[Faith-talk] Daily Thought for Monday, December 30, 2013

[Paul]

Hello and good day to one and all.  I hope that your day is going well, whether that time of day be morning, afternoon or evening.  Had a great time at the senior citizen's center where I'm part of the Monday weekly Bible study.  Everyone was commenting on last week's Bible study concerning gift-giving in the Bible and how well it went.  I simply replied to one and all to give God the glory.  If any of you would like an outline of what I taught and the relevant Scriptures, please send me a request and I'll send you a copy by return email.

Most of you have read this article before, but for those who haven't, here's another article from the late Dr. Ralph Montanus, today's contribution being entitled "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 Him in the inn." Those last words of this text express a most important question:  namely, How much room did you have for Jesus this Christmas?

On that 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 whom 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 gave 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 rolled around, there were literally millions of presents given and exchanged, but the One whose birthday was celebrated was 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 the 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 hearts to permit the Son of God to enter in.

Yet, in the light of all this, for some unanswered 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, "Did you have room for Jesus? Did you give your best gift in memory of Him?"

Some things to ponder, in my opinion.  Since Christmas has already passed, I took the liberty where I remembered to to place certain phrases in the past tense.  Anyway I hope that you enjoyed this article.

And now may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, in these last days in which we live.  Lord willing, tomorrow there will be the last Daily Thought message for the year 2013.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul