We just wanted to take this opportunity to say “Happy New Year!!!” From all of us here at the Oakseed Ministries Office and from all our ministry partners around the world. There are exciting things happening this upcoming year, but we wanted to take this time to thank you for all your prayers and support over this past year.
Archive for December, 2006
“And Mary said: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.’” - – Luke 1:46:48a
God came to dwell in Mary in the person of His son, Jesus. Mary responds with praise and adoration, that she of such humble position would receive such a great blessing. Mary understands that the honor she has received is to be a servant of the Lord [Luke 1: 38].
The good news of Christmas is that God has come in the humble position of a baby. “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us”[Matthew 2:22-23].
The good news of Christmas is that God has come to dwell in us. “In him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit”[Ephesians 2:22].
The good news of Christmas is that God has come to remove the barrier of sin and death which separates man from eternal life with God.
“Through the heartfelt mercies of our God, God’s Sunrise will break in upon us, Shining on those in the darkness, those sitting in the shadow of death, Then showing us the way, one foot at a time, down the path of peace” – [Luke 1:78-79 The Message]
Categories : Upper Loft Meditation
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Most of us, most of the time, feel left out. We feel like we’re misfits. We feel like we’re not on the inside or that we don’t belong. Other people always seem to be so confident. These other people seem to be so sure of themselves. They appear to know the ropes as only an insider would know. For the past 15 years, there has been a group that has been excluded from “the group”. They have been left out and forced to watch from the outside. On New Year’s Day, this is all going to change. On Colorado Boulevard in Southern California during this year’s Rose Parade, Llamas from many walks of life will be able to proudly hold their heads high as they make their long awaited debut. Luke (the biblical author), was one of the most vigorous champions of the “outsider”. He constantly showed how Jesus included those who typically were treated as outsiders by the religious establishment of the day: women, common laborers (sheepherders), the racially different (Samaritans), and the poor. As Luke tells the story, all of us who have found ourselves on the outside looking in on life with no hope of gaining entrance now find the doors wide open, found and welcomed by God in Jesus. Since 1992, Oakseed Ministries has been walking in the light that Luke talks about, the light that focuses on the open door that Jesus brings to the poor and the “outsiders” of the world. While the world may stand up on New Year’s day and applaud the inclusion of the llamas in the Rose Parade,MISIUR has been providing llamas for many years to the poor of Peru. The llamas are given on loan to a poor family who can pay back the loan through the sale of wool. On this Christmas, you can give a llama as a gift. If you haven’t had the opportunity to look through the Bazaar Catalog, I’d encourage you to give a gift this Christmas that meets a real need, that offers hope and reflects Christ’s mercy.
Categories : Benjamin's Blog
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“May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13
Christmas is a time of joy and peace, not because it is a holiday, but because it marks the birth of Jesus. In the Old Testament we read of a promised Savior who will save people from their sin and its penalty of eternal death. The merriment of the shepherds was a response to the angelic announcement, “He has come.”
Christmas is a time of great celebration. In the midst of our own misery, pain, and crisis there is hope because Christ the Lord has come. Our lives are to be filled with this hope because God can be trusted. He is faithful to his promises.
What does hope mean to you today? Does it give you joy that is felt in your heart and seen on your face? Does it filter and challenge the abrasive negativism of our world that clouds the blessing of God’s good gifts to you? Does it comfort you in your trials and pain? Does it give you peace and contentment for the present and for what is yet to come?
The Holy Spirit works in you to give you the fruit of such hope so that your answer to the four questions above is “Yes and even more so!” Joy to the world, the Lord has come!
Categories : Upper Loft Meditation
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“Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander or every kind.” – 1 Peter 2:1
Turn down the music! Not now, maybe later! We all live with interruptions that we try to control in one way or another. Did you know there are spiritual intruders that interfere with your hearing and understanding of God’s Word?
“Therefore” refers to the previous verses that set forth the supreme importance of God’s word in all facets of life for this world and the world to come. Therefore, get rid of all intrusive factors that steal away the blessings of this rich resource.
Peter mentions five intrusions. Malice is the need to see others suffer and deceit is to intentionally mislead others. Hypocrisy is pretending to be what you are not to others, envy is a grudging desire to have what others have, and slander is an abusive verbal attack to damage others.
All of these offenses against another are the opposite of “love one another deeply, from the heart” [1:22]. It is like mud on the windshield of your car. You can see, but not very clearly.
Our attitude towards others is a big factor in our receptivity to God’s Word. Get rid of these muddy intrusions and you will hear God’s Word with greater clarity and see a lot better His path before you.
Categories : Upper Loft Meditation
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