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| Christian Living |
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| What Christmas Means to God |
| Christmas Message by Jim Wandell |
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| Christmas means a lot of things to a lot of people. Ask children and they will tell you it is a time for presents! …Stress for those rushing to shop. A time of family traditions, lights, trees, will there be snow? You know what Christmas means to you, but what does Christmas mean to God? |
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| Prophecy Fulfilled |
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| First of all it means prophecy fulfilled. Through the prophets, God had sent a message that a Messiah would come. We hear about this in….. |
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| Isaiah 9:6-7, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor. The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom to order it, and to establish it with judgment and justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” |
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| The birth of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, was foretold and fulfilled according to the scriptures. Christmas to God means prophecy fulfilled. |
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| No More Silence |
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| From Malachi the Prophet, the last book of the Old Testament to the beginning of the New Testament, there was 400 years of silence from God. He spoke through no man, he sent no prophets. With the birth of Jesus Christ came the Word of God in the flesh and opened up the prophetic doorway once again as the Word of God came forth. |
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| John 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” |
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| The silence was broken and the Living Word came to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Christmas to God means that once again He could send His Word to His people. |
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| The Lamb of Sacrifice Had Been Provided |
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| The love and compassion of God shined forth on all flesh as He provided a way for the remission of sin. He sent the ultimate sacrifice in His own Son because the Word of God says, “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). |
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| Christmas to God means that He gave us a gift that, should we accept that precious gift, it will last for all eternity. The gift He gave was a gift that paid the debt of sin and would even suffer for our iniquities. |
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| Isaiah 53:4-6, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on hi the iniquity of us all.” |
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| You see: |
| · Christmas is not about the gifts that you give or get, it is about the GIFT that was given. |
| · Christmas is not about the sleigh and the snow, but about the manger and the Cross. |
| · Christmas is not about the lights, but about THE Light. |
| · Christmas is not about the words, “Merry Christmas”, but about the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us. |
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| Christmas is about God's family and that is what |
| Christmas means to God. We aren`t talking about family gatherings around the tree and getting together around the dinner table. We are talking about the Family of God. God loved the world so much, that He sent His Son. He sent Jesus so that you and I would have access to being part of His family. |
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| May the love of God |
| Shine through you |
| In all you say |
| And in all you do. |
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| May His strength and mercy |
| Richly abound |
| And His peace from heaven |
| Be all around. |
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| Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; Not of works, lest any many should boast.” |
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