GET TOGETHER – LET CHRIST BE IN YOU THIS CHRISTMAS

GET TOGETHER – LET CHRIST BE IN YOU THIS CHRISTMAS

2Co 2:14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.

Yes, when I find it at home, I plan to get my button out that says keep Christ in Christmas. I believe that there is a culture that needs to know about the Virgin Birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and why that He came to earth and why that we celebrate that this time of the year.

On the other hand, I can let some of the things that have happened here in our culture and throughout the world that if I am not careful the enemy will use to make me bitter, and I can even become very Pharisaical. As a Christian that believes that marriage is between one man and one woman. As a Christian that believes that by faith in Jesus Christ is the only way that a person can live forever. And as a Christian that believes that life begins in the womb, I realize that these things go against the current culture in the United States and much of the world.

So, during this Christmas season I want to pray that people can see and smell a difference in us as believers in Jesus Christ. When Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, he was writing to a church that was in a city that celebrated gross sin much like what we see in our country today.

Paul is telling the church there that in this wicked city that God was always leading them in victory. There were many in the church that had been brought out of lifestyles of sin ( see 1 Corinthians 6:9-11). And if you read that you can see that there were several different lifestyles of sin that they were brough out of. Many of us have been brought out of some type of sinful lifestyle. And there are many others that God loves and desires to bring out of lifestyles of sin.

This Christmas let Christ be in you. He can’t be taken out of you. Jesus said in Hebrews 13:5 ff “For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”(NKJV) In the following paragraphs I will give you some ways that you can let Christ be in you this Christmas. These will be ways that places will smell better in the spirit where you are. You and I can diffuse the fragrance of Christ.

Be a worshipper. If we put worshipping Him above everything else this will put our hearts in the right place to share Jesus Christ in a hostile world. The wisemen traveled a great distance to worship Him. But you and I can worship Him every moment of our lives and anywhere that we may happen to be. We can let our lives be lives of worship.

Be a giver. The wisemen brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Give of your finances especially to the House of God. Give to others who may be needy. Give of your time. That is an excellent way to let your light shine and to let the fragrance of Christ change the spiritual atmosphere where you are.

Here is a challenging one. Pray for and love those who may hate you and everything that you stand for. Remember that Jesus died on the cross for them. Remember that before we came to Jesus Christ that we are were lost and that we were enemies of the cross. God loves to turn His enemies into friends. He did it with the Apostle Paul. He can still do it today.

So, the best way that we can keep Christ in Christmas is to let Christ rule and reign in our lives. A lot of people know what we are against and that is fine. On the other hand, may they see Christ in us in such a special way that they know what we are for and that just as God changed our hearts He can change their hearts as well. There is a good reason that Jesus told us to love our enemies. As a wise Pastor once told me “Preston don’t try to beat them but try to win them.” This Christmas ask the Holy Spirit to let your light shine in such a way that we win people to Jesus Christ. Then there will be that many more people that the fragrance of Christ will be diffused in, and the spiritual climate will be changed in other places.

Let us Pray

Lord, I thank You that I can wear a button that reminds people of the real reason that we celebrate Christmas. Lord, I pray that more than seeing the button that people can see You living in us. Lord fill us so much with Your Holy Spirit that our light will shine so bright that people will know that You live in us. May they see You in us in such away that they want to hear about that Baby that was conceived by the Holy Spirit in Mary’s womb. May they want to know just as You came the first time that You are coming back again.

In Jesus Name

Amen

Love you all! Merry Christmas

Your Friend/Kinfolk

Preston

PS For those in Northwest Alabama our Broadcast Redeeming the Time comes on at 9:30 A.M. AND 9:30 P.M. on Sunday morning and Sunday night. That is on Spectrum Channel 10. In Jasper, it is on TV 16.