Something about an old-fashioned Christmas is hard to forget.”
              –Hugh Downs

    “Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.”
              –Luke 1:78-79 (NASB)
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Two people in the Bible that intrigue me are Mary and Joseph.  We really know very little about them except that they were people of faith.  Mary became the mother of Jesus and Joseph was his step-father.  After Jesus is twelve Joseph is no longer mentioned.  Mary is in the shadows as well, but is mentioned a few times.
    I read last week where some brilliant, enlightened professor (I think from NitWit University) stated that Mary was raped by God, that He forced Himself on her.  God had the audacity to do that to a teenager.  First, the fool doesn’t have his story or time period correct.
    First of all, Mary gives her consent.  “And Mary said, ‘Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.’  And the angel departed from her.”  (Luke 1:38, NASB)  Second, there was no such a thing as a “teenager” in that time period.  You were a child or an adult.  The concept of adolescence (teenager) is relatively new.  The fool doesn’t know what he is talking about and like most liberals just wanted to start a ruckus.
    But Mary, let us take a look at her for a few moments.  Luke, plainly tells us something about her character, how the angel came to her, and how she became obedient to the Lord.  Matthew tells us who she was, “Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.” (1:16, NASB)  
    There is a verse in Luke that tells me something about Mary.  She was a thinking person, she didn’t understand this mysterious birth, but she pondered everything about it.  “But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (2:19, NASB)
    Somewhere along the line, Jesus left home to begin His ministry and journey to the cross.  He continued to do “strange” things, miracles, healings, and His message was different.  Some sought Him for a miracle, others said He was a lunatic.  There was a time when Mary and His brothers came to get him.  “And His mother and brothers came to Him, and they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd.” (Luke 8:19, NASB)
    Mary is seen again at the crucifixion.  We have no record of Him every going “home” after He began His ministry.  Perhaps He understood that His home was heaven, and He was very focused on the mission in front of Him.  “But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother…  When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!'” (John 19:25-26, NASB)  At the cross she was surely torn in her heart, but I wonder, I wonder if her mind went back to all the happenings at His birth.  I wonder if she was still pondering these things in her heart.
    She is mentioned again at the tomb of Jesus.  The two angels spoke to the women when they were disturbed with the tomb being empty.  “And they remembered His words, and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.  Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James…” (Luke 24:8-10, NASB)  Remember, that James was the half-brother of Jesus.
    Surely her heart began to throb.  The pondering continued.  Hope soared.  Faith rose.  We see her again in the upper room where she was waiting from the Promise of the Father and of Jesus.  “These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.” (Acts 1:14, NASB)
    What happened to Mary after her experience in the upper room?  There are many legends, some saying that she did miracles and thus became a saint.  Did she stay in Jerusalem with James?  This is very likely since he was the next oldest son.  Was she revered as the mother of the Messiah by those in the church?  There is some speculation that she went to Ephesus to live with John (John 19:27)  This is also very likely.  How long did she live after the upper room experience?  Whatever the length of time, she most definitely pondered everything in her heart.

Christmas is a time when you get homesick–even when you’re home.”
             –Carol Nelson

    “You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.”
             –Luke 1:14 (NASB)
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I hope that the struggle of the week has not been hard for you.  One more day and then the weekend, but then, you’ll be caught up in the busyness of the season.  So, this morning, for a moment take time to sip your coffee and read this thought.  I’m not much into poetry, but I do like the works of Bruce Kiskaddon.  This is one of my favorites.

         I liked the way we used to do,
            when cattle was plenty and folks were few.
         The people gathered frum far and near, and
            they barbequed a big fat steer.
         The kids tried stayin’ awake because,
            they reckoned they might ketch Santa Claus.
         Next mornin’ you’d wake ’em up to see,
            what he’d been and put on the Christmas tree.

         It was Christmas then fer the rich and pore,
            and every ranch was an open door.
         The waddy that came on a company hoss
            was treated the same as the owner and boss.
         Nobody seemed to have a care,
            you was among friends or you wasn’t there.
         For every feller in them days knew
            to behave hisself as a man should do.

         Some had new boots, which they’d shore admire
            when they warmed their feet in front of the fire.
         And the wimmin folks had new clothes too,
            but not like the wimmin of these days do.
         Sometimes a drifter came riding in,
            some feller that never was seen agin.
         And each Christmas day as the years went on
            we used to wonder where they’d gone.

         I like to recall the Christmas night.
            The tops of the mountains capped with white.
         The stars so bright they seemed to blaze,
            and the foothills swum in a sliver haze.
         Them good old days in past and gone.
            The time and the world and the change does on.
         And you cain’t do things like you used to do
            when cattle was plenty and folks was few.

    By the way, have you been outside to gaze at the stars and the bright moon the past few nights? Ahh, to stand in the briskness and gaze at the heavens.  It was much easier in days past before cities grew and their lights dimmed the depth of the sky.  
    So, sometime during this wonderful season, take time to rest and relax in the Lord.  Sip some coffee, look at the full moon or as it begins to wane.  Think of the Lord, resolve to simplify your life, and commune with Him more fully.  There are many things you can’t do like you used to, but there are some–some that help you commune more with friends and family, more to bring the true values into your life during this time of the year, more to help you commune with the Almighty.

This is the message of Christmas:  We are never alone.”
              –Taylor Caldwell

    “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me [Moses] from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.”
              –Deuteronomy 18:15(HCSB)
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I fully believe that the Lord is always there with us.  That is one of the greatest pieces of news for the believer, the Christian, those who have accepted Him, been born-again and are Christ-like.  Christmas should be a time when we are reassured as to that fact.
    I have learned a few things over the years.  One is that you never know how you might touch someone.  There are things we should always do simply because it is right, and there are things we should be doing because we are being led by the Spirit.
    Recently I heard an interview concerning the latter.  Some of you will remember Clint Walker (Cheyenne).  He was telling of his life and how he came to Hollywood.  Cecil B. DeMille was in the process of interviewing for The Ten Commandments, that colossal film of his.  Walker was to have a personal interview with DeMille for a part.  DeMille demanded that things be accurate and there was a certain guard in Egypt that had blue eyes, Walker had blue eyes and was to be interviewed.  On his way to the studio that morning he noticed a woman on the side of the highway with a flat tire.  Doing what was right, he pulled over and helped her with the tire.  She was concerned that she kept him from something, he shrugged and said that he was only a little late.
    When he arrived at DeMille’s office, he was greeted with rough, “Son, you’re late!”  Walker then told him that he stopped to help a lady on the highway with a flat tire.  To which the gruff voice replied, “I know, that lady was my secretary.”  See, you never know.
    On the other hand, we are to be led by the Spirit.  We should have the Word of God etched in our hearts so that we can recognize His leading.  He will never tell us to do anything contrary to the Word.  He might simply urge us to smile; you realize that there are people out there in need of a smile, especially this time of year and in our crazy world.  He may tell you to give, He may tell you to hold back.  We should be in-tune with the Holy Spirit so that we can recognize His voice.
    So do what you should, what you know is right!  Then also be sensitive to the voice of the Spirit.

Christmas is the day that holds all time together.”
              –Alexander Smith

    “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law.”
              –Galatians 4:4 (NASB)
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We don’t think much about it, oh maybe some of the atheists do.  The birth of Christ is what separates time.  Remember it used to be B.C. and A.D. and has since been changed to B.C.E. and C.E.  Whichever you choose it is still based on the birth of Christ!  That doesn’t change, all history is regulated by that date.
    That one night–how many nights before had gone by before–that one night?  I picture it as a chilly night, not really cold, but one that was brisk and bright.  Maybe Joseph had a small fire to help keep Mary and the child warm.  
    The stars were bright that night, but one–one was hovering over Bethlehem and it seemed to twinkle much brighter than the others.  I wonder if Joseph looked out of the stable to look up at the sky.  Did he move away just a bit, to ponder the recent weeks; his dreams and the dreams of Mary?  The mysterious pregnancy and now the birth of what looked like a plain, ordinary, male child.  Perhaps he glanced towards the hills where he heard some kind of a sound–the sound of heavenly voices, the sound of angels speaking for not long afterward shepherds came to visit and told him what they had seen and heard.
    Some may argue that Easter was the most important day, and they would have a good argument except that there could not be an risen Lord on Easter without Christmas.  Christmas, the birth of a child, was the beginning of the way for man’s salvation.  This child, so vulnerable as He laid there, was the same Person who walked centuries ago with Adam in the Garden.  In fact, Paul would refer to Him as the Second Adam.
    Yes, one day has put all of history together.  One day has also separated history from Before Christ to Anno Domini (the year of our Lord).  Stop!  Contemplate just for a moment.  Think of your own life.  What was it like before Christ?  Were you a mocker, a blasphemer, a drunkard, one filled with lust and pride?  Then Christ came and it was almost like Christmas all over, at least on a personal basis.
    I dare you to take time this Christmas season to ponder that one night that forever changed the course of history and the fate of mankind.  Did you just smile thinking of the Babe in the manger?  If not, do it now and thank for Lord for that one time in history when everything was just right, and Jesus was born.