The Gift of Christmas

 Jesus is the Reason for the Season

Christmas is a gift. Jesus is the reason for the season. Many people who don't believe in Jesus also celebrate this holiday. It is important to realize why we are celebrating. It is not all about Santa Claus although this is an excellent extension to give our young people hope and to have a reason to give.

I remember I was around ten or eleven when I found out there was no Santa Claus. I saw my grandmother hiding gifts in the closet. I must say I think that I took it well. Some of my classmates probably knew there was no Santa Claus. However, no one was trying to spoil it for anybody else. If they believe, we let them believe until they find out on their own.

As an adult, I heard an interesting story as to why there is a Santa Claus. There was actually a man about two thousand years ago who went around giving gifts. Thus, Saint Nicholas was born, and the way the minister told it made so much sense.

The Significance of Christ

We thank God for sending Jesus. I have often heard people say that many can receive the baby, but some can't receive the Saviour. As Christians, it is up to us to influence people to Christ. Sometimes, this can take place just by you being you. People need to know that there is freedom in Christ. There is gifting in believing in Jesus. I think man sometimes gets carried away and can turn people away from Christ. The Bible declares that my commandments are not grievous (I John 5:3). It is important to know the nature of Christ. When you know the nature of Christ, you will realize what is Christ and what is not Christ when you see it. I have often heard that billionaires or others who are very wealthy start donating their money to charity when they get older. People don't want to get to heaven and have God ask them why they didn't share or feed His flock when you had much substance. By the same token, I have seen various ministries in the news because they were exposed by the media. The media said that they took from poor believers to build up their wealth. You can just google this on the web. Different newspapers have done different stories over the years. I don't want to single out any particular ministry. I know that God wants us all to have nice things. He also asks us to be sober and vigilant because our adversary will sift us as wheat (1 Peter 5:8). Understand that fornication and sins of the flesh are not the only sins in the Bible. Greed is also a sin. Jealousy is also a sin and we as believers have to constantly ask God to give us the spirit of discernment. God wants us to support ministries and give the tithe that He has commanded but God wants you to be prosperous as well. You are not wicked because you want to travel the world. You are not a sinner because you want a designer handbag. You are not greedy because you want to go to various universities or send your child to the best schools. You choose to spend your money how you choose to spend it. Some people love travel. Others love clothes. Still others love fine dining. You work hard and you live the life that you want to live. You and yours are paying your bills. There are so many people who don't even go to church. They will send their tithes but they are not impressed with all the begging and none of the outward manifestation of taking care of the least of these thy brethren. They think that the church is supposed to do it all. The church cannot do it all. If it concerns you, you might have to pick up the purpose. That's why people need to start non-profit organizations. You can take up some of the causes that the church is not taking up. You can start the after-school programs. You can start the food pantries. You can create homeless shelters if this is something God is leading you to do. You might face resistance and attack because you are actually getting to the root cause of an issue. Others might start doing what you are doing to try to make it seem like you are not doing anything. You can write the book. You can film a documentary. The church is not a bank where you give your tithes and then go back and ask them to pay your utilities. You keep your money for your own bills and give them what you understand God has commanded you to do. For whatever reason, I know when people are asking for your overage. I don't know what it is about humans that they sometimes can't stand to see the people of God increase. That is a reason why God does not always give His people what He has in store for us until we can exercise restraints at all levels. There are too many people at the gate trying to see what God is going to do and they are ready to receive or snatch what God has. No, you don't have to play the victim but you don't have to play the fool either. I pray that God will give you the discernment that you need this holiday season. I pray that you will be the lender and not the borrower. I pray that God will bless you for your charitable giving and that you will reap even where you have not sown. I pray that God will give you a bamboo blessing and it will spring up when needed. I pray that God will free you up from that taskmaster who is trying to overburden you so that you won't be able to do the work of the Lord.

The Gift of Salvation Salvation is a gift from God. If Jesus is calling you, receive Him while you can. I have heard people say that God is not calling them. Maybe, they meant that He wasn't calling them to ministry or something. I hope that they didn't mean that He wasn't calling them to salvation. To me that is scary. My Bible tells me that God is not willing that any man should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). There are so many people who do not believe. I pray that before they leave this earth God will reveal Himself to them.