CHRISTMAS 2021

CHRISTMAS 2021     “WORTH CONSIDERING”   12/15/21,    From Ken Smith<><

So here we nearly are again for Christmas 2021 and another year is nearly gone.  Seems only yesterday that I was writing a note to you for 2020.   Bought Christmas Cards but then found twice as many stashed away.   Still on my desk waiting for this note.  We did not get a tree this year, just too expensive.  But we did put up a Norman Rockwell kind of winter village with lit building and lots of little 3 ½” people,  And a choir singing in front of the church.  Can almost hear, “O Holy Night”   Some out on the ice,  ice skating (blue paper with clear plastic over)   Gives the feeling of a 1900’s Christmas of a more simpler time.   So this is not a BAH, HUMBUG,  note at all. 

As I was asking the Lord what to send along today, It seemed that He was telling me that He felt very sad that folks were really forgetting what our Creator’s GIFT of His birth was all about.  And even to the point of where His concerns are being totally eclipsed by the commercialism, Rudolph and Santa and such.  So I felt to send along today some of what Jesus said for us to hold dear to our hearts and to live by while HE was with us.  That His concern is that many think that they are  really His but they  did not know what He taught and don’t follow His teachings.  So here are a few of His teaching that come to my mind for you to consider this Christmas.  The New Testament is His love letter to you so you can find your way to Heaven.

“I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone [just one grain, never more]. But if it dies, it produces much grain and yields a harvest. 25 The one who loves his life [eventually] loses it [through death], but the one who hates his life in this world [and is concerned with pleasing God] will keep it for life eternal. 26 If anyone serves Me, he must [continue to faithfully] follow Me [without hesitation, holding steadfastly to Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]; and wherever I am [in heaven’s glory], there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.”  John 12:24-26.

‘They worship Me in vain [their worship is meaningless and worthless, a pretense], Teaching the precepts of men as doctrines [giving their traditions equal weight with the Scriptures].’ Mark 7:7.  (Also,  Apostle Paul in 2 Tim.3:1-5.)

 “He who comes from [heaven] above is above all others; he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks [about things] of the earth [his viewpoint and experience are earthly]. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 What He has [actually] seen and heard, of that He testifies; and yet no one accepts His testimony [as true]. 33 Whoever receives His testimony has set his seal [of approval] to this: God is true [and he knows that God cannot lie]. 34 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God [proclaiming the Father’s own message]; for God gives the [gift of the] Spirit without measure [generously and boundlessly]! “ John 3:31-34.

“The person who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him [I will make Myself real to him].”   John 14:21.

“If you keep My commandments and obey My teaching, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.”  John 15:10

Just as You commissioned and sent Me into the world, I also have commissioned and sent them (believers) into the world. 19 For their sake [e] I sanctify Myself [to do Your will], so that they also may be sanctified [set apart, dedicated, made holy] in [Your] truth.  20 “I do not pray for these alone [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for [all] those who [will ever] believe and trust in Me through their message, 21 that they all may be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe [without any doubt] that You sent Me.  Their Future Glory  22 I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one, just as We are one; 23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected and completed into one, so that the world may know [without any doubt] that You sent Me, and [that You] have loved them, just as You have loved Me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given to Me [as Your gift to Me], may be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.  25 “O just and righteous Father, although the world has not known You and has never acknowledged You [and the revelation of Your mercy], yet I have always known You; and these [believers] know [without any doubt] that You sent Me; 26 and I have made Your name known to them, and will continue to make it known, so that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them [overwhelming their heart], and I [may be] in them.”  John 17:18-26.   (The word Glory means God’s Power,   John 2:11.)   We are not seeing God’s Power today in the church today because the church is not following HIS Commandments.   You can only know if you are keeping the commandments of Jesus if you know the Word of God (New Testament) for yourself where you can find HIS pure commandments.  True faith for eternity knows His commandments and keeps them.  
Yours, in HIS great love and wonderful grace and mercy,     Ken<><

FEAR is WORSE than ‘OMICRON’ by Andrew Strom,
There are numerous places in the Bible where the Lord says, “Do not fear” or “Fear not!” This is one of those times.  I notice that the usual fear mongers (especially in the UK) are now out in force making dire predictions over the Omicron variant. To be sure, there is going to be a massive spike in infections. No doubt about that. But every piece of data out of South Africa is telling us that this is a very mild disease – more like the common cold or a mild flu than anything else. I have seen many interviews with doctors and medical experts in South Africa – and they all say the same thing. Overall this thing is very mild.   There are a lot of people in the media and politics who literally make their living these days by provoking FEAR in people. If you make people fearful, you can get them to click breathlessly on every news item you put out. You can get them to give up their freedoms in ways never dreamed of before. And you can sell truckloads of medical products (whether truly great or not).   Everyone is making out like a bandit over this – especially the elites. And it is all driven by FEAR.   This week there was a huge spike in cases in South Africa. “RECORD NUMBERS” say the headlines. Meanwhile there are very few deaths (almost none). And a very small percentage even needing oxygen or anything like it. Omicron has all the hallmarks of a BLESSING – not a curse. Everyone will be exposed to it and everyone will get the benefit of immunity –  while suffering very mild symptoms for a couple of days.  That is it. That is what the panic is all about.  And so I say to you, my friends, “Fear not!”  Keep your Vitamin D levels up, relax with your family, have a great holiday season and a happy New Year. This thing is almost over. The surreal nightmare is coming to an end.   (Hope that this is true,   Ken<>< )

( Add / Delete,   ken@trinity-aloha.org  “Worth Considering” library: www.OhanaChurch.Life )