You may use this for your Facebook cover photo as a springboard to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

(Article originally published on Good Friday 2015)

The definition of good means to be morally excellent; righteous. However, we often misuse the word "good" to describe music we like, activities we enjoy and entertainment that amuses. Though music, activities and entertainment might delight our fancies, if they are absent of God, they are absent of good. Many things I enjoy are fun, lively and jubilant, but they cannot be good unless the focus of all these things magnifies the LORD my God.

Not to say it's a sin, or in any way wrong for people to enjoy music, arts, etc., that is absent of praise and glory to God (though it is a sin to enjoy anything or anyone who mocks righteousness and promotes ungodliness). But as God's dearly beloved children, let's call things as they actually are. Let us not call anything good, awesome, holy, etc., unless it pertains to the only one who is all these things: God Almighty. These attributes are exclusive to God.

"And Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.

as it is written:

      'None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All

      have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good,

      not even one.'

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved"

~Mark 10:18, Romans 3:10-12, Ephesians 2:1-5 (ESV)

On this day more than 2,000 years ago, the Son of God breathed His last after He was betrayed by one of his own, abandoned by His closest friends, brutally beaten by envious men, falsely accused, publicly humiliated and jeered at; despised more than a murderer, nailed to a cross between two thieves, further ridiculed and tormented while in excruciating pain; died a sinners death, and was buried in a borrowed tomb because He had no earthly possessions of His own—and this is what God calls good.

By all accounts, this day was a grief-stricken day for the Lord Jesus. But He endured the agony and the fullest extent of God's wrath, not because it was a pleasant experience for Him, but because it was good for those He came to save.

Disrobing Himself of His glory, Jesus, the Son of God descended from Heaven, came to earth as a helpless babe, born of a virgin, alone fulfilled all the righteous commandments of God, qualifying Himself as the one and only perfect sacrifice for the sins of those He came to save.

Jesus Christ was the only human being who lived a sinless life, yet died a sinners death. As it is written, "For while we were yet still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one would scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare to die—but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God." (Romans 5:6-9, ESV)

This is love.

This is good.

How do people respond to God's amazing grace and mercy poured out to us through the crushing of His one and only Son? The three most common responses are to:

1. Repent and receive this good news, that is, the Gospel of God's grace;
2. Utterly reject God's grace;
3. Merely profess with our lips that we've repented and received God's grace through Jesus Christ, yet our lives prove that we're just another Judas.

These last two responses, are not good. And those who respond this way, are to be the most pitied in all creation.

"I have been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus; I am a member of his visible Church; I sit at the communion table: all these are so many kisses of my lips. Am I sincere in them? If not, I am a base traitor. Do I live in the world as carelessly as others do, and yet make a profession of being a follower of Jesus? Then I must expose religion to ridicule, and lead men to speak evil of the holy name by which I am called. Surely if I act thus inconsistently I am a Judas..."

~Charles  Spurgeon

(excerpt from Evening Devotional, March 25)

Examine yourselves with Scripture to see if you are in the faith (2 Cor 13:5). And never do the most hateful thing to those you love by confirming their salvation when there is no biblical proof they are truly saved, but there is clear evidence they are merely a Judas. Rather, do the most loving thing and urge them to examine themselves with Scripture, urge them to repent, to turn from their sinful lifestyle, and cry out to God Almighty to save them.

Today, if you hear the goodness of God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ, do not harden your hearts, and do not lie to yourself about where you truly stand before the sight of God Almighty. Repent and believe the Gospel.

If you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then share the good news of Jesus Christ today. As you rejoice in this great love God has lavished on you (1 John 3:1-3), tell others why this day is called Good Friday.

"Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or His ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.

"The LORD saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice. He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then His own arm brought Him salvation, and His righteousness upheld Him.

" 'And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,' declares the LORD."

~Isaiah 59:1-2, 16, 20 (ESV)

The prevalent thoughts and images about the "spirit" of Christmas usually involves: Santa Claus, worldly peace, sweets, merriment, feasting, lavish gift giving and receiving, the hustle and bustle of shopping and enjoying elaborate entertainment events to celebrate the birth of Jesus—the First Coming of Christ, the only begotten Son of God. But none of these things are found in any of the Old Testament prophecies or in the New Testament accounts of the great and glorious day that our Creator entered into His own creation as a humble babe.

Please don't misunderstand, I'm not saying we ought not enjoy celebrating Christmas. My family does. What I am saying is, the focus and purpose of our joyful celebrations should be the same as God's focus and purpose: to bring the Good News of eternal salvation by giving us Christ as a propitiation for our sins.

The true spirit of Christmas and the reason for the season according to God is: eternal salvation.

"I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel...Abraham said, 'God will provide for Himself a lamb for a burnt offering, my son.'

"I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a Light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness...He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then His own Arm brought Him salvation, and His righteousness upheld Him...And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,' declares the LORD.

"She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord...And it was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ...for my eyes have seen Your salvation that You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light of revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to Your people Israel."

~Gen 3:15, 22:8; Is 42:6-7, 59:16, 20;

Mt 1:21; Lk 2:11, 26, 30-32 (ESV)

The spirit of Christmas isn't about just being happy and more thoughtful to others than we would be any other time of the year. It isn't about making sure everyone says "Merry Christmas" rather than "Happy Holidays". The essence of Christmas is the Son of God, coming in human form, to save sinners from what our sins have earned us: the wrath of God, which is eternal damnation in Hell.

This is why Christ came the first time. This is the Good News. This is the peace of God. This was God providing His own Lamb for the final and only acceptable sacrifice—for the remission of sins.

We nonchalantly say "The reason for the season is Christ". But we don't finish the sentence. The reason for the season is Christ came to save sinners...like you and me. 

So let us, the beloved children of the Most High God, stop trying to make the world do what they can never do on their own; give honor, praise and glory to our Lord Jesus (Heb 11:6). And let us stop entertaining the worldly and ephemeral, warm and fuzzy feelings of Christmas through decorating our homes and mere acts of charity. Rather let us do what Christ came to do—let us engage in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ, adorning our hearts with His Word, while doing good to others. Because this is the true spirit of Christmas and the reason for this season.

I've been a bit behind on my writing due to multiple doctor's appointments, tests, etc. regarding my most recent health trial with premature ventricular contractions (PVCs); which I will share in more detail with my next article. So stay tuned.

I'm thankful to the Lord for all He's endured me through and also for this little bit of a breather so I can catch you up on the most recent happenings.

Last Thursday, October 16, 2014 I had the blessing of being interviewed live, on Brannon Howse's Worldview Weekend Radio program. If you missed it, you can visit my media page or listen to the podcast here.

What a joy it is to be connected with another faithful saint in Christ who loves God's Word, God's truth and God's people. I am grateful to the Lord for Brannon's much needed ministry to the Body of Christ in a time where apostasy is prevalent, and false teachings within the church are more dangerous to Christians than all the world's "persecutions" against us.

Sadly, one of those people who are no longer teaching what is in accord with sound doctrine, from within the Body of Christ, is Kirk Cameron. Rather, it seems Kirk has embraced a theological view called Christian Reconstructionism (Theonomy).

Over the past several years, he has put himself under the teachings of, and produced work alongside those who adhere to this view, namely David Barton, Gary DeMar and more recently, Darren Doane who's a preterist. You mix them all together and you get a very confused bag of Christianity that makes for a good psychological suspense drama, but not for good and sound doctrinal theology. This vagabond theology produces syncretistic posts like this one below (the "Day of Annunciation" is a Roman Catholic observance).

I get it. Kirk is very likable. Kirk is also very good friends with people I am very good friends with. All of this makes what I've been sharing about him this past week, very difficult. If I knew Kirk and his family, I'm sure I'd want to be their friend. I'm not sure they'd want to be mine. But being friends with someone or gauging their likability should not determine whether or not I support and promote someone's work.

This is where my personal affinities must be sacrificed to live a life abandoned to Christ: sola Scriptura, sola gratia, sola fide, solus Christus, soli Deo gloria. As C.T. Studd once said, "If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him."

While I enjoy  being liked rather than persecuted; being part of the crowd rather than standing out (or speaking out for that matter), the Spirit of Christ within me burns with passion for His Word and His truth—no matter the cost.

"Discernment is not a matter of simply telling the difference between right and wrong; rather it is telling the difference between right and almost right."

~Charles Spurgeon

Due to the many other strange things Kirk Cameron is teaching with his latest movie Saving Christmas which you can read here, I must speak out. I must warn. I must alert you to these "almost right" but not quite right things he's claiming about our Savior's birth. By the way, Kirk is now also teaching that Halloween has Christian foundations and meaning as well. You can read that story here.

I'm reminded of a sermon I heard from Alistair Begg a few weeks ago on 2 Timothy 3:6-9.

"The real threat to the church...is not external political pressure from outside. It's not economic issues. No, the real threat to the church is, and always has been and always will be, the internal threat of disillusion—of moral and doctrinal declension on the part of leadership which then filters through into the very core of churches."

~Alistair Begg, "Bad Men, Weak Women"

As Pastor Begg states in his sermon, the greatest threat to Christians during the Apostle Paul's day, our day and all the days before us, are not from outside our churches, but from within. When pastors, elders and teachers are not diligent to understand the world around them and the heresies that are being taught, then they cannot and will not be diligent to alert and warn their flock of the ubiquitous false teachings that are creeping into our hearts and homes.

This past Sunday our Associate Pastor encouraged us with the reminder that though Jesus spoke in parables, that doesn't mean we ought to carelessly and arrogantly think we can make parables and allegories out of everything we read in the Bible. Rather, we need to remember why Jesus spoke in parables (Matt 13:10; Lk 8:10).

Too many people who presume to be teachers of the Word (not realizing what a fearful thing this truly is, James 3:1) carelessly speak of the things of God. Without the necessary fear of God that is the beginning of wisdom, they foolishly twist and mangle God's Word to craft snappy, philosophical parables and allegories with the intent to make the general public, including non-Christians easily understand the mysteries of God. Which is antithetical to why Jesus used parables.

We can't replace God's holy precepts with our faulty ingenuity for the sake of "reaching a larger audience."

Please friends, be careful who you choose to follow and support the work of, because whether you realize it or not, their teachings, solid or shaky, will infiltrate your heart and mind. Whomever you choose to follow will either help you gain a holier and clearer view of God, or they will hinder your intimacy with God through a humanistic and muddy view of the Great I Am.

On Friday, November 14, 2014 Kirk Cameron's "Saving Christmas" will be opening in select theaters across the country for only two weeks.

This movie is all about making fun of any Christian who doesn't think like or agree with Kirk Cameron and his company. According to Kirk and friends, one of the main purposes of "Saving Christmas" is to dispel the beliefs that most of our traditional Christmas practices e.g., decorating Christmas trees, feasting, mistletoe, gift exchanges, etc., are from pagan origins or fabricated myths about actual people who lived during the fourth-century—namely Saint Nicholas of Lycia, commonly known in the United States as Santa Claus.

"Our focus on December 25 came from the Roman holiday called Saturnalia. This was a pagan observance of the birthday of the unconquered sun. Saturnalia began December 19 each year...Many of our Christmas customs have their origins in Saturnalia, which was marked by feasting, parades, special music, gift giving, lighted candles, and green trees. As Christianity spread through the Roman empire, the pagan holiday was given Christian connotations."

~John MacArthur, The Miracle of Christmas, p. 50

From the Puritans in England during the 1600s to the early Puritans here in the States, celebrating Christmas in a pagan-like revelry was considered a sin and was therefore avoided altogether. Similarly, there are many Christians today who still hold this view and according to God, are free to do so. However, Kirk Cameron and his crew disagree and portrays the main character of this film, Christian White (Darren Doan) as one "who represents the typical white Christian male and he’s got a bad case of religious bah humbugs," because he feels common Christmas celebratory practices aren't about Christ, but about pagan and secular jubilees.

"One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor for the Lord and give thanks to God.

"The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin."

~Romans 14:5-6, 22-23 (ESV)

In the trailer, another character rejoices saying, "the scales have fallen off" when Christian White is convinced by Kirk Cameron's character that "Everything you see inside of there, it's all about Christmas. It's all about Jesus." Of course, what's in "there", that is, the house, is Santa Claus, feasting, gifts, a Christmas tree, gifts, etc.

The makers of this movie belittle those who remain steadfast in their beliefs to abstain from Christmas celebrations. And by default, encourage others to do the same. To ensure I was clear regarding one of the main purposes of this film, Darren Doan who not only plays the lead character, but also scripted, produced and directed the movie, tweeted this to me the other day, "but the film does make fun of Wannabe Berean [sic] unimaginative Christians who need to lighten up."




Furthermore, to make matters worse, Kirk purports his movie "provides a biblical basis for our time-honored Christmas traditions and celebrations..." When I first read this on the movie's website, and heard him say it on a Catholic radio program (Busted Halo) he was recently interviewed on, I was confused by which Christmas traditions he could be talking about. I hoped he just misspoke and actually meant his movie provides historical Christian traditions rather than actually claim our "time-honored Christmas traditions and celebrations" are actually found in the Bible. So I asked him.

Screenshot from "Saving Christmas" website

I contacted Kirk through his website and also talked to a mutual friend who had Kirk call me to discuss my concerns regarding these claims of "biblical basis" for all our Christmas traditions.

This was tough for me because I used to be one of those who "blindly" followed Kirk due to his former and faithful work for the Gospel between 2004 - 2011. So I asked Kirk again and more specifically, "When you said our time-honored Christmas traditions are biblically based, you didn't mean things like decorating Christmas trees, Santa Claus, exchanging gifts, etc. are actually in the Bible, did you? You just meant some may have historical Christian foundations, right?" To my surprise he answered, "No, I meant they're all in the Bible. I know, I was surprised too when I read it myself." Kirk also shared that Christmas trees represent the Cross of Christ. When I asked him for the chapter and verse for his claims, he said, "Well, I'd rather not tell you because it's in the movie and I want you to see the movie."

Thanks to Brannon Howse of Worldview Weekend, I'm able to share this 30 second audio clip (below) of Kirk's interview on the Busted Halo radio program that's hosted by a Catholic priest, Dave Dwyer. In this interview Kirk once again claims, "Saving Christmas...is all about understanding the biblical foundations to all of the celebrations and the traditions that we have at Christmastime; including everything from Santa Claus, to Christmas trees, to the nativity, to all the presents, to the celebrating and feasting and all that kind of stuff..."





Kirk and team are promoting this film as one that will frustrate atheists as he shared in his interview with TheBlaze, “I assume they’re going to get frustrated to see some of their best arguments deflated by this movie, because we take on some of the most commonly parroted myths about the origins of Christmas.”

Unfortunately, I don't think this movie will so much frustrate atheists as it will injure Christians.

While my family and I do celebrate Christmas in many of the traditional ways, we don't however, bemoan those who abstain. We truly believe all that's in God's Word and since there's nothing in Scripture about whether or not one should or shouldn't celebrate Christmas, we do what God says in Romans 14, we leave this decision to each person's conscience.

God has been better to me than I deserve. Especially since all I deserve (that is, my sins have earned me) is Hell and His full wrath (Rom 3:23, 5:9). But because God is love and He is perfect, pure, holy, righteous and compassionate, full of mercy and grace (Ps 103:8-14), He chose to save me 41 years ago. Then the Lord saw fit to bless me with a husband 22 years ago, who loves Christ more than me (Col 1:18). Can a girl ask for more?

I'm so very grateful to be my husband's forever second love. I pray the Lord will make me the kind of help-meet that will highlight his strengths, be a balm for his pains and a loving and understanding covering for his weaknesses (Prov 10:12, 31:11-12; 1 Pet 4:8).

Marriage is the most important earthly relationship in the sight of God the Father; for He uses it as an earthly paradigm of His Son's relationship with His Bride, the Church (Eph 5:25-27).Therefore marriage ought never be considered, entered into or maintained with ephemeral affections or self-centered notions.

Because marriage is a holy covenant given by God to a man and a woman, anyone desiring to enter into this covenant ought to fervently pray, pursue wise and biblical counsel and continually search the Scriptures to ensure all things are done in a fitting and pleasing manner before the Lord.

It is sinful for professing Christians to enter into holy matrimony with the same worldly, self-absorbed he/she makes me feel good and fulfills all my desires, hopes and dreams (James 4:4, 17). Men ought to seek out women who pursue Christ as it is written in Proverbs 31:10-31; Ephesians 5:22-24; Colossians 3:18, 23-24 and 1 Peter 3:1-6―for starters. Just the same, women ought to seek men who pursue Christ as it is written in Psalm 1:1-3; Proverbs 2:1-22, 3:5-12; Ephesians 5:25-30 and 1 Peter 3:7.

Will any man or woman live out these Scriptures perfectly? No. And that's not the point. The point is that every professing believer ought to pursue the things of God without constant external prodding. This is the evidence that God's Holy Spirit does in fact, dwell in you.

There are no perfect Christians, only a perfect Christ who's Spirit wills and works all things for God's glory (Rom 8:28-30, Eph 2:10).

We have been bought with a very high price―the precious and pure blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Our lives, our bodies and all we have rightly belong to the Lord. Therefore it is our extreme privilege and highest honor to live for the holy calling and pleasure of God, rather than live for the depraved desires of the flesh.

I don't know where you are in your  marriage today or more importantly, where you are in your relationship with Christ, the only Savior. But I would like to encourage you to press on toward the upward call of God in Jesus Christ, to abide in His love, seek Him and His kingdom first, keep or make your affections for the Lord preeminent above all, love your spouse second best, children tied for third and serve everyone as unto the Lord.

Live coram Deo.

"Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end." (John 13:1, ESV)

No matter how many times I read this verse, I'm always in awe of what it says. While Jesus was fully aware of the utter torment and anguish He was about to endure that very night, His thoughts were not on Himself and what horrors would befall Him, but His full attention and love were fixed on His beloved apostles.

The original Greek for the phrase "loved them to the end" means that Jesus demonstrated God's perfect and pure (agape) love to His disciples, continually and fully; to completion, even in His darkest hour.

I'm in a dark place right now as my heart aches deeply for our youngest son, our prodigal, who is no longer walking in God's truth, but walking rebelliously in the deceptive world where truth is relative rather than absolute. While in this dark time, I often struggle with depression which causes me to disparage every new day, sure it will be filled with more sorrow upon sorrow.

But when I run to the LORD for help and protection (Prov 18:10), I get to read passages like this one in John 13. Immediately the Lord lifts me (Matt 14:30-31) out of the miry pit of despair and sets my feet on solid ground, making my steps secure. He puts a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to my God (Ps 40:1-3) and I am saved from the gravity of sadness that continually tries to pull me back.

When I read John 13 verse one, I'm encouraged that though my Lord and Savior looked straight onto the dire anguish of the Cross, He never forgot His disciples, whom He loved, and considered their low estate (Phil 2:4-8). Rather than be consumed with Himself and what He would suffer, Jesus was more concerned about His disciples and what they were about to suffer...though incomparable to His own suffering. And in His great love for them, He prayed for their protection, their unity, their love for God and one another, and that the Gospel would go forth to all the world.

Jesus' thoughts were on the Father's glory, His will and our greatest good―eternal salvation.

This is encouraging to me because in 1 Corinthians two verse 16 we're told that God has given us the mind of Christ! Having repented of my sins and trusted fully in the Son of God for my life, I am sealed with the Holy Spirit who alone knows the mind of the Father (1 Cor 2:10-11) and now through Christ, is given also to me. Rather than be enslaved to my own tormenting thoughts, I am free to fix my mind on the things above rather than on the things below. Because of Jesus' finished work on the Cross, I have been empowered from on high to think on that which is: true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise (Phil 4:8).

Like Christ my Savior who did this over 2,000 years ago in John 13, I too can do and am doing―meditating on God's promises, considering what most pleases the Father; and after looking upward, I look outward to seek whom I may love and serve to the end.

"always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies... So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light and momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we do not look to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

~2 Corinthians 4:10, 16-18 (ESV)

No matter where you find yourselves today: physically, emotionally or spiritually, if by faith, you've repented and trusted in Jesus Christ, then be encouraged that you too have this rich and glorious gift in Him; the freedom to live fully in Christ (Gal 2:20) and perceive this life in the magnificent light of what's waiting for us in Heaven (1 Cor 13:12).

Read Psalm 22 today. Then thank Jesus for all He endured for you so that you might become something neither you nor anyone else could ever make you to be―a holy and beloved child of God Most High.

Just as our Savior did, we should do also; live in this world, but never be of it (Jn 17:14-18, Rom 12:2, 1 Jn 3:1-3).

May you all have a blessed and joyous time celebrating our Lord's Resurrection Day.

Peace be with you.

Is there life after death? Are we reincarnated and come back as something else depending on the kind of life we previously lived? Can the dead rise back to life? Is there really a Heaven and Hell?

The answers are: yes, there is life after death; no,  reincarnation isn't real; and yes, when a person dies, they will be resurrected either to eternal life in Heaven with God, or eternal damnation in Hell with Satan and his demons (John 5:28-29).

Two days ago, we rejoiced in the reason why Good Friday is so good—because, once and for all, the penalty for sin was paid in full for those who by faith, repent and trust their lives to Jesus (Hebrews 10:10).

“For if we have been united with Him [Christ] in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death He died He died to sin, once for all, but the life He lives He lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus."

~Romans 6:5-11

Although Passover is usually understood as a Jewish holy day, it’s also a holy day for Christians. Why? Because anyone who confesses with their mouths and believes in their hearts that Jesus Christ is Lord (Romans 10:9-10), testifies that they too have been “passed over” from death to life by the shed blood of the last and perfect Lamb; Jesus the Christ.

On this day, many Jews will gather together to commemorate the day God Almighty released their people from the bondage of slavery through His servant Moses with the final and last plague He wrought upon the Egyptians: death of the firstborn.

What God proclaimed in the Old Testament through His servant Moses, was a foreshadowing of what He was going to to with His First born, Christ our Lord. God struck the firstborn of Egypt because of their sins. Then God struck His own First born, not for His sins (for He had none[2 Cor 5:21]), but the Father struck the Son as a propitiation for our sins. Because Jesus Christ offered Himself as the last and perfect Passover Lamb, there’s no longer a need for anyone to perform religious rituals for the forgiveness of sins; only faith in the Son of God alone can save anyone and guarantee everlasting life.

Steven Ger, Founder and Director of Sojourner Ministries is a Jewish Christian who’s passionate about exploring the Jewish heart of Christianity—which is Jesus. Steven believes Passover is vital to Christianity because “It testifies to the universal hope and freedom found only in Jesus Christ; providing conclusive proof that God actively intervenes on behalf of His people. But most importantly, Passover was important to Jesus, so it should be important to everyone who professes Christ.”

To learn how to celebrate Passover as a Christian, you can contact Steven at Sojourner Ministries (located in Dallas, Texas) or visit: The Christian Resource Institute.

Valentine's Day.

Ahhh...here we are again. Many look forward to this day. Many don't. Women seem to look forward to it more than men and those who don't have a "sweetheart" to celebrate with, are unhappy altogether.

So what's a Christian to do with this made-up holiday that's really not a holy day?

Well, it's certainly not a sin to celebrate it and it's not a sin to dismiss it either. This is one of those "live by your own conscience" decisions that all Christians have been given freedom to make (Rom 14:5-6).

This day is supposed to be the day where love is generously expressed, shared and celebrated. But it's really not about that for most, is it? For most of us (including Christians) this day has become sort of an idol day. Not that we are bowing down and worshiping a golden calf or anything. But we're doing something worse—we're making ourselves the idols to be worshiped (and really, I'm speaking more to the women than men).

Precious sisters in Christ, you must admit, you expect more from your sweethearts on this particular day than any other (with the exceptions of your birthday and anniversaries). Sometimes what you expect is more for competition purposes than it is for the expression and reception of true, God-given love, isn't it? You know what I mean? If your man doesn't outdo your friend's man, then you think this means your man loves you less.

Reading between the lines always gets us into a lot of trouble ladies...especially when there are no lines to read between. Creating a scenario that only seems to make sense to what your unreliable emotions tell you is a dangerous and honestly, quite sinful way to live (Philippians 2:3).

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, lived to give His life away. The condescension, life, death and resurrection of the Son of God, was the ultimate demonstration of love.

If we claim to know and understand this truth, then we would look to give to others; create a special day, afternoon or evening for the one we love, rather than wait with great expectation for what our sweethearts give to us, true?

Remember beloved and precious sisters in the Lord, we're not the frail, weak-willed women of this world. No, we're strong, vibrant daughters of the Most High God and therefore are empowered to give love rather than sit around like feeble damsels and wait for someone else to bring it to us. Love, that is, God has already been given to us. So let us give rather than look to receive.

If you've been saved by grace through faith, then you already posses the fullness of love found only in Jesus Christ, and therefore have no reason to remain in sorrow, because God is love—and He never fails.