Halfway through December we were doing the regular evening things when there was a knock at the door. We opened it to find a small package with a beautiful ceramic lamb inside. We looked at the calendar and realized that the 12 days of Christmas were beginning!! We waited excitedly for the next night's surprise and only then, with the gift of a matching shepherd, did we realize that the lamb was part of a nativity set.
Each night we grew more excited to see what piece we would receive. Each was exquisitely beautiful. The kids kept trying to catch the givers as we slowly built the scene at the manager and began to focus on Christ's birth.
On Christmas Eve, all the pieces were in place, but the baby Jesus. My 12 year-old son really wanted to catch our benefactors and began to devise all kinds of ways to trap them. He ate his dinner in the mini-van watching and waiting, but no one came.
Finally we called him in to go through our family's Christmas Eve traditions. But before the kids went to bed we checked the front step-No Baby Jesus! We began to worry that my son had scared them off. My husband suggested that maybe they dropped the Jesus and there wouldn't be anything coming. Somehow something was missing that Christmas Eve.
There was a feeling that things weren't complete. The kids went to bed and I put out Christmas, but before I went to bed I again checked to see if the Jesus had come - no, the doorstep was empty. In our family the kids can open their stockings when they want to, but they have to wait to open any presents until Dad wakes up. So one by one they woke up very early and I also woke up to watch them.
Even before they opened their stockings, each child checked to see if perhaps during the night the baby Jesus had come. Missing that piece of the set seemed to have an odd effect. At least it changed my focus. I knew there were presents under the tree for me and I was excited to watch the children open their gifts, but first on my mind was the feeling of waiting for the ceramic Christ Child.
We had opened just about all of the presents when one of the children found one more for me buried deep beneath the limbs of the tree. He handed me a small package from my former visiting teaching companion. This sister was somewhat less active in the church. I had learned over time they didn't have much for Christmas, so that their focus was the children. It sounded like she didn't get many gifts to open, so I had always given her a small package - new dish towels, the next year's lesson manual - not much, but something for her to open. I was touched when at Church on the day before Christmas, she had given me this small package, saying it was just a token of her love and appreciation.
As I took off the bow, I remembered my friendship with her and was filled with gratitude for knowing her and for her kindness and sacrifice in this year giving me a gift. But as the paper fell away, I began to tremble and cry. There in the small brown box was the baby Jesus. He had come!
I realized on that Christmas Day that Christ will come into our lives in ways that we don't expect. The spirit of Christ comes into our hearts as we serve one another. We had waited and watched for him to come, expecting the dramatic "knock at the door and scurrying of feet" but he came in a small, simple package that represented service, friendship, gratitude, and love.
This experience taught me that the beginning of the true spirit of Christmas comes as we open our hearts and actively focus on the Savior. But we will most likely find him in the small and simple acts of love, friendship and service that we give to each other. This Christmas I want to feel again the joy of knowing that Christ is in our home. I want to focus on loving and serving. More than that I want to open my heart to him all year that I may see him again.
Don't forget the reason for the Season.
…..Gaye Willis by way of The Daily Encourager
Daily Smile:
A young businessman had just started his own firm. He had just rented a beautiful office and had it furnished with antiques.
Sitting there, he saw a man come into the outer office. Wishing to appear the hot shot, the businessman picked up the phone and started to pretend he had a big deal working.
He threw huge figures around and made giant commitments. Finally he hung up and asked the visitor, "Can I help you?"
"Yeah, I've come to activate your phone lines."
If you were to die today are you 100% sure you would go to HEAVEN?
Yes___No___?
Please read the following if you answered No to the question above. Could you honestly say the following??
Jesus Christ, "I am just as good as you. I have never lusted in my heart; I have never lied; Never cheated; Never stolen anything; Never hated anyone; Never thought a dirty thought. Never said anything wrong; Never lost my temper. I am just as good as you are Jesus. I have never sinned.
Now, if you are truly honest with yourself, you know that somewhere, somehow you have sinned. You know that you could not compare yourself to the Holy Son of God, Jesus Christ.
BECAUSE OF THE ABOVE, THE BIBLE SAYS THAT YOU ARE SEPARATED FROM GOD. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" ".your iniquities have separated between you and your God..."
YOU HAVE BROKEN THE LAWS OF GOD "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." "For the wages of sin is death..."
YOU ARE CONDEMNED BY GOD AT THIS MOMENT. "... he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."John 3:18b "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" "The wicked shall be turned into hell..."
BUT JESUS CHRIST LOVES YOU AND DIED FOR YOU. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." "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."
JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN. "Jesus saith., I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
SALVATION IS A FREE GIFT. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
NOW THAT YOU HAVE THE TRUTH THE DECISION IS YOURS!
WILL YOU REPENT? "The Lord is... not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out," Repentance is when a person admits his guilt to God, and sincerely desires in his heart to get right with God.
"...repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."
WILL YOU TRUST JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR? "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Jesus Christ died, was buried and rose again from the dead. He paid for your sins on the cross. That is why He is called the Savior. You cannot save yourself by good works; baptism, church attendance, sacraments, going to confession; giving money, praying to Mary and the saints, or trying to live a good life. In order to be saved, you must completely put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ.
CAN YOU AFFORD TO WAIT? The most important decision that you will make in this life will be that of either trusting or rejecting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Don't take a chance! Call on God now! You might not be alive tomorrow!
DEAR FRIEND, In your own words pray and tell God that you are guilty as a sinner, and that you now believe that Jesus Christ is the Savior, and that you now want to completely trust Him, and ONLY HIM as your Lord and Savior.
References used from a King James Bible -(Romans 3:23; 6:23; 1 John 3:4; Heb 9:27; Isaiah 59:2; John 3:18b; Hebrews 9:27; Psalm 9:17a; Romans 5:8; John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6;1 Tim 2:5; II Peter 3:9; Acts 3:19a; 20:21; Romans 10:13)
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