RCF 25th December - Christmas Day - Yasmin Chaffer - Christmas encouragement

Good morning and Happy Christmas. I hope that you're enjoying celebrating Jesus wherever you

are and whatever you're doing. Christmas is not just for children, and it's

not just for adults either. It's for everyone. So I thought I'd start

by reading a lovely children's book that tells the whole story, the true story

of why Jesus came. Whilst it's simple enough for young children to understand,

I always think that the Lord can speak to adults through simple truths too.

It's called Love came down. There you go. So God made the world.

God loved the world all that you can see, from mountains high to

oceans deep and rivers running free. He made the plants of all designs,

from flowers to mighty trees, bearing fruit or nuts or seeds and nectar for

the beads, animals of every kind, fish and birds and mammals, frogs

and lizards, slugs and bugs, crocodiles and camels. God made people,

last of all, to be his special friends. He loved them, saying

very good, but that was not the end. The people did not listen

to the things that God had said, ignoring him and doing things that made

him sad. Instead. These bad things we call them sin were getting in

the way, but people couldn't fix them, and there was a price to

pay. So God sent his only son to earth, a special baby boy,

Jesus born in Bethlehem, to bring the world true joy. Angels told

about his birth to shepherds on a hill. Go find him in a manger

bed, the shepherd said, we will. The wise men traveled from the

east, really really far, bringing gifts to worship him and following a star.

God sent Jesus just for us. He had a special plan to make

our friendship right again. Like when the world began, the story didn't just

then there. Jesus grew up too. He didn't stay a little boy.

He had a job to do, healing people where he went, the blind,

the lame, the sick. His power amazed all those he met.

It wasn't just a trick. Jesus lived a perfect life like no one had

before. He loved and cared for people who others would ignore. Jesus died

for everyone at Easter long ago. He paid for all the wrong we've done.

God's perfect love to show. Do you believe in Jesus that he really

lived and died, then came to life and went to heaven to sit at

God's right side. If we trust that He has paid for all the wrong

we've done, he will forgive all those bad things each and everyone. We

can ask him to forgive us and live for him. Each day. His

spirit helps us follow him in every single way. Did you guess that's not

the end. Jesus lives forever. His friends will go to heaven one day

and worship him together. God loved the world so much that he gave his

one and only son, so that whoever believes in him may not be lost

but have eternal life. And that's the truth. In John three sixteen.

God gave his one and only son. And that's why we give gifts at

Christmas as a token to remember that God gave first to us. That's why

we give to each other. We celebrate the amazing, perfect gift of Jesus

as we celebrate God giving his best to us. Let's think about what's the

best gift that we can give to God. The best gift that we can

give is ourselves. If you haven't already given your heart to Jesus, it's

not too late. You can ask him now as the book said, we

can ask him to forgive us and live for him. Each day. His

spirit helps us follow him in every single way. If you've already given your

heart to Jesus, what other gift can you give him? I always think

that the most precious gift that one person can give to another is trust.

Maybe you're already trusting God with certain areas of your life, but you're struggling

with trusting Him with others. Maybe there are things that look impossible to you.

Remember that with God, nothing is impossible, like the Angel said to

Mary in Luke one thirty seven after announcing that she, as a virgin,

would give birth to God's son. So let me encourage you to remember that

as you entrust the Lord with the most precious gift called trust. Trust him

with something that you've been worrying about, or maybe are concerned about or uncertain,

and choose not to worry about it anymore, but declare to the situation

by faith in Jesus' name. With God, nothing is impossible because he said

so, And thank and praise Him by faith. Happy Christmas.