‘Who can add to Christmas? The perfect motive is that God so loved the world. The perfect gift is that He gave His only Son. The only requirement is to believe in Him. The reward of faith is that you shall have everlasting life.’ Corrie Ten Boom

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus Christ, John 3:16

   What a perfect quote from Corrie Ten Boom to get the Christmas season started. She’s right, who can add to Christmas? Everything that God does is perfect because He’s perfect. God showed His perfection when He gave His only Son to the world. The perfect gift came through the perfect motive… Love. Not just any love, but a love that is perfectly forgiving, a love that is perfectly steadfast, a love that is eternal, and a love that transcends our imagination. God didn’t just love the world, He ‘so’ loved the world. He emphasizes the greatness of His love in providing life and eternal life within the sacrificial gift of His own Son, Jesus Christ. You see, the Scripture makes known that God is love (1 John 4:8), and the Scripture lets us know further: ‘In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.’ 1 John 4:10. What is our requirement to apprehend this gift? Believe. What is our reward? Eternal Life.

   I’ve never heard of a Christmas gift that wasn’t used. When I was young I remember getting a shiny red bike with mag wheels for Christmas. It was absolutely one of the most memorable gifts I ever received as a child! I immediately took it outside and rode it around for all my friends to see. In the same way, once a person has believed in Christ, they’ll want to share their gift of eternal life by living for Him, showing off what His love has done for them, and directing people toward Him. As we trade our sin for God's grace, we experience His love. God’s motive for giving becomes our motive: Love, God’s love.

   Corrie Ten Boom was right, we can’t add to Christmas but those who don’t belong to Him can receive Him, His love and forgiveness. And those who do belong to Christ can continue to receive His love and give that love to others.

During this Christmas season, receive God’s gift of love today.

Christmas Blessings to you,

Pastor Scott Welch

When we think of Christmas accounts in the New Testament where do we normally turn? In reality we don’t get much Christmas in the Epistles; but, there is Philippians 2 where Jesus is “born in the image of men". But there isn’t much else. And aside from Luke 2, there isn’t much in the Gospels either. Half a chapter in Matthew 1 and that’s about it. But, in a Galatians passage, Paul gives us the whole “reason for the season” in just four, short verses. And guess what? It’s got your name on it! It is for you – all for you. The mystery and majesty of the incarnation of the Son of God wrapped up into a single package.

'But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,  to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”  Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.' Galatians 4:4-7

Paul writes about “The fullness of time” The idea behind the phrase the fullness of time is “when the time was right.”. Jesus came at just the right time in God’s redemptive plan, when the world was perfectly prepared for God’s work. 

The birth of Jesus, however, is unique among all other births in human history. Jesus was sent forth from God. Before his birth, Jesus was. The Apostle John celebrates this amazing truth in his Gospel:

'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.' (John 1:1)

Paul makes this very same connection, ‘God sent forth his Son’. The birth of Christ was unique and miraculous because who Jesus was and is. He is not merely a child of God (as you and I are children of God). He is the Son of God and his arrival on Earth was not simply happenstance. God sent Him forth. This glorious truth lies at the heart of the Christmas account and the good news of the Gospel. God intervenes decisively in human history by sending forth His Son. At Christmas we remember and celebrate the sending of the Son of God and, as we gaze upon the Baby lying in the manager, we behold the Son of God Who was with God in the beginning now sent out to us.

Paul tells us that Jesus was “born of a woman” in order to highlight the fact that although Jesus was the divine Son of God He was also fully human. Jesus had a completely human body. He got hungry. He became thirsty. He was tired and slept like we do. Whatever the song “Away in a Manger” may say, He even cried. Jesus was “born of a woman” named Mary.

But Paul says something else about Jesus here. He was not only born of a woman, but He was also “born under the law.” What does being “born under the law” mean? God had given the law to the people of Israel, and the law told them how they were supposed to live, how they should interact with one another, and even how they should worship. But no one could perfectly keep the law, and to break the law was to sin against God.

In order to make sense of the Christmas story, we have to make sense of Easter, too. Therefore, we see Jesus not just as a baby in a manger but as a man placed on a cross, and dying a death He did not deserve. What Jesus is doing on the cross is “redeeming those who were under the law.” He’s paying the penalty for our law-breaking. He’s stepping in our place for us. If we were to sum up this connection between Christmas and Easter, we would say that Jesus made a way for every one of us to have a real, personal relationship with God. Paul describes this as 'adoption'.

We have peace and joy because we are now sons and daughters of God Who can call out to Him, “Abba, Father!” No longer slaves, but sons, and if sons, then heirs of Heaven.

All that’s left for us to do is the same thing we do when receiving a Christmas present. Smile and say thank you.

This season, may the Christmas story remind us afresh of the perfect timing and plan of  God.

Elder, Stan Davala

“Christmas is based on an exchange of gifts, the gift of God to man – His unspeakable gift of His Son, and the gift of man to God – when we present our bodies a living sacrifice." Vance Havner

I remember a long time ago, I was asked by my pastor to share a short Christmas devotion with the church on a Sunday morning. I was in my 20’s and I was very passionate and zealous about sharing the Bible.  Not that I am not passionate now, but in my 20’s I did not have the wisdom I have now and I was a bit unrestrained. I put together a short message titled “He was born to die for our sins”. I shared the message and afterwards I found out I offended a bunch of older ladies in the church. The group of ladies gathered around me as they chewed on me for not sharing a “Christmas” devotional. They proclaimed in a firm stubborn voice “That was an Easter message, not a Christmas message!” If my mission was to ruffle their feathers, then I did a good job! They were visibly offended because I mentioned the cross and the resurrection in the devotion. I quoted them the scripture John 3:16 “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.” I knew they understood this Scripture well. I then asked them “How did God give His son to us? Was it not from a virgin’s womb in a manger?” The group became quiet and dispersed. They had no argument. One stubborn elderly lady, whose grandfather founded the church, snarled at me before she left and said in a mean voice, “Still wasn’t a Christmas devotional”! I stood there in the church alone for a few minutes and felt ashamed of myself for failing the church. I wondered if I ruined Christmas for everyone. Then my pastor walked up to me and told me that I had shared one of the greatest Christmas devotions he had heard in a long time. He put his hand on my shoulder and smiled as he said “Don’t worry about them, (the older group of ladies), they have their idea of Christmas and it’s not the big picture of why God sent The Christ to us. They have problems getting past Christmas presents, family gatherings, and beautiful Christmas trees! He walked away with a forced smile on his face. I realized, he as a pastor, has tried many times to present the account of Christmas as written in the Bible. These people don’t want the truth! They wanted a 'feel good' version. I was in shock! How could someone not want the complete story of why God sent Jesus to us? From that day on, I dedicated myself to sharing the complete message of Christmas anytime I had a chance. God so loved us He gave his only Son as a gift! A gift of salvation, forgiveness, hope, mercy, and the list goes on! There was never a greater gift given. Let us teach our children and our children’s children the whole (complete) Christmas message.  From the manger to the cross and through the resurrection, they deserve to hear truth!

Everyone have a wonderful Christmas season,

Elder Jeff Kohler & family

When our kids were growing up, we never really pushed the idea about Santa Claus. You can call that a parenting travesty if you wish. I don't, however. We never instilled the belief about this omniscient, omnipresent man who'd reward you on December 25th for all the good you've done throughout the past 365-odd days. While we did sing the songs about Santa. And we had Santa decorations. But he was never a figure in whom our kids placed their hope for presents. I do believe there is a certain amount of innocent magic and wonder at the historical Santa Claus that I think is warranted. But mostly I'd say that Santa garners far too much attention in our collective psyche. I can see jolly ole St. Nick as a rather imposing individual. I mean, have you even considered the lyrics to his theme song? You know, the 1934 classic, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"? They're actually frightening. “You better watch out, You better not cry, Better not pout,  I'm telling you why, Santa Claus is coming to town" If those warning were not bad enough,  there is some consequences if you misbehave.

"He's making a list and checking it twice; Going to find out who's naughty and nice. Santa Claus is coming to town, He sees you when you're sleeping, He knows when you're awake, He knows if you've been bad or good, So be good for goodness sake!"

The notion of a list that determines your fate is daunting, is it not? This list is the embodiment of the law we all feel. The law that requires our absolute goodness before any reward is ever handed out. It's the law that necessitates perfection but ends up only inspiring more sin. (Rom. 7:16–19) And where we might be able to fool ourselves into believing we're on Santa's "nice list," the law of God is even more stringent than that. With him, there's only one list, and at the top it doesn't read "Naughty," it reads "Damned." The more we feel the weight of this list (law) and its stipulations, the more we must admit that we're failing. We're falling short. (Rom. 3:23) We're not living up to the standard of goodness laid down by the qualification of righteousness. (Matt. 5:48) There's no eluding its perfection.

If God operated like the old man in the red suit, we would all be doomed, with absolutely zero hope for mercy, grace, redemption, and approval. But thank God he is not like Santa! Praise the Lord my hope isn't in Santa but in a Savior! Jesus will come into the world and take that list of sins against us and nail it to his cross.

You see, the "good news of great joy" (Luke 2:10) that's proclaimed to all peoples is that Christ has come not to check up on our goodness, not to break out the ruler and dish out blessings according to his measure, but to offer a better way. Christ comes with no lists to check. He comes not just to cover our sins but to erase them entirely. (Col. 2:8–15; Isa. 43:25) He doesn't come with two bags in hand, one full of coal from which to give the naughty ones their due, and another full of gifts which will be given to all the good little boys and girls. He comes with one plan and one purpose: propitiation. (1John2:1-2)

This love will not cease. It cannot be stopped. It cannot be tamed. It is love unsought. (1 John 4:19) Before you lift a pinky in repentance, it has already come to you. (Rom. 5:8) It is love that is undeterred by any amount of iniquity. Notwithstanding how awful you may think your soul may be, God's grace is stronger and his love greater. It is not conditioned upon your love for him. It is not administered based on your ranking on the "nice list." It could care less about your perceived goodness. This love comes not just to make you good but to make you holy. It is not bound to any prerequisites. It has no stipulations or constraints. So Merry Christmas sinners! May all your anxiety about lists be abandoned as you lose yourself in the Father's faithful love.

Elder Stan Davala

“If God would grant us the vision, the word sacrifice would disappear from our lips and thoughts; we would hate the things that seem now so dear to us; our lives would suddenly be too short, we would despise time-robbing distractions and charge the enemy with all our energies in the name of Christ. May God help us ourselves by the eternities that separate the Aucas from a Comprehension of Christmas and Him, who, though he was rich, yet for our sakes became poor so that we might, through his poverty, be made rich.” Nate Saint (a fellow missionary to the Auca {Huaorani} tribe who ministered and died with Jim Elliot)

2 Corinthians, 11:3, ‘But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.’

On January 8, 1956, 5 men including Nate Saint and Jim Elliot became martyrs for Christ at the hands of the Auca people. Nate and his fellow missionaries went to minister the word of Christ to a people who would bring them to their earthly end. As Nate’s quote clearly communicates, we as Christ followers have a struggle to let go of “things that seem now so dear to us”. And Nate was right, we get robbed of our time from distractions– especially during the Christmas season. Even this year, in 2020, with the onset of Covid when many are quarantined and many would assume just to stay home, we are conditioned to ‘be on the go’. We can, with all of our good intentions, (even being those who desire to serve Christ), be deceived like Eve.

The words, ‘sincere and pure devotion’ in 2 Corinthians 11:3 communicate a posture of the heart that is not self seeking. Why are we so busy? Why do we constantly try to fill the Christmas quota? Paul’s thought here gives our soul a reprieve for the ‘always on the go restless soul’. And he does so with those words that ring with freedom, ‘sincere and pure devotion to Christ’. Not hurried. Not rushed. But within our lives, within the season of Christmas, God wants for us to simply have sincere and pure devotion to Christ. Can we be led astray, as the Scripture says, by tinsel, by pursuing the ‘perfect’ gifts, by ensuring that everything is ‘just so’ for our idea of Christmas? Yes. Even, our pure devotion that the Scripture speaks of can be polluted, ever so slightly, by fulfilling what we think needs to happen at Christmas.

But Christmas is more and has nothing to do with secular pursuits; it’s not a season of self seeking. And it’s simple. But it’s simplicity does not take away it’s eternal glory. Christmas is Jesus fulfilling prophecy and God’s promise that He would be born of a virgin; yes, it’s Jesus coming into Earth wearing human flesh, remaining sinless so that He could set people free of sin by eventually dying for the sins of the world and then raising from the dead. And we celebrate this great event and call it Christmas. This is what Nate and Jim spoke of, a ‘Comprehension of Christmas’ to the point that it’s simply celebrating the birth of Christ in all His glory. As we settle in this Christmas, let’s turn our souls to the One Who gives freedom, Who simply says, “Come, all those who are burdened and heavy laden… and I will give you rest.”. Rest and celebrate this Christmas, in the simplicity that is Christ.

Merry Christmas,

Pastor Scott Welch

"Once in our world, a stable had something in it that was bigger than our whole world." -C.S. Lewis

Let’s look at the genealogy in Matthew 1:1-16. Let me point out two things about this genealogy. First, we know Matthew is already giving us a condensed version— He is left out multiple generations we find in the Old Testament as he retraces Joseph’s genealogy. But interestingly, he includes four women while cutting people out. He leaves in Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba Now these were not just any old ladies, he puts in four that you would probably leave out. If you were wanting to prove that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. These ladies really would not help your case, they were not the “good girls.” Yet Matthew seems to go out of his way to point out some “bad girls” in his genealogy of Jesus. Tamar was forced to play the part of a prostitute to have children after her husband died. Rahab was a prostitute in Jericho who helped the Israelites as they prepared to take the Promised Land. Ruth was a Moabite who lost her husband, but ultimately won the heart of Boaz, an older man who was willing to accept this widowed foreigner as his wife. And Bathsheba, mentioned only as the one who was the wife of Uriah, was a woman with whom David slept while her husband was away at war fighting on David’s behalf. Each of these women knew pain and hardship. They had been scorned as unclean or sinners by others. But ultimately God used them, blessed them and blessed their offspring. They became a part of God’s redemptive work in the world. So, what does this have to do with Christmas?  Matthew knew. These ladies are not accidents in the story of Jesus, they aren’t an anomaly. They are the point! Matthew understood, Matthew got it. Matthew had heard Jesus say these words, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick” … I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners,” (Mark 2:17) You see, when Jesus came into our world he changed the rules in terms of how people approach God. The thinking back then was like the thinking now, that in order to approach God, I approach him based on what I have done, or what I have not done. The only way God will take me seriously is that I have to be good enough, I’ve done more good than bad. It’s not about what I have done, good or bad, it’s about what God has done for me, in Jesus. It is all gift. It is all grace.  Jesus not only came from sinners, He came for sinners. Jesus came for those who needed gifts only he could give.. acceptance, forgiveness, righteousness, and hope. If you have been in church for years, or just trying this stuff out. If you still approach God in any way based on what you have done, or if you lean away from God based on what you have not done, my prayer for you is that during this season you will abandon this approach to God completely. I want you to understand that it is not about what I have done, it’s not about what I haven’t done, every one of us comes to God 100%, on the basis of what God has done for us in Jesus. That’s Christmas! - Elder Stan Davala

It is the most wonderful time of the year … at least in my opinion.   Like many others, Christmas reminds me of childhood and wonder.  My fondest memories of Christmas time are not memories of the gifts received (although that was fun too).  My fondest memories are those times with family, memories of everyone gathering at my Grandparents house on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  All my Aunts and Uncles (and therefore multiple cousins) lived nearby, so that meant a house full of chaotic goodness.   If I close my eyes, I can almost smell my grandma’s stuffing in the oven and taste her Mississippi Mud pie.  The laughter, noise and comfort…. those were my favorite times and what I dearly miss.  What do I cherish the most?  It’s something that took me a while to appreciate.  Every Christmas, my grandfather, who was a pastor for 50+ years, would gather us around the tree.  He loved Scripture… and he loved to tell the Christmas story.   Why?  Why with all the chaos and frivolity would he take the trouble, every year, to gather us up and settle us all down to hear the story we had all heard a hundred times?   I believe it is because he knew it was important… because he didn’t want the reason for celebration to be lost, insignificant or become just a sweet anecdote.  His heart and motivation was so pure… without Jesus, there is no Christmas.  He would recite passages from memory, as if he was telling the story as a firsthand witness.   When I think of it my favorite Christmas song, ‘O Holy Night’, comes to mind.  The refrain “Fall on your knees …” has always moved me.   The melody captures the power of it so perfectly.  Can you hear it?   “Fall on your knees … “… why?   Jesus was born.  It was a holy night when He descended from heavenly places and put on human flesh.  He came with a redemptive plan.  He was born to be a sacrificial lamb, a “lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:19).  He was born to die, so that I may live.  This was the beginning of the most significant time the world had ever seen.   “A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices.  For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn” … a new age had come.  As John 1:4-5 says, “Behold the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.” My grandfather didn’t just do this for tradition’s sake.  He wanted us all to remember that we are the beneficiaries of the most absolute and epic act of love in history.  It began with His birth and continued through His earthly life, ministry, death and resurrection… And at Christmas we can celebrate it all.   “Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we … Let all within us praise His Holy Name.  Christ is the Lord! O Praise His Name forever…”.

Sherri Welch

I barely remember my Grandmother Kohler. She died when I was 6 years old and I only have a few memories of her. I remember she was tall and heavyset. When I did something wrong and she did the “Grandma” stare at you, you know… hands on hips and snarl on the face.  It was very intimidating! I also remember her trying to teach me to cook in the kitchen of the old farm house near Kilgore.  One winter evening, we all got in the old car and drove to Amsterdam. I asked grandma where we were going. She said to the church to see the birth of Christ. I had no idea what she was talking about. I didn’t even know who Christ was. We parked across the street at the hardware store and as we walked across the road, I saw a crowd of people standing around a small shed with straw all around it. Then I heard a girl reading.  I didn’t know what she was reading but she had the sweetest gentle voice. Grandma said something on the line of “listen”… I was probably running my mouth. I saw some men in bathrobes like my dad wore after he got out of the shower. They had crowns on. They walked up to a young girl and a gentleman holding a baby. It was a real baby! I remember it crying and everyone laughed. I was watching a lamb and a donkey that a local farmer brought in on his trailer. I was laughing because the donkey decided to do his business right there by the shed as the girl was reading. I was mesmerized by what I saw that evening. On the way home, Grandma Kohler tried to explain the event to me. The only thing that stuck in my head was the name “Jesus!” That’s the earliest I remember hearing the name. I talked often about the event and my mom would tell me all about the birth of Christ Jesus. It made such an impact in my early life. Fast forward…I lost my grandma Kohler that summer and years later the church was abandoned and long forgotten. So now all I have now is fleeting memories of some segments of that night. There was a lot of labor put into it so others could hear and see about the birth of the Christ. I am still grateful to all who put on the presentation all those years ago although most of the people have long passed away. Maybe I will get to meet some of them again in heaven and we will reminisce about the Live Nativity Scene in the little town of Amsterdam.  Luke 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger…..

Praise the Lord in the highest!

Elder Jeff Kohler

Long before Christmas parades and Rudolph’s glowing nose, there was a man named Joseph. He was close to breaking off his engagement to a girl named Mary. All the evidence pointed to her being a liar and cheat who had been with another man. Before gingerbread houses and The Hallmark Channel,  there was a donkey ride from Nazareth to Bethlehem with a woman whose water could break at any moment. Long before gifts were put under a tree or stockings hung with care. There were the cries of a King come to us as a baby, born into the coldness of our world, in a stall filled with  stinking manure.

The first Christmas was not holly and jolly. The Son of God was born in a land  far from home, in the darkness, with a psychotic  king intent on killing Him. This new baby is facing 33 years of life in which the whole of humanity would misunderstand and backstab and slander and eventually crucify him while soldiers cast lots for his garments.

Into such a world—our world—the Father sent his Son. Into a world where “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). A world where “people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil” (John 3:19). Yet this is the world that God “so loved… that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). This is the world where “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone” (Isaiah 9:2).

In other words, the brighter the Father’s Light shone into our world, the more clearly we should see our wounds. And the more we should  feel the pains of these wounds, the more clearly we see that this child, this Son, comes as the great Physician of our mind body and soul , who comes to be our healing. The brighter the light, the better we can see God’s love for us.The brighter the light the better we see our healing. Whoever you are, whoever you’re with or not with, whatever wounds afflict you, that baby in his mother’s arms—he has come for you.  Let your wounds be be healed this Christmas season. - Elder Stan Davala

“The Almighty appeared on Earth as a helpless human baby, needing to be fed and changed and taught to talk like any other child. The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets. Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as this truth of the Incarnation." J.I. Packer

Colossians 2:9, ‘For in Him (Jesus Christ) the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,’

Christmas is a great reminder to us that God Himself saw fit to come from Heaven to dwell among us as truly man while retaining His deity. As J.I. Packer communicated, it’s a fantastic truth and one that began communion with God on a level never reached before. Yes, we know that God came to seek and save those who were lost; but within that 33 year mission, mankind was finally able to interact with God on levels that were not available before.

When we commune, we share thoughts and feelings. When we commune with our Lord, the levels on which we commune with Him go above and beyond, and deeper, than just normal human interaction. As we know, human touch can be taken for granted. Even hugs can happen while going through the motions. In fact, human touch or a greeting can even be awkward sometimes, (ex.– a missed high five, a cross between a handshake and a hug that never culminates into either). But God is in the business of demonstrating His love clearly, without confusion, and always. Certainly, God becoming human shows this love. While Jesus was on the Earth, people could see, hear, and walk with Him. They could talk to Him and hear His voice. Imagine, from John 9, what it was like for the man who was blind from birth to have the touch of God on his eyes to make him well!

Coming to Earth to put on human skin also speaks to the extreme, beneficent and divine thoughtfulness of Jesus. God could have remained in Heaven. But we, and the plan He had for us, were on His mind from eternity past. That plan included communion that would begin in the incarnation.

As we go through this Christmas season, let’s be aware of the fact that we are loved by God Who cares and Who chose to be with us. God chose to commune with us. And as we think on this, let it impact our worship to Christ. In the daily quiet moments we spend with God this Christmas season, be encouraged to have your soul impacted by Him as He communes with you, and you with Him. Be reminded of God’s Scriptural promises to you and your shared communion with Him.

Christ's peace to you this Christmas season,

Pastor Scott Welch

“The greatest and most momentous fact which the history of the world records is the fact of Christ’s birth." Charles H. Spurgeon

Luke 1:50, ‘And his mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation.’

Have you ever thought of the impact that the birth of Christ has on the world and how that impact has spanned since the beginning of time? Certainly it’s historic and stands alone in how amazing it truly was. But it’s also personal and it affects every human being. We needed this event. We needed it because we needed God’s mercy. Without the birth of Christ we have no perfect life of Christ. Without the perfect life of Christ, we don’t have the Savior’s death on the cross. Without Jesus’ death on the cross, we have no shedding of blood for the forgiveness of sins. Without the death of the sinless Son of God, we have no resurrection. No resurrection, no redemption. And though the path to redemption started in eternity past, where this path became understandable, practical, and personal to us was our Savior’s birth. It’s understandable because it points to a beginning. We understand how important beginnings are. His birth leads to a person being born again– the beginning of a new life. His birth is practical because it shows how God became fully human. God practically stooped to become human to identify with us. Jesus showed what it meant to walk, talk, and live as a man. And the birth of Jesus was personal in that God so loved the world, that He gave us His best– His only Son.

All of this, this one perfect gift that is understandable, practical and personal is a gift of mercy; mercy to us who don’t deserve it, but a mercy gift that spans generations to those who have an who will reverence Him. For all that it will lead to, thank God for the mercy provided in the gift of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Today, think about God’s mercy on your life and how you can give that mercy to others in a season when it’s so desperately needed.

Merry Christmas,

Pastor Scott Welch

We've all seen a nativity scene before (most of us probably even own one or two). Kings, shepherds, angels, animals, a mother, a father, and a baby. It's a deceptively simple scene, because every character in the scene had a very different journey to the manger. Every character followed a different path, but they all ended up here, at the manger, kneeling before the uncreated creator who came as an infant lying in a trough.  Over the course of the Christmas season, we are reminded of the stories of the shepherds, of Mary and Joseph and of Jesus himself. But before we hear their stories, we should note who is conspicuously absent from this Nativity scene. Someone who by all rights should've been there. I am talking about a man called Herod the Great, the king of Judea at the time Jesus was born. His story is in Matthew 2 Herod should have been first in line to welcome God's messiah. In the ancient world, especially in the Near East, the king was an earthly representative of God. The king's first job was to represent God to the people, to rule as God rules. In the Scriptures, a king was judged as good or bad not based on whether he was politically smart, or provided for a good national defense, or how well he balanced the budget, but by how faithfully he presented himself as a picture of God to the people. Israel's greatest king was David. Despite all his moral failings, David became the almost perfect example of this to God's people. God even made a promise to David that the Savior of the world would one day come from one of  his descendants. So if Herod had been a good king, he'd have been thrilled when the foreign magicians showed up asking about the Messiah - that promised son of David. If he was faithfully representing God to the people, then he should have been first in line to celebrate the final arrival of God's promised king of all kings. Verse 2:16 tells us that Herod’s intentions towards this young child were evil. However, God warns the magicians not to return to Herod. So, they bypass Jerusalem on their way home. When Herod finds out, he was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and younger. As you read Matthew 2, think about this. Everybody involved had the same basic information.  They all knew a baby had been born in Bethlehem and they all knew who the baby was. The wise men, shepherds, angels even the animals knew and worshipped him. But, Herod knew and tried to kill him. His is the story of the man who tried to kill Christmas. It is strange and bizarre and doesn’t seem like it should be in the Bible. It doesn’t seem like we should read it during the Christmas season. It doesn’t sound right amid all the Christmas carols. It doesn’t look right surrounded by sparkling lights and candy canes. Maybe sometimes our  Christmas is too romantic and sterile.   Have a Blessed Season of Christmas – Elder Stan Davala

Matthew 4:16 (NKJV): "The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned."

John 3:17 (NKJV): "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."

I recently had the privilege of selecting the songs for our online praise set.  In looking up songs, I discovered the song "Here Comes Heaven".  This song really touched my heart by talking about a weary world having hope on the horizon with the promise of a savior.  “Sinner wait no more, Love has broken the silence,  Come let us adore, the Savior is with us.” Heaven came down to be with us, a fallen world. We can indeed behold His glory, as Christ is born!! “Over all who mourn, Breaks the dawn of salvation, Darkness reigns no more, For Jesus is greater, He is greater.” 

Yes, we have all experienced some dark or at least confusing times in our lives, especially over this last year.  In those dark or confusing times, we must remember that Jesus is our Light.  A tiny pinprick of light can be seen in a vast auditorium of darkness.  If we remember to look to Him through prayer and scripture He will guide us through those difficult times.

Denise Davala

As we mature in our walk we realize that everything that comes from God has a purpose. Christmas is no exception. In fact, Christmas really shines the light on how much God has done for us. God's one and only Son entered into this world so that we might be saved from sin and death...in spite of ourselves. In spite of our over complications... In spite of our bad days, months or years... In spite of every bad decision we have made, or potentially will make - God introduced flesh and blood, holiness into our impure world. Have you ever been blessed with a gift from someone that cares for you and it was completely and utterly unexpected? How did it make you feel? Did you find yourself at a loss for words of appreciation? Did you feel embarrassed because you didn't have anything to give in return? With God it is like that, but He doesn't want us to feel guilty or embarrassed because we couldn't possibly match the gift that He has given to us. He wants us to know how much we mean to Him. He provided us with the ultimate gift of love and grace - His Son Jesus Christ, who came to be our blood sacrifice, so that in His death we might be free from sin and death. He was born. He lived. He died...all for you, me and for every person in our world.  

God, who am I that you are mindful of me? (Psalm 8)How can I be so important to you?  You are the Creator of the Universe? Yet you gift us such love and grace...But here I am Lord. I accept and receive this gift once more.  All I can give you in return...is me, faults and all...every shred, every blemish, all of me. Help me to receive this grace and love every day. Let every gift you open this season remind you of that one special gift from above that you did not deserve but your  loving God gave it any way as He said “I love you”. Elder Stan Davala

‘When I am afraid, I put my trust in You (God).’ Psalm 56:3

        Christmas time for some is not the easiest time. For some, it’s filled with darkness, depression, and anxiety. To those who’s experience is the opposite, it’s difficult, and sometimes impossible, to even fathom that Christmas would be anything less than joyful. But there it is, Christmas, once again for some, can be a time that is extremely difficult. And why would it be difficult? Various reasons… a death of a loved one, a memory that continually haunts during Christmas, the fact that everyone else around you is happy which makes you feel less than, etc. There are various reasons for sadness and anxiety during Christmas. How do we cope... and can we overcome?

GOD CAN BE TRUSTED...

The psalmist states in Psalm 56:3, ‘When I am afraid, I put my trust in You (God).’. God, by His very nature, is the Comforter and is equally trustworthy. As we put our trust in Him, He delivers on His promise. There’s a saying that’s used in movies when someone is entering a place that brings certain destruction, “Abandon all hope ye who enter!”. And that’s how some of us feel when entering into the Christmas season. But God, being worthy to be trusted, would instead say, “Abandon all fear, ye who trust Me.”. The Bible says in 1 John 4:18, ‘Perfect love casts out all fear.’. The fact that God is love, that He’s perfect, and that His love knows no boundaries for His children, tells us that in our times of fear as we face God, fear can only go one place in the presence of perfect security– away! Some of us when we were children know the safety of a father’s embrace when pain was on our doorstep. How much more security does our Heavenly Father (being perfect) provide for us?

GOD’S GUIDANCE BRINGS US JOY...

Will we be spared of every pain whether physical, spiritual, or emotional? No. But we are promised that Jesus is in control and that He will lovingly guide us through our pain, anxiety, dark times and sadness. As we continually come to Jesus, (and those of us who struggle in this unique way know that our coming to Jesus continually is a necessity), we come to Him out of a need. Every time we’re depleted of our memory of the fact that God is still there and working in our lives in a time when we’re sad, we come back to Him. We take the initiative to get filled by Him. We ask Him and He will answer. The Bible says in Ephesians 5:18, ‘… but be filled with the Spirit,’. We come to God and ask Him to fill us. As He fills us, He reminds us of His goodness, the security He provides, and the promises He’s made to us. As He fills us, we’re reminded of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5) that the Holy Spirit produces in our life: love, joy, peace, and so on (Perfect love casts out fear, The joy of the Lord is my strength, Peace I leave with you).

JOYFUL RESTORATION IS GOD’S WILL FOR YOU...

Lastly, as God fills us, He restores what we temporarily thought we lost. Psalm 51:12 is written in reference to King David in a time of repentance after He had sinned greatly. He knew the only cure was what God provides. For his spirit to be healed, David didn’t seek food, a destructive habit, or complaining. David went to where the answer was real and the only answer that sustains. David cried out to God, ‘Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.’. Even though this Scripture was written in answer to David’s sin, the solution is very relevant to times of sadness and anxiety, as well. During those times, we need the joy of our relationship with God restored. During a time of a shadow of death, we need a fresh memory of an eternal promise of life that was given to us by Jesus. We need a willing spirit that is willing to believe the good promises of our God. This certainly will sustain us.

The birth of our Lord Jesus Christ carried with it a promise for new life in Him, eternal life through Him, but also a life that has access to sustainable joy throughout life with Him. May God’s promise of joy be realized and embraced by we who struggle with sadness and anxiety this Christmas season.

Merry Christmas,

Pastor Scott Welch

In the book of Genesis we see the first prophecies of Christmas appearing: In Genesis 1:27 God formed Adam in the Image of Christ. In Genesis 5 & 11  we see that Jesus is the Son of Adam and the Son of God.  Genesis 49:10  declares that Jesus is the King from the tribe of Judah. But in my opinion, The revelation that we find  in Genesis 3 is absolutly amazing  we find that because of role that Satan has played in the fall of mankind a curse was placed on him and he was marked for defeat. In the garden, when man first sinned , Satan appears victorious. Yet when God curses Satan, He announces his defeat at the hands of a child who would be born thousands of years later, telling him, (Gen. 3:15) “he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” In effect God declares war on Satan. Throughout His-story a battle has ensued over the protection of God’s people. On a certain night in Bethlehem,  Christ was born to fulfill a prophecy made at the beginning of history. Luke 2:9-14 tells us that a host of angels.  When the Scriptures describes the heavenly “host,” it is in reference to a military unit or an army, not a heavenly choir. The Shepherds are now witnessing a battle-cry of a multitude of the heavenly army. Shouting “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” This was not a “silent night” at all in fact this was a war cry! The Victor, Warrior, King has come to the war front. The coming of the Savior means that a victory over sin is coming to a world that desperately needs it.

Knowing this, Satan sought to destroy Him while still a child by influencing Herod to kill all the baby boys in the region of Bethlehem. John speaks of it in Revelation 12 when he says: “And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron…” And yet it is Satan who is destroyed.   Christmas means peace on earth, but this peace comes at a cost. The battle here will not be won with swords and ancient warfare but through the perfect life and suffering of the very son of God.

 

Luke 2:14, “Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!”

             Within Luke 2:14, sewn in the middle of the story of the birth of Christ, is a blessing and a warning. A blessing in that the Lord infinitely and eternally loves His people. He gives us promises, an everlasting covenant, and He of course gives us Himself. Because of Jesus, His people have peace. And God is pleased with us because of what Jesus has done in and through us (1 Corinthians 6:11).

But it is a warning, as well. A signpost that says, “Look at what the verse actually says.” It rightly implies that there are those among the human race on Earth with whom God is not pleased. Why is He not pleased with some? Because of their rejection of His only Son, Jesus Christ and His offer of forgiveness of sin. The fact that Christmas time is here and wonderful sounding songs are playing don’t change the fact that there are some who stand willfully apart from His favor and that don’t know of the forgiveness He offers. The popular Christmas songs mistakenly say something like, “Peace on Earth, goodwill to men.” when Luke 2:14 says differently… and this gives people who don’t walk in relationship with Jesus a false sense of security. And so, for the Christian, Christmas time is truly a time to, “Go Tell IT On The Mountain that Jesus Christ is Born.” to those who don’t know the love of the Savior.

For those with whom God is pleased (we who are in a saving relationship with Christ), we have a two-fold purpose that lasts all year and certainly during Christmas time. That is this, Bring Glory to God (1 Corinthians 10:31), and Proclaim God’s Good News that Jesus Forgives Sin (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Romans 10:13). Look around during Christmas time at the opportunities God supplies to people to ‘go and tell’; they’re seemingly endless. During this season,

Pray for those opportunities.

Build relationships within those opportunities.

and as the Holy Spirit emboldens you…

Tell of Jesus’ reason for coming to the Earth to forgive sin.

God’s favor is resting on us to give Him glory and to tell others. Make much of Christ in your life and make much of the Gospel opportunities He gives you.

Merry Christmas,

Pastor Scott Welch

‘Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all tribes of the Earth will wail on account of Him. Even so. Amen.’ Revelation 1:7

The word Advent means arrival or coming. The 1st advent was the incarnation; God coming to Earth, born of a virgin. The 2nd Advent of our Lord Jesus will be a time when, as the Scripture says, ‘... every eye will see Him.’. The first time Jesus Christ came to the Earth only a select few saw Him. He came to this world in the most humble way anyone could, as a helpless baby. He came to this world born in a place that was made for farm animals and really was the only place left that had any trappings of a sub par place to stay. The first time He came to the Earth, He came as a King, but as a king that chose to live as a peasant. He  came with the goal to seek and save that which was lost. His first arrival set up His second arrival. Again, few saw His first arrival and the rest of us who believe, up to this point, know Him by faith. We who believe, and have believed, know that the little baby who was born of a virgin as the Savior, the Lord, our Healer, our Deliverer, our King. His first arrival set the foundation for eternity for those who live by faith. The Lord’s 2nd arrival, the 2nd coming, will be one in which every eye will see Him. And for those of us who live and believe now wait for that day to arrive. As the Scripture says, ‘Come Lord Jesus, Come.’ We long for His arrival. But until then, we take pleasure in celebrating the birth of our Lord. We celebrate because He saw fit to arrive once... and will do it again because He loves. God sent His only Son... we treasure and celebrate the reason for this first advent... Jesus. And soon, because of the first advent, our faith will be made sight. No more tears or pain. Because of the first advent, true love was demonstrated and and true love through Christ will be eternally realized. Even so, come Lord Jesus.

Merry Christmas,

Pastor Scott Welch

Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require. Then I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me.  I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:6-8).

In Psalm 40 David spoke about his own willingness to submit to God and to make an offering of his heart and life before Him. That is exactly how Psalm 40 is quoted in Hebrews 10:5-7. This passage tells us where Christmas began. It wasn’t in the department stores. It wasn’t with Charles Dickens and A Christmas Carol. It wasn’t with Santa Claus, It wasn’t with Mary and Joseph in a stable. It wasn’t even with the announcement of Gabriel to Mary and Joseph that Mary would bear a child by the Holy Spirit. To get to where Christmas began, we have to leave planet earth entirely, and bring ourselves into the very throne room of God. There, before the foundation of the world, is where Christmas began. It began in heaven, and when God the Father agreed to send; when God the Son agreed to go; and when God the Holy Spirit agreed to guide. Christmas began because something was lacking. This is reflected in the words, “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire.” The reason sacrifice and offering are necessary is because of sin. Yet the sacrifices of animals in the Old Testament were not enough – and whatever sacrifice we make in our life is not enough to take away our sin. Because sacrifice and offering are not enough, God knew that we needed Christmas.

When we think where Christmas began – in the heaven of heavens, in the secret council of God it should fill our heart with true worship. It should make us humbly ask forgiveness for every time we have doubted God’s love. It should make us acknowledge that we are unworthy, but that His love is even greater than our unworthiness.  David the writer of so many Psalms never saw baby Jesus lying in a manger in Bethlehem, but he did see where Christmas began. Can you see it also?

‘And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. ‘ Luke 2:16

God wants us to seek Him. He wants us to go to Him with urgency. During the Christmas season when God has sovereignly seen fit to make known to the world that His Son was born, there seems to be more of an awareness that God is, that He lives, and that He came for us. And the call throughout Scripture has been and still is: Come to Him, Come to Me all you who are heavy laden, Come and see! The shepherds in Luke 2 have given us a template; they made haste. And when we make haste, when we go with urgency to God whether out of joy or need, God ensures that we, like the shepherds, will find Him. This Christmas, make haste and find Him. For all who call out to the Lord Jesus will find Him.

Merry Christmas,

Pastor Scott Welch

Candles … we love them.  We have them all over our homes.  We light them on colorful cakes to celebrate the birthday of loved ones.  We use them to light luminaries that line streets.  On Christmas Eve, we light a candles and sing carols in remembrance and celebration of the birth of Christ.  What is it about a simple flickering flame?   I began to reflect on this question, and I had some thoughts.   First, many of us light candles to set a tone, to bring an ambience of calm and peace into our home.  How like the Holy Spirt.  When we invite the presence of God into our home through scripture and prayer it changes the atmosphere of a home.   Peace invades the chaos.  The warmth of Christ’s love keeps the flame of hope alive at even the most difficult times.   The candle also provides light, illuminating a shadowy room and shaking off the gloom of darkness.  Like the candle, even on our worst days, the light of Christ still shines brightly.  Second Samuel 22:29  says “For You are my lamp, O Lord; And the Lord illumines my darkness.”  … and when he does …  “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matt 5:16).   I remember a saying from long ago … “It costs a candle nothing to light another candle”… the light that Christ provides in our own life is meant to be shared.   As it says in Luke 11, “No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light”.  As you light, the Christmas candles in your home or during a beautiful service.  Remember THE LIGHT, Christ Jesus, who descended from heaven to bring hope to a weary world through Salvation in HIM.  If you have received this priceless gift, remember the image of one candle lighting another… share this gift with others… and let us light up the world.   “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  John 8:12- Sherri Welch

In the Christmas hymn “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” we read this in the second verse “Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord, late in time behold him come, offspring of the Virgin's womb: veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail th'incarnate Deity, pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus, our Immanuel. “ So what is it to be incarnate? In the easiest terms it means “in flesh” It represents one of the most foundational, and some might say scandalous, claims of the Christian faith. It is when the eternal Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, added humanity to His deity. He never became less God, but He added a human nature to His divine nature, and so became one person with two distinct natures, functioning together in perfect harmony We should also remember that the humanity that Jesus added to His Divine nature was not the sinful humanity we live with every day. The late theologian R.C. Sproul said, “What we celebrate at Christmas is not so much the birth of a baby, as important as that is, but what’s so significant about the birth of that particular baby is that in this birth we have the incarnation of God Himself.” John 1:14 is clear: “The Word became flesh.” In other words, it was the Son from eternity who became incarnate. In other words, the God of the Universe – the all-powerful, all-loving Being who created the world and everything in it – chose to become a tiny baby. Although never ceasing to be God, he knew exactly what it was like to be a human – for good and for bad. He made friends, he found enemies. He knew joy and sorrow. He laughed and he got angry. He experienced childhood and – as Easter reminds us – he died. Since Genesis 1, again and again you see God’s desire to have an intimate presence with His people. He is not a deity that that is far off on some mountaintop. He wants to be right in the thick of things. God always wants to dwell in the midst of His people. The incarnation means there is a God in heaven who knows what we go through – not only in theory, but in actual practice, He knows. It means that God does not ask of us what He has not done Himself. If you ever wondered how much God understands and loves you, look down at the manger and up at the cross. – Have a blessed and Merry Christmas from our family to yours.. Elder Stan Davala