Greetings friends, families, strangers, and website visitors,
Each year as Christmas comes around it is anticipated by all people from all walks of life. But still to be found are some that don’t have a clue to the fact that the greatest gift that God gave man was His Son Jesus. This Christmas season let us not only remember CHRIST’s name, but also the kind of Christ that He was and is and always will be. He’s one who cares for the hurting, the lonely, the destitute, the hungry, the homeless, the sick, the oppressed, the prisoners, the victims of injustice, and the suffering that His church undergoes. Will we as Christians be counted among the countless millions that will help to congest the mall halls, highway, byways and city sidewalks? Will we as Christians busy ourselves with buying and exchanging to get or give something to someone that will bring absolutely no pleasure to God? Will the commercialism and consumerism of Christmas cause us to forget about the Babe of Bethlehem, and the boy in a carpenter’s shop in Nazareth? Will we forget the Man seen and heard by untold thousands in Galilee? Will we forget God’s Son crucified on Mount Calvary and the one who rose from death…ascended to Heaven and now sits on God’s Throne? Or have we as Christians already forgotten?
JESUS came to seek and save the lost He came to satisfy every human longing and desire. So come and let us draw close to the Christ of Christmas Let us worship and adore CHRIST our King, the King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords. Come let us give joy to another and share with those that don’t have the greatest Gift ever given.
JESUS THE CHRIST in Christmas! Let us make a difference for Him because we can, and let us be different for Christ because we can. Let JESUS make us different for Him because He will, and Let JESUS be that difference in all our lives because He will. So what if you’re broke, who really need money at Christmas anyhow?
Actually, the event known as Christmas started with Mary’s ”Yes” at the Annunciation, the day that the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and asked her if she would agree being the mother of the long expected Messiah. It was at the moment that Mary said ”yes” that Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb. And thus, Mary’s ‘~yes- is her gift of self to God that enabled Jesus to come to us in human form so that we might experience God in a new way, a human way, and an intimate way. As we open gifts this Christmas let us not forget to open the gift more valuable than all the others. Let us not forget to open the gift that is guaranteed to be the right gift, the right size and just what we always needed. Let us not forget to open the gift that keeps giving throughout our lives here on earth and in the life to come. This gift is sometimes missed because this gift is not found under the Christmas tree, but it can be found in the depths of our hearts if we allow ourselves to listen. The gift is God; the gift is love. To have and appreciate this gift we only need to say yes as we give God the gift of our hearts to open up and fill with greater gifts than words can express.
The Gift from God is a one size fit all and is guaranteed to satisfy every man, woman, boy and girl. It’s easy to view our family and friends as gifts, but we should be able to view all people as gifts. Each and every person is a gift from God; a gift both unique and precious in God’s eyes. Just imagine a world where we viewed each and every person as a gift from God. In knowing this it would make Christmas a much more blessed session it we would forgive someone whom we may have harbored ill feelings towards. Have that love to release that person and yourself as well, what a gift to give, what a joy that it will bring, give the gift of forgiveness and add peace to someone’s life this Christmas.
This would fully realize God’s plan of peace in the world. As I write this Christmas message, I meditate upon all the gifts that God has bestowed upon me. In a very special way, I see each of you as a gift. I hope that you are able to view me as a gift as well. Thank you for your self-sacrificing service to God, your selflessness to the Church and to me. My prayer for each of you is that our Heavenly Father, God Almighty blesses you with His love, peace, and joy this Christmas and throughout the New Coming Year. May God who began the good work in you bring it to fruition.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
With my Love and much Blessings from my heart to yours.
Preston May Jr. / Pastor [/column]