The Greatest Gift of All - Jesus!

I want to take a moment to wish all those readers out there a very Merry Christmas. Today in Guam is Christmas Eve. Tonight, my family and I will be joining up with friends and family and enjoying a wonderful meal in celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Interestingly enough, the Bible does not command us to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The way I SEE it is that we celebrate the birth of Jesus because God came to earth in the flesh through Jesus, and that was the part of the process of bringing us salvation through Him. However, if we stop celebrating at the birth of Jesus, we miss the whole reason for His coming. Jesus came, not only to be born, but to live and minister to the world, then be sacrificed on a cross, taking our punishment for sin. It still doesn't stop there...if you celebrate the death of Jesus, but the not the resurrection, then you are still missing the point.

In order for God to save us from our sins, He was born a human (in full deity and divinity), fulfilled prophecies regarding Himself scattered throughout the Old Testament, was condemned to hang on a cross (crucifixion), was forsaken by His father (bearing our sin's punishment) and be resurrected to eternal life at the right hand of God. He went through all this, so that you could pray in faith for salvation through Him and receive eternal life.

We definitely got the easier end of this deal. Yet, so many refuse to accept His sacrifice. WHY?

1.) Their own PRIDE tells them they do not need a Savior.
2.) They figure they can live life their own way, accepting Jesus at the last moment for salvation.
3.) They believe science and Christianity are at opposite ends of the spectrum (and have become wise in their own eyes) - when really the two correspond.
4.) They do not believe that anything, or anyone, can save them from the hellish life which they are living.
5.) They are deceived.
6.) The idea of following God's commandments is abhorrent to them. They do not want restriction on their lives. They want to live in FREEDOM from authority in their lives.


I am sure there are many more reasons why people do not accept Christ as the perfect sacrifice for their sins, and believe in Him for salvation of their souls. I am sure that I came up with a thousand excuses (at least) as to why I DID NOT accept Him. Yet, like 90% of America, I grew up telling people I was a Christian who believed in Jesus. It was all "lip-service," with no heart attached.

It was not until I realized that the gospel of the Bible was TRUE and that I needed Christ to save me that I really began to live. Since then, my life has been full and rich, and exceedingly abundant. Did I get rich overnight? Not in the sense of money, some would say we are quite poor. But I received a greater wealth than I could ever imagine the moment I accepted Christ for salvation. Things turned on a dime, and I suddenly found everything going in my favor rather than feeling the whole world against me. I became RICH!

Today, I would once again like to challenge you to think about where you are in relationship to Christ's sacrifice for you on the cross. Have you accepted Him yet? Have you moved past your feeble ways that never seem to pan out, and decided you want more for your life? Or will this Christmas pass in your life like any other. Will you open some presents, eat some food, look at some Christmas decorations, and move into another dismal year. It doesn't have to be that way. God gave us something amazing to celebrate EVERY day of the year! His Son Jesus! And through Jesus, He gave us abundant and (eventually eternal) life.

May God bless you this season with the Truth of His salvation, and may He open your eyes and ears to all He has for you in the coming new year. If you already know Jesus, remember to focus this holiday season on Him, and not the gifts you will be receiving. You already know you have received the greatest gift of all!

In God's amazing love,

Sarah



ps....I would like to bring to your attention something that is going on here in Guam. The Lord has gathered a small group of Christians here on Guam who have a heart for reaching people with the gospel of Jesus Christ, and He is leading us to plant a church here on Guam. We are already in the process of finding a space (building) and God is already providing funds for His work through us. If you would like to part of an amazing opportunity to reach Guamanians and military families with the gospel of Jesus Christ, you can donate to our cause through our parent organization, United Christian Minister's Association, website:

Here is the link if you are led to donate to the Guam Mission:
http://www.ucmaonlinestore.org/category.sc;jsessionid=427CF1D7089117D3AA644899A52F1FB6.qscstrfrnt04?categoryId=19

The donations are in $1 increments, so you can select the quantity that you would like to donate and fill out your billing information. All money goes into an account set aside for our Guam Mission, and will be available directly to our group for the funding needs of this project. We are under the guidance and leadership of this organization, with whom my pastor has been affiliated with in church planting in the past. I thank you for your time and consideration of this wonderful work of God!

A Time to Believe...

Today in Guam, we are 4 days away from Christmas Day. Every time I turn on the television, I see a movie about Santa Clause. My children have enjoyed watching movies such as Miracle on 34th Street, The Santa Clause 2, and Polar Express. This is a time for all children to join together and believe in something that is not only invisible, but represents goodwill and selfless giving. Most American children probably believe in Santa Clause at one time or another, but give up the belief later in childhood due to a lack of solid evidence for his existence, a careless slip of truth from an older individual, or simply because they lose hope in something as wonderful and whimsical as a jolly man who brings toys to children. Am I saying that children should believe in Santa Clause as children? Not necessarily. It is up to each parent to decide whether to instill in their children a belief in this mythical figure. But there is One who we can teach our children to believe in, a belief which can be built upon with evidence in their own lives, and a belief that will never disappoint or leave them hopeless when they "find out it isn't true."

I remember the year that I stopped believing in Santa Clause. My mother came to me and asked me if I believed still, and I was having doubts, but I told her yes. I believe I was older than other children who still believe, so she figured I had stopped believing that year. The way she asked me and reacted told me that there was no Santa Clause. I didn't need anyone to tell me, but I remember the feeling of emptiness when I realized that there was nothing greater than this physical world to believe in. Not only that, but I had always accepted evidence (presents secretly stashed and presented to me on Christmas morning) as the truth. Truth was shattered that day in my home because I realized that my parents had lied to me all those years. I will still grateful for the presents I received, but the "magic" of it all was gone.

We all believe in something. Some people live in their own abilities and their own strength, depending solely on themselves for survival in this world. Some people believe in gods, myths, withcraft, spells, sorcery, mediums, ghosts, aliens (all of which are invisible and unfounded as truth). Then there are those Christians who believe in God. They believe God is who the Bible says He is, and that He came to save the world from their sinful and corrupted state. They believe the Word of God is inerrant and true, and they live their lives according to what is written in it. They place their belief (faith) in a God that loves them, saves them, and is the giver of ALL good gifts from above. They trust Him for provision, love, mercy and salvation. They love Him as the real God that He is, and they interact with Him through prayer and good works in helping others. In the same way, everyone serves something.

Some serve others, some serve themselves, some desire only to seek pleasure in this life, and some serve ideas that they believe to be true. Some serve Jehovah, the God of Israel. I personally put my faith and trust in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, and God as the total source of my joy, peace, and pleasure in this life. I trust the promises of God that not only sound good on paper, but when applied to my life, have brought me great peace. I have truly been blessed beyond measure through studying and living the Word of God.

Although my children still believe in Santa Clause, a time will come shortly when I will sit down with them and tell them the truth. There is only One who is worthy of their faith and devotion. I never want them to lose sight of the what is really important - the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is the Giver of all good gifts. Through His birth, death and resurrection, God gave us the greatest gift of all - His love, and His eternal salvation of our souls. He gave us the right to become part of His family, and to enjoy the benefits of being a child of God. He gave us everything we could ever need or want, and He gives to us more than we imagine or comprehend in the work He does in our daily lives. I only wish that I had believed in Him as a child, much more than believing in Santa Clause (who is only a myth)....and put my faith in the One who is able to make all my hopes and dreams come true...and actively does EVERY DAY...then I may have had a much more peaceful childhood.

However, I am not here to look back on the past in regards to what I DID NOT DO, but I am looking forward to tomorrow with excitement and hope because I DO believe in something very real, and very present in my life, Jesus Christ. I thank God every day that He made that incredible sacrifice for me, and for showing me a new way to live! I praise God for His amazing wisdom, His overwhelming generosity, and His always near Presence in my life. I love God with all my heart, soul and strength. I hope this Christmas season, you will remember the One who gave YOU the ultimate gift of life, should you choose to accept His gift! All you have to do is pray one simple prayer of salvation, and the gift is yours for the taking. You only have to BELIEVE, and act on your belief in asking God to save you! Here is a simple prayer you can pray right now and ask God to be the One you can put your trust and belief in for the rest of your life. You will never be disappointed again.



Sinner's Prayer - Recognizing the NeedThe "Sinner's Prayer" is a term that describes the words spoken by a person when he or she has recognized their sin and their need for a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It goes something like this:

“Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.”

If you decided to repent of your sins and receive Christ today, welcome to God's family. Now, as a way to grow closer to Him, the Bible tells us to follow up on our commitment.

--Get baptized as commanded by Christ.
--Tell someone else about your new faith in Christ.
--Spend time with God each day. It does not have to be a long period of time. Just develop the daily habit of praying to Him and reading His Word. Ask God to increase your faith and your understanding of the Bible.
--Seek fellowship with other followers of Jesus. Develop a group of believing friends to answer your questions and support you.
--Find a local church where you can worship God.

If you prayed today, send me a comment, and I would be happy to pray with/for you, and may God bless you mightily in the name of Jesus.

Have a very merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!!!!

Thankful for the gift of LIFE,

Sarah