Greater Love

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.

John 15:13

     He hung there for hours after being beaten to unrecognition.  His friends fled except for the women and one of his friends.  They spat and mocked and bet on His clothes.  They laughed at the dying man.  They did not know what they were doing.  He said nothing to set Himself free at His trial, after the one who betrayed Him, a supposedly close friend, sold out for thirty pieces of gold.  He asked is Father before all this in the garden, if this could not happen, but then prayed for His Father's will.  His hands and feet were nailed to a tree with two criminals on each side of Him.  One would be in eternity with Him, because he knew Who He was and He forgave Him.  He was there on that tree because of the greatest love ever.  A new hope for all.  One Lamb to be sacrificed for all.  He finally said, "It is finished!"

     He laid down His life for His friends, for us.  The greatest love of all.  He was sinless, yet He died for our sins, so that we might live in Glory with Him.  That is the best Valentine one could give to another.  This Valentine's Day, do something to someone with sacrificial love in mind.  Not necessarily dying for them, but dying to yourself for them.  Jesus didn't have to die for us, and no one took His life, but He chose to lay down His life to save us from sin.  He chose.  Made a choice, and gave up His life for ours.  Can you fathom that?

     When I think now of roses for Valentine's Day, I think of the thorns on Jesus's head.  When I think of chocolates, I think of not only the sweetness of Jesus' love for us, but the bitter taste He was given in the sour wine when He was thirsty.  What He gave up was everything on our behalf.  So now what do we do with it?  Do we fly the bird at someone who cut us off in traffic?  Do we ignore those in need?  Do we love our family and friends with no strings attached?  Do we reach out to strangers with the gospel and share what He has done for all of us?  It's our choice.  It's your choice.  How will you respond this Valentine's Day?

Happy Valentine's Day 2015!

Sabrina

The True Meaning of Christmas

Luke 2:12

And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.

Christmas is the day we celebrate Jesus' birth, with glad tidings, peace on earth, good will toward men, giving and receiving presents, family and food.  We don't even consider the true meaning of Christmas though---Sacrifice.  You ask, "What sacrifice?  Let me explain the story.

God is sitting on His throne in heaven along with His Son and The Holy Spirit.  Then God says to Mary and Joseph that they will have a Son by the Holy Spirit.  Suddenly Jesus has to step down off the throne of heaven and be born on earth.  Not only that but He must be all God and all human.  The worst part is He has no riches, no kingdom, and no place to be born, except in a dirty barn, then He is placed in a stone feeding trough.  That is sacrifice.  In John 3:16 it says "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  It was a sacrifice also on God to send His Son away to earth.  We think of this verse as we see Jesus on the Cross, but the fact is He sacrificed His heavenly position and he started of in a dirty manger!

What are we sacrificing for Jesus?  We give and receive gifts for each other but what are we sacrificing?  Yes, our American Express and Visa bills will show up in January.  Spending money is not what God looks for.  Are we helping others, in spite how they treat us?  Are we going out caroling to those who can't leave their homes?  Or visiting sick children in the hospitals?  Do we visit our prisons?  We spend so much time on what perfect gift to give to our family and friends that we forget what Christmas means.  Giving beyond what we have.  Making time for the less fortunate.

Give to others with all your being and without expecting anything in return.  Doing all of this, we give back to Jesus for His birthday.  When someone is hurting you, turn and be kind.  When people hate you, love them.  That's the greatest gifts we can give for Christmas, a true sacrificial gift, and do it gladly.  This Christmas, think of how God sacrificed His Son by sending Him as a Baby on earth, where He would feel pain, suffering and endure temptation, and ultimately die for our sins, the most awful sins you can imagine.  Yes, Christmas is a sacrificial love.  

I hope this Christmas brings you a sense of sacrifice and repentance, and will bring you blessings unimaginable!

Sabrina