Recorded December 15, 2024, with Rhonda Harrison.

It's time for the Champions in Christ broadcast

with Rhonda Harrison and 1017 Bay FM Good morning

and welcome to Champions in Christ We're so glad

you joined us today. This is the day the Lord

has made and we are gonna be glad in it. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah You know this is the Christmas season

and there's a lot going on. Everybody's life

is busy. There's so many activities going on,

but you know the greatest activity is the birth

of Jesus Christ. That's the greatest thing that

ever happened in the earth today next to his

resurrection. So we're going to talk about it

today. We're going to start in the beginning.

You know in Genesis, the book of beginnings Genesis

1 1 talks about in the beginning God created

the heaven and the earth you know God is so big

and he always is and he always was and he ever

will be right what continues on you know to say

and the earth was without form and void and darkness

was upon the face of the earth and the Spirit

of God moved upon the face of the waters and

God said let there be light and there was light.

So when God spoke something happened right and

he created heaven and earth. He began to fill

it with all the wonderful things for mankind.

He prepared a place before he even created man.

You know in Psalms 90 verse 2 it says before

Psalms 90:2

the mountains were brought forth or even you

had formed the earth and the world, even from

everlasting to everlasting, you are God. He always

was and he always will be. You know, and as he

began to form the earth and prepare the earth,

then it says in verse 26, that's when he created

man. It says, and God said, let us make man in

our image. After our likeness, let them have

dominion over the fish of the sea, the fowl of

the air, over the cattle, all the things on the

earth, and over everything that creeps upon the

earth. So God created man in his own image. The

image of God, he created him male and female.

That's right, male and female. God created us.

Hallelujah. And it was a long time ago. and as

he created them and began to he placed them in

the garden of Eden and began to tell them you

know cultivate the earth go ahead and and just

gave them so many things to do and they were

enjoying the earth that God had prepared for

them and then as things were going along and

we know that when God created man he breathed

into me he created him out of the dust of the

earth and he breathed life into him. And that

life came through the blood. Leviticus 17 11

says, for the life of the body is in the blood.

I've given you blood on the altar to purify you,

making you right with the Lord. It is the blood

given in the exchange for a life that makes purification.

Life is in the blood, but when Adam sinned and

Eve sinned, that tainted the blood of Adam. Adam's

blood was pure when when God breathed into it

but as Adam sinned that brought tainting that

brought impurities into the blood and the life

of Adam and Eve and so from that day forward

there had to be an atonement for their sin because

God is a holy God and he loves his creation so

much but he hates sin. and he can't be a part

of it, and he can't dwell with it. So what he

did, he had a plan. God has always, always been

around. So he's the Alpha and the Omega, the

beginning and the end. In Isaiah 46, 9 and 10

it says, Remember the former things long past

for I am God and there is no other. I am God

and there is no one like me, declaring the end

from the beginning and from the ancient times

things that have not been done. My purpose will

be established and I will accomplish all my good

pleasure. It was his pleasure to create you and

me. It was his pleasure to have fellowship. You

know he fellowshiped and walked with Adam you

know up until the day he sinned and even then

he spoke to him but you know he had to make appropriation

for our sin you know so he created the law began

and he created rules and regulations and there

was sacrifices that had to be made there was

sin offerings and and burn offerings of every

kind and sin and freewill offerings, and it just

went on and on and on throughout the New Testament.

You can read all about it, and I'm pushing forward

a little bit to get to where I want to go. God

had a plan all along. You know, in Genesis 315,

he said, I will put enmity between you and the

woman, between your offspring and hers, and he

will crush your head. He's talking to the serpent

here, Satan himself, who in indwelled a snake

to deceive Adam and Eve through the voice of

a serpent, which they didn't find odd. So it

may have been back then that animals could talk.

We don't know. But he decided, and this is a

prophecy, that he was going to bring someone

that was going to crush Satan's head. In Isaiah

714, it says, You know, God had a plan and a

purpose all along. He knew man was going to sin

because he knows everything. And so he created

a plan. He didn't want to destroy his creation

and start over. He could have. He almost did

with Noah, right? Everybody but Noah and his

family because they were the only righteous people

in the land. They were the only ones serving

God. It was a very wicked time in Noah's time.

So he knew that there needed to be a holy lamb,

right? Because up until then, they had to sacrifice

animals, and the blood of the sacrifice covered

their sin. It never got rid of it. It just covered

it. Excuse me. 1 Corinthians 15 45 through 58

says it's also written the first Adam became

a living soul the last Adam became a life -giving

spirit however the spirit the spiritual is not

first but the natural then the spiritual the

first man is from the earth is earthly the second

man is from heaven and as in is the earthly so

also are those who are earthly and as is the

heavenly also are those who are heavenly just

as we have been born in the image of the earthly.

We will also be born in the image of the heavenly.

Now I say this unto you, brethren, that flesh

and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God,

nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all

sleep, but we will all be changed in a moment,

in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet,

for the trumpet will sound and the dead will

be raised imperishable or incorruptible, and

we will be changed. For this corrupt must put

on incorruption, and this mortal must put on

immortality. But when this perishable will have

put on imperishable, then this mortal will have

put on immortality. Then will come about the

saying that is written, death is swallowed up

in victory. Death, where is your victory? Death,

where is your sting? The sting of death is sin.

The power of sin is the law. But thanks be to

God who gave us the victory through our Lord

Jesus Christ. Well, that's a mouthful, but it

says so much. You know, there would be a time

when Adam and Eve would have left the earth also.

But what happened was when they sinned, they

became mortal, where they would die, right? And

so Jesus was sent on the earth as procreation

for our sin. And Romans 5a explains it a little

better than... what I could explain it says but

God demonstrated his own love towards us and

while we were yet sinners Christ died for us

much more than having now been justified by his

blood we shall be saved from the wrath of God

through him because the punishment of sin is

death eternal death so when we sin which whether

and when a when a person is born in the earth

They're already born a sinner because that blood

has been tainted all the way back from Adam and

passed down through the ages. That's why we needed

Jesus and Jesus had to be born of pure blood.

He had to be born of pure blood. And so, we'll

continue reading. It says, but the free gift

is not like the transgression, for if by transgression

of one many died, much more than grace of God

and the gift by the grace of one, Jesus Christ

abounds to many. The gift is not like that which

came through the one who sinned, but on the other

hand, the judgment arose from one transgression

resulting in condemnation, but on On the other

hand, the free gift arose from many transgressions

resulting in justification. So if by transgression

or by sin, death reigned through one much more.

who received the abundance of grace and the gift

of righteousness will reign through life through

one Jesus Christ. So I know it sounds like a

lot but basically what he's saying through the

first Adam who died and sinned, the second Adam

which is what Christ is called in the New Testament,

he had to live out a sinless life. He had to

say no to sin and he had the option to say yes.

He was given free will just like we all are and

the Bible says in all Always he was tempted like

us, but chose not to sin. He came on this earth,

born of a virgin, a supernatural birth, born

of a virgin, where the Holy Spirit came over

Mary. everything about his birth was supernatural.

The angel visiting Mary, Mary saying yes to an

angel, she could have said no and God would have

had to find another, but Mary said, be it unto

me according to your word, for nothing is impossible

with God. That's all in Luke 1, 26 through 38.

If you read that story, the angel comes to her

and she asks the angel, she says, how can this

happen? a virgin and he said the the power of

the Most High will overshadow you and a holy

child will conceive in your womb and so she was

blown away she's 14 years old that's about the

time that or the age they figure Mary was and

here she is she's being birthed with an immaculate

conception, super natural. Wow, that's amazing.

And so he was born in holy blood. The blood was

not, because the blood comes from the Father

in nature. The blood comes from Father in the

human being. So that blood was not tainted, right?

because it came through the Holy Spirit. So the

only way it could get tainted was the same way

Adam, he had to have the same opportunity Adam

had to be the justification for that grace and

mercy for our salvation. So he was justified

because he chose not to sin. But the Bible says

he became sin on the cross for us. every sin

you've done every sin you could do every sin

you will do in the future he's already taken

it to the cross for you and for me that's how

great his love is that's how great his love is

you know this was this was prophesied 700 years

ago through the prophet isaiah it says therefore

the lord himself will give you a sign the virgin

will conceive and give birth to a son and will

call his name emmanuel again another amazing

prophecy supernatural word from God that didn't

happen for 700 years you know God has great patience

and there was a certain time that Jesus needed

to come on the earth and only God knows about

that but you know she gives birth to Jesus and

she wraps him in clothes and lays him in a manger

and you know why the angels came over shouting

glory to God in the highest because this was

going to Jesus was going to pay the price for

all of mankind all of mankind who wouldn't want

to know this Jesus who wouldn't want to receive

salvation and freedom from sin, death, hell and

the grave. Who wouldn't want to have that peace

that passes all understanding that one day you

and I have the opportunity to be in heaven and

live eternally forever. There's only two places

available. when you die, it's heaven or hell.

There is no in -between. Read the scriptures.

The Bible is so full of love for you. It's a

love letter written through history for our behalf

that we would receive Jesus, that we would receive

his free gift. It's not of work. You can't work

for it. You can't earn it. Jesus already paid

the price. All we have to do is receive it. You

know, the word of God says if we believe in our

heart, that Jesus came through a Virgin Mary,

died on this cross, rose again. If we confess

with our mouth that Jesus is our Lord, the Bible

says we will be saved. We have to repent of our

sin. That means turn and do no more. But guess

what? If you happen to fall again, all you do

is repent again because that blood and that mercy

and that grace is there for you. We don't use

it as an occasion to sin. We don't say, well,

God's going to forgive me. I'm going to go ahead

and do this anyway. No, no, no, no. There's punishment

with sin. There's consequences with sin, as you

and I have found out in life. but his mercy.

We are not going to get the ultimate payment

of death on the grave and also with obedience

to God's word. We receive rewards. God always

has a reward for us. He always has a blessing.

He loves to bless his children the same way you're

going to give gifts to your children or loved

ones or family members this season during Christmas.

Christ, God gave us the greatest gift he could

ever give, his only son. And his only son said,

yes, and laid down that life for you and for

me. It's something to shout about, it's something

to be excited about. You wonder, why do we sing

these songs about? you know, heaven and nature

sing. Why do we sing Silent Night? Why do we

sing Angels? Why do we sing Oh Holy Night? Because

He is a holy God and this was a miraculous, the

greatest birth that ever happened or ever will

happen. Now we will live eternity somewhere,

so I want you to listen and worship God with

these two songs coming up and then we'll come

back and we'll will give you that opportunity.

Many people don't know that Christ came, many

people don't know that he loves loves them, but

he loves you today. You who are driving in your

car right now, you who are sitting in a hospital,

you who are who are maybe you're at home and

you're listening on the radio and you've never

heard of Jesus Christ. He's there for you. He

wants you to receive him so he can bless you

even more. His mercy. His mercy is new every

morning. You say, oh, well, he can't forgive

what I've done. Oh, yes, he can. He will forgive

every sin, but one. And that's blaspheme against

the Holy Ghost. And if you've never heard of

Jesus, you won't even know what that is. So don't

worry. You haven't done it. But God has given

us a conscience. We know that we've done right

or wrong. We know. So I want you to take time

and worship in these songs and let it penetrate

your heart. And I'll come back in just a moment.

Praise the Lord. Thank you, Jesus. Hallelujah.

Glory to God in the highest. The greatest gift

was born on the earth was Jesus Christ, a baby

wrapped in swaddling clothing placed in a manger.

But guess what? Today he's in heaven and he's

praying for you. He's cheering you on. And I

want to give you opportunity right now. If you

want to receive Jesus, or maybe you've been away

from him and you forgot how much he loved you,

pray this prayer with me. Dear Heavenly Father,

come into my life. Forgive me of my sin. I repent.

I turn my back on the world. I receive your Holy

Spirit. I declare you, Jesus is my Lord and my

Savior. Thank you for it. In Jesus' name, amen.

If you prayed that prayer today, I want to tell

you you are forgiven of all your sins. They've

been washed into the sea of forgetfulness, never

to be remembered. I want you to rejoice, be excited,

find a good church that preaches the whole counsel

of God. Get around believers, encourage one another,

get in the word, and get into worship. And I

declare to you, this is the greatest thing you've

ever done in your life. I want you to go out

and make it a great day. And I want you to know

that Jesus loves you. You can reach out to us

at championsinchrist3 at gmail .com. But please

know that God loves you, we love you, and you

are a champion in Christ.