A Blessed Christmas!

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. (Luke 2:1-7)

 

Who is this Child that was born in a manger? For whom there was no room in the Inn?

 

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over hte house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy--the Son of God." (Luke 1:26-35)

 

The Son of God? The Son of the Most High? Holy? Who is Holy but God of whom it is said, "holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty.'?

And, why should the Son of God--God Himself, the Creator of all things, humble Himself and be born of a woman? Why should He humble Himself and become a man?

 

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." (John 3:16-18)

 

Eternal life? Condemnation? What are these? Well, eternal life is pretty self-explanatory--a life in eternity with Christ, in heaven. Condemnation is eternal punishment in the flames of hell where those who continue in rebellion to God will face the punishment we all deserve.

So, Christ came into this world, died on the cross and rose again so that those who believe in Him shall have eternal life instead of the punishment we all deserve!

But is there no other way of salvation? No other way to escape eternal punishment?

 

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

 

So, no, there is only one way of Salvation--one way to eternal life and that is through Christ.

How do we go through Christ? How can we get this Salvation?

 

But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ... ...For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romand 10:8-9, 13)

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself." (Acts 2:37-39)

Repent of your sins and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ! This is the way to Salvation! You do not have to be a 'good' person--none of us are. We are all sinners. And, Christ died for us 'while we were yet sinners.' The 'healthy do not need a doctor but the sick.'
What a blessed gift that God has given--His only begotten Son, to die for us so that we may live!

'Glory to God in the Highest!'

Have a blessed Christmas as you remember what a precious gift Christ's birth is to mankind!

 

 

Our Righteous Advocate

The other day, I came across this poem in the magazine, 'Current.' It's from the mid 1800's so it is in the public domain and I could not resist sharing. Wow!

Our Righteous Advocate

Father, I bring this worthless child to Thee,

To claim Thy pardon, once, yet once again.

Receive him at my hand, for he is mine.

He is a worthless child; he owns his fault;

Look not on him, he will not bear the glance;

Look but on me, I'll hide his filthy garments.

He pleads not for himself--he dares not plead:

His cause is mine--I am his Intercessor.

By that unchanged, unchanging love of Thine,

By each pure drop of blood I shed for him,

By all the sorrows graven on my soul.

By every wound I bear, I claim it true.

Father Divine! I would not have him lost;

He is a worthless child, but he is mine!

Sin hath destroyed him--sin hath died in me;

Satan hath bound him--Satan is my slave;

Death hath desired him--I have conquered death.

My Father, hear him now--not him, but me;

I would not have him lost for all the worlds

Which Thou hast long created for my glory,

Because he is a poor, a worthless child,

And all--his every hope--on me it lies.

I know my children, and I know him mine.

By all his tears he weeps upon my bosom,

By his full heart that beateth against mine,

I know him by the sign my children bear,

That trusting love by which he cleaves to me.

I could not bear to see him cast away,

Vile as he is! the weakest of my flock,

The one that grieves me most and loves me least.

Yes! tho' his sins dim every spark of love,

I measure not my love by his returns,

And though the stripes I send to bring him home

Should seem to drive him further from my arms,

Still he is mine! I lured him from the world.

He has no right, no home, but in my love.

Tho' earth and hell combined against him rise,

I'm bound to rescue him, for we are one.

Oh, sinner! What an Advocate is thine;

Methinks I see Him lead the captive in,

Poor, sorrowful, ashamed, trembling with fear,

Shrinking behind his Lord, accused, condemned,

Well pleased to hide the form himself abhors

With that all-spotless garment of his Friend.

But look! some secret impulse lifts his eye,

To see if love be mingled now with wrath,

If mercy beams upon the Father's face.

Poor sinner! read thy welcome in that smile,

And hear the Father's word to Him for thee:

"Take Thy poor, worthless child! I have forgiven."

-E. Berrill

"Don't Feel Sorry for Her..."

My husband and I took our four kids to Rona the other day to buy a new kitchen sink(!) and we were heading into line to pay for it. As our 7 week old was getting fussy, my husband gave me the keys and I headed to the vehicle, manuevering the 'cadillac' of a stroller around the others in line, and trying to keep my 4 and 3 year old from running out the door onto the street. After strapping three of them in, I plunked down in my seat and nursed the 7 week old, all the while fielding questions from my 4 year old. A couple of minutes later, my husband came to the vehicle, loaded the sink in the back, and sat in the driver's seat, waiting for me to be done nursing and changing another poopy diaper. He told me of a conversation he had had with the lady that was in front of him in line. Apparently, as I was heading out, she told him that she felt sorry for me for having four kids. My husband's awesome response was, 'Don't feel sorry for her--she's happy!'
I am. I am happy to be the blessed mother of four beautiful children. Children are not something to feel sorry about having--'blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.'
Yes, they fight, they make a mess, they wake up at crazy hours at night, they break things I once thought were precious, I can't do all the things I might have done if I didn't have them, and there are days where I have to remind myself that they are indeed a blessing. But, when I look to Christ, and remember how He loves us, how He lay down His life for us 'while we were yet sinners,' how can I not love the children God has given us? How can I not show my children that I love them, that I am indeed blessed, no matter how hectic or busy my day gets.
To all the mothers out there, whose 'hands are full' of little blessings, continue on! Look to our dear Savior for the strength and patience needed to raise these blessings in the fear of His name!