I received this story from a person close to me. It sorta speaks for itself and what we are to be doing as disciples of Jesus. Enjoy the post and I'll be intrigued to read your comments about how God has spoken to you. I include a scripture at the bottom

A Fellow Christian Sojourner & One More Disciple of the Christ, Jesus

OMD

Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it. From a distance, each horse looks like any other horse. But if you stop your car,or are walking by, you will notice something...

Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has chosen

not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him.

This alone is amazing.

If you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound of a bell. Looking around for the

source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field.

Attached to the horse's halter is a small bell.It lets the blind friend know where the

other horse is, so he can follow.

As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see that the horse with the bell is

always checking on the blind horse, and that the blind horse will listen for the bell and

then slowly walk to where the other horse is, trusting that he will not be led astray.

When the horse with the bell returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, it stops

occasionally and looks back, making sure that the blind friend isn't too far behind to hear

the bell.

Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are

not perfect or because we have problems or challenges. He watches over us and even

brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need.

Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God

places in our lives. Other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their

way...

Good friends are like that... You may not always see them, but you know they are always

there.

Please listen for my bell and I'll listen for yours.

And remember...Bekinder than necessary -

Everyone you meet is fighting somekind of battle.

Live simply,

Love generously,

Care deeply,

Speak kindly....

Leave the rest to God

Scripture from Romans 8:31-39

...31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

33 Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies;

34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 Just as it is written, "FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED."

37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,

39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

There Goes the Neighborhood

The American and Canadian governments have several things in common, including, it appears, the pursuit of radical hate speech laws.

As the U.S. braces for another round of hate crimes legislation this spring, our northern neighbors are already engaged in an all-out battle over free speech.

The latest victim is popular author and columnist Mark Steyn, who wrote the best-seller America Alone: The End of the World As We Know It.

Although the book was published by an American company, excerpts that later appeared in the Canadian press have become the subject of investigation by the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC). The book, which contrasts Islamic values with those of the West, was considered "a misrepresentation" of the Muslim religion by the Canadian Islamic Congress (CIC).

As a result of CIC's complaint, Steyn finds himself at the center of a controversial debate over the limits of public expression. Using charges of "discrimination" as a means of silencing opposition, the CHRC's investigation jeopardizes freedom in all of North America.

During an interview with The Washington Times, Steyn said, "Offense is in the eye of the beholder. The commissions aren't weighing facts but hurt feelings."

Ironically, when Christians or conservatives object to similar treatment, they usually find themselves on the losing side of the argument, or worse, completely overlooked.

Unfortunately, this is just a preview of things to come if the U.S. House is successful when the battle over new federal hate crimes resumes. As Mark Steyn can attest, nothing less than our first freedoms are at stake.

FRC Action: 801 G Street N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20001

P: 202/393-2100 or 888/372-2284

W: frcaction.org

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Well, we're back! Have had this bug that's going around since Christmas. This is the first day I've felt remotely normal since Christmas Day. I gleaned the article above from the FRCActionUpdate (Family Research Council).

As disciple's of the Christ we have been transformed from being "of the world" into simply being "in the world." Our primary responsibility is to be Ambassadors of God. We are to bring His message of Hope, Love, Grace, Forgiveness & Truth to a world desperately in need of Him, through Jesus.

Hate speech?? Who determines when someone speaks hatefully? It seems whoever cries foul!!

Does disagreeing with a position constitute hate? Seems that way.

Does making objective comparisons constitute hate? Apparently.

We already know that speaking or teaching from the Bible is considered hate by many. What other things can each of you think of that could be constituted as hate speech?

What are we as citizens do? Just stand idly by and look the other way? That's how we got into this mess!

Although we may be only "in this world" God tells us that we are to participate, to stand firm, to speak up.

The verb... Hate - Dislike intensely; feel antipathy or aversion towards.

The noun... Hate - The emotion of hate; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action.

It seems to me that the purveyors of hate are those that have hijacked the word "tolerance." Tolerance never meant you couldn't speak up on an issue in the arena of thought and ideas. Now it means if you disagree then you are intolerant and hate(v). So the objecting party's "hate"(n) now takes action based from an EMOTION. Rational thought is disallowed, it appears.

So remember, we "IN" the world, acting as ambassadors of God, are to bring "the truth" of God's word to the people "OF" the world and we should not be surprised when the world acts or reacts with negativity which is will be based on "emotion", instead of rationality, to the words and truths of God.

In Isaiah 55:8 God declares ~ "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.

Jesus also taught about a Disciples' relation to the world in John 15: 18-19 ~ 18 "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." See, we have been chosen and we are to seek for the others that are chosen but don't know it.

My prayer for 2008 is, we that are in the world will become emboldened to present the hope of the Word of God to a drowning world. Let's stand strong and firm. We need not attack nor retreat BUT just Stand Firm. Let me know what your thoughts are.

A Fellow Christian Sojourner and One More Disciple of the Christ, Jesus

OMD

Re: It's Not About The Manger!

From One More Disciple Ministries we wish all our readers Christmas cheer and the peace that surpasses all understanding, which is only received through our Lord, our God, our Risen Savior... Jesus, the Christ ~ "Abba, Father we are awed by the knowledge that you would walk among us in the person of Jesus, the Christ. Father we thank you for the greatest gift ever received and we give ourselves back to you. Each one of us being one more disciple of yours. We ask for wisdom, guidance and faith to enable us to reach those who are lost and seeking for Your word and Son. Thank you Father and we ask all these things in Jesus name." Amen

Today's post comes from Charles Colson's BREAKPOINT Commentaries. ~ Enjoy

OMD

P.S. Please feel free to post your comments to any or even all the articles that have been presented.

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It's Not about the Manger
By Chuck Colson

12/25/2007

Christmas and the Incarnation

What image does the mention of Christmas typically conjure up?

For most of us, it is a babe lying in a manger while Mary and Joseph, angels, and assorted animals look on. Heartwarming picture, but Christmas is about far more than a Child’s birth—even the Savior’s birth.

It is about the Incarnation: God Himself, Creator of heaven and earth, invading planet earth, becoming flesh and dwelling among us.

It is a staggering thought. Think of it: The Word—that is, Logos in the Greek, which meant all the knowledge that could be known—the plan of creation—that is, ultimate reality—becomes mere man? And that He was not born of an earthly king and queen, but of a virgin of a backwater village named Nazareth? Certainly God delights in confounding worldly wisdom—and human expectations.

Thirty years after His humble birth, Jesus increased the Jews’ befuddlement when He read from the prophet Isaiah in the synagogue at Nazareth: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor . . . to proclaim release to the captives . . . to set free those who are downtrodden . . . ” Jesus then turned the scroll back and announced: “Today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

In effect, the carpenter’s Son had just announced that He was the King.
So, yes, the birth of Jesus is a glorious moment, and the manger scene brings comfort and joy and Christmas cheer. But it should also inspire a holy terror in us: that this baby is God incarnate, the King who came to set the captives free—through His violent, bloody death on the cross as atonement for us, His unworthy subjects.

It is through the Incarnation God sets His grand plan in motion. He invades planet earth, establishing His reign through Christ’s earthly ministry. And then Christ leaves behind an occupying force, His Church, which is to carry on the work of redemption until His return and the kingdom’s final triumph.

Do we get this? I am afraid most of us are so preoccupied, distracted by last-minute Christmas shopping and consumerism, that we fail to see God’s cosmic plan of redemption in which we, as fallen creatures, are directly involved.

The average Christian may not “get” this announcement, but those locked behind bars do. Whenever I preach in the prisons, and I read Christ’s inaugural sermon, Luke 4:18, and when I quote His promise of freedom for prisoners, they often raise their arms and cheer. The message of Jesus means freedom and victory for those who once had no hope. They are not distracted by the encumbrance of wealth and comfort.

People in the developing world get it, too. Whenever I have shared this message with the poor and oppressed people overseas, I see eyes brightening. Stripped of all material blessings, exploited by earthly powers, they long for the bold new kingdom of Christ.
Today is Christmas: Go ahead and enjoy singing about, and celebrating, the birth of the Savior. Set up a manger scene in your home. But do not forget this earth-shaking truth: The birth of the Baby in the manger was the thrilling signal that God had invaded the planet. And that gives us the real reason to celebrate Christmas.

For all of the staff of BreakPoint, this is Chuck Colson, in Washington, wishing you and your loved ones a very merry Christmas.

Today's BreakPoint Offer

Please give a generous donation today to help Prison Fellowship, Angel Tree, and BreakPoint continue strong in the new year. Donate online or call 1-877-322-5527. Thank you!

For Further Reading and Information

Anne Morse, “No Room in the Inn,” The Point, 10 December 2007.
Catherine Claire, “RE: Unplugging Christmas,” The Point, 26 November 2007.
T. M. Moore, “The Jesus We Preach at Christmas,” Worldview Church, December 2004.
T. M. Moore, “Violent Night, Holy Night: Christ's Opening Salvo,” BreakPoint WorldView, December 2005.
Michael Snyder, “Holy Invasion,” BreakPoint WorldView, December 2003.
Catherina Hurlburt, “The Forgotten Mother,” BreakPoint WorldView, May 2004.
BreakPoint Commentary No. 041224, “Telling the Whole Truth: The Jesus We Preach at Christmas.”
BreakPoint Commentary No. 041214, “The Naked Baby: A Postal Service Controversy.”
BreakPoint Commentary No. 061225, “All We Like Shepherds: The Hard Truth about Christmas.”
BreakPoint Commentary No. 051223, “The Truest Thing in the World: The Cry of a Tiny Babe.”
BreakPoint Commentary No. 031224, “The Most Shocking Story Ever Told: The ‘True Meaning of Christmas’.”

He Has Raised Up a Horn of Salvation

In a world enhanced by technology, communication, and prosperity, it's easy to believe that mankind is somehow better off now than it was 2,000 years ago. And while innovation has made life more comfortable, even it can offer no cure for the deepest of all human agonies--the bondage of sin.

These days, we often forget that the world wasn't saved by global diplomacy or self-sufficiency. It took a willing spirit. A primitive manger. And broken men who recognize that salvation lies not within themselves but with the baby born that quiet night to a dark and weary world.

Yet God's message of hope and redemption was just as threatening to rulers then as it is today. Like so many across the globe, our Chinese brothers and sisters are still paying a costly price for their government's ancient jealousy. This year, 70 of their bravest pastors will spend Christmas in prison because they dared to put their trust not in the government but in the Prince of Peace. They were arrested for believing that God is moving and working in their world, just as He was centuries ago, to fulfill the prophecies begun on Christmas day.

For their families and friends, the season is a time of holy and sacred reverence, celebrated in secret and observed in underground gatherings. Some will travel through dangerous countryside, risking their own capture, to commemorate their ultimate freedom through Christ. There they exchange the religious tumult of these times for the peace and tranquility of the manger. There they reflect on Bethlehem's truth that while tyranny may govern their lives, only God can govern men's hearts. And it is there, in this atmosphere of persecution and despair, that the Messiah's light shines its brightest--promising deliverance to all who believe. May they exult like Zachariah, who said:

"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David... to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days." (Luke 1:68,74)

At Christmas, when we are so distracted by Christ's flashy competition, America has much to learn from the persecuted church. I pray that this year we humbly embrace the simplicity of the season and rejoice in the saving Love reborn each day.

From everyone at FRC, we wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The Family Research Council's purpose is to "Defend Family, Faith and Freedom."The article above comes from Tony Perkins' "Washington Update" December 20, 2007

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Thoughts from OMD:

With out the Christ, Jesus, there would be NO Christmas. This could be just another day or maybe some sort of worship to a false or even non-existant god. Being it is man's penchant to have something or someone to worship, either by free will or forcibly e.g. Caesar, who knows what we would be doing for December 25th each year.

If you will ponder it for just a moment or 2... Each of us, nor anyone that has lived or will live after us, had no choice in the matter of our arrival here on Earth. Isn't it amazing to realize that only 1 (one) person arrived on Earth as a voluntary act? And, that one person was born of a virgin then went on to fulfill all the prophecies of the Old Testament with regard to the Messiah, the Christ, the Savior. He walked among us. He was with us "Emmanuel" was his name, God with us. He found 12 to teach and carry His message to the world.

Jesus tells us that this world will be full of trials and tribulations and that the world will hate those that follow Him simply because the world first hated Him. Isn't it evident around the world today that the mere mention of Jesus causes the world to spasm?

In many countries people are jailed and martyred. In the "free world" His name is under constant attack. It has become offensive to even say Merry Christmas. It's ironic that even those who complain and file law suits to push Christianity out of the public square will take the day off and celebrate Christmas, ahhh... I mean holiday. I wonder what holiday it is that they celebrate?

Jesus' message and his life, death & resurrection gives us the opportunity to become children of God. Yes! Children of God! Imagine... we can be a kings kid. Jesus chose to give his life for us. Now we can choose to live for Him.

Hark the Herald Angels Sing Glory To The New Born King. Peace On Earth And Mercy Mild GOD and SINNER Reconciled.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

A Fellow Christian Sojourner and One More Disciple of the Christ, Jesus

OMD

The Candy Cane Story

The Candy Cane Story

Many years ago a candy maker wanted to make a candy at Christmas time that would serve as a witness to his Christian faith. He wanted to incorporate several symbols for the birth, ministry and death of Jesus.

He began with a stick of pure white hard candy; white to symbolize the Virgin Birth and thesinless nature of Jesus; hard to symbolize the solid rock, the foundation, of the Church; firmness to represent the promise of God.

The candy maker made the candy, in the form of a "J" to represent the name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. He thought it could also represent the staff of the Good Shepherd, with which He reaches down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who, like all sheep, have gone astray.

Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candy maker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received by which we are healed. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life.

Unfortunately, the candy became known as a candy cane - a meaningless decoration seen at Christmas time. But the true meaning is still there for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear.

We hope that this symbol will again he used to witness to the wonder of Jesus and his great lovethat came down at Christmas and remains the ultimate and dominate force in the universe today.

Author unknown