MERRY CHRISTMAS 2013

Pastor Todd Christopherson
Mid American Stock Car Series
December 22, 2013

Preface: Pastor Todd is a sincere liason between the Mid-American racers and the Lord, Jesus Christ. His postings are from the heart and he is diligent in his prayers for you. Julie and I would invite you to read his article and open your hearts and minds to winning a race that has eternal results. Have a Blessed and Merry Christmas.

1 John 4:7-21 7 "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him…18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother." (NIV)

1 John 5:1-15 1 "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God." (NIV)

What great verses to think about during this time of the year. We see that God loved us first. He planned for us to reach out to Him. He planned for us to turn to Him and see that God the Son, Jesus, would come and live a perfect, sinless life and then be killed and die for our sin to be atoned for. He planned on us confessing our sin and confessing that Jesus is LORD. He planned on us repenting. He planned on the greatest gift of all to be ours – salvation! He planned for us to be sealed by the Holy Spirit. He planned for us to seek Him daily with all our heart, mind, soul, strength. He planned on us to obey Him, trust Him, and to follow Him.

What great plans God has for us, but He also gives us the free will to make those choices. Will we see Christmas as a great time of the year to be with family and others and give and get gifts or will we see it as God meant it to be, a time to reflect on Jesus coming from Heaven and being born as a baby in a humble manger? Will we sing songs and go to church this one time or will we have a heart of worship that will recognize the awesome God, His holiness, His greatness, His goodness, His sovereign rule? Will we see the LORD and commit our lives, each day to spend time thinking upon Him? Will we grab hold of the joy and the hope that there is in Jesus?

What great news – Jesus! God loved us so much He sent His Son, Jesus, to live a perfect life and to die on the cross and to rise from the dead. This is the good news, the gospel. It gives hope to the greatest of sinners because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. All can turn to Him, All can repent. All can be saved.

So this Christmas season would you surrender your heart and life to Jesus? Would you place your faith and trust in Jesus?

Have a great day racin’ in the SONshine

And have Merry Christmas!

Pastor Todd

DO you feel like something is missing? Is there a void in your life? Can you SEE that YOU have SINNED and don’t know a way out? DO you recognize that even the smallest of sins buys a one way ticket to hell? There is hope right now, right where you are. TURN, REPENT, to God. Lay your life before Him and ASK to be forgiven. ACKNOWLEDGE that you have sinned and only Jesus can save you from your own sin and CALL out to Jesus as LORD, your LORD.
If today is the day of your salvation I would like to pray for you and would like to help you get started. Please get a message to me that you have called out Jesus as your LORD.

Feel free to contact me at: torch_for_jesus@yahoo.com, 608-630-7301 or
512 Chippewa Court, DeForest, WI 53532