In this episode I share an essay written by my brother and friend Rev. Dr. Jason Carter:

https://www.revdrjasoncarter.com/blog/2020/9/25/messianic-character-of-contemporary-american-politics-the-rise-of-politics-as-religion

As you plan for a new year I would encourage you ask this question:

"What is written in heaven's books about me for 2021?"

in your book were written, every one of them,

the days that were formed for me,

when as yet there was none of them. (Ps. 139)

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Ro. 8:16-17)

This is a teaching that was shared via video with Xiamen International Christian Fellowship on the last Sunday of 2020. 

Video link: https://youtu.be/yXS_Dk6RuRE

The year in review.  This year was incredible on so many levels.  In this episode I share a little bit of how our story unfolded in 2020.

In this episode I share some original Christmas songs.  Wishing you a Merry Christmas! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZwMQ4A6UCM

Glory

Near Bethlehem 

Watching by night

Out in the field

they saw a sight

That changed the world

And changed their lives

Anointed One

Had now arrived

Angel’s declared

Man’s jubilee:

“To you is born

In the city

A Savior who

Is Christ the Lord” 

Humanity

At last restored

pc:

Salvation is here

And God has drawn near!

c1:

Glory to God in the highest

His goodness shines brightest

In the radiance of Jesus

Peace to all who find His favor

Who receive the Savior

And enter what He came to bring us

c2:

Hear the angels as they’re singing

Good news of great joy they’re bringing

Glory in the highest peace on earth

Hear God’s laughter filling heaven

Knowing that His strongest weapon

Is delivered in a baby’s birth 

v2:

Into the dark

The light broke in

Divinity 

Now robed in skin

Incarnate love

Wrapped up in cloth

Savior of all

Laid in a trough

A great light has shone

The Way is made known!

Third Generation Shepherd

I like my father and his father before him

Grazed my herds out near Bethlehem

My grandfather often spoke of a night

When he said he saw angels that changed his life

He said

In darkness I saw light

I saw angels split the sky

To let us know the Messiah had comes

God loved us so that He didn’t want us to miss Him

My grandfather would smile and close his eyes

And remember the night that he saw the Christ

His whole life about Jehovah he knew

But that night he realized Jehovah knew Him too

He said

In darkness I saw light

I saw angels split the sky

To let us know the Messiah had come

God loved us so that He didn’t want us to miss Him

Some said he was crazy

Some still believed

It didn’t matter to him 

He knew what he’d seen

He said

In darkness I saw light

I saw angels split the sky

To let us know the Messiah had come

God loved us so that He didn’t want us to miss Him

这就是圣诞节

全能的神

刚出生

客店里没有地方

伟大的上帝

放在马巢里

创造者成为小baby

圣诞节最大的礼物

神的儿子耶稣基督

神爱世人将祂的

儿子慈给他们

这就是圣诞节

天使唱

主的荣光

四面照着那些看守羊

大喜的信息

是关于万民

基督在大卫的城里

在至高之处

荣耀归于

上帝给我们一位救主

荣耀归于神

和在地上

平安归于所喜悦的人

Wholehearted surrender born out of complete trust in God's goodness is the beautiful path God invites us to walk in order to experience the fullness of life He wants to give us.

Dallas Willard writes: "Nondiscipleship costs abiding peace, a life penetrated throughout by love, faith that sees everything in the light of God’s overriding governance for good, hopefulness that stands firm in the most discouraging of circumstances, power to do what is right in and withstand the forces of evil.  In short, it costs exactly that abundance of life that Jesus said he came to bring."

I celebrate my 100th podcast episode by reading an essay I wrote in 2013, summarizing the discoveries that brought about my “second experience of grace” and laid the foundation for a renaissance of experiencing God’s immeasurable, inexpressible, incredible goodness.

When we orient our lives around moment-to-moment communion with God we obliterate any secular-sacred dichotomy and become agents of divine bliss wherever we may be.

This recording is from a sermon delivered via video to Xiamen International Christian Fellowship  (XICF).  (Video available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb1_zDdplSU&t=2s)

I was assigned to preach Ephesians 4:1-5:20.  (I don’t think they thought I would preach the whole thing!). What a rich passage!

Have you ever wished you could send a message to God and get a response via text or email?

How does God invite us to engage with Him?