Tuesday, December 15, 2009

The Most Important Gift of All


God is Gracious

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16

The birth of Jesus Christ is the most significant event in the history of mankind, splitting history into BC and AD.  His birth represents a new beginning and hope for our future.  Jesus came to forgive us and free us from our sin.  And in doing so, He made the way for our eternal salvation. 

This year, let us look past the pile of packages, Santa and his sleigh, Rudolph and Frosty the Snowman to see the true meaning of Christmas -- celebrating the birth of Jesus.  When we focus on God’s precious gift to all people, His Son Jesus, we can experience heavenly peace, unconditional love, and complete joy without exchanging a single store-bought gift.  Throughout this Christmas season, may we keep our focus on Jesus, our Lord and Savior.  Merry Christmas!

Then the angel said to them, “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 city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  Luke 2: 10-11

Because God is Gracious, He gave us His beloved Son Jesus.
 

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Thanksgiving


God is Ever Present


I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.  Psalm 69:30

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday – a time for reflection and for spending time with friends and family, a time to give thanks for all the blessings we have in our life. Too often though, the holiday brings busyness, preoccupation with year-end expectations and demands, concerns over family dynamics, anxiety and stress.  We sometimes find ourselves without a moment of peace and look forward to getting back to our usual routine. 

With Thanksgiving now behind us, how about taking this moment to consider all that we are thankful for? Not only little things but the big things as well --we live in a free country, we are the richest nation in the world, we are highly educated…We also have a God who loves us, oh how He loves us!  His grace and mercy are always there for us to receive when we turn to Him.  In fact, each day can be full of thanksgiving as our Heavenly Father pours out His blessings on us, His beloved children.

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 1 Timothy 4:4

Because God is Ever Present, everyday is a day of thanksgiving.