December 22nd - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

“He’s making a list and checking it twice, he’s gonna find out who’s naughty or nice...you better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I’m telling you why, Santa Claus is comin’ to town.” (John Haven Coots and Haven Gillespie)

I love the songs and the whole story of Santa Claus, and I love watching kids relate to him and write letters assuring him they have been good. I have no problem with that fairy tale and did my best to keep my Grandkids from finding out who he really is, or isn’t, for as long as possible.

However, sometimes I wonder if our ideas about God come more from fairy tales than the Bible. If you’re good you will be blessed and go to heaven, but if you’re bad…look out because Jesus is coming back to town. At least with good old Saint Nick, bad children only get a lump of coal and a Ho Ho Ho, while the children of the angry God of old Saint Religion get eternal torment in the fires of hell - Ho Ho Horrible!

God's children all sin except for His first born Son Jesus. He chastens His children in this life ending in death, and will correct all flaws in the next. His gracious gift to them after death will be salvation and immortal perfection followed by the unmerited “free gift of eternal life”…

"…He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men..." (Luke 6:35)

"...your Father is merciful..." (Luke 6:36)

"...for God has locked up ALL in disobedience so that He may show mercy to ALL..." (Romans 11:32)

"...for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God…the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 3:23; 6:23)

"...who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” (Philippians 3:21)

The Son of the real Santa is coming to town soon!

"...who will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."(Isaiah 9:6)

So, enjoy the fun of Santa Claus with the kids, but take some time to tell them about the real Santa, the God Who revealed Himself in the baby Jesus, the Son of God who grew up to become the Savior of the world. 

"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21)

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)

December 21st - I Have Redeemed You

“I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you." (Isaiah 44:22)

Too often religious people will not entertain new thoughts for fear they may accept it as true. The salvation of all is one of those thoughts. But if we trust God then we should not fear entertaining new thoughts - and we might learn the truth of the Scripture and reject the dogma of men. 

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:1-3)

"For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all..." (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

December 20th - Flesh and Blood is Out

“Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.” (1 Corinthians 15:50)

ALL people who have ever lived are “flesh and blood” in this age, and there is “none righteous, no not one” (Romans 3:10). None of us inherit the Kingdom of God in our body of “flesh and blood”.

“The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body…the spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual…and just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man." 

(1 Corinthians15:42-49)

This "perishable" body must be raised with an "imperishable" immortal body.  Only then will there not be murderers, thieves, etc. That new body will be completely without sin, a “spiritual body” not made of flesh and blood.

"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself." (Philippians 3:20-21)

If the Scripture is true, all sinners are treated by God with Grace (unmerited favor). And all human bodies will be "transformed" from sinful flesh and blood bodies into a "spiritual body" of sinless "glory".

"For God has consigned everyone to disobedience so that He may have mercy on everyone. O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?” “Who has first given to God, that God should repay him?” For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen." (Romans 11:32-36)

December 19th - Some Bad News and Some Good News

Some bad news…

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."(Romans 3:23)

“They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good…there is none righteous, not even one.”  (Psalm 53:1 and Romans 3:10)

"The wages of sin is death..." (Romans 6:23a)

"…the dead know not anything …" (Ecclesiastes 9:5).

"… there is no work, or device, or knowledge, or wisdom in the grave where you are going" (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

"The dead praise not the LORD…" (Psalm 115:17).

"In death there is no remembrance of You: In the grave who shall give You thanks?" (Psalm 6:4-5).

Some good news…

"I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more…" (Jeremiah 31:34)

"As in Adam all die, even so, in Christ, all shall be made alive"  (1 Corinthians 15:22)

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to everyone." (Titus 2:11)

"...the free gift of God is eternal life..." (Romans 6:23b)

“…the dead will be raised imperishable…then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:50-54)

"...by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God…."  (Ephesians 2:8-9)

“...there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all.."(1 Timothy 2:5) 

"...we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of everyone, and especially of those who believe. COMMAND AND TEACH THESE THINGS." (1 Timothy 4:10-11)

December 18th - Two Good News Messages

Paul writes…

"…I have been entrusted with the gospel (good news) of the Uncircumcision, according as Peter of the Circumcision (for He Who operates in Peter for the apostleship of the Circumcision operates in me also for the nations.)" (Galatians 2:7-8 CLNT)

There is much good news in the Bible. But there are two good news messages that need to be distinguished. One concerns the promises made to Israel, termed the circumcision, and the other concerns the good news for all nations, termed the uncircumcision.  Both are focused and centered on Jesus, but are different good news messages.

Good News for Israel, the "Circumcision": The good news for them was "entrusted" by Jesus to the Apostle Peter.  It tells Israel what it must do to take part in the future kingdom of Israel which is to come to this Earth and will last 1,000 years. They were instructed to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah. 

"Thenceforth begins Jesus to be heralding and saying, "Repent! for near is the kingdom of the heavens!" (Matthew 4:17)

"Now Peter is averring to them, Repent and be baptized each of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the pardon of your sins, and you shall be obtaining the gratuity of the holy spirit."  (Acts 2:38)

During the thousand years ISRAEL will be a "royal priesthood" and they will be "reigning" with Christ over this present Earth.

"You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a procured people"(1 Peter 2:9)

"The Lord God shall be illuminating them. And they shall be reigning..." (Revelation 22:5)

Israel shows their faith in God by being obedient to the works of the law. Their faith and works "confirm" their "calling and choice".

”James...to the twelve tribes in the dispersion…faith, if it should not have works, is dead by itself."  (James 2:1,17)

"Wherefore, rather, brethren, endeavor through ideal acts to confirm your calling and choice; for, doing these things you should under no circumstances be tripping at any time. For thus will be richly supplied to you the entrance into the eonian Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 2:10-11)

The Jewish followers of Jesus the Messiah were commissioned to make disciples of Jesus among all the nations where the Israelites had been scattered, and teach them to observe what Jesus the Messiah had commanded them.

"Going then, disciple all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to be keeping all, whatever I direct you." (Mathew 28:19-20)

Sadly, at the close of the Acts period, only a few Israelites had become believers in the Messiah Jesus. For 2,000 years most Jews have became callous to the good news about Jesus. Today there is only a "remnant" of the "circumcision" who believe Jesus is the Messiah and they are generally referred to as Messianic Jews. 

So is God through with Israel? No

"I am saying, then, Does not God thrust away His people? May it not be coming to that!...in the current era also, there has come to be a remnant according to the choice of grace" ..."callousness, in part, on Israel has come, until the complement of the nations may be entering. And thus all Israel shall be saved." (Romans 11:1-5;11:25)

Jesus will return to fulfill the promises to Israel and set up the Millennial Kingdom of Israel on this Earth, but the exact time was not revealed directly to Peter and the other disciples.

"Lord, art Thou at this time restoring the Kingdom to Israel? Yet He said to them, Not yours is it to know times or eras which the Father placed in His own jurisdiction...Jesus Who is being taken up from you into heaven shall come thus, in the manner in which you gaze at Him going into heaven." (Acts 1:6-7, 11)

Good News for the Uncircumcision:  This good news of the grace of God was entrusted to the Apostle Paul and I summarize it as follows:

1. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, was entombed, and raised from the dead on the third day after His death. It tells us that the blood of Jesus atoned for all sins and God is now at peace with humanity, and is not counting their sins against them. This good news is referred to as the grace of God. It was entrusted to Paul to preach to all humanity, not just the Jews. 

"Now I am making known to you, brethren, the evangel which I bring to you...that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was entombed, and that He has been roused the third day...God was in Christ, conciliating the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them, and placing in us the word of the conciliation." (1 Corinthians 15:3-4;2 Corinthians 5:19 CLNT)

2. This good news tells believers that they were chosen by God to become "body" of Christ. Humans are "placed" in the "body" of Christ as God the Father "wills". 

"...He chooses us in Him before the disruption of the world..."for we are members of His body"(Ephesians 1:4; 5:30)

"God placed the members, each one of them, in the body according as He wills."  (1 Corinthians 12:18) 

3. This good news for all people was kept a secret until revealed to the Apostle Paul. 

"I should be perfecting my career and the dispensation which I got from the Lord Jesus, to certify the evangel of the grace of God.... through Him to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens...the secret which has been concealed from the eons and from the generations, yet now was made manifest to His saints..." (Colossians 1:20,26) 

"For the saving grace of God made its advent to all humanity."(Titus 2:11)

"God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love...vivifies us together in Christ (in grace you are saved)...in grace, through faith, are you saved, and this not out of you; it is God's approach present, not of works..." (Ephesians 2:4-9)

4.  The church is to proclaim this "grace" during the ages.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who blesses us with every spiritual blessing among the celestials, in Christ, according as He chooses us in Him before the disruption of the world...in love designating us beforehand for the place of a son for Him through Christ Jesus; in accord with the delight of His will, for the laud of the glory of His grace, which graces us in the Beloved…"  (Ephesians 1:3-6) 

"...suffer evil with the evangel in accord with the power of God, Who saves us and calls us with a holy calling, NOT in accord with our acts, but in accord with His own purpose and the grace which is GIVEN to us in Christ Jesus BEFORE times eonian.” (2 Timothy 1:8-9)

5.  All believes will reign with Christ during the thousand year kingdom of Israel on the Earth and among the celestial regions of heaven.

"For the Lord Himself will be descending from heaven with a shout of command...and the dead in Christ shall be rising first, thereupon we, the living who are surviving, shall at the same time be snatched away together with Him in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air." (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

December 17th - Tell People of he Grace of God

"But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the gospel of the wonderful grace of God." (Acts 20:24)

Paul looked at his career as one from the Lord Jesus to "telling others the gospel of the wonderful grace of God." 

I think if I do not tell my family of the grace of God my life will not amount to much.

"Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all. He has given each one of us grace through the generosity of Christ." (Ephesians 4:2-7)

December 16th - Let Use Reason Together

"Come now, and let us reason (decide the matter) together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)

God has decided that our sins were to be cleansed. Jesus did that with His own blood. Jesus is the light shinning in a dark world.

"...if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)

To be honest, I only dimly see the beauty, wisdom, and glory of God in this world most of the time. And it is not in the words of men, it is in the sunrise and the sunset ...

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” (Psalm 1:1-4)

The beauty of creation allows me to make the decision (reason) that although the sins of the world are  "as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow" because those words come from the God who created everything and declares the end from the beginning. 

"I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me. I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish. I summon a bird of prey from the east, a man for My purpose from a far-off land. Truly I have spoken, and truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, and I will surely do it." (Isaiah 46:9-11)

Sometimes the reasonable decision is to do is nothing, just trust God until His plan is accomplished.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Be in awe of the LORD and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones. Honor the LORD from your wealth, and from the first of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine. My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD or loathe His rebuke, for whom the LORD loves He disciplines, as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights. (Proverbs 3:5-12)