Christmas Miracles… all year long!

Well, it looks like we won’t be experiencing a white Christmas this year… although it’s definitely been cold enough to produce snow… if it were to rain!  But alas, we may have cloud cover, but them clouds have no moisture in them… which to my California temperature gauge, is a good thing!  I’m not sure if I’ll ever enjoy the snow for more than one day… for the entire winter season!

Fiver and I are slowly acclimating to our new home city and state and little things like knowing how to get to the grocery stores are finally becoming second nature to me.  I’ve been enjoying going to Kroger again like Piper and I used to do in North Carolina.  I still go to Walmart on occasion, but Kroger is closer and it reminds me of the Raley’s that we frequented back home in Santa Rosa.

Apartment living has taken some adjusting to… but it is nice to not have to think about repairs, leaking roofs and mowing lawns… even though I’ve always enjoyed the outdoor tasks.  Fiver and I have developed a daily walk schedule and are getting to know the various areas of the large and nicely landscaped apartment homes, complete with additional amenities like a workout room, swimming pool, a trash valet service and park-like picnic areas with gas BBQ’s, tables and mood lighting strategically placed throughout the gated community.

And now that we are in the midst of the Christmas season, there are many balconies and front porches (on the ground level apartments) that, like mine on the third floor, are adorned with holiday lights, festive decorated and lit trees, garland and some with inflatable seasonal Ho! Ho! Ho! Characters!

And speaking of Christmas… I couldn’t help but to notice as I have been revisiting and studying the Biblical Christmas story found in Luke chapters one and two, that our heavenly Father sure had MIRACLES on His mind as He sent His messenger angel Gabriel to the earth in order to introduce the world to His Good News plan of salvation.

It would seem that God desired to present the Gospel message and it’s coming Messenger… with the expectation of CREATIVE MIRACLES and then… when THE Messenger left to return to His rightful position in heaven, sitting at the right hand of God… some 33 years later… He specifically left the message of Good News in the hands of us Believers… with the expectation of CREATIVE MIRACLES coming through the words of THE Messenger that we would speak to the people around us in our individual lives, incorporating our families, neighborhoods, jobs, schools, the stores we frequent and anywhere else our daily adventures would lead us!

Following her life-changing, CREATIVE MIRACLE encounter with the words of God that the angel spoke, Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, who had previously received another life-changing CREATIVE MIRACLE with words of God that the angel had spoken to her.  As soon as she entered into her cousin’s home, Elizabeth, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit that had filled her,

“said in a loud voice, “You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child that you will have… And blessed is she that BELIEVED for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.”  (God’s Word © - KJV)

When you look at their experiences through the eyes of God’s plan for CREATIVE MIRACLES to be attached to His Word, it is easy to see how both Mary and Elizabeth were the predecessors to Jesus’ Great Commission as recorded at the end of Matthew 28 and Mark 16… and summarized in Mark 16:20 where Mark… from his first-hand experience, wrote what he saw back then and prophesized over the ever-growing church saying,

“And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with signs following. Amen.” (KJV)

Like Elizabeth spoke over Mary, Jesus made it clear (and confirmed by Mark in the verse above) that God’s CREATIVE MIRACLES (or signs) would “follow them that believe.” (Mark 16:17 -KJV) But please note that when Jesus spoke of “them that BELIEVE”, He was not just talking about any believer… but a believer that is actively BELIEVING in FAITH (as per Mark 11:24 and Hebrews 11:1)

So… with the celebration of Christmas occurring in just a few days, I would encourage all of us to look anew at the Biblical story of the coming of the Lord on that first Christmas… through the understanding and power of God’s CREATIVE MIRACLES that are present in His Words that we can speak into a world that desperately needs some!

Remember that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”  (Hebrews 13:8 – KJV) AND… if He was expectant of His CREATIVE MIRACLES changing the world back then… then, as the verse states… He is still expecting it today… and they occur when WE speak out HIS Word in Faith and expect a miracle!