Christmas: A Different Point of View

[Willowolf]

We've all heard the Christmas story, about how our God sent His Son to earth to become the Saviour. The story is marvelouse, and even today we don't understand the full meaning of Jesus kenosis, how he put aside his Godly atributes and took up those of a man. He emptied Himself of all that He was, to become like us. It's Amazing!!
Yet Christmas today is something totaly different, our society (and sadly even we ourselves) have turned Christmas into a Commercial. A posted sale date. We live in a materialistic world. It's so hard to remember that it is actually Christ's Birthday.
But, Christmas has taken on a different meaning for me. When Christmas time comes around for me it is a time of Hope. A time of looking towards the future. Christ's day was when he came and was born in the manger, but the Lord's Day is when one day He will come again!

II Peter 3:10-13 says: " But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hastinga unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?  13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

The verse says that as Christians our responsibility is to be "...looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God..."
Make this Christmas, yes a time of remebering Christ's birth and it's marvelousness, but also make it a time of joy and preparation for His return.
Christ came once, and He is coming again!!!
God Bless, Willowolf : )

 

[Gerry]

Amen, indeed! What a joyous day it was when Christ was born, but oh what a GLORIOUS day it will be when He returns!

Read your profile! Where are you going to Bible School!

 

[GraftMeIn]

May we never be too busy chasing after the things of this world to remember the most precious gift of all time, and be preparing for His return.

Thanks for the wonderful reminder of what Christmas is truly about willowolf.

 

[Willowolf]

Hey Gerry, I've been reading some of your threads, and I praise God for the truths that you are presenting there. Awesome job!!
And to answer your question I'm in my first year at Appalachian Bible College. I would like to go back to my home Uruguay when I am done with my studies.
Thanks again, God Bless, Willowolf : )

 

[Willowolf]

Hey Gerry, I've been reading some of your threads, and I praise God for the truths that you are presenting there. Awesome job!!
And to answer your question I'm in my first year at Appalachian Bible College in West Virginia. I would like to go back to my home Uruguay when I am done with my studies.
Thanks again, God Bless, Willowolf : )

 

[Gerry]

Oh Fantastic! Are you doing the four year program? Pastoral studies? I don't know much about that school though I have heard of them. If it is like most of the East Coast Bible Schools, they are strong on expository preaching! I like that. Have you heard of WA Criswell? Would you believe, he wrote expository sermons on literally every verse in the Bible? Amazing! Especially when he also wrote about a gillion other books while pastoring for 41 years and running a Bible School of his own. Ya know I think God must give such people additional hours in each day! lol

Anyway I am glad you are here, and contributing. You are already a blessing and I know with your contributions you will be blessed of God for your labors.

Thanks for your kind words!

 

[Willowolf]

Hey Gerry! Yeah I'm doin the four year program here. They really this school set up well. Everyone Majors in Bible and Theology, and Minors in an Elective. I'm minoring in the Pastoral: Greek program. And yes they have a very good expository way of teaching. One of my best classes is Hermeneutics, in fact I have my final Exam tomorow. It's Final Exam Week for us (no sleep). I don't think I've ever heard of WA Criswell, I know I haven't read any of His books. But, it sure would be amazing to see his sermons on almost every verse of the Bible. That's amazing! God definitley blesses these special people in a special way.
God Bless, Willowolf : )

 

[Gerry]

Well, the best to you on your finals, and like I said we are surely blessed to have you here to share what you are learning with us. You will see that God is moving in these forums in a very special way. Many seeds are being planted and watered, and there has been some harvest that I know of. Christians are growing and maturing spiritually, and some are having their socks blessed off.

What a privilege it is to serve Jesus in these days! I pray He will bless you with many souls and use your ministry to be great Glory to our God!

 

[ZiSunka]

I jumped off the commercial Christmas train a long time ago. Now it is a joyous festival for me, when before it was a time of fear and anxiety. It is focused on the real meaning of God-with-us, rather than on the monetary value of the presents and the look of my decorations. I just dumped all the "Christmas traditions" and really looked at what I wanted my celebration of Christmas to be. I even stopped celebrating Christmas at all for a while so I could get the whole thing out of my system.

What a joy Christmas is now! I can go around saying, "Merry Christmas," and really mean it!

 

[ISniffMyCrack]

Can I get a Hallelujah?

WWJDFAKB?

 

[Spanky]

What would Jesus Do?
Hallelujah!