Tis the Season to Boldy Proclaim Christ - by Kim Checkeye

We are entering into a very busy time of the year as we get ready for the Christmas Season by spending time with family and friends and decorating with lights, trees, candles and so much more. I want to encourage you this season to let your light shine for Jesus more than ever before.

As you about your day and people say to you “Happy Holidays”, boldly proclaim back “Merry Christmas to you.” I am going to let you in on a little secret of mine. Promise not to tell? This drives me crazy when people say Happy Holidays! After all, isn’t Christmas about the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?

The Roman pagans would celebrate Saturnalia from December 17-25. During this time the Roman authorities chose “an enemy of the Roman people” to represent the “Lord of Misrule.” Each Roman community selected a victim whom they forced to indulge in food and other physical pleasures throughout the week. At the end of this festival which was December 25th, the authorities believed they were destroying the forces of darkness by brutally murdering this innocent man or woman.

Christian leaders wanted to get to the pagans so they took over this holiday but it was no easy task. The Christian leaders announced that on the final day, December 25th, they would celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Over the years the struggle has always been the same, remembering why the Christians took over Christmas.

Christians took over this holiday in an attempt to bring the pagans before God Almighty. Christians took what was a time of self indulgence, self gratification and pagan rituals and attempted to turn it around to celebrate the birth of Christ.

Unfortunately, this struggle is still there. As Christians, we are bombarded by what the world has made Christmas to be.

I think it is time for us as Christians to stand up and fight for what this Holiday is all about. It is time for fight for our brothers and sisters who are still lost in sin and don’t know the truth. After all, wasn’t paganism about people wrapped up in sin? It is time for us to boldly proclaim that Jesus Christ is the one true living God, that He died for our iniquities and our transgressions and that we can have ever lasting life in Him.

I urge you that this Christmas as you go about your days, you are constantly reminding everyone around you why you celebrate this Holiday and what it means to you. I urge you to press into your relationship with Christ more than ever before. I urge you to study the Word and allow your heart to become a sponge so you can truly know who God is. His Word tells us that He is:

Jehovah-Shammah – The Lord my Companion
Elohim – The all powerful One Creator
YHWH – The one who is self existent one
El Roi - The God who sees me
Jehovah-Jireh- You will provide
Jehovah – Rapha – the Lord who heals
Adonai – The Lord. My Great Lord.
Jehovah-Rohi – The Lord is my shepherd.
Jehovah-Mekaddishkem – The Lord who sanctifies
Jehovah-Tsidkenu – The Lord Our Righteousness
Jehovah-Nissi – The Lord is my Banner
Jehovah-Rapha - The Lord who heals
Jehovah-Shalom-The Lord is my Peace
Jehovah-Sabaoth - The Lord of Hosts The Lord of Armies
El Olam - The eternal God. The everlasting God.
El Elyon - The God Most High
El Shaddai – The all sufficient One
Immanuel – God is with us. I AM.

This is the God we serve! This is God who gave His one and only son to be born. Jesus Christ came into this world to die. He was born so that one day, He would die for the sins of the world.

I urge you to fall on your face during this Holiday season and seek Him. I urge you to press into His loving arms and forget the things of this world. I urge you to be like the woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5. She had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. This caused her to be weak and tired. It was debilitating to her in all areas of her life. The Bible tells us that she had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and she had spent all that she had. I can only imagine what this poor woman went through. She knew that her only hope was this Jesus that she had heard all about.

There was a large crowd following Jesus and they pressed in around him. This weak and tired woman knew that if she pressed in through the crowd and touched the hem of His garment, she would be healed. Can you picture it? I can. I can see the crowd pushing and trying to stop her from reaching Him. I can see as she gets a few steps closer someone pushes her all the back to where she started. Her mind is telling her to give up but her heart is telling her to fight even harder. She doesn’t give up until she reaches the Healer and touches His garment. At that very moment the bleeding stops and she is healed.

I urge you to push in to the things of God just like this woman did. You won’t be sorry. The Lord God will turn to you and say “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

Merry CHRISTMAS and God bless you!

A Life of Obedience by Sharon

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin… The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. 1John 2:1-6

Several months ago I did an inductive study of 1 John and was challenged by practically every verse. I just love God’s Word as it alone can pierce the heart, convict and move us toward change.

As I studied it seemed to me that God was speaking directly to me, asking questions, probing my heart, my walk, my obedience to Him. I began to ask myself, “Do I obey God’s commands?” (2:4) “Do I walk as Jesus did?” (2:6) Do I love my brothers and sisters?(2:9) Do I pursue the things of the world more than God? (2:15) Do I know truth? (2:20-21)

It was a challenge because scripture says that if I love God then I will obey, I will walk as Jesus did, I will love my brothers and sisters. I will pursue God above all else and seek to know truth. I realized quickly that I fail often in some of these areas. Not because the desire it’s there, but I battle my flesh on a daily basis.

So how do we live a life of obedience? How do we walk as Jesus did? As I reflected over my life, especially the last few years I realized that apart of the Spirit’s working and dwelling in my heart I can not. Without study God’s word and learning truth for myself, I can not do it.

Jesus was always about His Father’s business. Jesus understood what He was placed on earth for and everything He did was working toward that purpose. It doesn’t mean He didn’t relax with friends over a meal at times, but I imagine that the conversation was not about the weather, or latest fashion trends.

Everything Jesus did was ministry, it was serving others and doing the will of the Father. Can I say the same about my life? Do I obey what I believe God is calling me to do regardless of the cost? Regardless of the personal sacrifice?

If I truly love God and am His daughter I will always choose to be obedient and walk as Jesus did. Even if that means less lunch dates, shopping trips or “me” time. That is not what God has called me to and to be obedient I must be about my Father’s business.

What about you? Are you about your Father’s business? Are you willing to walk a life of obedience regardless of personal sacrifice?

May we all spend time before the Father today and ask Him to show us the areas we need to work on in order to be more like Him.