I Say: Merry Christmas!

I saw a video on Facebook today showing a Flash Crowd doing a portion of Handel's Messiah replete with Hallelyah Chorus! It was glorious but made me think back to a time not very long ago where I learned that 1700's composition for an Christmas Concert performed in a public school.

We all know from secular history that this country was founded on the bedrock of Judeo-Christian beliefs. So when did we become an atheist nation, afraid to mention our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ? The truth is ... we didn't. There are certain voices in the liberal media trying to dictate and rather harshly so, what Americans are supposed to believe.

This sort of intimidation includes ridicule and singling out Biblical beliefs as being "myths". This is serious because it is our faith in Yahshua's words that will either save or judge us:

"There is a Judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day." John 12:48

No way of getting around it. Yahshua believes the Law and the Prophets because he said he came not to abolish the writings of Moses but to fulfill it:

"Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose." Matthew 5:17

All of that which was written was a foretaste of the glory and redemption to come! So, Jesus wasn't ashamed to believe the Law and the Prophets. Now that his work has been accomplished, we shouldn't be either. We are NOT a nation of agnostics and atheists no matter what the mainstream media would have us believe. Think for yourself and don't let anyone quiet you for your beliefs. Freedom of Speech is part of our National Heritage. So I say, "Merry CHRISTmas"!

Friends of God

One of my favorite Praise & Worship songs is "I Am a Friend of God". The chorus goes, "I am a friend of God, He calls me friend!" Some people think that this is true simply because God is Love which is indeed His main attribute. However there is a reason why we can now be called friends of God as this was not the case for most people in times past. In fact the first person to be called "God's friend" was the patriarch Abraham from the land of Ur which is present day Iraq. Abraham is called a "friend of God" three times (2 Chronicles 20: 7, says, "O our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?" & Isa. 41: 8).

Abraham's friendship with God came as a result of his faith in God's promises to bless all nations through his seed. This intimate friendship did not come through Abraham's obedience to the law or even the covenant of circumcision as his righteousness before God was reckoned long before this.

"How was it reckoned? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision but in uncircumcision." Romans 4:10

It was Abraham's faith in the coming Messiah, who would be one of his descendants, that justified him before his Maker. In fact Romans 4:17 says that Yahweh appointed Abraham the father of many nations because he believed in a God "Who causeth the dead to live and calleth the things that are not as things that are." The things that were not included the promised seed of Abraham. Yeshua was not yet born nor was he in "Heaven with God" as part of some unbiblical "trinity". Abraham's faith in God's promise to rule the world by one of his seed or fleshly descendants was the cornerstone of that belief. God's creation of the Messiah in Mary's womb means that like Adam, Yeshua is the Son of God. Read Yeshua's geneology in Luke chapter 3 verse 38. It clearly says, son of Enos, son of Seth, son of Adam, son of God. The Messiah has always been anticipated to be 100% human. If he were not, then he could not fulfill what God promised to Abraham about one of his descendants ruling and blessing all the nations. If Yeshua were some immortal being, he also could not die because that is the definition of immortality... one who is not subject to death.

So if we believe that the Messiah's death, finished work, faithfulness and obedience were enough, we will have faith like Abraham that Yeshua will rule God's Kingdom. By this same declaration of faith, we too are friends of Yah!

"Having therefore been declared righteous by faith, let us have peace towards Yahweh through our Master Yeshua the Messiah." Romans 5:1

And Be Thankful

How many times to we ask, no beg God to give us something or help us? Now match that with just how many times we remember to thank Him when it comes to pass. There is so much we take for granted but it should not be that way.

So many times we are worried about a trip or task. We ask our Heavenly Father for help and strength. At the end of the day when all is done and we are safely at home, do we think of Him and what He has done? I would like to propose a change in our daily routine. Before you close your eyes to sleep, recount all of the loving things God has done. Nothing is too big or too small to thank Him for. We can especially thank Him for peace and resting in His loving care as members of the Body of Christ:

"¹⁵Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." Col. 3:15

I am convinced that this thankfulness brings peace and only the peace of Christ is true and tangible. We can become like Martha, concerned with many things when only one thing is needed. That is to sit at the feet of Yeshua and learn from him.

"But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;" Luke 10:41

We can also get off track worrying about temporal things. Facing certain death at the hands of his enemies, Yeshua asked his Father for HIS will to be done and not his own. The Father was pleased with Yeshua's prayer and because of his laying down his life for us, we now have access to that same perfect peace. Through Yeshua, we also have been assured that same perfect resurrection! Jesus is our Passover Lamb, once and for all time. When we let the peace of the Messiah rule in our hearts we will see that we have so much to be thankful for. Our lives will reflect the true peace within.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I thank you for everything that You have done for me today. I especially thank you the peace in my heart from Christ. In Yeshua's name I bless You!