Introduction to the Book of Acts – A History of the Early Church

The Book of Acts

A history of the Early Church

The book of Acts also called The Acts of the Apostles was written by Luke, the same author of the gospel of Luke. Both documents were adressed to a “most excellent Theophilus” who may have been a high ranking Roman government official. The book of Acts was written sometime between 61 and 64 AD. The book ends with Paul’s house arrest in Rome in 61AD. The book makes no mention of Paul’s death or Nero’s persecution nor of the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD. This places the date of this book at least before 70 AD. Luke was a very accurate and detail oriented historian and would have included these events if they had happened at the time of writing. The book of Acts is a condesned history of the early Apostolic church, it is an eyewitnmess account of the spread fof the gospel from Jerusalem to Rome. The recurring theme in the book is the empowerment of the early believers from the Holy Spirit and it is this same Holy Spirit that empowers believers yet today. While being a historical narrative it also is theologically profound. We as believers do not have “blind” faith, but a FAITH that rests on the facts of history. The life, death and resurrection of Jesus are historical facts recorded by Luke in the gospel that bears his name. The book of Acts gives believers the reassurance that our faith in Christ is based on and rests on historical facts.

1 Corinthians 15:17

New Living Translation (NLT)

17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins.

Acts 1:1-5

New Living Translation (NLT)

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

1 In my first book[a] I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after his crucifixion, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.

4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with[b] water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Luke 24:36-53

New Living Translation (NLT)

36 And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 37 But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!

38 “Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? 39 Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” 40 As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet.

41 Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he ate it as they watched.

44 Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47 It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations,[a] beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ 48 You are witnesses of all these things.

49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

The Ascension

50 Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. 52 So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. 53 And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.

Footnotes:

1. Luke 24:47 Or all peoples.

2 Peter 1:16

New Living Translation (NLT)

16 For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes

It is in the first cahpter of this book that is recorded Jesus ascedning into Heaven, Jesus is the prominent figure of this book. The central theme of the all the sermons, defenses, and the life of the church throughout this book is that of the Resurrected Christ. It is in this book that we meet Saul of Tarsus, and learn of his dramatic conversion experince and how he becomes the Apostle Paul, and of his missionary ecxperinces and influenc over the early church.

Outline of the Book of Acts

1. The apostle’s witness in Jerusalem

2. The Early Church’s Witness to All of Judea and Samaria

3. The Witness to the End of the Earth

Are you prepared for the coming crisis? Personal finance God’s way!

We will pick up on our study of angels at a later date. I think now is a prudent time to focus on finances and how to handle money in a God homoring manner. Every one is talking about the recent rise in Gas prices- there are many things responsible for this, unrest in the middle east is one factor but the oil prices are largely driven by supply and demand. I don’t know about you but last spring when the gas prices hit nearly five dollars a gallon- that pretty much wiped out any savings I had. I am just beginning to revover from that and they are up again in February this time, and there are rumors of five dollars a gallon by Memorial Day. If the economy continues on its present course it is only to get worse. Granted some optimistic numbers came out last week but I think they are skewed and give a false hope and we will see revised numbers that give a totally different picture. No matter what, remember our hope is in Truth, that is Jesus, and He gives true hope to those who accept His offer of salvation. I am going to cover two things here- one a continuation of our discussion on attitude and then a practical way to set up a budget that will work for you no matter what your income is and no matter what your situation is, a budget is like a map- it will show you where you are at and how to get where you want to go. God uses money to enhance and direct out lives but satan will try to use to entangle and shackle us. We need to recognize the danger of financial bondage. Financial difficulties is probably the number one reason why marriages fail due to the stress and worry that finacial difficulties brings. Why do we have financial difficulties? It is because we have violated one or more scriptural principles. It is not always a lack of money that causes stress, an overabundance can cause stress and worry too. If there is too little – the concern is getting more- if there is an abundance the worry is about losing it. Again we see that in God’s Word is attitude that is reflected. Lets take a look at Proverbs 30:7-9- which is one of my favorite verses!

 

Proverbs 30:7-9 (New King James Version)

Proverbs 30:7-9

New King James Version (NKJV)

7 Two things I request of You
(Deprive me not before I die):
8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me;
Give me neither poverty nor riches—
Feed me with the food allotted to me;
9 Lest I be full and deny You,
And say, “Who is the Lord?”
Or lest I be poor and steal,
And profane the name of my God.

 

We can see that the danger is riches is that we might forget where those riches came from and forget about God and become content without Him, and that the danger of poverty is that we might be tempted to steal and dishonor God.

 

Now we move on need to define what a debt is. A debt is something that is owed that one cannot pay. In other words, it is unmet obligations. Money borrowed and repaid according to terms is not a debt but is an obligation, it bcomes a debt when that obligation cannot be met.

Lets look at Proverbs 22:7

Proverbs 22:7

New King James Version (NKJV)

7The rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower is servant to the lender

We see that the borrower becomes a servant or slave to the lender. When one borrows beyond his abiltiy to pay it is because of a lack of self discipline to save for the object or the inability to deny oneself a maeterial desire.

Lets look at Luke 12:15 for a moment

Luke 12:15

New King James Version (NKJV)

15And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness,for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

The fact the someone cannot meet their obligations is the result of an earlier attitudes. Fill in the blank here:

Beware of___________________________

Lets take a look at Proverbs 21:17

Proverbs 21:17 (New King James Version)

Proverbs 21:17

New King James Version (NKJV)

17 He who loves pleasure will be a poor man;
He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.

Does this mean that God disallows any kind of pleasure or enjoyment?

OK Now lets get to the practical of setting up a budget. I have used most of my adult life this budget that is divided up into categories. I call it the 70-20-10 plan. Sevety percenty of income goes to living expenses, no more than twenty percent of income in debt and ten percent into a liquid savings. These per centages are based on net income aka your take home pay. That is what you have to live on.

ILiving Expenses

a.Rent or mortgage

b.Utilities:

c.electric

d.Natural Gas bill

e.Water Bill

f.Telephone/internet.cell phone

g. Groceries

h. transpotation costs

1. auto payment
2. insurance on auto
3. gasoline
4. repairs and maintence

also include here gifts for birthdays and Christmas and also in this category would be clothing and laundry expenses.

2. credit card paynments and other loans as these are paid down and paid off those funds should go to savings for future use.
3. And this is last bit should be first- Saving – 10% of take home pay. More to come on finance – how to handle your money in a God honoring manner.

 

 

 

Mo Bout Money and God and Mo Bout Angels with Four Faces

Luke 16:11

New Living Translation (NLT)

11 And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?

A person who cannot handle money certainly cannot handle spiriutal matters that are much more valuable. Here God is equating our trustworthiness to blessings and thus verifying our integrity.

Matthew 7:11

New Living Translation (NLT)

11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

This verse is a promise- what is God promising here? This demonstrates God’s love for us.

Romans 10:11-12

New Living Translation (NLT)

11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”[a] 12 Jew and Gentile[b] are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him.

Footnotes:

Whoever trusts in God will not be disappointed. God does not dicrimnate! All those who call on God can participate in His riches.

God’s plan for our surplus can be seen in this math equation, this is called “Heavnely Math!”:

Too Much + Too Little= ENOUGH!

We can see from the Heveanly Equation how material posssessions unify the church. Not getting what I am talking about? Lets look at the two fold message of 2 Corinthians 8:15:

2 Corinthians 8:15

New Living Translation (NLT)

15 As the Scriptures say,

   “Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over,
and those who gathered only a little had enough.”[a]

Footnotes:

1. 2 Corinthians 8:15 Exod 16:18.

I am going to leave you with two questions as you medidtate on this verse:

When should we share? And the second question is Why should we share?

Proverbs 3:5-6

New Living Translation (NLT)

 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.

Comment on the above verse in the cotext of the words below:

Trust

Do Not

The He will

Galatians 6:9

New Living Translation (NLT)

9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

What is the main message of the above verse?

Deuteronomy 15:11

New Living Translation (NLT)

11 There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need.

What does this imply is the first requirment for helping others?

Matthew 25:45

New Living Translation (NLT)

 45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’

Compare these last two verses. Jesus compares those in need to?

Angels – more on the Churibim

In Genesis they guard the Garden of Eden, following Adam and Eve’s banishment from the Garden, and are described holding flaming swords

The prophet Ezekiel has a vivid vision of heaven where he sees many angelic beings. His description of the Cherubim is powerful – almost frightening

Not your average cute little angel! These are powerful heavenly beings with four faces and four wings.

The Cherubim are also described in the construction of the ‘Ark of the Covenant’. (Yes, the one out of the Indiana Jones film!) The Ark was the dwelling place of God with the Israelites during their exodus in the desert.

Their role is to guard God’s Holy domain and presence from any sin and corruption. They are sometime known as the throne angels as they are seen to be around the throne of God.Having four faces on four side of their heads and being arranged in a square, they can travel in any direction without having to turn.The word Cherub may come from a term ‘to guard’ which would fit well with their role. 

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Elements of Stewardship and Holy Angel- it’s a Cherub!

Lets begin with the good stuff first and get right to the money!  Lets take a look at Luke 12:25-34 (nkjv)

Luke 12:25-34

New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁵ And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? ²⁶ If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? ²⁷ Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ²⁸ If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?

²⁹ “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. ³⁰ For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. ³¹ But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things^[a] shall be added to you.

³² “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. ³³ Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. ³⁴ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Footnotes:

1. Luke 12:31 NU-Text reads His kingdom, and these things.

Now a few questions on these verses. 

vv25-26:  How does God assess our abilities as owners?

vv 27,31:  What is God’s promise to us?

vs 32: What should our attitude be?

vs 33:  What does God ask of us?

vs 34: Why? 

If we seek God’s wisdom He will supply it but we have to understand that God’s will does not always coincide with what our desire is. We have a tendency to strike out on our own without any clear direction from God and that leads us into trouble and violates the principle found in Matthew 4:7.  That is why God at times may withhold funds in order to teach us a lesson.

Matthew 4:7

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁷ Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”^[a]

Footnotes:

1. Matthew 4:7 Deuteronomy 6:16

In the following verse God makes a promise to us- what is that promise? What is required before God will fulfill that promise?

Matthew 6:32-33

New King James Version (NKJV)

³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

What can we trust God for f we are in His will? 

Mark 11:24

New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁴ Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

 

Ok, lets move onto our study of angels. Lets take a look at the Cherubim first:

We have already covered Ezekiel and his experience with Cherubim on my radio broadcast. Cherubim are described as living creatures. The guard the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. They are the protective barrier to the throne of God. They are found in many works of art including in the Tabernacle and on the Ark of the Covenant.    Much more to come on this!

 

 

Christ Mass

Merry Christmas!

One of the things that make this celebration of the birth of Jesus complete is going to a worship service. I would urge everyone to go to the church of your choice tonight. Many churches offer a candlelight service, many Catholic churches have Midnight Masses.  If you are not able to attend a worship service here is a link to one that is one line:

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Luke 2

¹And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

²(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

³And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

⁴And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

⁵To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

⁶And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

⁷And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

⁸And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

⁹And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

¹⁰And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

¹²And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

¹⁴Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

¹⁵And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

¹⁶And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

¹⁷And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

¹⁸And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

¹⁹But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

²⁰And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Matthew 1&2

¹⁸Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

¹⁹Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.

²⁰But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

²¹And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

²²Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

²³Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

²⁴Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:

²⁵And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

Matthew 2

¹Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

²Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

³When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

⁴And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

⁵And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

⁶And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

⁷Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

⁸And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

⁹When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

¹⁰When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

¹¹And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

¹²And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

¹³And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

¹⁴When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

¹⁵And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

¹⁶Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,

¹⁸In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

¹⁹But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

²⁰Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.

²¹And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

²²But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:

²³And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

And that is what Christmas is all about- the arrival of the Messiah as the Savior and Redeemer King.   Today we are in advent of the second arrival of Jesus as the Conquering King and Judge of the nations. 

Rev 22

 ²⁰He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

²¹The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Here is wishing you and yours a joyous and blessed celebration of Christ!  

Rev 19- Jesus and His Horse!

Christ on a White Horse

¹¹ Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. ¹² His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had^[e] a name written that no one knew except Himself. ¹³ He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. ¹⁴ And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean,^[f] followed Him on white horses. ¹⁵ Now out of His mouth goes a sharp^[g] sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. ¹⁶ And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: 

      KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

This event is called “The Revelation”, this is the fullness of time, when Christ reveals Himself to the whole world.  What a sight this must have been for John to see!  Christ returning to earth riding a white horse with the armies of Heaven following riding on white horses.  This is the second in the book of Revelation we see the doors  heaven opened up, the first was the rapture of the church into heaven. ( 4:1).  The armies of Christ include all the redeemed in heaven, the OT saints, the church age saints, and the tribulation saints- they all return to fight with Jesus at the Battle of Armegeddon. Ultimately though, it is Christ alone that “treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God” executing His judgement of the people of the earth.  Jesus’ weapon is His Word, the sword from His mouth( v 15). The results of this battle are told in chapter 14- bloodshed for a distance of about 200 miles and as deep as a horse’s bridle.  Verse 11 answers the question in asked about the beast in Chapter 13 verse 4,”Who is able to make war with him?”   It is Christ Jesus that can defeat the beast.  V12- Eyes…. like a flame of fire, parallels the description of Christ glorified in 1:14.   Many Crowns- this shows that Christ is more powerful than either satan or the beast.  A name- in ancient times a name was more than a title, it revealed a person’s character. Brings to mind, Jesus renaming people, as in calling John and James “Sons of Thunder”.   No one knew except Himself- this means that there are parts of the character of the eternal and limitless God, that only God knows.  Such matters might be revealed at His second coming.  19:16- 

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS

This is the One who is supreme over all earthly rulers. The phrase “Lord of Lords and King of Kings” is found in chapter 17 verse 14- this is in anticipation of His second coming.

We will pick up on verse 17 next time and see the beast and his armies defeated.   Just a reminder to tune into Wednesdays 8-9 PM Eastern Time for a study on Luke’s account of the Nativity, we also have both Catholic Mass and Non Denominational services on air on Sundays at 10:00 am is the Catholic Mass and at 2:00 Pm is the Non denominational service and both again at 10:00 Pm is the Non denominational service and the Catholic Mass is at 11:00 pm – There are other great shows on too throughout the week as well as loads of good music throughout the day and evening and night ( we are on 24/7!)  by upcoming contemporary artists and oldies from well known bands and there is wide spectrum of genres to listen to. Until next time, May God richly bless you! 

Ii is OK to say, “MERRY CHRISTMAS!”

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Keeping Christ In Christmas

Keeping Christ in Christmas:

The number one way to keep Jesus Christ in your Christmas celebrations is to have him present in your daily life..Keeping Christ in Christmas is more about the way you live your life than the things you say—such as “Merry Christmas” versus “Happy Holidays.”

Keeping Christ in Christmas means daily revealing the character, love and spirit of Christ that dwells in you, by allowing these traits to shine through your actions. Here are simple ways to keep Christ the central focus of your life this Christmas season.

1) Give God one very special gift just from you to him:

Let this gift be something personal that no one else needs to know about, and let it be a sacrifice. David said in 2 Samuel 24 that he would not offer a sacrifice to God that cost him nothing.
Maybe your gift to God will be to forgive someone you’ve needed to forgive for a long time. You may discover that you’ve given a gift back to yourself.

Corrie Ten Boom, a Christian who survived extreme brutality in a German concentration camp after rescuing many Jews from certain death during the Nazi Holocaust, was later able to say, “Forgiveness is to set a prisoner free, and to realize the prisoner was you.”

Perhaps your gift will be to commit to spending time with God daily. Or maybe there is something God has asked you to give up. Make this your most important gift of the season.

2) Set aside a special time to read the Christmas story in Luke 1:5-56 through 2:1-20:

Consider reading this account with your family and discussing it together.
•
3) Set up a Nativity scene in your home:

If you don’t have a Nativity, here are ideas to help you make your own Nativity scene:

4) Plan a project of good will this Christmas:

5) Take a group Christmas caroling in a nursing home or a children’s hospital:

6) Give a surprise gift of service to each member of your family:

Jesus taught us to serve by washing the disciples feet. He also taught us that it is “more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35 (NIV) The idea of giving an unexpected gift of service to members of your family is to demonstrate Christ-like love and service. You might consider giving a back rub to your spouse, running an errand for your brother, or cleaning out a closet for your mother. Make it personal and meaningful and watch the blessings multiply.
7) Set aside a time of family devotions on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning:

Before opening the gifts, take a few minutes to gather together as a family in prayer and devotions. Read a few Bible verses and discuss as a family the true meaning of Christmas.
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8) Attend a Christmas church service together with your family:

If you are alone this Christmas or don’t have family living near you, invite a friend or a neighbor to join you.
9) Send Christmas cards that convey a spiritual message:

This is an easy way to share your faith at Christmastime. If you’ve already bought the reindeer cards—no problem! Just write a Bible verse and include a personal message with each card.

10) Write a Christmas letter to a missionary: