MAC KIRK

The Wise men ( magi) followed the Star, Matthew 2:1-12. How do we know where /what God is leading us to? J. I. Packer in his wonderful book, " Knowing God" has a good chapter on this subject, chapter 20, " Thou Our Guide". Here is some of what he says. Packer gives some general verses as Isaiah 58:11 which promise, " The LORD will guide you continually..." ( previous vs talks about letting the oppressed go free, sharing our bread with the hungry, covering the poor naked). Psalm 32:8 says , " I will counsel you with my eye upon you." Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us that " In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." The Holy Spirit is a guide to all Christians. Acts 15:28 " it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us.." Christians say Packer go about it in the wrong way. To seek guidance from the Holy Spirit apart from the written Word is an error. From this " folly can grow." There is

I was reminded of how it is so easy to look for problems instead of progress. Problems are a part of how we work. They are not all bad. But progress comes from problems. You may not see a lot of progress in things going on in your life, but there are little lights that I have seen popping up here and there. Perhaps it is a small step of someone that you were surprised at. You would have never bet on it, but there it is anyway. Look for the little lights that are around you. It is a lot more fun than cursing the darkness. I saw them this week !

Now is the week before Christmas , and things are already in the Christmas celebration. That is not the way the Church intended it. Christmas begins on December 24 EVE and continues to Jan 6. That is called the 12 days. We miss the expectancy and surprises of Christmas without the preparation of a holy Advent. As we look forward to his Second Coming, we bring to mind those things we could change by His grace. How can we be better in our walk of holiness and righteousness? The gray day we have today is a good day for Advent. The reading of Matthew 25 and the talents reminds us to not hide our talent in the ground, because one day we will be called to account. Have a holy Advent.