By Sharon Thiel          

Do you worship the real Jesus? Jesus the Christ? Immanuel (meaning ‘God with us’)?  Be very sure that you DO, for there are other understandings of Jesus in this world, and worshipping a Jesus other than the one prophesied and given us supernaturally by God the Father, Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth, is worship of a false God!

“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” John 4:24.  “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” Numbers 23:19

The Jesus worthy of our worship and adoration is Himself the Word of God, existent before the foundation of the world. He is the Jesus conceived by the Holy Spirit  to a virgin never having ‘known’ a man in the flesh. The Jesus who was sinless from birth (because he was born without an earthly father, who would have passed on to him the original sin nature of Adam, who fell). The Jesus who was sinless from birth to death (possible only for God dwelling in flesh) so that we might conquer death with him through his resurrection.

“Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.” 1 Corinthians 15:22 [“As through the sin of the first Adam, all men became mortal, because all had from him the same sinful nature, so, through the resurrection of Christ, shall all who are made to partake of the Spirit, and the spiritual nature, revive, and live for ever.” Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary]

The Jesus to be celebrated at Christmas, and Easter, must be the Jesus of truth.  The Jesus who won the victory over Satan and his rulership of this world by dying on the Cross of Calvary to purchase our freedom from sin (read John 16); the Jesus who rose from the grave to end the power of death!

THIS is the Jesus who was born in a manger in Bethlehem, to a virgin in the care of his loving stepfather. THIS is the Jesus who has gone to prepare a place for us in Heaven; the Jesus who will return to cleanse the earth of all that is not of God; all that is not of the love of God (look up agape), and Who has promised that where He is we will also forever be; where tears, fear, violence and anger are no longer even memories.

Is THIS the Jesus you celebrate this Christmas? Is THIS the Jesus you trust with your eternity and the eternity of all who you love?  The real Jesus said, “…I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

No one truly knows exactly how that statement of Jesus’ is applied (though many try to pin it down), but we trust Him and believe that He cannot lie, so this brings peace to those who believe and rely upon Him and its truth.

Seek Him. Learn of Him. Make known the gift of God that the REAL Jesus is to all the earth. Trust Him. The Truth WILL set you free! “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36  If you do these things 2015 will be your most wonderful Christmas ever!

Have you received the greatest gift ever given? The Bible says that, God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 That’s a gift you shouldn’t refuse. It also says, For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. Eph 2:8

You see…God wants to give you the best Christmas gift that you have ever received, eternity with Him. He tells us, If you confess with your mouth, that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 If you believe that, pray something like this:

   Jesus, please forgive my many sins. I know that you died for me and have a plan for my life. Please teach me your ways and help me to live my life for you, free from the fears of this world and the next. Help me to be grateful for all that life brings my way. I want to start a new life with you. Amen

Congratulations, if you have prayed this prayer the Bible says, “Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2Cr 5:17

If you’ve prayed this prayer for the first time or are renewing your commitment to the Lord, please let us know so that we can pray for you as you start your new life in Christ.