When a gift has your name on it you know its yours. So you wait with anticipation for the day you get to open the gift. Do you remember that when you were a kid? You couldn’t even sleep the night before, because you knew Christmas morning was the day. When the morning came you tore into the present like there was no tomorrow. So what do you do when theft to be had was salvation in Jesus Christ. The long awaited gift that has now been given to you. Are …

The word “Christmas” has become to offensive to many in this world. Why? Because it contains a reference to Jesus Christ. So the name of Christ must be removed. We can call it a happy holiday, but not Christmas. We can call it a winter break, but not Christmas. We can call it whatever you want, but don’t mention Christ, that is to narrow minded. Yet the United States claims to be over 85% Christian. I guess that is measured by what we call “new math.”

The depth of our Christianity …

There is hope for the grieving soul, for the lost and alone, the hurting and dead. This hope was promised several thousand years ago, and yet even today many miss it. If you are wondering what or who this hope is, the Bible declares just who HE is. The word of God to you declares that she (Mary) will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had …

Early Christians in the early days did not celebrate the birth of Jesus as an annual observance. Most Protestant churches did not begin celebrating Christmas until the 19th century. Now this does not in any way demean the importance of the birth of Jesus Christ, because it is something we should think about often (certainly more than once a year). After all, His birth was prophesied by…..

1. Isaiah – (Isaiah 9:6-7)
2. Micah – (Micah 5:1-5)

The significance of Jesus’ birth is that God has dwelt among men, and established His kingdom …

Simeon had been told that he would not die until He had seen the Lord’s Christ born into this world. But just who was this Baby? He is identified here as “the Lord’s Christ. Most would not understand such a magnificent truth, but Simeon did. Simeon understood Who He was – because the Holy Spirit was upon him. The shepherds knew Who He was because they were told. The angels in heaven knew Who He was because they saw what God had done, and were sent with the good news. But …

He calls us to be messengers of the gospel. But the struggle to share the gospel of Jesus Christ is real. It’s a very real spiritual battle that we fight because the enemy is always trying to shift our focus. Not everyone is going to celebrate what we are called by God to do. Not everyone likes the “good news!” Like many Christians before us, we may be ridiculed and slandered for our faith and message. And that is okay. Our suffering is nothing compared to how Jesus suffered for us. …

(Psalm 76:1)…..In Judah God is known;His name is great in Israel. So here is another Psalm – that declares the name of God as GREAT. Certainly it is declared in this passage that in Israel His name is great. How great is the name of God to us?  To you? – Individually? If His name is not great to us (that is – it’s not treated as great) – then why isn’t it? It is this name that we can call upon to save us (Psalm 5:11).

The name …

What is authentic faith? It is a holy hoping for the best? Authentic faith is the confident assurance in events not yet seen (Hebrews 11:1). Faith is not a call to believe in things when common sense tells you not to. Faith is not a mindless stab in the dark. It is not a crossing of the fingers and hoping for the best, and it is not a leap into apparent nothingness. It’s a word that speaks of reasoned, careful, deliberate, intentional thought. Thought upon what? God and his promises.…