Bringing Christ Back

A lot of blogs are going up about bring CHRIST back into Christmas.  He is after all what CHRISTmas is ALL about.  Over the years the world has turned the holiday into nothing more then that...a holiday.  I am happy that it seems to still be centered around families but it is all for the wrong reasons.  We have a family at church who are newer to the church.  They decided that this year the kids wouldn't get presents and the kids themselves SAID THAT WAS OKAY!  They are 11 and 12!  Pretty amazing if you ask me!  My kids are just WAYYYY to little to be understanding that one, but maybe in a few years we can try it.

Any ways.  One of our lessons in church this last sunday was all about bringing CHRIST back into Christmas.  I had a strong feeling come over me that it would be important to take notes and write a blog about it.  After all, even if this encourages just ONE of you to put CHRIST back into Christmas I would feel blessed.  So here are my notes and I hope that it is helpful to all who read.  If you have some of your own ideas, leave me a comment and maybe I'll write another blog in a couple of days with more suggestions.

10 WAYS TO BRING CHRIST BACK INTO CHRISTMAS

1.  Study your Bible ( scriptures )  What better way to be more focused on Christ then to be reading about him and his life through the Bible.

2. Pray in the NAME of Christ.  This depends on your religion and beliefs but it we always end our prayers by saying, "In the name of Jesus Christ AMEN"  It helps you remember who you are talking to and WHY you are speaking to him.

3.  Decorate with CHRIST in mind.  Not snowmen and candy canes but the manger scene and things that remind us of his birth.

4.  Christmas music.  Some people start playing this as early as the October but if you don't get into the whole Christmas music thing ( which I do not I am sad to say ) start now with some spiritual songs of Christ and that are centered on his birth.

5.  Entertainment ( I left the room on this one because my daughter was throwing a fit!  haha  so go with your gut on this.  )  Choose entertainment that would help you feel closer to Christ or that would help you or your kids understand the circumstances surrounding his birth.

6.  Leave scriptures about Christ and quotes about him all over your house.  My mom likes to leave sticky notes on her mirror in her bathroom.  Some where that you KNOW you will see and read at least once or twice a day!

7.  Keep a Christmas journal.  I am a journal FREAK!  I love them!  This is a great idea to start with young kids too.  If they are too young to start one themselves, then start one for them.  Then when they get older they can add their own stories and experiences to it.

8.  TALK about Christ!  To any one and every one!

9. Serve others.  There is no better way to feel good inside then to help other people.  For the most part people are more receptive to help during the holidays so get out there and serve people all around you.

10.  Give Christ a spiritual.  What is a spiritual gift you ask?  Well, here is list number two of some of the possible spiritual gifts we can give Him.

Spiritual gifts

1.  Serving  (we talked about it already)  The scriptures say if you are in the service of your men, you are in the service of God!  Would we serve God if he came to our house/town/State ?  HECK YES WE WOULD, so serve our fellow beings and we ARE serving God.  I try and keep this in mind while Christmas shopping since everyone gets so crazy about it.  Smile at people who cut you off and steal the thing you were reaching for.  Maybe they just need someone to be nice to them to help them feel the spirit that they are lacking inside.

2. LOVE  goes along with number one.  You can't help but love someone you serve and vice versa.  If you love someone you WANT to serve them.  Do we love Christ?  Let's show him!

3.  Have a humble heart

4.  Keep his commandments.  "If you love me, keep my commandments"  He asks just a few minor things of us. One of them was to keep his commandments which are pretty darn easy.  I have the whole, "Do not murder" one DOWN!  haha  But seriously, keep his commandments.  I am sure this would make him very pleased!

5.  REPENT-  if you think you have something hanging over you that you have not repented of, turn yourself over to him and repent of it.  Life that ton of weight off of yourself.  I am actually speaking in church on Sunday about this very topic.  Repentance is SUCH an important part of life.  Christ wants us to be happy and it's hard to feel happy when you are dwelling on a past mistake.  Get over it and give it over to him.  Ask for forgiveness and let him forgive you!

6.  Pray with a sincerity!  DO you ever get in a rut where you pray because you KNOW you are supposed to but don't change up what you say?  I do this constantly and I am always trying to change things up so Tyler hears thats I don't say the same thing over and over.  It's important to pray from the heart and not to memorize someone and spit it out every time you kneel down to pray.

7.  Study the scriptures daily!  Boy do I need some work on this one.  It's important.  Give up 10 minutes of blogging and read your scriptures.  Your day will go by some much better, I promise.

8  Lastly, give THANKS in all things.  We owe EVERYTHING to Christ!  He gave up his life for us.  Let's give him thanks by bringing him back into the holiday that is SUPPOSED to be centered around him anyways!  BRING CHRIST BACK INTO CHRISTMAS!

I LOVE Jesus Christ very much.  He is my reason for everything.  Help me bring him back by reposting this or writing your own blog about bringing him back to Christmas.  Don't forget to leave me comments with any other spiritual gifts we could give him or other ways to bring CHRIST back into Christmas! Thanks for reading and I hope every one is having a very blessed day!!!