12/17/2017
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WHEN
AN ANGEL ANNOUNCED MY BIRTH to shepherds living out in the fields near
Bethlehem, he told them: Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of
great Joy. The instruction to not be afraid is repeated in the Bible
more than any other command. It is a tender, merciful directive--and it
is for you! I know how prone to fear you are, and I do not condemn you
for it. However, I do want to help you break free from this tendency.
Joy
is a powerful antidote to fear! And the greater the Joy, the more
effective an antidote it is. The angel's announcement to the shepherds
was one of great Joy. Don't ever lose sight of what amazingly good news
the gospel is! You repent of your sins and trust Me as Savior. I forgive
all your sins, changing your ultimate destination from hell to heaven.
Moreover, I give you Myself--lavishing My Love upon you, promising you
My Presence forever. Take time to ponder the angel's glorious
proclamation to the shepherds. Rejoice in Me, beloved.
And
there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch
over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and
the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But
the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that
will cause great joy for all the people." Luke 2:8-10
See
what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called
children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not
know us is that it did not know Him. 1 John 3:1
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
Philippians 4:4 (NKJV)
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