The Focus of 2018 - The Real, Nitty-Gritty, Bloody Sacrificial Love of God

by Barbara Latta

John 3:16 is plastered on billboards, posters, signs at ballgames and quoted in Sunday School. The verse has become a mantra of sorts and has been heard so many times we have become numb to the meaning. The world doesn’t know what it means, but sadly, much of the Christian world doesn’t know the depth of this scripture’s meaning.

For years, I read verses about God’s love and I knew He loved me, but the depth of that intimacy sometimes evaded me. I saw myself as one of the masses of the billions of people on earth, but I didn’t always feel the personal-ness of it.

Last week this blog was about a baby whose purpose in being born was to die. That's hard to absorb. If I knew the baby I had given birth to was going to grow up to die so mean, filthy, evil people could live, would I still want to give him to that world? I have to admit, not me.

Jesus is the only baby born whose destiny was to die

by Barbara Latta

Jesus was born to die.

The incarnate Christ was forever changed when the Word of God became flesh. The second person of the Trinity laid aside the benefits of His deity to subject Himself to the creation He had made so He could redeem that same creation from sin. When Jesus was resurrected, He had an immortal body with scars He will have forever. …Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into my side…(John 20:27).

God’s plan for the ages was redemption for His creation.

For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you (1 Peter 1:20 NKJV).

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel (Genesis 3: 15).

But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (1 Corinthians 2:7-8).

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the

propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:10).

Jesus really is the REASON we have the SEASON, for without Him not only would we not have Christmas, but we wouldn’t have Resurrection Day. And Resurrection Day is the reason He was born.

May your Christmas be blessed and happy!

Feel free to share your joy in the comments section below.

TWEETABLES

Jesus is the only baby born whose destiny was to die (click to tweet)

The True Light of the World

by Barbara Iliff

Today's guest post is by Barbara Iliff, a fellow writer and Word Weavers International member. Get your hot chocolate and enjoy memories and the meaning of Christmas lights.

I love lights. 
Since I was a little girl the brilliance of Christmas has been one of my favorite

Favorite parts of the holidays are hot chocolate
by the Christmas tree.

parts of the Holidays. My parents wove strings of colorful bulbs into the branches as my anticipation grew until finally the magic moment arrived. With our tree proudly dressed in the colors of Christmas, my parents plugged the lights in. My eyes shined and I crossed them just to have double lights!

My love for lights has not dimmed over the years. I took my own children riding around to see the shining glow on houses, light displays and even a snowflake street of white twinkling lights overhead. I sit in my living room near my Christmas tree and savor hot apple cider or hot chocolate while my soul feasts on the sparkle of Christmas.

But my favorite lights of all come alive just before Christmas at our church’s Candlelight Communion. 

The Significance of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ

by Barbara Latta

Babies are born every day all over the world. In America, we record the details of the birth

The Significance of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ.

on a legal document to certify the parents and vital information about the child. This is then recorded at the proper entity for the state where the birth occurred, and the child is legally a part of the family.

Family ancestry searches have become a popular pastime and profitable business. Information revealed about past relatives can be fun and informative and in some cases, may be a way to make claims to property.

Jesus’ Birth Certificate

In biblical times, genealogies were an important part of Jewish custom. The kingly lines were kept intact in precise detail by scribes to preserve the heritage. Jesus’ earthly ancestry is recorded both in Matthew and Luke with some differences. Scholars have debated over the reasons for the discrepancies, but the most popular theory is that Matthew traces Jesus’ line back to Abraham thus showing Jesus as the promised Messiah. Luke’s line traces through Mary’s ancestry back to Adam’s son Seth to reveal Him as the Son of Man and the second Adam. Even though Jesus did not inherit Mary’s fallen bloodline, He had to come as human to complete the work of defeating Satan the way Adam was supposed to. (Read the Genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1: 1-17 and Luke 3:23-38).

By having these details recorded in scripture, no one could debate the line Jesus came from. He was the Seed promised in the Garden of Eden to crush Satan’s head. He was from the royal line of David to rule as King.

Our Inheritance

We are written in the Book of Life through the
blood of Christ.

We become a part of God's kingdom through the blood of Christ. When we believe on His name and accept His sacrifice we are welcomed into the family of God. We are written in the Book of Life and our born-again birth certificate is final. No one can erase or take our names out of His book. We are certified in heaven and we are now children of God.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name (John 1: 12).

An heir to a royal throne will have a different demeanor than ordinary citizens. When we realize we are a part of the royal family of God, we will walk in our royal right and know what belongs to us; not in arrogance, but in the humility of Christ as servants of His on this earth. We are here to minister to others the love and grace of God, but also to walk in our authority to crush the work of the devil as he tries to spread lies and deception.

Walk in your royal inheritance by knowing who you belong to.

Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will (Ephesians 1:4-5).

How does knowing you belong to the family of God change your life?

TWEETABLES

The significance of the genealogy of Jesus Christ (click to tweet)

The Birth of Jesus Changes a Life

Today's post is by Maria Johnson, a fellow writer and member of Word Weavers International. I know you will be blessed by reading her insight of how Jesus changed her life.

 by Maria Johnson

Just the Right Amount of Jesus

 “The reason for the season” is a marketing success story.  It’s an effective sound bite for

The birth of Jesus changes a life

those of us who “get it” to let everyone else know that we “get it” and that they should “get it”, too. 

I realize the heart behind the message is sincere.  I’m saying the exact same thing when I encourage people to look to God’s Word for hope in mental illness. 

But we humans are flawed, and we have taken this valid encouragement and turned it into yet another requirement for doing Christmas “the right way.”  For those of us with anxiety issues, this can be yet another trigger during the holidays. 

What I try to do is think about what God did outside of the popular nativity story in Luke (Luke 2:1-20).  And I specifically try to think about not just what God did, but how what God did has changed my life.

God Became a Man

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

God has always wanted a relationship with man.  But once man sinned, we were cut off from Him because He is so holy.

He knew all along that we couldn’t make it all the way to Him.  So He came to us.  He came to me.

John 1:14 – “And the Word became 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.”

There have been many times when I didn’t have the strength to do one more thing to be a “better Christian.”  I was in the pit of depression and saw no hope of ever getting out.

Jesus came to me.

The baby born in that manger, the one immortalized in plastic on so many front lawns, grew up and offered me compassion.

Matthew 11:28 - “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

When Jesus was born a human child, He brought God to the earth to meet me where I was.

Jesus Cleared a Path to God

Jesus cleared a path to the heart of God.

When God designed the tabernacle in the wilderness, two curtains separated the mercy seat, where God’s presence was, from the people.  The first curtain led into the holy place, where only the priests could come. 

Hebrews 9:3,7 – “Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place … But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.”

God had made a way to be in the midst of His people, but He still had to keep His distance because our sin could not exist in His holy presence.

When Jesus died on the cross and paid the price for our sins, that distance was no longer necessary.

Mark 15:37-38 – “With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.”

I don’t have to go through a priest to get to God.  I don’t have to complete a checklist of tasks perfectly just to be able to talk with Him.  The only requirement now is accepting His sacrifice and His Lordship.

Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem provided hope that I could come into God’s presence.

Peace On Earth

Jesus didn’t come to earth to remove conflict. He couldn’t do that without removing free will. In the end, He will remove conflict, and those of us who used our free will to choose Him, will enjoy that eternal peace.

I have to be honest, though. The hope of eternal peace in the sweet by and by offers little comfort when I’m trapped by insomnia and all my worst fears are ravaging what little sanity I have left.

It’s then I have to remember that Jesus didn’t just come to set up a retirement plan.

What He brought instead, was a way to find peace in spite of conflict – whether that conflict is internal or external.

John 16:33 - “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

When Jesus was born into the chaos of a stable, peace was born. That’s not just a baby in that nativity painting; it’s peace.

When I remind myself that I’m celebrating the birth of peace, it’s easier to let go of the need to “get Christmas right.” I can look back in thanks that He came, but then live my life today filled with all the benefits of why He came.

How is today better for you as a result of Jesus being born? Join the conversation.

TWEETABLES

The birth of Jesus changes a life (click to tweet)

Maria spent most of her life focused on the theatre, while also dealing with depression and bipolar disorder.  Through Celebrate Recovery, she has come to a place of stability and peace and is now serving as a mental health advocate.  Recently, God called her to focus on writing as her main priority and she started a Bible study blog,  God’s Word for Mental Health.

She lives in Covington, GA with her husband, son, dog, and cat.  A proud geek, she enjoys fantasy and sci-fi stories, super hero movies, and spreadsheets.

Giving Thanks in the Middle of War

by Barbara Latta

In the middle of the Civil War when brother was killing brother, the country was torn apart by

Giving thanks in the middle of war

hatred and most felt there was little to be thankful for, Abraham Lincoln made this Thanksgiving proclamation across the land.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.

Have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving!

Despite the strife and problems our country is facing now, we do not have the tragedy the Civil War brought to the land. We have much to be thankful for and as we come together with our friends and families this week, may we give honor and praise to God from whom all blessings flow.

Have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving!

Feel free to share your thoughts.

He Trains My Hands for War

by Barbara Latta

If Christ be captain, no fear of defeat.

War is not a beautiful thing, but in our fallen world truth and justice demand defense.

God prepares selected men with a gift for war, for without it nations would crumble under the attack of evil and the gospel would not have a pulpit from which to be preached.

Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle (Psalm 144:1 NASB).

In 1745, the Reverend George Whitefield preached a sermon to troops during King George’s War. He addressed the soldiers from 1 Samuel 22:2 and based on this scripture encouraged the men to act like the soldiers of David. This great preacher is credited with the military motto: “If Christ be captain, no fear of defeat.”