Merry Christmas!

Christmas can be a time of joy or a time of sadness for many of us. Some of us have lost a family member, a friend, just went through divorce, filed for bankruptcy, etc. and do not feel like celebrating. Others have had a great year and have all the reasons to be happy and celebrate; and then there are those who have had a terrible year, yet they are joyful and celebrate with gratefullness in their hearts; and then there are those who had a great year, but still are unhappy.

Which category of people are you part of?

No matter what category of people you believe are part of, I want to share with you that this is a season of HOPE. It is the time to remember not so much about family and presents. That is what the TV tells us Christmas is about.

Christmas is about remembering someone coming down from Heaven to live and one day die for our sins so we don't have to . The greatest gift that God gave us is salvation from our sinful nature. You might now think that is a big deal, but think about it; if you were to have all the riches of the world and happiness and family, but die tonight, and if you were to find yourself in hell seprated from God, what would you long for the most? It is scary thought to think that one could not end up with the Lord. To me that matters the most.

Christmas is about remembering that God sent His own Son on this Earth, knowing He would die. So, if you went through a lot of pain, rejection, failures, messes, etc this year, remember that God Himself suffered. Yes, I am convinced that Father's heart ached at the thought of what His Son will have to go through, yet in the same time rejoiced about the outcome: that He was going to have many sons and daughters afterward. You were on His mind. Before the foundations of the Earth He had this plan.

Christmas is about remembering that God answers prayer. The Israelites were waiting and praying for years for a Savior to come and finally God answered their prayer. The greatest person in the universe was born that not only changed one person, but changed humanity from the inside out. He did not only come for the Jews, but He came for gentiles, too.

I am really grateful I was born during these times and not before this New Covenant. I could not have made it under the Law. I am really glad Jesus took my place. I might not have all I WANT for Christmas, but I have Him. He is what I want and need. He is my passion. I could sit next to the Christmas tree and sing a carol for His glory and thank Him for saving me.

Let's not take salvation for granted. All things are temporary: family, spouses, children, careers, schools, fame, cars, houses, etc...ALL. But your spirit will remain. You are an eternal being, but where you will spend eternity is up to you. You choose. Jesus came to ensure that once you are going to leave your body behind, you are going to be with Him. That was His plan: that you would be with Him forever. We need to see that or we will fall apart everytime something goes wrong in our lives.

I have read this week about a father whose 5 children were murdered in front of him because he is a Christian. Persecution came into his life, yet he never gave up on believing in Jesus. Wow! Not one kid lost, but five! All at once. I cannot imagine the pain, yet somehow these people have the strength to go on and sing a song to Jesus. Of course Jesus hates what happened, but I am reminded that He said that we will enter the Kingdom of God through many troubles/trials. I don't know why we have to and why can't everything be just smooth...but I know that much; if this life is temporary(and it is) , then we should really focus on things to come; the glory that will be revealed to us is much greater that the sufferings of today, and hey we have this hope: one day we WILL see our family members. That is why it is so important to pray for them and share the Gospel with them.

You know, my dad is a non-believer and I have sent him lately two letters sharing the Gospel with him. You know he thinks that believers are people with their heads in the clouds. But you know what? On Dec 5, for Saint Nicholas Day in Romania, he called me. No, my dad is not very affectionate and I never felt much that he cared. But, he called me just to check on me. I cried. God is working in his heart. My dad's heart is so hard, but if he can change, then there is hope for anyone!

So, share the Word with your family. Don't be embarrassed or afraid even though they might look tough. Even the toughest man can break at the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Jesu loves them and He loves you. Life can change fast. You want to make sure that their eternal state is secure. Thsat is what really matters. No one likes to lose a family member, but there is some comfort in knowing that if they are gone and they believed in Christ, we will see them again. The Word of God is true. He does say that one say our mortal bodies will be quickened by the Spirit of God and our bodies will rise up. He doesn't lie.

So, I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and I pray you remember what hope you have int his world. Christ IN YOU...the hope of glory. Having Christ is the the greatest Christmas gift ever. No one can take that from you and as Paul said that, " if we have put our hope in Christ only for this life, we would be the most pathetic people"....but Christ is not only HOPE for this life, but the life after.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!