A Note From Tom: November 9th, 2012

Happy Holiday, everyone! 

"Huh?! Isn't it a little too early and a little too pc to be saying that?"

Wait! I don't mean "Happy Holiday" as in "Happy Holidays! We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!" I'm talking' about today! November 9, 2012! 

"Let's see…googling…googling…how do you spell 'wikipedia"? is it wik or wek?…Oh…Ok…hmmmm…There it is…November 9, 2012…umm...the 314th day of the year…the anniversary of the first foreign trip by a US pres, when Theodore Roosevelt left for Panama to check out progress on the canal…the anniversary of the release of 'Piano Man' by Billy Joel…I don't get it! What's so special about today!?"

Well, today is one of those holidays you read about in the Bible! If you want to read about Christmas, look up Luke, chapter 2. If you want to understand Easter better, turn to John 20. But if you want to understand why November 9, 2012 is such a special day, open up to Hebrews, chapter 4!

That book was written to folks who were having a lot less fun than they thought they would when they first believed in Jesus…They were stressed, distressed,  bestressed.

"Bestressed?" 

Well, you know what I mean. Anyway, the Book of Hebrews was written to tell them that their new life wasn't supposed to be like that! They weren't supposed to be hassled and frazzled. They had trusted Jesus at the beginning for forgiveness and Heaven. They were supposed to trust Him the rest of the way for peace in their hearts!  A heart with Jesus in it should be a joy-filled, peace-filled, praised-filled heart! Jesus rose from the dead and lives today so you wouldn't be distressed and bestessed!

"You said 'bestressed' again!"

Sorry. But you know what I'm saying. 

Peace in the heart…even when troubles come your way and problems multiply… is one of the benefits of the Good News! In fact, the author said that they knew the Good News but it didn't really benefit them as much as it shoulda because they didn't combine the Message with faith (Heb 4.2)! Jesus our Lord died to pay for all our wrong and He lives to rule over the whole world and every detail of my life and yours! He lives to help us and to work out a beautiful plan for all of us! He's alive and waiting to help you when you call to Him! If you truly believe that, you receive unbelievable benefits! Peace in the heart! Calm in the storm! A quiet joy when all heck breaks loose!

As the Christmas carol says, "So why should men on earth be so sad, when our Redeemer has made us glad?"

Well, probably the biggest reason is that we haven't really believed these things as much as we should have. Do you believe Jesus loves you individually, constantly, infinitely? Do you believe He rules over every moment and atom of your life? Do you believe that you have a Father in Heaven Who is weaving all of it into a perfect plan for you?  

"How do I know if I believe this stuff enough?" 

Peace. 

In your heart. 

That's how you know.

Or as Hebrews 4 says, "Rest…You enter His rest"…A restful heart and mind.

That's how you were meant to live. He didn't intend you to spend your days in tension or sleepless nights in anxiety. "For we who have believed enter that rest" (Hebrews 4.3)

"Well, what do I do? I DO worry about stuff all the time! My life isn't all that fun because I'm afraid and anxious and tense a bunch! I suspect I'm not easy to live with because I'm always so…well, as you say…bestressed!"

Well, "Happy Holiday", everyone!

"Holiday" is actually short for "holy day". "Holy" means "special"! Today is a special day! Today is the day when you could begin to enjoy your life! Have more fun! At least, have more peace! 

"C'mon! Tell me! What day is it?!"

Today is…"Today!" Check this…

...Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because they didn't have they faith they should…again he appoints a certain day, "Today,” saying through David so long afterward…,

“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…(Hebrews 4.6-7)

If you've had tons of anxiety and worry…if you know you've lived in stress and been a stress to live with… you haven't blown it! You can start over! There's a holiday…a special day… to celebrate your new heart of peace! 

"What holiday you talking about? Thanksgiving that's coming? Christmas around the corner?"

Nope! You don't have to wait! The best day of the year is…Today!

Did you catch it?  

"…He appoints a certain day, 'Today!' "

You can trust Him today! You can praise Him today! You can grab a promise of Scripture and hold on tight! You can ask Him for peace today! "Let us therefore strive to enter that rest" (verse 11) You can decide that today will be a better day…a new day…a holiday! And when it's over, trusting in Him, tonite you can "sleep in heavenly peace!"

So…

Happy Holiday, everyone!

Happy Today!