Merry Christmas To You & Thank You Jesus!

It’s less than two weeks before Christmas and I’m taking a break in my workday to eat and to reflect.   I haven’t bought one Christmas gift and I still have plenty of work to do this week.   As I was talking to God about the best way to get it all done this feeling came over me.   It’s the same feeling that has been intensifying for the last two months now.   It’s an immense feeling of gratitude!  Merry Christmas & Thank You Jesus!

There are so many things still undone in my life.   Still so many problems I want God  & I to solve & fix!   So many things I still want & need.   So many things I still want to do.   So many people I still want to help.  But as I sit here with God all I feel is gratitude!   As I think about the true reason for this season,  I think of Jesus and what He came to earth to do.   I think of a God who loved me & you enough to send His son here to save our lives!   John 3:16 (cev) ¹⁶ God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.  Merry Christmas & Thank You Jesus!

Jesus saved our lives in so many ways! What ways you ask?  The act of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection saved you & I from the biggest thing – torture in hell & the ending of our very existence!  That’s the biggest one but there are a lot of smaller but also important things.  Jesus  saved me from the sting of my own mistakes; because I have made many & I am sure that I will make a few more.   Jesus saved me from the mental  demonic torment that like to follow us after we make mistakes.   Jesus  saved me from the pain of every attack that has ever come against me!   All of this frees me to love like Jesus and be loved by him.  I know you have your own list of things Jesus has saved you from.  Merry Christmas & Thank You Jesus!

I know this may sound like a cliché, but as a Pastor I see so many tortured souls who just want to be free to love and be loved in return, especially this time of the year.  Isn’t that why God sent Jesus anyway – salvation & deliverance? You & I both know how this time of year can be hard for people.   Look at all the warm & fuzzy commercials that talk of family, food & fun.  A lot of people don’t have that.  As a result, the rate of suicides, depression and other mental illnesses & demonic attacks occur at alarming levels.  Why do you think that is?   Simply put, the answer is this  – Satan doesn’t want any of us to be free enough to love and accept the love God has for us in his gift called Jesus!  Because even Satan knows that with the love of God comes His power & once we accept God’s love our lives will change for the better forever!  Merry Christmas & Thank You Jesus!

I decided many years ago to accept the gift of Jesus from God, and with all the things still not done yet in my life I have never regretted it.  This is not a religious thing, but I love thing!  God made a decision to love me and I decided as I got to know him to love Him back.  So far, God has never lied to me and has kept His word to me.  Isaiah 55:11 (cev) ¹¹ That’s how it is with my words. They don’t return to me without doing everything I send them to do.”  How many people in your life can you say that about?

So no matter where you are this Christmas season; whether you are with the people you love and who love you or whether you are by yourself, know that God does love you and He sent Jesus as proof of that love!  And if you are not a Christian like I am,  God loves you too and you are free to try out the God I know to see how it works for you. Don’t make it a deep religious thing, just talk to God and He’ll talk back to you.  You can start right where you are, right now, today.

I can say this – I am much better because of what Jesus did for me! My life is still great even though everything is not perfect because I’m free enough to receive Gods love and free enough to give it back to God and to you.

Merry Christmas & Thank You Jesus!