Christmas Underfire

We celebrate Christmas every year, yet every year that passes, it seems as if the TRUE meaning of “why” we celebrate Christmas is fading away and is being masked by other non-essential things which may seem very attractive but isn’t really the real essence of the whole celebration. It’s wonderful to see beautiful houses with decorations and wonderfully-colored lights, Christmas trees with a lot of presents underneath that every kid looks forward to open and a bunch of food that we can’t wait to devour with the whole family, but then in celebrating this occasion, if we forget to put emphasis on the baby that was born in Bethlehem about 2000 years ago, then we’ve truly missed out on the whole point of the celebration.

If I were to survey a number of kids on the street and ask them to tell me what Christmas is about, what would most of their responses be? Between the name of Jesus Christ and Santa Clause, which name would most likely ring-a-bell to their ears? Though, I won’t deny that St. Nicholas of Myra aka “Santa Claus” ever existed, even if his image has been fabricated in a totally different way over the years, which of the two do you think should take precedence?

I’ve entitled this article “Christmas under fire” because for me, I believe the true meaning of Christmas has truly been sabotaged throughout the ages. The gifts we receive on Christmas are nothing compared to the gift that God has given to humanity 2000 years ago. If the greatest representation of LOVE could be wrapped in a box and given to each one of us then it has already been given, but even better…this gift wasn’t an inanimate object, this gift of LOVE was ALIVE.

God, creator of ALL things, is LOVE. As the bible declares in 1 John 4:8 and I quote, “but whoever does not love does not know God, for GOD IS LOVE.”, and if God wanted to give us the greatest gift of His love, He would give nothing else but Himself. 1 John 3:16 says and I quote, “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us.” Jesus Christ, the 2nd person of the triune GOD, became flesh (John 1:14), born of a virgin, vulnerable and humbled as a baby, walked among those whom He created (John 1:3) to feel their pain, to carry their burden, to restore their lives and to let us know that we are loved more than we could ever imagine.

As we celebrate Christmas with our families, may we be constantly reminded of that baby in a manger in that small town of Bethlehem. Isaiah 9:6 says and I quote, “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Though not all of us will be with our families for Christmas, nor even have any presents to open, may we be blessed to know that GOD didn’t hold back the greatest present He could give each and everyone one of us during this time. JESUS (He shall save people from their sins) CHRIST (Anointed), is IMMANUEL (GOD with us), who came that we may receive His GIFT of Salvation. Blessed CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Sovereign Are You

SOVEREIGN ARE YOU…

            That when I was born, I need not know how you would form me in my mother’s womb and how You would craft these hands and feet that would soon serve you.

SOVEREIGN ARE YOU…

            That when I was a child and when I feared the world around me, Your presence would be my courage and my strength to face the giants before me.

SOVEREIGN ARE YOU…

            That when I thought I was older and smarter and knew what to do, You would humble me down and made me realize that I am NOTHING without you.

SOVEREIGN ARE YOU…

That the perfect family I so longingly desired, You would allow to fall apart to make me understand that this life isn’t perfect and the life spent with You, would be worth so much more.       

SOVEREIGN ARE YOU…

            That when I only thought of myself and the plans I would make, You would capture my life and chain me in love.

SOVEREIGN ARE YOU…

            That when I thought I knew how to love, You would sweetly break my heart and allow me to get hurt to truly understand what loving is all about.

SOVEREIGN ARE YOU…

That when trials and external/internal barriers poison my mind to think that there is no escape for the circumstance that I’m in, You would come to my rescue, renew my mind and be the lamp to my feet and the light to my path.

SOVEREIGN ARE YOU…             

That when I thought I measured up to what was “good”, You would reveal the deceitfulness of my heart that I may know my standard would never compare to Your Righteousness.

SOVEREIGN ARE YOU…

            That when I thought all the weight of my sin would separate me from You, You would come down from Heaven, pay for my guilt, and crown me with the glory of Your riches.

SOVEREIGN ARE YOU…

            That though once then You, JESUS, would never cross my mind, You would now own my every breath until my very last cry.

So, as I continue in this journey of mine, with uncertainties ahead, I am full of assurance thatSOVEREIGN ARE YOU in preparing my way and getting me through to the finish line.

By,

HLMLG

WORSHIP

WORSHIP

I raise my voice in songs of praise,
Not to draw attention to myself,
But to allow Your presence to fill and inhabit this place.

I bow my head, Not to show the world of my humility,
But in reverence and Godly fearfulness of You,
I come completely surrendered to Your will.

I bend my knees,
Not to show the world how religious I am,
But with a contrite heart I come to let you know how grateful I am that You looked upon me with love
despite the pain and sorrow I caused You.

I close my eyes,
Not to show the world of my obedience,
But because of Your grace and the Truth of Your Word, I chose to live by faith and not by sight.

I lift up my hands,
Not to show the world of my devotion for You,
But because You deserve to be exalted with the very hands that nailed You to the cross.

And I seek your face,
For You are My GOD,
the purpose of my life,
the song that I sing and every reason for MY Worship…

 by HLMLG