By Joe Widick
In December 1903, after many attempts, the Wright brothers were successful in getting their “flying machine” off the ground. A new age was ushered in. Life would never be the same. The brothers were thrilled with their accomplishment and hurried to telegraph a message to their sister Katherine. The message simply read; “We have actually flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas.” When Katherine received the message, she hurried to the editor of the local newspaper and showed him the very news worthy message. He glanced at it and said, “How nice. The boys will be home for Christmas!” He totally missed the big news-man had flown! I wonder at this time of the year and even throughout the entire year, if we miss the really big news? I am not saying that Christ was born on December 25. What I have to say though is news, worthy of note. News that needs to be in our mind day in and day out.
I don’t know if your household is like mine. There has been a beehive of activity on Mann Road. Baking to be done, decorations put in just the right place, gifts selected and wrapped with a special touch. Cards sent to special people. Plans for how we will spend Christmas. It truly is a joyous time of the year. Grandchildren having dreams of what Santa will bring. There is the excited anticipation of opening gifts that grandmommy and granddaddy have given. It is a joy to see grandchildren as well as children opening their gifts. Truly it is a most wonderful time of the year. There is a sense of nostalgia that comes from memories of Christmases that have come and gone.
The big news, news that needs never to be forgotten whether it is December 25 or July 25 is that Christ did come. Isaiah by inspiration penned the following; “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given.” Over two thousand years ago angels appeared to the shepherds and proclaimed “I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” ( Luke 2:10-11). Can you imagine the wonder and awe that filled their lives at that point? As we go through life, whether it is in the cold of December or the warmth of July, lets all remember the really big news. There was a savior that came and he made the ultimate sacrifice for you and me, and that savior is now alive sitting at the right hand of our God waiting for that time when he will be sent back to claim his own.
By Joe Widick
I was looking at some information about the population of the world, and came across a website that had a counter that was continually advancing telling any who looked at it, that at this moment in time, this is the population of the world. Since it is continually changing, I decided to call this article “Six Billion and Counting,” instead of 6,208,903,101 no that’s 6,208,903,102 no that’s ….You get the point. Does that figure boggle your mind? Does that number mean anything to you? Or do you simply get lost when you think of numbers like that. Maybe, if we looked at that number in a different perspective it would mean a great deal to us.
1. It is six billion people whom God will hold accountable for their attitudes and actions; “…the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone…” (Jude 14-15)
2. That is six billion people who will die in their sins unless they know the Lord: “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.” John 8:24
3. That is six billion people whose lives need to continually turn toward God: “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:30-31
4. Fact, God is unprejudiced in his dealings with all these six billion. He stands ready to welcome and accept any and all who come to him: “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the Children of God; by loving God and carrying out his commands” I John 5:1-2.
5. That’s six billion people over whom Jesus Christ reigns as Lord and to whom He wishes to give eternal life; “Father the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.” John 17:2-3.
6. Six billion. Quite a sum. What difference can one like you or me, make among so many. In a word—MUCH! “Open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” John 4:35.
So we live today and the next, with the harvest in mind. Plant the seed. Water it. Share your faith. Live it. And allow God to give what increase he will.
By Joe Widick
If I were guessing, I think many of you would be expecting me to write about the recent trip to Honduras. Guess what? You are right! This year’s trip had no real surprises like last year, when our plane could not leave on time because it was “officially sunset.” I do believe that the nine of us from Maple Hill had our lives impacted in a very special way. I encourage you to ask George (Jorge), Stephonia, Jeff (Loco), Terry, Kyla, Reed, Tricia, Elaine or myself, about the trip and why it would be good if you could go next year.
Each time that I am privileged to travel to Central America, I come away with a deeper devotion to God, and a stronger desire to serve Him. I do this because of the people I come in contact with. To see the current students we support, Luis and Abbey. To observe their gentle spirit and commitment to being the very best parents they can be. It was last year that we met this couple for the first time, and they were praying for a child. They were blessed with a beautiful daughter who they named Mia. We were able to spend time viewing the campus at Baxter. It is truly a beautiful spot amidst all the poverty that surrounds it. We heard the plans of those who are going out into the world to preach the gospel with the lost. We heard of their dreams and the excitement they possess for they know that when Jesus said He would be with them “always,” He meant it. They are commissioned to go out being as “wise as serpents and gentle as doves.” We were able to tour the James Moody clinic which is on the Baxter campus. We saw ladies graduate from a hair cutting school and a sewing school, giving hope to those ladies who before had no hope, for they had no skills and had to depend on begging to get by. God is good! Hope is given to the hopeless.
We were also able to go out into the communities where the Baxter students work on the weekend preaching the gospel in local congregation. Being a student at Baxter is not a 5 day a week work. Once the school work is completed on Friday they leave for assignments with local congregations on the weekend. We enjoyed devotional time together. We listened to the students as they sang in Spanish, and even learned a devotional song in Spanish. Isn’t it good to know that God listens to us in every language? And finally (not really, because there is so much more to tell), we visited with those we support who have graduated, and who are now in the fields that are white unto harvest. We hugged them; we cried with them, we rejoiced with them. It is good to know that God is with them each and every day. Truly they are all “Beautiful People!”
By Joe Widick
I would guess that if I were to mention the name David Steeves, most if not all would draw a blank as to who he actually was. When I ran across his story, I thought it was one of those stories I would just have to use. In 1957 Lieutenant David Steeves was serving in the Air Force. He had been in training when his trainer jet went down and completely disappeared. It was fifty-four days later that he walked out of the California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. He told an unbelievable tale of how he had lived in a snowy wilderness after parachuting from his disabled plane. By the time he showed up alive, he had already been declared officially dead. When further search failed to turn up the wreckage, a hoax was suspected and Lieutenant Steeves was forced to resign under a cloud of doubt. The story however does not end there. More than twenty years later, his story was confirmed when a troop of Boy Scouts discovered the wreckage of his plane.
As I thought of this amazing story, I could not help but think of another time in history, where people had a difficult time understanding and even accepting a survival story of much greater proportion. A man by the name of Jesus Christ walked out of the Judean wilderness making claims a lot of people found difficult to believe. He stated he was the son of God. He claimed he would sit at the right hand of God, he even stated that all things belonged to him. He was later executed and pronounced dead. It was three days later that he showed up alive. Guess what? That created a new wave of skeptics that have plagued the earth ever since.
Stop to think with me for just a moment. Think about the facts of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. His integrity is well-founded. Prophets foretold His coming. Miracles supported His deity. Eyewitnesses verified His resurrection. And today the Holy Spirit confirms to anyone who is seeking to know the truth that Jesus is alive. I believe that the resurrection of Jesus is a fact of history that demands a response of faith. The Bible simply sates concerning Jesus; “He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs.” (Acts 1:3).
What a rich blessing to know with confidence you and I can believe, believe in the one they call Jesus.
