A Real Christmas

Our Daily Bread

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READ: Luke 2:25-35

This Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against. —Luke 2:34

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A quotation in our church’s Advent devotional guide caused me to rethink my approach to Christmas:

“Let us at all costs avoid the temptation to make our Christmas worship a withdrawal from the stress and sorrow of life into a realm of unreal beauty. It was into the real world that Christ came, into the city where there was no room for Him, and into a country where Herod, the murderer of innocents, was king.

“He comes to us, not to shield us from the harshness of the world but to give us the courage and strength to bear it; not to snatch us away by some miracle from the conflict of life, but to give us peace—His peace—in our hearts, by which we may be calmly steadfast while the conflict rages, and be able to bring to the torn world the healing that is peace.”

When Mary and Joseph presented the infant Jesus to the Lord, Simeon said to them: “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:34-35).

Christmas is not a retreat from reality but an advance into it alongside the Prince of Peace.
—David C. McCasland

Christ did not come to shield us from
The grief and pain of life;
But those who have His peace inside
Can thrive within the strife. —Sper

Jesus came to give light to a dark world.

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Basics Of Faith > Jesus Christ > Humanity/Birth

'What Would Jesus Really Do?' Examines War on Christmas

The host of the high-ranking CNN program “What Would Jesus Really Do?” which featured Christian heavyweights like Rick Warren and Bishop T.D. Jakes, will return to airwaves this Friday to examine how secular influences have led to the de-emphasis of Christmas in America.

“We hear that ‘Jesus is the reason for the season,’” says host Roland Martin in an interview with The Christian Post, “but how in the world can you celebrate Christmas without mentioning Christ?”

Read more of this story on The Christian Post.

Start Of A Bad Day

Over 80 JOY Boxes Thus Far

As of today, we have received a little over 80 shoe boxes filled with gifts for the JCEA JOY Box Ministry. Many of the boxes were prepared by donors while others contributed financially for our volunteers to purchase and prepare the boxes. We did not receive enough to provide one for each of the 467 nursing home residents in Baker and Columbia Counties; however, this is not a bad number for the first year of the program. I'll post the exact numbers and details about the distribution of the boxes later in the week

Please be in prayer for each box and each resident. You know, not only should we pray for the nursing home residents, but we should also visit them from time to time. A donation of your time is the most valuable gift of all.

1914 Christmas Card Defines Snail Mail

OBERLIN, Kan. -- A postcard featuring a color drawing of Santa Claus and a young girl was mailed in 1914, but its journey was slower than Christmas.

It just arrived in northwest Kansas.

The Christmas card was dated Dec. 23, 1914, and mailed to Ethel Martin of Oberlin, apparently from her cousins in Alma, Neb.

Read more of this story on News4Jax.

Barbara Walters Criticizes White House Biblical Christmas Card

Barbara Walters recently criticized a Christmas card she received from the White House this year for featuring a seven-line scripture from the Bible.

The card, signed by the President and Mrs. Bush, was among a small stack of Christmas cards showcased by Walters on last Thursday’s episode of ABC’s “The View.”

“Usually in the past when I have received a Christmas card, it's been 'Happy Holidays' and so on,” said Walters.

Although Walters couldn’t recall receiving a “religious” Christmas card from the White House, past Christmas greetings sent by the President and Mrs. Bush have contained Biblical scripture.

Read more of this story on The Christian Post.

Africans v. Americans: Christianity Not Part Time in the South

WASHINGTON – African Christians regard their Christian faith as their whole life and not just a part-time activity, said the head of the World Council of Churches on Sunday.

The Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia’s response was to a question posed by Dean Samuel T. Lloyd III of the famed Washington National Cathedral about why Christianity was exploding in Africa whereas Christian denominations in the United States have been reporting declining membership.

“Religion is seen not as a part-time occupation, but it permeates the whole life,” WCC General Secretary Kobia answered. “There are many Africans therefore that think their future will be much more hopeful if they embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Read more of this story on The Christian Post.

Senior center reverses course, permits religious Christmas decor

Residents of a senior citizens apartment community in Pennsylvania will be allowed to display religious Christmas decorations -- after property managers reversed an earlier decision that prohibited such displays.

Read more of this story on OneNewsNow.

Fear Not!

The Back Pew

UNREAL #3

You Get What You Pay For?

Heard Around Deep Creek...

Sign At The Deep Creek Dime Store:

"We have no quarrel with those that sell for less -- they obviously know what their merchandise is worth."

Forever Joyful

Our Daily Bread

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READ: 1 Timothy 6:6-16

Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you . . . might become rich. —2 Corinthians 8:9

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Wall Street Journal columnist Jonathan Clements offered his readers “Nine Tips for Investing in Happiness.” Interestingly, one of his suggestions was precisely the same as that given in the favorite old hymn by Johnson C. Oatman, “Count Your Many Blessings.” Clements urges us not to brood over the riches of our neighbors but to focus on the many blessings we actually do possess. That’s wise counsel, provided that we realize our spiritual wealth in Jesus is immeasurably more valuable than any material possessions.

God didn’t give us the Bible as a guidebook for happiness. Yet it tells us how we can be eternally joyful and how we can experience joy on our way to that eternal happiness. So it’s enlightening to compare biblical truth with common-sense advice.

“Godliness with contentment is great gain,” Paul wrote to Timothy (1 Tim. 6:6). The apostle wanted his protégé to understand that being grateful for the basics of life would help keep him from the trap of covetousness.

So let’s focus on the wonders of God’s grace, training ourselves to make a spirit of gratitude pervade our lives. That’s the way to experience joy today and to be forever joyful.
—Vernon C Grounds

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings—money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven nor your home on high. —Oatman

Count your many blessings and you’ll soon lose count.

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Christian Life > Attitudes > Joy

Make A Wish, Sorta...

Student Sues History Teacher Over Anti-Christian Comments

A lawsuit filed by a high school honors student and his parents against a California history teacher for anti-religion bias has ignited debate about the role of a teacher’s convictions in the classroom.

Sophomore Chad Farnan tape-recorded his teacher’s alleged “derogatory remarks” about traditional Christian viewpoints and comments that exhibited “hostility” toward Christianity.

Some of the comments by his teacher, James Corbett, included, "When you put on your Jesus glasses, you can't see the truth” and "Conservatives don't want women to avoid pregnancies – that's interfering with God's work.” The comments were made while he was teaching Advanced Placement European history at Capistrano Valley High School.

Read more of this story on The Christian Post.

Blog Poll #21 Results

Our Blog Poll #21 question was, "Do you think 'Christmas' and all that surrounds it (decorations, music, school breaks, etc.) should be referenced by another name, such as 'winter holidays'?" and the results are:

• Yes, we should make all faiths feel comfortable 4 (7%)
• Yes, any form of Christianity offends me 1 (1%)
• No, leave well-enough alone 1 (1%)
• No, this is a widely understood celebration of the birth of Christ 47 (88%)
• Bah-humbug! 0 (0%)

Total Votes: 53

Here are the results of Blog Poll #20.

Key To Success

Fishing On Sunday

A village pastor, known for his weakness for trout, preached against fishing on Sunday.

The next day one of his members presented him with a fine string of fish and said, hesitatingly, "I guess I ought to tell you, parson, that those trout were caught on Sunday."The minister hesitated, gazed appreciatively at the speckled trout, and then said piously as he reached for his gift, "The fish aren’t to blame for that."

454 To Go

Number of JOY Boxes collected as of Saturday, December 15, 2007	13
Number of JOY Boxes still needed by Monday, December 17, 2007	454

JCEA JOY Box Ministry

UNREAL #2

We Need God And People

Our Daily Bread

READ: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Give heed to the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I will pray. —Psalm 5:2

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In 2006, while promoting the film Rocky Balboa, Sylvester Stallone surprised Christians with what he revealed. He said that his faith in Jesus Christ had not only influenced the writing of the first Rocky film but that his decision to create the final movie was inspired by his renewed affiliation with Christianity. As part of this transformation, Stallone realized that a poor choice had previously guided his life—self-reliance. He says, “You need to have the expertise and the guidance of someone else.” Stallone learned something that many people are beginning to acknowledge—we need God and we need other people.

The Bible confirms our need for God and others. David expressed his reliance on God through crying out to Him and pleading with Him in prayer. “Give heed to the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I will pray” (Ps. 5:2). And in Ecclesiastes we read that Solomon encouraged a proper reliance on others. In fact, he said helping each other can strengthen us, but individualism and self-reliance are dangerous and make for weakness. Two acting together are better than one self-reliant individual (4:9-12).

God gave us each other. Let’s passionately rely on His power and draw from the help of others. —Marvin Williams

Christian fellowship provides us
With encouragement and love;
It will help us in our journey,
Till we reach our home above. —Sper

We can go a lot further together than we can go alone.

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Christian Life > Attitudes > Encouragement