Wednesday, December 12, 2007

New Night Before Christmas

A great message thats been forwarded around the internet.

A New Night Before Christmas

T'was the night before Christmas and all through the town

Not a sign of Baby Jesuswas anywhere to be found.
The people were all busy with Christmas time chores
Like decorating, and baking,and shopping in stores.

No one sang "Away in a manger,no crib for a bed".
Instead, they sang of Santadressed-up in bright red.
Mama watched Martha Stewart,Papa drank beer from a tap.
As hour upon hourthe presents they'd wrap
When what from the T.V.did they suddenly hear?'
Cept an ad.. which toldof a big sale at Sears.

So away to the mall they all flew like a flash...
Buying things on credit...and others with cash!
And, as they made their way home
From their trip to the mall,Did they think about Jesus?
Oh, no... not at all.

Their lives were so busywith their Christmas time things
No time to rememberChrist Jesus, the King.
There were presents to wrapand cookies to bake.
How could they stop and remember who died for their sake?
To pray to the Savior...they had no time to stop.
Because they needed more time to "Shop til they dropped!
"On Wal-mart! On K-mart!On Target!
On Penney's!On Hallmark! On Zales!A quick lunch at Denny's

From the big stores downtown to the stores at the mall
They would dash away, dash away,and visit them all!
And up on the roof,there arose such a clatter
As grandpa hung icicle lightsup on his brand new step ladder.
He hung lights that would flash.He hung lights that would twirl.
Yet, he never once prayed to Jesus...Light of the World.

Christ's eyes... how they twinkle!
Christ's Spirit... how merry! Christ's love... how enormous!
All our burdens... He'll carry!S
o instead of being busy,overworked, and uptight
Let's put Christ back in Christmas and enjoy some good nights!
Merry Christmas, my friends!

Friday, December 7, 2007

My Love Hasn't Grown Cold

The love of God is stronger than any force known to man. It heals wounds, saves souls, and mends broken lives. I remember a time in my life when I felt that the love of God was something that I was no longer worthy of. I had been in church and backslid and been Satan’s best friend. I often told myself that I could come back, but I would never be the same and no one would ever trust me to do anything in the kingdom of God.

I was fully introduced to the lies of Satan.

The thing about Satan is he tells such good lies that we believe them and listen to them as they eat away at us. He’s good like that.

Back to the love of God…..

I am always reminded of the story of the prodigal son. He went to his father and asked of him his inheritance. His dad gave him the money and he left. He went out into the world and found lots of friends and spent lots of money. The bible also says that he ended up penniless and had to work at a pig farm and slop pigs. He even ended up eating the pigs food, which is utterly disgusting. One day while he was in the pigpen he thought to himself, the servants in my fathers house get better than this. So I will go work for my father and tell him I don’t have to be his son anymore. At this moment I am sure he felt a little unworthy and humbled, maybe even desperate. The bible said he went back and his father ran to him with open arms. He took him in clothed him in the finest garments and gave him a ring. I am sure he said something along the lines. Son my love hasn’t grown cold for you…

The bible also talks about a fisherman by the name of Peter. Jesus saved him and made him a fisher of men and changed his whole life. Peter followed Jesus faithfully. But on the day of his crucifixion he denied him 3 times. But when he was resurrected Peter was one of the first to see him alive. Although he had done him wrong the love that God had for Peter hadn’t grown cold.

David was a man after God’s own heart. He committed adultery, killer her husband, and lost a child all in a short period of time. But David sought the Lord and repented. He was remembered as a man after Gods own heart.

Sometimes in life we do things that we shouldn’t. We make mistakes, we fall down. But one thing these 3 all had in common is they didn’t stay where they were at. They came back even though they weren’t sure how they would be accepted. You see the love of God is stronger than anything. The bible says neither life, nor death, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come can keep us from the love of God.

We have all messed up and fallen short but the love of God hasn’t grown cold, nor will it til the end of time.
I remind myself everyday that when the devil lies to me that I will no longer believe him. I am loved by God in spite of who I was. I am so glad that the Love God has for me has never and will never grow cold.