Search

Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the LORD. Psalm 118:26 "Give Salvation Now" 12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” 14 And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, 15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!” 16 His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him (John 12:12-16). This shows Jesus’ triumphal entrance into Jerusalem. It's one of the very few events in Jesus’ life and ministry that is recorded in all four Gospels. (Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:29-38). By fulfilling the OT Scriptures and riding into Jerusalem on a donkey (His humble means of transportation), Jesus officially presents Himself to the nation as the Messiah and Son of God, the One who comes in the name of the LORD. The palms still grow in Jerusalem today. From about two centuries earlier, the waving of palm branches had become a national symbol of the ultimate hope that a Messiah would come and be the perfect and ultimate sacrifice who would set all the captives free. The term Hosanna is a transliteration of a Hebrew word that means “give salvation now.” Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You for sending Your Son Jesus to die on the cross for my sins and rise again so that I may have eternal life, by grace through faith in Him. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! Hosanna in the Highest! Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the LORD (Psalm 118:26). He comes to seek and save that which is lost He comes to buy us with His precious blood, the ultimate price, the highest cost He comes to show us mercy and set the captives free He comes to give us grace and liberty He comes to love His enemies and die for mankind He comes to show compassion and give sight to the blind He comes to soften hearts, open eyes, and make us free He comes to take away the sins of all who turn and believe Jesus is my Blessed Hope, my Supreme Treasure I am eternally grateful, for I deserve nothing good, yet He blesses me beyond measure! By grace through faith in Him, I am secure forever! Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior! To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity (2 Peter 3:18). In Jesus' name I pray, amen! 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” (John 3:16-21). Salvation is found in no one else, and there is no name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy (Proverbs 28:13).

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:6 Dear Lord, You are my Shepherd, my Protector, my Provider. You watch over me. You take good care of me. May I be like a sheep; meek and obedient to Your call and Your voice. I shall not want. In Jesus, I have everything. What more could I want? For You supply all that I need. When I still have any unfulfilled desire in my heart, may I trust You that it’s either not good for me or not the right timing. You make me lie down in green pastures and give me rest. You lead me beside still waters and give me refreshment from Your living waters. You give me the support, comfort, and daily bread I need. You provide me with food that feeds my body. You provide me with food that feeds my soul. Your word of life helps me grow strong in wisdom and discernment and gives me peace and contentment. I have peace with God through faith in Jesus. (Romans 5:1). Amen! Because I feed on Your goodness, help me to follow Your path of righteousness. As Your sheep, I am prone to wander, but You give me the gift of repentance. When I stray, You are faithful to restore my soul, gently gather me back into Your flock, and set me back onto Your path. You lead me by Your word, providence, and Spirit according to the purpose of Your will, to the praise of Your glorious grace, for Your name’s sake. Death is the king of all terrors (Job 18:14). But not to me, because I belong to Jesus, who gathers me into His arms and carries me close to His heart (Isaiah 40:11). What can separate me from the love of God? Not even death (Romans 8:35). Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, though I walk where death lurks all around me, it is merely a shadow to a sheep. I will fear no evil. A shadow of even the deadliest snake or weapon can’t hurt me, not even in the slightest. I have nothing to fear when I belong to You, Jesus. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. No one can snatch them out of my hand (John 10:28). My soul is eternally secure in You, and I will never taste death. As I walk through the valley, I should never fear, for You will guide and help me. You will uphold me with Your righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10). Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Your rod is Your word that gently corrects me when I make a wrong turn, and Your staff is Your Spirit that gently guides me through the valley. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, and You anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows. A sheep has enemies, for I wouldn’t be like my Lord if I didn’t. If I was without enemies, I might fear that I am a friend of the world and an enemy of God (James 4:4). Having enemies, being hated by the world (John 15:18-19), and experiencing suffering and persecution for the sake of Jesus are evidence that I belong to You. (See Matthew 5:10-11, Philippians 1:29). As my enemies see me eat at my table with my head anointed with oil and my cup overflowing, may it point them not to me but to the One who prepared it all for me. Lord, I ask that You soften their hearts to hear the gospel and receive it with joy so they too may become one of the fold and be saved, by Your grace. Lord, may You have mercy on them as You did on me, and gift them with repentance and faith to believe in Jesus. My cup overflows. Your divine power provides me everything pertaining to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). You give me all things that are needed for the body and the soul, both now and to the day of eternity. Not only that, but You provide all these things in abundance. It can't even all stay in the wonderful cup you gave me! Lord, I know I always have enough because You tell me that Your grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9). Surely Your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; not only on the hard and dreary days but also on the light and joyful days. Your goodness supplies every need of mine, and Your mercy blots out every sin of mine. I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:35-36). As my faith is strengthened in God’s promises and my joy increases in the reality of my heavenly home with Jesus, I am strengthened in Christ as I keep my eyes on Him, the Author and Perfecter of my faith, the Good Shepherd, my Protector, my Provider, my Lord and Savior. All glory belongs to Jesus. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen. The Lord Is My Shepherd A Psalm of David. 23 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, Philippians 2:14-16 Salt & Light “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16 What a tremendous privilege it is to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world! What a great responsibility we have as Christians to proclaim the way of salvation in Christ and to live a life that brings honor to His Name. Effective Witnesses If we want to truly be a light in this world and be an effective witness to the power of Jesus, we must live a life that is submitted to Christ, in loving obedience to the word of God. It's so important for witnessing to others that our speech, actions, and personal lives are upright and in line with God’s truth on a consistent basis. Although we will stumble and fall at times, it's the Holy Spirit at work within us who sanctifies us in the Word, helps us practice righteousness, gifts us with wisdom and discernment, guides us into all truth and away from error, and helps us live out our lives for the glory of God. We don't rely on our own human strength, but we rely on God's grace to help us walk in a manner that is pleasing to Him. The place that we're going to have the most impact in our witnessing is the environment in which we live and work in the most. This is where others see how we talk, behave, and live on a daily or weekly basis. If people see us in our environment as being consistently proud, resistant, divisive, gossipy, lazy, impatient, unkind, selfish, or lacking self-control, how can we expect them to suddenly listen to us when we start talking about Jesus? How can we expect them to suddenly trust us when we start preaching about repentance and faith in Christ for eternal life? We would only look like hypocrites if our actions consistently didn’t line up with our words. Living a blameless life is not about keeping up appearances and images in a legalistic way, nor does it have anything to do with pride and being "better" than anyone else. It's about glorifying God and the fact that people’s eternal destinations are hanging in the balance in a watching world. It's about testifying to the truth that is in Jesus. The Greatest Responsibility As believers, we are supposed to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world for others. We are commanded to be witnesses of Christ and bear His name with honor. Being a Christian is the greatest responsibility, day in and day out. It's also a daily battle against sin and the flesh, the satanic world system and its ungodly influences, and the devil's temptations. Being a follower of Jesus is a responsibility far beyond just ourselves, our families, and our jobs. It’s our responsibility to God as children of light and workers in His kingdom. Believing in Jesus is a daily walk and a lifelong commitment, but once we are saved by His grace, we are always saved and kept secure in Christ forever. We could never lose our salvation. And I am sure of this that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). It is His grace, the power of the Holy Spirit within us that enables us to walk in a manner that is pleasing to Him, giving evidence that we belong to Him. Talk the Talk & Walk the Walk It’s living a pure life that paves the way to giving a powerful testimony of Christ. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people (1 Peter 2:15). By living an upright life, this not only protects us from the schemes and snares of the devil but instantly silences the voices of the critics surrounding us, waiting to see us all fall. The truth in Jesus shines brighter through us when we preach it and live it, not just preach it. We don't just talk the talk and profess with our mouths empty words without any actions. Rather, we walk the walk because we trust Jesus in our hearts. because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9). True saving faith in Christ is both a public confession with an inward conviction that manifests itself as obedience to God's word. What you say and how you behave should match your status in Christ. Your confession and walk reflect your eternal position. As we talk the talk and walk the walk, we must remember that Satan is the god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4), and he is the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2). That means as Christians, we have a serious target on our back in the spiritual realm at all times. This life is not a battle for territory but a battle for the Truth. And as Christians, we are the people of the Truth. We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Therefore, we are always under much more scrutiny and examination than the rest of the world. Satan takes every crafty opportunity to try and make us sin so that we fall in front of a watching world. Just like he did in the garden with Eve, Satan tries to tempt us to doubt the clarity and authority of God's word. He tries to get us to doubt the sufficiency of Christ for our lives, and he subtly tempts us to think we need something more, something extra outside of Christ. He tries to tempt us to doubt the goodness of God and even the way of salvation in Christ. Satan is subtle and crafty with his lies and half truths, but he is predictable and boring. Satan is constantly shooting fiery darts at Christians in order that our testimonies of the gospel might be diminished. He comes only to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). Take up the whole armor of God, Christian! (See Ephesians 6:10-20) A Blameless Life Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, (Philippians 2:14-16) I think we all would love to live a blameless life, where no one could call us out on any sinful habits, serious faults, or hypocritical behavior that would put us to shame. All believers would love to show that blameless life to the watching world as we bear the name of Christ and stand in the truth of God’s Word with integrity, zeal, and love. What makes Satan angry is when believers live humble and righteous lives, joyfully. When I say we ought to live a blameless life, I am not talking about being a perfectionist, being sinless, or anything in regard to being legalistic. As believers, we know that we are sinners saved by grace through faith in Christ alone. Knowing this glorious truth is what humbles us and helps us live blameless lives filled with joy and gratitude for Jesus, rejoicing in who He is and what He did for us. I am talking about living an honest, God-glorifying life full of integrity and obedience to God's word where we can humbly say, "Yes, of course I mess up, and yes, I am a sinner. But I turn from my ways, and I turn to Jesus. I trust in the person and finished work of Jesus Christ. I trust who Jesus is as the Son of God, and I trust that He accomplished it all for me on the cross. He is the perfect sacrifice, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He did what I could never do for myself. He lived a sinless life and was perfectly obedient to His Father. He suffered and died on the cross for my sins, took the full punishment that I deserved, and rose again, that by grace through faith in Him, I may have eternal life. He imputed to me His perfect righteousness so that when God looks at me, He sees me without blemish. I stand blameless before God because of Jesus. Jesus is my foundation, my hope, my strength, and my refuge. I am a wretched sinner saved by grace, and only in Him am I perfect and blameless. It's the Holy Spirit who helps me walk on the narrow path, even if I fall at times. He always helps me get back on His righteous path for His name’s sake. It is not I but the grace of God that is with me.” Faith Comes by Hearing This is the kind of life I think we all want as believers. This is the kind of life that lays a strong foundation for our testimonies to be received and the gospel to be believed so that others too can come to true saving faith and rest in Jesus. Sharing our testimonies and the gospel is not some marketing exercise, nor was the Truth ever received by man's own cleverness of speech or human wisdom. Ultimately, it’s the power of God through His word that brings people to faith. Our job is not to save anybody. God is the One who does the saving. Our job is to proclaim the gospel in love and rely on the Holy Spirit to work through God's word in that person's heart. So faith comes by hearing and hearing through the word of God (Romans 10:17). For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). Let’s boldly share the gospel in love with the unique personalities God has gifted us with, and let's live out our lives worthy of the gospel, as the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins and take the full punishment that we deserve all upon Himself. What tremendous love that is! I praise You that Christ’s perfect righteousness has been imputed to us who believe in Him, by Your grace. What a gift! Help us with this awesome responsibility that you have blessed us with. Help us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world so that we can help others come to find peace, joy, hope, and eternal life in Jesus Christ. All glory belongs to Jesus! In His name, I pray, amen. Love, Jenna Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. Colossians 4:6 For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light Ephesians 5:8 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Matthew 5:11 That you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, Philippians 2:15 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:1-2 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Mark 16:15 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 1 Corinthians 1:26

Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6). Love Rejoices with the Truth "Truth and Love are wings that cannot be separated, for Truth without Love is not able to fly, so too, Love without Truth is unable to soar up, for their yoke is one of harmony." - Ephraim the Syrian Jesus told us to come to Him just as we are. Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). However, Jesus didn’t tell us to come to Him just as we are so that we could stay that way. Jesus didn't come to affirm us in our sins and accept us just the way we are. He came to save us from our sins, call us to repentance and faith, and transform our hearts to live a life that is glorifying to God. That’s what a true friend does, and that’s what true love is. Love does not delight at wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6). True love points us away from sin and death and points us to Christ and eternal life. The Truth may be offensive to many who still believe the lies of this world and love their sin, but when told in love, the Truth is the most loving thing there is. The Truth is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). What is True Love? Biblical love is not empty sentimentalism but is deeply secured in the truths of Scripture and governed by it. Love is not just a fuzzy feeling or a mere abstraction, but it’s an action. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). So, this is what Scripture says about true love: Because I love you, I am patient with you. I am kind to you. Because I love you, I am not envious of the good things that happen to you. I am not jealous of your happiness, your talents, or your achievements. Because I love you, I don't show off or brag about my own talents, achievements, or promotions around you. Because I love you, I am not arrogant with what I have, what I know, what I can do, or who I am, for I know every good thing I have is a gift from above. Nothing good originates from me but only by the grace of God. Because I love you, I do not act in an unattractive way around you when I don't get my way. I don't act in an unbecoming way around you when you say something wrong that may offend me. Because I love you, I am never provoked. Because I love you, I never insist on my own way. I only try to seek your good, never my own. And when I don't get my way, I am not angry, irritated, or resentful toward you. That's because I love you. Because I love you, I've never held on to any record of wrongs. I never bring them up to remind you of your shortcomings and failures. The moment you do something wrong to me, I forgive it and also forget it. That's because I love you. Because I love you, I never delight in sin, lies, or wrongdoing, but I always rejoice in the truth. Because I love you, I gently point out your sins, not out of my own pride or so that it may benefit me. But I point out your sins from a place of humility and gentleness, that it may help you, guide you, and protect you. Because I love you, I bear all things. I bear all your shortcomings, annoyances, quirks, faults, and failures. Because I love you, I also believe all things. I give you the benefit of the doubt. When you say you're going to do something, or when you say you're going to change for the better, I believe you. I don't doubt you. When you say you're sorry, I believe you. I don't challenge you. I don't say that you've already said that a hundred times. I support you and trust you in what you say, even if you've said the same thing over a hundred times. Because I love you, I endure all things. I endure whatever you might bring up or throw at me. I endure all things because my love never fails. My love never ends for all eternity. My love just keeps going and going and going... Love is Not Blind Biblical love is devoted to the truth in everything. Love is not blind but perceptive, and it carefully discerns between truth from error, right from wrong, right from almost right. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, (Philippians 1:9). Discernment is having moral perception and insight. Discernment is having the ability to apply the knowledge of the truth to all sorts of situations in life. It is having wisdom through knowing Jesus Christ, the highest, truest, purest form of wisdom that exists. True love is discerning, and we can only be truly discerning and know what is excellent in the eyes of God when we know Jesus Christ. Knowing Jesus is not just an intellectual assent that He is the Son of God or that He died on the cross for our sins and rose again. For even demons believe that. Knowing Jesus is trusting in Him solely for salvation and walking in loving obedience to His word, by His grace through childlike faith. By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments (1 John 2:23). The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is insight (Proverbs 9:10). Insight here means discernment. Love is Discerning Without knowing Jesus, the Truth incarnate, we have no true spiritual discernment. Jesus is our rock and foundation in which we stand on when we discern what is pleasing in God’s eyes and what isn’t. How we come to truly know and trust Jesus is through the Word by the Holy Spirit. When we immerse ourselves in Scripture, our minds become renewed by God's truth. When we know God's truth is when we are able to discern God’s will for our lives. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2). This kind of transformation happens as the Holy Spirit changes our thinking through consistent study and meditation of Scripture. A renewed mind is a mind that is saturated with the Word of God and regulated by it. What is good, acceptable, and perfect means the kind of holy living that God approves of for His children in His kingdom. Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil. Cling to what is good (Romans 12:9). Many think that if we love, we shouldn't hate anything, but that's just sentimentality. Scripture makes it clear that "love does not rejoice at wrongdoing." We can’t sincerely love the pure things of God that are good, right, and true while also loving and giving approval to all that contradicts those things. We must never love or be entertained by the things for which Christ died. God hates sin, and if we love God, we ought to hate sin too. When we are born again, God puts His Spirit in us, and that's when we begin loving righteousness and hating the sin we once loved before our conversion. By God's grace, this miraculous heart change naturally manifests itself outwards into transformed lives and loving obedience to God's word, in which we walk in a manner that is worthy of the gospel and pleasing to God. Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You for loving me with an eternal love. You showed Your love for me when You sent Your beloved Son Jesus to die for sinners like me (Romans 5:8). Jesus took the full punishment for my sins on the cross and rose again that I may have eternal life, by grace through faith. I did nothing to earn Your love or Your favor, and I contribute nothing to my salvation. I am saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, all because You loved me and chose me before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). Eternal life is a free gift, not because of who I am or anything that I can do, but it’s because of who God is. God is love. And we love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). Lord, I just find it so amazing that You love each and every one of Your children as if there were only one of us. Lord, I ask You for wisdom and discernment. Help draw me to Your Word more and more, for that is where I come to know Jesus more and more. Help me to know Your truth that I may discern Your will and walk in love, joyfully sharing the truth of Jesus Christ with others. All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This I pray in Jesus' name, amen. With love, Jenna so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:17-19). For God so loved the world that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him (John 3:16-17). For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-8). And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 1 John 5:20 “Someone once told me, 'God doesn’t hate, God is love!' No, my friend, God is love, therefore God must hate. If I love life, then I must hate death. If I love babies, then I must hate abortion. If I love Jews, then I must hate the Holocaust. If I love African Americans, then I must hate slavery. If you truly do love that which is right, that which is perfect, that which is good, there is also an animosity, an enmity, against all that, that contradicts that standard. God loves all that is right, all that is true, all that is good, all that is virtuous, but Scripture after Scripture after Scripture tells us that His hatred is manifest against wickedness.” - Paul Washer

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:8-10). "Legalism is an attempt to make ourselves more acceptable to God by the deeds we do...The Spirit enables us to do the duty to which the Bible calls us. It is not an attempt to make ourselves acceptable to God, but it is to live in the empowerment of God in a way that pleases Him...Hearing the Word without doing it, professing it without practicing it, singing 'Jesus is King' and pleasing myself is an indication of the fact that I have never truly trusted in Christ. And therefore, we must examine ourselves and run afresh to Christ." - Alistair Begg from False Teachers Among You Series (Part 3 of 3) We Cannot Earn Salvation Nothing we do can earn God’s favor. We cannot earn salvation by our own self-perceived “goodness,” our good works, or a lifestyle change, for we are saved by grace through faith alone. Even our repentance and faith do not originate from ourselves. They do not come by personal merit, human achievement, or our own strength so that we may not boast, except in the Lord. so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:31). Rather, genuine repentance and true saving faith are gifts by God’s grace, and all the glory belongs to Jesus for our salvation."You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary." - Jonathan Edwards Repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin. When we repent (turn from our sins) and turn to Jesus, good fruit and holy living become a natural by-product of saving faith in Christ. This is evidence that we are children of God and born again into His living hope. We are not saved by good works, but we are saved to good works. We are saved by faith alone but it is not a faith that is alone. “We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone.” – Martin Luther. What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?...So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead (James 2:14,17). His Grace True faith in Jesus naturally stirs up good works in believers by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith (Ephesians 3:16-17). Good works do not come from our own striving or willpower. Rather, believers are empowered to walk in a manner that’s pleasing to God, all because of His grace. It's His grace that saves us, and it's His grace that also helps us walk in His ways. It's His grace that gives us the ability to carry out good works in His name, for the purpose of His will and all for His glory. Just as He predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace (Ephesians 1:5-6), He also predestined the good works in which He would have His children walk in, by grace through faith. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). That being said, the faith that saves is a faith that manifests itself through our actions, the fruit we produce, the way we live. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works (James 2:18). True Faith Obeys Obedience to God’s Word is a natural byproduct that results from having real faith in Christ. When we trust in Jesus and His goodness for our lives, we naturally desire to obey Him. This is not because we can earn His favor by our good works but because we believe in Him as our Savior and desire to submit to Him as Lord of the universe. It's because we know and trust that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). It's because God's grace has inclined our hearts toward Him, put His Spirit in us, and given us a new nature through our second birth. This new nature includes a growing love towards righteousness and all the things that God loves and a growing hatred toward sin and all the things that God hates. A growing love and obedience to God's Word is simply the outward evidence of inward faith in Christ. True saving faith is not some mere intellectual agreement of the historical facts of the gospel or just a mental assent that Jesus died for our sins and rose again. Even demons believe that and shudder (James 2:19). That's only a cheap grace Christianity called "Easy-Believism," which is just another one of Satan's layers of deception that runs rampant among many evangelical circles today. It perverts the grace of God and turns it into a license to sin. For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord (Jude 1:4). Rather, true saving faith is when we trust in God's character and integrity; who Jesus is and what He accomplished for us on the cross when He said, It is finished (John 19:30). We trust that Jesus was fully man and fully God and the perfect substitution for our sins. Jesus paid the fine in full so that we may be saved from God's eternal wrath and be granted eternal life, by grace through faith. Out of His love, Jesus did what we could never do for ourselves. He lived a perfectly obedient life to the point of death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). For our sake, the One who knew no sin became sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus took the fullness of God's wrath on Himself on the cross, died and rose again, so that we may be saved from our sins, transformed into new creatures, and granted eternal life, by grace through faith in Him. This magnificent truth will naturally cultivate a deep gratitude and joy in our hearts and bring forth a real desire to walk in His ways. Certainly, our obedience is far from perfect for as depraved as we are, but He reminds us that His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9). It's His grace that gives us the real desire and ability to obey Him because He has sealed us with the Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance in heaven (Ephesians 1:14). God has put His Spirit in us so that we may obey Him, not so that we may live to please ourselves still. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules (Ezekiel 36:27). Jesus is in Control When Jesus is in control of our lives, the results are a habit of pure living, not a habit of sinful living. Although believers will still struggle with sin in this life as we battle against it on a daily basis, God’s grace keeps us from ever falling away indefinitely or from living in unbroken patterns of ongoing sin, as we lived before our conversion. God's grace simply won't allow us to freely swim in sin, as we once did before we came to saving faith in Jesus. Once we are saved, we are always saved and forever secured by God’s grace. He will never allow us to go back to the broad and easy road again. We are completely secured on the narrow path, by His grace. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand (John 10:28). And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). The grace of God is not given to believers so that we may go on sinning and living however we please as if we don't believe in Him. But rather, it's so that we may have the power by His Spirit to choose that which is good, right, and true and bring Him glory. Whenever God's children stumble off His path, He will discipline us in love, and the Holy Spirit will gently convict us and guide us back onto His path, for His Name's sake. God’s grace is given to believers so that we may glorify Him and carry out good works in His name, which He prepared before the foundation of the world for us to walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). I am Not Religious. I am Saved by Grace. I am not religious. Doing good works and practicing rituals can't save me. Rather, I am saved by grace. My faith in Jesus is a gift. Jesus set me free from my sins, transformed my life, and gave me the tremendous gift of eternal life by His grace. He saved me from what I deserve, eternal hell, and He gifted me with what I never deserved, eternal life. How could I not want to submit to the God of the universe who did that for me? May I live for the One who died for me (by His grace) and praise Him for all that He is, the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16). I am eternally grateful for my Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. All glory belongs to Him forever and ever. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2). ❤️ With love, Jenna

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). The Path to Blessedness Meekness does not mean weakness, but rather supreme self-control born out of strength and humility, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Striving for power, prestige, and control, or demanding respect and honor is not the path to blessedness or joy. Rather, pride (the root of all sin) is the path to frustration, sorrow, ingratitude, broken relationships, and ultimately eternal destruction and separation from God. Meekness, gentleness, and living in humility are the path to being truly blessed and experiencing a real sense of joy and peace, headed for eternal life, by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. He is the Way the Truth and the Life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). What Does it Mean to be Blessed? In Scripture, 'blessed' means happy, a type of contentment, an inner peace, a state of restfulness that is not created from or affected by circumstances or emotions, which are unpredictable and ever-changing. It is a state of well-being and inner joy, rooted and grounded in the truth of Jesus Christ, who never changes. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). Jesus contrasts the world’s definition of happiness with true blessedness, which is spiritual prosperity, having the gift of eternal life. This only comes from having a right relationship with God through faith in Christ (Romans 5:1). What Does it Mean to be Meek? The term meekness is the opposite of being out of control. Meekness does not mean weakness, but rather supreme self-control in a believer that is empowered by the Holy Spirit. The Greek word translated “meek” is praeis and means mildness, humility, and gentleness of spirit. Gentleness is how we ought to treat others, and meekness is how we ought to respond to how others offend or mistreat us. Gentleness and meekness are fruits of the Holy Spirit. Someone who knows Jesus as his/her personal Savior and submits to Him as Lord will be growing in these fruits over his lifetime, becoming more Christ-like by the inner working of the Holy Spirit (slowly but surely). work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure (Philippians 2:12-13). Side Note: This verse speaks of two truths that run parallel together – man’s moral responsibility and God’s divine sovereignty. The harmonization of these two truths cannot be explained by human logic or reasoning on this side of eternity. Both are true. Born of humility, meekness overlooks small offenses, knowing that he/she has offended God way more than anyone could ever begin to offend him/her. Meekness is expressing humility toward God and others. It's having the power to do or say something but holding back in self-control for the love and benefit of another, which exemplifies the attitude of Jesus. Meekness is an outward expression of faith in Christ and a byproduct of sacrificial love, the ultimate love we are called to show as Christians. Jesus had the power and the right to do whatever He wanted as God, but for our sake and through His perfect sacrificial love, He was obedient to His Father’s will to the point of death on a cross (Philippians 2:6-8), so that through His sinless life, death, and resurrection, we may be forgiven of our sins and granted eternal life, by grace through faith in Him. Jesus going to the cross for us is the ultimate act of meekness the world has ever known. As the almighty Creator of heaven and earth, Jesus was also the meekest person who ever lived. Whoever Humbles Himself Will be Exalted Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Matthew 23:12). 'The meek shall inherit the earth' simply means that those who forgo the pride, power, and prestige of this life will be rewarded the kingdom of heaven, by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. The meek will be exalted and inherit the earth, while the proud will be humbled and perish. Believers will become heirs of the new heavens and the new earth one day (which is not too far away for any of us). Therefore, invest wisely in your eternity by living for the glory of God and putting all your trust in Christ, Lord to all, regardless of personal preferences, and Savior to all who trust in Him. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so 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 2:8-11 esv). What a day that will be when everyone bows the knee and confesses Jesus as Lord, whether to our supreme joy or to our supreme despair. Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Colossians 3:12-15 “The man who is meek is not even sensitive about himself. He is not always watching himself and his own interest. He is not always on the defensive..The man who is truly meek never pities himself, he is never sorry for himself. He never talks to himself and says, ‘You are having a hard time, how unkind these people are not to understand you.’” – Martyn Lloyd-Jones “Both gentleness and meekness are born of power, not weakness.. It takes strength, God’s strength, to be truly gentle.” – Jerry Bridges

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. Colossians 3:1-2 Dear Heavenly Father, We praise You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to die for our sins so that by grace through faith in Him we may live forever! May we continue to celebrate the miraculous birth of our great God and Savior in 2023 and beyond. Lord, we ask that You help us keep Jesus at the center of our lives every day in this new year. Help us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). May we be continually reminded of what Jesus has accomplished for us on the cross, and that by Your grace, You have given us the tremendous gift of eternal life. Lord, help us to have grateful hearts and live every day with keeping this eternal perspective in view. May You give us the grace to walk in loving obedience to Your Word, and help us to delight in Your statutes and meditate on your precepts, as we fix our eyes on Your ways (See Psalm 119). Help us read our Bibles as the Holy Spirit illumines Scripture for us, and Lord, help us pray even when we don't have the words to say. May You give us the patience to wait upon You and the wisdom to know when to be silent, when to speak, when to wait, and when to act. Let us be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger (James 1:19). May our words and speech be gracious and seasoned with salt, so that we may know how we ought to answer each person (Colossians 4:6). May our words build others up and give grace to those who hear (Ephesians 4:29). And when anyone asks us to give the reason for the hope that we have in Christ, may we always be ready to give our answer with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15). For those of us who are weak or tired, may You renew our strength this year so that we may mount up with wings like eagles and run and not grow weary, walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:31). May You help us fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12), knowing that the Christian life is a battle, but also knowing that Jesus has already won the war for us (John 19:30). May we take up the whole armor of God and be strong in the strength of Your might. For we know that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (See Ephesians 6:10-20). Lord, help us to know truth from error and discern right from almost right, by studying our Bibles diligently. The only way we can fight error and discern false teaching is by knowing the Word of God. Help us to recognize false doctrine and false prophets who come to us dressed as wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15-20). Let us not be afraid to expose false teachers so that we might warn others of their deceptive teaching and manipulative ways in the church. For we know that Scripture commands us to expose false teachers publicly (Titus 1:6-16). May we also pray for them, that they may repent and come to know, love, and preach the real Jesus. When persecution in any form or degree comes as a trial, give us the grace to endure faithfully and to be meek and humble like Jesus. Help us to exemplify the attitude of our Lord and point our enemies to Him, in hopes that they may repent by Your grace. May You also give us the grace to rejoice in our trials, knowing that the testing of our faith produces perseverance, which produces character, which produces hope, and we know that hope does not put us to shame because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Romans 5:3-5). May our trials help prove our faith in Christ to be genuine which gives evidence of our salvation. For it is one of the greatest joys to know that our salvation is the real thing! Let us encourage one another in our own personal walks with Jesus and comfort one another with the promises found in His Word (1 Thessalonians 4:18). Lord, give us the grace to gently correct one another in love and restore one another in the gentleness of spirit (Galatians 6:1-2). When we are rebuked for the things we do wrong, please give us the humility to graciously accept correction, repent, and grow in wisdom and grace (Proverbs 9:8-10). May You help us to confess our sins and quickly turn from our own ways and run back to Jesus, trusting in His faithfulness, infinite mercy, abundant grace, and steadfast love. The Christian life cannot be lived triumphantly when we keep our walk with Jesus to ourselves. Lord, help us to share our love for Jesus and our growing knowledge of His Word with one another. May we share our thoughts, experiences, and struggles, and admonish and encourage each other with Scripture. Lord, we ask that you help us remind each other and ourselves of the gospel every day in 2023. Help us live with an eternal perspective by setting our minds on things above where Christ is, not on earthly things (Colossians 3:2). Give us the grace to keep Jesus at the center of our relationships and conversations. “We need to hear the Gospel every day, because we forget it every day.” – Martin Luther Lord, please give us the grace to be bold and share the gospel with those who do not yet know You. May You have mercy on those who are lost, and may You give sight to the blind. May You gift our loved ones, neighbors, and enemies with genuine repentance and true saving faith in our great Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Help us to shine as lights in this world so that we may point everyone to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord. May this year bring lots of growth, joy, and peace in Jesus, knowing that for those who are in Christ Jesus, the best is always yet to come. Happy New Year everyone! All glory belongs to Jesus, our Lord & Savior! Amen! If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so 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 2:6-11) The Humility of Our Savior In my last couple of Christmas devotions, we have been focusing on the humility of Jesus. Jesus’ whole life was a display of humiliation. He was born in a manger to the virgin Mary, who was a peasant. He lived in the small town of Nazareth as a common person with a common profession as a carpenter. And during His ministry, when a scribe wished to follow Jesus, Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20). Jesus was essentially homeless during His ministry. One would never think a King would be homeless. Yet, Jesus, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, humbled himself and lived the life of a suffering servant. Jesus’ humble birth led to His humble life, which led Him to His ultimate humiliation. Jesus died on the cross, the most painful and dishonorable manner of death reserved for the worst of criminals. Yet, His humiliation brought Him to His ultimate glory. Because Jesus lived a perfectly obedient life to the point of death, even death on a cross, the Father exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so 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 2:9-10) And as believers, by grace through faith in Christ, we are humbled before God and granted eternal life – the glorification of believers. In His incarnation, Jesus’ glory was underneath the veil of human flesh. Although His glory was hidden throughout most of His life and ministry, He was still fully God. In His body was the fullness of deity (Colossians 2:9). His divine greatness as the Son of God was veiled by His humility as a man, who lived among us. He was Immanuel, “God with us.” Although His glory was often veiled, there were times in His life and ministry when He let His glory temporarily shine through His humble veil. The greatest example in Scripture was when Peter, James, and John saw His transfiguration. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. (Matthew 17:1-13). His glory had also shone through in places where people were not expecting it. There was an unveiling of His glory in the humbling setting of His birth. In Luke 2:8-9, an angel appeared to the shepherds nearby who had the tremendous privilege of viewing the most glorious light show ever – Baby Jesus was born, and He shone the light of His glory to all the shepherds who were gathered by. His glory was witnessed first-hand by the people who were considered to be the outcasts of society. Who could've ever predicted that people of such social status would be the chosen ones to witness the birth of the almighty God of the universe? These were exactly the ones who were given the glorious announcement of our Lord and Savior's birth. What a tremendous privilege and sight to behold! Hallelujah! God’s great promise had arrived! The Savior of the world had come into the world to be a ransom for many, to seek and save the lost, to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance, to bind up the broken-hearted, to give liberty to the captives, to invite the weary and burdened to rest, to give grace to the humble, to be the light of the world, our blessed hope, our ultimate comfort, our supreme joy, and our greatest love. God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins, so that whoever believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. (Luke 18:14) God opposed the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, (1 Peter 5:5-6) Dear Heavenly Father, We praise You for the birth of Our Savior, Christ Jesus; the One who is our Great Redeemer, our Guiding Light, our Blessed Hope, and our Eternal Joy! Jesus is the Gift of all gifts, the Blessing of all blessings, and He is the Reason for the season! He is the Reason for every season, every day, every hour, and every second because Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except by Him (John 14:6). Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). And this week and always, we celebrate the birth of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11). All glory belongs to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ Name, I pray Amen. 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:6-11)

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14). Immanuel, 'God With Us' The book of Isaiah talks about how a child was born in the time of King Ahaz who was named Immanuel, which means, “God with us.” Immanuel was given as a sign to the king that Judah would find relief from the enemy attacks. Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14). The name Immanuel spoke to the fact that God would provide His guidance and protection for His people. It was a sign of God’s presence. This sign was but a tiny shadow of what was to come; the ultimate guidance and protection. Isaiah’s prophecy about a child named Immanuel pointed to the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, who would come to live among us and save us from our sins. Seven hundred years after King Ahaz, a virgin named Mary was visited by an angel with a divine message. She was to conceive a baby by the Holy Spirit who was to be the Son of God in human flesh, and she was to name Him Jesus. The prophecy in the book of Isaiah was fulfilled, and Matthew writes, “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call him Immanuel’ (which means, ‘God with us’)” (Matthew 1:22-23). The Word Became Flesh & Dwelt Among Us Jesus Christ came and fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy, for Jesus was “God with us” in the most literal sense. He was born into this world as both fully God and fully human, and He came to live among His people, just as Isaiah foretold. The tiny baby Jesus, born to the virgin Mary in a lowly manger became the Word incarnate, the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature (Hebrews 1:3), the living expression of the Incarnation of the Son of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth...No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known” (John 1:14-18). Jesus came to be the Light of the world and to reveal God to us in human flesh, so that we might repent and trust in Him for eternal life. Jesus was not just a mere sign of ‘God with us,’ like the child who was born in the time of Ahaz. Jesus was God Himself, who walked and talked among us as a living human being. Furthermore, Jesus was not just a partial revelation of who God was. He was fully God. Throughout His life and ministry, and ultimately through His death and resurrection, Jesus proved Himself to be God in all the fullness of His divine nature. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority (Colossians 2:9-10). God is With Us & God is For Us Jesus humbled Himself by setting aside His heavenly dwelling place and supreme divine status and took on the form of a suffering servant and dwelt among us, identifying with our daily human struggles and sufferings. Jesus was tempted in every way we are, yet He was without sin. He became the perfect sacrifice, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus paid it all. Through Jesus’ sinless life, His death and resurrection, we can be reconciled to God by grace through faith. Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1). When we are born again into His living hope, Christ comes to live in our hearts, and He will be with us forever. He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Not only is Jesus with us, but He is for us. And when God is for us, who could ever be against us? (Romans 8:31). When we trust in Jesus, we have nothing to fear - past, present, or future. We are loved eternally by God. And nothing can ever separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:39). Dear Lord Jesus, Christmas is about You, the miraculous birth of the Savior of the world. It is a joyful time celebrating our blessed hope and supreme joy that is in Christ Jesus, our great God and Savior. I pray for the souls who do not yet know You. Lord, have mercy on the lost, draw them to Your Word, open their eyes by Your grace, grant them the gift of repentance, and gift them with the greatest gift they'll ever receive - faith to believe in Jesus. I pray that You help everyone look to You Jesus, the Light of the world. Lord, I ask that You give me the grace to meet people where they're at with the Truth, and help me boldly, gently, and faithfully share the gospel message in my community and beyond. May the light of Jesus shine into hearts this Christmas season and give new life in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Merry Christmas to all! All glory belongs to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus' Name, I pray, Amen. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so 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

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 Dear Heavenly Father, We praise You for Your eternal love and infinite mercy. We praise You for Your Son Jesus who has rescued us from our sins and eternal damnation. He is the Light of the world and our blessed hope and supreme joy. Father, we praise You for providing the perfect sacrifice for our sins and granting us eternal life by grace through faith in Christ. In ultimate humility and in an unlikely setting, Jesus, the Son of God was born of the Virgin Mary in a manger. God Himself took on the form of a newborn baby and prepared to be “a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Jesus came into the world to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and to release prisoners from the darkness (Isaiah 61:1). He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32). Jesus, both fully God and fully man, came into this world to do what no animal sacrifice could ever do. Throughout the Old Testament, all the animal sacrifices were but mere shadows of what was to come, in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the perfect and ultimate sacrifice for mankind. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed (1 Peter 2:24). And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross (Colossians 2:13-14). The Old Testament Scriptures all point to Jesus and make clear the need to believe in God's promises. In the OT, the Law is there to show us how much we need God's grace. The Law was never meant to be trusted as the means to salvation. The purpose of the Law was to display God's demand for holiness, to reveal our own depravity and the inability to save ourselves, and to show us our desperate need for a Savior. The Law was never given to save anybody but to lead us to the only One who could – Jesus. The Law was preparative in nature and disclosed only a part of the truth. The fullness of truth in which the Law pointed towards came through Jesus Christ. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17). The Scriptures from the OT through the NT all point to salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, and salvation is carried by the Holy Spirit through God's Word. So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ (Romans 10:17). Ultimately, Scripture is the wisdom that leads us to salvation by pointing us all to Jesus – the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Jesus came into this world as a baby in a manger, lived a sinless life, and humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). In His final hour on earth, as Jesus hung on the cross for our sins, He received the sour wine and said, “It is finished.” Then He bowed His head and gave up His Spirit (John 19:30). He descended into hell. On the third day, He rose again and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty and will come again to judge the living and the dead. We all broke God’s Moral Law. Jesus paid the fine so that whoever believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). We are saved by grace through faith alone, not by our own works or self-perceived goodness, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9). Not even our faith originates from ourselves. Faith is a gift from God, and it is faith in Jesus that saves us. “We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone.” – Martin Luther. Good fruit and the habit of holy living are the byproducts of true saving faith and evidence that we are children of God. Lord, my hope is in You alone. Help me to keep my eyes on you today and every day. Help me share the good news and be filled with the Holy Spirit with the joy of Jesus in my heart this Christmas season. Jesus is the reason for the season. He is the reason for life itself. All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray amen. The Good News: The word “gospel” comes from the Greek word evangelion, translated as “Good News.” The term implies and includes salvation, literally meaning, “The message that saves humanity.” We all broke God’s Moral Law, the Ten Commandments. Jesus paid the fine. Jesus lived a sinless life, suffered and died on the cross for our sins, and rose again. That’s why right before Jesus died, He said, “It is finished.” If I’m in court and someone pays for my parking tickets, even though I’m guilty, the judge can legally let me walk freely. Even though I am guilty before God, He can let me live forever since Jesus paid the fine on the cross for my sins, rose again from the dead, and ultimately defeated death. All I have to do is repent of (turn away from) my sins and trust in Jesus for eternal life. - Notes inspired by Ray Comfort, LivingWaters.com Repentance comes from contrition. One who is remorseful is contrite. Contrition is to be genuinely sorry for my sins. The Bible says godly sorrow produces repentance which leads to salvation. (2 Corinthians 7:10). I must repent of my sins with a contrite heart and trust in Jesus, Lord to all and Savior to all who believe in Him. I must trust in Him with child-like faith. Child-like faith doesn’t mean immature but trustful, teachable, obedient, and loving. I must transfer my trust from myself to trust in The Savior for eternal life. To come to know the real Jesus and not a Jesus of my own making or imagination, I must open His Word and trust in whom God says He is; not whom I say He is or think He is based upon my own imagination. Scripture is the wisdom that leads to eternal life. From the Old Testament through the New Testament, Scripture all points to salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.