10 Things We Must Keep In Mind This Christmas

10 Dec 10 Things We Must Keep In Mind This Christmas

I enjoy Christmas because of the global excitement it brings with it. There is no time of year like it when nations all over celebrate the birth of our saviour Jesus Christ.
With all the merriness and busyness going on, most times perspective is distorted and focus is lost. People seem to forget the Who and why and celebrate the season more than the reason. Here in Canada where I live, I find that many celebrate Santa, and accrue their joys and presents to this big, pot bellied and heavy bearded person instead of the saviour we celebrate.
I know Santa originated from Bishop Nicholas of Myra who was a rich and generous giver. We should honour and celebrate those who deserve to be. But celebrating a man in such a manner that it seeks to distract us from the real reason why we celebrate Christmas could be equated to idolatry.
In order to keep this season in the right perspective here are things I believe we must all remember.

1. Who And What It Is About.

It is about no other person or thing but JESUS CHRIST, and His birth.
So we must make sure to CELEBRATE the CELEBRANT, put Him in the centre of all we do during Christmas and give Him the honour due Him.
We should teach our young ones that we celebrate Jesus’s Birthday this season and also teach them that HE is the giver of gifts. We must magnify Jesus in our homes and churches above every other person or thing in order for God to be pleased with our celebrations.

Christmas is about no other person or thing but JESUS CHRIST Click To Tweet

For to you is born this day in the town of David a Saviour, Who is Christ (the Messiah) the Lord! Then suddenly there appeared with the angel an army of the troops of heaven (a heavenly knighthood), praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among men with whom He is well pleased men of goodwill, of His favour.
Luke 2:11,13-14 AMP

2. Share Jesus This Christmas And Always.

It is a season to share the love of Jesus with the people you meet. He was born to give us peace, joy and hope. To reconcile man back to God. No matter how much food and/or gifts we we give to people as we celebrate. If we do not tell them that the Jesus we celebrate died to save them from their sins and every work of the devil we would not have completed the mission/ministry  God has committed to our hands.

But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself received us into favour, brought us into harmony with Himself and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him.
2 Corinthians 5:18 AMP

3. Christmas Is For Giving.

Jesus our Christ was given to us by The Father. John 3:16 And as we celebrate this immeasurable Gift, we must also give out of a heart of love and compassion to those around us and those in need.
We often celebrate with family and friends, this is right. But we must extend our love and giving to those in our neighbourhoods and communities. Christmas is a season to give gifts, especially to those who can give us nothing in return.
Share whatever you have with those who have little or nothing to celebrate with. Be a blessing to someone needing it this season, put a smile on someone’s face.

…the uncompromisingly righteous gives and does not withhold. Proverbs 21:26 AMP

4. Remember Those Who Are Hurting.

There are those who hurt this season because of events of the past. Especially the loss of a loved one. While we all enjoy the festivities they are reminded of their loss and many tend to shut people out of their lives when the celebrations begin. If we know anyone that might be hurting especially at this time, we should reach out to them and allow God’s love to flow through us to them.
Words of comfort, prayers, or just showing up at their door step to let them know we remember as well and want to be there will go a long way to cheer them up.

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Romans 12:15 ESV

5. Reflect On Your Relationship With God.

It is a time for sober reflections as you think on the reason for Christ’s birth and how that has affected your life. Christ was born that we might be born again in Him. We should not allow the busyness of Christmas hinder us from thinking about how the birth of Christ has affected us and if we are living the reason He was born.

Are you living the reason Jesus was born? Click To Tweet

Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it.
2 Corinthians 13:5 AMP

6. Do Not Seek To Impress.

Christmas is a time of Joy and peace. It is more of celebrating Jesus than what you wear, eat or decorate your house with. We should not get involved in competition, wanting to be like the joneses or do it better than them.
Some individuals and families buy themselves into debt this season, just to impress others or feel important, we should not be part.

…in all this comparing and grading and competing, they quite miss the point.
2 Corinthians 10:12 MSG

7. Prepare For The Expenses Ahead.

Come January, there will be bills to be paid; grocery, light, water, rent, mortgage and school fees/expenses will not go away after Christmas. Some people do not take this into account when they dive into Christmas spending. Whatever we spend this Christmas should be after we have removed the bills ahead of us. God does not want us to go into debt because we claim to be celebrating the gift He gave us. He has said we should OWE NO MAN anything but love. Romans 13:8

Christmas is not for going bankrupt or into debt, don't try to impress. Click To Tweet

Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! They labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter.
Proverbs 6:6,8 NLT

8. Be Intentionally Joyful.

Folks many times forget that Christmas should be a time of love, peace, joy, and fun.
They get so busy preparing for Christmas, get all worked up, and pressured that they are cranked up and unpleasant to the people around them.
Remember to loosen up, and major on important things. Refuse to get into any preparations or activities that will put you under avoidable pressure and stress. Save your strength to relax and enjoy Christmas with PEOPLE, otherwise you will not be able to make any real impact on anyone’s life.

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again-rejoice!
Philippians 4:4 NLT

9. Maintain Fellowship With God

We must refuse to let the enemy distract us from spending quality time with God in prayer and study of His word. We cannot claim to celebrate Christ and ignore Him at the same time. It is important to maintain our regular fellowship with God at Christmas, this is one thing the enemy will fight hard against, so we must be aware and stand our guard.
The word of God is life! John 6:63

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” Matthew 4:4 NKJV

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; Colossians 4:2 NKJV

10. Do Not Relax Into Sin.

This festivity period can be a tool in the enemy’s hands to lure people into sin. Booze, partying with the wrong crowd, adultery, fornication… Many of these things are mostly prevalent during this time. So be careful not to relax into sin.

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation…” Matthew 26:41 NIV

The enemy throws all kinds of temptations this season, beware! Click To Tweet

Christmas is a time to celebrate Jesus and spread His joy. Let Jesus be celebrated indeed, in your hearts and homes, not only during Christmas but every single day!

What else do you think might help us keep Christmas in perspective?

Photo Credit: Falco and Blickpixel 

An Update from 2014 –  Read Here

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