Christianity

Merry Christmas Everybody

Merry Christmas everybody! May all your dreams turn to reality this Christmas and always. God bless you all.

A Parents Night Before Christmas (Author unknown) 

Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house
I searched for the tools to hand to my spouse.
Instructions were studied and we were inspired,
In hopes we could manage “Some Assembly Required.”

The children were quiet (not asleep) in their beds,
While Dad and I faced the evening with dread:
A kitchen, two bikes, Barbie’s town house to boot!
And, thanks to Grandpa, a train with a toot!

We opened the boxes, my heart skipped a beat….
Let no parts be missing or parts incomplete!
Too late for last-minute returns or replacement;
If we can’t get it right, it goes in the basement!

When what to my worrying eyes should appear,
But 50 sheets of directions, concise, but not clear,
With each part numbered and every slot named,
So if we failed, only we could be blamed.

More rapid than eagles the parts then fell out,
All over the carpet they were scattered about.
“Now bolt it! Now twist it! Attach it right there!
Slide on the seats, and staple the stair!
Hammer the shelves, and nail to the stand.”
“Honey,” said hubby, “you just glued my hand.”

And then in a twinkling, I knew for a fact
That all the toy dealers had indeed made a pact
To keep parents busy all Christmas Eve night
With “assembly required” till morning’s first light.

We spoke not a word, but kept bent at our work,
Till our eyes, they went bleary; our fingers all hurt.
The coffee went cold and the night, it wore thin
Before we attached the last rod and last pin.

Then laying the tools away in the chest,
We fell into bed for a well-deserved rest.
But I said to my husband just before I passed out,
“This will be the best Christmas, without any doubt.

Tomorrow we’ll cheer, let the holiday ring,
And not have to run to the store for a thing!
We did it! We did it! The toys are all set
For the perfect, most perfect, Christmas, I bet!”

Then off to dreamland and sweet repose I gratefully went,
Though I suppose there’s something to say for those self-deluded…
I’d forgotten that BATTERIES are never included!

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Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year

Everybody seems to get excited about Christmas, even those who are going through rough times—Religious or Secular.  It is the most wonderful time of the year— shopping malls buzzing with shoppers; the lights, the decorations, the greetings, the music, the foods, and most of all the smiles. It seems people smile more during the Christmas season.

But amid all the excitement and fun, Christmas does not mean the same to all people and culture. It is a mixture of religious and secular traditions, and depending on where you live and to which culture you belong, the season could take on a different meaning.

From a Christian perspective, “Christmas is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ, celebrated on December 25 as a religious and cultural holiday by billions of people around the world.”

Kids love Christmas, it seems the tradition got started specifically for them. When I was a young child, I got excited about Christmas too, but when Santa did not show up at my house for about 3 years in a row, I became sad and abandoned Christmas, and subsequently developed a hatred for Santa Claus.

However, as I grew older I understood what Santa Claus was all about: He brings happiness to sad faces. But most often than not, the parents have to take the place of Santa. Unfortunately many parents do not have the wherewithal to do so; therefore, they have to depend on relatives, friends and neighbors and sometimes you.

Won’t you make a sad face happy this Christmas? It doesn’t have to be a child. Maybe you know somebody who has been out of work for a long time. More than likely such a person is going through rough times. You could be Santa Claus to that person’s kids or to the entire family. The Bible says: ”  Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

The Angel ‘Gabriel’ Foretold Jesus’ Birth

Gabriel broke the good news to Mary

Mary, a virgin, was living in Galilee of Nazareth and she was engaged to Joseph, a Jewish carpenter. But before they came together, an angel named Gabriel, appeared to Mary and told her that she would conceive a son by the power of the Holy Spirit. “And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. Luke 1:30-31

At first Mary was afraid and troubled by the angel’s words. Being a virgin, Mary questioned the angel, “How will this be?” The angel explained that the child would be God’s own Son and, therefore, “nothing is impossible with God.” Humbled and in awe, Mary believed the angel of the Lord and rejoiced in God her Savior.

No doubt  Mary reflected with wonder on the words found in Isaiah 7:14 foretelling this event, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” (NIV)

Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

Joseph was not happy about the news. Fear and doubt overwhelmed him but he did not want to expose Mary to a public disgrace which was required by law–so he planned to divorce her quietly.  But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:  “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and he took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

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Do you give God your all?

The world wants your best, but God wants your all. So what is preventing you from giving God your all?…Self…It’s hardly a secret that conquering self is the biggest problem Christians all over the world face daily. It was true for Jesus’ disciples— and it is true for modern-day Christians.

Somebody once said: “Learn to conquer self before you try to conquer the world.”Learning to conquer self is an ongoing struggle I am face with daily. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I understand that unless I overcome self I will not reach those higher heights and deeper depths, which the apostle Paul referred to in (Philippians 3:14), “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Most Christians, I would imagine, will not admit openly that they struggle with self, but I am not ashamed to admit that I do. As a matter of fact, one of the greatest Christians the world had ever known struggled with self and he was not ashamed to admit it.  The apostle Paul, a stalwart of the early and modern-day Church struggled with self. In (1 Corinthians 9:27), he writes: “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

The apostle Peter himself, struggled with self. When the soldiers took hold of Jesus, after Judas pointed Him out–the Bible says: “Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchu” (John 18:10).

The truth is we all struggle with self, whether you admit it or not.  It is the single biggest impediment that prevents many of us from giving God our all. Each of us has that 1 or 2 things that we cannot shake. We have been working on them for years or maybe months, but every time we thought we had them under control, they raise their ugly heads again.

The only solution for the problem of sin is to stay close to God. Feed on His words, walk in His footsteps and obey His commandments (Exodus 20), for “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24)

Now is the time to recommit yourself to Jesus Christ

Every believer goes through a period when you feel the need to recommit yourself to Jesus Christ– not because you have drifted away from the faith, but because you have recognized the need to reach higher heights and deeper depths in the Spirit.

Almost everybody in today’s world owns a navigation system. And we all know when that thing is getting ready to change direction–it prompts you with the words, “re-calculating, re-calculating”. That is similar to what your spiritual navigator does. He prompts you when you have lost your sense of purpose, and are no longer walking in the Spirit of God.

You see folks, it is the Spirit who directs your footsteps, your thoughts and ultimately your entire being. Romans 8:9 states: But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. Now if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. Paul is clearly telling you that the Spirit of God does not dwelleth in you at all times. Therefore, if the spirit of God is not dwelling in you, it is time to recommit and renew your covenant with God.

Will you join me in oneness of Spirit and recommit your life to God today?

Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Hath broken every barrier down;
Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, of that free love
The breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,
Here for a season, then above,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

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