Dear Danyel Ezekiel, Daniqua Grace, Danae, Danita, Daniel, Danni, Danyelle Elizabeth, Danielle Tekeela, Duran, and Kywaizia:
Children, be thankful to God for the life He has given you and be thankful for your past instead of being bitter and angry lest you allow people to gaslight you, use you, and manipulate you by complaining about the good life that God has blessed you to have, which was better than mine and your mother’s and no doubt better than theirs. All you are doing by complaining is trying to fit in with these WOKE, devilish people, even in the church, including pastors and pastors’ wives, and even in your extended family, just because you were never loved by your mother, as you should have been. True born-again Christians make the best of the bad things in life and try to make things better for others. God gives them the ability to flip their pain and use it for good. As you know, the bestselling books that I wrote, Letters to Young Black Men and Letters to Young Black Women came out of the pain of being raised in a dysfunctional religious but lost family where the wife led and rebelled against her husband, and the husband let her do so, which created hellacious chaos constantly in the family. One of your jobs in life is to be better than your parents, so do not be mean and hateful to your siblings or others just because your mother was unloving and mean to you. Whatever you may hate about your mother, don’t be that way towards your siblings, your children, or others. As I have told you all before you left home as grown adults, I would rather you not give me any more grandchildren if you are going to treat them in the unloving fashion your mother treated you. Whatever you may hate about your father, don’t be that, unless you know it is right. Don’t let people in the past, people in the present, or people in the future destroy your relationship with the Lord through pride, rebelliousness, evil, and foolishness. As the Bible says, do not let “evil communications corrupt good manners.” Jesus Christ is your standard and your example. Follow Him, obey Him, and be like Him.
THE CHRISTMAS STORY CONTINUES: Luke 2:21-25
Along with prayer and passing out Gospel tracts, the main thing we did to honor Jesus Christ for Christmas was read the Christmas story, preach the Gospel on Christmas Day, and have a good Christmas celebration meal but not as big as Thanksgiving. A VERY SIMPLE CHRISTMAS. I have precious memories. I hope that you do too. Precious memories are one of the greatest benefits of living for the Lord. The Christmas story continues:
Luke 2:21-25:
21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
MY DECEMBER 20th LOVING CHRISTMAS DEVOTIONAL TEXT IS Luke 18:1: “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint”
What Christmas Is About
“Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it.” — Isaiah 9:7
As we look at our world today, we realize that part of the promise of Isaiah 9:6-7 has not yet been fulfilled. The Son has been given. The Child has been born. But He has not yet taken the government upon His shoulders. We do not yet have peace with judgment and justice. But the good news is that there will come a day when Christ will return. He will establish His kingdom on this earth. And it will be the righteous rule of God himself.
Before Jesus could take the government upon His shoulder, He had to take the cross upon His shoulder. Before He could wear the crown of glory as King of Kings, He had to wear the shameful crown of thorns and give His life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. The first time, a star marked His arrival. But the next time He comes, the heavens will roll back like a scroll, all of the stars will fall from the sky, and He himself will light it.
Christ came to this earth. God came near to you so you can come near to Him—to give your life purpose and meaning, to forgive you of your sins, and to give you the hope of heaven beyond the grave. Christmas is not about tinsel or shopping or presents. Christmas is not about the gifts under the tree. Rather, Christmas is about the gift that was given on the tree when Christ died there for our sins and gave us the gift of eternal life.
— Greg Laurie
Danyel Ezekiel, Daniqua Grace, Danae, Danita, Daniel, Danni, Danyelle Elizabeth, Danielle Tekeela, Duran, and Kywaizia, I love you very much, and I am praying for you all “Without Ceasing.” Please pray for me and the ministry “Without Ceasing.” Thanks for the Precious Memories.
Love God and Jesus Christ first,
Love Papa, second.
Love,
Papa
