Christmas Provisions

The early American settlers had to set aside provisions for the hard winters ahead. They would stock things in barrels and jars and even bury some of those things in hillsides. They were planning ahead for what was needed. There was very little room for wants. Perhaps a tiny package of hard candy was tucked into a corner next to the salt pork, flour and lard. When one is in survival mode, there’s not much room for anything but necessities. For many people around the world who live in remote or cold winter areas, this same activity happens today.

When it comes to provisioning, one must plan ahead. One must think through every possible need.  Thinking of what might occur, and what might not be at the ready, is critical to survival. Firewood must be stockpiled throughout the warmer seasons. The harvests must be prepared properly to avoid spoil and decay. The chinks and breaches in living quarters must be filled and sealed.  Oh, there is so much to do for the difficult days!

As I have been meditating on this Christmas season, I have been struck with how our God has laid up provisions for us. He knows our needs and he planned well in advance for us. He provided . . .

-a promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—a promise that all the world would be blessed through their offspring

-prophecies that affirmed that a Messiah would come to save the world

-a star, a special star, that would guide truth-seekers to their Savior

-a virgin, who in all humility, accepted the role of mother for the Child-King

-an earthly father who, though he was afraid, took the courage of the Lord to protect his family

-an inn keeper who had a barn and was willing to share

-an angel choir singing the greatest announcement in the world

-dreams that guided the Savior’s family to a foreign land for protection from a heinous and violent leader

-an end to the heinous and violent leader so that the Savior’s family could return home

-costly gifts from the magi—gold, frankincense and myrrh—which provided monetarily for the Savior’s family

-a home for the Savior to grow up in safety and comfort as a child

-houses of worship where the young Messiah could learn and teach

-a confirmation of our Savior’s mission and purpose on earth through a baptism event with John

-miracles to demonstrate the Savior’s power and compassion while he walked among us

-disciples who left everything to follow the Way, the Truth and the Life and were dedicated enough to let others know about this Way

-a sacrifice, the greatest sacrifice of all, to purchase our redemption through the Savior’s death on a cross

-the resurrection to speak to death and hell, in a most final way, that they did not have the victory

-salvation for all humanity that is constantly offered by grace and through faith

-hope, that exudes itself powerfully and quietly in the midst of turmoil, war and devastation

-a future that is full of promise for daily provision and eternal rest.

This Christmas we can rest in the knowledge that God provided and provides in the most thorough and well thought-out ways. There is nothing missing in his Christmas provision.  Everything we really need is there. May we rejoice now, and in 2016, for the provision of Jesus Christ and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit!  May we sing with the angels the ancient and new song . . .

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

~Luke 2:14

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

M.R. Hyde

New Book - Beyond Gender: An Essay with Sermons on Women

I finally finished publishing Beyond Gender: An Essay with Sermons on Women. This is an essay (a.k.a. graduate paper) I wrote way back in 1995 on women in ministry. This book has literally been two decades in the making. That sure sounds old, but it's my story and I'm sticking to it. This essay was an incredibly important journey for me. I was a young woman with a call to preach not knowing which way to turn. Now after twenty years, I find that those early discoveries of other women in ministry are still just as important.  Hopefully they will be for some readers out there as well.

Here's a brief description of a far more recent bit of research found in the book celebrating the life and call of a women named Deborah.  You can find this sermon/essay in Beyond Gender.

Remarkably, I discovered that I had not yet preached or written on Deborah, a prophetess, leader and judge in Israel. This rather shocked me because her life and example have fed so much of my own strength and courage over the years. So, I recently wrote a piece on this remarkable woman and have included it in this portion of the book.  I hope that, in some small way, looking closely at her will help others as God has helped me through her example and life.

I invite you to read Beyond Gender if freedom in ministry is what you seek.

The paperback version should be available in the next couple of weeks at Lulu.com and other fine retailers.

May God bless and help all of his men and women called into and working in His great Kingdom!

M.R. Hyde  

And afterward,
I will pour out my Spirit
on all people.
Your sons and daughters
will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.
Even on my servants,
both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit
in those days.

~ Joel 2:28-29

A Biblical Imagination

When we are presented with the option to watch movies based on biblical events there are several things that can happen.  First, we may completely ignore the option believing that the film maker's motives were not godly or they were just after the almighty dollar and know that the Christian market is a huge one to tap into.  Secondly, we could watch with deep skepticism for the very same reasons. Finally, we could watch them and take them as the whole biblical truth. With a Bible in one hand and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, those who choose to watch such representations can gain a richer biblical imagination.

Each actor’s or director’s take on any film will be decidedly biased to that actor’s or director’s world view—be that Christian or not. And each viewer’s world view will be different.  Every potential viewer will make their own decisions based on their own preferences.

I struggle with Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Ten Commandments” for artistic reasons.  The over-the-top and over-played characters and scenes get a little too much for me.  But I can still engage my biblical imagination to really think through and attempt to connect with the persons (not just characters) who experienced these things. How did they see God?  Why did they respond the way they did?  What were the overwhelming and oppressive forces of a pagan nation like to live with?  It can prompt me to do historical and cultural studies that inform my understanding of God’s Word. I can pull out commentaries and historical facts to not only check the historical accuracy of the film, but also to really engage with a time outside of my own when the world views and approaches to God were either different or the same.  When I saw the animated “Prince of Egypt”, directed by Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner and Simon Wells, for the first time, I was completely taken by the walls of Red Sea water represented on the screen.  I walked away from that film saying, “No wonder they talked about this for centuries!”—whether or not the walls of water were really that high.  It was clearly a miracle of God that brought deliverance.  Up to that point those watery walls had been little more than flannel graph images in my head.  Richard Fleischer’s “Barabbas”, starring Anthony Quinn, reminded me of the long-suffering grace of God. 

So, recently when “A.D. - The Bible Continues” started airing, I decided to watch.  What has come of this engagement?  I have had a gripping sense of the struggle of the early Christians, the high cost of following Jesus,  and the profound joy that comes in that following.  While I don’t agree with many of the artistic or the scriptural interpretative efforts of the film makers, I have been driven back to the book of Acts over and over.  I have read it slowly and carefully, trying to come to terms with more than flannel graph images.  I waited in anticipation for the coming of and the representations of the power of the Holy Spirit. I keep seeing over and over the Christians fleeing into the Jerusalem hills when the Roman Guards and Saul came hunting them down, wondering how they survived leaving everything for Jesus.  I wait with baited breath for when Saul is confronted by Jesus himself on the road to Damascus. 

Whether or not I can concede to every actor’s or director’s interpretation, I know the Author of this story.  I know that it is a narrative that is real, not just a film or something of someone’s unbiblical imagination.  I want to engage a biblical imagination, even with or without the aid of films, so that I can delve deeper into the richness of God’s Word, and more than that, to know my Savior better. He can overcome any oppressive regime.  He can work through the lowly and despised.  He will empower the weak and frightened.  He will plant joy deep into the heart of every believer.  He will satisfy the power-hungry when they humble themselves under His power.     

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.
As the rain and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

~Isaiah 55:8-11(NIV)

M.R.Hyde  Copyright 2015

Healing and Deliverance

When reading the Gospels we come across numerous accounts of Jesus healing and delivering people of demons.  It is intriguing to look at all of the different types of healing and deliverance provided by our Lord.  It is also intriguing to look at the people who were healed and delivered.  Did they want healing or deliverance?  Who brought them to Jesus? Did he go to them?  Did he deliver them because they asked?

When we do a survey of these cases of healing and deliverance, we see all of these circumstances and more. Some cry out or run to Jesus. Some are brought by their friends. Some simply intercede on behalf of their children or loved ones. Some get a direct touch from Jesus, while others get up from the sickbed healed from a distance. Some are fully followers of Jesus. Others have only an inkling of who he really is. Some, as in the case of Legion (Matthew 8:28-34, Mark 5:1-20 and Luke 8:26-39), seem to be drug by demons to the feet of Jesus. And then there was the time that the disciples could not accomplish deliverance and Jesus said, "This kind can come out only by prayer." (Mark 29:9) 

It is a real temptation for us to try to come up with a particular formula for all healing and deliverance or to create systems of prayers and practices to address the different needs for healing and deliverance. But just as there are many different kinds of possessions and a multitude of diseases, so there are different approaches and different means to healing and freedom through Christ Jesus.

But there is one thing that is for certain.  Among the multitudes of these kinds of troubles there is only one source of healing and freedom and that is Jesus Christ himself.  Certainly our prayers and faith have been invited by God to be a part of the picture, but it is the Name and the Word of Jesus Christ that brings true and lasting healing as well as complete and secure deliverance.  He is the source of all knowledge for the doctors and researchers around the globe.  His is the precision that guides the surgeon’s hand.  His is the strength given to the prayer warriors when it seems deliverance is impossible.  He is the power that speaks a word directly to the wicked powers that prey on his beloved. 

The Holy Spirit can guide us moment-by-moment for the unique or particular means of healing and deliverance as we participate in Christ’s work around the world.  Believing that it is God’s desire to free all humanity, we can trust his work, be open to our part in that work and pray, pray, pray.

Copyright M.R. Hyde 2015

Thanks to PPLD Mountain of Authors

I had a wonderful time at the 2015 Mountain of Authors Conference sponsored by the Pikes Peak Library District.  My first measure of thanks goes to God for giving me this good opportunity.  And then just below that measure is a great big bucket of thanks to the PPLD staff that treated us like kings and queens.  It was wonderful to sit with other authors, learn from them and share in the love of good stories and writing.

The Mountain of Authors 25% discount I have on most of my books is good through the end of April 2015 (Lulu.com for paperbacks and Smashwords.com for e-books).  So be sure to explore and buy a good read today.

Look forward to more regular posting on my blog as I venture out to let more people know about my books and as I venture back in for more writing. So now I need to be in earnest in preparation for my study and eventual publication of The Qualities of God's Wrath (or at least that is what that title is right now).  This study will be an attempt to focus on understanding God's wrath and how it is related to His mercy and holiness.  I'm really going to try to not get bogged down on how humans need to handle their anger in respect to God, because there are many, many books on that. I just love God and want to know more about Him.  It promises to be an interesting adventure!

Happy reading! 

M.R. Hyde