Category: peace

In Search of Bethlehem’s Babe

Posted on by Susan Panzica

My dear friend, Lynn Mosher, from Heading Home is sharing today’s message, and two more before our 40 Days are out. I’m so grateful to her for her skills and her heart. Thank you, Lynn, for this beautiful reminder of that holy night.

As darkness swallows up the day, the black-velvet expanse of night displays a bazillion, shimmering constellations.

Shepherds gather around a flickering fire to dispel the evening’s chill, the flames casting a warm glow across their faces, while others keep guard from the watchtower.

Peace and quiet surround them, except for the soothing crackle of the fire.

Their flocks lie still, serene.

The night’s shroud abruptly parts, revealing the radiance of an angel of the Lord. The shepherds fall on their faces, trembling.

The angel assures this cluster of caretakers, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12 NIV)

Heaven then severs the night sky to display more of its glory, unfolding a host of angels, as their voices ring out, “Glory to God in the highest. On earth, peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14 NKJV)

Rising to their feet, the shepherds agree, “Come on! Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” (Luke 2:15 TLB)

One unusual star emblazons the eastern sky; one divinely-appointed beam of light illuminates the way to this heralded wonder.

Weaving their way through those rushing to find a place to stay, those having been summoned here to register for taxation, the shepherds follow the beam of light, seeking the site of this new Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths.

From a chorus of angelic voices to the clamor of the street, a multitude of sounds reaches their ears: the bleating of sheep, the braying of donkeys, the lowing of cattle. Suddenly, the cries of a newborn resonate above all the rest.

Finding their way inside a stable, the shepherds find the Babe of Bethlehem, wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a hayed trough.

The shepherds encounter the Savior of the world. What they sought, they found.

Oh, to know the wonder of that holy night. To follow the Light, to find the Babe of Bethlehem.

Lord, take me to those fields filled with Your glory. Draw back the black curtain of my night and spill out the glory of Your heaven.

Lead me to that humble manger that I may learn to make my heart a humble manger-place for You. Reveal my life’s emptiness and fill it with the same joy of heaven that filled that night’s air. Guide me always by the Light of Your Life.

Give me willing knees to crouch before You in lowly reverence and awe. Give me listening ears to hear the rush of angels’ wings, to hear their glorious hallelujahs and the holiness of their worship.

Oh, that my heart would always be filled with the glory and wonder of that precious night.

Have you encountered the Babe of Bethlehem? Have you sought and found the Savior of the world? I pray your heart will be filled with Bethlehem wonder and glorious worship this Christmas.


—–

Dear Lord,
May we take this message to heart and instead of running all over the place, let us run, run, run to You.

Christmas Cactus

Posted on by Susan Panzica


Today I share a reflection from my pastor that he sent out last week to our church body and extended church family. I was blessed, and I believe you will be too! Thanks, Pastor Steven!



 I have a plant in my office called the “Christmas Cactus”. It is not like the cactus you might think of in the Wyoming deserts but more of a tropical cactus found in South and Central America. They are most often found in the forks of tree limbs where they grow in decayed leaves and other natural debris that accumulates there. What is most amazing about this plant in my office is that it blooms once a year (although some will bloom more often). They bloom at this time of year, the Christmas season and hence get the name, “Christmas Cactus.” The flowers on my plant are pink and white but also come in red and peach as well. It is a beautiful plant; (and I thank Donna Bolster for taking care of it each week because if she didn’t it would be a dead plant!)

The Christmas Cactus is a constant reminder to me of the beauty of the birth of Jesus. Just as the cactus is found in the forks of tree limbs, among leaves and debris, Jesus was born in what is described as a manger, certainly a place of lowliness and obscurity. Like the cactus, the beauty of this life is not fully realized or known while it grows largely ignored by the world. But once discovered, the splendor of the life is majestic and mystifying. The fact that it blooms once a year and begins to bloom at just around the time of the beginning of the Advent Season symbolizes much about the birth of Christ. In the midst of the cold and darkness of winter, while everything around is dead and dying, there is this life blossoming forth giving a breath of light and beauty. The flowers burst forth and if you take the time to slow down, look at it, admire it, appreciate it, you are truly amazed. Just like the Advent Season; we can let it bypass us and rush us right up to Christmas day or we can take time every day to slow down, admire and appreciate the birth of Christ and be amazed by the fact that God became a man for us. The Christmas Cactus helps me to do that. It is a powerful symbol and reminder to me that Christ has come and reconciled us to the Father, bringing life out of death, shining light in the midst of darkness. It reminds me of an old hymn, Crown Him with Many Crowns, that we sang back in the old days but is beautiful and powerful (even though it’s not a Christmas song!). The last verse says:

“Crown Him the Lord of heaven!
One with the Father known
One with the Spirit through Him given,
from yonder glorious throne
To Thee be endless praise,
For Thou for us hast died
Be Thou, O Lord, through endless days,
Adored and magnified!”


The more familiar Christmas Carol, O Come, All Ye Faithful, implores us to: “Come, let us adore Him, Christ The Lord!”

The Advent/Christmas season is often a battle of wills, of time and of activity. We are forced to make choices on where we will go, what we will buy and whom we will spend our time with. If we are not careful, we can become so busy (and busy with good things, I might add), that we miss the birth of Christ! Perhaps we need a daily reminder to stop and be amazed at the birth of Jesus. We need time, every day, to “come and adore Him.” This year, a Christmas Cactus is helping me to do that. You may want to buy one for yourself or for someone else and tell them the powerful symbolism behind it. Something so simple can have such profound impact. They say that the Christmas Cactus can last for hundreds of years. (I can only hope that Donna will be around to keep on watering my plant!) In other words, this story, this story of the Christ event, can be taught and passed on for generations to come. I think that’s a story we need to tell, proclaim and pass on. What do you think?

God’s blessings,


Pastor Steven

War and Peace

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Please forgive me. I know this issue won’t be resolved today, but here’s my little contribution to the discussion.

This week, the following headline caught my eye:

In ‘The War on Christmas,’ Christmas is winning
For increasing number of retailers this year, no more ‘Happy holidays’

The WAR on Christmas???

Who declared war on Christmas? According to the article, the American Family Association retaliated against the political correctness of retail advertising with Action Alerts calling for boycotts. It seems this pro-family, Christian organization has challenged retailers to use the word “Christmas” in their advertising as opposed to “holiday.” For example, for many retailers this year “holiday trees” are “Christmas trees” and “holiday shopping” is “Christmas shopping.” The article can be read in its entirety at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40260889/ns/business-consumer_news/ .

The article refers to this challenge as a “crusade” stating that many view the AFA’s tactics “as bullying, but Randy Sharp from the AFA rejects that. It’s not bullying, it’s consumer advocacy.”

Personally, I wonder about the wisdom of these tactics. While I grieve on behalf of my Savior whose Name has been cast aside in the interest of profits and political correctness, Christmas is about the Kingdom that Christ came to this earth to establish. And the hallmark of that Kingdom is love, not boycotts. Using earthly tactics for heavenly gain doesn’t honorably represent Christ who came as a servant though He is a King, who died a criminal’s death though He was the most innocent of any who ever lived, who taught us to turn the other cheek, walk the second mile, and love the unlovely. Maybe if instead of rising up in righteous anger, more time was spent on our knees, praying for those who don’t know the God we serve, we’d see a change in hearts which concerns Jesus much more than a change in advertising.

I feared boycotts and aggressive stances would cause a backlash to the backlash. And sure enough, today’s newspaper headline “War on Christmas” describes the atheists’ multimedia “strike against Christmas.”
http://www.northjersey.com/community/religion/Atheists_ad_blitz_calls_Christmas_a_myth.html

Using a giant billboard at the heavily trafficked entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel to NYC as their weapon, they declare “If the religious right wants a war on Christmas, this is what they’re going to get. If they want a war on Christmas, we’re going to make sure they know what one looks like.”

Well, I for one, don’t want a war.

In this season celebrating the Prince of Peace, about whom the angels declared, “Peace on earth, good will to men,” how is it that we are discussing war, the very thing that Jesus deplores? I do not believe we are to be doormats or ignorant. I believe that we are to be “wise as serpents and gentle as doves.” We should counter the culture with both righteousness and compassion.
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In Ephesians 6, Paul records the armor of God that we as His soldiers are to employ. There is only one offensive weapon – “the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.” The word “sword” refers to a type of knife that is better translated as “scalpel,” a knife that is an instrument of healing, not of destruction or war. That is how the Bible is to be used, as an instrument of healing.
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Oh that we would be prayer warriors in this conflict, seeking salvation for the lost. That our hearts would be focused on the One who willingly left His throne to don flesh and bone that He might redeem us for His own. Let us remember that the war was already won at Calvary.



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In The News

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Today: 
  • Kampala, Uganda – 74 people are killed in bombings by militant Somalian al-Qaida terrorists
  • Eleuthera, Bahamas – the “Barefoot Bandit” is arrested amid a hail of gunfire after 2 years of robbery and vandalism

Today: 

  • My daughter is in Kampala.
  • My son in in Eleuthera.

It’s only when we experience such peace-robbing tests that we can really know the truth of “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” (Is 26:3). And God did provide His perfect peace as we waited to hear the details.

Thankfully, Lauren and her team are fine. They are staying 10 miles outside the city. This mom and dad are rejoicing. But there’s a mom who is happy her bandit son got arrested, because it means he didn’t get killed. And there are people who are grieving the loss of their children, spouses and parents.

So thank you so much for your texts, emails, and calls, and especially your prayers. Let us keep praying, and not just for safety, but for His peace, comfort and healing.

Storm Shelter

Posted on by Susan Panzica
As I sit and write, my sweet pup, Roxie, is sitting at my feet looking up every few minutes to reassure herself that I am, in fact, right where I was those few minutes ago. She has trailed me from room to room, observing my laundry skills, lunch-making prowess and cleanup expertise. Usually, she parks herself anywhere comfy, but today, she is hovering at my feet. If my fingers stop clicking on the keyboard, she looks at me as if to say “where are we going now?”

I was wondering about this intense devotion today when thunder boomed outside. Terrified, Roxie trembled. Aha! Her fear of the storm kept her close to her master.

You know what’s coming next, don’t you!


When confident in her own strength, she’ll rest in any old spot, but when the storm comes, she needs to be in the presence of her master, and so do I. Yes indeed. God uses the storms of life to draw us to Himself, our Master. When circumstances crowd in or fears rise up, we cry to the Lord in struggle. The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Ps. 9:9

And here’s a little secret. Truth be told, I kinda like having her so near and dependent upon me for her strength. I don’t want to sound like I enjoy my pup’s suffering. Not at all. But on most days, she’ll rarely sit still for long. She’ll snuggle for just a minute or two before she’s off again meandering from room to room, from inside to outside and back in again. Yet it’s in the storm that she recognizes her need and seeks solace in my presence, allowing me to comfort her. Too often, I am meandering as well, flitting from one task to another, consumed by my activity and, in my distraction, missing the presence of the Lord.


The Lord doesn’t enjoy our suffering any more than we do, but He does promise that if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us (James 4:8). And so perhaps He does enjoy having us so close despite our trembling, renewing our strength in His presence.


I read somewhere that nothing improves your prayer life better than big trouble. There is value in the storm. It builds our faith, and it develops perseverance, maturity and wisdom (James 1:1-5). I only wish I didn’t wait for that big trouble before crying out to the Lord. I wish I was more faithful in the daily little troubles that I tend to tackle in my own strength rather than His. I want to be like a synchronized swimmer, every move I make in perfect harmony with Him.


How about you? Do you allow the storms to build your faith? And what about the peaceful times? Are you able to seek Him in the uneventful moments? He’s waiting for you…

So Lord, where are we going now?

Twitter Faith

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and
certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1
Last year, I got to observe first hand birds building a nest. From building the nest, to nuturing the babes, to the miracle of flight, I witnessed it all, right through my window on the world – my front door.
This year, the birds have decided to set up camp someplace else. Not that I’ve seen them. Nope, haven’t seen a thing. Wouldn’t even know they’re around. Except for one thing. I hear them. The tweeting, the cooing, the fluttering. Only this time, it’s behind a wall inside a chimney.

How do I know what they’re doing if I can’t see them?

Based on prior experience, I know. I don’t need to see them to know what they’re doing this year because of my experience last year. I have faith that what I’m hearing is what I’ve seen before.


God defines faith as substance of things hoped for, things NOT seen. But faith is not blind. It’s based upon evidence.

  • We have previous, personal experiences where God revealed Himself to us. He gave us hope in dire times, peace in troublesome times, love in lonely times.

  • We have the eye witness testimony of our friends, loved ones, fellow believers who have encountered His presence, provision, protection. 

  • Even with no prior experience, we can have faith based on the accounts of the saints (Hebrews 11) and others, and Jesus Himself speaks to us, encouraging us to “Remember the words I spoke to you…” John 15:20

The word “remember” appears 233 times in the Bible. Even though there are things that God forgets (thankfully!), we are instructed to remember the times that He was faithful to us and base our faith on His faithfulness. Repeatedly, we’re told He will never leave us or forsake us.

When we can’t see through the fog, we can believe the road is still there.
When we can’t see past the stones bombarding us, we can rely on the One who is the solid Rock.
When we can’t see what the future holds, we can trust the One who holds the future.

I’m not the only one who has faith that the birds, though unseen, are there, building away. My dog can’t see the birds, but she sure can hear them. Between the cooing, the fluttering, the tweeting, and the barking, it is a veritable cacophony of sounds, an orchestra from God.

Faith is the bird that sings when the dawn is still dark.


Beloved, is it dark where you are today?
Can you trust that He will bring you the dawn?

Spring Blessings

Posted on by Susan Panzica
See! The winter is past;
the rains are over and gone.
Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come…
Song of Songs 2:11,12
In NJ, we’ve had more than our share of rain. March set a new record for rainfall. But my walk on Saturday morning revealed a hidden blessing from all that rain. The bushes and trees were bursting with blooms – magnificent cherry blossoms, dogwoods, forsythias and magnolias. Peeking through the ground were daffodils, crocuses, and tulips.

For months, these plants appeared dead or dormant, but the end of winter signals a resurgence of life. After weathering the winter in silence, growing and strengthening in the darkness underground, they emerge stronger and more fruitful.
When Jesus was in the tomb, it all looked bleak, but a great work was being done in the darkness. On the third day, He emerged in radiant glory, encouraging His followers to remain strong.

When we experience dark times, we must allow God to strengthen us, remaining confident that such times are not permanent, just a season that will pass in due time. He will bring us through and will use us to encourage others with the comfort we received from Him (2 Cor. 1:4).

May you experience renewed strength, and may you sense His presence in a mighty way. May you have renewed purpose, and fulfill His calling in your life. May you burst forth with the fruit of the Spirit. May you experience the resurrected life.

A River Walk Talk

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Today, my guest blogger is my friend Mina’s 14-year-old daughter, Ellen. She is sharing her testimony of what God spoke to her at Harvest Christian Fellowhship’s Women’s Retreat last month.

After the workshop at the HCF Women’s Retreat of 2010, I decided to take a walk because the message was very heavy. The subject was “Rejoicing in Trials,” and I had been having conflicting feelings about a crush on a boy at my school. So I put my coat and sneakers on, and left to walk along the river. The sky was completely blue, and there was no sound except the wind. I decided to put my iPod on and listen to a song that I call “Me and God’s song.” The song is Beloved by Tenth Avenue North. I was listening to the song and looking at the water, when all of a sudden, I heard a voice in my head, and it said “Look at the water.”


And I replied “Yeah?”


Then it said, “How is the water moving?”


I replied, “That way.” and I was pointing to the right, which was the way the water was flowing.


The voice in my head said, “No, I mean symmetrically.”


I replied, “As one.”


And what it said next brought me to tears.


“Exactly, and that is how I want to be with you, but you keep pushing me away.” This is when I began to cry, my heart broke to hear that. So, to my surprise the next thing he said was “Ellen, will you be my bride?”


And my response is what I will never forget. I said, “You will be my daddy, my husband, and my best friend.”


Since that point, I have realized that I have started becoming the woman that God wants me to be. I strayed away, but I realized that still, through everything I’ve done, God loves me so much. I will never forget that day.

And, Ellen, I will never forget your testimony. You have moved me to tears, and I pray that I too walk symmetrically as one with my Lord, my Abba daddy, by husband, my best friend.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea-billows roll—
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul. —Spafford

Susan

Seeking a Silent, Holy Christmas

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Today’s wonderful post is from wonderful Laurie Hock. Thank you so much, Laurie, for your wonderful words of wisdom.



Silent Night, Holy Night…


All is calm,


All is…what?


Did you just say all was silent, holy, and calm? Who are you kidding? Certainly that wasn’t how Mary saw it…or was it?


The town of Bethlehem was undoubtedly crowded. The stirring of census activities ordered by Caesar had everyone going this way and that. Yet, even in the midst of it, there was stillness to be found.


I believe the first Christmas night really was calm, though the circumstances may have you thinking otherwise. Where a woman of faith is fulfilling her destiny for the Kingdom of God, the supernatural peace of God’s presence soothes the soul.


Divine calmness covered Mary and Joseph. God knew the provision of peace was a must, right? How many other ready-to-deliver-any-day-now women would’ve tolerated a long, bumpy donkey ride, only to discover upon arrival that the room being held for her was not a suite, but a stable. I don’t think fresh linens were included. Certainly not complimentary soap and lotions.


Yet we do not see Mary complaining. She knew what her divine assignment was, and the delivery was near at hand. She embraced the circumstances leading up to this call. She knew God had chosen her for such a time as this.

The world may tell us the night in the stable was uncomfortable, unclean, and uninviting. That’s not how Mary and Joseph saw it. As the song proclaims, the night was a silent, holy night. All was calm, all was bright. For the Light of the World had just been birthed. Mary was right where she was supposed to be: in the center of God’s divine plan, relishing the warmth of His heart.



That’s true for us, too. Being used in God’s master plan for His glory brings a warmth to our hearts nothing can sever.
 Things may or may not look just right in your holiday season this year. But whether or not things go as expected or planned is not the real issue.


The beauty and magnificence of having a silent, holy Christmas is being where God wants you to be.


It’s making yourself available to receive Him.
It’s being there for Him to use and bless any way He chooses.
It’s completing what He’s set before you to do.


Adore Him. Worship Him. Fellowship with Him.
Welcome Him into your heart in a new way.
Love His people.
Give Him praise, delight and all the glory.

We cannot lose ourselves in the unpleasantries and distractions bound to arise. We have the authority in the name of Jesus to declare this Christmas a holy, silent season of awe and wonder over the birth of our Savior.

Look for the Christ child in unexpected places this year. Seek Him in the stillness. Let Him show you Himself in the holy and calm. May the serenity of the Prince of Peace be upon you.

The people rushing around Bethlehem on that evening long ago had a chance to glimpse God’s entry into this world as a babe. But in their hustle, they missed the subtle.


Will you let your Christmas be a silent, holy night this year?

Laurie Hock

Dear Lord,
May we, in our hustle, not miss the subtle. May we experience Your peace and calm. May we be where You want us to be, and be who You want us to be.

Susan

Where You Gonna Get Your Fill?

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Many thanks to Laurie Hock for this excellent post. After reading it, I just want to yell, “Fill ‘er up!” Laurie and I met at She Speaks, and we are now part of a writer’s critique group. She is a dynamic ball of fire for the Lord.

The weeks leading up to Christmas are best described as…full. Christmas parties, decorating, purchasing gifts, performances, programs, and other unmentioned clamor. There’s no arguing our holidays are jam-packed, plum full, stuffed to the max. But let’s pause for a moment and ask ourselves, “What what kind of fillers are these?”


Our hearts, souls, and minds naturally need to be filled, but with what? God created us with a need for Him, a hunger for the Holy. This hunger has been misinterpreted in our rush-rush culture of over-scheduled and overtired men, women, and children.

The majority of us aren’t getting “full” on daily doses of the presence of God, nor by fellowshipping with Him through prayer and praise. Instead, most of us end up stuffing our lives with commitments, busyness, and a lot of other eternal unnecessaries. These earthly and temporal fillers are fake. They distract us from our true God-given purpose. These can never satisfy us the way God can.


Fake fillers end up making our schedules fat but leave our souls starving.


We can’t afford to spend our energy filling up on temporal things while sacrificing intimacy with God. The world is stacked with alternative fillers the devil has disguised as good and seemingly godly. These may indeed be good things. But when these activities and obligations fill us up before we give God a chance to, we’re going to be running on empty. We’re not full at all in the way we should be. These fake fillers tend to take more out of us than they give to us.

God desires His children to depend upon Him. He is our ultimate satisfaction. He is the eternal fullness available for us to experience everyday here on earth and forever after. God is the answer to our every need and desire. Our hunger for Him must be quenched above all else. We must look to Him to get our daily fill.


It sounds spectacular to be filled by God, but perhaps intimidating, right? How do you begin to develop and deepen a relationship with Almighty God so He can fill you up? How does He become your fulfillment, your everything?

Psalm 81:10 gives insight. “I am the Lord your God…Open wide your mouth and I will fill it” (NIV).

It’s that simple. God asks us to ask Him. He responds with the promise He will fill what we set before Him. He is our satisfier. God exists to be our Father, our Provider, our Wisdom, our Grace and Guide. He holds all the answers, all the peace, and all of time. What better place to fill up?



Can you think of anything else that can offer you such satisfaction? Will you let God be your fill today? He will fill you up when you make time for Him. God fills us up when we start our day with prayer and praise. God fills us up when we show His love to His people.

God fills us up as we read, meditate on, and proclaim His Word and truth each day. God fills us up as we listen to songs offering Him worship and adoration. God will fill each of us the way He knows we uniquely need. To activate His loving power, we must tell Him that He’s where we want to get our fill. We must offer Him our heart, our time, our lives.

How do you need to rearrange the days leading up to the holidays so you can be full of God, His patience and love instead of stress, frustration and anxiety? Tell me… where you gonna get your fill today?

Laurie Hock

Years ago, my husband, Tony, wrote a song titled, Fill Me Up. Some of the lyrics are: “Fill me up, Holy Spirit. Fill my life to overflowing… that I might be a reflection of Your love.”

Lord, Fill me up to the brim with Your truth, Your Word, Your peace, Your presence… that I might overflow and be a reflection of Your love. Thank you, Jesus, that You desire to fill us with Yourself.

Susan