Tis The Season
While the birth of Christ is set more for around the time of September, as is the Jewish calendar it is celebrated during the month of December. Does it matter? Should Jesus be satisfied he is at least getting a belated birthday announcement? Would you be "satisfied" if someone said, oh yea, your birthday was nearly 4months ago....happy birthday so lets give gifts to others? I gave presents to others because it was your birthday, aren't you proud of me. Why is it we can give ourselves to each other, but not to Christ? Why can we acknowledge each other with gifts and presents and leave Jesus totally out? Has our selfishness really grown to such gross disregard for the Son of God? Do we really not account ourselves to have to look into his face and repent? Do we disregard the promise if we do not recognize the Jesus was/is the Christ, the Son of the Living God as Paul did and John the beloved wrote that HE was in the beginning with God?
I know we like to be sweet during this time. Don't ruffle feathers or confront. Can't we all just "get along"? Yet nothing of importance gets resolved and we continue in our wickedness to not repent, to not humble ourselves to ask for forgiveness and to not forgive as we have been forgiven? Many leaders in the church claim forgiveness is the ultimate "maturity", yet it holds more pride than humility. We can "claim" maturity and thus we leave out the humility of others to ask for forgiveness. Things may even be said such as I have heard, like, "Randy, no one wants to hear that". But when God called out to Adam, "Where are you" He expected a response and Adam did respond. Although he came out of hiding, blaming the woman and God and the woman blamed the serpent, Gods judgment of the situation was forgiveness and provision AFTER THEY RESPONDED TO THE CALL TO...RETURN/REPENT/RETREAT TO SAFETY. God was ready to forgive and upon Adams response He did. You can read of God leaving again in Hosea, saying, "when they acknowledge their offense" in Hosea 5:15 and then followed by the response of "come and let us RETURN/REPENT to the Lord" in Hosea 6:1. Now we have Jesus Christ who came as a seed of God, grew as "zygot", developed into a "fetus" and was born as a baby, grew as a child, became a man and then fulfilled His purpose to be the savior of the world--BUT it still says "to as many as received Him, He gave the right to become children of God". It requires a RESPONSE!! It requires REPENTANCE! Yes, Jesus said, "Father forgive them for they don't know what they are doing" but was it a cover all or a plea for God to not enter into judgment right then, give men time to repent and turn away the judgment of God. Repentance is a call away from repentance, not a call of judgment. A GIFT, the GIFT unwrapped at Calvary and at the cheer of religious men and women, political powers, commoners and thieves. The GIFT was not unwrapped until the tomb was empty however and we have been playing with the cute, the immaturity of failing to see the whole picture. We have been playing with the cover, the box and have not seen the GIFT unwrapped. We even think we had nothing to do with it, yet say, He would've done it just for me. We don't realize if that would have been the case, it would have been the "just for me" who shouted crucify him, struck him, and nailed him to the tree, but also rose again so that one could be saved. THAT requires a response or repentance, not just an expectation of love to "just forgive". He stands ready to forgive again, yet, where is the response from us? Just because He stands ready does not mean its a "given". Respond.
The "church" may say I've responded, but have you repented. The church may answer, I repented, but why in Revelation does it say, "I stand at the door and knock" and he is speaking of the church?
Why is the list of the church's mentioned with a warning to either hold what they've got or to repent and then is reminded that God gave Jezebel time to repent but she was not willing...to RESPOND TO REPENTANCE. Can we give ourselves to Christ as a gift that HE can unwrap and cherish? Can we RESPOND TO REPENTANCE? Can we escape the judgment? Repentance cry's yes but a lack of it warns no. The greatest gift is not purchased by money or anything THIS world has to offer. It was given in the person of Jesus Christ and in the response to repentance---forgiveness and the place we can be satisfied and so can Jesus. Merry Christmas and let us look upon the GIFT once again and be as Job who said, Before, my ears heard of YOU, but now my eyes have seen YOU and as John did, fall at His feet or as Job did, cover our mouths and say, "I repent". What great grace to allow us to give us time, just as He did Jezebel. Repentance is a Gift. Unwrap it and you'll see Jesus a little better, because it calls you to come closer. Tis The Season...
God Bless you!!
