TEN REMINDERS TO PREPARE FOR THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON (5 min read)

1.    Know the Reason for this Season.

Mat 1:21 – “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Jesus is the reason for this season. Not Santa, music, or anyone should be the focus in this season.

Jesus, the One who holds all things together, chose to enter this world in the humblest form—a small, helpless babe. Jesus’ birth is the greatest gift we will ever receive, which is why we celebrate!

2.    Saturate your hearts by Reading God’s Word.

Let us read the Gospels, especially the birth narrative passages to warm our hearts during this season. You version offers the 25-day advent reading plan for those who need it handy to read and meditate. The question is, do we desire to read God’s word during this season though plenty of versions are available for us to read?

To read the whole story of Jesus’ birth, someone suggests this order below.

• Luke 1:26-38
• Luke 2:1-7
• Matthew 1:18-25
• Luke 2:8-21
• Matthew 2:1-12
• Mark 1:14-15

Reading these passages together as a family during this season is recommended.  

3.    Meaningfully Pray during this season.

Luke 2:36-37 - And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, ³⁷ and then as a widow until she was eighty-four^] She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.

Bible exhorts us to pray meaningfully all the time not just for this particular season. Today we have time for everything except prayer. We are so busy caught up with various activities during this season that we don’t have time for prayer.

Like Anna let’s dedicate ourselves to quality time of prayer this season.

4.   Repent from any sin or any sinful patterns in our life.

Christmas Advent is a good season to search our hearts as we pray and confess our wrongdoings to God. Confession renews our relationship with God and with others.

Ps 32: 5 - I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

5.    Enjoy Singing songs that Glorify God.

We often get delighted with Carols, and musical evenings during this season. Have we paused and thought about the meaning of the songs we listen to?

The fact is we are interested most of the time in entertaining songs and only music gets our attention. This Old Christmas hymn is rich in its meaning.

Hark! the herald angels sing,
  “Glory to the new-born King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild;
  God and sinners reconciled.”
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
  Join the triumph of the skies;
With angelic hosts proclaim,
  “Christ is born in Bethlehem.

As we generally hear this song during this season, the song begins with a triumphant proclamation of Jesus' birth, describes the fact that He is both God and man and then praises Him for the salvation He was born to provide

6.   Remember to Worship God.

Worship has become a burdensome duty for many of us. We have lost the delight with God, because of worries and anxieties in life.

The excitement of Christmas has been lost in our hearts. Many other things occupy our hearts during this season like shopping and eating plans. We have forgotten to bow down and worship this king who was born. Anna sets a good example for all of us. Luke 2:38a - Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God.

7.    Keep your Celebrations simple and Christ-focused.

Shopping Malls, Churches, and houses are mostly decorated during this season. Decorations and spending are not wrong in itself. shopping is not bad nor finding a good deal is not wrong during this season. But when it consumes us and becomes more important than Jesus it is an idol. Is Christ our focus during this season?

8.   Learn to Give during this Season

The Bible says in Acts 20:35 “it is more blessed to give than to receive”. Most of the time we are interested during this season in the gifts we receive rather than giving to others. It could be anything money, clothes, or our time. Let’s prayerfully consider giving to the needs of others this season.

Charles Swindoll captures the idea of giving succinctly “Some gifts you can give this Christmas are beyond monetary value. Mend a quarrel, dismiss suspicion. Give something away anonymously. Forgive someone who has treated you wrong. Give as God gave to you in Christ, without obligation, or announcement, or reservation, or hypocrisy”.

9.   Not to miss the Essentials in our Celebrations

Love – Joy – Peace – Hope (Read the recent blog post)

 https://meetclement.blogspot.com/2023/12/essentials-during-christmas-season-35_19.html 

10.  Do not forget to share the Message of Christmas with others.

Luke 2: 38 – “And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem”.

Ask God to open your eyes and mouth to the opportunities to share the message of Christmas with those around you—your family, friends, and strangers. we may not even see some of them next year so let us capitalize on the moment with others to share the love of Christ.

Ann Voskamp the Canadian author & blogger puts it aptly in her words

“We’re ready for Christmas, not when we have all the gifts, but when we are ready for Christ—when we’re ready to give all of ourselves to Christ.”

Let God help us to prepare our Hearts during this season.

Allow Christ to be born in your hearts. You will never regret making this decision today.  

 

 

Blessed Christmas season & New Year Greetings!

Essentials During The Christmas Season (3.5 mins read)

LOVE – JOY – PEACE – HOPE

LOVE

Do we find true love in this world when all our relationships are failing? Love has become so complex and twisted for those who live in this generation. The love we show or receive today is strings attached with a lot of expectations. The Bible describes the state of love vividly in Mat 24:12 “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold”.

Christmas message is something special and warm that reminds us God so loved us that he gave his only son to be born in this world and that he should die for us one day for the forgiveness of our sins on the cross. He was born to die for all of us. What an amazing sacrificial love it is.

JOY

The well-known song Joy to the World exhorts its listeners with these words: “Let earth receive her King; let every heart prepare Him room,” meaning that each person is called to embrace Jesus Christ, as both Savior and King.

Luke 2: 10 “And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people”

We live in a world of intimidation that keeps us fearful to face life. Whether at schools, universities, offices, and within family fear is a real threat to true joy.  

Joy is not dependent on any circumstances. Joy is something we can experience even when we go through pain and suffering.

Let's experience this Joy that God can give us through his son Jesus and spread the fragrance of joy around us this season.

PEACE

Across the world, people are deprived of peace. Nations need peace between the borders. Families need peace at home. Working professionals need peace at the office. Where to look for this peace? Jesus said in Jn 14:27 - Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.

Talking about peace on earth is popular at Christmas time, and appropriately so, for Jesus did come to bring peace. Primarily, He came to bring us peace with God, which is what Charles Wesley meant when he penned the song Hark the Herald Angels sing, "God and sinners reconciled." We all have sinned against God; we have broken His commandments and thus made ourselves His enemies. God in Christ made reconciliation a possible reality for all of us.

The question we need to ask ourselves is have we reconciled with this Holy God and have made peace with Him?

Romans 5:1 - Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

HOPE

This is the season of hope for all the hopeless conditions that we go through in our lives.
Where can we find hope in all our hopelessness?

God’s simple solution for man’s complex problems and hopeless situations is a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

If you believe this Jesus as you read through these lines then Love – Peace – Joy and hope is yours eternally. These essentials are assured for those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Today is the day for us to confess all our wrongdoings (which the bible calls our sins) to Jesus and believe what he died for us on the Cross taking our sins and shame. Let us surrender our lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and accept him as our Lord and Savior to be a new person all together. 2 Cor 5: 17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Christ will be born in our Hearts by faith to bring this newness and we can enjoy these realities experiencing true love, and unspeakable Joy filled with peace in our hearts. Christ in us is the Hope of glory. This is an incentive for us to celebrate this season meaningfully.  

Romans 15: 13 - May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Have a Blessed Christmas season!

Gloria Deo!