Many of us still view the Christmas season as a time to celebrate the first coming of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, to the stable in Bethlehem.  We know that He was and is God in the flesh.  Others view Christ as a historical figure whose memory has outlived its usefulness.  Some would do anything within their power to remove every mention of His name from modern society.  Without question, there are two diverse perspectives of Christ.

  At first glance, the biblical story of Jesus’ birth seems to suggest that everyone was awaiting deliverance that would be realized after the coming of Messiah (God’s Anointed).  But, even in that day, there was diversity of opinion as to what this deliverance would entail.  For some, Christ’s coming would mean deliverance from the political tyranny of Rome, while a few focused on prophecies that spoke of deliverance from sin.

  In Luke 2, Mary and Joseph met two such people when they traveled to Jerusalem where they would present the baby Jesus before the Lord for circumcision, as required by the Law.  There was an old man, Simeon, and an old prophetess, Anna, who understood this baby to be, “A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. (Luke 2:32).” They believed He was God’s gift to all who “looked for redemption. (Luke 2:38).”

  Certainly, the secular celebration of Christmas has a way of promoting a What’s in it for me? attitude, with its focus on material.  But, as Simeon and Anna have shown us, when it comes to Jesus, the benefits of Christ will not be realized first in the physical, material realm.  Those who take that perspective will be eternally disappointed.

  So, What’s in it for me?  We celebrate Jesus, In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: (Colossians 1:14).  Jesus told his followers, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10).”  To know Jesus is to know God’s forgiveness, peace, purpose, power and plan!  What a Gift!  What a God!

  To most Americans, a holiday is simply a day set aside by custom or law in which normal activities are suspended (e.g. work, school, etc.). The word has even been used to refer to days in which corporations don’t have to pay taxes (i.e. a “tax holiday”).  In Britain the word holiday is synonymous with vacation.  Like many words shaped by our cultural use of the English language, the meaning of holiday has evolved.

  The origin of the word holiday dates back to the late first century when the two words holy and day were combined to represent days set aside for celebrating Jesus Christ.  Originally, Christmas was exclusively the celebration of Christ’s birth, and Easter was a celebration of His resurrection.  It was not until the 1400s that holiday started to acquire other, more secular meanings.

  Thanksgiving was rooted in our early days as a nation.  When settlers reached this new land and started enjoying the bounty, they intended for God to be the recipient of their thanks.  But the idea of offering thanks to God has faded too, and the focus now is on everything from turkey to hunting to parades and ball games.  Those who still take time to give thanks are often more inclined to offer it to family and friends, to Mother Nature or even to their “lucky stars.”  As the definition of the word holiday evolves, the holy days continue to lose their significance to the advance of secularism.

  Christmas celebrates a bearded old man who dresses in a red suit and gives toys to children.  For years, Easter focused on a giant rabbit who delivered candy through the night.  Each generation seems to introduce its own fantasy to our secularized holy days.  (e.g. Black Friday, Elf on a Shelf, etc.)

  Perhaps we would do well to learn a lesson from the pages of history.  God told His people Israel, “And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, …I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. (Deuteronomy 8:19).”

  Do you remember when the words “One nation under God, indivisible…” were treated as if they were sacred?  “In God we trust” seemed to be written on the hearts of nearly every citizen, and not just on the coins he carried in his pocket.  But things have changed, and some would dare to ask, Why?

  Jesus often alluded to the cause of this same breakdown when it led to the demise of His own people: And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read… (Matthew 19:4).   Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read… (Matthew 21:16).  The same phrase is used nine times in the gospels.

  Neglect of the Scriptures has always resulted in an extinguished spiritual flame.  Nowhere is this truth more visible than in our families.  In order to perpetuate godliness, we must teach our children the essentials of faith, but we have utterly failed.  According to the Bible, the burden of this responsibility falls squarely on the shoulders of us Dads.

  Ephesians 6:4 says, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”   Together, the words “nurture and admonition of the Lord” include every aspect of raising children: cultivating the mind and morals, training them to care for their bodies, curbing the desires of the flesh, reproof and correction, etc.  

  Hey Dads, isn’t it time we took our God given responsibility seriously?  We need to stop dropping the burden of child rearing on our wives.  Let’s get serious about raising our children in the Book!  …and by the Book.

  We would do well to revisit the timeless truth that was delivered to Israel many years ago.  “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)  Only in the Word of God will we find deliverance from the spiritual darkness of our day.

  Many verses in the Bible reveal that life on earth, as we know it, will not continue forever.  There is coming a day when God will step back into our realm and supernaturally conclude His plan for the ages.

  The Bible is very descriptive about the last days.  For example, according to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, the next event on God’s prophetic calendar will be the Rapture (Latin for “catching away”) of the true church.  It will be signaled by a shout and the sound of a trumpet.  Graves will yield the bodies of deceased believers and they, along with the living saints, will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

  In the chaos that follows, a man empowered by the devil, referred to in the Bible as “the Beast,” will step forward as a major political leader with a message of hope for Israel and the world.  He will perform miraculous events to blind the eyes of men from the coming judgment of God.  In the middle of a seven year period called The Tribulation, he will break a covenant with Israel and claim to be God  (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12).

  The terror of those seven years will end with the return of Jesus Christ to destroy wickedness in the earth and reign as King of kings for a thousand years.  We are told that even with God Himself sitting on a literal, physical throne in Israel, the masses will reject Him.  In the end, all who reject Him, from the beginning of time, will be judged and cast into the eternal lake of fire (Revelation 19:11-16, 20:10-15).

  Now, the answer to the question, “What’s the world coming to?”  Very simply, it is coming to an end.  No one knows exactly when these final events will begin to unfold, but they will, and everyone should be prepared.

  Preparation begins with realizing that you are at odds with our Creator because of your sin.  You need a Savior!  There is only one; His name is Jesus.  Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved (Acts 16:31).

 In these often troublesome times, we would all do well to understand what the Bible has to say about the devil, the enemy of our souls.  To defend ourselves, we will need to put on the “the whole armor of God” as it is described in Ephesians 6.  With this armor, we become soldiers of God.

 First, the belt of truth.  The Bible says, “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth” (6:14).  The belt consists of the truth of God as it is revealed in His Word.  When Satan hurls his lies, we who are girded with truth will not be easily shaken.  Secondly, we should armor up with “the breastplate of righteousness” (6:14).  This breastplate consists of practical righteousness, or a resolve to obey God’s Word.  With the soldier’s unbending determination to do right, temptation quickly loses its power.

 Thirdly, we should have our “feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (6:15).  The gospel of Christ gives assurance of peace with God.  The soldier has total assurance of his soul’s salvation; nothing Satan can do or say will move the Rock on which he has planted his feet.  The fourth piece of armor is called, “the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (6:16).”  Someone has said, “Faith puts God between you and the enemy.”  This soldier of God is able to trust his Commander for everything and in every situation.

 Fifthly, we are told to “take the helmet of salvation (6:17).”  Our Salvation involves victory over sin: past, present and future.  With knowledge that he has already been declared victor, the soldier of God is not likely to surrender one inch of spiritual ground to the enemy.  The last piece of armor is called, “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (6:17).”  The sword of the Spirit is both given and wielded by the Holy Spirit of God, who is at home in the heart of every Christian soldier.  The Word of God is the Christian’s powerful, offensive weapon.

 Armor Up Soldier!  …The Battle Rages!