Christmas Message 2018

Billy Graham - Christmas Message 1953

Many years ago, the great 19th century preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon wrote this about the birth of Jesus, "Infinite, and an infant. Eternal, and yet born of a woman. Almighty, and yet hanging on a woman's breast. Supporting a universe, and yet needing to be carried in a mother's arms. King of angels, and yet the reputed son of Joseph. Heir of all things, and yet the carpenter's despised son."

Within this brief quotation he managed to simply, yet eloquently, demonstrate the deep, eternal unity between God and man. The connection between the two is a special one. When Jesus was sent to earth by His Father he could have arrived as a full-grown, adult. But in order to free us from sin, he needed to fully immerse himself in the same sinful imperfection into which we were born (1 Peter 3:18).

Moving forward in time, as he hung dying on the cross, Jesus bore the burden of all the ugliness, pain, and hopelessness of our sinful world on Himself. The inhumane treatment he endured, he did so for our freedom from the curse of eternal death that sin held over our heads. Yet through all of this, he never once dropped our hand from his, or forgot his promise (John 14:1-3).

The connection we hold with God is special. And though the world he created abounds with many wonderful and beautiful examples of His handiwork, there is none more precious to him than you and I. We, and only we, hold the unique distinction of being created in His image. (Genesis 1:27).

Although it has been over 2,000 years since Jesus' birth, let us remember the significance of that event. During this Christmas as we congregate with loved ones, I urge you to prayerfully honor the One who made the biggest sacrifice there ever was, and ever will be. And he did not do this for country, cause, or duty, He did it for all of us, because we are His family (Ephesians 2:19).

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It is at this time that all of us of The Coffeehouse Bible Ministry wish all of you the most blessed and safest Christmas and New Year. Our ministry blog has been running short-handed due to the lingering effects on our friends who experienced two major hurricanes this past summer. We will continue to pray for them and offer our help and support through their recovery.

Jesus Christ has blessed us with some very talented contributors who have been gracious enough to help keep our blog up and running until we are back at full strength. The job they have been doing has exceeded all expectations. We can thank Jesus Christ for blessing our ministry with them. I extend my undying gratitude and love to them, as well. Thank you, ladies!

Our ministry blog will be on hiatus through the Christmas and New Year holidays. We will return on Monday, January 7, 2019.  Meanwhile, as always, our archives are available for you to use as God moves you. Thank you all for accompanying us on our journey with Jesus Christ throughout this past year. Our blessings to you and your loved ones.

Thank you Lord, for all You have provided us during 2018; we humbly submit our prayers to You for Your grace and mercy in 2019, Amen

May God richly bless,

~Eve

Be Imitators of God

"You can never truly enjoy Christmas until you can look up into the Father's face and tell him you have received his Christmas gift."  - John R. Rice

There's nothing like gathering together with family and friends to celebrate the holidays, reminisce about seasons past, create new memories, and take in all of the wonderful sights, tastes, and sounds.

Inevitably, this often asked question is always brought up. "Have we forgotten why we celebrate Christmas?" Many, much more knowledgeable than I, have tried their hand at providing an adequate response to this question.

As such, I will not make such an attempt here, today. I will leave that to the experts. But there is one thing that too often goes unnoticed. And that is the familial aspect of Christmas; God's.

As Christians we are a family of believers in Jesus Christ (Galatians 4:5). Through his redemption we have received many benefits, including: Ephesians 1:7; Romans 5:17; Revelation 5:9-10, to mention only a few.

Being members of God's family also carries with it great duties and responsibilities. One of these is how we show the world what it means to be His children (1 John 3:3). Walk the walk, as they say.

We must "be imitators of God," that is, to not only follow his example, but demonstrate it to the world (Ephesians 5:1). This goes so much deeper than merely exchanging gifts, and it doesn't cost us a thing to put it into action.

As usual, one only has to turn to the Bible for guidance. There we find in 1 John 3: 11 that, "we must love each other." It has nothing to do with the biggest, most expensive gift and the prettiest wrapping paper and bows (Luke 12:15). 

Jesus Christ was sent to us not to deliver Christmas, but to give us the best gift ever. That gift, was the gift of eternal life with God. The cost? Jesus paid for our sins with his death and resurrection. How can anyone forget this?

As we come together with our loved ones this Christmas, let's not forget that there is really only one gift that keeps on giving all year long. And you'll never have to worry about size, color, or style. One size fits all: the gift of love for each other (John 13:34).

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6; John 1:14; Acts 20:35; Matthew 6:33; Hebrews 13:2 

Prayer: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”  -Luke 2:14 (ESV)

Joyfully in Christ,

Donna

We Need The Love of God

"Lavish Love upon our equals, where it is very difficult, and for whom perhaps we each do least of all."  - Henry Drummond

There is no denying that our world literally appears to be splitting at the seams. The "works of the flesh" which are mentioned in the Bible, and then some, are all alive and apparently thriving quite well today (Galatians 5:19-21).

Some who study the historical trends of world peace and upheaval say that we are now undergoing a time of great turmoil and uncertainty. This is nothing new, however. The problems we see now have always been.

The centuries come and go, civilizations rise and they fall, generations are born and then die. As Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 1:10, "Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new?” With us, unfortunately not a whole lot.

The greatest barrier that stands in the way of all of the wrongs in the world, whatever they may be, is the sin we commit towards one another. It was so before Jesus came to us; during his short time here; and presently (Romans 3:23).

Yes, it is true that he was sent to earth by God to help us because sin held us in its vise-like grip (John 3:16-17). But let's be clear, God didn't send his Son to us because of our behavior, as some might mistakenly think.

He, knowing what would happen to him, sent Jesus to us because we held a special place in his heart. As a compassionate, forgiving, and patient Father, he desires for us to accept and embrace each other. In short, God wants us to get along (1 Peter 4:8).

He preached, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).

During this joyous time of the year, give pause to this commandment. Scripture tells us that we are all God's children, everyone (Colossians 1:16). Think how much easier it would be if we all accepted and employed this edict.

Scripture: 1 John 4:18; 1 John 4:20; Romans 13:8; Galatians 5:22; James 2:8

Prayer: Dear Lord, may I overflow with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus, always. Amen

Blessings always,

Cyndy

Is It Time to Reset with God?

"Four of the Ten Commandments deal with our relationship to God while the other six deal with our relationships with people. But all ten are about relationships."  - Rick Warren

As the days grow closer towards that special day of the year when we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, there is no better time to examine our connection with Him.

Consider it a necessary checkpoint, or rest stop, in our journey as faithful believers where we reset our spiritual compass and assess our hearts and minds before moving on. Think of it as a time to reboot our bond with God (Psalm 71:20-21).

To proceed without any such check-up from time to time is courting disaster. There are troubles and temptations along the way that can jostle us off course. We can't always depend on obvious signs to warn us of issues.

Small rips and tears may appear in our relationship with Christ. The damage grows silently but steadily, turning into major problems that can hinder, even halt, our Christian maturity.

We should never feel embarrassed, too stubborn, or too proud to ask God for guidance when we need it, and even if we don't! We should be proactive and not wait until situations call for drastic measures that could have been avoided.

Moses, in his journeys with the Hebrews through the desert, sought God's direction on more than one occasion (Exodus 33:12-13). He could never have accomplished all he did without God's help. Nor can we.

James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote, "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you" (James 1:5). Stop and ask!

It's good to give pause and evaluate our progress as Christians. We take our cars in for scheduled maintenance, we visit our doctors for annual physicals, and check the cookies baking in the oven, so why not our relationship with Christ?

We have many relationships during the course of our lifetime. But, none is more important than ours with Jesus Christ. He does his part to get our relationship up and running. It's up to us to see that it remains that way (1 Chronicles 16:11).

Scripture: Psalm 32:8; Isaiah 58:11; Romans 8:14; Psalm 25:5; Colossians 3:1

Prayer: Dear God, may You give me the peace and guidance I need to see me through another day, amen.

Blessings always,

Mitzi

We Can Be Saints in Christ Jesus

"In my daily walk with Him, He gives me victory as He teaches me how to abide."  - Judy Harrell

"Under pressure to walk like the saints of old." That's a very common concern among many who have addressed this to me. They want this more than anything, but seriously doubt it can happen.

I sense the anxiety in their voices as they tell me that this bar has been set too high for them to clear; that they feel it has only set them up for failure.

It's understandable to feel intimidated by them. I realize that it's difficult not to see these ladies and gentlemen on a level far above our own.

But perhaps we just need to adjust our viewpoint a little bit. These people were certainly not any different than you or I. They were living, breathing, and composed of flesh of blood, too.

They could have passed you by on the street and you probably wouldn't have been able to tell them apart from anyone else. There was nothing that was visible physically that would tip you off.

Physically, they were as you or I. They also had the same weaknesses, worries, and temptations. However, if we change the word "physically" to "spiritually," then we'd be on to something truly special. 

They were called to be saints (Romans 1:7), as are you and I as believers in Jesus Christ. The same holiness that they had obtained is not beyond our own reach. I know it might sound impossible, but it's true! 

Now, what are "saints" as per our discussion here? According to the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE), this is when, "God consecrates and claims moral beings for Himself and His Service." (Ephesians 4:4)

He expects that, as such, they should not be content to just sit around with this special appointment. They are to go out into the world and show that they are prepared and deserving of the relationship in which they now belong. (Ephesians 4:12)

We are fortunate to have some excellent models in which to imitate and follow in these saints. We can learn a lot from their passion and holiness. Their lives were filled by, and lived for, Jesus Christ.

God has made the same grace accessible to us. By following their lead, and by the same Spirit, we, too, can be counted as "saints."

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:5; Revelation 5:8; 1 Corinthians 14:33; Revelation 14:12; Psalm 30:4

Prayer: Dear God, I give thanks always to You because of Your grace that was given me in Christ Jesus, amen.

Bless you,

Brielle

Repentance Leads to Life

"The recognition of sin is the beginning of salvation."  - Martin Luther

One of the hardest things for us to do is to admit we are wrong. After all, who likes to admit that? The admission of guilt (regret and remorse) is what we is usually consider as "repentance" as it pertains to each other.

We generally tend to think that this is how "repentance" (to repent) works in our relationship with Jesus Christ, too. But does it really? First, we need to take a look at how "repentance" is used biblically.

One doesn't need to research too deeply in order to discover that the biblical meaning of repentance is, "to change one's mind." I have to point out that this applies to our sin. As you can see, there is already a big difference in meaning.

By changing one's mind about sin we aren't just talking about a slight, or casual transformation. No, in order for you or I to truly repent, or change our minds about sin we must make a full change of direction from sin toward God (Acts 8:22).

When you hear someone talking about "turning away from sin." this is what they mean. If you think about it, it makes really good sense. By turning only a quarter or half way from sin you can still see it by turning your head one way or the other.

However, when you have made a full, 180° turn around from sin, you are facing God and sin is now behind you. Sounds great, doesn't it? Believe it or not, this is something that is attainable by anyone who is really serious about it.

Have you ever done something, or were doing something and you had this feeling that it just wasn't right? It was that feeling about right and wrong; an immediate awareness that it wasn't. Your conscience was bothering you, and it left you with a knot in your stomach.

If so, you have taken a step toward repentance. The belief that whatever action you performed wasn't right or good means that God is at work, lovingly nudging you back on the right path. A reminder that he will help us. Now, are you sorrowful for what you did? (Psalm 38:18)

It is a sincere regret, and wanting to make things, i.e., sinful actions, right that may be construed as another step toward repentance. It doesn't do any good to just think about your actions and forget about it. You must earnestly feel sorrowful about them (1 John 1:9).

Additionally, our minds and attitudes are very crucial factors in our repentance of sin. Think of them as motivators. We have to want to change. God needs to see this desire in us, or it won't work. Without faith in God, our repentance will not be granted (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Repentance is an offer from God to us. It is there on the table, but he won't force it on anyone. We must want to repent in our hearts, minds, and by our unwavering faith in him. Take him up on it. He will take care of the rest.

Scripture: Romans 3:23; Luke 13:3; Proverbs 28:13; 2 Corinthians 7:9; Luke 15:10

Prayer: Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Amen  - Psalm 51:10-11 

God bless you,

Lauren

Full Confidence in Christ

"Since no man is excluded from calling upon God the gate of salvation is open to all. There is nothing else to hinder us from entering, but our own unbelief."  - John Calvin

Few would disagree that it can be hard to find and receive certain assurances that are dependable. We've all seen T.V.commercials; have read advertisements in magazines and online; and have had encounters with individuals offering us "peace of mind," "no worries," or to "rest assured."

How many have been duped, defrauded, and even left in financial ruin because of unscrupulous and deceitful works by those in whom were fully trusted to uphold their end of a bargain or promise. The list is surely lengthy and somber.

But gladly, we can enter confidently into one relationship without pause for concern or doubt. There is no danger of abandonment, being deceived, or feeling unsatisfied. The arrangement here is trustworthy and binding. Full assurance is guaranteed.

When we come to Jesus Christ with full faith in him, repent of our sin, and accept him as our Lord and Savior, we become part of a binding covenant. As such, we are granted, or receive certain assurances that are enduring and everlasting (Romans 5:1; 1 John 5:13).

Very simply, when we become part of this permanent relationship, we are no longer the person that we were. Yes, we may still look the same outwardly, but we have undergone a total spiritual remodeling (1 Corinthians 5:17).

This was made possible because of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. By his sacrifice, he took care of all the hard details, thereby making this accessible to us. We have also been given access to approach God in worship. It's all there in his assurances to us (Romans 11:29).

Of course, there are innumerable benefits that have been bestowed to us through Christ. I haven't even begun to scratch the surface in my writing today. However, his promise of salvation and eternal life are not just empty words (John 10:28-29).

When we give our lives over to Christ, in full faith, the assurances we receive from him, paid for in full by his blood, tears, and death, is immutable and sealed. There is no other like it, nor will there ever be (Romans 10:13).

Scripture: John 5:24; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 6:37; Hebrews 12:28; Isaiah 12:2

Prayer: The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.  - 2 Timothy 4:18

Blessings always,

Cyndy

To Abide In Him is To Live

“A soul filled with large thoughts of the Vine will be a strong branch, and will abide confidently in Him. Be much occupied with Jesus, and believe much in Him, as the True Vine.”   - Andrew Murray, Abide in Christ

We like to think of ourselves as independent, self-sufficient, competent, intelligent beings; minus our little quirks and eccentricities. And this is certainly true for most.

Be this as it may, it is imperative for us as Christians to never forget the source from where we draw "life." That without it, we wither and dry as the branch that has been separated from the vine (John 15:6).

This is beautifully illustrated for us in John 15. We, as Christians, draw our "life" from our connection to Jesus Christ. Without this union, or dependence on him, we are "lifeless."

Jesus' fear was that we could lose this connection because of who we are, and how easily distracted and influenced we can be. Our battle against the flesh is never-ending. Alone, we are weak as water.

Thus, we must be in Christ. There is no other way around it. Some may look for shortcuts or a quick fix, but none exist. Only by grace, His grace, can the sap flow from the vine to the branch.

Jesus tells us, "Abide in Me, and I in you" in John 15:4. There are two exhortations in this verse. The first, that we are to remain united to him by a "living" faith.

Specifically, living a life that is dependent on him, following his commands and his example, and regularly practicing our faith in him. In short, we are to live in Christ.

Secondly, is his promise to us. He (Christ) will abide in us. Namely, if we remain connected to him, he will do so with us; by teaching, guiding and comforting us. Let Him dwell in us.

When we are connected to him by a living faith, his strength flows from him to us, and we receive support and assistance as needed (John 15:7). We must strive to never lose our union with Christ.

Scripture: Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 12:1; Matthew 7:21; Galatians 6:7-8

Prayer: I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me, amen.  - Galatians 2:20

Joyfully in Christ,

Donna