Sunday, December 29, 2013
Messages From Heaven: Is Love Enough to Make Marriage Succeed?
Messages From Heaven: Is Love Enough to Make Marriage Succeed?: If you and your spouse really love each other, won't that hold you steady when the storms come? Not necessarily--and certainly not ...
Is Love Enough to Make Marriage Succeed?
If you and your spouse really love each other, won't that hold you steady when the storms come?
Not necessarily--and certainly not if you are thinking of love as a
romantic feeling. Feeling wonderful about one another does not make two
people compatible over the long haul. Many couples assume that the
excitement of their courtship will continue for the rest of their lives.
That virtually never occurs! It is naive to expect two unique
individuals to mesh together like a couple of machines and to remain
exhilarated throughout life. Even gears have multiple cogs with rough
edges to be honed before they will work in concert.
That honing process usually occurs in the first year or two of marriage. The foundation for all that is to follow is laid in those critical months. What often occurs at this time is a dramatic struggle for power in the relationship. Who will lead? Who will follow? Who will determine how the money is spent? Who will get his or her way in times of disagreement? Everything is up for grabs in the beginning, and the way these early decisions are made will set the stage for the future. The apostle Paul gave us the divine perspective on human relationships--not only in marriage, but in every dimension of life. He wrote, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves" (Philippians 2:3).
That honing process usually occurs in the first year or two of marriage. The foundation for all that is to follow is laid in those critical months. What often occurs at this time is a dramatic struggle for power in the relationship. Who will lead? Who will follow? Who will determine how the money is spent? Who will get his or her way in times of disagreement? Everything is up for grabs in the beginning, and the way these early decisions are made will set the stage for the future. The apostle Paul gave us the divine perspective on human relationships--not only in marriage, but in every dimension of life. He wrote, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves" (Philippians 2:3).
That one verse contains more wisdom than most
marriage manuals combined. If heeded, it could virtually eliminate
divorce from the catalog of human experience. It will give you stability
when the storms begin to howl.
Messages From Heaven: How You Can Win Against Satan!
Messages From Heaven: How You Can Win Against Satan!: There is an important truth I want you to know to be spiritually victorious throughout your life. It is simply this: You are under spiri...
How You Can Win Against Satan!
There is an important truth I want you to know to be spiritually victorious throughout your life. It is simply this:
The Bible teaches that every Christian is under spiritual attack. Scripture tells us we are aliens in this world, and Satan, as the ruler of this world, is constantly seeking the spiritual demise of every Christian.
If you think you are at home in this world, you have been misled. Do you realize that to embrace the values of the world is to place yourself in hostility toward God (James 4:4)? The world's values are not eternal, but temporal. And to embrace those values aligns you with the values of Satan himself.
But, if you are walking with God, embracing eternal values, you are secure against Satan and his attacks because of your relationship with Christ. Christ has already won the victory and Satan knows that.
But there is a danger when you realize the position you have in Christ. It is easy to seem invincible. After all, when you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you indeed are in Christ.
This may lead you to ask, "What else could I possibly need? He is my portion, isn't He? He has overcome the world, hasn't He?"
The answer is a resounding, "Yes!" I want to assure you, as long as you are walking with Christ, you have nothing to worry about. You indeed are secure in Him.
But this can create a complacency that is so dangerous. Here’s why:
Now, if Satan has declared war, then the sensible thing to do would be to find out just as much as we can about our enemy, how he is likely to attack us, and how we can overcome him.
The first place to start is with a right perspective. One big problem in the church today is that many get so worried about the devil that they see demons behind every bush. That is a wrong perspective.
"Oh, I have a spirit of lust, of greed, of desire. I'm being attacked by this and attacked by that." While the war Satan has declared is very real, not everything wrong in your life can be blamed on Satan.
So what is the right perspective? And how do we become victorious in our fight against Satan?
The right perspective is to understand you are indeed under spiritual attack…but you can be victorious!
That victory begins with what the Bible tells us in James 4:7: "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Too often as we find ourselves battling Satan, we simply fail to resist him. While he's always looking for the perfect opportunity to tempt you and me with something attractive, something seemingly irresistible, he only wins when we play his game.
So the first principle is this:
Submit to God…and resist the devil. Make that your habit.
You are under spiritual attack…in an all out spiritual war…as Satan does all he can to cause you spiritual defeat.Whether you realize it or not, you live in a spiritual war zone. It's a battle for your heart and soul.
The Bible teaches that every Christian is under spiritual attack. Scripture tells us we are aliens in this world, and Satan, as the ruler of this world, is constantly seeking the spiritual demise of every Christian.
If you think you are at home in this world, you have been misled. Do you realize that to embrace the values of the world is to place yourself in hostility toward God (James 4:4)? The world's values are not eternal, but temporal. And to embrace those values aligns you with the values of Satan himself.
But, if you are walking with God, embracing eternal values, you are secure against Satan and his attacks because of your relationship with Christ. Christ has already won the victory and Satan knows that.
But there is a danger when you realize the position you have in Christ. It is easy to seem invincible. After all, when you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you indeed are in Christ.
This may lead you to ask, "What else could I possibly need? He is my portion, isn't He? He has overcome the world, hasn't He?"
The answer is a resounding, "Yes!" I want to assure you, as long as you are walking with Christ, you have nothing to worry about. You indeed are secure in Him.
But this can create a complacency that is so dangerous. Here’s why:
Too frequently we are lured, enticed, or dragged away from Christ through the deception of Satan. The devil bombards our thoughts, our desires, our emotions in almost imperceptible ways, and we get tricked or seduced into believing his lies.This is where the battle takes place. Satan will do all in his power to pull you away from walking in Christ and His victory. This battle is very real…and the reason why so many Christians today live in defeat and lack the joy God intends for them.
Now, if Satan has declared war, then the sensible thing to do would be to find out just as much as we can about our enemy, how he is likely to attack us, and how we can overcome him.
The first place to start is with a right perspective. One big problem in the church today is that many get so worried about the devil that they see demons behind every bush. That is a wrong perspective.
"Oh, I have a spirit of lust, of greed, of desire. I'm being attacked by this and attacked by that." While the war Satan has declared is very real, not everything wrong in your life can be blamed on Satan.
So what is the right perspective? And how do we become victorious in our fight against Satan?
The right perspective is to understand you are indeed under spiritual attack…but you can be victorious!
That victory begins with what the Bible tells us in James 4:7: "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Too often as we find ourselves battling Satan, we simply fail to resist him. While he's always looking for the perfect opportunity to tempt you and me with something attractive, something seemingly irresistible, he only wins when we play his game.
So the first principle is this:
We must submit to God, and we must resist the devil, or we are sure to fail.Satan has his eyes fixed squarely on you. He has you in his sights. In fact, you may feel that you're always under attack. And you may feel like you are constantly failing in the battle. Here is my challenge to you:
Submit to God…and resist the devil. Make that your habit.
Friday, December 27, 2013
Messages From Heaven: Pope Francis: Man of the Year or Leader of the Apo...
Messages From Heaven: Pope Francis: Man of the Year or Leader of the Apo...: Time Magazine’s announcement that Pope Francis is the ‘Man (or person) of the Year’ has created a buzz on all levels of news and media. It...
Pope Francis: Man of the Year or Leader of the Apostasy?
Time Magazine’s announcement that Pope
Francis is the ‘Man (or person) of the Year’ has created a buzz on all
levels of news and media. It’s too bad that we need a news magazine to
define for us who the great ones in our society are, but that is only
proof that man is constantly looking for saviors in all the wrong places.
Bible believers have a tendency to leap to conclusions that often prove premature. Examples abound, but in trying to decide who the antichrist may be everyone from Henry Kissinger in days past to Barack Obama in these days. Perhaps that’s why we are instructed to hold fast to our faith as God unravels the details of eschatological doctrine (second coming doctrine) in real time.
Special care has to be taken when dealing with the Pope, but not for the Pope’s sake, but for the millions of faithful Catholics who, after all, are brothers and sisters if they have genuinely responded to the promise of John 1: 12.
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name”
The Term ‘Leader’ is not Sacrosanct
The wheat and the tare grow together in the field, (Mt 13: 24f) but that doesn’t mean that those who are in leadership positions are exempt from being tares.
The sweep of apostasy is well underway in the church, both Protestant and Catholic, which means the day of withholding the truth about who is backsliding and who is towing the line has passed forever. Identify the falsehoods now, or become part of them – that’s the rule of the day.
In a world where apostasy and decline are reaching Mach speeds the Pope has to understand that regardless of what his intentions were in his statements about abortion and gays, in today’s climate, perception has become the better part of reality.
Already, atheists, agnostics and every sort of antichrist kind of person has welcomed the Pope’s words as proof that the Catholics are finally loosening up and coming into the twenty first century where tolerance and diversity are supposed to replace adherence to the moral laws and demands of the living God.
The moral teachings of the Bible are not to be ignored or set aside for overt acts of kindness, like the Pope’s washing the feet of prisoners, but they are conjoined forever with such acts. Being Christ like and holding to the truths of scripture are not to be separated, but they are to be practiced together until the end of time.
Here’s what we know. The Bible strictly condemns any and all homosexual practices and abortion is genocide. No one will escape. There is a reckoning day for both. Whether you are the Pope or some unknown and obscure person, the coming judgment will scrutinize your output without regard to your station in life. Pope or pauper the Word of God creates a level playing field. To wit:
“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” (Mt 12: 36, 37)
Growing Accustomed to Hypocrisy and Double Standards?
News anchor and host of the Kelly Files, Megyn Kelly, has announced that Politifact is now calling Barack Obama’s promise that American’s could keep their health care plans if they liked them the ‘lie of the year.’
Just when you think you have had enough hypocrisy the same man who stood before the media and repeatedly lied about healthcare stood up in South Africa, weeping, and praising Nelson Mandela, a man who is known for devising the torture (necklacing) which places burning fueled filled tires over the heads of people and burning them to death in front of their families. Hypocrisy now has a new champion and record breaker.
The security breach at the Mandela memorial has created uproar in the media. The interpreter at the memorial was a total fake, but the fact that millions of Americans feel Barack Obama is himself, the biggest fake to come down the pike in presidential history - is largely ignored, squashed or dismissed.
One conservative website now favors a graphic that shows Mandela and Obama side by side with a caption that says, “Hey, if you’re going to compare Obama to Mandela…can we at least throw him in jail for 27 years first?”
No, Time Magazine does not do covers for ‘Liar of the Year.’
It isn’t about scolding the Pope or dissing the president, in fact it is about you. Regardless of what voices you listen to or what church you attend, if they are leading you away from the revealed word of God you are in serious danger. The call to remove yourself from those influences, find another church, or simply get out - are of divine origin.
God expects you to take it very seriously.
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (2 Co 6: 17, 18)
Bible believers have a tendency to leap to conclusions that often prove premature. Examples abound, but in trying to decide who the antichrist may be everyone from Henry Kissinger in days past to Barack Obama in these days. Perhaps that’s why we are instructed to hold fast to our faith as God unravels the details of eschatological doctrine (second coming doctrine) in real time.
Special care has to be taken when dealing with the Pope, but not for the Pope’s sake, but for the millions of faithful Catholics who, after all, are brothers and sisters if they have genuinely responded to the promise of John 1: 12.
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name”
The Term ‘Leader’ is not Sacrosanct
The wheat and the tare grow together in the field, (Mt 13: 24f) but that doesn’t mean that those who are in leadership positions are exempt from being tares.
The sweep of apostasy is well underway in the church, both Protestant and Catholic, which means the day of withholding the truth about who is backsliding and who is towing the line has passed forever. Identify the falsehoods now, or become part of them – that’s the rule of the day.
In a world where apostasy and decline are reaching Mach speeds the Pope has to understand that regardless of what his intentions were in his statements about abortion and gays, in today’s climate, perception has become the better part of reality.
Already, atheists, agnostics and every sort of antichrist kind of person has welcomed the Pope’s words as proof that the Catholics are finally loosening up and coming into the twenty first century where tolerance and diversity are supposed to replace adherence to the moral laws and demands of the living God.
The moral teachings of the Bible are not to be ignored or set aside for overt acts of kindness, like the Pope’s washing the feet of prisoners, but they are conjoined forever with such acts. Being Christ like and holding to the truths of scripture are not to be separated, but they are to be practiced together until the end of time.
Here’s what we know. The Bible strictly condemns any and all homosexual practices and abortion is genocide. No one will escape. There is a reckoning day for both. Whether you are the Pope or some unknown and obscure person, the coming judgment will scrutinize your output without regard to your station in life. Pope or pauper the Word of God creates a level playing field. To wit:
“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” (Mt 12: 36, 37)
Growing Accustomed to Hypocrisy and Double Standards?
News anchor and host of the Kelly Files, Megyn Kelly, has announced that Politifact is now calling Barack Obama’s promise that American’s could keep their health care plans if they liked them the ‘lie of the year.’
Just when you think you have had enough hypocrisy the same man who stood before the media and repeatedly lied about healthcare stood up in South Africa, weeping, and praising Nelson Mandela, a man who is known for devising the torture (necklacing) which places burning fueled filled tires over the heads of people and burning them to death in front of their families. Hypocrisy now has a new champion and record breaker.
The security breach at the Mandela memorial has created uproar in the media. The interpreter at the memorial was a total fake, but the fact that millions of Americans feel Barack Obama is himself, the biggest fake to come down the pike in presidential history - is largely ignored, squashed or dismissed.
One conservative website now favors a graphic that shows Mandela and Obama side by side with a caption that says, “Hey, if you’re going to compare Obama to Mandela…can we at least throw him in jail for 27 years first?”
No, Time Magazine does not do covers for ‘Liar of the Year.’
It isn’t about scolding the Pope or dissing the president, in fact it is about you. Regardless of what voices you listen to or what church you attend, if they are leading you away from the revealed word of God you are in serious danger. The call to remove yourself from those influences, find another church, or simply get out - are of divine origin.
God expects you to take it very seriously.
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (2 Co 6: 17, 18)
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Messages From Heaven: The Gift for the Person Who Has Everything!
Messages From Heaven: The Gift for the Person Who Has Everything!: In our pocket of society where pampered affluence is rampant, we are often at a loss to know what kind of gifts to buy our friends and love...
The Gift for the Person Who Has Everything!
In our pocket of society where pampered affluence is rampant, we are
often at a loss to know what kind of gifts to buy our friends and loved
ones on special occasions. For some people (especially those who "have
everything"), the standard gift won't cut it. Nothing in the shopping
mall catches our fancy.
I have a suggestion. It may not seem that expensive or sound very novel, but believe me, it works every time. It's one of those gifts that has great value but no price tag. It can't be lost nor will it ever be forgotten. No problem with size, either. It fits all shapes, any age, and every personality. This ideal gift is...yourself. Don't forget the unusual value of kindness.
That's right, give some of yourself away:
Covering all the one another commands of the Bible (and there's a lot of them!) is the umbrella of kindness. Kindness braids mercy and grace, humility and gentleness all together. Kindness gives grace, requires humility, and asks that we think of others before ourselves.
Ever notice that kindness is most appreciated when life has gone sideways? When you're having "one of those days," kindness speaks that thoughtful word and draws you back like a lifeline.
Who should the world look to as a model of kindness but the body of Christ? Unfortunately, ask the man on the street how he would describe the Christians he knows and I dare say kind would not be his first or even his second response. I say we change that.
Kindness is something you and I can do today. A gentle response. Being the first to forgive. Giving the gift of time, compassion, and thoughtfulness. In ordinary ways, we can give ourselves away and, by doing so, model God's agape love. Remember 1 Corinthians 13:4 — "Love is kind."
Look for ways today to give ordinary kindness, and you'll find there's nothing ordinary about it.
I have a suggestion. It may not seem that expensive or sound very novel, but believe me, it works every time. It's one of those gifts that has great value but no price tag. It can't be lost nor will it ever be forgotten. No problem with size, either. It fits all shapes, any age, and every personality. This ideal gift is...yourself. Don't forget the unusual value of kindness.
That's right, give some of yourself away:
- Give an hour of your time to someone who needs you.
- Give a note of encouragement to someone feeling down.
- Give a hug of affirmation to someone in your family.
- Give some time to someone who is lonely.
- Give a meal to someone who is sick.
- Give a word of compassion to someone who has suffered a loss.
- Give a second chance to the fallen.
- Give a deed of thoughtfulness to someone who is often overlooked.
- Give a gentle response to the frustrated.
Covering all the one another commands of the Bible (and there's a lot of them!) is the umbrella of kindness. Kindness braids mercy and grace, humility and gentleness all together. Kindness gives grace, requires humility, and asks that we think of others before ourselves.
Ever notice that kindness is most appreciated when life has gone sideways? When you're having "one of those days," kindness speaks that thoughtful word and draws you back like a lifeline.
Who should the world look to as a model of kindness but the body of Christ? Unfortunately, ask the man on the street how he would describe the Christians he knows and I dare say kind would not be his first or even his second response. I say we change that.
Kindness is something you and I can do today. A gentle response. Being the first to forgive. Giving the gift of time, compassion, and thoughtfulness. In ordinary ways, we can give ourselves away and, by doing so, model God's agape love. Remember 1 Corinthians 13:4 — "Love is kind."
Look for ways today to give ordinary kindness, and you'll find there's nothing ordinary about it.
Messages From Heaven: An Invitation to Touch the Skin of Infinite God!
Messages From Heaven: An Invitation to Touch the Skin of Infinite God!: Childbirth is something no man can completely appreciate. We can marvel as an observer — a helpless one at that — but we cannot experienc...
An Invitation to Touch the Skin of Infinite God!
Childbirth is something no man can completely appreciate. We can
marvel as an observer — a helpless one at that — but we cannot
experience it as a woman would. My wife tells me, “I cannot completely
describe the feeling that came over me as the doctor held up Jakob, cut
the cord, and then laid him right across my tummy. As he stretched out,
I reached down and felt him and thought, How incredible! This little life came from us!”
Childbirth is enough of a miracle on its own, but this time of year adds a completely new dimension. Long ago in a quiet, crude place where animals sleep, Mary reached down and felt the Life from her body — she reached down and felt the soft, human skin of infinite God.
The humanity of this scene appropriately pulls us in for a closer look. We can identify with Joseph’s confusion, Mary’s wonder, and the irony of God’s quiet arrival in such an inhospitable world...all of those thoughts are magnificent to ponder. But we cannot stop there. These are only an entrance to wonders far deeper, far more significant. Just beneath the soft, newborn skin of this beautiful story is the flesh and bone of a theological truth that is older than creation, since the plan was in place long before time began.
The incarnation — God becoming flesh — is a doctrine that is foundational to everything we believe as Christians. Most conservative scholars see with 20/20 hindsight the hint of Christ’s birth in Genesis 3:15. Speaking to the serpent in Eden, God said:
What an awful predicament. God must punish sin. The penalty of sin is eternal death. But to carry out the sentence, God loses the very people He loves. Just as one man led all of humanity into rebellion, another must reconcile us. But who? Who among us does not deserve the penalty of sin? And if one sinless person could be found, what mere mortal would have the power to die the death you and I deserve, yet survive the process so that He could continue to represent us? Why, only a human who is also God could do that!
Two millennia ago, God answered the anguished cry of humanity by making “the problem of evil” His own. God Almighty became Immanuel, “God with us.” He lived as we live, suffered as we suffer, died as we die, yet without sin. And He, being the God-man, overcame the power of death in order to give us eternal life.
The plan is complete. Remember Jesus’s words on the cross? “It is finished!” (John 19:30). Mission accomplished. Nothing left for God to do, except allow His creation time to respond. He patiently waits...but time is running out. He will not wait forever. He will one day close the door of opportunity, either by your own physical death or by bringing all earthly history to an end.
As you ponder the humanity of the first Christmas, remember that it is an invitation to slow down and think deeper. I invite you to touch the infant skin of the God-man with your imagination. I invite you to wonder as the shepherds wondered and to worship as the wise men did. I invite you to allow the God-man, Jesus, to take your own “problem of pain” and make it His. If you can accept my invitation, you will receive the greatest Christmas present on earth: God’s indescribable gift.
Childbirth is enough of a miracle on its own, but this time of year adds a completely new dimension. Long ago in a quiet, crude place where animals sleep, Mary reached down and felt the Life from her body — she reached down and felt the soft, human skin of infinite God.
The humanity of this scene appropriately pulls us in for a closer look. We can identify with Joseph’s confusion, Mary’s wonder, and the irony of God’s quiet arrival in such an inhospitable world...all of those thoughts are magnificent to ponder. But we cannot stop there. These are only an entrance to wonders far deeper, far more significant. Just beneath the soft, newborn skin of this beautiful story is the flesh and bone of a theological truth that is older than creation, since the plan was in place long before time began.
The incarnation — God becoming flesh — is a doctrine that is foundational to everything we believe as Christians. Most conservative scholars see with 20/20 hindsight the hint of Christ’s birth in Genesis 3:15. Speaking to the serpent in Eden, God said:
“I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her seed;
He shall bruise you on the head,
And you shall bruise him on the heel.”
Much later, the prophet Isaiah wrote these words centuries before God became man:
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)
In telling the story of God’s incarnation, the disciple Matthew tells us this:
Behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:20-23)
When the first man plunged all of humanity into sin with
his disobedience in the Garden of Eden, evil entered the bloodstream of
humanity, polluting all who live in it. And each of us has ratified
Adam’s tragic choice by adding our sin to his. The result is a world
subject to pain of every conceivable kind: hunger, thirst, sorrow,
weariness, temptation, disease, prejudice, grief...the list would be
endless if it didn’t end with the ultimate evil: death.
Many struggle with the idea of God because they wrestle against “the
problem of pain” — How can a good God allow evil to continue? The
surprising answer: because He loves us. He could have ended all evil
before the fruit of the forbidden tree digested in Adam’s stomach. Let’s
not forget that the evil we would have God put an end to includes you
and me. We brought, and continue to bring, evil upon ourselves and the
world, and He would be entirely justified to condemn us to suffer the
twisted mess we have made of His creation. But...He loves us.What an awful predicament. God must punish sin. The penalty of sin is eternal death. But to carry out the sentence, God loses the very people He loves. Just as one man led all of humanity into rebellion, another must reconcile us. But who? Who among us does not deserve the penalty of sin? And if one sinless person could be found, what mere mortal would have the power to die the death you and I deserve, yet survive the process so that He could continue to represent us? Why, only a human who is also God could do that!
Two millennia ago, God answered the anguished cry of humanity by making “the problem of evil” His own. God Almighty became Immanuel, “God with us.” He lived as we live, suffered as we suffer, died as we die, yet without sin. And He, being the God-man, overcame the power of death in order to give us eternal life.
The plan is complete. Remember Jesus’s words on the cross? “It is finished!” (John 19:30). Mission accomplished. Nothing left for God to do, except allow His creation time to respond. He patiently waits...but time is running out. He will not wait forever. He will one day close the door of opportunity, either by your own physical death or by bringing all earthly history to an end.
As you ponder the humanity of the first Christmas, remember that it is an invitation to slow down and think deeper. I invite you to touch the infant skin of the God-man with your imagination. I invite you to wonder as the shepherds wondered and to worship as the wise men did. I invite you to allow the God-man, Jesus, to take your own “problem of pain” and make it His. If you can accept my invitation, you will receive the greatest Christmas present on earth: God’s indescribable gift.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Messages From Heaven: Redefining the Family!!
Messages From Heaven: Redefining the Family!!: I read recently that the definition of the family needed to be revised in light of cultural changes. The writer said a famil...
Redefining the Family!!
- I read recently that the definition of the family needed to be revised in light of cultural changes. The writer said a family should be thought of as "a circle of love," including any individuals who were deeply attached to each other. Somehow I know this is wrong but can't articulate why. How do you see it?
I am familiar with the effort to redefine the family. It is motivated by homosexual activists and others who see this institution as a barrier to the social engineering they hope to accomplish. But what is the traditional definition of the family? It is a group of individuals who are related to one another by marriage, birth, or adoption-- nothing more, nothing else. The family was divinely instituted and sanctioned in the beginning, when God created one man and one woman, brought them together, and commanded them to "be fruitful and multiply." This is where we begin, and this is where we must stand.
By contrast, if the term family refers to any group of people who love each other, then the term ceases to have meaning. In that case, five homosexual men can be a "family" until one feels unloved, and then there are four. Under such a definition, one man and six women could be regarded as a legal entity, reintroducing the debate over polygamy. We thought we settled that issue in the last century.
It would also be possible for parents who dislike a rebellious teenager to opt him out of the "circle of love," thus depriving him of any legal identity with the family. With such amorphous terms, wives would have no greater legal protection than female acquaintances with whom men become infatuated. We end up with an unstable social structure rife with potential for disaster.
There is good reason, then, to defend the narrow legal definition of the family as understood over the centuries. After all, the family as I have characterized it is not merely human in origin. It is God's marvelous creation. And He has not included casual social relationships--even the most loving ones--within that bond of kinship. Nor should we.
Messages From Heaven: When It Comes to Truth, Tolerance Is a Travesty!!
Messages From Heaven: When It Comes to Truth, Tolerance Is a Travesty!!: Q: Why are Christians so judgmental and unloving? A: Because we live in an age of tolerance where almost anything goes, openly questionin...
When It Comes to Truth, Tolerance Is a Travesty!!
Q: Why are Christians so judgmental and unloving?
A: Because we live in an age of tolerance where almost anything goes, openly questioning or criticizing other people's belief systems can quickly get you labeled as judgmental, narrow-minded, bigoted, hateful, and even ignorant. With regard to Christianity, Matthew 7:1 is often quoted (or should I say "misquoted") as discouraging Christians from putting other religious teachings and practices to the test: "Judge not, that ye be not judged."
This interpretation of Scripture, however, is simply mistaken. The Bible clearly speaks out not against passing judgment in general, but against rendering inaccurate and unfair judgments (John 7:24). In 1 Corinthians 2:15 Paul tells us that Christians are called to make "judgments about all things." Our judgment, though, should not be based on what God has not revealed; but rather, on what He has revealed (v. 13).
God's revealed Word, the Bible, tells us that Jesus Christ is the only way we can possibly reach God and that there's no alternate route (Acts 4:12). It stands to reason, therefore, that other beliefs offering alleged alternate pathways to God only lead to dead-ends. And if we as Christians really want to follow our Lord's teaching to love our neighbors, we can't escape our responsibility to warn them about spiritually destructive roads paved by non-Christian belief systems (Prov. 14:12). True love and compassion should move believers to sound warning cries, even in the face of opposition, to avert countless lives from heading toward eternal separation from God.
Let's realize that when we call teachings into question, it's only because we're concerned about the eternal destinies of people. Let's also keep in mind that Scripture doesn't command us to simply rail against false teachings; rather, it encourages us to offer biblical reasons with gentleness and respect (1 Pet. 3:15). Always remember that when it comes to personal relationships, tolerance is a virtue; but when it comes to truth, tolerance is a travesty.
A: Because we live in an age of tolerance where almost anything goes, openly questioning or criticizing other people's belief systems can quickly get you labeled as judgmental, narrow-minded, bigoted, hateful, and even ignorant. With regard to Christianity, Matthew 7:1 is often quoted (or should I say "misquoted") as discouraging Christians from putting other religious teachings and practices to the test: "Judge not, that ye be not judged."
This interpretation of Scripture, however, is simply mistaken. The Bible clearly speaks out not against passing judgment in general, but against rendering inaccurate and unfair judgments (John 7:24). In 1 Corinthians 2:15 Paul tells us that Christians are called to make "judgments about all things." Our judgment, though, should not be based on what God has not revealed; but rather, on what He has revealed (v. 13).
God's revealed Word, the Bible, tells us that Jesus Christ is the only way we can possibly reach God and that there's no alternate route (Acts 4:12). It stands to reason, therefore, that other beliefs offering alleged alternate pathways to God only lead to dead-ends. And if we as Christians really want to follow our Lord's teaching to love our neighbors, we can't escape our responsibility to warn them about spiritually destructive roads paved by non-Christian belief systems (Prov. 14:12). True love and compassion should move believers to sound warning cries, even in the face of opposition, to avert countless lives from heading toward eternal separation from God.
Let's realize that when we call teachings into question, it's only because we're concerned about the eternal destinies of people. Let's also keep in mind that Scripture doesn't command us to simply rail against false teachings; rather, it encourages us to offer biblical reasons with gentleness and respect (1 Pet. 3:15). Always remember that when it comes to personal relationships, tolerance is a virtue; but when it comes to truth, tolerance is a travesty.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Messages From Heaven: Keep Moving!!!
Messages From Heaven: Keep Moving!!!: We all know people who have supposedly “fallen away” spiritually. Sometimes people make changes in their lives, start going to church, an...
Keep Moving!!!
We all know people who have supposedly “fallen away” spiritually. Sometimes people make changes in their lives, start going to church, and get all excited about the Bible. Then suddenly they bail, never to return. For the most part, we say, “Oh, that is sad. They are backsliding.” However, I suggest to you that many of these people never were true believers to begin with. The true test is where they wind up.
A true believer will always come back home eventually. A person who is not a true believer won’t. My mother, for example, spent most of her life as a prodigal, but she came home in the end.We must keep our guard up, because anyone can backslide and become a prodigal. Backsliding is not something you plan on doing. You do not call up your Christian friend and say, “Hey, instead of going to church tonight, do you want to go backslide instead?” The point is that backsliding happens. In fact, one of the signs of the last days is that “some would fall from the faith.” It could happen to anyone, if certain precautions are not taken.
I suggest to you that there are people out there who are fully backslidden, but they do not even know it! And this is because they do not understand what the word backslide even means.
The Bible certainly warns against it. Jeremiah 3:22 says, “Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding.” Jeremiah 2:19 tells us, “‘Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the LORD your God and have no awe of me,’ declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.”
You might protest, “I don’t think I have actually backslidden!” It sounds so dramatic. “OK, so I am not as active spiritually as I once was. I still go to church (when I can find the time). I still read the Bible (when I get around to it). I still obey God (unless it conflicts with what I want to do).”
Listen, falling away or backsliding is something that we as Christians need to constantly be aware of. If we are not moving forward in Christ, we are naturally going backward. There is no standing still in the Christian life; we are either progressing or regressing, moving forward or backward. The Christian life is like a greased pole; you are either climbing or slipping.
I once saw a sign along the road at the end of an airport runway that read “Keep moving. If you stop, you are in danger, and a danger to those flying.” Unless we make progress in the Christian life, we jeopardize ourselves and others. In fact, the moment you cease to progress and grow as a Christian is when the process of backsliding begins.
So make every effort to move forward spiritually!
Messages From Heaven: Guided Missiles!!!
Messages From Heaven: Guided Missiles!!!: As we fight the spiritual battle, we need spiritual weaponry. Let’s consider our shield. The apostle Paul writes, “Above all, taking the ...
Guided Missiles!!!
As we fight the spiritual battle, we need spiritual weaponry.
Let’s consider our shield. The apostle Paul writes, “Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one” (Ephesians 6:16).
The words above all mean that faith is of paramount importance. The other armor won’t function apart from faith.
The shields that Roman soldiers would use were made of wood and then covered with cloth and leather. They were large, rectangular objects about four feet high and two feet wide. By crouching behind it, the soldier could completely hide himself.
The term fiery darts that Paul uses refers to one of the most commonly-used enemy tactics of his day. Prior to a face-to-face engagement with the enemy, a warrior would often encounter a barrage of flaming arrows coming from all directions. Their sole purpose was to demoralize and confuse him.
Our modern equivalent might be guided missiles or rockets.
The Roman soldier had to hold up his shield to protect himself from those fiery arrows. Sometimes, he would dip his shield in water so the fire-tipped arrows would be extinguished when they struck the shield.
Satan has his “flaming arrows,” or “guided missiles,” which he shoots our way. They are swift and silent and we receive no advance warning of their arrival. You can wake up in the morning, and the enemy will hit you with a flaming arrow before your feet even hit the floor.
It might be an impure thought or a thought of complete despair. You may be gripped with intense fear and terror. “What if this happens, or if that happens?”
It might be a thought of hatred toward someone. It might even be a blasphemous thought or a thought of doubt.
When do these “flaming arrows” come? At strategic times—like when you decide to read the Bible.
Isn’t it amazing that you can open the newspaper and maintain your full ability to concentrate with no distractions? You can get through the whole thing—the want ads, the comics, and all the advertisements—with no disruption whatsoever.
Or you may watch some mindless TV program and you’ll get through it with no phone calls, no distractions, and no problems.
But try opening the Bible and watch as “all hell breaks loose” and those flaming arrows start flying!
It might be an inability to concentrate. It might be a hundred and one things you should be doing that come to mind. They aren’t necessarily evil thoughts per se—just things like: “Oh boy! I forgot to go do this” or “I’ve got to pick up the cleaning,” or “I need to return that phone call,” etc.
Listen—the enemy’s primary objective is to keep you from the Word of God.
These “guided missiles” will also come during times of trial and hardship. Satan will whisper in your ear, “God has abandoned you. He’s left you. He doesn’t love you!”
I know about this personally and so do many of you. It is then that I hold up the shield of faith.
Here, faith means the ability to quickly apply what we believe so as to repel everything the devil attempts to do to us.
My relationship with God is not built on fleeting emotions or feelings, but on faith in what He has said to me in His Word. The “shield of faith” is turning to God and His Word in time of attack, and not focusing on our fluctuating feelings or emotions.
Scripture does not say, “Resist Satan, steadfast in your emotions,” but rather, “Resist him, steadfast in the faith” (1 Peter 5:9 NKJV).
So use your shield today! It could make all the difference.
Let’s consider our shield. The apostle Paul writes, “Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one” (Ephesians 6:16).
The words above all mean that faith is of paramount importance. The other armor won’t function apart from faith.
The shields that Roman soldiers would use were made of wood and then covered with cloth and leather. They were large, rectangular objects about four feet high and two feet wide. By crouching behind it, the soldier could completely hide himself.
The term fiery darts that Paul uses refers to one of the most commonly-used enemy tactics of his day. Prior to a face-to-face engagement with the enemy, a warrior would often encounter a barrage of flaming arrows coming from all directions. Their sole purpose was to demoralize and confuse him.
Our modern equivalent might be guided missiles or rockets.
The Roman soldier had to hold up his shield to protect himself from those fiery arrows. Sometimes, he would dip his shield in water so the fire-tipped arrows would be extinguished when they struck the shield.
Satan has his “flaming arrows,” or “guided missiles,” which he shoots our way. They are swift and silent and we receive no advance warning of their arrival. You can wake up in the morning, and the enemy will hit you with a flaming arrow before your feet even hit the floor.
It might be an impure thought or a thought of complete despair. You may be gripped with intense fear and terror. “What if this happens, or if that happens?”
It might be a thought of hatred toward someone. It might even be a blasphemous thought or a thought of doubt.
When do these “flaming arrows” come? At strategic times—like when you decide to read the Bible.
Isn’t it amazing that you can open the newspaper and maintain your full ability to concentrate with no distractions? You can get through the whole thing—the want ads, the comics, and all the advertisements—with no disruption whatsoever.
Or you may watch some mindless TV program and you’ll get through it with no phone calls, no distractions, and no problems.
But try opening the Bible and watch as “all hell breaks loose” and those flaming arrows start flying!
It might be an inability to concentrate. It might be a hundred and one things you should be doing that come to mind. They aren’t necessarily evil thoughts per se—just things like: “Oh boy! I forgot to go do this” or “I’ve got to pick up the cleaning,” or “I need to return that phone call,” etc.
Listen—the enemy’s primary objective is to keep you from the Word of God.
These “guided missiles” will also come during times of trial and hardship. Satan will whisper in your ear, “God has abandoned you. He’s left you. He doesn’t love you!”
I know about this personally and so do many of you. It is then that I hold up the shield of faith.
Here, faith means the ability to quickly apply what we believe so as to repel everything the devil attempts to do to us.
My relationship with God is not built on fleeting emotions or feelings, but on faith in what He has said to me in His Word. The “shield of faith” is turning to God and His Word in time of attack, and not focusing on our fluctuating feelings or emotions.
Scripture does not say, “Resist Satan, steadfast in your emotions,” but rather, “Resist him, steadfast in the faith” (1 Peter 5:9 NKJV).
So use your shield today! It could make all the difference.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Messages From Heaven: History's Greatest Happening Bar None!
Messages From Heaven: History's Greatest Happening Bar None!: "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given..." Isaiah 9:6 . Some years ago, an American astronaut climbed down a ladd...
History's Greatest Happening Bar None!
"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given..." Isaiah 9:6.
Some years ago, an American astronaut climbed down a ladder and put his feet on the surface of the moon, and the President of the United States said that was the greatest event in human history. With all due respect to that President, the greatest event in human history was not when man first put his feet upon the moon but when Almighty God came down and walked upon this earth. We call that the incarnation, and we celebrate it at Christmas. If you do not understand this event, you don't have the golden key of all history.
How sad to know biology, the study of life, and not know Jesus Christ the Giver of life. How sad to know astronomy, the study of the stars and of the heavens, and not to know Jesus Christ the bright and morning Star and how to go to heaven. How sad to know geology, the study of rocks and geological ages, and not know Jesus Christ, the Rock of ages. How sad to know botany, the study of flowers, and not to know Sharon's sweetest Rose. How sad to know history from beginning to end and to miss the central event in history, which is the story of Jesus — His story. A wise man is ignorant, a rich man is poor, and a strong man is weak until he knows the Lord Jesus Christ.
The God-Man
Who is Jesus? Isaiah, seven hundred years before the birth of Christ, wrote, "Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given." Now that's not just a repeat of the same thought. There are two distinct thoughts there. "A Child" speaks of the humanity of Jesus, and "a Son" refers to His deity. God sent His Christmas gift to this earth. It was the gift of Himself — deity wrapped in humanity. Jesus Christ did not have His beginning in Bethlehem. John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word (Jesus). And the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Jesus was the One Who spoke the world into existence. And then God translated deity into humanity. That little baby in a manger is the great God Who created the universe. The little baby of Luke two is the great God of Genesis one. God became flesh.
You may say, "I don't understand that." Well, I'd be ashamed of you if you said you did understand it. None of us understand it. You see, the miracle of the ages is the virgin conception of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Miracle of the Ages
But you don't have to understand it to believe it. If you have difficulty believing in the virgin birth, you really have difficulty believing in God. Why would you have difficulty believing that a child could come into this world without an earthly father when God made the first woman and the first man out of nothing?
If you doubt the virgin birth, you really have difficulty with...
- the character of the Word of God — The Word of God plainly teaches that Jesus was born of a virgin.
- the character of Mary — If Jesus were not born of a virgin, Mary was a harlot and conceived out of wedlock.
- the character of Jesus — If Jesus were not born of a virgin, He was a descendant of Adam, and "in Adam, all die" (see 1 Corinthians 15:22). You see, if there were no virgin birth, there would be no sinless Christ. No sinless Christ...no atonement. No atonement...no forgiveness. No forgiveness...no hope of heaven. No hope of heaven...we would all die and go to hell. Thank God for the virgin birth. If you take away the virgin birth, the whole house of Christianity collapses like a house of cards.
Now, you may be wondering what this is it all about? Let me just sum it up. Let me just tell you what Christmas is all about. God came to this earth to live, breath, work, laugh, cry, weep and teach, then carry our sins to the cross and die. Jesus is the virgin-born Son of God sent into this dark world to redeem us. He is the greatest Gift and history's greatest happening. He will save you if you will trust Him. Do you know Jesus?
Some years ago, an American astronaut climbed down a ladder and put his feet on the surface of the moon, and the President of the United States said that was the greatest event in human history. With all due respect to that President, the greatest event in human history was not when man first put his feet upon the moon but when Almighty God came down and walked upon this earth. We call that the incarnation, and we celebrate it at Christmas. If you do not understand this event, you don't have the golden key of all history.
How sad to know biology, the study of life, and not know Jesus Christ the Giver of life. How sad to know astronomy, the study of the stars and of the heavens, and not to know Jesus Christ the bright and morning Star and how to go to heaven. How sad to know geology, the study of rocks and geological ages, and not know Jesus Christ, the Rock of ages. How sad to know botany, the study of flowers, and not to know Sharon's sweetest Rose. How sad to know history from beginning to end and to miss the central event in history, which is the story of Jesus — His story. A wise man is ignorant, a rich man is poor, and a strong man is weak until he knows the Lord Jesus Christ.
The God-Man
Who is Jesus? Isaiah, seven hundred years before the birth of Christ, wrote, "Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given." Now that's not just a repeat of the same thought. There are two distinct thoughts there. "A Child" speaks of the humanity of Jesus, and "a Son" refers to His deity. God sent His Christmas gift to this earth. It was the gift of Himself — deity wrapped in humanity. Jesus Christ did not have His beginning in Bethlehem. John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word (Jesus). And the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Jesus was the One Who spoke the world into existence. And then God translated deity into humanity. That little baby in a manger is the great God Who created the universe. The little baby of Luke two is the great God of Genesis one. God became flesh.
You may say, "I don't understand that." Well, I'd be ashamed of you if you said you did understand it. None of us understand it. You see, the miracle of the ages is the virgin conception of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Miracle of the Ages
But you don't have to understand it to believe it. If you have difficulty believing in the virgin birth, you really have difficulty believing in God. Why would you have difficulty believing that a child could come into this world without an earthly father when God made the first woman and the first man out of nothing?
If you doubt the virgin birth, you really have difficulty with...
- the character of the Word of God — The Word of God plainly teaches that Jesus was born of a virgin.
- the character of Mary — If Jesus were not born of a virgin, Mary was a harlot and conceived out of wedlock.
- the character of Jesus — If Jesus were not born of a virgin, He was a descendant of Adam, and "in Adam, all die" (see 1 Corinthians 15:22). You see, if there were no virgin birth, there would be no sinless Christ. No sinless Christ...no atonement. No atonement...no forgiveness. No forgiveness...no hope of heaven. No hope of heaven...we would all die and go to hell. Thank God for the virgin birth. If you take away the virgin birth, the whole house of Christianity collapses like a house of cards.
Now, you may be wondering what this is it all about? Let me just sum it up. Let me just tell you what Christmas is all about. God came to this earth to live, breath, work, laugh, cry, weep and teach, then carry our sins to the cross and die. Jesus is the virgin-born Son of God sent into this dark world to redeem us. He is the greatest Gift and history's greatest happening. He will save you if you will trust Him. Do you know Jesus?
Messages From Heaven: Is There Room for Jesus This Christmas?
Messages From Heaven: Is There Room for Jesus This Christmas?: It may be difficult to believe, but rather than drawing us closer to God, sometimes Christmas actually draws us away! For many, this Christ...
Is There Room for Jesus This Christmas?
It may be difficult to believe, but rather than drawing us closer to God, sometimes Christmas actually draws us away!
For many, this Christmas season will be filled with rushing, hurrying, and milling around department stores, feet aching, head throbbing, nerves frazzled. No wonder the little girl who was praying “forgive us our trespasses” got confused and said, “forgive us our Christmases.” Sometimes we need to be forgiven for our Christmases. We simply leave no room for Jesus.
Another reason there was no room for Jesus was indifference. Can you imagine the innkeeper as he shuttles a young woman about to give birth off into a cow stall? He simply had no concern.
Or perhaps the innkeeper was too involved. He was so busy, he just didn’t have time. His rooms were filling with guests and his purse was filling with gold. Like many of us, he was too busy with others things. He had no room for the Lord Jesus.
But it was no accident that all of this happened. It was prophesied in the Bible: “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.” (Isaiah 53:3)
What about This Christmas?
Today there is still little room for the Lord Jesus Christ. Some insist that the days surrounding the Lord’s birthday not be called “Christmas Holidays,” but “Winter Break.” Irreverent and irrelevant Christmas cards fly off the shelves. The heroes of Christmas are Tiny Tim, Rudolph, Frosty, and Santa. Could it be that we too are ignorant, indifferent, or overly involved? Christmas is supposed to be the happiest time of the year, but for you, it may be the saddest. Perhaps Christmas is not all you feel it ought to be. Somehow you’re trying to be happy and find satisfaction in gifts and parties. Maybe you’re lonely this Christmas — everyone else is going to parties, but you’re not invited. Everyone seems to have a house full of loved ones, but you’re alone.
I have a word for you: Jesus is here, and His name is “Emmanuel” — God with us. God loves you. He knows all about you, and He still loves you. He understands you. He knows your every weakness. He wants to have a relationship with you so much that He suffered, bled, and died for you. The deepest need of your life is met in the One we call Jesus.
If you want to find Jesus Christ today, you’ll never find Him as an “insider.” You’ll always find Jesus on the outside. Don’t go to the inn; go to the stable. Don’t go inside the city; go outside the city where they crucified Him. You won’t find Him in bars, parties, or ball games. That’s not what Christmas is all about. It’s not important that you’re surrounded with friends, family, fun and food. Rather, it’s important that you’re with Jesus.
Is there room for the Lord Jesus in your heart this Christmas?
For many, this Christmas season will be filled with rushing, hurrying, and milling around department stores, feet aching, head throbbing, nerves frazzled. No wonder the little girl who was praying “forgive us our trespasses” got confused and said, “forgive us our Christmases.” Sometimes we need to be forgiven for our Christmases. We simply leave no room for Jesus.
That First Christmas
There was no room for Him in the inn that first Christmas. In fact, the only place Jerusalem had for Him was a cross. Even in His death there was no room for Him, for He was buried in a borrowed tomb.
One reason there was no room for the Lord Jesus was ignorance.
The innkeeper didn’t know the baby about to be born was the Son of
God. Mary and Joseph certainly knew. The shepherds, the wise men, Anna
and Simeon in the temple, and Elizabeth knew; but the innkeeper did
not.There was no room for Him in the inn that first Christmas. In fact, the only place Jerusalem had for Him was a cross. Even in His death there was no room for Him, for He was buried in a borrowed tomb.
Another reason there was no room for Jesus was indifference. Can you imagine the innkeeper as he shuttles a young woman about to give birth off into a cow stall? He simply had no concern.
Or perhaps the innkeeper was too involved. He was so busy, he just didn’t have time. His rooms were filling with guests and his purse was filling with gold. Like many of us, he was too busy with others things. He had no room for the Lord Jesus.
But it was no accident that all of this happened. It was prophesied in the Bible: “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.” (Isaiah 53:3)
Today there is still little room for the Lord Jesus Christ. Some insist that the days surrounding the Lord’s birthday not be called “Christmas Holidays,” but “Winter Break.” Irreverent and irrelevant Christmas cards fly off the shelves. The heroes of Christmas are Tiny Tim, Rudolph, Frosty, and Santa. Could it be that we too are ignorant, indifferent, or overly involved? Christmas is supposed to be the happiest time of the year, but for you, it may be the saddest. Perhaps Christmas is not all you feel it ought to be. Somehow you’re trying to be happy and find satisfaction in gifts and parties. Maybe you’re lonely this Christmas — everyone else is going to parties, but you’re not invited. Everyone seems to have a house full of loved ones, but you’re alone.
I have a word for you: Jesus is here, and His name is “Emmanuel” — God with us. God loves you. He knows all about you, and He still loves you. He understands you. He knows your every weakness. He wants to have a relationship with you so much that He suffered, bled, and died for you. The deepest need of your life is met in the One we call Jesus.
If you want to find Jesus Christ today, you’ll never find Him as an “insider.” You’ll always find Jesus on the outside. Don’t go to the inn; go to the stable. Don’t go inside the city; go outside the city where they crucified Him. You won’t find Him in bars, parties, or ball games. That’s not what Christmas is all about. It’s not important that you’re surrounded with friends, family, fun and food. Rather, it’s important that you’re with Jesus.
One Day, There Will Be...
While the world has no room for Jesus now, it won’t always be that way. When He was here the first time, He stood before Pilate. When He comes again, Pilate will stand before Him. When He came the first time, He came as a baby. When He comes again, He will come as King. When He came the first time, He was rejected; but our Lord says, “As I live saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me and every tongue shall confess to God.” (Romans 14:11) There’s no room for Him now, but one of these days, they’ll say, “Make room for the King!”
If I had a thousand lives, I’d give every one to God. Will you give Him your life today? “He
came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as
received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to
them that believe on His name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the
will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:11-13).While the world has no room for Jesus now, it won’t always be that way. When He was here the first time, He stood before Pilate. When He comes again, Pilate will stand before Him. When He came the first time, He came as a baby. When He comes again, He will come as King. When He came the first time, He was rejected; but our Lord says, “As I live saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me and every tongue shall confess to God.” (Romans 14:11) There’s no room for Him now, but one of these days, they’ll say, “Make room for the King!”
Is there room for the Lord Jesus in your heart this Christmas?
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