"COME TO ME...."

After the angels appeared to the shepherds, the babe in the manger touched their hearts to "come to me". To the Wise Men, the babe in the cradle touched their hearts to "come to me".  Even in this present day, the babe touches each of our hearts. As a man he says to us "Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28a,b; NIV).
He is still saying to you-you who has accepted you are lower than the shepherds; He says, "Come to me..." At the time Jesus was born there was no one considered lower than the shepherds. This had been their lot for years and they had come to accept it. But then one night, one night different from all others an angel came to them-them the outcasts, the ones considered too unclean to be welcome in God's temple and their hearts were changed forever.
You-you who has been provided with everything one could possibly want or desire but still has an emptiness in the very depth of your being, the Savior touches your heart and says, "Come to me..."
The Wise Men-ones who had everything provided for them, no wants, no needs--followed a star, a bright "light" and their hearts were changed forever.
You-you who is filled with such pain you don't think you can face another day-let the babe touch your heart as He says, "Come to me..." Come to the manger, look upon the One called Jesus, Savior, Immanuel, Most High God, Mighty One; let His heart speak to your heart and change it forever.
This Christmas Eve, let the babe speak to your heart, "Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest....take my yoke...learn from me..." Let him change your heart forever!!

WHAT IS CHRISTMAS TO YOU?

Since the middle of October there has been Christmas decorations in the stores. People started their Christmas shopping and Black Friday officially started the Christmas season. Cities across the world are having lighting ceremonies. Stores are having sales for that special Christmas gift. Little children live in great anticipation of Santa coming with that special gift they can't live without.  There are the Christmas parties, families traveling from afar to spend this special day together, Christmas caroling, and schools and churches having Christmas or holiday pageants. In September ones start counting down to this one day. But why?
What does this day, this time of year mean to you? What does this little babe wrapped in swaddling cloth represent to you? This little babe is not just a doll wrapped in a blanket, He is God, He is Savior. Seven hundred years before this baby was born a man predicted his birth. Isaiah is not just a book in the Bible but he was a human no different than you or I. Listen to what he said, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace..."
The One who created this universe, who knew you in your mother's womb before she even knew you were there, came to this earth as a "little babe in swaddling cloth". This babe will grow to be the man who bore your sins on a cross he was forced to carry to a place called Calvary; this Man suffered being whipped so by His stripes you are healed, this Man sacrificed Himself on this cross so you could have an everlasting relationship with God.
If you are celebrating the birth of your Savior this season, let it be a season of joy, a season you draw closer in your relationship to this little one called Jesus. If you don't know this little one, let me introduce you to him; this is Jesus. The Man who sacrificed himself as an atonement for your sins so you can have a relationship with God by believing this little babe is the Son of God. For "if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." Let this little babe be your "special gift" this Christmas for he is God's gift to you and I.
Come, celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, Son of God, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace...CELEBRATE!!!