We are in a season of lists and wishes. Some sit on Santa's lap, and others make wish lists online. With online shopping, we can know when we ordered it when it left the warehouse, and when it is out for delivery. We can also get a photo of it at our front door within minutes of delivery. Amazon, Walmart, Target, and other online retailers operate enormous warehouses called fulfillment centers, where workers fill boxes with every item on the order and send it to the trucks for delivery. Other aspects of life work differently. We can want and ask for things, but we do not know when we will see them. Depression, anxiety, and loneliness often increase during the Christmas Holiday season. Many question their life and why things happen to them during this time of year. The Bible is full of the phrase, "This happened so that prophecy would be fulfilled." We do not always understand why something happens, but everything that happens is to fulfill God's plan. The word fulfilled means to furnish or supply. In God's terms, this fulfillment is always more than expected. God does not lie and does not change His mind. If He said it, it will happen in its season. That last part is the tricky part for us. God's timing is perfect, but it is always longer than expected. God's promises will always be fulfilled.

We are in a season of lists and wishes. Some sit on Santa's lap, and others make wish lists online. With online shopping, we can know when we ordered it when it left the warehouse, and when it is out for delivery. We can also get a photo of it at our front door within minutes of delivery. Amazon, Walmart, Target, and other online retailers operate enormous warehouses called fulfillment centers, where workers fill boxes with every item on the order and send it to the trucks for delivery. Other aspects of life work differently. We can want and ask for things, but we do not know when we will see them. Depression, anxiety, and loneliness often increase during the Christmas Holiday season. Many question their life and why things happen to them during this time of year. The Bible is full of the phrase, "This happened so that prophecy would be fulfilled." We do not always understand why something happens, but everything that happens is to fulfill God's plan. The word fulfilled means to furnish or supply. In God's terms, this fulfillment is always more than expected. God does not lie and does not change His mind. If He said it, it will happen in its season. That last part is the tricky part for us. God's timing is perfect, but it is always longer than expected. God's promises will always be fulfilled.

Many people do not like leftovers. However, there are times when we have leftovers out of necessity. We may feel guilty leaving food on the table when we go out to eat. It feels wasteful. Sometimes, we may ask for the uneaten food to be boxed up to take home, only to forget it when we leave the table. The problem is that our bellies are full, and we are so caught up in our conversation that we forget.

Our society is so blessed that we throw away almost 40% of the food supply in our market. Some of the food never even makes it to our table because it is misshapen or blemished somehow. There are people around the world who are so hungry that they would do anything to have what we throw away out of our surplus.

This same concept applies in the spiritual realm. Some people live in conditions that keep them from openly worshiping, and who would do anything to have the opportunity we have. In times of famine, people will eat whatever they can.

It is by God's blessing that we enjoy the bounty and life that we have. The old prayer we recite before meals as children says it is by His hands we are fed. In our plenty, it is all too easy to think that we are providing, but the reality is that ALL blessings and provisions come from God.

Even in times of famine, God provides. When Joseph was in Egypt, there was a famine all across the land, but God provided bread in Egypt. Jesus fed the masses with loaves and fishes. He then instructed the disciples to gather the remnants. No matter how little we have, God can take what we have and do something with it. We may be satisfied, but someone needs what we have left. Even a crumb can be sufficient.

In our text, the woman comes to Jesus and cries out. Jesus ignores her, and the disciples ask Jesus to send her away. In her desperation, this woman realizes that her crying may make her feel better in the moment, but she needs more; her daughter is still vexed. She moves past crying and begins to worship Him. Jesus told her that because she was a Canaanite woman, it was not proper for him to help her. He refers to her as a dog. Undeterred, she responds with, yes, but even the dogs get the crumbs from the master's table. Jesus tells her, "Great is your faith," and heals her daughter. We need whatever we can get from God. We must position ourselves where we can get something from God.

Many people do not like leftovers. However, there are times when we have leftovers out of necessity. We may feel guilty leaving food on the table when we go out to eat. It feels wasteful. Sometimes, we may ask for the uneaten food to be boxed up to take home, only to forget it when we leave the table. The problem is that our bellies are full, and we are so caught up in our conversation that we forget.

Our society is so blessed that we throw away almost 40% of the food supply in our market. Some of the food never even makes it to our table because it is misshapen or blemished somehow. There are people around the world who are so hungry that they would do anything to have what we throw away out of our surplus.

This same concept applies in the spiritual realm. Some people live in conditions that keep them from openly worshiping, and who would do anything to have the opportunity we have. In times of famine, people will eat whatever they can.

It is by God's blessing that we enjoy the bounty and life that we have. The old prayer we recite before meals as children says it is by His hands we are fed. In our plenty, it is all too easy to think that we are providing, but the reality is that ALL blessings and provisions come from God.

Even in times of famine, God provides. When Joseph was in Egypt, there was a famine all across the land, but God provided bread in Egypt. Jesus fed the masses with loaves and fishes. He then instructed the disciples to gather the remnants. No matter how little we have, God can take what we have and do something with it. We may be satisfied, but someone needs what we have left. Even a crumb can be sufficient.

In our text, the woman comes to Jesus and cries out. Jesus ignores her, and the disciples ask Jesus to send her away. In her desperation, this woman realizes that her crying may make her feel better in the moment, but she needs more; her daughter is still vexed. She moves past crying and begins to worship Him. Jesus told her that because she was a Canaanite woman, it was not proper for him to help her. He refers to her as a dog. Undeterred, she responds with, yes, but even the dogs get the crumbs from the master's table. Jesus tells her, "Great is your faith," and heals her daughter. We need whatever we can get from God. We must position ourselves where we can get something from God.

When visiting friends and family or attending a party, we sometimes have a notion of how much time we want to spend there. We may even arrange a signal with our spouse to avoid staying too long. In our text, Israel had been at Mt. Horeb for some time. They had become comfortable, but God told them it was time to move. There are wilderness times and times of waiting, but these are temporary. God is taking us somewhere that is better than where we are now. God tells them to leave Horeb and to possess the promised land. In other chapters, God goes on to tell them to destroy all the inhabitants of the land and to drive them out entirely. Failing to do this would result in ruin. God warned them about intermarrying and taking on the Canaanite culture. Unfortunately, Israel did not drive the Canaanites out, and as God said, Israel was influenced by their culture. In time, it was hard to differentiate between God's people and the people of Canaan. We cannot live too close to the world without it affecting our thoughts and attitudes. We cannot be complacent. We cannot become comfortable with where we are. It is not that we have left the truth, but we cannot stay when God continues to move. We can't stay long.

When visiting friends and family or attending a party, we sometimes have a notion of how much time we want to spend there. We may even arrange a signal with our spouse to avoid staying too long. In our text, Israel had been at Mt. Horeb for some time. They had become comfortable, but God told them it was time to move. There are wilderness times and times of waiting, but these are temporary. God is taking us somewhere that is better than where we are now. God tells them to leave Horeb and to possess the promised land. In other chapters, God goes on to tell them to destroy all the inhabitants of the land and to drive them out entirely. Failing to do this would result in ruin. God warned them about intermarrying and taking on the Canaanite culture. Unfortunately, Israel did not drive the Canaanites out, and as God said, Israel was influenced by their culture. In time, it was hard to differentiate between God's people and the people of Canaan. We cannot live too close to the world without it affecting our thoughts and attitudes. We cannot be complacent. We cannot become comfortable with where we are. It is not that we have left the truth, but we cannot stay when God continues to move. We can't stay long.

The Jews are God's chosen people, but it appeared that they had rejected God. It would be easy to conclude that because the Jews rejected Him, God would turn His back on them. Our text, however, dispels that thought. This is not about Jew or Gentile; it is about God's plan. God's plan is inclusive and meant for all humanity. The door may be closed at the moment, but it is not a permanent closure. Once made, God's promise is forever. That is true no matter what the current circumstance might be. We may feel that God has forsaken us, but it is not true. Feelings are not the thermostat of our life. Faith is. Feelings are about me; faith is about Him. Our relationship with God is about faith. God will not write us off as lost no matter where we are. He will try to communicate in some other way. We have made life about us. When we worship, we shift that focus to Him. God does not regret calling us. He does not regret Calvary.

The Jews are God's chosen people, but it appeared that they had rejected God. It would be easy to conclude that because the Jews rejected Him, God would turn His back on them. Our text, however, dispels that thought. This is not about Jew or Gentile; it is about God's plan. God's plan is inclusive and meant for all humanity. The door may be closed at the moment, but it is not a permanent closure. Once made, God's promise is forever. That is true no matter what the current circumstance might be. We may feel that God has forsaken us, but it is not true. Feelings are not the thermostat of our life. Faith is. Feelings are about me; faith is about Him. Our relationship with God is about faith. God will not write us off as lost no matter where we are. He will try to communicate in some other way. We have made life about us. When we worship, we shift that focus to Him. God does not regret calling us. He does not regret Calvary.

Our text from Psalms is an encouragement and coach on how to live life. The singer declares that blessed is someone who knows the joyful sound, for they will walk in the light. Life has a way of wearing on us. If we are not careful, we allow life's situations and challenges to set a dark tone over our lives. When we utter the joyful sound noted in this psalm, we rebuke the darkness the enemy wants to cast over us. Far too many people allow the challenges in life to sour their view of how blessed they are. Even amid the most challenging trials, we have hope in the love and faithfulness of God. Happiness is not determined by wealth or the things we possess. Solomon was the wisest and most wealthy man of his time. But even in that, he allowed a shift in his thinking to change his focus, which led to his undoing. We see evidence of this decline in the opening chapters of Ecclesiastics. Solomon mentions himself in the form of I or me forty-three times but only mentions God four times. When we make life about us, there is no room for God. When life is about us, we are miserable to be around. Solomon also began to compare himself to others. When we compare ourselves to others, we often find ourselves lacking or a disparity that we perceive to be not in our favor. Comparison leads to unthankfulness and unthankfulness to resentment. This psalm was written amid the darkest time in Hebrew history. Solomon's undoing had ended the house of David. Israel lay in ruins, and God's people were in captivity. Somehow, the writer looks through all that, turns his focus back to God, and declares a truism that will lift the spirit. God is a covenant-keeping God. Things might have looked bad, but God's promise was still intact. What is that joyful sound? It is praising during trouble with the knowledge that God will sustain and deliver. We must not let life take that joyful sound.

Our text from Psalms is an encouragement and coach on how to live life. The singer declares that blessed is someone who knows the joyful sound, for they will walk in the light. Life has a way of wearing on us. If we are not careful, we allow life's situations and challenges to set a dark tone over our lives. When we utter the joyful sound noted in this psalm, we rebuke the darkness the enemy wants to cast over us. Far too many people allow the challenges in life to sour their view of how blessed they are. Even amid the most challenging trials, we have hope in the love and faithfulness of God. Happiness is not determined by wealth or the things we possess. Solomon was the wisest and most wealthy man of his time. But even in that, he allowed a shift in his thinking to change his focus, which led to his undoing. We see evidence of this decline in the opening chapters of Ecclesiastics. Solomon mentions himself in the form of I or me forty-three times but only mentions God four times. When we make life about us, there is no room for God. When life is about us, we are miserable to be around. Solomon also began to compare himself to others. When we compare ourselves to others, we often find ourselves lacking or a disparity that we perceive to be not in our favor. Comparison leads to unthankfulness and unthankfulness to resentment. This psalm was written amid the darkest time in Hebrew history. Solomon's undoing had ended the house of David. Israel lay in ruins, and God's people were in captivity. Somehow, the writer looks through all that, turns his focus back to God, and declares a truism that will lift the spirit. God is a covenant-keeping God. Things might have looked bad, but God's promise was still intact. What is that joyful sound? It is praising during trouble with the knowledge that God will sustain and deliver. We must not let life take that joyful sound.