Category Archives: Christmas

Assurance - Promise, Celebrations, Christmas, For Fun

Starting for Bethlehem

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Please don’t tune me out because I am about to say Christmas in September!

Here’s my thinking: if we want this year’s Christmas celebration to exalt JESUS (YESHUA) and bless our families and friends more than ever before, I think we need to start for Bethlehem now. I am thinking that if we don’t start now, this Christmas will be just as commercial, just as harried, more costly – less giving, and brimming with stress just as it has been in years passed.

So to my praying Friends, I ask that you pray for me. Pray that I will start for Bethlehem now. Pray that I will keep praying over Advent and how the LORD would have me honor Him. Pray that I will resist buying gifts just for buying gifts sake but will instead seek the LORD as to what He would have us give family and friends; gifts that will keep on blessing them for years to come. It’s a lofty request I know and I haven’t had much practice but I’d like to begin to practice now. 

I want a Christmas tree this year that’s simple, not decorated to the hilt but one that draws me to come and sit and visit with the Savior. And I want a Jesse Tree this year too. See HERE to learn about the Jesse Tree. There’s a lot to learn (and a lot of reading). I’m not looking for perfection in the way it’s done at our house just that we honor JESUS (YESHUA), remembering His Story. 

And I’m thinking special foods, music, decorations, family fun, friends, and most of all worship. That’s my desire for this Christmas Season. I hope I have started early enough.   :)  

6 For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father [of Eternity], Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from the [latter] time forth, even forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.  via Isaiah 9 AMP;CJB – But [in the midst of judgment there is – Bible Gateway.

Day 267 of 2014, a day to give Thanks.

Kathie

Assurance - Promise, Christian Living, Christmas, Forgiveness, Prayer Requests, Repentance

Right

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Is there anything harder in this Christian Life than giving up your right to want to hurt someone who has hurt you especially when they did it knowing it was hurting you but did it anyway?

I am in the process and it is wildly hard.

The mind plays and plays the evil they did; moreover, you told them to stop, even explained the pain and they kept on and finally, you are stuck paying the consequences for their sins.

As I said is there anything harder?

And so you pray and you work remembering Scripture and you pray more and at some point, you surrender your right to want to hurt them because you know that is what is best for you and that is what JESUS desires for you.

Does it make what they did right? Does it cancel their sin? Absolutely not!

Does it make what they did any less malicious? Absolutely not!

Does it mean they will not reap what they have sown? Absolutely not!

Does it mean I will not rejoice when what goes around comes around? Actually yes it does! That is how I know forgiveness has come.

Does it mean when I think of what they have done to me, I will hurt less? Yeah, actually it does.  ONLY JESUS can work a miracle like this!  And I’m looking for a miracle. James 5:16 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

16 Therefore, openly acknowledge your sins to one another, and pray for each other, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

via James 5:16 KJV;CJB – Confess your faults one to another, and – Bible Gateway.

Ephesians 4:32 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted; and forgive each other, just as in the Messiah God has also forgiven you.

via Eph 4:32 KJV;CJB – And be ye kind one to another, – Bible Gateway.


Kathie

A Quick Hello, Assurance - Promise, Christian Living, Christmas

Let and Let Not

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I picked up John 14 to read this morning, preliminary preparation for Sunday, and I am stopped at the first five words.

“Don’t let yourselves be disturbed.

via John 14 KJV;CJB – Let not your heart be troubled: ye – Bible Gateway.

As you may know this is Yeshua speaking to His Disciples and obviously He is speaking to me and I hope to you this morning. I suppose I could see this as a choice; I can choose to let not that or this disturb me and I am certain that is true. There must be a choice because I have done both – Let and Let Not. And having a choice theology feels good; we like that free will thing. Free to Choose.

But for the Disciples and for me this morning I am sensing more. I think I hear a Loving Command here. As in you are My Disciple so don’t let yourself be disturbed by this and that because I AM here with you.

I like choice. But I think I like this command more. It’s personal. It’s the Voice of the Savior speaking to one of His Own.

Perhaps you’d like to listen and see if you hear a loving command beyond a choice.

Joyous Celebrating of the Savior’s Birth!
Kathie

Celebrations, Christian Living, Christmas, Giving Thanks, Repentance, Salvation

Do the Math

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36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

via Mark 8:35-37 KJV;CJB – For whosoever will save his life shall – Bible Gateway.

What shall it profit a man, a woman, a family if they gain everything they desire in this life and lose their eternal souls to hell?

What shall it profit a man, a woman, a family if they get every material thing they desire in this present life and yet they have no peace, no joy, nor wholeness of being?

What shall it profit a man, a woman, a family if they have all the trinkets the media flashes before them but they forget, reject, turn away from the GIFT of Eternity – JESUS, the CHRIST?

And what is profit anyway?  This was interesting:

Profit (accounting), the difference between the purchase price and the costs of bringing to market via Profit – Ask.com Encyclopedia.

And this one:

d. The amount received for a commodity or service in excess of the original cost. via profit – definition of profit by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia..

Perhaps we are asked to ‘do the math’. Perhaps ABBA is asking me to do the math today; not so much for myself in regards to my eternal destination – that has been settled – but for others? How much are they worth to me? How much are they worth to you? And who is they? Any soul the HOLY SPIRIT brings into our sphere of influence today? Any soul HE opens a door of utterance to whom we can speak a word of encouragement, a word of warning, a word of hope.

I’m glad I woke up this morning with ‘what shall it profit’ calling to me.

Thank You, ABBA, I need this. I pray HOLY SPIRIT that I do not allow this message to be unprofitable to Your Kingdom work today or my own soul.

Joyous Celebrating of the Savior’s Birth!

Kathie