What is Love?

What is love?      God is love!      Here are a few ways that, His love is shown through us.

John Unger cradles his 19-year-old dog Schoep to sleep every night in Lake Superior so the buoyancy of the water can sooth his arthritic pain.

 

 

One time the power went out, and all our food spoiled. Because my parents were tight on money between paychecks, my family of six decided to go to Subway because we had enough rewards points that everyone could have a free sandwich. After placing our order, the woman behind the counter said that we couldn’t use the points because the system hadn’t restarted following the outage. My dad was getting us all back in the car, without food, when a stranger came out with a bag full of sandwiches. He told my dad that he had been in our shoes before and just wanted to make sure a family didn’t go hungry.

 

A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!!!

I am always on the outlook for things that, I think that the readers would enjoy, and tells the story of our great Creator. Here are a couple short stories that convey the way that I feel about Jesus. Hopefully you will feel the same.

You are cordially invited to
A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!!!

Guest of Honor: Jesus Christ

Date: Every day. Traditionally, December 25 but He's always around, so the date is flexible....

Time: Whenever you're ready. (Please don't be late, though, or you'll miss out on all the fun!)

Place: In your heart.... He'll meet you there. (You'll hear Him knock.)

Attire: Come as you are... grubbies are okay.

He'll be washing our clothes anyway. He said something about new white robes and crowns for everyone who stays till the last.

Tickets: Admission is free. He's already paid for everyone... (He says you wouldn't have been able to afford it anyway... it cost Him everything He had. But you do need to accept the ticket!!

Refreshments: New wine, bread, and a far-out drink He calls "Living Water," followed by a supper that promises to be out of this world!

Gift Suggestions: ; Your life. He's one of those people who already has everything else. (He's very generous in return though. Just wait until you see what He has for you!)

Entertainment: Joy, Peace, Truth, Light, Life, Love, Real Happiness, Communion with God, Forgiveness, Miracles, Healing, Power, Eternity in Paradise, Contentment, and much more! (All "G" rated, so bring your family and friends.)
R.S.V.P. Very Important!

He must know ahead so He can reserve a spot for you at the table.

Also, He's keeping a list of His friends for future reference. He calls it the "Lamb's Book of Life."

Party being given by His Kids (that's us!!)!

Hope to see you there! For those of you whom I will see at the party!

A BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS STORY

A BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS STORY

About a week before Christmas the family bought a new nativity scene. When they unpacked it they found 2 figures of the Baby Jesus. "Someone must have packed this wrong," the mother said, counting out the figures. "We have one Joseph, one Mary, three wise men, three shepherds, two lambs, a donkey, a cow, an angel and two babies. Oh, dear! I suppose some set down at the store is missing a Baby Jesus because we have 2."

"You two run back down to the store and tell the manager that we have an extra Jesus. Tell him to put a sign on the remaining boxes saying that if a set is missing a Baby Jesus, call 7126. Put on your warm coats, it's freezing cold out there."

The manager of the store copied down mother's message and the next time they were in the store they saw the cardboard sign that read, "If you're missing Baby Jesus, call 7126." All week long they waited for someone to call. Surely, they thought, someone was missing that important figurine. Each time the phone rang mother would say, "I'll bet that's about Jesus," but it never was.

Father tried to explain there are thousands of these scattered over the country and the figurine could be missing from a set in Florida or Texas or California. Those packing mistakes happen all the time. He suggested just put the extra Jesus back in the box and forget about it.

"Put Baby Jesus back in the box! What a terrible thing to do," said the children. "Surely someone will call," mother said. "We'll just keep the two of them together in the manger until someone calls."

When no call had come by 5:00 on Christmas Eve, mother insisted that father "just run down to the store" to see if there were any sets left. "You can see them right through the window, over on the counter," she said. "If they are all gone, I'll know someone is bound to call tonight."

"Run down to the store?" father thundered. "It's 15 below zero out there!"

"Oh, Daddy, we'll go with you," Tommy and Mary began to put on their coats. Father gave a long sigh and headed for the front closet. "I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered. Tommy and Mary ran ahead as father reluctantly walked out in the cold. Mary got to the store first and pressed her nose up to the store window. "They're all gone, Daddy," she shouted. "Every set must be sold."

"Hooray," Tommy said. "The mystery will now be solved tonight!"

Father heard the news still a half block away and immediately turned on his heel and headed back home. When they got back into the house they noticed that mother was gone and so was the extra Baby Jesus figurine. "Someone must have called and she went out to deliver the figurine," my father reasoned, pulling off his boots. "You kids get ready for bed while I wrap mother's present."

Then the phone rang. Father yelled "answer the phone and tell 'em we found a home for Jesus." But it was mother calling with instructions for us to come to 205 Chestnut Street immediately, and bring three blankets, a box of cookies and some milk. "Now what has she gotten us into?" my father groaned as we bundled up again. "205 Chestnut. Why that's across town. Wrap that milk up good in the blankets or it will turn to ice before we get there. Why can't we all just get on with Christmas? It's probably 20 below out there now. And the wind is picking up. Of all the crazy things to do on a night like this."

When they got to the house at 205 Chestnut Street it was the darkest one on the block. Only one tiny light burned in the living room and, the moment we set foot on the porch steps, my mother opened the door and shouted, "They're here, Oh thank God you got here, Ray! You kids take those blankets into the living room and wrap up the little ones on the couch. I'll take the milk and cookies."

"Would you mind telling me what is going on, Ethel?" my father asked. "We have just walked through below zero weather with the wind in our faces all the way."

"Never mind all that now," my mother interrupted. "There isn't any heat in this house and this young mother is so upset she doesn't know what to do. Her husband walked out on her and those poor little children will have a very bleak Christmas, so don't you complain. I told her you could fix that oil furnace in a jiffy."

My mother strode off to the kitchen to warm the milk while my brother and I wrapped up the five little children who were huddled together on the couch. The children's mother explained to my father that her husband had  run off, taking bedding, clothing, and almost every piece of furniture, but she had been doing all right until the furnace broke down.

"I been doin' washin' and ironin' for people and cleanin' the five and dime," she said. "I saw your number every day there, on those boxes on the counter. When the furnace went out, that number kept going' through my mind. 7162 7162. Said on the box that if a person was missin' Jesus, they should call you. That's how I knew you were good Christian people, willin' to help folks. I figured that maybe you would help me, too. So I stopped at the grocery store tonight and I called your misses. I'm not missin' Jesus, mister, because I sure love the Lord. But I am missin' heat. I have no money to fix that furnace."

"Okay, Okay," said father. "You've come to the right place. Now let's see. You've got a little oil burner over there in the dining room. Shouldn't be too hard to fix. Probably just a clogged flue. I'll look it over, see what it needs."

Mother came into the living room carrying a plate of cookies and warm milk. As she set the cups down on the coffee table, I noticed the figure of Baby Jesus lying in the center of the table. It was the only sign of Christmas in the house. The children stared wide-eyed with wonder at the plate of cookies my mother set before them.

Father finally got the oil burner working but said, "You need more oil. I'll make a few calls tonight and get some oil. Yes sir, you came to the right place", father grinned. 

On the way home father did not complain about the cold weather and had barely set foot inside the door when he was on the phone. "Ed, hey, how are ya, Ed?" 

"Yes, Merry Christmas to you, too. Say Ed, we have kind of an unusual situation here. I know you've got that pick-up truck. Do you still have some oil in that barrel on your truck? You do?" 

By this time the rest of the family were pulling clothes out of their closets and toys off of their shelves. It was long after their bedtime when they were wrapping gifts. The pickup came. On it were chairs, three lamps, blankets and gifts. Even though it was 30 below, father let them ride along in the back of the truck. No one ever did call about the missing figure in the nativity set, but as I grow older I realize that it wasn't a packing mistake at all.

Jesus saves, that's what He does.

Amen!!             Ain't our Jesus Awesome!!

What are you waiting on?

There have been times, in my life that, I dreaded the Christmas season. You may be wondering; how can a Christian, a child of the most high God, even get close to these feeling, which I am speaking over. Like many of us real children of God, I had trouble grasping the reality of God, as a Father, especially the Father that He was to me.

I really need to confess the power that, I allowed Satan to have in my life. He had me thinking, and feeling the same way, about Father God, as I felt about my biological father. I stayed scared to pieces over my father, for many years. I asked Jesus to Save me, at the age of seven, which I believe that He did. I grew as a child grows in the Lord until the age of sixteen, or seventeen, then Satan hit me hard at church one morning, and it almost wrecked my eternity.

The great thing was that my eternity didn't belong to me, or Satan. That simple prayer that I prayed at the age of seven, turned my eternity over to my Father God. I had avoided the presence of God, for twenty more years though. I done things that were so despicable, in my lifestyle, that I am still ashamed to confess them to the general public.

Father knows the wickedness that I have done, and all that I drag along with me. I have confessed my sins to my Lord, and Savior Jesus Christ, and I have done my best to repent of them. (1^st John 1:9) This is not about me. The only part that I have in any of this is being the recipient of Grace and Forgiveness. I do make a fine example, of a sinner in the need of a Savior.

Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Power Is what the Word of God is made up of; raw power. Who else has ever been able to speak to the elements of the air, and planets come together in formation? Who else has ever had the power to speak the Words to accomplish what-so-ever that He pleases, and prosper the thing where He did send it?

Psalms 48:1 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness

I know that I am not the only person that the Lord has worked mightily in my life. The Bible is full of common, everyday folks just like we are, and their lives we worked in the same. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised!! How much praise is the Lord worthy of receiving? According to the Word of God, He is worthy of an eternity of praise, and that is what that He will have, after we begin to live within His Heavenly home.

This last session of praise will be, by invitation only. Holy Spirit is sweeping through the hearts, of those that qualifies for forgiveness. We were all born in this world already fully qualified. All it takes is to be born in sin, and not to have called, on the name of Jesus, for forgiveness of our sins. Jesus paid the price of our sin. It took a blood sacrifice. It took a life. It took the love, of the Son of God, to bring us back into the presence, of the Father.

This is the true meaning of Christmas. It deserves much more respect than Happy Holidays. It truly would take an act of God, to create a day worthy of saying Merry Christmas. The Spirit of Christmas which is Jesus Christ started something worth celebrating, in every country around the world. Nobody has been omitted, from the love of God. The love of God is not prejudice against any culture, or any people. We are all welcome, and if we are all welcome........What are you waiting on?

….Much Love

Christmas is for Love

'Christmas is for love' is a short story that Will and Guy have found on the internet and we would like to share it with you, the author remains unknown.  It is not funny but is worth reading when considering what the Christmas message means to each of us as individuals.

Christmas is for love.  It is for joy, for giving and sharing, for laughter, for reuniting with family and friends, for tinsel and brightly covered packages.  But, mostly Christmas is for love.  I had not believed this until a small elfin like pupil with wide innocent eyes and soft rosy cheeks gave me a wondrous gift one Christmas.

Matthew was a 10 year old orphan who lived with his aunt, a bitter, middle aged woman greatly annoyed with the burden of caring for her dead sister's son.  She never failed to remind young Matthew, if it hadn't been for her generosity, he would be a vagrant, homeless waif.  Still, with all the scolding and chilliness at home, he was a sweet and gentle child.

I had not noticed Matthew particularly until he began staying after class each day [at the risk of arousing his aunt's anger so I learned later] to help me straighten up the room.  We did this quietly and comfortably, not speaking much, but enjoying the solitude of that hour of the day.  When we did talk, Matthew spoke mostly of his mother.  Though he was quite young when she died, he remembered a kind, gentle, loving woman who always spent time with him.

As Christmas drew near however, Matthew failed to stay after school each day.  I looked forward to his coming, and when the days passed and he continued to scamper hurriedly from the room after class, I stopped him one afternoon and asked him why he no longer helped me in the room.  I told him how I had missed him, and his large brown eyes lit up eagerly as he replied, 'Did you really miss me?'

I explained how he had been my best helper, 'I was making you a surprise,' he whispered confidentially.  'It's for Christmas.' With that, he became embarrassed and dashed from the room.  He didn't stay after school any more after that.

Finally came the last school day before Christmas.  Matthew crept slowly into the room late that afternoon with his hands concealing something behind his back.  'I have your present,' he said timidly when I looked up.  'I hope you like it.'  He held out his hands, and there lying in his small palms was a tiny wooden box.

'It's beautiful, Matthew.  Is there something in it?' I asked opening the top to look inside.  'Oh you can't see what's in it,' he replied, 'and you can't touch it, or taste it or feel it, but mother always said it makes you feel good all the time, warm on cold nights and safe when you're all alone.'
I gazed into the empty box.  'What is it, Matthew' I asked gently, 'that will make me feel so good?'
'It's love,' he whispered softly, 'and mother always said it's best when you give it away.' He turned and quietly left the room.

So now I keep a small box crudely made of scraps of wood on the piano in my living room and only smile when inquiring friends raise quizzical eyebrows when I explain to them there is love in it.
Yes, Christmas is for gaiety, mirth, song, and for good and wondrous gifts.  But mostly, Christmas is for love.

What Manner of Love

I find it very strange the different attitudes that, I go through as a child of God, and follower of Jesus. The more that I get to know about my Savior, the more that I change. It is no secret or great mystery that I have cancer of my colon. I have made that fact well known, ever since I found out, in the month of July. I will not say that my God has given me that disease, because that would be against His very nature. I know for a fact that He has allowed that disease to enter into my body. I also know that there is a reason, for me having it. I am still clueless to the reason why.

I find that it is a privilege to share this part of my life, with the world, and especially with the other children of God. I can find nothing glamorous about having cancer. I also find nothing good to say about it, because it is truly a very painful ordeal. The best that I can tell about cancer is the fact that, it really doesn’t seem to strike two people in the same way, and the treatment varies, from person to person. 

I don’t understand how the ones that don’t worship my Lord have any kind of support system. Jesus is the anchor in my support team. Actually as far as I can tell He has set my little group in place. First off the church that I am recently a new member of has a small group of really loving people. They have taken to me, in a way that I really don’t understand. I know that it is the love of God that causes it to be that way. 

The thing that I find to be truly amazing is just how many of them have been through the cancer ordeal. My sister has had trouble with her colon, and went through a process that they say might be worse than the chemotherapy, which most cancer victims experience. Most of us have a real hard time tolerating the effects of the chemo, and my case has been no different. I have been wishy-washy about taking the chemotherapy. Do you understand what I am saying?   There is a verse in the Bible about my actions.

James 1:8  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. 

James, are you saying that you have been double minded, and unstable? The Word of God said it first, and I was just the living example. There is no shame in admitting when we are wrong. If we don’t, or can’t admit when we are wrong, then it is an issue of pride. When we admit our wrongs it set us up for a much greater blessing. 

 1John 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

I know there is only one good thing that this cancer has caused in my life. It has drawn me closer to Jesus. That is a very good thing!! I need a stronger relationship with the Lord. I can’t speak for anybody else, but I believe that we all could use this kind, of a blessing. Most of us don’t realize who Jesus is, or what His reason for being, on the earth anyway. Please allow me to share a verse, which should make His mission clearer.

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

This verse shows us several things about Jesus Christ. The first being how good, and kind that He is those who don’t know Him. He also makes it very clear that He knows what that He is doing, and where that He is going, while making the offer to get us there. He is the way, and the only way. He is the truth, and that makes all other ideas, from mankind a lie. When He says that He is the life that is a very strong statement, and is backed up by His life. As Christians we find that we have no life outside of Jesus. 

The last part of this verse is just as important, as any other part, or section of this verse.       If we have Jesus, then why would it be important to come, unto Father God?         Is it not enough simply to latch on to Jesus and live?      That is not why that we were created to begin with. We were created to be a part of, and have a relationship, with the entire trinity of God. There is a verse, in the Gospel of John, which states the great love that, the Father has for us.

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

Jesus is speaking about the Father in this verse. The world that He loves is not the land, animals, oceans, nor any particular part of the world, other that the Human beings that were created, in the image, of the Father. (Genesis 1:26-27) Father gave the best that He had to offer, so that we might believe, and enter in to a relationship with Him. A relationship that guarantees us to never to worry about again while on the earth, and a beautiful existence for all eternity.

Why do I have cancer?   Not a clue!!  If it has taken my cancer to draw me closer to my Lord, then it is well worth the situation.   Ain’t God Awesome?

             ….Much Love

A Simple Christmas Story

Long ago, about 2000 years, when King Herod ruled Judea (now part of Israel), God sent the angel Gabriel to a young women who lived in the northern town of Nazareth. The girl's name was Mary and she was engaged to marry Joseph.

The angel Gabriel said to Mary: 'Peace be with you! God has blessed you and is pleased with you.' Mary was very surprised by this and wondered what the angel meant. The angel said to her 'Don't be afraid, God has been very kind to you. You will become pregnant by the Holy Spirit and give birth to a baby boy and you will call him Jesus. He will be God's own Son and his kingdom will never end.' Mary was very afraid but she trusted God. 'Let it happen as God chooses.' She replied to the angel. Gabriel also told Mary that her cousin, Elizabeth who everyone thought was too old to have children, would have a baby boy whom God had chosen to prepare the way for Jesus.

Mary said goodbye to her family and friends and went to visit her cousin Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah. Elizabeth was very happy to see Mary. She knew that Mary had been chosen by God to be the mother of his Son. An angel had already told Zechariah that Elizabeth's baby would prepare people to welcome Jesus. He was to be called John. Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then returned home to Nazareth.

Joseph was worried when he found out that Mary was expecting a baby before their marriage had taken place. He wondered if he should put off the wedding altogether. Then an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said: 'Don't be afraid to have Mary as your wife.' The angel explained that Mary had been chosen by God to be the mother of his Son and told Joseph that the baby would be named Jesus which means 'Saviour' because he would save people. When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel had told him to do and took Mary as his wife.

At this time, the land where Mary and Joseph lived was part of the Roman Empire. The Roman Emperor Augustus wanted to have a list of all the people in the empire, to make sure they paid their taxes. He ordered everyone to return to the town where their families originally came from, and enter their names in a register (or census) there. Mary and Joseph travelled a long way (about 70 miles) from Nazareth to Bethlehem, because that is where Joseph's family came from. Most people walked but some lucky people had a donkey to help carry the goods needed for the journey. Joseph and Mary travelled very slowly because Mary's baby was due to be born soon.

When they reached Bethlehem they had problems finding somewhere to stay. So many people had come to register their names in the census, that every house was full and every bed was taken in all of the Inns. The only shelter that they could was a stable or cave with the animals. In this poor place Mary gave birth to Jesus, the Son of God. In those days it was the custom to wrap newborn babies tightly in a long cloth called 'swaddling clothes'. Jesus' bed was the manger that the animals ate their hay from.

In the hills and fields outside Bethlehem, shepherds looked after their sheep through the long night. As the new day began, suddenly an angel appeared before them and the glory of God shone around them. The shepherds were very, very scared, but the angel said, 'Don't be afraid. I have good news for you and everyone. Today in Bethlehem a Saviour has been born for you. You will find the baby lying in a manger.'.

Then many more angels appeared, lighting up the sky. The shepherds heard them praising God singing: 'Glory to God in highest, and peace to everyone on earth.' When the angels had gone the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem to see what has happened.' So the shepherds went to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph. The baby Jesus was lying in a manger as they had been told. When they saw him, they told everyone what the angel had said and everyone who heard the story were astonished. Then the shepherds returned to their sheep, praising God for sending his Son to be their Saviour.

When Jesus was born, a brand new bright star appeared in sky. Some Wise Men in faraway countries saw the star and guessed what it meant. They were very clever men that studied the stars and had read in very old writings that a new star would appear when a great king was born. They set out to find the new king and bring him gifts.

The Wise Men followed the star towards the country of Judea and when they got to the capital called Jerusalem they began to ask people: 'Where is the child who is born to be king of the Jews?' Herod, the king of Judea, heard this and it made him very angry to think that someone might be going to take his place as king. Herod sent for the Wise Men to come to him. He told them to go on following the star until they had found the baby king. He said: 'When you have found him, let me know where he is, so that I can go and worship him.'. But Herod did not tell them that he really had an evil plan in mind to kill the new king.

The Wise Men followed the star towards Bethlehem (where it said that the king would be born in the old writings). It seemed to stop and shine directly down upon the place where Jesus was.
The Wise Men entered the house where they now lived and found Jesus with Mary, they bowed down and worshipped him. The Wise Men spread the the gifts they had brought before Jesus. The gifts were gold, frankincense and myrrh. The Wise Men were warned in a dream, by God, not to go back to Herod. So they returned home to their countries in the East by a different way.

When the Wise Men had gone, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream. 'Get up,' the angel said, 'take Jesus and Mary and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for Jesus to kill him.' So Joseph got up, took Jesus and Mary during the night they left for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod died.

When Herod realized that he had been tricked by the Wise Men, he was furious and he gave orders to kill all the boys aged two or younger in Bethlehem and the surrounding area. This was to try and kill the new King, as his plan to find the location of the new king from the Wise Men had failed.
After Herod had died, Joseph had another dream in which an angel appeared to him. The angel said, 'Get up, take Jesus and Mary and go back to Israel, for those who were trying kill Jesus are dead.'
So Joseph got up, took Jesus and Mary and they went back to Israel. But when he heard that Herod's son was now king of Judea, he was afraid to go there. So instead they went to Galilee, and lived in their old town of Nazareth.

Peace.....

There are a lot of people in this world that don’t have a clue why they are here, or what that they are doing. It is true that, every one of us believes that, we do know exactly what the deal is, and what we are to be doing. We are all born with several things in common. The one that I would like to address is our lack of peace. There is something that changes in our lives, when we reach a certain age. This age that I am speaking about doesn’t even happen at the same time. It is different for every one of us. I think that we would be safe in saying that, this is the age of accountability.

The age of accountability is the age when our Heavenly Father decides that it is time for us to stand responsible, for the sins that we will commit in our lives. I am not going to go in the details that the Father uses to know that this time has arrived. The main reason is that I know all of them, because I am not as wise as the Father. This is the time that everything changes, in our lives and the truth of why we are here and, what we should be doing becomes very significant. 

The greatest thing that we will ever experience comes available, if we choose to receive. Everything is about choices, and nothing is forced upon us. We are not born as free agents, and have a choice to make. The truth is that we are born already guilty, convicted, and our sentence has been proclaimed. If we do nothing to change our situation, we will upon the death of our body, spend an eternity paying for the crimes that, we have committed. 

Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

You might be saying that this is not fair, that you did nothing to deserve these things. We have all put up this argument, and it doesn’t change a thing. The only hope that we have is found, in Jesus Christ. If you resist the love that Jesus offers to all, then you destination has already been determined. There is nothing that anybody other than Jesus can do to change the destination, of your eternity. Let’s go ahead and talk about Jesus.

I love to tell the story of Jesus. Anybody that has truly been touched by the Lord loves to tell of His mercy, grace, and goodness. Often times we focus on the evil throughout the world, and question where is God at, and why doesn’t He do something about it?  Those of us that have taken the time to get to know the Lord, through His Word, and spending personal time, in His presence understand the answer to this dilemma.  

1Peter 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 

The bottom line is that we will suffer, because of our relationship with Christ. The world hates our Savior, because they don’t understand Who, that He really is, or what that He offers.  That is really sad, but that is the way that it has always been.  Jesus has said that we will suffer, and that is not going to change. How much do you think that you are able to suffer?    How much do you think that you can stand?

I need to go back to the beginning, of this and talk a little about peace. If we don’t have a relationship with Jesus, then we don’t have real peace. We need peace to be comfortable in our own skin, or to even act in a civilized manner. Jesus gives us His peace.

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

 Why did Jesus give us His peace?   Simply because, He knew that we would need, a supernatural form of peace to get us through, the extremely hard times that was yet to come, in our lives.  What is the peace of Jesus like, and why is it so important to have, in our lives?

Philippians 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

The last thing that I want to share with you is, what our reward, or promise is for us, after we endure the life, on the earth. This is amazing, and well worthy of any suffering that, we will do as a believer, and followers of Christ.  I am not going to share but two verses, out of the Word of God, to show you the love, and the gift of our God. These two verses state a reality that, we cannot even conceive happening, on the earth mainly, because it is not possible while we are here. This earth has been corrupted with sin, and there will be no sin, in our next dwelling place.

Revelation 21:3-4  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Wow!!  Isn’t that something to achieve?  The great thing is that, it only takes a decision to have for eternity.  Choose Jesus!!   You will never have any regrets if you will.   Ain’t our God Awesome?

Merry Christmas

     ….Much Love