ENCOURAGING WORD

You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth...
  --Luke 1:14, NLT

ENCOURAGING WORD

Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means 'God is with us.'
  --Matthew 1:23, NLT

ENCOURAGING WORD

And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.
  --Matthew 2:6, NLT

Encouraging Word

And don't forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.
Hebrews 13:16 NLT

Encouraging Word

Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ - the Son of the Father - will continue to be with us who live in truth and love.

~ 2 John 1:3, NLT

Encouraging Word

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice!
~ Philippians 4:4, NLT

Keeping Christ in Christmas

Keeping Christ in Christmas

The number one way to keep Jesus Christ in your Christmas celebration is to have Him present in your daily life. "If you've already accepted Jesus as your Savior and made Him the center of your life, keeping Christ in Christmas is more about the way you live than the things you say—such as "Merry Christmas" versus "Happy Holidays."

Keeping Christ in Christmas means daily revealing the character, love and spirit of Christ that dwells in you, by allowing these traits to shine through your actions. Here are simple ways to keep Christ the central focus of your life this Christmas season.

1) Give God one very special gift just from you to Him:

Let this gift be something personal that no one else needs to know about, and let it be a sacrifice. David said in 2 Samuel 24 that he would not offer a sacrifice to God that cost him nothing.

Maybe your gift to God will be to forgive someone you've needed to forgive for a long time. You may discover that you've given a gift back to yourself.

2) Set aside a special time to read the Christmas story in Luke 1:5-56 through 2:1-20

3) Set up a Nativity scene in your home

4) Plan a project of good will this Christmas

5) Set aside a time of family devotions on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning

Just remember, make sure you keep Christ in your Christmas.

BY REV. MICHEAL FUGATT