"Love Came Down At Christmas"
�Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. We are nearing Christmas, a day that so many people celebrate and don�t realize what it means. Most children are told Santa comes to bring gifts to good girls and boys. It has become a day with merchants lining their pockets, many adults over-spending and being under a burden of credit card debt afterwards. So many little children grow up thinking it�s a day to receive, not knowing the true meaning of Christmas. These deceptions have been handed down through the generations. One of the most important days to us has become a day of hardship, depression, and even suicide for so many. It�s time for Christians to get up and proclaim why we celebrate and exchange gifts on December 25th. It�s time to tell the little children that Christmas is a happy day - not one of receiving but of giving to others, a day of conveying love. It�s the day that Christians celebrate Christ�s birth. A joyous day when God showed goodwill towards the world that was undeserving of it, when God sent the Messiah to save a lost world as it was foretold in Genesis 3:15. We can be of good cheer, because �Love Came Down At Christmas�.
I remember as a child seeing drawings of a little boy and girl. They would be holding hands or sharing a big lollipop, and beneath them would say �Love Is...� The artist gave his best illustration each time of what love is. Now I want you to consider this: the greatest artist that ever was and ever will be, showed us true love, an unconditional love. Some 2000 years ago, �Love Came Down At Christmas�. That love was wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. He lay there needing his momma�s milk and father�s protection just like any ordinary child. In that manger lay a King. He came to give love to a world that didn�t really know what love was. That love (The Word = Jesus Christ) became flesh. He came down from glory to give himself as the supreme sacrifice. He came to pay the price of your redemption, so you can have eternal life, deliver-ance, healing, and to set the captive free. That LOVE came down at Christmas knowing that very few people would even know who He was. John 1:10 tells us, �He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not.� And in verse 14, �And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.� God looked upon man living a life of misery, trying to live the law, living a life of failure and sin. So, He sent Love down as a way of escape. A way to live a joyous abundant life. You can read it for yourself: �For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.� (John 3:16) You are the world, and God gave His only begotten Son for YOU. Why? Because He so loved YOU. That love is what brings health. That love brings joy. That love is why satan has to flee. Having the love that came down at Christmas in your heart will allow you to show true love to your family, friends and even complete strangers.
As you Christians celebrate Jesus� birthday, I hope you will be found following His example. He was 12 when He told His mother, �Wist ye not that I must be about My Father�s business?� (Luke 2:49b) The business He spoke about was to love others and show compassion, not just for our families, but to EVERYONE. (Matthew 5:43-44, 14:14, 15:32, 20:34, Mark 1:41) He constantly set an example of love for anyone who would wear the name Christian. If we wear that name, we must have His nature. That nature was to show love to the unloved and the unlovable. He gave us that commandment (Mark 12:29-31). Are you conveying the true meaning of Christmas to the world, that �Love Came Down At Christmas�? Are you exhibiting that love? If not, you are not doing the will of God.
Now, if you are a sinner or backslider or just lukewarm, I want to share this with you. The reason I share is because I do love you and I care what happens to your soul. If I told you that I love you and didn�t tell the bad along with the good, then I would be a liar. The love of God would not be in me. I have experienced that �Love Came Down At Christmas�. What I haven�t told you is that when that baby lay in that manger, He already knew the price He would have to pay 33 years later, so that you could have eternal life. I challenge you to picture this in your mind now. He knew He would be rejected by His people (Luke 22:47-48). He knew he would be sold (Zechariah 11:12, Matthew 26:15). He would be lied on (Psalm 35:11, Mark 14:57-58). He knew that He would be spit upon, His beard plucked out, and slapped (Isaiah 50:6, Matthew 26:67). Jesus knew that He would be hated without reason (Psalm 35:19, John 15:24-25). He knew He�d be beaten with a cat �o nine tails for your healing; He knew that nails would be driven into His hands and feet. He knew a crown of thorns would be pressed down upon His head, that the thorns would reach all the way to the bone, and He�d be mocked (Psalm 22:17-18, Matthew 27:35-36). He was hung between two convicts and His side pierced. Jesus knew He would go through all of this to offer you salvation, to set an example of love. He offered eternal life while on the cross, and one of the malefactors accepted. He even prayed for the men that gambled for His clothes (Psalm 109:4). That Love came down at Christmas, knowing He would have to endure pain and disgrace, so that YOU don�t have to go to hell, so that YOU can have eternal life - and so can your loved ones. He endured all of that so you could live an abundant life here on earth; one full of joy and happiness, love and health. Now this is where satan will try to get you to put this down, because he came to kill, steal and destroy. Satan wants you to deny Christ and spend eternity in hell. You see, Christ has a gift waiting for you. It�s a gift with eternal life and salvation on it. That gift will tip the scales for you to heaven, and way from hell. Right now, without Jesus in your life, everything is tipped towards hell. This Christmas, without Jesus in your life, all you can do is go through a form of worldly love toward people. If you really want to give your family a gift of love, then accept Jesus today. That love will flow through you, and you can tell them the true meaning of Christmas - that �Love Came Down At Christmas�. Please don�t reject Christ today. Don�t bring hurt to Him by rejecting the love He�s shown YOU. By coming to earth and suffering, He gave you a choice on where you will spend eternity. Lead your family to Christ today. You have no promise of tomorrow, but through that love you have the promise of eternity in paradise.
I hope that some part of this message will help you feel the warmth of Christ�s love. He changed my life and brought joy to a very miserable man. I ran through life knowing the truth about Jesus Christ, but I kept rejecting it. No matter how much money I made, how many pretty women were around me, how many nice cars I had - I was still miserable. I gave gifts at Christmas, but I only loved my wife, daughter and family. I didn�t truly know how to love them. In 1991 I was charged with capital murder and faced the death penalty. My family kept right on loving me, and preachers who knew me kept coming to see me - me, a man unworthy to live and not fit to kill. Because of the love of Christ in those people, I stopped being a prodigal son and came back to Christ. He was waiting with open arms for me. He called me to do a work and I sold out to Him. Instead of Kentucky�s electric chair, I received 20 years of prison and the gift of eternal life with Christ. That 20-year sentence is almost over. God has opened many doors of ministry to me. I have been shown so much love and experienced Christ�s healing power. I can walk around smiling because Jesus pardoned me - not just from Kentucky�s death sentence but a sentence of eternity in hell! You can enjoy that same abundant life also. You can enjoy reconciliation with your Creator first, then family and friends. Jesus stands with arms wide open waiting to pardon you. It�s your choice to accept or reject the Christmas gift He has for you. Christ can change your circum-stances in a heartbeat, but you must sell out to Him. Friend, He�s living in me and a lot of people I meet, doing a work daily. If you want it, you can have it!�
The great thing about this Love that came down is that Jesus paid for our every sin. It is never too late to start over as long as you have breath in your body. God sent His Son to us with the greatest gift the world could ever know. You can�t buy it at the mall, or trade for it. No one else can obtain it for you! It is totally up to you to receive it. If you offer a child a gift, they don�t question, do they? No, they�ll accept it quickly. That�s how God wants us to receive His gift. Now is the time for a new abundant life. God tells us from Genesis to Revelation, �if you do, I will.� Just take a look at Isaiah 43:18-19. God doesn�t lie and never breaks a promise. I can give testimony to that.
I challenge you who are Christians to read Psalm 79:11, Matthew 25:31-46 and Hebrews 13:1-3. The Holy Spirit has burned this in my heart. Do you truly testify to the �Love Came Down At Christmas�?
In Christ, Bro. Don George
�REMEMBER, IT�S ME� (Author Unknown)
Why should we worry about those in jail?
Their life is a mess, doomed only to fail.
They cheat and lie and some even kill,
When there's nothing left, they might even steal.
My time is too valuable for them and their kind,
There's places to go and things I must mind.
I�m busy right now doing God�s perfect will,
Someday I may go if they are there still.
Then Jesus said, �Son, I died for them too,
Remember it�s Me and it�s not just you.
I�ve called you to go wherever I send,
Preach to the lost and show them their sin.
For I have some who are in chains still,
Minister to them and you�ll be doing My will.
Their souls are dear to My Father and Me,
Teach them the Word that they might see.
Remember the thief on the cross that day?
He�s here with Me now, this new place to stay.
So whenever you go to speak to My friends,
Tell them get ready, it�s nearing the end.
If you go where I send and speak what you hear,
I�ll open blind eyes and open deaf ears.
So when these things you are sent to do,
Remember, it�s Me and it�s not just you!�
