Merry Christmas!

During this Christmas season, I am thankful that the One I call God is the One True God, that only He has declared the end from the beginning, and that all of His plans will be fulfilled as He has purposed (Isaiah 14:24; Isaiah 46:10).  Those plans that He has told us of in His Word include that God would come in the flesh as a baby boy (Isaiah 9:6-7), be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14), originate from the house of Judah (Isaiah 37:31), through the root of Jesse (Isaiah 11:1-5), and be a descendant of David (Isaiah 16:5).  That He would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), but be known as a Nazarene (Isaiah 9:1-2) from out of Egypt (Hosea 11:1).  He has told us that His ministry would include not only Jews, but the whole world (Isaiah 42:1-6; Isaiah 49:6).  He has told us that He would be hated, although He is blameless (Psalm 69:4; Isaiah 49:7).  That He would be rejected by Kings (Psalm 118:22, rejected by men (Isaiah 53:3), and rejected even by His own brothers (Psalm 69:8).  That He would be pierced for our transgressions (Isaiah 53:5; Zechariah 12:10).  That His hands and feet would be nailed (Psalm 22:16).  That He would be crushed for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5-6).  That He would be struck with a rod (Micah 5:1).   That none of His bones would be broken (Psalm 22:17; Psalm 34:20).  That His garments would be gambled away (Psalm 22:18).  That He would be brutally killed (Isaiah 53:8), providing the intercessory sacrifice for our transgressions  (Isaiah 53:12).  He has also told us, praise God that, He would return from the dead (Isaiah 53:11).  He has told us that He would be highly exalted (Isaiah 52:13).  Though we may not all be Brothers and Sisters today, my God has provided a clear path for each of us through His life, His death, and His resurrection, that we might all be.  Can you call Jesus your Savior?  He is the very reason that you draw breath!  Thank You God, for You.  Thanks to You, it will always be a very, merry Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving in America!

It is most appropriate to begin this journey by giving thanks to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for His many blessings.  We have so much to be thankful for here in America!  So much beauty, so much liberty, so much freedom to worship the Lord.  To those who find this and love this country, may the Lord bless you and keep you, may He rain down His grace, mercy, and lovingkindness upon you and yours, may He preserve His Word and His people among this generation that appears to have turned away from Him.  Thank You Lord, for America, and most of all thank You for calling us as Your own.  I pray that You would multiply Your Word among us, and that the Holy Spirit would descend upon the leaders of this great nation and lead us back from calamity, that we might once again spread Your Word among the nations.