The birth of the Salvation of the entire human race, is worth to be celebrated!

 

Shalom! to all of you my beloved blog followers. I hope you are in great health, this time and season. And that you will have a blessed Christmas, that will arrive in about two days. Regardless if you choose to celebrate it or not, all days are given by God to you so you have more time to seek him and serve him, why he sent you here in the first place. Jesus/Yeshua is the way, truth, and the life, the only way to Salvation, like it is written in The Bible, his word: John 14:6: Jesus said to him( one of his disciplies, Thomas) I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the father except through me".

And he has a special plan for each and every one of you. Why its important to turn to him and his word, before you accept the various presentations of him that exists in this world today, not connected to The Bible, his word.

Turn to him in prayer, and keep reading his word. And be prepared to forgive all who ever hurt you before you do so. I have been reading the Bible for several years, and prayed for several years, and noticed that with unforgiveness in your heart, its hard to reach God when you pray or read his word, its like a wall you need to willingly be ready to break down by saying: I forgive x x x and or xx God forgive me, before you can sense him.

That way  you can come close to God, without an heart unclean by unforgiveness.

It works, it has helped me. 

My health is by the way in all other ways but one, pretty good, I simply struggle with hormonal imbalance, and I am greatfull if you keep me in your prayers after seeing this.

I thank God I dont have viruses, that has spread to many precious people in Stockholm, including to some in my family, and I pray for them too.

Now I will continue to the topic of this weeks and most certainly this years last blog post. And its Christmas.

A new Anti Christmas doctrine has arrived quite recently, not been much heard of among Bible believing Christians, except among Jehovas Witnesses and muslims.

That doctrine/belief teaches its not okay to celebrate Christmas, if you are a true Christian. And that the Historical background of Christmas, is nothing but anti Christian and Anti Bible and people celebrating it are inviting the evil spirits in their homes. Some of them are eager to judge others who dont approve, and because of their love to Jesus/Yeshua they celebrate Christmas anyway. Knowing that the reason of the season really is Christ, and that it doesnt matter when you celebrate his birthday, as long as you do it. Because we think Christmas is a great opportunity to share the Gospel, share the good news about the birth of the Salvation of the entire world, Jesus/Yeshua the Messiah.

Some churches and Christian charity organizations, are gathering money, food and presents to the poor and needy, in Jesus name during Christmas time, and some are preparing food and serving it to them too and talking about Jesus at the same time, in words and actions, sharing his love, and their gifts, in Jesus name to glorify him.

Others have special places where the lonely can come, to celebrate, eat free food and find new friends. And perhaps, hopefully, even find Jesus in the midst of it.

I have celebrated Christmas, my entire life, and never once have I worshipped Santa, bowed down to the Christmas tree, or renounced Jesus as my Lord because of it. In my family, before we eat Christmas food, my father reads the Bible, about the birth of Jesus and circumstances around it. And we thank Jesus for coming to save us, in prayer.

And one of my Christmas traditions is to watch Nativity Story, the first movie in Narnia chronicles and or one of two Christmas related movie, where Jesus is mentioned one way or another. 

If you don't want to celebrate Christmas, its up to you. But I am a prayer warrior, and have never felt Jesus say to me I should ditch Christmas all together, even thought he doesnt want to be forgotten or pushed away from the centre and replaced by Santa Clause. That grievs him a lot. And I dont quite feel peace in gathering a large amounts of "Santas helpers" aka in Swedish called "tomtar". Why I during my family Christmas preparation creative art event created a Santa for Christ. This way all who see it, will know its Christ I celebrate and other Christians should, if they celebrate Christmas.

Nor to I feel he likes all the movies where Santa is the hero, and he as the only Salvation of the souls of entire world, is not mentioned at all. I have casted away many of them myself.

But the celebration of his birth, I feel peace with. He has told me more than once: Go ahead, celebrate me!

And for years back, it has been called a Christian Holiday, and is accounted as one, to that degree, that some countries forbid the people living in it to celebrate it, like in North Korea, Somalia and Saudi Arabia. And punish the ones who choose to publicly do so.

I also feel the strong presence of the Holy Spirit, when I listen to Christian songs like O holy night, Mary did you know, Come all ye faithfull, Silent night holy night etc.

And many Christian artist like Matthew West and Don Moen has made the most beautiful Christ centered Christmas songs I enjoy listening to during Christmas and waiting for Christmas.

People who come to Sweden from a country where they barely have heard of Christmas or Jesus because of persecutions towards publicly professing Christians, might only hear of him during Christian holidays like Christmas and easter. Or see the fruit of his work through his servants who spread his love by being compassionate and loving to the needy.

So why would anyone want to take that away? And judge harshly the ones who love Jesus and love to celebrate Christmas to glorify him?

It doesnt feel right. If you remove Christ and the celebrations of his birth, you remove a huge opportunity to share his word and his love in words and actions.

If you dont want to celebrate Christmas, fine, do what you want, Christian as well as non Christians have been given free will to choose what and who they want to celebrate and when.

If you avoid Christmas because you love Jesus, do it, if you celebrate Christmas because you love Jesus do it.

But by all respect, be humble! and dont give in to fear. Just seek the face of Jesus/Yeshua about this issue, like I have, and talk with him about what he wants and doesnt want in the celebrations you choose to include in your life.

And keep the harsh judging and pride away from my face. Thank you.  I have forgiven the ones who already have judged me and other Christmas celebraters. Because I want to be happy and bitter free. All the time. I deserve the peace that comes with forgiveness and urge others to keep their hearts clean from unforgiveness too. 

When I have kids, I believe I will have Santa for Christ or something similar, a man who loves and respects Jesus and will bless the kids and perhaps even start with a prayer in Jesus name before sending the gifts to the kids. This way Jesus is in the centre, like he should.

The birth of Jesus/Yeshua, the Savior is for me and many others, a wonderfull party to be celebrated, because there never be one birth like it. He was born as a man only once, and he came to save the souls of entire humanity! WOW!  

I will now share some Bible verses that we often have and will associate with Christ centered Christmas:

ISAIAH 7: 14: 

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Luke 2:11:  For unto you a child is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which Is Christ the Lord".

Luke 1: 26-38: The Birth of Jesus Foretold:

In the sixt month of Elizabeth's pregnancy( Elizabeth was Marys/Miriams cousin carrying a son , John, the prophet, that would prepare the way for Jesus in the future and publicly telling everyone that he is the son of God)

God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgins name was Mary( hebrew name was Miriam) The angel went to her and said: Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with with you".

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her: Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son  and you will call him Jesus( hebrew name Yeshua) He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacobs descendants forever, his kingdom will never end.

How will this be? Mary asked the Angel, since I am a virgin? The angel answered: The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.

I am the Lord's servant, Mary answered. May your word to me be fullfilled. Then the angel left her.

So whoever you are reading this blog, knowt that Jesus loves you. What or who you choose to celebrate or not. He loves you and has special plans for your life, and he was sent to ths earth as the only one who could carry your sins and save your soul. The only way truth and the life, the root of David, Lion of Judah the Messiah of Israel and the holy one of Israel, For all eternity.

Merry Christmas/ Tanja