The Same Old Story

The Same Old Story

And the angel said unto them, fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a savior, which is Christ the Lord.  Luke 2:10-11

 

For thirteen years, I was very blessed with a wonderful boss!  He let me take my kids to the office and allowed me to set my own hours.  He kept my favorite drinks in the refrigerator and snacks in the pantry. Yes, we were a bit spoiled.  Don was an older gentleman and enjoyed talking about the good ol' days.  He had some very interesting and funny tales that he enjoyed sharing with me and my co-worker.  There were stories about some crazy clients, stories about his former business partner's daring adventures, and various others that were actually quite entertaining, but after many times of listening to them, they began to get a little old.  When he would begin to reminisce, I could quickly recognize that it was one of the same old stories!  Yet Don would still get a smile on his face and laugh like it was the first time he was telling it to me!

As we enter this special Christmas season, I'm reminded of a song called "The Same Old Story".  The Christmas story.  The reason for the season.  Luke chapter 2. Isaiah 9:6.  John 1:14.  Do we still get excited about this amazing Christmas story?  Have we heard it so many times that it doesn't mean as much as it once did?  It is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season, but let's be careful to remember the message of Christmas:  the virgin birth, God manifest in the flesh, the Messiah, shepherds, angels, the new star, Bethlehem, baby Jesus in a manger,  a Savior, Calvary, the tomb, the stone rolled away, the resurrection!  It's still the same old story, but one that never grows old!  Let's be ready and willing to share this story with others.  What a beautiful time for someone to find Jesus!    God's gift 2,000 years ago, still makes His children sing Joy to the World, the Lord is come!   Yes, it is the same old story - a grand, miraculous story, a life-changing story, one of hope, peace and love, everlasting,  a story that never grows old!

                                                         -Written By Sis. Marilyn Tibbs

 

The Master Builder's Plan

 The Master Builder’s Plan

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:  

I don’t know about you, but I have always liked stories by Mother Goose.  They seem to have a moral to them.  Take the three little pigs for instance.  They decided to go off on their own to seek their fortune out in the big world - doesn’t this sound familiar.  The first little pig decided to build a house of straw.  The second little pig built his house of sticks.  The third little pig built his house of bricks.  The first little pig should have known a house of straw wouldn’t protect him from any real danger.  Didn’t his parents teach him better?  I look back over the years and think of all the lessons I taught my children to prepare them for the future.  Either they listen and learn or they think they can figure it out by themselves.  The second little pig thought he was smarter than the first pig so he chose sticks for his building material.  He too had the idea the stick house would protect him.  Didn’t either of these two pigs think to ask their parents or someone who had experience in building houses for help?  Apparently not.  Now the third little pig had listened and learned from his parents a thing or two about surrounding himself with strong material for protection when life gets rough.  When the big bad wolf challenged the first pig to let him in, little piggy had no defense against all the huffing and puffing the wolf threw his way.  Our flimsy self-built fortresses based on our own plans and ideas leave us with no protection.  The same goes for the second little pig.  The third little pig (I like to imagine) went to a builder of homes, a builder with a great reputation of building houses that have withstood all the storms the world has to offer.  Using sturdy materials and building on a strong and lasting foundation.  Jesus has a way of telling us what is best for us, but do we always listen?  His plans are the blueprints we must follow to assure us we will be protected from all of the evil the devil can think of to try to destroy us.  We may be enticed by the devil to do things our own way.  To be our own boss, and not to listen to people who know better.  Sooner or later, our way will lead to trouble and destruction.  We never get too old to take advice from people who have wisdom from GOD to help us stay strong in the LORD.  By the way, GOD’s book, the Bible, is not a fairytale.  If the little pigs had a book to read, to teach them how to live and be protected, they may not have ended up the they did.  The old devil is alive and well and still trying to destroy everyone who thinks they don’t need the LORD to guide them.  The only way we can be strong and protected is to live by the Master Builder’s plan. 

 

Matthew 7:24-27  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:  (25)  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.  (26)  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:  (27)  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

-Written By Linda Tatman