As Jesus Was Going Up to Jerusalem

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified.  On the third day he will be raised to life!”  Matthew 20:17-19 NIV.

My heart breaks at hearing that the chosen people betrayed Him and the Gentiles punished and crucified Him. There is no person or group of people who are exempt from the blanket of sin that began with Adam and will continue until our Christ reigns.  Our God made a way to redeem all people from sin and from our own stubborn and selfish lives.  God’s perfect way was to send His son to die on the cross to redeem anyone who will accept Him and believe in Him.  By doing so we are set free from sin and from the moment you ask Jesus into your heart and acknowledge Him as our savior and to desire to lead a new life in Christ- your new life begins; an everlasting life in God’s grace.

Life is energy as we know it in physics and we also know in physics that energy never disappears, but it changes in form all the time. Energy goes from light to heat from heat to pressure always from one to another. Our life is energy that was created by God and when our bodies finally die as they most surly will, the energy created by God will go somewhere else.  This energy I am referring to is not a new age idea it is our very God given spirit living inside each of us.

The fact is that when our bodies die we will live on and there are only two places this will occur. We will be living with our creator God in heaven or we will be living a life of torment in hell.  There is no middle ground or grading curve that will help us get to the better place.  There is only one way and that way is through Jesus Christ (ACTS 4:12 NIV).  Jesus Christ, the very Son of God was taken from His perfect throne in Heaven and made human in order to serve and save the humans who will accept Him.  He went from a glory surrounded in angles in need of nothing to a life of most humble living with a heart of compassion and sacrifice for our sins; our own mess we created for ourselves.  This is the true sacrifice by God and for this no human can earn a way to grace in Heaven.  It is a gift by God to His people.  How could we ever “earn” or “work” our way into heaven in spite of or after the perfect sacrifice offered by Jesus Christ.  When we give a gift to someone else we do it out of love right?   Doesn’t it feel good in your heart to help someone in need?  The fact is that God created everything….Let that sink in for a moment.  How can you give to God what He already has?  So there is no “earning” or “work” that any “good” person can do that will ever get them into Heaven and eternal life with God.  This is how severe sin is to God.  Sin and God will never mix.  So God saves us with the ultimate and one and all sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  Christ died for our sin and was risen by God in glory to be our savior, King, and our only justification and redemption to God.  When you accept Christ and follow Him you become a child of God.  This is not just a saying…you are considered by God to be His child.  Let that soak in for a minute….

Remember the true meaning of Christmas. We call it Christmas but it marks a day we chose to remember our Christ and Savior and what He has done for us.  Only He could do and was willing to do for you and for me.  This is the love of God for us so none should perish but have eternal life in Heaven.  It is really that easy for us to have this life by letting go of our own beliefs that may have been passed down from our parents and their parents.  If it were traced far enough back in your family tree it would lead to Adam.  Say hello to the new Adam the new beginning for your life, Christ Jesus.  He truly wants you to ask him into your life.  He will not force Himself on you.  That is another gift of free will.  You aren’t a robot; you decide for yourself.  Chose Christ.

God bless and Merry Christmas to all.

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