Christmas: It's not about outward conditions. It's about God's cure for our heart condition.
Weighed down by bad news? Countless people grieve
with Newtown, CT families. Such an inexplicable evil inflicted on such innocents... Then, such a blessed holy day as Christmas
approaches and all are supposed to adjust focus. So here's an article and a quick question and answer to begin that adjusted
focus:
Quick
Q & A:
Q: How does a person celebrate
Christmas in a mess of emotions and pressures?
A: Realize that Christmas is not
about outward conditions
but
rather prompts a personal decision
to accept
God's cure
for our heart condition.
Jesus came to conquer evil
and death! Celebrating Christ at Christmas frees us from false expectations of this world providing what we need. It reminds
us how we cannot make Christmas. Only Jesus makes Christmas...Christmas! The world never serves up what we need.
It's tough. But God sent Jesus to rescue us!
The manger reminds us that outward conditions
do not give the joy of Christmas. Jesus gives the joy! Inviting Him inside your heart grants you a fresh start. Believe. Repent.
Receive.
Welcome Jesus wherever you are, whoever you are, however you are... His
presence makes Christmas and every day worth celebrating because we celebrate Him, our Lord and Savior! Then you,
too, can join the shepherds who "...returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had
been told them." (Luke 2:20)
When we celebrate Him, we're never disappointed.
He's the only One who never changes. He always stays. He remains good. He remains God! And check out the job description for
Jesus in Isaiah 61:1-3.
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
To proclaim the
acceptable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
To console
those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise
for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may
be glorified."
In this week's special Christmas edition, we include the simplest yet most spectacular
message of all time: the Gospel! Come to God on His terms. You never know when will
be the "last day" so learn more here about how to be sure you're saved: http://www.prayingpals.org/knowgod.html.
Have a blessed Christmas celebrating Jesus, our unconquerable King of kings
and Lord of lords!
Merry Christmas!
Stacie Ruth and Carrie Beth Stoelting
Founders of www.UnitetheUSA.org and www.PrayingPals.org
We place all prayer requests sent to PrayingPals.org into Your hands and
ask for Your best for each request. We trust You with all of our concerns. We hand everything over now.
We pray for our leaders, our defenders of freedom, and all members of PrayingPals.org and beyond.
And, Lord, we pray for those in the midst of heartache. You alone know how to truly comfort hurting hearts. Your
Word says that you bind up the wounds of the brokenhearted. We give You all our wounds and ask You to make us new in You.
We rely on You for salvation. We repent of sins (like forgetting to pay attention to You in our busy days near Christmas).
We drop everything and run to You, O King! We exalt You! We love You! In Jesus' Name, Amen."
