“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).
Over 2000 years ago, the Savior of the world who was spoken of by the prophets throughout the Bible came to Earth as a baby boy and lived a human life, just as Isaiah had prophesied, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).
Since the beginning of time, Satan and his enemies have tried to prevent prophecies from being fulfilled yet God’s plan to bring the Messiah to earth could not be stopped. And “when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5).
Christ grew up under Roman rule and endured terrible persecution, oppression and the worst forms of human cruelty. In spite of this, He taught us and demonstrated the unconditional and unfailing love of His Father. “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. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10).
Jesus went to the cross and suffered torture and death as a sin offering for all of mankind (John 3:16). He rose again on the third day defeating death and the evil schemes of the enemy. He ascended into heaven forty days after He resurrected and now is at the right hand of God interceding for us (Romans 8:34).
As you celebrate Jesus’ birth, you have the opportunity to accept His free gift of salvation and to make Him the Lord of your life. And by doing so, you are choosing to follow the path of everlasting life and to have victory over sin and death.
700 years before Christ walked the Earth, the prophet Isaiah spoke of what the Messiah would do for us.
“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:5-6).
As you see, you are loved and valued at a higher price than you could ever imagine! Therefore, during this time of the year, “I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:17-19).
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).
Wishing everyone a blessed Christmas!
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Mission Venture Ministries 
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