Christmas begins with Christ
Obviously, the first part of the word Christmas is Christ. It is very fitting as we see this hidden yet obvious great truth. But so many times in our secular and Christ less society Christmas is made to be everything but with Christ. Frosty, Santa and Rudolph have taken a big part of the message. I realize all of these are the secular fun part of Christmas and to each his own on this. But the gap gets wider and wider as the years go by in our new millennium. We are 16 years into the 2000's and there is less and less emphasis with Christ.
Perhaps, there are many reasons for this, one of which is many religions do not believe in Christ. They reject and deny Him, as the bible says in the Gospel of John, he came into his own and his own received him not. Also, there are the agnostic and atheists who have their say. And,to me, ALL of this is so sad as I have been raised from a child to believe in God and Jesus. I have been taught a faith based religion based on the word of God, The Holy Bible.
But the truth is the truth and the obvious is obvious, as is this, "CHRISTMAS begins with Christ" and that's enough said. We can also quote an old reoccurring phrase "Jesus is the reason for the season" Does that sound familiar, it's a truth and now have to remind the world.
Wow, I just checked Google images for "Christmas" and wow, what did I find ?? Christmas trees, Santa and Christmas declarations and all things because of the season, but nothing about Christ. Folks, this is why as Christians have sound the alert and stand for Christ !!
But dear friend, do have many questions about Christmas?? If so, become a child of God first, be saved, be born again, ask Jesus into your heart, so with heart man believes and with mouth confession is made unto salvation, for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved, the bible says, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, yes sir, call on the Lord, confess and believe. Amen.
God Bless you,
RevDanSam
(as you read this blog, conviction plus belief will equal salvation)
In my early educational life, I was introduce to Three Rs of education, Reading, writing and Arithmetic. I must admit that it did not mean much to me back then, but now, the good Lord has shown me the important of it. Honestly, I have mentioned this before in an earlier blog, but as I was having prayer time with son, before I took him to work, I explained it to him and I would like to the same with you today.
The Three Rs of education is suppose to cover all parts of your total education. I know many will disagree and say it's old fashion, but the old ways and old paths do not bother me. So first R is reading. If there has ever been a need for reading it's today's day and time. Reading is really the collecting of the information. Wow, how important is that for our jobs and everyday life. It's the information age and we need to read so much these days!! Of course, as a gospel preacher, I recommend the Bible, God's word. I was raise on the KJV version of the bible, but if I had to choose a modern translation it was be the NAS, One suggested bible study method is to include a modern version along with KJV. (Honestly, the KJV shades light on all new versions, haha !! at least for me) :-)
But reading, the collecting of information, God can help you, open your eyes and see clearly on the needed things of life and with Him.
The Second R, writing - notice the letter R in writing. At one time, that meant hand writing with a pen or pencil, now it means typing on a keyboard. But writing also a form of communication, to communicate your thoughts and action, to informing others needed information. It's writing. And if there has ever been a time to collect information and then communicate it then is it today's day and time. I wish I was a better verbal communicator, but with reading and much writing with God's help, it will help me to verbally communicate better. Many of us write on social media in each of it's forms. A form of communication, who would ave thought of it's important many years ago and look how it is now. And God can help us.
Then the third R is arithmetic. Adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing numbers and things. We are literally calculating all things. Again, in our day and times, what we do we need to do but calculate problems and solutions. Out mind needs to think and turn to operate. What is the sum if we add it all up?? What is the product if we multiply things and numbers together?? What is the dividend if we divide numbers and things ?? It comes from God's help and our calculations.
So as my son and myself had prayer time in the old F150 pickup truck, I added Lord help us with our Reading (that we may collect information, then our writing (that we may communicate good information) and help with our math or arithmetic ( that we may calculate thing and figure thing out) with you help Lord.
Well, to figure out your soul's salvation, it's just to trust and have faith in Him. For God so lived the world that He gave his only begotten son, that who so ever shall believe in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved, For with heart man believes and with mouth confession is made unto salvation.
God Bless you friend, and remember the Three Rs when you pray !!
RevDanSam
The other day, one my co-workers saw a story about a squirrel attacking people and he showed it to me. Of course, my mind went back to the Ray Stevens comical song about the Mississippi squirrel in the church. My coworker had not heard of it but it was on
You-tube.
First many think loud verbal out breaks from people in church is a funny thing, as they have never felt the presence of the Holy Spirit that makes you laugh or cry, or laugh and cry at the same time. But, there was one line in the song that jumped out at me that said, "something has got a hold on me !!" And after that the meeting got on.
And so it has been for me in times past, I have been in meetings / revivals were service after service seem to be slow and down, even like a car stuck in the mud, then all of a sudden the Holy Spirit moves, and something happens. Either a father or mother confesses doing wrong or the children confess their love to their parents. Or it could be a soul saved.
When the right move is made by that person, under conviction by the Holy Spirit, the service comes alive and many move towards God. But usually it takes one, one who will step out and say yes to God, or even confess a sin, or answer a call to the Lord's work. As the Holy Spirit moves on your life, well, it rather does feel like something has a hold on you !!
And the next thing is to stop and make immediate confession to God. You may start privately and pray by your self at the altar, but ultimately public confess has to be made know, (for with mouth confession is made) see you public confession is made, the bible teaches in Psalms that they are things God's people need to see, so an outward confession needs to be made. You need to let the God's people and others know, "something has got a hold of me"
And so it will be for your salvation my friend, as God moves on your heart through reading the scriptures or hearing a sermon or bringing you through a rough situation. As God speaks you need to respond. The bible says for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. And that could be you, you could be the next one God, through the Holy Spirit gets a hold of.
God bless you,
RevDanSam
