**For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. – Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)**
Imagine what it would have been like to be Mary. You’re a young innocent teenager. You’re engaged to be married to Joseph, your high school sweetheart. The wedding plans are underway because your mother’s in charge. You stay up late with your sisters giggling with joy as you dream aloud. You can’t wait for your life with Joseph to begin.
Then the angel Gabriel shows up and, boom, all your dreams are dashed. Even the wedding date is changed. His presence overwhelms you with fear. Your heart beats fast. Your mind races with thoughts such as, “How did he get here? What does he want? Is this a dream? I never asked for an angel. Help me, God!”
After hearing Gabriel’s words, “Greetings favored woman! The Lord is with you.” You slowly catch your breath. Your eyes lock in on this divine being standing before you. All your senses awaken to take in every detail with delight. This is a night you will never forget. You lean in and listen intently to God’s plans. Gabriel explains, “You, Mary will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.” (Luke 1:31-33)
You shake your head, not in disbelief, but in awe and wonder. How can you conceive a child when you’re still a virgin? A promise you made, a vow you’ve kept. Boldly you ask the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” (Luke 1:34) You breathe a sigh of relief. That wasn’t as awkward as you thought it might be.
Gabriel doesn’t flinch. He knows the impossible is possible with God. He’s seen it throughout the ages. God can make a way, even in the darkest night. It’s time to tell Mary how she will become the mother of the long awaited Messiah. He hopes she will believe God’s truth, “Mary, the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35)
Without hesitation or a hint of insecurity, you except your divine calling with a simple sentence spoken, “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) That’s enough for the angel to count his mission complete. He leaves immediately. You are left alone with only your thoughts. What are you thinking? How are you feeling?
I imagine Mary replaying the magnificent scene a million times in her mind. I wish I could’ve sat with her than night. I would have put a loving arm around her and made her confidence soar from a two thousand year perspective. Here are a few insights I’d share.
Mary did you know?
Your son’s birth announcement reads, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
Mary did you know?
The birth of your baby was proclaimed in the night sky by a heavenly host of angels. Their anthem of praise sang, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, peace on earth.” Lowly shepherds keeping watch over their flocks at night were the first to hear the good news of great joy for all people. (Luke 2:8-15)
Mary did you know?
The birth of your son split history in two. Time before his birth is marked as BC (before Christ) and time after his death is marked as AD (after death). Calendars in every continent and country keep track of history according to Jesus’ lifespan. Every person born on earth celebrates their birthday on a particular day marked in history on God’s timeline.
Mary did you know?
When your son walked the earth, He turned the world upside down. He blessed the poor, not the rich. He loved the children, and called the “least of these” close. He healed the blind, the lame, and the sick. He saved the sinners, the outcasts, and the forgotten. He forgave the shameful, lustful, and wayward sons and daughters. He invited all people, Jews and Gentiles alike to become family. He even included women and lifted them higher than any time in history.
Mary did you know?
Your son changed the world not by force or by fighting, but by His faithful love. His love is pure, holy, and powerful enough to redeem every soul. His love moves mountains, heals hearts, and calls all children home to God, where they belong.
Mary did you know?
Your son inspired multitudes of people in history and created movements that are still going two thousand years later. Here are just a few…
JESUS INSPIRED…
• Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel.
• Johann Sebastian Bach to compose Jesus, Joy of Man’s Desire.
• Leonardo Davinci to create the Last Supper.
• Rembrandt to draw the Return of the Prodigal Son
JESUS INSPIRED…
• Victor Hugo to pin the novel, Les Miserables.
• John Newton to quit the slave trade and write the beautiful poem, Amazing Grace.
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer to save souls for Christ in prison and record wisdom from heaven.
JESUS INSPIRED…
• Harriet Tubman to lead thirteen freedom missions along the Underground Railroad.
• Abraham Lincoln to stand up for all people and outlaw slavery.
• Mother Teresa to give her life for the poor, sick, and marginalized.
• Martin Luther King, Jr. to pastor and passionately lead the Civil Rights Movement.
Mary did you know?
People who believed in your Son started the first colleges in the world. Colleges like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Princeton, and Yale were founded by people who followed Jesus’ teaching to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. (Mark 12:30)
Mary did you know?
Followers of Jesus built the first hospitals to care for the sick, created the first orphanages to love the little children, and started the first charity organizations such as the Red Cross and the Salvation Army to take care of the poor.
Lastly, Mary did you know?
You will be remembered in every generation as a blessed woman of God. You will be called the mother of the Savior of the world, who was and is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Your faithful words and song of praise will be read in churches every Christmas for thousands of years.
If Mary had only known what we know today, I believe her fears would have been calmed and her confidence would have soared. Shouldn’t ours do the same as we prepare for Christmas during this advent season?
We know the magnificent impact one child born in a manger
had in history and in our hearts.
Instead of shying away from sharing what we know about Jesus, let’s be bold and proclaim the wonderful things He has done. Let’s tell others how incredible it is to personally know the baby who grew in wisdom and understanding. Let’s praise the One who saves souls, loves the lost, and calls all God’s children home for Christmas.
**3 O’CLOCK CIRCLES**
I hope you’ll share these Christmas questions in a circle with a few others.
1. Step into Mary’s shoes. What questions would have been going through your mind after the angel Gabriel left?
2. If you could have sat with Mary in hopes to calm her fears and build her confidence, what would you tell her about Jesus?
3. During this Christmas season, ponder all the many miracles surrounding Jesus’ birth. Which ones move your heart and mind closer to God?
**The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!**
**Thank You for Being A Part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call Movement**
Mary, Did You Know?
December 5, 2019
Comparison is Crap!
August 14, 2020
“Where do you live? What do you do for work? Where do your kids go to school?” We live in a culture that’s quick to rank the room: who’s the smartest, the prettiest, richest? It’s been said that comparison is a trap. But I’ll just go ahead and say that comparison is crap! Why? Because it has the power to take our minds to places we don’t want to go. Spiraling toxic thoughts can lead us to envy, judgement, and even self-loathing which makes a mess of our minds. But wait, there is hope! There are two pathways we can take to get away from comparison. The more you take them, the more accessible they become. This week we shift lanes and stop comparing ourselves with others. 3 Challenges For You: #1. Every time your mind driving down the comparison lane, think… COMPARISON IS CRAP! (Yes, it is theologically correct.) #2. To veer out of the Comparison Lane, move into Gratitude Lane by counting your blessing. Start little by looking around you. Thank God for gifts you can see. Then look within you and give God thanks for your most precious gifts; the ones that don’t have a price tag like family, friends, and faith. #3. Pick one person to intentionally love and serve this week. Ask yourself, who needs help or encouragement? Then make a plan. Lastly and most importantly, put your plan in motion. That’s how others will know you’re a Christian. Not by what you have….but how you LOVE. After you do these three things, share your outcomes with a few friends.
Feelin' Stuck? Coronavirus Quarantine Tips
April 15, 2020 • Laura Busse
We’re halfway through the month of April, sheltering at home during this COVID-19 crisis. Are you feeling stuck yet? I don’t know what’s worse, being stuck at home, day after day, or going shopping and having to obey all the rules. At Target, I rounded the corner with my cart and accidently got too close to a woman crossing in front of me. Before I could apologize, she growled at me. No joke, she actually growled, as in “Grrrrrr.” At the grocery store, I didn’t see the arrows on the ground and went the wrong way in the Easter aisle. Right when I reached for the Cadbury eggs, a clerk shouted, “You went the wrong way! Go back and follow the arrows.” Like a shamed schoolgirl, I retreated with my head hung low. Maybe you haven’t been yelled at in the grocery store, but I bet you’ve experienced an increase in conflict since being stuck with the same people, animals, or neighbors all week long. This is a perfect time to begin or remind ourselves of a practical, holy habit that can help us during our time of quarantine. HOLY HABIT – A simple, repetitive practice that connects you to God and grows you closer to Him. Holy Habits can be a lifesaver during difficult times. Two weeks ago we focused on the power of gratitude to God every day at 3:00p.m. If you missed it, please go back and read or listen to it soon. Today I want to introduce another Holy Habit – Pray Today! When you think of prayer do you think of the Lord’s prayer, “Our Father, who art in heaven…”? Or do you remember kneeling by your bed as a young child, innocently speaking “Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep…”? No matter what you’ve learned about prayer in the past, I want to stretch your thinking and connect prayer to your real life’s everyday challenges. Instead of thinking about a specific prayer you might have memorized, I want you to think of prayer as simply talking to God. Anytime, anywhere, about anything. Conversational prayer with God has the power to save us from all kinds of destruction, especially now, as we’re stuck in close proximity with the some people and kept at a distance from others. By way of example, I’m going to share with you how it saved me last week: WATCH THIS VIDEO During this COVID -19 crisis, let’s rely on the Holy Spirit’s purifying power. His spring of new beginnings never runs out. No matter what toxic thoughts have tainted your mind, your heart, and the people around you, it’s never too late to pour out your prayers of forgiveness and praise. When you do, no matter what time of day it is, His mercies will be new in that moment, and every morning. 3 O’CLOCK CIRCLES Here are 3 questions you can think about and share with others in your home, on the phone, or online. 1. What triggers your mind to go down a dark path? What negative thoughts have too much control over you? 2. Who could be hurt by your toxic thinking? How can you guard your heart during these days of quarantine? 3. Faith Challenge: Go to God and pray today. Talk to Him about your struggles, challenges, and heartaches. Pour out all the darkness in prayer and allow the Holy Spirit to purify your thoughts. The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World! Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call Movement
What Habit Has Hold of You?
April 1, 2020
**“It’s always your favorite sins that will do you in.” – Kenny Chesney** As the coronavirus closes schools, businesses, churches, and outdoor parks, it’s sometimes feels like the walls are closing in around us. To get out of the house blow off some steam, my husband Dan jumped on his mountain bike. Out on a deserted dirt road, Dan ran into a neighbor taking his young daughter for a joy ride on an ATV four-wheeler. The two stopped to check in on each other’s families and sanity. Our neighbor confessed, “I’m out of work, but life at home isn’t so bad. I play games with my daughter… and start drinking at noon.” I’ll be honest, when I heard about their conversation my first thoughts were filled with judgment and pride. I’d never start drinking in the middle of the day. I bet his wife is about to lose her mind. Then the gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit turned the focus on to me and revealed a new truth: Since being stuck at home, I too am drinking more than usual. In that moment, Kenny Chesney’s lyrics popped into my head. “It’s always your favorite sins, that will do you in.” Quarantined at home, every night feels like Saturday night. As soon as I pull out the pots and pans to make dinner, I get hit with a craving for a glass of red wine. What is it with women and wine? After attending countless social events, I’ve come to think women and wine have an unique attraction to one another. Maybe it’s our excuse to get together, relax, reduce stress, or escape the hurtful voices in our minds. Whatever the reason we reach for a drink, I’m guessing happy hour is on the rise during this COVID-19 crisis. Wine might not have a hold on you. If it does, I am by no means throwing stones. But think for a moment. What habit right now is trying to take more and more control over you as the walls of quarantine are closing in? What do you have a tendency to do too much? Are you eating too much, worrying too much, shopping online too much, criticizing too much, gossiping too much, watching toxic trash too much? There’s got to be something. Be honest. What is it? Over the next few weeks, we’re going to discover how habits create patterns in our lives that change who we are and can predict our future. Before we begin, here is the definition of a habit. “A habit is a routine or behavior that is performed regularly – and in many cases, automatically.” – James Clear, Atomic Habits God has known forever what scientists are now publishing with confidence. Proverbs 23:7 reminds us that as we think, we become. I’ve come to realize that when cravings become habits, our habits lead us down the path of who we’ll become. Do you want this time of isolation and quarantine to dictate your future? It’s not too late to take inventory of what’s taking too much control over you. The most powerful habit that has changed everything in my life, is the daily practice of thanking God every day at 3:00 p.m. – the exact hour Jesus died on the cross for the world. No matter what chaos I’m living in, what crazy thoughts are running through my mind, I stop and give God thanks for something, even if it’s just a few seconds of peace. One moment of gratitude shifts my heart and mind into alignment with Jesus’ and sends me down a much better path for the rest of the day. Scripture shows us that Jesus modeled giving thanks to God at all times. He thanked God before He multiplying five fish and two loaves of bread to feed 5,000 people (Matthew 14:13-21). He thanked God before calling Lazarus from the grave ( John 11:38-44). And He even thanked God during the Last Supper, knowing His own death was imminent (Matthew 26:26-30). Let’s start or remind ourselves why giving thanks to God is a HOLY HABIT that can change everything during a time of crisis. **ONE POWERFUL MOMENT OF GRATITUDE TO GOD CAN…** • Release you from unstoppable stress or worry. • Reset your mind to God’s goodness and grace. • Remind you of what’s most important in your life. Give it a try. Set an alarm on your watch or phone for 3:00 p.m. or download our free app and we’ll start the habit for you. https://www.3oclockwakeup.com/ Every day, you will be reminded to give thanks to God and live your best life in the midst of this crisis. When the walls start closing in, let’s reach for God instead of whatever the enemy would love for you to reach for. Giving thanks to God is the first Holy Habit, the first step to win, against our favorite sins that could do us in. **3 O’CLOCK CIRCLES** Here are 3 questions you can think about and share with others in your home, on the phone, or online. 1. Give Thanks – Write down 5, 10, or even 50 people, places, or things you are thankful to God for. 2. Give Thought - What is a favorite sin that has the power to do you in? Confess this to yourself, God, and someone you trust who loves you. 3. Give Time – Read how Jesus modeled giving thanks in your Bible. Here are the three key passages mentioned above: Matthew 14:13-21, John 11:38-44, and Matthew 26:26-30. What can you learn from Jesus as He lived out the holy habit of giving thanks to God? **The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!** **Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Call Movement**