Dear friends, Has it been a tough year? For many, it has. But Christmas reveals the depth of God’s grace to us: His love is sweetest when the world around us appears darkest; His humble birth in a manger, and the salvation of the world that was heralded in Bethlehem, is all the more significant when we consider the disease and discord that have troubled us this year, as they did in 2020. We will never realize that Jesus can truly save us until we realize that we need saving. We need salvation from our own sin, from disease and death, from the power of the Devil, from a fractured nation. This is what the Lord Jesus offers to us through the mighty work He began in Bethlehem, and completed at Calvary. When we accept that, then Christ's work is truly for us. Nothing can take it away from us! We can do all things if Christ is the one who gives us strength! I hope that your faith will be touched by this Christmas resilience: a sense that, since Jesus has come, and because He holds us in His hand, that we need not fear any worldly thing. Indeed, we can all face our trials--face them with joy--since His birth, death, and resurrection have brought us out of darkness into light. This Christmas, let Jesus's perfect love drive out all fear of worldly things. Nothing can diminish the certainty of joy and eternal hope we have in Christ. When everything else in our life seems unstable, I hope and pray that we hold even tighter to this Gospel truth, and in doing so, powerfully show even those who oppose us that God is real and our hope in Him is sure (Philippians 1:28). Blessings to you and your family in the name of Immanuel, God with us. May you be filled with joy and faith as the light of Christ shines into a darkened world. |
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