2019 December Faulkner Lifestyle

The First Christmas
“
Christmas represents everything that really matters in life.
When we strip away all of the things going on in our world and
we get down to what really counts for life and eternity, we find
the Christmas manger resting quietly in the middle of it all.
”
—Andrea Lennon
BY ANDREA LENNON
Have you noticed the Christmas
season is one of the busiest and
most stressful times of the year?
The hustle and bustle can leave us
with an attitude of, “Let’s just make it
through” or “I must conquer it all!”
As we prepare to celebrate Christmas
this year, let’s make the choice to
thrive instead of survive. Daily we can
remember that Christmas represents
everything that really matters in life.
When we strip away all of the things
going on in our world and we get
down to what really counts for life and
eternity, we find the Christmas manger
resting quietly in the middle of it all.
God’s Word tells us the story of the first
Christmas. Tucked away in this familiar
passage, we find God’s plan for peace.
And do you know what I love about
God’s plan for peace? It can be experienced
as we live right here on earth.
Mary was approached by an angel and
told that she would give birth to the
long awaited Messiah. Mary embraced
this call even though it was way
outside of her comfort zone. In fact,
the call could have been dangerous to
her reputation as well as her life.
counted in a census. I love the fact that
God was putting Mary and Joseph in
the right place at the right time to fulfill
His perfect plan.
The couple made the long journey from
Nazareth to Bethlehem and scripture
records what happened next. “The
time came for the baby to be born, and
she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.
She wrapped him in cloths and placed
him in a manger, because there was no
room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:6-7,
New International Version)
A baby boy, a Son, a Savior—He
was finally here. Everything on God’s
Kingdom calendar had been preparing
the way for this moment in time.
Why did Jesus come to this earth?
The angels, who were present at His
birth, proclaimed the answer to this
important question. “Glory to God in
the highest, and on earth peace to men
on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14)
Jesus came to bring peace!
If you are wondering how you can
experience peace on earth, a personal
relationship with Jesus is the only way.
Jesus came to this earth and lived a
perfect life. He died on the cross to
provide peace. As Jesus hung on the
cross, He paid for our sins and provided
the only way for us to have a relationship
with God. If you long to have real
peace in your life, confess your sins and
ask Jesus to forgive you. Invite Jesus to
come into your life and save you. You
can be sure of the fact that He will.
Not long after Jesus’ birth, a small group
of shepherds set out to find Jesus so they
could worship Him. Scripture shares the
account of the shepherds. “When they
had seen him, they spread the word
concerning what had been told them
about this child and all who heard it
were amazed...” (Luke 2:17)
During the first Christmas, lives were
forever changed. Thousands of years
later, the same opportunity exists. This
Christmas season you can worship
Jesus and experience the peace that He
provides. Jesus came and brought peace
to this world. Peace that is real and lasting.
Peace that changes the direction of our
lives. Jesus, He Himself, is our peace.
To learn more about Christmas Peace,
visit my website at www.andrealennonministry.org.
I have a Christmas
gift waiting for you! Please download
my Christmas ebook and enjoy it
throughout the holiday season. Merry
Christmas from my family to yours!
God worked in the heart of Joseph,
Mary’s fiancé, and he also embraced
the call to be the earthly father of Jesus.
The day came for Mary and Joseph
to travel to Bethlehem in order to be
Andrea Lennon: An “on the go” kind of girl who loves Jesus, Andrea’s life
calling is to teach women to know the truth, live the truth, and share the
truth. Her passion is honest conversation about the topics that drive our
lives and how we can weather the storms through the love and power of
our Lord and His Word. Connect with Andrea at AndreaLennonMinistry.org.
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