We are approaching the high and holy day of our faith. Jesus went to the cross and suffered and died for our sin and rose again so that we could have victory over sin, death and hell! It will do us well to remember what sin is, so that we can remember His precious sacrifice for all. Sin is a terrible thing. It separates us from the Creator. It causes us to live a life of destruction. People who sin without repentance and faith in the finished work of Christ are dead; separated from the giver of life. Their life's goal is hell! The one who has repented and by faith in the finished work of Christ is made alive by the Giver of life. Sin does not have power over us. However, at this point people have not remembered what God says is sin. In fact the motto of the day is, It's just Sin, as if it has no consequences. This message is for us to see and define what sin is; what God has said sin is, so that we can turn away from it by the power of God in us. And for those who do not believe to be convicted of their sin.

As I get older, I find that running any distance from non activity is probably not profitable, unless there is an EMT just a few feet away. And no matter what our age, we have been told that we must first condition our bodies, do a little practice, before we take on running a race. As a Christian it is no different. For us to run the race that is set before us, we need to know why and how to run, then we need to practice the instruction we have been given, and then we can run the race. Too many times I have seen God's people trying to run the race and fall flat on their face. This message shows us, from God's Word, just how to run the race.

Throughout our life there are times when we mark milestones. There are things such as getting a drivers license, or graduation, or getting married, or a new baby, or a new job, or retirement. As these are important, there are many other milestones in your walk with the Lord; the day you were saved, or the time the Lord directed your path differently than you thought, or the day you shared the gift of salvation with a friend; or maybe when you were baptized; or any number of significant events as you walk with the Lord in the light of His word. It is good to mark these events and remember them. It is showing us how God has been at work in our life for His good pleasure and our blessing. The scripture underscores this process of marking these events for remembrance.

What occupies your thinking? Is it the local or national news? Is it financial things? Is it family things? How about your daily life? Clothing; food; work

What kind of preparations have you made for the future? Housing; job; retirement. The Lord will return at an unknown time and bring judgment with Him. It may be soon, so do not delay in coming to Him for salvation, if you have not already. When His mercy ends, judgment comes and then it is too late. His judgment is coming upon the ungodly; those who have rejected the conviction of the Holy Spirit. And what awaits is the lake of fire. We want to examine the scripture in light of these things!

Are you ready for some football. This is the cry of Monday night football, Thursday night football and maybe even the upcoming Super Bowl. The call, Are you ready, has been going out for 2000 years! It is a call to the unsaved world and to the church of Jesus Christ. Are you ready for His coming? The only problem is no one is listening. We want to encourage you today with being ready for the Lord's return!

The Marine Corps has a motto, Semper Fidelis, which means, Always Faithful or Loyal. As fitting as this is for the Marine Corps, it is more fitting for believers in Jesus Christ. As a believer, we have one mindset as we live by faith in the promises of God, be faithful! This message is an admonition to be faithful to the Lord all of your life.

As believers through faith in God, we have a legacy to leave!

When we leave this place, whether through death or moving to a different place, we have a left something behind. It is what people thought about us while we were among them. When people move to a new place, it is interesting to hear what impact they have left behind. This message is for us to consider what will be left behind when we leave this place.

No matter where we go on our journey through this life as believers, there are opportunities to share the Good News! We are such a transient society today that it is not unusual for people to find themselves in new places every few years.

In so doing there are many people wherever we go who need to hear or see the truth of God's word. The places we find ourselves at can have different character or even cultures that need to hear the truth of God's word. So we find that the possibilities can be endless for us to share the truth.

The birth of Christ is the greatest, most significant event in the history of the world! It is the pivot point for life and death! Without His birth, He would not have died on the cross for our sin, and we would die because of sin, eternally separated from God, Who created us!

Yet people today want to take away the birth of Christ, because it offends them, or they desire other things. A local person on their blog on the internet was advocating to take Christmas away from believers in Christ, and make it theirs, give it the honor of celebration of nature and the like. How absurd! Do they not understand that Christmas is to remember the birth of CHRIST?

Waiting for the birth of a child can be exciting, exhausting, and fearful for the parents. During the time between the announcement of the coming of Messiah and the time of His arrival caused many to be excited, weary, and fearful.

The announcement brought with it an excitement or expectation that was passed from generation to generation. Then there was a weariness because of what seemed like forever, that brought some to wonder when it would happen. As the final preparations began the excitement was renewed once again.