JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!

Howdy y'all; it has been a couple of months since my last posting so an apology is in order. I have been pretty busy, but I have to say that some of it is procrastination! How many times have you used or heard the words in the title of this posting? I know I have used it a lot and I even made a bunch of buttons with my button machine that said it. I also made a bunch that said "Merry CHRIST mas" on them. Our society here in the good old U.S.of A. has, in recent years, tried to "numb" us to the Christ in Christmas. For years we have been bombarded with all of the commercialism, and "politically correct" desensitisation to this special time of the year. I remember when I first saw "Xmas" when I was a kid. I thought the people were just to lazy to write out "Christmas" and didn't think too much about it! The "wrongness" of it finally hit me when I experienced my first Christmas as a born again believer. Suddenly it ALL seemed so wrong. I looked around me with the new eyes of a true child of the Living God and really SAW all of the world's commercialism, all the "hype" for toys, cards, expensive gifts for your "special someone" and decorations that left Jesus out of the picture. I was actually nauseated by all of it. We, as believers, must take a stand and say a loud "NO" when we hear of someone calling it a "holiday tree", even though some really fundamentalist Christian's believe that the Christmas tree is a pagan symbol, and that it wasn't popularized in this country until the 18th century. From a certain perspective it's history does hearken back to pagan, or at least "non-Christian" roots. It really doesn't matter! What really matters is what it has come to represent with it's star or angel tree-topper that symbolizes the night when the star shown over Bethlehem and the angels proclaimed the good news of Christ's birth, and the lights that represent the good news that the "light" of truth and Jesus Christ has come for all of mankind. Granted a lot of folks over do it a bit, but it is still Jesus that is to be worshipped and recognized as the true and everlasting truth and light for all of us. It is a shame that "Jesus is the reason for the season!" has become so cliched. It has lost some of it's punch. Freedom of religion is one of the fundamental "RIGHTS" provided for us by the constitution of this great country, and I stand by it and believe it deep in my heart. Some people have perverted the right to freedom of religion to mean every other religion EXCEPT Christianity. I had a teacher in my high school civics class (it was called "Problems of Democracy" at that time) who taught us that my rights end where another persons begin and their rights end where mine begin! I took that to heart. Everyone in this country is guaranteed the right to worship as they desire, or NOT to worship anything if that is their belief. I don't have a problem with any of that. Really. I believe that they are wrong not to worship Jesus Christ or to believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, and that God was, is now and will be for ever and ever, or that God created the whole universe. BUT. . .I will never try to cram Jesus down their throats or condemn them for not believing. I must confess that I would, and do, talk to non-believers about Jesus. That is really one of the main reasons why I started this blog; to try to introduce folks to Jesus. I find it a bit odd that in some communities it is okay to display a Jewish menorah   or other symbols for other religions but it is against the law to display a Manger scene, Creche or other Christmas decorations. It is okay to display Santa Clause in some cities but it is considered a religious symbol in others. There are a lot of other religious blogs out there in cyber space and they have a right to run them just as much as I have the right to run this one! Back to the title of this posting. Jesus IS the reason for the season. When you say it . . . mean it! When someone says "Happy Holiday" to you , don't be offended; just say "Merry Christmas" to them. I love Jesus! I love Him for going through all of the torture, the punishment and finally going to the cross to die for me and my sins! Without Jesus I believe I would have been condemned to hell for all of eternity. With Jesus in my heart and being born again. I believe that I am saved from that condemnation and that I will be in heaven with my loved ones who were born again believers, and better yet I will be in the presence of my creator, God and with His only son Jesus Christ! How wonderful is that!? The only way that can happen is if you are truly "Born Again"; and the only way to be born again is to accept Jesus Christ as you personal Lord and Savior.  How do you do that you may ask. First, you must truly repent of your sins (". . .for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"). Second, you must ask Jesus to come into your heart and to fill you with the Holy Spirit. Finally, you must confess that Jesus is the only Son of the ONLY Living God. It is one of the hardest choices you can make and also one of the easiest things to do. Pray this prayer:
       "Lord God I know that you are the creator of all things and that you sent your only Son Jesus Christ to die for me and that His blood was shed to wash away my sins. I confess that I am a sinner and I do truly repent of my sins. I thank you for sending Jesus for me and the rest of the world. I believe that He is no longer among the dead, but that He was resurrected to sit at Your side to rule in heaven. Please, Lord God, send the Holy spirit into my heart and give me the strength to turn away from my sinful ways, my evil thoughts and wash away any doubts you may find in my heart. Please, Lord God give me the knowledge, strength and faith to stand up for you in the world and to spread your word by teaching others about your Son Jesus." 
            God is ALWAYS faithful and true. He always keeps His word, and He  promised that if we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior and truly believe that Jesus is His only Son sent into this world to die for our sins that we would be "saved".  Without Jesus we are not worthy of being in God's presence or going to heaven when we die. God's grace is a free gift! It is only by our faith and by God's grace that we can be saved. I don't know about you . . . but as for me I want to go to heaven and be with God; and I want to be with Jesus through all of eternity! I also want see my brother, dad, mom, grandma, great grandma and the rest of my family that were/are believers! To be with all of those believers that have gone on before me, Moses, King David, Peter, Paul and the rest of the disciples. I want to see and reside in that heavenly home, that mansion not built by human hands. Thank you God. Thank you Jesus! I truly love you and want to please you Lord.
 YES; Jesus IS the reason for the season! AND, He died for you and me, He was raised from the dead to rule in heaven with His Father  so that we could claim eternal life and so that we could be washed clean and worthy of that place in heaven!