His Singular Gift - For ALL of Humanity...

*(A repost from one of my earlier posts a few years back)*

I had several different messages I thought of bringing to you wonderful folks, yet this is the one He has laid on my heart as a Christmas Gift & Message. Please, forgive this layman's attempt at transcribing such a precious message.

By one man, Adam, our complete fellowship with our Heavenly Father was disrupted. A veil between HIS Holiness and our Humanness was introduced through Adam’s choice to go his own way. God’s desire was to receive the unconditional Praise, Worship and Love of HIS creation. It was God’s design for us to walk with HIM in the cool of the evening, to commune as one family. His Love For Us – established before the very foundation of the earth.

Adam chose to defy our Precious Father – hence convicting every single generation of his offspring to pain, suffering and death. Both spiritually and physically – death was the ultimate penalty for this transgression. There were several major transactions that took place that day in the Garden, not the least of which was curse of sin. Adam’s race through one simple act of eating of the forbidden fruit was condemned to slavery. Every child of the human race since that day has been born a sinner, born into the bonds of sin slavery, the direct results of a choice to have our will and not God’s.

To fully understand the significance of a baby born in Bethlehem 2000+ years ago, you must fully understand the Theology of Creation, and the doctrine of sin. If you don’t understand or believe these things, then this celebrated day of remembrance has no meaning or value to you. The post modern culture that we find ourselves immersed in, simply replaces the True meaning, with symbolism and materialism to fill that emptiness.

Truth be told, those things never truly fill the void of not having God present in a man’s heart. Satan has sold the lie to the world quite well, and he is smiling and rolling on the floor laughing in cynical joy for the souls he has destroyed. For the Truth of Christmas is that of a miracle, that a young Jewish girl named Mary was touched by the Holy Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit planted the seed of Truth & Life in this woman that the Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God could come into this fallen world. That a Single Child, one lone being (God incarnate) came into this world on a dark cold night with one purpose – and one purpose only. He came to save the human race from the curse of sin bondage.

HE was born of a virgin, walked this earth for 33 years, ministering to common man, the down trodden, the oppressed, the poor, the sick, the needy and the dying. Jesus came to us and corrected our view of the Law by showing us the Heart of God, and announced to the world that He was here to fulfill the law and prophesy of old. He commanded us to LOVE one another, as He loved His Church, to the point of spreading HIS arms wide open, and dying for those that literally nailed HIM to the cross.

A SINGLE GIFT OF SACRIFICE – He offered up Himself from his first breath in that manger in Bethlehem, to the last breath He took as He laid down His life on that Cross 33 years later. HE came to this earth with one purpose; to bruise the head of that old serpent with the heel of His foot, saving humanity from the bonds of sin.

That Christmas gift of long ago tore the veil that separated us from the Heavenly Father giving us un-tethered access to God. For through accepting His gift (once again a choice we must make), dying to ourselves, and yielding to Him we can once again stand before GOD – wrapped in the Love and Righteousness of HIS Son – Jesus Christ, the TRUTH in Christmas! Please, please let me introduce you to this Wonderful man that has called me friend! For yet a little time, HE holds the door of Grace open for those to walk through that heed the call. Don’t spend another Christmas without HIM, don’t be left to a dark empty eternity. Choose Christ, and have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!

From the Manger to the Cross – Remember His Love, Obedience, Sacrifice and GIFT this Christmas!

Your Friend,

RC

God's Best Work - Sometimes Is Best Seen At The End Of Brokeness...

Dear Folks,

It is sometimes at the end of a rough patch that we can look back over our shoulder to see God's hand and work in our life to teach us Great Spiritual Lessons...

When we sometimes fall under the pressure of trials,  we are willing to be humbly broken and submit to His Will, Wisdom and Sculpturing Hand...  He Masterfully works on our perspective through brokenness, which we may not have otherwise been willing to see.  He sees our life in a different economy of time and space, therefore; He as the Eternal vantage point that we do not have.

He knows best, when we learn that, our Faith and Trust become stronger, deeper and more remarkable, we could not have understood this perspective prior to His Work in our lives through Brokenness...   His Truth becomes more clear and all the more dear to our hearts as we emerge from the fire as an instrument to Praise & Glorify Him...  Our Worship is then deeper, shored up by the knowledge of His presence and deliverance in our lives.

While I was not comfortable walking that Valley, I am eternally grateful for Him loving me enough to bring me here via His plan and path...  I will take His path with Him holding me up anytime over the alternative of me walking by myself...  The path I am emerging from still has brought some scarring and wounds that need healed, but I Love my Jesus all the more, next to His wounds and scars, this life is a breeze...  For He endured more than I could even begin to imagine, especially knowing how much He loved me while I was yet immersed in Sin and filthy in His sight.

 

Thank You Abba Father, for sending Him, and Thank You Jesus for your selfless obedience to the Father.  Please Lord let me be ever mindful that on my own, I deserve Hell.  Never let me forget that I stand boldly before You and the Father while wrapped in Your Righteousness and Justified by Your Blood and work and Calvary.  Praise be to God the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost...  Amen...

Have a Great Day - God Bless...

Christ's Love Defines Forgiveness - As A Life Choice

Forgiveness

**notes (taken by RCH) from a message by Pastor Aaron Hoffman**

The Gateway to True Forgiveness - is understanding "the past is just that, the past and is unchangeable, therefore; you must tell yourself I Chose To Forgive"

Forgiveness is a Choice!

Forgiveness is a decision or choice to release the person that has hurt or offended you from the obligation of paying for that sin of hurting you. We are then obligated in restoring the relationship, or fellowship that was broken by the sin. Choosing to Forgive, releases all the pain and suffering associated with the hurt, and lays it at the Cross. Christ paid for all that sin, all that pain and all that hurt, we have no business or right in carrying it as Christians when Christ paid for it, and released us of all our own sins and offenses.

 

If you are not living a Forgiving Life Choice in Christ, you are living an Un-Forgiving life choice of the world and their Father the devil. Un-forgiveness leads to and propagates Bitterness, Anger and a Heart that says "you will continue to pay for your sin against me, until I say you have paid enough - or am no longer here to carry out the sentence of your continual paying".  This attitude, or life choice is in fact inflicting pain and suffering on the person that has offended or hurt you.  What we don't realize is that it also hurts others close to you or the situation. Christ's testimony is hurt and tarnished through Un-Forgiveness. (1)** Matthew 18:15-17 (2)**Matthew 18:21-35**

 

a) Forgiveness IS a Choice

    To live out Forgiveness is a life choice that leads to Joy

b) Un-Forgiveness IS a Sin

    To live out Un-Forgiveness is a life choice that leads to Bitterness, Frustration,
     Anger, Vengeance / Retribution.

If you are the offender - you must learn to yield and submit, as unto Christ / God, admitting and verbally confessing "I was wrong, will you please forgive me"?

 

Forgiveness as a Choice will be seen in your attitude, your walk and your disposition, as you grow in Christ and this Choice becomes your lifes choice, the Joy and Forgiving demeanor will attract people around you, family, friends and co-workers. When you are subjected to an offense against you, you will find yourself defaulting to your Spiritual Life Choice - the forgiving heart of Christ, through the Spirit that lives within you. It will become your nature, part of the new creation.  Just as LOVE is a Choice - Forgivenes is a Choice that will define you as Christ's, what a wonderful testimony to Him.

Forgiveness is proof of the Spirit that lives within you, and the Faith & Trust you have in God to deliver you from all manners of Pain and Hurt... Forgiving 70 times 7, that is 490 times, the point being, if you have had the longsuffering to forgive and restore that many times, then keep on going, continue to forgive until God changes the person, He takes them home or until your gone!

 

The World tells you that hurt and pain is not healthy, to get away, to put away, to walk away, but Christ suffered more pain than any other human on the planet has...  He has paved the way for our forgiveness of others... The world tells you "you can forgive - but you can never forget"... The Bible tells us that "You Can't Forget because you do NOT Forgive"... **1 Cor 10:13**

 

Jesus said, you must let the offenses go, you must release the offender, for I have already paid for that sin, just as I paid for yours!

We must remember - if we Truly Believe in Christ and Follow Him, a life choice of "Un-Forgiveness, destroys the Offended (you and your Spiritual walk), the Offender and in most cases, it causes collateral damage to those within reach of the Offended... A state of unforgiveness creates shallow and guarded relationships / friendships.  Real - True Heart Depth Relationships, will escape those involved due to mistrust, pain and suffering.   In essences, the Offended becomes the Offender, and in many cases lashes out with a greater reaching offenses that spills out over many more than if the original offense / offenses would have been dealt with in a Biblical fashion.

 
 

Surrender your pain and hurt to Christ, then Choose to Forgive the offender, continually forgive, Your Parents, Your Spouse, Your Children, Your Friends, your Co-Workers and Your Neighbors...

 

You can't Love without learning to Truly Forgive!  You can't Forgive without Truly Having Christ's Love Eternal!  Do you walk with Christ?  Then Learn His Forgiveness and Restoration, the Spiritual Joy and Reward will be not of this world...

God defines the Christian's perspective of Love...

These words from God and penned by our dear Paul & John, to those belonging to Christ:

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

John 13:33-35 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” 

Who is defining Love in your life?

Our nations culture and mind set is being strategically formulated by the likes of Oprah, Doctor Phil, the View and countless other talking heads that spin emotion.

They want you to believe that "Love" is how I made you feel yesterday, today & potentially how I might make you feel tomorrow...

God says, Love Is A Choice!  When HE knew most of us wouldn't Love Him back, He still Loved us and sent His Son to die in our place...  In that single act, God taught us Love, Forgiveness,  Obedience and Selflessness...

In the year 2013, the words Moral and Sin are rarely spoken.  Since we miss the mark in those two area's quite remarkably since the Garden, we needed redemption.  HE  LOVED  US - so He even provided the payment for us....

Love is not how I made you feel yesterday, today or even how I might make you feel tomorrow...  It's the eternal commitment to stand by your side, give all that I have to give and love you when the whole world turns upside down and against you...

By God's standard, that applies to you if you are my parents, my spouse, my children, my friend or a brother on the street...  One of Christ's last commands to us, was "to love one another"...  Not make each other feel all warm and toasty inside, but to Love one another...

Love is not a fleeting feeling, it is a lifetime and eternal commitment...  Loving when there is no sign of reciprocation, takes more faith and returns more joy in Spirit than any gushy emotional feeling...  God heals wounded hearts, He bridges emotional hurts and disconnects.  However; Before that can happen in the human heart, we must first go to the author of Love and submit all of our heart to Him...

Dear friends, the world wants to fill that emptiness in your heart with everything but what you were created for...  We were created to take Joy in Him, to Love Him and to Commune and Walk with Him...  A real meaningful relationship...

Is your heart hurting, are you seeking?  Doesn't it make sense to go to the one that created your heart in the first place?

Meet Him at the foot of the cross, He will tell you personally what real Love is!

God Bless,

RC