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
Some specialty cakes are served with a small token of some kind to represent the Christ Child. Others are shaped to remind us of the baby in swaddling clothes.
That may have been the goal but what happens when your cake comes out of the oven looking more like Herod on a rampage? People so easily get the wrong idea!
https://abeautifullifeministry.org/2016/07/19/let-me-be-the-first/#more-10708
Have you ever thanked the person who let you to Christ? That’s my topic today on hopestreamradio.com
Remember the programs loop continually throughout the day…wait a few minutes and your favourite program will show up OR check out our personal pages for the topic of the day.
“It Is Done” by Watchman Nee
“A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and
lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” (John 19:29-30)
Christianity begins not with a big do, but with a big done. We begin our Christian life by depending not upon our own doing but upon what Christ has done. Until you realize this you are no Christian; for to say: “I can do nothing to save myself; but by his grace God has done everything for me in Christ,” is to take the first step of faith.
“Our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin” (Rom. 6:6)
That is not an exhortation to struggle. That is history: our history, written in Christ before we were born.
Do you believe this? It is true! Our crucifixion with Christ is a glorious historic fact. Our deliverance from sin is based, not on what we can do, nor even on what God is
going to do for us, but on what he has already done in Christ. When that fact dawns upon us
and we rest back upon it, then we have found the secret of a holy life.
Life is for living fully, living it to its fullest, as it comes, whether good or bad. We won’t recognize the best right away. Sometimes we have to live with the person, circumstance, etc. to figure that out. Sometimes it will disappear before we understand how much we loved it/them.
Sometimes we don’t even understand that we’ve been missing something, till it shows up. Let Christ’s love grow in your heart so that you can share it for all to appreciate. Brighten someone’s day today by choosing to live your life to the fullest and confounding those who don’t or won’t.
“Men and women listened when I spoke, hung expectantly on my every word. After I spoke, they’d be quiet, taking it all in. They welcomed my counsel like spring rain, drinking it all in. When I smiled at them, they could hardly believe it; their faces lit up, their troubles took wing! I was their leader, establishing the mood and setting the pace by which they lived. Where I led, they followed.” (Job 29:21-25, MSG)
“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”–Corrie Ten Boom
Prayer- Lord, surely we can summon enough of your strength to at least smile at someone today. Thanks, God. Amen.
May you know nothing but Christ from this day forward.
May you speak warm words and have a warm heart.
May health and long life be your blessing.
May the Lord keep you in his hand yet never squeeze his fist too tightly.
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12, NIV)
Prayer- Father God, thank you that the strength of three (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) travels with us as we journey through life. Amen.
In no particular order, here are some Christmas facts:
Now which one is more important?
Prayer- Lord, help us concentrate on the Christmas fact No. 8, the Christ Child. Amen.
1. If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. (John 15:7, AMP)
Abide means to live or reside in a place while vitally means crucially or extremely or indispensably and united means to be combined or made into one. It is the result of the union of two or more persons or things.
While we want to be one with Christ, abiding in Him, none of us surely expect Christ to change to be like us. Nope. We are the ones who will change to be more like Him. That means we will pray for things that He would stand for. We won’t be praying disaster down on an enemy or for a big win at the casino, right?
So then, this is number two in the Manual for Answers to Prayer.
2. If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. (John 15:7, AMP)
Prayer- Now God we offer up these petitions –