Merry
Christmas to all who love Christ Jesus
And
for whom this season is a reminder
Of the
wonderful Savior we serve;
Who
fills us with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory. We are:
Strangers
in the world..., who have been chosen
According
to the foreknowledge of God the Father,
Through
the Sanctifying work of the Spirit, for Obedience to Jesus Christ
And
sprinkled by His blood.
Grace
and Peace be yours in abundance.
Praise
be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
In
His great mercy He has given us New Birth into a Living Hope
Through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
And
into an inheritance that can NEVER perish, spoil of fade--
Kept
in Heaven for you, Who through Faith are Shielded by God's Power
Until
the coming of the Salvation that is ready to be REVEALED in the Last
Time.
In
this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while
You
may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of TRIALS.
These
have come so that your Faith—of greater worth than gold, which
perishes
Even
though refined by fire—may prove genuine
And
may result in Praise, Glory and Honor when Jesus Christ is REVEALED.
Though
you have not seen Him, you love Him;
And
even though you do not see Him now,
You
BELIEVE in Him and are filled with an Inexpressible and Glorious Joy,
For
you are receiving the GOAL of your Faith, the Salvation of your
souls.
Concerning
this Salvation, the Prophets,
Who
spoke of the Grace that was to come to you,
Searched
intently and with the greatest care,
Trying
to find out the time and circumstances
To
which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing
When
He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the Glories that would
follow.
It
was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you,
When
they spoke of the things that have now been told you
By
those who have preached the Gospel to you by the Holy Spirit
Sent
from Heaven.
Even
angels long to look into these things.
Therefore,
prepare your minds for ACTION; Be self-controlled;
Set
your Hope FULLY on the Grace to be given you
When
Jesus Christ is REVEALED.
As
obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires
You
had when you lived in IGNORANCE.
But
just as He Who called you is Holy, so be Holy in all you do;
For
it is WRITTEN: 'Be Holy, because I AM Holy.'
Since
you call on a Father Who judges each man's work impartially,
Live
your lives as STRANGERS here in reverent fear.
For
you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or
gold
That
you were REDEEMED from the empty way of life
Handed
down to you from your forefathers,
But
with the PRECIOUS BLOOD of Christ,
A
Lamb without blemish or defect.
He
was chosen before the Creation of the World,
But
was revealed in these Last Times for your sake.
Through
Him you BELIEVE in God,
Who
raised Him from the dead and Glorified Him,
And
so your Faith and Hope are in God.
Now
that you have PURIFIED yourselves by OBEYING the TRUTH
So
that you have sincere love for your brothers,
Love
one another deeply from the heart.
For
you have been Born Again, not of perishable seed,
But
of IMPERISHABLE, through the Living and Enduring Word of God. For
'ALL
men are like grass and ALL their glory is like the flowers of the
field;
The
grass withers and the flowers fall,
But
the Word of the Lord Stands FOREVER [Isaiah 40-6-8].' (1 Peter 1)
And
this is the Word that was preached to you.
Therefore,
rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy,
And
slander of every kind.
Like
newborn babies, crave Pure Spiritual Milk,
So
that by it you may grow up on your Salvation,
Now
that you have tasted that the Lord is GOOD. (1 Peter 2:1-3)
The
apostle Peter speaks eloquently
To each one of us this Christmas
Season.
Of
the Great Salvation we have received.
I
pray that we will all walk in it, in Love and Faith.
Merry
Christmas!
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