Merry Christmas

In case you've missed it

Dear Reader,
Yesterday I wondered if John 3:16 would turn up a third time and it did. Sometimes a special Bible verse appear sent from different places and in a short time and now it has been John 3:16 involved in Christmas preparations.
Today I got an e-mail that kind of said the same as John 3:16 just in other words. A letter from Wendy Alec; one of the founders of the God Channel TV, sending TV-programs from Jerusalem all over the world.

From Wendy:

Dearest Saints,

The Lord wants to reveal His mercy, His compassion and loving-kindness and I sense He wants to sing a love song over His people. I pray you will be comforted by these words, even as you share them with others.

For those of you who feel abandoned, who feel the Lord has forsaken you, has left you, for those that don’t understand the things that have been happening in their lives... maybe you are there and you feel that you can’t even make it through the day... know that His goodness and His Mercy will never leave you.

Oh how He loves you this day and, like a daddy, He would sing to His child. Like a daddy He would sing over you, the King’s Lullaby and draw you close. You may not have understood anything that has been going on, you have loved Him, served Him and yet you haven’t understood what has been happening in your life. He would draw you, draw you to Himself and kiss you from the Father’s throne.

"Oh My child, I would draw you tight, don’t let the devil lie about My goodness, about My loving-kindness. I am the One who will never forsake you, I am the One who will always be with you. I am the One who is closer than a brother, I am the One who loves you more than any lover."

The Father has not forsaken you, beloved. Jesus has not forgotten you. The Father brought His Son into the world that you might have eternal life. Your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life and He knows the very number of hairs on your head. But, Jesus did not only come to secure your eternity, but that you might also overcome in this life. He is the Author and the Finisher of our faith and what He has begun in us He will take through to completion.

(Hebrews 12:2)

And, always, remember the devil always attacks you the most just before your greatest victory, that the time you are hit the worst is JUST BEFORE you come into the fullest fruit of your ministry. Great Endurance produces great favour!

WE WISH YOU A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND EVERY BLESSING FOR THE NEW YEAR from the Alec family - Rory, Myself, Samantha and Christian – to you and yours, and of course from the heart of every GOD TV team member across the regions.

With Love,

"Cristmas for dummies."

Dear Reader,
Yesterday, a monthly local newspaper came with the mail. It contains advertisements from the local shops, but as I turned a page I was confronted with a headline called "Christmas for dummies".
"At Christmas there is more than just one day to celebrate. Are you aware of them all?"

1/ First of Advent is the first day of the church year and Jesus is welcomed as the Messiah. Fasting begins as a preparation for Christmas.
2/Second of Advent; The coming of the Kingdom of God.
3/ Third of Advent; The life of John the Baptist.

Christmas; Celebrated to the memory of the birth of Jesus Christ. The official Swedish Christmas starts on the 24th of December, and is ended on the 12th of January; Hilarymas Day, when the Christmas tree should be thrown out.

Days celebrating some of the saints;
6th of December St Nickolaus
10th of December St. Lucas
26th of December St. Stephanos.

Feast of Epiphany.
Is the oldest of the days celebrated around Christmas.
In the Orthodox Church the birth of Jesus is still celebrated on the 6th of January.
The western church started celebrating the birth of Jesus on the 25th of December after the Nicaean meeting.
We celebrate the three wise men or kings on this day. Their symbol; three crowns has been taken into the Swedish national coat of arms and also ended up on Swedish hockey players' shirts.

New Years Eve;
In the church calendar it is related to the circumcision of Jesus on the 8th day after Christmas.
In the secular calendar it is a new calendar year. In old Soviet Union Christian celebrations were forbidden so the New Year celebration became the biggest festival.

And the last information in the article was this:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" John 3: 16."

This is the second time this Bible verse appears for me in a fortnight. It usually comes my way a third time so I wonder when the third time will be; and how.

Sincerely yours,
Ida

PS.
Soviet Union was dissolved but Christmas is still celebrated all over the world DS.

(for more information about the bracelet:
http://christianbracelets.com/john%203%2016%20bracelet.html#psalm23bracelets)

The reason for the season.

Dear reader,
I overheard a conversation the other day. It was hard not to hear it because we were standing on each side of a shelf looking at some Christmas decorations on a flee market. I couldn't see what one of the ladies had picked up but she was very pleased and said to her companion: "This is fun. At least he can't complain since it's not Jesus."
I guess "he" was somebody who might otherwise object to her new "investments" but still would be pleased that it wasn't Jesus.
I bumped into the two ladies one more time on my tour around the shop and they had found more "treasures". I left empty-handed.
I couldn't get the conversation out of my head.. As long as it wasn't about Jesus they were satisfied. And still "he is the reason for the season" as it says.

Later I went to the local book shop and they had put on display many beautiful Christmas cards but not one had a motive with Jesus. I said with a smile: No Jesus this year either? The owner of the shop said there were plenty of other Christmas cards so it was no problem. No problem? I should think there is a big problem when Jesus is banished from Christmas.

But the message of Christmas still is : "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" John 3: 16.

Sincerely yours,
Ida

Sparrows ... and other birds ...

(click on picture to enlarge)

Dear Reader,
When I found this painting I came to think of Matthew 10: 29-31

Matthew 10:29-31(REB)
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet without your Father’s knowledge not one of them can fall to the ground. As for you, even the hairs of your head have all been counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than any number of sparrows.

Matthew 10:29-31 (The Message MSG Bible)
“What’s the price of a pet canary? Some loose change, right? And God cares what happens to it even more than you do. 30 He pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail–even numbering the hairs on your head! 31 So don’t be intimidated by all this bully talk. You’re worth more than a million canaries.

Ever asked yourself why Jesus chose sparrows when he told the disciples that they were " worth more than many sparrows"? Why not eagles, peacocks, or some other spectacular bird? What bird would you have chosen?
Sincerely yours
Ida

Painting made by Vladimir Rumyantsev

God has a tattoo

Dear reader,
Isaiah 49:16 says
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.

The essential idea is, that you are dear to God's heart; and that he has sketched your name as an object in which he feels a deep interest - so deep as even to write your name on the palms of his bands, where it is constantly before him.

Thy walls - The meaning is, that he constantly looks upon you; that he never forgets you. He has a constant and sacred regard for you, and always remembers you.

Sincerely your, Ida