LAST CHRISTMAS ARTICLES FOR THE SEASON 2018

 

Christmas and Advents - Terry James - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/

 

Christmas 2018 is upon a world filled with anticipation, expectation, trepidation, and abomination. This year isn't overly different from any other Christmastime in many ways.

 

Some anticipate a celebration of the first Advent when the Christ child came amidst tidings of great joy through angelic exultation. Some are filled with expectation that the time of Christmas celebration will bring at least some moments of peace to otherwise tumultuous, daily routines of life.

 

Annual family get-togethers, church Christmas presentations, and exchanges of gifts still reside at the heart of the Christmas season in America. But, there can be no denying that there is an overt design and dark, visceral movement to change America in ways meant to divide and conquer Christendom. For, if the evil that constitutes the nucleus of this movement has their way, Christ will be forever relegated to non-entity status as the way is prepared for the advent of their own version of Messiah.

 

Thus, for many believers, where there should be even greater anticipation and expectation of joy at Christmastime, there is increasing trepidation.

 

We sense that the spirit of abomination is a growing infection, a metastasizing evil intent upon invading and trans-morphing every vestige of cellular, founding principle built into the U.S. Constitution.

 

Politically, we watch daily the incessant assault on all that is rational. The growing numbers in the U.S. who fall under the spell of the insanity that rules the ideological left is frightening. They cannot see that we are losing the country that has provided the liberties we-and they-enjoy...freedom like no other nation in history has been permitted.

 

These see the turmoil and chaos in Europe, where the populace has to riot en masse to survive the impossibly heavy taxes their socialist leaders have imposed. Yet they, for some unfathomable reason, desire to embrace that system. The protesters have to die in some cases to make those leftist leaders understand that the people want no part of the climate-change rules, regulations, and taxation the globalists demand. Yet the so called "progressives"-the political left in America-cannot make the connection. The way things are going on in France is exactly the way this nation is headed, if they have their way.

 

Instead of learning and teaching a different ideology than socialistic insanity, America's so-called higher education professors continue to preach from their academic pulpits the religion of ecological Mother Earth worship under the socialistic, ideological framework.

 

Religiously, the world-including much of America's political establishment-embrace that socialistic, Utopian quest. At the same time they hold Catholic Pope Francis up as the kind of religionist the young should follow, if any religionist at all.

 

That Pontiff has said that all will eventually go to Heaven, that there is no Hell, and that there are many ways to God, not simply through the ways presented by the Christian faith-the Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, whether wittingly or unwittingly, this pope, the ideological left and the globalist elite all look forward to an advent entirely the opposite of the First Advent, when Christ came to earth to seek and save those who are lost.

 

These who form the dark movement to bring America into compliance with the new world order, who are determined to destroy America as founded, look for the one God's Word calls "the abomination that makes desolate" (see Daniel 9). They are looking for the great political leadership that will correct the horrendous mess they, themselves, have made of things. They are looking for the advent of Antichrist.

 

But, we who name the Name of Christ Jesus can take assurance as we observe Christmas 2018. We look back to that First Advent and that baby in the manger as proof that God the Father is still in complete control. All the evil we see tracking across the geopolitical and religious landscape is right on target to fulfill that great promise that the Second Advent-the Second Coming of Christ-is on the immediate horizon.

 

The first phase of that Second Advent will be the Rapture of the Church of Jesus Christ. Convergence of events prove beyond any doubt to the discerning believer that great event is about to happen.

 

"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh" (Luke 21:28).

 

Now that promise straight from the heart of God is certainly reason to have a very Merry Christmas!

Christmas Lost and Found - By Hal Lindsey - https://www.hallindsey.com/12-22-2018/ In the early 1990s, country music artist Clint Black wrote and recorded the hauntingly beautiful song, "Looking for Christmas." He wrote, "I'm looking for Christmas; in time for this Christmas." That's a good description of something millions feel this time of year. Something precious has been lost, and they have until December 25th to find it again. Almost everyone occasionally feels a kind of emptiness during the holiday season. Part of the problem is that our expectations for Christmas are so high. We are flooded with a tsunami of advertising where people find perfect joy and fulfillment because of the gifts they buy or receive. Gift giving is a great part of Christmas - especially if it reminds us of the ultimate Gift. But ever newer and better products will not satisfy the yearning for a real Christmas. Also, the present-day must compete with ghosts of Christmases past. Our earliest Christmas memories include a child's delight in the presents, trees, tinsel, lights, tastes, and smells of Christmas. And those childhood memories include the presence of loved ones now gone. At Christmas, perhaps more than any other time, we miss people so much that the ache becomes almost physical. People across America and around the world show a deep longing for something genuine and meaningful in an increasingly superficial world. The trees of Christmas, the lights on Main Street, the food, the whimsy, even the fake snow are all fine in their place. But they will not satisfy our yearning for the true and meaningful. The reality of Christmas rises to an entirely different level. Almost every American has seen Charles Schulz's "A Charlie Brown Christmas." In it, Charlie Brown has become the director of the Christmas pageant. But his attempts to make it meaningful fall short. Finally, he comes to a point of despair, and says, "I guess I really don't know what Christmas is all about." Then he shouts in desperation, "Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?" His friend Linus says that he can answer the question. He steps to center stage, asks for lights, and sweetly quotes Luke 2:8-14. "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." When Linus finishes, he picks up his blanket, walks back to Charlie Brown, and says, "That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown." The simplicity of the animation and the blatantly Christian message of the show scared CBS officials when they first saw it. But it was a massive ratings hit from the first time it aired in 1965. And it has been airing ever since. It has become a beloved part of Christmas for millions. Why the success? Using the voices of real children, Charlie Brown and company expressed the despair of modern man. Then Linus showed us all where to find the season's true meaning. I pray that you enjoy every part of the Christmas celebration this year. But amid the various ornaments we place on the holiday, don't forget the Christ of Christmas. Remember to remember Jesus. Merry Christmas!

Daily Jot: The memories we make this time of year - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com   Growing up on the farm on the fringe of the snow belt in Northeastern Ohio left many memories of snowy Christmas seasons. Christmas time was always special at our house because Christmas Eve also was my father's birthday. He often said that when he was young, it didn't seem fair that he only got a present one time a year. Back in the early 1900s, they didn't go all out for Christmas like they do now-he would get an orange in a stocking hung by the fireplace, maybe some extra candy or a fruitcake if it was a good year. Things were different then. They were even different from today when I was little. We lived out in the country on a working farm that had been in the family nearly 200 years. It was real different. Usually, on Christmas Eve we would get the livestock in early. We wintered about seven brood cows and up to 16 horses. Feeding time was done quickly because of the wind and cold lake effect coming off Lake Erie about 50 miles away. We would start by going up in the hay mow and throwing down some bales. Putting the hay in the mangers and the feed in the feedboxes. Then we would let out a yodel and the animals would start coming. Cows in their stanchions, each horse knew their own stall. The barn would start to warm up and we would begin putting water in the buckets for the horses. If the pump was froze up, I would take a bucket and an axe out to the pond some 75 yards away and carry water a bucket at a time. One particular snowy Christmas Eve, Dad quit working earlier than normal. There was about eight inches of snow on the ground and it was pretty cold. We put the livestock in early and Dad asked if I wanted to play in the snow a bit. He had an idea in mind. I was game for anything he wanted to do. He saddled up Hollywood, his champion palomino quarter horse stallion, got a long rope, tied it to the handle of a scoop shovel. The idea was that he would ride Hollywood along the field at a gallop pulling the shovel. I would sit on the shovel, holding onto the handle as we glided through the snow. Great idea. Sounds like fun. But in practice it was more difficult than imagined. After a few disastrous bumps and flies, probably caused by the corn stalk stubs, I got the hang of it and it was-how did we say it back then-"swell!" There was always a party after Christmas Eve services at our house. People would come from all around with birthday wishes for Dad. One such couple, Betty and Gene Flynn, often arrived a little later than others because they lived farther away. And every time Betty walked in the door on Christmas Eve, a fuse would blow. This happened for about five years straight (until we replaced the fuse box with breakers). Dad would get a flashlight and precariously make his way down the crude steps to the back of the cellar and replace the fuse while the guest waited for the lights to come on. Psalm 104:17 says, "But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children." These memories, to the Lord's mercy, are everlasting. I'm thankful for them. Make some this year.

Daily Devotion: You Have a Savior - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org   Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people." -Luke 2:10   When the angel delivered his heavenly announcement to the shepherds, he started with, "Do not be afraid." But the shepherds, along with all of Israel, lived in frightening times. They were under the reign of King Herod, who was a tyrant. Their land was under Roman occupation. There was fear about the future. Would Rome ever leave? Would they ever be free? Would the Messiah ever come?   Then suddenly there were angels announcing to the shepherds that the Messiah had come: "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people" (Luke 2:10). Having angels appear was frightening in itself. Angels were awe-inspiring beings. That is why, when we read of angelic appearances in the Bible, we often see them starting with, "Fear not."   The message of Christmas is fear not. Have joy. As commentator Ray Stedman said, "The chief mark of the Christian ought to be the absence of fear and the presence of joy."   Yet it can be difficult for us to have joy because we are surrounded by sadness. With all the tragedies in the world, all the acts of terrorism, and all the problems we have, how can we have good tidings of great joy? The answer is this: "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11 NKJV).   No matter what happens in life, remember this: You have a Savior. As a Christian, you have been saved from death. You have been saved from eternal punishment and Hell. You have the hope that when you die, you will go straight to Heaven. That is the most important thing about the Christian life. There is a Heaven waiting for you. You have a Savior.

 

 

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