John 3:16 ‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’

DAILY READING; • Acts 10:1-33; Joshua 7-8; Job 24

Pastor Richard Wurmbrand was an evangelical minister who endured 14 years of imprisonment and torture by the Communist government of Romania.
In his book, ‘Tortured for Christ’, Pastor Richard Wurmbrand told a remarkable story about the power of love and forgiveness that happened while he was in the prison.
It was a Christmas Eve night and Pastor Richard who was suffering from tuberculosis, was lying down weakly.
In his cell were also other Christians who had been imprisoned for their faith.
Earlier on, to their surprise, a communist officer who had been one of their torturers, had been brutally beaten and thrown into their cell, by his colleagues who fell out with him.
This Communist officer had been responsible for torturing another priest in the cell who was now close to dying.
As Pastor Richard lay in the cell, by his right hand was the dying priest named Iscu, whose face radiated joy as he spoke about his hope of Heaven and his love of Christ.
Then on Pastor Richard’s left side was the Communist Murderer who had been responsible for the priest’s torture. Due to the brutal beating he received from his colleagues, he seemed to be also dying but his soul was in agony.
During the night he awakened Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, saying, “Pastor, please pray for me. I can’t die, I have committed such terrible crimes.”
At that moment, Pastor Richard Wurmbrand saw a miracle unfold, as the dying priest on his right side dragged himself to the bedside of his torturer and began to caress his head.
The priest told the communist officer that he had forgiven him for what he did and told him he loved him with all his heart. He then went on to tell him about the love of God and the importance of accepting Christ so that he too could have the hope of Heaven.
In that prison cell where there was no privacy, Pastor Richard Wurmbrand overheard the confession of the murderer to the priest he had almost murdered. They prayed together, embraced each other, and the priest went back to his bed.
Both men died that same night.
Pastor Richard marveled at the love of God at work in the priest who used his last strength to ensure the salvation of his murderer.

Over 2000 years ago, Jesus came to the earth, to spread the Gospel and show love to the most unlovable. In the end the very people He came to save, crucified Him.
Remarkably, when Roman soldiers were killing Jesus, nailing his hands and feet to the cross, with Blood flowing from the deep wounds they had inflicted, yet He was focused on forgiving them.
While they were slaying Him, Jesus was praying for them.
Jesus said “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”
Jesus forgave those who were killing Him, who had flogged Him, spit on Him and mocked Him.
He not only forgave them, all of mankind was forgiven when He finally died on the Cross for our sins.
This is the power of the love of God.
Indeed, Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection is God’s statement of love to the world. The Christmas story is the story of the amazing love of God who gave His only begotten son to die for us and redeem us.
Christmas is the story of redemption. Indeed Jesus was born to die to save us from sin and every affliction of the devil. Through His death, Christ has given us the power to live in victory on earth.
The journey of life can be full of twists, bumps, betrayals, troubles, detours, pits and unexpected turns. However in all these things we are more than conquerors through Christ that loved us.
By His power at work in us we can overcome the trials and tribulations and even afford to love the unlovable amongst us.
Certainly, through Him we can do all things.
Let us therefore continually rejoice in the salvation we have through Christ and stay focused on experiencing the gifts of redemption He has brought into the world for us.
Indeed without the birth of Jesus and the price He paid for us, there is no reason to have Christmas. He’s the only reason for the season!

PRAYER; Lord I thank You for the price You paid at the cross for my deliverance and salvation. Please grant me the grace to continually share the good news of redemption with everyone that comes my way in Jesus Name.
QUOTE;
For you to enjoy victory in the Kingdom of God, you need to develop a Kingdom mindset, that thinks in line with the Word of God. – WORDBITE 222