[Faith-talk] Good Night Message for Monday, December 24 2012 and a Praise Report

[Paul]

Hello and good day to you all, and an especially good Christmas Eve to my fellow saints of the Most High God living in North America.  I know that, for the majority of the world, it's already Christmas Day, and I hope and pray that your day is going well.  But for us we have several hours to go.

Our article for today is again taken from the pen of the late Dr. Ralph Montanus, founder of the Gospel Association for the Blind, who lived from 1919 to 1986.  The title of his article is "How Much Room Do You Have for Jesus?", rendered as follows:

That first Christmas so long, long ago may be summed up from the record of Dr. Luke, as found in his Gospel, chapter 2, verse 7, "And 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." Those last words of this text express a most important question: namely, come this Christmas how much room do we have for Jesus?

On the first Christmas eve, there was no room for Jesus. Just think of it--here was the King of Glory, the long-awaited Messiah, the One whom Moses and the prophets had foretold! This was the One all Israel was exhorted to pray for, to look for and to long for. Then He arrived, and the people had absolutely no room for Him!

You may say, "It's incredible and impossible. How could anybody be so ungrateful?" But before we become overly critical of the innkeeper and those in authority, it would be well to examine our own hearts and our attitudes in relation to how much room we shall give to the Lord Jesus come this Christmas.

As one reads the shopping list of the average Christian, he is apt to be amazed at how little thought and little effort is given to glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ on the very day that is set aside to commemorate His entrance into this world.

What would you think of a birthday party where the guests arrived with presents for each other, but completely ignored the host whose birthday they had been called together to celebrate? You may ask when such a thing could ever happen and where? Only in this crazy, mixed-up world does it happen. When this December 25 rolls around, there will be literally millions of presents given and exchanged, but the One whose birthday is being celebrated will be completely ignored by millions on Christmas Day.

Yes, on the day of our Savior's birth, they had no room for Him in the inn. When He came to Israel as their own appointed Messiah, fulfilling as no one else ever could all the Scriptures relating to His birth, early childhood, ministry, Messiahship, Lordship and Immanuel, they had absolutely no room for Him!

As we read the Gospel of John, chapter 1, verse 11, we note these words in the beginning of the text, "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not." Just think of it--the Lord Jesus came to the nation of Israel as their long-awaited Messiah, and they received Him not! This was the darkest day, the most awful event in history, which expresses the utter blindness and indifference of the human heart in relation to spiritual perception. "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not."

Yes, this is the saddest statement in all the Scriptures. Praise God, the following statement is the most blessed one. "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." How wonderful, how glorious, that those of us who have received the Lord Jesus as our own personal Savior are now sons and daughters of God! Surely we rejoice to know that room has been made in millions of heart to permit the Son of God to enter in.

Yet, in the light of all this, for some unaswered reason, many devout believers give of their substance and spend money on lavish gifts, decorations, and an elaborate dinner on Christmas Day, but seemingly ignore doing anything in commemoration of the One whose birthday is being celebrated.

Therefore, in closing I ask you the direct questions, "Do you have room for Jesus? Will you be giving your best gift in memory of Him?"

You know, perhaps I should have posted this article maybe several days or weeks ago, but I did it when I did it, and I pray that you will reflect on the sentiments expressed.

And now for the praise.  As some of you know, for about five days now when I did emails, the keys on this keyboard were very sluggish to respond to my touch.  Well, about 6 p.m. this evening everything has come back to normal, for which I praise God.

I hope that we in North America will have a happy and blessed Christmas tomorrow.  And yes, there will be the usual quotes (actually an article written many years ago by Billy Graham), as well as the good night message.

And now may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, throughout this night or day and especially in these last days in which we live.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul