Activated Magazine 2004 / 12

(Traditional Chinese Christmas Activated mag for the first year course - English text mostly from English mag Vol. 2, Issue 12 (Christmas 2001))

cover

Love Came down at Christmas

--What does Christmas mean to you?
Christmas Gift for you
--Please don’t miss it!

Wrapped in Meaning

--Conveying a very special message

 

page 2

Activated USA
P.O. Box 4307
Orange, CA 92863-4307
USA
e-mail:
"mailto:activatedUSA@activated.org"

Activated Europe
Bramingham Pk. Business Ctr.
Enterprise Way
Bramingham Park
Luton, Beds. LU3 4BU
ENGLAND
e-mail:
"mailto:activatedEurope@activated.org"

Activated India
P.O. Box 5215
G.P.O.
Bangalore - 1
India
e-mail:
"mailto:activatedIndia@activated.org"

 

Editor: Sunny Hsu
Graphic Design: Giselle LeFavre, Marcus
Illustrations: Hugo Westphal,
Ana Fields
Production: Francisco Lopez
© 1999 Aurora Production, Ltd.
All Rights Reserved

Unless indicated otherwise, all
Scripture quotations in Activated! are
from the Chinese Union Bible, Chinese Living Bible,
Modern Chinese Bible & new Chinese Bible.

Personally Speaking

Christmas is different things to different people.
For some people it’s the moneymaking opportunity of
the year; for others it’s an inescapable financial disaster--a
sinkhole of overspending that will take them months to climb
out of.
For some it’s a time to enjoy family and friends, a time
to love and be loved; for others it’s the loneliest time of
the year.
For some it’s the warmth and security of hearth and
home; for others it’s a painfully stark reminder of all they
don’t have and probably never will.
For some it’s cause for deep reflection; for others an
occasion to party and forget it all.
For some it’s a chance to splurge on gifts for loved ones
and to receive in kind; for others it’s a chance to give of
themselves to needy strangers, expecting nothing in return.
For some it’s beautiful lights and colorful decorations-a
brief once-a-year escape into a world where all is merry and
all is right; for others it’s hope in the promise that one day all
wrongs will be made right and there will truly be “peace on
Earth, goodwill toward men.”
For some it’s a jolly old man in a red suit and long white
beard, saying “Ho, ho, ho!” and making children’s wishes
come true; for others it’s a baby boy in a manger who will
make God’s wish come true.
For us at Activated, Christmas is an opportunity to join
millions around the world in celebrating Jesus’ birth and
sharing His love with others.
We hope that this issue of Activated will help make this
Christmas your happiest and most meaningful yet. May God
bless you and make you a blessing this Christmas season
and throughout the New Year.
Wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

        Sunny Hsu
For your Activated! family

page 3

Touched by Love

ON CHRISTMAS EVE

 

FROM JOANNA, BRAZIL
Solange was one of several dozen patients
I met while caroling with friends in a hospital
one Christmas Eve. Each patient was suffering
and hoped for a little love and comfort, but
young Solange--in bandages and casts from
head to toe--was special. As we sang for her,
she began to cry. Soon she was sobbing almost
uncontrollably.
“Jesus loves and cares for you,” I reassured
her.
Then Solange explained that she and her
family had been in a car accident. Her father,
mother, and sister were all killed. She had lost
her family. Solange had been in a coma for
three days, but had survived against all odds.
I prayed with her to receive Jesus as her
Savior, and gave her two Christmas posters I’d
brought with me-one with a text on the back
about Heaven, and the other with a text about
Jesus and His great personal love for each of
us. I also prayed for her healing and promised
to visit her again.
“Joanna,” she said, “my heart is touched
because you are here, because you are concerned
for me, a total stranger, and because
you would spend your Christmas Eve with
me.”
Solange remained in the hospital for
three more months, and I visited her as
often as I could. Each time I took her one
of The Family’s* inspirational cassette tapes
such as Fear Not or How to Win, or read
to her from the Bible to encourage her and
strengthen her faith. By the time Solange
was released from the hospital, the miracle
that began in her life on Christmas Eve was
complete; she was happy, whole, and recovering
from her emotional trauma.

(*Family’s Web Site: www.thefamily-chinese.org)
***
He is a miserable man who knows all things but does not know God, and he is happy who knows God, even though he knows nothing else.  -- Saint Augustine

pages 4 - 5

Love Came Down at Christmas!

            WHAT IS CHRISTMAS TO YOU?  TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, CHRISTMAS IS A LOT OF WORK! It's often a very busy and hurried time of rushing around from store to store and shop to shop, competing with multitudes of other shoppers who are all madly trying to buy gifts for all their relatives, friends, acquaintances, etc!
CHRISTMAS IS ALSO A SENTIMENTAL TIME TO MANY FOLKS, when they tend to dream about the "White Christmases" of yesteryear. Often, Christmas day itself gets sort of lost in the days and weeks surrounding it. In fact, many Christmas cards and signs, etc., simply state "Season's Greetings," with no mention of Christmas at all! Christmas trees, decorative and colourful lights, mistletoe, boughs of holly, snowmen, jingle bells, candy canes, etc., are all a part of this festive so-called "Christmas season."
IT SEEMS THAT MANY FOLKS HAVE JUST ABOUT COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN AND ELIMINATED THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS ENTIRELY! In a lot of places they no longer even call it Christmas, but "X-mas," and Christ is literally crossed out of Christmas! In many big cities all you see are signs of "Xmas Sale! Xmas Shopping! Merry Xmas!--Xmas! Xmas! Xmas!"
BUT THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO CHRISTMAS THAN TREES AND DECORATIONS AND SANTA CLAUS AND PRESENTS AND ALL THE MAKE-BELIEVE AND MATERIALISM ASSOCIATED WITH IT TODAY! If these distractions which drown out and bury the true meaning and spirit of Christmas are brushed aside, then the real beauty and wonder of Christmas can be realised at last!--For Christmas is celebrating the day that God sent His Love into the World, in the form of a tiny, weak and helpless Baby, almost 2,000 years ago!
HE WAS BORN TO A SIMPLE, HUMBLE YOUNG WOMAN who miraculously conceived, having never slept with any man! The Bible says, she was engaged at the time. Then one day an angel appeared to her and told her that she would get pregnant and had a son. She questioned how could it be possible.  The angel answered her, “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:27-35) In fact, the news of her pregnancy was so shocking that when the man whom she was going to marry learned about it, he promptly decided to break the engagement and call off the wedding!--Until a powerful Heavenly being intervened and convinced him to stay with her, and rear and protect this very special Child that she was carrying!
ALTHOUGH THE CHILD WAS ORDAINED TO BE A KING--IN FACT THE KING OF KINGS--HE WAS NOT BORN IN A PLUSH PALACE with famous and distinguished members of the court in attendance, and the honour and praise of the System. Instead, He was born on the dirty floor of a barn, amidst the cattle and the asses, wrapped in rags and laid to sleep in the animal's feed-trough!
AND THOUGH HIS BIRTH BROUGHT NO GREAT FANFARE OR OFFICIAL RECOGNITION FROM THE INSTITUTIONS AND GOVERNMENTS OF MAN, that night on a nearby hillside, a motley crew of poor shepherds were awestruck as a brilliant light burst upon them from the starry sky and a host of Angels filled the night with their Heavenly declaration and song: "Glory to God in the highest! Peace on Earth to men of good will! For unto you this day is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord!" (Luke 2:8-14)
FAR AWAY IN THE EAST, ANOTHER HERALD APPEARED IN THE HEAVENS: A bright new Star caught the attention of certain astrologers who understood its significance and followed it, crossing thousands of miles of desert, as it led them to the exact location of the young Child in the little town of Bethlehem, where they honoured Him with their gifts.
HIS EARTHLY FATHER WAS A CARPENTER, A HUMBLE HEWER OF WOOD with whom He lived and laboured, conforming to our human ways of life, custom, language and living, that He might understand and love us better. He saw Mankind's suffering and had great compassion on them, longing to not only heal their sick and broken bodies, but also to save their immortal spirits!
HE SPENT HIS LIFE GOING ABOUT EVERYWHERE DOING GOOD.--Helping people, loving children, healing heartaches, strengthening tired bodies, saving all whom He could. He not only preached His message, but He lived it among us as one of us. He not only ministered to people's spiritual needs, but He spent a great deal of time ministering to their physical and material needs, miraculously healing them when they were sick, feeding them when they were hungry and sharing His Life and His Love!
HE WAS SO SIMPLE AND HIS RELIGION WAS SO SIMPLE THAT HE SAID YOU MUST BECOME AS A LITTLE CHILD TO RECEIVE IT! He didn't preach going to temples, mosques or church buildings. In fact, He didn't preach any complicated ceremonies or difficult religious rules.--He just preached Love and showed Love, as He strove to lead God's children into the True Kingdom of God, whose only laws are to "love the Lord with all thy heart" and "love thy neighbour as thyself." (Matthew 22:37-39)
AS HIS MESSAGE OF LOVE SPREAD AND HIS FOLLOWERS MULTIPLIED, the established religion and its jealous leaders realised what a threat this formerly unknown carpenter had become to them! They finally had Him arrested and brought to trial on false charges of sedition and subversion. And though the governor found Him innocent, he was pressured and persuaded by these powerful religionists to execute Him! But three days after His lifeless body was laid to rest in a cold tomb, He rose from the dead, the Victor over death and Hell forever!
THIS MAN, JESUS CHRIST, IS NOT MERELY A PROPHET, PHILOSOPHER, TEACHER, RABBI OR GURU!--He is the Son of God!  The only One Who died for the sins of the World and rose from the dead! He's in a class all by Himself, because He's the only Saviour! He said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life!--No man cometh unto the Father but by Me!" (John 14:6)
HE'S REAL AND HE LOVES YOU!-- So much so that He died in your place and suffered for your sins so that you wouldn't have to, if you'll just receive Him and His free Gift of Eternal Life! The Bible says, "God so loved the World [you and me], that He gave His only begotten Son [Jesus], that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life!" (John 3:16)
HAVE YOU RECEIVED THE ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS GIFT, GOD'S GIFT OF LOVE TO YOU? His Name is Jesus, and you can have Him and all He has to give, which is everything, right now, if you'll simply pray this little prayer and ask Him to come into your heart:

                "Dear Jesus, I believe that You are the Son of God and that You died for me. Please forgive me for all my sins. Jesus, please come into my heart and give me Your free gift of Eternal Life! In Jesus' name I ask, amen!"

                JESUS CAN TURN AN EMPTY "MERRY XMAS" INTO A TRULY JOYOUS CHRISTMAS!--And your "Happy New Year" wishes into Happy New life realities! So receive, love and live for Him now!--Then you can enjoy Him and Heaven forever!

(in a box:)
If you would like to know about this wonderful Jesus, please write to ask for more information, or subscribe to Activated!

pages 6-7

A SILENT NIGHT
BY GEORGE GREY

“Silent night, holy night!”
What beautiful words to a
beautiful song, written so
long ago-a song that so perfectly
captures the calm, serenity, and peace
of that wonderful first Christmas night.
Nine-year-old Joan lay on her bed, listening
to the Christmas carols that played downstairs
where her mom, Angela Jenson, was fixing
their Christmas Eve meal. Joan smiled as she
thought of how her mom loved to listen to
those old Christmas carols over and over again.
Her favorite, “Silent Night,” seemed to be playing
for the hundredth time now. Her mom
never tired of hearing it.
Joan was an only child and lived alone with
her mother in a quiet suburban neighborhood.
She had spent most of the day inside the house.
Now it was mid-afternoon and she was restless.
She needed to do something outside. There
would be plenty of time with her mom and
relatives during the Christmas celebrations, but
now she felt like finding some friends to be
with.
One friend’s house was just down the street,
on the other side-so off Joan went. She had
been taught to be careful when crossing the
street, and normally she was. This time, however,
Joan’s mind was busy with thoughts of
the games she and her friend would play and
things they would do before dark. Without
stopping at the curb or glancing to see if there
was any traffic, Joan ran into the street.
There was a sudden screeching of tires and
an awful thud-and then the sound of a car
roaring off. Angela heard it all from her kitchen.
Her whole world hushed. Somehow she knew
what had happened. She dropped her cooking
and ran out the door. There, to her horror, Joan
lay motionless in the street.
Anguish flooded Angela’s heart and mind.
The peace and calm she had felt only moments
before had been replaced with terrible pain.
She raced to her daughter’s side.
Other doors opened and neighbors
came out of their houses to see what had
happened.
“Quick!” Angela shouted, her voice
quivering. “Call an ambulance. My girl is
hurt!”
Kneeling over her daughter, Angela
brushed the hair from Joan’s face. Joan
was unconscious, but breathing. Thank
God! she thought, She’s alive. There’s hope.
Then came a silent prayer. Oh, God! Please
save my little daughter! Please don’t let her
die!
At the hospital the doctors found that
Joan had suffered a severe concussion and
her arm had been broken. Considering the
force of the impact, the doctors said it was
a miracle that it hadn’t been worse.
Joan’s condition was stable, but hours
passed and Joan didn’t regain consciousness.
Late into the night, Angela sat at her
daughter’s bedside and held her hand.
Christmas seemed impossible now, yet
that old familiar strain ran through her
mind. Silent night, holy night … Angela
buried her face in her hands. Oh, dear
God, she prayed, will this be my silent
night? Will Joan stay silent and still? Is
she going to die? This was not the kind
of silence she had ever imagined would
befall her at Christmas. She felt so completely
alone.
Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all
is bright. The words first echoed through
her mind, and then she began to sing
them softly.
Silent night, holy night.
All is calm; all is bright
’Round yon virgin, mother and child.
Holy infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Sleep in heavenly peace.
In the stillness of that hospital room, Angela
began to feel a serenity that she had never experienced
before. Then one word came clearly to
mind: Pray.
There was nothing else she could do and no
one else to turn to, so Angela bared her soul to
God in prayer for her daughter.
The peace that she had felt before she prayed
remained with her throughout the night. Just as
Angela watched over her daughter, she knew that
God was there in that room, watching over both
of them as He had watched over His newborn Son
on this night long ago. Surely He understood a
parent’s love. Surely He was concerned and would
answer her prayer.
Christmas morning came softly as the first
rays of sunlight pierced the room. “Mommy?
Mommy, is that you?”
Angela raised her weary head. She had fallen
asleep in her chair where she had been praying.
“Joan, are you all right?”
“Yes, Mommy, but my head hurts.”
Angela reached over and kissed her dear
daughter. Tears of joy began streaming down her
face, as she whispered thanks to the One who
had stayed by their side through the night. “Thank
You! Thank You for watching over us, and for
answering my prayer!” Her daughter was back!
That was all she could have wished for this Christmas.
But there was more to be thankful for. Her
favorite Christmas carol had taken on a new
meaning, for Angela had seen the power of
prayer and experienced the perfect peace that
trusting God can bring. ★

pages 8-9

Christmas Gift for You

           
Celebrations around the world! Happy holidays! Festivities! It is a time for giving, a time for gifts! And yet, what is this I see? I see people searching for love. I see people without any true Christmas gifts.
I see people everywhere, running here and running there, desperately looking for some little ray of hope, a little love, a little mercy, a little relief, some kind of salvation. And amidst all this, I couldn't help but notice you sitting there, wondering, "Does anybody really care?" Well, yes! I care! And I love you!
I've had My eye on you for a long time now. I've always loved you, and I always will. In fact, I care for you so dearly that I come with special gifts straight from My heart to yours. You won't find these gifts in any shop or mall. They cannot be sold or bought for a price, and yet they are priceless and rare. Those who possess them are most richly blessed.
Love, joy, peace -- these are My special gifts for you! I love you with a love that is perfect and without end. I don't look at your imperfections, mistakes and sins, and then get upset and stop loving you. No, I love you in spite of all these things! I love you for who you really are, and for what you can be.
I can't promise you will never have heartaches, disappointments or worries as you walk down the road of life. But I can promise that I'll give you encouragement, instruction, guidance, wisdom, and the strength you need to come through. I promise to never leave your side. Together we'll survive any difficulty, overcome any weakness, hurdle any obstacle. My love is power -- power to do and power to be.
I know, I love, and I care for you, as if you were the only one in the world. That's the reason I came to earth on Christmas day -- to give My great love to you. I want you to have abundant love in your life. I want you to be free from sorrow.
You may ask, "In these modern times so grim and bleak, who could possibly care so much for me? In these days when so many people's love has grown cold, who can I really trust? Where do I look? Who do I believe? This sounds so good, but is it a sham? How could anyone have so great a love, and gifts, no less, and all for free?"
Well, all I ask is that you give Me a chance. Try Me and see. Just hold out your hand, and let Me place My gifts of love there. Don't worry, simply receive, and in the end, you will see just how happy you'll be.
Come talk to Me, anywhere, anytime, anyplace, any way you prefer. Talk to Me out loud, or whisper softly if you like. Speak to Me in words, or just send Me your thoughts, signaling Me from your heart in the rush of the day or the stillness of the night. Any way you feel comfortable is fine with Me. You can tell Me anything you want, and I will understand. I'm here for you, with a listening ear, sympathy and understanding.
All you have to do is say yes. Just open your heart, reach out and receive. Call on Me and I'll come to your aid with My free gifts, My Christmas gifts for you. Just say, "I take You, Jesus. I want all Your gifts, and a life that is full and free. Give me Your gifts of love, joy and peace. Show me the way. Show me how to live, and how to act along my way." It's just that simple. I'll do the rest.
Please don't forget. Don't wait too long. I have wonderful things in store for you, if you'll give Me a chance.
And when your life on earth is done, I'll bring you home with Me -- home to My country, Heaven, where there is no pain, no sorrow, confusion or war. Here there is no fear, no hatred, no greed or strife, only My free, abundant gifts of love, and much, much more. All you have to do is say yes and accept them. I'll be waiting.

I love you,

Jesus

 

(In a box:)

Christmas candle

Christmas candle ever glowing,
Through the window shed your light.
Though the World is dark and lonely,
You shall be a beacon bright.

Christmas candle brightly beam
Through the darkness ever gleam.
Shed your light that all may know
Christ has come to Earth below!

We can be like candles burning,
Lighting up some darkened way,
Guiding someone lost & yearning
For the Saviour born this day.

 

page 10

I HEARD THE BELLS
ON CHRISTMAS DAY

“I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” was written on December
25, 1863, when the American Civil War was at its height. Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow (1807-1882), the famous American poet, was saddened
by the horrors of this conflict, for “hate seemed overstrong at the
moment.” His son, who was serving as a lieutenant in the Union Army at
the time, had just been wounded.
When Longfellow heard the Christmas bells ringing, he came to
the realization, from the depths of his despair, that “God is not dead,
nor doth He sleep.” He believed that God was powerful enough to
overcome the world’s strife, and that one day He would bring peace
and good will to earth.

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play
And mild and sweet the words repeat,
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had roll’d along th’ unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bow’d my head:
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.”

’Til ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

 

(poem on the left:)
God grant you the
light of Christmas,
which is faith; the
warmth of Christmas,
which is love; the
radiance of Christmas,
which is purity; the
righteousness of Christmas,
which is justice; the
belief of Christmas,
which is truth; the
all of Christmas,
which is Christ.
-WILDA ENGLISH

Feeding Reading

 

The true meaning of Christmas
John 3:16
1 John 4:9
How to live Christmas every day
Matthew 10:8
Matthew 25:34-40
Mark 10:42-45
Luke 10:25-37
Philippians 2:3-8
1 John 3:16-18

page 11

THE WONDER OF THE FIRST CHRISTMAS

 

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.
-ISAIAH 9:6

Jesus Christ was born in the
meanest of circumstances, but
the air above was filled with the
hallelujahs of the heavenly hosts.

His lodging was a cattle pen,
but a star drew distinguished
visitants from afar to pay Him
homage.

His birth was contrary to the
laws of life. His death was contrary
to the laws of death.

He had no wheat fields or
fisheries, but he could feed 5,000
people and have bread and fish
to spare.

He walked on no beautiful
carpets, but He walked on water.

Yet no miracle He performed
is so wonderful or inexplicable as
His love for you and me.
-ADAPTED

Jesus
renounced His citizenship
in
Heaven, and
though He
was rich, for
our sakes He
became
poor, that
we
through
His poverty
might
become
rich. Jesus
not only had
to come down amongst us, but
He had to be one of us! He had to
become a member of the human
community.

He came as a meek and
quiet, weak and helpless baby. He
not only adapted Himself to our
bodily form, but also conformed
to the human ways of life. He
was human. He got tired. He got
hungry. He got weary. He was
subject to all these things, even
as we are, yet without sin, that He
might have compassion upon us,
know how we feel, know when
we’re footsore and weary, know
when we’ve had enough.

God sent Jesus to become a
human being in order that He
might better reach us with His
love, communicate with us on the
lowly level of our own human
understanding, and have more
mercy and patience with us than
God Himself. Think of that!

“He knows our frame; He
remembers that we are dust”
(Psalm 103:14), having worn that
frame Himself, suffering in it, and
dying in it for our sakes. He came
down here to our level that He
might take us with Him back up
to His. What a miracle, all for our
sakes!
-DAVID BRANDT BERG

PRAYER FOR THE DAY
We thank You, Jesus, that You
were born on this earth to live
here for us and to die for us.
You lived here like us and suffered
through all the things that
we have to go through, yet You
never wavered in faith.
We thank You for the greatest
gift of all, Yourself. We thank
You for all that went into giving
us salvation and eternal life.
Amen.

(Advertisement for Activated!)

page 12

Why Christmas?
There was once a man who didn't believe in God, and he didn't hesitate to let others know how he felt about religion and religious holidays, like Christmas. His wife, however, did believe, and she raised their children to also have faith in God and Jesus, despite his disparaging comments.
One snowy Christmas Eve, his wife was taking their children to a Christmas Eve service in the farm community in which they lived. She asked him to come, but he refused.
“That story is nonsense!” he said.  “Why would God lower Himself to come to Earth as a man? That's ridiculous!” So she and the children left, and he stayed home.
A while later, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blizzard. As the man looked out the window, all he saw was a blinding snowstorm. He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening.
Then he heard a loud thump. Something had hit the window. Then another thump. He looked out, but couldn't see more than a few feet. When the snow let up a little, he ventured outside to see what could have been beating on his window. In the field near his house he saw a flock of wild geese. Apparently they had been flying south for the winter when they got caught in the snowstorm and couldn't go on. They were lost and stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter. They just flapped their wings and flew around the field in low circles, blindly and aimlessly. A couple of them had flown into his window, it seemed.
The man felt sorry for the geese and wanted to help them. The barn would be a great place for them to stay, he thought. It's warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm. So he walked over to the barn and opened the doors wide, then watched and waited, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside. But the geese just fluttered around aimlessly and didn't seem to notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them. The man tried to get their attention, but that just seemed to scare them and they moved further away.
He went into the house and came with some bread, broke it up, and made a breadcrumb trail leading to the barn. They still didn't catch on.
Now he was getting frustrated. He got behind them and tried to shoo them toward the barn, but they only got more scared and scattered in every direction except toward the barn. Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn where they would be warm and safe.
“Why don't they follow me?” he exclaimed. “Can't they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm?”
He thought for a moment and realized that they just wouldn't follow a human. “If only I were a goose, then I could save them,” he said out loud.
Then he had an idea. He went into the barn, got one of his own geese, and carried it in his arms as he circled around behind the flock of wild geese. He then released it. His goose flew through the flock and straight into the barn--and one by one the other geese followed it to safety.
He stood silently for a moment as the words he had spoken a few minutes earlier replayed in his mind: “If only I were a goose, then I could save them! Then he thought about what he had said to his wife earlier.  “Why would God want to be like us? That's ridiculous!” Suddenly it all made sense. That is what God had done. We were like the geese--blind, lost, perishing. God had His Son become like us so He could show us the way and save us. That was the meaning of Christmas, he realized.
As the winds and blinding snow died down, his soul became quiet and pondered this wonderful thought. Suddenly he understood what Christmas was all about, why Christ had come. Years of doubt and disbelief vanished like the passing storm. He fell to his knees in the snow, and prayed his first prayer:  “Thank You, God, for coming in human form to get me out of the storm!”
--Author unknown, original story adapted by Keith Phillips

page 13

Wrapped in
Meaning
A Candymaker’s Message …
It is said that the first Christmas candy
cane was made by a candymaker in the state
of Indiana, USA, who wanted to make a candy
that would represent God’s love to us. In
that simple shape, he incorporated several
symbols for the birth, ministry, and death of
Jesus Christ.
He began with a stick of pure white, hard
candy-white to symbolize the virgin birth
and the sinless nature of Jesus, and hard to
symbolize the firmness of faith and the rocksolid
promises of God.
The candymaker made the candy in the
form of a “J” to represent the name of Jesus,
who came to earth as our Savior. It could also
represent the staff of the Good Shepherd, with
which Jesus reaches down into the ditches of
the world to lift out the stray sheep and fallen
lambs.
The candymaker then stained the cane
with four red stripes. First he added three
small stripes to represent the stripes from the
whipping that Jesus received before He was
crucified-His suffering for the healing of our
bodies. The single large red stripe was for the
blood shed by Him on the cross so that we
could have the promise of eternal life.
The candy became known as the candy
Cane--a familiar decoration seen at
Christmas time, though few understand its
intended symbolism. For us it can serve as a
reminder of the wonder of Jesus coming down
at Christmas and His great love that remains
the ultimate and dominant positive force in
the universe today.

Let’s Never Lose the
True Meaning of Christmas ...
The Christmas tree can be more than mere
decoration: It can be a witness to others, symbolizing
the beauty of life and living. In wintertime
the evergreen, even in the midst of death
and decay, is a symbol of everlasting life. In
spite of the hardships of winter, the evergreens
survive and stay beautiful and green all winter
long-just like Jesus!
So make the tree a reminder of Jesus, Son
of the eternal God of Heaven, and a reminder
of our everlasting evergreen eternal life and
the other gifts He hangs on us continually.
Let’s never lose the true meaning of Christmas,
or let the symbolism of the tree and the genuine
spirit of Christmas become drowned in all
the confusion of this world and its worldliness.
Let’s glorify the Lord at Christmastime!
-DAVID BRANDT BERG

pages 14-15
Occasion to Love
For some people Christmas is a special time for
celebrating Jesus’ birth,
giving and receiving gifts, and
spending time with family and
close friends. But Christmas is a
time not only to enjoy these blessings
ourselves. It is also the greatest
opportunity of the year to tell the
world about our precious Savior. It
is an occasion when people desire
to hear more about the meaning
of Christmas and the spiritual signifi-
cance of this day that much of
the world celebrates. Even in cultures
that don’t include Christmas,
people are eager to learn the true
meaning of it.
We have a chance to give the
very best gifts this Christmas, not
only to the ones we know best and
hold dear, but also to neighbors
and strangers who share our world.
There are those around us whose
hearts are weary, who cry out for
a comforter; those whose lives are
sin-sick and sorrowful, who yearn
for a Savior. They seek a rescuer;
they weep inside for a deliverer.
They are overwhelmed by fear and
uncertainty, filled with despair and
hopelessness, laden with burdens
of bitterness and guilt, imprisoned
in emptiness, plagued by pain and
discouragement, and beset by problems
too big for them to solve. Many have no
goals, no meaning in their lives.
Jesus loves them and wants to
take them in His arms. But He who
is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving
must have your help! You are
His eyes that can see their need and
love them, His ears that can hear
and respond to their cry, His voice
that can comfort them, His tears
that can move them, His arms that
can embrace them.
Will you do your best to help
them? You can make a difference this
Christmas for somebody. Even the humblest
attempt to share the little you
may have will shine as a very
bright light in someone’s life. Your
love will shine even brighter this
year because the world has gotten
darker, and your little “candle” will
be seen and reflected in the lives of
many as a ray of hope and faith to
penetrate despair and fear.
Reach out to others. Tell them
how Jesus came to earth to love
them, how He died to save them,
and how He rose again to deliver
them into a wonderful new world
that they can experience right now
on earth and also enjoy forever in
Heaven. Proclaim that we celebrate
the birthday of a living Savior, not a
dead hero-a living Savior, who was
born on earth that He might die in
order to rise again to rescue us from
the evil kingdom of sin and death
and fear and loneliness.
Let’s not stop with Christmas!
Let’s keep sharing and giving and
loving just as much throughout the
year to come. Let’s make each day
a celebration of Jesus’ birth, His
death, and His resurrection that
promises new life for all! ★

 

Pull Quotes:
Jesus is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving, but He must have your help!

Pull Quotes:
Be Jesus’ hands.
Be His feet.
Be His eyes.
Be His lips.

page 16

From Jesus with Love

Love--this is My special gift for
you. Love that knows no boundaries.
Love that does not judge you
by the color of your skin, the way
you look, or how you speak. Love that
gives. Love that shares. Love that cares.
Love that is alive, vibrant, warm, and kind. Love that is unconditional and forever.
Love that is patient in a world of intolerance. Love that is understanding
when others fail to see into your heart. Love that is kind and tender when all
else around you seems cold and hard. Love that comforts you in your sorrow,
that consoles you when you’re lonely, that gives you a helping hand when you’re
down. Love that is full of happiness and laughter. Love that brings peace in the
midst of stormy weather. Love that always finds a way.
My love is always there for you-any place, any time, day or night. My love
will descend to any depth to save, go any length to rescue. It knows no stopping
place; it knows no limit in giving. I give you My love, infinite and true.
My love brings peace of mind when you are confused, rest when you
are weary, and strength when you feel you cannot go on. My love will
calm your fears and give you courage in the face of despair. My
love can heal when your body is broken; it can soothe your
heartaches and pain. My love will ease your mind when it is
troubled and weary; it will melt away tension, worry,
and strain.
My love is My Christmas gift for you.
It’s always been there for you. Will
you take it now?
-Jesus

Is it possible that Jesus could love you
and care about you this much? Would
you like to find out? All you have to
do is give Jesus a chance. Just try Him
and see. Hold open your heart and
let Him place His gift of love there.
Just say, “I receive You, Jesus. I want
Your gift of love and a life that
is full and free.” It’s just that
simple. He’ll do the rest.
He loves you! Merry
Christmas!