Tag: Christmas

Christmas is the most beautiful time of the year. It is such a blessing seeing our neighborhoods and towns all lit up in wonderful light. Everywhere we go those lights remind us that this time of year is a very special celebration filled with hope, joy, and love. We feel that way as we enjoy the beautiful lights not just because they are pretty, but because of who those lights represent. The Bible teaches us that Jesus is the Light of the world, and His Light shines in the darkness. Christmas is all about Jesus, and He is the True Light of Christmas.

If you have been reading my blog since I started blogging three years ago, then you know I always show photos of the Christmas lights on our home. This is the first year I have ever strung lights on a palm tree. It definitely felt different putting up lights in 80 degree weather instead of snow and cold, but the joy of it was just as blessed. Those lights remind us that Jesus is the Light shining in this dark world, and we should shine His Light wherever we go.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” -John 1:1-5

The “Word” the Apostle John is talking about is Jesus. Jesus has existed since the creation of the world. He was with God in the beginning because He is God in human flesh. This whole world was made through Jesus. He is the Light of life!

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”-John 8:12

How truly blessed we are that God became flesh to dwell among us on earth! That is the true glory and light of Christmas!

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” -John 1:14

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

There is absolutely no darkness in Jesus. He is Light, and His Light will always pierce the darkness. Those who believe in Jesus have the light of life, and have overcome the darkness through Him.

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”-1 John 1:5-7

Do you want to have the light of life, and be purified from all your sins? That is the true hope, joy, and peace of Christmas! Jesus is offering you forgiveness and salvation this very moment. Will you receive that most precious gift of God’s grace today? I pray you do! Please do not reject the most amazing gift you will ever receive, the gift of eternal life in Heaven! Come to Jesus by faith, and let His love and light shine in your heart!

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”-1 John 1:8-9

“This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”-Romans 3:22-24

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”-Romans 6:23

“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile–the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”-Romans 10:9-13

Accept the True Light of Christmas this year. Believe in Jesus, and your sins will be forgiven and your soul will be saved!

Grace and peace to you all, and Merry Christmas!

Well, we made it to December. Praise God! We are just a few short weeks away from Christmas, and this is a crucial time to tell the world about Jesus. It is of the utmost importance that believers share the Good News of the Gospel, especially during the Christmas season and especially now during these dark times we are living in. There has been something heavy on my heart lately regarding believers who distort the truth of our secure salvation in Christ. The celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior, and the message of His Gospel are full of light and hope because God offers mankind salvation as His most precious gift of grace. Let us not ever forget that there is nothing we could ever do to earn salvation, and it is not by our own effort that our salvation is secured. Christmas is a time of hope and joy because Jesus was born to save us from sin and death, and God offers that glorious invitation of salvation to the whole world by His grace to anyone who will believe in Jesus.

It really hurts my heart when I read condemning posts regarding losing salvation that sow doubt and fear in people’s minds and hearts. There was a sentence recently that really bothered me due to the intensely false message it carried and how subtly the author wrote it. The post was about salvation and living for Christ, and near the end the author wrote (and I am paraphrasing here) that we need to live in a way that we “secure enough grace” to ensure our salvation. I froze upon reading that and said out loud, “What?! Jesus already secured our salvation!”

If you are a believer in Jesus, do you truly understand that you are only saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus? Do you truly understand that there is nothing you are doing or could do to earn or secure salvation by your own effort? How exactly would we “secure enough grace” to save ourselves? When would enough grace be enough? I’ll tell you, it would never be enough. Neither the shedding of our blood or our good works would ever be enough to “secure enough grace” for salvation. Jesus did that for us. Only the Blood of Jesus covers our sins, and Jesus secured our salvation the very moment He died for us on that cross!

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast.” -Ephesians 2:8-9

“When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of his creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.” -Hebrews 9:11-12

“For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance–now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.” -Hebrews 9:15

“but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” -Hebrews 7:24-25

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” -Hebrews 6:19-20

Do you hear that truth? We have this hope as an anchor for our souls, and that hope is firm and secure. Why? Because Jesus shed His Holy Blood for us and He saves us completely! There is no worry about not being saved enough or not having enough grace to be saved! Jesus is our mediator, and He always lives to intercede for us. It is arrogant and sinful to think that we are doing anything to secure our salvation. Can you enter the Most Holy Place by your blood? No, none of us can. Our salvation is secure because Jesus obtained eternal redemption for us by His own Blood. We are only saved because of God’s grace through faith in Jesus, and God’s grace is all the grace we will ever need to secure that salvation.

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” -Hebrews 10:19-23

God is faithful and we can trust Him. We have confidence to enter Heaven and can live with great hope in full assurance of faith because God has promised that those who believe in Jesus will be saved. Jesus is our mediator, intercessor, and advocate. Of course we should die to sin and live for Jesus, and do everything we can to please God, but we must remember we are not earning our salvation or “securing enough grace” to be saved. Our salvation was bought and paid for in full by the Blood of Jesus. Do not ever try taking that glory and praise away from Him by believing there is something you need to add to His finished work on the cross in order to be saved, as if you are righteous on your own. We are utterly sinful, and we are only saved by God’s all sufficient grace through faith in Jesus.

“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” -1 John 2:1-2

Do not ever forget that God gives us His Holy Spirit when we believe in Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is God’s seal on us that guarantees our salvation. We do not seal ourselves. Our good works would never be enough to earn enough grace to guarantee redemption. We are only righteous because of the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit inside of us. The good works we do in the Name of Jesus are for His glory, not to earn our salvation.

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession–to the praise of his glory.” -Ephesians 1:13-14

Just as Jesus promised us:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” -John 3:16

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” -John 10:28-30

“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” -John 5:24

If you have fallen into sin, repent and return to the Lord. Do not listen to the condemning lies of the evil one. Do not let false preaching of a works based salvation make you a slave again to fear. Do not think for one second that you are beyond God’s grace, forgiveness, and faithfulness! If you believe in Jesus, then you belong to Jesus and no one can snatch you out of His hand! Take Jesus at His Word, trust in Him, and return to Him for He has redeemed you! If you have never accepted Jesus, please come to Him today! The time of the end is drawing near. Put your faith in Jesus this very moment, and your sins will be forgiven and you will be saved!

“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile–the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” -Romans 10:9-13

Christmas is a time of great hope and joy because the message of the Gospel is filled with great hope and joy. God loves us so much that He sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. That glorious hope of salvation is firm and secure through faith in Jesus alone because Jesus is the only One to ever secure salvation for us by His own Blood. That is why the angel was sent that wonderful night to announce that Jesus had been born. Jesus is our Lord and Savior, and that is truly good news of great joy for all of us!

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” -Luke 2:8-11

Grace and peace to you all, and Merry Christmas!

Hello everyone! God bless you all and Merry Christmas! I absolutely love Christmas! The true hope, glory, joy, and peace of Christmas is Jesus! It is the amazing miracle that God came to earth and became flesh to dwell among us! God is not far away. He is not absent or unfamiliar with our sufferings. God came to us in the most humble of ways as a precious child to save us from our sins and be with us forever!

This year has been hard on all of us. Many are losing hope. May we all remember the great hope and joy we have in Jesus. May our hearts be encouraged and strengthened in the truth that nothing is impossible for God! He can do all things, and He loves us! He loves us so much that He came down from Heaven to save our souls!

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Matthew 1:21

“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”–which means, “God with us.”

Matthew 1:22-23

“For nothing is impossible with God.”

Luke 1:37

As John testified:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.”

John 1:1-5

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:14

We all need forgiveness, and we all need a Savior. God is so loving, merciful, and forgiving that He came to earth to rescue us. Don’t ever lose hope! Even at our darkest hour, there is great hope in Jesus! Let God’s love wash over you this Christmas and every day of the year. Jesus is the rest and peace that every soul longs for. My prayer is that you will know His great love for you, and rest in His forgiveness, grace, and mercy. Jesus is the light of the world, and His light cuts through every darkness on this earth!

Place your full faith and trust in Jesus as we move forward into a new year. Give Him all your anxieties, worries, and fears. Let Him comfort you with His love. He is Immanuel, God with us, and He came to set us free from the darkness of sin and death! No longer do we have to be afraid. No longer are we slaves to fear. That is the true glory and hope of Christmas! Anyone on earth can receive this great gift of God’s grace! Anyone can be saved through faith in Jesus!

“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death–that is, the devil–and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”

Hebrews 2:14-15

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Jesus speaking in John 3:16

“And everyone who calls

on the name of the Lord will be

saved.”

Acts 2:21

Jesus loves you, and He wants you to be in Heaven with Him forever! The greatest gift of Christmas is the salvation of our souls! May that great hope fill our hearts to overflowing, both now and forevermore!

Grace and peace to you all! Merry Christmas!

Good morning and God bless you all! Thank you all for your prayers! I am feeling much better, praise God! The Lord has been strengthening and encouraging my heart, taking away the pain, and helping my appetite, and I am so grateful! Christmas is only a couple weeks away now, and 2021 is just around the corner. I’m sure we are all ready for 2020 to end. My focus is solely on Jesus. He is the true joy, hope, and light of Christmas, and His birth is good news for the whole world!

If Jesus had not been born, there would be no hope in this world. We all need a Savior, and the good news of the Gospel is that God sent His Son to be the Savior of the world! God offers us forgiveness of our sins and eternal life through faith in Jesus, and that is the greatest gift we could ever receive!

Let’s take a look at the historical account of the birth of Jesus as recorded in the Book of Luke:

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace to men on whom

his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”

-Luke 2:1-20

Just like the angel said, the birth of Jesus Christ is good news of great joy for all people! God loves us all so much that He came to earth in human flesh to pay the penalty for our sin for us! The shepherds were so excited that they ran out and told everyone they could. They were the first evangelists that night as they spread the good news that the Savior of the world had been born, and believers in Jesus have been sharing that glorious message ever since!

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

-Jesus speaking in John 3:16

The beautiful joy of Christmas is Jesus! Glory to God in the highest for sending His Son to save our souls! That is what we all truly want deep inside our hearts. We want to be at peace with God and know that we are going to Heaven. We can have that full assurance through faith in Jesus! Salvation is a free gift of God’s abundant grace, and it can only be received through faith in Jesus.

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

-John 14:6

“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

-Romans 10:9

“This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

-Romans 3:22-24

As Isaiah prophesied around 700 years before the birth of Jesus:

“For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his

shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

-Isaiah 9:6

If you do not have His peace inside your soul yet, please come to Jesus today and receive that most precious gift of eternal life! Through faith in Jesus, you will be reconciled with God and made righteous by the power of His Holy Spirit! Your sins will be forgiven and you will become a child of God! There is no greater gift than the salvation of your soul!

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

-Jesus speaking in Matthew 11:28-30

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession-to the praise of his glory.”

-Ephesians 1:13-14

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast.”

-Ephesians 2:8-9

Jesus is the light of the world. Without Jesus, the world would be in darkness. Jesus is the only One who was born to save our souls, and there is no other Savior. Please consider the gracious gift of eternal life that God is offering you! Repent and turn from sin, and be at peace with God. He loves you and He will receive you as His own!

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

-John 8:12

“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

-John 1:12-13

That is the true glory of Christmas! A beautiful little baby born in a manger who came to save us from sin and death! Jesus is Lord!

Grace and peace to you all, and Merry Christmas!