• About
    • OUR LEADERSHIP >
      • OUR STAFF
      • DEACONS
      • CHURCH COUNCIL
    • OUR VISION >
      • VISION
      • MEMBERSHIP
    • ABOUT US
    • OUR HISTORY
    • OUR BELIEFS
    • FAQ
  • New Here
    • VISIT
    • Covid-19 Guidelines
    • FRESH START
  • Messages
  • Giving
  • Ministries
    • KIDZONE
    • ADULTS >
      • MEN
      • WOMEN
    • STUDENTS
    • HOST TEAM
    • PRAYER TEAM
    • SMALL GROUPS
  • Events
    • Upcoming Event Details
    • Office Calendar
    • Christmas Eve at Southtown
  • Contact Us
Southtown Baptist Church
  • About
    • OUR LEADERSHIP >
      • OUR STAFF
      • DEACONS
      • CHURCH COUNCIL
    • OUR VISION >
      • VISION
      • MEMBERSHIP
    • ABOUT US
    • OUR HISTORY
    • OUR BELIEFS
    • FAQ
  • New Here
    • VISIT
    • Covid-19 Guidelines
    • FRESH START
  • Messages
  • Giving
  • Ministries
    • KIDZONE
    • ADULTS >
      • MEN
      • WOMEN
    • STUDENTS
    • HOST TEAM
    • PRAYER TEAM
    • SMALL GROUPS
  • Events
    • Upcoming Event Details
    • Office Calendar
    • Christmas Eve at Southtown
  • Contact Us

The Pastor Ponders

The Perfect Christmas Gift

12/12/2014

0 Comments

 
I love to see Jesus live. 

Can you picture the buzz and excitement in the air after Jesus fed the 25,000 plus people? Remember, the meal was the social time, the family time, the relational time.
Can you hear the topic of conversation about... 
  • The look of anger and impossibility on the disciples faces before the miracle.
  • The look on the disciples faces when more and more food was being handed out, coming from no where.
  • The dreams of the possibility of Jesus becoming their leader to lead a rebellion.
  • The questions coming from the elderly and the children about Jesus. What is this all about?
In all of this excitement, what did Jesus do? He was encouraging His disciples to get into a boat and go across the lake. He had the massive task of dismissing the 25,000 stomach fully satisfied, sleepy and dreamy people. Then He did what, I think, He loved to do; go up a hillside to meet with His Dad.

What was that meeting like? What was the topic of conversation? Who talked more? Was there a wonderful debriefing about all the life change? Was there a discussion of who was going to be called into servant leadership next? Was there a time to just chill and enjoy each other?

As I have gotten to know this Jesus, I know that He was and is a man/God of prayer. "Jesus is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf." Heb 7:25

I am sure His conversation with His Dad shifted from them to the crowds walking home and to the disciples out in the boat. It was a conversation saturated with intercession for each group, for each family, for each person.

I sense God inviting us to join Him in this intercession. Prayers that unleash the living Jesus upon all whom we know and especially those whom the Holy Spirit brings to mind. Can one of the daily Christmas gifts you give this year be that of private intercession?

I love that after hours of a beautiful conversation with His Dad, Jesus got up from His comfortable spot to be the answer to His prayers. He walked right up to that boat filled with struggling, complaining and questioning disciples to serve them once again. I can almost see the look of horror on their faces due to a seeming ghost. Can you see their faces turn to embarrassment to humility? Then the shift in their demeanor to gratitude and worship... true contentment, real joy, it doesn't get any better than this....

Maybe another gift that you can give this Christmas, is to listen to the Holy Spirit to give you the idea of how you can be the answer to your own Christmas gift of intercession.

How can you listen to God's answering your prayers so that you receive the next mission from Jesus?

How can you be like Jesus on that hillside when He finally heard His Dad say, "Ok, go help them."?

Whom is God saying, "Go, serve them." 
"Go, encourage them." 
"Go, treat them to a treat." 
"Go, spread a rumor of compliments about that person." 
"Go, ask that person what Christmas means to them." 
"Go, invite that person to lunch."

As you try and give the right Christmas gifts this season, maybe the best gifts you can give are the daily gifts of intercession and the daily gifts of being the answer to those prayers...

Let's be generous with these Christmas gifts this year.
Pastor Chris

0 Comments
    Picture

    Author

    Pastor Chris Reinertson enjoys all sports, especially those involving a ball.  He loves to hang out with people and challenge them to be Jesus REVolutionizers.

    Archives

    December 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014

    Categories

    All

    Subscribe to our mailing list

    * indicates required

    RSS Feed

VISIT
STAFF DIRECTORY
SUNDAYS
KID'S MINISTRY WEDNESDAYS
STUDENTS


MUSIC
MISSIONS
MESSAGES - LISTEN ONLINE
CALENDAR
CONTACT US
GIVING

Picture
  • About
    • OUR LEADERSHIP >
      • OUR STAFF
      • DEACONS
      • CHURCH COUNCIL
    • OUR VISION >
      • VISION
      • MEMBERSHIP
    • ABOUT US
    • OUR HISTORY
    • OUR BELIEFS
    • FAQ
  • New Here
    • VISIT
    • Covid-19 Guidelines
    • FRESH START
  • Messages
  • Giving
  • Ministries
    • KIDZONE
    • ADULTS >
      • MEN
      • WOMEN
    • STUDENTS
    • HOST TEAM
    • PRAYER TEAM
    • SMALL GROUPS
  • Events
    • Upcoming Event Details
    • Office Calendar
    • Christmas Eve at Southtown
  • Contact Us