Random Thoughts on the Really Good News

"Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48) There we have it from Jesus himself. All we have to do to have a Merry Christmas is "be perfect" . Oops! Guess Santa may not be coming to town after all! Anyone know any perfect people? Neither does Jesus. "There is no one righteous, not even one...all have sinned" (Romans 3:10; 23) I don't know about you but I am counting on the gift of GRACE again this Christmas! "...the grace of God given to you by Christ Jesus..." (1 Corinthians 1:4) Gifts from God are not rewards for good behavior…that is only required by Santa Clause.  Gifts coming to us from God are free - and grace is just the beginning. "Grace" is not all we get for free, here is a few other things... “For by grace you have been saved…it is a gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8-9) “My peace I give to you…” (John 14:27) “…the free gift of God is eternal life…” (Romans 6:23) A Father’s l

God said this through King David… “The Lord is good to everyone: and His compassion rests on all He has made.” (Psalm 145:9 HCSB). God said this through Jesus… “And if thy hand causes your downfall, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and go to hell - the unquenchable fire, where the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:43-44). Did Jesus really say that? Not exactly. What Jesus actually said, properly translated… “And if your hand causes your downfall, cut it off. It is better to enter life maimed than to have two hands and go to Gehenna – the unquenchable fire, where the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched” I have highlighted the one word that differs, but it changes everything. Gehenna means “valley of the sons of Hinnom”. It was a real place outside the walls of Jerusalem at the time Jesus made the above comment. It was an unclean place to the Jews who used the site to burn dead carcasses of animals and