“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 9:6 (NIV). (more…)
Hillsong Christmas Giveaway
Posts Tagged ‘Christmas’
Feeling Sad and Lonely this Christmas Season?
Feeling Sad and Lonely this Christmas Season?
Feeling sad and lonely during the Christmas season is real. December is a month that can bring immense joy or immense pain. For those struggling with these feelings of pain, this letter from my friend Sam Eaton is for you. During this Christmas season, know that you are loved by your Father in Heaven. For those experiencing joy this Christmas, this letter is for you. During this Christmas season, take moments out of your day to love on those hurting. I love Sam’s suggestion to sit down with a hurting person over a hot cup of coffee and listen to their story.
During the Christmas season, when people are struggling, let’s point them to the one who can heal their souls. The one who came to this earth as a tiny helpless baby so that we could know God personally. Only Jesus can take away pain. Introducing others to Jesus is the best gift we can give people this Christmas.
Enjoy this guest post from Sam!
Love,
6 Scripture Passages about God’s Love
God’s love for us is complex, fascinating, and beautiful. His love for us could only happen through the death of Jesus. It is hard to comprehend that we humans are so sinful that another person had to die for us in order for a perfect God to love us. Jesus had to die for us, and his death was God’s largest act of love. As this Christmas season is approaching, I wanted to share scripture that explains God’s love.
Here are 6 passages that show us a glimpse into the amazing love of God:
- “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” – John 15:12-16.
- “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8.
- “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38-39.
- “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
- “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” – 1 John 3:1.
- “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” – 1 John 4:9-12.
As Christmas draws near, ask God to reveal his love to you. Ask him to show you his love in a powerful and personal way.
What to give the birthday boy this Christmas?
Christmas is quickly approaching. Think back on the year and all that Jesus has given us – life, friends, family, education, safety, protection, The Holy Spirit, freedom, forgiveness, mercy, grace, healing… I could go on and on forever. This year I am especially grateful that I have been blessed with the gift of learning and growing. As my undergrad experience comes to an end, I pondered on everything God taught me while I was in college. I entered into college as one Joy, and graduated a whole new Joy. All the glory to God!
Since God has given us countless gifts, what can we give him this Christmas?
How will we give him a gift that compares with his blessings that he freely gives us? It is soon Jesus’ birthday, but what can we give him that he hasn’t already given us?
Our lives? He created us. “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” – Job 33:4
Water? He gave us living water. “Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” – John 4:10.
Love? He loved us first. “We love because he first loved us.” – 1 John 4:19.
Money? Everything is already God’s. “Peter answered, “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!” – Acts 8:20.
The only gift we can give Jesus is the unconditional sacrifice of praise.
No matter if you are in a valley of life today, stop what you are doing and tell God how much you love and adore him. No strings attached. God has given us everything. God sent his son Jesus for us, and this is the biggest gift we will ever receive.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” – Ephesisns 2:8.
This Christmas season, I want to praise God for being the BEST gift giver in the world.
