Rejoice

Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice….Philippians 1:15-18  

Proclaim Christ—the babe in the manger and the risen Lord and Savior. He is the reason for the season—the true reason we celebrate Christmas. Rejoice. Rejoice and be glad. Jesus made an amazing sacrifice—we can barely comprehend what He did for us—giving up His home in Heaven for a while and coming to earth to be the Lamb of God—to take away the sins of the world. We can only accept what Jesus did—and then in good will and truth share that with others. I heard an author on the Focus on the Family radio program mention that people should treat their spouses with a sacrificial love that is forgiving of the other’s mistakes and bad habits, like using up all the gas in the tank and not refilling it before the other person needed the car. That forgiveness is generous and sacrificial. Can you do that? Can I do that? Well—I’m willing to give it a try. To be more like Christ and forgive others for their mistakes. What a great Christmas gift that would be—a gift of forgiveness. No credit card bill to come later. No bow or strings attached—just a gift from the heart. Only a few more days left.  

Training Tip – Would you like to prevent or get rid of a bad habit in your children? Dr. Kay Kuzma, in her Christian Parenting Library book How To Mold Character From the Inside Out, has some suggestions for helping your children. Their bad habits must be redirected into creative and constructive alternatives—one step at a time. Of course it is best if you can prevent a bad habit—and that is best done with young children. Encourage good behavior and good habits so that they become part of the child’s character. With each child individually talk about the bad habits that they have. Set a goal for changing that habit slowly—don’t expect them to change overnight. Try to figure out what created the bad habit and then avoid that situation. Remind the child of the goal on a weekly or daily basis, as necessary. Retrain the child by redirecting their thoughts and actions. Remember the verse… For as he thinks in his heart, so he is…. Proverbs 23:7 NKJV. The same goes for a child. Help them think positive and act accordingly. 

Lord Jesus, we rejoice again during this holy season over Your birth…and we reflect upon Your death and sacrifice for us. Thank you for being obedient to our Heavenly Father.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.