Christmas is over … or is it!

It comes once a year … and then it’s over. All the hype and hubbub … gifts exchanged, gifts returned.

But, it doesn’t have to be that way. What if we celebrated the birth of Christ all year long? What if we gave something away every day of the year … the spirit of Christmas 365 days a year. How might our lives change if we followed the plea of Christ for us to "love one another"?

You could hug someone tightly and tell them you love them; forgive an enemy, realizing that Jesus loves them the same as He loves you; decide not to carry a grudge.

Lessen your demands on others and demand more of yourself; take time to keep a promise; turn off the TV for an evening and talk.
Pray for someone who doesn’t even know you ; apologize if you are wrong; be kind and loving to an angry person.

Write to a friend you have not kept in touch with; take time to read to a child; hold the hand of someone with sorrow in their heart; listen more and talk less.

Encourage an elderly or sickly person; do not be afraid to love; keep a pleasant continence; let someone know that you appreciate them … all of these are gifts that need no wrapping, cost very little but are priceless in the lives of those around you. Let others see Christ in you.

Let’s make Christmas one long extended time of giving to others … and through the miracle of Christ Jesus … you will find that you have given yourself a gift as well.

Larry Abele - Editorial Team

… the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us."
Luke 2:1-10

Snow storms in Europe, flooding on the east coast of Canada, mud slides in California and grieving families embracing the casket of the son that served in Afghanistan. The list of grief and suffering could go on and on.

This last week has not been calm as some carols would suggest, in fact it has been hectic and confusing. The question comes to mind, "Where is God in all this pain suffering and confusion?" 



As I pondered this question I found myself thinking of Joseph, Mary, some shepherds and a tiny baby in a feed trough. Yes Jesus Christ/God with us in a animal feed trough!

As I think about the inconveniences and grief in the lives of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus on the first Christmas night and the Life that followed I am reminded of the fact that as in those day “God is with us today” I believe the Good News of Christmas is that God is with us in all of this incredible suffering and confusion.
The message of God to us at Christmas is, "In all of life I am with you.”
Think about that. God is in the midst of real life. When people are hungry, God is there. Where people are cold, God is there. Where people are hurting, God is there.

God did not come for those who feel righteous and worthy. God came to the hurting, the lonely, the hungry, the naked and the cold. In the inconvenient birth of the Son, God tells each one of us that we are the objects of his love. Through the birth, life and death of Jesus, God tells us, "I know what life is like and I will always be with you." 



Jesus shows us there is a way. He followed the will of God. He conquered sin and death. He gave us eternal hope … and it all began on a cold night in a stable after an inconvenient journey. 



God is with us. Jesus is here. The promise of Christmas is that Jesus will be with us always. No matter what happens in our lives. No matter what life throws in our path, Jesus is with us.

When life is good we thank Jesus for the blessings. When life is inconvenient and hard we thank Jesus for his presence. In Christ we find all of our joy. In Christ we find all of our peace. In Christ we find all of our hope. With this joy, this peace and this hope, we thank God. With this joy, this peace, and this hope we can turn to one another and say with new meaning and understanding, “Merry Christmas”.

Paul Weresch

A Candy Maker's Witness

A candy maker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would be a witness, so he made the Christmas Candy Cane. He incorporated several symbols for the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ.

He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy. White to symbolize the Virgin Birth and the sinless nature of Jesus, and hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the foundation of the church, and firmness of the promises of God.

The candy maker made the candy in the form of a “J” to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to earth as our savior. It also represents the staff of the “Good Shepherd” with which He reaches down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who, like all sheep, have gone astray.

Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candy maker stained it with red stripes. He used the three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received by which we are healed. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Jesus on the Cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life, if only we put our faith and trust in Him.

Unfortunately, the candy became known as a Candy cane - a meaningless decoration seen at Christmas time. But the meaning is still there for those who "have eyes to see and ears to hear". SundaySchoolNetwork.Com

Season of Surprises

The season we celebrate reminds us of the many surprises we have experienced during the Christmases past. Many of us go to great lengths to surprise those we love at this time of the year.

God loves to surprise us. Instead of coming into this world via Jerusalem or at least Rome, God chooses an insignificant little village named Bethlehem. The main actors surrounding the “Incarnation of God” are simple people! He loves to take the ordinary everyday experiences of life and make them a part of his incredible plans.

God's plan to save the world is being put into motion through Mary and Joseph, two people that are about as simple as you can get. Their ability had nothing to do with being a part of God's incredible plan, they just had to be willing to trust God and be ready to be a part of what God was about to do.

To a world filled with strife and war, Jesus was to be the prince of peace! To humanity that was shackled by sin, this God in human flesh was to become the savior and deliverer! To you and me, to whom God seemed faraway, Jesus the son of Mary became Immanuel-God with us. All of this has became possible through the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ ... son of Mary born in Bethlehem ... who is the Son of God.

Let God surprise you today by giving you peace, the peace promised so long ago. Let God establish his Kingdom Rule in your Life by His grace gift; forgiveness of sin and life eternal. All you need to do is, in faith, receive the gift of grace by a simple request; “dear God I receive your forgiveness and accept Jesus as Savior and Lord of my life”.

My prayer is that God’s Peace will be with you,

Paul

[For further information regarding Christmas you may read in your Bible: Isaiah 7:14, Micah 5:2, Matthew 1:18-23, Luke2:1-18. Acts 16:30-34.]