MERRY CHRISTMAS!

“For unto us is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ The Lord.”

All the gifts have been given. All the gifts have been received! The paper and ribbon has been torn and cast aside. The expectations have been met, exceeded or missed. The day we have long anticipated has arrived. We have baked, shopped, planned and anxiously awaited. It is here and it is but a 24 hour day.

Look deeper… look past the met or unmet expectations. Look past the ribbon, bows and wrappings. He is waiting! He has come! EMMANUEL, GOD IS WITH US!

He is not a gift that lasts for 24 hours and is gone! He does not break, run out of batteries or fall apart after too much use! 

HE IS THE SON OF GOD! Sent by the Father Himself, to save us! He is our Redeemer, Savior, Deliverer, and Friend!

HE IS THE SUPREME GIFT! Given to all who receive Him!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!

We love, honor, adore and receive you!

TRUTH BOMB

THE GREATEST GIFT THE WORLD HAS EVER OR WILL EVER RECEIVE IS JESUS!

Happy Birthday Jesus! 

Speak Truth Love

What are the smells of Christmas? Evergreen trees giving off the purest scent of pine, peppermint sticks curved into candy canes, fresh crisp air that hits your nostrils and almost freezes your nose…all of these are wonderful, but my favorite by far is the smell of freshly baked Christmas cookies, warm, delectable and waiting to be eaten!

One year I remember a much different smell. I walked into the house after school and a putrid smell hit my nose with force. I immediately gagged and plugged my nose. It smelled like a dead animal was in the house! Anyone who knows me well, knows I am a clean freak and am EXTREMELY sensitive to smells. But someone who had a terrible cold could have smelled this smell!

As I regained my composure, and held back the desire to throw up, I realized it was coming from our Christmas tree! That beautiful pine scent was being overwhelmed by a much stronger, rotten smell! I covered my face with a cloth and went in close to the tree. Nothing seemed to be on the branches. I lifted the tree skirt to check and see if possibly something had gotten into the water.

As I lifted the tree skirt, there it was! Someone had hidden a partially eaten turkey sandwich under the skirt. Only that child(I assumed), and God, knew how many days it had laid there, rotting and turning putrid!

To this day, I do not know which of my children hid their lunch under the tree skirt so they could run and grab one of those delicious, yummy smelling Christmas cookies, for neither one of them would tell on the other. I do have my suspicions however. Let me put it this way… when they were young, my daughter ate to survive and my son survived to eat. He takes after me!

That putrid smell overwhelmed our home and left no hint of the lovely evergreen. It reminds me of the “fragrance” I bring as a gift to my Savior this Christmas.

“They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and MYRRH.”  Matthew 2:11

The third gift the Wise Men brought to Jesus was that of MYRRH.

Myrrh was an expensive and valuable aromatic resinous exudation, used in perfume.

In other words, IT SMELLED GREAT!

In another story told when Jesus was a grown man, we see Mary giving Jesus a very expensive, lavish and aromatic smelling gift. She takes a bottle of pure nard, a very expensive perfume, pours it on Jesus feet, and wipes His feet with her hair. When criticized by one of the disciples for “wasting” such an expensive perfume, Jesus responds;

“Leave her alone.”   John 12:7

Jesus defends her and her lavish, beautiful smelling gift. The act of giving what was valuable to her and humbling herself to anoint Jesus feet with it and wiping His feet with her hair, was what truly made the gift smell so sweet.

What does my gift to Jesus smell like this Christmas? Is it begging to have the putrid, rotting smell of that turkey sandwich as I allow my mind to go crazy and build my anxiety as I worry about shopping, wrapping, baking, and getting every little detail of Christmas perfect? Or, is it beginning to smell like sweet perfume, MYRRH if you will, as I cast my anxieties and cares on Him?

TRUTH BOMB

CASTING OUR CARES ON JESUS GIVES US A SWEET AROMA.

So, what kind of smell are we going to give off this Christmas season? Is it one that makes those around us want to plug their noses and run the other way, or one that draws others near as we draw near to God Himself?

Speak Truth Love

The second gift brought by the Wise Men to Jesus was FRANKINCENSE.

“Then they, (The Wise Men from the East), opened their treasure chests and gave Him, (Jesus), gifts of gold, frankincense…”               Matthew 2:11

Frankincense is often called “The King of Oils.” How cool is it, that the “King of Oils”, was given to The King of Kings!

I just love those godly tidbits that come together and make us think, did God do that on purpose?

Pondering thoughts about God and His magnificence, are always good for us to do.

God can do ANYTHING He wants to do. Keeping our eyes open to notice His powerful hand at work, gives us a front row seat to His workings!

So, what about this gift? Frankincense is renowned as one of the most prized and precious oils. In Biblical times the Babylonians and Assyrians would burn Frankincense in religious ceremonies. In the very definition of the word Frankincense is the translation meaning, “High Quality Incense.”

It is referred to by many as “The Jesus Oil”, or “The Miracle Oil.” This is due to the act that it has proven qualities to rejuvenate skin cells. It has been used for centuries for it’s healing properties.

Frankincense has healing properties and healing brings peace. Isn’t that exactly what The King of Kings, Jesus, brought and continues to bring to all of us?

At this crazy, busy time of year, maybe the greatest gift we can receive from Jesus and give back to Him is our inner peace. The whole world may be spinning around us out of control. The list of gifts to buy, the money to buy them with, and the event to attend, may be spinning out of control. But the gift of Frankincense can remind us that peace is within our reach.

The Wise Men offered the gift of Frankincense, the King of oils, to Jesus. He received it.

Jesus, The King of Kings, is offering us the gift of peace in our spirits, through His Holy Spirit, if we accept it from Him.

Jesus promises a PEACE that the world can not comprehend and that is beyond our understanding. We can have this inner PEACE, even when the world around us is in utter craziness.

“Then you will experience God’s PEACE, which exceeds anything we can understand, His PEACE will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7

So, receive His gift of PEACE, and feel His calm take over your being. Take a deep breath, utter a silent prayer and sit for a minute. Allow His spirit to speak to yours. You will be amazed as His gift of Peace floods your being.

TRUTH BOMB

God gives peace in the middle of the crazy.

Happy Shopping, Baking, Party Going, Etc…. Friends, don’t forget to B R E A T H E! His peace is for you.

Speak Truth Love

Have you ever been presented with a gift, so beautifully wrapped that you do not want to open it? Sounds silly, doesn’t it. But, the truth is, a gift only becomes a gift when you choose to receive it.

Think about the best gift you have ever been given. It may have had great material value, or possibly it had none at all.

I remember one Christmas when I was only 13 years old. I had asked for a stereo of my own that year. For those of you reading this and asking yourselves, what is she talking about? You are more than likely under the age of 40! A stereo was a turntable that played records and had two speakers. I thought that turning 13 (after all I had just turned 13, twenty days before Christmas), made me a “Big Kid Now,” and I needed a stereo of my own.

I knew my parents had always struggled financially, and this year was no exception, but I had asked for a stereo anyway. Christmas morning came and my three sisters and I ran to the tree. We opened the lovely presents underneath and when we finished there was a small sense of sadness that ran through me. I didn’t want it to be there, and I was sorry that it was there. But nonetheless, it was there. That feeling of disappointment and let down. I do not know if my parents could see it on my face or not. I tried to hide it and show my appreciation for what I had received, but it was still there. It nagged at me and made me feel guilty. All of sudden my dad looked at me and called my name, “Lisa Kay”, he said, “did you get everything you wanted?” I looked up at him and answered, “Yes, thank you.”

I imagine there was a bit of a catch in my throat as I uttered the words that did not hold complete truth. He told me to look behind the couch. I did, and there was my stereo box! It was the most beautiful gift I had ever seen. I just stood and stared and then started to cry. My Dad said, “if you don’t open it, you will never know what’s inside.”

I loved that stereo, and played it long into my twenties. I loved getting new albums and listening to them over and over. I have never been more surprised by a gift before, and never have I learned a more valuable lesson.

A gift is only a gift if we open it and receive it. Otherwise, it is simply a package. It may be exquisitely wrapped in the finest of papers and adorned with the perfect ribbon or bow, but unopened, it remains simply a package.

Truth Bomb

A gift is simply a package if we do not open it and receive it.

It’s December, and more than likely you will be presented with a gift or two. They may be beautifully wrapped, but unless you open it and receive it, it will simply be a pretty package.

At one VERY special birthday party, three gifts were given. The first gift was GOLD.

“The star they had seen in the East guided them, (the wise men), to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When  they saw the star they were filled with joy! They entered the house, and saw the child with His mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped Him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave gifts of gold….”                                     Matthew 2:9-11

Gold is a valuable, precious yellow metallic element that is not subject to oxidation or corrosion.

I love that the first gift given to The King of Kings, was given by an earthly King, and it had great value, but even greater was it’s ability to not turn or corrode. I also love that we are told that the Wise Man had to OPEN his treasure chest and take the gift out to give it away!

This reminds me, that I can give a gift to my King Jesus by opening up my time and commitment to love and serve Him no matter what. By giving Him myself and not allowing anything to get in the way to discolor my love for Him or corrode the time I spend with Him.

This is my gift of Gold to my King Jesus!

I look forward to this wonderful Season of giving and receiving that we are entering. I pray that we open ourselves up to both giving and receiving.

After all, It Is “The Most Wonderful Time of The Year!”

Speak Truth Love