Tag: John 3:16

What’s the Real Meaning of Christmas?

Welcome to Friday News. Every Friday I share news with you; primarily about writing and sometimes about life in general. This week it is about: What’s the Real Meaning of Christmas?

Today I’m writing about the real meaning of Christmas. I’m thankful that more and more people are forgetting about ‘Happy Holidays’ and turning back to ‘Merry Christmas’. But how many of us know the real meaning and are willing to live it?

The real meaning of Christmas is not to go shopping for Christmas gifts although millions of people have already started shopping. No matter how costly the gift, Christmas means more.

Nor is Christmas all about a beautiful manger scene. It is not about the Baby although He is certainly a major part.

Christmas is not even about loving one another, although we certainly need more of that! Nor is it about a Christmas tree decorated with lights and all the trimmings. All the things I’ve mentioned delight our eyes and excite our children. But Christmas is so much more!

The real meaning of Christmas is found in the Book of John, chapter 3:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Verses 16 through 18 express this truth. It is about God sending His Son to take our place because  of our sin. Jesus loves us so much that He voluntarily was born into our world as a little Babe (a very humbling experience) with the express purpose of shedding His blood on a cross for you and me!

All He asks in return is our love for Him. If we love Him our lives will be lived differently. If we love Him, we will love one another. If we love Him, we will gladly serve Him. But if we reject Him the gift of life is not given to us, but we are condemned.

Because of His love for us the cruel cross was transformed from an instrument of torture and cruelty to a trinket that many women wear around their necks. It is good to see women wearing the cross, it is better if they love the One who shed His blood for her on the cross.

As this Christmas season starts, we need to love the God who gave His Son who died for us!

Imagine if you will the manger with the newborn Babe in it. The star of Bethlehem shines overhead and causes a shadow of a cross to rest across the manger and the Babe. That is a picture of the true meaning of Christmas.

As Christmas approaches we need to focus on the meaning rather that the outward appearances. The tree itself is pagan in nature and is used only for the purpose of celebration of what Christ did. December 25th is not the day He was born into this world, it only represents that birth. All the outward things are only meant to be in worship of him.

Wouldn’t it be nice if the world turned to Him in true adoration? It would, but it is unlikely. Saved and unsaved alike live in sinful flesh; we do what we want and don’t think of him until there’s an emergency.

The world claims they are the children of God but God only claims them as the creation of God. When a person gets saved, he or she becomes a child of God and their sins are forgiven, but they still have a sin nature. We won’t lose the sin nature until we are in heaven, but if we love God more in the here and now, He can do so much more with us.

Love God and celebrate why He came!

For information on TR Writing Services (“we edit, proof, and publish the book within you”)  contact us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. We have a Free booklet telling you about our services. And we are upfront on our prices (all are low).

VISIT MY AUTHOR’S PAGE TODAY: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? I am always looking for book reviews. Whether it is Perished The World That Was (Book One), World of Noah and the Ark (Book Two), World of Shem (Book Three), World of Abraham (Book Four) or Death Ship (Book One), Pauline A New Home (Book Two), Task Force Hunter (Book Three), Black Death (Book Four), or Rise of I.C.E.S. (Book Five), I value your reviews.

If you would like to review any of these books contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. An example of an appropriate subject line would be: ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ In the email make sure to indicate your email address, your name, and the choice of copy (PDF or Epub).

 – – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the Editor of TR Writing Services providing help to struggling and/or new authors to write and publish their books. In addition, he is the author of several books and is best known for Christian Historical and Speculative Fiction. For more information on him or his books visit his Amazon Authors Page. He is also co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books where his books are featured. To reply to any blog you have the option of commenting on a blog and/or sending an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. You may also be interested in his Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.

I Hope You Have an Amazing and Beautiful Christmas

Co-founders of T&R Independent Books

Monday through Friday I deal with different subjects in this blog. I also post my blog to my Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld. This week I am taking a look at I hope you have an amazing and beautiful Christmas.
Today is Friday and Christmas is not far away. Although I plan on writing my blog on Monday I thought it appropriate to take a couple minutes and wish you an amazing and beautiful Christmas.
I’m sure you’ve noticed as I have that the meaning of Christmas is largely lost on society. That’s not exactly news, but it is sad. In the paper this morning there was a story concerning someone giving something to someone else. It was a beautiful story but I noticed that the headline included this: “That is what Christmas is all about.”
No it isn’t!
Yes, we should love one another. Yes, we should help one another whenever possible. That is something that should characterize our lives, but it is not the meaning of Christmas.
I thought giving was the meaning of Christmas.
In the secular world we live in today giving presents to one another has become the prime reason for Christmas. It gives us a chance to show others that we care and appreciate them. It is an activity that should be a part of our Christmas celebration. It is a part of Christmas but it is not the meaning of Christmas.
What about Christmas lights?
I love seeing Christmas lights displayed. Just this week our Church group went out to see the Christmas displays. Some people spend a fortune on displays and make them available to the public. Beautiful barely describes it.
My wife and I often notice and enjoy the various light displays that we see as we drive around Port Charlotte. You see the Nativity Scene, Santa Claus, Reindeer, playing children, and much, much more. It is often an amazing sight. But that is not the meaning of Christmas.
Caroling?
People going home to home singing Christmas carols is a tradition that still lends beauty to the season. That little group that went out to see the Christmas lights also stopped at a couple of homes to sing carols. I hope that someday if my wife or I are incapacitated and can’t get out that somebody will be thoughtful enough to stop by and sing Christmas carols to us.
The music and the words carry the sound of God’s love. They often refer to the true meaning of Christmas. But singing Christmas carols is not the meaning of Christmas.
Oh, you mean it’s about the Birth of Jesus.
You’re getting closer. The Nativity scene used to be visible on private and public land and institutions. Nowadays it’s considered illegal to celebrate His birth in some places. And it’s a rare American who hasn’t heard the story of the virgin birth of Jesus, the step-son of Joseph and son of Mary.
We’ve all heard the story of the shepherds in the field being visited by angels. They are sent to see the newborn Babe and to worship Him. It is a true story that touches our emotions. Many Americans, even those not Christian, love the story, the Nativity scene, and especially the Baby in the manger. But it is not the true meaning of Christmas.
If not Jesus’ Birth then what?
It is this: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
God so loved all of us that He gave (sent His Son to be born of a virgin and to die on a cross) His Son. When we view the birth of Jesus we should always remember the Cross.
Put another way, Jesus was born to die for us! That is why He was born. Not to elicit smiles and “isn’t He adorable.” He came with the express purpose of taking our sins upon Himself and dying in our place. That is the true meaning of Christmas.
So as you celebrate His birth, why not take time to reflect upon why He came? He came on your behalf. He came that you a sinner might accept His gift and receive eternal life!
Have An Amazing and Beautiful Christmas!

VISIT MY AUTHOR’S PAGE TODAY: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle

ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? I am always looking for book reviews. Whether it is Perished The World That Was (Book One), World of Noah and the Ark (Book Two), World of Shem (Book Three), World of Abraham (Book Four) or Death Ship (Book One), Pauline A New Home (Book Two), or Task Force Hunter (Book Three), I value your reviews.

If you would like to review any of these books contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. An example of an appropriate subject line would be: ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ In the email make sure to indicate your email address, your name, and the choice of copy (PDF or ePub).

– – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the author of several books and is best known for Christian Historical Fiction. For more information on him or his books visit his Amazon Authors Page. He is also co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books where his books are featured. To reply to any blog you have the option of commenting on a blog and/or sending an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. You may also be interested in his Facebook page at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.