Make Christmas meaningful!

Instead of making a paper chain to count down the days until Christmas, make your chain meaningful. Make a simple Christmas prayer chain craft. Christmas is about Christ.

Philippians 1:18-19 – Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. (NIV)

Supplies:

Strips of paper

Tape or glue

Directions:

Give each person a strip of paper. Have them write or draw something that they can pray about. Continue adding request to each strip of paper until they are all used. Then glue or tape the strips together.

If you want to make the prayer chain more thought provoking use each letter of Christmas. Example: C – Courage to stand and speak up for Jesus, H – Healing for those that have been abused, R – Rest in the Lord for those who are overwhelmed, I – Important decisions that need to be made, S – Salvation of others, T – Thank God for His Provisions, M- Missions, A – Any needs that your church has, S – Servant’s heart

To Use:

On Christmas or whenever you choose, use your prayer chain. Have each person take a link off and pray for that request.

Make prayer a part of your Christmas!

C – Christ Jesus

H – Heaven

R – Rejoice

I – Inn

S – Son of God

T – Tidings

M – Miracle

A – Angels

S- Salvation

What is Christmas?

C – Christ Jesus

Christ Jesus the son of God came from heaven to be born as a child.

Matthew 1:18 – This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. (NIV)

H – Heaven

Heaven is a beautiful, wonderful place. Jesus left the majesty of His heavenly home.

1 Chronicles 16:27 – Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy in his dwelling place. (NIV)

R -Rejoice

We can rejoice that Jesus was willing to come to this sinful earth, endure hardships, and face trails for us.

Phillippians 3:3 – Rejoice in Christ Jesus. (KJV)

I – Inn

It was in God’s plan that Mary and Joseph would find no room at the inn. They would have to stay with the animals.

Luke 2:7 – There was no room for them in the inn. (KJV)

S – Son of God

Jesus, the Son of God was made man. He humbled himself to be born and laid in a manger. Jesus, the King of Kings, was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a feeding trough.

Luke 2:12 – And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. (KJV)

T – Tidings

The night that Jesus was born, was filled with good tidings of great joy. Can you imagine the excitement that Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds must have felt?

Luke 2:10 – And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings  of great joy, which shall be to all people. (KJV)

M – Miracle

A miracle happened that night. It is the reason that we celebrate Christmas. Baby Jesus was born!

Luke 2:11 – For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (KJV)

A – Angels

The angels had an important job! Pretend that you are a shepherd. You are sitting in a field. The sheep are munching quietly on grass near you. Then suddenly the quiet of the night is broken. In the sky an angel appears proclaiming the birth of Jesus. How would you feel? Would you be in awe? This baby Jesus that was born is a special baby. He is the giver of salvation.

Luke 2:9,13 – 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 suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God. (KJV)

S – Salvation

Salvation is free gift. Without Jesus salvation would not be possible. Jesus came to earth as a baby, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose again!

Matthew 1:21 – And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. (KJV)

Acts 4:12 – Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (KJV)

Christmas is: Christ Jesus

]]> http://lois-graham.com/what-is-christmas/feed/ 0 http://lois-graham.com/learn-and-grow-through-circumstances/ http://lois-graham.com/learn-and-grow-through-circumstances/#comments Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:52:33 +0000 Lois Graham http://lois-graham.com/?p=686

Can you imagine being Mary the mother of Jesus? What an indescribable gift and responsibility she was given.

Imagine with me. Mary is going about her day when an angel appears. The angel Gabriel, said to Mary that she was highly favoured and blessed (Luke 1:30). This is an amazing and jaw dropping moment! What would you think or do? It’s not everyday that you receive a compliment from an angel. The angel calmed Mary’s fears. He said “fear not Mary” and repeated that she had found favour with God.

To be told that you are favoured by God would be exciting! What a privilege it would be to have God say he has found favour in you. We should strive to have an attitude and be a person that God can be proud of. We are to have a God pleasing attitude, even when your boss has unreasonable expectations, your children are making a mess, or you have a final/deadline that is stressing you out. We are to build God’s name up and not tear it down with our words and actions.

The angel, Gabriel, goes on to tell Mary an important message from God in Luke 1:3o. “And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.” Think about the questions that must have been going through Mary’s mind.

When circumstances come into our life that we don’t understand, it is easy to question God. We do not need to understand all of the “whys” in life. God has a purpose. The angel Gabriel told Mary in Luke 1:37 “For with God nothing is impossible”. God is in control and has a plan for our lives. Trust God! He knows and will do what is best for us.

Mary rejoiced! In Luke 1:46-47, Mary says ” My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” Mary could have chose to see this news as a tragedy. She choose to trust trust in God to care for her. The hard times came for Mary, but she stayed strong.

Can you imagine being ready to deliver a baby and have to take the trip that Mary did? When Ceasar Augustus decreed that the world should be taxed, Mary went with Joseph to Bethlehem. The trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem was not as simple as it would be today. Imagine expecting a child and walking or riding an animal this great distance. It must have been uncomfortable and tiring.

Our lives have become accustomed to a life of ease. If we go on a trip, we have the pleasure of riding in a comfortable vehicle and stopping at a restaurant to eat. This was not an option for Mary. She endured and kept going. We can find many things to complain about. Is life really that bad? Who or what does our complaining benefit?  Remember Mary when you are standing in line or sitting in traffic and feel like complaining.

That is not the end of the story. Mary and Joseph arrive in Bethlehem. When they arrived the inn was full. How discouraging! They made the long trip and were probably weary and tired. The only place to stay was with the animals.

Where would you pick to sleep? A barn or an inn? The inn would be more comfortable and pleasant. Often, God takes us out of our comfort zone. God wants us to to grow and rely on him. Luke 2 :7 tells us that Mary “brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn”.

Mary could look back and see how God had used her. We read in Luke 2:19 “Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart”. Mary had special memories to look back at. Let what you do today be a good memory for tomorrow.

Have an attitude and be a person that God can look at with favour. Trust God and rejoice in all circumstances. Don’t complain or get discouraged. Go out of your comfort zone following God’s will. God has a plan for your life. Learn and grow through the circumstances that come your way!

Life goes by quickly! There always seems to be something that needs to be done or somewhere to go. We must rush from one thing to another. During the holidays life gets even busier. Prepare now for the the Thanksgiving and Christmas season ahead.

How and what do you need to prepare?

Prepare your heart

In busy times stress comes. Family gatherings can bring disagreements. By preparing your heart, you can ease this tension.

Have a daily, alone time with the Lord in prayer and Bible reading. Keep this time precious. It is what will help carry you through the stressful moments. Be determined, that no matter how much you have to do during the day that you will make time to be with the Lord. In Isaiah 41:13 (KJV) it says “For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.” When you begin to feel stress, go to the Lord for strength.

Stay focused

Remember why you are celebrating the holiday season. Keep your focus on God’s blessings and the gift of his son Jesus. Use Matthew 6:19-21 (KJV) to help you stay focused. “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

Prepare a schedule and plan

Make time to sit and plan out your activities and what you will need. You will have last minute things come up, but this will help you to visualize and prepare. Planning keeps you productive rather than busy.

Make a list of what events you know will be happening. Choose what will  benefit your family and pass on activities that will make the season stressful. Put important events on the calendar.

Plan out what you need and what you have to do. Examples: Make list for gifts to buy or make, food to buy and prepare, cards to purchase and send, or what you need to take to events.

God gave people in the Bible plans, so that they could accomplish the task he had for them. You are not building an ark or a tabernacle, but planning is essential to staying focused.

Prepare

Start buying and preparing food. Getting a head start will avoid pressure and help avoid last minute runs to the store. Making mixes, freezing dinners and baked goods, and buying food as you go help you to be a good steward of the time and money God has given you.

Save money. Put aside money each week to offset the extra expenses that will come up. Avoid going into debt.

Make gifts. Homemade gifts can be filled with loved and personalized to each person. Try these Home Made Holiday Gift Ideas.

Buy gifts on sale. Do not impulse buy. Make prayerful descisions. Colossians 4:2 (KJV) says “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving”

Plan and prepare to make this holiday season memorable and special.

Christmas is a special time of year. It is easy to get caught up in the commercialism and miss out on the true meaning. Christmas is a time of good news and celebration!

This year our children decided that they would like to make a manger scene instead of having a tree. They have spent hours designing, cutting, taping,and enjoying the joys of making their own manger scene.

At first I wondered what it would be like without a tree. As the days went by I have found myself thinking more about what the first Christmas would have been like. Were Mary and Joseph exhausted from their trip? Can you imagine what it would have been like to hear the good news the angels brought to the shepherds. Did the animals in the stable come over and see the Lord Jesus? I don’t have the answers but it has made me slow down, think, and cherish the moments that I have been given.

Try these ideas to keep Christmas Christ centered and relaxing.

1. Give your heart

What can I give him poor as I am? If I were a shepherd I would give him a lamb, If I were a wise man, I would do my part. Yes what can I give him – I can give him my heart.

2. Pray

Pray for those who may be alone this Christmas or for others you met while shopping.

3. Read Luke 1:26-2:40 Read slowly and imagine yourself there. In Luke 1:19 Mary kept and pondered all these thing in her heart. Think on these verses and remember what God has done for you.

4. Celebrate! Christmas is a day of rejoicing. Jesus left heaven above and came to earth to be born. A king was laid in a lowly feeding trough to bring us a gift. Our gift is Acts 4:12 – Neither is there Salvation in any other: for their is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Have a Merry CHRISTmas!!!