Pastor Mickey

Many years ago, an Indiana candymaker had a desire to create a symbol of the true meaning of Christmas. So he made the “Candy Cane”. As a Christian, he incorporated several symbols of Christ’s birth, ministry and death. He began with a stock of pure, white hard candy. The white symbolized the Virgin Birth and sinless nature of Jesus. The hardness was for the foundation of the church, and the promises of God. The candymaker made the candy in the form of a `J’ to represent the name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. It also represents the staff of the ‘Good Shepherd’, with which He reaches down into ditches to lift out fallen lambs, which like all sheep have gone astray. Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candymaker stained it with red stripes. He used three small ones to show the stripes of scourging Jesus received, by which we are healed. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life. Unfort...

2 Cor. 5: 19 "For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation." NLT –God trusts you! Your fourth Christmas miracle is that God has a job for you to do- This is the wonder of participation. He has chosen us to share the wonderful message with others. Let’s share our faith…Let’s share the life, love and liberty that Jesus brings! He did not commit the Great Commission to angels, but to us! Here is the message of Christmas that we are to tell everyone, everywhere- That God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them! This is wonderful news! NLT - Matthew 28:19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Here are some suggestions for telling others about Jesus during this Holiday Season- First, look for the lonely- Family, friends an...

2 Cor. 5: 19 "For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation." NLT Your third Christmas wonder is that God will forgive you. The wonder of salvation. God is no longer counting man’s sins against him. The sin that was ours was placed on Christ, and the righteousness which was His, is imputed to us. NIV -2 Corinthians 5:21 "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." Now we have forgiveness of our sins, and we have been given right standing with God. What a glorious exchange! No wonder we rejoice at Christmas. The curse of sin is broken off our lives through the new birth! Sin no longer has power over us. Isaac Watts wrote it this way in “Joy to the World”: "No more let sin and sorrow grow, nor thorns infest the ground. He comes to make His blessing known, far as the curse is found. Far...

God is For You, not against you! 2 Cor.5:19 NLT "God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation." Your second Christmas miracle is that God is for you. God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. Listen, God is not mad at you! The hostility that existed between God and sinful humanity ended at the Cross! NLT - Ephesians 2:13 But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. When two parties who were estranged are reconciled, they are brought in to a new relationship. The past is forgiven. Through the death of Christ, we are brought back in to right relationship with God our Father. His payment for sin has been fully satisfied by His blood. Son ship in the family of God is made possible when we receive His payment by faith. NIV - John 1:12 Yet to...

On a stormy night, a little girl was awakened by thunder, and ran to the safety of her parent's room. As she snuggled into the bed between her mommy and daddy, her father tried to reassure her saying, "There's no need to be afraid, God is with you..." "I know, Daddy", said the little girl, "but right now I need somebody with skin on!" 2 Cor. 5:19 NLT "For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation." "For God was in Christ" speaks of the Christmas Miracle of--- "The Incarnation-God is with you!" John 1:14 "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." For the Christian, God is not in some far distant place; unapproachable and aloof. But because of the Incarnation, God has skin! He knows all about pain, rejection, suffering and even death, having tasted death for us all. He even knows about te...