As we approach this Christmas week, we should look at the reason we celebrate Christmas. We know it’s not about Santa or the gifts we give and receive. It is about our precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He came to earth with a purpose. He was born of the virgin Mary, conceived by the Holy Spirit, and came to die for our sins. (Matthew 1:18-25) We all experience a physical birth just as Jesus did but as Christians, we must also experience a spiritual birth. Max Lucado says “The first birth was for earthly life; the second one is for eternal life. The first time we received a physical heart; the second time we receive a spiritual heart. The first birth enabled us to have life on earth. The second birth enables us to have life eternal.”
Billy Graham puts it this way:
“Jesus told us we must be born again. The infinitive ‘be’ is passive. It shows that it is something that must be done for us. No man can ‘born’ himself. He must be born. The new birth is wholly foreign to our will. In other words, the new birth is a divine work—we are born of God. Even though the new birth seems mysterious, that does not make it untrue. We may not understand the how of electricity, but we know that it lights our homes, runs our television and radio sets. We do not understand many mysteries, but we accept by faith the fact that at the moment we repent of sin and turn by faith to Jesus Christ we are born again.
. . . we become the children of God. We receive the breath of God. Christ through the Holy Spirit takes up residence in our hearts. We are attached to God for eternity. That means that if you have been born again, you will live as long as God lives, because you are now sharing His very life.”
Webster’s says that birth is “the beginning of anything.” I love thinking about my spiritual birth as the beginning of my relationship with God. Will you share this truth and the truth of Christmas with someone this week? Have you accepted this truth? What better gift to give someone than the eternal truth of Jesus Christ!
For my card this week, I used Pink Paislee and Basic Grey papers from the Create My Keepsake December kit. I also used several Unity stamps and Shimmerz Paints. The Unity stamps used here are Prince of Peace and Distressed Dots. I used my Copic sketch markers to color in the Prince of Peace. I then used Candlelight Shimmerz to just tip the ends of my Prima flowers on the back. Doesn't it make them just come alive? I also used the Angel Wings Shimmerz over the tab and Making Memories letters on the front. It gives it a wonderful look!
The scriptures I chose were:John 3:5-7 "Jesus answered, I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'"
James 1:18 "He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created."
Have a joyous and blessed Christmas, and I will see you next week for our very last study in this challenge.
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