Christmas Greetings 2008 from the Migner Family

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Christmas Greetings 2008 from the Migner Family

Dear Friends,



I just wanted to take 12 minutes of your time to Wish ( pray) you a Merry Christmas at this special season of the year. This month we are completing 9 full years of ministry at Emmanuel in Virginia and will soon be moving to Deland, Florida to pastor.

Becky continues to do home school, etc, etc, etc, Chelsea is getting ready to pick a college for the fall of 2009, Rayna is doing well and taking violin lessons, Newman is taller than his older brother and loves soccer, Levi is a joy and loves swimming and baseball, Brigette is a hoot and started soccer as well. Peter continues to pastor as well as run his business in selling technology services and the cat and dog are getting ready for a shocking 680 mile drive to FL.

Below is a talking picture video presentation to share some of the moments of our lives in 2008. It's about 11 minutes long so you got to really love us to watch this video. I wrapped up 12 months into less than 12 minutes. See presentation here <><........

Before you slip away from this e/v-mail please email me back if there is a prayer request that we can talk to Jesus about on your behalf. We would consider it pure joy to lift up your request before our risen Savior this week and into the new year.

Once again Merry Christmas and God Bless you


Our new Mailing address as of January 2nd is:

908 E. Rich Ave
Deland, Florida 32724

Click here to see some pictures of our new home and ministry center.

With His Love,

Peter, Becky, Chelsea, Rayna , Levi, Newman and Brigette

P.S.

We realize that not everyone we send this greeting too, knows or believes in Jesus as we do, but since we have lived our entire adult lives serving our risen Savior and God whom we know and love, please consider our greetings as our very life purpose and message to you. We know that without Jesus as our Savior we are lost and without eternal hope. Thank God He still saves and forgives from sin. If you do not have a saving knowledge of Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior we hope you will discover the meaning of life in Jesus Christ the Savior of the world this week. If you have not read the true meaning of Christmas in sometime please read the true story as noted below of His miraculous Birth.

To follow us all year long please visit www.pastorpeterlive.com ( my blog )

The Birth of Jesus Luke 2: 8-15 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) and everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Matthew 1:18-25

The Birth of Jesus Christ This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" --which means, "God with us." When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
The Shepherds and the Angels And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Jesus Presented in the Temple On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived. When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord" ),and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."

Whose Image is on you?

New Ministry! As I begin to pack after 9 years of life and ministry in Virginia a lot of things have changed. Sometimes it takes a major change to realize the implications of changes around us. For instance when I moved here I had 4 children all under age 8. Now I have 5 children under age 17 and the youngest is 6. My youngest 2 children do not know what moving is yet. The other day when I brought a bunches of boxes home, my six year old daughter said, why do we need so many boxes? Great question huh? I said, "because when you move you have to put ALL your stuff in boxes to get it on the truck". I've been down that road enough, but she never has. So moving with a six year old is actaully pretty fun. I can't wait to see her face when she sees her new home and bedroom. She has always had the same room for six years. Should be interesting! I am Not real crazy about moving the dog though. He can barely survive a trip to the vet let alonge 700 miles. :(

However, this Church called Emmanuel in Madison Heights will always be home to our kids as the majority of their childhoods were lived out here. As I tried to comfort my teens toward the adjustment I am reminding them of the things they have now that teens did not have 9 years ago when families moved. Even though they are getting excited about a new home, new church, new community, they are also realizing they will still miss their current friends and I do understand that indeed as I am sure we all would.

I reminding them that now they have cell phones, text messaging, facebook, video email and video instant messaging to stay close to their family and friends lives. I have not even told them about twitter yet, and how with twitter you can stay on top on the passing minutes each day with multiple friends with instant messaging.

Anyway, lots of changes are happening. Even moving has changed since 9 years ago. We just so happen to have the same moving guy and the same moving truck which itself is a miracle, but now when it comes to getting rid of stuff instead of just yard sales and Goodwill, there is E-Bay, Amazon, Craigslist and now FreeCycle. So now the idea of a crummy yard sale or Goodwill is not the only options. To me the yardsale is history this time around. If you just want to sell it or give it away then the internet is the way to go in web savvy opinion. Freecycle is a yahoo group, but it is a great way to give away stuff verses filling the landfill.

I've got 28 days to the load um up and move it out. With the internet now it makes life easier to review the community you are moving to as well. I have already looked at the streets, the government, the neighborhood, the schools and the area churches to varying degrees. I already joined about 3 yahoo groups with affinity groups that we indentify with like autism and home schooling and I have already started building some internet based relationships by email with families and people who live in the area outside of our new local church family. It is prêtty amazing how much the internet and technology can shape differences in our lives. The list I am sure could go on and on from just these few things.

There is however a number of things that are staying the same. Boxes still need to be packed and furniture still has to be lifted and moved. Grunt work still exists! I still have to haul my family 700 miles south with a cat and a dog. I still have to forward my mail to another address. I still have to transfer my tags, get new car insurance, drivers licenses and a few other licenses I am sure. I think there is a license to get sun tanned now! :)

Well, all this reminds me of our relationship with God. Technology allows a lot of changes in the way we deal with our spiritual journey as well, We can look up ministries online before we talk or meet anyone. (Not sure that is always so good, but it is what it is). We can now research tons of information about the word of God without having to buy a ton of books. The bible is even at our finger tips online. But spiritual disciplines still remain the same and of course the Savior is still the same. We still need time alone with the Savior in prayer, we still need to listen or read the Word of God and let it transform our minds and hearts. We still need to gather together to worship Him in community. We still need to preach the gospel in person and as well of course transmit to those who cannot come.

In the midst of moving and change I was reminded by God's Word today whose I am and why I am moving. It is because of His image and inscription on my life and hopefully yours as well that we go and do the will of God.

I would like to close this entry today with a scripture lesson and a point of view I had not seen before today. When Jesus was teaching in the temple he was questions by pretenders trying to trip him up so they could GET HIM.

Luke 20:20-26 [ Read Chapter

20 Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. 21 So the spies questioned him: "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" 23 He saw through their duplicity and said to them, 24 "Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?" 25 "Caesar's," they replied. He said to them, "Then give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." 26 They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.



I was thinking about this verse as it relates to whose we are. They were trying to trick Jesus assuming he would say something either yes or no to their question. But instead of answering their question, He took their question and returned it with another question from that question. Brilliant huh? The answer was Caesar's picture , portrait or image was on the government’s coin (creation of currency). So if that is the image and inscription then whose is it? It's belongs to Caesar. But what about giving to God what is God's? I thought about his double question. Whose image and inscription is impressed on man? It's God's Image!

Ge 1:27 - Read Chapter So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

So even to this today we are His creation with His image created on us or in us. Which means, regardless of changes in technology or modern day inventions we will always be God's creation and will always have His image and inscription pressed into our being and therefore each human creation should be rendering unto God what is His. ( ourselves in faithful servant hood) We may always be required to pay taxes back to governments, but it is equally expected of us to render or give back to the creator what is His and we should render unto God ourselves in service and loyalty as Him creations.

In our move to Florida to minister to another church and community we are rendering the call upon our lives to Him and the inscription He writes upon our hearts. Even though it is difficult at times to makes changes and adjust to the changes in society we must be reminded that we are not our own, but are purchased with a price (the Blood of Jesus) and we are His creation made in His image and for His purposes. He is forever inscribing a new direction, a new word, a new call into our lives as He sees fit as our creator to give him the honor and glory He is worthy of.

Col 3:10 - Read Chapter and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

2Co 3:18 - Read Chapter And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

If only those spies could had caught that truth that day. They were looking into the face of their creator when he was saying render me your lives as my image is inscribed on your very being and render back to Caesar his coinage. What a great God we serve and what a great day we live in. Will you render your lives a living sacrifice back unto to God?

Pastor Peter

Demons for the Holidays

Happy Thanksgiving! I received a text message from a friend on my phone last night that was simply stating this: "Have a Happy Thanksgiving from" ............ I thought it was really nice to get a text message on my personal cell phone that I carry with me most of the time. So I thought I would do the same to others. So I literally sent out about 100 text messages to friends and family with a similar message for about 10 minutes. I got back about 15 text greetings. It felt good to have to have so many friends. One of those people called me about a prayer request and challenge. It was the most meaningful reply I got, because it gave me the opportunity to share Jesus and pray for someone that had I not sent out a greeting I might not had gotten the call so I could pray with them.

Now it is Thanksgiving morning and I started off the day early with prayer and seeking the Lord and then moved to checking some of emails as I ran across the following about Demons. It reminded me of how busy everyone seems to get over the next 4 weeks. People will be so busy that I wonder how many will miss the blessings of prayer, giving grace and peace to others. One gentleman I spoke with 2 nights ago that I had not seen in months told me he was really, really, really busy all the time. It's not like I am not busy too with 5 children and preparing to move from our home after 9 years, but I refuse to be so busy that I do not take the time to share Jesus. I know a few years ago I was the busiest I had ever been when the Lord slowed me down. I mean I was way over focused on things and missing life and family. I was falling into the demon trap myself. But things have changed and God broke through and I am thankful the Demon convention lost out on success with me. Now I just must protect this precious relationship with Jesus.

I am Thankful for the many blessings in my life and I could share a zillion of them as well. Today with is a great day! I started off with prayer and now off to racking and burning leaves for a few hours while Becky cooks and the kids watch the parades. Then off to grandma’s house we go for dinner. Then in the evening we will have a bigger gathering of 21 people for fellowship and giving thanks in Roanoke, VA. Next year will be different. Next year we will be living in Florida and probably traveling north for our holiday.

As blessed you are please take time for Jesus and don't let the Demon's of hell grab your heart from hearing the still small voice of God. I am Thankful for a relationship with a Mighty God are you? If so, protect it this season and throughout the year.

In these last days Christians need to be aware of the enemy of God.

Satan called a worldwide convention of demons.


In his opening address he said,
“We can’t keep Christians from going to church.”
“We can’t keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth.”
“We can’t even keep them from forming an intimate relationship with their Savior.”
“Once they gain their connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken.’
“So Let them go to their churches; let them have their covered dish dinners, but steal their time, so they don’t have time to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ.”
“This is what I want you to do,” said the devil:
“Distract them from gaining hold of their Savior and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!”
“How shall we do this?” his demons shouted.
“Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds,’ he answered.
“Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow.”
“Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles.’
“Keep them from spending time with their children.’
“As their families fragment, soon, their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work!”
“Over-Stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small voice.”
“Entice them to play the radio or cassette player, CDs, MP3 whenever they drive.’
“To keep the TV, VCR, Cds and their PCs going constantly in their home and see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-biblical music constantly.”
“This will jam their mind and break that union Christ.’
“Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers.’
‘Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day.”
“Invade their diving moments with billboards.”
“Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail offer catalogs, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free-products, services and false hopes.”
“Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines and TV so their husbands will believe that outward beauty is what’s important, and they’ll become dissatisfied with their wives.
“Give them Santa Claus to distract them from teaching their children the real meaning of Christmas.”
“Give them as Easter bunny so they won’t talk about His resurrection and power over sin and death.’
“Even in their recreation, let them be excessive.’
‘Have them return from their recreation exhausted.”
“Keep them too busy to go out in nature and reflect on God’s creation. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays concerts, and Movies instead.’
“Keep them busy, busy, busy!’
“And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they have troubled consciences”
“Crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Jesus.’
“Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause.”
“It will work!” It was quite a plan!
The Demons went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busier and more rushed, going here and there having little time for their God or their families.

Having no time to tell others about the power of Jesus to change lives.
I guess the question is, has the devil been successful in his schemes?
You be the Judge.!!!!!!

A Fall Vacation from the U.S. Capitol to Bogart, Georgia to the Blue Ridge Parkway

Vacations are wonderful and this past year far too rare. We spent more time on the road then probably most would want to do. But here is a summary of what and where and when.

Wednesday Nov 5th: Maymont Park Richmond Va ( 4 hours round trip)

Thursday Nov 6th: Trip onto the Blue Ridge parkway and then Pack, rest and pack.

Friday Nov 7th: Patrick Henry College and National Zoo in Northern Virginia and Washington D.C. (4 hours)

Saturday Nov 8th: Business meeting for Peter in Annapolis for 3 hours and then shopping for the girls and kids then off to Washington D.C. for visits to the capital, memorials and library of Congress ( 1 hour)


Sunday Nov. 9th : Church at Bel Air Church of the Nazarene with friends. Heard the ENC Choir and then off to the Steelman farm for the day in Darlington, MD.Night Nov 9th: (4 hour drive home) our own beds again

Monday Nov 10th: Heading to Bogart, Ga at Snows Mill Guesthouse. (7.5 hours driving)

Tuesday Nov 11th: Girls went shopping and the kids and Peter hung out and rested. Becky and I went out to Dinner in town to celebrate out 19th Anniversary.

Wednesday Nov 12th: hung out at the guesthouse. Then we went walking, resting and then into Athens to the Bear Hallow Memorial Park to explore and enjoy the local animals.

Thursday Nov 13th: To be continued!