I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

John 10:10b

Back in the 1980s (best decade ever, just saying), there was a trendy little crafting tool called The Beddazzler. It allowed you to add rhinestones and metallics to your clothes, belts, purses, etc., creating a uniquely sparkly ensemble. The commercials promised the ability to turn your “$8 jeans into a pair worth $50!” (Wait, $8 jeans? Again, best decade ever.) And although I love most things 80s, this sparkly sensation was not something I embraced personally. 

Why talk Bedazzle? Well, I was just attending a conference at our church with the visiting pastor from Africa was teaching for three nights on 1 Corinthians 15:58. (You read that correctly: three evenings of study on one verse—it was amazing.) During the final night I was captivated by an offhand word he used to describe a life lavishly serving the Lord. He was talking about how fulfilling it is to labor for Christ, and he noted the joy, peace, and sparkle it brings. 

Upon salvation, every believer understands the amazing love that Jesus has extended to us through His death and resurrection. Because it is a gift of grace through faith, the new life we receive cannot be earned. In fact, salvation is followed by living a life of surrender and obedience to God because of His love for us—and we respond to demonstrate our love for Him, not to show Him we’re good enough for it. And our service to Him results in joy!

This service is not done in vain (as the Apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 15 and also in Philippians 2), because we receive amazing, abundant blessings. We experience blessings in the here and now—just think about the joy you have bringing a meal to a family, counseling a brother or sister, or sharing the Gospel with others. Even when we may not see fruit right away, we feel rewarded by the Lord!

The New Testament writers share often that we will be rewarded in heaven for our righteous labors on earth. On his deathbed, the Apostle Paul writes to Timothy that he is looking forward to his crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:6-8). Even Jesus taught that when we serve others in need, we’re actually serving Him—and our rewards are waiting (Matthew 25:34-40). 

Joy comes with salvation—through our blessings and God’s daily miracles, through our experienced and anticipated rewards for service, and even through our trials and storms of life. And this joy of the Lord should bedazzle our everyday lives. We have the opportunity—the responsibility—to live a joy-filled life, so that other people will see our sparkle and ask, “How can I be Bedazzled too?”

Lord, restore to me the joy of my salvation (Psalm 51:12), so I live a sparkly life that attracts others.

This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very cornerstone,” and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.  

1 Peter 2:7-8

When our boys were in elementary and middle school, respectively, we went on a family vacation to the mountains of North Carolina. Looking back, I would label this the “rock” vacation. We went hiking on rock-faced Humpback Mountain and descended into Linville caverns, in awe of the limestone and stalactites. And we went horseback riding—which was a very, very rocky experience. (Suffice it to say, none of us have any desire to ever ride again.) But the highlight of the trip was probably when we went gem mining—or gemming. 

Although pickaxes were not required, we were able to search for precious gems like garnet, aquamarine, amethyst, ruby, sapphire, and even emerald. But it’s not like in the old movies, when people are going through rocks and a bright, shiny emerald appears. Nope. Every stone in the bucket we were given looked like regular, dirty old rocks. We rinsed and sorted them, then reviewed a chart to figure out which gem we may be holding in our hands. Then we took them to the experts inside who inspected our choices and shared the value of what we had. 

But without the chart and the experts, we would have rejected and tossed out every one of those stones. 

Throughout the Bible, Jesus is talked about as a Rock (Psalm 18:2; 1 Corinthians 10:4; 1 Samuel 2:2; Psalm 62:2). And all these verses, Old and New Testament, are so encouraging, as they tout the incomparable value of the Lord. When we trust Him, we are setting our feet on a solid foundation of Truth. So, when the winds and wave of life crash down, that foundation stands—and so do we. 

But God’s Word also warns about rejecting this Rock—tossing Him out as without value (Psalm 118:22; 1 Peter 2:7-8; Romans 9:33). In fact, this foundational cornerstone becomes a stumbling block to those who reject Him. They don’t see His precious value, what He means for a more joyful life now—or the eternal significance. Maybe they’ve “scooped up” some Truth at some point, but they looked at it and thought, “This old, outdated stuff isn’t relevant for today.” Or, “Why would I give up living life my way?” Although there’s a clear “chart” (the Bible) and “experts” (pastors, teachers, preachers), they choose instead to dump what they see as a stumbling block and walk away. 

Friend, at some point in our life, we are all sitting at the gemming bench. We have a choice to see Jesus as the Rock of salvation, accepting Him as the Cornerstone of our life. Or we can reject Him, tossing Him aside for the shiny (and valueless) trinkets the world has to offer. Which stone will you choose today? Will you choose to accept Jesus as your solid foundation? Or will He become your stone of stumbling toward eternal separation from God?

Lord, I pray that those who have rejected You will open their eyes to recognize Your value—that they trade their worldly trinkets for the Rock of salvation.

So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

Luke 15:20

I’ve always loved hearing people’s stories. How they grew up, the choices—wise and foolish—they’ve made through their lives, their struggles, their triumphs. We’ve all been on a tumultuous journey to get to where we are…and it’s always breathtaking to travel someone’s path with them through their story. One of my lifelong favorite quotes is by Longfellow: “If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man’s life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility.”

When I became a Christian as a 30-year-old, I discovered another kind of story that every believer can share—the moment (or slow unveiling) when they realized they were far from God and needed to turn back to Him…the point at which the decision is made to give up the sinful pursuits of this world and give it all to Jesus (who gave it all for us, exchanging our sin for His righteousness). The “churchy” term for this is “testimony”—and every single Christian has one. And it’s always breathtaking.

It’s funny to me, though, because I’ve met lots of Christ-followers through the years who say, “Well, my testimony is so boring.” This typically comes after someone shares a radical transformation, say from drug addiction or a life a sexual sin to the amazing grace and freedom found in Jesus. And these types of dramatic stories are awe-inspiring! But, friend, there is no such thing as a “boring” story of salvation.

Let’s look at the very familiar parable of the prodigal son. A young man who has been safe and provided for in his father’s house decides to go out on his own, chasing after the things of this world. Once he is totally spent (financially, emotionally, spiritually), he turns back home. Before he even arrives, his waiting father runs to him, welcoming him home with celebration (Luke 15:11-32). 

Prior to surrendering to Jesus, every one of us has that turning-back moment (to be “churchy” again, we call that “repentance”). And it is profound—and radical—for everyone! Why? Because a transformational phenomenon has taken place! When we choose to reconcile with God through Jesus, we immediately and miraculously move from the darkness into the light, from slavery to sin to freedom in Christ.

Maybe you never left the proverbial front porch of your father’s house, e.g., you grew up in a Christian home and were saved at VBS when you were five. Perhaps you were one who wandered out into the yard, but before you stepped into the street you realized going further wouldn’t be smart—so you went home. You may have roamed into town, experiencing lots of the world (say, through high school and college-age years), when your eyes opened to the eternal dangers. Or, like me, you may have found yourself wallowing with the pigs before you thought, “This my-way life has got to change.”

Friend, whatever your story—whenever and however you came to accept the free gift of saving grace—it is profound and radical! It is a miracle because you were once lost, and now you’re found! You are a miracle. 

Now, go tell someone.

Lord, I was blind and lost—but You came to rescue me. Thank you for the miracle of salvation. May I be bold and unashamed to share this story of amazing grace with others.

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.

2 Peter 1:3

It’s a new year. And it’s a new opportunity to “commit” to losing weight, eating healthier, exercising more, etc. (Wait, this might only be me…) Regardless of whether it’s a calendar page turn to January, a birthday, or an impending reunion, people in our culture seem to make a habit of making new habits (or breaking old ones). 

Good thing that we can watch any TV show, a favorite podcast, or some waste-of-time YouTube video and be provided with a plethora of nutritional supplements that shout promises of success. In all transparency, I’ve fallen for some of these schemes—spending a lot of money to realize the assured benefits, only to be let down. 

But 2022 is different (no, really). This year, as I sat at the table on January 1, exhausted from all-night-fireworks insomnia, I determined to do things differently. This year, I will be motivated not by weight loss, but by the simple idea of nourishing my body with whole, real food. No processed junk, nominal-to-no sugar, nothing full of unpronounceable ingredients. It’s all we need, really. (Now, we can go on a tangent of how the quality of even “whole” food has markedly deteriorated over the decades, let alone how God’s natural food provisions have devolved as this world has…but we’ll table that for now.)

What’s the spiritual point here? When we give our life to Christ, accepting that He made a way to reconcile sinners to a holy God by sacrificing Himself and rising victorious over death, we are made complete (Colossians 2:10). We are saved (redeemed and justified) by grace alone, through faith in Christ. This is the whole Truth: Jesus Christ is sufficient. But, friend, so many people—believers and unbelievers alike—are deceived by the spiritual equivalent of those YouTube snake oil salesman. They tell us, “Sure, Jesus is a good thing, but you need Jesus and _______.” Jesus and good works. Jesus and self-denial. Jesus and human philosophy or the latest psychological theory. Jesus and rituals. The list goes on and on. 

But the moment we surrender to Jesus, we are made a new creation in Him. The old is gone, the new is here (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15)! No supplements needed! Everything else is processed junk that fills us with false gratification, only to eventually leave us feeling worse. Jesus is sufficient. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).

So, how about it? Make this year a year nourishing your mind, heart, and spirit with Jesus. If you haven’t surrendered to Him yet—today’s a great day. If you are a Christian, then spend more time with Him this year—get to know Him better by digging into His Word (the Bible). In a world of culturally hip false promises and enticing lies of the enemy, there is nothing more wholly satisfying to the soul than Jesus.

Lord, may I turn away from the ways of this world that substitute for or detract from You. Help me fully nourish myself with Truth alone.

Devote yourself to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.  

Colossians 4:2

Of all the words we can utter, prayer is the most important. With our prayers, we have fellowship with our Lord, we confess our sin, we praise God, we call on our sympathetic High Priest, and we intercede for one another. The Bible gives us lots of guidance on how to pray—Jesus Himself provided us with a beautiful model prayer (Matthew 6:8-15). There are countless “prayer directions” throughout the Old and New Testament, examples and exhortation that provide plenty of fodder for using our words in a holy manner.

Here are just three simple steps that create a fabulous recipe for prayer—simple, yes, but very challenging for even the most mature of believers.

Step 1: BE FAITHFUL. We’re told to pray all the time and in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:17; Ephesians 6:18; Romans 12:12). And we’re to be courageously persistent. It’s no shock that God doesn’t always answer our prayers immediately—or the way we want Him to. (And I’m so very grateful for that, aren’t you—how often do we know best in our requests to God?) Praying can seem one-directional—us to God—but praying persistently is what makes it a two-way street. The more fervently and doggedly we pray (think wrestling with God), the more we are affected. It prepares our hearts for the answer God has in store as our spirit is aligned with His will. It’s His will we ultimately want anyway, right?  

Step 2: BE VIGILANT. Jesus told His disciples to watch and pray (Matthew 26:41), and Paul reminds us to keep alert (Colossians 4:2). I don’t know about you, but sometimes my prayers can be listless—or, actually, kind of “listfull”, as it’s easy for me to go through my prayers like I’m checking off a to-do list. Instead, let’s be focused and specific! Instead of praying for “Jane”, let’s pray for Jane’s distinctive situation and needs. And that, sweet friend, requires we ask people how we can specifically be praying for them. (Again, more effort and vigilance, but oh so powerful.)

Step 3: BE THANKFUL. No matter the circumstances of our lives that are directing our cries to the Father, we can give thanks alongside our requests. I think of David’s Psalms, where he complains, rages, begs for rescue, and calls for judgment on his enemies…but his prayers always come back to worshipping God and thanking Him for who He is and all He’s done. This is a great example for us to follow. Gratefulness in our prayers recalls God’s faithfulness in our life, reminding us that His love never fails. Thankfulness also reminds us of His greatness. Seeing a gorgeous sunrise and saying, “Thank You, Lord,” speaks to the fact that He made everything, and He is Sovereign over all our circumstances. 

So, friend, let’s pray without ceasing—make talking to God throughout the day like breathing. Let’s pray with vigilance and specificity. And, in all our prayers (and in all circumstances), let’s take a foundational stance of thankfulness. 

Lord, as we launch into this new year, let us have a renewed focus on prayer—on using our words to connect with You at a deeper level and have our lives become more aligned with Your will.

For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.  

1 John 2:16-17

The world and everything in it are being perfectly sustained by the Creator—every molecule being held together until His determined time (Col 1:17). It is in perfect balance, per His plan. But amid the global cacophony by radical environmentalists of “existential threats”, there is a nugget of truth: the earth is on a slow trajectory of disintegration, and there is coming a day when everything will burn up (2 Peter 3:10). Likewise, worldly culture is not moving in the direction of utopian perfection. Rather, it’s succumbing to greater tyranny, divisiveness, and evil—thanks to the god of this world, Satan (2 Corinthians 4:4). Finally, despite all the anti-aging injections, surgeries, and pills, we human beings are also in a state of degeneration (ask anyone over 50, when waking up with a sprained ankle and sneezing your way to a pulled back are really a thing). The mortality rate, according to every statistician ever, is 100%.

Today, fear of death seems to be ubiquitous—thanks to the media’s fear-feeding-frenzy. They love it, as it’s great for ratings. Unfortunately, their efforts are sorely misplaced. For adults ages 18-45 (during the “prime of life”), the #1 cause of death in the U.S. right now is fentanyl overdose. Let that sink in a minute. More adults in this age range die of this savage drug than of anything else—and it’s at a rate nearly twice that of the #2 cause of death, motor vehicle accidents. Just as sad and horrific is that the third leading cause of death in this age group is suicide. (And based on numbers from CDC and other sources, nearly twice as many people are dying from fentanyl in that age range than are dying of reported COVID cases.)* 

No matter the current state of the world, our nation, or your community, death is—and will continue to be—all around us. The question is whether you’re facing death with worldly fear or heavenly anticipation.

But, friend, death has been conquered! Jesus came to earth, fully God and fully Man, to defeat our mortal enemy. Through His death and resurrection, His victory made a way for us to have new life—eternal life with God. This world is not our home—we are citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20; 1 Peter 2:9; Hebrews 13:14). When we belong to the King, this world and the things of it are not our friend (1 John 5:19; James 4:4; John 15:19). In fact, because the world is passing away (1 Corinthians 7:31; 1 John 2:16-17), there’s no reason to be hanging onto it for dear life.

And, to the believer: We’re not meant to be building castles for ourselves on this earthly kingdom or joining a radical cause to “save the planet.” We are here as ambassadors of our King—and the eternal kingdom—to bring as many people to “citizenship” with us as possible. 

Life is deadly. But we can live it without fear and trepidation (Psalm 118:6; Matthew 10:26-28). In Christ, we are guarded by peace, whatever this broken world brings (Romans 5:1; Philippians 4:7; Colossians 3:15). Faith in Jesus Christ brings confident hope, which conquers fear (Romans 15:13; Deuteronomy 31:6).  Won’t you choose faith over fear today?

Lord, Your perfect love conquers fear (1 John 4:18) and offers hope. May I spread the Good News of eternal life amid so much bad news in the world.

* https://familiesagainstfentanyl.org; https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/fentanyl-overdose-death;https://web.archive.org/web/20211217171809/https://www.foxnews.com/us/fentanyl-overdoses-leading-cause-death-adults

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Galatians 4:4-5

Enjoy this repost from 2020…and have a very merry and blessed Christmas!

Research from Gallup (Dec., 2019) revealed that although 93% of Americans celebrate Christmas, only 35% of those do so in a “strongly religious” way.^*  But without the Reason for the season, Christmas is just a decorated tree, gifts, and some time off from work. Despite all the carols and twinkly lights, without belief in Jesus, the day is meaningless.

On that first Christmas, the world had not heard from God in about 400 years. People were doing their own thing, and probably just a small percentage of dedicated Jews were clinging to the promises of the prophets for a Messiah. 

But Christmas.

The silence was broken as two heavenly birth announcements were made, one to Zacharias (regarding his son, John the Baptist) and the other to Mary, a young teenager yet to be married. In fact, as the Bible’s New Testament opens, it initiates the fulfillment of 456 Messianic prophecies of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection. (Let that fact sink in for a minute. If someone told you a thing would happen to you tomorrow, and it happened, you’d think, “Huh, that person got lucky.” But if that same someone told you 50 things that would happen—and they did—you’d be hard-pressed not to believe the source was sound. But what if that person told you 100 different things that would happen—and they did? What about 200? 300? 456? Who would doubt the veracity of that source? OK, I digress.)

Into that dark world over 2000 years ago burst the Light of the world. He came to be the final sacrificial Lamb—the One who would pay the final price of sin, removing the separation between men and God. He came to save us, justify us—by faith—so we can have peace with God (Romans 5:1). If we believe.

Today, the world is dark. (I can’t say it’s “darker than ever” with perfect certainty, but I can declare that it’s the darkest of my lifetime.) There is tangible fear, divisiveness, unholy self-gratification, and rampant foolishness. 

But Christmas.

We don’t have to wait for a heavenly announcement or a burst of light in the dark sky. It has come—He has come. Jesus. Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). The greatest Gift has been delivered. If you haven’t already received this amazing, eternity-changing free gift of saving grace, won’t you make 2021 the year? 

Lord, Christmas has been watered down and secularized, losing it’s meaning. I pray that the Scriptural songs of the season and my words (and actions) reflect the Son and turn others to You.

* https://news.gallup.com/poll/272378/americans-celebrating-secular-christmas.aspx

Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.

Colossians 3:2

Christmas is almost here, and most of us can safely say we are preoccupied with it. Some of us are preparing our homes for family and friends, ensuring every room is clean, organized, and ready for our guests. Others of us have been decorating with vigor, so that each space satisfactorily declares holiday spirit. And many people (me included) are furiously trying to meet deadlines and check off all work boxes, so when those precious days—and people—arrive, we can truly pause and enjoy.

There is so much to be preoccupied with during this season that it’s easy to get trapped in the various black holes, often with associated frustrations that create a simmering of negative emotions in this “joyful” time. I don’t know about you, but I’ve found that there’s an awful lot of crankiness and “me-firstness” out there right now.

But this season truly has One thing (well, Person) to be preoccupied with: Jesus Christ. He is the reason we celebrate Christmas in the first place. The gift-buying, giving, and receiving, the delicious treats, and the gathering of loved ones can all be wonderful…but they are still merely earthly things. We are to “set our minds on the things that are above”—maintaining an eternal perspective. What does this mean, exactly? Well, in an everyday sense, this exhorts Christians to walk according to God’s Word and submit to the Holy Spirit—to pursue holiness and be set apart from this world (1 Peter 1:15-16). It means to think differently as well, filling our minds with noble and virtuous thoughts (Philippians 4:8). 

But keeping heaven-focused is especially necessary right now, when it’s so easy to get lost in the stuff of cultural Christmas. We are celebrating the first coming of Jesus—Immanuel, God with us! And whether they acknowledge it or not, much of the world is inadvertently confessing that God sent His Son to earth, taking on human flesh (fully God and fully Man) to bridge the chasm between us that sin created. (I absolutely love this aspect of Christmas—the gospel is being piped through sound systems in almost every store these days!) 

And we must stay focused that the manger is not the end of the story. That precious Baby whom we sing about grew up to take on the penalty we owe, die an excruciating death we deserve, and rise again to forever vanquish death. By accepting this Truth, we are reconciled to God—made righteous in His sight, despite our sin and fallen nature. Because that Baby was born in Bethlehem, we can be born again and made new (John 3:1-8; 2 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Peter 1:23).  

Finally, friend, we must stay preoccupied with things above because Jesus’ birth 2000 years ago was only His first coming—He is coming back. And all the things of this world that seem so important (or stressful, frustrating, and maddening) won’t matter at all. So, if you haven’t yet decided to surrender your life to Jesus, why not accept the Gift of His amazing grace this Christmas?

Thank You, Father, for sending Jesus to reconcile us to You. I pray that people turn their hearts and minds to You this Christmas, changing them forever.

For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all…

1 Timothy 2:5-6

There are many reasons to love Christmas. For believers, Christmas is the season to celebrate the amazing incarnation of Jesus, God Himself, into the world. The birth of the One upon whom the penalty of sin would be laid. Because of sin, we have been separated from God. But Jesus would live a perfect life—perfection we can in no way attain—and die the death we deserve. Jesus, through His birth as fully man and fully God, His death, and His resurrection, redeemed us (paid our penalty), so we could be reconciled to God.

This is the gospel—the Good News.

Christmas for unbelievers, does not hold the same message. It’s about decorations, gifts, parties, and time off. (I’ll admit, though, I am counting the hours to have some time off from work!) The culture celebrates Christmas without the “Christ” part. If you think about it, it’s so weird. It’s like being a wedding crasher—showing up to a beautiful ceremony of two people you don’t know at all, and then heading over to the reception where you take part in the festivities, food, and fun. You’re going through all the superficial motions, but you aren’t really part of the celebration because you don’t love (or even know) the bride and bridegroom. 

(Come to think of it, Christmas is exactly like this analogy. Christ is the Bridegroom and we, His followers, are His bride. On this earth, we live our lives devoted to Him—and our wedding reception is waiting for us in the not-too-distant future. But this amazing Truth is a digression at the moment…)

My point is this: In celebrating Christmas—in word and action—unbelievers are unwittingly talking and walking the gospel message. Christmas is all about Christ’s first coming, after all. But what’s super cool about all this Christmas cheer-for-all is when the Christmas songs begin. Long-sung carols are belted out in solo car concerts (we all do it). They’re piped through sound systems in big-box stores and business offices and elevators.  

And the gospel is shared. Whether people recognize it or not, those classic Christmas lyrics are pulled right from God’s Word, sharing the Truth of Jesus Christ and why He came…and for whom. My all-time favorite song is “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” written in 1739 by Charles Wesley, and it’s an awesome example of an “inadvertent gospel” message. Here are just some of the words—let’s all sing it loudly and share the Good News.

Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the new-born King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild;
  God and sinners reconciled.”

Mild He lays His glory by,
  Born that man no more may die;
Born to raise the sons of earth;
  Born to give them second birth.

Adam’s likeness now efface,
  Stamp Thine image in its place:
Final Adam from above,
  Reinstate us in Thy love.

Lord, my prayer is that the songs this Christmas prick the heart of unbelievers to know the Truth and be “reinstated” in Your love.

“For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

Luke 2:11-12

The holiday season craziness is upon us once again. (According to places like Walmart and Big Lots, it started in September when the first of the Christmas décor was loaded onto the shelves.) But, I’m sure you can agree, the 2021 madness is bit more mad than ever (at least in my lifetime). With the perfect storm of (a) lack of people working, (b) product and food unavailability caused by senseless government regulations, (c) inflation’s ever-rising prices, (d) continued fearmongering of the corporate media, and (e) threats and unreasonable mandates toward the citizens dictated by our own “leaders”—well, Christmas preparations have not been very “merry” at all. For instance, my husband took some items to the post office for me yesterday afternoon. One person was working, and the line wrapped out the door. The passport office was closed indefinitely because there is no one to work there…needless to say, the Christmas spirit was not alive and well among those sending gifts and greetings to loved ones around the county or those planning to travel.

If you step back from everything and look around at our nation and world with a totally objective perspective, you would think this was all a really bad, dystopian movie. And as Christmas nears, with mounting frustrations, divisiveness, and anger swirling around us, you may just want to hide yourself away at home and simply skip Christmas this year.

So, friend, let’s stop looking around—and let’s look up! Let’s stop our own madness by evoking the answer to the exasperated shout of Charlie Brown, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?” In fact, as believers, we do know! But maybe that knowledge is getting lost in the swirling craziness of current reality. 

It’s time to recall the gospel according to Linus (well, it’s actually Luke, but go with me here). We have been given “good tidings of great joy”! Linus reminded his friends (and us) that a Savior has come to bring peace—peace with God and the peace of God as we live in this world. Jesus came to live the perfect, righteous life we could not live and die the death we deserve, paying the penalty for our sin so we could be redeemed and reconciled to God. 

He is the perfect Christmas Gift. No need for the supply chain—His love is available for the asking. No worries about high costs—He paid it all and His grace is free. No more fear or anxiety—we have confident hope in our eternal home. He is Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). If you are tangled up in the mire, there is a gift you can get today that can put your feet on solid, sane, and sound ground. If you’ve accepted this gift already, stay focused on Him…if you have not, won’t you embrace Jesus right now?

Check out Linus’ gospel message: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eff0cqYefYY

God, thank You for sending the gift of Your Son, Jesus to bring peace and hope and deliverance.