Christ of Christmas

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http://www.thechristofchristmas.com/

The Greatest Gift

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 6:23 nlt

When my son, Aaron, was a small tyke, his favorite toys were plastic G I. Joe figures. Every day his little red head could be found poring over his collection. After much deliberation, he picked out two to carry- one in each chubby, little hand.

For Christmas, Aaron asked for a specific G. I. Joe. The problem? Every other three-year old in our area wanted the same one. I despaired as Christmas grew closer, and none could be found.

Finally, I found it. You would have thought I’d discovered a treasure chest full of gold. The salesgirl looked disinterested as I practically jumped up and down by the counter relating how relieved I was to have found it.

I could hardly wait to see Aaron’s blue eyes light up when he opened his special gift. It only took a few seconds for him to rip the colorful paper from the packaging. Of course, the big hug and the enthusiastic “Thank you, Mommy!” made the hunt worthwhile. Then as quickly as he opened it, he moved on to his next gift. He had no idea of the time and effort it took to find what he requested.

During the Christmas season, we hustle about trying to get the right gift for each person on our list. It warms my heart when someone opens a gift from me and exclaims, “You know I need this very thing!”

God looked at mankind thousands of years ago and knew exactly what we needed. In the same way someone exclaims over an earthly gift, God Himself along with the angels in heaven rejoice when we see the need for the Gift He sent- His Son, Jesus. I can imagine my heavenly Father’s delight when someone exclaims, “I need you, Jesus. I accept the gift of salvation.” Luke 15:10- “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

In the days before Christmas, Aaron had asked for the special toy several more times without knowing the gift had already been purchased. Before I accepted Christ, He already paid for my salvation through His death on the cross over two thousand years ago. When I was nine years old, my spiritual eyes opened and I realized Jesus was just what I needed.

Our salvation is not based on what we can do for our God, but what God has already done for us. Christianity is the only religion based on this foundation. When we hunt for that special gift for our loved ones, let’s remember the greatest Gift of all- the salvation Jesus paid for with His death and resurrection. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”- John 3:16. Have you accepted the greatest gift?

Prayer: God, I thank You for the greatest present of all – salvation through Jesus Christ. Help me to remember amidst the busyness of the holiday the true meaning and reason we celebrate – Jesus’ birth. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

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Topsy Turvy Christmas

Click HERE to read "Topsy Turvy Christmas."
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Born to Die

The other night I heard the song by Steppenwolf, Born to Be Wild. It brought back memories of Junior High and High School - that song had legs! When it came on the radio, my friends and I turned the volume up, and da-da-da'd through the verses, and on the chorus belted out, "Born to be wi-l-d," and played air guitar or in my case, drums. Oh, were we wild.

Born to be wild. Born to -- you fill in the blank. Sometimes we watch sports and think someone like Michael Jordan was born to play basketball. As a wee child, Julie Andrews opened her mouth, and a voice with a four-octave range flowed forth. She was born to sing.

During this season, I've reflected on Jesus Christ's mission. He taught like no other. But men and women have been anointed to teach. He healed the sick, yet gave the same power to the disciples. "He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness (Matthew 10:1 niv)."

Jesus performed miracles. We read in Acts that God did extraordinary miracles through Paul.

Jesus taught, healed the sick, and performed miracles, but He was born for something much greater. He was born to die.

Mary, Joseph, the disciples, Paul. None could perform a task He alone came to earth to accomplish. I sing a song called, Mary, Did You Know. The baby Mary delivered would deliver her - and us. His blood alone atones for sin. "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone."

As an eight-year old girl, I stood up front in church one morning, and sang a song a capella. I don't even remember the song, but I do remember the grownups hovering around me after church. "Oh, honey, you were born to sing!" "Donna, you must use your talent for the Lord." And I did for several years.

Then life - banking and babies, housework and hum-drum, overcame my song. I threw myself into my mission of motherhood. My mom made me proud by saying I was born to be a mom.

Now I write. I love it. I can't imagine not writing now. Was I born to write? To sing? To be a mother? In whatever area of ministry He leads, I pray I accomplish my mission.

One thing I know - if I shed every drop of blood in my body, I could not atone for even one person's sin. I thank Jesus Christ that He fulfilled His purpose. During the Christmas holiday, I feel a twinge of sadness because even though we celebrate His birth, I know Jesus Christ was born to die.

But hallelujah, He arose to live again. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again (II Corinthians 5:15 niv). And even though I will one day die, because of His sacrifice, I, too, will live again.

Let's praise Him and vow to fulfill the purpose God has for our lives - as scribes and singers, guitar players or poets, parents, grandparents - as Christians.
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Shopping for Christmas?

Check your Christmas list. Do you have children to buy for? May I suggest a copy of Topsy Turvy Land? Here are a few of the stores with Topsy Turvy Land in stock. You can also order the book from almost any bookstore (presently through Baker & Taylor, Inc. and/or Partners Book Distributing, Inc.), or order directly from the publisher! Click here!

Online Stores:

Hidden Pictures Publishing
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Abebooks
Amazon FR
Amazon UK
Amazon Marketplace
Biblio
Buy.com
Half.com

Brick and Mortar Stores:

Family Christian Stores #95
Towne Mall Blvd
Franklin, OH 45005-5530
Phone: (513) 424-1593

Family Christian Stores #50
Prestige Plaza
1 Prestige Plaza
Miamisburg, OH 45342-3767
Phone: (937) 435-0583

Books & Co.
350 East Stroop Road
Dayton, OH 45429
(937) 298-6540

Family Christian Stores #460
9938 Waterstone Blvd
Cincinnati, OH 45249-8295
Phone: (513) 583-5100

Family Christian Stores #468
Hyde Park Plaza
3802 Paxton Ave #12Cincinnati, OH 45209-2399
Phone: (513) 321-0300

Ashton's Ben Franklin
Carrollton, OH

Little Professor
Troy, OH

Angel Heaven Gifts & Gallery
11 South Main Street
West Milton, OH 45383
(937) 698-9464

Order can be placed at any Waldenbooks. My other books, Chizzy's Topsy Tale and No More Gunk & OUCH! Sunburn can also be ordered at any bookstore or through the publisher, Guardian Angel Publishing.

Christmas Hidden Picture Puzzle/Coloring Page

A special treat! A hidden picture puzzle by Liz Ball. To order books with her hidden picture puzzles or Topsy Turvy Land, click HERE. Enjoy!

*Click on picture to print out full size ready to be colored, or right click on the picture, and then 'save picture as...' and then you can print it out using your photo program.

It's Too Difficult (I Whine...)

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. – 1 John 4:9-10

Yesterday was one of those days. It seemed as if everything I touched either quit working or fell apart. All day long, I struggled, trying to get things done. Last night my husband started to put the lights on the tree. Of course, half of the lights that worked when we put them in the box last year did not work when they came out of the box. What happened in there?

I muttered more than once, “Why is everything so difficult? Why can’t anything be a piece of cake?”

Sunday night we watched “The Nativity Story.” Afterwards a friend commented that it seemed as if the movie portrayed one struggle after another.

I recalled her comment yesterday, and realized that the difficulties I faced were nothing in comparison to the obstacles overcome in order for Jesus to come as our Savior. There was nothing easy about Jesus’ birth. Mary had to endure people looking down at her because she was having a baby, even though she had never been with a man. Joseph was ridiculed because Mary was pregnant. Mary’s family felt the brunt of judgment by friends and family. To worship the Savior, the shepherds left their flocks, their only means of income. The Magi packed up and traveled for many months to see the King.

When I have a bad day, it’s only a bad day. If I whine because a book hasn’t been published or an article wasn’t accepted, I should remember that life isn’t always easy, and I will enjoy the best things in life more if I have had to work for them. If I type my fingers to the bone, burn the midnight oil, and suffer countless rejections, these small hardships never compare to the sacrifice God made so that I can spend eternity with Him.

When I complain I hope to remind myself of the great sacrifice Jesus made for me, and for you. Nothing I do, say, or write will ever be enough to express my gratitude for His love, my salvation, and I must admit, compared to the lives of some people, I do have a life that’s a piece of cake.

And I’m so thankful God thought we were worth the struggle.

Prayer: God, thank You for Your sacrificial love. I pray that I make every day of my life a sacrifice of praise and service to You. In Jesus' wonderful, mighty, precious, sweet name I pray. Amen.

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Snowman Hidden Picture Puzzle for Christmas!

A special treat! A hidden picture puzzle by Liz Ball. To order books with her hidden picture puzzles and Topsy Turvy Land, click HERE. Enjoy!

*Click on the picture, then print! It will print out full size ready to be colored. If that doesn't work with your printer, right click on the picture, and then 'save picture as...' and then you can print it out using your photo program.

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Accused Without Cause

Today I listened to Mark 15. I have Audio Bible bookmarked and love to listen to the Bible while I work.

One verse caught my attention: "And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing.” – Mark 15:3

Jesus stood before Pilate while the chief priests accused Him of perverting the nation, arousing troublemakers, creating riots and dissension. In addition, they charged Him with forbidding the payment of tribute to Rome, and teaching people to not pay their taxes. Third, and most serious, they charged Him with wanting to be king instead of Caesar. Pilate marveled at the fact that when accused of these crimes, Jesus did not speak up in a defensive manner.

Have you ever been falsely accused? I'm one of five children. When we were little and Mom couldn't get to the bottom of a story, she'd discipline ALL of us. Oh, how exasperating it was to be disciplined for something I didn't do!

To think of Jesus, Who had never sinned, having to endure the mocking and jeering crowd of accusers both amazes me and breaks my heart. He did it for me. He did it for you. Why would He do it? The only possible explanation is His compelling love.

The curse He suffered was not for His own sin, but for ours. Clearly, Pilate thought Jesus to be innocent, undeserving of the death penalty so aggressively sought by the Jewish authorities, but His accusers forced Pilate to make a decision about Jesus.

We must all decide what to do about Jesus. I hope you’ve chosen to accept Him as your King.

Our response to Christ’s suffering on our behalf should be one of gratitude. Only because of His sacrifice do we have hope for eternity.

Jesus' death was followed by His resurrection, ascension, and sending the Holy Spirit. We have the Holy Spirit indwelling us, enabling us to obey Christ and follow Him.

“The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). Because Jesus gave Himself for me, I want to give my life to Him. How about you?

Oh, and I'm sure you know - sometimes I was the culprit, and my siblings were the exasperated ones!

Prayer: Lord, I thank You for Your sacrifice, and the Holy Spirit, Who helps me live for You. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

*Posted 3-25-05.

Audio Post - "Lines and Longing"

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! - 2 Corinthians 9:15 niv

Donna J. Shepherd © 2006 All rights reserved. No portion of this Website and no column may be reproduced in any form by anyone (ie: Crossmap) without WRITTEN permission BY DONNA. For more information, contact Donna by clicking on the link in the right-hand column. Thanks.

A Christmas Greeting from Donna