Chaplains Corner
Chaplains Corner
VFA Chaplain, Marty Ynman-US Navy Veteran
Christmas Message
Why do we have Christmas? Everybody has seen the words in all kinds of pictures, posters, and displays, "Jesus is the reason for the season." And, justifiably so, it's intended to maintain the focus of our celebrations during this time of year on Jesus Christ, the savior of the world, born a baby in a manger. But amid all the parties, celebrations, the get togethers, the family trips, the gift exchanges, and secret Santas, all of the activity that comes out of those gatherings tend to actually overshadow the one central figure that should be garnering all the attention. Jesus should be the focus. He should be talked about. He should be celebrated. He should be on the hearts and minds of everyone engaging in their commemorative experiences. But it's far from that, isn't it? Christmas parties have become a feast of eating and drinking and doing whatever is allowable in the name of having fun and without a mention of the name of the Savior, with the possible exception of a few Christmas Carol's thrown in... maybe.
More and more over the centuries we have forgotten why we have Christmas. Allow me to offer my humble opinion as to the real reason for the season.
It all starts in the story at the very beginning of the Bible that describes the origin of things. God's deep and passionate love for the man and woman he had created prompted him to set boundaries for their protection. But whatever was on the other side of the boundary was far too enticing for the couple and the tender love that God had displayed daily they set aside to grab what was attractive but also deadly. What they didn't realize was that choosing what was enticing over the love in God's caution would ultimately destroy all of God's plans to care for and cherish His created beings. They chose their own way rather than the way God had declared for them. The result was that everything was now broken, destroyed, and lost and they were then introduced to a life that would rely on their own efforts to survive. God told the human couple in the Garden, "If you sin, you will introduce death into the world."
Well, that's what happened. Those humans brought death into the world by their rejection of God's love and we humans maintain death's reign and experience the resultant heartache by our own daily rejection of His love.
However, when the angel in the Christmas story tells Joseph that Mary's going to be having the child Jesus, he adds, ,"He will save people from their sins." Sin had brought death and destruction. Jesus' coming to earth is the path to seeing everything set right again, back to the way God intended. That means that Jesus came in response to the condition of the world that we humans set in motion. We are the reason Jesus came. We are the reason we have Christmas! We needed a Savior and God sent one. We are the reason for the season!
God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were still sinners, He sent His Son. That's what all the celebrating is supposed to be about.
So yes, let's celebrate, exchange gifts, enjoy the food, friends, and family. But let's do it keeping in mind the reason - we needed help and out of His love, He responded.
Blessings,
VFA Chaplain Marty Ynman
May 2021
Greetings in the name of our powerful, loving, and compassionate God who desires to give us an abundant life and wants for no one to get lost but for all to enjoy the riches of a life lived in relationship with Him!
For the next few installments I'd like to delve in to the wisdom offered to us within the first three verses of Hebrews, chapter 12, a book from the Bible.
It's always been fascinating to me how every concept can act as a springboard to another. The same is true in the Bible. Every verse that presents some thought or concept always leads to another and then another and another. So it is with Hebrews 12:1. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses..."(NIV) We, our l lives, have witnesses.
It's sad but I know people who have the idea that they are alone. From day to day, they proceed through their journey on Earth in solitude with no one to bounce their ideas off of and feeling like there's no one that really cares about their circumstance, about their situation. I've heard the phrase "It takes a village" being circulated in books and media and in casual conversation. It's a great idea but what if you think you don't have a village?
The thing is, God has given us some statements of assurance regarding the thought of being alone. From Psalm 139 He tells us that He not only knows us but He knows when we're sitting, when we're standing. He knows our thoughts, when we go about our day and when we turn in for the night to lie down. He even knows what we're going to say before we say it. Near or far, high or low, when we get to where we're going, on the way and once we're there, He accompanies us. The truth is that we are never alone. But...
When you think about it, can it be said that loneliness is a product of a life without God?
To exclude the Lord from your life puts the sense of belonging, the sense of purpose, the sense of significance out of reach because when you are the only one you rely one, you really are...alone.
Here's another thing. Jesus Christ, God's gift to us for the purpose of being able to relate to God as a human, carries the message on with, "I'll never leave you. I'll never give up on you."(Heb 13:5, NIV)
When you allow God full access to your life, full access to your hopes, disappointments, dreams, plans, and desires, then you aren't ever alone. We do have a witness to our lives. And He stands with open arms ready to embrace you and take your hand to walk through this life together. You never have to feel alone... ever.
Greetings in the name of our powerful, loving, and compassionate God
who desires to give us an abundant life and wants for no one to get lost but for all to enjoy the riches of a life lived in relationship with Him!
For the next few installments I'd like to delve in to the wisdom offered to us within the first three verses of Hebrews, chapter 12, a book from the Bible.
It's always been fascinating to me how every concept can act as a springboard to another. The same is true in the Bible. Every verse that presents some thought or concept always leads to another and then another and another. So it is with Hebrews 12:1. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses..."(NIV) We, our l lives, have witnesses.
It's sad but I know people who have the idea that they are alone. From day to day, they proceed through their journey on Earth in solitude with no one to bounce their ideas off of and feeling like there's no one that really cares about their circumstance, about their situation. I've heard the phrase "It takes a village" being circulated in books and media and in casual conversation. It's a great idea but what if you think you don't have a village?
The thing is, God has given us some statements of assurance regarding the thought of being alone. From Psalm 139 He tells us that He not only knows us but He knows when we're sitting, when we're standing. He knows our thoughts, when we go about our day and when we turn in for the night to lie down. He even knows what we're going to say before we say it. Near or far, high or low, when we get to where we're going, on the way and once we're there, He accompanies us. The truth is that we are never alone. But...
When you think about it, can it be said that loneliness is a product of a life without God?
To exclude the Lord from your life puts the sense of belonging, the sense of purpose, the sense of significance out of reach because when you are the only one you rely one, you really are...alone.
Here's another thing. Jesus Christ, God's gift to us for the purpose of being able to relate to God as a human, carries the message on with, "I'll never leave you. I'll never give up on you."(Heb 13:5, NIV)
When you allow God full access to your life, full access to your hopes, disappointments, dreams, plans, and desires, then you aren't ever alone. We do have a witness to our lives. And He stands with open arms ready to embrace you and take your hand to walk through this life together. You never have to feel alone... ever.
What's Holy?
We hear the word HOLY a lot in the Bible and if you ever participate in anything having to do with church you'll hear it there too. If you look at the opening comments of Colossians, a letter found in the New Testament of the Bible, you'll see that it's addressed to "God’s HOLY people in Colossae," and then it identifies who those HOLY people are, "The faithful brothers and sisters in Christ..."
In my particular upbringing, when I heard people being referred to as HOLY, my mind automatically went to somebody who acted weird or strange; a person who didn't behave like normal people did. I envisioned a person who walked around with palms together in front of their chest, eyes lifted skyward, and muttering prayers. Or I thought of people who went nowhere except to church and walked around quoting Bible verses. That's what HOLY meant to me.
I didn't want any part of that kind of life. That was just too "out there" for me.
But as I grew in my relationship with Jesus I learned a few things about holiness. I learned that what I had always seen as HOLY wasn't at all what it really is.
There are two things I learned about being HOLY that I think are monumentally significant. One is that HOLY means to be set apart or set aside; like when you set aside certain dishes that are only supposed to be used for special occasions. They're uniquely separated from the rest of the dishes for a particular reason. The other thing I learned about HOLY is that the dishes didn't decide to make themselves HOLY, the owner of the dishes did that. They we're declared HOLY because that's what the owner of the dishes decided.
In one sense we are the dishes. It's not a far-fetched comparison. In some places in the Bible we're referred to as pottery. Anyway, our relationship with God through Christ makes us HOLY. God sets us apart for a reason that is special and He's the One Who declares it.
Being HOLY then is a reflection of our relationship with God. We don't decide to be HOLY, if the Spirit of Christ lives in us, we already are! How our holiness is demonstrated then comes from our individual response to God's leading - the closer we are to God, the clearer how we demonstrate holiness becomes. But ultimately it's God's direction that guides us in our holiness.
We are called to be HOLY but for us to be HOLY we need to let God have His way in us. Let God have His way in you and allow yourself to be molded into His idea of holiness for you.
Proverb 27:12
announces that the prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it. It’s heartbreaking to know someone, especially a relative or a loved one who is trapped in a bad situation just because of the poor choices they make. It could be repeatedly getting into bad relationships. It may be living with destructive habits. Whichever way it shows up it seems to not only follow a string of bad choices, but it is also perpetuated by those same bad decisions.
The interesting thing about those bad decisions is that they aren’t the result of any trickery or deception, they’re choices that are made knowing full well what the consequences will be but are mentally pushed aside because what is hoped is that the decision will not end in pain but will somehow magically work out. It never does. The pain always comes and the situation keeps repeating itself.
Which category do you fall into? Are you among the prudent or the simple? What does prudent mean? Here are some synonyms; practical, sensible, wise, careful, cautious. “A ‘wise’ person, a ‘sensible’ person sees danger, recognizes it, is fully aware that it is dangerous and makes the decision to go down the road of safety, seeks protection from the danger. What about the ‘simple?’ - naïve, unsophisticated, green. A ‘naïve’ person keeps making the poor choice and the result is continued suffering. And of course, the sad thing is that that simple person also sees the wrong of his/her choice but decides to make the same bad choice and in doing so, can’t break the cycle of failure.
Every temptation to chase a wrong action is a recognizable danger. Sin, everyone knows, brings temporary satisfaction but then is followed by pain and suffering. Only a naïve person continues to make bad choices hoping for good outcomes.
God has given us control over choices. Making choices that will stop bad results only makes sense. It’s the thing that God wants us to do. In a different place in the Bible God says, “… Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance … fixing our eyes on Jesus…” Throwing off the temptations and keeping our eyes on Jesus is the only way we’ll be able to disentangle our lives.
I encourage all of us to take a good look at the things our enemy, the devil, puts before us that may look enticing but are intended to hurt us. See the danger inherent in his offerings and make the good, godly choices and be free.
Greetings
in the name of our powerful, loving, and compassionate God who desires to give us an abundant life and wants for no one to get lost but for all to enjoy the riches of a life lived in relationship with Him!
For the next few installments I'd like to delve in to the wisdom offered to us within the first three verses of Hebrews, chapter 12, a book from the Bible.
It's always been fascinating to me how every concept can act as a springboard to another. The same is true in the Bible. Every verse that presents some thought or concept always leads to another and then another and another. So it is with Hebrews 12:1. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses..."(NIV) We, our l lives, have witnesses.
It's sad but I know people who have the idea that they are alone. From day to day, they proceed through their journey on Earth in solitude with no one to bounce their ideas off of and feeling like there's no one that really cares about their circumstance, about their situation. I've heard the phrase "It takes a village" being circulated in books and media and in casual conversation. It's a great idea but what if you think you don't have a village?
The thing is, God has given us some statements of assurance regarding the thought of being alone. From Psalm 139 He tells us that He not only knows us but He knows when we're sitting, when we're standing. He knows our thoughts, when we go about our day and when we turn in for the night to lie down. He even knows what we're going to say before we say it. Near or far, high or low, when we get to where we're going, on the way and once we're there, He accompanies us. The truth is that we are never alone. But...
When you think about it, can it be said that loneliness is a product of a life without God?
To exclude the Lord from your life puts the sense of belonging, the sense of purpose, the sense of significance out of reach because when you are the only one you rely one, you really are...alone.
Here's another thing. Jesus Christ, God's gift to us for the purpose of being able to relate to God as a human, carries the message on with, "I'll never leave you. I'll never give up on you."(Heb 13:5, NIV)
When you allow God full access to your life, full access to your hopes, disappointments, dreams, plans, and desires, then you aren't ever alone. We do have a witness to our lives. And He stands with open arms ready to embrace you and take your hand to walk through this life together. You never have to feel alone... ever.
The apostles were guys that Jesus had chosen for a special purpose and mission and because of that we tend to place them on a pedestal as superhumans. But they were ordinary men. In fact, they had very natural human doubts and human insecurities as seen in the story at the end of the Gospel of John where Jesus engages Peter regarding their relationship and instructions for his life. Peter apparently feels somewhat uneasy about the conversation and upon noticing John following them, he asks Jesus, "What about him?"
Jesus' answer is not only interesting but also holds an important lesson for all of us. His answer? "Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”
(John 21:22 NIV)
Jesus intends a certain plan for Peter and another one for John and yes, he has another one for you and another for me. God's plans for an individual are for that person and that person alone. God's plan for you is exclusively for you and no one else. And we need to have that understanding regarding everyone's relationship with God. God wants individuals to respond to Him and not worry about what He is doing in somebody else's life. The most significant idea in Jesus'answer to Peter is this, "You follow me." Each person's relationship with God is unique and can't, nor should it be, compared with anyone else's. We have to pay attention to what the Lord is calling us to do and pay no attention to how He is leading another's life. Each of us is responsible to follow Christ's voice faithfully with no regard to what He has said to someone else or how He interacts with someone else. Can I say it this way, "Let's mind our own business and keep our eyes on Jesus." It should come as some relief that we don't have to be like anyone else. Our relationship with God doesn't have to be like anyone else's and it doesn't have to look like anyone else's. It just needs to be authentic and faithful to Christ's leading in your own life. That's where peace and happiness reside, following Him and following Him alone.
Do you like to go fishing?
I know lots of people who do. Some like to deep-sea fish and others like to fish in a lake while others like to do it in a river or stream. I don't really care about the location, I just like getting out there. If I'm fishing from shore or on the bank of a river and I've got a good spot where I'm sure those pesky little fish are hiding, then all I have to do is plant myself there and for as long as I want, just enjoy the experience.
But if I'm on a boat and I suspect my prey is right under me then I've got to figure out a way to keep me in place, to keep me from drifting all over the surface in every direction. That's where the anchor comes in handy. An anchor is pretty much standard equipment on every boat. I just drop it over the side and the worse it can get is me drifting around in circles but never too far from where I want to stay. An anchor holds me in place no matter what's going on on the surface.
God's Word is like that. There are a lot of ideas, beliefs, superstitions and other stuff that reach out to take hold of your belief which, if you fall for any of them, lead you down a path of disappointment and confusion. But let God's word be your anchor and you won't be drifting into spiritual unrest and dead ends. If it's been awhile since you've picked up a Bible, maybe it's time to become reacquainted with it's wisdom and its light.
The enemy of our souls is always poised to darken our heart and our lives with attacks of every kind but an old hymn says it best. "When darkness veils His lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale, My anchor holds within the veil." The anchor of God's word is a strong and faithful foundation which will always provide plenty of light and a sturdy footing. Let it give light to your life today. "Thy Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
