2012 Christmas Testimony

Jesus is born

Two weeks ago, I was asked to share my thoughts about what Christmas means to me. My target audience is fellow Republicans. But I will direct my thoughts to everybody, for my testimony of my Savior is the same. I believe in Christ. He is my Redeemer. He is my King. I celebrate Christmas to celebrate His birth, life, death, and resurrection. If not for His exemplary life, which I try to follow, His suffering for my sins, His death and resurrection, I would have no hope. And so I celebrate!



For many Republicans and some Democrats, this year has been a bad year in politics. And, in politics, we don't have any hope for improvement. And if our President's words this week are any indication, there will be no change for the better over the next few years. But we do have hope in Him, Jesus Christ our Savior.

"He is risen"

As we put our faith in God, we can accomplish many things. As we trust in His word, we can overcome all. Not that the journey will be easy, but the burden will be lighter. Not that we won't have troubles, but we will be supported when doing right. So go out, do good, follow Jesus' example. Help the sick, the needy, the widowed and widower, the fatherless or motherless. Don't look down upon the needy and think in your hearts, "They probably voted for more free stuff, let them get their handouts from the government." I know I have and I know I have need of repentance.

Jesus helping the sick

I will commit myself, I already have, to helping those in need. We can only win the hearts and minds of the people through example, as Christ did, and show them that there is a better way. The sad, the lonely, the downtrodden have two choices, trust in government or trust in God. I would trust God. God sends His servants to help. We, His believers, are His servants and this is my testimony of Him and why I celebrate Christmas.

Jesus healing Jairus' daughter

A Realization of Proper Self Defense

My brother-in-law, Monte, related the following story. He makes a very good final point. A point that is lost on many gun control advocates.

True story--a couple of years ago Suzanne and I had a marital spat over the fact that I owned a gun for our family's protection. She was strongly opposed to guns and didn't like the fact I was taking my son to the gun range to practice shooting. A few weeks later we were sitting in church listening to a speaker read a letter from his missionary son in South America who described the aftermath of a recent earthquake--how looters and criminals targeted those with no means to protect themselves or their food and clothing supplies. Suzanne surprised me by leaning over and whispering in my ear that perhaps she was wrong and that we needed to have a way to defend ourselves and protect our loved ones and our food storage.

A few months later, she did some work for a client who taught gun classes, and she surprised me once again when she signed us both up for the classes and even traded part of her services in exchange for the gun classes. When we begin to understand that there are bad people out there who would not think twice about taking our possessions and even the lives of our loved ones and not feel bad about it, it lends clarity to the responsibility we have to defend ourselves and our families from those who would do us harm.

Emphasis added.