Following a Star and Finding a Shack

Dec. 25, 2013

Merry Christmas to all!
We spent last night with our son and his family celebrating our Savior's birth and enjoying all the things He has provided. I spent the afternoon baking and cooking. My husband wanted oven baked chicken instead of the traditional turkey or ham and deviled eggs. He fried potatoes and made white gravy. We had homemade rolls that my granddaughter had jelly on. Baked beans and cream style corn was for my son. I didn't forget the cranberry sauce in Mom's dish that is traditional. My daughter in law baked a wonderful apple pie. I don't need a turkey in order to be stuffed.
I miss our daughter and her family at this time of year. We will speak to them later. My brother in law and his wife are coming today for lunch. I think we will have left overs. I am tired of the kitchen.
However, I am going to bake his favorite, raisin pie. (Hubby's pecan pie is thawing out.)
Well, that's it from the farm on this country road.

Wait, I have to share some notes from my husband's sermon last Sunday, with Matthew 2:1-12 is the Scripture background:

1. Wise men recognize God in the shacks of life.

•  It wasn't what they had expected, but they came to worship and worship they did! They saw God in that shack! They saw God in Jesus!
• when life shatters your dreams, your first duty is to find the Lord. If you are His, then nothing can happen in your life that He has not allowed (Job 1:1-2).
• When your star leads you into a shack, remember that God is doing one of three things:          

           1. Correction (Heb. 12:6
           2. Instruction (Rom 8:28; John 6)
           3. Perfection-He is still trying to mold you into His image.

• When your star leads to a shack-Look for God, He will be there!

2. Wise men render gifts in the shacks of life.

• It would have been easy for these men to have turned around, packed up all they had and went home. It hadn't turned out like they had planned. But, they didn't! They gave Jesus what was rightfully His!
• When your star leads you to a shack, that is the time to give! (Mal. 3:8-10; Luke 6:38)
• The surest way to get a blessing is to be a blessing! (Matt. 25:14-30).

3. Wise men receive grace in the shacks of life.

• While they were there, they experienced two kinds of grace: saving grace and sustaining grace. God saved them and then He directed their lives.
• When our star leads to a shack, we can expect to find God's grace in that hour of need (2Cor. 12:9). Life is seldom fair, nor what we think it ought to be. but, even when life lets us down, we can be sure that God never will! (Heb. 13:5, 4:15, 2:17-18)
• When our star leads to a shack, we can expect God to provide leadership and guidance for us (John 16:13).
• As God's children, we are never alone and never without recourse. He will always make a way for us and will support us through the shacks of life!

Have you ever been following a star and would up in a shack, surrounded by the debris of your shattered hopes and dreams? Maybe you are there right now. If so, let me tell you that Jesus is still in your shack. He is working on your behalf and is concerned about your need. Why don't you do what the wise men did, fall down before Him and worship Him.
[Resource: sermonnotebook.org]

I want to be like the wise men and recognize God in my shacks of life. I want to render myself as a gift to Him and others. I am thankful for the saving and sustaining grace which He has shown to me.

Friends, have the best Merry Christmas today!
I love you faithful bloggers and I am so blessed for having you join me studying the Bible.

Let's share the love of Jesus today!

Merry Christmas Friends and Believers in Christ!

Linda