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And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Luke 2:7

            That child asleep in a manger in Bethlehem so long ago is God’s gift to me and to you. It is God’s very presence among man.

            Jesus Christ’s birth is the revealed promise of God that He will never leave nor forsake you. The importance of Christmas and the miracle of Christmas is that God didn’t just make promises. He came!

            God didn’t just speak words. He took action. He sent Jesus, who sacrificed His life to bridge the gap caused by sin between you and your heavenly Father.

            And through the birth of the Savior, He reached out to me and to you. If you haven’t yet, will you accept the miracle of Christmas into your life today?

            Just pray this prayer with me:

Lord, I believe You came for me. I believe that You lived, died, and rose again for me. So, I invite You to step out of heaven and into my heart today. I believe.

            If you’ve just prayed this prayer, I want to welcome you into God’s family! The miracle of Christmas has been realized in your life.

The Only Opinion that Matters

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
2 Timothy 4:1–4
Henry VIII thought of himself as above correction by religious authorities. The story is told that a sermon preached by Hugh Latimer so angered the king that he commanded Latimer to return the following Sunday to apologize for his offensive message. Latimer read the same text as the previous week and then said, “Hugh Latimer, dost thou know before whom thou are this day to speak? To the high and mighty monarch, the king’s most excellent majesty, who can take away thy life, if thou offendest. Therefore, take heed that thou speakest not a word that may displease. But then consider well, Hugh, dost thou not know from whence thou comest—upon whose message thou are sent? Even by the great and mighty God, Who is all-present and who beholdeth all thy ways… Therefore, take care that thou deliverest thy message faithfully.” Latimer then proceeded to preach the exact same message from the previous week, but with more fire and passion.
If we want our lives to be a success by God’s standards and be judged faithful, our primary focus must be on pleasing Him rather than men. There has never yet been a true prophet who was popular with everyone. The false prophets speak words of peace rather than repentance, and become popular. Those who speak the truth may not be popular, but they are approved by God.

Today’s Growth Principle: 

Our first and foremost concern must always be what God thinks, not what man thinks.