CHRISTMAS HASSLE GOT YOU RUFFLED?

CHRISTMAS HAS A WAY OF GETTING US IN THE SPIRIT OF KINDNESS.

Or, it can have the effect of causing people to run over someone to get a good deal on a that DVD player. What affect does it have on you?

Kindness - is it outdated like the old fashioned Ice Cream parlors with the delicious chocolate ice cream, where everyone would sit and chat about the weather and be friendly?

I don't know about you, but I have to remind myself to be kind sometimes.

Why? Because I'm so busy, rushing, trying to get to be the first in line, or putting up with sales people who are calling me on the phone trying to sell me things, or driving in traffic...
it can all make you forget about KINDNESS!

What does the Lord say about Kindness in His Word - the Bible?

Exodus 33:19 And God said, I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim My name, THE LORD, before you; for I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy and loving-kindness on whom I will show mercy and loving-kindness. [Rom 9:15, 16 ]

Psalm 32:10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but he who trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on the Lord shall be compassed about with mercy and with loving-kindness.

John 1:14 And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth. [Isa 40:5 ]

1 Peter 2:3 Since you have [already] tasted the goodness and kindness of the Lord. [Ps 34:8 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Romans 2:4
⁴Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

We can appreciate that the LORD is KIND!

And that He exercises His Kindness toward us!

Thank God He is kind and does show us His kindness or we would all be dead and with no hope of eternal life, because of all our sins and the sin of Adam and Eve that caused mankind to be separated from a relationship with God.

It says it's the "kindness", or some translations say, the "goodness" of God that leads us to repentance.

What is repentance? Repentance means that we are sorry for our sins, that our heart is sad that we have heart God's heart and we realize that our actions and sin has broken our fellowship with God and we want to come back to Him and have that relationship with Him restored. Because He is a GOOD GOD!

Many religions paint a picture of God being this guy in the sky with a hammer and every time you mess up He is there to hit you over the head.

No, God is GOOD! The Bible says, "For God so LOVED the WORLD that He GAVE...."

What did He give? He didn't give money...He didn't give His material things to save us...

He gave what was the most precious and valuable to Him....
HIS SON! His only begotten SON!

The Father God, sent His Son, Jesus Christ, His Only Begotten into the world to SAVE us from our sins and the result of our sins...separation from Him! He wanted US BACK! He wanted
our relationship restored to Him...so we could walk and talk with Him again, like Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden.

The Bibles say that you were REDEEMED...

...that means BOUGHT BACK by the PRECIOUS BLOOD of CHRIST!
That's how valuable you are to God!
You were purchased with the PRECIOUS BLOOD of Jesus!

God sent Jesus to the earth as a human being because an angel or animal couldn't purchase our salvation...it had to be a MAN! So, God sent His son to become a man, a human being.

Jesus lived here on the earth for 33 years, He was crucified on the Cross 2,000 years ago - because that kind of death was cursed...the Bible says, "Cursed is everyone that hangs on the tree"...Jesus hung on the tree and became SIN for us...He knew NO SIN...He was sinless...and He was separated from Father, paid the penalty for our sin...died, rose again from the dead!

Because He LIVES - WE CAN LIVE!

When we put our faith and trust in what Jesus did for us...His blood washes away our sins and His body was beaten so we could be healed...we are SAVED! That word SAVED means, "Saved, healed, delivered and set free!"

Romans 10:9-10 Says that if you will "confess with your mouth the
Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raise Him from the dead, |
you shall be saved." Saved from the result of all sin...death, and separation
from God and His life.

I pray you'll receive God's kindness toward you today and that you'll pray this prayer,

"God, I believe You sent Jesus Christ to the earth to die on the Cross for my sins, and that He was raised from the dead. I put my faith and trust in Him. Jesus, come into my life and heart and be my Lord and Savior."

The Bible says that when you do that...
...you become the "Righteousness of God" 2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

It's also says that the Holy Spirit bears witness with your spirit that you are a "child of God".

Now, get yourself a Bible and start reading in the Gospel of John and the book for Romans for starters. Ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit! Then start to tell others about Jesus. Read Acts 1 & 2 and see what the early Christians did!

Then, share and be kind to others.

Kindness is a simple deed. It can be a smile, a word of encouragement, a gift, or paying for someone's milk.

Kindness has a physical benefit.too!

According to Wayne Dyer, when a person does an act
of kindness, that persons' serotonin level's
(the feel good chemical in our bodies) gets released in us...
and makes us feel good!

Also, the person who is receiving the act of kindness
has his/her serotonin levels increased and they feel good!

AND, EVERYONE WATCHING gets their serotonin levels increased, just be observing the
act of kindness!

Isn't God GOOD! He is KIND and expects us to show kindness and when we do, we get blessed too!

HAVE A KIND AND MERRY CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR! :)

Until next time...

Blessings!

Linda