Monday 12/22/14 The Big Trip 12

Dear Father in  Heaven:  I love You very much.  Thanks for another day, dear Lord.  Lord, I pray today for peace, peace like it was right when Jesus was born.  Peace on earth.  Lord, please, please protect our military and all our first responders here in America.  Please be with Carry The Light Ministries as we reach out to help others.  Be with Dave Fortney and heal  him, Lord.  Carry Joanne as she stands by her man.  Lord, thanks for keeping that airliner from coming down over Baltimore.  Lord, I pray today for Reverend Al Sharpton and I pray that he would help bring peace and talk about salvation instead of trying to get people to kill police officers.  Father, please help me now with the message and to get it dispatched.  In the Name of Jesus, I pray.  Amen.

Brothers and sisters, I do want to get right to the message today.  However, I want to ask you to storm heaven with prayers of protection for our MILITARY, OUR POLICE, AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.  Also pray for Al Sharpton to preach Salvation instead of hate.  Please also keep covering Dave Fortney and my dear wife Dolores with prayers for healing.  Thanks.

Monday:  December 22, 2014:  The Big Trip (Day Twelve)

As we pull out today in our big old yellow bus 36, I do want to just remember my dear late brother in Christ, Dave Cernugel, who drove bus 36 for Central Dauphin School District.

You recall we were watching as Joseph and Mary and others are heading on the trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem where they must register to be taxed.  And remember that some folks are riding animals, others are walking.  Here they come now, on that second day of the trip.  I wonder where they spent the night.  Maybe they just spent it sleeping on the ground.  Wow, other than going to register, and Mary going to have a baby that will be our Savior, the trip is more than that.  While they are walking, I want to drive on ahead and talk to you some.

Luke 23:32 - Two other men, both criminals, were also led  out with Him to be executed.  33 When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him, along with the criminals -- one on His right, the other on His left.  34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do now know what they are doing."  (NIV)

Yes, I wanted to make a stop off at a place called Mount Calvary, or the Skull.  It was here where our Lord Jesus suffered and died to save us from our sins.  As He was being crucified He asked His Father in Heaven to forgive the ones that were doing it.

This leads me to ask you the question, do you forgive others who have done something against you?  Regardless if they knew what they were doing or not, do you forgive them?  Not an easy thing to do, but it is a requirement if we want our Lord Jesus to forgive us.  We pray that way in the Lord's prayer.  "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."  These are things that all came out of the Birth of Jesus as our Savior.  You do remember yesterday when I used the term.  Jesus was born to die, so we might live.  Let's look at one more scripture today.

Luke 23:42 - Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into Your Kingdom."  43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise."  (NIV)

Again, this Baby Jesus was sent here to die, and He was forgiving people and healing people right up until He died on the cross, and of course He is still the same today as He was back then.  Still in the forgiving business!  Here we find that when He was asked to forgave the one criminal, Jesus forgave that criminal right before He was put to death.  I was talking to a Pastor a few years back and telling him about a person that I led to our Lord Jesus while they were on their "death bed" in a hospital.  The pastor told me he did not believe in bedside conversions.  I told him it was in the Bible, and here was my example.

Brothers and sisters, our little Baby, our Lord Jesus, will forgive us if we just ask, and while we don't want to wait all that long, if you ask before you pass this earth and you do it in faith, you are in, you will be saved, Born Again, as you are passing this earth!!  The sad part about waiting so long is you MISS OUT ON ALL THE FUN OF BEING A REAL CHRISTIAN.  Not always easy, but we do have a hoot, we really do.

Well, I see Joseph and Mary coming and they are looking pretty tired.  I think it is time they stop and rest again, looks like a place here where they can water and feed the animals and also the people can get some food and rest.  Look, how gentle Joseph is as he helps Mary off the donkey.  Good time for us to swing around and get some rest and maybe give the bus some fuel.

Now go forth and share your blessings.  Love ya.  Please pass on my love to others.

Pastor Dan