Celebrating Christ

April 20th – Luke 2

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Luke 2

I can’t imagine what it would have been like to be the chosen mother of the Savior of the world. Most of the time she probably saw him as just an ordinary child. But then there were those special times. Times when Mary was reminded that Jesus was destined for so much more than her heart could fathom. It can be a hard thing to trust God’s plans for our loved ones. Naturally we want to protect them from hardship, trials and pain. And Mary was no different. Yet she was wise enough to trust God and His ultimate plan, “treasuring all these things in her heart.” We too have to trust God and His plans for our lives and the lives of our loved ones. We may not understand all of the whys in this life. But we can trust that God can make something beautiful out of every heartache. Because He always has a higher purpose and a plan of salvation for us all.

Blessings,

Becky

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April 17th – John 16:22

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John 16:22

His disciples were grief stricken when Jesus told them about His approaching death. Yet in the very same breath, the Lord also gave them hope through His resurrection, that they would be seeing Him again. Sadly, living in a fallen world means pain and suffering are are a given. But through Jesus, we can have an everlasting joy no sorrow can take away. For the Lord promises to those who believe in Him, pain and suffering are temporary, as compared to the blessings offered by a life in Christ. Jesus uses the example of a woman giving birth. Her labor pain is intense, unbearable, and agonizing. But once that beautiful baby is placed in her loving arms, the pain becomes a distant memory. And in its place is a heart filled with overwhelming love, joy, and thankfulness. In this world pain and persecution will come. But when we are in Christ, and He in us, our grief will be turned to joy. A lasting joy that no one or nothing will ever be able to take away!

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April 16th – Revelation 13:8

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Revelation 13:8

In the books of the Old Testament we’re told that a blood sacrifice was needed to atone for sin. And God’s plan from the beginning was to reconcile us to back to Himself through the blood of Christ. Before the world was formed, before Adam took his first breath, God knew how man would fall. Because of this, in His infinite love and wisdom, He predetermined for His Son to pay the sin debt for all. The Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, freely offered Himself as the perfect and final blood sacrifice. And He did so to save us from death and give us eternal life. “The Lamb was slain from the creation of the world”. How amazing is it that even before we were born, and knowing all of the sins we would commit, God had already provided our path back to Him!

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April 7th – 2 Corinthians 7:10

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2 Corinthians 7:10

Easter is a blessed holiday for Christians. But it’s but also a time when the interest to know Jesus is peaked for nonbelievers as well. That’s why it’s so important to pray for our loved ones. Pray that they will experience, “godly sorrow.” Godly sorrow results from a heart filled with conviction that the sins we’ve committed hurt God. Such a burning conviction produces in our hearts a godly sorrow. And as we look upon Christ who died for our sins, we are deeply grieved in spirit. Even though this can be painful, this is what we need to pray for the lost. A transformation of both their hearts and minds. Because we know that it is all for God’s loving blessings, and more importantly, eternal life!

Blessings,

Mari

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April 6th – Philippians 2:7

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Philippians 2:7

What an amazing display of love that God chose to become human and live as one of us. Jesus was fully God and fully human all at the same time. He didn’t empty himself of any of his attributes of deity, but He did humbly take on the role of a servant who came to serve.

By taking on human flesh, Christ could empathize with all of the experiences of being human and yet do so without sinning. He knew hunger and also the satisfaction of being fed. The Lord felt warmth, cold, pleasure, and pain. He experienced friendship and rejection. Jesus was loved and admired, yet persecuted and brutally slain. And He faced firsthand temptation. Which is why He is our perfect High Priest.

When Jesus came to Earth, He could have come in a great display of powerful Lordship. Or chosen to be born into wealth, prestige, and honor. But instead His goal was to come as the most humble servant. To be the sacrificial Lamb who would reconcile a sin stained humanity back to a righteous, holy God.

How blessed we are to have the teaching and acts of Jesus accessible through the Bible. For the Lord showed us what God the Father is  like. And what it truly means to have the heart of a devoted servant. Jesus emptied himself by becoming deity clothed in humanity. And no greater act of love exists.

Blessings, Becky

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April 3rd – Philippians 3:20

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Philippians 3:20

Because we are Christians, we are not citizens of this earth, but rather just passing though. Our allegiance is to heaven and our King, Jesus Christ. But until our Savior calls us home, we are to conduct ourselves according to the teachings and commands of our Lord. Jesus directs us to act in both word and deed as the heavenly citizens we are. By forgoing worldly living, we can keep our eyes on the prize. The day Jesus returns. On that magnificent day, our Messiah comes to take us the the place He personally prepared for each of us. Where there we will dwell by His side forever with new glorified bodies. Bodies that will feel no pain, sadness, disease, sickness, or sin. And all we will know is everlasting joy and peace!

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