Merry Christmas

 Merry Christmas to all our Family and Friends! May you have a blessed day as we celebrate the birth of our Savior. 

Today in the town of David (Bethlehem) a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, 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 heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” ~ Luke 2:11-14 

Christ our Lord being born in Bethlehem was a fulfillment of prophecy announced in Micah 5:2. Augustus Caesar may have been ruling at the time, but God was in charge, for He used Caesar's edict to move Mary and Joseph eighty miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem to fulfill His Word. 

Bethlehem means "house of bread," the ideal birthplace for the Bread of Life - John 6:35 'And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.' 

My prayer is that you have a safe and blessed Christmas.   Feel God's loving arms around you as your comforter, redeemer, protector, and provider. God loves you and wishes to spend time with you. He sent His only Son so that we could live with Him throughout eternity; Therefore, Celebrate His Birth this Christmas and Thank Him for the Greatest Gift of All - Jesus Christ! God Bless you my friends.

Let's join the angels this Christmas season as we say 'Glory to God in the highest'

What is Real Christmas Joy?

We have met several people this Christmas season who are really having a rough time and say they just aren't feeling the Christmas joy.  My friend, if you are feeling sad this Christmas Season it is ok!  Christmas is not about Christmas parties and fellowship with family and friends, it is not about gifts under the Christmas tree or even being happy, it is about remembering why our Lord came to this world to bring us salvation.  A lot of people feel forced during the Christmas season to be happy and joyful because that is what the Commercial Corporate world wants you to be.  They portray families all getting along spending Christmas all together happily ever-after; but that is simply not the norm!  Every family has it's problems.  The Christmas Joy is not found in gifts, my friend, it is found in the greatest gift ever given - Jesus Christ!  Joy and Happiness are two different things.  Joy comes from the inside where we have a peace that only Christ can bring - a peace beyond understanding.  So if you are feeling sad, it is okay, I pray you feel the loving arms of your savior Jesus Christ around you this Christmas season.

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Throughout this month we have seen Christ in the Christmas Season and reminders of what Christmas is all about.  Soon, all over the world, we will be celebrating the Birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ who is the reason for the season.

My prayer is that you have a safe and blessed Christmas. As you gather with family and friends, remember the lessons we have learned and share Christ's love to all those around you.  You know, you may be the only Bible someone reads, so let them see Christ in you.  Feel God's loving arms around you as your comforter, redeemer, protector, and provider.  God loves you and wishes to spend time with you.  He sent His only Son so that we could live with Him throughout eternity.  So, Celebrate His Birth this Christmas and Thank Him for the Blessings in your life.  Thank Him for the Greatest Gift of All - Jesus Christ!  God Bless you my friends.

Brighten Someone's Day!

A Christmas Candle is a lovely thing: it makes no noise at all, but softly gives itself away; while quite unselfish, it grows small. - Eva K. Logue

I love this quote - as we count down the days to Christmas it just seems fitting to talk about the Christmas Candle.

As we have seen in our earlier post, Christ is the Light of the World and as Christians we are to live our lives so that Christ's light shines through us.  Just like this Christmas Candle, the flame of Christ burns brightly within us and we too can unselfishly give of ourselves to others, quietly without a lot of fanfare, without any expectation of a thank-you in return, simply giving of ourselves unconditionally so that Christ will be glorified.  John 3:30 'He must increase, but I must decrease.'  My friend, allow Christ's flame to burn within you this Christmas season and throughout the coming year and brighten someone else's day.

Be Mindful as Christmas Approaches

Christmas is fast approaching and Christmas Joy is being shared across the world in anticipation of that glorious day!  Ah the smell of baking permeates the house and all the decorations reminds us of what Christmas is truly about - the celebration of the Birth of our Savior which brings joy to my soul.

This will probably be one of the busiest weeks as there will soon be lots of people out on the roads doing their last minute shopping and traveling to visit friends and family.

Take time, my friend, in your busy schedules to reflect on Jesus Christ, our Savior - The Reason for the Season.  Praise Him for the blessings that He has given you this year.  I find it brings so much joy to my soul when I give to someone else.  Remember those who are suffering and be mindful of those who have lost loved ones that won't be there to celebrate this year - Show them Christ's love.  May the Lord bless you and keep you safe this Christmas Season.

Surrender All to Jesus!

You can see Jesus Christ - King of kings and Lord of lords in every Christmas light, in every flickering candle, in every light source for He is the Light of the World!

All to Jesus I surrender; All to Him I freely give. I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live. I surrender all. All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.

Have you made Jesus Christ Lord of your Life?

Surrender Everything to Him!  God gave His only Son for you - Give to Him a life that is honoring to Him.  Allow God's light to shine through you!!!

Psalms 31:14 'But as for  me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say 'You are my God'.

The Angel Appears that Glorious night!

What a beautiful evening! As I stood out gazing in the sky at the twinkling stars it brought to mind the Shepherds in the fields that glorious night that the Angel of the Lord came to announce the Birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Luke 2: 8-11 'Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.'

What a glorious night that was! Can you imagine it? Sitting out under the stars and suddenly an angel appears and the glory of the Lord is shone around you. The tidings of great joy is the message of Salvation for everyone! My friend Christ came to pay the penalty for our sins so that we may spend eternity with Him.  Accept the message of the Angel and rejoice with the Shepherds over the birth of our Savior.

Give the Gift of Caring!

At this time of year every loss is magnified, every wound is deepened every past hurt and pain is brought to surface again. We can all identify with the pain that life brings sometimes.  But my encouragement to you, my friend, is to hold on to Jesus for He is Always with you and knows your pain. He can restore your soul.  Jesus said in Matthew 28:20 '...I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'

Satan loves to bring up the things that bring us sorrow and pain to keep our minds off of Jesus and the blessings that He gives us each day.  The loss of a loved one is real, and it is ok to feel sorrow as you miss them dearly.  Give the gift of caring this year as you help those who are grieving, those who are hurting and in pain.  Lend a shoulder to those who just need to be reassured that someone cares. Pray that the Father will give you His eyes to see the broken people crying out for help this Christmas season.  Lord heal the pain in the tears of those around us.

Our Greatest Gift!

Each year at Christmas time we try to think of the Perfect Gift to give our loved ones.  Well my friend God gave us the Perfect Gift!

John 3:16 'For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.'

Isaiah 9:6 'For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given,'

God gave His only Son as the Perfect Gift so that we may have everlasting life and spend eternity with Him!  In order to receive this free gift you must believe in Jesus Christ, in His death, burial, and resurrection.  That is it my friend, it is not by works or anything you do.  Ephesians 2:8 'For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God'

If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior, accept Him today my friend; accept God's free gift to you as we do not know what tomorrow holds. God Bless and may you have a Merry Christmas.

Celebrate Christ Daily!

Oh Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining. It is the night of the dear Saviors birth....

Christmas - the time we celebrate our Saviors birth! Jesus Christ came in the form of a baby, but he was not just a baby born in a manger nor just a man that was crucified on a cross! Jesus Christ is the King of kings and Lord of lords; He is our Savior, our Redeemer, He is God!  Jesus said in John 10:30 'I and My Father are one'  and in John 14:9 He said 'He who has seen Me has seen the Father'.

Philippians 2:9-11 'Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, and at that name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.'

Every Knee my friend shall bow to our Lord; Jesus Christ!  Live for Christ every day, not just at Christmas! Make everyday a celebration of our Lord.

Celebrate Christmas Around the World

Joy to the World the Lord has Come, let Earth receive her King! This universal joy of Christmas is awesome and cannot be denied.

Whether a Christian or not, Once a year the Whole World stands still to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ!  The Christmas season is celebrated in different ways around the world, varying by country and region.  For Christians, the Christmas season serves as a reminder both of the original waiting that was done by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting of Christians for Christ's return from Heaven to take us home to be with Him throughout eternity.  Only Jesus Christ claims this world-wide, undying remembrance.  The song, 'Joy to the World' goes on to say 'He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of His righteousness, and wonders of His love'. Celebrate Christ this Christmas!

Come Faithful and Worship Him!

Christmas Carols are playing and Christmas is in the Air!  I am reminded of the Christmas Carol: O Come all ye Faithful joyful and triumphant, o come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem.  come and behold Him born the King of Angels; o come, let us adore Him - Christ the Lord!

We need to be reminded of Christ's presence in our lives and that we need to be faithful as Christians to Him!  The faithless people of Israel forgot their first love.  They lost their passion for service.  Though they had once enjoyed a close relationship with their Maker, they turned from him, rejecting truths they had once held dear.  And so they struggled just beyond the safe harbor, battered by the seas of uncertainty.  My friend it doesn't have to be that way!  We need to remember Christ daily, living our lives for Him!  If you have wandered away from Christ, it is not too late to run back to the loving arms of Jesus.  What people or circumstances cause you to wander away from Christ? Flee from them and find someone who will encourage you in your Christian walk.

Let us all hear when Christ Returns 'Well done, Good and Faithful Servant'!

Looking a lot like CHRISTmas

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Decorated Trees in the windows and lights throughout the town are bringing Christmas cheer to everyone as Peppermint mocha and hot cocoa warm our tummies on these chilly evenings.  The evergreen trees remind us of the Ever-lasting life we will spend with Christ; the lights, oh how they twinkle as they represent Christ who is the Light of the World; the white lights show Christ's purity, the red lights represent the blood He shed for us so that we may spend eternity with Him, which brings us to the green lights, as with the Christmas Tree, they represent Ever-lasting life with Christ, and the blue remind us of the color worn by the High Priest - the royal color.  Then you have purple which reminds us of the Magi who came to see Christ in Bethlehem. The greatest gift you could give this Christmas is to share Christ to all those who you come in contact with.  Remember my friend this Christmas as you look around and see all the lights, trees, and Christmas decorations, that there would be no Christmas without Christ!  Celebrate Christ!

Let's Just Praise the Lord!

On Christmas Day some years ago, a little boy was seen going in and out of his church several times. When asked, "What gift did you ask of the Christ child?" he replied, "I didn't ask for anything. I was just in there loving Him for a little while."

We can all learn from this little boy.  We get so wrapped up in always coming to the Lord asking for this and asking for that, but there are times when we just need to praise Him and love Him. Psalm 150:6 'Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!'

Credit: Illustration used from '1000 Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching'

Peace on Earth

When you think about Christmas, you think about the Angels in Luke 2:14 saying to the Shepherds, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth Peace, Goodwill toward men.

The peace we talk about is a special peace; it is the peace of Christ, and He alone possesses it.  Colossians 3:15 'And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts, for as members of one body you are called to live in peace, and always be thankful.'

A person can experience true peace only as he comes to know Christ.  Only Christ can bring real peace to the human heart, the kind of peace that brings deliverance and the assurance of deliverance to the human soul.  The word 'peace' (eirēnē) means to be bound, joined, and weaved together.  It means to be assured, confident, and secure in the love and care of God.  It means to know that God will take care of us no matter the problem or circumstance.  it means to be absolutely assured that God will allow nothing to swamp or defeat us.

Helen Steiner Rice summed it up in her quote: 'Peace on earth will come to stay, when we live Christmas every day.' Live for Christ each day and allow His love to flow through you to those around you.

O Christmas Tree

O Christmas Tree 

How often has the Christmas tree

Afforded me the greatest glee!

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!

Much pleasure thou can'st give me.

The Song continues:

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!

How richly God has decked thee!

Thou bidst us true and faithful be,

And trust in God unchangingly.

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!

How richly God has decked thee!"

As we adorn our Christmas trees, we think about all the blessings God has given us throughout the years.  The old ornaments bring back precious memories and the new ornaments create new ones.  It is a time to reflect with Joy as we see Christ's light shine through each bulb.  It is a time to praise God as He is always faithful to us as we need to be faithful and trust in Him!

 Psalm 97:11 'Light shines on the godly, and joy on those whose hearts are right.'  NLT  

Candy Cane Represents Christ

As we count down the days to Christmas, our next focus is on the Candy Cane.  What better representation of Christ in Christmas than the Candy Cane. It is a staple in our house.

Hard candy because Christ is the Rock of Ages; shaped so that it would resemble a 'J' for Jesus or turn it the other way and it is the Shepherd's staff.  It is white to represent the purity of Christ, the red stripe was added to represent the blood Christ shed for the sins of the world.  The flavor of peppermint is similar to hyssop, which was used in the Old Testament for purification and sacrifice.  Now of course, this is not fact, the candy cane was not necessarily made with this in mind but what harm is there in seeing Christ in a candy cane.


Hebrews 12:2a 'Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith'.

This Christmas season let us keep our focus on Christ and as you see a Candy Cane, remember the message: Jesus is the Christ!

Emmanuel, God with us

I am reminded each year of the very heart of Christmas -- 

Emmanuel, God with us.  

Matthew 1:23 "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."

We need to be constantly reminded of this, that God is with us!  If you are a Christian, then God lives in you, we just need to be aware of His presence in our lives every moment of a day. God wants to be involved in the simple, ordinary happenings of our daily lives; where you go and what you do.  His light shines through you as you show kindness to another person, that cup of water or blanket to someone in need, when you show patience in a long line at the grocery store, when you reach out and pray with someone hurting. 

This Christmas season allow Christ's light to shine through you, allow the world to see the heart of Christmas - Emanuel, God with us! 

The Savior of the World has come!

The True Meaning of Christmas started at the Birth of our Savior!

Luke 2:11-14 Today in the town of David (Bethlehem) a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, 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 heaven,  and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 

Christ our Lord being born in Bethlehem was a fulfillment of prophecy announced in Micah 5:2. Augustus Caesar may have been ruling at the time, but God was in charge, for He used Caesar's edict to move Mary and Joseph eighty miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem to fulfill His Word.  Bethlehem means "house of bread," the ideal birthplace for the Bread of Life - John 6:35 'And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.'

My friend, God has a plan for each and every one of us and He sent His Only Son, Jesus Christ to this world so that we may spend eternity with Him.  He paid the price, all you have to do is believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ!  Let's join the angels this Christmas season as we say 'Glory to God in the highest'!

Jesus is the Light of the World

Oh how I love the Christmas Season!  A time to celebrate our Savior, Jesus Christ's Birth and the reason He came so that we could be saved and live with Him throughout Eternity.  Over this Christmas Season I would like to share with you some of my favorite things about Christmas.

First one of my favorite things of Christmas are the Christmas lights that adorn our homes, businesses, and towns.  You see, each Christmas light reminds us that Jesus is the Light of the world.  It is so beautiful especially at night-time when it is dark they really shine bright.  The same in our lives, when we are at our darkest point in life, Christ's light shines through us to encourage and strengthen us. 

So this Christmas season, when you see the beautiful Christmas lights, stop and reflect on all the blessings God has given you and know that He is with you twenty-four seven.  He never sleeps and is waiting to commune with you.

Jesus is the reason for the Season - Keep Christ in CHRISTmas!