A Soldier’s Christmas Poem

A Soldier’s Christmas Poem

 

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,

 I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.

My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,

my daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

 

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,

Transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree, I believe,

Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

 

 My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,

Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep

in perfect contentment, or so it would seem.

So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

 

The sound wasn’t loud, and it wasn’t too near,

But I opened my eye when it tickled my ear.

Perhaps just a cough, I didn’t quite know,

Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

 

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,

and I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,

A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

 

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old

Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.

Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,

Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

 

“What are you doing?” I asked without fear

“Come in this moment, it’s freezing out here!

Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,

You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!”

 

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,

away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts,

to the window that danced with a warm fire’s light

then he sighed and he said “Its really all right,

I’m out here by choice. I’m here every night”

 

“Its my duty to stand at the front of the line,

that separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,

I’m proud to stand here like my fathers before me.

 

My Gramps died at ‘Pearl on a day in December,”

then he sighed, “That’s a Christmas ‘Gram always remembers.”

My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ‘Nam

And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

 

I’ve not seen my own son in more than a while,

But my wife sends me pictures, he’s sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,

The red white and blue… an American flag.

 

“I can live through the cold and the being alone,

 Away from my family, my house and my home,

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,

I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat,

I can carry the weight of killing another

or lay down my life with my sisters and brothers

who stand at the front against any and all,

to insure for all time that this flag will not fall.”

 

“So go back inside,” he said, “harbor no fright

Your family is waiting and I’ll be all right.”

“But isn’t there something I can do, at the least,

“Give you money,” I asked, “or prepare you a feast?

 

It seems all too little for all that you’ve done,

For being away from your wife and your son.”

 

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,

“Just tell us you love us, and never forget

To fight for our rights back at home while we’re gone.

To stand your own watch, no matter how long.

 

For when we come home, either standing or dead,

to know you remember we fought and we bled

is payment enough, and with that we will trust.

That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.

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A Christmas Diagnosis

The best diagnosis of Christmas was given by a doctor over 2000 years ago. The doctor’s name? Luke. His diagnosis is found in the second chapter of his Inspired record, known to us Christians as the Gospel according to saint Luke. In the eleventh verse we have the message or diagnosis. “Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” (KJV) Note the clear diagnosis from the doctor:

“UNTO YOU” — That is Personal

“THIS DAY” — That is Present

“A SAVIOR” — That is Precious

We must remember, there is all the difference in the world between Christmas and Christ! Millions make a holiday over Christmas and often a mockery over Christ. Too often, Christ is cruelly crowded out of the special day which is intended as a day to remember Him. Holiness is hidden under a pile of holly. The wreath is hung higher than the Cross and worst of all, the precious Savior all too often is supplanted by Santa Claus! This should never be the case with Christians who are to Lift High Jesus Christ!

But without Christ, there can be no true Christmas. Without Jesus there is nothing about which to sing, or anything over which to rejoice! Outward merriment, too, often becomes inward mockery to the starved soul. It is past time for all to turn back to the old prescription of Doctor Luke! Let us meditate upon his words:

“UNTO YOU” …this is a personal message about a personal Savior and there should be no evasion or denial. What have you done with the Lord Jesus Christ? Have you received Him as your Personal Savior?

“THIS DAY” …yes, this very moment as you read, God is offering you the Greatest Christmas Gift that keeps Giving for all Eternity, His Only begotten Son! 2Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” 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.

“A SAVIOR” …this is Christ, the Precious One who went to the Cruel Cross for us all! Because of His Grace, unmerited favor, His Atoning death on the Cross, all who receive Him become “2Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Remember Doctor Luke’s prescription? We all can receive the Free Gift from God. Have you received Him? Merry Christmas!

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Gift of Christmas!

The life of Jesus the Christ(Messiah) is one of Miracles. Hundreds of Prophecies are fulfilled with His Birth.

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between yo u and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

This was the first Prophecy of the LORD God sending His Son to crush the head of Satan. When Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, died on the Cross and rose from the Dead, this verse was partially fulfilled. It will totally be fulfilled at Christ Return!This was promised several thousand years before He was Born!

Isaiah 7:13-1 4 Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house o f David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Fulfilled totally when Jesus was born some 700 years after this prophecy.

Matthew 1:20-23 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you ar e to give him the name Jesus , because he will save h is people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” –which means, “God with us.” Luke 1:30-35 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” If the Angels Proclaimed His Glorious Birth we should as well!

Isaiah 9: 6-7 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. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He w ill reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and up holding it with justice and righteousness from tha t time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

The fulfillment of this prophecy is in Luke 2:11-35 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to m en on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived. When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

Have you received the True Gift of Christmas? You do know it is rude and arrogant to have a gift given to you and you not receive it. God’s Gift is being offered to all mankind. Hear is how you can receive the Gift of Redemption, Eternal Life: Good News! Gospel means good news. Here it is; everyone is a sinner and deserves Hell, but God sent His Son Jesus to the Cross to pay our sin debt in full. Then He Rose His Son from the dead to seal the deal for Eternal Life. Here is the part that many reject; in order for the Gospel to save you from Hell the sinner must turn away from sin and trust in the work of Jesus. Have you ever heard of better news than that? What a deal! Ask Jesus to save you, He will you know? This Gift from God is free. Jesus paid our sin debt in Full! Ephesians 2:8&9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith– and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– not by works, so that no one can boast. Romans 5:8&9 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! Receive this Gift Today!

REMEMBER:

Jesus is Better than Santa

Santa lives at the North Pole.

JESUS is everywhere.

Santa rides in a sleigh

JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.

Santa comes but once a year

JESUS is an ever- present help.

Santa fills your stockings with goodies

JESUS supplies all your needs.

Santa comes down your chimney uninvited

JESUS stands at your door and knocks.. and then enters your heart.

You have to stand in line to see Santa

JESUS is as close a s the mention of His name.

Santa lets you sit on his lap

JESUS lets you rest in His arms.

Santa doesn’t know your name, all he can say is “Hi little boy or girl, W hat’s your name?”

JESUS knew our name before we did. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too . He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads.

JESUS has a heart full of love.

JESUS offers health, help and hope.

Santa says “You better not cry”

JESUS says “Cast all your cares on me for I care for you.

Santa’s little helpers make toys

JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions.

Santa may make you chuckle but

JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.

While Santa puts gifts under your tree,

JESUS became our gift and died on the tree.

It’s obvious there is really no comparison. We need to remember WHO Christmas is all about.

We need to put Christ back in Christmas. Jesus is still the reason for the season. May the Lord Bless and Watch over you and your loved ones this Christmas

And may He prosper and bless the work of your hands in the New Year.

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Obedience to Christ!!

1Jo 3:18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence
20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God
22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.
23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.
24 Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit– fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
17 This is my command: Love each other.

Mt 22:36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Love God First~~~~First 4 Commands

Ex 20:1 And God spoke all these words:
2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.
11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Mt 12:1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them.
2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
3 He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?
4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread– which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.
5 Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent?
6 I tell you that one greater than the temple is here.
7 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.
8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Mt 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Heb 4:1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.
2 For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.
3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.'” And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world.
4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “And on the seventh day God rested from all his work.”
5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”
6 It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience.
7 Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day.
9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God;
10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.
11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.

‘Love your neighbor as yourself~~~Last 6 Commands

12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

Pr 6:20 My son, keep your father’s commands and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck.
22 When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.

John 19:25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,”
27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

13 “You shall not murder.

Man slayer!! Abortion!! Innocent blood…

Pr 6:16 There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19 a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

Mt 5:21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’
22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca, ‘is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,
24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

Mt 5:27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’
28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
31 “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’
32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.

Ho 1:2 When the LORD began to speak through Hosea, the LORD said to him, “Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the LORD.”

Jas 4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?
2 You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.
3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

apostate:–adulterer……

1Jo 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jo 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jo 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

15 “You shall not steal.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17 “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 “For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
21 “But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

John 10:6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.
7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 “All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
9 “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
10 “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

1Th 4:1 Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.
2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;
4 that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable,
5 not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God;
6 and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you.
7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

Mal 3:6 “I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.
7 Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty. “But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’
8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ “In tithes and offerings.
9 You are under a curse– the whole nation of you– because you are robbing me.
10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the LORD Almighty.

16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

Ex 23:1 ¶ “You shall not circulate a false report. Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
2 “You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after many to pervert justice.

Pr 6:16 These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil,
19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.

Revelation 21:8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

2Th 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

Lu 12:11 “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say.
12 “For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
13 ¶ Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
14 But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”
15 And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

Col 3:1 ¶ If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
5 ¶ Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,
7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

Eph 5:1 ¶ Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
3 ¶ But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;
4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.

Amen! It would take a lifetime to master these but we have all Eternity in Jesus Name!

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The Jesus Idol

The Jesus Idol

As Sure as the Lord Jesus Christ lives and Reigns in my heart He is leading me to write this short note. I would Highly recommend that everyone reading this pay close attention to what is being said in the LIGHT of Scripture. I will endeavor to Illuminate Knowledge and Wisdom from the Source, the Bible! It says in Proverbs “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” 9:10 (NKJV) So with Utmost Reverence for the Almighty and the Knowledge He has given, I will share a deep concern that the Lord has Burdened me to share. The topic is the “Jesus Idol!” That is correct, the “Jesus Idol.” Let me explain before you turn your heart and totally blow this off as a rant of some preacher who has too much time on his hands. So many today speak of “Jesus” as their Savior and Lord but really have no clue as to the Real Jesus of the Bible. Sound Judgmental? Absolutely! The Bible Speaks volumes about Judging Right and Wrong! Good verses Evil! Knowing a tree by the Fruit it bears. Which is Knowing people by the Fruit of their lives, Not by the Fruit of their lips only! So let us Judge according to the Word of God! Let us first define the term Idol. We must go to God’s Commandments to get the Truth of Idolatry! Ex 20:4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. The Biblical understanding of Idolatry or “graven images” is taking something and fashioning it the way you like it! In the New Testament Paul instructs Christians to; “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.” Colossians 3:5,6 The word Idolatry in the preceding verses speak of “image-worship.” The “Imagination” of the worshiper is key essential to understanding what the “Jesus Idol” really is referring! Let us look at a clearer Scripture for more understanding. This is lengthy but will be very beneficial to your soul if you have created a “Jesus Idol” from your own Imagination! I Pray the Holy Spirit will Cut you deep if you have indeed Fashioned an Idol for yourself!

I will put Parenthesis around my comments.

Romans 1:18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, (who “suppress the Truth” by Tolerating wickedness)
19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities– his eternal power and divine nature– have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. (No one has an excuse that means you!)
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. (This phase is the start of Idolatry. Not Glorifying God nor being Thankful)
22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools
23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images (Image worship, ie Idolatry) made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. (They fashioned a Holy God and turned Him into their own imagination)
24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.
25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator– who is forever praised. Amen. (They “exchanged” the Truth of God for a lie?)

So what is the “Jesus Idol?” Think about God. He is Holy, Righteous, Pure, Just, Unchangeable and Full of Goodness! Jesus of the Bible is the “Sinless”, Holy, Only Begotten Son of the Living God! The Bible says that Jesus is the “express Image” of God! The Bible also states that the Fulness of the God-head dwells within Him! Jesus of the Bible Never sinned but came to die for sinners! Never in the Bible does Jesus tolerate, diminish or overlook sinfulness! In fact Jesus Rebuked, exposed and condemned all wickedness! He is Holy and He died on a Cross and Rose from the dead so we may be Holy as He is Holy! We become the Righteousness of God through Faith in what Jesus did on the Cross! ANYONE claiming Jesus Christ are Commanded by Scripture to turn from wickedness! 2Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” So, how can anyone claim Jesus and “tolerate”, “condone” or “continue” in wickedness? “Christians” do it all the time!! Maybe you are one of them! If you are, the Holy Spirit is convicting your heart as you read this! How is the “Jesus Idol” made manifest? Simple! Statements like the following should shed some light. Listen closely. “Jesus Loves us and would send no one to Hell.” “ Go ahead, God will forgive us when we sin.” “God does not act today like He did in the Old Testament.” “God’s Grace covers all and Christians do not need to Obey the Ten Commandments.” “We all sin and fall short of the Glory of God.” Wow! There are so many other fancy “cliches” in Christendom that people use to justify sinful behavior!

God does not Change! The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament! To say otherwise is “changing Him into your own Idol.” Another example would be this; “God hates the sin but Loves the sinner.” Well is that a true statement? What does the Bible say? Psalm 11:5 The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates. So God “hates” those who love violence! It does NOT say God loves the sinner! To say that God does not hate is to create and Idol from your own thinking! Again listen to Scripture; Psalm 11:6 On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot. Wow! Sounds like God really does hate sinners after all! Unless you have the “Jesus Idol” then these verses do not apply to your Idol mind and you will suffer the Wrath of God because you have created and changed the Jesus of the Bible into your own personal god!

Now, I would like to give another example of this very popular “Jesus Idol” in modern Christianity. What do you think about Marriage? The Sanctity of Human life? More pointed, homosexuality and abortion! So many Christians of today have changed the Truth about these “sins” to the point that it is acceptable behavior and not sinful anymore! Because God Loves all. Well God says “all sin and fall short of the Glory of God.” Gods Word does say that and if you use that verse to “justify sinful behavior, then you have created a “Jesus Idol” and you are on the verge of being Vomited out of Jesus mouth! Why? Because Jesus cannot stand “lukewarmness!” Listen to this verse and ask yourself this question; Why does this verse say that? And What do I think? Jude 1:6 “And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” So, why does it say that? Because God hates sexual immorality and all sins! So, what do you think? God is waiting for you to agree with Him and is NOT concerned about your opinion!

Please don’t waist your time thinking I am “picking” on homosexuals or talking about murderers of innocent babies! Forget that! God will judge! What I am referring to is IDOLATRY! Taking the Truth about God and turning that into your truth, which is Idolatry! Listen dear reader. If you read to this point one of two things are turning around in your mind. 1). You are offended and can’t wait to straighten me out because I am to judgmental and need to understand that God does not hate, He Loves! 2). You are agreeing with God that He hates all who sins against Him and His Wrath is coming against all who continue in wickedness and who have changed His Son Jesus Christ into a personal “Jesus Idol!” It is never too late to agree with God! Repentance is agreeing with God, turning away from wrong thinking and doing what is Right because God is always RIGHT! Will the True Jesus of the Bible Please Stand up! Let us stop compromising Truth for the sake of our comfort! Let us be Holy because He is Holy! Let us stop twisting the Truth to fit our emotions and thinking! Let us Stand for Truth even when that TRUTH offends us or our way of thinking! Let us be in agreement with God and NOT change the Truth of Gods Word! May the King of RIGHTEOUSNESS, the King of Glory be the Jesus you serve and NOT some “Jesus Idol!”

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Biblical Birthday of Jesus

Jesus Christ was born on the 15th day of the month of Tishri, on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles, which corresponds to the September – October time-frame of our present calendar. This conclusion can be reached by Luke 1:5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. Good speculation if we follow the time line of the Priest Zacharias.

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Immanuel means “God with us”. The Son of God had come to dwell with, or tabernacle on earth with His people.

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth….

The word in the Hebrew for dwelt is succah and the name of the Feast of Tabernacles in Hebrew is Sukkot, a festival of rejoicing and celebration:

Luke 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Luke 2:8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

Luke 2:9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

Luke 2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

Why was there no room at the inn? Bethlehem is only about 5 miles from Jerusalem, and all the men of Israel had come to attend the festival of Tabernacles as required by the law of Moses. Every room for miles around Jerusalem would have been already taken by pilgrims, so all that Mary and Joseph could find for shelter was a stable.

Also of note is the fact that the Feast of Tabernacles is an eight day feast (Leviticus 23:36, 39). Why eight days? It may be because an infant was dedicated to God by performing circumcision on the eighth day after birth:

Luke 2:21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

So the infant Jesus would have been circumcised on the eighth and last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, a Sabbath day. The Jews today consider this a separate festival from Tabernacles, and they call it Shemini Atzeret.

Conclusion

So, if you have followed the above reasoning, based on the scriptural evidence, a case can apparently be made that Jesus Christ was born on the 15th day of the month of Tishri, on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles, which corresponds to the September – October time-frame of our present calendar!

I am NOT condemning anyone celebrating Jesus Birthday on December 25th. I will say that WE as Christians do NOT celebrate the day but the GIFT that was Freely Given, Jesus the Suffering Son of God! Everyday is Christmas! Merry Christmas to all! Jesus was Born to die on a Cross for our Redemption!

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