Billy Graham in his book, The Cradle, Cross and Crown, written to help us stay focused on what is important as we journey through the Christmas season, shares this story. May it encourage us this Christmas!

            On that first Christmas night the Bible tells us about the angel coming to those fearful shepherds and saying, “Fear not, I bring you good news.” What is the real meaning of that good news?

            During World War II, many a mother would take her son and try to keep the memory of the father who was away at war in the memory of that boy. And one mother I heard about took her son every day into the bedroom and showed him a large portrait of the father who was away. One day the little boy said to his mother, “Mom, wouldn’t it be great if Dad could just step out of the frame?”

That’s what happened that first Christmas.

            For centuries man has looked into the heavens longing for God to step out of the frame, and at Bethlehem that’s exactly what God did.  Incredible and unbelievable as it may appear  to a modern man, the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ was a visitor from Heaven itself. He was God Incarnate.

            And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you:  You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” — Luke 2:8-12

* * *

No Ordinary Sheep

Those were no ordinary sheep...no common flocks, huddled in sleep among the fields, the layered rocks, near Bethlehem That Night; but those selected for the Temple sacrifice: theirs to atone for sins they had not done. How right the angels should appear to them That Night. Those were no usual shepherds there, but outcast shepherds whose unusual care of special sheep made it impossible to keep Rabbinic law, which therefore banned them. How right the angels should appear to them That Night.

—Ruth Bell Graham’s Collected Poems (also from the Cradle, Cross and Crown)

This is from Max Lucado's book, "In the Manger." It is a great compliment to our Christmas Series, "How to have a Mary Christmas." May our response to Christmas be like that of Mary!

Let it be to me according to your word. - Luke 1:38

The virgin birth is much more than a Christmas story; it is a picture of how close Christ will come to you. The first stop on His itinerary was a womb. Where will God go to touch the world? Look deep within Mary for an answer. Better still, look deep within yourself. What He did with Mary, He offers to us! He issues a Mary-level invitation to all His children. “If you’ll let Me, I’ll move in!” All through Scripture we see this preposition in. Jesus lives in His children.

To His apostles, Christ declared, “I am in you” (John 14:20, emphasis mine).

Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians was “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (Ephesians 3:17, emphasis mine).

“Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27, emphasis mine).

Christ grew in Mary until He had to come out. Christ will grow in you until the same occurs. He will come out in your speech, in your actions, in your decisions. Every place you live will be a Bethlehem, and every day you live will be a Christmas. You, like Mary, will deliver Christ into the world. God in us!

You are a modern-day Mary. Even more so. He was a fetus in her, but He is a force in you. He will do what you cannot do. Imagine a million dollars being deposited into your checking account. To any observer you look the same, except for the goofy smile, but are you? Not at all! With God in you, you have a million resources that you did not have before.

Can’t stop drinking or worrying? Christ can. And He lives within you. Can’t forgive the jerk, forget the past, or forsake your bad habits? Christ can! And He lives in you. Paul knew this.

To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily. - Colossians 1:29, emphasis mine

Like Mary, you and I are indwelt by Christ. Find that hard to believe? How much more did Mary? The line beneath her picture in the high school annual did not read, “Aspires to be the mother of God.” No one was more surprised by this miracle than she was.

And no one was more passive than she was. God did everything. Mary didn’t volunteer to help. She offered no assistance. She offered no resistance. She could have said, “Who am I to have God in my womb? I’m not enough.” Or, “I’ve got other plans. I don’t have time for God in my life.”

Instead, Mary said, Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word. - Luke 1:38

If she is our measure, God seems less interested in talent and more interested in trust.

Unlike her, we tend to assist God, assuming our part is as important as His. Or we resist, thinking we are too bad or too busy. Yet when we assist or resist, we miss God’s great grace. We miss out on the reason we were placed on earth —To be so full of Him that we could say with Paul,

It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. - Galatians 2:20

December is upon us... and the Christmas season is in full swing! Christmas day will be here before we know it! As you prepare for and reflect on Christmas this year here is something I received several years ago in an email. I share it with you as a reminder of what this season is really all about.

Jesus is better than Santa Claus

Santa lives at the North Pole...JESUS is everywhere!

Santa rides in a sleigh...JESUS rides on the wind and walks on water!

Santa comes but once a year...JESUS is an ever present help!

Santa fills your stockings with goodies...JESUS supplies all your needs!

Santa comes down your chimney uninvited...JESUS stands at your door and knocks, and then enters your heart when invited!

You have to wait in line to see Santa...JESUS is as close as the mention of His name!

Santa lets you sit in his lap...JESUS lets you rest in His arms!

Santa doesn't know your name and has to check his list to check up on you...JESUS knows our name, our history and our future. He even knows how many hairs you have on your head!

Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly...JESUS has a heart full of love!

All Santa can offer is Ho-Ho-Ho...JESUS offers health, help, hope and eternal life!

Santa says, "You better not cry"...JESUS says, "Cast all your cares on Me for I care for you!"

Santa may make you chuckle...JESUS gives you joy that is your strength!

While Santa puts gifts under your tree...JESUS became our gift and died on a tree...the Cross!

Keep Christ in Christmas as you journey through this Christmas season...HE IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!

"When the time had fully come, God sent HIs Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive the full rights of sons..." Galatians 4:4

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

A Word from our Pastor...

I trust the week of Thanksgiving has found us spending some time thanking God for all He has done and committing to be much more faithful in the area of gratefulness in the year to come. I thought you might like some after Thanksgiving laughs so here are a couple of things I hope put a smile on your face.

After-Thanksgiving Poem - I ate too much turkey, I ate too much corn, I ate too much pudding and pie. I’m stuffed up with muffins and too much stuffin’ I’m probably going to die. I piled up my plate and I ate and I ate. But I wish I had known when to stop, For I’m so crammed with yams, sauces, gravies, and jams that my buttons are starting to pop! I’m full of tomatoes and french-fried potatoes, my stomach is swollen and sore, but there’s still some dessert so I guess it won’t hurt if I eat just a little bit more!

You Know You Overdid Thanksgiving When....  Doctor tells you your weight would be perfect for a man 12 feet tall. ~ Paramedics bring in the Jaws of Life to pry you out of the EZ-Boy. ~ The potatoes you used set off another famine in Ireland. ~The "Gravy Boat" your wife set out was a real 12’ boat! ~ You receive a Sumo Wrestler application in your e-mail. ~ You set off 3 earthquake seismographs on your Friday morning jog . ~ Pricking your finger for cholesterol screening only yielded gravy. ~ A guest quotes a Biblical passage from "The Feeding of the 5000." ~ You consider gluttony your patriotic duty. ~ Representatives from the Butterball Hall of Fame called twice.

                I heard of a man who wished to sell his home. He called a real estate agent and said, "I want to run an ad in the paper to sell my home. I want to get rid of it as quickly as possible. I'm tired of this old place."

                The agent said, "Tell me about your home so I can run a good listing on your house."

                The man told him how many rooms it had. The rooms were carpeted and the kitchen had a nice tile floor. There were expensive shrubs in the yard. He told about some fruit trees in the backyard and many other advantages. He described the home in detail. When he finished, the agent told him, "Listen as I read it back to you and you tell me how it sounds."

                The agent read the ad- about this beautiful three bedroom home with two baths, a good stand of grass and beautiful shrubs, fruit trees in the back yard, new roof, central heat and air, a remodeled carport for two cars. He kept reading until the owner stopped him. "Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Stop! That house is not for sale. All my life I've wanted a place like that, but I did not realize I had it until now!"

                As we approach Thanksgiving this year--- may this story serve as a reminder to us that we need to take some time to sit back and think about what we have and be thankful! I bet if we do we will realize, like this man in the story above, that we have things we have always wanted, we just haven't taken the time to recognize it!

                Here is another thought on being thankful- We need to be like the little old lady who was getting ready to enjoy her Thanksgiving meal. Everybody that was gathered around the table was asked to share one thing for which they were thankful. As she shared, she said, "I thank the Lord for two perfectly good teeth, one in my upper jaw and one in my lower jaw that match so I can chew my food."

                Take time this Thanksgiving to focus on what you do have and how God has provided for you! Read Psalm 136 or Psalm 100 or any number of other Scriptures that will help you focus on God's activity in your life! Doing so will give us cause to be thankful not just around Thanksgiving but every day of the year!

                Here is a Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Story for you this week. It's incredible to think that by packing just one shoebox a person could potentially impact an entire family and community. May this story inspire you to help pack a shoebox this year.          

                In December 2011, 80 children in a desperately poor village in the Vunika region in Labasa, Fiji received a shoe box through Operation Christmas Child. In this village were many Hindus, Muslims and native Fijian people of other faiths. Soon after the distribution, 30 children enrolled, with the consent of their parents, to do The Greatest Journey, our 12 lesson, children’s discipleship program.

                By the end of the program, 15 of the children had given their lives to Jesus. One of them was Melvin, a 10 year old boy who lived with his grandparents. Melvin’s grandfather was known as a religious leader and witchdoctor by the local villagers. Amazingly, Melvin’s grandfather agreed to have The Greatest Journey classes at his house.

                Pastor Waisea from a neighboring town came and taught the classes and some of the children’s parents came along to see and hear what their children were learning. The children completed The Greatest Journey in 14 weeks. They asked Pastor Waisea if he would keep teaching the classes so that they could learn more about Jesus and so a Bible study group was established in Melvin’s grandparents’ home.

                The Bible study group grew steadily over the next three months and 5 of the adults accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour, including Melvin’s grandparents, to the astonishment of many neighbors.

                Melvin’s grandfather then asked Pastor Waisea to start a church in his home. The church grew with 25 people attending regularly over the next seven months. Melvin’s grandfather and Pastor Waisea approached a local landowner to buy some land so that they could build a church and on Sunday, 16th September, 2012 the first church service was held under temporary shelter on the land with forty people!

                In 2013, Melvin's grandfather went to be with the Lord. Today Melvin is growing into a fine young man and a bright student. He faithfully attends Sunday school and prayer meetings every week and his young sister is also involved in the activities of the church.

                Melvin is doing his best to get his Dad to come to church and is sure that God will bring him.

Operation Christmas Child is a part of the ministry of Samaritan's Purse. If you would like more information about this ministry please visit www.samaritanspurse.org and look up Operation Christmas Child.

                This week we as a nation honor our Veterans and deserving of our honor they are! To say I am proud of my brother would be an understatement! To honor him, today I share a letter he wrote a couple years back. It truly catches the heart behind Veteran's Day! Brother, thank you for your service and your words!

                July 4th, 1776.  Independence Day!  People dancing in the streets, the Redcoats defeated and hostilities ended.  Right?  Absolutely not.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  You might envision that day as a celebration of victory but history would prove you wrong.

                Did you know British troops did not leave New York City until November 25^th of 1783?  More than 7 years after our founding fathers had the courage to declare our independence even as the British fleet and army were arriving on our shores.  7 years of battle, blood, sacrifice and suffering.  7 years of determination, loyalty, faith and belief. 

                Our independence was declared in the face of what seemed to be insurmountable odds.  We were engaged and ready to battle the most dominate navy and army in the entire world at that time for what we believed in – “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government…”

                Signed copies of the Declaration of Independence were not sent to the states until January of 1777.  The ideal of freedom began to spread and the words of this document began to penetrate into the hearts of the citizenry. Numerous battles were fought from Princeton, NJ to Savannah, GA, in the dead of winter and the sauna of summer – over 10,000 dead or wounded soldiers were recorded during our Revolutionary War.

                Independence.  Freedom.  Country.  It came with a cost.  The cost to preserve those ideals has been tremendous in the wars fought during the intervening years to our present day.  Those men fell in love with the idea of our country and then fell, in love for our country.  Love never fails.  So this Veteran's Day, remember those who displayed courage of conviction and a vision for a better tomorrow.  May God through His son Jesus Christ and the working of His Holy Spirit continue to bless the United States of America.

STEVE A. YARBROUGH, Lt Col (Retired), USAF