CHRISTMAS WAS NOT OPTIONAL
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"All of this because he was born. He was incarnate. He was the God-man. No incarnation, no regeneration. No faith. No justification. No purification. No final glorification. Christmas was not optional. And therefore being rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, while we were dead in trespasses, God sent his Son into the world to live without sin and die in our place. What a great love the Father has shown to us! What a great obedience and sacrifice the Lord Jesus gave for us! What a great awakening the Spirit has worked in us to bring us to faith and everlasting life! Amen. " John Piper
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Who was this Baby Jesus that was born?
1. The Sovereign Who Denied Himself (Phil 2:6)
2. The Servant Who Emptied Himself (Phil 2:7)
3. The Savior Who Humbled Himself (Phil 2:8)
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JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE SINNERS LIFE
One of the favorite traditions of the Christmas season is to illuminate the night with lights. Before we even turn the calendar to December, neighborhoods and businesses, homes and churches all burst in patterns of red, green, and white. Who doesn’t enjoy decorating the Christmas tree, then turning out all the other lights in the room to enjoy the twinkling lights? Even the flame of a single candle burns brightly against the backdrop of darkness. Even if I really don't like putting any of the lights up. I don't put up lights. Lazy I guess.
This tradition is well suited to the real celebration of the season. The Bible says that when Jesus Christ was born, the light came into the world (John 3:19) In fact, more than 200 times throughout the Bible, God is described as light. Figuratively and literally, whenever God appears, light appears. It happened in the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, and all the way at the end of time when the book of Revelation tells us that in hell there will only be darkness and in heaven there will only be light.
When we celebrate Christmas, we remember the day in history when Jesus stepped from heaven to earth, bringing with Him the light that drives out the darkness in our hearts. This is amazing news! The person who wanted you to read this didn’t want you to be left in the dark about the greatest offer you could ever be given—the gift of life and light. The Bible says, "In [Christ] was life, and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4).
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The Whisnant family and the Temple family were together this Christmas and had wondeful time.
Kyle had his 23rd Birthday party on the 25th
Charity will have a birthday on the 28th
Eric and Leslie are doing great
Chad and Heather are working hard and doing good
Becky and Joe are doing great in Kansas
Charity's mother is not doing well, pray for the family
Charity's dad is still a Fundamentalist
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