Posted on 12/25/2009 7:40:16 AM PST by Kaslin
Have you ever noticed how, when it comes to the rich and powerful, the most impressive people are those that eschew the many benefits of their position in favor of a modest, down to earth existence? When those from whom we expect arrogance surprise us with humility, something resonates within the human soul. For Christians, one of the most breathtaking things about our savior Jesus Christ is that he willingly surrendered the privileges of his Lordship and descended from Heaven to walk among us, as one of us.
For us and for our salvation, He came down from Heaven. By the power of the Holy Spirit He became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. (The Nicene Creed)
This is the miracle of Christmas?that in order to reconcile humankind to Him forever God Himself became a man, taking the form of a bondservant and offering an example of holiness and love to the world. In his letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul tells us that we are called to imitate Christ:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death?even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8 NIV)
It's a difficult concept to grasp, the knowledge that the God of the Universe loved us so much that he was willing to become a man and die for us. What's even more amazing is that He did this for a sinful, fallen, wholly unworthy world:
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8 NIV)
Most of us can imagine a scenario where we would lay down our lives in defense of our spouse, our children, our family, or perhaps our friends. But who among us could imagine loving anyone so much that we would subject ourselves to cruel mockery, brutal torture, and an agonizing death at their hands? Who among us would willingly give our lives for someone who spurns us and hates us? The answer is no one. Only Jesus Christ had enough love to cover over human sin; only He was capable of the benevolence and humility necessary to endure the pain of humanity's hatred and rejection. This is why only He is worthy of our love, worship, and devotion:
Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11 NIV)
It's so easy for the true meaning of Christmas to get lost amid the hustle and bustle of the season. But there's no perfect gift, no perfect meal, nothing that man can do that can equal the glory of the Christmas miracle?the miracle of Christ's incarnation. This Christmas, before we do anything else, let us fall to our knees in humility before God with offers of prayer and thanksgiving for the saving work that began over 2,000 years ago with the birth of a tiny baby in a manger.
Thank you. I plan to do just that very soon now.
My favorite is John 3:16:
For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.
For those non-believers:
I would challenge you to read, beginning in Acts Chapter 8, about a man that changed his entire life from persecuting Christians to becoming an apostle of Jesus. Many of the New Testament books were written by Paul, the Apostle.
At Christmas -- a lot of people think about a cute little baby Jesus or a very nice man who said nice things to people, was uplifting, and healed a bunch of people...
What people really need to remember is that there's this "big bad Jewish fellow" out there, who's showing up soon, sorta unexpected, and he's "looking for bear" and is gonna open up "the biggest can of whoop-ass" you've ever seen in your life, on a bunch of people here on earth. LOL...
However, many fail to understand -- but they will "understand" when the Messiah of Israel returns to this earth, sets His feet on the soil of this globe, and sets up the ruling authority -- the one-world government -- that He puts into place over all nations, including the United States.
He's the Messiah of Israel, that He is coming back to earth, to set up a one-world government, with His headquarters in Jerusalem, ruling over all the nations of the world, including the United States and will rule over all who are still alive (from who are living right now today) -- and that He will definitely scrap the Constitution of the United States and make Himself the supreme ruler over all that we do.
The "day of reckoning" is coming for all of those who are trying to take over the world and put it totally under their control in an evil one-world empire. And they do admit that they want a one-world government -- their government, not God's...
When the Messiah of Israel comes back to this earth to set up His one-world government and subject all the nations of the world to His authority and rule -- He'll be making real short work of any of those yahoos...
And you can be sure that He will be utterly destroying anything to do with any of these yahoos, since whatever they say and do is a total perversion of anything to do with the Messiah of Israel.
And for sure -- we all, in this world, need the Messiah of Israel back, here on earth -- to destroy this coming one-world government and to install His own one-world government in its place.
I'm looking forward to the coming Kingdom on earth and the one-world government that the Messiah of Israel will be setting up, after He destroys, by His own hand, the present and evil one-world government that we see forming right now.
Isaiah 9:6-7
For unto us a Child is born.
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
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