Christmas Chaos

The word "Christ" and its compounds, including "Christmas", have been abbreviated in English for at least the past 1,000 years, long before the modern "Xmas" was commonly used. "Christ" was often written as "XP" or "Xt"; there are references in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as far back as AD 1021. This X and P arose as the uppercase forms of the Greek letters χ and ρ used in ancient abbreviations for Χριστος (Greek for "Christ"), and are still widely seen in many Eastern Orthodox icons depicting Jesus Christ. The labarum, an amalgamation of the two Greek letters rendered as ☧, is a symbol often used to represent Christ in Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox Christian Churches.

The labarum, often called the Chi-Rho, is a Christian symbol representing Christ.

The occasionally held belief that the "X" represents the cross on which Christ was crucified also has no basis in fact. St Andrew's Cross is X-shaped, but Christ's cross was probably shaped like a T or a †.

Indeed, X-as-chi was associated with Christ long before X-as-cross could be, since the cross as a Christian symbol developed later. (The Greek letter Chi Χ stood for "Christ" in the ancient Greek acrostic ΙΧΘΥΣ ichthys.) While some see the spelling of Christmas as Xmas a threat, others see it as a way to honor the martyrs. The use of X as an abbreviation for "cross" in modern abbreviated writing (e.g. "King's X" for "King's Cross") may have reinforced this assumption.

In ancient Christian art, χ and χρ are abbreviations for Christ's name.^[9] In many manuscripts of the New Testament and icons, X is an abbreviation for Christos, as is XC (the first and last letters in Greek, using the lunate sigma); compare IC for Jesus in Greek.

(The above was taken directly from Wikipedia, and can be viewed in it's fullness here)

This is not a plea that we should all love and enjoy seeing XMAS instead of Christmas on signs or in print. Because, yes, we live in a culture where "XMAS" is thought of as "taking Christ out of Christmas."
If you are like me, you were told that from a Christian who was told that by a Christian.
But the reality is--that is simply not true.

This post is simply meant to spark a thought in your mind about how to react towards people who don't believe the same thing as you.

I know plenty of well meaning and good hearted Christians who get all up in arms when they see an "X" in place of Christmas or hear "Happy Holidays" instead of Merry Christmas.
I quickly think of the story of Uzzah. (2 Samuel 6:4-7)
God gave instruction for no one to touch the Ark, the priest of Israel are following it back to Jerusalem pulled by ox and it hits a pothole and the Ark starts to fall off the cart, Uzzah reaches up to catch it and is struck dead by God.
??????

Can you hear that conversation in Heaven?
Uzzah---Um, God? Hey, I was just trying to help....did you see what was about to happen?
God--- I did. But Uzzah, I don't need your help. I can take care of it.
Uzzah---Good point, God. So it would have been better for me to not catch the Ark and let it crash, huh.
God---Yep.
Uzzah---I don't know what I was thinking, it seemed like a good idea at the time.

You get the point.

This Christmas lets have a little less chaos by not trying to "help" God out by defending things that really don't matter.
I've discovered the world already knows what we stand against; we typically shout those out pretty loud.
Let's show them the things we are for.

Merry Christmas!

Little Things Part 4

One of the saddest things that happens in life is to see others fail.
None of us want too, none of us plan too.

I've discovered from the stories in the Bible that it's easy for good men to fail.
If it can happen to them, it can happen to me. It's one of the reasons I believe we all must be proactive in accountability.
It's not just enough to hope or wish or pray and believe that you be a person of character, you have to be active in putting systems and processes in place to keep your character in tact.

Life principle number four, "little things always affect others."

Philippians 2:3,4 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

In the verses above there is heavy emphasis to value the needs and interests of others above personal needs and desires; the reason is because there is a link between placing values on others and how we act.

If we truly count the cost of our actions before we do them and consider the effects our actions have on others, then it would cause us to reevaluate the little things (or what we consider little) we do.
How many marriages, families, businesses, churches, lives would be whole and happy and successful because someone stopped and counted the cost for their actions by thinking how it affected someone else.

Song of Solomon 2:15 "It's the little foxes that spoil the vine."
Little things don't stay little.
Little things hamper the power of God in our lives.
Little things should not be despised.
Little things always affect others.

Little Things Part 3

Principle one: Little things don’t stay little.

Principle two: Little things hamper the power of God in our lives.

When Jesus tells the story about the master who gives three of his servants different amounts of money to take care of, he makes the statement about the two who acted wisely with their amount, he says, “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.” (Matthew 25:23)

In this parable, Jesus, is unfolding the principle in life that “we are managers” and it’s how we manage what we’ve been given that determines how much we will govern in the future.

In my travels I’ve met many “if-only” people. “If only” I had that type of church, “if only” I had that type of youth budget, “if only” I had those talents and abilities, “if only” I had that type of money, if only, if only, if only……

If only is never the real issue because it allows the focus to be in the wrong area. If we really got all our “if only” wishes then we would think it’s all about us and that it’s all ours; when it’s not. Everything comes from God, everything is His; we just manage what he’s given us.

In the parable, it was the master that gave different amounts to the servants. It was then up to the individual how they managed it. Good managers not only made more, they were entrusted with more in the future.

Life principle numbers three when it comes to little things, “little things should not be despised.”

In the story of David and Goliath, after Saul tells David to put on his armor to fight Goliath, David does but the armor didn’t fit and the verse that follows points us back to the little thing principle. (1 Samuel 17:40) “Then HE took HIS staff in HIS hand; and HE chose for HIMSELF five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in HIS shepherd’s bag, in HIS pouch which HE had, and HIS sling was in HIS hand. And HE drew near to the Philistine.”

Everything we have has been given to us by God. He has given us everything we need to accomplish His will for our life. Don’t despise the little things. Whatever “little” is to you: your youth ministry, your church, the class you teach, your job, income, talent, ability; thank God for the opportunity to manage it for Him. Like my friend, Song Flagler says, “Appreciating the little things will keep us in a constant state of thanksgiving."

When we are thankful and take care of the little things God has given us to manage; He gives us more because He sees we've been faithful with what He has already given us.

Little Things Part 2

At certain times of the year there are words none of us like to hear. In April it’s the word “taxes."

During the holidays it’s the word “debt” and when you were younger it was “cuties.”

But year round there is perhaps one word in the English language that none of us enjoy hearing regardless of age, and that’s the word “obey.”

In Exodus 3, we see God calling Moses to destiny; the burning bush encounter. Moses then goes to his father-n-law to tell him the news and starts heading to Egypt. Then we read in just a few verses later, “And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the LORD met him and sought to kill him.” (Exodus 4:24)

As we read, we discover the reason why. Oh, and keep in mind the God of the universe who knows everything, who knew the “issue” before He called Moses in Exodus 3:4, still called Moses.

“Then Zipporah, Moses’ wife, took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses^] feet, and said, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!” So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a husband of blood!”—because of the circumcision." (Exodus 4:25)

She knew what the issue was, not obeying God’s command about circumcision

Life principle number two when it comes to little things; “little things hamper the power of God in our lives.”

Moses was a Hebrew and knew that all Hebrew boys were to be circumcised. His son was not, and really if you listen closely you can understand why he wasn’t. You can hear the reasoning at the dinner table. Zipporah, who was not Hebrew tells Moses, “I don’t want that done to my son, besides Moses, you’ll never see your people again, what’s the point?” At the time I’m sure this made sense to Moses. He had no plans to return.

What seemed like a little thing at the time now has become a big problem.

Sound familiar?

Isn’t that true how we justify and rationalize our reasons for not obeying?

The problem is, we are not God. We don’t see everything and know what the future holds. How we choose to obey God’s commands either facilitates or hamper the power of God in our lives.

Choose today to not allow any little act of disobedience to hamper the power of God in your life. Remove those seemingly harmless little justifications for sin or self pleasures that grieve God and allow the power of God to flow through you to fulfill the call He has for you.

Live out your destiny in power.

Little Things: Part 1

In the Hebrew vineyards, there were watchtowers placed throughout. Men would watch for possible thieves, for animals looking for food. Once an intruder was discovered it was quickly disposed of. However on many occasions the tops of the vine would rot and die to many of the watchman's surprise, they'd then discover the base of the vine had been eaten on and they could not spot this problem from their towers.

Solomon pens these words, "it's the little foxes that spoil the vine." (Song of Solomon 2:15)

Smaller animals not big enough to be seen from the watchtowers were going unnoticed and killing the harvest.

I'd like to share with you four thoughts about "small things" that I'm currently developing a series on, I hope you enjoy them.

Psalms 137:9 is one of the sickest verse if you read it by itself, in fact, it would be some very confusing counsel if followed without the fullness of it's content.
At the time, King David is writing songs about many of the great things of God, and many of the sorrow of Israel. These words that David writes come after an enemy nation's army burnt down their homes, taken their men into captivity, raped their women and killed their children.
David writes, "happy is the one that takes and dashes your baby's heads against the rocks!"

Life principle number one when it comes to little things; "little things don't stay little."

David knew that one day those little babies would grow up and one day be warriors that Israel would do battle with, that would burn their homes, rape their women and kill their men.
In our lives we must be aware of the "little things" that we are playing with and think are "no big deal" or "can give up anytime" or "nothing wrong with" because the truth is, little things don't stay little. God told Cain that "sin lies at the door and it's desire is to rule over you."
Notice God said, "lies" He didn't say busting down the door, or barges in. Sin waits, it starts small, it creeps.
It's a little thing now, but over time it will grow.
Little things don't stay little.

Join me in the ongoing quest to ask God to help me get rid of the "little things" in my life that I've allowed to creep in. He is faithful and His mercy and grace are sufficient to help us overcome the little things before they become big.

Happy bashing.

Wisdom from a Child

"Daddy, what did you want to be when you grew up?" My six year old daughter asked me.

"Well, for a while, I wanted to me an architect and build things. But then I thought about pursuing acting to become an actor." (mainly due to my drama friends in high school)

"What's an actor?" She responded.
"You know a person who you see on videos and movies. But I really found out what God wanted me to be when I started pastoring." I replied.

"It sounds to me you do all those things; you built a house, churches and us beds and you're in lots of videos and you pastor lots of people." She responded.

Hmm... A people builder, media engaging Pastor. Yes, that does sound about right.

I'm currently putting together information that I will release in January concerning the next steps in our journey as we follow God.
If you'd like to receive an information packet about our next steps and pray with us about it, email me at ministry@vincefarrell.com

Yours for His Kingdom,
Vince Farrell
www.vincefarrell.com

I'd like some wisdom, please.

There is a saying that goes, “with age comes wisdom.”

Sounds nice, should even be true, right? If you’re like me you’ve met some older people who have no more sense than when they were teens.

James 1:5 says, “if any of you lacks wisdom, ask God, who gives liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

I notice in this verse that there seems to be no age limit on who can ask or receive wisdom. In fact I believe the older I get the more and more I need wisdom.

My father-n-law and I have been talking, praying and seeking God about some plans I’ve shared with him concerning church planting. I want to make sure the time and place is a God thing and not a Vince idea.

He has told me, “Vince, if you make a mistake, you can recover. But at my age if I make a mistake, I die with that mistake.”

Why?

Recovery time.

The older we get the more and more we must seek God’s wisdom. A life that constantly seeks out Godly wisdom will one day get the luxury of saying, “at my age, I’ve got some wisdom.”