Santa Clause is coming to town
Ephesians 1:3-6 MSG
3-6 How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love,
(Which means He chose us out of a life normality to live in His abundance, realize this morning that you are special to God… Special enough that God chose you to live out of all the spans of history, in such a time as this!
The song “Amazing Grace” says I once was lost but now I’m found. You have been sought out by, you have been found and chosen by the one true living God!)
to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.
Now the accuser, sees someone being exposed to this amazing truth (and truth is always exactly what all scripture reveals) and the accuser will say to anyone who will listen.
If the Bible is really true and God is so good, why is it good things so seldomly happen to you?
The accusers daily condemnation brings focus to what’s wrong in this world, Jesus was born to bring focus to the amazing available relationship with Him, that makes everything right in a world so full of wrong!
Jesus came to bring salvation, to be a light and a continual hope to a world where until He came, there was none!
God wants everyone to realize His hope and promise to the world...Being blessed in life is not a once a year occurrence as some might have you think.
Gods available willingness to bless us, is an every day outpouring of his goodness, through the lavish (which means he has more than enough to spread around without worry of ever running out to whosoever wishes to receive!) gift-giving hand of his beloved Son.
Colossians 1:27 NKJ
27. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
TO THEM GOD WILLED TO MAKE KNOWN...think about the power of those words? This is a perpetual statement, a declaration straight from the creator of the universe!
To will something, is the pursuit of making known your wishes or desire to let everyone know what your intentions are and the willingness to always make what you intend to offer available!
God wants there to be no doubt, as to how much and to what lengths He is willing to go to, to see His desired outcome and abundant available life for everyone, happening for everyone!
You see the world sings a song this time year called Santa Claus is coming to town...forget about the mythical possibility of a bearded chubby guy paying attention while you're sleeping, let alone when you're awake!
Cute song, nice concept, false hope and impossible to deliver right down to the last line of, you better be good for goodness sake. TBS there is none good but God.
It’s not about and has never been about living right!
The unachievable goal of trying to live right is what Jesus came to this world to do away with!
It’s about right believing without one’s self effort factored into the outcome of anything!
God looked at the world, saw all of mankind when they were both sleeping and awake and knew the world could never change no matter how hard they tried, without a Savior to lead and bring the world back into relationship with Him!
The fact is, it’s not about coming to town, Jesus already came to town and has already delivered the greatest miracle and gift of Christmas, to all who are willing to accept the gift!
It doesn't matter what time of year it is and you don’t have to wonder about Jesus showing up around the holidays!
The gift of Jesus makes Him available to spend Christmas and every day of the year with you, celebrating your life and all of life’s benefits with you, just the way God intended and still intends!
Remember, “Gods Will to make known?”
The voice of the world, I really mean the accuser, may say to you, “It can’t be that easy. Christmas every day of the year..who are you trying to kid??
All the commercialism of Christmas is what gets harder to believe every year. Greed is what always blurs and changes the facts and the truth!
You see…Of all people the accuser knows the miracle of Christmas and relationship with Jesus is true, because the accuser tried everything he could imagine, to stop the event from ever happening!
Because the accuser knows the truth and how anyone can be transformed just by beholding the glory of Jesus.
Well, if it was that easy, everyone would be participating.
If it was that easy, there wouldn’t be all the problems in the world there is today!
Because of all the lies, corruption, greed and lust for power the accuser has spread…satan has far too many in the world convinced of the lie...that it's not that easy!
But the Bible, God's Holy word declares a different message… God made it easy enough that even a child could understand the gospel message!
Gods word says there Is Hope....Gods word declares Hope is not hard to receive, receiving Hope requires no physical effort, only the willingness to believe Hope is available!
Well, what about that scripture about works? What about it? The accuser would have you believe that the Bible is a pick and choose book!
My Bible and every other Bible says faith without works is dead!
Not works are dead, but faith is dead! Works are not what gets God’s attention, or get things accomplished in the kingdom of God!
Our effort without Gods involvement has nothing to do with anything! Faith in God and God’s ability alone is what gets things accomplished and makes all things possible!
God’s Word declares truth, every Bible reads the same...nothing is impossible, when you put your faith and trust in Him!
The world will never understand the statement, as you are beholding the glory of the Lord, Jesus is the successful one in you, and you are being transformed and changed from The inside out to His image...not the outside in by your own effort!
This miraculous change is something that only God...through the Gift of His Son Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit is able to accomplish!
It's not going to get accomplished by any effort of yours or mine to get ahead in life, but only by the Spirit of the Lord!
TBS. in Zechariah 4:6 NKJ
6. So he answered and said to me:
“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:
‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,’
Says the Lord of hosts.
7. ‘Who are you, O great mountain?
Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain!
And he shall bring forth the capstone
With shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”’”
Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,’
Says the Lord of hosts.
With shouts of Grace, Grace! If it weren’t for the grace of God nothing would be possible! For by grace are you saved, it is a gift from God!
Let me ask you...By your might and your power, how much is possible? Very little… If any.
But the accuser still tries to use that tiny amount, that little glimmer of self effort that you think that you can bring to the table!To cheat you into thinking and keep you focused on what you think you can do yourself!
The abundant life with God and his son Jesus is just the opposite
There are no limitations, instead all possibilities are endless!
Because the outcome is not based on our ability, but based solely upon Jesus ability and the amazing love God wants to pour out on us.
Unbelievable, uncontainable, never ending supply of love!!!
By His Might, By His Power, By His Spirit, is there anything that’s not possible?
Everything is possible through the relationship Jesus continues to make available for anyone who is willing to believe and the possibilities are unlimited with the Lord in your life, when you do!
I don't know what your Bible says...but
My bible says in
Phil. 4:13 NKJ
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
And the last time I checked....
"ALL ENCOMPASSES EVERYTHING"!!!!
Phil. 4:13 MSG. says it like this; Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.
When God looks at us, if we have a relationship with His Son, He sees His Son’s perfection! He doesn’t see our imperfections, they were and they continually are washed in the blood, cleansed forever, never to be remembered again.
Illus
Have you ever said to yourself how come I look good in my mirror at home but I don’t look the same way in other mirrors when I’m out and about? I believe it’s because when you see yourself in your mirror, that’s how God sees you!
Thus, when we look in the mirror, we should see the same thing God sees..no not our imperfections, but His Son and His Righteousness...living in us!
And through Gods amazing ability to look at us and only see Jesus, is why He has given us every benefit Jesus has available to Him, just as if He was giving them to His own son!
Praise God!
All the benefits that have been provided for us at the cross...
became available the moment we received what Jesus did for us by dying for our sins and accepting Him as our Saviour.
Amazing benefits like healing, amazing benefits like our health, sound mind and body, joy, hope, prosperity and every other blessing is ours to be enjoyed each and every day of the year...
and as we enjoy them, those are the moments God is blessed by us enjoying what He has created for us and our enjoyment!
It’s absolutely a win win situation God has created for everyone!
1 John 4:12,16,17 NKJ
12. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.
16. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
17. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
as He is, so are we in this world, (nine pointed powerful words!)
I make it a point to let you know Gods intended and directed declaration quite often...
Because it's a bold statement, worthy of repetition....and I can and will keep repeating it...but there comes a time and I have to ask you...
It's one thing to hear as Jesus is in this world so are we...
but do you believe this amazing declaration and promise to be true in your own life??
You should, it’s the word of God...and when you do, you are opening the door to a life filled with God inspired and God filled possibilities instead of your own!
And it's a word God wants you to be aware of! Its pretty straight forward isn’t it?
There is precision and clarity written there,
as He is, so are we in this world, God says, “what Jesus has available to Him we have available to us" This is a life changing word and revelation!
When this scripture is shared, the accuser goes into frenzy mode! Because the accuser knows this truth applied and believed in someone’s life, is where all things become possible!
Right living...and buying into the devils lie of right living,
is not going to reveal this revelation God has for you!
Only right believing…in the ability of God's son Jesus
Can make this promised truth...real in your life!
None of us deserve it,
None of us can buy it,
None of us earn it,
But all of us can and have the opportunity to have and experience the never ending abundance that only Jesus can deliver...
Remember what our earlier text said?
Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.
How much of Gods Favor can one person handle?...I guess that would be a personal preference...I can tell you from personal experience even the smallest amount of Gods Favor and goodness is overwhelming!
God wants to overwhelm you! God wants to bless you! Gods word declares He has the will to love you unconditionally and the desire to bless your life, even as He does His own son Jesus!
How good is God?…
Let me tell you, "God is just that good"…His Word declares it and His Covenant He made with Abraham still guarantees both His Word and His Promise to us!
To give you nothing less than His very best, every moment from now throughout all of eternity!
