Christmas Blessings

 

Artwork by Carol Moore
https://mooresartgallery.blogspot.com/

A Christian thought to ponder ...

Two thousand and twenty-five years ago in the little town of Bethlehem, a great star shone brightly, and the angels announced the birth of Jesus, the Son of God, our Savior, and our King. Imagine how Joseph felt holding God in the flesh. What thoughts lay hold of his mind. Did he truly understand that he beheld and held God, who became man to save the world? A world in need of a Savior now more than ever. 

As this world gets darker and wickedness runs rampant, we can find hope and light this Christmas in celebrating the birth of Christ Jesus, our Savior. It is a great blessing to know the beginning of God's redemptive plan. A plan that was promised in Genesis 3:15.

"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

And that offspring was born one night all those years ago, in a manger in the town of Bethlehem who had no room for its Savior, its King.  As it states in Colossians 13-17, he delivered us from the darkness and he is the King of Kings, Creator of all things.

"He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

Our Savior Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, defeated the enemy. He was victorious at the cross. Death had no hold on him. Sin was atoned for us by his death, and the power of sin and death had over us was broken. We were set free from the bondage of sin. Alleluia!

As we sit around the Christmas tree this year opening our presents, let us not forget that all those years ago, God gave us the greatest gift of all, a Savior, His Son, to redeem us from our fallen state. May our Lord Jesus Christ, who revealed his glory to all on that special day long ago, bless you with peace, hope, and love this Christmas. And may His light shine brightly through your lives throughout the New Year. 

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for revealing Your glory, Your grace, and Your truth by sending Your one and only Son to become flesh and dwell among us. Enlighten hardened hearts and open deaf ears to hear this truth, this hope, and help them to see this true light so that they may believe and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. 

We ask this in Jesus' name.

Amen. 

Hypocrisy and the Church

"Even so, you also appear on the outside to be doing right in front of people, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and sin." Matthew 23:28 (AUV)

A Christian thought to ponder...

How many people have left your church that you attend due to hypocrisy amongst the leaders or fellow believers? 

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary hypocrisy is, "a feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not: behavior that contradicts what one claims to believe or feel" or "the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion." A hypocrite, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is, "a person who claims or pretends to have certain beliefs about what is right but who behaves in a way that disagrees with those beliefs."

I would wager quite a few of us at one time or another have witnessed hypocrisy within the church and have participated in it. All of us have said or done things that contradict what our Christian faith stands for and what we are called to be, such as loving, kind, gentle, caring, patient, good, and forgiving. I know I have.

But what is hardest to see within a church is when the leadership is full of leaders who are hypocrites. Hypocrites who state one thing in front of a person, but behind this person's back, they spout evil and slanderous words from their mouths. Hypocrites who will put an on performance at church to demonstrate just how good they are, but when they get home or arrive at work, they are a whole different person.  This behavior is false and misleading and misrepresents Jesus Christ, whom we are to follow. Jesus warns us in Matthew 6:1 to be careful about putting on false, kindly acts to be only seen,  "Be careful that you do not do your good deeds in front of people for the purpose of being seen by them, for [if you do] you will not have a reward from your Father in heaven (AUV)." God knows our hearts and just as it is stated in Jeremiah 17:10, "I am the LORD who searches the heart, who tests the inner depths to give to each person according to what he deserves, according to the fruit of his deeds (ISV)."

Our deeds determine what we deserve. If our deeds, actions, and words are full of falsity and hypocrisy, we are doing Satan's will, not God's will. How can one follow a shepherd that cannot even follow the will of God and the ways of God? When shepherds shine only pharisaicalness and self-deludedness, it damages the church. But the thing of it is, we are all leaders, for we were all called for the great commission to go out and share the gospel. None of us should be entrapped with such ungodly behavior, but we are all human and sinful by nature. We need to be correcting one another, and we need to be confessing to our Father in Heaven, seeking His forgiveness, and seeking forgiveness from those we have hurt, shattered, blind-sided, belittled, mocked, or knocked down with our hypocrisy. 

Hypocrisy turns people against the church. When our actions and words are not pleasing to God and are not Christ-like, we fail as followers of Christ. We are no better than all the other sinners out there who do not even know Christ. As we see in Luke 6:42, "Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye (NASB)," if we are too focused on how pious and righteous we are, we cannot see the log in our own eye, and we lose the ability to grow in Christ and the ability to help others grow in Christ. As it states in Philippians 4:8, we need to focus on what is good, lovely, and admirable in people, "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." Let us show others how we know, love, and walk with God.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for Your word. Thank you for the Holy Spirit to convict us when we have sinned against You and others. Lord you know each and every one of our hearts. Help us to have a heart like Yours. Help us to stay focused on what is good, lovely, and admirable in all people. Help us to seek forgiveness from those we have hurt or caused suffering. Help us to be loving, caring, patient, gentle, kind, truthful, patient, good, and forgiving towards others. Help guide us and show us Your will in all things and may our actions and words bring You glory.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Pray you all have a blessed week!

Carol Moore