New Calendars

        By now, we have already received several calendars for the coming year.  it's getting close to the time when you get your new calendars for 2020 if you don't have a bunch of them already.  Usually, the calendars will list the holidays for the country in which the calendar will be used.  If the calendar is going to be used by both the USA and Canada, you will find both listings available.  One of the things to notice is Christmas.  No matter how you look at it, Christmas is the most popular holiday on the calendar.  Realizing that businessmen see how much money they can get out of a holiday, Christmas has to top the list.  Stores begin promoting Christmas buying as early as the month of July and sometimes even earlier than that.  Even the month of January is used for "after Christmas sales."  Now, what has made this particular holiday more popular than all the rest of them?  Whether you are a believer or not, Christmas has been the holiday that has affected more people than any other.  Even the writing of the date is an indication of when Christ became flesh as He was born of the virgin Mary so many years ago.  The use of certain colors and the displays of lights have grown quite popular.  So, why is this the most important holiday ever?  "Matthew 1:21 says, "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins."  

          This simple statement proclaims loud and clear the necessity for Christmas to the whole world.  Jesus was born that He might live and then die for the sins of mankind.  Even though we might condemn the secularization of Christmas, there is still the message that goes out from believers around the world.  The message goes out even in the midst of the secularization of the holiday itself.  People try to change the name and try to come up with ways to not mention the Lord Jesus Christ but Jesus is still the central message of Christmas.  This might be the one thing that irritates the atheist or the agnostic.  But, you can't ignore the birth and life of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Oh, people try to disguise Christmas with the word "holiday" but even the traditions of Christmas have their roots in the church and the message of the birth of the Savior.  So, praise God today for this Christmas season where you have the opportunity to tell someone about the Greatest Gift of all.