Even If i Walk Alone

Instructing and encouraging you to live your life as a disciple of Jesus

Christmas

A Sense of Wonder

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Another Christmas season is behind us, and now we must determine how the birth of Christ will change how we live for the next 365 days. Because that’s the point, isn’t it? Christmas isn’t about giving and receiving gifts from others. It’s about accepting the gift given to us by God. It’s the only gift that lasts, the only gift that truly satisfies you, and the only gift that brings eternal life along with it.

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How many times during the past Christmas season did you stop to consider that? How often are you considering it now? We don’t live with a sense of wonder and awe, but we should. The gift of Jesus is unbelievable, undeserved, without a doubt, unappreciated.

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Born to Die

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The birth of Christ is indeed worthy of celebration. It marks the moment God stepped into history to make a way for the salvation of humanity. We rejoice and sing majestic carols to the King of Kings, and marvel at the miracle of His birth and the subsequent sinless life He led. But perhaps because of all the pageantry in our celebrations, we overlook that while the birth of Christ was glorious, the fact is Jesus was born to die.

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His life on earth would last a scant thirty-three years. Three decades after marveling at His birth, His mother would mourn His death. Jesus came so we might live, but the only way to give us that life would cost Him His own.

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The Light of Jesus

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The light of Jesus shows up best in dark places. It was into the darkness that Christ came as a baby. His light shone so brightly it brought shepherds in from their fields. Seekers from far off lands traveled two years to reach the light given off by Christ at His birth. Countless prison ministries find men and women encountering Jesus in the darkest depths of their lives.

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image © bf87 via Fotolia

Persecuted Christians encounter Jesus in ways few of us can imagine in some of the darkest places on earth. When we are at our lowest, at our worst, the light of Jesus shines best. It calls us to Him. It promises something better, something cleaner, something more. In what areas of your life do you most need the light of Jesus today?

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What Will You Do with Christmas?

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I don’t know when you are reading this, but as I write it, Christmas is less than a week away. That means it’s somewhat obligatory I write a Christmas themed post. I know this because every sermon I’ve listened to for the past month (and I listen to a lot of sermons; call it a job hazard!) have all been around the Christmas story. Therefore, since I am a Christian writer, I apparently need to write about Christmas. But here’s the problem: regular readers of this blog already know all about the Christmas story.

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image © Photographee.eu via Fotolia

You’ve heard the same messages I have over the years. If we’re honest, it is rare we hear something in a new way this time of year. So instead of focusing on the Christmas story and trying to find some new twist to illuminate a story that cannot possibly be improved, I’m going to ask you a simple question: What will you do with Christmas?

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Reason for the Season

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Those of you who work retail understand that particular career field has a way of destroying the wonder of Christmas. I’m twenty years removed from more than a decade of retail management, and I confess I think I am only now beginning to fully recover. To all of you in retail I want you to know I truly understand why this time of year may no longer be overly special for you.

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image © estherpoon via Fotolia

You are more likely pulling your hair out (or fantasizing about pulling out the hair of certain customers!) than you are experiencing the magnificent peace of the season. If you could hit pause for just a couple minutes, I’d like the opportunity to remind you of what an amazing time of year this is, and to hopefully help reorient your focus on the true reason for the season.

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