The Christmas message is about the birth of Jesus and Santa Claus in not a part of that message. I understand that they are trying to portray that it is the type of music that a Santa would listen to meaning it is safe and family friendly type of music. No swearing words or music you would have to worry about the lyrics that your family might listen to. Are people afraid to mention Jesus in a billboard? That is the heart of Christian music right? I guess I am a bit old fashioned when it comes to giving credit to where credit is due. We would not even have a Christmas if Jesus did not come into our world as an infant. He left the splendors of heaven to come to earth so He could set us free from bondage and the like. He did not stay an infant laying in a manger did He? No, He grew up and when the timing was right and He was to step forward in His calling and purpose on earth the ministry began in His life. Wonderful miracles too numerous to even all be listed in the bible were performed to bring hope to people that needed healing, deliverance and even to raise the dead to life again.
It is for nostalgia purposes I think that people like to still think of Him as an infant laying in the manger on that glorious night but don't leave Him there as a helpless child. He is the great I AM, the Alpha & Omega; the beginning and the end. He is the one that spoke to the winds that calmed the sea in the storm on the boat when the apostles were concerned about their lives in this storm. He called forth Lazarus from the dead and he came back to life. He fed thousands of hungry people when he turned the fish and bread into multiplicity to feed these people. He put the devil in his rightful place when He told him "It Is Written." He chose to take on the sins of humanity so we would not have to live in sin but be able to ask His forgiveness when we do sin and ask Him to cover it with the blood that He shed on Calvary to forgive our sins. The bible states that if we ask forgiveness through Jesus it is forgiven and forgotten as far as the east is to the west. That is a Jesus that is about love.
Christmas is all about love. It is not about the abundance of presents one spends multiple dollars on it is about the presence of God in your life. Presents are fun and it is fun to not only get them but fun to give them also. The greater present of all is the gift of salvation which is a free gift given to those that accept it from Jesus. This Christmas, may the best gift you receive is salvation in your life and heart. Why not step out on a fine line so to speak but for the gospel and inviting Jesus into your heart. Once you do that your life will become so much clearer and brighter if that makes sense. Peace in your heart seems to overspill on even the daily chores you encounter. Once you ask Jesus into your heart and life you will look at sunsets and the night sky filled with stars but see them in a more clear light if that makes sense. I remember hearing a preacher on a local radio station (not the one in the billboard advertisement though, I do not think they have preaching programs just listening music.) reminisce about when they gave their heart to Jesus and were filled with the Holy Spirit how everything just seemed so much crisper and brighter in their life. They looked at the same sun or sky but it just appeared brighter to them. That is what happens when you invite Jesus into your heart. The same old things you may have done out of routine seem to come to life or life is given to them. That Christian song you use to sing or hum to now has meaning in your life because you are actually experiencing it in your life now. One of my favorite things I enjoy now is singing a good old fashioned gospel hymn and experiencing the words as I sing the song. That is Jesus that touches your heart and causes one to live the words they use to just sing but now the words come to life in your life.
This same preacher reminded us to go back and visit the place where you invited Jesus into your heart. After I heard him mention that it has put a stirring in my heart to want to go back to the very location where I invited Him into my heart. That location is many miles away from where I live but if you should see one day a picture on my blog with an explanation you will know that I did re-visit the location. It will not be the exact location per say though, because I was on a lunch hour break sitting in a food court reading the book by Benny Hinn, "Good Morning Holy Spirit." I can still remember the tears in my eyes as I read the prayer at the end of the book. That book so impacted my life that I even purchased a copy of it and donated it to my local library back then. I do not even know if the food court is still the same at this location, that was years ago.
Remember when I showed you a picture of the area where Jesus healed me once? I love to drive past that area just to remind me of how real Jesus is if you allow Him to be in your life. I cannot forget the day when I was in so much pain and truly did not know how I was going to drive myself home I was over an hours distance drive away on highways from home. I literally cried out the name "Jesus" in my car and the pain lifted and I was fine and drove home just fine. That still touches my heart when I think of the love that He poured out on the cross just for us. He is not dead but very much so alive and call upon His name and let Him touch your life. I can look into a beautiful sky filled with stars on a crisp evening and see His beauty and look with wonder and amazement that those stars stay in the sky and that beautiful moon lights up the sky. I can see the blessings in each day. Can you see these things also?
Life is not going to be a piece of cake for you but with Jesus in your heart you will see the blessings in the day that will seem to outweigh the troubles in your life. When there is no one around to pray for you in the middle of the night Jesus is there. Ask Him to intercede for you or better yet ask him to speak to you through the word of God. I get some of my best direction when He speaks to my heart through scripture. Just yesterday I was laboring about something and how I wanted to send a correspondence with my thoughts in it and He directed me to scripture in Isaiah to read. I did not need to concern myself with the tone of the correspondence sent He assured me He will take care of it and send a cordial response. That is what I did. Trust in Jesus for He sees the grand picture when we can only see a tiny portion of it here and there.
May you have incredible peace in your heart and home this very day and remember the reason for Christmas. A Savior was born into our world to come and bring life to those that choose to call upon Him. I still remember the tender tears that filled my eyes when I invited Jesus into my heart. Do you remember when you invited Him into your heart? It is a good thing to reminisce about that moment in your life. Things may be hectic in your life right now but think back to what your life was really like before you invited Jesus into your heart and then it doesn't look so bad now does it?
One more thought to share with you. I went to look in Isaiah just now and I opened it up in my bible to Isaiah 55 and I was so blessed right now with what I found in my bible. I must have been reading this scripture to one of my children years ago for their notes are written with their printing in my bible. The scripture verse is Isaiah 55:11, " My word, which comes from my mouth, is like the rain and snow it will not come back to me without results, but will accomplish whatever I want and achieve whatever I send it to do." The notes printed in my bible are "Hi god I (heart symbol drawn) you, then a cross drawn with these words to follow, Send To The Nations." A little bit further down on the page they also printed these words "Praise God Mom."
No comments:
Post a Comment