Christus Emptor

“Now there were in the 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 afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I give you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.” Luke 2:8-9

On the night of the greatest event in world history the Lord choose to reveal Him-self to low class shepherds of the fields. These shepherds had to travel away from their families to get their herd to greener pastures. They had to watch in shifts during the night to protect them from predators. They had no corral to place them in for safekeeping. The night shift shepherds were surely the hired hands of the owning family. No evidence just experience on those who is always chosen for the night shift.
God chooses the lowly to share in the Good news of a savior being born. This shows us that God loves dearly those in low places like those missing their families because of “greener pasture”.
If you find yourself in this situation as I have found at this time. Rejoice that God has placed angels to watch over you, His flock, during the night. Receive His Good News and joy to all people like you.

Here is a real good laugher.  Scientist claim that there is a God-Gene that cause people to be born religious.

http://in.news.yahoo.com/041115/43/2hvns.html

Today we want to remember those who had their lives took away in the bombing of the world trade center in New York. They did not give their lives. They did not die by accident. Their lives were stolen. By those who see it as their religious duty to take what is not their’s to take. While multitudes run their mouths about how we need to get out of the war, need to remember that war was declared on us. And do not think it was not those who we are currently involved with.
It is a war between belief systems. They think our nation is of Satan because of the evil we allow to happen in public view…….. Well let me not preach.

Where were you on that day. I was working for a sign company in Dothan Al. I was headed for a meeting when my boss came in and told us what was on TV and that the meeting was canceled. We went up to the room were someone had set up a TV and watched in shock.
The rumble of the buildings rocked even our world. Later as the nation sank into financal limbo, our company when bankrupt and sold out. The economics of our business had changed. People did not need signs like they thought they did. Some businesses went under leaving us with a yard full of unpaid for signage that we could not sell. I was laid of soon after.

I can not compare this to those who lost there lives that day or those who lost love ones. But by the grace of God our Lord Jesus. Today is brighter that that day. When people can sit and complain about there government and not be arrested that’s a brighter day. It’s to bad that we as a people don’t want others to have that same freedom. Talk all you want about the war and our president, but remember 9/11.

As we enter into Labor Day tomorrow I want to mention the area of prayer. Prayer as we work or laborare est orare, “work as prayer”. This is a hard concept for some to see. Can a person pray as they work and not get their hand or other body part caught in a machine press. Can you focus on the Lord and focus on your work at the same time.
I say yes, but not in the traditional since of prayer. Prayer as in doing your very best for no other reason but to please God. When you do your job in this attitude, you are in a mode of prayer. Prayer that worships the King of Kings and petitions the Lord of Lords.
This labor day make a commitment to do your job only for the love of God and focus on doing a job well done. Like I heard a speaker on the radio say the other day. “Your job is a gift from God, How you perform it is your gift to Him.”

Today, 29 years ago I found Christ.

I grew up in Church. Influenced to go up to the front and say the prayer at a real young age. After finding church dull I got into drugs and such.
Aug 28, 1978 I had a bad trip which landed me in the local ER.
There I asked for a preacher to come and when my mother found one (my current pastor at that time was in the process of being voted out because of his extra church activities) he read me John 3:16 and asked me to say a prayer. I had done this twice before without any difference in my life, but I went along with it.

Then he asked me a question, “Was I doing drugs?”. I had never been asked that before so I said yes. He then told me I needed to ask my parents to forgive me. To make a long story short I went home and asked myself,”If I need to ask my parents to forgive me, then I also need to ask God.” And in that instance I “repented” to Christ and received Him in my life. I fold later that I was never born again and if I had died in that state I would be lost to Hell. No mater how much I went to church. I was nothing I did , but Christ. I could not even have come to Christ unless He called me first. And when He calls that’s the time to receive. Not when the preacher calls, but Christ.

by Canfield, Hansen, Rogerson, Rutte and Clauss

I have been reading this book as a sleeper, just before I pass out for the night. It turned out to be a really good book to relax with and whine-down from the day.
The stories are mildly inspirational with some very good stories of real life from people like Alex Haley and Scott “Dilbert” Adams. And I really liked the story by Dave Thomas.
If your looking for deep spiritual reading to give you something to contemplate, this is not it. The storuies are watered down to appeal to all faiths. But it is still a good read. I recommend it.

C. 1996 by the above authors
ISBN: 1-55874-424-x
PUB: Heath Communications, Inc.
LIbary of Congress HD4905.C448 1996
331.25-dc20

“Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own
masters, and to please them well in all things; not
answering again; not purloining, but showing all good
fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our
Savior in all things.”

Titus 2:9-10 teaches us quit a few things about how we
are to treat our bosses and employers and why.
First we are to be obedient or submissive to those
over us at work. Even if we do not like what we are
told to do (unless it clashes with what God has told us to do). We are to do it without talking back or
grumbling. It is a shame for a professing Christian to
be reprimanded or released because of being
insubordinate.
Second, We are not to steal from our employers and
to work honestly. Although this is common sense if we
think about it, how many of us have took from our
employers. Office supplies, product or clocked-out
early. Taking what wasn’t given to us. Taking it
believing we earned it or really deserved to have it.
Stealing.
And third, which brings us to the whole reason that
the Lord is concerned about how we live our lives at
work. It is the Lord’s plan for us to be an example of
the transforming power of the Word of God. Power to
transform an unprofitable servant named Onesimus to a
more profitable servant for his master Philemon. And
the Apostle Paul believed eventually profitable to
himself and the cause of Christ.
I would paraphase this verse as so:
” Teachers, encourage workers to be obedient to
their bosses. Make them happy they hired you. Do what
you are told without talking back or grumbling. Do not
steal from them. Give them a honest days work for a
honest day’s pay. Doing this so that you will be an
example of the transforming power of the Word of God
in all that you do.”

This is reposted from another of my blogs, but I wanted to add it and mention that although we are bought with a price, we have others we are rented out to . Main our employers. We are to bring glory to the Lord by doing our employers RIGHT.

Also read Eph. 6:5-8 and the book of Phileman

“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; Lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him, And He turn away His wrath from him.”
Proverbs 24:17-18

I have worked with many people and have been mistreated many times by those over me. It seems that it is real easy to hope that the person gets demoted, fired or the business goes bad because I am not there. Or even go out of business. But the Lord tells us to “pray for our enemies and bless those that abuse you.” (Paraphrase Matt. 5:44) I wonder how many companies that have treated their employees bad and still do well because the people of God secretly prayed to see them “ get theirs” and fall. Therefore, God turned His wrath from them.
Next time you see a person fall that had treated you wrong, let the Lord guide you in ways to bless him. Who knows maybe the Lord will defeat an enemy by making him a friend. And above all if we are bought by Christ and therefore not our own, we have no right to be offended by others. We must turn it over to our Master Jesus and trust Him to take care of it His way. We then have no worry or stress over it.

Sharing lessons in living the “bought” life of a Christian. Learning to be subject to the will of the Lord. And the joys of such servitude to such a wonderful savior.

Also I will use this blog to share the Lord’s love to any that will accept it.