Christmas in July? Easter in January?

  Many people  love Christmas.  Even non believers in Christ know Christmas has a great feeling.  It's a time of family and sharing gifts with friends as well as being kind to strangers.  They may not ever enter church any other time but will enjoy attending this one occasion for the warm fuzzy, the music or Christmas play.  We use December 25th to remember the birthday of Jesus Christ.  It's when He, GOD the SON, leaves the Glory of Heaven and enters  a manger. Many children have been born before and since but an Angel said:  "I bring good news of great joy that will be for all people.  Today in the town of  David a Savior has been born to you; He is CHRIST the LORD!"  Man, that's why I will celebrate Christmas every day of the year.

  Many don't know what it's all about but if they are offered it;  they'll take  Good Friday off .  It's when we remember why this Holy Jesus was born in the first place.. Jesus came at the right time for it is when  the religious leaders and government would kill Him for His claims. When they did....Christ died for the world  (that God loved)  that whoever believes in Him would never perish but have eternal life.  Many had died on a cross before and after but because of who He was; made this a Holy cross, a terrible cross, a saving cross!  Man, I will remember that everyday of the year.

 

  They used to say;  " Everybody goes to church on Easter". Today..not so much.  Many will go and listen to the cantata or experience the big Easter presentation.  Original pagan Holiday or not. We use this day to celebrate the Resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ.  Sacrifice accepted! great victory over sin, the grave and death.  Paul wrote: "For what I received I passed onto you as of first importance; that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures..." Paul wrote: "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."   and now He sits on the right hand of God.  Man, I will praise and worship as well as celebrate that everyday of the year.

  Bible says:  "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord and believe in you heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
  Paul wrote: "therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." and  he said: "Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

Man, I will worship Christ and celebrate Christmas, Good Friday and Easter everyday of the year!

How about you?

WallBuilders - Issues and Articles - America’s Most Biblically-Hostile U. S. President

WallBuilders - Issues and Articles - America’s Most Biblically-Hostile U. S. President

How in the World!?!

How in the world are we going to help and fill so many needs!?

Pray.
Know and share the Good news of God's love.
Make disciples.
Volunteer.
Donate; time, energy, finances.  (all inclusive)
communicate with/get to know;  neighbors and even fellow worshipers.(build relationships).
Pray.

Connect with Christ.
Connect with The Church
Connect with the Community .

Matthew 28:18-20,  Acts 1:8,

"When you have done these things to these, you have done these things to me." -Jesus

Luke 10:29-37New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁹ But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
³⁰ Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. ³¹ Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. ³² Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. ³³ But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. ³⁴ So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. ³⁵ On the next day, when he departed,^[a] he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ ³⁶ So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”
³⁷ And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

DO OVER!?

When you play a game or sport and if their was a mistake foul or miss, and a decision can't be made, we breathe a sigh of  relief when we hear "Okay, DO OVER!"  Especially when we know we've messed up.

We head into a new year giving ourselves a clean slate, a fresh start.  "This is going to be my year!" That usually means to me "Do Over."  In reality there are no do overs we cannot go back to the 6th grade or as a 12 yr old and start over.  We are pretty much stuck at our present age with all the debt, marriages, failures, etc.

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I'm already praying and educating myself to accomplish more (which would be anything), hitting the ground running January first! I can't "do over" life, but on the First day of  next year, I'll wake up...."Unproductive year for me"?  "Do Over"!  I'm going to focus on consistently reading more books, maybe even write one. I'll get out and volunteer more etc.

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There was the fall of man, and sin entered the world and mankind broke the relationship and heart of God.  "Do Over" can't be accomplished on our own.  You're not able to turn over a new leaf and act like things are all right.  We do not have that authority.

The Apostle Paul wrote "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through faith in Christ Jesus." That is how the slate is clean and we become justified, even guilt feeling erased.  We then have our faith in Jesus as our only hope to spend eternity with God.   "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only begotten Son, that whoever BELIEVES IN HIM shall not perish but have eternal life."   It is simply ; By Grace alone, thru Faith alone in Christ alone.  The Bible says:  Old thing are passed away, all things made new.  Then pertaining to our relationship with God it's like a ..."Do Over."

How Do They See You?

People in our family see us through glasses of love. Even though they may be told the dark truth about us.  They fight back "knowing" it is not true.  Many times making excuses, telling a lie themselves to cover for the parent or child's life blemish.

The Word of God turns on the light and says we all have sinned and fallen short.  There are those that see themselves very good and nice.  While others don't believe that Word is true anyway.

Nevertheless the Bible says "Not by WORKS of righteousness that we have done but according to His mercy He saved us."  and "For by grace you are saved it is the gift of God, not of Works lest anyone should boast."

Paul writes: "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
and  "Whoever call on the Lord will be saved."  (prayer)


Have you received that gift?  It's not important how others see you, what matters is how God sees us!