Christ is Our Substitute Within

“We think of the Christian life as a ‘changed life’ but it is not that. What God offers us is an ‘exchanged life,’ a ‘substituted life,’ and Christ is our Substitute within.”                                                                                                  Watchman Nee

September 2, 2012

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Luke 6:46

Now what is food for the inner man? Not prayer, but the word of God; and here again, not the simple reading of the word of God, so that it only passes through our minds, just as water passes through a pipe, but considering what we read, pondering it over and applying it to our hearts.       George Mueller

"Glory to God in the Highest"

It is difficult to think of Christ's birth without thinking of what we have made, and allowed, Christmas to become in our lives and in our hearts. I know a family who still celebrates the season with decorating their home with outdoor lights, a tree full of ornaments, watching good holiday movies, etc., but they open their presents earlier in December so their full focus on Christmas Eve and Day is on Jesus Christ, and what His glorious birth means to a sinful world.
 I really enjoy the lights, decorations, shopping for and making gifts, making fudge, singing Christmas hymns and fun Christmas songs, sending cards to friends and family, and most of the other holiday activities, but I find the greatest JOY in knowing that Jesus Christ was born; that God Himself, in a human vessel, came down and lived among His creation (Isaiah 9:6) to lay down His life that we all, through Him, might be forgiven and  have eternal life (John 3:14-19). Isn't that the greatest gift anyone could ever give? The joy that this gift gives me is a lasting and fulfilling joy that I cannot contain nor keep silent. My cup truly runneth over. What a blessing!!  Beautiful grace!!
I pray that the JOY of the LORD fills your heart now and forever more.
Merry Christmas!