Christmas is all about God becoming Man, by a birth that was heaven-sent. The birth of mankind’s Savior is what Christmas has always meant.
Jesus Christ, God’s holy infant, slept in a stable on a bed of hay, which demonstrated that genuine humility is always the Lord’s way.
This newborn baby would grow up to be the greatest teacher of all time. It’s of His life and redemptive work that the joyous Christmas bells chime.
Mary and Joseph were chosen as parents to nurture God’s very own Son—to guard and protect Him carefully until their guidance over Him was done.
Then Jesus began to follow what His Heavenly Father was conveying—and His Father’s will was reflected in the things He began doing and saying.
He taught by Word and example, but eventually was led to a hill, where something more lowly than His birth in a stable was awaiting Him still.
From the stable to a criminal’s cross, the Spirit of God was His guide. Christmas is Christ—He was born for us all, and for all of us He died.
But a joyous resurrection came about—He’d vanquished all of His foes! Now, we too, can walk in newness of life because Jesus Christ arose.
The little town of Bethlehem is where Christ’s ministry began. Foretold and fulfilled, Christ accomplished for us God’s redemptive plan.
So share, “A blessed Merry Christmas!” greeting, honoring the Biblical scene…of the beautiful Nativity of Christ, something “Happy Holidays” can never mean.
“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
“God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
“He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
“So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”
John 1:1-14 NLT
Jesus is the very Word of God, giving life to every created thing. The darkness can never extinguish the light of Him of whom we sing.
Conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, the Word became flesh…to dwell among us, offering salvation, so that every life might begin afresh.
He’s the Light unto our path—the Way, the Truth, and the Life—and the Prince of Peace unto a world that’s been tainted by sin and strife.
His life brought the Light of the World to all—forever Jesus Christ will reign. Because He defeated death, “To me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
P. A. Oltrogge
“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21 NKJV
“I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 NKJV
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him, who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” 1 Peter 2: 9-10 NKJV
“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12 NKJV
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 NKJV
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 NKJV
“(The Word Becomes Flesh) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 NKJV
“I know all the birds of the mountains….” Psalm 50:11
“Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” Psalm 50:14-15
There isn’t any situation of which God, the Father, doesn’t know. He cares for the little birds in the midst of the winter snow.
Right in the midst of worrisome trouble, He’s the One upon whom to call. Deliverance is ours through prayer to Him, in the name of Jesus, who is Lord of all.
Let every care be cast aside–it’s in the shelter of the Most High that we abide.
P. A. Oltrogge
“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4
“So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7 NLT
“What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-31 NLT
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” John 14:13-14
“And in that day, you will ask Me nothing, Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” John 16:23-24
“Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks.” Philippians 4:6 GW
“Turn all your anxiety over to God because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 GW
“But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ–He is Lord of all–that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached.” Acts 10:35-37
“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Galatians 6:9
“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.” Psalm 107:6
“The Lord upholds all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food in due season. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.” Psalm 145:14-16 (and all of Psalm 145)
Protection from plague, pestilence, and peril is proclaimed in Psalm 91; and the following are words from Psalm 103:
“Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The Lord executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed.” (1-6)
“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it, with thanksgiving.” Colossians 4:2
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, theyshall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18
Poetic thoughts have been expressed regarding the traditional Christmas candy canes…which say that the white can be symbolic of Jesus’ purity, and the red symbolic of His shed blood, which provides removal of sin’s stains.
The Word of God mercifully says that though our sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. And the cane is shaped like a Shepherd’s staff–our Good Shepherd leads us in the way that’s best for us to go.
Shepherds in the field were the first to hear angelic tidings of His birth on that special night. They immediately went to see the Christ Child, who’d been sent to be our Savior, Good Shepherd, and our guiding Light.
As children, we happily received the candy canes each year at Christmastime. Young or old, we can think of their symbolism when we hear the Christmas bells chime.
Turning it upside down, the cane forms the first letter of Jesus’ wonderful name…. He and His disciples turned the world upside down, sharing God’s love–believers today can do and are doing the same!
P. A. Oltrogge
“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” Psalm 34:8
“How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.” Psalm 119:103-104 NKJV
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” words of Jesus in John 10:10-11 NKJV
“Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, ‘This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.’ And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.
“But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, ‘These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king—Jesus.’ And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city when they heard these things. So when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.” Acts 17:1-9 NKJV
Books of encouragement:
“All Things are Possible” by Christopher Alam (dynamisworldministries.com) and “Out of Islam: One Muslim’s Journey to Faith in Christ,” available at Amazon
I remember many chilly Christmases past, as you likely do as well, of going to a local tree lot, to choose the best tree, as far as we could tell.
Some may have been too short, and some may have been too tall; then, finally, we would discover…the best one for us of them all.
At some point, years ago, it became popular to switch to an artificial pine, but they never truly could satisfy this old-fashioned heart of mine.
When it comes to choosing the truth about God, there really is only one way. Jesus—the way, the truth, and the life, who came to us, first, as a baby on the hay.
You can’t make up your own version of God—an artificial “god” won’t do. For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son…this He did for you.
So as you go about enjoying the beautiful trees of this Christmas season, remember God’s Biblical and satisfying truth—that Jesus IS its reason.
Most trees are topped by an angel or a star, reminding us of Christ’s birth. Rejoice, for God loves you very much; and Jesus is (the real) Lord of heaven and earth!
P. A. Oltrogge
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'” John 14:6
“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:16-17 KJV
“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
“The woman said to Him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming’ (who is called Christ). ‘When He comes, He will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He.‘” John 4:25-26
“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:14-19
At the Christmas season, with decorations inside and out, the poinsettias reflect what it’s all about. Clean as the whiteness of a lamb or a dove– the purity of ivory petals speaks of the Child sent from above.
Pink reflects cheer and the joy that was proclaimed by the angels about the Christ child–Jesus, He’s named. Crimson red speaks of blood that was shed for mankind by Jesus Christ upon the cross–our salvation defined.
The lives of those who receive Him gain a new lease in finding faith for living through this Prince of Peace. So, in seeing the poinsettias, rejoice for the reason that His birth in Bethlehem is what gave us this season.
P. A. Oltrogge
“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 the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:9-11 KJV
“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name.” John 1:12 KJV
“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His Name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
…passing this along, for us to pray and/or give, as we can….
This week, in the midst of winter cold, more than 500 Ukrainian towns and villages were without power. This is the result of deliberate and continued Russian attacks on the power grid. The hardest hit region is around Kharkiv, one of the places Michael will be going in just a few days. The toll of the war is greatest of all on the children, and I’m asking you to help us bless 1,000 of these precious little ones with a Christmas party Michael will host for them in just ten days on December 17.
Our goal is to take another convoy of supplies before Christmas. The children of Ukraine have suffered unspeakable hell this year. We need to raise another $180,000 for this Merry Christmas Ukraine outreach very quickly. So far 1054 friends have given $109,286 toward this vital project. Your love will provide food and generators to bring heat during the brutal winter that is coming. We would love to make this Christmas special for Ukrainian refugees, but we can’t do that unless you say “Yes.”
Michael has been to Ukraine again and again—going right to the front lines to ensure the help you provide goes to those who need it most. He has risked his life because the cause is so great and the need is so urgent. Carolyn and I have decided to give a generous gift to honor the birth of our Savior by caring for those who are homeless and hungry please join us today. “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death cast its shadow, a light has shined” (Matthew 4:16). You can be that light right now with your Christmas gift for the people of Ukraine.
Your support of the Jerusalem Prayer Team today allows us to purchase food, medicine, clothing, and other necessities of life for the poor Holocaust survivors of Ukraine, as well as to continue to operate the Friends of Zion Museum, to stand up and speak out for Israel, and to meet urgent humanitarian needs among the poor Jewish people living in Israel. Thank you so much for being part of this vital worldwide prayer movement.
Your ambassador to Jerusalem,
Michael David Evans
Jerusalem Prayer Team | PO BOX 30246, Phoenix, AZ 85046
(website temporarily being worked on, but the link above is good)
Another ministry helping in Ukraine is Operation Blessing, http://www.ob.org
For God so loved the world… Can we comprehend His very big heart? All the way back to Adam and Eve, He loved us from the start.
God, the Father, would send a Savior through Jesus Christ, His Son. Born of the virgin, Mary– through Jesus, His plans would be done.
Jesus, the Son, would die for our sins; He would teach us about loving and giving. I thank God for the gift of Jesus at Christmas, who renews my faith always for living.
P. A. Oltrogge
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17 KJV
“May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 3:5 NASB
“All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep His commandments and His testimonies.” Psalm 25:10 RSV
“…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 NKJV
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 NKJV
“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” Romans 5:3-5 NLT
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” John 13:34 NKJV
“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 NKJV
“…for in Him we live and move and have our being….” Acts 17:28 NKJV
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17 NKJV
“Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs, And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.”
Isaiah 40:11
While shepherds watched their flock by night, an angel appeared, and God’s glory shone bright. The angel told the shepherds to not be afraid since a proclamation of great joy was being made! A Savior for all people was born, who was Christ the Lord! And then more angels praised God for the Baby adored. Straightway to Bethlehem the shepherds went to see this One whom God had sent. To everyone they saw, they made known what was told of God’s gift, who was cut from the shepherd’s mold. He would have a flock–the Good Shepherd He would be- He would die for that flock, both for you and for me. To rescue and die for the lambs–no greater love could have been sent to us from above. If you’re not yet His lamb, be aware there is danger– we have need of the Good Shepherd, once a babe in a manger. Just receive Him as Savior–then learn of His great care in shepherding your life as you come to Him in prayer. At Christ’s birth, we were blessed, and God’s message came then— of “peace on earth and good will toward men!”
P. A. Oltrogge
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:12
“I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they might have life and might have it abundantly. I am the Good Shepherd; the Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” John 10:9-11
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:14 (King James Version)
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8 (New King James Version)
…praying that you have received Jesus Christ and His peace, thereby knowing that you are ready for the return of the Good Shepherd who loves you so dearly.
Lord, Make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred–let me sow love, where there is injury–pardon, where there is doubt–faith, where there is despair–hope, where there is darkness–light, and where there is sadness–joy.
Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive– it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi
…Some versions of this prayer add “where there is friction, union, and where there is error, truth.” You may want to add those thoughts in praying the prayer, as well.
The Porch of the Lord 