The Holy One calls to me this morning. In the quiet of this time, I hear Him speak gently to my soul. "Perfect Love drives out all fear."
The Christmas countdown is underway. The clock is ticking and people are scrambling for the last minute perfect gift to give to those they love. The ads are everywhere I look, competing for the attention of the masses.
Christmas is the time for Christians in the Body of Christ to celebrate the perfect Gift that God gave the world: His only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ.
While the Gift of God's Son has been given to all the world, it is still the privilege and right of every person to accept or reject Him.
As we approach Dec 25th, the emotional stress seems to mount up and at it's fever pitch, it has even become a "war". However, for all Believers, the war over Christmas should be a signal to our minds that something is amiss.
God sent His one and only Son into the world that the world might come to know His perfect love. Instead we focus on our "right" to say "Merry Christmas" and boycott worldly stores that say, "Happy Holidays". We punish the world of non-believers with our power of the purse.
Jesus was sent to save the world not condemn it. John 3:16 is the verse we quote all year long until the lead up to Dec 25th. "For God so loved the world that He gave His One and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not sent His Son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world".
We need to take note that God did not send his Son to demand that the world say "Merry Christmas" to us in the market place. In fact God did not send His Son into the world to give Christians a reason or excuse to hate those who fail to recognize or or refuse to accept Jesus as their Christ.
God did sent His Son into the world to rescue and redeem all humanity and provide a way for each of us to be brought back into a personal intimate relationship with Himself, just like back in the Garden of Eden before Adam and Eve lost it.
The Holy One reminds me of His perfect love. The "perfect' love that God has for the world of men, individually and corporately, for we all are His handiwork and the unique image of Himself.
The war on Christmas has been called by the enemy of our souls.... AKA Satan or the devil.....or whatever one might call Heaven's arch enemy. He hijacked the day long ago to disturb the peace that Christ Jesus came to bring.
God's perfect love is revealed in His perfect Gift.
I John 4:19 NIV, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out all fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because He first loved us."
As I ponder the depth of that verse, I understand more of what the Holy One is trying to teach me. Apart from the Holy Spirit of Christ indwelling my "heart', my "core", I have no capacity to love. I can "love" only because He first loved me. Love is the fruit of His Spirit not my human heart.
Those who hate the Lord and take exception to my faith, are to be pitied not condemned by me. For there, but by the Grace of God, would I still be standing right alongside of them hammering the nails into His hands.
Even the things I interpret as their pride and arrogance and condemnation of my faith stems from a heart filled with the fear that I might be right.
God sees and knows the heart of all men. That is why He sent the "Perfect Gift" out of His heart of "Perfect Love". Jesus, God's Gift, was the very thing the world needed.
He was there before we ever knew Him, providing the very thing we needed the most.
And that is His Perfect Love. Let's all try to share that message this Christmas.
The Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?
The Christmas countdown is underway. The clock is ticking and people are scrambling for the last minute perfect gift to give to those they love. The ads are everywhere I look, competing for the attention of the masses.
Christmas is the time for Christians in the Body of Christ to celebrate the perfect Gift that God gave the world: His only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ.
While the Gift of God's Son has been given to all the world, it is still the privilege and right of every person to accept or reject Him.
As we approach Dec 25th, the emotional stress seems to mount up and at it's fever pitch, it has even become a "war". However, for all Believers, the war over Christmas should be a signal to our minds that something is amiss.
God sent His one and only Son into the world that the world might come to know His perfect love. Instead we focus on our "right" to say "Merry Christmas" and boycott worldly stores that say, "Happy Holidays". We punish the world of non-believers with our power of the purse.
Jesus was sent to save the world not condemn it. John 3:16 is the verse we quote all year long until the lead up to Dec 25th. "For God so loved the world that He gave His One and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not sent His Son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world".
We need to take note that God did not send his Son to demand that the world say "Merry Christmas" to us in the market place. In fact God did not send His Son into the world to give Christians a reason or excuse to hate those who fail to recognize or or refuse to accept Jesus as their Christ.
God did sent His Son into the world to rescue and redeem all humanity and provide a way for each of us to be brought back into a personal intimate relationship with Himself, just like back in the Garden of Eden before Adam and Eve lost it.
The Holy One reminds me of His perfect love. The "perfect' love that God has for the world of men, individually and corporately, for we all are His handiwork and the unique image of Himself.
The war on Christmas has been called by the enemy of our souls.... AKA Satan or the devil.....or whatever one might call Heaven's arch enemy. He hijacked the day long ago to disturb the peace that Christ Jesus came to bring.
God's perfect love is revealed in His perfect Gift.
I John 4:19 NIV, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out all fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because He first loved us."
As I ponder the depth of that verse, I understand more of what the Holy One is trying to teach me. Apart from the Holy Spirit of Christ indwelling my "heart', my "core", I have no capacity to love. I can "love" only because He first loved me. Love is the fruit of His Spirit not my human heart.
Those who hate the Lord and take exception to my faith, are to be pitied not condemned by me. For there, but by the Grace of God, would I still be standing right alongside of them hammering the nails into His hands.
Even the things I interpret as their pride and arrogance and condemnation of my faith stems from a heart filled with the fear that I might be right.
God sees and knows the heart of all men. That is why He sent the "Perfect Gift" out of His heart of "Perfect Love". Jesus, God's Gift, was the very thing the world needed.
He was there before we ever knew Him, providing the very thing we needed the most.
And that is His Perfect Love. Let's all try to share that message this Christmas.
The Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?
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