The True Meaning of Christmas

What a great time of the year! Most folks are just a little
happier. They decorate their homes; they have more friends and family in to
share meals and fellowship. Most give gifts of some kind with someone.  In general, it is a happy if not joyous time
of the year.

I realize of course that is not true for everyone, some
folks are overwhelmed by the season. The business, the gift buying, the traffic
and the expectations are somewhat nerve wracking.

What is the TRUE meaning of Christmas, or does it really
have any meaning other than a great big party to our world. I like what Charles
Tucker has to say about it. Notice below:

"This time of year we talk about “the True Meaning of
Christmas.” OK, I know that Christmas isn’t mentioned in the Bible; Jesus
nowhere tells us to observe His birthday. But the fact that Jesus was born into
this world to live among us as one of us is indeed at the very center of the
gospel. It was “when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman,
born under the law” (Galatians 4:4). We must believe that Jesus was
born as a real flesh and blood baby in order to accept that He gave His body
and shed His blood on the cross (1 John 1:1-2). Jesus became flesh and blood
like us in order to redeem us (Hebrews 2:14). Jesus was Immanuel, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23).
Because we connect this time of the year to the story of the birth of Jesus,
therein is really the 'True Meaning of Christmas.'"

I agree with Charles. If this season puts Jesus more in the
forefront of people's hearts and minds, then it does give a meaning to
Christmas, which is truer than any of our other World Holiday's.

No, Christmas isn't in the bible, but Paul tells us in Romans 14:4-6,"Who
are you to condemn someone else’s servants? They are responsible to the Lord,
so let him judge whether they are right or wrong. And with the Lord’s help,
they will do what is right and will receive his approval. In the same way, some
think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is
alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is
acceptable. Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him."(NLT)

So, Paul tells us that if we want to set aside special days
to honor God, then do it, but do it wisely. A day to honor God is not about
giving gifts or feasting with friends, it's about remembering our God and what
he has given us.

Russ Lawson – Messages From The Heart

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Thanksgiving Thorns

 

Sandra felt as low as the heels of her sandals
when she pulled open the florist shop door, against a November gust of wind.

Her
life had been as sweet as a spring breeze and then in the fourth month of her
second pregnancy, a "minor" automobile accident stole her joy. This
was Thanksgiving week and the time she should have delivered their infant son.
She grieved over their loss. Troubles had multiplied. Her husband's company
"threatened" to transfer his job to a new location. Her sister
had called to say that she could not come for her long awaited holiday visit.
THEN! Sandra's friend suggested that Sandra's grief was a God-given path to
maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer.

"She
has no idea what I'm feeling," thought Sandra with a shudder. "Thanksgiving?
Thankful for what?" she wondered. "For a careless driver whose truck
was hardly scratched when he rear-ended her? For an airbag that saved her life,
but took her child's?"

"Good
afternoon, can I help you?" Sandra was startled by the approach of the
shop clerk.

"I....I
need an arrangement," stammered Sandra. "For Thanksgiving? Do you
want the beautiful but ordinary, or would you like to challenge the day with a
customer favorite I call the 'Thanksgiving Special'? I'm convinced that flowers
tell stories," she continued. "Are you looking for something that
conveys 'gratitude' this Thanksgiving?" "Not exactly!" Sandra
blurted out. "In the last five months, everything that could go wrong has
gone wrong." Sandra regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the
clerk said, "I have the perfect arrangement for you."

Then
the bell on the door rang, and the clerk greeted the new customer, "Hi,
Barbara...let me get your order."

She
excused herself and walked back to a small workroom, then quickly reappeared,
carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and what appeared to be long-stemmed
thorny roses. Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped: there were
no flowers. "Do you want these in a box?" asked the clerk. Sandra
watched for the customer's response. Was this a joke? Who would want rose stems
with no flowers? She waited for laughter, but neither woman laughed. "Yes,
please," Barbara replied with an appreciative smile. "You'd think
after three years of getting the special, I wouldn't be so moved by its
significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again." She said, as
she gently tapped her chest. Sandra stammered, "Ahh, that lady just left
with, uh....she left with no flowers!" "That's right, said the clerk.
"I cut off the flowers. That's the 'Special'. I call it the Thanksgiving
Thorns Bouquet." "Oh, come on! You can't tell me someone is willing
to pay for that!" exclaimed Sandra. "Barbara came into the shop three
years ago, feeling much as you do, today," explained the clerk. "She
thought she had very little to be thankful for. She had just lost her father to
cancer; the family business was failing; her son had gotten into drugs; and she
was facing major surgery." "That same year I had lost my
husband," continued the clerk. "For the first time in my life, I had
to spend the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby,
and too much debt to allow any travel." "So what did you do?"
asked Sandra.

"I
learned to be thankful for thorns," answered the clerk quietly. "I've
always thanked God for the good things in my life and I NEVER questioned Him
why those GOOD things happened to me, but when the bad stuff hit, I cried out,
"WHY? WHY Me?!" It took time for me to learn that the dark times are
important to our faith! I have always enjoyed the 'flowers' of my life but it
took the thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort! You know, the Bible
says that God comforts us when we're afflicted and from His consolation we
learn to comfort others."

Sandra
sucked in her breath, as she thought about the thought that her friend had
tried to tell her. "I guess the truth is, I don't want comfort. I've lost
a baby and I'm angry with God." Just then someone else walked in the shop.
"Hey, Phil!" the clerk greeted the balding, rotund man. "My wife
sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving arrangement...twelve thorny,
long-stemmed stems!" laughed Phil as the clerk handed him a tissue wrapped
arrangement from the refrigerator.

"Those
are for your wife?" asked Sandra incredulously. "Do you mind telling
me why she wants a bouquet that looks like that?" "No...I'm glad you
asked," Phil replied. "Four years ago, my wife and I nearly divorced.
After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord's grace and
guidance, we trudged through problem after problem. The Lord rescued our
marriage. Jenny, here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose stems to
remind her of what she had learned from "thorny" times. That was good
enough for me. I took home some of those stems. My wife and I decided to label
each one for a specific "problem" and give thanks for what that
problem taught us.

As
Phil paid the clerk, he said to Sandra, "I highly recommend the
Special!" "I don't know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my
life." Sandra said to the clerk. "It's all too...fresh."

"Well,"
the clerk replied carefully, "my experience has shown me that the thorns
make the roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more during
trouble than at any other time. Remember, it was a crown of thorns that Jesus
wore so we might know His love. Don't resent the thorns." Tears rolled
down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since the accident, she loosened her
grip on her resentment. "I'll take those twelve long-stemmed thorns,
please," she managed to choke out. "I hoped you would," said the
clerk gently. "I'll have them ready in a minute."

"Thank
you. What do I owe you?" "Nothing. Nothing but a promise to allow God
to heal your heart. The first year's arrangement is always on me." The
clerk smiled and handed a card to Sandra. "I'll attach this card to your
arrangement, but maybe you would like to read it first."

The
card read: My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a
thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory
of the cross I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have
climbed closer to You along the path of pain. Show me that, through my tears,
the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant."

Praise
Him for the roses, thank Him for the thorns.

- Author unknown- via mail1.islandnet.com 

COUNT DOWN TO THANKSGIVING

Our world is always in a rush and tumble state. People are
always hurrying to some place of importance. The Thanksgiving Holiday makes it
even worse. Air travel and road travel are increased by numbers at which we can
only estimate at being "all time highs". Why is that?

Thanksgiving is a traditional American holiday that embodies
what our nation is about. It is a time to remember those who first immigrated
to the "New World" and planted the
first crops, established the first towns and remembering the many that died
trying to make this brave new world a reality. Those first Pilgrims came here
seeking freedom. Freedom from an oppressive government, freedom to worship as
they felt was right without government interference.

Is that really what most of us remember at this time of the
year? No, probably not. What is it that drives people to go to extremes to be
"home" for Thanksgiving? What is it that caused them to drive days on
end for thousands of miles? What is it that causes them to stand in lines at
airports, to endure layovers and cramped quarters in a cylinder hurtling
through the air? What is it that causes them to chance being stranded by bad
weather in some strange place while traveling, still far from home?

It seems that for most of us it is a time of reminiscing
about times gone by. It is a time of remembering family gatherings of the past
and looking forward to sharing more of the same. It is about smiling, laughing
and sharing. It is about renewing and sharing our love with others, and yes it
is a time of food. But the food itself is a reminder, a remembrance of times
shared together in the past. It is about love! Love for family and friends.

Yes, I know that sometimes family (and friends) can be trying.
The relationships sometime require sacrifices that are difficult, but then it
is the "love" part that motivates us to make that sacrifice.

Perhaps
Paul's words from 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 tell us what it is all about: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does
not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not
easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but
rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always
perseveres." (NIV)

So, am I saying that our Thanksgiving Holiday is ultimately
about love? Yes, of course it is, if it weren’t there would be no thanksgiving!

To all of my readers let me say, I am thankful for you!
Many of you are separated from physical family (as are we) this holiday, but
then we are family are we not. Joined in Christ, brothers and sisters and I
rejoice that God has brought us together.

I MOURN YET LIVE IN HOPE

My heart is so heavy with the thought of an ungodly man in
the place of leadership of our country once again. I mourn for the disaster
that is coming on our country and for the loss and suffering which our children
and grandchildren will face because of this election, for the murder of unborn
millions and perhaps the forced deaths of many of us as we age.

Perhaps God is using him to chastise and humble our nation
and through the coming four years to cause people's hearts to be open once
again to Him. I don't know what God's plan is for us, but I believe he is still
in charge of our world. Still I mourn for the loss of the things and freedoms
we had when growing up, which our children and grandchildren may never now
experience. I mourn for those who will go hungry and be cold and continue to
loose their homes and jobs. I mourn for those who are now and will be forced to
live by the grace of government programs, because they cannot support
themselves or care for their families.

I know that it is hard not to loose heart at times like
this, but having our hope centered on something greater and more lasting is
what gives us the ability to continue on in this world.

Paul's words in Romans
8:35-39 reminds us of the hope we have in Christ.

"35  Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s
love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are
persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?

36  (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are
killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”)

37  No, despite all these things, overwhelming
victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

38  And I am convinced that nothing can ever
separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,
neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers
of hell can separate us from God’s love.

39  No power in the
sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be
able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our
Lord." (NLT)

Russ Lawson

GETTING MORE THAN YOU BARGAINED FOR…

Marion Gilbert wrote this little paragraph, I
thought it was worth sharing. “One morning I opened the door to get the
newspaper and was surprised to see a strange little dog with our paper in his
mouth. Delighted with this unexpected "delivery service," I fed him
some treats. The following morning I was horrified to see the same dog sitting
in front of our door, wagging his tail, surrounded by eight newspapers.

I spent the rest of that morning returning
the papers to their owners.”

I know it seems like a silly little story, but what
would you have done? After all, you didn’t tell the dog to bring all of those
newspapers, it’s not even your dog! It’s not your responsibility to get them
back is it? At the most, we might call the newspaper office… but to return all
of the papers ourselves, that’s going just a little to far isn’t it?

The apostle Paul wrote to the young man Titus in
Titus 2:7, “You must in all things show yourself an example of good
deeds; in your teaching showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility.”

Wow, that’s difficult isn’t is, “you must in
all things show yourself an example of good deeds… showing integrity…” I think
the point Paul is making is that you never know who is watching what you do and
how they will respond to your actions. You see, that is part of “Showing
ourselves an example…” It takes more than just saying the right words and
proclaiming that we are good people; we have to show by our example the stuff
of which we are made… In this context of course I am talking about living our
life so that it’s not just our words that say, “I’m a Christian,” it is our
example also. 



It is the little things in life that make a
difference… You may never have a dog bring you your neighbor’s newspaper, but
what about that clerk or teller who gives you too much change or some other
mistake made in your favor. How will you respond then? What will your example
say?

My prayer is that our God will give you a
pure heart of integrity as you walk through this life.



May He continue to bless and keep us all!

FRIENDS KEEP YOU SHARP

I have been writing for a lot of years
now. I write for a local town paper back in Ohio and I send out email articles to a
couple of thousand people around the world. The response I received is for the
most part encouraging. Several times I have considered laying aside my pen (so
to speak), but then I'll receive a comment or questions or a note of
encouragement from some reader.

Over the years I have become
acquainted with quite a number of new friends because of my writings (as well
as a couple of folks who have taken exception to something I have written). All
in all it has been a blessing to me through the years. When you write, as I do,
you put yourself out there in front of people and reveal things about who you
really are and what you really believe that many could not bring themselves to
do.

I was thinking about my many
friends and acquaintances and a passage from Proverbs came to mind. The writer
said at one point, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens
another". (Proverbs 27:17).
Now when I started writing I never imagined that I would be starting a Bible
question and answer ministry. I never imagined that I would do
"online" counseling. I never imagined that through the miracle of the
Internet, I would received emails from people literally all over the world, to
whom someone has sent some of my writings. I never imagined that I would become
close friends with people through correspondence (as close as you can become,
never actually meeting face to face).

I've been asked before, "How
much do you get paid for your writing?" The answer is always the same. I
get paid nothing, but the value I receive emotionally and spiritually can not
be weighed or measured.

Through this writing I have been
"sharpened." I have been forced to look deeper at my beliefs, my
faith and my relationship to God because of the comments and questions you send
my way. But then, that's what friends do… They keep you sharp!

So a special thanks to all of you
who have questioned and encouraged (or just put up with my rambling). You have
been a blessing to me!

The question perhaps for you is,
"Who sharpens you?" I have known people who can't take criticism at
all, can't stand for anyone to question their stances or their beliefs. If
that's you, then you are missing a blessing in life. Now, I did not say it was
easy to deal with questions or criticism, but if you want to stay sharp you
have to have it from time to time. In fact I would go as far as to say, that if
you are never questioned, then you are either doing something wrong, or doing
nothing at all. The old saying still rings true, "If you want never to be criticized, then, do nothing, say nothing and
stand for nothing."

 I believe that God intends for each of us to
make a difference in our world. To be that light shining from the candle
(Matthew 5:15), to "let
your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your
heavenly Father." Matthew
5:16) Maybe it's time for you to take a chance, make a statement, or make a
stand for God. What do you think?

ONCE UPON A MATTRESS

My wife and I got to go with some good friends to see a High
School play titled: Once upon a mattress. For those who don't know the story
line, it is something like this: To test a girl (who claimed to be a princess) to
see if she was a real princess, a dried pea was placed under 20 mattresses by
the evil queen. If the girl felt the pea it proved she was a real princess
because of her extreme sensitivity. The girl in the play passed the test, (with
a little help from her friends). She felt the pea, proved she was a real
princess and passed the test.

As I thought about that simple play, I thought about how
much it mirrored real life. We often claim to be "real" Christians to
our families, our friends, our co-workers and perhaps the world in general. In
fact we can claim to be real royalty also.1 Peter 2:9 tells us,
"But you are not like that, for you are a chosen
people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a
result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the
darkness into his wonderful light."

The devil is intent on proving that we are not special, not
royalty, not Christians. Much like the evil queen in the play, he constantly
presents us with tests designed to cause us to fail in being worth to wear the
name "Christian".

Surviving these tests is never easy and often quite
unpleasant. It could be resisting the influence of someone at school or work,
or even within your own family to say some un-Christian word, loose control of our
emotions or participate in some un-Christian act. It might be the influence of
the world that causes us to be tempted to forget our Christian values, morals
or ethics.

Satan tries to hide many lumps under the mattresses that
make up the layers of our lives. The only true protection we have is to remain
true to our relationship to Christ. Our world (guided by Satan) will lie to you
and try to cause you to doubt God, His Word and other believers. I like what
Paul wrote in Romans
3:4, "Even if everyone else is a liar, God is
true."

Now
in the play, as I said, the princess passed the test because of the help of her
friends. We as Christians need to be there to help one another also; because
that is the only way we will survive in this world. One of my favorite passages
is Hebrews
3:12-14, where we read: "Be careful then,
dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and
unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other
every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by
sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God
just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ."

This is one of my favorite passages, because I know I can't
make it through this world alone. I need your encouragement in my life and I
believe that you need the encouragement of other Christians also.

How about you, will you be proven royalty or not?