A Christmas Letter To Our Readers

Good morning to all of our Readers on this Christmas Eve day.

It is very humbling to think about what God has done and is doing through this simple Bible study blog.

In 2024, God brought 24 new nations to view it this year and more than 170 nations total. This is all of God.

In five years of Bible study blog ministry, the Lord has grown it from a slow start in 2019, to more than 241,000 total views. This is all of God.

I do not publish which nations view the blog because in many cases, people are risking their lives to read it.

I want to say how thankful I am to our Father in heaven for orchestrating where the blog goes out into the world and for all the people whom He has led to view it. 

Of course, this blog would be nothing if it was just a man's idle speculation. 

This is why I include the scriptures and Bible references, so that each of you can read God's Word or look it up on your devices. 

I seek to do as Paul does, to use plain words that everyone can grasp, so that the glory and beauty and power of God's Word can go forth.

My prayer is that our Father will save souls through this blog ministry. 

I pray for all of us that the Lord will keep transforming our lives and making us more and more like Christ.

I pray that all Christians who read it will be built up and strengthened in their faith. 

I pray that those who are not living for God's glory, will be brought back into a right relationship with our Father in heaven.

The glory and power of the Word of God.

Isaiah 55:8-11  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10  For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

God is doing what He promises to do with His Word. 

He sends it to us like gentle spring rain that waters the earth, causing the good seed of His Word to germinate and bring forth a harvest of grain that feeds us and gives us seed for next year.

This is what His Word does in our lives. It takes root and bears fruit.  We can count on the truth that His Word will never return void.

He will accomplish what He desires to in the hearts of our loved ones, if we are faithful to share His Word with other people. 

The heart of the gospel is that God became a man while retaining His deity, in the Person of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is God manifest in the flesh (See 1 Timothy 3:16). He came to live a perfect life and to undo the failure of the first Adam.

He came to take the wrath of God for our sins, suffering in our place, receiving the wages of our sins, which is death (See Isaiah 53).

He came as the literal fulfillment of all the Old Testament sacrifices. 

Jesus is God's perfect Lamb, without spot, without defect, being offered up to atone for our sins (See Exodus 12-13). 

When Jesus rose from the grave, He secured our salvation and His Father was pleased (propitiated) with Christ's sacrifice for us. 

The Savior Who was born in Bethlehem gives us a new life with God in heaven.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18  And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

The Father is now "for us" not against us. He will save anyone who repents of their sin and calls upon Jesus to save them. 

He will grant eternal life, give you a new heart and send His Spirit to live in all who turn to Christ with repentant faith.

He promises to do this and His promise is anchored in the redeeming work of our Savior Jesus Christ, whose incarnation we celebrate this time of year.

He promises to adopt us into His family and that He is preparing a home in heaven for us!

May these gospel truths fill our hearts with joy. 

May we mediate on what God did in order to save us from our sins.

May we seek to honor Him all year long and to be His faithful witnesses, sharing the life changing gospel of Christ.

Please pray for one another as the enemy of God seeks to oppose what the Lord wants to do in our lives.

Pray for believers who are suffering persecution for the sake of the gospel of Christ. 

Pray for the Lord to continue to lead and guide me in His truth that I might share with you what He is teaching me.

Pray for a harvest of souls as His Word goes out.

May God pour out His richest blessings upon each of you as we celebrate the birth of Christ.

My love to all of you and I greatly anticipate meeting you face to face in heaven!

Bob