Monday, December 19, 2011

Tebowing

Romans 1:16 - I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes.

So, I've been suggesting in my own way the need, the desire, the truth of knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. And what better time of year than Christmas, where 2000 years ago a baby was born in a stable, with lowing cattle and fuzzy sheep. He lay in a feeding trough on straw. A humble birth, to say the least. And He is to become our soon coming King. From humbleness to royalty. A match literally made in heaven.

So, what I've been proclaiming these years of blogging is this very thing: that Jesus is the only Way, Truth and LIFE. We cannot assume that just by knowing about Him or hearing about Him when we attend (if we do) that we really know Him. It takes much more commitment than that or someday when we think we have it made and are on our way to "a better place," we will be wondering who turned the heat up!

If you're a sports fan and in particular football, there's a lot being said these days about Tim Tebow. Yeah, that guy who wears His Christianity openly, like under his eyes and in his actions. He is proclaiming Christ...and outwardly lives it. Everyone will know where he stands with his relationship with Jesus Christ, even if he is criticized...and maybe told to stop. Tebow is all about honoring God.

I'm sure there are many reactions to Tebow's display of Christ. He believes that football is not the center of life, but God is. As it should be. If Jesus is not the center, we have missed the proverbial mark, which defined in biblical terms is SIN! Too extreme? Not according to God.

Here's a Tebow quote that basically says it all:  I don't know what my future holds, but I know who holds my future, and that, folks, is what it's all about. Our future means nothing without a relationship with Jesus Christ. 

This weekend Tebow (as well as Aaron Rodgers) lost his longstanding winning streak. Does it mean God has let him down? Not at all. It’s the reaction to losing that counts. If Tim Tebow continues to praise God, he’s doing God’s will.

In an article by Pastor James Robison he writes: This is why every one of us needs the perfect example of the One who has captured Tim Tebow’s heart and the One he has chosen to follow: Jesus Christ. He alone can lift us beyond our weaknesses and hold us in the loving, forgiving arms we all need.

I may not yet show this side of me outwardly, but know in my heart it's how I feel. God is not done with me. There is a voice inside wanting to be heard and confronted. My blog for now is my voice. But if confronted, I will speak up. 

There is truth in this relationship over religion thing. Through relationships we get to knowing someone. I can't read about Tim Tebow and say I know him personally. You can't just read about Jesus to say you know Him. You need to receive Him into your life and heart and He will make the Words written about Him come to life. 

Webster's defines religion as belief in and worship of God or gods; a specific system of belief, worship. It’s centered around laws, keeping them as best as possible...working at them. And they are impossible to keep in our own strength. Our focus is to be on Jesus Christ and the works He did. In other words putting my faith in His finished works, not obeying a set of rules. Receive Christ and give your life to Him and He will work through you to transform you.

Mark 8:38 - For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels. 

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Ears to Hear

Revelation 13:9-10 - If anyone has an ear, let him hear. He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains; it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” - C.S. Lewis in “The Problem of Pain.”

I heard this quote on the radio the other day. It's so true.

It's a busy time of year and although I didn't think I was getting wrapped up in the busyness of the season, I really have been. Last minute shopping, parties, dinners, gift wrapping,
Christmas cards, caroling, church activities. Unless the busyness is church related it's easy to forget the important thing this season brings...the celebration of the birth of Christ. 

I'm so thankful we are still able to speak and write about Jesus, although there are some who are working to take that privilege away from us...any mention of Christmas, any semblance of this the most important holiday of the year for many people. Just a bit of melancholy here.

But you know what? What we see occurring, this offense that has arisen, has to happen to bring the final return of Christ, so amid the grumbling and complaining about our having to embrace diversity, being politically correct and not stating the real reason for the season, JESUS, I will rejoice!

Read the quote again, please. I've mentioned I have heard in my spirit the voice of God. It sounds like an audible voice at times but I know it's not. It's just not my voice. It doesn't speak like I do. Sometimes it's a gentle whisper, sometimes a reprimand. Sometimes it's loud enough to cause me to stop dead in my tracks and very seriously consider what was said. Sometimes the voice is the familiar voice of a loved one or friend!

I am aware of many people, as I’m sure you all do, who are experiencing difficult days due to the economy, job loss or illness. relationship issues. As the quote said above, God shouts in our pain. He is so desiring for all people to come to Him, trust and put faith in Him, not the government, not our churches, not our family or friends, but in Him alone. He is using His megaphone voice today to unstop ears, to cause eyes to see and mouths to openly proclaim that He is King of kings and Lord of lords. And He will so seriously use the lowest points in our lives to do this. As He says in Revelation 13:9-10 above, If you have ears to hear, listen to what He is saying. 

We may not have issues like some do. But some day we will. The future of our country and the world looks bleak. Just watch the news! We see the signs now. We have economic problems around the world. It might bounce back for awhile, but I know what Revelation tells us. 

Countries are going bankrupt, needing assistance. There is talk of a one world government, with one global leader. The movement is happening behind the scenes. The book of Revelation tells us what is in store for our future, if we so have ears to hear. God is beginning to raise His voice, using world matters to warn us. He wants our heads out of the sand and focused on Him. We must stop busying ourselves in things that don't matter and focus on the One who does.

The scriptures above are speaking of a time no one wants to be living in. There will be one in that day in power who seems to be the right leader...of the world. He will be charismatic and admired. People remaining at that time on earth will look to him as their savior and he will proclaim himself to be that savior. But he is a liar. And those who profess Christ during this dreadful time will be martyred for their beliefs.

Why am I bringing this up at this joyous time of the year? It's not a doom and gloom issue; its the often overlooked, shoved aside truth of God's Word. It's time to take a close look at why we have Christmas. It's not about Santa Claus or snowmen and reindeer. It's about Jesus Christ. He’s a serious matter. And as you can see on the news there are many who want that taken away. We must persevere in our beliefs and we must be willing to give our lives for this belief (Revelation 13:10). I see lawns here and there strewn with a conglomeration of “Christmas” scenes...the nativity with a snowman and Santa peering at the baby Jesus. It breaks my heart. 

We must truly know this Jesus, this Christ who was born that man might live. I ask you to pay close attention this year to the words of the Christmas carols we are so familiar with. And I'm not talking Jingle Bells, Frosty the Snowman or even White Christmas. I'm talking about Hark, the Herald Angels Sing, O Holy Night, Joy to the World or It Came Upon A Midnight Clear. Look for the meaning behind the words.

Jesus came from His throne, as I stated previously. He came down from heaven to live with us. Emmanuel, God with us, not just at Christmastime. He wishes to be God with us all the time. Those who have ears, hear what His voice is telling us. He longs for relationship not religion. He wants you to call Him your Savior. He came to earth to live and especially die for you. Who else can say they would do that? We can't take what Jesus did for granted and just say casually, thank You. Take it to heart.

We sang a song Wednesday night at church. I forget the song but I remember the words that stood out like I'd never seen them together before. Shepherd King... Jesus came as our Shepherd King. Humble royalty. And wouldn't you know, both shepherds and kings were the first to meet Him! The lowliest to the highest. And all mankind can put themselves between shepherds and kings on the scale of humanity.

Look to Jesus for your wants and needs. Rely not on yourself but on the One who knows you better than you know yourself. We all have specific needs and He knows how to meet every one of them. Praise Him.

I pray you come away this Christmas with the best and most perfect gift, the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ. I pray the seeds of understanding will be rooted and grounded in your spirits. I pray you will hear the voice of God as you contemplate the true meaning of Christmas this year. He is calling. Your salvation through Christ is worth dying for. It will be the only means to heaven and avoiding the ugliness the world holds in store for our future. He holds our peace in His hands. Reach out for it.

I will end with this not-too-well-known verse of It Came Upon A Midnight Clear:

Yet with the woes of sin and strife,
The world hath suffered long;
Beneath the angel-strain have rolled,
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not,
The love song which they bring:
O hush the noise, ye men of strife,
And hear the angels sing.

Hush, and listen for God's voice this Christmas. Become part of the crowd bent on proclaiming till their death that Jesus is Lord, that He is the only Way to salvation and eternal life...and that's why we celebrate His birth.

Revelation 14:12 - This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Awesomeness of Humility

Psalm 19:1-2 - The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge.

I mentioned contemplation several days ago. Contemplation of the true meaning of Christmas, of our Lord and Savior, not the world view of Christmas. It's not about the decorations, it's about our interaction, our relationship with that little baby who will one day be King of the world.

Christmas is about reflecting on what He has done for us. A time to review the days prior to His birth...the miraculousness of His conception, the meaning of it, the humbleness of the birth of so great a figure in this world.

I am drawn once again to the DVD called the Star of Bethlehem (you can see the entire DVD on Youtube! Watch the first 10 minute segment and get hooked...) and again am amazed at the way God aligned everything. No man can explain this miracle away. There most definitely was a Divine hand in it all. If anyone can wrap their head around how even the stars and constellations point to Jesus, maybe, just maybe the idea of a real God desiring of a real relationship with each of us might come about some day. God set them all in place and all the heavens declare the awesome glory of God. His intricate and omniscient wisdom displayed so all can see. Of all creation, though, Jesus is the greatest glory...and the greatest story.

The grandeur and awesomeness of God permeates Scripture. His words point always to His son. From Genesis to Revelation you can be sure that in some way Jesus is seen. It all points to Him because it's all about Him. Period. All about Him. Just like Christmas should be.

Conclusion: He must be Someone of great importance!

Before time began, God knew the beginning from the end. He mapped it out so delicately and with the minutest details, one can only marvel at it all. And He created all that we might see the enormousness of what we cannot understand...that we might believe in Him and trust in His good works done for us. His plan from before the beginning of time was to draw us into relationship with Him and through the birth, life, death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus, has been described in detail in His Book, in His creation...in His stars...and the Star of Bethlehem which was studied so long ago by ancient astronomers who sought out the One whom they and heard about. And whom they found...by way of that very star.

If God could draw these three magi, can He not draw others? How can one NOT be drawn to this story of redemption? I know I’m not the only one who wants to know to the very depths of my soul how God designed all this just for me. A personal God. If He did it just for me, He'll do it just for you. Wouldn't everyone want to dig into the recesses of their hearts, souls and minds to understand the awesomeness of the depth of God's glorious plan for ALL mankind? To know so well the plan He has laid out and that is there each and every day for anyone to receive?

If there is even just the littlest bit of curiosity, call out...or whisper...for Him to show you. Ask to know that you know who this Jesus is...for you, for your family, for your friends, for the world. If the desire in your heart is real, He will show you.

Jesus was brought to this earth from His throne in heaven. He left the comfort of it that He might come humbly, live humbly, die humbly...and rise up triumphantly to eternal life...as an example to us what we can have if we just look to Him and trust Him. Why would God the Father create all the world, write His book and send His Son if what Jesus did for us was a lie? 

Confess with your mouth...receive the Spirit of life...become one again with the Father. Turn away from what the world believes is truth and enter into the truth of Jesus Christ. Receive Him. Let this be an even more meaningful season...He truly is the reason for this season. Relationship with Jesus can become a most joyful occasion and you might never look at Christmas again the same way. Our God did awesome things, then humbly came down from heaven for you and for me. Rejoice this Christmas at the things He has done. 

Matthew 2:9-10 - ...and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

Friday, December 9, 2011

God Steps In

Micah 6:8 - He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? 

We all have things in our lives of which we can't make sense. They might be situations of little minor irritations to complete hopelessness. We've done all we can and nothing we do seems to be able to work them out.

Bad things happen to good people. Sometimes it's just what life doles out to us. Sometimes we make consistently poor choices. In either event we might actually come to the end of our rope...or hope.

Christmas is about the perfect gift. It's about the miraculous birth of an even more miraculous boy. His name is Jesus. He is also called Emmanuel or God with us. He came that we would have that hope. He willingly chose to leave His rightful place on the throne in heaven to be born on earth in humble surroundings by humble parents, to live a humble life and die a tragic and humiliating death...for all mankind.

God stepped into our lives then so He could make Himself known, that those who heard Him speak, watched Him heal, or touched His wounded body, could continue to proclaim the awesomeness of this Man.

I heard the verse of a song I know I’ve mentioned once before and was taken once again back to the first time I heard those words, which came directly from Scripture. It’s the above Scripture. He does show us what is good. He shows us our imperfections and inability to succeed apart from Him. We are to walk humbly with Him. I think of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden before the apple incident. They walked and talked with God. Then one little bite of that forbidden fruit and they were separated from His presence. That’s when I believe we began to do things on our own, in our own way, in our own strength. It was more difficult to live without the real presence of God. 

And so life goes on for so many in today’s world. When we allow ourselves to stop dead in our tracks of life and realize we cannot do all things on our own, without Divine help, we can find a Perfect Gift when we finally seek His assistance.

I was watching a Christmas movie the other night...more like listening as I busied myself with a project. A question was asked of someone, What was the first Christmas present? The man answered glibly, A tie? He was asked to continue thinking about it.

Later this man and his wife were devastated by the loss of their small girl. In time it was evident that this man needed more than his work could do to cover up the grief. He needed the One who could replace the sorrow. Long story short, he realized that the first real Christmas gift was a Baby. The Baby Jesus was the first great gift anyone ever needed. Along with His birth came love. He came out of love that He might, through this love, save us from ourselves, seeped in our sin, wandering our own aimless directions into oblivion and into a very certain territory of eternal death.

Jesus paid the price by being born with the very intent of dying for us. He will wash away the sorrow and ugliness of sin. Struggling without His help is why He came. He came to take up our burdens, to give us His strength, to show us a great future, despite hardships and even death, that can be filled with hope. The hope of Jesus Christ, the hope of glory.

When we are at the end of ourselves we are humbled. Jesus is only a prayer away. He steps into our lives if we so choose and He brings with Him hope, peace, love and most of all forgiveness of all the things we did (and will do) apart from Him and against His will.

God stepped into this world for us. He steps into the hearts of all who seek Him. Glory to God in the highest. I heard a woman last night say that when she finally gave her life to Christ her first Christmas as an adult with her sins forgiven, her past life behind and the great future she now knew lay before her, the words to all the well thought out Christmas songs made so much more sense and touched her in a whole new way. That's funny because in one of the songs (Hark, the Herald Angels Sing) that she and a group sang, some of the  words go like this:

Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth...

Born to give them second birth popped out last night for me, again. Second birth. Born again. We sing these songs multiple times during the Christmas season. He humbly came down from heaven, that glorious place, that He might die for us...to give us a second birth. A spiritual birth. The birth I talk about in my blogs. One that comes when we humbly give ourselves to Him, give all our problems over, decide we cannot make it in this world without Him and then grab hold of this new life in Christ.

All it takes us humbly confessing to Him our need for Him, confessing we've sinned and fall way so short of His glory and asking Him for forgiveness of our sins, our treading this world in our own strength, pride and stubbornness, and allowing Him to step into our lives. We don’t need to go to anyone else. He is a God who hears our prayers. 

God steps in...the old is made new...eternal death is replaced by eternal life. Receive the true meaning of Christmas this year, not a tie, but a baby Boy, Emmanuel, God with us. He is the God who steps into our lives when we humbly come to the end of ourselves.

Psalm 86:5 - For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.

Friday, December 2, 2011

The Word is Life

Deuteronomy 29:29 - The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.

In prayer the other morning I was overcome with the words that came to me. 

These words were that His words as written in the Bible are life giving. I’ve known this a long time and probably wrote it before; sometimes He just wants to bring a recollection. His words can speak to any one of us if we take the time to read them. They are like bread and water. They sustain. Jesus is the Bread of life. He is the Fountain of living water. Eat and drink of these words written just for us that we might know Who Jesus really is and can be in our lives.

Taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8). His Word should cause us to be hungry for more. We can believe all we want that this earthly life has all we could need, if things are going good for us. But what happens when there's a hiccup in our life that sets us reeling? How's this earthly life doing for us then?

With Jesus by our side we have full assurance that whatever life on this earth doles out, we are safe in His arms. Picture the drawing, if you will, of Jesus carrying the sheep. That sheep could be you or me. We wander aimlessly on this earth and He searches for us until He finds us. He will take us into His arms because we know He is the Good Shepherd.

That sheep was me and countless others who were in a place of restlessness, unhappiness or addiction. We recognized...and that is the key word...that we were lost and in need of saving. When we saw our Shepherd approaching we allowed Him to gently...and it was gently...pick us up and carry us in His arms to safety.

The Bible points to Jesus in every book. You will find Him in Psalm 23 as the Good Shepherd. You will see Him in the sacrifices and feasts, like mentioned the other day.

Every book speaks about the soon coming King. It's all about blood. Sacrifices were made in the Old Testament for forgiveness of sin...day by day. Those sins were new every day and needed to be atoned for. Jesus came to be that same sacrifice, but upon His death He took away that constant need to sacrifice. His death was once for all. Nothing else we can do but receive Jesus as our own personal Lord and Savior will allow us access to heaven. No works, no sacrifices. Just as the sins had to be atoned for every day, Jesus' mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:31-32)...when we have received Him.

He's the Passover lamb, the High Priest, the Cloud and the Fire, Kinsman Redeemer, our Shepherd, the suffering Servant and weeping Prophet, Son of God and Son of Man, the Messiah, the Miracle Worker, the One who sets us free, a Friend, our Great Physician, our Savior and most important, the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Search the Scriptures. Seek the Lord your God. He is everything anyone could need. Let His voice be heard in His Book. The Book is life, the Book is wisdom. The Book is encouragement and admonition. The Book is filled with promises...both good and bad, depending on whether you choose to listen or choose your own way in life.

His Word judges a person's thoughts and intentions. It shows us the right way to walk. It admonishes and praises based on what we do.

Lord, I thank You for Your Word that brings life. I thank You that Your promises are yes and amen. I thank You that You are the great and loving God as well as the judge of all humanity. I thank You that nothing is impossible with You, that You are holy, that You truly care about the people of this earth who have not bowed before You and received You as their Savior. You search to and fro for those who are fully committed to You. And You bless them who are...with blessings that go far beyond our earthly needs.

Your Word is life. It is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path. Without that light, the Light of the world, we only live in darkness to the things You have for us. Praise You Lord for this awesome Word, for Your testimony in 66 chapters. Soul saving, life giving. That's who You are...the Word that became flesh so You could live and teach us about Yourself, so that You could die for our sins...so that we in turn could have life. Praise You! Bless Your holy name. Help us, O God, to hide Your word within our hearts that we might not sin against You.

1Peter 1:24-25 -  All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the LORD endures forever.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Contemplation?

 Jeremiah 2:17–19 -
     Have you not brought this on yourself,
     In that you have forsaken the LORD your God
     When He led you in the way?
     ...Your own wickedness will correct you,
     And your backslidings will rebuke you.
     Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing
     That you have forsaken the LORD your God,
     And the fear of Me is not in you,”
     Says the Lord GOD of hosts.

Pretty harsh words the prophet Jeremiah speaks. I mentioned not too long ago that Jeremiah was named the weeping prophet because his heart was so saddened by Israel's turning away from the God that had provided for them. Bear with me as my thoughts bounce  around!

Our pastor, Rory Grooters, mentioned briefly last night that although we sometimes think we have brought ourselves provision, it is ultimately God who does. It just depends on one's understanding. He is the One who has created us and gifted us. We really cannot take credit for it. But who do we give credit to, ultimately?

Last week we had Black Friday. The phrase itself conjures up, at least in my mind, something akin to a plague. I thought about the thousands of people willing to stand in line in the dead of night for those bargains the day after Thanksgiving. I think about the injuries involved. Total madness!! I think even more about how retailers are profiting even when we think we have gotten a bargain. 

Those thoughts reminded me of the money changers in Christ's day, the bankers of that time. It angered Jesus. He threw them out. He shouted. He called them thieves. These money changers could charge whatever they desired to make a profit. Hmmmm, sounds familiar. When is enough enough?

But it’s not just about the retail business. We have become a society of selfishness. Period. Selfishness is a sin. Period. Me, me, me. Are these purchases needs or wants? I'm just as guilty here, so this time of contemplation is for me as well. I cannot cast the first stone!

When did this time of year change from a time of contemplating Christmas to a shop till you drop mentality? When did Christ get shoved aside for self? Oh, I know some are shopping for that perfect gift for friends and family, but does anyone walk away without that perfect want of their own? I've heard and read that this is always the most stressful time of year with all the galavanting to shop! It should be the most peaceful...contemplating Christ and His glorious birth. It's what we make of it.

When did Christ get removed from Christmas? Today it's no more to some than that holiday we so cringe to hear about. It's not so much about contemplating Christ. I will probably say this every year. So I guess the word holiday is quite appropriate for today. 

A sure sign that the last days are at hand. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud...(2Timothy 3:2). One day He will return and those who ignored Him will be ignored by Him. We have been fully warned repeatedly throughout the Bible. It's what we choose to want to hear...it's all about choice.

What's more important, our spiritual life or this life on earth? Some might say live it up now because a day will come when we cannot. But God/Jesus' view is just the opposite. It's the eternal life we are to live for. Eternal life does not come with selfishness today. It comes with self-sacrifice.

Do we want the earthly things today that rust and moth destroy or do we want those things that will never fade because they are rooted and grounded in Christ? It takes time and effort to know the things of God. It takes a willingness and time to do that so we will not hear: Matthew 7:22-23 - Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

"You and I can open our minds to hear the great and unsearchable things we do not know, things like the Incarnation that we may never fully understand but are always invited to know further. Or we can simply look for all of Christmas to correspond with societal whims and unconscious distractions." - Jill Carattini, managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias international Ministries, Atlanta, Georgia. Yes, we MUST open our minds to seek the true meaning of Christmas, to see Christ in it.

I've been out and about the past couple of days, preparing my own table for a women's event. As I've been chasing I've been questioning my own Christmas motives. We will not be home for Christmas this year so decorating, putting up a tree or all the necessities of Christmas decorations are not a priority. I'm not against any of these things, but my thoughts this year have been, What if we didn't have all this stuff to do Christmas? Would the true meaning be greater or less? Where is Christ in the Christmas tree and ornaments and flashing lights? Can't we celebrate His humble birth without all the glitz and glitter, without being the first on the block to get their house lit up, tree lighted and decorated, the shopping done and the cookies baked? Do we really need all this?? But I still give in a bit...

I know I could handle Christmas without all this. It's about contemplating His birth. It’s about sitting at His feet like Mary while Martha "slaved" in the kitchen. (If you don’t know the story click here for an explanation.) It's about contemplating why it was so important that He be born humbly. It's not about trees, lights, tons of presents. It's about Him.

Maybe I sound like Scrooge this year, but I guarantee I'm not. I DO have gifts to buy or make. I do have baking to do. I will succumb to a handful of decorations, but this year they will be reminders of Christ. Peace, joy, love...keeping Christ in Christmas...I'm even going so far as to get the star of Bethlehem situated on our driveway lamp post today. 

This is just how I feel this year. I want to contemplate even more about Jesus, give out His love this season. I want to thank Him that, as Pastor also prayed last night, He as the Creator became the Created.

Let us not forsake the LORD our God this Christmas season. Let us draw near to Him that He might draw near to us...as families and a nation...that He would not depart from us but He would recognize that we have not forsaken Him. If we have backslidden, there’s still time to turn around. Wickedness, too, can be forgiven. Let’s let go of selves and grab hold of Jesus. It all starts with first our own heart change.

Let us dig deeper into our own knowledge of Him and embrace Him into our lives. Let us truly seek Him for our eternal lives over this earthly life. He came to earth to be the reconciliation between our Heavenly Father and us. He was born with the intent to one day die for our sins. While we celebrate His birth, let us consciously think on why He did this. Let us be thankful He came from Heaven to come to this sin filled earth...just for us.

The LORD watched over His people Israel so long ago until they abandoned Him. Let us not be that same generation today in our inability to look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, the One for whom this season is all about. He came to earth to lead us to our Heavenly home. Does He do this for you today? Read the following scripture by adding “me” instead of “him” and make it present tense. Is this you? Contemplate...

Deuteronomy 32:10 - He found him in a desert land and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye...