I have a Bible passage to pray over you for this Christmas season. It is taken from a prophecy of the coming Messiah. It is a truth for today and promise for tomorrow.  

Arise, shine,   (name)   , for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.  (Isaiah 60:1-2)

I am committing to pray these verses with your specific name in mind, as far as I know it. I invite you to pray this for those you know. There is nothing magic in this prayer. It is simply the majesty of God at work through the hearts of His people. There is deep darkness all around us. Our God, who is Light, has brought His light to us through Jesus, whose birth we are celebrating. Embrace the Light within you.

Keep healthy. Pray mightily. Enjoy your life today. Your Light has come.  And let’s experience the love and power of God together.

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What are your Christmas traditions? We all have them, whether we call them traditions or not. They may revolve around cherished ornaments, special foods, or gift-giving. Our church has the tradition of observing Advent with the lighting of the weekly candles and scripture readings. We also have the tradition of our 6:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Candlelight Service with the observance of the Lord’s Supper. The Christmas Eve service includes carols and special songs, interspersed with Bible readings, and a reading of the Story from the Gospel of Luke. Following the Lord’s Supper there is the passing of the peace and light of Jesus. Another Christmas Eve tradition is the reception and the time to linger and enjoy the sweet fellowship, renewed friendships, and homemade goodies.

Christmas time is partly about being home with family and dear friends. The separation of miles and circumstances, heartbreak, or the loss of a loved one often turns this holiday season into a difficult time for many. When financial pressures, stressful relationships, and dreary days are added to the mix, darkness can blanket the soul.

You probably know someone who is quietly experiencing a sad or lonely Christmas this year. A Blue Christmas Service is the name given to a Christian time of prayer and reflection, usually held around the winter solstice, for those who have experienced grief and loss during the year. This year our Blue Christmas service will be Wednesday evening, December 17, at 6:30 p.m. following our community dinner. The Blue Christmas also acknowledges those who are separated from “home” at Christmas time, such as those in prisons, those in military service, missionaries, homeless, and the displaced immigrant neighbors. Join us, in person or in spirit, as we intercede for all who may be having a melancholy Christmas this year. In addition, our church will be providing dinner from 12 to 2 p.m. for anyone who would like to share a meal together on Christmas Day.

Keep healthy. Pray mightily. Enjoy your life today. Spread peace and light.  And let’s experience the love and power of God together

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If you were to ask our oldest grandson, Carter, to name his favorite restaurant, he would say, Raising Cane’s. He loves their chicken and their sauce, and their sweet tea too. His first job out of high school was at Raising Cane’s. When interviewing for the job, he sold the manager on the idea that Cane’s was the best chicken place anywhere, and don’t forget about the sweet tea. He still works as a part-time fill-in for them. Raising Cane’s advertises that they have one motto and one mission. Their motto is One Love. The one love is fried chicken. Their one mission is to serve the highest quality fried chicken possible. To that end they only serve chicken tenders and one set of sides, and of course, sweet tea.

Do you have a personal mission or motto? Creating a personal mission is not an easy task.  It involves knowing who you are, your place in God’s love, and the tug on your heart. It can become deep spiritual work, so most people do not attempt it. But if you are ready to take the next step of spiritual work, consider spending some time forming your own spiritual action plan. Your mission should be specific enough to stay on track, yet flexible enough to apply to most situations. It is best to keep it simple. The oldest personal mission statement I grew up hearing was this one: JOY—Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last. Other examples are: Be kind to everyone I meet and myself. Treat everyone with compassion and respect. Create new opportunities. Be a person of prayer. The one I created for myself years ago is: Be a blessing to God today, and for generations to come.

Jesus reminds us of the two-fold commandment, which is a great starting point for developing our mission: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind…And love your neighbor as yourself.  (Matthew 22:36-40). One Love. One Mission. 

Keep healthy. Pray mightily. Enjoy your life today. Live your love. And let’s experience the love and power of God together.

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I have spent the past few days trying to get things ready. It’s the change of the season—winter is coming. I have been winterizing the yard and the faucets, checking the plants and the bushes, checking the furnace, putting away the summer stuff, getting ready for cold and ice. Also rearranging the stuff. Do we really need all these things we have in the boxes? So many decisions wear me out. Christmas is coming, that means deciding about the Christmas decorations, outside as well as in. Are we ready to put up a Christmas tree? What does the Christmas gift list look like this year? Christmas cards, write a letter, or just skip it all together? I know of people who have been Christmas ready since Halloween. The Black Friday Sales seem to have started weeks ago. Our mailbox is filled with everything but personal mail. Anyone need some extra catalogs?

This Sunday marks the beginning of the Advent season, celebrating the promise of the coming of Christ into this world. Churches will echo with the biblical proclamation to Prepare the Way of the Lord, as foretold by prophets and proclaimed by John the Baptist. It is our call to pay attention to our God as He ushers in His Kingdom into the everydayness of our lives. It is not too hard to lose sight of the message of Christ at Christmastime because of all the busy-ness and materialism of the holidays. By the way, the word holidays is derived from the term holy days. Amid all the decisions to be made, the work to be done, and the money to be spent, Jesus is showing us a better way of living. The Kingdom of God perspective reminds us that Jesus never had a Christmas tree; His tree was a cross. Jesus never wrapped a Christmas present; His gift was the Word made flesh. Jesus never sang a Christmas carol or wished anyone a merry Christmas; His salutation was “follow me.” Jesus never signed a Christmas card; His love was written in red on a cross. When Jesus burst forth from the grave, He conquered sin and death itself. This is more than a Christmas story; it is love and life eternal, and a call to right relationships.

Keep healthy. Pray mightily. Enjoy your life today. Prepare the way of the Lord. And let’s experience the love and power of God together.

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I have a nice mid-sized telescope that our grandchildren have been curious about all their lives. I am missing a lens for the eyepiece. It is time to find a new lens and point it to the heavens for them to take a look. So much is happening in the night skies this fall and winter. Solar flares are creating nightly aurora borealis displays even into Oklahoma. Meteor showers are raining, and a mystery comet has social media debating if it is really alien technology or a scouting ship checking out our favorite planet. The deep space telescopes only see an out of focus fuzzy light emitting various chemical emissions that keep changing colors. Right now, 3I/ATLAS as it has been named, is near the sun and will be visible again about December 16. The name 3I/ATLAS is short for 3^rd confirmed Interstellar object discovered by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System. It is predicted to be closest to the earth on December 19 and projected to be off to another solar system in January 2026—unless it is an alien vessel dropping by to say, Greetings. Better images are anticipated.

Even though this object is from outside our solar system, it is not classified as a UFO, Unidentified Flying Object. The term UFO is no longer used by astronomers, although the rest of us have been waiting to see one for most of our lives. The new term is UAP, Unexplained Anomalous Phenomenon. UAP could also be a definition for a miracle or even divine intervention.

Would finding technology or life from another planet alter your view of God, His power, or His word? Would it cause you to question your theology of Jesus, or even abandon your faith? Science does not validate or invalidate God Almighty. God is, was and always will be God.  Discoveries in outer space simply give us additional insight into the wonder of God’s love. That is what God’s creation is all about.

Keep healthy. Pray mightily. Enjoy your life today. Keep looking up. And let’s experience the love and power of God together.

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A young squirrel showed up this past August. He is very curious about our church. The other day as I unlocked the north door, I saw him standing on his back legs at the opposite doors peeking like a little child into the central foyer. I have not named this squirrel. We need to see how he fares as the winter progresses. In 2014 I wrote about another church squirrel:

I called him Dauntless. It was a fitting name, I believe, for an intrepid squirrel that lives by our church. You may have noticed that busy squirrel as you attend church services. Dauntless lives in a nest tucked under an old eave that needs to be repaired. He apparently loves our church and is very attentive to all that goes on in and around the building. The brick work on our education building allows him to climb the sides of every wall, giving him the best views of possible danger, or a next meal. He loves to eat. Last winter he shared his nest with a friend.

Dauntless is always working, always vigilant, and always showing off for a crowd.  He is cautious, yet fearless around people. He loves to taunt the neighbors’ dogs. He spends time checking out the dumpster, nibbling on tasty church foliage, and waiting for the pecan trees to produce his favorite treat. Lately he has begun leaving an offering by the church door. First fruits, if you will. Mostly his offering is the remains of not quite ready pecans. But he is consistent. He has a couple of favorite doors, but he has never been inside the church. I’ve had to deal with a couple of squirrels trapped in the church over the years. They get way too stressed-out over lack of freedom, food and water to make good church squirrels. One day Dauntless will go the way of all squirrels, but until then he lives every day under the protection of the church—sheltered and nourished by the church. He is a faithful squirrel.

Keep healthy. Pray mightily. Enjoy your life today. Be dauntless in faith. And let’s experience the love and power of God together.

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In a book I read one day, two characters began discussing the concept of reincarnation. As their conversation grew deeper and more trustworthy, one reflected, Being born into this world of evil, suffering, disasters and war, only to be reborn into this same world of cruelty and death, over and over again and again, sounds like a definition of eternal hell rather than a finding of peace in the oneness of everything.  I thought it was a good point coming from a science fiction novel. Living in this world is living in a hell on earth for too many. Where do we find hope, or even a little peace?

There is much to enjoy here on earth. It is a spectacular place to explore. Look at the evening skies, finish a job well done, spend time with family and friends. Hold a newborn baby, laugh at a good joke, or remember your first love. Kiss a wound, wipe a friend’s tear, help carry a burden. Psalm 8’s question still resounds: when I consider your heavens and the work of your fingers … who are we that You are mindful of us?

The New England colonial pastor Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) observed: This world is all the hell that ever a true Christian is to endure, and it is all the heaven that unbelievers shall ever enjoy.  My definition of hell is living outside the presence of God Almighty.

We live in the agony of sin and corruption that manifests itself in daily disasters, both natural and man-made. It can overwhelm our sense of peace and hope in a God who saw that everything God made was good. In Romans 8:18-31, Paul addresses the groanings within us, even to that point of pain where we no longer know what to pray or even want to pray. He addresses the groanings of creation, comparable to labor pains, in the hope of a better future. He tells us of the groanings of God’s Holy Spirit on our behalf. He points to peace and hope as we face all that this world throws at us, real or imagined, demonic or angelic.  For nothing will separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Keep healthy. Pray mightily. Enjoy your life today. Jesus is our Hope. And let’s continue to experience the love and power of God together.

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On February 18, 2015, Dayna and I had lunch with the Tadas. I am grateful for Dayna’s assertive initiative to make it happen. During a lunch hosted by Joni and Friends for ministry partners, we saw Joni Eareckson and Ken sitting alone at a table for six. Dayna immediately went and sat down in front of Joni. I sat down next to my wife, sitting across from Ken. I was wondering if this was okay for us to do. When I finally nodded in gratitude, realizing how amazing this day was unfolding, I saw Ken graciously smile. He began speaking with me, and for the rest of the lunch, Joni conversing with Dayna and Ken conversing with me. In 2015 I had yet to need a wheelchair myself. That began in 2020 when I needed a wheelchair occasionally. By October 2022, I began needing a wheelchair all the time. Something else that drastically changed between 2015 and 2022 involves my understanding of how indispensable the weakest members of the Body of Christ are.

Prior to my own declining health, I hadn’t ever truly thought about the truth expressed in 1 Corinthians 12:21-22, The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘l don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘l don’t need you!’ On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable. On several occasions Joni Eareckson Tada mentions that this is why we can, even should, boast in our weaknesses from disabilities. However, I could not fathom how those who are so weak could ever be so indispensable. (l never considered Joni to be weak.) In the hospital, I kept apologizing to the nurses, and I would apologize to Dayna and to the kids. With nerve damage from multiple sclerosis, I saw myself as a burden. How could a burden serve as an indispensable member of the Kingdom of God? I kept crying out to God, How could this be? How could I possibly be indispensable? I need help now with everything. By the end of October 2022, and certainly by June 2023, when I came home from my next hospital visit, I realized I was completely dependent on the Lord. I could do nothing well in my own strength, which was a blessing in disguise. Trying to do things in our own strength will always be living by the flesh instead of by the Spirit. Joni has indicated that the biggest handicap goes to those who believe they’re strong enough to live for Jesus in their own strength.

As Joni has also said in the October 15, 2025, edition of Christianity Today, “God doesn’t like spinal cord injury. He takes no pleasure in multiple sclerosis or children born with spina bifida (or other forms of suffering.) He sees the mosaic. He sees how it all fits together into this incredible pattern for not only our good but the good of all those around us, and for his glory.”

 
Kevin Avery is our Missionary in Residence ministering daily on-line in Asia and African teaching and praying with persecuted pastors and special needs ministries.

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A benediction is a blessing and a closing prayer. It is a sending forth of the people of God back to their everyday lives with a sense of faith, joy and service. Some benedictions are found in the Bible: read Numbers 6:24-26, Psalm 121:7-8, 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13, or Hebrews 13:20-21. Last Sunday Dr. Deborah Saxon read this beautiful benediction at the conclusion of our morning worship. She is program director for an interfaith organization in Indianapolis, a professor of religion and an ordained Christian (Disciples of Christ) minister.  (She is also Dorothy’s niece and has the distinction of being the flower girl at our wedding.) This benediction is adapted from the 4^th Century Church.

May the Lord Christ

Walk ahead of you,

to prepare and plan your way.

Walk beside you, 

companion on your journey as you go.

Be under you, 

to support and sustain you when you fall—

for you and I will.

Walk behind you, 

to complete and finish what 

you must leave undone, unfinished.

Be within you, 

to give peace and comfort on the journey.

But above all, 

may the Lord Christ be over you, 

Watching, calling, guiding, challenging,

Now, and forever more!

Keep healthy. Pray mightily. Enjoy your life today. Jesus walks with us. And let’s experience the love and power of God together.

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Susie Hinton had a story to tell based on an incident that happened to a friend at school. She began to turn it into a novel, although she did get a D in creative writing that junior year. She persisted in her observations of high school life and the petty cliques that amplified the differences. She graduated from Tulsa’s Will Rogers High School in 1966. Published in 1967, that novel The Outsiders, continues to be a bestseller every year.  An interesting quote from the book highlights the gaps, the social barriers, between north and south Tulsa: “Can you see the sunset from the South side real good?” “Yeah, real good.” “You can see it from the North side too.”  Ponyboy Curtis and Cherry Valence.

This week the Tony Award winning Broadway musical, The Outsiders, began its national tour here in Tulsa. The cast is making visits to the high school to talk with students and to see where it all began. Most of us know what it is to be the outsider when everyone else seems to be an insider. Insiders have their own little rules, customs, and special words. It is always hard trying to fit in. Pretending to be an insider is nearly impossible. That is why most outsiders stay quiet while trying to decipher the insider norms. The book, the movie and the musical turn very dark in places because embarrassment and anger walk hand in hand. Insiders can embarrass themselves in their treatment of the outsider. Outsiders can embarrass themselves by trying too hard to be accepted. 

Visiting a church is often an insider-outsider experience. We have taught ourselves to scan the room, look for clues, and ask ourselves if there is anyone here that looks like me. Is there anyone one here who will bridge the gap? Outsiders seek belonging, understanding, and friendships. Insiders can become so accustomed to each other that they find no need to invite anyone else into their circle. I am reminded of the biblical caution, Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some have entertained angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2) 

Keep healthy. Pray mightily. Enjoy your life today.  Welcome in all the angels. And let’s experience the love and power of God together.

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