The Christmas Miracle

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Without regard as to what a person believes, everyone realizes that there is a definite spirit of the Christmas season.

 

Beyond the pressures and the commercialization of Christmas, beyond the stress and the disappointments people have faced that fill Christmas with sad memories, beyond the loss of loved ones and the empty feelings we share with family and friends, there is a joy that fills the air and it is available to everyone who will embrace it.

 

I noticed it here in our Church Friday night as hundreds of families gathered for our annual Christmas Fest. More than the free food, games, toys and candy, it was the smiles on the faces of the children and the joy in the hearts of the parents. You could feel that feeling of being in the Christmas spirit. It was wonderful.

 

Something powerful, something magnificent, something splendid awaits us on Christmas. It’s like standing on your tiptoes to see out of the window, hoping to catch the first glimpse of snow, safe and warm yet feeling the cold wind just on the other side of the frost-covered glass.

 

Christmas is exciting … well - Christmas is as exciting as you will allow it to be. It’s meant to be exciting. God sent His son – Christmas – the Birth of Jesus. In fact, nothing is more exciting than the Christmas Miracle. Are you expecting a Christmas miracle this year? Perhaps you should be.

 

As I said earlier: Without regard to what a person believes, everyone realizes that there is a definite spirit of the Christmas season. This Christmas spirit stirs in the hearts and minds of men and women, boys and girls, believers and non-believers alike. Christmas is for everyone, but not everyone enjoys it as God intends.

 

Faith cannot be separated from expectancy. Faith is simply expecting a miracle. What qualifies as a miracle? A miracle is anything God does. The Christmas miracle is God doing something for you. Once again: Are you expecting a Christmas miracle this year?

 

The Bible account of the first Christmas begins with an angel of God visiting a young girl named Mary who lived in the town of Nazareth. The angel’s name was Gabriel. It was about this time of year when Mary was surprised to find out that she had been chosen to be the mother of Jesus.

 

However, before she could receive the blessings God had planned for her, Mary had to come into agreement with God and with His plan for her life. Even though she did not know how, she nonetheless believed the angel Gabriel when he told her:

 

Luke 1:37  “For with God nothing will be impossible.”

 

Mary voiced her agreement with God in the next verse:

 

Luke 1:38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

 

The passage I want us to focus on today comes a few verses down, from what Mary said some days later in the story. Let’s turn in our Bibles to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 1, verses 46 thru 49. (I encourage you to read the entire first chapter of Luke to confirm all the details.)

 

Luke 1 NKJV

46  And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord,

47  And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

48  For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.

49  For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name.”

 

Mary was chosen to be the mother of the Son of God. Right up until the angel’s message, Mary never expected herself to be special. After she came into agreement with God and with His plan for her life, she never expected anything less, nor should we. Mary believed in her Christmas miracle, and her faith gave a Christmas miracle to us all. 

 

Listen to her exclamation:

 

Luke 1:49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me.

• Mighty 

o Gk: Dunatos

o Powerful

o Able

o Excelling in Strength

• Has done

o Made

o Created

o Performed

• Great things

o Gk: Megaleios

o Magnificent; Excellent; Splendid; Wonderful

• For me

o Me = Gk: Moi

o Personal, nonproper expression of me.(French surprise …?)

 

Can you believe it? God almighty, who can do anything, has created a magnificent, splendid, wonderful miracle, for me – Moi!

 

Mary took it personal that she had been included in the plan of God. Just as miraculous is the fact that God’s plan also includes you. 

 

Three Take-Aways from The Christmas Miracle

1. Enjoying Christmas is up to you.

a. If you are going to enjoy Christmas, you’ll need to get yourself in agreement with God and with His plan for your life.

b. His plan will include you making the effort to embrace the Christmas Spirit (Love, Joy, Peace, Hope, Faith, Goodness).

c. We cannot separate faith from expectancy.

d. Are you expecting Jesus for Christmas this year?

2. What you choose to do will affect what others experience.

a. You make a difference … 

b. Don’t be a scrooge or a Pharisee. 

3. With God, nothing shall be impossible.

a. There is a reason for the season … 

b. God wants you to experience a Christmas Miracle too!

The Gift That Keeps On Giving

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The Bible is powerful – perhaps the most powerful thing known to man. God breathed words, anointed with the ability to create. No wonder it continues to be the best selling and most often read book since the invention of the printing press. The Bible changed my life.

 

I heard a preacher share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the summer of 1967. His name was Tom Cowgill. I don’t recall what scripture verses he read from the Bible, but a miracle took place inside me, and I knew I wanted more of whatever was causing that spark in my heart. When Church was over that Sunday morning I ran about a mile and a half to two miles, all the way home, down that dirt road behind the school and through the ditch, jumping rows across the garden and right up to my mama who was under our pear tree beside the well. 

 

My mama took time and told me about Jesus, and I decided to invite Him into my life and was saved right then and there. I am 70 years old today and ever since that moment, when I invited Jesus to come into my heart, I have never once doubted that I was born-again under that pear tree. I drive by that spot on occasion just to reminisce. I love my mama … and I’m so glad she knew the Bible.

 

Even though I was saved at 12 years old, not a lot changed in my life for about a decade. I grew up doing what everybody else did and it wasn’t until I was 22 years old, I’d been married for almost 5 years, was serving  in the Air Force, living in Europe, that I finally opened a Bible and began reading. It was the Bible my mama and daddy gave me for my 17th birthday. It was always close, but closed, laying within arm’s reach.

 

This is it right here. As you can see, if you can see it, I’ve kind of marked it up a bit. When I’d read something that spoke to me, I would highlight the verse, jot down my thoughts, and list any references that came to mind in support of the subject. Doing this was powerful. It changed my life. 

 

I’m telling you, the Bible is powerful. One day I was a saved young man living like I was lost and the next I was changing to be on the outside what was happening to me on the inside. The Bible changed everything about me. It changed the way I thought, the way I felt, the way I spoke, the way I prayed, the way I dealt with situations, the good times and the difficult times. 

 

Through the years I have developed a habit of reading every story with the goal of finding who I am in the story and who I want to be. I overlay each teaching Jesus did on my life and choose who I want to be and what I want to do in light of the message Jesus is sharing. After all this time, I can tell you it has worked, and I still do it today. 

 

Let me give you an example. Turn with me to the book of Luke, chapter 7. In Luke 7 Jesus is in the Galilee, probably in the city of Capernaum or close by. He has been preaching and teaching, and healing people. His popularity has grown, and everyone knows Him. 

 

Luke 7 KVJ

36 ¶  And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat.

37  And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,

38  And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

39  Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

40  And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.

41  There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

42  And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?

43  Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

44  And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.

45  Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

46  My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

47  Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

48  And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

49  And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?

50  And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

 

Wow! Your faith has saved you? What? Jesus said her sins, which were many were forgiven because she loved much. Hmmm … let’s consider:

 

Who are you in this story? Do you see yourself? Are you:

• The Pharisee?

• The Onlookers eating at the Pharisee’s table?

• The Sinner?

 

The Pharisee was wrong. He may have even been a good man, but he was a stench in the nostrils of God. Isaiah prophesied about people like this:

 

Isaiah 65:5  Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.

 

The Bible has helped me decide to not judge others. After all, I cannot afford to judge others if I want to be forgiven of my sins. Jesus told the Pharisee that the one who had been forgiven much loved much. It was evident this woman, although a known sinner, loved Jesus a lot. 

 

Just like faith without works is dead, faith without love is dead as well … and I suppose love without works is also dead.

Don’t fool yourself:

 

Love that is not demonstrated is not love. (1John 3:17) 

 

Galatians 5:6  For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

 

Jesus told the woman: “Your faith has saved you.” What faith? The faith that works by love. The love she had in her heart towards Jesus which was demonstrated by her actions showed she had faith in her heart. Her sins were forgiven and her past forgotten because of the love in her heart.

 

Many people try to make faith work. But, without love, faith will not work. Faith is designed to work by love. If you say you love God and hate your brother, you’re a liar. God is love and His power to change your life works because of love. Your faith works by love. Criticism, condemnation, rejection, judgmentalism, unforgiveness, anger, bitterness, pride or resentment will not move the hand of God on your behalf. God is not obligated to our educated opinion, even if we are technically right.

 

Love is the conduit through which faith freely flows.Love covers …

 

The last thing Jesus said to the woman was: “Go in peace.”

 

Romans 5:1 ¶  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

 

This woman was justified when she demonstrated her love for Jesus. She left there with a peace that was greater than her past. So can we …

 

The Bible is powerful. When I overlay my life with the stories in the Bible, I can see what I should feel, how I should think, and who I should be. The Bible changed my life, and it will change the life of anyone who will let it.

 

In memory of my mom and dad, and in light of the gift they gave me that changed my life, I am going to commit my 70th year to giving Bibles out to people in hopes they will open it up, find themselves in the stories, give their lives to Christ, and become more like Jesus every day. 

 

Join me this year and give others the most powerful gift in the world. The gift that keeps on giving. The Bible will change their lives.

Try It Again

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You are either coming from your greatest day, at your greatest day, or headed to your greatest day … and the truth is – it’s up to you!

 

One of the saddest things I have seen in my life is when a person wakes up with no hope for their future. 

 

It can be devastating to experience the death of a dream, but even more devastating would be the choice to never dream again.

 

Many times people allow failure to determine their future.

 

A difficult past will either be the grave you are buried in, or the university you graduate from. It will all be determined by your next decision.

 

Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company, failed at every early attempt and went broke five times before he finally succeeded in manufacturing and marketing the early American motor car.

 

R H Macy, the founder of Macy’s Department Stores, started seven failed businesses before making it big on 34th Street in New York.

 

Harland David Sanders, a.k.a. Colonel Sanders, founder of the famed Kentucky Fried Chicken, faced several critics and plenty of opportunity to quit and try something else. His famous secret chicken recipe was rejected 1,009 times before he finally found a restaurant who would accept it. KFC is now the second largest food chain in the world with more than 30K locations in over 150 countries.

 

Albert Einstein did not speak until he was 4 years old and did not read until he was 7. His teachers and parents thought he was mentally handicapped, slow and anti-social. Eventually he was expelled from school and was later in life refused admittance to college only to go on to win the Nobel Prize and change the face of modern physics.

 

Thomas Edison’s teachers told him that he was “too stupid to learn anything.” Then, as a young man he was fired from his first two jobs for not being productive enough. Edison went on to make 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb before he finally found a design that worked.

 

Winston Churchill struggled in school and even failed the sixth grade. Nonetheless he was determined to have a career in politics. However, for many years he continued to lose, in fact he lost every election for public office until he finally became the Prime Minister of England at the age of 62. 

 

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States and Commander in Chief of the Military at one of its most critical moments, was not at first successful in his military career. Early on he went to war as a captain and returned home with the rank of private. He went absolutely as low as you can go, but he didn’t stop there. He continued to fail in business after business and was defeated numerous times while running for office. 

 

​1832 – Ran for State Legislature – lost.

​1832 – Applied for law school – couldn’t get accepted.

​1836 – Had a total nervous breakdown and was bedridden 6 months

​1838 – Ran for speaker of the house in his state – lost.

​1840 – Sought to become elector in his state – lost.

​1843 – Ran for Congress – lost.

​1849 – Sought job of land officer in his home state – rejected.

​1854 – Ran for Senate of the US – lost

​1856 – Sought the VP nomination of his party – got less than 100 votes.

​1858 – Ran for US Senate again – again he lost

​1860 – Elected as the 16th President of the United States of America.

 

All in all, Abraham Lincoln lost 8 elections, failed in business twice and had a complete nervous breakdown before succeeding to become one of the greatest presidents our country, and arguably any other country in the history of the world for that matter, has ever known.

 

I can go on, and on, and on with success story after success story, people from all walks of life, who endured hardship and criticism, difficulties, rejections and defeats, but who never quit, never lost their focus, never gave up and eventually went on to build their dream.

 

People like Michael Jordan who knows the price of success. 

 

Did you know that Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team? But he didn’t let that setback or what others thought about him stop him from playing the game he loved and pursuing the dream he had. He said, “I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed.”

 

The pressures of life are meant to mold us, not move us.

 

Don’t mistake dissatisfaction for direction. 

 

Often what needs to change are not the things around you but things inside of you.

 

Don’t abandon what God has given you trying to get what He has not. 

 

Don’t take a temporary situation and create a permanent problem. 

 

You may not need to change what you are doing, but simply change how you are doing it.

 

Don’t think for one minute that God hasn’t been disappointed. In fact, it’s one of the first things we are told in the Bible.

 

Genesis 1

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

3 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.

 

What should we do when we experience failure, a disappointment, or find ourselves with something we have that is not what we want? Do what God does. You can’t fix everything, but you can try it again … 

 

1. Dream again.

a. He did it with the earth before creating Adam and Eve …

b. He did it with Noah even after being frustrated and grieved …

c. He will do it again by creating a new heaven and earth.

d. Dream Again!

2. Plan your next step.

a. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.

b. A dream is not a plan.

c. Fail to plan, plan to fail!

d. The Holy Spirit hovered/brooded over the earth.

e. God was considering His next step … what did He want to do?

3. Commit yourself.

a. Make your declaration.

i. Up until that moment no one knew what God would do.

ii. He pulled the trigger; committed Himself; took the step!

iii. He said, “Let there be light!”

b. Do it! Decide and decree.

i. Declare a thing and it shall be established. (Job 22:28)

c. Nothing changes until something changes.

d. Take the step and keep stepping …

i. Take what you have;

ii. Start where you are;

iii. Do the very best you can.

iv. Keep stepping.

 

You are either coming from your greatest day, at your greatest day, or headed to your greatest day. The choice is yours! 

 

Providing Jesus knows you, on the day you draw your last breath on planet earth you can confidently say, “My greatest day is yet ahead!”

 

Don’t go one more day without God’s dream for your future.

 

God is your Father … dream big!