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When we think of the birth of Christ we think of the account told in the second chapter of Luke, but some of the story is found in the book of Matthew. In the second chapter of Matthew we find the account of the wise men seeking the location of Christ. These men have been studying the Old Testament prophets and when the Star of Bethlehem appeared, they set out to find this new king of the Jews. These men were obviously of some importance because they were granted an audience with King Herod. When these travelers inquired about the birth of this new king of the Jews Herod became very concerned. He summoned all of the wise men in the kingdom and asked where this new king was located. The Jewish scholars told Herod that the Messiah was to supposed to be born in Bethlehem. Herod made a request of the wise men that if they found this new king, please return and tell him where Christ was located. The wise men were indeed wise. God warned these men about Herod, so they never returned to the palace after they found Christ and His family.

Once the wise men found Jesus, Joseph and Mary, they worshiped the child. We don’t know the exact age or or location of Christ but Scripture referred to Him as a babe when the shepherds visited Jesus but as a child when the wise men knelt to worship the Savior. For Herod and a multitude of others they are still asking, “What Child is This.” Have a blessed day and a glorious Christmas.

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There was a time when the kitchen was filled with the smells of Christmas cookies, candies, and pastries. That was ten years ago. All of us are trying to eat a little healthier, and a lot of the product would go to waste now, so the girls generally spend a few hours baking a few dozen cookies for friends and family.

As I have mentioned earlier in this marathon, family is a most important part of our Christmas. Family is an important part of life itself. For most people family is a safe place. We get encouragement, counseling, discipline, support, and love from our family. Unfortunately, that is not true for everyone. The one place where all of these things are always available is Jesus Christ. The Gospel of John tells us that as many as receive Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God. It is a humbling thought to realize that God Almighty loved me enough to offer me the gift eternal life and live in His presence forever, but the choice is mine.

Salvation does not come through simply believing the fact that Christ is the Son of God. Christ tells us we must receive His gift. We are required to place our lives in His hands and trust Him to lead and guide our path through this world. We are never promised that the path will be smooth and without difficulty. We are promised that He will be with us every step of the way. Life has four requirements to be sustained, light, air, water, and food. Christ tells us that He is the bread of life (John 6:48), He is the Living Water (John 4:10), He is the Breath of Life (Revelation 11:11) and He is the Light of the World (John 8:12). Everything we need to live the Abundant Life is found is Jesus Christ.

This decoration sits in the office. The pieces are new this year. I just dropped a piece of black cardboard behind the scene for photography purposes. Yes, my wife is responsible for all interior Christmas decorations. I just get to enjoy them.

What has been the best and most memorable Christmas gift you have received? Was it that first bicycle, that first BB gun, a puppy or kitten? As a Christmas gift, it was probably my bicycle. It allowed me to travel further than ever before. In my childhood it was not unusual to ride anywhere within one square mile of my home, and I lived in a city (Tulsa, OK). I rode my bike almost two miles to school while in junior high and thought nothing of it. We don’t live in that world anymore.

In this world and at my age, I can truly say that the best gift is my family. They have provided me with more joy, tears, hope, happiness, and support than I could ever have imagined. But the greatest gift of all is the gift of salvation and eternal life through my faith in Christ. Jeremiah 29:11 God Himself tells me that He knows the thoughts that He thinks about me and they are thoughts of peace, not evil, to give me a future and a hope. I am not promised a life without sorrow, or difficulty. I am promised a future, a hope and a peace that surpasses the understanding of those who don’t know Him. I am promised a home in paradise that He creates just for me to spend eternity in His presence. Christ requires that I be honest enough to admit to Him that I am a sinful soul and not worthy of salvation. I am required to acknowledge that Christ alone is the Son of God and able to forgive me of my sin. I am required to place my life in His hands and follow His will for my life. He is the gift, the sweetest gift.