Keith Burnett Ministries

Equipping for Evangelism

Santa: On Mission in Dominican Batey

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Christmas Mission in Batey

Let me share the joy with you! Our mission teams are giving all year long. YOU make that possible. Well, it’s fitting that a ROW team was in the Dominican Republic just ahead of Christmas. They brought Christmas to the batey.

As you can see from the picture gallery, there was food, fun, Santa, love, bicycles and baseballs. Many donations were made in order for this to happen. One church donated enough baseballs for every kid

Spreading the good news of God's peace. Will you help?

Spreading the good news of God’s peace. Will you help?

in the batey to have one. That is a really big deal. That was probably the only present most of them received. However, they were probably happier with their new personal baseball than many children were with their newest electronic games.

If our mission is to share the love of Christ (and it is!), then what happened in this batey ought to brighten your day. I hope you enjoy the gallery! And I pray you will make it your mission to help us get off to a sound financial start in 2016!

Soli Deo Gloria! 

#1 Thing NOT To Put Away

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Christmas overwhelmed 2

Overwhelmed putting Christmas away? This helpful reminder is a follow-up to the Sounds of the Season series I did before Christmas. As we pack it all away, there is a very important thing we need to keep out!

Pushing back the Christmas Curtain was about encouragement. We need to see the big picture of our Father’s work. But here we are on the first work day after Christmas. What did we have in view during Christmas that needs to remain in view today?

Our Father focused centuries of His own work and the passion of His heart in the name: Emmanuel. That was last week, or was it? Before we answer that, let me ask another question. Is a Christian an imitation of God the Father? We know that should be the case. Some would say, I don’t want to be an example! That really isn’t an option. A Christian is an imitaion of the Father. The only question is, Am I a good example or a poor one? That connects us back to Emmanuel.

We had God With Us in view last week as we celebrated Christmas. That is what we must continue to keep in view. When God said He would be with us, and never forsake us, He meant exactly that. Like the example thing above, we don’t have a choice about His presence. He is with us every moment of every day. With that in mind, consider the places we ‘take’ Him:

  • Conversations – uplifting ones and ones filled with gossip
  • Transactions – honest ones and shady ones
  • Relationships – healthy ones and unhealthy ones

That list could get pretty long, but I think you’ve got the idea. God With Us is a truth we cannot put away until next year. It should color every action of every day. Take this truth with you into the New Year. Celebrate it daily. Let it encourage you to live in a manner worthy of the high calling you have been given. And if you run into a challenge, come back here and look through the Sounds of the Season series for a little more encouragement. 🙂

Soli Deo Gloria!  

Pushing Back the Christmas Curtain, 3

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Sounds of the Season 3

Emmanuel, God With Us; what does that mean to you today as you celebrate Christmas? Why is it important to devote 3 Sounds of the Season posts to one name of Jesus?

Sounds of the Season – I Will Be With You

ONE reason has already been cited: God does not change. We do not have to wonder what He will be like or how He will do things tomorrow. He is perfect and never changes. The only change He could make would be to imperfection and that would make Him less than God! God With Us has always been His plan and desire. We do Him, and ourselves, a disservice to think it only applies to Christmas.

It doesn’t take much to find out how many times God said to someone:

I will be with you.

This link shows He said that to Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Solomon, and the nation of Israel. The later references show us this was said of God by several people. It’s noteworthy to see God said He would be with Moses’ words. Interesting!

Sounds of the Season – I Will Go With You

Imagine being sent by God on an impossible mission. His words came as strength and comfort to men like Moses and Gideon. He intends the same for you and me!

Sounds of the Season – I Am With You

This has a different ring to it. I like it. The great name of our great God, I AM – with you. This phrase also occurs several times in the Bible. And these are the words the Lord said to the Apostle Paul in Acts 18:9-10:

And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.

Scripture repeatedly shows us God’s presence = God’s provision. What we need is in Him, not in something less that He brings. That all sounds great for a guy like Paul, right? Well I have news. Jesus said the same thing to you and me. Our service to Him is making disciples and Jesus connected that mission with His presence:

…teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

See it? It’s right there to calm our doubts and fears – I am with you. It was enough for Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Paul and it’s enough for us!  Just to make sure we get it, He adds always. And in case that didn’t register with us, He repeats the thought: even to the end of the age. How awesome is that!

Christmas Present

So as you celebrate God With Us with your family, think long about Emmanuel. It’s as if God took a heavenly megaphone and shouted the message through time and space. With Us has always been His desire. We have seen it:

  • In the Garden of Eden
  • In the two Cherubim and the Flaming Sword
  • On the Ark of the Covenant
  • In His meeting us at the Mercy Seat
  • In Jesus meeting us in the Manger

And His divine, unchanging desire has one part yet to come. I mentioned it briefly in the previous post. The Apostle Paul says we now see through a glass darkly. You see, we have the promise of our complete redemption and salvation in the form of the Holy Spirit Who lives within us. However, it will not always be that way. Emmanuel will complete the work He began in us and we will see Him face to face. Paul says we will see Him as He is and we will know as we are known. And yes, our eternal worship of Him will be in presence of the Cherubim and all the other heavenly hosts!

Spreading the good news of God's peace. Will you help?

Spreading the good news of God’s peace. Will you help?

I hope pushing back the curtains has encouraged and equipped you. I hope you take comfort in our unchanging Father. And I hope you see more in Emmanuel than you ever have. I also hope you know the best is yet to come.

What a day that will be! Have a Merry Christmas 🙂

Soli Deo Gloria!

How are YOU Like the Manger?

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Sounds of the Season

Sounds of the Season Devotional

You have much in common with a manger. Don’t think so? Let me show you. One of our favorite carols begins this way:

Away in a manger no crib for a bed…

Unlike the common nativity images, the manger in which Jesus was laid was most likely hewn from stone. The pictures in this post show some great examples of stone mangers. And if you think about it, a very arid region doesn’t produce a great deal of wood. If you fed sheep there, what would you use to hold the fodder?

Luke 19-40 slideAt Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, He told the Pharisees the very stones would cry out if He were to tell the crowd to be quiet. That was the focus of my sermon yesterday. If rocks were forced to cry out, what would they say?

One of the stones in question was the manger. If it could speak to us, what important things would it tell us? There are several statements you might expect, and one or two that will probably surprise you. In the expected category, that manger might say:

  • I saw prophecy fulfilled!
  • I saw the only virgin birth in history!
  • I saw God be born in human flesh!
  • I heard the cries of Emmanuel (God with us)!
  • I got to hold the Baby!
  • If you’ll believe, the Baby will hold you!

 Sounds of the Season – Application

Sounds of the SeasonWhether you’ve thought in these terms or not, the list above isn’t necessarily surprising. However, that stone manger reminds us of something very important. Notice the fifth item: I got to hold the Baby. We know the joy and excitement of holding our newborns for the first time. And that is what I want to put into your thinking every time you hear Away in a Manger. Why?

You and I, as believers in Jesus Christ, are just like that manger. We get to hold the Baby – the King of Kings. Paul reminds us in Corinthians that we are the earthen vessels into which God has put His treasure. Christ lives in us. We do in fact hold the Baby whose birth we now celebrate. And it is our Father’s intent that we share with the world the last thing that manger might say:

If you’ll believe, the Baby will hold you!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Sounds of the Season Series: Previous Posts

Kings – Video Post

Bread – Video Post

Joy to the World – Video Post

Sounds of the Season – Kings

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Sounds of the Season

Sounds of the Season Devotional – Kings

Actually, Scripture says wise men from the east came to see Jesus. In a beloved Christmas carol they are immortalized as kings. How many were there? We aren’t sure. Tradition says three kings because there were three gifts given. You know them well:

  • Gold
  • Frankincense
  • Myrrh

Each gift was significant and that is part of the video. It’s worth repeating here that wise men not only sought Jesus, they gave to Jesus. These men were wise enough to seek the Savior. People today should be so wise. But what about those gifts?

Sounds of the Season – Gifts

We see gifts all around us. We see ads trying to get us to buy gifts. But think about those first gifts. Why were they brought? Even today it’s fairly common to take a hostess gift to a party or a dinner. The giving of a gift recognizes the importance of the recipient. It acknowledges their place or station in life. Our gift is a tangible expression of those thoughts.

The wise men, kings they may have been, understood Who Jesus was. They understood His place in the universe was much higher than theirs. Their actions were a visible expression of the wisdom in Proverbs:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

gifts under the tree 2Much as been said about the gifts they brought. For now, just take notice they brought gifts. And while we are consumed with giving and getting gifts for ourselves, let me pose an important queston about our gift(s) to Jesus: (see it at the end of the video!)

Soli Deo Gloria!

 

Sounds of the Season – Bread

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Sounds of the Season

Sounds of the Season Devotion Series

Making connections is something my mind does. And there are connections between Bethlehem and one of our favorite Christmas carols, O Little Town of Bethlehem. That connection may surprise you, but at the very least I hope it encourages you.

Sounds of the SeasonMy research for this piece revealed no true history for the connections I make in the video. I was reading about the history of the gingerbread house. My hope was to find a connection to real Biblical meaning. Bread has great Biblical significance and I thought maybe the gingerbread house developed as an expression of that truth. There was no evidence that was the case. Most of the pieces I read connected the gingerbread house to the story of Hansel and Gretel.

gifts under the tree 2

Click picture to support 2016 missions

However, that doesn’t mean we can’t make the connection ourselves and use it to teach our children, grandchildren, and others. That’s the point of the connections I make in the video chat. Gingerbread houses are all around us this time of year. So why not use them to teach a great truth about Bethlehem and the carol that carries that name? Makes good sense to me!

I trust the chat will bless you. And if you have any historical insight to share, please put it in the comments section! I am always encouraged by your comments.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Sounds of the Season – Video

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Sounds of the Season

Sounds of the Season

One thing that marks the Christmas season is sound. We know the songs and we know the jingling bells. And we all know the din of the Christmas parties. Christmas is a cacophany of interesting and memorable sounds!

I’d like to use some of those sounds, at least the musical ones, to help you enjoy the Christmas season. Today, our Sounds of the Season video post is about Joy to the World. It’s brief, but there’s a great piece of wisdom in it. As a matter of fact, that wisdom comes directly from a four-year-old and it is profound. I hope you enjoy this post and all the rest in this series.

As always, I’d love to hear from you in the comments section. If you are able to use any of this series in your family devotional times this Christmas, I’d especially love to hear about that.

Soli Deo Gloria!

 

Christmas & the Mission Next Door

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If it’s a mission it has to be far away, right? That’s a common misconception. If it’s Christmas everything has to be expensive and complicated, right? Far too many people live that way. I’d like to help make it simple. Why? I like simple and I believe simple is part of great joy!

5 Simple Ways to Celebrate the Christmas Mission

The Christmas Mission? Christmas is the original mission story. God so loved the world that He gave is only Son… God is the Champion Giver. We give because He gives. That is pretty simple. Now, how do we imitate our Father with simplicity?

Advent

christmas story quoteIt doesn’t take much effort to research advent traditions. We have celebrated Advent in various ways over the years. We don’t do it every year. I’d encourage you to Google the subject. In particular, pay attention to things that may not be familiar to you in this culture. This year we are planning to put out some luminarias. That is a way some cultures celebrate the coming of the Christ Child. And I can assure you there are a multitude of ways (simple ones) to have fun making and displaying luminarias.

Another simple solution is to find devotions about Advent and share them with your family. These could be available in your church library. If you search online, make sure you are reading a reliable source (Bible Gateway, Focus on the Family, Desiringgod.org, Blueletter Bible, etc.).

Cookies

christmas cookiesI married an incredible girl that is an awesome cook. She bakes a mean batch of cookies. Debbie used to let our children help her make and decorate the cookies. Now she lets the grandkids help. Whether or not there are children in your house, imagine practicing some simple hospitality and having your neighbors open their doors to find you there with some fresh cookies and a Merry Christmas. Trust me, they’ll remember that. It’s the kind of thing that breaks down barriers and opens doors.

Carols and Cake

We always try to take advantage of things that are close at hand. Our family is a musical one. Most Christmases we took our kids out for caroling. Debbie makes a great pound cake (and other kinds!). She would put a few slices on a plate, cover them with colored plastic wrap and ribbons, and we would give them away at the homes where we sang. That’s a simple, memorable way to celebrate and be on mission.

Washing Feet

Really? Well, sort of. What I really have in mind is service. Do you know an elderly person (couple) with mobility issues? You might do their shopping for them. You could offer to take them shopping.

Do you know a family that has fallen on hard times? Maybe there has been a job loss. Maybe there has been a divorce or a mother has been abandoned. Remember to keep it simple. You may not can take on their whole Christmas, but you could probably gather a few friends to help you. That’s a great next-door mission.

Adopt a Missionary or a Mission

What does that mean? The beginning point is to learn about what they do and pray for them through the Christmas season. A bigger step is to plan to pray for them for the next year. 

Ministry is made up of people and projects. That’s true of your local church or any mission organization. Mission projects (shoe boxes, medical missions, water purification, pastors’ schools, etc) often grab our attention. We sometimes forget those projects must be led by people, i.e., the missionaries. Maybe your family’s adoption of a missionary or mission is to provide monetary support for their work. You can’t do it all, but you may can provide a part.

I hope you find joy in one of these simple ways to celebrate the gift of Christmas!

Soli Deo Gloria! 

Christmas Wishes and MORE for You!

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Sonic Towel ADid you ever get a generic, one-size-fits-all gift? Did you ever get one that seemed tailor-made just for you? Anyone that knows me well knows I usually have a few Sonic coupons in the console of my car. The free drink coupons come in handy if my Sonic stop is not during Sonic’s Happy Hour (2-4 in the afternoon). Well, a good friend (and ROW Evangelism supporter, mission volunteer, etc.) gave me this hand towel. It was in fact made just for me! Why share this?

The message is worth sharing. It’s a message of Sonic 3Aencouragement, a good reminder, and a prayer. I hope your gifts are many. But when you have opened all of them, change the message on the towel for yourself. It would go something like this:

All I need today is a little bit of [insert name of present] and a whole lot of Jesus! Whatever we got from under the tree pales in comparison to our need of Jesus. And knowing the depth of our need for Him is an invaluable part of life. He is the One Who said we can do nothing apart from Him!

Sonic 2AOther than salvation itself, I don’t think there’s a greater thing I wish anyone for Christmas. Whether you are walking a little too far behind Him this Christmas, or whether your walk is as close as it’s ever been, we can all walk a little closer! So, may you understand your need of Him more than you ever have. May that knowledge cause you to enter a New Year closer to Him than you have ever been. May the presence of the Christ of Christmas be an ever growing part of your life.

Blessings to you and yours, and

Merry Christmas!!!

Soli Deo Gloria! 

Posts resume 12/26 AND look for the eNewsletter!

God Really Does Use Ordinary People

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“God uses the talented, the gifted, the good-looking, the wealthy, the popular and the well educated, but He can’t use somebody like me.” I’ve heard variations of that  statement many, many times. It couldn’t be further from the truth. The story of Christmas is filled with ordinary people.

Mary and Joseph each received instruction from God. Think Text Box 1about that. How would you react if an angel appeared to you? They were both ordinary people who knew the voice of the Lord. Jesus said, “My sheep know My voice.” How does  that happen? It means listening to Him and listening often.

Text Box 2Jesus taught us to count the cost of discipleship. Being His disciple, and being used by Him, is costly. Mary and Joseph endured the ridicule and scorn that came from people who just ‘knew’ how Mary got pregnant. Who would possibly believe that story she and Joseph told? Whatever the cost to them, they chose to be obedient. And if the world can’t ridicule the idea of the virgin birth, it will say in internet headlines that 1 in 200 women report a virgin birth. (I saw it today!)

God uses ordinary people who don’t argue or advise. Text Box 3As often as Christians try to serve God as an advisor, the parents-to-be didn’t try to give God another way to bring Jesus into the world. And those very ordinary shepherds didn’t try to wait until sunrise to see the Christ Child. For that matter, the Wise Men obeyed God rather than Herod. All concerned did as instructed!

Text Box 4If we desire to be used by God, there is another point present in the story of Christmas. Mary sang, “My soul magnifies the Lord.” We don’t know the name of a single shepherd that visited the manger. The ordinary people God uses don’t pursue their own recognition. They do pursue the glory of God!

I am blessed to work with people who embody all these traits. They give, they go, they pray, they equip and they give all the glory to God. I am truly blessed!  Will you join the team and help us meet the opportunities in 2014?

Soli Deo Gloria!

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Keith Burnett Ministries
P.O. Box 803
Scottsboro, AL 35768
(256) 244-5453
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