Category: God’s Love

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So Much Love

It’s almost Valentine’s Day and so many are thinking of love. I’m still mulling over the significance of Jesus becoming our sacrifice; He willingly laid down His life to save ours! Now that’s true love.

Amazing.

I don’t think anyone would argue with the following statement: God, the Father, loves Jesus Christ, His Son. Nope, no argument at all. But what about this one? Think hard before you answer. God, the Father, loves me as much as He loves Jesus!

Does that one take you back? Does it cause you some hesitation? If so, you haven’t really understood how much God loves you. Jesus was praying in the Garden before He was taken to be crucified and this was part of His prayer.

“’I pray not only for these followers but also for those who will believe in me because of their teaching. 21 Father, I pray that all who believe in me can be one. You are in me and I am in you. I pray that they can also be one in us. Then the world will believe that you sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me. I gave them this glory so that they can be one, just as you and I are one. 23 I will be in them, and you will be in me. So they will be completely one. Then the world will know that you sent me and that you loved them just as you loved me.” John 17:20-23 ERV

…that you loved them just as you loved me. Think about that – recall all the different ways that God showed His love to Jesus and then see yourself being loved by God in the same way. Jesus was praying this prayer not just for the disciples that he was leaving on the earth at that time but for all who would believe in Him because of their teaching. I’m one of those who believed in Jesus as my Saviour because of their teaching and if you have accepted Christ as your Saviour then you have believed too and this verse is written to you.

Paul says in Romans that when we believe, we become the children of God, heirs and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. (Romans 8). As parents, we’ve all had our kids accuse us of having a favorite, preferring one child over the other; but as parents, we all know that’s not true. We don’t love one child more than the other. We love each child as the unique individual that they are.

“For the Holy Spirit speaks to us and tells our spirit that we are children of God. 17 If we are children of God, we will receive everything He has promised us. We will share with Christ all the things God has given to Him. But we must share His suffering if we are to share His shining-greatness.” Romans 8:16-18 NLV

We saw how Jesus suffered in the Garden when he prayed. If there was any other way possible for God’s plan of salvation to be fulfilled Jesus asked Him to do it. But if not, Jesus put His own will and desire aside to do the Father’s will. We will have times of suffering as we lay aside our desires to do what God desires for us to do. There is some real struggling in making selfless decisions.

For a time Jesus was referred to as God’s only Son but after His death on the cross and God’s plan of redemption was complete He is called the first born of many brethren. We are now one of God’s chosen, dearly loved children.

There is no greater love than this!

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The Importance of a Lamb

Sometimes I know what’s in my heart to share with you but the words just don’t come together. That’s the way it was for me this morning. I kept mulling things over all morning and am glad to share with you an afternoon blog…

I think I would have enjoyed being a young Jewish girl and helping my family raise sheep. That’s probably not something that was done because girls helped out in the home and boys helped in the fields but I would have liked it just the same. The hard part would have been when it came time to select a lamb to kill for the family’s supper or to select one to be offered as a sacrifice by the priests at the Tabernacle.

Several days back I was reading in the book of Exodus about the instruction the Lord gave to the Israelites as they prepared to leave Egypt. For their protection, each home was to select a lamb, a spotless lamb without blemish or defect. The lamb was to be killed, the blood applied to the sides of the door of each home and the lamb roasted for their meal. They were to eat with their shoes on and bags packed so they would be ready to go on a moments notice.

“The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, 2 “This month will be the beginning of months. It will be the first month of the year to you. 3 Speak to the people of Israel when they are gathered together. Tell them that on the tenth day of this month, every man must take a lamb for those of his father’s house, a lamb for each house. 4 If those in the house are too few to eat a lamb, let him and his nearest neighbor take the right amount for the number of people. Divide the lamb by how much each can eat. 5 Your lamb must be perfect, a male lamb one year old. You may take it from the sheep or the goats. 6 Keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then all the people of Israel are to kill it in the evening. 7 Then they must take some of the blood and put it on the wood pieces at the sides and top of the door of each house where they will eat it. 8 They must eat the meat that same night, made ready over a fire. They will eat it with bread made without yeast and with bitter plants. 9 Do not eat any of it if it is not cooked or if it is made ready by boiling. But cook it over a fire, its head, legs and inside parts. 10 Do not save any of it until morning. Burn with fire whatever is left of it before morning.

11 “Eat it with your shoes on your feet and your walking stick in your hand. And you must eat it in a hurry. It is the time the Lord will pass over. 12 For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night. And I will kill all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and animal. I will punish all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord.” Exodus 12:1-12 NLV

The lamb was the sacrifice that the Lord required.

In the book of Genesis animal sacrifices were made to the Lord. Abraham offered bulls, heifers, goats and rams. And in the last couple of days I have been reading as Moses receives the Law and the instruction from the Lord for forms of worship and sacrifices. The sacrifices for the sin offering are always a spotless lamb. It couldn’t be lame or maimed in anyway. It had to be perfect.

But this lamb for the atonement of sins had to be offered every year because there was no power in the sacrifice to make the people perfect. It was only a symbolic offering.

Now fast forward to where I had been reading in the New Testament. I have been in the last chapters of Mark and reading about the crucifixion. It was then I remembered the importance of the lamb.

“John told them, “I use water to baptize people. But here with you is someone you don’t know. 27 Even though I came first, I am not good enough to untie his sandals.” 28 John said this as he was baptizing east of the Jordan River in Bethany.[a

29 The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said:

Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 He is the one I told you about when I said, “Someone else will come. He is greater than I am, because he was alive before I was born.” John 1:26-30 CEV

John the Baptist called Jesus the “lamb of God”. For those who were really listening, this must have been shocking. John was saying that Jesus would be God’s lamb who would remove sin – no longer a symbolic animal but God had provided the perfect sacrifice and He was here now, walking on earth.

Hallelujah!

“But Christ was sinless, and he offered himself as an eternal and spiritual sacrifice to God. That’s why his blood is much more powerful and makes our[a consciences clear. Now we can serve the living God and no longer do things that lead to death.

15 Christ died to rescue those who had sinned and broken the old agreement. Now he brings his chosen ones a new agreement with its guarantee of God’s eternal blessings!” Hebrews 9:14-15 CEV

When we receive Jesus, recognizing Him as our sacrificial lamb, there is no longer a need for animal sacrifice. The way had been made for us to come to God, completely forgiven, made right and set free. Our sins have been taken away.

Thank you Father for the Lamb!

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Come Down or Rise Up

The last couple of days I have been reading about the arrest, phony trial and crucifixion of Jesus from the book of Mark.

Jesus knew that he would soon be crucified and he was trying to prepare his disciples for this horrific event. He wanted to keep them close, pray with them and teach them up the last moment.

They went to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus asked them to pray with Him. He knew what type of death he would experience. He knew how excurciating it would be! He needed more strength that he had ever had before. His humanity was facing the greatest struggle of his life and his deity was facing its greatest victory.

When Jesus prayed his humanity was asking God the Father if there was any other way our salvation, our reconciliation, could take place.

“Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he told them, “Sit here while I pray.”

33 Jesus took along Peter, James, and John. He was sad and troubled and 34 told them, “I am so sad that I feel as if I am dying. Stay here and keep awake with me.”

35-36 Jesus walked on a little way. Then he knelt down on the ground and prayed, “Father, if it is possible, don’t let this happen to me! Father, you can do anything. Don’t make me suffer by having me drink from this cup. But do what you want, and not
what I want.” Mark 14:32-36 ERV

The anguish in His heart was great; the desire to accomplish the Father’s plan was greater!

“We must never stop looking to Jesus. He is the leader of our faith, and he is the one who makes our faith complete. He suffered death on a cross. But he accepted the shame of the cross as if it were nothing because of the joy he could see waiting for him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne. 3 Think about Jesus. He patiently endured the angry insults that sinful people were shouting at him. Think about him so that you won’t get discouraged and stop trying.” Hebrews 12:2-3 ERV

While Jesus was in the garden the soldiers came to arrest Him. He was tried on trumped up charges, his accusers lied, he was beaten and whipped. He was nailed to a cross and still he was taunted. People stood at the foot of His cross and challenged his deity.

“The leading priests and the teachers of the law were also there. They made fun of Jesus the same as the other people did. They said to each other, “He saved others, but he can’t save himself! 32 If he is really the Messiah, the king of Israel, he should come down from the cross now. When we see this, then we will believe in him.” The criminals on the crosses beside Jesus also said bad things to him.” Mark 15:31-32 ERV

This was a very fitting temptation. Jesus knew He was the Messiah, He knew he was God’s son. So, why not prove it to them – prove it to them all? One word, love! If Jesus had come down from the cross there would be no other atonement for sin. He was the only one who could be the sinless sacrifice. If He didn’t complete the plan, we would have no hope of reconciliation. Jesus loved the Father so much that he willingly gave up his life for us. He loved us so much that He provided a way for us to have an unhindered relationship with His Father.

“But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful.

9 But there is more! Now that God has accepted us because Christ sacrificed his life’s blood, we will also be kept safe from God’s anger. 10 Even when we were God’s enemies, he made peace with us, because his Son died for us. Yet something even greater than friendship is ours. Now that we are at peace with God, we will be saved by his Son’s life. ” Romans 5:8-10 CEV

If Jesus had come down from the cross He wouldn’t have been able to rise up defeating Satan, death, hell and the grave.

“God saved us and chose us to be his holy people, but not because of anything we ourselves did. God saved us and made us his people because that was what he wanted and because of his grace. That grace was given to us through Christ Jesus before time began. 10 And now it has been shown to us in the coming of our Savior Christ Jesus. He destroyed death and showed us the way to have life. Yes, through the Good News Jesus showed us the way to have life that cannot be destroyed.” II Timothy 1:9-10 ERV

Before Jesus submitted to the cross He had already crucified his instinct of self-preservation. There in the garden he faced death and won. He committed all He was to the Father.

I am so grateful that Jesus made the hard choice; He didn’t come down but He chose to rise up! How can anyone deny such love?

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Love Is

Love is…

and we’ve all heard all the things that love is! But love is a determination of will; it isn’t a tingling feeling that just overcomes you and leaves you breathless and titillated. It is a lifestyle – one that will stand the test of time when the feelings are no where to be found. One that will overcome hurt and still not be selfish.

That’s God’s kind of love. He doesn’t think evil of us when we fail and He doesn’t keep count of the things we’ve done wrong but He looks to see what we’re doing right and always, always thinks the best of us.

One day, I heard the Lord speak so loudly in my heart that I thought others could probably hear it too. I was correcting one of the kids and in my frustration found myself bringing up a past infraction; one that they had already been disciplined for. As I did, I felt the Lord say – “I don’t bring up your past. I forget all your sins and shortcomings and I only think the best of you. Don’t bring that up again because they are my kids too.” With that I kindly answered “Yes Sir.” and then I had to apologize to my child. I went on to correct what they had done wrong without making them relive their past.

“This love of which I speak is slow to lose patience—it looks for a way of being constructive. It is not possessive: it is neither anxious to impress nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own importance. 5-6 Love has good manners and does not pursue selfish advantage. It is not touchy. It does not keep account of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people. On the contrary, it is glad with all good men when truth prevails. 7-8a Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen.” I Corinthians 13:4-8

Thank you Father for Your Amazing love. Thank you for forgetting our past.

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Always Faithful

I don’t consider myself old however, I am more aged than some. I would rather say that I have experienced life, it’s joys and it’s sorrows. The thing I appreciate most about where I am on the numeric scale of years is my memory; the ability to recall situations, circumstances and events.

My earliest recollections are from a house we lived in on Avenue C in Yuma. It had a large date palm tree in the front yard. We had a small seven inch TV with foil on the rabbit ears to improve the reception. I remember the house always being filled with friends. Somewhere in there I became aware of nuclear threat. Must have been something on the news that invaded the conversation of the adults.

Anyway, I remember going outside and looking up at the sky and saying something like this “Dear Jesus, if the bomb comes I will come to heaven with you. Ok?”

I had such a sense of peace and security because I knew God was big enough to take care of things. All the Bible stories I had heard in Sunday School taught me that God loved me and He would take care of me. I know I didn’t understand the magnitude of God’s faithfulness but it was real to me all the same.

I don’t know why that memory came back to me this morning. I was thinking about God’s faithfulness; remembering times when He provided and protected in the past. I was praying for friends and family who need to see that God is faithfully involved in working out their tough situations.

I was also reading in Exodus where the Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians and they cried out to God for deliverance. And then the words of the old hymn, Great Is Thy Faithfulness, began to flood my heart and my mind.

“When your people worshiped, you know I told them, “Our Lord always helps!” 10 When all your people met, I did not keep silent. I said, “Our Lord is kind. He is faithful and caring, and he saves us.” 11 You, Lord, never fail to have pity on me; your love and faithfulness always keep me secure.” Psalm 40:9-11 CEV

Your love and faithfulness always keep me secure!

I have no idea what you or I will face today but I do know that God’s faithfulness will keep us secure!

“It is because of the Lord’s loving-kindness that we are not destroyed for His loving-pity never ends. 23 It is new every morning. He is so very faithful. 24 “The Lord is my share.” says my soul, “so I have hope in Him.” Lamentations 3:22-24 NLV

New every morning – we can’t exhaust the faithfulness of God. His loving-kindness never ends. He is always faithful.

“I will sing forever about the Lord’s love.  I will sing about his faithfulness forever and ever! 2 I will say, “Your faithful love will last forever. Your loyalty is like the sky—there is no end to it!” Psalm 89:1-2 ERV

So, join with me in singing this morning; on your way to the breakfast table, in the shower, on your way to work. Let’s sing because our God is always faithful!

“Great Is Thy Faithfulness”

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love

Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside

Thank you Father for your faithfulness!

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Always On My Mind

It’s nice to let people know you are thinking of them. Just a note that says “thinking of you” will brighten anyone’s day. Today, I was asked to send this note along to you.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.” Jeremiah 29:11-12 NKJV

God, our Father, is thinking about you. He is planning good things to fill your day.

“O Lord my God, many are the great works You have done, and Your thoughts toward us. No one can compare with You! If I were to speak and tell of them, there would be too many to number.” Psalm 40:5 NLV

I woke up this morning singing a song that we sang Sunday in the worship service. (I wasn’t able to attend a regular service but did participate in worship through a service that was streamed live.)

Chorus: Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There’s salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ, my living hope
Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There’s salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ, my living hope…

Songwriters: Phil Wickham, Brian Mark Johnson Living Hope lyrics © ESSENTIAL MUSIC PUBLISHING, BETHEL MUSIC PUBLISHING

As those words kept going over and over in my mind I got more and more excited. God, Almighty God, has provided a way for me to be freed from sins penalty. Everything that had enslaved me in the past or would try to capture me in the future has had it’s power broken because of Jesus, my living hope!

Those promises aren’t for me because I’m special. No, they are for all of us. Everything that God provided and Jesus has accomplished is for anyone who will receive His provision. He’s been thinking about us for all eternity and He has made great plans for us.

“God has said that all men have broken His Law. But He will show loving-kindness on all of them. 33 God’s riches are so great! The things He knows and His wisdom are so deep! No one can understand His thoughts. No one can understand His ways.” Romans 11:32-33 NLV

When I get up each morning and open my Bible I read it like a letter. I read about the things that are important to God; things that He wants me to know. Things He has done and things He’s going to do. The Bible is my “thinking of you” letter each day. It says “I want to share My life with you, I want you to know that I love you and want to be a part of what you’re doing today. My thoughts are filled with ways to bless you in ways that you really don’t understand”.

I have a friend that I share emails with each morning. She tells me all about her day; where she went, who she saw, the trivial and the monumental. I love reading those emails because I love her. It makes me feel apart of her day although we live hundreds of miles apart. If we can have this kind of relationship on the human level think of how much greater it is with God.

“The Lord answered, “Could a mother forget a child who nurses at her breast?
Could she fail to love an infant who came from her own body? Even if a mother could forget, I will never forget you. 16 A picture of your city is drawn on my hand. You are always in my thoughts!” Isaiah 49:15-16 CEV

I hope this gives you as much comfort as it gives me knowing that God is thinking about us today. His thoughts toward us are innumerable. We are always on His mind!


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God’s Not Mad

I got to thinking after I did yesterday’s post on pruning that some may think that God is mad at them. He’s not!

We all have things that need to be pruned away, removed from our lives, so that we can grow strong and healthy. But God never does any of that with an attitude of anger, He is always led by His compassion.

That was a wonderful part of the angels message “Peace on earth, goodwill toward men.” The sacrifice of Jesus ended the war between God and man. God judged our sin by placing it on Jesus and He paid the price. He was convicted, found guilty and punished with death for crimes (Sin) He didn’t do. Paid in Full.

“But I tell you that I am going to do what is best for you. That is why I am going away. The Holy Spirit cannot come to help [a you until I leave. But after I am gone, I will send the Spirit to you.

8 The Spirit will come and show the people of this world the truth about sin and God’s justice and the judgment. 9 The Spirit will show them that they are wrong about sin, because they didn’t have faith in me. 10 They are wrong about God’s justice, because I am going to the Father, and you won’t see me again. 11 And they are wrong about the judgment, because God has already judged the ruler of this world.” John 16:7-11 CEV

The Holy Spirit will reprove or correct men in their sin, but the sin is not believing that Jesus was and is God’s Son and He is the sacrifice for our sins. He will reprove of righteousness, showing us that through Christ we have been made righteous and that judgment belongs to satan and those that follow him.

The Apostle Paul put it this way in II Corinthians 5.
“For if a man is in Christ he becomes a new person altogether—the past is finished and gone, everything has become fresh and new. All this is God’s doing, for he has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ; and he has made us agents of the reconciliation. God was in Christ personally reconciling the world to himself—not counting their sins against them—and has commissioned us with the message of reconciliation. We are now Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were appealing direct to you through us. As his personal representatives we say, “Make your peace with God.” For God caused Christ, who himself knew nothing of sin, actually to be sin for our sakes, so that in Christ we might be made good with the goodness of God.” II Corinthians 5:17-21

It is our job, as ambassadors, to tell people that God has made a way of “peace” for them through Christ. Reconciling us to Himself, God has made a way for us to become righteous, complete new creatures.

Today I want to do my job as an ambassador of Christ and bring this good news to you. Now I ask you to share it too.

7 “For a short time I turned away from you, but with all my love I will welcome you again. 8 I was so angry that for a while I did not want to see you. But now I want to comfort you with kindness forever.” The LORD your Savior said this. 9 “Remember, in Noah’s time I punished the world with the flood. But I made a promise to Noah that I would never again destroy the world with water. In the same way, I promise that I will never again be angry with you and say bad things to you.” Isaiah 54:7-9

God isn’t mad at us – He is reaching out to us with arms of love!

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Pondering Christmas

This morning I’m sitting alone and enjoying the thoughts of Christmases past. Remembering times when the kids and grandkids were little. It’s a blessing of life to remember.

Very soon the tree and all the decorations will come down but the memories will remain. In the last few days we have visited with the kids and grandkids on the phone, learned of presents that were opened, traded texts and emails with those we love and then saw on social media the pictures that so many have shared.

With a heart filled with love, I began to think of Mary. Everyone of you mothers can remember what it was like to wake up the day after one of your children were born. Going over and over in your heart the emotions of the day, those that came to visit and once again holding that tiny child in your arms – counting every finger and toe.

What do you imagine must have been going through Mary’s heart that morning after Christ’s birth? She’s in a stable, with a man who has shown her unconditional love and she has a child in her arms who is God’s gift to mankind. How blessed – how in awe!

“And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:16-19

All through the night hours my thoughts have been filled with what Christ has done for me! I was unworthy of God’s love. I have done nothing to deserve His mercy and His grace. That’s what makes it so amazing!

Mary must have had these same thoughts. What did I do to deserve God’s favor; why was I chosen to birth the Messiah? It was all by God’s grace – giving to us the goodness of His love that we can’t earn and don’t deserve.

“But God is rich in mercy, and he loved us very much. 5 We were spiritually dead because of all we had done against him. But he gave us new life together with Christ. (You have been saved by God’s grace.) 6 Yes, it is because we are a part of Christ Jesus that God raised us from death and seated us together with him in the heavenly places. 7 God did this so that his kindness to us who belong to Christ Jesus would clearly show for all time to come the amazing richness of his grace.

8 I mean that you have been saved by grace because you believed. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God. 9 You are not saved by the things you have done, so there is nothing to boast about. 10 God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things he had already planned for us to do.” Ephesians 2:4-10 ERV

We are the recipients of a wonderful gift; the gift of God’s grace. That gift came to us in the form of a baby, Jesus Christ. God did this to show His kindness to all who are in the world. This gift is available to all.

My life, the blessings and all the good that is in it, is because of God’s love for me. It’s almost beyond words. I am overwhelmed by His goodness.

“When you became a Christian, you were set free from the sinful things of the world. This was not done by human hands. You were set free from the sins of your old self by what was done in Christ’s body. 12 When you were baptized, you were buried as Christ was buried. When you were raised up in baptism, you were raised as Christ was raised. You were raised to a new life by putting your trust in God. It was God Who raised Jesus from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your sins, you were not set free from the sinful things of the world. But God forgave your sins and gave you new life through Christ. 14 We had broken the Law many ways. Those sins were held against us by the Law. That Law had writings which said we were sinners. But now He has destroyed that writing by nailing it to the cross.” Colossians 2:11-14 NLV

These are the things that I dwell on each day. God’s goodness and love!

What will you “ponder” in your heart today? Is Christmas over and now it’s on with the daily routine or will you take time today to be thankful that Christmas has life-changing, glorious meaning for every day of the year?

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From the Father’s Heart

Merry Christmas to all of you! I pray your day is filled with peace, joy and love.

As you celebrate the birth of Jesus, I hope you experience the same anticipation, excitement and wonder that the shepherds did over 2000 years ago. May you find joy as you celebrate with family and friends but take time for solitude and let the Lord speak directly to your heart.

I have no carol to share this morning. Instead I’m sharing with you a poem that I wrote over 30 years ago.

A Christmas Gift by Kristi Wilson

Christmas has a glory no other day can claim
For it was on that special day, the blessed Savior came.
The promise of His coming had been known for many years
And now that day was really here, the answer to men’s prayers.

Now it seems so long ago, that angels spoke to men
Proclaiming the good news of His birth to free them from their sins.
Some have forgotten the very meaning of His humble birth
And what those words really meant, “Peace to men on earth.”

It’s not the Santa in the store or snow upon the ground
It’s not in pretty presents or carols sung world ’round.
The true meaning that’s in Christmas is simple and unchanged;
It’s the answer found in Jesus and the power of His name.

All the brightly wrapped presents, the world’s problem cannot hide
The only thing that can heal man’s hurts is Jesus Christ inside.
If He’d only come again, I’ve heard the people say
That would solve the problems that we face each day.

But you see He’s never left, not since the day He came
For He lives within my heart and for you He’ll do the same.
God gave us such a special gift on Christmas long ago,
He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to let the whole world know

His great love so rich and free was brought to earth that day
To save mankind from their sins and to answer when they pray.
This gift was given to all the world, no one was left out
To receive it, just believe it and do not ever doubt.

The Son of God died for your sins to bring you life brand new
The greatest gift of all times has been given unto you.
There’s no tree or tinsel or the chime of silver bells
That can put the heart of man at peace or save his soul from hell.

Only Jesus Chist can answer the longing of each heart
And give to man eternal life and a brand new start.
There’s nothing wrong with Christmas, its tinsel, toys and trees;
The carols have new meaning when from sin you have been freed.

I share with you a cherished gift of my Father’s love
Jesus Christ, our Savior, sent from heaven above.
Merry Christmas one and all, you’re loved that is true
Rejoice, rejoice, it’s Christmas time and I offer this prayer for you.

“A child has been born for us. We have been given a son who will be our ruler. His names will be Wonderful Advisor and Mighty God, Eternal Father and Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 CEV

Merry Christmas! May God’s gift fill your hearts all year through.

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The Gift of Friendship

Last night our home was filled with dear friends…some we’ve only known a few years and others for more than half our lifetime. How precious they each are to us!

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I just wanted to take a quiet moment to tell you how much I love and appreciate you. Although, you weren’t in our home I am touched by your love. God has blessed me with wonderful friends. Some of you I know personally and have been able to hug, to touch, to share a cup of coffee with or a meal and we have shared times of laughter and tears.

Others of you I only know through social media and your comments here on the blog. I’ve seen pictures of your families, shared your joys and your prayer requests. True friends just the same. I really don’t think there is time or distance when the Lord joins hearts.

Whatever your plans are for these upcoming days of Christmas I want you to know that I feel truly blessed to call you friends.

“I pray that God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace! 3 Every time I think of you, I thank my God. 4 And whenever I mention you in my prayers, it makes me happy.” Philippians 1:2-4 CEV

But I also want you to know that our heavenly Father, the author of our friendship, has such a great love for you. He designed our meeting and crafted the bond that we have for one another.

His purpose – To show us His amazing love. Each time we reach out to love someone new, to develop a new relationship, His love is put into action. We can never truly love on our own. That deep and lasting commitment we experience for others comes from His heart. Friendship is a tangible example of His amazing love.

We are always in His heart and on His mind. His love is overwhelming, His peace reassuring and His comfort beyond comparing!

I can hear Him saying:
“I love you with an everlasting love” Jeremiah 31:3
“My peace I give to you; peace, be still.” John 14:27
“I will send the Comforter that will abide with you forever” John 14:16
“Let my joy be your strength” Nehemiah 8:10
” I know the thoughts I have for you; thoughts of peace”. Jeremiah 29:11-13

Yes, my world is quiet and my Father is speaking to me and He’s speaking to you as well. Enjoy your time with Him this morning and all through the day.

The song I want to share with you this morning isn’t a traditional Christmas Carol. However, if Jesus never brought heaven to earth as He did that day we wouldn’t be able to experience the blessed relationship we have with him.

Heaven Came Down by John W Peterson 1961

O what a wonderful, wonderful day, day I will never forget;
After I’d wandered in darkness away, Jesus my Savior I met.
O what a tender, compassionate friend, He met the need of my heart;
Shadows dispelling, with joy I am telling, He made all the darkness depart.

Chorus: Heaven came down and glory filled my soul,  (filled my soul)
When at the cross the Savior made me whole;  (made me whole)
My sins were washed away and my night was turned to day,
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!  (filled my soul)

Born of the Spirit with life from above into God’s family divine,
Justified fully thru Calvary’s love, O what a standing is mine!
And the transaction so quickly was made, when as a sinner I came,
Took of the offer, of grace He did proffer, He saved me, O praise His dear name!

Chorus:

Now I’ve a hope that will surely endure after the passing of time;
I have a future in heaven for sure there in those mansions sublime.
And it’s because of that wonderful day, when at the cross I believed;
Riches eternal and blessings supernal, from His precious hand I received.

Chorus: Heaven came down and glory filled my soul,  (filled my soul)
When at the cross the Savior made me whole;  (made me whole)
My sins were washed away and my night was turned to day,
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!  (filled my soul)

Thank you Father for allowing all of us to experience heaven on earth through the gift of your Son!

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