Christmas!

In the Bible, there was a prophet by the name of Habakkuk. He definitely wasn't in the Christmas spirit! He was seeing everything that was wrong in his world and wondering if God even cared. He had prayed and his prayers seemed not to be heard--but we know that they were because God answered him and shared that answer with us in the book of Habakkuk.

God showed to Habakkuk the sin of the Enemy and--if we are honest--the sins we commit: Pride, vanity, covetousness, idolatry...a sad place to be! God's wrath is inevitable when sin is present.

 Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death...

Sin is the problem. Sin separates us from God. There is an answer--Jesus!

Jesus is God with us!

God took the wages of sin and put them on Jesus. As Jesus shed His blood on the Cross, the price of sin was paid--forgiven! 

Romans 6:23  ...but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

2Corinthians 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

Romans 5:8-9  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 

Much of the Christmas story happened at night--the whole world was lost in sin/darkness

The Resurrection happened in the morning--Jesus is the Light of the World!

If you recognize your sin problem, come to Jesus! Habakkuk found that it was not what he saw or the feelings that he had or even the prayers he prayed--it was faith in Jesus!

Do you recognize that you are a sinner?

Do you understand that sin has a punishment--separation from God for ever in a real place called Hell?

Do you believe that God sent Jesus to die on the Cross and shed his blood--pure, holy blood--to save you from your sins? Do you believe that Jesus rose from the dead and is listening to hear you call unto Him?

Calling unto Him is like crying for help when you are drowning--you are doing nothing but depending on someone else to save you.

Will you place your faith completely in Jesus? Not your church, baptism, or good works.

Habakkuk trusted God not his own understanding. Even though nothing changed in the world around him, God had changed him on the inside! God can do this for you, too!

Habakkuk 3:17-19  

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 

The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments. 

This is the hope and joy of Christmas!

Merry Christmas!