I am one of those people who if you asked me, “Do you want to hear the good news first, or the bad news?”. I would always choose the bad news, because I figure if I can survive the bad news, then anything else doesn’t matter. However, sometimes you can become so conditioned to hearing bad news (just turn on the TV, read social media, listen to the radio, etc.) that the “Good News” can be overshadowed, overlooked, and under appreciated. We have a home in Ft. Myers where hurricane Ian hit on September 28th of this year. The devastation was unprecedented in Florida’s history. Yet, 3 weeks later you could hardly find any news about the hurricane even in other parts of Florida. Why? The media had moved onto more “shocking”, and even “worse” news. Bad news sells, and if you’re not the worse news, you’re old news!

Other times you won’t fully understand, or appreciate how good the news really is until you understand how desperately YOU needed it! You may have even missed the “Good News” all together if you were expecting something else. Just ask any of the passengers who accidentally missed their scheduled flight, American Airlines 11, or United Airlines 175, on September 11, 2001. I am sure originally none of them thought it was good news to miss their flight.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to the, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying. “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2: 8-11

When you read the words above from God’s Word did you overlook the “Good News”, because you’ve become so conditioned to the dramatized “Bad News” of the world? Or . . .Did you totally miss the “Good News”, because you don’t understand YOU need a Savior? When the angels appeared the people had not heard a word from God in over 400 years! They were so accustomed to bad news of crime, hate, and indifference, (sounds just like today except there was no Television or social media invented to broadcast it) that they were terrified when an angel showed up with “Good News”. Many missed the “Good News” all together, because they had been told a Messiah would come to save the people. Their idea of a Messiah was a King with an army not a baby lying in a manger. Finally, they hated the One who came to love them, and they killed the One who came to save them!

My friends, if Jesus were just a good man, a prophet, a Teacher, a nice man, or even a maniac . . . WHY would we still be talking about Him, celebrating His birth every year, following His teaching, writing songs about Him, worshipping Him? By anyone’s standards, that would be a little overboard don’t you think? If you could save yourself, fulfill your greatest longings, and discover your purpose by your own talent, strength, intelligence, or success, etc. you would have, but you can’t. Millions of people throughout history have tried to achieve personal happiness, fulfillment, and inner peace by gaining power, accruing wealth, and achieving fame only to find NOTHING can fulfill what ONLY JESUS can, and will if you ask Him too!

This is NOT A RELIGION, because a religion won’t fulfill you, and it won’t save you! This is a relationship between you, and the God who created you. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and died on the cross to pay the penalties for our sin. He rose from the dead, and appeared to hundreds to prove even death could not defeat Him. He has promised us eternal life with Him in Heaven, for those who believe, (not those who are perfect, do good deeds, are smart, have success, or fame, go to church, etc.), AND ask Him to be their personal Lord, and Savior!

“For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” ~ John 3:16-17

Don’t miss the message my friends. The “Bad News”: you are assured a life of misery, and pain if you remain the lord of your life, because you cannot save yourself. You will never be good enough, work hard enough, do enough, know enough, or pay enough . . . and Jesus said “You don’t have to, I have already done it. Quit your striving, let me be your rest, and let me be the Lord of your life”.

JESUS is not just “Good News”; He is the “BEST NEWS”! My wish for you my friend is that if you don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus, that you will ask Him to be your Lord, and Savior. The best gift I can think of when I think of you is to know I will be spending eternity with you in Heaven!! If you have questions, and want to more about Jesus, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. Merry Christmas!!