Focus On His Love

You know, sometimes when I sin against God and it grieves me and I go back to Him once again and ask for His forgiveness I still feel I am missing something.
My relationship with my Heavenly Father urges me to be thankful as well and to truly look at how blessed I am. I believe God doesn't want me to focus on my sin more than the incredible love and grace He has for me.
As a father I understand this and wish to convey the same message to my children. He doesn't excuse my sin/disobedience but He wants me to get beyond it; "mercy before judgement" as the bible states.
If I understand more of and how deep His love is toward me, I invariably will sin less. I will want to please Him more than I want to please myself. I will no longer grieve over my sin (because I have done something wrong or broken a command) as much as how I've abused my relationship with Him.
After I have said, "I'm sorry." (for possibly the 10, 000th time), I must say, "Thank you!" It seems to put my heart in the right place; into His presence, into His loving arms. - JSS

Our Greatest Gift

The greatest present we could ever receive was wrapped in flesh and bundled with the garland of grace. This present was an expression of love, a Christmas celebration with our Father in Heaven. This present is Jesus, our Savior, our joy and our friend. He is our gift from on high, from cradle to the cross. How will we accept Him? How will we handle this beloved gift? He is for us and wishes to dwell within us. He is our greatest
gift! - JSS

Emmanuel, God With Us

Matthew 1:23 KJV
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Dear Readers,
May you and those you love experience the presence, peace and joy of Jesus Christ today. Have a very merry and blessed Christmas and New Year!

In His Love and Grace, 
Joe

Silent Night

Silent night, Holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin , mother and child
Holy infant so, tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, Holy night
Shepherds quake, at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly, hosts sing Hallelujah.
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born.

Silent night, Holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at thy birth
Jesus, Lord at thy birth.

Words by Josef Mohr
Music by Franz Gruber
This song is in the Public Domain.

In Darkness Or Light?

1 John 1:5-7 KJV
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

1 John 2:7-11 KJV
Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

Thank You, Heavenly Father

Thank you, Heavenly Father...
Your love is greater,
Your mercy is deeper,
Your grace is wider,
Your steps are surer,
Your spirit is sweeter,
Your sacrifice is higher,
Your power is stronger,
Your reward is richer,
Than anything else in this world.
- JSS

Jesus: Wounded And Bruised...For Us

Isaiah 53:3-12 KJV
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

David's Prayer

Psalms 51:1-19 KJV
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.