For to Us - Advent Reading 1 Love

This is the first advent reading that went along with the For Unto Us 2016 Christmas Prayer Loft at the Gathering House Covenant Church in Spokane Washington. 

Love 

by Margot Cioccio 

For to us 

a child is born, to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

We've all heard these words from Isaiah 9:6-7 before. You may also recognize them from Handel’s Messiah. It is a massive 259 page score, with a quarter of a million notes that he completed in 24 days. I believe that he was “God” inspired to write at such a pace. He would have had to average more than 15 notes a minute, yet his handwritten score has very few mistakes. It is as if he was hearing something from the spiritual realm and capturing it for us on earth. 

My intent is not to talk about Handle, but to reflect on Advent. The order of the candles will be a little scrambled this year on purpose to go along with Isaiah 9:6-7 passage featured in our prayer loft. The advent wreath is thought to be a teaching tool created by Martin Luther. I can’t completely confirm this but the advent wreath in its present form started in Germany as a Lutheran family custom. The first topic is supposed to be hope, then love, then joy, and finally peace. I want to turn it and view the advent season from heaven’s perspective rather than from that of mankind. I hope you will indulge me. Each of these readings goes along with things found in our prayer loft and you are welcome to enjoy them in any order as well. 

Today we start with love, the great love of God for creation. It is from the amazing depths of love that God not only gave us free will but had a plan already laid out to redeem us from the pit we all find ourselves in when we reject His ways and go it on our own.  I want to read you this same Isaiah passage of scripture from a translation called the voice.  “Hope of all hopes, dream of our dreams, a child is born, sweet-breathed; a son is given to us: a living gift. And even now, with tiny features and dewy hair, He is great. The power of leadership, and the weight of authority, will rest on His shoulders.”

We have been given a living gift and if we make room for it, it will transform not only our own lives but the world around us. We celebrate Jesus as a baby in the manger and maybe your Christian walk has gotten stuck there. This morning I want to remind you that Jesus is not a baby in a manger any more. When he ascended into heaven to be seated at the right hand of the Father, God Almighty he sent us the Holy Spirit, to be our teacher, counselor and comforter. He didn’t leave us here as spiritual paupers but left us to be priests, kings and prophets. We are at very least to be people who influence others. Daniel 11:32 say …”the people who know their God shall be strong, and do great exploits.”  In John 14:12 “Jesus say to us, Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” We have been given kingdom authority and access t kingdom resources to make a kingdom difference. If you stop for a moment and look at the wonder and detail of creation or pause to think about the vast number of stars in the night sky, it is clear that our God in his love is infinitely creative. Romans 8:19 For all of creation is waiting, yearning for the time when the children of God will be revealed.” I have read that verse and perhaps you have too and thought some day in the far flung future God will set things right. Well…That day was the day Jesus was born. Creation is not waiting for God to do something but for his children to wake up to who they are called to be in him. For every problem in our world, God has an answer and perhaps if we would wake up, we might begin to walk as people of his love with influence and creative solutions.  

For unto us…God has given a living gift not a memorial statue found in a nativity scene. While we look at these verses and go through the holidays we can simply get all warm and nostalgic or we might turn on the light bulb to the truth to what happened that day and realize that gift was given to you and me and we might wake up and begin to be transformed by the magnitude of it. 

As we light this first candle of love,  let us remember that one of the very first teachings that Jesus shared was that we are the light of the world. We are the earthen vessels through which His love is poured out. Habakukkuk 2:14 says  “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.”

Lord, wake us up from our slumber to walk in all that you have provided and intended for us. Wake us up and help us to be living reflections of your love until it fills the earth for your glory.

Love One Another

A Devotional by Margot Cioccio

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““A new command I give you: Love one another.
As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
By this all men will know that you are my disciples,
if you love one another.”” John 13:34-35 NIV1984

 Today is Valentines day, a day to do nice things for the person and people you love. Kids will make cards and some spent the previous week making elaborate valentine mail boxes to collect cards from their friends. I know of one adult friend who currently does not have a special significant someone in their life and rather than be all dejected about it she has made it Valentines month and has invited her students to make and bring Valentines to grace the wall of her studio.  At my house its not too big of a deal my boys are beyond the valentine mailbox and partly stage and not really all that interested in "girl friends" although they have friends who are girls. My husband and I went out to dinner a few nights ago since I thought he would be having to work today. 

For some folks today will be a difficult day. It will be a reminder of a relationships that have not worked out, or a loved one who has passed away. For some there is no one who will be their valentine and they will feel lonely and un-loved. I guess my challenge for us is in todays verse. We are commanded to Love one another as Christ has loved us. Take a minute to think about how He loved us. He loved us enough to leave heaven and come into our world in a ordinary and humble way as a baby.  I am including the poem One Solitary Lift by Dr. James Allen that talks about the life of Jesus and the impact it has had on the
.

He was born in an obscure village
The child of a peasant woman
He grew up in another obscure village
Where he worked in a carpenter shop
Until he was thirty

He never wrote a book
He never held an office
He never went to college
He never visited a big city
He never travelled more than two hundred miles
From the place where he was born
He did none of the things
Usually associated with greatness
He had no credentials but himself

He was only thirty three

His friends ran away
One of them denied him
He was turned over to his enemies
And went through the mockery of a trial
He was nailed to a cross between two thieves
While dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing
The only property he had on earth

When he was dead
He was laid in a borrowed grave
Through the pity of a friend

Nineteen centuries have come and gone
And today Jesus is the central figure of the human race
And the leader of mankind's progress
All the armies that have ever marched
All the navies that have ever sailed
All the parliaments that have ever sat
All the kings that ever reigned put together
Have not affected the life of mankind on earth
As powerfully as that one solitary life

Dr James Allan © 1926. 

  I hope as you go thorough your day that you will take the time to allow the Holy Spirit to lead you to see beyond yourself to those around you who may need to be shown that someone cares, that they are not alone, and not forgotten. Jesus loves them He would use you and I to touch them with His love.  Jesus looked beyond the pain and suffering of the cross to a time when He could see you and I back in a right relationship with God - he endured for our sake. Hebrews 12:1- 3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 

Will people around you know that you are a disciple of Jesus by your love?  I am reminded by a quote by Steve Sjogren to has modeled to the church the power of kindness to change the world. He says "Small things done with great love can change the world." He wrote a great book called the Conspiracy of Kindness in which he tells the story of how he came to be a pastor of a small and not very friendly church in Cincinnati Ohio. They began doing small things like giving away cokes on a hot day, cleaning bathrooms of business establishments, doing block parties in low income areas. They came up with hundreds of little kind things to do to show the love of Jesus in tangible ways to a world that did not know him. His church grew from a small handfull to 7,500 people who's lives had been touched this way and saw a noble cause that they could easily find a place that they too could make a difference.  When I lived in Ohio, I had the opportunity to meet Steve and his church. I was able to attend at the time one of their Servant Evangelism Training Conferences helping other churches learn how to make a difference through kindness outreaches in their cities.  

I am always reminded of Proverbs 18:16 "A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great." Look around and see who around you could use a kind word, or a smile, maybe you buy someone a coffee, or pay for the next person in the drive thorough's lunch. Maybe you send a note to a friend to remind them you care. There are thousands of little things that you could do today and everyday to show the Love of Jesus to others. I'd love to hear in the comments the things you have done or are doing to show others the kindess of Jesus. Did you know in Romans 2:4 it says, "Or do you think so little of the riches of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, not realizing that it is God's kindness that is leading you to repent?  It is kindness that softens our hard hearts and causes us to begin to see that we need to change.  

Prayer:

Dear Lord,  I pray that those reading this will make a difference in the lives of those around them. That the great love of Jesus will shine through their lifes. That they would be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and would not be blind to the needs of people around them. I pray that they would be a blessing today and everyday.

The Only Thing That Counts

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The Only Thing That Counts  
A Devotional by Margot Cioccio

Galatians 4:6b (NIV)
“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”

In context this verse is in a discussion about circumcision. There were people in the early church who wanted to incorporate the Jewish law and the practice of circumcision into the lives of Christians. Paul is quite clear that in Christ circumcision has no value. What counts is faith expressing itself through love. So lets take a moment to look at where and how faith is expressing itself through love in our own lives.
If that’s what counts - how are we doing?

It is easy to think that by some religious act or sacrifice we can make ourself worthy of God’s acceptance. If we could just be good enough or Holy enough God would add some points in our favor. Because we are not as bad as that guy, so maybe we have a chance. I am happy to say it just does not work like that. We are never good enough. We might as well try and swim across the ocean.  Some might get farther than others but no one will make it on their own strength or efforts.

This section is pretty clear that religious acts like circumcision are not what makes you right, or worthy. If I believe that God has accepted me, because of what Jesus has done then my faith should begin to express itself in love for the one who has accepted me. No longer is the barriers of shame and guilt there to block my access to be with the one who loves and accepts me. No longer are the barriers of pride and self-sufficiency blocking the way to the one who loves me with out condition. He loves it when we realize how much we need Him. He calls us to come to him not based upon our own worthiness but by the way made by Jesus Christ.

Faith expressing itself through love shows up in many areas. For example if I really believe prayer makes a difference - I will pray. By faith I will express my love for others by praying and believing that prayer for them somehow makes a difference. If I have faith to believe that God works all things out for the good of those who love Him and are called according to his purposes. I will express my faith through patience and trust that good is working even when circumstances may shout loudly that God has forgotten. If I really believe that He loves me as broken and sinful as I am by faith I will begin to express my love for him in thankfulness and in finding time to be with Him and know Him more.
We have to stop trying to gain Gods favor by our efforts or our good behavior and accept that he already loves us what He is looking for from us is faith that what Jesus did is enough and that we express that faith in how we love God and love others. As we spend time with Him his love fills us more and more and that love flows through out life into the lives of others. We are his hands and feet.
The only Bible that most people will ever read - just might be you.

Things to Ponder:
So how are you doing with faith expressing itself through love?
Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Help me accept what Jesus has done for me and to realize that there is nothing I can do to earn your favor, acceptance or approval. Help me to express my faith through love today.

The Great Love of God

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The Great 
Love of God
A Devotional by Margot Cioccio






John 15:2
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

I try to be led by the Holy Spirit when I am writing and I try to communicate the Father’s heart of love for you dear reader. That if he in his great wisdom could come up with a way to fix the brokenness caused by Adam and Eve in the garden, He can set right the things in your life as well. He drove them out of the garden not because he was mad but because he loved them and wanted to protect them from eating of the tree of life. If they had done that they would have been lost forever. God in his mercy sent them out from the Garden and then began to work a plan in which justice could be satisfied and the broken people he loved could be redeemed. Justice and mercy are both satisfied by Jesus being willing to go to the cross. No one took his life he laid it down and made a way that we could be right with God.

To try and get to God on your own strength is like trying to swim from Alaska to Hawaii. There is no one who is good enough. Jesus has made a way but He won’t force us to choose it.  Did you know there was only one rule in the Garden and that rule existed so love could exist. God from the very beginning gave us a choice to love him by doing things his way.  It is His great love and kindness that leads us to repentance.  He does not ask of us more than, that out of thankfulness we would give Him our life and allow Him to guide and direct it and allow Him to sit on the throne of our heart.

I’m not sure why I am sharing the very basics of faith with you. Maybe you have believed but have looked at God from the wrong angle and see him as one who stands and shakes his finger of wrath at you, ready to squash you like a bug for the things you have messed up.
We all mess up but I believe He stands there with arms of love and tears in his eyes saying “look I have a better way, won’t you let me help you, won’t you let me heal you, let me remove these filthy rags and wash you. Let me set things right for you.”

Things to Ponder:
How do you see God? Full of Love or full of Wrath?
Ask the Lord to help you see His great love beyond what you have experienced to date.

Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Help me to not resist you. Although you must prune what is dead or damaged in my life. I trust that you will also coat those places with your healing ointment.  Cause there to soon be new and healthy growth coming forth in my life. I know that it is your love that wields the knife that prunes away the dead and damaged parts not your wrath. I choose to trust you and to allow you to prune my life.
Thank you for loving me in this way.