As we celebrate Jesus (Xmas) Day...

Hi all!

Christmas is a time of cheer, good tidings and festivities but more importantly it is a day that we remember that God loved us so, so much He gave Jesus to the world.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:17

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Important thing here is also to know that God is not a condemning God, neither should His people be. We are all saved in His name. With that we receive His Truth & Grace.

John 1:17

For the Law came through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

It is in a season where the world says it is better to give than to receive, but in God's economy, it is better to receive first than give. Receive His love, His abundant blessings into our lives, receive His healing, receive His prosperity and of course most importantly before all this, we receive His salvation for the forgiveness of our sins and iniquities.

In the light of this, then, when we give, we will have a revelation of the Father's loving giving heart. We give to be a blessing to others, we give so that our friends, family and even our enemies will see the Light of God's love and the saving grace of Yeshua/Jesus.

Speaking of Light, today is actually the 5th day of Hanukkah, a Jewish festival also called, Festival of Lights or in the New Testament it is mentioned as the Feast of Dedication.

John 10:22

And the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem, and it was winter.

Many Christians have been studying the Jewish Calendar and Feasts and know that Jesus/Yeshua wasn't really born on 25th Dec. Most likely He was conceived during this time of Hanukkah. The Light of the world being conceived during the Festival of Lights. Yeshua was most likely born on the 15th of Tishri, which is the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles.

John 1:14

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

The original Greek word for dwelt here is σκηνόω "skenoo", which explained by Thayer's Definition as:

1) to fix one’s tabernacle, have one’s tabernacle, abide (or live) in a tabernacle (or tent), tabernacle
2) to dwell

The verse before speaks of Jesus not being born of blood or flesh nor the will of man but of God. I'm sure this verse is a direct reference to Yeshua being born on Tabernacles.

You can read a bit more on the dates and chronology here http://www.messianic.com/articles/dates.htm

There are many other articles on the Birthday of Yeshua but i find this article explains it the clearest. Though the author has some strong comments about the Roman Catholic Church and even the Christian Church (Ekklesia) in general, we can learn from the author's research here. The author is a Messianic Jew, meaning a Jew who has received the revelation of Yeshua as his personal Savior.

There will be many of our friends or other people out there who might challenge the Christian to say that we're celebrating a pagan festival, to celebrate the pagan god of Sol-Invictus, we can safely say NO. Though Yeshua's original B'day is during Tabernacles/approx. Sept, it does not stop the Christian believer in celebrating Jesus/Yeshua anytime of the year! So what if Dec 25th is a pagan festival day? We remember Jesus! You know how your friends and family can always give you a belated birthday wish right? Why can't we do that for our Savior? In fact we can celebrate Him anytime we want! Because we have a GOD that can turn ANY circumstances around for the good!

Romans 8:28

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

And ALL believers in Christ Jesus are called according to His purpose. Amen!

Be greatly blessed in this season. I pray that you receive YHVH's abundant Grace & Favour for your coming year of 2009! He has already given it ALL! Receive. Amen.

Shalom to one & all,

Emmanuel

God loves you... & only you.

Hi dearly beloveds,

Most of us losely use the term "God loves you", but can you truly say "God loves me" and me personally?

God loves you beyond condition. There's NO conditions to receiving His love. As you love your mother, your father, your child, God loves you more than that!

I recently gave a friend of mine an illustration, that if she and her child was taken hostage, and the kidnapper was pointing a gun and about to shoot her child, what would she do? What would i do? What would YOU do? Instinctively we would give up our own lives to save our darling child. That is what YHVH did. The God of the Universe did just that for you and I. He gave up His own life as Jesus/Yeshua for you and me. The beauty here is this, God the Father came as Jesus and Jesus is also Son of God. Jesus is Father & Son together. Jesus said this in John 14:9-11

9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

God in one instant showed His double portion love for you. He gave Himself as Father God to be in a fleshly man to take your sins, my sins and be punished on His body and at the same time giving His Son Jesus Christ in the flesh to take His wrath, the wrath of God on the Cross of Calvary. Why? For what? He gave His Son so that we, His creation, flesh made from the dust of the earth can become His children! Paul says this in Galatians 3:26-29

26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Above and beyond becoming God's children, we automatically, in the spirit man become Abraham's seed and become Abraham's heirs according to what God has promised Abraham for his descendants! Hallelujah! YHVH the God of the universe, now is your Father, Abba, Daddy. You are so dear to Him. So am I. So is the rest of the world who can believe that God is a saving God. God is a God of salvation. He WILL save you from wherever you are. That's His promise paid in blood, the final sin atonement, blood sacrifice on the altar. Paid through Yeshua/Salvation. How can it not be more obvious than that? God named His only begotten One, Salvation - Yeshua. YHVH IS Salvation.

The problems that you are having? It has already been Saved! By Him! Don't feel loved? Look to Him, the Sacrificial Lamb. Spotless, blameless. To take all that is burdening you, condemning you, the guilt that's been eating you from inside, ALL that has been paid for! You are now the redeemed of the LORD!

Psalms 107:

2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

He has redeemed you from the defeat in your life to a place of Victory!

So what kind of Victory do we have, do YOU have? 1 Corinthians 15:

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Death in ALL areas of your life has now been swallowed up by Victory. Our Spirit is now Eternal. We no longer die in the spirit, we also have victory over our flesh, sickness and disease dies in the name of Jesus!

Now we know that death's sting is sin, and the venom of sin is the law! So be free from the laws of do's and don'ts, be free from atoning your sins by yourself, be free from religiosity, receive the Bread of Life. In Him we receive Life and Life more abundantly.

Jesus Bread of Life

John 6:
33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Life more abundantly
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Receive your overpayment of love today. He wants YOU to call His own. You are loved as His child, the God of this universe. He numbers the very hairs on your head. Mine too. Jesus said this,

Luke 12:7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

God values you. You are not His servant, you are His child. We serve Him out of the abundance of His love, not serve Him to get blessed by Him.

So my friend out there, receive His abundance of Love, Grace & Mercy.

Shalom,

Emmanuel

While You Were Sleeping... A Christmas Praise.