"They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." (Psalm 126:5,6)

2006 has been a year of great challenge, change, and renewal for the Thomas Nation. Yet God, in His infinite grace, granted us another year to serve in His Kingdom. We give Him praise for His unspeakable gifts of mercy extended to our family. He has faithfully guided us through "the valley of the shadow of death" into a new season. And though this year presented its own difficulties, God carried us through every challenge. There were some fiery trials endured, but prayerfully there is no smell of smoke to dim our vision or hamper our progress in serving the purposes of God in this generation.

One of the major signs of God’s blessing in our lives is the conception of our thirteenth child. That’s right, Kendra, my new bride, is pregnant. We recently experienced looking into her womb and seeing for the first time our precious little baby. It seems no matter how many children we receive, it remains a miraculous blessing. We are overjoyed and thankful to our Lord for entrusting to us another precious arrow to raise for His Kingdom.

Our next joyous announcement concerns our second oldest daughter, Cassia. On February 3rd, 2007, I will give her away in marriage to our Pastor’s son, Robby Wachsmann. They have faithfully courted for several months and soon they will be joined together in Holy Matrimony. Please keep them in prayer as their big day approaches. Thanks!

THE GLORIOUS INCARNATION

Oddly, most of the world system acknowledges Christ was born in history. In fact, Christ’s birth marks the passage of time itself. The letters B.C. on our calendars signifies time before Christ’s birth and the letters A.D. (Anno Domini) are defined as "in the year of our Lord." The Lord must have an acute sense of humor when you consider that every humanistic, socialistic, and atheistic letter written has to acknowledge the supremacy of Christ by virtue of just dating their propaganda. It is these established designations that inspire the enemies of the cross to seek and expunge them from our calendars. They instinctively know the implications of Christ’s dominion and Kingdom associated with the passage of time.

Regardless, the world system in its "wisdom" foolishly ignores or denies the awesome significance of Christ’s blessed birth. (On a side note, even Muslims believe in the virgin birth of Jesus, yet ignore its meaning as it relates to the salvation of their souls). The unregenerated seek to distance themselves from all the ramifications of Christ’s incarnation and its impact upon this poor, fallen world. They go to great lengths to replace His glorious birth with sentimental counterfeits. You know the ones, Santa Clause, Frosty the Snow Man, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, just to name a few. Thus purposely or inadvertently, the world system seeks to diminish or deny Jesus' glory, deity, and Lordship over all the earth.

Though appearing as an innocent distraction, these counterfeits camouflage a deadly agenda. One which has produced a spell that inevitably leads mankind to spiritual, moral, and physical ruin. It attempts to shroud the true Light with a false holiday glitter that results in darkness. It’s a course that forfeits the blessing, salvation, and grace of God that could be ours, if we would just humble ourselves and acknowledge the truth. It’s a denial that is either willful or based upon ignorance that keeps men’s lives contented with idolatry, religious emptiness, and vain philosophies that endanger their condemned souls.

Generally speaking, Satan, sin, and this illegitimate world system continue to try and expunge the knowledge of God from the souls of men and the public life of nations. Just a cursory view of the current state of affairs in America can testify to this ungodly agenda. Specifically therefore, is it any wonder that our modern age seems quite content to replace the glorious incarnation with every pagan substitute known to man? Isn’t it vogue to substitute this blessed Holy Day with the innocuous winter holidays or any other label? Just like the Easter Bunny seeks to replace Resurrection Day, in England now, they are seeking to replace Christmas with a Harry Potter witchcraft label known as "Luminos" or in another section of their nation "Winterval" will suffice.

A case in point in our nation is this year’s controversy in Chicago. A Christmas festival was ordered by the city to remove the promotion of a new film called, "The Nativity Story." The city officials pressured festival organizers to remove the movie as a sponsor because it said the film about the birth of Jesus Christ might be offensive to people of other faiths. According to Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the ACLJ, "This is one of the most blatant forms of religious discrimination imaginable. To suggest that a movie about the birth of Jesus Christ should not be included in a Christmas festival is absurd. This transcends political correctness and centers squarely on religious bigotry. The City of Chicago and festival organizers are exhibiting an intolerance that is offensive to Christians who celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The city and festival organizers must respect the First Amendment and put an end to the discriminatory practices. We call on the City of Chicago and festival organizers to reverse the decision and permit ‘The Nativity Story’ to serve as a sponsor of the Christmas festival."

As Christians, we must remember there is one major problem with this wicked scheme of seeking to rob God of His glory, purpose, and will. It shall not triumphant in time and history. They may as well seek to capture and imprison the wind or as my friend, Buddy Hanson, has stated, "Their attempt to remove Christ from His throne is similar to attempting to remove the law of gravity from physics. It simply cannot be done." God’s Holy Seed was sown in Mary’s virgin womb 2000 years ago and grew up to be the God/Man, Jesus Christ. His miraculous birth ushered in the long awaited Kingdom that is destined to "break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms and it shall stand forever (Daniel 2:44)." In fact, the famous Christmas Scripture that was highlighted previously in Isaiah 9:6 goes on to proclaim, "Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this (Isaiah 9:7)."

The timing of this prophecy is essential to understand the significance of Christ’s birth, the Gospel of the Kingdom, and the future of the world. For once the Kingdom comes and God’s government is established, there is no stopping it. It will conquer and is conquering. No matter what opposition it faces, it will break in pieces every one of the world’s hammers, be it religious or secular hammers, upon the anvil of God’s revelation, Kingdom and Church. It is clear from Holy Writ, this process all began when the Child was born and the Son was given. It all commenced with the glorious incarnation. So, despite all the darkness that covers the world and much of the Church, the vision and mission of Christ’s birth will not fail. The zeal, not of the Church or a few committed Christians, but the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform it.

The glorious incarnation is also a wonderful time where we celebrate Advent. Advent simply means the glory of the coming of the Lord. It reveals the dawning of God’s salvation light to a lost and darkened world. It celebrates the fulfillment of the many prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the birth of Messiah. It unfolds what had been hidden in times past. It announces from the roof tops that Emmanuel is finally here, God is actually with us and is amongst us. The Word was made flesh. It breaks forth the divine into human history with unparalleled might and splendor. It introduces the supernatural into the natural, in the highest possible order. It sings from the heavens that the King is born, His Kingdom has invaded the earth and the world will never be the same again. It makes the invisible God visible through the person of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. And for our purposes today, the glorious incarnation represents an undying faith that through patience and longsuffering expects heaven’s visitation will manifest itself in the earth. His Kingdom has come and now we look to His will being done on earth as it is in heaven.

It goes without saying that Christmas is also a sacred time that celebrates the greatest birthday known to man. Contained within that statement, however, is a revelation that is not only near and dear to my heart, but to God’s heart as well. For Jesus’ birth not only points to His miraculous entrance into this world, but it also affirms the sacredness of life, particularly the life in the womb. Almighty God humbled Himself and clothed Himself in a tent of human flesh. Jesus was once an embryo, a fetus, and a baby in the womb. Though His conception was supernatural, everything else concerning His development as a baby went according to nature. Thus He completely identifies with every person conceived and born of women in the history of the world.

It is important at this juncture to determine the beginning of Jesus’ personal history upon this planet.  Regardless of the discrepancy over our Lord's actual birthdate, Biblically, we know He was born in a grand fashion.  The heavens lit up the little town of Bethlehem.  Angels sang and shepherds quaked as the heaven's announced, "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men (Luke 2:10-14)."  No one in their right minds would belittle the wonder at this august event.  However, Christ's personal history did not commence when He was born of a virgin (Luke 1:35). To begin there, gives credence to those who believe a baby in the womb is not a baby worthy of protection until it draws its first breath outside of the womb. The truth is, Jesus began His earthly pilgrimage when He was conceived by the Holy Ghost (Luke 1:31). It was at conception where the famous kenosis or "emptying" of Christ began. This "emptying" of course, did not divest Jesus of His deity, but He voluntarily restricted His precarnate glory and prerogatives as God in order to humbly fulfill His Father’s will on earth. The bottom line is all of Christ’s deity and humanity were fully present at conception. To teach otherwise gives religious covering to the abortion industry that is worthy of damnation, lest they repent.

Along these same lines, no sermon on the glorious incarnation would be complete, lest we include the slaughter of the innocent. We must remember that it was the advent of Christ’s birth that drew the murderous dragon, Satan, from his lair (Revelation 12:1-5). It was the birth of the true King that provoked the jealous rage of Herod, a demonically inspired tyrant. Herod was so filled with fury at the news of Jesus’ birth that he issued the fatal decree that massacred the infants at Bethlehem. Thus fulfilling the Scripture in Jeremiah 31:15, "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning. Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted because they were no more."

Jesus’ birth provoked, disturbed, and exposed the darkness in both the spiritual and civil realms. Both entities were put on notice at Christ’s first coming that "there is a new Sheriff in town." In retaliation, these partners in oppression raised their ugly heads and mercilessly destroyed tiny defenseless babies. It has been 2000 years since Jesus was born, yet at times, the dragon and his sometime willing dupe, civil government, still conspire to slaughter the innocent. In America, this hellish league struts about slaying the preborn in such numbers that Hitler himself would have to blush in embarrassment. Yet in the midst of this tragedy of monstrous proportions, there is still to be found a hope in our Lord’s glorious incarnation. Isaiah 28:16,18 states, "Therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation...Your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with hell will not stand."

It was Athanasius who stood contra mundum (against the world) in the 4th century . At stake was the revelation of the Incarnation. There were those who taught Jesus was a special spirit sent by God and was not a man. On the other side, there were those who taught Jesus was a special man, but denied His deity. Athanasius condemned them both and stood on the bedrock truth that Jesus was fully human and fully God in one person without denying either nature. May this revelation burn bright in our hearts this holiday season as well.  May it shine brighter than the artificial lights of the season and may it inspire our faith, increase our hope, and abound His love to us, our families, and to the world at large. Joy to the world, the Lord has come, let earth receive its King.  Happy Glorious Incarnation Day!

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Corinthians 3:16,17)

With what has become a holiday tradition, find enclosed the 2007 Bible Reading Schedule. Special thanks to Rev. Flip Benham of Operation Save America for furnishing this much needed guide to help us stay faithful to God’s word throughout the new year. I would highly recommend that each and everyone of you take advantage of this tool and make a quality commitment to establish the family altar that is daily centered around the word of God. The benefits are "other worldly."  To those who receive this message by e:mail or our website and would desire a hard copy of the Bible Reading Schedule, please feel free to contact us.  We will send you one out right away. 

IN KING JESUS’ SERVICE,