December Newsletter

Dear friend in Christ,

Christmas is truly my very favorite holiday! My heart and my mind are bursting with wonderful memories of my own childhood, but more importantly, I am filled with the knowledge of Jesus Christ as my own personal savior. The day Jesus was born is the day the Kingdom of God had come to the earth, and the Father's great plan for the fullness of the blessing without measure went into it's final phase!

As I sat before the Father this week and asked Him what He wanted me to share with you this month, He told me to tell you about His Love and His peace. Luke, chapter 2:13-14, says, " And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, PEACE, good will toward men." The angels were praising God because peace was being declared between God and man; between heaven and earth. Not between men or among men, but peace from God toward you and me.

But how could peace be declared between God and man before Jesus had faced one test, or before He had gone trough even one temptation, or before one person had ever been healed or delivered under His ministry? How could God send the angels to say such things when the battle for our redemption was still 33 years away? Jesus was just a tiny infant lying in that manger.

Romans 4:17 tells us that God calls things that be not as though they were. So as as far as He was concerned, it was done. He had already set His faith on our redemption. He began treating men as though they had never sinned. And He reached out to them in His great love and totally offered Himself to mankind as though Jesus had already gone to the cross.

1 John 4:16 tells us, " And we have known and believed the love that God has for us." We've all read about His love. We've all heard about it, but I don't think that most of us really believe it. If we really believed the Love He has for us , it would totally change everything about us and everything around us. Jesus told us in John 13:34, "A new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you..." What a change that will make when you get the revelation of just how much He loves you and then you begin to walk in THAT love toward others. The Scriptures tell us that "God is love"! And He is so in love with us that He has given you and me everything He has through His grace. Jesus said, "I have come to give you life and to give life more abundantly."

Hebrews 4:15-16, "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in ALL points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come BOLDLY to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in our time of need." Jesus has personally experienced everything that we've ever had to face. And in the Book of John 14:27, He told us, "My peace I give you, not as the world gives..." In other words, He is the true source of our peace because there is no peace in this world without Him.

Our heavenly Father loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should NOT perish but have everlasting life. Jesus is the first born of every creature, and as the first-born, He is given a privileged position. He existed before all creation and God the Father appointed Him heir and legal owner of all things. As born again children of God, we are joint-heirs with Christ.

He was in the beginning with God, Who spoke the world into existence, and He was ONE with God. "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was WITH God and the Word WAS God...", and yet He stripped Himself and laid aside His Glory and His Divine abilities and came to earth in the form of human flesh, with a Divine purpose...to destroy all the works of the devil, to break the power of sin and death, and to restore us to our original position of holiness and righteousness!

His Blood has made you whole! Colossians 1:21-22, "And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present YOU holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight." The moment you received Jesus as your Savior, you were not only cleansed of all sin and clothed with His righteousness, you were made whole!

We started this letter with the words the angel spoke on that first Christmas morning: "...and on earth, PEACE, good will toward man." God has planned for you to have His peace right in the midst of all the problems that seem to be facing us in this hour. His peace is IN and THROUGH the Blood of Jesus Christ. He paid the ultimate price so that you would be able to have His peace. It belongs to you, but you have to appropriate it in your own life by faith. So no matter what you may be facing today, God has made the way for you to come boldly into His very Presence and receive His Grace, His Mercy, and His Peace.

This Christmas Day as we gather together with family and friends, let's reflect on the true meaning of Christmas, and let's celebrate the blessing! Let's celebrate Jesus! Let's celebrate His peace, His righteousness, and His love. That's what Christmas is all about. It's about the joy of the celebration! God the Father gave us Jesus Christ, and in Him, He has freely given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. He has provided everything we would ever need to open our hearts to His blessing and to walk in His peace and His Love.

Have a very Merry Christmas!

love,

Paula

Tune In

Hear Pastor Paula's Christmas Eve message:

December 24, 2009

2:30 pm

on

KDKR 91.3 FM

Dallas/Ft. Worth

Don't Miss It!

Make plans now to join us at our

Christmas Eve Service
Celebrating the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ

10:30 am December 24, 2009
Collinwood Nursing Home
3100 South Rigsbee Drive

Plano, TX 75074