Sunday Service: The True Meaning Of Christmas

The word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father,) full of grace and truth. – John 1:14

 

Yesterday morning was fourth week advent at my church and the service was beautiful as usual. The elders of the church spoke in narration of Jesus. We viewed screen projections of the circumstances and holiness of Jesus’s birth before and after he came into the world. All of us members were soothed with the calm melodies of the hymns of song.

Our pastor gave a beautiful benediction about the love of God and the true meaning of Christmas.

Indeed, the greatest gift of all to the entire world was the most loving and unselfish act of Jesus coming to die for our sins so that we would no longer be separated from father God and have eternal life forever in his presence.

There is no higher love than what God passionately came and displayed for us.

I took some lovely photos with my smartphone of the Christmas tree and Nativity scene set up at my pleasant church home.

 

 

Let’s Talk About The Good News!

I am no stranger to the spirit. It is a great inspirer and motivator. Through the fruit of the spirit, along with the natural and supernatural talents bestowed upon us for his glory, God will speak and shine his light- to steadily flow through us.

As an ambassador of Jesus Christ, I have no problem sharing and spreading his wonderful message of truth and warnings. It is vital information that affects everyone’s future now unto eternity.

This world is not going to last, we are all going to die one day and while we are here God is giving us time by extending his grace. Once this time period is over it will be too late.

In whichever way God stimulates his spirit within you take courage and let him be your guide. For those of us filled with the “anointed essence” of the joy (excitement) we have no obstacle to hold us back from exercising the word through our special talents and abilities.

We are not, and don’t have to be perfect in what we do. Our Lord meets us where we’re at and uses our experiences and testimonies to bear witness to his truth, power, and glory. All we have to do is be sincere, then trust and believe in the work God is perfecting within his purpose for us.

Reach out to those around you who may not yet know our Lord in the way that you do. Let them know that the only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ even if what you express brings a discomfort.

A tough situation and talk about the beauty of Jesus and the consequences of rejecting him is utterly worth the everlasting gift of residing in the house of the Lord for all eternity.

It’s our job to reaffirm and to continuously make known the Gospel of Jesus Christ and why he came here to the earth.

He came so that we could once again have a close personal relationship with God the father by sacrificing himself so that we would be saved from our sins and able to escape damnation- which is eternal separation from God in hell after death.

We can explain and help others to the correct path, however, we cannot force them to walk down the narrow lane. The final outcome is up to them whether or not they attempt to embrace and surrender to the only way, truth, and life- which is no other than God’s one and only begotten son Jesus Christ who died so that we could live.

 

 

 

Dedicated To The Lord

I always believed in God and was led to him by spirit at an early age. Between the time I was ten years old to twelve is when I first gave myself to Jesus Christ.

Seven months ago, I resubmitted to God and reaffirmed my trust, obedience, and love with a better understanding of getting to know the Lord through all of my past experiences of his faithfulness, grace, mercy, and unwavering providence.

It is truly a blessing and honor to pick up the development and continuation of a long-lasting relationship that I began long ago. A connection regained with an even stronger and deeper foundation that is rooted in genuine purpose.

The best move I could make in my life was to rededicate myself to the Lord at his generous, kind, and thoughtful summon.

The greatest step anyone can take is to ultimately choose and decide to believe in, accept, and follow/surrender to Jesus.

If you haven’t already, do it immediately!

Jesus offers all of us, who the father knew, -far beforehand- would not deny his precious gift to come to him for salvation.

We are no longer separated from God through the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for us.

The Kingdom is yours if you put your trust and faith in the one who promises to one day put a complete end to all bad things. Our Lord is in total control and he is working everything out for the good of his divine plan.

Good And Sweet People

 

Scripture leaves no doubt about it: There’s nobody living right, not even one, nobody who knows the score, nobody alert for God. They’ve all taken the wrong turn; they’ve all wandered down blind alleys. No one’s living right; I can’t find a single one. Their throats are gaping graves, their tongues slick as mudslides. Every word they speak is tinged with poison. They open their mouths and pollute the air. They race for the honor of sinner-of-the-year, litter the land with heartbreak and ruin, Don’t know the first thing about living with others. They never give God the time of day. This makes it clear, doesn’t it, that whatever is written in these Scriptures is not what God says about others but to us to whom these Scriptures were addressed in the first place! And it’s clear enough, isn’t it, that we’re sinners, every one of us, in the same sinking boat with everybody else? Our involvement with God’s revelation doesn’t put us right with God. What it does is force us to face our complicity in everyone else’s sin. But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin. Having faith in him sets us in the clear. God decided on this course of action in full view of the public—to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins he had so patiently endured. This is not only clear, but it’s now—this is current history! God sets things right. He also makes it possible for us to live in his rightness. So where does that leave our proud Jewish insider claims and counterclaims? Canceled? Yes, canceled. What we’ve learned is this: God does not respond to what we do; we respond to what God does. We’ve finally figured it out. Our lives get in step with God and all others by letting him set the pace, not by proudly or anxiously trying to run the parade. –Romans 3:10-28

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We are not to assume, or entertain the thought that everyone who is or was considered to be a good person, will reside in heaven after they die. Only those who are saved.

I’ve met and come across some very nice people who have treated me ever so kindly, and we all had gotten along pleasantly well.

Many of us interact or have interacted with people of upstanding character, hospitable dispositions, and generous hearts. The only thing is they may have ongoing lifestyle acts, choices, or beliefs that do not coincide with the will of our heavenly father.

We may say to ourselves, “That person is so nice, so good. They should be able to go to heaven or have eternal life in the new kingdom on earth”. We look at their favorable attitudes and personalities, not necessarily caring about what they do or what they have done within their personal lives as long as they are decent citizens and not hurting anybody.

However, it is just not possible according to the scriptures. “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. –Isaiah 55:8-9

Particular things in life that may not matter heavily to us or that we may disagree with have great significance and righteousness to God. Yes, some of those things do seem very unfair because I’ll be the first to say that I didn’t ask to come here into the world why should I have to be subject to certain aspects that I didn’t have anything to do with in the first place?

One thing I don’t like is Jesus commanding us all to love one another (in a perfect world that would be logical). That is a very hard one for me. Love has to come natural for me and I wouldn’t even want to love just anyone, especially an undesirable person. Who wants to love a trouble-maker and the like? It may be easy for God to love them because he designed them but I didn’t create them so why should I have to even like them? There are many believers/born again Christians who struggle with this one. I can be civil, polite, and reasonable with them but I don’t want to love them and I genuinely don’t. At the same time, I don’t hold any animosity.

I am a genuinely honest person, I can’t help but tell the truth about the way I feel, it is very therapeutic for me to express my self sincerely.

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. –Matthew 5:43-48

“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. –Luke 6:27-28

 

Now back to what I was addressing about people who we deem as good who don’t fit in with the standards of the Lord. We may have friends, relatives or associates who we like, love and have compassion for who are homosexual, are pro-choice about abortion, or who live with their partners outside of marriage. These circumstances are inexcusable to God. He doesn’t penalize the ones who accept him and are trying to break free from what they are doing as his holy spirit will work within one to gradually heal and deliver them from their sin.

On the other hand those who don’t want or don’t have a desire to change and want to continue on with behaviors and attitudes, knowing that it goes against the Lord’s will- no matter how nice and good they are to us- won’t be accepted into heaven or enter into eternal life.

Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. –1 Corinthians 6:9-11

So called Christian’s also need to be heedful as we must not deceive ourselves to think we are following Jesus Christ/God when we actually are not.

Jesus warns us, On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ –Matthew 7:22-23

Whatever the case upon any individual is between them and our father in heaven. We must never be quick to suggest who is or who may be going or have went to heaven or hell based solely on what we see or perceive. We don’t know their hearts and mind or whether or not God reached them or they went to Jesus in or before their last moments.

The most important thing for us to do is to remain focused on the core facts of the New Testament that we can without a doubt rely on. Stay into the word of God as he gives us this time to surrender/follow him, trust in him, and be filled with hope and anticipation for the expectation of his return.

 

 

Today

Someone once said to me, ” The closest us believers will get to experience hell is here on earth whereas the closest unbelievers will get to experience heaven is here on earth.- LaToya Lawrence

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Tomorrow isn’t promised to any of us.

For us believers and followers of Christ we know that this present world is not and has never been our true home.

We are just sojourners here to do God’s will and to carry out his plan and spread the good news/gospel of salvation the new kingdom to come.

I knew ever since I was a little girl that I didn’t belong here within this world. I like certain others were born into the world, yet I definitely was not of it, and Jesus informed to us in particular “That because the world hated him, they of the world would hate us also”.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”- John 16:33

 

God in his patience gives people time to decide whether or not they’re going to repent and choose him but one day that grace period or period of grace is going to run out.

Once one dies without having believing in and accepting Jesus Christ’s offer of eternal life (which he died on the cross for so that we may be redeemed and have unity/relationship with God the father) with him forever there is no turning back and no undoing of one’s own everlasting permanent destiny.

God is no joke, and neither is hell. Make the best choice of your life today.

Eternal life within Christ doesn’t begin after you physically die it begins the exact moment you start living the life that you have now for him. Your soul is already dead without him and headed for damnation.

The devil as we know is ready, willing and able to take as many people down with him as possible because his time here is very short. Jesus already conquered Satan don’t let the devil conquer you!

Jesus is coming back soon indeed don’t you want to be in his number?

Narrow is the path to enter through the gate into the kingdom of God, and the road is definitely not an easy one, though, it is and will be all well worth it!

Broad and spacious is the road to hell and it is very easy to get there and many will unfortunately be there either because they rejected Jesus or because they didn’t act within time.

Don’t delay and don’t wait for tomorrow because tomorrow may not come for you. Once you take your last breath you won’t be able to change your circumstance.

So, do it right now before it’s too late.

Go to God/Jesus and let him save you and give you the future of his beautiful promises.

P.S. There is debate among interpretation of scripture in regard to exactly what “Hell” describes. Some believe it is an actual place of everlasting eternal torment and some believe it is a place where a brutal annihilation occurs within the lake of fire, or perhaps just a cease of existence.

Whatever the case of what it turns out to be don’t be one to have to find out firsthand.

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

For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. –Roman 8:13

But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. Roman’s 2:5

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them. – John 3:36

For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live! –Ezekiel 18:32

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. –Matthew 10:28

you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins. –James 5:20

For we walk by faith, not by sight— we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. – 2 Corinthians 5:7-21

 

The Elect

“For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:14

God loves us all and he wants no one to perish, but he already knew before we were created those of us who would accept him and those of us who would deny him.

God knew that I would listen to no one but him as no one knows me better than him.

 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 
 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 
    your works are wonderful, 
    I know that full well. 
 My frame was not hidden from you 
    when I was made in the secret place, 
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 
 Your eyes saw my unformed body; 
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book 
    before one of them came to be. -Psalm 139: 13-16

God draws back those who are his. Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls. – 1 Peter 2:25 

Not all those who wander are lost and I am living proof.

 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. – Ephesians 1:4-6

Jesus said: For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. John 6:44 

My message for those who don’t believe and or who don’t know Christ, Jesus says “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me“. – Revelation 3:20

The most important decision to make in your life is to completely surrender yourself to Jesus and sincerely follow him. Jesus turns no one away he wants you to know him,  love him and trust him.

 

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