Many years ago two missionaries were captured and imprisoned. Although they shared the same cell they were forbidden to speak to one another, and they knew the punishment would be severe if they did so. When Christmas came the two lonely men sat, shivering and silent, on the cold floor covered with hay. While playing with the pieces of hay, one of the missionaries came up with an idea as to how they could communicate without speaking. Using the pieces of hay, he spelled out the word “IMMANUEL”. As soon as his friend saw it he was overcome with great joy. Although they were prisoners and alone they believed God was with them and that cheered their spirits. Dear friend, the same is true for you if you are a Christian! Regardless of your sitution you are never without God’s presence. He is with you always and He can help. This Christmas use what you have and do what you can to show others that God is indeed with us!

The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear? –Proverbs 18:14

During World War II, a woman took her two little children to visit her parents in Texas because her husband was stationed in Europe. As they got ready for Christmas-setting the tree up, putting the presents out, and preparing dinner-they were experiencing the joy of Christmas, almost forgetting the worry of war. But no sooner had the fun began, than the family heard a dreaded knock on the door and received a terrible telegram greeting.

The young mother had to tell her children that Daddy wouldn’t be coming home for Christmas…ever. And then she went up to her room to weep alone. Her parents debated and finally decided to take down the Christmas decorations and put the presents away. When the young lady came downstairs, she immediately saw the empty spot. She exclaimed, “Mother, what have you done?”

Her mother replied, “You’re so broken-hearted, so your father and I decided this is not the time for Christmas.”

The new widow said, “Oh no, mother, bring it all back. Christmas was made for times such as these.”

Many people have overwhelming problems which make it hard to get excited about the holidays whether they be financial difficulties, physical ailments, loneliness, or emotional pain from the loss of a loved one. Christmas is certainly not about the presents, lights, and decorations, but it is surely a time when we can lean on the goodness of God and rejoice in Christ’s birth.

Try serving someone else this season and God will bless you (see Acts 20:35). Jesus came to this earth to serve others and to give His life for you (see Mark 10:45). Among all of the other difficulties this time of year, that is reason to celebrate!   –From Senior Living

Have you noticed that at some time around Christmas we usually complain about the cost of Christmas? Although we might never utter a word most of us think about it. If you have to plead guilty to doing so, here’s something else you might want to think about:

It cost Mary and Joseph the comforts of home during a long period of exile in Egypt to protect the little Babe.

It cost mothers in and around Bethlehem the massacre of their babies by the cruel order of Herod.

It cost the shepherds the complacency of their shepherds’ life, with the call to the manger and to tell the good news.

It cost the wise men a long journey and expensive gifts and changed lives.

It cost the early apostles and the early church persecution and sometimes death.

It cost missionaries of Christ untold suffering and privation to spread the good news.

It cost Christian martyrs in all ages their lives for Christ’s sake.

More than all this, it cost God the Father His own Son-He sent Him to the earth to save men.

It cost Jesus a life of sacrifice and service, a death cruel and unmatched in history. (copied)

“Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound!”
(Romans 5:20)

Dear Savior, in Your sufferings I not only see the infiniteness
of sin, but also the infiniteness of Your love; so that, though
I have cause with myself to be angry on account of sin, I need
not despair.

If the desert of my sinful folly is death–the merit of Your
sufferings is life!

If my sins mount up to heaven–Your mercy is above the heavens!

Though my sins reach to the very throne to accuse me
–there is One upon the throne who will not condemn me!

When I look to myself and see my vileness and necessity–I am
confounded with shame! But when I look to You, and see Your
fullness and all-sufficiency–I am confounded with wonder!

Am I weak? Jesus is my strength.

Am I foolish? Jesus is my wisdom!

Am I wicked? Jesus is my righteousness!

Am I impure? Jesus is my sanctification!

Am I in bondage? Jesus is my complete redemption!

Am I in misery? From Jesus tender mercy flows.

Am I deceitful? Jesus is wholly truth!

In a word, am I enmity itself? Then Jesus is love itself
which passes understanding! Mine is but the enmity
of a creature–but Yours is the love of God!

Where sin abounded–grace did much more abound!

Where misery has surrounded me–Your mercy has crowned me!

Sin is too strong for me–but Your grace is too strong for sin!

Why, then, am I so vexed with fears, doubts, and unbelief?
Because I am sinful. On that very account, Jesus, who knew
no sin, was made sin–that I, who knew no righteousness,
might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

But I am a great sinner! But Jesus is a Savior, and a great One!

Where is boasting now? See–it is great mercy in God, great
merit in Christ–which saves a great sinner! Since rich and free
grace builds the temple of salvation–let it have all the glory!

But I fall often into the same sin! That is my failing, over
which I ought to mourn, and by which I should be driven out
of all boasting in my own holiness, high attainments, and
religious duties; and cry, with tears of holy joy, “Grace, grace
to Him who has laid the foundation, carries on the whole work
of redemption, and will, with shouting bring forth the topstone!”

Now, law, what have you to do with me? Go to my
Surety, Jesus! O curse! you have lighted on His head,
that the blessing might rest on mine!

Though once I dared not lift my eyes heavenward, for fear
of divine wrath–yet now I may come boldly to the throne
of grace, and claim the blessings of His purchase!

Though my sin offends Him–I shall never sin away His love,
nor His presence altogether. For He shall come a second
time, to deliver me from all my inherent sinfulness!

Though my sin is my burden–it shall not be my bane! Yet
I shall never willingly let the traitor rest in my bosom–which
would persuade my soul into rebellion against my dearest
Lord, and best Friend. I may have continual war with the
invader–but shall obtain the victory at last! Meanwhile, I
will grieve more for offending Him whose name is Love, by
my sin–than for the clouds, afflictions, and chastisements
which seize me because of my sinfulness.

Now, with the arms of my faith, I clasp the promise–and
Jesus in the promise! Here will I live, and here will I die,
blessing God, who causes me always to triumph in Jesus
Christ my Lord! (By James Meikle-1730-1799)

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; We are perplexed, but not in despair. Percecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. 
-2 Corinthians 4:8-9

Sometimes people think they will have smooth sailing as long as they are in the will of God. But that wasn’t true of the apostle Paul. He seemed to face every kind of adversity imaginable, from enemies who tried to destroy him to physical suffering to being shipwrecked three times.

We all will have shipwrecks in our lives in some way, shape, or form. The reality of life is that we are either coming out of a storm or we are going into one. That is just the way it is. There are times when we will have smooth sailing. There are times when the sky will be blue and the sun will be shining. There will be beautiful moments in our lives in between the storms. Thank God for those moments.

But the reality is that we can live a prosperous life in the will of God and still face conflict. Paul went through a shipwreck on his way to Rome, but he had a prosperous journey by the will of God because of what it ultimately accomplished. That is a different definition of prosperity than we may normally think of.

It has been said that you can’t direct the wind, but you can adjust your sails. I cannot control the world. I would love to if I could. Nor can I control the circumstances that come my way. But I can control my reaction to them. I can redirect my sails and adapt.

We all will face storms, difficulties, and even shipwrecks. So it is time for us to develop our sea legs and not focus so much on how to avoid storms, but on how to get through them, how to survive them, and how to learn the lessons that we can only learn in such places. (By Greg Laurie)