The Reason for the Season!

I feel obligated to put aside political rhetoric for today and concentrate on what is REALLY important. Please read the following with an open heart and mind.

The Christmas Season is upon us, and there should be joy abounding around the world. Some people celebrate Christmas as a tradition, very removed from the Babe in the Manger. Some people around the world never heard of Jesus Christ, and have no idea what’s going on. Some people in the world don’t celebrate Christmas due to an alternative religion. Some who call themselves Christians don’t celebrate Christmas because December 25th isn’t really Jesus’ birthday.


Would it really shock you for me to say, I believe that December 25th is NOT Jesus’ birthday. If a person studies the Bible and Bible history, using various Jewish earmarks in the Bible, one could say that Jesus was born in the fall. By tracing the birth of John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, and using names on the Jewish calendar, you might learn that John the Baptist was born in the spring. And the Angel Gabriel visited Elisabeth before he visited Mary, and John was born about six months earlier than Jesus. That would put Jesus’ birth in the fall. However, all that is really irrelevant—if you have the Spirit of God in your heart. The actual day of Jesus birth is not known. However, for whatever reason when it started, December 25th is now set aside to celebrate this miraculous Birth.


Some folks, myself included, have signed their Christmas cards, “Jesus is the reason for the season.” Very poetical, but not completely true. Yes, Christmas, with the emphasis on CHRIST, is here to celebrate Jesus’ birth, but only in the concept of celebrating His death. You see, Jesus came to earth, born of a virgin, and laid in a manger, to be our Savior. He fulfilled Scripture with His birth, and the angels proclaimed it in the heavens:


“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 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. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:8-14


Around the world are people who don’t understand that Jesus came to the world for them, for YOU.


“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16


The trouble with most people is that they don’t think they need a Savior, they think they are all right, they “aren’t that bad.” Before a person can “get saved”—accept Jesus as their Savior, they need to know they need him.


When Jesus was preparing to come to earth, the angel came to Mary and then to Joseph. “Behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph 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.” Jesus came to earth to die!

When we tell a lie, we sin. When we steal, we sin. When we have hate in our hearts for another person, we sin. When we don’t honor our father or mother, we sin. Jesus came to earth, born in a lowly stable, laid in a lowly manger, and thirty years later He began his earthly ministry which led to His death on the cross—for you—for me. To pay our sin debt so we would go to heaven when we die. But we have to CHOOSE to be saved, choose to have Jesus in our hearts. It’s not difficult—just repent (be sorry for your sins and turn from them) and ask Jesus into your heart to be your Lord and Savior. It is the most valuable Christmas present you can give to yourself.


There is a song that says it all. I don’t know the writer, but I attribute it to him anonymously.



Down from His glory, ever living story,
My God and Savior came, and Jesus was His name,
A man of sorrows, tears and agony.


What condescension, bringing us redemption,
That in the dead of night, Not one faint hope in sight;
God, gracious, tender; laid aside His splendor
Stooping to woo, to win, to save my soul.


Without reluctance, Flesh and blood His substance;
He took the form of Man; revealed the hidden plan;
O glorious myst’ry, Sacrifice of Calv’ry;
And now I know Thou art the Great, “I AM.”


Chorus:

O how I love Him! How I adore Him! MY breath, MY sunshine,
MY all in all! The great Creator became my Savior,
And all God’s fullness dwelleth in Him.

Happy Birthday, Jesus, and Merry Christmas!

Will the Grinch Steal Our Christmas?

Christmas will soon be upon us, with hearts turned to Peace, Love and the Joy that only Jesus can give. He said the earth was not His world, and that we shouldn’t hold too tightly to the physical aspects of life.


It is a good thing that our rewards and security are in a different realm because our leaders here on earth, local, state and federal are bent on squeezing out of us every drop of sustenance we can muster.


At this writing, the Dunces in D.C. are doing a Dueling Dance to extend/end the Bush tax cuts—in the process, the amendments and inclusions will add over $600 Billion—with a B more dollars to our debt with China. State governments are trying to balance state budgets currently very much in deficits; and local leaders in many states, counties and municipalities have so cowed to the pseudo-science of global warming that they are passing “green” building codes that restrict how many light bulbs we can put in our kitchens—latest rule is (4) 60 watt bulbs per average kitchen. Now, THAT is intrusive!!


Holiday travelers are sexually accosted in the name of security by TSA workers with no common sense, who strip search, both virtually, and physically, law-abiding Americans who want to visit Grandma on the holidays—all because they don’t want to “profile” would-be Muslim terrorists.


Meanwhile, as our POTUS finally found his TOTUS, he has been reaming out both sides of the political aisles. He rails that the Republicans are taking hostages over this tax cut/extension. The Democrats suddenly don’t understand that to NOT extend those tax cuts at this time, will throw the country into double dip recession in January. And, while all this political theater is taking place, Iran is making plans to move missiles into Venezuela capable of reaching the USA!!


The Shining Light in all this chaos is Jesus. When His trumpet sounds to call out the Church, and we fly to higher ground, all our needs will be met, all our ills will disappear, and we will be with the King—the Real King. And all this without being manhandled by the TSA to get there!!


"God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever.”


--President Thomas Jefferson



Merry Christmas



Note: “Grinch” attributed to Dr. Seuss