Tanpa Tuhan Yesus Tidak Ada Natal Dan Keselamatan

Harus diakui oleh kita semua dan oleh dunia bahwa tanpa Tuhan Yesus tidak ada Natal. Sekarang seluruh dunia mengakui  kelahiran Tuhan Yesus. Melalui nyanyian Natal, dekorasi Natal dan aksesori lainnya dunia merayakan natal. Bahkan sejarah dunia mencatat kelahiran Tuhan kita Yesus Kristus. Simak beberapa hal yang membuktikan pada kita gambaran bahwa tanpa Tuhan Yesus Kristus, tidak ada Natal dan keselamatan.

I.   Kelahiran-Nya dinubuatkan

• Kelahiran-Nya dinubuatkan kira-kira  700 tahun sebelum Ia lahir (Yes. 7: 14) 
• Kelahiran-Nya adalah sesuatu yang ajaib, serba mujizat dank arena lahir dari seorang yang masih perawan (Mat. 1:18,23)
•   Kelahiran-Nya telah direncanakan sejak Adam dan Hawa nenek moyang manusia jatuh ke dalam dosa (Kej. 3:15)

II.   Tujuan kedatangan-Nya dinubuatkan

• Untuk melakukan kehendak Allah, Ia tidak pernah mempertanyakan kehendak Allah untuk hidup-Nya. Ia dengan sukarela menerima beban yang ditaruhkan di atas-Nya (Mat. 26:39)
• Untuk menggenapi nubuatan perihan diri-Nya. Alkitab berisikan nubuatan perihal penderitaan dan kematian-Nya (Yes. 53:10)
• Untuk menggenapi rencana Allah. Rencana Allah bahwa melalui Tuhan Yesuslah harga keselamatan secara utuh harus dibayar (Yes.53:5)

   III.   Mengapa Ia harus mati dan disalibkan?

•   Kematian-Nya telah dinubuatkan dan itu terjadi 700 tahun sebelum Ia lahir (Yes.53: 1-12)
•  Tujuan kematian-Nya adalah karena tanpa darah-Nya yang tercurah, tidak ada pengampunan atas dosa manusia (Ibr.9: 22)
•  Kuasa kematian-Nya begitu rupa. Ia mengampuni penjahat di sisi-Nya di kayu salib. Melalui kematian-Nya, Ia memberi pengampunan bagi semua orang (Luk.23: 43-45)

IV.  Kemuliaan yang Ia miliki

• Tuhan Yesus telah naik ke sorga dan duduk di sebelah kanan Allah Bapa. Tuhan Yesus telah menyelesaikan pekerjaan keselamatan. Kini Ia dimuliakan (Ibr. 10: 12)
•   Kemuliaan yang sama diberikan kepada orang Kristen yang setia (2 Tim. 4:8)

The Essence of Love and Giving on Chrismas

   The air of Christmas is awe-inspiring, it's everywhere. The Christmas spirit rekindles good memories of childhood days. No wonder people in every corner seem to be in ethereal good mood. Jesus obviously seems to be a friend of many for different reasons.Even though shopping, wrapping, stocking, decorating, making, baking, cheering and celebrating makes the Christmas season jolly and merry, I personally think what makes it meaningful is the “giving” part of Christmas. The essence of Christmas is that “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son…” (John 3:16).

   God gave us a gift when we did not deserve it, he did not give us because he was expecting us to give something in return. He gave us because he loved us so much and wanted to make a difference in our lives. Most of the material gifts we give show that we care and probably excite the receiver for some time, but they cannot make a real difference in the life of the receiver. The only gift that can really make a difference is the gift God gave us (His son) so that we can share with the rest of the world. So instead of just giving people a Christmas gift, let us think of different ways we can point to the greatest gift ever given to mankind (Jesus Christ). We wish people "Merry Christmas” because the good news is not that we have holidays, but that we have a savior who made a difference in our lives. 

    When we think of giving, we must start with loving. Properly speaking, to love means to wish not for one’s own good but for the good of the person who is loved. To show our love, let's think about other's first and give!

Loving Mother

Mother's heart is so tender

and her face has a gentle glow

She's both friend and inspiration,

she's the sweetest mother I know.

She gives herself so freely

to those who share her life

She clearly loves her children

with the love that comes from Christ

Her eyes are full of compassion

her voice is soft and mild

She lives for helping others,

leaving "heart prints" all the while.

Mother's love is special

and grows sweeter with every year

God blessed me with an angel;

she's the precious loving mother

The Message of Christmas

Christmas is commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, the only son of God. We should remember Christmas as an unlimited grace from God. In life, God give us two kinds of gifts, which is inclusive and exclusive. Inclusive gifts such as: Oxygen, wealth, and good family that everyone can have it. The exclusive gifts such as: redemption, salvation, and eternal life is just for the son and daughters of God. The purpose of Jesus coming to this world is for us so that we will know the truth and the kingdom of God that is exclusive. The problem of the Christians right now is that they don't appreciate God's salvation and gospel that we have known and received. Don't wait to receive Jesus Christ until you are in the bad moment of life. Never take grace from God for granted. God wants us to appreciate his grace and blessings and use it in the right way. Wouldn't life be worth the living, wouldn't dreams be coming true if we kept the Christmas spirit all the whole year through?

The Christmas Gift

 

Bow and ribbon,
Love and glitter
Cover the gift as curiosities flitter
Of what wonders could come inside
And what this eve has been supplied
By family, friend and stranger, too
Saying with the gift,
"I Love You"
Bow and ribbon
Love and glitter
Will never make a soul grow bitter
For no matter what the gift may or may not hold
The giving is as pure as gold.
 

What Matters Most

Life is all about love. God is  love, the most important lesson he wants you to learn on earth is how to love. Love is the foundation of every command that God has given us. Learning to love unselfishly is not an easy thing to do. God wants us to be in a regular, close relationship with other believers so you can develop the skill of loving. Love cannot be learned in isolation. You have to be around people- irritating, imperfect, frustrating people. Through fellowship we learn three important truths.

The best use of life is love. Why relationships must have priority in your life above everything else?  

1.       Life without love is really worthless

Jesus summarized what matters most to God in two statement: love God and love people. Busyness is a great enemy of relationships. We become preoccupied with Making a living, doing our work, and accomplishing goals as if this task are the point of life. They are not. The point of life is learning to love God and people.

2.       Love will last forever

Love leaves a legacy. How you treated other people, not your wealth or accomplishments, is the most enduring impact you can leave on earth. Love is the secret of a lasting heritage. Wisdom is learning that truth sooner rather than later. Don’t wait until you are on your deathbed to figure out that nothing matters more.

The best expression of love is time. Time is the most precious gift because you only have a set amount of it. You can make more money, but you cannot make more time. When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you will never get back. Whenever you give your time, you are making a sacrifice, and sacrifice is the essence of love. Love means giving up- yielding my preferences, comfort, goals, security, money, energy, or time for the benefit of someone else.

Sun of Righteousness with Healing in Its Wings

"But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings."

Malachi 4: 2

FROM THE FATHER'S HEART

My child, in this life you will experience injustice, illness, rejection, misunderstanding, and death. But the time is coming when I, the sun of righteousness, will both rise and descend to call My children home. Heaven's healing waits for those who have known and revered Me and a special place in My Kingdom. Don't be weary doing things in My name, because you have acknowledge My name, I will acknowledge yours.

A GRATEFUL RESPONSE

One day I'll discard all my worn bandages and frayed Band aids and receive no more doctor bills. You are the sun of righteousness, Lord. Like an eagle soaring in the sky, You'll rise with ultimate healing in Your wings. I'm waiting for that day, Lord.

SIMPLE TRUTH

The Lord delights in those who delight in Him.

When God Seems Distant

           God is real no matter how you feel. When God seems distant, you may feel that he is angry with you or is disciplining you for some sin. In fact, sin does disconnect you from intimate fellowship with God. But sometimes this feeling of abandonment from God has nothing to do with sin. It is a test of faith which all of you must face. Will we continue to love, trust, obey, and worship God, even when you have no sense of his presence or visible evidence of his work in your life?                                             

        God’s omnipresence and the manifestation of his presence are two different things. One is a fact; the other is often a feeling. God is always present, even when you are unaware of him, and his presence is too profound to be measured by mere emotion. He wants you to sense his presence, but he’s more concerned that you trust him than that you feel him. Faith, not feelings, pleases God.                          

         How do you praise God when you don’t understand what’s happening in your life and God is silent? How do you stay connected in a crisis without communication? How do you keep your eyes on Jesus when they are full of tears? You do what Job did: “Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart.’ The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.’”                                                                                 

         Pour out your heart to God. Unload every emotion you are feeling. Did you know that admitting your hopelessness to God can be a statement of faith? Trusting God but feeling despair at the same time. Regardless of circumstances and how you feel, hang on to God’s unchanging character. Never doubt in the dark what God told you in the light. Don’t be troubled by trouble, because circumstances can’t change the character of God.                 

         When you feel abandoned by God yet continue to trust him; keep worshiping him with sincere heart. Jesus gave up everything so you could have everything.  He died so you could live forever. That alone is worthy of your continual thanks and praise. Never again should you wonder what you have to be thankful for.

Kekuatan Dalam Kuasa-NYA

"Segala perkara dapat kutanggung di dalam Dia yang memberi kekuatan kepadaku."

 Filipi 4: 13

Butuh kekuatan? Berpalinglah kepada Tuhan untuk semua yang Anda butuhkan! Mengapa Anda menanggung beban hidup seorang diri, ketika Dia menawarkan semua yang Anda butuhkan? Sering kali, sebagai orang Kristen yang taat, kita membuat usaha yang besar dengan otot rohani kita yang lemah. Namun akhirnya, dengan kekuatan kita sendiri, kita akan gagal. Ketika Roh Kudus bekerja melalui kita, kehidupan Kristen kita pun mengalir lancar; dalam kekuatan-Nya, kita mencapai tujuan-Nya. 

Hari ini, apakah Kristus yang menanggung beban itu, atau kita sedirikah? Hanya Dia yang memiliki segala sesuatu yang kita butuhkan dalam hidup ini.

TINGGALKANLAH LEBIH BANYAK DARI SEKADAR WARISAN

“Sebab pada waktu matinya semuanya itu tidak akan dibawanya serta, kemuliannya tidak akan turun mengikuti dia”.  Mazmur 49 : 18

Allah mendorong kita untuk memusatkan mata pada hal-hal yang kekal.  Dalam terang kekekalan, para pemimpin tidak dapat disibukkan dengan hal-hal yang sementara.  Hanya visilah yang melampauinya, sebuah visi yang berhubungan dengan kekekalan, akan memenuhi kebutuhan seorang pemimpin yang saleh. Dengan kata lain, kita harus membangun warisan.

Sebuah perbedaan besar ada diantara sebuah pusaka dan sebuah warisan.  Siapapun dapat meninggalkan sebuah warisan.  Sebuah warisan adalh sesuatu yang Andantinggalkan bagi keluarga Anda atau orang-orang yang anda kasihi. (Warisan itu juga lenyap.)  Sebuah pusaka adalah sesuatu yang Amda tinggalkan dalam diri keluarga dan orang-orang yang Anda kasihi.  

Renungkanlah perbedaan-perbedaan ini :

  WARISAN
1. Sesuatu yang Anda berikan kepada orang lain
2. Sementara waktu memberikan  kebahagiaan kepada mereka 
3. Akhirnya lenyap sementara digunakan       
4. Kegiatan Anda mungkin atau mungkin tidak menguntungkan

PUSAKA
1. Sesuatu yang anda letakkan pada diri orang lain
2. Mengubah mereka secara tetap
3. Terus hidup jauh setelah anda mati
4. Kegiatan anda menjadi keberhasilan