Devotions
from The Woods @Wanamaker
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God’s Christmas Tree
At this time of the year, we find a Christmas trees with presents underneath in homes everywhere. It’s a symbol of Christmas that stands out in this country. Regardless of what the Christmas trees origin or reason, we can observe it as a positive way to remember the birth of the Savior, who He is and why He came into the world. The truth of Christ's birth and the reason for the Christmas Season is that God the Son, the second person of the trinity, became the baby in a manger, that He might become the man of the cross, the gift to free us from the penalty of sin, reconcile us to God that we might receive eternal life as the ultimate gift through His life, and all of this as a gift by faith in Christ. God's Christmas tree was the Cross. The presents that lie at the foot of that tree remind us of the gifts God has given to us in Christ and that He offers to the world. God has His own Christmas tree, a tree in likeness of His Son Jesus. Not a tree decorated with lights and ornaments or tinsel, or surrounded by presents filled with perishable things purchased on line. Rather it is God's tree with imperishable, priceless gifts, purchased by the death of God's Son on God's tree. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:18-19) God’s tree is different, not available in the store, on the corner tree lot, or local tree farm, but His tree is different. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. (Revelation 21:6) This tree is planted by the waters of life, brings life, without price, is freely given as a gift, available to each of us. “COME”, “TAKE” the “TREE OF LIFE” It’s the gift that keeps on giving, but wait, there is still more! It’s the gift of GRACE through faith ALONE. The gift of God in Christ ALONE, not by our religion or works, but through God’s divine creation. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9) It is A FREE GIFT, without cost to us. God's Christmas tree, our Salvation in Christ is free, but it was not cheap. It cost God the death of His only begotten Son. A gift wrapped in swaddling clothes, tied and sealed with Jesus blood. There is no Grace and it is not free if you and I must pay a price. No cheap, sale, or discount would reduce it to something you or I might be able to achieve on our own. Rather it is a GIFT given freely to you and I with a price fully paid by another. Placed on a tree, for you and I to open and receive. This Christmas season, receive that gift. John said it thus: But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, (John 1:12) But there is still more, more gifts under the tree to be opened. Open the Gift of Peace! Sin separated us from God and his holiness, but now we are reconciled. Christ tore down that barrier that kept us apart from God, and now we have "Peace with God", the peace of salvation that is manifest through the one who is truly Peace, Jesus Christ. Unwrap access to God Himself! “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace” (Hebrews 4:16). Christ has given us access, access to those who believe on His Name; "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except by me" (Jn. 14:6). Tear open the wrapping on still more; unwrap Hope! Hope that we will one day share in God's kingdom as heirs to His thrown, and now, as we grow in the Lord. Hope of change, hope of the old sinful nature and habits broken. We’re not done yet, keep shredding that wrapping, open the BIG PACKAGES … Love of God and the Holy Spirit just for starters! John expressed it like this: "By this the love of God was manifested in us that God has sent His only begotten Son into the World so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 Jn. 4:9-10). By the way, this comes with a No Wrath policy: Because Christ died for us, He took our judgement, the wrath of God that was due us, has been paid for in full. That’s not all, it also includes free delivery: Christ delivers us from the power of sin. “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me” (Gal. 2:20). Because of God’s Gift on the Tree for you and I we can REJOICE, as we thank God for the works of His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. God’s precious gift, wrapped in swaddling clothes, laid in a mange, and ultimately placed on God’s Christmas tree for us to open and receive His precious life-giving gift. May we all remember Christ, who is the reason for the season, and the true Christmas spirit, God’s Gift on the Tree. May you have a very Merry Christmas in the Lord. Rev. Jerry SchmidGod’s Christmas Tree At this time of the year, we find a Christmas trees with presents underneath in homes everywhere. It’s a symbol of Christmas that stands out in this country. Regardless of what the Christmas trees origin or reason, we can observe it as a positive way to remember the birth of the Savior, who He is and why He came into the world. The truth of Christ's birth and the reason for the Christmas Season is that God the Son, the second person of the trinity, became the baby in a manger, that He might become the man of the cross, the gift to free us from the penalty of sin, reconcile us to God that we might receive eternal life as the ultimate gift through His life, and all of this as a gift by faith in Christ. God's Christmas tree was the Cross. The presents that lie at the foot of that tree remind us of the gifts God has given to us in Christ and that He offers to the world. God has His own Christmas tree, a tree in likeness of His Son Jesus. Not a tree decorated with lights and ornaments or tinsel, or surrounded by presents filled with perishable things purchased on line. Rather it is God's tree with imperishable, priceless gifts, purchased by the death of God's Son on God's tree. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:18-19) God’s tree is different, not available in the store, on the corner tree lot, or local tree farm, but His tree is different. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. (Revelation 21:6) This tree is planted by the waters of life, brings life, without price, is freely given as a gift, available to each of us. “COME”, “TAKE” the “TREE OF LIFE” It’s the gift that keeps on giving, but wait, there is still more! It’s the gift of GRACE through faith ALONE. The gift of God in Christ ALONE, not by our religion or works, but through God’s divine creation. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9) It is A FREE GIFT, without cost to us. God's Christmas tree, our Salvation in Christ is free, but it was not cheap. It cost God the death of His only begotten Son. A gift wrapped in swaddling clothes, tied and sealed with Jesus blood. There is no Grace and it is not free if you and I must pay a price. No cheap, sale, or discount would reduce it to something you or I might be able to achieve on our own. Rather it is a GIFT given freely to you and I with a price fully paid by another. Placed on a tree, for you and I to open and receive. This Christmas season, receive that gift. John said it thus: But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, (John 1:12) But there is still more, more gifts under the tree to be opened. Open the Gift of Peace! Sin separated us from God and his holiness, but now we are reconciled. Christ tore down that barrier that kept us apart from God, and now we have "Peace with God", the peace of salvation that is manifest through the one who is truly Peace, Jesus Christ. Unwrap access to God Himself! “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace” (Hebrews 4:16). Christ has given us access, access to those who believe on His Name; "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except by me" (Jn. 14:6). Tear open the wrapping on still more; unwrap Hope! Hope that we will one day share in God's kingdom as heirs to His thrown, and now, as we grow in the Lord. Hope of change, hope of the old sinful nature and habits broken. We’re not done yet, keep shredding that wrapping, open the BIG PACKAGES … Love of God and the Holy Spirit just for starters! John expressed it like this: "By this the love of God was manifested in us that God has sent His only begotten Son into the World so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 Jn. 4:9-10). By the way, this comes with a No Wrath policy: Because Christ died for us, He took our judgement, the wrath of God that was due us, has been paid for in full. That’s not all, it also includes free delivery: Christ delivers us from the power of sin. “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me” (Gal. 2:20). Because of God’s Gift on the Tree for you and I we can REJOICE, as we thank God for the works of His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. God’s precious gift, wrapped in swaddling clothes, laid in a mange, and ultimately placed on God’s Christmas tree for us to open and receive His precious life-giving gift. May we all remember Christ, who is the reason for the season, and the true Christmas spirit, God’s Gift on the Tree. May you have a very Merry Christmas in the Lord. Rev. Jerry SchmidGod’s Christmas Tree At this time of the year, we find a Christmas trees with presents underneath in homes everywhere. It’s a symbol of Christmas that stands out in this country. Regardless of what the Christmas trees origin or reason, we can observe it as a positive way to remember the birth of the Savior, who He is and why He came into the world. The truth of Christ's birth and the reason for the Christmas Season is that God the Son, the second person of the trinity, became the baby in a manger, that He might become the man of the cross, the gift to free us from the penalty of sin, reconcile us to God that we might receive eternal life as the ultimate gift through His life, and all of this as a gift by faith in Christ. God's Christmas tree was the Cross. The presents that lie at the foot of that tree remind us of the gifts God has given to us in Christ and that He offers to the world. God has His own Christmas tree, a tree in likeness of His Son Jesus. Not a tree decorated with lights and ornaments or tinsel, or surrounded by presents filled with perishable things purchased on line. Rather it is God's tree with imperishable, priceless gifts, purchased by the death of God's Son on God's tree. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:18-19) God’s tree is different, not available in the store, on the corner tree lot, or local tree farm, but His tree is different. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. (Revelation 21:6) This tree is planted by the waters of life, brings life, without price, is freely given as a gift, available to each of us. “COME”, “TAKE” the “TREE OF LIFE” It’s the gift that keeps on giving, but wait, there is still more! It’s the gift of GRACE through faith ALONE. The gift of God in Christ ALONE, not by our religion or works, but through God’s divine creation. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9) It is A FREE GIFT, without cost to us. God's Christmas tree, our Salvation in Christ is free, but it was not cheap. It cost God the death of His only begotten Son. A gift wrapped in swaddling clothes, tied and sealed with Jesus blood. There is no Grace and it is not free if you and I must pay a price. No cheap, sale, or discount would reduce it to something you or I might be able to achieve on our own. Rather it is a GIFT given freely to you and I with a price fully paid by another. Placed on a tree, for you and I to open and receive. This Christmas season, receive that gift. John said it thus: But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, (John 1:12) But there is still more, more gifts under the tree to be opened. Open the Gift of Peace! Sin separated us from God and his holiness, but now we are reconciled. Christ tore down that barrier that kept us apart from God, and now we have "Peace with God", the peace of salvation that is manifest through the one who is truly Peace, Jesus Christ. Unwrap access to God Himself! “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace” (Hebrews 4:16). Christ has given us access, access to those who believe on His Name; "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except by me" (Jn. 14:6). Tear open the wrapping on still more; unwrap Hope! Hope that we will one day share in God's kingdom as heirs to His thrown, and now, as we grow in the Lord. Hope of change, hope of the old sinful nature and habits broken. We’re not done yet, keep shredding that wrapping, open the BIG PACKAGES … Love of God and the Holy Spirit just for starters! John expressed it like this: "By this the love of God was manifested in us that God has sent His only begotten Son into the World so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 Jn. 4:9-10). By the way, this comes with a No Wrath policy: Because Christ died for us, He took our judgement, the wrath of God that was due us, has been paid for in full. That’s not all, it also includes free delivery: Christ delivers us from the power of sin. “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me” (Gal. 2:20). Because of God’s Gift on the Tree for you and I we can REJOICE, as we thank God for the works of His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. God’s precious gift, wrapped in swaddling clothes, laid in a mange, and ultimately placed on God’s Christmas tree for us to open and receive His precious life-giving gift. May we all remember Christ, who is the reason for the season, and the true Christmas spirit, God’s Gift on the Tree. May you have a very Merry Christmas in the Lord. Rev. Jerry Schmid
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AuthorNotes from the Staff @The Woods Archives
March 2023
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