Jesus Christ Exists: Never Explained Away

Jesus Christ exists, never explained away.

When we celebrate Christmas, the reason for the season, it reminds me of my faith in Christ.

Even when others deny who Jesus is and why He came to earth, I stand firm in knowing Him as Savior and Lord.

And even when culture continues to commercialize Christmas and only say, “Happy Holidays!”, I know my Jesus is the light of the world.

So let’s look at what the Bible says.

Alpha and Omega

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8 (ESV)

Jesus Christ is the beginning and the end. Part of the triune God, Jesus participated in the creation of the world as seen in the book of Genesis. And Jesus one day returns for the new heaven and earth.

Because Jesus Christ exists.

Jesus Christ Exists: Lord and Savior

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11 (ESV)

“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.” 1 John 4:14 (ESV)

The birth of Jesus unveiled the Savior to the world. The One promised to rescue us from sin, other gods, the enemy, and even ourselves.

Lamb of God

Joy to the World: Paint the Town Red for Christmas

Do you know how to paint the town red?

Born the first day of December, I enjoy celebrating my birthday (along with my twin sister) in the same month as Christmas.

And every year my special day proves fun-filled and momentous.

Joy marks the occasion. So we paint the town red.

My family usually takes me out to eat, then we head home to blow out candles, enjoy cake, and open gifts.

But where did the expression “Let’s paint the town red!” originate?

And how exactly does one go about it?

Paint the Town Red

I found a plethora of answers for painting the town red. Here are a few:

• From Google, “go out and enjoy oneself flamboyantly.” Synonyms: “celebrate, have a party, live it up, have a ball.”
• “Go on a drinking bout; get drunk. Some believe it refers to setting something on fire” (The Free Dictionary).
• Violence. Dating back to the 1800’s, an article in The Phrase Finder, “The allusion is to the kind of unruly behavior that results in much blood being spilt.”

How sad the association to drunkenness and violence.

Still, there’s no unruly behavior going on when my family celebrates. For my birthday, keep in mind the glitter and sparkle of painting the town red.

The Red Blood of the Lamb

Yet, a powerful Bible story describes “much blood spilt” to paint the town red. In Exodus 12, the Israelites put blood from a lamb without blemish on two doorposts and the panel above the door of each house. The Lord’s Passover.

My Grown-Up Christmas List For Jesus

Have you ever made a grown-up Christmas list? One of those wish-lists since you started adulting of what you really need in life—what matters most.

What if we made a grown-up Christmas list for Jesus?

A list to reflect on our Christian life and make an intentional plan of action to grow spiritually.

Even the Bible says, “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 3:18a (ESV)

And what better way to go into the season than to focus on the Christ of CHRISTmas.

So I decided to make a grown-up Christmas list for the Lord with three main areas.

(1.) Desire the mind of Christ: Christmas List.

But how do we go about seeking the mind of Christ? The Bible tells us: set our minds on things above (Colossians 3:2); do not transform to the world, but transform by the renewing of our mind (Romans 12:2); and to take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).

More biblical wisdom gives us further insight:

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 (ESV)

What we think about and set our minds on, is of utmost importance. If affects every aspect of our life. Do we desire to have the mind of Christ?

Goodness and Mercy Follow Me

I’m being followed. These two beings will not stop following me. They know the schedule I keep and the path I travel. This is an intentional pursuit from daybreak to nightfall and around the clock. After an investigation, I’ve identified them:

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever” Psalm 23:6, ESV.

Goodness described by dictionary.com, “the best part of anything.” Wow! God is the best part of any-thing…the best part of life…the best part of me. 

Goodness is following me.

God’s Goodness

I don’t have to be good enough for God to love me. Out of His goodness, He loves. Since the beginning of time, God weaved goodness throughout the chapters of history—His-story.

The goodness story started with creation. Countless times in Scripture, God’s goodness rescues His people. Bethlehem’s stable revealed God’s goodness with the birth of a Savior. Goodness narrated Jesus’ ministry. Goodness showed up at the foot of a bloody cross. And goodness becomes victor in an empty tomb.

Throughout the ages the storyline echoes God’s heart. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16, ESV. 

God’s Mercy

Mercy translated in other versions of Psalm 23:6 include “love” or “steadfast love.” Mercy’s the compassion, love, and kindness of God bringing His forgiveness to mankind. 

Keeping God in Thanksgiving

Is keeping God in Thanksgiving possible?

And what if thanksgiving is a vital part of the Christian life all year long?

The holiday stirs up thoughts of pilgrims, turkey, and pumpkin pie.

Look at this fourth grader’s report on the first Thanksgiving when the classroom teacher requested students make no reference to God.

The pilgrims came here seeking freedom of you know what. When they landed, they gave thanks to you know who. Because of them, we can worship each Sunday you know where. (Source unknown.)

How about us? Do we make reference to God in Thanksgiving and our thankfulness? And no matter how we have to say it, like in the fourth grader’s report, we do say it, and we carry thankfulness in our heart.

Often, a sigh of relief is spoken with “Thank God!” Maybe we received good news from a medical report or found out our loved one wasn’t hurt in an accident. Wonderful things to be thankful for.

It’s not just a relief that something turned out good in the end. But thanking God, that in the end, we understand all good things come from Him.

Real Thanksgiving

Yet, thanksgiving—real thanksgiving in our heart—overflows in gratitude more than one day a year. Instead, continual thankfulness defines our lives and our character.

So we remind ourselves to give thanks for and to our great God. Because He’s a good, good Father who’s given us many blessings and gifts.

God Almighty is reason enough to give thanks and live thankful.

But what does living thankful look like? How do we go about it? 

Perhaps in part like this acrostic.

Keeping God in T-H-A-N-K-S-G-I-V-I-N-G: 

God’s Still in Control: 22 Undeniable Truths

No matter what goes on around us, God is still in control and on His throne. Because the chaos surrounding the world or our world often stems from the absence of truth. God is Truth and His Word is Truth. Undeniable truths about our God define our Christian journey.

When it comes to what the world says versus God’s Word, I’m going with God every time.

Why? Because truth is not up for debate. God’s holy Word wins hands down.

Embracing what we know is true about God strengthens our heart, gives understanding and peace to our minds, and keeps us focused on spiritual things. 

So let’s look 22 of these truths.

God’s Still in Control: Undeniable Truths

(1.) The One true God. Oh, there are other gods. But there’s no other god like our God. “For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.” (Isaiah 46:9b)

(2.) Living. Jeremiah compares man-made idols to the living God. “But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God.” (Jeremiah 10:10) How sad and foolish when we bow to idols without breath. Or, believe in gods who are dead.

(3.) Creator. Genesis 1:1 tells us in the beginning God created…. God existed first. Then He created everything else, all of creation, and humans in His image. 

(4.) Holy. The Blue Letter Bible shares, “God is holy means there is no trace of evil in his character. Only God is holy.” Further, “There is no one holy like the LORD.” (1 Samuel 2:2a)

(5.) Sovereign. God rules as the supreme authority, doing what pleases Him (Psalm 115:3), His kingdom rules over all (Psalm 103:19). 

(6.) In control. “For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?” (Isaiah 14:27)

(7.) Majestic. “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:9)

(8.) Almighty. “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’” (Revelation 1:8)

God’s a Good Father Who Works for Our Good

We believe God’s a good Father who works all things for our good, until we don’t.

Because those “until we don’t” reasons include things like tragedy, sickness, loss, unimaginable grief, fizzled dreams, and so on. 

And let’s get really honest here. Life happens and life is full of ups and downs. 

So it’s easy to listen to the enemy’s lies during the down-times. Satan’s lies claim God doesn’t have our good in mind. Or else He would not have let this thing happen to us.

But even when I’m at the end of my rope, I know God is good, does good, and works behind the scenes for my good. I may not understand the whys or what He is doing, but it doesn’t change who God is or His good nature. 

Our circumstances never change God’s goodness. 

So let’s remind our hearts of the Bible verse containing this promise.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NIV) 

Notice the promise is not that all things are good, but all the things work toward our good.

God’s a Good Father

God has promised good to us. 

The Lord has plans for our good, now and in our future. 

Have You Found a Friend in Jesus?

Besties. BFF’s. Life-long friends. 

Friend is such a wonderful and endearing term. And we all long for friends because they make our lives richer. 

I still keep in touch with friends from high school and college. Also, over the years, the Lord blessed me with new friends. 

You see, we moved a lot when my husband and I were in church ministry. So I prayed for at least one friend in every new town. 

Early in our marriage, we moved to a small farm town in a new state. Our daughter was only eighteen months old at the time. Gracious ladies from the church brought us dinner for a few nights and I unpacked boxes while our daughter napped during the day.

Still, I’ll never forget the Sunday when a young woman approached me after a church service. “Do you need anything?” Her sentiments seemed honest and heartfelt. I politely thanked her and continued with: No, we are fine.

But as I started to walk away, I felt the Lord nudging me to turn back around and tell her I needed a friend. With the Lord helping me to be brave, I walked toward her: I thought of something I need, I really need a friend.

You know what? We formed a wonderful friendship and kept in touch when my family moved again. It was a God-thing.

Friendship with Christ

The good Lord created us as relational beings, first with Him, then with others. For that reason, it makes sense to not only understand the importance of friends in our lives, but to also celebrate a friendship with Jesus Himself.

But in order to find a friend in Jesus, we must find Jesus as Savior and Lord. 

I made the decision at sixteen to give my heart and life to Christ. And I found a wonderful friend in Jesus. 

Scripture has much to say about friendship with the Lord.

5 Things Only a Loving Creator Would Do

The age-old question still exists. How can a loving Creator allow evil and suffering? 

In other words, if God is real and if He is good and loving, how and why do bad things happen in the world and to me? 

Perhaps before we knew the Lord, we also thought or wondered about these same sentiments. 

But God is a loving Creator. And He never intended for the fall of man. Because the fall brought sin, evil, pain, and suffering into the world (Genesis 3).

Yet, He still designed a plan to not only lead His people, but to also bring people into fellowship with Him. 

Yes, the age-old question will continue to be asked in a world that denies God’s existence and deity. And a culture that refuses to bow to His majesty, glory, righteousness, and justice. 

So let’s look at 5 things only a loving Creator would do.

(1.) Only a loving Creator would create me in His image.

Out of great love, God created humans in His own image. 

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27 (ESV)

“For you formed my inward parts, you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:13-14 (ESV)

God didn’t have to create me or you, but He chose to. He wanted to. And He took great pleasure in forming us into His image to reflect His glory.

Claim These 21 Promises as God’s Child

Sometimes we struggle with who we are and where we belong in this life. And we separate who we are with whose we are.

But the two were always meant to be one and the same.

The Bible promises wonderful truths to claim when we belong to the Heavenly Father as His child.

I hope these 21 Promises encourage you as a child of God.

Let’s claim each as our own.

Promises: God Knows My Name

(1.) My heavenly Father never goes missing from my life. “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5b (ESV)

(2.) God knows my name. (Isaiah 43:1)

(3.) My heavenly Father is intimately acquainted with everything about me. “You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.” Psalm 139:3 (ESV)

(4.) God, the Father, adopted me into His family. No longer a spiritual orphan, I now belong. (Galatians 4:5-7)

(5.) The Lord loves and cares for me. (Ephesians 3:18-19, Psalm 23)

The Lord Fights For Me

(6.) My heavenly Father calls me beloved, child, saint, blessed, and His. (Romans 1:7, John 1:12)

(7.) God, the Father, delights in me. “He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.” Psalm 18:19 (ESV)

(8.) The Lord fights for me. (Exodus 14:14)

(9.) My heavenly Father watches over me. (Psalm 121:5-8)

(10.) God has desires and plans for me. (Ephesians 2:10, Proverbs 3:5-6)