It’s the start of spring, and missions here at SEAPC are gearing up in a big way. The global atmosphere is emerging with a fresh hunger and hope for days ahead. We, the people of God, stand in our strongest opportunity of influence ever. Unprecedented prayer took place in 2020, and this must continue. However, 2021 is a year to intentionally sow the Word that will heal and set the nations on a more sure foundation.

This month Friends Around the Table Americas will be taking place in Tapachula, Mexico. This will be the first of four regional Friends gatherings happening in 2021, and let me say that the spiritual hunger is stronger than I’ve ever seen in Central and South America.

We are primed and ready to meet that hunger head-on with an Attack Lambs training course—available for the first time in Spanish and online—in the works this spring! We are asking for focused prayer this month around the preparation, production, and distribution of this training across Central and South America. Friends America’s this month will serve as a catalyst, and we want to feed that fire quickly with empowerment in God’s Word.

There are such deep roots for this community in these regions. From Pastor Mark and Ellie Geppert launching into the nations in Guatemala, to supernaturally meeting Pastor Hector Zetino and his family while there. This propelled ministry throughout the region over 30 years ago and has also helped send pioneer missionaries like Carol Missik, a true heroine in the faith who went home to the Lord last year. Carol helped launch Operation Capital City which broke new ground in the nation by mobilizing city-wide prayer meetings in every capital of each state of Mexico. The roots are very deep, and another generation awaits to carry the torch side-by-side with faithful leaders from Spanish-speaking parts of the USA all the way to the shores of Chile.

At this moment, plans for recording the online Spanish Attack Lambs resources are happening in conjunction with Friends Around the Table and partners of SEAPC across the Spanish-speaking world. Many generations and hearts are working together to make this the best it can be. We thank you for standing in prayer and intercession for this to continue to move ahead without delay.

When we pray in faith, He answers in power!

When I joined the team at SEAPC seven years ago, I was a young twenty-something woman who had spent very limited time in missions.

New to the world of missions and all the sacrifices made in order to reach the lost with the Gospel news of Jesus Christ, I was so excited to join my first ever Friends Around the Table event in Oaxaca, Mexico in September of 2014. Friends Around the Table started in 2003 in Chiang Mai, Thailand with a very small group of individuals sitting around just one table as an opportunity to gather friends and partners in ministry from around the nations in one place to share what the Lord had done in the past year, and hear from Him about what the next year would hold. In the years to follow, it grew and expanded to include additional friends around several more tables.

Having no idea what to expect, I packed way too much for that five-day stay and barely could lift my carry-on suitcase. Landing in Mexico alongside a group of five Cambodian interns who were spending time with us in the United States was just as you would expect it to be: chaotic. After convincing the very nice customs agent that they would each definitely be allowed back into the USA at the end of our trip, we made it through and on to the hotel we went.

My first drive through the city of Oaxaca was at night. It was so beautiful to see the stone streets in the dim of the streetlights and just slightly alarming to pass a jeep full of police officers with giant guns in hand. Getting to sleep that first night was difficult with all the anticipation about what was to come, as I would be meeting friends from SEAPC from around the globe the next morning. I hardly had words knowing these incredible brothers and sisters in Christ were taking a break from bringing the Gospel truth to those who needed it most.

The next morning at breakfast I quickly scurried to a table with friendly faces who I already knew, namely my dear friend Rudi who was sitting with a woman who had brown hair, looked to be about the age of my grandmother, and had a very welcoming smile. Her name was Pastor Carol Missik. Little did I know that I was sitting down to breakfast with a woman who would impact my life in ways I never thought possible.

The rest of the week was incredible, as I got to hear from each of our friends about what God was doing in the nations they serve. I worshiped with these new friends both in English and in Spanish (well, the best I could), we prayed over each nation as a large group, and friends began to prophesy about what the Lord would do in the coming months. That week is still the very best week I’ve had while on the team here at SEAPC.

I will never forget the testimonies of our God, the prayer walking and miracles witnessed on those cobblestone streets, the amazing food and fellowship with new friends. After that week came to an end and I was settled back home in Pittsburgh, I was so excited to continue to get to know Pastor Carol and what God was doing through her. She was called to Mexico — her heart belonged to the people of that nation. She walked and prayed in every single state from Yucatan to Guadalajara to Monterrey. This mighty woman of God took trip after trip all over this beautiful country walking and praying and bringing the Word to everyone within the sound of her voice. I had the pleasure of helping to serve the SEAPC affiliates in the area of finance so I got to know her well as we communicated and coordinated her flights to and from Mexico and gathered the resource to use on each trip.

Operation Capital City, her ministry in Mexico, was her calling from the Lord and she fully embraced it and gave it to the Lord. Phone calls with Pastor Carol were always the highlight of my week and I made sure to always allow for time to ask her to pray and prophesy over me. She was like the third grandmother I never knew I needed, but the Lord certainly knew I did. As time passed and she aged with grace and beauty, the trips became a little further apart and cancer reared its ugly head. Pastor Carol took on cancer the same way she took on the enemy: with the word of God in hand and the Holy Spirit surrounding her. Every moment I spent with her she reminded me to “dance in the river” with her as she believed God for His will upon her life. Cancer may have taken her from this earth but she is dancing in the river of life with the King of Kings today and I will forever be impacted by life she lived and the prayers she prayed.

In the years since my first Friends Around the Table, my role on the SEAPC team has changed and shifted and today I have the great honor of being the one to plan and prepare for our Friends gatherings. We have heard from the Lord and in this year and the years going forward we will hold four Friends gatherings a year regionally around the globe. That sounds like a ton of work doesn’t it? It sure is, but I couldn’t be more excited to be planning the first one of the year—in Mexico! Isn’t it amazing how God often brings things full circle?

This year we have collectively heard from the Lord that we are to GO: “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” (Matthew 28:18-20)

The Great Commission is not one we take lightly and we are excited to come together and be drawn in to be filled up and sent out. We will GO! There has been a hole in my heart since the day Pastor Carol went to be with Jesus and I can feel it being filled with her love and presence as I dive into the details of this exciting event. While she won’t be with us in our physical bodies, I look forward with confidence that she will be dancing in the river with us as we worship our King together in the nation that held her heart.

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And here we GO! Friends, probably the most anticipatedyear in world history is 2021. So many things are unknown by man but are readyand waiting to be made known through our God.

We have experienced nothing less than a global reset. Wehave stepped into a place of trust and faith unlike anything people have everseen. Not just a handful, but every tribe, tongue, and nation has theopportunity to be transformed this year! The temptation will be to do this at thespeed of politics, but God is ready to do it by the speed of Holy Spiritprayer. He sure loves to show Himself mighty and without borders.

The greatest moment for you and I, as sons and daughtersof heaven, is right here and now.

Next month, we will witness a gathering of Friends aroundthe Lord’s table in Guatemala. At this table, which will be both an in-personand virtual space, will be friends of Jesus from across North, South, andCentral America ready to GO out through the power of the Spirit. Please join usnow in prayer for this time.

As friends this month, there is a call to surround thosethat will gather in and around Guatemala soon.

Philippians 4:6 gives us a powerful charge for this new year and this assignment: “be anxious for nothing, but in everything BY PRAYER...”

Just look at the power of these few words. It tells us not to worry or fret about anything at all. That is profound for our time. And how do we do that? The answer is right after this command. God tells us to do everything by prayer!

Prayer is not meant to be a reaction to world circumstances, but is meant to actually create the world around us. Prayer with Father creates and decides what we will do, where we will go, and what we will believe for in 2021.

This month as we look ahead, we will pray, and God willdirect friends to Himself and to partner with others. It will be incredible! Itwill be His will.

The ideas, and even good intentions of men will not bethe source of 2021 transformations.

Prayer assures us that our source this year will comefrom the Spirit of God. That is what we live for! This is what fuels thiscommunity! Thank you for standing firm in the gap for Friends Guatemala thismonth.

BY PRAYER, let anxiety fade and His greatness be put ondisplay.

A wise person once told me, for God to do his part, I have to do my part.

I have found this to be true in my personal life and as I have witnessed small beginnings towards sustainability here in Cambodia.

Zechariah 4:10a in the NLT says, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.” This Scripture came alive for  the BC Arise team in the latter half of 2020! With all the changes and challenges of 2020, we were tasked with creating and presenting a sustainability project. With prayer, discussion, planning, and much research, the BC Arise team came together on a hydroponics/aquaponics plan to create a source of sustainable income for our operation in Cambodia.

There was experimentation with a small model which allowed our team to learn as well as develop an affordable model that could be replicated at the Tech Centers. This model used items readily available and produced a small crop of lettuce. The next step was to expand to a larger model to produce more product as well as a more professional set up. With hard work, several of the men cleared land at the back of the team house.

A professional was consulted, and he provided guidance as a greenhouse was built. A second crop of lettuce was successfully grown and sold at the local market. There is also an experiment station outside of the greenhouse for different vegetables. Recently, a successful crop of Chinese broccoli was produced. This sold faster at the market and will be something grown consistently. There are plans to grow tomatoes and strawberries as well in the near future.

Currently, we operate with one greenhouse and are hopeful that a second one can be built in the near future to expand productivity and increase income. Our other goal is to make the transition into aquaponics which would provide another source of income with tanks of fish and shellfish like lobster and crayfish. The pathway to sustainability is just beginning for our BC Arise team! As we do our part in planting, monitoring, and watching over the vegetables, God makes them grow and provides buyers for our product.

As the team steps forward and goes in faith this year, I believe small beginnings will become larger opportunities.

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It started with a prayer...one pastor saw the need andprayed. Then the pastor shared this prayer with other pastors and they prayed.Eventually, in the early 2000’s, these pastors met with Pastor Sinai Phouek andMark Geppert and shared the need with them. That one prayer, approximately 20years ago, has led to today: orphaned, abandoned, and at-risk children livingin the permanent location of the New Hope for Orphans (NHO) children’s home inthe province of Kampong Thom, Cambodia.

It has been a long process. Since those first prayers, manymore prayers have risen over the years for this to happen. Mark and PastorSinai picked up the mantle of prayer for this need and carried it forward. Stepswere taken and land was purchased in 2006. With the purchase of the land, itwas thought that the home would come quickly, but it didn’t. The land wasfarmed for many years, producing cashews and vegetables that were needed forthe local community.

In 2014, the first intern group returned from theirinternship at the SEAPC-USA office and established an office in the capitalcity of Kampong Thom. They worked very hard to reach out to people andestablish a worship community, with the goal of establishing the permanentlocation on the property that had been purchased. After a year, it was obviousthat it was not the correct timing and that the interns were needed in thePhnom Penh offices to help handle the rapidly growing ministry.

At the same time that all of this was happening, a youngSitha Phon and Sopheaktra Chhorn were growing up. Sitha was in his early 20s atthe Phnom Penh home for NHO, attending college and working, and Sopheaktra wasa teenager, living with her parents in Kampong Thom province and going toschool in her local community. Her father is a pastor. Ultimately, as theygrew, Sitha was working in the NHO head office and Sopheaktra went to PhnomPenh to attend college. They met through the youth/young adult ministry, fellin love, and married in April, 2015.

In early 2017, while awaiting the birth of their firstchild, Sitha and Sopheaktra felt led to move to care for orphaned, abandoned,and at-risk children in Kampong Thom province. They wanted to bless kids theway Sitha had been blessed when he was in need. Sopheaktra’s father’s churchhad a small school building on the church grounds that they were no longerusing and said that the children’s home could be there temporarily. In August2017, no more than one month after their son was born, they moved and withinanother month, they already had 8 children living at the home.

The number of children grew very quickly and the temporarylocation was at full capacity. It was actually inching beyond capacity as theycould not in good-conscious turn away children in need. It was obvious that thehome needed to move. Prayers intensified.

Then, in 2018, God brought short-term teams to help at thehome. A member of one of these teams fell in love with the kids and staff atthe home and felt led to help them in bringing forth the permanent location wherethey would live. Others joined in with the desire to see this completed. Usingthe land purchased in 2006, various designs for the home’s layout andconstruction were explored. The final design came into place mid-2019 as housefather, Sitha, requested that the home be laid out in the design of a cross;with the church being closest to the road, the learning center/house parentlodging being behind the church with the boys’ and girls’ dormitories on eitherside, and the kitchen/dining area in the back.

Construction began in November 2019 with expectations thatthe entire campus would be completed and children could move in during thesummer of 2020. Then, the world was hit with the global pandemic of COVID-19.From April through most of October, construction was stalled as the pandemicaffected every area of life. It looked like the children would not be movinginto the home any time in the near future but, as always, we have a great God.The obstacle that stalled construction was removed and construction began againin early November.

Now, at least one of the dormitories (possibly both) havebeen completed by the end of 2020. This allowed for the children to move to thelocation and start the new school year, beginning January 11, 2021, in theirnew schools – perfect timing. The construction for the remaining buildings willsafely continue around them and they will expand into the full campus as it iscompleted. The expectation is that the entire campus will be completed by thefall of 2021.

Praise God! What started as a prayer almost 20 years ago hasbeen answered. Orphaned, abandoned, and at-risk children are living in apermanently located children’s home in Kampong Thom Province, Cambodia. Oncethe campus is completed, the capacity will go from approximately 20 children,which was at the temporary location, to approximately 60 children – 3 times asmany children can be served at the home.

Praise God, 2021 is already showing itself to be a year ofmultiple blessings! Another long-time prayer is being answered. Children at theNHO home in Pursat Province, are going to receive the second dormitory thatthey have needed for a number of years. Construction will begin very soon.

The children’s home in Pursat Province was built in 2008with one multifunction building (dormitory, staff lodging, activity area) and akitchen/dining area. Since its beginning, the house parents at this home havebeen Yoeum Tha and Thin So. Under their loving care, the home filled to maximumcapacity and has been bursting at the seams with children for a while. Thelocal government in Pursat loves the home and has requested that it expand toallow for more children.

I’m not exactly sure when Brother Yoeum started to pray forthis need, but he and Pastor Sinai expressed it to us a number of years ago andwe have been praying since. There has been much debate about whether topurchase land and move the home, closing the current site, or to build anotherbuilding on the current property. Eventually, the decision was made to build atthe current location. Now, a church in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, region hascommitted to build the building and love on the children at this home.

They have already raised 2/3 of the necessary funds and weare negotiating the contract with the builder for the timeline. We expect thatthis building should also be completed no later than fall 2021. Then, the girlswill move to the new building and the home will double its capacity for thenumber of children that can be served there.

Two requests, many years in prayer, are being fulfilledright now. Approximately 55 children/youth will receive the immediateblessings. Innumerable children will be blessed over time. We have a great Godwho answers prayer no matter how things look around us! Thank you for prayingwith us!

And there were shepherds living in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good tidings of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”

Luke 2:8-11

So, when was the last time someone texted, called, or appeared atyour door and said, “I bring you good tidings.” It’s an easy guess to saynever. And why would they? First of all, it’s archaic. And at this particularjuncture in history as 2020 winds down, it’s tough to find anything that risesto the level of good or joyful. That’s so first century.

Or is it? Consider to whom the angel brought this message. Not to aCEO from Jerusalem. Or to a designer from Damascus. Shepherds, the lowest rungof social status in ancient Judea, received these words. They were unwashed, illiterate,and isolated from polite society. And what a society. God’s chosen people wereliving in poverty, persecution, and panic. They had been looking for someone tosave them for millennia; that person resided solely in the writings of theprophets and in longing hearts.  

When the time had come for the Savior to be born, those to whom thebirth announcement was first delivered seemed the least likely choice. What didthese men think when they were confronted with the reality of the angelGabriel’s words? After the angel left, the shepherds hurried off and foundMary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. If they werefamiliar with prophecy and awaiting salvation, it must have been a startlingsight. The promised One had no power. No station in life. No home. No wealth. Wrappedin cloths and nestled in hay, he looked vulnerable, not invincible. And yet,after the shepherds spread the word, they returned, glorifying and praisingGod for all the things they had heard and seen were just as they had been told.They trusted prophecy. They trusted God. They trusted and welcomed theirSavior.

What, exactly, are good tidings? The King James translation of theBible uses this phrase. Others read good news; to tell good news; to preach thegospel. Isaiah, in chapter 61, stated, “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord ison me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor.” Sevenhundred years later, Jesus would apply these verses to himself in the synagoguein Nazareth. Jesus IS the essence and substance of good tidings.

Gabriel’s words to the shepherds, I bring you good tidings ofgreat joy that will be for all the people, continue to resonate today. Theworld has passed through wars and peace, pandemic and discovery, death andlife, despair and contentment in the ensuing centuries. Everything has changedsince that night eons ago. And yet the most important things have not changed.

People continue to suffer. Governments disappoint. Jobs are lost.Pandemics rage. Hate boils over. The enemy flexes his muscles and his minionsdo his bidding. But as in ancient days, these things will all pass away in duetime, God’s time. Jesus tells us that heaven and earth will pass away, butmy words will never pass away. And his words are good tidings of great joyfor us as much as they were when the angel first brought news of his birth tothe shepherds.

It’s what we do with these good tidings that’s important. We canrelegate them to Christmas cards. Or we can live them. In living good tidings,we become present-day shepherds. Joy is meant to be shared—with all people,for all time. Scripture says it. We do it. In Romans, our call is affirmed. Andhow shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful arethe feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings ofgood things!”

Secularization of Christmas doesn’t have to mean hiding baby Jesusunder the manger. His light is meant to shine. We are to tell the world thegood tidings. We are to share the great joy. We are to preach the good newsto the poor, to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for thecaptives and release from darkness for the prisoners as we proclaim theyear of the Lord’s favor.

Maybe it’s time we leave greetings such as hey, yo, s’up, hi, and everything else that’s meaningless behind. Not just at this season, but in every season, as we share the who of Jesus, the what of his actions, the where it happened, the how it relates to each person, and the when of his salvation to all who call upon his name. With the unknowing, it may require more than one detailed conversation. But God can and will work within our efforts to complete the process.

And perhaps we should just keep it simple. The next time youcontact someone, greet them with, “I bring you good tidings of great joy.” Ifthat doesn’t start a dialogue, nothing will.

In this sacred and holy season, may the eternal good tidings fillyour hearts with joy, peace, and gratitude as we celebrate the birth of ourLord Jesus Christ.

"But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity."

Micah 5:2

‘Tis the season. We sing the familiar words, “Oh, little town ofBethlehem, how still we see thee lie. Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, thesilent stars go by.” And we contemplate the place where our Savior was born.Are the song lyrics correct? What is the truth about the setting wherein Jesusbecame flesh?

For most who know the story, see a creche in a store, or watch themovie, it’s a lovely, iconic scene. A donkey, cows, sheep, maybe a chicken ortwo rest in their enclosure for the night. It’s a small wooden structure with afeeding trough, or manger, filled with hay. The animals are motionless. The hayis clean and fragrant. And the stable is nestled in the small, quaint villageof Bethlehem whose citizens are peacefully sleeping the night away. Mary’sdress is pristine blue. Joseph’s beard is neatly trimmed. And the baby is amiracle of good behavior.

Bethlehem did have many noteworthy attributes for its residents—likelyunder 1,000 lived there back in the day—to enjoy since its inception around thefourteenth century BC as a Canaanite settlement. Perched 2,700 feet above sealevel, the hills surrounding it were terraced for farming of fig trees andalmonds, and for sheep to be pastured, while grain grew in the valley. Jacobburied Rachel near its gate. It was the home of Ruth. And the birthplace ofDavid, who would be anointed by Samuel there.

What about the probable reality of that blessed night when Marybirthed Jesus? The enclosure was likely a cave; caves are notorious for beingdamp, dark, and cold. Animals are smelly and restless in the presence ofstrangers. The hay in the trough has been nibbled by cud-chewing cows. With abright star illuminating the town, one wonders how much sleep anyone wasgetting. Mary had been traveling on foot or on a donkey, not the best way tostay neat, and she had just given birth without benefit of pain medicine orclean linen. Joseph had no access to a barber. And baby Jesus? Babies cry;that’s how they expand their lungs at birth. Fully God, absolutely. But also,fully man, with all that human babies encompass.

To get an up-close and personal view of the nativity, a trip topresent day Bethlehem answers every question, right? Hardly. Bethlehem islocated five miles southwest of Jerusalem. It is now Palestinian territory,which means a visit is only possible if political relations are stable—whichoften is not the case. Today, the Muslim and Christian population of 25,000makes it more modern city than quaint village. Although streets are more on thenarrow side, they accommodate cars and busses that carry hordes of touristspast restaurants, gift shops, and businesses.  

Atop the reputed site of Jesus’ stable/cave birthplace is TheChurch of The Nativity, a Byzantine basilica. Constantine built the originalversion in 333 AD. The imposing stone structure gives no indication that astable ever shared the same space. As with all ancient sites, “tradition” isemphasized more than verifiable fact, although writings dating as far back asthe 100s AD believed this location is the real deal. Once inside the church, aflight of stairs clogged with other pilgrims and the merely curious leaddownward. The place that guides say, “marks the very spot of his delivery,” isnot the stuff of imagination. The opening to a small cave is squared off,draped with ornate red brocade fabric, and surrounded by an intricate goldscreen. In the front on stone flooring there is an indentation where one istold, “this is the place of the manger.”  It is marked by a silver star put there in1717 AD.

There are as many reactions to visiting Bethlehem in thetwenty-first century as there are people visiting. Some walk silently past thegrotto. There is jostling in the crowded space to get up close and touch thespot. Eyes close. Tears flow. Poses are struck. Selfies are taken. Reverenceand apostacy battle side by side. Not exactly the highly spiritual experience abeliever anticipates.

But as important as Bethlehem is, it’s also important that it notbecome the thing that is worshipped, an idol to believers or simply part of thehistorical secular experience. This writer has been blessed to visit the mangertwice. The experience, while awesome from the perspective of standing on holyground, didn’t rock my world as anticipated. On the first visit, it leftfeelings of confusion and inadequacy. Why didn’t the place of my Savior’s birthbring soaring joy, gratitude, and peace to my soul?

Prayer brought answers. It’s not the place. It’s the Person whobrings soaring joy, gratitude, and peace to every soul. The reality ofChristmas is the fulfillment of ancient prophecies about the coming of the trueMessiah, such as:

Prophecy, Isaiah 7:14

“Therefore, theLord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will conceive and give birth to ason, and will call him Emmanuel.”

Fulfillment, Luke 1:35

“The angelanswered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most Highwill overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son ofGod.’”

That God was willing to come to us in a sinful, violent world,clothed in flesh and delivered in a stable, is hard to even grasp. That thistiny, fragile infant would grow to be a man who would end his human life in asinful, violent world stripped of flesh on a cross, is even more astounding. Itcould have happened in any town. But to fulfill Scripture, Bethlehem is wherebaby Jesus uttered his first cry.

Regardless of the physical atmosphere in Bethlehem that night solong ago, we know there had to be a quiet, spiritual stillness in anticipationof Emmanuel’s birth. God with us. Savior. Friend. The world held its collectivebreath as darkness hovered over humanity. Until the silence was broken. By ababy’s cry. The angels’ chorus. Shepherds’ praise. And the darkness fled as theLight of God took his rightful place with his people.

Oh, little town of Bethlehem. In thy dark streets still shineth theeverlasting light. The hopes and fears of all the years are met in you fromthat holy night and forevermore.

"There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. "

1 Corinthians 15:41

What, exactly, is a star? Stars are fueled by the nuclearfusion of hydrogen to form helium deep in their interiors which keep them fromcollapsing and give them the energy to shine. They are the most fundamentalbuilding blocks of galaxies. Well okay then, not as alluring as popular culturehas made them to be. Children wish on them. Shooting stars, which are actuallymeteoroids, bring delight to anyone who happens to see their trail in the nightsky.

On day four of God birthing everything, he created the sun, moon,and stars. In Genesis we see his purpose: God set them in the expanse of theheavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night,and to separate the light from the darkness. The science of stars is real.So is the creation of them. And God does nothing without a perfect plan.

But that plan has twists and turns. If you’ve ever had the joy ofseeing the nighttime sky unimpeded by artificial lights, you understand howmagnificent it must have been long ago. Ancient pagans worshiped the stars.Modern pagans see the stars as their ancestors. The rabbinical Hebrew meaningof pagan is “worshipper of the stars.” Knowing all of this and so much more,God chose a star to announce the birth of his Son. On the surface, it seemssketchy. People in the first century were already seeing stars as deity.Wouldn’t a huge, bright star suddenly appearing in the heavens only fosterthese false beliefs?

As in all things, God’s Word gives us real information about therole and purpose of stars. In fact, according to one source, the word “star”appears in twenty-five books of the Bible and in one hundred verses.

Daniel 12:3 - Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

Isaiah 40:26 - Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.

Philippians 2:15 - So that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.

Matthew 2:2 - Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.

To review, Scripture tells us that the wise and those who leadothers to right living will shine like stars forever. That God calls forth thestars; he knows each by name and none go missing. Those who are pure shine likestars. A star signaled the birth of a child worthy of being worshipped. And asstars go, this particular one shone most glorious of all.

All of these attributes point to Jesus. Wisdom. Righteousness. Intimacy. Protection. Forgiveness. Deity. Glory.Why a star? Because from the beginning of creation throughout Biblicalhistory, stars have been representative of good. That which God set in theheavens as he spoke the world into being “separated the light from thedarkness.”

The star that the wise men followed after leaving the king wenton before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. Thatmagnificent star led them away from Herod’s evil to the purest of good. Itstopped over the stable because the center of the universe slept in a mangerbeneath the shimmering rays of starlight. Purity became illuminated for theangels, the shepherds, and the wise men to see, set aside for all time as anisland of light in the deep darkness of sin’s despair. As attested to by John,Jesus came into the world as the true light, which gives light to everyone. Thestar was never more than a symbol for the light which would come.

If light represents all that is worthy, darkness stands for allthat is not. In Jesus, the Father sent his only Son to be the light.After the manger became occupied by this heavenly child, darkness had to flee.The end of the story was written. Light won, both then, now, and forever.

As we go throughout the month of December, in a year that has hadmore than its share of darkness, keep your eyes on the place where one brilliantstar stopped on that night so long ago. Look into the bright eyes of the newbornlying there. And know that his light shines in our hearts today.

Why a star? Because that’s the dazzling birth announcement a special Father chose when he brought true light to the world through his precious Son.

NOTE: On December 21, 2020, the “Christmas Star” will be visible for the first time in 800 years as the planets Saturn and Jupiter align. The sighting is best viewed through a telescope or binoculars. In our neck of the woods, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, look to the southwest sky at twilight, around 5:30-6:30 PM. Whether you see it or not, know that the star isn’t the thing. It’s a natural phenomenon that points to our Savior, Jesus Christ!

"So then, just as you received Jesus Christ as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."

Colossians 2:6-7

“There’s nothing to celebrate.”

"It will never be the way it used to be.”

“Thankful? For what?”

Have you heard statements like this as we approach Thanksgiving 2020? If not, it’s surprising, because from social media, to television, to coffee shops, people are bemoaning the state of our nation this year. The most recent pronouncements in many states to either cancel Thanksgiving or to limit the celebration to immediate, in-home family do put a sopping wet damper on this quintessential American holiday.

It’s tough to argue. A plague, a contested election, loved ones dying, pets passing on, an economy on the brink, a potential vaccine that may or may not be viable, uncertainty in high places, a stock market that thinks it’s a yoyo. Need I go on? In addition to national concerns, each person has their own 2020 story. Few are upbeat or positive.

If you think this is nothing more than a feel-good Christian piece, think again. The trials are real. No manner of reframing or soft-selling will change reality. Jesus told us things like this would happen. It shouldn’t be a surprise to any student of the Bible. And yet most think it will happen in another era, to a different generation. So, surprise! Here we are. The question is what to do about it all in light of the societal mandate to Be Thankful as we hit turkey day—and for believers, every day.

An SEAPC team went to Plymouth, MA to pray in mid-November, on the 400^th anniversary of the Mayflower landing. Why did the Pilgrims endure the sea voyage to come to uncharted territory? They arrived in a cold, barren land of people with whom they had nothing in common. Do you think some of them wondered, “Should I be thankful for this?”

In their context, there must have been a resounding, “YES!” Because they came from true religious persecution, even though such things had long been outlawed in their civilized nations. Some believers who strayed from state-approved worship were strangled and burned. Other incidents included stabbing with an iron fork, hanging and mutilation, seizure of property, exile, and numerous other atrocities.

The Pilgrims arrived in the New World with a goal and a passion. The goal, to worship God as they chose, to be “plantations of religion,” “a city on a hill,” “a holy experiment.” Their passion, to make a reality out of God’s plan for his churches in the American wilderness. The hardships they would suffer here paled in comparison to what they had fled. Were they thankful? What do you think?

Fast forward. The Christian church in the United States is, indeed, experiencing ridicule, censorship, and a growing societal acceptance of beliefs that are not Biblically-based. But most of us “suffer” in comfortable homes, with full refrigerators, warm furnaces, family, and the freedom to attend the church of our choice, even if sometimes it’s online. It is not the ideal situation when God is being shut out by so many lost souls. He wants everyone to know him and to be saved. But these events, while troubling, only highlight God’s mighty care of the people he loves so much.

*Our God did not leave us uninformed.

Forour light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that faroutweighs them all. (2Corinthians 4:17.)

*He protects us in allcircumstances.

Godis my deliverer. I will trust in him and not fear. For the Lord gives mestrength and protects me. (Isaiah12:2.)

*When we need him, he is alwaysavailable.

TheLord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who takerefuge in him. (Nahum1:7.)

Everyone,even the mightiest of mighty believers, has moments of doubt. It’s part of thehuman condition. The challenge is to lay those doubts, fears, anxieties, andyes, even persecutions, at the foot of the cross. And walk away. Jesus alreadytook care of them for us. His work is finished. Our work is to trust him, nomatter what the season. He knew that sometimes each of us would be a Sampson offaith. And that at other times we would tremble and be a Gideon. We will vacillate.His love will not.

Withinthe free will we have been given, we are free to make a choice as we celebrateThanksgiving Day, 2020. We can choose to drink of the half-empty glass ofworry. Or we can choose to be filled with the overflowing glass of LivingWater. Because our thanksgiving is not focused on temporal things that willexperience rust, moth, and destruction. Our thankfulness is to God, for hisgrace, mercy, peace, provision, and sacrificial love.

The staff and Friends of SEAPC wish everyone a day of true blessings this Thanksgiving. We can eat chunks of turkey, mounds of stuffing, and slices of pie. And we can also worship, pray, and thank our Creator, our Savior, and our ever-present help in times of trouble for the unconditional love and protection available to us every second of every day on earth. And for eternity in heaven.

Thanksgiving blessings to all, in the name of Jesus, who alone is sufficient.

The Lord is my solid rock, my fortress, my rescuer. My God is my rock—I take refuge in him! He is my shield.

Psalm 18:2

It seemed like a crazy idea. A team from SEAPC would drive to Plymouth, Massachusetts, to commemorate through prayer the 400^th anniversary of the Pilgrims’ Mayflower adventure. A carload of guys, a van full of women, and one air traveler packed light and took off.

It would be eleven hours of drivingthrough five states. Covid-19 mandates meant lodging out of state, some inRhode Island, the remainder in New Hampshire. Masks were mandatory, restaurantshad restrictions, and Starbucks was so busy that it required half an hour ofwaiting for a tall chai latte. In true 2020 fashion, the wait yielded weak,barely flavored tea.

Driving through the fading autumn,leaves drifted from tree branches already taking on their austere winter appearance.Bursts of bright sun, interspersed with gray clouds, gave a portent ofapproaching rain. In the van, the chatter of women’s voices—deeper timbres ofthe elders, higher pitches of the youngers—joined in laughter interspersed withmusic, naps, and snacking. A great, binding sense of peace, purpose, and powerinfused the group. Helpless as humans, Jesus imbued each one with his sufficiency.

The next morning meant back intothe van for an hour drive into Plymouth. Instead of the usual chilly air andsnowfall of a New England November, God provided sunshine, coat-free warmth, agentle breeze. The long-planned local celebratory events had been postponeduntil 2021. There were no balloon vendors, food trucks, or tightly packedcrowds. Instead, small groups of Christians gathered together in PilgrimMemorial State Park. Men blew shofars, while wireless speakers emitted worshipsongs, ancient and contemporary praise being raised to heaven at the same time.

The SEAPC team went to serve the localRiver of Life Church. Worship songs were accompanied by colorful flags beingwaved. The sweet sound of prayer in Chinese and English mingled. As we prayer walkedaround Plymouth rock, the Mayflower, the harbor, it became clear that the bodyof Christ has at its core a diverse universe of believers. Native Americans,motorcycle dudes, old ladies, dark and light skin—that which really isthe United States gathered together in single-minded purpose. PraiseGod. Lift America. Beg mercy.

After a time of walking andpraying, the two teams returned to the site of the rock. More worship, moreprayer. A pastor from Puerto Rico and his family joined us. Random peoplestopped to gather in prayer. People stepped forward with wisdom revealed tothem by the Lord. Messages of hope, sent by the Father to his beloved, hurtingchildren.

As prayer soared, these wordsappeared in this writer’s thoughts:

“Trust me in this,” says the Lord. “You will neverbe bound by chains of oppression because your true freedom is in me.”

In fervent prayer, the writer’simagination fled and the Holy Spirit whispered his roaring message. The freedomswe hold dear in this country are important and to be protected: free speech,equality, freedom to worship, and the many other concepts the Founding Fathersput in prayerful place.

At the same time as the team prayedin Plymouth, the SEAPC office staff in Pittsburgh dedicated a time for prayer,each person in their own space. When they came back together, they discoveredthat all had been praying for the same basic things. As always when we don’tknow what to pray for, the Holy Spirit guides us.

The SEAPC teams, together—evenseparated by 600 miles—were all one in beseeching the Lord. We felt theprivilege of being able to communicate freely with God. And with our hearts unitedin prayer through the Holy Spirit, there was no dependence on location or priorplanning. Rather, our unity in Jesus joined us in spirit to fight against thecommon enemy of the soul of our nation.

Before leaving the site, there wereopportunities to contemplate Plymouth Rock. On its own, the boulder itself isan unprepossessing stone. Smallish and of non-descript color, it is engravedwith 1620. In danger of splitting in two, a mason repaired it; the white cementpatch looks like a cross. It may be the real stone the Pilgrims stepped ontothat day 400 years ago, perhaps not. That detail isn’t important, because itrepresents the founding of a new nation in religious freedom, invested withvalues still precious to us today.

For those who follow Biblical truth,there is an even greater rock to which we cling. In Deuteronomy 32:3-4: Iwill proclaim the name of the Lord: ascribe greatness to our God. He is theRock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulnessand without injustice, just and upright is he. Moses saw these attributesof his King in the immovable strength of a rock.

Luke and Matthew in the NewTestament relate the parable of the builder. Jesus reveals that those who cometo him and hear him are like a man who builds his house on a rock that nothingcould shake. Our lives are the house. Jesus is the rock. When we stand on him,nothing—let me repeat that—nothing can shake us.

The Pilgrims came to America sothat they were free to build their houses on the solid foundation that is JesusChrist. Four hundred years has changed many things. The Mayflower is a replica.The rock is a fragment. There are cars and computers and electricity and everythingthat encompasses modern experience.

But in four hundred years thefoundational aspects of life have not, and will never, change. Jesus is thesame yesterday, today, forever. As the SEAPC team stood at Plymouth Rock withbelievers from many different backgrounds and ages, that truth became apparent.We stood by the temporal rock. Our prayers rose to the eternal Rock. It was aday of great blessing. A fountain of peace. And a solid foundation for the daysyet to come.

OnChrist the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all otherground is sinking sand.