Vol. 17 No. 52 | December 28, 2015

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Within a few days we will say farewell and goodby to another year. As we end a year and welcome a new one many will spend at least some time developing plans and making resolutions for the coming year. There will be news stories about the first baby born in the hospitals. There will likely be stories about to the first couples to be married. And sadly some news programs will report the first death of the new year. Over the next week we will be experiencing and talking about all kinds of firsts that occur as the first days of the new year pass.

Instead of focusing on the first things, I would like to spend the space of this last A Norvell Note of 2015 to think about the last thing. What is the last thing you will talk about this year? It is a fairly common tendency among families and friends to share some of the most important and meaningful information during the last few minutes of our time together. We may chit chat throughout the visit. We may spend much of our time on trivialities until we are ready to walk out the door.

Parents will often end their visit with their children with words like, “Be careful.” “Call us when you get home.” “Do you have enough cash?” In our family we have always tried to say, “I love you” before we leave, even if it is for a trip to the grocery store.

So, these are the words I want to leave you with as the year comes to an end.

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3, NIV)

This is my desire for you. That you know the only true God, and Jesus Christ. My goal for A Norvell Note is to help you know Jesus. It is not my desire to tell you about heaven or how wonderful it will be. It is not my desire to tell you about how important it is for you go to and be involved in a church or spiritual community. It is not my goal to help you get it right with how you worship. It is my desire to help you know Jesus.

I know of no more important question that I can ask you than these: Do you know Jesus? Do you understand that Jesus came to earth, lived on earth, died, and rose again so that you could be forgiven of all your sins? Do you know that if you know Jesus, you have eternal life, because He is eternal life.

The year’s end is near. Do you know Jesus? What are your last words?

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2015. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

Vol. 17 No. 51 December 21, 2015

As the clock continues to tick toward Christmas Eve and Christmas Day you may be feeling the pressure of finding that perfect gift that special person in your life. You have been thinking about it all year. You’ve checked websites. You’ve looked catalogs. You’ve walked

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malls and shopping centers and department stores. You’ve dropped hint and you’ve asked friends and family members and people close to them to keep their ears open in case she casually mentions something she wants. Nothing!

You want it to be something special. You want it to be something that she will remember. You want it to be something meaningful. You want it be something she will really appreciate. You want it be something that will last. “What can I give?”

Finally someone suggests, “Maybe what you need to give her is not something you will find in a store. Maybe what she wants the most is not something you can buy. Maybe what she wants and long for from you is not a thing. Maybe the best thing you can give her is you.”

“That’s it!”

Your mind goes into high gear. “Why didn’t I think of this?” Now your options seem limitless. You can make something with your hands. You can write something. You can paint something. You take her on a trip. You can go out for an especially nice restaurant. You can write her a romantic letter. The common thread in all these is you. The best gift you can give her and the gift she desires most is you.

For centuries God expressed is love to His people. Time after time the people He loved rejected His attempts to love them. One by one His people rejected His messengers and His message. When He had exhausted every other means to demonstrate His love He sent His Son. He sent His one and only Son into the world. As in previous attempts His own people did not accept His love. His effort did not end there. He was determined to a gift to His  people would be remember, a gift that would last, a gift that was meaningful, and gift that would be remembered. So, He gave Himself to die on a cross.

God’s attempt to give the perfect gift was successful…at least for some. For two centuries some of those for whom He died have responded with love, appreciation, gratitude, and have lived and died to demonstrate their love for Him. Some have rejected His love. Some have ignored His gift. He gave the perfect gift.

Once you determine the perfect gift for your loved one all you can do is give it. Whether or not they accept it or appreciate it is up to them. You have done your part.

God knew long beforehand that some would received His perfect gift with gratitude and He knew that some would reject it. That did not deter Him. He gave the perfect gift. You do the same. Give the gift. Give it freely. Give it graciously. Give it lovingly. And enjoy watching them receive it. You gave the perfect gift.

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2015. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

Vol. 17 No. 50 | December 14, 2015

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This is my sincere plea to my Christian brothers and sisters: Just be like Jesus.

This is not a request for infallibility, not a demand for flawless living, and certainly not a naive expectation of perfection. Of course we are human. Yes, we make mistakes…we have in the past and we will again.

My plea is for those who claim to be followers, not government official, not politicians, not sports figures, not superstars of the entertainment industry. My plea is for those who claim to follow Jesus. If you claim to follow Him, follow Him. Please do your best to be like Him.
The conversations taking place, the attitudes being displayed, actions being advocated by my brothers and sisters have brought to mind the words and the sentiment of this prayer of old hymn.

Oh! to Be Like Thee

Thomas O. Chisholm, pub.1897
Copyright: Creative Commons Public Domain

Oh! to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh! to be like Thee, full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wand’ring sinner to find.

Oh! to be like Thee, lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer, others to save.

Oh! to be like Thee, Lord, I am coming,
Now to receive th’ anointing divine;
All that I am and have I am bringing,
Lord, from this moment all shall be Thine.

Oh! to be like Thee, while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love,
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Refrain: Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

Just be like Jesus. When you air your opinions publicly, just be like Jesus. When you engage in your heated debates about what is wrong with the world, just be like Jesus. Before you demand your rights and express your frustrations over being mistreated, just be like Jesus. When you are in the presence of children, and when you are teaching them how to get on in the world, just be like Jesus. To my preaching friends, when you position yourself as a spokesperson for God, just be like Jesus. When you proclaim what you will or will not do as a citizen of your country, just be like Jesus. When you are with your family, just be like Jesus. When you are with your friends, just be like Jesus. When you are tired and want to give up on the human race, just be like Jesus.

There was a time when, “There were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we would like to see Jesus.’” Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. (John 12:20-22, NIV)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this is the plea I make, and possibly the plea being made many who are not within our circle: “We would like to see Jesus.”

Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

This week: I just want to be like Jesus.

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2015. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

Vol. 17 No. 49 | December 7, 2015

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Louie Giglio says, “Jesus has enough, is enough, and will be enough.” At first glance will probably say, “Amen. I agree with that.” But, back up and read it again. Do you really agree with that?

“Jesus has enough.” Sure He does. He’s the Son of God. He was with God in the beginning. He has all power. He has all wisdom. He has all knowledge. There are several places where
in His own world He claimed to be the Son of God. Some of the religious people of His day had trouble with that claim, but their disbelief did not distract Him from His mission. There is even one place in the Bible where He is described as “…being in very nature God…” (Philippians 2) So, sure I agree that Jesus has enough.

“Jesus is enough.” Hmmm. That may be a little more difficult. Can you really say that Jesus is enough? Do you trust Him enough to not need anything or anyone else?
Maybe you can relate to these words from Larry Crab.

“God, I don’t know how to come to you. I need to know you, to sense your presence, to feel your love, more than anything else. But, I don’t know what to do. Every path I follow leads back to me. I must find the way to you! I know you’re all I have. But I don’t know you well enough for you to be all I need. Please let me find you.” [Larry Crabb, The Importance of Finding God, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, 1993, p. 25.]

On one occasion Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14) Of course you know Jesus should be enough, and you wish He was, but sometimes you find it difficult to say that He is.

“Jesus will be enough.” It’s not a huge leap of understanding to realize that if it is sometimes difficult to consistently believe that Jesus is enough now, it may also be difficult to stay convinced that He will be enough in the future. It may be difficult to believe that He will be all I need. But you keep telling yourself that He is enough and that He will be all you need. Deep down you know it. There are no doubts, but then life turns against you, the breaks go to the other guy, or the other lady gets the job, or the other couple’s kid gets the scholarship. When then? Will Jesus be enough then?

“Jesus has enough, is enough, and will be enough.” That is true for Louie Giglio. It can be true for you. It won’t always be easy. There will be times when your confidence will waver, when your faith will grow weak, and when your trust will fail.

Confidence like that of Louie Giglio is the result of being challenged and overcoming the challenge. It comes by learning from you failures. It comes by taking note of the doors that God opens, the strength He provides, the wisdom you gain. It comes as a result of seeing God work in your friends, in your family, and even in the lives of those dislike and may disagree with. You can have a faith like that. You can believe that, “Jesus has enough, is enough, and will be enough.” Then, you will be able to help others believe that, “Jesus has enough, is enough, and will be enough.”

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2015. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.