Merry Christmas!!

Oh how I love Christmas.  I can honesty say that there is something magical about this time of the year... houses being decorated, special music being played and a time where you are to give and not receive.  

But why do we really celebrate this thing called Christmas? For me personally it's because I believe in a risen savior called Jesus Christ and for the Gift that God gave to us in the birth of his son.  You see, unlike any other baby, the one born that night in Bethlehem was unique in all of history. He was not created by a human father and mother like you and me, but was conceived of the Holy Spirit. He had a heavenly pre-existence (John 1:1-3,14). He is God, the Son- Creator of the universe (Philippians 2:5-11). This is why Christmas is called the incarnation, a word which means "in the flesh".  In the birth of Jesus, the eternal, all-powerful and all-knowing Creator came to earth in the flesh. 

Why would God do such a thing? Why would he come as a baby in a nasty, filthy manger instead of appearing in power and majesty? Why make himself a true man (while still fully God) and live among us, when He knew full well how terribly he would be treated... even to the point of being put to death by crucifixion. 

Simple....  It was LOVE!

An unconditional, beautiful love that I sometimes can't fathom.

May we always remember the sacrifice God made for me and you... our debt has been paid by a beautiful baby boy named Jesus who was born of the Spirit and who lived a perfect, sinless life so that he could die and have his blood shed for His people... to bring salvation!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!