0622 6 Lessons of Christmas

When Pope Julius I authorized December 25 to be celebrated as the birthday of Jesus in A.D. 353

NICHOLAS. He was bishop of Myra, in Asia Minor (Turkey now). Rich and generous. Three young woman didn’t have enough money for the dowry. He threw gold threw the fireplace. Last day their father caught him.

1. Every saint has a past, every sinner has a future (4 out of 5 woman mentioned had dirty past)

- your past is the only info Satan has about you

- God does not consult our past to determine the future we desire

- Read that story

2. Anyone connected to Jesus experienced miracles

- miracles don't happen to those who pray for them but for those who depend on them

- to be on fire, we must draw closer to Jesus (Luke 24:32)

- God spoke in dreams. 1/3 of our life is spent sleeping. On average we get 4 dreams per night, that's about 1,460 per year. Dreams have become subject of interest in our culture lately. Last year movie INCEPTION was the movie of the year, where man in the movie would extract valuable information from targets while they slept

- Bible mentions dreams about 122 times. Actually 1/3 of the bible is dreams and visions

- Samson vs Jacob: Rock or Lap?

3. Birth of Jesus is Gods GIFT to EARTH

Gift is not salvation but SAVIOR, not peace, not blessing

Faith unwraps this gift. Gift is wrapped

RECEIVE OR REJECT

4. Jesus is always born in the STABLE, not a hotel

Unworthy of divine royalty – dirty, dark, defiled

Seed sown into dirt

Heart might be dirty but it's not for dirt

5. Jesus did not come just to save us but also to stay with us

God appeared to Shepherds not Pharisees, nor Herod. Social outcasts, religious outcasts. Religion law. Herod position. (Abel, Moses, David)

Shepherds met Shephard. Stays with you in cold, valley, fights for you, gives His life

6. You can't find Jesus without following the star

Abraham counted starts, wise men followed it

Which star are you following? Will determine where you will end up

There are many stars, follow the bright one

If you follow it, you will see a kid not a king

Word might bring you to stable not palace

Star led them but then angels took over

It’s not possible to know Jesus without Bible, but it’s possible to know Bible and not know Jesus.

Read it – it has a purifying Power.

Read it – it has healing power.

It is a guide to your feet.

Read it – it has converting power.

It is enduring.

Read it – it is so profitable to keep you from sin and error.

The Bible is given to us in the first place, simply to invite us to make ourselves at home in the world of God and to become familiar with the way He speaks and the way in which we answer Him with our lives.

The next time you feel like God can't use you, just remember...

~ Noah was a drunk

~ Abraham was too old

~ Isaac was a daydreamer

~ Jacob was a liar

~ Leah was ugly

~ Joseph was abused

~ Moses had a stuttering problem

~ Gideon was afraid

~ Samson had long hair and was a womanizer

~ Rahab was a prostitute

~ Jeremiah and Timothy were too young

~ David was an adulterer and a murderer

~ Elijah was suicidal

~ Isaiah preached naked

~ Jonah ran from God

~ Naomi was a widow

~ Job went bankrupt

~ John the Baptist ate bugs

~ Peter denied Christ

~ The disciples fell asleep while praying

~ Martha worried about everything

~ The Samaritan woman was divorced (more than once)

~ Zaccheus was too small

~ Paul was too religious

~ Timothy had an ulcer

~ Lazarus was dead!