lord is gracious and full of compassion. —Psalm 145:8

Bible in a year:
Isaiah 53-55; 2 Thessalonians 1

I have a friend who was working in his home office one evening, trying to get some necessary paperwork done. His little girl, who was about 4 years old at the time, was playing around his desk, puttering about, moving objects here and there, pulling out drawers, and making a good deal of noise.
My friend endured the distraction with stoic patience until the child slammed a drawer on one of her fingers and screamed in pain. Reacting in exasperation he shouted, “That’s it!” as he escorted her out of the room and shut the door.
Later, her mother found her weeping in her bedroom and tried to comfort her. “Does your finger still hurt?” she asked. “No,” the little girl sniffled. “Then why are you crying?” her mother asked. “’Cause,” she whimpered, “when I pinched my finger, Papa didn’t say, ‘Oh!’”
Sometimes that’s all we need, isn’t it? Someone who cares and who will respond with kindness and compassion, someone who will say, “Oh!” We have One named Jesus who does that for us.
Jesus loves us, understands our sorrows, and gave Himself for us (Eph. 5:2). Now we are to “walk in love” and imitate Him.

Knowing God—what comfort there,
Drawn by His eternal care;
Love from God—what joy we share,
Drawn into His mercies rare. —Branon

God’s whisper of comfort quiets the noise of our trials.

DAILY DEVOTION

Shine On!

 

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn

Read: Matthew 5:14-16; 1 Peter 2:9-10

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. —Matthew 5:16

Bible in a year:
Isaiah 26-27; Philippians 2

I was frustrated that despite my repeated calls, the streetlight in front of my house was still out. Because we don’t have sidewalks and there is such a large distance between the streetlights, it’s important that each light is functional to illuminate the darkness. I worried that I might hit one of the school kids as I pulled out of my driveway in the early morning hours.
The idea of light is used frequently in the Bible. Jesus said that He is the Light of the world (John 9:5). We are told to “put on the armor of light” by clothing ourselves with the Lord (Rom. 13:12-14). And Matthew 5:16 instructs that we should “let [our] light so shine before men, that they may see [our] good works and glorify [our] Father in heaven.”
A light that doesn’t shine has lost its usefulness. Jesus said that no one hides a light under a basket but puts it on a lampstand to illuminate everything around it (Matt. 5:15). Our light (our actions) should point people to the One who is the Light. We don’t have any light in ourselves, but we shine with the reflection of Christ (Eph. 5:8).
God has placed each of us in a specific environment that will best allow us to shine with His light. Don’t be like a burned-out streetlight. Shine on!

Lord, help us always put You first
In everything we say and do
So that Your light will shine through us
And show the world their need of You. —Sper

Whether you’re a candle in a corner
or a beacon on a hill, let your light shine.

DAILY DEVOTION

No Authority?

Read: Proverbs 6:6-11

Consider [the ant’s] ways and be wise, which, having no . . . ruler, provides her supplies . . . and gathers her food. —Proverbs 6:6-8

Bible in a year:
Isaiah 20-22; Ephesians 6

When the deck behind our house began caving in, I knew its repair would exceed my abilities. So I made some calls, got some bids, and picked a builder to construct a new deck.
Once the contractor was done, I took a close look at his work and noticed some problems. Seeking a second opinion, I called the local building inspector and got a surprise. The deck guy had not obtained a building permit. Working without official oversight, he had violated many points of the building code.
This incident reminded me of an important truth (other than asking to see the building permit): We often do less than our best if we don’t have any accountability to the authority over us.
In Scripture, we see this principle explained in two of Jesus’ parables (Matt. 24:45-51; 25:14-30). In both cases, at least one unsupervised worker failed when the master was gone. But then we see a different approach in Proverbs 6. We see the example of the ant, which does good work without a visible supervisor. It intrinsically does its work without being monitored.
What about us? Do we do good work only when someone is watching? Or do we recognize that all our service is for God, and so do our best at all times—even when no human authority is watching?

God sees and knows the work we do:
Our faithfulness He will reward;
With His authority in view,
Let’s do our best for Christ the Lord. —Hess

No matter who your boss is, you are really working for God

DAILY DEVOTION

Not At This Time

 

Read: Romans 11:33–12:2

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. —Romans 12:2

Bible in a year:
Isaiah 5-6; Ephesians 1

It can be quite discouraging for wanna-be writers to get their work rejected time after time. When they send in a manuscript to a publisher, they’ll often hear back in a letter with these words: “Thank you. But your submission does not meet our needs at this time.” Sometimes this really means “not at this time—or ever.” So they try the next publisher and the next.
I’ve found that the phrase This does not meet our needs at this time—or ever can be a helpful saying in my Christian walk to renew my mind and refocus my thoughts on the Lord.
Here’s what I mean. When starting to worry, we can remind ourselves: “Worry does not meet my needs at this time—or ever. My heart’s need is to trust God. I will ‘be anxious for nothing’ ” (Phil. 4:6).
When we envy what another person has or does, we can reinforce the truth: “Envy does not meet my needs at this time—or ever. My need is to give thanks to God. His Word says, ‘Envy is rottenness to the bones’ (Prov. 14:30), and ‘In everything give thanks’ ” (1 Thess. 5:18).
We can’t renew our minds by ourselves (Rom. 12:2); it’s the transforming work of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. Yet speaking the truth in our thoughts can help us to submit to the Spirit’s work within.

For Further Thought
What are some areas you struggle with in your heart?
Ask God to renew your mind that it might think like His.
Then keep reminding yourself of the truth.

The Spirit of God renews our minds
when we review the Word of God.

DAILY DEVOTIONS

The Tales Of Two Sticks

 

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn

Read: Exodus 4:1-9,17

You shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs. —Exodus 4:17

Bible in a year:
Isaiah 3-4; Galatians 6

Conventional wisdom questions how much can be accomplished with little. We tend to believe that a lot more can be done if we have large financial resources, talented manpower, and innovative ideas. But these things don’t matter to God. Consider just a couple of examples:
In Judges 3:31, a relatively unknown man named Shamgar delivered Israel from the Philistines single-handedly. How? He won a great victory by killing 600 Philistines with nothing more than an oxgoad (a stick sharpened on one end to drive slow-moving animals).
In Exodus, when God asked Moses to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt, Moses was afraid the people wouldn’t listen to him or follow him. So God said, “What is that in your hand?” (4:2). Moses replied, “A rod.” God went on to use that rod in Moses’ hand to convince the people to follow him, to turn the Nile River into blood, to bring great plagues on Egypt, to part the Red Sea, and to perform miracles in the wilderness.
Moses’ rod and Shamgar’s oxgoad, when dedicated to God, became mighty tools. This helps us see that God can use what little we have, when surrendered to Him, to do great things. God is not looking for people with great abilities, but for those who are dedicated to following and obeying Him.

If you use what little you may have
To serve the Lord with all your heart
You will find that He can do great things
When you begin to do your part. —Sper

Little is much when God is in it.

I will be worshiping with flags at this event! Hope to see you there!

Time	Sunday, October 16 · 4:00pm - 7:00pm
Location	Ambassadors For Christ Called and Chosen Outreach Ministries Kerr Station Village Shopping Center (next to COX Christian Bookstore)
Created By	Sylvester Ballard
More Info	Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve theLord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him and bless his name. Psalms 100: 1-2, 4

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Welcome to Rest Ministries!