The malls are packed, the neighborhoods lit up,
and your friends are making holiday plans. You want to join them, but
you can’t snap out of it. Tinsel and trinkets just don’t fill the void.
But God says you are never alone. He cares about
you. He knows your name and understands what you’re going through. He
can bear your heartache and longs to walk beside you if you’ll have Him.
He’s your friend, your confidant and a great listener.
Don’t let Christmas slip by feeling lonely and
discouraged. Replace the weight of depression with the freeing hope that
only God can offer.
There’s more to Christmas than candy canes, great bargains and meeting Santa. Christmas celebrates Christ’s birth.
God loved us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus,
to be born on earth and die on a cross. His sacrifice paid for our sins
so that whoever believes in Him can have eternal life. The gifts we
give at Christmas remind us of God’s gift and express our own love.
It’s OK to get excited about parties and new
toys, but don’t lose the real meaning in all the frenzy. Without Christ,
there would be no Christmas. Knowing Him can fulfill your life all year
long.
Question: "What is the true meaning of Christmas?"
Answer:
The true meaning of Christmas is love. John 3:16-17 says, "For God so
loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes
in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his
Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through
him." The true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of this
incredible act of love.
The real Christmas story is the story of God's becoming a human being in
the Person of Jesus Christ. Why did God do such a thing? Because He
loves us! Why was Christmas necessary? Because we needed a Savior! Why
does God love us so much? Because He is love itself (1 John 4:8). Why do
we celebrate Christmas each year? Out of gratitude for what God did for
us, we remember His birth by giving each other gifts, worshipping Him,
and being especially conscious of the poor and less fortunate.
The true meaning of Christmas is love. God loved His own and provided a
way—the only Way—for us to spend eternity with Him. He gave His only Son
to take our punishment for our sins. He paid the price in full, and we
are free from condemnation when we accept that free gift of love. "But
God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were still
sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
You’re bombarded with words like “joy,” “merry”
and “bright.” But last-minute shopping and holiday preparations are more
of a hassle than a delight.
God says to call on Him, to cast your worries on
Him and He will give you rest. How? He provided His Son, Jesus Christ,
so that we can have a direct, personal relationship with Him. When we
put Christ at the center of our lives, we can trust Him to help us
through any trial that comes along.
This Christmas, don’t let your burdens get the
best of you. Learn more about how you can cut through the chaos and find
peace with God.
December
is in full swing! You are most likely seeing Christmas decorations,
lights, nativities, shopping crowds, and lots of red and green. We
invite you to take a break, grab an eggnog or cup of hot chocolate, and
sit back for a moment and BREATHE!
We invite you to look around and identify a neighbor with no
family nearby, someone going through hardship financially or
emotionally, and someone who doesn’t have the same HOPE that you have in
Jesus.
Make a list
and begin praying for each of these people. Pray that the Lord will
provide the perfect opportunity for you to reach out to them and share
His love with them during this Christmas season. Encourage your church
to do the same.
If you find yourself on the hesitant side and in need of relationship building ideas, consider these opportunities:
•
Pay a visit with baked goods and your Christmas card … perhaps even an
invitation to your church’s Christmas musical or service/program.
• Take your family caroling to the home of the elderly on your list.
• Ladies, host a cookie or ornament exchange specifically with the women on your list to break the ice and get acquainted.
• Have a “Happy Birthday, Jesus!” party for the families on your list as an interactive opportunity for the children.
• Extend an invitation to your family Christmas party or even dinner with your family on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
As you build relationships this Christmas season, we hope you’ll get your church and friends involved in My Hope with Billy Graham
so that, together, we can celebrate the birth of our Savior by
spreading His love throughout our communities! JOY to the world! The
Lord has come!
Share With Others Be sure to share My Hope with Billy Graham with your pastor and friends at church. Encourage them to register on our website.
The glitter of lights, the over-the-top spending, So many people get
caught up in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season and forget
why there's even a holiday. Soon we’ll be reminded of the greatest story
of all time. If you look hard, you may find the main character, Jesus
Christ. He's resting quietly, hidden among the inflatable snow globes,
the singing Christmas trees and the jolly mall Santas. Have we
forgotten what Christmas is all about? Have the snowmen, presents and
colorful lights obscured the true reason for celebration?
This year do something about the way we look at Christmas presents. The biggest gift you can give is the gift of God's promise of eternal life through faith in Christ. Watch the following video, be inspired, and find practical ways to impact a life this Forgotten Christmas. Share the Gospel, and encourage others to remember the most important part of Christmas: the gift of our Savior.
Who do you want to help this Christmas? This season, benefit from making an impact in the life of a person in
Asia. These gifts are tangible expressions of Christ's love. Discover
how each unique gift can change a life. You can choose to send hope
that can forever change a life.
Remember that Gospel For Asia sends 100%
of the funds for Christmas gifts to the mission field. Gospel for Asia
is firmly committed to good stewardship and use gifts wisely and
effectively in Christ's name.
My Christmas wish this season is that you would really celebrate Christ.
Remember prayer is a powerful way you can also make an impact for
eternity, so pray that people come to put their trust in Jesus. Also
lost people love to buy gifts, so just go ahead and be bold to tell
them about the greatest Gift ever, Salvation through Jesus!
If you have supported Gospel for Asia by learning about their ministry
by through this blog would you please let us know? You are making a
difference!
Did you know?
One hundred percent of what you give Gospel for Asia to sponsorship goes to the field.
As a member of the ECFA Gospel for Asia manages your gift with financial integrity.
Your donations are tax-deductible. Gospel for Asia is a recognized nonprofit by the IRS.
Christmas emphasizes the glorious truth that salvation is provided apart from us, that into this sin-cursed world came One whose supreme mission is to save sinners. We cannot save ourselves because we cannot deliver ourselves from the guilt, the power and the consequences of sin. Those in rebellion against God have no terms of peace to offer that are acceptable to God. Only God Himself can make peace, and this He has done through the atoning sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. Through the merits of Christ's life and death, we are offered full and free forgiveness.
Christmas tells us what it cost God to save the world: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son" (John 3:16). Christ is God's great Christmas Gift to the world: "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift" (2 Corinthians 9:15). Christ does for us what no other has been able to do: He removes our guilt and reconciles us to God. He raises us from the death of sin to the life of righteousness. He reconciles us to life and to our fellow man. He implants within us new hopes, new aims, new enthusiasms. He regenerates our affections, our desires and our energies, and strengthens our wills.
Prayer
Lord, as we look to the beginning of the next year, help us to turn to You to save us from the consequences of our own sin. Teach us how to walk with You and live the new life we have as Christ lives in us and renews our hearts. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
