Wishing You a Blessed Christmas from Hallelujah Diet

One thing that Rhonda and I have always loved about Hallelujah Diet is that it isn’t just a business. It is s a ministry with a mission to help people make God the center of their live and to adopt the diet that He gave us. And we believe that our success is based on the fact that we put God and the welfare of others ahead of our own interests. In other words, we think that God has blessed us and Hallelujah Diet because of our dedication to spiritual and physical health, empowering ourselves and others to lead a rich and fulfilling life, full of prayer and vibrant life. Through the years, well meaning people have often said something like this to me: “If you would just remove the Christian emphasis from Hallelujah Diet and your writings, you would appeal to far more people and sell more products.” But my retort has always been the same: “I believe that if we were ever to do that, God would remove his blessing, and Hallelujah Diet would slowly fade away, and for good reason. We don’t have to separate our work from our spiritual beliefs. The spirit can guide our daily endeavors if we just allow God into everything we do. The Bible says:

“Except the Lord build the house (or business), they labour in vain that build it.”

- (Psalm 127:1)

And again:

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

- (1 Corinthians 3:11)

Each year at Hallelujah Diet, until Rhonda and I moved to Florida, we held a Christmas party for our staff, and every year at that Christmas party I read the Christmas story as found in Luke chapter 2 and commented on the true meaning of Christmas, while encouraging staff to keep Christ in Christmas. Since moving to Florida, my son Paul has assumed my role. If we were to ever remove Christ from Christmas, all we would have left is a “MASS.” During recent years, it has become the custom for many businesses during the Christmas season to say to use the politically correct expression, “Happy Holidays.” At Hallelujah Diet, you will not hear “Happy Holidays” coming from Rhonda, from me, or our staff, but rather “Merry Christmas” or “Have a Blessed Christmas.” Sadly, many of the people seem to have forgotten “the reason for the season.” We find what Christmas is all about in Luke 2:1-11, with an emphasis on verses 10 and 11:

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

Christmas should be the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ! Christ is missing at most of the parties as well in the hearts of many at “holiday” celebrations. So who is this “Christ” whose birth we celebrate December 25? In Genesis 1:1 we read:

“In the beginning God (translated from the Hebrew word “Elohim,” a plural noun denoting more than one) created the heaven and the earth.”

Have you ever wondered who was with God in the beginning? Or who was with God in Genesis 1:26: “And God said let US make man in our image, and after our likeness”? The answer is “In the beginning” in Genesis 1:1, in John’s Gospel, the first chapter, verses 1-14:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word WAS GOD. The same was in the beginning with God, all things were made by Him: and without Him was not anything made that was made.”

~ John 1:1-3

And notice whom the Bible tells us this “Word” was that was “with God in the beginning.” In verse 14 we learn who this “Word” was, and is, and forever more shall be: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” The birth of Jesus Christ had been prophesied by the prophet Isaiah some 750 years prior to His birth with these words:

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign, behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Emanuel.”

~ Isaiah 7:17

And this prophecy was fulfilled in Matthew 1:18-23:

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused (engaged) to Joseph, before they came together (in marriage), she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

“Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.

“Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet , saying Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”

According to the clear teachings of the Bible, God took upon Himself a body of flesh and came to this earth in the person of Jesus Christ:

“ . . . God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”

~ I Timothy 3:16

I will conclude our reading of the Scriptures with these verses from John 1:10-14:

“He (the Word – Jesus Christ) was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.”

Yes, the true meaning of Christmas is that it is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ! Now you know why we here at Hallelujah Diet and in the Malkmus family will be celebrating Christmas this year. I trust that you who are reading this will be celebrating Christmas this year as well.

A Christmas Wish

Rhonda and this editor wish you and yours a very blessed Christmas! If you were among those who sent us email best wishes or a postal Christmas card, thank you! We love and appreciate you. Thank you for standing with us, and for your prayers and encouragement this past year. We send our love and prayers back to you! Feel free to share this Christmas message with friends and loved ones.

Editor’s Note:

If you only know Jesus as a babe in a manger scene or someone whose birth is celebrated each year, may I encourage you to come to know Him in a personal way by asking Him to come into your heart, forgive you for your sins, and become your Saviour. I personally invited Jesus into my heart to be my Saviour on May 29, 1957 at a Billy Graham Crusade rally at the age of 23. That was a very long time ago, and I can truthfully say that He has never left me nor forsaken me. And I know that He lives because He is the first person I talk to each morning and the last person I talk to each night. If you would like more information on how to personally get to know the Christ of Christmas, click here to write me and I will send you some literature or have someone personally contact you with more information.