Kenny Hibbard

Every year I am amazed at the people who complain about the Christmas season. They complain about how tiring it is to go to “all the parties and dinners.” They fret over the amount of money they feel like they have to spend to make everyone have a “good” Christmas. They belly-ache over having to go and visit relatives and the traveling with the kids. I hear people talk about the “hustle and bustle” of Christmas and how they wish it was not so crazy………

I wonder if people ever really stop and listen to what they are complaining about. Let’s break it down in bullet points:

• We complain about living in a country where we can afford to have big dinners and plenty of food to eat…..when much of the world does not have enough of the basics to eat and feed their families.
• We worry ourselves over the amount of money we spend….. as if someone is forcing us to spend more than we have.  Any pressure to “buy” comes from within and therefore is a choice.
• We complain about spending time with loved ones because it takes us out of our routine, makes us travel with kids…….when soldiers and their families would love to just have a phone conversation with a relative they love.
• We complain about being soooooooo busy during this time of the year with shopping and eating out when most people in the world don’t have enough money to purchase daily necessities.
• We bemoan the schedule we “must” keep during the holidays as if someone else was ruthlessly controlling our calendar.  The reality is that we choose to keep whatever pace we are on during the holidays.

My prayer for myself and everyone is that we will Get On Board with with meaning and magic of Christmas and then determine to be thankful and gracious for the privilege of living in a country where we can set aside a month, a few weeks or even days  (your choice)…..to celebrate.  Learning to Enjoy The Ride of Christmas is key and it is a choice.

So what is your attitude about Christmas? Do you control your own emotions and attitude toward this time of the season. What would happen if you determined in your heart to approach this season with a thankful heart and soul of gratitude? My guess…….is that you would enjoy grandma’s fruitcake a little more and the majesty of the moment would not ring so hollow.  The power of perspective is a huge this time of year! Let’s determine to Enjoy The Ride this Christmas!

This Sunday our band has developed a Christmas music/worship set that will blow you away.  The re-write of a classic train song will be awesome! Keep the passion alive and invite a friend to join you!

Speaking of YOUR ride.……we need all Team Church players to help out the parking situation on Sundays.  If you are here for both services….please park in the mulch parking area. (Unless we get a lot of rain on Friday/Saturday this is a very dry and nice to place to park) or feel free to park in the warehouse parking across the street. Our parking team will help you cross the road.

Hebrews 12

¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. ² We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. ³ Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. ⁴ After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

⁵ And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said,

“My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and don’t give up when he corrects you.
⁶ For the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”

⁷ As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? ⁸ If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. ⁹ Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?

¹⁰ For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. ¹¹ No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

¹² So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. ¹³ Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.

¹⁴ Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. ¹⁵ Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. ¹⁶ Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. ¹⁷ You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.

¹⁸ You have not come to a physical mountain,to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. ¹⁹ For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking. ²⁰ They staggered back under God’s command: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” ²¹ Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, “I am terrified and trembling.”

²² No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. ²³ You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. ²⁴ You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.

²⁵ Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! ²⁶ When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” ²⁷ This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.

²⁸ Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. ²⁹ For our God is a devouring fire.