When you call on the name of Jesus and open up your heart to receive Him, He moves into your life in His entire presence and His entire being.  You become just like it was in the garden in the beginning: a spirit being in a flesh body, in contact with the living God.

Have you considered recently that God gave His Son to die on a cross, so that you might be justified just as if you had never sinned? This is amazing love!

For many of us today, regardless of our society, we allow the phrases “NO! You can’t!” “NO! You shouldn’t!” “NO! That’s not right!” “NO! It’s not possible!” to control our destinies. Realize today that Christ takes the parentheses off your life. He puts a plus on your future because He says, “All things are possible, only believe!” (Mark 9:23 paraphrased)

Millions of people around the globe today, perhaps even billions, celebrate this Christmas Christ who lives in the heart.

This Christmas season, in whatever situation you find yourself, remember—Christmas is not a brightly decorated, commercial season, but it is rather a moment of time when God determined to put on human flesh and dwell among us.

Remember, the God who is the Creator of the universe and all that we see is not some ethereal, cosmic, mystic being. No!  He is God with us, Emmanuel—the One who has come to live and dwell in our hearts!

We say to you: Merry Christmas! And may Christ dwell in your heart, and in your family!

When you have an encounter with Jesus Christ and surrender your life to receive Him as your Savior and Lord, it is not just an emotional experience. It is not just a rational, intelligent moment of decision. It is not just a cleansing of your past and passport to your future.

The seed of God has been planted in you in the same miraculous way that the seed of God was planted in Mary to produce the Lord Jesus!  You have to say yes to His will the same way Mary did. She did not understand but said, “Be it done unto me according to your will.”

Peter describes this phenomenon by declaring: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.”  1 Peter 1:23

You have a miracle in you! All His purpose and power is now able to grow and develop in you. This gives special meaning when we celebrate His birth at Christmas!

Joshua Blayhi says he had an encounter similar to the biblical account of Saul on the road to Damascus, where a bright light appeared and Jesus spoke, telling Blayhi to stop killing or he would die. Saul of Tarsus, who became Apostle Paul, was a persecutor of Christians and orchestrated the stoning of the first recorded Christian martyr, Stephen.

How could this be? How could these men break free of the desire to murder over and over again? How could their hearts and imaginations be so totally changed? The Apostle Paul would later state in the scriptures that we have all sinned, falling short of God’s glory. Certainly, not all are killers—but all are sinners. In the accounts of these two men we find the death of a sinner… But we also see the resurrection of a saint!

Becoming truly free not only required God’s forgiveness, but both Saul and Joshua Blayhi had to forgive themselves. Self-forgiveness is often a bitter pill to swallow. Although God’s grace had forgiven both, each daily faced the effects of their sin.

Neither Paul nor Joshua demonstrates any fear in declaring the good news. One man lived 2,000 years ago, the other lives today, but the same truth delivered both men and gave them strength to face their sin and devote themselves to helping people—and, in Joshua’s case, to seek restitution!  Paul said to the church at Rome, “I am not ashamed of the gospel (good news), for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes!”

Today, Jesus offers you freedom from your past and hope for your future! You can be forgiven and you can forgive yourself!

How many evils committed could disqualify you from God’s mercy? How many murders would be unforgivable and banish you to eternal suffering? Joshua Blahyi, a former Liberian warlord, knows something about God’s grace. Raised to be a tribal priest, he began conducting weekly human sacrifices at age 11.  As an adult, he became one of the most feared warlords of Africa. After giving his life to Christ in 1996, and beginning his ministry in 1999, Blahyi renounced his violent past and confessed to murdering nearly 20,000 people during Liberia’s 14-year civil war.

Still feared by many, he was the subject of a “PBS” documentary. Curious about this radical conversion, the filmmakers followed Blahyi for 5 years as he sought forgiveness from those he had harmed.

Though the consequences were unknown, Blahyi agreed to admit his crimes before Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. According to The Christian Post, he says, “I went to the TRC because I wanted to reconcile with my country and free my conscience.” Fortunately, the commission recommended amnesty.

How could a person change so dramatically? How could one’s conscience be cleansed from such horrific actions?

If I were to put a bunch of apple seeds into your hand you would probably get a picture of what could be produced from them. The same is true if I filled your hands with turtle eggs.

If I were to put the seed of a human into your hand, try and think of the possibility!

We look at the Japanese bonsai tree with its artistic, dwarfed size and shape and admire it. Most of humanity has gone through an unseen process like the bonsai tree. Humans have been restricted, confined and twisted to a shape of another’s liking. It could be religion, family criticism, personal inferiority and fears, or the example of others that has made you feel dwarfed and twisted, but Jesus came to set the captives free! Each of us has an ability to dream of the possibilities in our future.  It is a risk to go beyond the parameters, but no one will ever know how high you can grow until you allow yourself to reach! God has put a future in you that reaches into eternity. Stretch for it today!

I believe that you can find the power of divine forgiveness! You can accept Jesus’ forgiveness in your life for your own wrong doings, sins and shortcomings!  And you can freely forgive those who have wronged you! Jesus said, ‘There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.’

If you are looking for forgiveness today, say this with me, ”Jesus, I believe You forgave me 2,000 years ago. Right now I receive Your forgiveness, and I ask You come into my heart now.”

If you prayed this prayer, I want you to go to our website at www.lesliemcnulty.com and find the tools that we have for you.  Tools that will help you find a life full of love, faith, and hope in the future!

Scripture: John 15:13

According to the Holy Scriptures, King Solomon was considered to be the wisest and richest King who ever lived. He had all the power, riches, wine and women he could ever desire. He pursued the essence of happiness and his sad conclusion is found in a book called Ecclesiastes. He found only emptiness. His verdict on pursuing happiness? Who needs it!!

We conclude that he was searching for happiness in all the wrong places. If that’s so, where do we find happiness? Many have reached the same conclusion as Augustine, a powerful 3rd-century noble, who pursued women and wine. He said, “Indeed, man wishes to be happy even when he so lives as to make happiness impossible!”

Walking down one of the streets he had frequented before, a local harlot called out, “Augustine, it is I! It is I!” Augustine responded, “It is not I! It is not I!” Why? He had discovered a new identity for himself!