DAY #10: December 15, 2010

Christmas is time to reconnect with God and renew my faith. It’s also a time to rebuild relationships. Finally…

#3. CHRISTMAS IS A TIME TO RECEIVE FORGIVENESS.

Luke 2:11 says, "Today, in the town of David, a Savior has been born for you; he is Christ the Lord!" Notice the word "Savior". It doesn't say that God sent us a salesman because we didn't need a product. And He didn't send us a politician, because we didn't need diplomacy. But He sent us a Savior, because you need a Savior and I do too. God sent a Savior so we could receive forgiveness.

If you remember, a few days ago I said that there's no sin in heaven, there's no suffering in heaven, there's no pain in heaven, there's no sorrow in heaven. It is a perfect place. The Bible says only perfect people get to live there. You may be a good person, but it doesn't say good people go to heaven. It says perfect people go to heaven. Not imperfect... perfect. And none of us measure up. You may be Mother Teresa but you're still not perfect. God doesn't grade on a curve.

So we all have a big problem. I can't get to heaven on my own ticket. I’m not good enough – I’ll never be good enough. But God says, "I will be your Savior."

How do I let Christ save me? It's real simple. You admit you need a Savior. That's hard for a lot of us because it hurts our pride. We think we're a good person. That may be but you're not good enough. You're not perfect. It's admitting to God, "I need a Savior. I need help." That's how you make him your Savior. Admitting you need help.

God can't save you until you stop trying to save yourself. You can't have Christ as your Savior until you quit trying to get to heaven on your own effort. You'll never earn it, you'll never deserve it. It's just a gift. That's the Good News.

In John 3:16-17, Jesus said "For God loved this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that anyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God didn't send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it." Not to condemn but to save. Jesus came to resolve your guilt. He didn't come to condemn you but to change you. He didn't come to scare you but to save you.

One of the biggest problems in our society today is how people need to learn how to get rid of guilt. Turn on talk radio. The answers psychologists give are answers like, "Just learn to live with your guilt." Baloney! That's no help at all. You want to know why they don’t have any real answers? They don't have the power to forgive. Only God does and only God can give me the clear conscious I crave.

I was watching a Colombo rerun a few nights ago on TV LAND. This particular episode had Johnny Cash as the bad guy. The closing line, when he finally gets caught, says, "I'm glad I got caught because the guilt was killing me." You know what I'm talking about if you've ever had regrets.

God says, I came to give you forgiveness. So at Christmas it's time to receive forgiveness. That's the Good News. Christ says I didn't come to condemn but to save.

I love you guys. Stay faithful. Stay the course. ENDURE!