Tag: Christmas

With God

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 “Not one promise from God is empty of power, for nothing is impossible with God!” Luke 1:37 TPT

When the angel appeared to Mary and told her that she would give birth to Jesus, she asked him, “How is this possible?” and he replied, “with God!”.

God promised that a child would be born that would be the Savior of the world – hundreds of years before this moment.

I am sure many had given up hope.

I am sure many moved on.

But God’s promises are filled with God’s power.

The very same power that brought order to the chaos and light to the darkness promised that Immanuel, “God with us”, would be born.

And He was.

He was born and laid in a feeding trough, did miracles and died on a Roman cross, defeated death and ascended to heaven.

He is Jesus.

He is the Messiah.

Hold onto hope.

Don’t move on.

All of God’s promise are infused with His power.

Nothing is impossible with God.

When God drops a promise in your heart and an opportunity in your lap, you must have faith to go forward.

Grab on to faith like it is your job and obey whatever God asks you to do.

Not because it is easy.

Nothing worth having comes easy.

But if God asks you to do it, He will give you what you need to do it.

With God nothing is impossible.

With God, you can.

True Peace

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What do you think of when you think of having peace?

Do you think of a day without conflict or one without suffering?

I often think that having peace means a day without external noise or internal worry.

“And everything I’ve taught you is so that the peace which is in me will be in you and will give you great confidence as you rest in me. For in this unbelieving world you will experience trouble and sorrows, but you must be courageous, for I have conquered the world!” – John 16:33 TPT

Peace isn’t found in the absence of problems, it is found in the presence of Jesus.

Peace isn’t found in the hope that the world will get it right, it is found in the promise that Jesus already did.

As I write this, the words of an old hymn comes to mind:

“My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name

On Christ the solid Rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand


When darkness hides His lovely face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil

On Christ the solid Rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand


His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood
When all around my soul gives way,

He then is all my hope and stay

On Christ the solid Rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand

When He shall come with trumpet sound
Oh, may I then in Him be found
Dressed in His righteousness alone
Faultless to stand before the throne’


On Christ the solid Rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand

by Edward Mote, 1834

My friend, no matter what you are facing this Christmas, my prayer for you is that Jesus would be the rock you stand on.

Treasure

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“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!  Matthew 13:44-46 NLT

In the above verse, Jesus is telling His own story.

The story of a man who found something so precious, that he happily sold all he had and paid the price for it.

Whatever your day looks like, I pray that today you stop for a minute and realize that your Savior sees you as a priceless pearl worth leaving heaven and all His rights for.

The reason He came to earth as a babe to redeem the treasure that is worth the high price He paid on the Cross- YOU.

He is your Savior and you are His treasure.

Take A Minute

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As you count down the days to Christmas, take a minute to focus on what is important and in the craziness continue to refocus on your Creator.

It is His love you are celebrating.

This miraculous gift of the Son, this unquenchable love of the Father, this daily guide of the Spirit.

“For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Instead of replaying past moments or creating perfect scenarios in your head of the near future, let it be what it will be. 

Enjoy the imperfections of this day and those to come.

Know that everything “being perfect” will not create the feeling of fulfillment you are looking for.

You are looking for love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness…. and these are fruits of the Spirit (not fruits of the season). 

May you be filled with the Heavenly Peace of God’s Spirit as you walk among the complicated chaos of the humans around you.

God With Us

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Immanuel.

God with us.

The Second Person of the Trinity, eternal, all-powerful, left heaven to add humanity to His deity.

He came to earth to bring heaven to humanity.

He came to bring heaven to you.

“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign.

Look! The virgin will conceive a child!

She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).”   

Isaiah 7:14 NLT

May you have a moment today where the awe-inspiring truth of Christmas captures your soul and remember that God did it all for you.

With You

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God IS with you.

He is the creator of the universe and He is with you.

Present tense.

He does not reside in the past although He will heal it.

He is not waiting to show up for you tomorrow.

He is here with you.

Now.

Right where you are.

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

Matthew 1:23 NIV

Jesus is the gift of God with us and the miracle of the present Presence.

God is with you and He desires to have a conversation with you all day long.

May you be filled with the presence of the present God through Jesus today.

Christmas Morning

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Christmas mornings look different for all of us.
Some are early and loud (that would be us), others are later and quieter.
Christmas day can be stressful and fly by or seem sad and never end.
Whatever your Christmas morning looks like, my prayer for you is to invite Jesus into all of it.
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 NIV
Whether you need counsel, someone to depend on or get some peace that passes all understanding – all you have to do is ask Him.
Jesus came for you.
To love you, to know you, to save you, to heal you.
Today ask for His help when you need it.
Jesus will not run out of grace and mercy – He has an eternal supply.
Have an amazing and very Merry Christmas!

Rapturous Joy

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It’s Christmas Eve.

No matter what your day looks like or feels like today or tomorrow, I pray for you to have a moment of rapturous joy as a redeemed child of God.

The great orator of a century past says it so beautifully:

We esteem every day alike, but still, as the season suggests thoughts of Jesus, let us joyfully remember our dear Redeemer’s glorious birth.

Who but He was ever longed for by such a multitude of hearts?

When did angels indulge in midnight songs, or did God hang a new star in the sky?

To whose, cradle did rich and poor make so willing a pilgrimage, and offer such hearty and unsought oblations?

Well, may earth rejoice; well may all men cease their labor to celebrate “the great birthday” of Jesus.

Let gladness rule the hour; let the holy song and sweet heart music accompany our soul in the raptures of joy.

– Charles Spurgeon

Love, hugs and many blessings from the Grasso’s this Christmas!

God With Us.

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Immanuel.
God with us.
The Second Person of the Trinity, eternal, all-powerful, left heaven to add humanity to His deity.
He came to earth to bring heaven to humanity.
He came to bring heaven to you.
“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).”   
Isaiah 7:14 NLT
May you have a moment today where the awe-inspiring truth of Christmas captures your soul and remember that He did it all for you.

Heavenly Peace

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As you count down the days to Christmas, take a minute to focus on what is important and in the craziness continue to refocus on your Creator.
It is His love you are celebrating.
This miraculous gift of the Son, this unquenchable love of the Father, this daily guide of the Spirit.
“for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:11‬ ‭NIV‬‬
Instead of replaying past moments or creating perfect scenarios in your head of the near future, let it be what it will be. 
Enjoy the imperfections of this day and those to come.
Know that everything “being perfect” will not create the feeling of fulfillment you are looking for.
You are looking for love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness…. and these are fruits of the Spirit (not fruits of the season). 
May you be filled with the Heavenly Peace of God’s Spirit as you walk among the complicated chaos of the humans around you.