25 Days Of Christmas (Day 21: The Nice List!)

I wrote yesterday about the naughty list and how, according to the Gospel, each and every one of us start off on the naughty list and remain there until Jesus enters to the picture and captures our hearts!! By grace through faith in Christ, naughty people find themselves on the Nice List!!

But what exactly does the Nice List mean??

While there is not an actual "Nice List" per se', there is this book called the book of life in which every believers name has been recorded. The only way into this book is by grace through faith in Christ. You cannot DO anything or EARN your way into this book...Only Jesus can get you listed in the book of life and only through faith in Him...His perfect life...His perfect death...His resurrection...His victory over sin and death on our behalf...and His coming return!!

So what does it really mean?? This, for me, is THE amazing part of all that Christ has done and is doing on our behalf:

Being in the book of life (Nice List), which you ARE IN if you are a believer means that God now and forever looks at you as good!! God now and forever sees you as RIGHTEOUS!! PERFECT!! HOLY!! BLAMELESS!! WITHOUT FAULT!!

God - The Creator of ALL things - The One whose opinion matter most above all else including your own - God looks at YOU as a believer and sees you EXACTLY as He sees Christ!! You are hidden in Christ!! Christ is in you!! All by grace through faith in Him!!

Even the very second you are telling a lie God looks at you and says "RIGHTEOUS!" (Romans 5:1)

Even in that moment of anger God looks at you and says "RIGHTEOUS!" (Romans 8:1)

Even that moment when you are doing something absolutely vile and unspeakable, God looks at you and says "RIGHTEOUS!" (Hebrews 8:12)

Even that moment when _____________________ (I'll let you fill in the blank with whatever sins you think or do), God looks at you and says "RIGHTEOUS!!!!!" (Ephesians 2:13)

The list goes on and on as does the scriptures to support the fact that by His grace through faith in Him, God will only look at you as a righteous holy perfect and sinless child of His!!

As a believer, you and I (naughty sinful people) are on the nice list today all because of Jesus!! Let's celebrate THAT!!

"God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him." -John 3:17

"Love one another." -Jesus

25 Days Of Christmas (Day 20: Naughty List!)

The concept of a Naughty & Nice List is not far removed from the Jewish belief that God keeps a book in Heaven that records all your good deeds and all your bad deeds. The belief is that which ever outweighs the other determines your fate...

Many Christians believe that God keeps a list of deeds as well - And how you do on that list determines which rewards you will get in Heaven. While this subject is open to tons of speculation due to the vagueness of the scriptures, I love that no where in the New Testament is "REWARDS" (plural) used. It is always the singular word REWARD!!

Regardless...The truth of the Gospel is this: By grace through faith in Christ, completely naughty people like you and me find ourselves on the Nice List!!

"We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are." -Romans 3:22

How amazing that God sent His Son to be born in a manger...To live the perfect life...To die the perfect death...To be resurrected...So that any who believe are made completely and totally RIGHT with God!! So amazing!!

Merry Christmas!!

"Love one another." -Jesus

25 Days Of Christmas (Day 19: Jump For Joy!! Everybody Jump! Jump!)

I wanna start this note out with a warning that we will be talking about abortion. I know you might not THINK that subject belongs in the Christmas story, but honestly it's unavoidable...Plus I like that the Gospel is so clear on it. :)

So...Mary is having a baby!! This baby is Jesus!! She is amped up!! An angel had come to her and told her all this was happening AND included a nice little tidbit:

"Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month." -Luke 1:36

So Mary...Excited to rejoice with Elizabeth, travels to see her. Now...Not just travels...Mary - Teenage pregnant girl - WALKS almost a hundred miles through the heat to see Elizabeth!! Wow...We could all take a lesson on fellowship from Mary, eh?

Anwyay - So Elizabeth is doubly excited!! She is pregnant finally...But also, her husband is mute for a few months so the blessings of the Lord abounds in Elizabeths house!! :p

So Mary arrives and before they even get face to face, this happens:

"When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit." -Luke 1:41

How awesome is this!! Here is Elizabeth carrying a six month old John the Baptizer (No he wasn't baptist) in her womb and the minute he hears the voice of Jesus' mom, he starts leaping in the womb!! Leaping!! This 6 month old unborn child starts leaping for joy over Jesus months before He comes!!

Ok - Let's just put this out there: First, Luke is writing this (Hence the name of the book: Luke) and Luke is a medical doctor. Second, we clearly see that the baby in Elizabeths womb was active and responsive. Third, and best of all, Luke uses the exact same word to describe John the Baptizer in the womb of Elizabeth as he does when he speaks of the baby Jesus in the manger. He even uses the same word for toddlers later in Luke as the people bring their children to Jesus. Pre-Birth...Post-Birth...And even toddler age. Same word.

A baby in the womb is known by God just as John was. A baby in the womb is alive just as John was. A baby in the womb is human and valued by God just as John was.

Now...Depending on where you stand on this point, you're either mad or glad. My question is always: Did you develop your position on abortion from scripture? The answer to that question determines the legitimacy of your stance.

ANYWAY - I'll let you wrestle with that...Feel free to comment if you like. We can discuss. But more importantly (Yes...I know many Christians don't think there are things more important than abortion...But there is at least ONE thing)...Let's talk about Jesus!! We talk about celebrating Jesus at Christmas alot...And there are different ways to celebrate Him...But do you feel like John did when you think of Jesus coming into this world?? Do you leap for joy!! Does your heart leap for joy!! Do you just wanna JUMP!!

Man I do!! And...I do!! I think this is a mark of someone who truly grasps the amazing undeserved grace of God!! This amazing grace (Jesus) is for sinners like you and me. Maybe you've had an abortion...Jesus!! Maybe you have hatred in your heart for people who have had an abortion or doctors who perform them...Jesus!! Maybe you're a liar, a cheat, a gossip, a fornicator, a murderer, etc...Jesus!!

You see there are not different measures of Jesus offered by God - There is just Jesus!! God didn't draw a line on the sin scale and say "Those who do not sin past this point can have salvation." - No!! He said it's for EVERYONE who believes!! Jesus!! One sacrifice for ALL sin!! YES...Even yours!! :)

"For nothing will be impossible with God.” -Luke 1:37

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

"Love one another." -Jesus

25 Days Of Christmas (Day 18: Baby Daddy!)

Yesterday we spoke on God choosign to bring His Son into the world through an unwed teenage girl - Today let's talk about Joseph!

Can you imagine for a moment that your guy friend comes up to you and tells you that his fiance is pregnant and that they have never had sex?? What would your response be? I know what mine would be!! "Better kick that girl to the curb!"...Then of course: "Oh...REEEEAAAALLLYYY...She saying it's "God's" baby?? Seriously?? How big of an idiot does she think you are??"

I know - Not very gracious...Just honest. It hurts my heart a little that this would be my response and that instead of celebrating the coming of Christ into the world, I would be jeering at it and condemning it!!

Oh but it's worse for Joseph!! These were VERY strict times they were living in!! The religious elites carried the law around like a beat-down stick looking to pronounce judgement on any who disobeyed (very much like many religious elites today)...But in those days, adulterers and women who had sex outside of marriage got literal beat downs with stones. Remember..This was at least 30 years before the events of the adulterous woman and Jesus in John 8!!

Can you imagine the public pressure on Joseph?? Pressure from friends..family...church leaders...society in general!! I'm honestly not sure how a man doesn't cave under those circumstances!! And he DID cave somewhat...It says that Joseph was a just man so he had decided to divorce Mary quietly.

You see, Joseph had had an encounter with God. Sure he was a good Jewish boy before all this, but he had encountered God first hand:

"But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” -Matthew 1:20-21

You see, an encounter with God changes EVERYTHING!! An encounter with the Gospel changes EVERYTHING!! Here we read that Joseph not only encountered God through the angel of the Lord, but he is told the Gospel!! He is told the incredible GOOD NEWS that this baby will be named Jesus and that He will save His people from their sins!!

Two things:

1 - Most importantly, THIS message that Joseph received is what we celebrate at Christmas!! That Jesus came not to simply live a good life or teach good things or perform some miracles or to show us how to live...No, He came to live the life we couldn't live and die the death we all deserve to be resurrected and defeat death on our behalf so that through belief in Him we have peace with God forever and ever!!

2 - If that message causes you to celebrate then you have encountered God at some point and you can also celebrate this Christmas that encountering God changes everything!! Let's celebrate that Jesus came to Earth so that we might encounter Him!!

"Love one another." -Jesus

25 Days Of Christmas (Day 17: Baby Mama Drama!!)

I love all of the many crazy aspects of the Christmas story!! God coming as a wiggly little baby...God born in a barn...Lowly shepherds being the first called to see the King...But one of the craziest aspects is the virgin birth!!

You know the story...Mary...This teenage virgin girl...Is chosen by God to be the birth mother of Jesus. We've heard the story so much that we almost just think this story is normal...But it is anything but normal cause our God is far from normal!!

Do me a favor...Think of the most Jesus loving teenage girl you know. She loves God. She's a "good girl". She cares for others and has a great heart for both God and people. She is young and innocent and sweet. She is adored by the people in the church. She sings and helps out and volunteers etc.

If you have someone in mind, good. Now - Imagine her coming forward pregnant. Imagine her trying to explain that it is not her boyfriends baby. Imagine her trying to explain to everyone that God came to her and that the child she is carrying is the coming of the Messiah.

Now imagine the churches response...Imagine the towns response...Imagine your response...

You see, we've heard the story so much that we assume that we would just be cool with it and celebrate it...But we ALL know that there would be no celebration!! There would be sneering and accusations and assumptions and doubt and ridicule and gossip...LOTS of gossip!! She would be hidden away by family. She would be barred from singing and volunteering at the church. She would immediately go from being the great Jesus loving girl to the newest town harlot.

All this because God chose her to be something incredible - The mother of Jesus!!

Three things I love about this part of the story:

1 - God chose Mary. She didn't ask for it nor earn it...He chose her. You and I can make all the claims we want about US coming to Christ or about US finding Jesus or about US giving our lives to Him...But the truth always has been and always will be that HE CHOSES US!!

2 - I love that there was all kinds of drama around the birth of Jesus!! I love that there was gossip and lies and scandal!! I love that this EXTREMELY religious culture looked down on the way God chose to bring in His Son with scowls and doubt and denial and contempt!! It sets the stage perfectly for how Jesus will be received in His ministry as well by the Jewish people at large. It also reveals each of our hearts toward God before He chose us!!

3 - I love that this story is yet another example of God and His glorious love of saving sinners!!

"And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God." -Luke 1:30

I love that the angel calls her specifically by name and tells her not to be afraid...Not just in that moment, but ever...Don't be afraid EVER!! Why?? Here's the coolest part to me....Why?? Because she had found favor with God!! Literally translated, favor means GRACE!! The angel told Mary to not be afraid because she had found GRACE with God!!

How are you and I saved?? Ephesians 2:8 says that every person throughout the history of creation (including you and me) have been saved the same way: BY GRACE!!Let's celebrate the truly amazing grace of God this Christmas!!

"Love one another." -Jesus

25 Days Of Christmas (Day 16: You, Me, & The Shepherds...Part 3!!)

We've talked about a few aspects fo the shepherds in the Christmas story...About how they were the low class people, yet God called the first to see the new born King!! Also about how they were the least religious...Yet God called them first and not the priests!!

The other thing that trips me out about the shepherds in the Christmas story is that here are a bunch of low class, disrespected guys who didn't go regularly to the temple out in the fields watching over the sheep outside of the holy city...Sheep that would be used in large part for the sacrifices of sins at the temple in Jerusalem!!

Did you catch that?? Here are shepherds watching over the sheep that would be used in the temple as sacrifices for the peoples sin...And they are called to be the first ones to see the One sent into this world to be THE sacrifice for ALL sin!! (1 John 2:2)

How crazy is that??? God rawks!!No wonder the shepherds excitedly hurried to see the this little naked squiggly baby - God with skin on - Jesus!! Where they dropped down and worshiped Him!! Then jumped up and ran out to tell EVERYONE!!

"After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child." -Luke 2:17

This Christmas, let us celebrate the birth of the One who would die for ALL sin and be resurrected in triumph over death!! Let us do so just as the shepherds did: Seeing Jesus!! Worshiping Jesus!! Telling EVERYONE about Jesus!!

"Love one another." -Jesus

25 Days Of Christmas (Day 15:Getting Is Better Than Giving!!)

I know that everyone says this time of year that it is better to give than to receive...But in the case of humanity and the Gospel, that is reversed...And we should celebrate this!!

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." -Isaiah 9:6

Notice that Jesus is not simply born...He is GIVEN!! Given to live His perfect life! Given to die His perfect death for sin! Given to raise from the dead three days later conquoring death!! Given to be our mediator!! Given to be our Savior!!

Given for the Gospel: Jesus lived a life we could not live (a sinless life), He died a death we should have died (a sinners death), He rose to give us a life we could never have otherwise (resurrected life), and He alone is the way, the truth and the life – the only way to God.

So...In the case of Christmas...It truly is better to receive than to give!! Believers Rejoice!!

"Love one another." -Jesus

25 Days Of Christmas (Day 14: You, Me, & The Shepherds...Part 2)

Yesterday we spoke on the shepherds in the Christmas Story, but I wanted to follow it up with another look at these least likely candidates for the Good News of Christs birth...

The Jews came from a long history of great shepherds...Abraham...Isaac...Jacob...David...These are superstar names in Jewish geneology!! These are names that any Jewish person (then or now) would be absolutely proud of...Yet for some reason shepherds were now looked down on. Wonder why??

Like us, the Jewish culture and the religous Jews of the time had forgotten that these great men of their lineage were all just lowly shepherds and flawed men...And instead focused on their great and holy deeds!!

So it had to be quite the smack in the face when the first people to hear about Jesus were these dirty, nasty, unclean shepherds!! These shepherds who were never in the temple or practicing the required rituals to be holy before God since their jobs kept them out traveling all the time. These shepherds, who had bad habits and bad reputations. What a smack in the face indeed!!

How dare God choose to reveal His coming to them!!!

*** Lord protect us from this mindset today as the Gospel is preached and carried forward under Your command by Your grace through a generation of young people that most everyone has discounted, discarded, and talked down to. Lord protect Your shepherds of this generation as they do things much differently than us...And protect our hard judgemental hearts from missing all You have to say through them. Let us (the older generation) fund them...Not fuss about them as they share Your Gospel with the world.***

Anyway - Can you see what is happening through the shepherds in the Christmas story?? God is using the coming of Jesus being revealed to the unreligious low class people as a fortelling of exactly what Jesus will do through His ministry and death at the cross. This same contempt that the religious people had for shepherds, they will have for The Shepherd Jesus...And for many of the same reasons: He doesn't fit the mold. He doesn't look the part. He doesn't suck up to the right people. He's unclean because He doesn't perform the rituals and traditions. Etc, etc.

And many will simply miss Him all together. Those who think they are "healthy" do not need a doctor.Take a moment this Christmas and be a shepherd. Purposely and intentionally take off your mask for people to see just who you are, trusting that Jesus loves you and came for you and died for you all the same...Flaws and alls!!

One of the greatest gifts the Christmas story brings to our generation of believers and church goers (not always the same thing) is the removal of requirements in order to be loved by God FULLY and UNCONDITIONALLY in every way through every second of every day!!! Enjoy that gift today!!

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God," -Ephesians 2:8

"Love one another." -Jesus

25 Days Of Christmas (Day 13: You, Me, & The Shepherds!)

I love the story of the shepherds in the Christmas story simply because they were the least likely people to be associated witht he coming of God into the world. Shepherding was not an esteemed job. You didn't aspire to become a shepherd and nor was your family particularly proud of you being a shepherd. The work was dirty. The hours terrible. The pay even worse. They were essentially the lowest working class people in the area...

I simply LOVE that the Good News of the coming of Christ was first shared with these people of poor reputations and low stature and menial work and lowest of incomes!! What an amazing symbol it is of exactly what Christ came to do and what He did throughout His tme here...Eating with the lowlifes!! loving the outcasts!! Hanging out with the degenerates!! Healing the sick!! Finding the lost!! Saving the sinners!!

Basically loving us.

Sure Jesus also spent time in the synagogues and speaking to the religious as well....Just as God eventually revealed the birth of Christ to the wise men...But it was the shepherds who got the Good News FIRST!!

Rejoice today in being a shepherd!!

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night." -Luke 2:8

"Love one another." -Jesus

25 Days Of Christmas (Day 12: Peace Treaty!!)

"Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased." - Luke 2:14

I love the story that is told from 100 years ago in World War I about two companies of soldiers...Enemies fighting one another...Each side entrenched (literally) and fighting for ground daily. Dead bodies of friends being taken away each day...Friends murdered by the other side.

As the story goes - A true story btw: "It was a series of widespread but unofficial ceasefires along the Western Front around Christmas 1914. In the week leading up to the holiday, Germanand British soldiers crossed trenches to exchange seasonal greetings and talk. In areas, men from both sides ventured into no man's land on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to mingle and exchange food and souvenirs. There were joint burial ceremonies and prisoner swaps, while several meetings ended in carol-singing. Men played games of football with one another, giving one of the most enduring images of the truce." -Wikipedia

I love this story and I love how representative this is of the Christmas story!! Look around you this season...Look around you this Sunday...You will find yourselves surrounded by people that you probably would have NEVER been friends with in a million years...Yet through the coming of Christ and His life, death, and resurrection...You call those people...Much more than friends...They are brothers and sisters!! Jesus builds relationships where they were previously implausible if not impossible!! And, unlike the Christmas Truce referenced above where they resumed fighting the next day...These relationships forged by Christ are eternal!!

But, there is SO much more!! Check this out:

While these earthly relationships are fine and dandy...The true miracle lies in the fact that God made peace with us!! Even more shocking is that He walked across the battle lines...Not meeting us in the middle for we were no more able to walk ourselves than we are to ascend to Heaven on our own...He walked across the battlefield, jumped down into our trenches, sought us out, picked us up from our filthy mess and hugged us - All through a little naked squiggly cute little baby in a manger in Bethlehem!!

"For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son." -Romans 5:10

What an amazing Lord we serve!! What a seemingly scandalous and crazy love He has for His people!! What amazing grace!!

"Love one another." -Jesus

25 Days Of Christmas (Day 11: Merry Xmas!!)

MERRY Xmas!!!! I know...I know...It's not popular!! Actually...Truth be told...Xmas is despised and hated within the Christian community almost more than satan himself!! Even non-christians like myself (almost 6 years ago) do not use Xmas, partially due to social stigma...But mainly I didn't use Xmas because I felt like it was a good deed every time I did not (and Lord knows I needed all the credits I could get).

"Look God...Hope You're paying attention as I write out the entire word CHRIST (no...not gonna capitalize it, that makes me look like a spiritual weirdo)...I'm writing out Christ (much better) in Merry Christmas on all the Christmas Cards to my employee's for Christmas.". So with teeth gritted and knuckles white...cursing all the way...answering the phone every now and then to collect loan shark money or arrange drug drops/meets...I was keeping "Christ" in Christmas!!!

Then...When I became an actual Christian...It really meant something!! Man...That next Christmas I wrote cards to friends and family...I JOYFULLY wrote CHRIST every single time!! I do it today still!! I LOVE IT!! It's a celebration!!! Y'all think I use a ton of exclaimation points now??? Wooooooooooooooo!!! Nothing like writing "MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!"

I was so caught up in it that first year...naive little Christian that I was...That I was totally missing the all important, overwhelming, Christ-shadowing epidemic of "Xmas"....Dun. Dun. DUNNNN!!!! My eyes were opened to this movement of Anti-X Christian Activists...These christ followers who were hell bent of making sure no one EVER used Xmas!!! Their numbers were massive and their rally cry was catchy: "Keep Christ in Christmas!!"......I was appalled at their rough, rude, and crude tactics of pushing this holier-than-thou "I'm better than you for spelling out Christ instead of using X" stance on the public at large (still am)...As if the public at large was the greatest threat to the Church...Or as if the public at large had intentionally targeted them personally with a giant X!!

So I studied the origin of Xmas. Maybe I was wrong!! Maybe fighting for Christmas instead of Xmas WAS more important than actually celebrating Christ coming to Earth through loving each other unconditionally...Even for just a couple weeks of the year...Maybe we actually SHOULD be getting mad at people for wishing others to have a HAPPY HOLIDAY (how dare them!) or for doing something detestable like writing a nice letter of love and appreciation & signing it "Merry Xmas"!!

It took me about 20 minutes (mainly because I needed to verify all my facts) to find the answers I was lookiing for. Turns out that Xmas has been used for hundreds of years. The reason "X" is always capitalized is because of the extreme importance, prestige, and honor that it carries!! You see, "X" is the root word for Christ in the Greek (Χριστός) and actually "X" was a common substitution by church fathers such as Eusebius, Athanasius, St. Augustine, Spurgeon, Calvin, Luther, and many more. Oh...Also: "X" was the earliest form of the cross...Signifying calvary where Christ died for all sin!! (Yes ALL sin...Free Gift of Amazing Grace...But hey, let's not lump two things hated by large numbers of Christians together...I'll stay on point. :p)

SO...Not only does Xmas keep Christ in Christmas...It honors Him by actually capitalizing His name AND it refers to the cross where He gave the greatest gift ever...His life for ours!!! (John 15:13) By the way...Here's a list of MILLIONS of people (many profess to love Christ) refusing to keep the English/Greek word "Christ" in Christmas...In case any Anti-X Christian Activists reading this need more people to scorn!! :)

Afrikaans: Geseënde Kersfees
Afrikander: Een Plesierige Kerfees
African/ Eritrean/ Tigrinja: Rehus-Beal-Ledeats
Albanian:Gezur Krislinjden
Arabic: Milad Majid
Argentine: Feliz Navidad
Armenian: Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Azeri: Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
Bahasa Malaysia: Selamat Hari Natal
Basque: Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
Bengali: Shuvo Naba Barsha
Bohemian: Vesele Vanoce
Bosnian: (BOSANSKI) Cestit Bozic i Sretna Nova godina
Brazilian: Feliz Natal
Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat
Bulgarian: Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo
Catalan: Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!
Chile: Feliz Navidad
Chinese: (Cantonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Chinese: (Mandarin) Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
Choctaw: Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito
Columbia: Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
Cornish: Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
Corsian: Pace e salute
Crazanian: Rot Yikji Dol La Roo
Cree: Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
Croatian: Sretan Bozic
Czech: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
Danish: Glædelig Jul
Duri: Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak
Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast
Eskimo: (inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
Esperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon
Estonian: Rõõmsaid Jõulupühi
Ethiopian: (Amharic) Melkin Yelidet Beaal
Faeroese: Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!
Farsi: Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
Finnish: Hyvaa joulua
Flemish: Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
French: Joyeux Noel
Frisian: Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!
Galician: Bo Nada
Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!
German: Fröhliche Weihnachten
Haiti: (Creole) Jwaye Nowel or to Jesus Edo Bri'cho o Rish D'Shato Brichto
Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka
Hebrew: Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
Hungarian: Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket
Icelandic: Gledileg Jol
Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal
Iraqi: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit, or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat
Iroquois: Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.
Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie
Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Jiberish: Mithag Crithagsigathmithags
Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Lao: souksan van Christmas
Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
Latvian: Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!
Lausitzian:Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto
Lettish: Priecigus Ziemassvetkus
Lithuanian: Linksmu Kaledu
Low Saxon: Heughliche Winachten un 'n moi Nijaar
Luxembourgish: Schèine Chreschtdaag an e gudde Rutsch
Macedonian: Sreken Bozhik
Maltese: IL-Milied It-tajjeb
Manx: Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa
Maori: Meri Kirihimete
Navajo: Merry Keshmish
Norwegian: God Jul, or Gledelig Jul
Occitan: Pulit nadal e bona annado
Papiamento: Bon Pasco
Papua New Guinea: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
Pennsylvania German: En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
Peru: Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo
Philippines: Maligayang Pasko!
Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie
Portuguese:Feliz Natal
Pushto: Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha
Rapa-Nui (Easter Island): Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua
Rhetian: Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn
Romanche: (sursilvan dialect): Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!
Rumanian: Sarbatori vesele or Craciun fericit
Russian: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
Sami: Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Sardinian: Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou
Scots Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil huibh
Serbian: Hristos se rodi.
Singhalese: Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Slovak: Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok
Slovene: Vesele Bozicne Praznike Srecno Novo Leto or Vesel Bozic in srecno Novo leto
Spanish: Feliz Navidad
Swedish: God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År
Tagalog: Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon
Trukeese: (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
Thai: Sawadee Pee Mai or souksan wan Christmas
Turkish: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Ukrainian: Srozhdestvom Kristovym or Z RIZDVOM HRYSTOVYM
Urdu: Naya Saal Mubarak Ho (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Vietnamese: Chuc Mung Giang Sinh
Welsh: Nadolig Llawen
Yoruba: E ku odun, e ku iye'dun!

As for me...I'll keep on saying, writing, emailing, txting, shouting, etc: Merry CHRISTMAS!! Not out of obligation to social stigma or some white-knuckled law-driven practice, but because I simply LOVE that God loved us first and in such an enormous way that He sent His son to die so that we could live eternally with Him!! THAT IS JESUS...THAT IS GOD'S AMAZING GRACE!!!!!

So...Keep Jesus Christ in Christmas by showing the same underserving and completely overwhelming vehement GRACE that you have been given...to those around you...Your neighbors...Unconditionally!!

"Love one another." -Jesus

25 Days Of Christmas (Day 10: Bad Christmas?)

Yesterday we talked about missing Christmas due to being so busy. Today I wanna talk about another way we might "miss" Christmas: When times are bad.

Having not been a Christian for most my life, I can tell you that there have been some seemingly BAD Christmas seasons in my past. Overworked, under paid, relationship strains, illness, death and more.

One of the problems in the Christian world is that we have been sold a false bag of goods stating that Christmas is the most wonderful time of year due to decorations and gifts and songs and eggnog and other stuff. We've bought into this lie so hard that we impose being joyous and happy and cheerful on others almost without thought!! I mean...IT'S CHRISTMAS afterall!!

Here's the problem with thinking that Christmas is supposed to be (or was always) such a happy time...It's just not true!!

Two teenage kids pregnant traveling by donkey.
No room at the inn.
Giving birth in the barn.
Filthy shepherds crowding all around you to see the baby.
So drummer boy showing up wanting play on his drums...REALLY?? Okay that pat is not biblical, but moms...Can you imagine your response to some kid banging on a drumset after you've given birth???

But how about this consequence of Christmas:

"Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men." -Matthew 2:16

Well Merry Christmas!!

"Hey mom and dad who just had their infant son slaughtered months after Jesus' birth last year...Smile!! Merry Christmas!!"

Can you see how that might be a struggle?? I can. Now...To be fair, no kids are getting dragged into the street by the government and killed...In our country at least...But waht about those with family members dying or having passed in the last year?? What about those that have been unemployed or those that simply are lonely.

Christmas can be a very bad time of year in those circumstances...IF...IF...IF we lose sight of the Gospel and the fact that God is holy and perfectly good. The fact that He is in complete and total control. The fact that He is the point of both the Christmas story and everything else before and after it.

And...The fact that we are not.

I'm not attempting to trivialize those who are hurting...Quite the opposite actually...I am both highlighting that there are those suffering in the season AND - more importantly - Highlighting the solution to any and every pain out there...Jesus!!

So if you are struggling this season for any number of reasons, know that this season is just for you. The amazing thing about Christmas is that it is the gift that gives us tangible cures to suffering - God with skin on - Jesus!! Look to Him right now. Kneel before Him now. Surrender that hurt and heartache now.

I often wonder how many of those poor families of the children slaughtered all because of the first Christmas joined the faith and followed Jesus...The very reason that their little baby son, nephew, grandson, or brother died. Only faith in Jesus as the Messiah...The King...God could have allowed moving through suffering of that nature.

Surely it can help us as we move through the suffering in our lives as well.

"Instead, be very glad--for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world." -1 Peter 4:13

"Love one another." -Jesus

25 Days Of Christmas (Day 9: Miss Christmas??)

This Christmas will be what it is every year in many ways. It will be extremely busy...Over commercialized...Stressful at times...Panicky at others. Emotions will flow from all of us ranging from frustration to anger to concern to worry. And all of this...We hope...Will be interrupted by little pockets of joy and reminders of just why we are doing all that we are doing.

We see this exact thing happening in Luke 2: "And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn." -Luke 2:7

Apparently they had gone to the inn...A place that was packed out with people...And yet the innkeeper and people there turned them away. Now...I don't imagine the innkeeper or the peole there being mean or hard hearted. They were probably very distraught over having to send a young pregnant gorl and her husband away...But they were "busy". They had their own things going on. Their own business to run. Their own families to tend to. Their own agendas and schedules to keep. So Joesph and Mary leave the inn and settle in a manger where Jesus is born.

Do you see what I see (pun intended)?? I see a large group of people in Luke 2:7 who completely missed the most amazing birth EVER!!

I don't want to be in that group this year!! I don't want my family to be in that group this year!! I don't want YOU to be in that group this year!! I've spent far too many years in that group...Busy as I can be...Hoping for small moments of joy...Meanwhile missing the incredible joy that is Christ throughout it all!!

So...How do we not miss Christmas?? It's so simple really...

We simply look to Jesus.

I know! I know! I see the looks on peoples faces enough to know exactly how your face looked when you read that!! The slight eye-roll. The exhausted sigh. The groan at the seeming ambiguity of the statement. Hold on - Listen/Read me out here:

We all want a list. We love a list!! We all, by default, want something we can DO!! We all want to bring a birthday gift to Jesus...Even if we know He already has EVERYTHING!! We just want to do SOMETHING to be symbolic if nothing else!! But one of the characteristic themes in the coming of Christ is that we did not and can not DO anything to deserve or warrant it!! He did not come to give us a list!! He did not come to meerly instruct us...He came FOR US!!

So - Join me and my family this year in not missing Christmas!! Look for Jesus!! Be reminded of Jesus!! Talk about Jesus!! Dance because of Jesus!! Sing because of Jesus!! Love because of Jesus!! Do everything with the mindset that it is ALL because of Jesus!!

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us." -Hebrews 12:2

"Love one another." -Jesus

25 Days Of Christmas (Day 8: His Peeps!!)

No...I'm not talking about the assualt of those gross little Easter candies on our beloved Christmas which has, before now, been a holiday reserved for holy and delicious chocolate candy. While everyone's been focused on "Saving Christmas", those diabolical Peeps people have started wiggling their way into Christmas!! Seriously...I'd be fine with candy Peeps genocide. Anyway...On to todays note:

There is this crazy verse in Hosea 2 where God speaks of the coming of Christ and the mission of Jesus nearly a thousand years before He came!!

Here's a quick backstory:

Hosea is the prophet of God. God speaks to Him and let's him know that he is to go and marry, but this wife of his WILL leave him at some point and will turn to a life of prostitution!! Hosea is then to go find her...Buy her back...Re-Establish her as his wife...All this to mirror the seemingly scandalous and crazy love of God for His people that He would track them down in the midst of their rebellion against Him in order to save them!!

It's really a crazy cool story!! Hollywood!! Stop making Noah movies and remake THIS story!!

Anyway - So God is talking to Hosea and He is referencing His love and pursuit of His people...The Jews (an absolutely beautiful set of verses we will talk about another time)...But then He flips the script and says this:

"I will say to Not My People: You are My people, and he will say, “You are My God.” -Hosea 2:23

That verse right there should make your heart sing if you are a believer!! This is God revealing His perfect plan that He's had since the begining to include us outcasts and rebels who were born wrong in His Kingdom!!

This is God looking at depraved sinners like you and me who cannot even go a second without sinning (try it...then read Isaiah 64:6)...This is God looking at us in all our mess, muck, and mire and saying "I CHOOSE YOU!!!" (Romans 5:8)

And please...Notice the order...The divine order: He calls us. He claims us. THEN...We claim Him!! Oh yeah, and in case you missed it: All commanded by Him!!

As we continue to celebrate this Christmas season, let us rejoice in the fact that God chose to include us in the grand plan!! Jesus came so that we might be with Him!! Through the coming of Jesus, we have been given access and ownership over an inheritance that is not rightfully ours!! You and I, through faith in Jesus, are now called HIS PEOPLE!!

"Love one another." -Jesus

25 Days Of Christmas (Day 7: Pa Rum Pum Pum Pum)

I have heard the song "Little Drummer Boy" for a long time...But honestly I have never truly listened to it. All I have ever known was the "Pa Rum Pum Pum Pum" part!! However, this past week I have begun actually listening to it and the Gospel message it shares. Here's the lyrics:

Come they told me - Pa rum pum pum pum
A new born King to see -Pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring - Pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the king - Pa rum pum pum pum,rum pum pum pum,rum pum pum pum
So to honor Him - Pa rum pum pum pum
When we come

Little baby - Pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too - Pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring - Pa rum pum pum pum
That's fit to give our King - Pa rum pum pum pum,rum pum pum pum,rum pum pum pum
Shall I play for you - Pa rum pum pum pum
On my drum

Mary nodded - Pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time - Pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him - Pa rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him - Pa rum pum pum pum,rum pum pum pum,rum pum pum pum
Then He smiled at me - Pa rum pum pum pum Me and my drum

So many of the great things we celebrate about Christmas are found right here in this simple song!!

"Little baby I am a poor boy too..." - The fact that God put flesh on and came to Earth is astounding. I mean, had He come riding a bolt of lightning leaving a trail of diamonds or in a chariot of fire pulled by majestic pegasus...pegasuses...pegasi...Unicorns it would have still been amazing that even chose to come AT ALL!! Yet, He comes as a baby in a cave surrounded by animals born to a working class family with no fanfare to be seen!! Amazing!! That's our Savior!! (Luke 2:1-7)

"I have no gift to bring that's fit to give our King..." - Ever thought about what you and I actually bring to the table of God?? Sure some will say they gave their lives over to Jesus and others will say that they have dedicated years of service to God...But does not our lives, our years, our stuff, our everything already belong to the God of the universe through whom and for whom all things were created?? We bring nothing. Zero. Zip. Nada. Nothing to His table because we don't have anything fit for our King who already owns everything!! Let's celebrate that we didn't DO anything to entice Jesus to come for us so we cannot do anything to make Him leave us!! (John 1:3)

"I played my drum for Him. I played my best for Him..." - The little drummer boy was a drummer. That's all. He was apparently created to drum, so what he did was all he could do...And that was drum on his drum!! Here's a point worth celebrating - You have been created by our holy and perfect God to be YOU!! He loves YOU!! Heck...He even likes YOU!! Be YOU!! (1 Corinthians 10:31)

"Then He smiled at me..." - This has to be the single BEST part of the song!! Picture little baby Jesus smiling!! Now...I know you've probably seen some cute babies. If you're a parent, then you might have seen the cutest baby in your life. But I have to believe Jesus was the cutest baby of all time!! Can you imagine Him smiling up at you from that little cradle in the manger?? Silly little toothless baby grinning at you for just being yourself and loving Him!! (John 3:16)

Now imagine Jesus - Fully grown in Heaven smiling at you. I know...It's harder to imagine. Not sure why, but it is...Yet no matter how hard it is to imagine, it's entirely 100% true!! Jesus IS smiling at you as a believer!! Let's celebrate the joy of Jesus and how He was completely happy to leave Heaven and come to Earth in crazy circumstances...Live the perfect life...Die the perfect death defeating sin for us!! It was his pleasure to do ALL of it!! Let's celebrate the joy of Jesus!! (Philippians 2:5-11)

Now...This is just a song. It's not historical. It's barely even plausible...Yet so much great Gospel truths reside in it. But do not take my word for it (never take a speaker or writers word for anything...We all have an agenda)...Read for yourself!! (Matthew 4:4)

"Love one another." -Jesus

25 Days Of Christmas (Day 6: Jesus Family Reunion)

One of my favorite things about the beginning of the Jesus story (Matthew and Luke) is that they start with the geneology of Jesus, tracing the family trees of both Joseph and Mary all the way back. All kinds of people are on the list as the grandparents and great grandparents of Jesus...David, Abraham, Jacob, Judah, Solomon, Boaz, Rahab, Joseph, etc...All the known and tons of relatively unknown folks.

Here's why I like this: Every single one of the people listed in the geneology of Jesus is a terrible sinner destined for Hell outside of God's grace and intervention!! None of them deserve to be there!! This starting point of showing how our perfect Savior comes from a long line of sinners, sets us up for the crazy story of His birth in the least likely of places, surrounded by the least likely people, at the least likely time, in the least like manner, all for the least likely people.

So today let us celebrate simply this about Christmas...We sit at the table of God as His children with a bunch of wretched sinners just like us...Including the direct biological descendants of Jesus Himself!! All saved by His grace through faith in Him!!

"Love one another." -Jesus

"The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez was the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram. Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon. Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David the king. David was the father of Solomon by Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa. Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah. Uzziah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah. Josiah became the father of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. After the deportation to Babylon: Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor. Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud. Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations." -Matthew 1:1-17

"Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melki, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josek, the son of Joda, the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melki, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon,d the son of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Kenan, the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God." -Luke 3:23-38

25 Days Of Christmas (Day 5: Saving Christmas??)

So I woke up this morning reading about how the new Kirk Cameron movie "Saving Christmas" has officially been ranked by IMBD as the single worst movie of all time and I thought THANK GOD!!

Not because I have any ill will towards Cameron...Nor because it matches up to todays note...Soley because the title of that movie and the movement of some to "Save Christmas" annoys me to no end!!

Quick reminder:

"And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." -Matthew 1:21

"But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children." -Galatians 4:4-5

"God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him." -John 3:17

"The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free," -Luke 4:18

We have never needed to save Christmas. We need to be saved from ourselves!!

Thinking that we must "Save Christmas" in any way takes our eyes off the fact that Christmas came to save us!!

Now..Wanna fight socially for the term "Merry Christmas"...Go for it. Wanna argue for nativity scenes to be displayed on government property...All you. Wanna bash people for not believing the same way you do through guilt and condemnation...Not okay, but I can't stop you.

However - Please, literally for the love of God, stop claiming it as "Saving Christmas"!! Christmas doesn't need you or I. We need Christmas!!

And here's the greatest news of all: We have Christmas!!

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." -Isaiah 9:6

"Love one another." -Jesus

25 Days Of Christmas (Day 4: His Endless Mercy)

Day 4 in our 25 Days Of Christmas, I want us to go to Lamentations 3:21-24...

"But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him.” -Lamentations 3:21-24

One of the single most seemingly absurd and scandalous truths of God is that His mercy is never ending!! Limitless!! Inexhaustible!! There simply is not depth so deep or height so high to outreach or outstretch the grace of God!!

Many people think this is how God became after the death of Jesus and that He was completely different in the OT. They see God, before Jesus, as a harsh and cruel Overseer scowling at humanity with an itchy trigger finger on the "Lightning Bolt Button" and a gruff "Make My Day" look that would make Dirty Harry look like hister-skinny jeans-turtle neck wearing worship pastor.

Yet this amazing set of verses highlighting the amazing mercy of God towards His people is found in the Old Testament!! Not only that, it's found in one of the more depressing times of the OT when His people have been particularly disobedient!! Yet still, God is shown to be infinitely merciful and gracious!! God has always been infinitely merciful and gracious from start to finish!!

So what...How does this relate to Christmas?? How do these old verses relate to Jesus being born??

Jesus being born was God's amazing mercy and grace incarnate!! He was here!! He was with us!! He was touchable and seeable and could be heard and even smelled (I bet Jesus smells good btw)!! He was "REAL"!! He was Immanuel meaning "God with us".

The game-changer is this:

Because Jesus came..Because He was born a baby in a manger...Because He grew up fully man and fully God...Because He lived the perfect life and died the perfect death for sin...Because He became Immanuel...We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Lamentations is true...His mercies never come to an end!! His love knows no bounds!! He is completely faithful!!

Today let's celebrate the promise that Christmas brings!! Let's celebrate the fact that God is with us!! Let's celebrate that through Christ we have living proof that God's mercy and grace have no bounds!! Let's celebrate the fact that even in our circumstances and sinful nature, Christ came and lived and died for us...And it all started with Christmas!!

"Love one another." -Jesus

25 Days Of Christmas (Day 3: Plan "A" Christmas)

Continuing in celebrating the story of Christmas, let's go to Genesis 3 today!! You might know this story...God has created Adam and Eve. They have been told that they can do ANYTHING they want, except they could not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (interesting that it is not just the tree of evil eh? That's another note for another time).

So...The serpent appears and convinces Eve to eat the fruit, telling her that she could be like God! She then convinces Adam...And they eat. In that moment, their eyes open and sin enters into creation. Things go sideways...Fast!! God comes through the garden. They hide. He calls them out. Then they have a very interesting conversation where God...In His first recorded conversation with us...God speaks of Jesus!!

"The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” -Genesis 3:14-15

"He shall bruise your head..." God said to the serpent...The enemy...The devil himself. God is fortelling of how thousands of years later, a baby would be born in a manger...He be God with skin on...He would live the perfect life...The enemy would seek and claim victory over Him through His perfect death on the cross...Only for the enemy to have that victory snatched from his grasp three days later as the Offspring came back from the dead conquering sin, death, and the enemy all in one fell swoop!! Jesus!!

"Because God's children are human beings--made of flesh and blood--the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death." -Hebrews 2:14

"He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him." -Colossians 2:14

But wait!! There's more!!

Notice the amazing grace of God in this first story of mankind in the bible and how He relates to us!! Adam and Eve were told ONE THING to not do...ONE!! Yet what do they do?? They rebel against God!! They do the ONE THING they have been told not to do...Yet look at God's response!!

God seeks them out...Just as He does us.
God speaks to them...Just as He does us.
God disciplines them (Earthly consequences)...Just as He does us.
God provides for them (even in their disobedience)...Just as He does us.
God directs them...Just as He does us.

This is all a foreshadow of what God is doing through Jesus thousands of years later as well. Jesus did not come because we deserved it...He came in the midst of our rampant disobedience by the great grace of God!!

"The first Adam ventured up into the “realm of things above” and brought death. The second Adam ventured down into the “realm of things below” and brought life." -Gerhard Forde

So as we celebrate Christmas this year, let us celebrate the fact that even in the fall of man, God prepared the way for salvation through Christ!! Even in our defiance and rebellion, God saw fit from the beginning to send us a Savior...His Son...God Himself...Jesus, not as Plan B or on the spot or as a last resort...From the beginning He gave us Jesus!! Our only means of redemption, hope, and salvation!! What a great love indeed!!

If that doesn't make you shout Merry Christmas, nothing will!!

"Love one another." -Jesus

25 Days Of Christmas (Day 2: Breath Of Life...)

So yesterday we talked about Jesus being God and therefore being around before the beginning of everything (John 1:1-3). Today we will journey back to Genesis 1 & 2. You probably know the story of creation...How God (Father, Son, & Spirit) created light and mountains and water and everything else...But have you ever looked at when He created man? Like specifically...It's fascinating!! Check this out:

"Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." -Genesis 1:26

Like, I know you've heard it before, but read it with your name in there: "Then God said, "Let us create _____ in our own image, after our likeness." Wow!! That is pretty freaking awesome!! But here's where it gets even cooler:

God has been speaking all these things into creation...Light, water, mountains, canyons, planets, moons, stars, galaxies, animals, gnats...Well, I'm not convinced those didn't come after the fall...But here God is creating EVERYTHING...Things we look at pictures of and stand in awe of...And after every single one He says that God saw that it was good. He saw that it was GOOD!!

Yet when He creates man...You and I...In His image...He looks over all that He created and see's that it is VERY GOOD!!!

Do you realize the importance you carry in God's eyes?? Do you realize His immense love for you and I?? It is SO deep that He proclaims that our creation improves ALL of creation from good to VERY good!! What a crazy love He has for us!! And I'm not just talking to believers here...It's for EVERYONE!!

So...Uhhh...Isn't this supposed to be about Jesus?? Yes!!!

"then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature." -Genesis 2:7

So here is the LORD God (Father, Son, Spirit) breathing life into the nostrils of man for the first time. It says specifically that this is when man became a LIVING creature!! Since we know from yesterdays note that all things were created solely through Jesus and He is as part of the Trinity breathing life into man for the first time...Long before He would proclaim:

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." -John 14:6

So as we enter into this time of celebration, let us remember today what we are TRULY celebrating!! Not only God Himself coming to Earth, but also His specific mission: Not to make bad people good...To make dead people alive for His glory!!

He's been the source of that life since the VERY beginning!! You matter to Him!! He's gone out of His way to love you and I with a love that seems crazy and scandalous and extravagent beyond measure...Yet to Him...He is just God being God. Let's celebrate THAT!!

"Love one another." -Jesus

25 Days Of Christmas (Day 1: In The Beginning...)

So here is the idea: Let's do 25 short Christmas stories from the bible leading up to the birth of Christ!! Here is Day 1:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made." -John 1:1-3

In order to truly tell the Christmas story...The story of Jesus...Then we must start at the beginning (or at least at the earliest point we can get to)!! Now you might think that the earliest point in the Bible is Genesis 1:1, but actually these verses speak of time BEFORE that!!

John writes that in the beginning was the Word. Notice the capital "W" there. The "Word" here is Jesus, as John will later explain in John 1:14. So...In the beginning was Jesus!! He was with God and He was God!! And ALL things were created through Him!! And nothing could be made without Him!!

Notice that God the Father did not simply create Jesus before creation, nor was Jesus created at the time of creation...Jesus has always been and will always be God. Since the beginning...Long before creation in Genesis 1:1...Jesus has been. Notice: "All things were made through Him". So...Before anything was made...Jesus was there because nothing can be made without Him!!

So - As we celebrate this amazing time of year where we highlight the coming of our Lord and Savior, let us begin by remembering that He did not simply come on a starry night 2,000 years ago, but that He has always been and will always be!! He is God!!

"Love one another." -Jesus