DEATH & RESURRECTION

"Death isn't the end that we fear it is. Death is not everlasting--life is everlasting! Christians believe in the resurrection of the dead. And the resurrection is not some fairy tale or pious thought. Resurrection is a reality grounded in the fact that Jesus rose from the grave. putting an end to death. And just as Jesus was raised, God promises to raise us someday as well. Because of the resurrection, we do not have to fear of death or any of the ways it pops up in this world." Matthew Richard, Minute Messages:  Gospel-Filled Devotions for Every Occasion

BANISHING CHRIST FROM CHRISTMAS

"For almost 30 years, a group called Wreaths Across America has honored America’s military dead by voluntarily placing wreaths at their graves. But just in time for Christmas this year, a secularist legal group raised a stink about this attempt to honor the memory of America’s fallen. And they’ve also (temporarily) shut down Bible verses on military dog-tags. They did this because of their false, but popular, misreading of the First Amendment." Jerry Newcombe, Townhall

SPIRITUAL REVIVAL

"These past few years have been challenging, hard and, with the influx of the omicron variant this Christmas season, seemingly never-ending. It's been nearly two years since we began what was to have been a two-week pause to stop COVID-19. Since then, we've endured lockdowns, masking, sickness, death, fear, overwork, underwork, government stimulus, vaccine creation, the fast-tracking of new antiviral technology, work from home, school closures, supply-chain snafus, tight political elections, protests and rapidly changing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, just to name a few items. The list is ever-exhausting.The one thing that is certain is that life's twists and turns can't always be predicted, and its pace is fast and getting faster. This is not going to change.

"We are mistrusting, disbelieving and disheartened. We have been told by both political parties that the other is evil, and that our party is right. Many of us have succumbed to cynicism and disillusionment.

"What have we learned? That when we expect the worst of others, that is often what we get. We all have grievances; we all have suffered losses; we all have experienced heartaches. If we try to pit our grievances against others, we will find ourselves in a losing battle. If we instead look for the better angels -- both within ourselves and, more importantly, within others -- possibly, just possibly, we will be able to see the light of God that shines in all of us and encourage it to shine even brighter, leading the next person to allow their light to shine as well.

"In 2022, let's look forward to a spiritual revival. One in which the goal is to help our neighbor, not by helping him realize how terrible he is as a person but by helping him realize what potential he has. That everyone has value; that everyone has a calling; and that our job on this earth is to help others see the light in themselves, as well as our light in ourselves. That is something to look forward to in the new year."  Jackie Gingrich Cushman, Townhall

PERSECUTION

Christians are being persecuted in America *

* Compliments of the Babylon Bee

> Sometimes people are mean on Twitter: It's horrible. Only Christians have to endure this treatment online. This is exactly what the early Christians must have felt like when they were burned alive!

> Starbucks still won't put "Merry Christmas" on their holiday cups:  Every morning when you pick up your double peppermint oat milk latte with extra sprinkles, you're assaulted by their godless heathen "holiday" message. Sad!

> One time a waitress got made when I tipped her with on of those fake $100 bill Gospel tracts:  Well, EXCUSE ME for trying to save your soul!

> Sometimes, the line at Chick-Fil-A are really long.

> They still haven't made an Oreo flavor that acknowledges our Christian beliefs:    We have a Lady Gaga Oreo & an LGBTQ+ rainbow Oreo, but no cookies with the Nicene Creed printed on them? We are exiles in this land.

> This week's church bulletin is folded a little crooked & it's bothering my OCD:  Someone needs to talk to Church Secretary Ethel Rutherford about this.

> They take Christian superheroes like Superman & make them gay:  Who do Christians have to look up to if not Superman?

> At least 3462 Christians, including 10 priests or pastors, were murdered in the first 200 days of 2021:  Oh wait--that was in Nigeria. Our bad.