The Best Gift Ever!
"Good news... great joy for all the people." Luke 2:10 NIV
For many people Christmas is filled with dread instead of delight. Author Jon Walker writes this: "I'm sitting in a fast food restaurant observing a young girl celebrating an early Christmas with her mother. Her presents are spread out across the booth and she just said, 'I miss you, Mommy.' 'I miss you too, Baby,' her mother says. Beyond the booth... a woman casually, but carefully watches them. Using my journalist's eye, I put it all together. The watching woman is a social worker supervising a structured visit for a mother and child who are doing their best to celebrate Christmas... a few minutes later foster parents arrive and take the little girl home. The mother leaves alone. There's a darker side to Christmas we rarely acknowledge. We create this fantasy that seldom matches reality, even in the best of homes... many Christmas memories are full of tension, not tinsel... the holidays are just another excuse for Mommy to get drunk, or Daddy to be with his new family... yet another reminder that the one we love is far away or perhaps never coming back... The suicide rate is extraordinarily high in December... depression as common as 'Joy to the World'... more people hurt at Christmas than we initially imagine. For those tired of the hollow hope... of Christmas, the good news is, God is with us. Jesus came to earth to 'bring... good news... for all the people.' Regardless of your situation, Christmas is the best gift you'll ever get, because: (1) it's the costliest you'll ever receive because it cost Jesus His life; (2) it's the only gift that lasts forever; (3) it's one you can enjoy for the rest of your life."
This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word for You Today
For many people Christmas is filled with dread instead of delight. Author Jon Walker writes this: "I'm sitting in a fast food restaurant observing a young girl celebrating an early Christmas with her mother. Her presents are spread out across the booth and she just said, 'I miss you, Mommy.' 'I miss you too, Baby,' her mother says. Beyond the booth... a woman casually, but carefully watches them. Using my journalist's eye, I put it all together. The watching woman is a social worker supervising a structured visit for a mother and child who are doing their best to celebrate Christmas... a few minutes later foster parents arrive and take the little girl home. The mother leaves alone. There's a darker side to Christmas we rarely acknowledge. We create this fantasy that seldom matches reality, even in the best of homes... many Christmas memories are full of tension, not tinsel... the holidays are just another excuse for Mommy to get drunk, or Daddy to be with his new family... yet another reminder that the one we love is far away or perhaps never coming back... The suicide rate is extraordinarily high in December... depression as common as 'Joy to the World'... more people hurt at Christmas than we initially imagine. For those tired of the hollow hope... of Christmas, the good news is, God is with us. Jesus came to earth to 'bring... good news... for all the people.' Regardless of your situation, Christmas is the best gift you'll ever get, because: (1) it's the costliest you'll ever receive because it cost Jesus His life; (2) it's the only gift that lasts forever; (3) it's one you can enjoy for the rest of your life."
This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word for You Today
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February
Practice Saying No To YourselfThe Best Is Yet To ComeThe Grandfather's Mistake Became The Grandson's MiracleHow To Conquer The Fear Of FailingLet's Respect Our DifferencesPass It On To OthersThrow It DownYou Are Called To Be Salt And LightExpect To "Wrestle"Use Your Gifts In Ministry To OthersKeep Trusting GodFear Is The Enemy Of GrowthChange Your RoutineYou Are Not Beyond God's ReachDon't Look At Christians, Look At ChristHave A God PerspectiveGod Uses Damaged PeopleUnderstanding The Word "Imputed"Governed By Christ's Love For UsToday Expect God's FavorGrowth Is About EnlargementKeep Praying And BelievingRefuse To Wear The LabelShake It Off, And Move ForwardWhen Others "Don't Get It"Righteousness Is A Gift, Not A Reward
March
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