Making a Difference in your Life, in the Parts that are for Keeps!
“And they came with haste, and found . . . the baby Jesus.”
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The people in the Bible story knew it was more than a baby they were so eager to meet, and worship.
Have you met Jesus?
Is He more than a baby in your life at Christmas?
Jesus came to live, to love, to heal, to forgive, to die for our sins, to rise from the dead to seal our salvation.
Do you know Him?
Would you like to know Him?
Just talk to Jesus right now—tell Him you’re a sinner—and get right with God today.
As I watched a person in front of me insert his credit card into the machine at checkout, there was a problem with his pin.
He had to insert the card four or five times, and try a different pin.
I immediately saw a parallel, a connection, between the customer’s chip-card experience and the covid ‘vaccine.’
The card with an embedded chip is a wonder of ever-expanding technology.
And then it often doesn’t work the first time you try it.
BINGO !
The covid ‘vaccine chip’ was hailed as the answer to our problem with the ‘panic epidemic.’
Then, lo and behold, you have to try it again, with another shot—and again, with a booster—and again, with another booster—and . . .
And the virus and its creators laugh, and the human body of the victim cries—as the writing on the wall says, “REJECTED.”
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Those in power keep trying to condition us, and force us, and tell us we can’t live here on earth without it*.
The ONE in power tells us of severe, eternal consequences if we leave earth with it*.
*it—such a small word—such a small chip—such a simple shot—such an effective step toward control—such an amazing transition toward accepting total control—such a sudden comprehension that something could soon be inserted in our hand or forehead to mandate compliance for our very survival—such a reality check that 2000 years ago the Bible said we can’t go to heaven with IT.
“The first thing I’m going to ask Jesus, ‘Have you been here before?’ “—–Dennis Praeger (Jewish talk show host)
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Jesus’ answer, “BEEN THERE, DONE THAT ! And, I already told you.”
WHAT COULD YOU GIVE
JESUS THIS CHRISTMAS
(Jesus was born 2000 years ago, but He is not 2000 years old.)
A Trump second term, without revival in America, will only be another temporary reprieve.
Revival first, then God-fearing leadership, can bring America back, and Make America Great Again.
And revival means God’s people in America repenting for:
+ Serving money—focusing on unprecedented prosperity and what money can buy, and investing treasures on earth to save it and protect it, rather than laying up treasures in heaven by giving, to meet physical and spiritual needs now.
+ Losing saltiness—not living differently enough to make a difference in a decaying culture—fitting in to live comfortably, rather than paying the price for standing up against evil right away.
+ Hiding light—not speaking the truth, the light in the darkness around us—avoiding offense from telling what the Bible says—fearing becoming a target for persecution.
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The goal—boldness, to save a soul, anywhere, anytime.
The prayer—for boldness, to tell about Jesus, in freedom, or under tyranny.
The means—with boldness, by time on our knees.
Some things do not have to become antiques to reach their full value.
I thought of this when I woke up a few minutes ago, before I thought of anything about the new day.
I experienced a precious moment when something became instantly valuable, invaluable.
It was one of those rare moments (before I even opened my eyes) when my very first thought was to thank and praise God for the new day—and dedicate to Him everything about the day, before any of it happened or even crossed my mind.
How could the church hold people hostage for a thousand years, until Martin Luther rediscovered “faith alone” right there in the Bible all the time?
Answer—the church held the Bible FROM the people.
And we are so thankful that we can never make that mistake again. (?)
List three things in your life that bother you, that you wish would be different, better.
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Pause now, to firmly clarify them in your mind.
Pause.
Pause before reading on.
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That means stop for one minute.
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Now, can you say this, “God, what You have given me is not good enough.” ?
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Then, these things that bother you—is it the circumstances, is it the people, is it yourself, is it really the things that you complain about, or is it God?
Is God interested in hearing your complaints?
Is it that God doesn’t give answers and fix things to suit you?
Is it easier to complain to others around you than to God, honestly?
Does that satisfy, honestly?
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Repeat, “God, what You have given me is not good enough.”
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What if you tried the following for a week (write a daily record that confirms your commitment):
Every time you want to think or speak a complaint about your circumstances or people, write that complaint to God, on paper.
Down on your luck ?
Time for
Down on your knees !
Repentance cannot be easy, and forgiveness cannot be free.
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The emphasis in recent decades on forgiving yourself so you’ll feel better, and forgiving others who are not repentant, has cheapened the meaning of forgiveness.
Jesus clearly tells us to forgive someone who wrongs us and repents, even if it happens over and over, and He even declares that a prerequisite to God forgiving us.
But arbitrarily forgiving others without repentance, simply for our benefit, and working on forgiving ourselves after God has forgiven us, are recent man-made additions to theology, without Biblical basis.
This leads to multiple meanings for forgiveness, and confusion about our forgiveness before God.
+ One, as people are constantly told to forgive others unilaterally, many will think of God universally forgiving them likewise, without their specific, personal repentance.
Forgiveness is not forgiveness then—the two are not the same—it is something else, as shown by the numerous creative ways that modern psychologists and theologians each present their unique paraphrases, and call it forgiveness.
+ Two, forgiving ourselves is not in the Bible.
If we could forgive ourselves, then Jesus did not have to die for our sins.
If Jesus forgives us, then adding ‘forgiving ourselves’ means Jesus’ forgiveness wasn’t complete, which is really blasphemy.
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Forgiveness is not a mental activity or psychological maneuver—it is a spiritual transaction of the heart between two persons—one confessing a wrong done to the other (the sacrifice of humility), and the second accepting the cost of the wrong and no longer holding the wrong against the first.
Likewise, forgiveness before God requires humbly confessing to Him my spiritual bankruptcy, and accepting the extreme price Jesus paid for my sin, because He loved me so I can love Him—complete, finished, done, no additions, deletions, or corrections, ever, by me or anybody else.
That calls for shouting HALLELUJAH, THANK YOU, JESUS ! ! !
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Repentance cannot be easy, and forgiveness cannot be free.
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