CHRISTMAS STORY

INTRODUCTION

THE WAY I CELEBRATED CHRISTMAS AND THE WAY PEOPLE CELEBRATED IT THEN AND NOW TODAY ARE 2 SEPARATE OPPOSITES

PEOPLE WOULD HAVE LIGHTS UP AND HOUSES WERE DECORATED

WE HAD FOOD

THERE WAS ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT SCENERY

WE WOULD HAVE A CHRISTMAS TREE BUT WE WOULD BUY IT THE WEEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS BECAUSE IT WAS CHEAP

BUT ON TOP OF THE TREE WAS ALWAYS A LITTLE STAR SHINING

AND TODAY A STAR WOULD NOT LOOK LIKE A STAR THAT PEOPLE USUALLY DRAW

BUT TODAY I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A STAR IN MY LIFE-THE ONLY STAR, WHO IS THE KING OF KINGS AND THE LORD OF LORDS

BODY

IT IS AMAZING THAT ISAIAH CALLS HIM WONDERFUL, COUNSELLOR, MIGHTY GOD, EVERLASTING FATHER, AND THE PRINCE OF PEACE

HE GIVES 5 DIFFERENT ATTRIBUTES TO THE NAME OF CHRIST; WONDERFUL,......

ON THE NIGHT THAT CHRIST WAS BORN IN A MANGER, THERE WERE 3 WISW MEN, WHICH WOULD MAKE 5 WITNESSES TO THE BIRTH OF CHRIST

THERE IS A FIVE FOLD WITNESS THAT WOULD MAKE A WITNESS

WE HAVE 5 BOOKS IN THE BEGINNING OF OUR BIBLES CALLED THE PENTETEUCH, THERE IS A FIVE FORLD MINISTRY THAT LEAD THE CHURCH IN GOVERNMENT AND AUTHORITY

5 IS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER TO GOD, IT IS THE NUMBER OF GRACE

IF YOU WOULD HOLD UP YOUR RIGHT HAND YOU HAVE 5 FINGERS ON REALLY EACH HAND

THERE WERE 5 WOUNDS IN THE BODY OF CHRIST WHEN HE WAS CRUCIFIED-THERE ARE 5 POINTS THAT I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER

THERE IS NO WAY THAT YOU COULD LEAVE CHRIST OUT OF THE STORY AND STILL CELEBRATE THE MASS, CHRISTMAS

WHETHER HE WAS BORN ON THE 25 IS NOT SIGNIFICANT

THE SIGNIFICANCE IS THAT HE WAS HERE AS A HISTORICAL FACT, AS A BIBLICAL FACT, HE IMPACTED THE WORLD LIKE NONE OTHER

WHETHER YOU BELIEVE OR DON’T, NO ONE IMPACTED THE WORLD LIKE JESUS CHRIST

33 YEARS ON THE EARTH AND 3-THREE AND A HALF YEARS OF MINISTRY HE REVOLUTIONIZED THE WORLD

AT THE AGE OF 30 HE BEGINS THE MINISTRY AND DOES SO FOR 3 YEARS AND AFTER 3 YEARS, HE WENT TO THE CROSS AND PAID THE SACRIFICE

CHRIST DID NOT WAIT UNTIL HE WAS 30 TO GIVE US BOTH WORD AND MESSAGE-IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD......

AND THE WORD DWELT AMONG US AND WE BEHELD HIS GLORY, THE GLORY OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH, THAT’S WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT

THERE ARE 5 POINTS THAT WILL HELP YOU GO INTO THE BRAND NEW YEAR

1. MAN HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GOD’S PROMISE

WHEN THE ANGEL CAME TO MARY AND SAID YOU’VE BEEN HIGHLY FAVORED, YOU SHALL BRING FORTH A SAVIOR WHO WILL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEWIR SINS

THE 1ST THING THAT SHE SAID WAS, HOW CAN THESE.......

OVER THE CONVERSATION SHE BEGAN TO DISCOVER WHAT EVERY BELIEVER HAS TO UNDERSTAND- MAN HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GOD’S PROMISE

MARY BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT GOD DOES NOT NEED THE HELP OF MAN TO PERFORM HIS WORD IN YOUR LIFE

EVEN IF MAN IS CRITICAL AND MOCKS YOU, MAN CANNOT STOP WHAT GOD WANTS TO DO IN YOUR LIFE

I DON’T KNOW WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED YOU

MAYBE YOU ARE BIRTHING A BUSINESS, FAMILY, MINISTRY, VISION, CAREER AND YOU MAY NOT SEE THE NATURAL RESOURCES THAT YOU NEED BUT GOD HAS SPOKEN SOMETHING INTO YOUR SPIRIT AND YOU SAY GOD I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH HELP, SUPPORT

BUT GOD WANTS YOU TO UNDERSTAND IN THIS SEASON IS THAT MAN HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GOD’S PROMISE

IF GOD PROMISES YOU SOMETHING, HE IS ABLE TO BRING IT TO PASS

THE SPIRIT OF GOD OVERSHADOWED MARY AND THAT’S WHAT YOU NEED

BECAUSE MAN WILL APPROVE YOU ONE MOMENT AND DISAPPROVE YOU THE NEXT

MAN WILL SING HOSANNA AND THEN CRUCIFY HIM

MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS THAN JESUS BLOOD...

YOU DON’T HAVE TO HAVE MAN, MAN’S APPROVAL, MAN’S RESOURCES, MAN’S MONEY

YOU THINK YOU HAVE TO HAVE MONEY BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING BUT YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT, SEE YOUR WAY CLEAR, PEOPLE DON’T HAVE TO EMBRACE YOU OR SUPPORT YOU.

IN FACT, THEY CAN GOSSIP ABOUT YOU

BUT MAN CANNOT CURSE WHAT GOD HAS BLESSED

IF GOD BLESSES YOU, YOU HAVE TO STAND AGAINST EVERYONE AND SAY, HE WHICH HATH BEGUN A GOOD WORK IN ME SHALL

MAN HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GOD’S PROMISE

DON’T ABORT YOUR BABY

IT MAY BE HARD, DIFFICULT, CONTROVERSIAL, HAVE PAIN, NOT HAVE SUPPORT, HAVE FRIENDSHIP, BUT IF GOD STARTED SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE DON’T ABORT IT

AS A MATTER OF FACT, PAIN IS AN INDICATION THAT BIRTH IS GETTING CLOSE

YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING INSIDE OF YOU WORTH FIGHTING FOR

2. GREAT THINGS ARE OFTEN BORN OUT OF THE SYSTEM

WHEN MARY GOT READY TO BIRTH, THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR HER AT THE INN

NO ORGANIZED SUPPORT, NO SYSTEM, NO STRUCTURE TO HELP HER BIRTH WHAT SHE WOULD DELIVER

MARY WAS SO PREGNANT WITH DESTINY THAT SHE UNDERSTOOD GREAT THINGS CAN BE BORN OUTSIDE OF THE SYSTEM

GREAT THINGS ARE OFTEN BORN OUTSIDE OF THE SYSTEM

DON’T WAIT FOR THE SYSTEM TO OPEN UP THE DOOR TO BIRTH WHAT GOD HAD PUT INSIDE OF YOU

DO

GOD WILL DO GREAT THINGS IN STRANGE PLACES

GREAT THINGS ARE OFTEN BORN OUTSIDE OF THE SYSTEM

REJECTED PLACES, NEGLECTED PLACES, LONELY

WHO ELSE WOULD LET HIS CHILD BE BORN IN A BARN

BUT, YOU DON’T HAVE TO LET ME IN FOR MY PROPHECY TO COME TO PASS

MANY PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN UP ON THEIR DREAM, PROMISE BECAUSE THE SYSTEM SAID THERE’S NO ROOM FOR YOUR FAITH, CONVICTION, PROMISE, CARRY YOUR CROSS

THEY MAKE ROOM FOR EVERYTHING ELSE

THE WORLD IS ALWAYS SAYING THAT THERE IS NO ROOM FOR FAITH

DON’T LET THE CIRCUMSTANCES INTIMIDATE YOU

GET OUTSIDE THE SYSTEM

IT IS TOO TIGHT, RESTRICTING, ORGANIZED

IF YOU ARE GOING TO DO A GREAT THING, YOU HAVE TO STEP OUTSIDE THE SYSTEM

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, DO SOMETHING,

GREAT THINGS ARE BORN OUTSIDE OF THE SYSTEM

I’M COMING OUT

GO AHEAD AND STAY IN THE INN

BUT I’M WILLING TO STAY IN AN UNCOMFORTABLE PLACE TO GET WHAT GOD WANTS ME TO HAVE

NOBODY HATED PEOPLE MORE THAN CHURCH PEOPLE

HE WAS MORE ACCEPTED AROUND SINNERS THAN RELIGIOUS PEOPLE

HE DIED OUTSIDE THE SYSTEM-THE SHUT THE GATES OF JERUSALEM AND HE DIED OUTSIDE OF THE SYSTEM

SO, THAT ALL OF US WHO HAVE BEEN REJECTED BY THE SYSTEM WOULD HAVE ACCESS

I WANT TO THENK GOD FOR PUTTING JESUS WHERE I COULD REACH HIM

IF GOD BEFOR ME THEN WHO CAN BE

WHEN YOU SHUT THE DOOR, GOD LET ME IN

3. EVERYONE WHO FOLLOWS YOU ISN’T FOR YOU

WHEN JESUS WAS BORN ALOT OF PEOPLE WERE LOOKING FOR HIM BUT ALOT OF PEOPLE WERE NOT WITH HIM

THE WISE MEN WERE SEEKING HIM TO GIVE HIM SOMETHING, AND HEROD WANTED TO KNOW WHERE HE WAS AT SO THAT HE COULD KILL HIM

EVERYONE THAT FOLLOWS YOU ARE NOT FOR YOU AND EVERYONE THAT FOLLOWS YOU DOESN’T WANT TO BLESS YOU

THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE LOOKING FOR YOU, LOOKING FOR WAYS TO DESTROY YOU

THANK GOD FOR THE WISE MEN BUT DON’T FORGET HEROD

HEROD IS LOOKING FOR YOU TOO

EVERYONE THAT SAYS AMEN IS NOT FOR YOU OR BEHIND YOU

EVRYONE WHO SMILES IN YOUR FACE ISN’T FOR YOU

DON’T BE FOOLISH ABOUT EVERYBODY WHO FOLLOWS YOU

HEROD FAKED TO BE A WORSHIPPER

HE WAS INTIMIDATED BY WHAT CHRIST WOULD BE

SOME PEOPLE ARE INTIMIDATED BY YOU AND BY WHAT YOU CAN BECOME

THE DEVIL DON’T FIGHT YOU FOR WHERE YOU ARE BUT FOR WHERE YOU ARE GOING

ALL OF THE FIGHTING PEOPLE, SAY, SOMETHING GREAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE

4. KEEP YOUR GIFTS HIDDEN WHILE YOU GROW

AFTER THE BIRTH OF CHRIST, JOSEPH AND MARY TOOK HIM TO EGYPT TO HIDE HIM FOR 2 YEARS

IF THEY WOULD HAVE EXPOSED HIM TOO SOON SOMEONE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN TO HIM

YOU CAN’T LET EVERYBODY KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE

KEEP YOUR GIFTS HIDDEN

HIDE IT

IF JOSEPH WOULD HAVE HID HIS GIFT, HE WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN SOLD, NEVER TO POTIPHER

THE ONLY MISTAKE THAT HE MADE IS THAT HE TOLD EVERONE ABOUT HIS GIFT TOO SOON

LAUGHING WITH PEOPLE THAT WANT TO KILL YOU

SHARING YOUR PROPHECY WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE JEALOUS OF YOU

MARY HID HIM UNTIL HE HAD GROWN

OF YOU

YOU HAVE TO HIDE YOUR GIFT UNTIL YOU ARE GROWN

YOU CANNOT TELL EVERYONE ABOUT YOUR GIFT

STOP TRYING TO BE BIG AND IMPORTANT

LET THE OTHER PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THEIR PROMISES

WEEPING MAY ENDURE FOR A NIGHT BUT JOY IS COMING IN THE MORNING

IT’S NOT TIME YET, I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL MORNING

BUT ONCE THE DAY BREAKS AND IT IS MORNING YOU WILL SEE WHAT I HAVE BEEN CARRYING ALL ALONG

ITS ON THE INSIDE AND IT IS GROWING

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD

SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO BE STILL

5. ALWAYS LOSE WHAT YOU HAVE IN WORSHIP

MARY FACED ALL THIS OPPOSITION AND WHEN SHE WENT TO THE TEMPLE THEY HAD LOST JESUS

THEY HAD LOST EVERYTHING IN WORSHIP

ALWAYS LOSE WHAT YOU HAVE IN WORSHIP

NEVER LET GOD GIVE YOU ANYTHING THAT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU CANNOT LOSE IT IN WORSHIP

DON’T COME INTO THE PRESENCE OF WITH SOMETHING THAT HE GAVE YOU

YOU KNOW THAT MARY HAD TO BE A GOOD WOMAN

GOD CHOSE A GOOD MOTHER TO CARRY HER SON

\BUT WHEN JESUS WAS ABOUT 12, THEY HAD LOST HIM IN WORSHIP

GOD DID NOT REBUKE THEM WHEN THEY LOST JESUS

WHY

BECAUSE WHEN MARY GOT INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD SHE LOST CHRIST

THIS IS THE KIND OF WORSHIP THAT YOU CAN’T BE TAUGHT

THIS KIND OF WORSHIP THAT YOU CANNOT FAKE

THESE PEOPE CAN GIVE EVERYTHING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT EVERYTHING THAT THEY RECEIVED IT IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD

THIS DOES’T PLAY GAMES, OR PASSING OUT CARDS

THIS IS THE WORSHIP THAT HAS AN EMPTY WOMB, WHO HAD NOTHING BEFORE GOD TOUCHED HIM

EVERYTHING THAT I OWN GOD GAVE IT TO ME

NOTHING SHALL SEPARATE ME FROM THE LOVE OF GOD

I DON’T HAVE A DEGREE SO IMPORTANT THAT I CAN’T TALK ABOUT CHRIST AMONG MY PEERS

YOU WERE LESS IMPORTANT, STRUGGLING, FIGHTING, WORRYING, SUICIDAL, YOU WOULD GET LOST IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD

A LEVEL OF WORSHIP THAT WE KNOW WE ONLY REC’D IT IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD

WHEN MARY GOT INTO THE PRESENCE SHE LOST EVERYTHING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD EXCEPT THE GOD WHO GAVE IT TO HER

THIS WOMAN GOT PREGNANT IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD, TOOK CARE OF THINGS RESPONSIBLY BUT WHEN SHE GOT INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD, SHE LOST EVERYTHING

BUT WE HVE A NEW CHRISTIAN TODAY THAT IF YOU DON’T SHAKE THEIR HANDS, THEY WILL CHANGE CHURCHES

CAN YOU LOSE EVERYTHING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD

MARY WATCHING FROM AFAR OFF, HE DIED, BUT SHE STILL DIDN’T LEAVE THE CHURCH

ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST, THE BIBLE MENTIONS MARY

THAT’S HOW SHE COULD GO THROUGH WHAT SHE WENT THROUGH

SHE WANTED TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD