From: "Phil Rembleski" <PHIl@rescuechurchofchrist.org>

To: "1111RESCUEMEMBERS"

Cc:

Sent: Fri, Dec 22, 2023 at 5:43 AM

Subject: 12-22-23 THOUGHTS

12-22-23   THOUGHTS

There will be no post on Monday 12-25.  
Would that we would celebrate the coming of our Lord Jesus every day of our lives. The presence of “God/man Christ” is the culmination of God’s grace and love to man.  It is His death-burial and resurrection that crowns this great love event.   Sin, death and Satan are defeated.  We are free if we are in Jesus.  The “body that was prepared”  (Heb 10:5) paid the price for our sin!  Hallelujah Praise Jehovah!  The world celebrates the birth of our Lord as a religious holiday.  Biblically, Christ’s death is our celebration point.  Timing issues and commercialism taint the idea, but we need to take every opportunity we can to lift up the name of our Lord!  Now is a good time!  Every "NOW" is a good time! Celebrate Jesus today and every day!  Merry Christ time,  in the truest sense of the expression, not so much as a holiday, but as a way of living!  

Eph 1:3-14    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4  just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love  5  He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6  to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8  which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight  9  He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him  10  with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him 11  also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12  to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. 13  In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation — having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14  who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

My Prayer:
Heavenly Father, with us as Your earthen vessels, may the world see Jesus.  Forgive our weakness and give us a powerful boldness in our joyful expression of the cause of Christ.  May we extend the love, and grace and mercy You have given to us.  May zeal and diligence and focus be ours in our walk for You.  Awaken our hearts and minds that we may live in Your presence, and not in some numb, distracted other world.  We pray for pure, clean hearts that submit to Your will, and take on Your mind.  We praise You wonderful God of eternity.
In Jesus’ name,     Amen.