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December 25, 2023

December 25, 2023

Merry Christmas!

 

I love the comforting thought of God always being with me.

 

Charles Stanley comments that “Because of the indwelling Christ, believers are never separated from His permanent presence. We are in Christ and He is in us. What an encouragement! What a comfort! What an assurance! We always have a shoulder to lean on – the broad shoulders of Immanuel. We always have someone to listen to our heartache – our constant Companion and Friend, Jesus”.

 

Isn’t this a wonderful gift?!

December 18, 2023

December 18, 2023

When reading these verses, I can’t help being reminded of Linus in The Charlie Brown Christmas Special, reciting them on stage in the Christmas play. Reciting these words, he redirects his friends to the true meaning of the celebration of Christmas.

 

Our attention is often directed elsewhere: finding the perfect Christmas tree, a family  gathering, presents, etc. 

 

Linus reminds us that scripture focuses on celebrating the joy of welcoming Jesus as our Savior and the good news of His coming to rescue us and bring us abundant life with Him here on earth and eternal life with Him in His kingdom. He is the ultimate Christmas gift. All we have to do is accept it and embrace it.

 

(John 1:12)  “ . . . as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”  

 

This is a gift for ALL people, everywhere. Receiving it brings us to a place where we can’t help but “Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS”! (Philippians 4:4)

 

“But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them. That those who love your name may exalt in you.” (Psalm 5:11)  We have reason to sing, to sing from our hearts to the Lord. “Sing aloud to God our strength, shout for joy to the God of Jacob”! (Psalm 81:1) 

 

Have you received the ultimate gift? Are you aware of His presence with you? Are you singing His praise this Christmas ?

December 11, 2023

December 11, 2023

As beautiful as it is, the Christmas season has a way of stirring up and increasing our anxiety.

 

Before you allow your mind to wander down the road of worry, cry out to your heavenly Father!

 

He hears your prayers!  Even Jesus cried out to His Father when he was burdened here on earth.

 

When you give your worries to the Lord, you shift your focus from your problems to your loving Father, who is all-knowing and all-powerful.

 

As we’re told in 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”

 

If you can put your focus on God’s ultimate Christmas gift to us, you’ll discover that you can trust that God is ready to take your cares into His hands.

December 26, 2022

December 26, 2022

Why did Jesus come? Despite our rejection of God in the Garden of Eden, His love for us and desire for restoring a personal relationship led Him to provide a plan for our redemption and reconciliation.

 

Christmas Day marks the introduction of God’s plan to come to earth in human form in order to demonstrate that, even though we did nothing to deserve it, His love for us is so strong that He was willing to sacrifice His only true Son to restore a personal relationship with Him for any of us who are willing to accept His offer. Jesus was, and is, Immanuel, “God with us”!

 

No matter how lonely you may feel, you are never alone if you have accepted God’s offer and have personally accepted Jesus to fulfill that restoration with God. If you have, you can be assured of His continual presence with you. (John 10:28). 

 

Immanuel is the God of Hope. If you are feeling lonely, invite Him in and ask Him to fill you with the joy and peace that only He can provide.

 

Have you accepted Immanuel, God’s Christmas gift of love?

December 19, 2022

December 19, 2022

We’re surrounded by unusual color and beauty during the Christmas season. But the season also has a way of stirring up and increasing our anxiety. 

 

My suggested formula for increasing the joy of Christmas is to decrease the anxiety by taking momentary breaks to ask our heavenly Father to intercede and remove the buildup of worry that you may be experiencing.

 

God hears those prayers!  Even Jesus cried out to His Father when he was burdened while here with us on earth.

 

In 1 Peter 5:7, the Holy Spirit inspired Peter to write, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”

 

During the Christmas season, as you focus on God’s ultimate Christmas gift to us, can you allow yourself to stop, as needed, and surrender your anxieties to Him?

December 12, 2022

December 12, 2022

Advent, meaning ‘Coming’ in Latin, is the word most churches use to describe our focus on Jesus coming into the world as a baby. Advent is a time to concentrate on what Christmas is really about!

 

After telling His disciples that He would send them the Holy Spirit, He said to them, “Peace I leave with you, My Peace I give to you, not as the world gives . . .”

 

Today, the prospect of peace, both in our country and our world seems more distant every day. Our world appears out of control. We wonder if we can ever find peace and whether that peace will be lasting. 

 

There was also a great deal of unrest in the world at the time of Jesus’ birth. As it happened, Christ’s coming brought conflict rather than peace, ending with His death. But, as He promised, following His resurrection, He will provide the gift of personal peace to all who are willing to surrender their pride and put their trust and faith in Him, the Prince of Peace.

 

Our acceptance of Jesus, a personal gift of Himself, includes His abiding presence along with the gift of His peace! He is with us continually, even in the midst of the storms. His peace is a lasting peace. 

 

Have you accepted Jesus and the peace of His presence? 

December 5, 2022

December 5, 2022

One of the highlights of Christmas for me is the focus on the message of hope!

 

In the first verse of his first letter to Timothy, Paul references “ the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope.”  Vine’s New Testament Expository Dictionary explains that the most frequent significance of the word “hope” relates to “a favorable and confident expectation” and “the happy anticipation of good”.

 

Without Jesus as our hope, we have no real, eternal hope. We are only left with speculation and confusion that abounds in our fallen world.

 

I celebrate the Christmas message of hope, the “confident expectation”, that putting our trust in Him brings the ultimate Christmas gift!

 

He is our hope!

 

What, or who, are you putting your hope in?

December 20, 2021

DECEMBER 20, 2021

Merry Christmas!

 

I love the comforting thought of God always being with me.

 

Charles Stanley comments that “Because of the indwelling Christ, believers are never separated from His permanent presence. We are in Christ and He is in us. What an encouragement! What a comfort! What an assurance! We always have a shoulder to lean on – the broad shoulders of Immanuel. We always have someone to listen to our heartache – our constant Companion and Friend, Jesus.”

 

Isn’t this a wonderful gift?!

December 13, 2021

DECEMBER 13, 2021

What is the greatest gift you are giving this Christmas?

The greatest gift that our Father has ever given us is salvation in His son, Jesus.

If you have accepted His miraculous gift, then you can know for certain that you belong to Him.

You may feel alone, and even abandoned at times, but this is a deception.

That our Lord paid such a huge price for you demonstrates how valuable you are to Him.

You need to trust that He has good things in store for you, even when you cannot envision it.

Do you know how cherished you are? Do you know your worth?

December 6, 2021

DECEMBER 6, 2021

Christmastime brings us beautiful songs about peace on earth ~

“All is calm, all is bright.”

We long for peace in our hearts, but often do not feel it.

There is talk of World Peace, but it does not come.

There is only one place to look for true peace.

Only the Lord of Peace can give us peace at all times and in every way.

The gospel of Peace that He has brought us declares His love for us.

When we are still, we can feel His presence.

Even in the midst of the busyness of Christmas and even in the storms of life.

We have the assurance that He is with us and we can enjoy His Peace.

Do you know this kind of Peace?