Christmas Eve Thoughts

I am preparing for a Christmas Eve service this evening at New River Worship Center in Radcliff, KY.  A time of worship on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day always brings an unique sense of anticipation to my heart.  This year's service is scheduled to conclude around the midnight hour as we enter into Christmas Day.  I anticipate an unusual presence of the Holy Spirit as we pause to recognize and remember the birth of our Savior.  The true gift of Christmas is the gift of eternal life that was offered to humanity through the life and death of Jesus Christ.  The greatest and most precious gift that you will receive this year is the forgiveness of your sins and your adoption into the family of God.  Avoid any strategy of the enemy that would cause you to leave CHRIST out of Christmas.  He must be the focal point of our celebration!  E.B White made this statement: "It becomes more difficult every year to find Christ in Christmas."  We must avoid the pressure of the culture and desire for Christ and His presence to be the sincere longing of our soul.  I am determined to worship, adore, exalt, and point people to Jesus Christ.  We are the witnesses for Jesus Christ and we have a message to share.  

"And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name, Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.  So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, God with us." (Matthew 1)