Category Archives: Christmas

Keep The Merry! (Guest post by Sarah Keith)

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For a few years, American atheists promoted a “Christmas” message: “Keep the merry, dump the myth.” This jarring promotion showed a picture of a laughing Santa, next to the suffering face of Jesus wearing a crown of thorns. It is quite poignant that they didn’t attack the Christ Child, since that is what the merriment celebrates! No, they went right to the heart of the matter: Christ on the cross. You see for many people — apparently atheists included — it’s easy and okay to celebrate the joy of Christmas with the Jolly ol’ Man, the Elf on the Shelf, or Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer; there’s no commitment to God or call for repentance; nothing is required! (But we do spend a lot of money trying to have a merry Christmas!) The atheists’ promotion was revealing — they understood the implication of believing in the Baby in the manger — it’s beautifully stated in the hymn, Hark! the herald angels sing: “Born to raise the sons of earth; born to give them second birth.”

Atheists understand that the Baby grew up and died a terrible, bloody death on the cross. There isn’t anything “merry” about that picture! You see, to truly celebrate the Saviour’s birth, we must be willing to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. Atheists, of course, are not willing to do this. But are we, who celebrate the Babe in the manger, willing to submit to the crucified and risen One when the trials and suffering of life come our way? Do we trust that God is in control and that nothing happens in our lives apart from the will of the Father? It is during these difficult times that we may be tempted to give up and ask, “Where are You, God?” or even “Is there a God?”

 

2 Corinthians 5:21 – For our sake [God] made [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (ESV)

In October of 2013, my husband survived a traumatic brain injury. I can’t imagine my family and me walking this path without the hope that God has a greater plan in mind. Admittedly, many days, I wanted to give up. Yet, where would I go? To whom would I turn? There is eternal hope in no one else!

Some of the fruit of our suffering has become evident: our family is closer, and we are grateful for the extra time to love one another. I also thank God for the body of Christ. For years now, we have been on the receiving end of love being poured out to us in a myriad of ways, all to show us Jesus-with-skin-on love! Over and over again, God has faithfully provided for us, teaching us that He is near and can be trusted.

Yes, the Christ Child is the reason for the season! His birth was for His death. His death was for our birth. In Him, we can find true Christmas joy!

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank You for coming to earth to give us second birth. Help us to have merry hearts today, tomorrow, and in the coming New Year. Amen.”

Sarah Keith <sarah@sundayschoolnetwork.com

https://www.SundaySchoolNetwork.com
West Palm Beach, Florida, USA

Mantel Piece Living

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I expect you have your nativity scene displayed already. If you decorate for Christmas, it is a requirement. After all without the birth of Christ, we wouldn’t be celebrating the holiday at all.

Do be kind enough to give him a bit of room on your mantel at least. Then take the time to investigate why there is a Christ in Christmas

Cheese and Onion Pie

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My dad used to call those bits before a meal as hor-dervies. He would have loved this recipe. Onions were his favorite food!

I gave you this recipe before but maybe you were foolish enough not to try it. Better luck this time!

Three ingredient Cheesy Onion Pie

Four cups of chopped onions

Four cups of grated cheese (I like Cheddar

Unbaked pie crust for a deep dish two-crust pie

Stir onions and cheese together. Pack into a deep pie plate lined with pastry. Add top crust, pierce it, and bake at 425 degrees F. for ten minutes, and then 350 degrees for another 30-35 minutes until onions are soft and crust is baked. Serve hot or cold.

For a larger crowd, use a 9×13 pan and a thinner layer of filling. Cut in squares to serve.

Just like my pie, some people find it hard to believe that Jesus, the Son of God, took human form, came to earth, was crucified for our sins and then was raised from the dead.

Are you willing to try my pie…and my Jesus?

But he was pie-rced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:5, NIV).

 

 

 

 

 

Holiday Fear

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We have already eaten a ton of our kids’ Halloween candy. Now the real trouble starts. Parties, teas, restaurant events and office showdowns are on the way.

HELP, God!!!

I’m watching my weight, Lord.I’m careful not to botch it.
My life is a bore for I have to watch it.
Others are chewing and swallowing sugars and fats
But me, I am left with food tasting like hats
Oh when will it end? The season goes on
Valentines till it stops and my fear is all gone!

Fat Chance

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God says we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (From Philippians 4:13) Does he mean even when I have one arm in a sling….I think so!

Then I ask myself why I am still fighting that last ten pounds?

It is long after the Christmas season and I continue to struggle on. (Notice that I haven’t spent much time on that topic yet this year!)

Contrary to our opinion, the Bible actually says that we can be perfect. Thankfully the meaning is also complete and lacking nothing essential.’ Listen to this!

But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing. (James 1:4, AMP)

Possibly that last ten pounds is only our own lack of perseverance. Let’s face our own shortcomings and our own truth without blaming God for our lack-a-daisy attitude.

Prayer- Lord, let us meet next year with ten less pounds than this year. Amen.

The Great Return

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This week begins the season of the Great Return, you know when everything you spent hours looking for and many dollars buying gets returned to the unknown abyss.

Do you know what happens there?  Untold bunches of stuff are taken back to their original store, where they are then sent to some kind of discount place store. All will be sold for a tiny percentage of original value.

Is anything we own of any real worth? Clothes get baggy and worn, dishes break. All that really lasts is our relationships.

Sadly they don’t go on forever either. People move or die and everything is over…unless we have the hope of seeing them again.

The only thing we can really count on is our one on one relationship with the Lord. Thankfully it is non-returnable.

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.   (John 1:18, NIV)

Prayer- Lord, draw our hearts to what really lasts…the Christ. Amen.

Celebrate Mall Music

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What kind of state are we in when Christians complain we have Christmas music playing too early or the stores decorated too soon?  We should be cheering when we have any opportunity at all to bring up the name of Christ.

Let’s stop whining about music in the mall. If we don’t, everything will be festive this and festive that. Festive is the replacement word for anything Christmas. It means anything cheerful: it means anything related to a celebration of feasts, festivals or holidays. Christmas is slipping out of our hands. All we hear is festive trees, festive school concerts and festive holidays.

Do we want festive sales, festive music and festive decorations? Before you know it we will have the festive Christ, a Christ whose only purpose is to festive!

Rejoice in every Away in the Manger, or Noel, Noel. Those are scriptural words echoing into malls and halls; a word that we are still allowed to share. Grab onto it with both hands and turn up the sound of Christians rejoicing in the Christ.

Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute! (Philippians 4:4-5, MSG