Brothers and Sisters,
I'm thinking about asking ADMIN and the other moderators if "CELEBRATE JESUS" might be a good topic for our next Christians Unite Newsletter.
I've been thinking about this a lot recently, and I really don't think that it has anything to do with the time of the year. I like to CELEBRATE and THANK JESUS every day, but I doubt that I'm as happy about things as I should be. I'll use myself as an example, and you can apply things to your life any way that you want to.
I don't think that I show the proper gratitude for what GOD has done for me and my family. I think that I have taken many things for granted and not been as happy as I should have been with the riches of CHRIST.
I think that I complain too much about small things that don't compare to the huge things that I should be extremely HAPPY ABOUT. I still want too many things, and GOD has given me everything. In reflection, it's embarrassing to think about the things I complained about when I have already been given the
Matchless Grace and Love of GOD and JESUS CHRIST as my Lord and Saviour Forever! I keep remembering many sweet Christians throughout my life who said that
"Christians should be the happiest people on earth, simply because they have JESUS CHRIST." Think about this simple and very true statement. The things of this world don't make people happy, but JESUS CHRIST does. Money and great wealth don't make people happy. In fact, many people with money and great wealth are miserable and depressed, most specifically if they don't have JESUS CHRIST as Lord and Saviour. It really boils down to something very simple and true: the only real and lasting JOY in this world is in JESUS CHRIST. Real wealth in this life is measured by strength and JOY in CHRIST. This is also the only thing we will take out of this life when we go to spend eternity with JESUS.1 - Is there any reason why we can't or shouldn't Celebrate JESUS every day of the year? NO!
2 - Do Christians spend enough time in thanking and worshiping GOD every day? NO!
3 - Do Christians even think about what GOD has done for us often enough? NO!
4 - Are most Christians more accustomed to receiving than giving? YES! We don't have to think about just money or material things on this issue. A Christian doesn't have to be rich to give because some of the best gifts don't cost anything: care, kindness, and love.
5 - Do most Christians really treat GOD with the proper respect, reverence, and honor? NO! Don't we realize that HE is the KING OF KINGS and our CREATOR who has given us all things? Do we really show the proper appreciation to JESUS CHRIST for dying on the Cross in our place? Are we happy enough that JESUS CHRIST rescued us from the curse of sin and death? Have we given GOD the proper place in our life?Brothers and Sisters, I think that we should think about these things every day. We should put things in the proper perspective and think about the
REALITY that we are children of the KING OF KINGS. We are no longer of this world, rather we are born again from above. Our citizenship is in Heaven, and we simply wait to spend Eternity with the one who loved us enough to die on the Cross in our place, JESUS CHRIST.I welcome you to share a thought, testimony, or portion of Scripture. If you don't want to, that's fine - just stop and think a few minutes about who you are in JESUS CHRIST and give thanks.
Love In Christ,
Tom
Ephesians 5:19-20 NASB speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;