artwork2copy-6

(UPDATED 12/29/14) Regardless of what side of the issue you may be on concerning celebrating or not celebrating Christmas, if you have been born again from above by the Spirit of God, please ‘make the most of this opportunity’ for God; this Christmas share the gospel with a friend or family member who does not truly know Jesus Christ, and please do it “with gentleness and respect” and in a way that will not only honor God, but also in a way that will reach someone and not repel them. Remember that ‘we are fighting a spiritual battle;’ it’s not you against Aunt Adelaide or Uncle Ubert (and, yes.. Ubert is actually a name), so don’t expect people to always be receptive to what you have to say.

Sometimes we think we have failed even though we have earnestly prayed for our loved ones and shared the gospel with them using many Scriptures as we did, trusting that God would open their minds to the truth. When it seems as if the words we spoke didn’t penetrate their heart, and we are left with the thought that the seeds we planted were simply cast to the wind, we grow discouraged and frustrated. It’s times like this that we must remember that salvation is a miracle of God from start to finish; we are the ones who simply step out in faith and plant the seeds by speaking the truth to them in love, and then God uses someone else to come along to water the seed. It’s God alone who gives the increase. Just be faithful to speak the truth in love, and trust God who loves them even more than you and I do, to do the work in their hearts that only He can do.

I have so much more that I’d like to say, but today is a day to spend with family and friends, so I will have to end now.

No matter where you stand on celebrating Christmas or not, if you are a true follower of Jesus Christ  take time out to express your appreciation to God for His greatest gift and the willingness of Jesus to enter our fallen world and to willingly die for our sins.

Merry Christmas from me to all of you! Thank you for your encouragement and your desire to stand with me to earnestly contend for the faith!

RELATED SCRIPTURES FOR YOU TO REFLECT ON

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” ( 2 Corinthians 9:15)

“He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God–children born nor of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (John 1:10-13)

“For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God.” (1 Peter 1:23)

“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God…” (1 John 5:1)

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” (1 Peter 3:15)

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Colossians 4:2-6)

“Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”               (Ephesians 6:11-13)

“Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:45)

“What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe–as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, only God who makes things grow.”                             (1 Corinthians 3:5-7)

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seeds for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My Word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:9-11)

“The reason My Father loves me is that I lay down My life — only to take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from My Father.” (John 10:17,18)

“First He said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them” (although the law required them to be made). Then He said, “Here I am, I have come to do Your will.” He set aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10:8-10)

Thank you for stopping by from time to time to read my posts and poems! God bless you!

LORD WILLING, COMING SOON (BY DECEMBER 31st):

POEM — ‘CHRISTMAS REFLECTIONS’