The Joy of Redemption

The 12 Joys of Christmas: The Joy of Redemption.
Romans 3:23-24 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a free gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, esv Those who have accepted Christ in their hearts have been redeemed by Jesus Christ. Webster defines redemption as " the act of procuring the deliverance of persons or things from the possession and power of captors by the payment of an equivalent.... Deliverance from bondage, distress, or from liability to any evil or forfeiture,"
We have bought with a price, and that price could only be paid by Jesus Christ. Only a "lamb with out blemish" would be accepted by the Father. Jesus Christ was the only one who could live a sinless life. Perfect in every way. Look to Christ this Christmas. This time of the year is all about Him. He deserves our praise, service, and remembrance this Christmas. What a joy! I am redeemed!

The Joy of Forgiveness

The 12 Joys of Christmas: The Joy of Forgiveness.
There can be no greater relief in a persons life than to have the penalty of their sins removed from them. Colossians 1:13-14 tells us of our redemption in Christ. "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. esv He has paid a price to the Father that we never could have paid. Think of it in another way... Before sin, Adam walked with God in the garden. When sin entered the world we were separated from the Father. Like crossing the Grand Canyon. If we were to try on our own to cross we would fall. Jesus Christ died on that cross to bridge that great divide. He provided the way for us to come back to the Father. Without Christ we would be dead in sin. Crushed under the load of chained slavery forever. He saw our need and came. He removed the chains of slavery to sin, and gave us a new life! Accept Christ and the free gift He offers, and live a fulfilled life in Christ!

The Joy Of Salvation

The 12 Joys of Christmas: The Joy Of Salvation
As the days grow closer to Christmas day, more and more people will get into the "holiday spirit." Things like the 12 days of Christmas become more popular. The sad part about the 12 days of Christmas is that, like the song, the focus is about stuff other than Christ. Which saddens me at the deepest levels of my heart. If only we would remember the real reason for joy during this season.... Christ Jesus, who is God, was sent born as a man, to pay the ultimate penalty for the sin in this world, and save those who love Him and give their lives wholly to Him.
So it is very appropriate that today I tell you about how I see the 12 days before Christmas. I truly believe the Spirit has put on my heart to publicly tell all about "The 12 Joys of Christmas." 12 separate joys for each day before Christmas and ending with the best Joy I believe exists in the world today. So thirteen joys are coming. Read each, and try to remember the real reason for Christmas. And keep Christ as the focus of the season.
 
The Joy of Salvation .... Acts 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (KJV)