Christmas - Time of Family and Joy

Christmas is A Time of Family and Joy

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year.  It is great to come together with family and rejoice in all the blessings God has given each of us through the year.   When we get together as a family as God planned the family, it is a true time of joy.

Sadly, many spend much of the Christmas season wrapped up in buying and giving gifts.   While that is sometimes enjoyable, Christmas is so much more than just buying, giving, and receiving.   I believe minimalists are people who can look past all the glitz and marketing of goods, and see the true meaning of Christmas.

It certainly does not take a lot of big spending to have a joyful Christmas.    When you seek out the season’s true meaning, you have to conclude that the gifts are not really what it is all about.

Don’t get me wrong.   I think giving gifts is fine, and little children should receive most of the gifts. In our family, we try to spend 80% of our allotted Christmas budget on the children.  When you are young, these are your children.   As the years go by, they become grandchildren, and at my advanced age, we now even have 3 great-grandchildren.   What a joy to see their eyes shine and twinkle when they get to open their gifts.

One of our granddaughters did a little presentation at her music school’s recital last year.   Our little 6-year-old Mary did a super rendition of a fun Christmas song “Santa Claus is coming to town”.  I still watch that video on my phone every few months.   Last night she and her older sister Rachel both performed wonderful renditions of new songs.   What a blessing to all who got to attend and hear them sing.

So doing things and sharing time at Christmas with people is great.  We also try to go down and watch the huge exhibit of electric trains and also take a tram ride at our Fantasy of Lights at Midwestern State University. Just watching the kid's eyes light up with the viewing of Christmas lights is super.

The joy that truly comes from Christmas is about the true reason for the season.  Christmas is truly not about the gifts we give one another, but it is about the greatest gift ever given to mankind. 

That gift of course is Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God.  

Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 
Eph 2:6  And hath raised us together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 
Eph 2:7  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 
Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast. 
Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 
 
Christianity is the only religion that has a living, risen Savior.   Jesus came to earth at the exact perfect timing that God set in eternity when it was determined what each of the three parts of the Godhead would play in Salvation.  The Holy Spirit would bring men and women to the point of conviction and draw them to the Father.  And Jesus was the true lamb of God who would come and live a sinless life and pay the blood sacrifice required for the forgiveness of sin.

Jesus lead a perfect, sinless life, and paid the sin debt there on Calvary.  He was buried in a borrowed tomb, and after 3 days and 3 nights he arose from the grave.

When Adam, the first man sinned there in the garden of Eden, that depraved nature was passed down to every man and woman.   Only the perfect sacrifice could pay the penalty of sin.   We can’t live good enough to get to Heaven, but because of the Perfect Gift given to man by God, we can find salvation in the name of Jesus Christ.

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 
John 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 
John 3:18  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

So as we enjoy this Holiday Season, give the honor and glory to God and seek Christ for salvation if you have never been saved.   To enter heaven, we must be born again.   Jesus explained all of that in John Chapter 3:1-10.
 
       We have Many Spiritual Blessings and Gifts in Christ

Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 
Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 
Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 
Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 
Eph 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 
Eph 1:8  Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 
Eph 1:9  Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 
Eph 1:10  That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 
Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 
Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 
Eph 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 
Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. 
 
I pray that you have a wonderful Christmas season, and if you have not received the greatest gift ever given, that you might seek salvation through Jesus Christ.     Have a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!
 
Joshua Becker sent me this great story written by Jessalyn Jones about the 5 important lessons she learned from being a minimalist.
Check it out:   Minimalist Lifestyle Taught Me 5 Important Life Lessons
 
 

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