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WHY DO YOU CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS?
by Olawale Ogunsola We are all in Christmas festive mood. The wind of Christmas is blowing everywhere. The joy of the season fills the air. Glory be to God in the highest for His love that gives us the moment. As you celebrate Christmas, what are the reasons behind it? How many can you list out of your many reasons? For a moment, try to put those reasons for celebration on paper, no matter their number. Among your reasons, do you include these vital ones? 1. The provision of an uncommon GIFT from your creator to settle your indebtedness. The purpose of Christ"s birth was not (and is not) to introduce another religion to mankind or to initiate another important (or most important) festival. His birth is to set mankind free from their huge debt of sins (Matthew 1:21). Do you celebrate Christmas because an abundant provision was made to settle what you owe your creator which you cannot settle? This is the Good News! This is a vital reason to celebrate. 2. To make a GIFT available is one thing, accepting it is another. Do you celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ because you have accepted Him as the most important GIFT you can never receive? Have you accepted the freedom He offered you to become free from the burden of your sins? Your surrendering all, soul, heart, mind and physical body, to the control of Jesus has these double effects : I. In heaven : "I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Likewise, I say unto you.,there is joy in presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth ". Luke 15:7,10. .The host of heaven will rejoice! II. On earth : You as a new saint who has been freed from your sins will be filled with the joy of salvation. Act 8:39(d). Your rejoicing would start. You 'll rekindle or fuel its fire everyday and so every Christmas day /period. On this condition can you really experience the joy of celebrating Christmas. In the same vein, brethren around you will rejoice with you because you have been set free from "common debt" of mankind. They will express their joy that a new baby was born into the family of God. In the words of the Father of that prodigal son say it all when the young man returned home. Luke 15:32, "It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad : for this thy brother was dead (in tresspasses), and is alive (unto righteousness! again, and was lost, and is found." KJV. Now, do you include the two reasons stated above as part of your reasons for celebrating Christmas? If 'yes' is your answer, I congratulate you! However, if these are missing on your list, your celebration of Christmas has become a mere religious activity that has lost the reason for the season and without any divine seasoning. You are then occupied for nothing. This ought not to be so! Therefore, if you want to enjoy the celebration, incorporate these two reasons and your joy will know no bounds. Joy of the Lord will be your daily strength. This joy will not end until you are with the Lord where He is - a place of everlasting joy. Stay blessed and rapturable because the Lord is coming soon! The Author is the set man of CTFM(WORLD OUTREACH)and Presiding Pastor of Christ Restland Gospel Church.He is a Poet and author of many books. Visit his blogsites www.4thlink.wordpress.com and www.peacelink.wordpress.com for more quality contents. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |