Now that Thanksgiving is over, I see that the stores have already put their Christmas decorations out. We just never get a chance to rest or slow down. I guess it is just part of our society. GO! GO! GO! that seems to be the prevailing theme. What ever happened to "take a break for a minute". I got up early Friday because I had gone to bed early thinking I might go to work. So I headed to the Store at about 6.00am and I couldn't believe it. I went into the store and it was packed. You had to watch where you were going or you would get run over by someone's cart. They were out in masses.
I guess the stores put sales on that early in the morning. I had stumbled into this before, but forgot that it was the Day After. It's a very dangerous time to go out and about. I went back to my motel and was thankful to be at rest. Needless to say, I'm home and all is well.
We have almost forgotten what we really are celebrating. I'm just as bad about getting presents for my loved ones as anyone else, maybe even worse. But when we stop and reflect on what the season is, we get back to what God has done for us. We are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. His coming down from heaven in the form of man, to give us forgiveness of sins. You know what our destiny would have been if He hadn't loved us so much.
You have cults out there who don't believe that Jesus was God in the flesh. But the Scriptures affirm that Jesus was God. I will give you some of them and if you don't believe, maybe these will change your mind.
Matthew;1:23
("BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL" which translated means, "GOD WITH US".) That tells us that when Jesus was born, God was with man at that point. Who else can forgive man of his sins, but God alone?
Matthew;1:21
("She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.")
When Jesus healed the Paralytic:
Matthew;9:2
(And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, "Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven") The scribes thought that He was blaspheming.
Matthew;9:4-6
(And Jesus knowing their thoughts said,"Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, ' Get up, and walk'? "But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"-then He said to the paralytic, "Get up, pick up your bed and go home.") So here Jesus was affirming to them that He had authority to forgive sins, and only God can forgive you of your sins.
We all know that God made this world and everything that is in it, including us. You might be one who thinks it could have been evolution. But that isn't what God tells us in His Word. We all know about Genesis, but there is also proof in the New Testament.
Hebrews;1:1-2
(God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.) So here the Father is telling us that world was made through the Son. Still not convinced?
Hebrews;1:3
(And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,) Here is proof that Jesus is part of the trinity. When God the Father was talking to the Son, He called Him God.
Hebrews;1:8-12
(But of the Son He says, "YOUR THRONE O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM. YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS; THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS ." And "YOU, LORD, IN THE BEGINNING LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH, AND THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS; THEY WILL PERISH, BUT YOU REMAIN; AND THEY WILL BECOME OLD LIKE A GARMENT, AND LIKE A MANTEL YOU WILL ROLL THEM UP; LIKE A GARMENT THEY WILL ALSO BE CHANGED, BUT YOU ARE THE SAME, AND YOUR YEARS WILL NOT COME TO AN END.")
Jesus tell us that He is the way, and the truth, and the life. So we need to be thankful for His sacrifice on the cross for our forgiveness of sins. It is His birthday that we are celebrating next month. We need to remember that as He is our Salvation, the Forgiveness of sins, the Way to heaven. Christmas is a joyful time of the year, but let's keep Jesus in the season, as well as all year. One day if you are a born again Christian, you will be able to thank God in person for the gift of life. I pray that you have accepted Him as your Savior, if you haven't, you can right now. He will forgive you of your sins, and you will have a home with Him in heaven for eternity. You don't want to spend eternity in hell.
Just something to think about as we head toward Christmas.
God Bless You!
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