December 2023
CONTEMPT OR JOY TO THE WORLD
“Do I like Christmas?… Me?”
“Yeah, it’s the most wonderful time of the year, right? You know, ‘Joy to the World!’?” I beamed at the young lady sitting in my Bible study class.
“Joy to the World? No, it’s more like ‘Contempt to the World’ in my family.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“I grew up in an environment soaked and saturated in contempt; conversations forever exploding, condescending looks, hostile humour, name calling, sneering, eye rolling, mimicking, mockery, sarcasm… you name it—there were no rules—we were soldiers skilled at weaponizing our words and wits in all-out war.” The articulate youth went on to explain that her parents were unhappily married, and their grief trickled down into her sibling relationships.
I decided to open a window into my own childhood trauma. “The orphanage where I grew up had a similar environment, childish outbursts, and derision… ‘Whatever!’ was our usual comeback.”
A wry smile inched its way across her face. “Yeah, that was one of our favourites too. I admit, we were rather unkind, even vicious to one another, saying things like: ‘I can’t stand you!’ Truth was that we hated the game, but we couldn’t help ourselves; it was the only survival strategy we knew.”
“You know what I didn’t understand before I met Jesus?” I asked.
“What?”
“Contempt is always harmful to the person expressing contempt. Sure, it may feel good at the time, but it’s the fastest road to unhappiness.”
“How did meeting Jesus change you?”
“Honestly, I’m still changing; daily I open my Bible and read how people sneered at Jesus from the cradle to the cross. Look at this,” I read Isaiah 53:3, “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.”
“How could He take that kind of treatment?”
“L-O-V-E.” I answered.
She sat in silence, eyes on the floor. “I’ve heard a lot about love, but my parents’ loveless marriage produced a home of hate. Truthfully, I really don’t know what love looks like.”
“Can I ask you to close your eyes for a moment to imagine the birth of Jesus?”
“Okay.”
“Can you picture the Creator of the Universe coming down from paradise to be our Saviour?”
“Yes.”
“Where was He born?”
“In a barn.”
“Tell me what you see.”
“He’s wrapped in rags, lying in a filthy animals’ feeding trough, flies swarming, a heavy foul stench clouding the air, yet angels sang praises to God.”
“Why are angels singing praises to God?”
Tears filtered from her closed eyes. “He was born in a stinking barn! They treated Him with such contempt?… Yet… what love! What joy!”
Her wide tear-filled eyes shone: “Do you think Jesus can change me?”
“Absolutely!”
“Can you pray for me?” she sobbed.
“Yes, of course.”
That one prayer ignited a spark of joy in her heart—calm tear-soaked confessions to siblings, parents, and relatives followed, and those heartfelt conversations created a Christmas that, for the first time, brought joy to her world.
As a pastor, God has given me opportunities to share with struggling souls what only Jesus can do to transform lives.
It Is Written Canada daily reaches into homes—knocking on the doors of hearts. I know, because it was through watching It Is Written at the orphanage in Saskatchewan where I grew up that my heart was first reached with the influence of the Divine Spirit, awakening an interest in the joy of eternal realities.
– Mike Lemon
Upcoming Episodes
DECEMBER 2
Working Together in the Philippines: Working with leaders in remote villages in the Philippines, ADRA Canada has built a relationship of trust. The TOGETHER project was designed to help young people make positive, healthy, and rewarding life choices. However, the TOGETHER project has become much more extensive in its reach.
DECEMBER 9
Danger to Society: Caught up in a lifestyle of drug dealing, Jorge Torres found himself addicted to the hustle and willing to risk everything – including the lives of his own family, but as the consequences of his actions escalated, so did his desire to change.
DECEMBER 16
The Birthday of the King: The Bible tells the story of the birthday of our King: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and give birth to a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel”—which, when translated, means, “God with us.” – Matthew 1:23
DECEMBER 23
Beautiful Struggle: From a heart surgery when he was a year and a half to multiple surgeries to his legs and ears to surviving a tornado that collapsed the entire barn onto himself and his family when he was five, Clint Wahl kept getting up from one setback after another.
DECEMBER 30
Remodeled in Christ: When Paulie Rogers and her husband, Kenny, started renovating and remodeling their old Victorian farmhouse, it inspired her to write a book called: My House Renovated, One Room at a Time. It is a six-week Bible Study to discover what it means to be remodelled in Christ as we experience Him in every room of our lives.
THIS MONTH’S FREE OFFER – Happiness at Christmas
Favourite Carols for the family at Christmas time.
Featuring 31 songs with music and lyrics.
Give the Greatest Gift of All This Season
One lady wrote to It Is Written Canada recently:
“My son has faced so many struggles and setbacks and has not been attending church, but he called me unexpectedly this morning and said he decided to come back to Jesus because he watched an It Is Written Canada program about hope on CTV, and he realized that hope was what he needed. I can’t thank you enough for your program!”
It only takes $30 to reach 120 people through our TV program, giving them the opportunity to receive messages of hope and healing.
With such ongoing stories of hope in mind, I’m asking for your continued support as we come to the end of 2023. Would you consider making a donation today to help support the ministry of It Is Written Canada?
Vegan Pear Crisp
Ingredients:
- 3 large ripe pears thinly sliced
- ¾ cup of brown sugar divided (plus more for sprinkling on top)
- ½ cup of all-purpose flour
- ½ cup of quick oats
- ¼ Tablespoon of cinnamon
- ¼ Tablespoon of allspice
- ½ Tablespoon of salt
- 1 Tablespoon of vanilla extract
- ½ cup melted vegan butter
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a baking 8×8 dish.
- Place the sliced pears in the prepared baking dish and mix in ¼ of the brown sugar.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, oats, salt, allspice, cinnamon, vanilla, and melted vegan butter. Mix until well combined.
- Spoon the oat mixture onto the pears and spread evenly. Sprinkle with more brown sugar (optional).
- Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
- Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm with your favourite vegan vanilla ice cream or vegan yogurt on top.
Farewell to Dauncey
It Is Written Canada is sad to announce that we are saying goodbye to Dauncey who has accepted a call to the Oregon Conference as the new Director of Community Engagement. Dauncey has been a part of our team for the last three and a half years. We are so grateful for all his hard work, positive attitude, and willingness to go above and beyond the duties of his role as a Creative Director. We do not doubt that he will use the same amount of determination in his new position at the Oregon Conference. We will miss you, Dauncey!
