Grateful, Thankful, Blessed

I am utterly thankful for the goodness and mercy of God. I have been granted a personal relationship with God through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus upon the cross. I speak with God on a daily basis and He answers, although not always in the ways I want or anticipate, and sometimes like a rebellious little child I put my hands over my ears to stop from hearing things I do not like or wish to obey. But, He always, always is there loving me regardless.

You see His love is not rooted in the things I do, or do not do, the boxes I check, the tasks I perform, or the sins I avoid. His love is rooted in the redemption and sacrifice He made through His Son to rescue humankind from sin and guilt. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:23-24, NIV)

It is because of this lavish gift of love, this undeserved redemption that I can now stand in the presence of God and commune with Him. I am washed clean of my sin by the blood of the Lamb, shed for me on the cross. It is not anything I have done, but what God has done for me that allows me access into His presence. Only by faith and repentance am I able to receive this wonderful gift. Only when my heart is pierced though, illuminated by the conviction of the Holy Spirit, that I can truly recognize how much I sin against God and others, and can stop justifying or making excuses for my sins.

Only when the morning rays of light reveal this glorious truth, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is not longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now life in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20, NKJV), can I step forward into this new life and rejoice that I am loved by God and have a home with Him forever. #givethanks

Hope for the Holidays

If Christmastime is leaving you forlorn and discouraged, remember Jesus didn't come just on one day two thousand years ago, but he comes as a living hope, each and every day of your life.  It is not that we rejoice in some distant and far away birth, but that we have within us his

spirit, his life, his hope, his love, and the reality of his presence.  

When you feel lonely and dejected turn to him, tell him all your troubles and all your cares.  Once you have told him, remember to “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7, NLT). Be sure to “give” your worries to him, then turn and walk away.  He will take care of them for you, but first you must let go of them in order for him to be able to take them.  Stewing and worrying over present circumstances without releasing them into his care only delays his work.  Trust, believe and wait…he is working things out according to his perfect plan and purposes.

Exercising patience is difficult.  Waiting involves trusting, and trusting involves faith.  Faith is believing that God can and will do everything necessary for you to experience joy and happiness. Sometimes your present path is rocky and it may feel dark and lonely, but God is with you, right beside you through it all.  

Remember the true meaning of Christmas is that God himself came into the world to bear our sins so that we could have a personal relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus.  It’s not about the presents, the family get-togethers, the parties or the mistletoe. Christmas is about you and Jesus. If you personally and experientially know Jesus as your Savior, you already have the most precious, valuable Gift in the universe.  Spread the news and be of good cheer!

"Do not be afraid, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

(Luke 10-11, NKJV)

 (I initially wrote this post for a different blog about 5 years ago.  Somehow it seems even more appropriate today.)