Prayer for Persecuted Christians!

MEDITATIONS ON THE HEART 12/23>12/31,JESUS LOVES YOU~MERRY CHRISTMAS

Jesus Died For You

ROMANS 8:34 NRS
34 Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who
was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed
intercedes for us.

The devil would love for us all to doubt that God loves us. But
when you look at the sacrifice of Jesus at Calvary, it is
undeniable.

God loves you!

And He proved it!

ROMANS 5:8 NRS
8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were
sinners Christ died for us.

ROMANS 8:32 NRS
32 He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all
of us, will he not with him also give us everything else?

Sometimes it's easy to be tempted to think God does not care.

But if God was just interested in judging and condemning you,
why would He go through the suffering of Calvary?

Being crucified is one of the worst forms of torture and death
ever devised. Jesus willingly suffered all that for you, so you
could go free, and avoid the suffering you deserved.

Someone who was willing to do that for you, would never hurt you.

SAY THIS: Because of His great love for me, Jesus suffered and
died for me. So I can trust Him.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS

THE COURAGE THAT MADE CHRISTMAS POSSIBLE

Chinese evangelist, Brother Xi, was traveling one very cold Christmas Eve in the rugged province of Gansu. As he came to the next village, he sensed something was wrong. He introduced himself as a bearer of good news. A small man interrupted, “Well we have only bad news here right now. A couple has just had their baby stolen.” In the poorer areas of China, where couples are restricted to one child, it is not uncommon to have child snatching, even stealing babies for wealthy childless couples in the cities.
    
He stepped inside the house to find both husband and wife staring quietly at him. The couple’s grief hung heavy in the air. He said, “I’m so sorry to hear about your plight, but I know someone who may help...God. Let me pray to Him.”
    
There was no reaction on the couple’s faces, so he went into prayer, feeling very uncomfortable indeed. “Dear Father, many years ago at this same time of year you sent a child into the world and rescued us all; we ask today that you will send back this child to us, and deliver this village from the sadness which grips it. Amen.”
    
Suddenly the young husband spoke, “Shut up and go away. We have prayed to our gods and nothing has happened. Why should yours be any different?” Brother Xi was grabbed from behind by the other villagers and propelled out of the village. “Don't you dare come here again!” they bawled. 
    
He wandered the hills in a daze of humiliation, tears, and crying to God. Then he thought,"l went to that village expecting a hero’s welcome, or at the very least, I relied on being a curiosity, quizzed and entertained by people who live very dull and isolated lives. Instead, I had only been treated a little like Christ was treated."
    
Kneeling there in the snow, he knew what he had to do—go back to that village, knowing for sure he would be despised. This was to follow in the Master’s footsteps. With a pounding heart he turned and began to walk slowly back towards the village. Suddenly, across the still, late afternoon air, he heard a baby’s cry coming from what appeared to be an old well shaft.
    
Sure enough, six feet down was a little baby, wrapped in a thick blanket, lying at the bottom of the dry-well. He climbed down to hug some warmth back into it. It was a baby girl. Those who snatched it did not know it was a girl, and finding later that it was, left it in this old well to die. 
    
He walked back to the village with the precious bundle of life. The villagers came running. They were amazed and overjoyed as they led him to the cottage of the poor couple. The smile on the mother’s face as he placed her baby into her lap was unforgettable. “Come, warm yourself by the fire,” said the husband. They drew up a chair for him, and as the other villagers crowded round, he asked, “Who was that God you prayed to?”
    
What an invitation! Here he was, the honored guest, looking at thirty eager people waiting with bated breath to hear the Gospel. “Well,” he began, “He came to earth in the form of a little baby, just about this time 2000 years ago...”

RESPONSE
 Today I will praise God that He is truly in control
and can work out all situations for good.

PRAYER
Thank God today for the coming of His Son to
earth in humble, yet powerful, glory! 

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SST 

“Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

God Is Not Your Problem

JAMES 1:17 ESV
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming
down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation
or shadow due to change.

We all face many problems in life, but God is not behind our
problems.

God is your answer, not your problem.

Insurance contracts may call natural catastrophes "acts of
God," but they are wrong. They are not acts of the Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, but acts of the god of this world, the
devil.

2 CORINTHIANS 4:4 NLT
4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of
those who don't believe. They are unable to see the glorious
light of the Good News. They don't understand this message
about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

Jesus made a clear distinction between the work of God and the
work of the thief in John 10:10.

JOHN 10:10 ESV
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came
that they may have life and have it abundantly.

When terrible things happen, it is not unusual to find people
saying "God, why did you do this to me?" This assumes God
is responsible for every thing that happens. But the Bible
gives us a different message.

1 JOHN 5:19 NLT
19 We know that we are children of God and that the world
around us is under the control of the evil one.

The devil is behind the evil in the world. And people have
allowed the devil to do his dirty work. So, ultimately, we
humans are to blame. We cannot blame God. He has given us
authority to stop evil, but we have failed to exercise our
authority as we should have.

God gave mankind dominion on earth.

GENESIS 1:26 ESV
26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our
likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea
and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and
over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on
the earth."

When Jesus redeemed mankind, He restored to us dominion through
His Name. We are responsible for what we allow to happen on
earth, because Jesus has given us His authority.

LUKE 10:19 ESV
19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and
scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing
shall hurt you.

MATTHEW 18:18 NLT
18 "I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be
forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be
permitted in heaven.

Heaven will back us, but we have the responsibility to stand
against evil on earth, using our spiritual authority.

Anything that steals, kills, or destroys is not from God the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, but from our enemy, so it
should be resisted.

Jesus Christ perfectly represented God and He went around doing
good and healing people (Acts 10:38), not hurting people. Jesus
was a giver, not a taker. And He is still the same today.

SAY THIS: The problems I face are not God's fault.

DAILY SCRIPTURE FOR 12/27/12(HAVE THE GRAND DAUGHTER,SO POSTING EARLY)

God Sees Ahead

GENESIS 22:14 YLT
14 and Abraham calleth the name of that place `Jehovah-Jireh,'
because it is said this day in the mount, `Jehovah doth
provide.'

One of God's names is Jehovah Jireh which is a compound name
meaning the Lord sees ahead and provides.

“Jehovah-Jireh” means, “The Lord will see to it,” that is, “The
Lord will provide.”

My car recently quit running when I was in another city. As I
prayed and looked to God, He helped me to work things out.

While I didn't actually complain to God about having car
trouble -- the thoughts were certainly there. (Thoughts like
the repair money could have been put to a better use.)

I believe God spoke to my heart that He could have kept my car
running perfectly. Or, He could have supernaturally healed it.
But if He would have, then I would not have experienced Him as
the One who sees ahead and provides, which He did.

It was not the first time God had provided for me, of course.
But it is still always thrilling to know that God cares for
you, and that He makes plans for your provision, even before
you know you will need it.

Our God is mighty -- and wonderful!

SAY THIS: God always sees ahead and provides for me.

DAILY SCRIPTURE FOR 12/30/12
Change Your Name

REVELATION 2:17 NIV
17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden
manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name
written on it, known only to him who receives it.

Jesus changed Simon's name to Peter, which means a rock.


God changed Abram's name to Abraham, which means father of a
multitude.

Jacob's name was changed to Israel.

God's messenger called Gideon a "mighty man of valor" when he
saw himself as a fearful loser.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 NIV
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the
old has gone, the new has come!

As a Christian believer, you are a new creation in Christ, and
you are no longer a loser.

So quit calling yourself a loser -- or any negative name. Now
that you are in Christ, those negative names do not fit. Accept
the new name God gave you: "Winner." (This is what overcomer
means!)

1 JOHN 5:4 NIV
4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the
victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

Is it that easy? It involves more than just calling yourself a
new name, but if you fail to change the way you talk about
yourself, and the way you think about yourself, you will
continue in the same old patterns of defeat.

You must begin to see yourself as God sees you, to see yourself
as you can become.

Consider calling yourself some of the following names which
reflect what the New Testament reveals about your new identity
in Christ.

Forgiven
Forgiver
Child Of God
Bold
Confident
Patient
Kind
Strong
Righteous
Rich
Healthy
Blessed
Joyful

SAY THIS: I am a new person in Christ, and God has given me
some new names.

SEE NEW THREAD FOR WEEK OF 1/1>1/5