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   Financial guru and popular radio talk show host Dave Ramsey says that   
   Christians are closer to the nature of God when they give. "God so loved   
   the world that he gave," and we show our love for one another when we give.   
   Our motivation comes from the Gospel, which is the story of God's giving   
   his Son. "We love because he first loved us" (1 John 4:19).   
   Loving and giving are bound together like two peas in a pod.   
      
   When we give, we often ask how much we should give. This is where Lewis helps   
   us, saying bluntly that giving is essential Christian morality. While he   
   admits that he can't specify how much we ought to give, he suggests that   
   comfortable giving is not the rule. Uncom­fortable giving is. That is, we   
   should give more than we can spare. Then it is a sacrifice to give,   
   and that's how God gave. Sacrificially.   
      
   Give me a heart, Lord, that gives as you gave. Amen.   
      
   For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,   
   that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.   
      
   John 3:16   
      
   From Follow the Story by Marva J. Dawn   
      
   CHRISTMAS EVE   
      
   Stratchy Straw   
      
   And she gave birth to her firstborn Son,   
   and wrapped Him in strips of cloth, and laid Him in a manger,   
   because there was no room for them in the inn.   
      
   -Luke 2:7   
      
   My favorite portrayal of Christ's birth took place in a congregation's   
   dramatisation of the event. A mentally­ handicapped child had been given   
   the part of the innkeeper because all he had to say was "No room!"   
   On Christmas Eve, he repeatedly shouted "No room!" as he had been   
   instructed, but when the couple turned away-she obviously expecting   
   soon-a tear splashed on the child's face, and abruptly he blurted,   
   "Wait! Come back! I'll find you a place."   
      
   We all want things to have been less complicated for Mary and her child.   
   Giving birth in a stable, with perhaps some strange attendants   
   (like an ox or a donkey, as some paintings of the Nativity depict),   
   couldn't have been easy, but perhaps this, too, should be understood   
   as part of the sufferings of Christ. A manger with abrasive hay must   
   not have been exceedingly comfortable. Chiefly, Christ gave up his home   
   with the Father to humble himself in becoming flesh.   
   As one pastor said in a sermon forty years ago,   
   "Imagine if the shoemaker would become a shoe!"   
      
   prayer   
      
   Jesus, we glorify your breathtaking condescension! Amen.   
      
   Read Luke 2:1-14.   
      
   Luke 2   
      
   The Birth of Jesus   
      
   Mt 1:18-25   
      
   1 (Lk 3:1; Mt 24:14) In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus   
   that the entire inhabited earth should be taxed.   
   2 (Lk 3:1) This taxation was first made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.   
   3 And everyone went to his own city to be taxed.   
   4 (Jn 7:42; 1Sa 16:1) So Joseph also departed from the city of Nazareth   
   in Galilee to the City of David which is called Bethlehem, in Judea,   
   because he was of the house and lineage of David,   
   5 to be taxed with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.   
   6 So while they were there, the day came for her to give birth.   
   7 (Mt 1:25; Lk 2:11-12) And she gave birth to her firstborn Son,   
   and wrapped Him in strips of cloth, and laid Him in a manger,   
   because there was no room for them in the inn.   
      
   The Shepherds and the Angels   
      
   8 And in the same area there were shepherds living in the fields,   
   keeping watch over their flock by night.   
   9 (2Co 3:18) And then an angel of the Lord appeared to them,   
   and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were very afraid.   
   10 (Ge 12:3; Isa 40:9) But the angel said to them, "Listen! Do not fear.   
   For I bring you good news of great joy, which will be to all people.   
   11 (Mt 1:21; Lk 1:43; Mt 16:16) For unto you is born this day   
   in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.   
   12 (1Sa 2:34; 2Ki 19:29) And this will be a sign to you:   
   You will find the Baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a manger."   
   13 (Ge 28:12; 32:1-2) Suddenly there was with the angel a company   
   of the heavenly host praising God and saying,   
   14 (Lk 1:79; 19:38) "Glory to God in the highest,   
   and on earth peace, and good will toward men."   
      
   From The AH-Has of Advent by Rich Bimler   
      
   FOURTH FRIDAY   
   AH-HA! Ambassadors of Health, Hope and ANGELS!   
      
   The angel said to them, "But the angel said to them, "Listen! Do not fear.   
   For I bring you good news of great joy, which will be to all people." LUKE 2:10   
      
   The AH-HAs of angels are all around us--not just at Christmas, but always   
   Who has been an angel to you lately? Who has brought you the good   
   news of Jesus' love through winsome words. assuring smiles. holy hugs?   
      
   And who have you been an angel to lately? With whom have you shared   
   the "Don't be afraid!" messaged Remember hearing from your mom or   
   dad the comforting words of "Don't be afraid"? They were not words of   
   judgment or despair but rather words of comfort and hope. And that's   
   what angels do, whether they have wings or not.   
      
   A little girl was so proud to be picked to be the Christmas angelic the   
   Christmas pageant. She repeated today's lesson from Luke 2 over and   
   over and over. But during the worship service, as she proudly started to   
   wiggle her wings above the holy cardboard box (aka. manger), she saw   
   her family and friends watching her and sine suddenly forgot the lines.   
   Yet. even though she couldn't recall the words. she did remember   
   the message. As she boldly kept fluttering about, she shouted out.   
   "Wow. do I have good news for you!"   
   That's what angels do. They did it in the shepherds' field of Bethlehem.   
   and they continue to share the good news of Christ's love and forgiveness   
   in Boston, Bloomingdale and Birmingham. Angels cannot undo the UH-OHs   
   of our lives, but they can point us to the One who brings us to his   
   embrace of grace.   
   "Don't be afraid," we say to each other: the AH-HA of Christmas has arrived!   
      
   Lord. Keep showing us how to be angels so that we can love and serve   
   you, on a "wing and a prayer" In Jesus' name. Amen ... and AH-HA!   
      
   Read Luke 2:8-14   
      
   8 And in the same area there were shepherds living in the fields,   
   keeping watch over their flock by night.   
   9 (2Co 3:18) And then an angel of the Lord appeared to them,   
   and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were very afraid.   
   10 (Ge 12:3; Isa 40:9) But the angel said to them, "Listen! Do not fear.   
   For I bring you good news of great joy, which will be to all people.   
   11 (Mt 1:21; Lk 1:43; Mt 16:16) For unto you is born this day   
   in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.   
   12 (1Sa 2:34; 2Ki 19:29) And this will be a sign to you:   
   You will find the Baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a manger."   
   13 (Ge 28:12; 32:1-2) Suddenly there was with the angel a company   
   of the heavenly host praising God and saying,   
   14 (Lk 1:79; 19:38) "Glory to God in the highest,   
   and on earth peace, and good will toward men."   
      
   From  On Eagle's Wings   
   Christmas Eve, December 24   
      
   He Pitched His Tent Among Us   
      
   Creator’s Word became a flesh-and-blood human being and pitched his   
   sacred tent among us, living as one of us.” John 1:14a (FNV)   
      
   14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory,   
   the glory as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.   
      
   [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.   
      
   It was early January in a small Arctic community. A group of adults   
   shuffled outside in the darkness, making their way through the snow and   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)