Special Christmas message | Elder Terrence

You're listening to a message to go from at church.

We hope this message will light up your tea.

You know, I want to tell you a story, and

this is how it began. And he starts off with

He starts off with Zacharias, all right, and the Angel

appearing to Zachariast, the Angel announcing the what's going to come,

that John was going to be born, and what was

John's purpose? Preparation? So you see, when when Jesus came,

God had already prepared the world to receive him. You see,

when God does things, he doesn't do things flippantly. He

prepares way in advance. He in fact, the pre preparation

for Jesus coming was not when the Angel appeared to Zacharias.

In fact, the preparation for Jesus coming was announced in

Genesis chapter two. I believe, is that right? I will

put enmity between you between your seed and he. Let

me just turn to that. Let me get the correct verse. Yes,

it's chapter three, verse fifteen, and says I will put

enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and

her seed, the seed her seed. The word is in

the capital letters because it is referring to Jesus. So

God began by preparing the world to receive his gift

almost immediately when we needed it. God doesn't wait. Now

you may think God waits because it took like about

what four thousand and five thousand and six thousand years

before Jesus was born after that incident. But you've got

to understand one thing. As far as God was concerned,

it was only a week. The Bible says that with God,

one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand

years as one day. So you know, imagine that that

God actually acted quite fast. Unfortunately for us, we don't

have the length of years like God, not yet any way.

So I want to tell you something about preparation with

with the testimony. God is interested in your life and

my life, and the lives or the lives of our

our loved ones, and sometimes he prepares us for pretty

tough stuff. I'm going to share you a testimony about

my daughter, My daughter Ashley, she is a teacher in

an international school in Kazakhstan, and over there she she

was having a medical issue, and the medical issue was goiter.

Goiter is the tyroid gland becoming larger, and so she

went for checkups. And when she told me, when she

told us, actually because she communicates bya she talks and

she writes, and you know, praise God for technology, right,

we get we get the information. So she wrote and

she says, I, I'm going to go for this biopsy

and this test. At the moment she said those words,

God spoke to both Elder Mabel and myself. He spoke

one thing to Elder Mabel. He spoke one thing to me.

To El Mabel, he told her Operation. Now that actually

didn't know all this. Okay, God had already spoken to

my wife Operation, and then he spoke to me and

he said cancer. So we did not share this with

each other because you know, sometimes when God reveals things,

it's not for us to, you know, go and talk

about it, for us to pray about it, for us

to believe him for something. So now the fact that

God said this man that it was going to happen.

Look what would you do when you hear bad news?

Well you have to start confessing the things that God

tells you to confess. So anyway, she went for this

test and all that, and I was in my room

at work when she gave a call and the strange

part about it is when she called to talk to me,

she talked to me first and not to Elde Mabel,

because of course I'm the one who can encourage her,

and of course eld Mabel does encourage her. But you know,

the bad news will come to me first, all right.

So she calls me and at the time she called me,

Pastor passed in front of my door. He never passes

my door ever. And you know, if he passes the door, okay,

he'll pass and he'll walk off you because he passes

very busier past the kennet. He's very busy. He's got

a lot of you know, time is very precious. And

what's amazing is all through this phone call that I

was talking with my daughter, he stayed there in front.

And then she told me that they said there's a

matter of concern and I had been advised to have

the tyroid removed completely, both left and right. And she

says that it is a really concerned situation and it's

been sent to the US for a second opinion, and

the top doctor endochronologists confirmed that it was concerning and

it had to be removed. And in the words in

the report, immediately do not wait the moment you put

down a call Pastor, it's amazing. Here can I talk

to you? So I talked to him and I shared

with him. He said the past I said, don't worry.

We'll pray about it. You know what's the first thing

that came to mind. Don't worry about it. It's not

only just what Pastor said, but that was what is

in my heart and what was it on the Mable's heart.

If you remember a couple of weeks ago, or maybe

a couple of months ago, what does the message I

shared with you. It's going to be okay. It's going

to be okay. And the scripture was that with prayer

and supplication, make known your prayers, your petitions before the Lord,

and the peace of God, which passes all understanding. Will

God your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus peace. Word

peace means much more than quiet, okay. It means healing,

It means prosperity. It means a freedom from chaos, freedom

from a distraught mind. This word piece is loaded. So

this word remained in my heart. And you know, Elder Mable,

in myself were nothing but encouragement to a daughter. And

our words to her was don't worry. It's gonna be okay,

don't worry, it's all taken care of. You believe in Jesus,

it's gonna be It's gonna happen. It's gonna be fine.

This was our encouragement to her. So that was step

number one. Step number two was the insurers in Kazakhstan said,

you know what this operation, you better go back and

do it. So you got people around you to support you.

So that means it had to be done here right,

finding the surgeon who knows how to do this operation.

So I prayed and I say, God, lead me to

the right person. In case you don't know, it's not

just a simple case of removing removing the tyroid, because

when you remove the thyroid, if one wrong slip, you

can't a nerve, the person will not be able to talk,

or if the person talks, they will talk like a frog.

All right, So it's a very delicate operation. A lot

of sensitive stuff going on there. The Lord led me

to a surgeon and I called him, and guess what,

I could not get him. I could not get him

because somehow the hospital was a nightmare to work with.

So you know what I did, I said, I'm not

going to wait for you guys. As far as I know,

this is what the Lord has led me to. I'm going.

I went to the hospital. I sat in front of

the doctor's door, and I said, I'm not moving till

the doctor sees me. So I saw the doctor. He

was so nice. Everything all arranged. My daughter came down,

she did the operation, and all the time while this

was going on, we were telling her it's going to

be okay because God had prepared us. You see, why

couldn't I confess, you'll be healed. Oh, you don't need

the operation, it's it's gone the goiters. Why didn't I

confess that? Well, simply because that's not what God told

me to do. Now, if I had confessed that and

said that and told her no need to go for operation,

what a disaster it would have been. I don't know.

Maybe some people, or some preachers or some men of

God will be able to tell that. But that's not

what God told me. God told my wife operation. He

told me cancer. So what did we pray? Of course,

we prayed for healing, But how does healing come? Well,

the operation took place. My daughter has a cut on

her neck, from this side to decide at least six

inches you can see. And it's very cute because the

teachers have got to beat here and beat here, so

it looks like jewelry, you know. So the thing is

they removed the tyroid. They did the test on it,

and there was a Peppillori carcinoma. There was cancer, and

Praise the Lord, the doctor said, completely removed blood tests.

She's completely okay, she's absolutely fine. I want you to

know that sometimes some stuff happens and we don't realize.

She would never have realized what the real problem was

if she didn't have a goiter. Goiter is the allarging

of the thyroid, which is words unrelated to the tumor

that was found. But you see, the tumor would not

have been found if she did not go and check

up for the goiter. So God in his mercy helped

her and helped us the right confession preparation. So God

was preparing for the birth of Jesus. Okay, all that

from you know, So there you go. Okay, now let's

get back to Luke. Okay. So in in Luke we

find that he that God ministered through the Angel to Zacharias,

and you know that. Of course John was born right,

John was the one who was to make the way

for Jesus, is gonna announce who Jesus was. And of

course John didn't believe. And you know the story. The

angel said, how dare you not believe? Do you know

who I am? When he said I am Gabriel? You

gotta traumatize it. You gotta understand exactly how it was.

You know, the angel was quite do you know who

I am? How dare you disbelieve me? I am Gabriel?

And because you don't believe me, you don't speak? No,

why you don't speak? You don't spread your disbelief. Man,

if you're not gonna say anything, good, don't say anything

at all. You know the song you say it best

when you say nothing at all. I always think that

tell me. But she says, you are you know? So anyway, Yeah,

there you go. So now Gabriel was quite a busy angel,

all right. God had prepared a lot of things for

him to do to prepare his people for the coming

of Jesus. So the next thing he does is he

appears to Mary. And let's see where that is. Yeah,

that is in Chapter one, Chapter one, verse twenty six.

He says, now in the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel

was sent by God to a certain to a city

of Galilee name Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a

man whose name was Joseph of the house of David.

The virgin's name was Mary, And having come in, the

Angel said to her, rejoice, highly favored one. The Lord

is with you. Blessed are you among women. When she

saw him, she was troubled at his saying and considered

what manner of greeting this was. Then the Angel said

to her, do not be afraid, Mary, for you have

found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in

your womb and bring forth a son, and shall call

his name Jesus. And he will be great, and he

will be called a son of the Highest. The Lord

God will give him the throne of his father David,

and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever,

and of his kingdom there will be no end. And

then Mary said, but how can this be? I have

not known a man, I'm a virgin. I haven't slept

with any man. How can this take place? I am

glad there are no young ones, so you understand exactly

what I mean. Then the Angel said, the Holy Spirit

come upon you in the power of the highest will

overshadow you. And therefore also the Holy One who's to

be born will be called the Son of God. Then,

of course, in verse thirty eight, Mary said, behold the

maid servant the Lord. Let it be to me according

to your word. And the Angel departed from her. Now

do you know a that Mary was betrothed to a

man named Joseph. Now when Joseph, Joseph was a just man,

he was a good man. And I want to tell

you something about Mary. Do you realize why it took

so long between I will put an enmity between you

and her seat six thousand years. See, God believes in

getting the situation right, getting everything ready. When you receive

a gift, if somebody gives it to you wrapped in

a newspaper, you like her, what kind of concern do

you think the person gave your gift give you in

wrapping a newspaper. Now, I know guys do not know

how to remove wrapping paper. If you ask me to

remove wrapping paper, it is off the package in two seconds. Wait,

I become the hawk. But if you give a gift

to a lady, you kind of get irritated. I can

go and have a make a cup of coffee. Come

back to wrapping, underpping the paper. No, that's just how

we are. Right. If you're a guy and that's how

you remove wrapping paper, have a talk with me later on. Okay,

because guys don't do that. They rip it off, all right,

But a lady takes time. So the thing is this,

God took time with the wrapping. You know who was

the rapping. You know who wrapped that gift? You know

what was the rapping that gift was in? What was

the gift box? It was Mary. It took God a

few thousand years to find the right candidate. So those

of you that think the rapping is unimportant, God did

not believe. So God believed that the rapping was also

important because he was giving you a precious gift. I mean,

how terrible if Jesus is born through a donkey. You're

not right. The rapping has got to be perfect. And

who did God choose? The Bible says someone who was

highly favored of the Lord. What do you think brings

favor of the Lord? Hey, guys, do you worship the

Lord every day? Worship is the one thing that can

help you solve a lot of issues in your life.

You just have to get down and worship. And you

know what, in the presence of the Lord, what problem

can stay? What problem can remain unresolved if you are

worshiping the Lord every day to preach to give you

this message, I walk for three hours. I walk for

two hours in the morning. You know why, because I

got to get the preparation right. I got to bring

down the presence of the Lord. So it is God

that's speaking and not me. Because if I am the

one speaking, I'm wasting your time. But if you're getting

something that you can use, God is speaking to you,

and it is through the worship. The Lord tells me

what to say. That testimony I gave you just now,

the Lord said to give it to you this morning.

That's why I shed, although I was preparing for a

different message, But that was a testimony that God said

you go share, you know why. So you know that

when tough situations come in your life, firstly, don't panic. Secondly,

realize it's going to be okay. Thirdly, realize that when

you worship the Lord. When you trust God, when you pray,

when you confess the right things, when you realize what

scripture says about the situation, you'll realize it's going to

be okay. So now God send this gift through his

very special rapping called Mary. Now, Mary was betrothed to

a guy by the name of Joseph. Joseph was a

good man. You know. One of the songs that I wrote,

which completed, I let some friends listen to it. They

like it, but you know, it's a love song from

Joseph to Mary? Is it? Because the Lord spoke to me?

The Lord, you know, when how he ministers to me.

I appreciate. I appreciate that Joseph loved Mary. And imagine

what a horrible thing it must have been to realize

that she was expecting. Until that time, no one had

heard of a virgin birth. So if he realized that

Mary was expecting, it was only right for him to

believe that she was fooling around. Mary, where's this child

in you? From both of us? We did nothing wrong,

and that's the worse from the song, you know, and

it troubled him. So you see, there were many aspects

to Jesus coming. So God took care of Mary. Now

he takes chareof Joseph. Joseph was troubled. Did God want

Joseph trouble or one one? Did God want Joseph troubled?

Or did God want Joseph happy and blessed, Happy and blessed.

So he appears to Joseph in a dream and say,

don't worry Joseph. You know Mary of the crop, she's

the cream. That's another verse from the song. All right,

so she was something special. So God told him it's okay,

she's going to bear someone special, and that somebody special

was going to be someone who was going to bear

the countenance of God all the time in his face

and through what he was going to do. He was

going to save the world. So Joseph said, fine, let's

do this. Let's do this, and he took maryes his wife.

The scripture says, did not know her. You gotta understand

what this word means. No, did not know her until

Jesus was born. So now God takes care of Joseph.

Do you realize that God is in the business of

setting things right, and it takes care of every single

issue If you allow him to. Can you imagine if

Joseph said, ah, this is a nightmare instead of a

dream and say no, I will not. Do you think

Jesus would have still been born? Yes, would Joseph. Would

Joseph have been involved? Know who would have missed out

of a blessing? Would have been Joseph. Guys, you and

I got to realize that Jesus coming is really really special.

There's going to be something for everybody. There's going to

be a change for everyone. He's coming impacted people from

the start, even before he made an appearance on earth,

and it continued to make an impact after. So they

had to he married. He married Mary. So as the

story goes on, miss Sea, where was the census? Now

Mary rose in to day city, so magnifies the name

of the lord. So it was in the Eight Day

Child they came. Okay, chapter two, it's going to chapter two.

It came to pass some days of Caesar. Caesar Augustus

called out a census. What's a census counting off the people?

How happy are we nowadays when they come and do

a census? They come to our house. Can you imagine

if you were born somewhere else and they say, oh,

we have to go for a census. You have to

go back to where you were born. It's gonna be tough, man.

Can you imagine the whole country will be crisscrossing everybody

leftic gym. I cannot imagine. All those donkeys must have

been really you know, and then you think what the

road was cleaner? Can you imagine how many hundreds of

donkeys because it would have been really booby trapped, right yeah,

and then the smell would have been terrible. But anyway,

a census was called and Mary and Joseph had to

go back to Bethlehem. And how do you know what?

I was saying that there was a lot of stuff

going on because Hilton and shangri La were full. The

Bible says that every inn was full. Jesus was born

in a parking lot. That's another song. Okay, it's true.

Jesus is born in a parking lot in the stable

was what a parking lot? Pucking lot for donkeys, parking

lot for horses. That's where Jesus was born. It wasn't

the money, not the costs. They couldn't find a decent

place to stay among horses and the cows. Smell of

pooh and not perfume. Jesus was born in a parking lot.

It's a country in Western song. So the thing is this,

you know, the savior of the universe, the sorry, the

savior of mankind, the maker of the universe, the one

who created the universe, humbled himself to be born in

a lowly manger. And you and I we find it

beneath ourselves to go to a church that doesn't have

all the splashy screens, fantastic music and drum sets and

lights flashing everywhere, and we say, oh, if this church

is just one cahna, I don't want to come. But

you see, look at Jesus. Did Jesus despise where he

was born? And you know the ending of that song is,

if you're a child of destiny, it doesn't matter where

you'll be, if your life gets in a twist, just

join everyone who's got a list. It's not the end,

it's just the beginning of the plot. Okay, I'm not

that's not scripture, Okay, But what I'm saying is I'm

saying that it really doesn't matter if you've got a destiny.

This is what Jesus telling us even from his birth.

If you have a destiny, these things don't matter. It

doesn't matter whether you're born in a stable, because I'm

still gonna save this world, whether I'm born in a

stable or born in the hotel. If you've gotta be fussy,

be fussy about the right things, don't be fussy about

the wrong things. What are the fussy about? The right things?

Put God first. You're gonna be fussy, be fussy about

I have to honor the Lord. If you're gonna be fussy,

be fussy about I cannot be late. See. If you're

gonna be fussy, be fussy about the right things, don't

be fussy about the things that don't matter. Whether you've

got a drum set or you got a box, whether

you've got an electric guitar acoustic guitar, whether you got

uh P A or no. Pat all I trust, I'm

telling you the p doesn't work. I'll be talking yes.

So what is it about? What do we have to

be worried about? Nothing? You just trust God, and wherever

your eye it's gonna be okay. Jesus showed us that

did Jesus suffer because he was born among horses and

cows and in the manger did he suffer? No. Mary

and Joseph are quite okay, you know how you know

kind okay because the Bible says the next thing, What

does the Bible say? The Bible says that angels appeared

in the heavens, singing, what glory to God in the

highest and peace to his people. Who did he tell?

Who did they appear to? They appeared to the shepherds.

You know why they didn't appear to the rich men

because the problem with rich men is they tried to

take over. I can't imagine they would have taken over

the sea. They would have charged people for entrance fee

to see the glory that was going on in the sky.

They would have found a way to make money, found

a way to take control. You laugh, but it's true.

How many rich people You don't go to a church

and expect to sweep the floor the moment they go

into church, they expect to be given positions of leadership.

I am now forty seven years as a believer, Yes,

forty seven years. In my forty seven years, I've seen

rotten men try to be leaders in church when they

have not earned that position through service for the Lord

because they want the accolades. But I have also seen

rich men who come and sweep the church themselves. Do

you know that's the way you and I should be.

Have you heard this singer, mylon Lea Fev? I'm sure

you haven't, because he was my time, all right. Mylon

le Fever is a guy who wrote a great Christian song.

Without him, I can't do nothing without him. I surely

fail without him. I'd sure be drifting like a ship

without a sail. Jesus, So Jesus, it's a song that

Elvis sang. Please tell me you know who Elvis is? Now?

This guy he had hair up to hear. Serious, he

had hair up to hear, and he was a drug addict,

but he had a heart that he wrote songs about

Jesus until his wife prayed for him and prayed for him,

and he gave his life over to the Lord. He

gave his life to the Lord. He confessed Jesus Christ,

and after that he changed. This guy was a very

very rich man. In his pocket he takes out bundles

of money. Okay, you know what he did after he

got saved. I am not worth to share the stage

and the mic. I will sweep the church. He became

the church janitor, the richest church janitor you can ever see.

Because hundreds of singers recorded that song. He was making millions.

This was in the seventies the eighties. He was so

in his pocket bundles of money. But he was a

janitor in the church. That is how you know the

heart has changed. I got nothing against rich people, because

you know that there are poor people who also got

a chip on their shoulder. They are poor people who

are also very, very proud, and they use that as

a strength and a crutch with God. No crutches, Okay,

don't stand on ceremony with him except to love him

and worship him. So the angels appeared in the heavens

and in the sky and shine and give glory all,

give God all kinds of glory. I want you to

know that God was excited about the birth of Jesus Christ.

Are you and I excited about the birth of Jesus Christ.

Do you have any idea why we decorate the house.

Do you have any idea why we put lights here

and lights there? Do you understand it is a celebration

that the world knows is the birth of Jesus Christ. Hey,

it's not the real day was born. Okay, it's the

commemorative birth day of Jesus Christ. It's okay because as

far as the whole world is concerned, that's the day

that honors the birth of Jesus. So you and I,

he said, ah, it's not the birthday of Jesus Christ.

So I don't want to decorate. I don't do it

any And you know who is happy that you don't decorate?

You know, I'm not telling you must decorate, okay, but

what I'm saying the attitude. You know who's happy. Guys,

you got children, understand this. I speak this with conviction.

If you decide that you don't want to do anything,

you know who's going to suffer. It's your kids. Do

you know what just happened in Malecca? Have you been reading?

Cannot decorate? Don't decorate. All those with a certain kind

of sign cannot decorate. And then they had to come

on and when they were called out on it, when

the when the government was called out of what did

they say? Oh, no, no, no, no, only the food preparation places.

Who in their right mind decorates the place where you

make food do you think the dummies or what don't

understand you gonna put Christmas tree where oil and all

that going to be come on the reason they were

called out, they had to backtrack. Save face. You and I.

When we don't decorate, when we don't make a big

deal about Christmas, one day somebody will say you cannot

celebrate anymore behind closed doors. Be like BRUNEI are you

and I prepared for that? We are? Okay? You and

I will go. Who do we live that with? We

live there with our kids. We live there with our kids.

My house, we have two trees this year, one inside

one a little bit no the mystery, the mystery I got.

I go one hall there's one tree, and then the

main hall there's another tree. And outside there's a tree

which I made out of pipes and lights and a star.

This tone down, okay, because now I cannot climb so much,

can not so physically active, because those days I put

laser lights and shine on the hill. You know what

I call it? Making a noise? Making a noise. I

want that because my whole row are all cousins, so

I want them to know who I am and what

I do. I make a noise. Now I'm too old

to climb up and put this leg, so I don't

put the laser. But still we decorate. You know what happened?

All the Christians in the neighborhood started to decorate in

a wild way. Guys, it's important. If you think it's

not important, why did God go through all the trouble

of putting out lights in the sky with his angels

singing praises to God. You want to know something. God

made a big deal about Christmas. Do you know that

there were so many things happening during Christmas? So many

things happening about Christmas? Wow, sending angels to tell shepherds,

go and see this great thing, and making a big

deal in the sky when Easter took place, when Jesus

resurrected from the dead, was there this kind of fanfare?

I ask you, was there a fanfare of fantastic things

happening in the sky. One thing is different Christmas. The

birth of Jesus was God's gift to all of mankind.

For God so loved the world that whosoever believes in

him should not perish but have everlasting life. It's the gift.

But Easter, the resurrection is something that you and I

can only experience on a personal basis. It is personally appropriated.

And Jesus was such a great gift that when he

was given, God could not contain his joy. And you

and I we argue over the word Mary. So hard

for us to say Mary Christmas. Look, I'm not I'm

not trying to put I just want us to put

things in proper context and perspective. Don't get caught up

over all these kind of insignificant issues. If you want

to talk about the word Mary, I can tell you

what scripture says about Mary. Mary is an emmy rry.

In Proverbs seventeen twenty two, it says a merry heart

doeth good like a medicine, not a blessed heart. So

those who say blessed Christmas, it's okay, it's fine, you're

wishing a blessing upon somebody. But let me tell you.

The scripture did not say a blessed a blessed heart

doeth good like a medicine. What does it say a

merry heart? You want to you want to have a

medicine from God? Be happy, be joy? Why fool? That's

what scripture says. But a broken spirit. What does it do?

It dries your bones for those of us who grow older,

you know what I mean, as the bones become drier,

becomes harder to move. I mean the time my shoelace

I have to get down my knee and I cannot

bring my foot up. Yeah, I mean, it just happens again.

You young guys are now you know why we wear

those kinds of shoes. This kind of shoeser troublesome. This

is the last time I'm going to buy a pair

of shoes with laces. But anyway, you get what I'm saying. Then,

Remember I said that the world knows what December twenty

fifth is. Do you know that the world is aware,

so the world tries to shut it down. We know

that in certain more in slang or there isn't even

a tree, they're not allowed to do it. You know

what happens to places like this when when when they

do this, you know what, because they feel that they

are doing something against Jesus. You know, you and I

don't understand it. The non Christian understands it that when

they hit out against against Christmas, they're not hitting out

against Santa Claus or Rudolph the red nose Reindia. When

they hit out, who are they hitting out against? You?

Guys gotta know, we gotta know, we gotta be We

are looking after this for our kids, our children, because

they know whom we are celebrating. Me the moment I

know that, I don't go to the malls, those malls

that have a thing against Christmas. I don't go. Why

should I? Do you realize that God is really wise

in what he does? Don't knock the economy of Christmas?

Do you realize that during Christmas season people are blessed

financially because that is the one time in a year

that all over the world economy is bustling. Do you

know that because people are busy buying gifts one So

what if they're buying gifts for one another? Isn't it

good to give a gift to somebody? Yes, you could

say you can give a gift every day, but we're

not like that, isn't it We need a reason? So

what do we do? Christmas is the one time that

people will give gifts to one another. It's okay, let's

not get caught up on the wrong things. So what

if it's helping the economy? Praise the Lord. We all

thank you. We all get blessed. Don't we get blessed

when the economy is blessed? We do. Do you think

any other time of year gets this kind of economic push.

I can tell you it does not. So I I'm

just giving you a different perspectives, Okay, different perspectives. So,

and of course Jesus was born, and I cannot end

without this. You see, the spreading of the knowledge of

Jesus coming was not only centered around Battlehem, all right.

It was also broadcast in the east with a star.

We're off to see the baby in the sky. We

saw the star, quickly jumped on camels because we had

no car. Okay, that's another song I wrote, all right,

because it's Christmas. I've actually did the whole story written

in song, and all this week. I wrote the whole

thing this week. That's how I said. I've actually been

preparing for this message. I did not know bagone you,

because every morning I'd wake up and the song is

in my head. So I go to my computer and

write the song down. All right, Oh way, hurry up,

hurry up, oh way, hurry up, hurry up, oh way,

hurry up, oh way. Oh we off to see the Okay,

So anyway, so the thing is this, all right? The

fact of the matter was that these wise men saw star,

and what did they do. They decided to go and

see him, and they brought gifts gold Frankinson's and muh,

they brought gifts. Uh. They won three wise men. Okay,

there were three kinds of gifts, but they were three

wise men. They were much more. You checked the scripture.

Scripture never says three men, three kings of the east.

There was a whole caravan of them, so much so

that Herod was Herod was shaking. You read the scripture.

So these people came, what did they come to do

to worship? You know? What was the idea? Jesus was

as powerful and worthy of worship as a child as

he is today. That's the that's the message we take

away because people say, oh, Jesus no longer baby. Have

you heard that one before? Why make so much of

us about the songs that sing about when Jesus Mary's boy,

jour Jesus Christ. Why The fact that the matter was

that he was worshiped as a baby, as a child,

even as his worshiped when he grew up. That's the

message we take, and we take that people from so

far away can travel lands to come in worship Jesus,

and we find it so hard to get up out

of bed to come to church on a Sunday morning. Guys,

I'm not here to tell you this is not a

fairy tale. Okay, these are real life lessons from the

Christmas story. Jesus came to show us a new way,

and not only with the things he said, but everything

around him spoke of the kind of attitude and behavior

we are to have towards him. They brought him treasures

of gold, frankincense, and mine. Do you think Jesus was

poor Jesus, don't mistake the fact that Jesus was born

in a manger and that Jesus was poor. Jesus was

not poor, and Joseph was not a beggar. Joseph was

a man of means. He had a successful business. Jesus

had enough of finance put into his hands to take

him through. Guys, what do we learn from that? You

and I we're so concerned about how are we going

to survive, whether we're going to live, whether we're going

to make it. Look at us, take a good look

at us. Are any one of us skinny or not?

Is there anyone who's skinny? Put up her hands. I'm

looking all right, No one, you're skinnier. Okay, we've gotta

work on you. The rest of us are not skinny.

You know why, because God provides you're not skinny. I'll

show you a picture of skinny people. God has been

providing for us the same way he provided for Jesus

when Jesus came. And the Bible says God loves us,

will he not provide a different Christmas story, a different

Christmas message, one that I hope speaks to our hearts.

God doesn't leave us. He provides. He has from the

moment he said, between he said and the woman said,

and in those few godly days he got his plan done. Prepared.

Took a few thousand years for us, but in God's

godly days he was quick. And so when we think

about Christmas, maybe look at all those decorations, the places,

and everything that people do, even in the shopping complexes

or in the hotels. You know what comes to mind,

what should come to our mind? Just how much God

was excited to give this gift. The message to us

is get excited. More people come to the Lord during

Christmas than any other time in the year. You know why,

because Christmas is the time the explosion of God's love. Guys,

there's any one of you here who doesn't know Jesus

Christ as Lord and Savior. Can I speak to you?

Can I tell you that Jesus loves you? And afterwards

I'm gonna ask if you want to receive him. God

had you in mind, He had me in mine when

Jesus gave we hope.

You've been blessed by this message. For more information on

our church, please visit Exchurch do O r G. We

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this week is going to be a good week, a

hit for you. God bless