newsnovdec06

The Greatest Gift
By Rev. Verna Brown
Nov-Dec 2006

For unto us (me) a son is given…
His name shall be called Wonderful,
Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father,
The Prince of Peace…...Isaiah 9:6

       I remember reading an article a few years ago that
said “If our greatest need had been information, God
would have sent an educator. If our greatest need had
been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If
our greatest need had been money, God would have
sent us an economist. But since our greatest need was
forgiveness, God sent us a Savior. He was clothed in
human flesh so He could identify with what we go
through, enabling Him to provide for all of our needs and
desires and to care for us in any situation. We needed
someone who could be fully God, and fully man. Only
Jesus could do both.
       Being fully God enabled Him to carry our sin. Being
deity enabled him to be our sacrifice. Jesus became our
Substitute. We owed a debt we could not pay, and Jesus
paid a debt he did not owe. He is the greatest gift we’ve
ever received. God knew we needed a Savior, Deliverer,
Redeemer, and Friend. He is the gift that never expires,
and holds its value for eternity. Jesus is the gift that
keeps on giving. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the
world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life.” I’m so thankful that thousands of years later, the gift
of Jesus is still giving! He is the gift that never becomes
outdated or obsolete.
       Jesus is the greatest, and most perfect Gift you will
ever receive! Even though we don’t deserve and could
never earn this Gift, He freely gives himself to all who will
receive Him. His love never fades, or weakens. He is
always available, and is an ever present help in time of
trouble. When the world is unkind, He is WONDERFUL.
When you need someone to talk to, He is the
COUNSELOR. When you’re feeling weak, He is THE
MIGHTY GOD. When your nights are filled with
restlessness, and your mind is stressed, remember that
He is the PRINCE OF PEACE. If you’ve never received
this gift, He is offering Himself to you...Just pray this
simple prayer, “Lord Jesus, I confess You are Lord. I
believe you died for my sins. Forgive me. I surrender my
life to You now, and receive You as my Lord and Savior.
Thank you for being my Perfect Gift, and for eternal life.
Amen”

JOY
By Rev. Dana Waller
Nov-Dec 2006

“...may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God. May they
be happy and joyful.”
Psalm 68:3

I think Christians should be the happiest people on the
planet. Full of joy—spilling out on everyone around us
because of the overflow. Joy is the second fruit of the Spirit
(Gal. 5:22). God wants His people to be joyful. He never
intended for us to walk around with our heads hung low in
discouragement, weakened by depression, despair, defeat,
anxiety and the cares of this life. Nehemiah 8:10 says “...the
joy of the Lord is your STRENGTH.” So without joy, we don’t
have the strength God knows we need. The joy we have
doesn’t rise and fall based on our circumstances. The
Christian life was never meant to be a roller coaster ride. God
is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He
does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17).
Hallelujah! He is a FAITHFUL God. Remember, it is HIS joy,
not ours! We can’t work it up for ourselves. We must draw
near to the One who gives us “joy unspeakable and full of
glory” (I Peter 1:8). Without Him, there is no real, lasting joy. If
we stay connected to the Source of Joy we will have joy—it’s as
simple as that.
We are the Jesus that the world sees. They see us in our
neighborhoods, supermarkets, banks, jobs, and soccer
games. They’re watching us. They want to see what we’re
going to do when life gets really tough. Are we going to have a
stinky attitude—or are we going to stay positive and
unwavering in our faith—with absolute assurance that no
matter what, God will make a way. It should be OBVIOUS that
there’s a difference in our lives that gives us joy—a joy that’s
unshakable through any struggle, any problem, any difficulty. A
joy that only comes from knowing Jesus. I don’t know about
you, but I want to be a contagious, joy-filled Christian. Let’s
spread the LOVE of Jesus and the JOY that comes from
knowing Him to as many as we can this holiday season and
beyond