Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. – Isaiah 41:10

We live in a world that is, at times, a frightening place. We live in a world that is, at times, a discouraging place. We live in a world where life-changing losses can be so painful and so profound that it seems we will never recover. But, with God’s help, and with the help of encouraging family members and friends, we can get through it.

During the darker days of life, we are wise to remember the words of Jesus, who reassured His disciples, saying, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid” (Matthew 14:27 NIV). Then, with God’s comfort and His love in our hearts, we can offer encouragement to others. By helping them face their fears, we can, in turn, tackle our own problems with courage, determination, and faith.

So I ask you today, Are you afraid? Are you worried about the future? If you are, remember the words of God through Christ. Remember that God will never leave you during the days ahead. God will walk by your side. God will carry you when the road gets too rough.

So have no fear!

Facing our deepest fears means making peace with our seen self and with our unseen self. – Sheila Walsh

TODAY’S PRAYER

Father, even when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil because You are with me. Thank You, Lord, for Your perfect love, a love that casts out fear and gives me strength and courage to meet the challenges of this world. Amen

Rob Dunbar, Chaplain, Maj, TN ANG

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ. – Galatians 6:2

You hear it from almost every corner: American culture is becoming increasingly marked by loneliness and isolation. In one way it’s understandable. There is a sense of safety and control in isolation and disconnection, but it’s a false sense of safety. In fact, living lonely is anything but safe. It’s a dangerous lifestyle because it allows a person to overlook real life, real people, and all the benefits and rewards that go with growing relationships.

And probably more important, our character has little chance to grow when we live life in isolation from others. It allows our thinking to go unchallenged and allows damaging issues we may struggle with to grow and thrive in the fertile soil isolation provides.

If you’re feeling isolated, do what an old commercial on television used to say, ‘Reach out and touch someone.’

You can make more friends in two months by becoming more interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get people interested in you. – Dale Carnegie

Blessings,

Chaplain Dunbar

Rob Dunbar, Chaplain, Maj, TN ANG

“There is only one God, and Christ Jesus is the only one who can bring us to God. Jesus was truly human, and he gave himself to rescue all of us.” (1 Timothy 2:5 CEV)

Christmas is all about good news. But it’s not the good news of special gifts. It’s not the good news of a big meal. It’s not even the good news of spending time with friends and family.

Christmas is about the Good News of God’s love.

The Bible says all of us are lost without God. We’re directionless. We’re without protection. Our potential eternal impact upon the world is unrealized. We’re without real joy. Our eternity in Heaven isn’t secure.

The Good News about Christmas is that God sent Jesus to seek and save the lost. The Bible says, “There is only one God, and Christ Jesus is the only one who can bring us to God. Jesus was truly human, and he gave himself to rescue all of us” (1 Timothy 2:5 CEV).

If you’ve ever spent time in church, you’ve likely heard the word “salvation” many times. But you may not know what it means. The word is like a diamond; you can look at it from many different angles.

•Jesus came to rescue us. We can’t solve all of our problems on our own. Without Jesus, we’re trapped in the expectations of others. We’re trapped in living for the approval of our peers. We’re trapped in addictions. We’ve tried to change over and over again, but we don’t have the power needed to escape. Jesus came to give us that power.
•Jesus came to recover us. We all long to recover parts of our lives that have been lost. Without Christ, we long to recover our strength, our confidence, our reputation, our innocence, and our relationship with God. Only Jesus can do that.
•Jesus came to reconnect us. Many people think that God will scold them if they come back to him. But God isn’t mad at you. He’s mad about you. Jesus came to Earth on the first Christmas to reconcile us to God, to give us harmony with him again.

Jesus came to Earth to give us the gift of himself. Too many of us celebrate his birthday without accepting this free gift of salvation. It goes unwrapped year after year after year. That’s not smart! You were made by God and for God. Until you understand that, life will never make sense.

This Christmas, open up the most important present you’ve been given: a new relationship with God through Jesus.

May Each of you have a wonderful Christmas!

Blessings,

Rob Dunbar, Chaplain, Maj, TN ANG

The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means, ‘God with us’. – Matthew 1:23

Are you a Grinch around Christmastime or do you know a Grinch?

I was reading to my daughter the famous “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and I came across words that made me rethink some things.

Maybe these words of Dr. Seuss sound familiar:

‘Every Who down in Who-ville liked Christmas a lot…

‘But the Grinch, who lived just north of Who-ville, did NOT!’

‘For, tomorrow, he knew…all the Who girls and boys would wake bright and early. They’d rush for their toys! And then! Oh, the noise! Oh, the Noise! Noise! Noise! Noise! That’s one thing he hated! The NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! NOISE!’

Now I’m a Who at heart, I love Christmas, but I can certainly relate to the Grinch. Sometimes there’s so much noise at Christmas, you begin to think Christmas is about the noise, and friend, that will make you Grinchy every time! When that happens, remember the Grinch’s wise discovery:

‘Maybe Christmas,’ he thought, ‘doesn’t come from a store.’

‘Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more!’

What does Christmas mean to you? Can you get past all the noise and consider what it meant for Jesus to come to earth as a babe in a manger?

Can you stop from all the buying, running, cleaning, and stress to marvel at God’s love for us.

I hope and pray this Christmas Holiday that you would find true joy and peace in.

May God bless you all,

Chaplain Dunbar

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.
– Matthew 1:24

Imagine waking up one morning, and being expected to do something out of the ordinary… something that went against your logical thinking… something that just seemed bizarre.

That is exactly what happened to Joseph. Here was a respectable man, a man who was righteous, and had a good grip on reality. A man who just found out his wife was pregnant, and it wasn’t his child.

Can you imagine? How would you feel if you found out your wife was pregnant, and you knew for a fact it wasn’t your child… wouldn’t it crush you? Wouldn’t it turn your world upside down? Imagine how Joseph felt when he heard this news…

Of course, Joseph, being the respectable and just man that he was, knew that the logical thing was to divorce Mary… In fact, he was even planning it out, so that he could divorce her without causing her public humiliation… (Matthew 1:19)

This doesn’t really sound like the story-book start for a king, let alone for the savior of man. But it does sound similar to the things we face in our lives, doesn’t it? We plan everything out, and we have such a firm grasp on our lives, and then all of a sudden something BIG happens.

Maybe we were planning on that big promotion, only to find out that it was given to someone else. Or maybe struggling with finances, unsure of how you are going to make it… and then you find out your wife is pregnant! Illnesses, Accidents, and other unexpected events quickly turn our world upside down, and leave us lost… looking for a logical way out… Just like Joseph.

And even though Joseph seemed to have it all planned out, God still sent an angel to him, and asked one thing of Joseph. He asked Joseph to trust Him, to believe that Mary being pregnant was God’s plan for them both. He asked Joseph to trust that He would take care of them.

Of course the end of the story is one of the most amazing, and most publicized events in the world today. A story where Joseph not only finds himself trusting God by staying with Mary, but trusting Him when Jesus was born in a stall… in a lowly manger; and even trusting God with the life of his family as they fled to Egypt.

Sometimes things happen, and no matter what we do they only seem to get worse. Just like Joseph, we face one thing after the other… And just like Joseph God asks us one thing… To Trust Him.

He asks us to believe that He will take care of us, and that He will provide for us… that no matter how “weird” or hard things get, He has a plan for us. And if we trust Him, just like Joseph, He will lead us to glory. (Psalm 138:8).

I hope this Christmas Season you will once again put your Trust in God!

Blessings,

Rob Dunbar, Chaplain, Maj, TN ANG

John 3:16 (NIV) “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son.”

The Christmas rush is on! I know many of you are frantically searching for that perfect gift for someone special, wrapping presents, baking your famous sugar cookies or fudge, packing the car for a long trip and wrestling with overly excited children. Ho! Ho! Ho!

Right now – right where you are – stop. Take a deep breath and travel back with me to a time when there was no hope and no celebration, to the time before Christ was born. I simply cannot imagine a world without Jesus and yet I often live my life as if He does not even exist. A trial comes and I try to handle it on my own. Loneliness floods my heart and instead of reaching out to Him, I withdraw into the darkness. Financial stress gives birth to worry, filling my mind with doubt and the proverbial question, “What if …? Instead of turning to God, my source, I settle for a human answer when what I really need is a supernatural solution from our extraordinary God!

When I do cry out to God, He lovingly fills each black corner with Light. His love flows over the pain like a soothing balm and once again, I experience the manger. Once again, He steps into the smelly, unlikely and very ordinary existence that is mine to change everything. Yes, the presence of Jesus Christ changes everything! He could have come to us in many ways but He chose to interrupt the very ordinary with the most extraordinary! He could have chosen to be born in a palace. After all, He was a King. Yet His life on earth began in a manger – a dirty, smelly barn. The simplicity of His birth is one of His most precious gifts to me and one of my most profound life lessons. I often wish that I had been there that holy night when Jesus was born but then He reminds me that I have my own manger, my own holy moment when God became a reality to me, and I worship Him for all He has done in my life since I met Him.

Every year I am reminded of the very heart of Christmas – Emanuel, God with us. God wants to be involved in the simple, ordinary happenings of daily life: where we go – what we do – the smile we give the harried stranger – the patience we wear in the crowd of impatient shoppers – the love that prompts the secret gift – the heart that constantly celebrates His birth through every sparkling light, every beautifully wrapped gift, each special meal, every card, phone call and visit.

Join me in this quest – to celebrate Him and His birth in everything we do. Have a birthday party for Jesus! Adopt a family in need! Reach out to the lonely! Look for Him in the crowd! Emanuel, God with us! Wow!

Let’s Pray
Father, today I celebrate the reality of Your presence in my life. I celebrate Your birth, Your life, Your death and Your resurrection. And as I celebrate, Lord, help me to be “God with skin on” to those in need around me. Open my eyes and let me see them as You see them! I love You! Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Now It’s Your Turn

Put your faith in action by making a step-by-step plan to keep Jesus at the heart of your Christmas season. Give a gift to someone you don’t know.

Invite a needy family into your home for a special “Friends” dinner.

Go through your closet and give the clothes you don’t wear to those who have no clothes.

Blessings,

Chaplain Dunbar

Scripture Reading
“In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came to her and said, ‘Rejoice, favored woman! The Lord is with you.’ But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. Then the angel told her: ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will call His name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.'” —Luke 1:26-33

Devotional:
Happiness is an emotion that can disappear as quickly as it rises to the surface. Joy, however, is a choice and is much deeper than happiness.

We have a choice. God gives us a joy that is unconquerable. We can choose to live in an attitude of resentment, anger and fear or we can choose to pursue the joy of Christ. So what is the picture of joy in the Bible?

Joy is trusting when you want to doubt.
“Trust in the LORD forever, because in Yah, the LORD, is an everlasting rock!” (Isaiah 26:4). As Christ followers we aren’t pressured to do it all for everyone. We trust in Jesus to do the heavy lifting. The key is trust. We just need to have Mary’s response to the coming of Jesus, “‘I am the Lord’s slave,’ said Mary. ‘May it be done to me according to your word'” (Luke 1:38).

Joy is receiving what you want to reject.
Can you imagine how the innkeeper would have felt if he said to Mary and Joseph, “Of course you can’t stay in that stable! That’s for paying customers. Who do you take me for?” We find joy in making room for people in need. Reflect on the mysterious words found in Hebrews: “Don’t neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2).

Joy is celebrating when you want to fear.
What’s the first thing angels say to mortals? It’s standard protocol. In just about every divine encounter the angels say: “Fear not.” I can hear Jesus instruct His most trusted angels. “OK, let’s go over this again … Most of the people that I’ll tell you to speak to will be scared out of their wits! So let’s practice the greeting one more time.” Then the angels would all say in unison, “Fear not.”

Application: Understand Why We Can Be Joyful
The message is clear. God is not looking for ways to scare us into faith. He drew near to us to relieve the worries we have about crossing over the divide between heaven and earth.

He wants you to know that He’s going to take care of you no matter what happens. One of the names that He was called long before he ever stepped on this world’s stage was Immanuel meaning “God with us.”

No matter what you go through we can whisper this simple truth: “Jesus is with me.” Think about it. He is with you in your greatest victories and your most humiliating defeats. Jesus is with you at all times in all things.

My prayer for each you as we head to Christmas is that you will choose to be joyful.

Blessings,

Rob Dunbar, Chaplain, Maj, TN ANG