s we approach another Christmas celebration, let us resolve as Christians to recognize, remember, and return to the true meaning and purpose of this glorious day. We can by so doing, revolutionize our homes, churches and communities.  If we refuse to be manipulated by the non-traditional, traditions of having (for many of us) our childhood emotions stirred by glitzy, glimmering, gadgets, displayed by mass media; we will not perpetuate through today and tomorrow’s generation of children a commercial celebration.

adison Avenue has for far too long Decked the Halls with Bows and Holly, played Jingle Bells, and inundated us year after year with new money making, emotional manipulation and catalogs depicting toys and the like.  Hollywood reruns of Rudolph, The Grinch, Frosty, and other non-CHRISTmas related shows, attempt to overshadow the true meaning of Christmas…Jesus Christ!

his great day is the day that God came to man, as a man, to save all men.  Isaiah 7:14 says, “Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive; and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”

Isaiah 9:6 informs us, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

Luke 2:11 reinforces this fact by stating, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

e must get beyond our modern, yet paganistic, commercialized traditions by returning to rendering honor to whom honor is due…Our King, Jesus Christ!  Our lives as Christian are no longer ours and we can and should let our lives be a gift to humanity because Christ came to save all from sin. (Matthew 1:21)  Jesus Christ indwells our being through the gift of the Holy Spirit, which leads and guides us in all things that Christ has commanded: it is not the Christmas Spirit, but the Divine person of the Holy Ghost that motivates our blessings of giving and sharing with others.

e have the Grace of God to accomplish the Will of God, according to the Word of God, that we may walk in the Way of God.  We must remember that “God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.” (John 4:24) We should not operate according to a conglomeration of emotions that motivate the spending of millions and even billions of dollars that returns to the hands of Madison Avenue.

magine the number of homeless that could be housed, the hungry that could be fed, the educated that could receive education, the reduction of crime, churches to be built, missionary fields to filled, and so much more; if the same monies were used in bringing “Peace on Earth and Goodwill to All Men.”  If we could awaken on a 26th day of December with the knowledge that we have been apart in bringing tranquility to the countless number of unfortunates, regardless to how they became such.  This can be a reality if the Agape Love of Christ becomes our motivation and expressive in the lives of God's children.  We must do away with the so-called, “Christmas Spirit", and be fueled by the "Holy Spirit."

 --Pastor J. A. Rogers Sr.