There are so many needs all around us, but many times we are unaware, or simply don’t know how to help. Here is an excellent idea on how to help donate to the Salvation Army.

This year I’ve been seeing the Salvation Army Bell Ringers, but I’m usually holding on to a child’s hand, or don’t have any money handy and am in a hurry getting in or out of the store and don’t want to dig out my wallet. Well, tonight at Walmart, I had cash to pay for my purchase and instead of keeping my wallet out to put the money back in, I thought, why not keep the change out and put it in the bell ringer’s bucket on my way out. So I did. So my challenge would be, that for each purchase a person pays for in cash, from now until Christmas, to keep out all or some of the change and put it in the Bell Ringer’s bucket outside of the store. Just one small way to be intentional about giving back to the community. (You can also get out of the store faster, because you can put your wallet away while the cashier is getting your change.)

Please share your ideas for creative ways to give this holiday season.

We are delighted to be able to debut John Gift’s newest song “Wonderful!”  We consider it a high honor that John would allow us to be the first to share this song with the world. John is a friend of a friend of ours and he recently wrote this song about our Wonderful God.

Isaiah 9:6 says that “his name will be called WONDERFUL” and that’s what this song is about.

Here’s the context behind the writing of this song… Tornado’s aren’t something common to Australia. However, a couple months ago, one tore through the town of Lismore. John’s home was hit very hard and, in fact, a miracle saved his young kids lives (the window behind them exploded 60 seconds after their Mum moved them into another room. It shot huge shards of glass meters across the room.) When the tornado passed, John’s daughter started running through the house singing “You’re wonderful!” and so John sat there thinking “Wonderful? My house has just been smashed to pieces! and she’s singing about wonderful???” And then it hit him - Jesus is wonderful - each of us are wonderful - we are valued each wonderful and his family was just saved from terrible harm!

John picked up his guitar and two minutes later the song was written. John has a deep heart for the hurting. His and his family minister in a soup kitchen every Sunday. He just returned from a concert tour around the nation and was offered a position in Australia’s biggest church and LOTS of money to boot. He said “no” so he can focus on helping street people.

Share this wonderful song with many others!  Check out his website.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called WONDERFUL…” Isaiah 9:6

Deeply imbedded in American Christmas culture is the Christmas film classic It’s a Wonderful Life. Building on this theme, I preached a Christmas series a few years back (1998) called “It Really Is A Wonderful Life” based on 1 John. The premise was how Jesus’ coming continues to bring joy and add meaning making the Christian life really wonderful. The bottom line is that following Him is wonderful because Jesus is wonderful! Just think of the wonders that came to earth that frist Christmas. His coming was a miracle, involved miracles and he did miracles and still does them today. His coming is always full of wonders!

Wonderful means capable of eliciting awe, marvel and amazement. People talk about Christmas miracles. A miracle is when a higher or greater force exhibits a supernatural power on the laws of nature to bring about an unexplainable change in the earth! The Bible never says these wonders were a one time deal, or that they have ceased in our age.

People’s lack of experience with the miraculous commonly shapes their theology about the supernatural. The Bible says this exciting stuff will increasingly happen through us. Be sure your theology of the supernatural is shaped by the Bible and not by your experience or lack there of with supernatural happenings! Expect wonderful things to happen as this one called Wonderful lives through you.

PRAYER: God of wonders come again! I love connecting with you each day because you aren’t limited by that which limits me. I want to walk in the miraculous this Christmas season. Thank you for backing my prayers with power so that the sick get well and people are helped.

Here we have the final installment of a five part mini-series put together by the History Channel on the History of Christmas. Please use the comment link to mull all this over with many others. You’ll see that we aren’t the first culture to corrupt Christmas or to fight to see it remain pure and true to the reason for the season.

What is a haiku? The haiku originated in Japan and is a verse (poem) written in three lines. The haiku does not rhyme. Instead, the haiku sets a mood or portrays a feeling or scenery.

The entire haiku is composed in 17 syllables. The first line contains five syllables, the second line has seven syllables, and the third and final line has five syllables.

5-7-5

Here is one to start us off. 

angels are singing

hope and love is here for all

resounding good news

Your turn… use the comment link to post a Christmas Haiku…

Forget the North Pole.  Santa Claus and his elves should set up shop in Kyrgyzstan to optimize the delivery of Christmas gifts to 2.5 billion homes worldwide. That’s according to Swedish engineering consulting firm SWECO, which calculated Santa’s optimal journey based on a range of factors from the Earth’s rotation to which areas of the planet are most densely populated.

“On Christmas Eve, Santa’s route around the planet includes stops at 2.5 billion homes, assuming that children of all religions receive a present from the jolly man in the red suit,” said Anders Larsson of Sweco. “We estimated that there are 120 people per square mile on Earth, and 66 feet between each home. So if Santa leaves from Kyrgyzstan and travels against the Earth’s rotation he has 48 hours to deliver all the presents,” he said. “He has 34 microseconds at each stop” to slide down the chimney, drop off the presents, nibble on his cookies and milk and hop back on his sleigh, Larsson said. Santa’s reindeer must travel at a speed of 3,604 miles per second to make the trip on time. Santa’s sleigh, weighed down with presents and travelling at supersonic speed, would encounter such massive air resistance that the entire contraption would burst into flames and be vaporised within 4.26 thousandths of a second.

Let’s forget about Santa for a moment. God alone is omnipresent and omniscient. That means he is everywhere at once and all knowing. He can be with you here and even know the number of hairs on your head. The Bible also says he is a consuming fire. You better watch out…

Ahh, the Friday before Christmas. Seems like the best time to plan the office Christmas party. While the conversations may be going on around you, thousands of messages are being sent non-verbally. This article gives you some tips and hints for reading the unspoken messages in the crowd around you. While it is geared mostly to singles and holiday parties that involve bar time, it is so good to remember that God seeks us every single moment of every single day. He wants nothing more than to be your significant other.

Romans 5:9 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

“For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.” Ephesians 6:12

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire.  Jack Frost nipping at your nose.  Sleigh bells ring, are you listenin’?  In the lane, snow is glistening. It’s the most wonderful time of the year. There’ll be much mistletoe-ing and hearts will be glowing - when loved ones are near. It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

So much of what makes Christmas Christmas has to do with the atmosphere of Christmas - warmth, smells, sounds, sights. There are even Christmas colors. Drop in neon orange and it won’t feel much like Christmas. One of the reasons people react negatively to retailers rushing us into the Christmas season is because it doesn’t feel like Christmas in October.

Christmas is now just a few days away. If you haven’t already, give some attention to the spiritual atmosphere and climate in your life and home. You are aware, aren’t you, that there is far more around you than one can see with their natural eyes. Many would be frightened if God were to grant spiritual eyes to see the reality of the warring spiritual world all around them. But we have authority as Christians to affect the spiritual realm.

When you have tension and conflict in your home, unsaved relatives over for a visit, darkness blasting in through the TV, kids interacting with “make-believe” evil video game creatures… the atmosphere in the spiritual realm all around you is a battleground. Imagine the spiritual warfare that took place that very first Christmas. Is it really any different today as Jesus still seeks to come (advent) into homes and hearts. There are churches (Christian Churches!) where he is not welcome today. Is he welcome in your home? Let me encouarge you to not focus so much on the physical preparations that make your home more Christmasy and instead focus on the spiritual preparations necessary to see Christ come into your home as Prince of Peace.

Pray through each room in your home. Jesus taught us to pray that it will be on earth as it is in heaven. Ask God to send angels to your home to bring the atmosphere of heaven into your home - love, joy, peace, God’s presence, etc. Take spiritual authority in your home and command darkness to leave. Cultivate this atmosphere around you these next few days and invite the presence of God to come tangibly. People ought to spiritually benefit from a visit to your home this Christmas.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I thank you that I am seated with Christ in heavenly places. Thank you for delegating authority to me over the powers of darkness that have had free reign in my home. I pray the blood of Jesus over my life and over each window, doorway and portal of access into my home (TV, computer, phone, books, etc.). I ask you to send angels to me today. This Christmas, my prayer is that people will notice you when they come into my home.

Here we have the fourth installment of a five part mini-series put together by the History Channel on the History of Christmas. Each segment is 9-10 minutes long so launch it when you have a little extra time. Please use the comment link to mull all this over with many others. You’ll see that we aren’t the first culture to corrupt Christmas or to fight to see it remain pure and true to the reason for the season.

We are already talking about ideas for next year’s Christmas blog (we are even tossing around the idea of a 40 day Easter blog during the season of Lent). Your feedback, ideas and suggestions are very welcome. How can we make this THE place for people to congregate during these seasons? What type of posts are your favorite? Use the comment link to help make the City Christmas Blog even better.

Have you taken the daily poll?

It’s not too late to forward the blog link to your friends this Christmas. We are planning a Christmas Eve crescendo (kind of like the final hurrah of fireworks on July 4th).

It ain’t easy being Santa. Kids yank on his beard to see if it’s real. Some get scared and wet in his lap.

Last weekend at the Danbury Fair Mall (NY) a 33-year-old woman was arrested after a mall Santa (age 65) accused her of inappropriately touching him as she sat on his lap. Sandrama Lamy was charged with fourth-degree sexual assault.

In Missoula, Montana, a college student was arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault after police said he shoved a pumpkin pie into a mall Santa’s face. Clint Westwood, 22, a drama student at the University of Montana, said he was videotaping the incident for a “Jack—”-type film.

THIS JUST IN: Santa’s in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro are going to have to start wearing bullet-proof vests under their red coats.Drug traffickers in a Rio slum opened fire on a helicopter carrying a Santa to a children’s party, apparently mistaking it for a police helicopter, police said on Tuesday. “They thought it was a police operation and started shooting. Luckily, nobody was hurt,” a police official said. The helicopter had to return to its base after the attack. Two bullet holes were found in its fuselage. Police said the pilot, contracted to take an actor dressed as Santa to the party in the Nova Mare slum, was flying over the neighbouring Vila Joao shantytown when it was fired upon on Sunday. Santa later returned to Nova Mare by car to distribute Christmas presents.

Note to self: if you want a Christmas present this year, don’t shoot at Santa’s helicopter.

A couple days ago, our daily poll here at the City Christmas Blog asked if people were staying home for Christmas or traveling.  90% responded that they are planning to stay home.  Wow.  Economists say gas prices are restricting some holiday travel but that overall travel is expected to be up about 1% over last year. 47 million people will be flying these 21 days leading up to Christmas. I’d think that’s because people want to get home for Christmas. (If you are traveling, here are some travel tips to help you avoid a holiday travel nightmare.)

We are know the first Christmas involved travel. A census was being taken and Joseph had to take pregnant Mary to his home town of Bethlehem to register. Rooms were all booked up and they made do in a stable just in time for her to give birth. The wise men, of course, came from afar.

Sovereignly, God orchestrated a convergence involving a census, a pregnancy, and distant spiritually hungry people (wise men). Here’s what I love. He does this all the time, even today. There have been numerous times when God has met me powerfully and looking back at all that transpired to get me to that place in time I can only conclude God set me up!

I know we all long to be home for Christmas. But, at least do this… leave where you are to get where Jesus is. You can’t stay where you are and get to where you want to be. Later in his life Jesus told people to leave things behind and follow him. Leave old habits, mindsets, beliefs, attitudes, agendas and hurts behind and seek Him beyond those places.

PRAYER: God, in my stubbornness I have been resistant to budge. No wonder I’m stuck. But today I want to leave where I am and go to where you are. I ask for angels to lead the way just like that first Christmas. Send me dreams that are directional for my life. You are where I want to be. Jesus make your home in me. With all this other stuff now gone, there is room for you in my heart. Amen.

Here we have the third installment of a five part mini-series put together by the History Channel on the History of Christmas. Each segment is 9-10 minutes long so launch it when you have a little extra time. Please use the comment link to mull all this over with many others. You’ll see that we aren’t the first culture to corrupt Christmas or to fight to see it remain pure and true to the reason for the season.

You may have to watch a commercial first, but this video is worth the wait.

CNN: Best Christmas Gift Ever

God as our heavenly Father gets the award for the best Christmas gift ever - salvation through Jesus Christ. Who would get your vote for the best gift ever and what was it?

I share this pecan pie recipe as a public service to the rest of the planet. Pie, or pah, as they say in the south, is something I have credentials to comment on for I encourage all the cooks in our church to bring their pastor (me!) a first fruits offering from every 9×13 or pie pan that comes out of their oven. Folks, the Bible says to do this and we follow the Bible at Church at the Gate!

My daughter Kaitlyn made this pie for me this past Thanksgiving and eating it was a spiritual experience!! I submit it to the Christmas cooks of the world knowing that this recipe alone has the power to change lives and release great joy and delight. Try it and send us your feedback in poem form.

Best Pecan Pie Ever
Thanks to Woodangela at www.allrecipes.com for her mom’s recipe. She comments; “Every time I make it, everyone says it is the very best they have ever eaten. Pecan pies today seem to be all corn surypy, so all you can taste is sweet. My recipe is sweet, but buttery, almost caremelly.”

1 unbaked pie crust
½ cup butter – melted
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter flavored pancake syrup
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup pecans – or enough to cover the bottom of the pie crust

Preheat oven to 350. Beat three eggs well in a medium/large bowl, mix in salt, sugar, and pancake syrup. Mix well, then slowly add melted butter a little at a time to egg mixture. Finally add vanilla. Arrange pecan on the bottom of the pie crust, and then pour the syrup mixture over the top. Lightly wrap foil around the edge of the crust to prevent over-browning. Place into preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking 20-25 minutes. Pie is done when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool, cover and chill prior to serving.

What is your absolute favorite Christmas song? What is your favorite Christmas cd?

“There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!.” Romans 5:3-4 (The Message)

Does Christmas raise or lower your tension levels? We fight crowds in the mall. If you have a blended family there are surely tensions there this time of year. Certainly there was family tension the first Christmas. Until the angel intervened, Joseph had in mind to divorce Mary quietly.

The political tension in King Herod’s palace and all Jerusalem peaked the moment word came that a caravan of Parthian Magi were in the area. Judea was on the very edge of the Roman Empire and Herod was under strict orders to not do anything to start a war with Parthia. What was going on in Bethlehem that night had the potential to start a world war. Even today, Bethlehem is one of the most tense places on the planet at Christmas time.

I play guitar and its the tension on the string that releases the right sound. There is sound the Lord is calling forth from his people in this hour. Its a sound/song in the midst of strife and stress.  What sound are you allowing come forth from your stress?  Let the Lord continue to fine tune you through the tension in your life.  

PRAYER: Lord, you are the master conductor calling forth a crescendo of praise from your people on the earth. Forgive me for the moments I’m high strung. As those moments arise in me today, touch and tweak me through the ministry of your Spirit so the right sound comes forth. I pray the people around me hear a beautiful sound when they hear what you’ve done through the trials of my life. Amen.

Here we have the second installment of a five part mini-series put together by the History Channel on the History of Christmas. Each segment is 9-10 minutes long so launch it when you have a little extra time. Please use the comment link to mull all this over with many others. You’ll see that we aren’t the first culture to corrupt Christmas or to fight to see it remain pure and true to the reason for the season.

O Sweet Jesus is the actual name of a Christmas Candy packet that you can put in your stockings! There are six flavors to choose from; Gifts of the Magi, Loaves and Fishes, Mary’s Miracles, Forbidden Fruit, Peter’s Prayers and Heavenly Reward. Since I can’t imagine eating a candy that tastes like “loaves and fishes” perhaps I might try “forbidden fruit.” Here’s the description of it… “All of Eden’s glories in one! Chewy gooey apple, berries, and more. Snake not included.”

Let’s chew on this (pardon the pun) on a couple levels….First, “O Sweet Jesus???!?” what do you think - is this all in poor taste? (Again pardon the pun… Ha! I’m on a roll!) Is it really okay to commercialize Christ into a candy?

Second, let’s at least help these folks come up with some more delicious sounding Christmas Story candy flavor names. (Didn’t Joseph put Mary on a donkey? Maybe they could package tootsie rolls called “donkey’s delights.”)

Let’s write another original Christmas story! Here’s how this works: in the paragraph below, we will start a story. But, we aren’t going to finish it. That’s where you come in. YOU continue the story by posting a few more sentences (and special twists to the story) using the comments link and then the next person adds a few more after you. Each person needs to begin their part with these two words…. AND THEN… After 50 or so posts, we’ll have a great story that could go any number of directions!

The story begins…

A hundred voices all around whisper… He’s coming.  Shhh, here he comes. He’s coming right now. Quiet, he is just down the way… SHHHHH.  The stranger steps up to an old man leaning against one of the building lining the street, what’s going on?