As we celebrate another Christmas you would think that there would be no need to have the debate as to what we are celebrating.  However every year it is the same old thing, a group of people in our country, I’m not sure how large but it seems to grow every year, wants the holiday without the reason for the holiday.  And the very sad part is the fact that those who know the reason for the season stand by and allow them to have their way.
The retailers tell their workers that they can’t mention Merry Christmas. So what do we do? We follow right along and say nothing or wish them a Happy Holidays.  Just because they can’t say Merry Christmas does not mean that we can’t or shouldn’t.  If these people don’t like songs that mention the reason for the season then don’t go to those places that play them. Or if they are offended because their children are asked to sing one of those songs then don’t allow your child to participate.

This is not about political correctness this is about observing a legitimate holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.  When was the last time any Christian tried to change Halloween, or anything about it? Even though we don’t agree with what is being celebrated we don’t try to ban costumes or parties or any banners that mention anything about it.

This is all about getting God out of our society, these people don’t want to have to even think about God because that will cause them to reflect upon their own lives and actually think about God.   Romans chapter 1 deals with this issue and what happens to those who don’t want God in their lives in their families and in their country.

Romans 1:21-32:
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. [22] Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, [23] And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
[24] Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: [25] Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. [26] For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: [27] And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. [28] And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; [29] Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, [30] Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, [31] Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: [32] Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Read what the Holy Spirit directs Paul to write. You will find that God placed in the heart of EVERY person the knowledge of Himself.   What matters is what that person does with that knowledge, Paul says that there will be some who will push God out, of their lives of their families and of their countries.  Then he says that God will say if that is what you want then that is what you will get. And verses 26-32 tell us the result of that line of thinking.

And what we see is a picture of our world and more importantly our nation!  So instead of allowing yourself to fall into the devils trap take a stand for what Christmas is all about. Don’t be ashamed to say Merry Christmas!  Don’t be ashamed to sing or whistle out loud a traditional Christmas song.

And let’s tell everyone what the real reason for the season is all about!

Until next week,
Roger Penny

Our verse to consider today is I John 5:13:
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

There are way to many Christians walking around to day who are so defeated that the Lord cannot use them. And the reason that they are defeated is because they have no assurance!  Well the verse that we are examining today is a verse that should help us to understand that we can KNOW that we have eternal life.

One of the devil’s favorite games is to cause a Christian to doubt their salvation, because he knows that if he can get you all caught up in that, then you will not be a productive Christian!  Another game that he likes to play is to convince someone that they are saved when they really aren’t. I don’t know if this applies to you but I am sure that you know someone who it does!

Now let me say right up front that none of us can no someone else’s heart, I don’t know if you are saved or not. I only know what the Bible says about salvation.  I can tell you if you are trusting in anything other than what Jesus did for us on the cross to save us then you are not saved.  I can also tell you that if you are trusting in anything along with Jesus to save you then you are not saved.

Listen to how John states this truth in his gospel. He uses the very words of Jesus:
John 14:6:
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Jesus did not say that you could go any way that you want and you will make it to heaven. He did not say that you could do some work and go to heaven.  He said very directly that the only way to go to heaven is to go through JESUS!  You will not make it if you try to go any other way!

So you must first determine if you are really saved. John says that he wrote this book for those who are saved. So it is presupposed that you are saved before you go further into this verse.  So if you are saved this verse says that you have eternal security!  Eternal security is for the believer!  And when we have it settled in our hearts that we are saved then that should take away all of the doubt about our salvation.

So let’s go a little further, if you have established that you are saved then the next question is why do you still have doubt?  The answer lies in your fellowship with the Father. If you know you are saved but you are living a life with blatant un-confessed sin in it, then it won’t be long before you doubt your salvation.  So the answer is to clean your life up and allow the Holy Spirit to control your life, and when you do this then the doubts will dissipate.

One last word, if you are one of those that I described who has been deceived to believe that you are saved and you know that you aren’t then I have good news for you.  You can change that right now!  Just admit that you are a sinner and accept the Lord as your Savior, and He will save you!

Until next week,
Roger Penny

Our verse for today to consider is one that is very pointed:

I John 3:18:
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

We live in a culture today where there is a lot of verbal assent given to this phrase, ‘I Love You.” But the problem is that we can say that all day long but if we’re not going to show it then those words ring hollow and meaningless!  There was a time in our society that we didn’t just say those words we actually put meaning behind them. Today because of the electronic age that we live in we don’t talk to people face to face much anymore. And then when we have to converse with others it’s in a very quick manner and most of the time we feel very uncomfortable.  It’s time that we slow down and start looking into the eyes and faces of our friends and neighbors and we listen to them and we hear what is taking place in their lives. Then when we say this phrase it can ring true.

That’s the physical side, how about the spiritual side? Obviously this verse is written to Christians and Paul is admonishing Christians to do what I just explained in the previous paragraph.  Isn’t it a shame that john would have to admonish Christians in this way? We know that if we are not careful we can fall into the same traps that the world falls into. But it shouldn’t be that way!

When we got saved we immediately became the possession of the Lord, we are His servants and He lives inside of us in the person of the Holy Spirit and he expects us to show love not just say it.

Why?

Because of these 2 verses:

I John 4:8:
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

I John 4:16:
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

These verses say that God is love and if He is living in our heart then we are going to put actions to our words. John takes it a little further with this verse:

I John 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

John says this: How can you call yourself a Christian and not have Love for your fellow Christian when you see that he has a need?  Obviously there is a spiritual problem if this is true!  Now listen to this very condemning verse before I move on:

  I John 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

John finishes this very pointedly by saying that any Christian who hates his brother Christian has a very serious spiritual problem.  Now keep in mind that John is writing to Christians, I do not believe in the universal Fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man.  That teaching says that every man is a child of God and every man is a brother to each other!

This teaching is false, God is the Father of those who ask Him to save them, and everyone else has Adam as their father. And my brothers are those who have asked the Lord to save them; I am not a brother to every man! However I do have a responsibility to my fellow man to help when I can for one reason and that reason is to show the love of God to them.

So as you can see it’s one thing to say that we love but it’s an entirely different thing to put action to that love.  If you are one who just mentally says that you love God then you need to stop and ask Him to save you! I know because I was there for years and when I finally allowed that knowledge to go to my heart then it changed my life completely!

Until next week:

Roger Penny