by Webmanager | Dec 14, 2017
Day 10 – Thursday, Dec 14
Colossians 3:16-17 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you…do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (NASB)
I often feel overwhelmed by my schedule – family, ministry, work, and more. The Christmas season arrives during a Thanksgiving family get-together when everyone pulls out their iPhones and electronic calendars to schedule family Yuletide festivities in less than a month. I admit it. I panic. I have no time. Even though I specialize in time management, alarm bells go off in my head. When do I have time for Christmas? Shopping? Office party? Festivities with business associates and friends? School programs? Decorating? Gift purchase? Gift wrapping? Gift delivery? And, now I need to calendar an evening or Saturday with family. Does this frustration seem familiar? Oh, it hurts! Where is the joy in that?
How can I experience the ‘peace on earth’ and ‘joy’ during Christmas with so much busyness leading up to the holiday? I learned that the answer lies in Jesus Christ alone. One frustrating Christmas many years ago, I found contentment and joy by pleasing One only – the Lord Jesus Christ. I realized I was selfishly looking for happiness in the reactions of others instead of the One who inspires my celebration of Christmas. I nearly lost everything because I tried to please everyone except Him. And, I was the most selfish of all, because I believed that I deserved to receive blessings from people when they received my goodwill and my gifts.
Now, I want the Christmas season to continue year-round. Paul declared “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” (Col. 3:22-23). Joy comes from Jesus Christ. The Christmas season delivers Jesus. Won’t you find contentment in Him?
Dr. Skip Hessel, Chief Development Officer
by Webmanager | Dec 13, 2017
Day 9 – Wednesday, Dec 13
The Christmas season is a time of joy and blessing, but for many, it can be a difficult time. Consider Mary. Being chosen to be the mother of the Messiah brought both blessing and complications into her life.
In Luke, Mary responds to Gabriel’s announcement that she will have a son by asking, “How can I have a child? I have not known a man.” When Gabriel told her she would conceive by the Holy Spirit, her response was immediate acceptance, “be it unto me according to Thy word.”
Can you imagine the flood of emotions she would have had? “Who am I, that God would choose me to be the mother of the Messiah? But then, how will I explain this to Joseph? Who will believe me? Oh, Father God, help me!”
God, in His mercy and grace, shows Mary His tender care:
- by revealing to Mary she is chosen to give birth to the Messiah. Luke 1:26-38
- by Elizabeth sharing her perfect understanding of how Mary was blessed by the LORD with a special child. Luke 1:39-45
- by revealing to Joseph that Mary’s conceiving was by the Holy Spirit, and not to fear marrying her. Matt. 1:18-25
- by relocating Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem, away from the shame of their hometown. Luke 2:1-7
- by sending angels to announce the birth of the Savior to shepherds who came and shared this with Mary. Luke 2:8-18
Luke 2:19 tells us that Mary kept and pondered all these things in her heart. She had every human reason to fear, but more reasons to be comforted and know she had God’s approval and acceptance.
When God takes us through hard times, like Mary, He will take special care of us. We need to look for His help and comfort. He will support us in ways we cannot imagine. It’s His way. God-appointed hardships can bring added blessings. We just need to look for them. IT’S HIS WAY!
Joe Everett, Director of Christian Ministry
by Webmanager | Dec 12, 2017
Day 8 – Tuesday, Dec 12
I always looked forward to Christmas. The house was decorated, so much baking was done, snow fell, visit with family, and presents were under the tree. Before presents were opened, we read the Christmas story. But it was not until the Christmas I became engaged to my wife that I experienced my first Musical Christmas.
My in-laws would not purchase a Christmas tree. Instead, my mother-in-law would set up a Bethlehem display in their large picture window. She would set up boxes and cover them with crumpled-up brown shipping paper and color part of some of them green. She would then place different figures in her display—shepherds, wise men, camels, and sheep, and at the center, she would put the crèche with Mary and Joseph, but no baby Jesus. Puzzling to me, but later I discovered why.
My in-laws celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve afternoon so they could attend midnight mass. After eating and playing games with the children, my mother-in-law would get out the sheet music of a Christmas cantata and hand it to the participants (not me and 2 of the other sons-in-law—we couldn’t carry a tune in a basket). They would sing a beautiful cantata of the Christmas story with each person singing glory to God and the gift of His Son. The grandchildren, in addition to singing, would bring their musical instruments and play them when instructed to do so—violins, violas, guitars, piano, flute, and several others.
After the singing of the cantata, my mother-in-law would bring out baby Jesus. The youngest grandchild (they had 27) would carry baby Jesus to the crèche, with the whole family forming two lines and the grandchild walking between the lines. While the grandchild carried baby Jesus, we all would sing Happy Birthday Jesus. Then presents could be opened. Worship first, then presents.
This and every Christmas, give worship to our Heavenly Father for the supreme gift of His ONE and ONLY Son—Isa. 9:6; John 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
Merv Wagner, Executive Director of Advancement
by Webmanager | Dec 11, 2017
Day 7 – Monday, Dec 11
Christmas in Germany is a very special time. Families gather together for the celebration of the Savior’s birth and honor the Christ Child. While serving in Germany as missionaries, we realized that for many German people, Christmas is merely a traditional family time. Most who called themselves “Christians” denied that Jesus was the Son of God and that they needed to be saved by Jesus Christ from sin and condemnation. While celebrating the birth of Jesus on the one hand, they were denying the very existence of God on the other.
In our work there with small, evangelical churches, we celebrated several Christmases with a body of believers who had endured persecution and judgment for openly admitting that they were committed to serving the Lord Jesus Christ. Our small church of thirty believers dedicated their lives to serving the Lord, despite the mockery of neighbors or family members who called them “radicals.”
One special service remains in my mind because of the beauty of the believers’ worship of the Lord. On Christmas Eve, we all gathered together in the meeting room. Various participants stood and testified to God’s blessing and protection. In addition, the children sang Christmas carols with all their hearts. Our three children were included with the choir, and they sang with such fervor, that my heart was touched by God’s work in their young lives as well.
The moment of the candle lighting arrived, and everyone carefully held the small candle with the paper holder as one by one, each believer lit his or her candle, openly identifying with the Lord Jesus, the Light of the World. We sang “Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht” in awe of the gift of the Savior, the only begotten Son of God. We each sang with our hearts full of thanksgiving for the Greatest Gift of All. In those moments, I also realized that it is not about huge numbers acknowledging Jesus as Savior and Lord, but, in fact, it is all about each one whom God saves. Today, I remember those beloved faces lit softly by the candles’ glowing, praising God for the Savior with all their hearts.
Dr. Terri Stricker, Clark Academic Center Director
by Webmanager | Dec 8, 2017
Day 6 – Friday, Dec 8
(Ephesians 4:7–16)
During the Christmas season, we tend to focus on the attribute of generosity, especially when it comes to giving gifts. I remember as a boy growing up in the state of Maryland that, for me, the epitome of generosity was my dad. Each year Christmas seemed to be bigger than the last. It wasn’t that my father valued materialism, but rather that he could not keep himself from being generous to his children.
In a much greater way, our heavenly Father gives us—His children, gifts. Gifts such as encouragement (Rom. 12:8), teaching (Eph. 4:11), service (1 Peter 4:11). God gives us these gifts. The Bible tells us to use these gifts for ministering to believers and to bring others to Christ, but are you generous in the way to use them? Is there a way you are holding back? Possibly you are generous with your gifts to everyone except that one person in church you feel is undeserving or disliked. Maybe there is a gift you are not using or at least not in the way God would want you to.
As our heavenly Father gives to us abundantly, generously use your gifts to encourage and support the body of Christ for the glory of God.
Tim Willis, Admissions Counselor
