Hi, Ladies!

As we approach the holiday season, we ready ourselves for gift giving - and receiving!  But what's the most important gift we can give this year?  I would have to say that would be the gift of "Love" - but not the world's kind of love, God's "agape" love, topped with a good portion of God's yummy Word.

We give to others because HE first loved us, but sometimes we forget the real reason for the giving.  One of my biggest flaws I've fought for years has been the fear of what people think of me. 

There are two reasons for such a fear, Biblically.  One is because I haven't yet "died" to self to live to Christ.  I'm still hanging on to wants that aren't of Him.  The other is pride.  I don't want to allow Christ to be enough for others.   The great ***I*** wants to give more and BE more than I am.  It is not content with Christa where she is now, but wants to be bigger and better and stronger - so everyone can see how wonderful I am and how much **I** can give them.  Blech.   That's why 1 Cor. 13 says, "Without LOVE (agape - GOD'S love) it's all nothing."  So is my giving in AGAPE? :) If I'm in Him, then others need to be satisfied with who GOD has made me to be - even if I'm not quite "finished" yet! LOL  We'll all be growing til Jesus comes!   On the Day I see Him face to face (sigh - won't it be WONderful!?) - THEN I'll be done! 

I want people to like me, which is normal and fine, but when I move into the fear realm, my eyes are no longer on Jesus; He no longer is my "All in All."  I am no longer content to rest in His presence.  The KJV version of Psalm 23 is to me the most fitting:  "The Lord is my Shepherd.  I SHALL NOT WANT."  I don't think the other translations quite give the picture.  Paul says, "But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that."  (1 Tim.6:8)  !!! -Jeepers, Paul, you didn't even say "housing" in there!  How in the world do you "be content" with "just" food and clothes??

In the Old Testament the levites and priests were set apart for God.  Where all the other tribes had alloted land for their inheritance, the levites and priests did not.  Why?  Because "the Lord was their inheritance."  The LORD said to Aaron, "You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites."  (Numbers 18:20)  (It also says that the tithe brought in from the other 11 tribes was also their inheritance.  So they had an income through the tithe.)  But let's look at this:  "I am your share and your inheritance."

If you've ever gotten a glimpse of the Lord God and His glory and love, nothing else will satisfy.   Like the man in Christ's parable who found a treasure hidden in a field and sold EVERYTHING he had to buy the field, so it is with us.  He is worth ALL we are, ALL we have - ALL we desire in this earth - the things that so easily perish - are NOTHING in comparison with KNOWING CHRIST.

What are you giving this year?   I would challenge you (and myself!) to give eternal things in with the temporal presents we are giving.  Maybe take the time to write a scripture on each card you are mailing this year and send it with a prayer for your loved ones protection.  Maybe tell the Christmas story with your kids on cassette tape and mail it to your family.

God's Word is eternal. "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever."  Isaiah 40:8

Love (agape) is eternal.

Friends and family in Christ will last forever....

Thought:  Write a personal love letter to those you know that DON'T know Christ.  Yeah, they could think we're nuts (most of my friends growing up thought I was a bit strange....) - you might even lose some friends, but in heaven on the Judgement Day, at least they won't ask, "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME????"  ... Yeah, I REALLY believe this stuff, the "good" and the "bad."  Just like I REALLY believe "1+1=2." 

No matter what anyone thinks, that is truth - and if they say otherwise, they're lying (maybe to themselves as well, but it's a lie.)  I've had some pretty crazy conversations with people who think they can change God's Word and laws and believe there are no absolutes, but I've yet to see one of them hire a contractor to build them a house on 1+1=3.

So let's GIVE this Christmas as GOD desires each of us to give!  Cheerfully, lovingly, without worrying about what people are going to think if we don't get "just" the right gift!

Above all, let's give our children God's Word and Love and teach them that the Bible says not to love the world, because if we do, God's Love is not in us. 

"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."  1 John 2:15

Let's not allow us or them to get caught up in the stream of greed and materialism that pervades (sadly) most "civilized" nations.  Let's love one another and know that even if we don't get a single thing this Christmas, we are SO very blessed - because we have been given the greatest Gift of all! - Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God slain for the sins of the world!  Glory to His Name forever!

Oh, and don't forget to ask Jesus what HE wants for Christmas from you this year....:)

Be blessed, be safe in Him, in His Love, Christa

"Now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  And the greatest is Love." 1 Cor. 13:13

I'd like to invite you to come visit us at www.simplypsalms.com. 

We've got a few things in the air this season aimed at "Infusing God's Word in our Daily Lives!"  Come check it out!  christa