It has stood the test of time.
00:00:06.93\00:00:09.93
God's book, the Bible. Still
relevant in today's complex
00:00:11.80\00:00:25.13
world. It Is Written,
sharing hope around the globe.
00:00:25.13\00:00:39.40
[Music] [voice of child
00:00:39.40\00:00:45.40
reading Bible text]"And it
came to pass in those days,
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that there went out a decree
from Cesar Augustus, that all
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the world should be taxed.
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(And this taxing was
first made when Cyrenius was
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governor of Syria). And
all went to be taxed, every one
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into his own city.""
(Luke 2:1-3) I'm John Bradshaw.
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Thanks for joining me today.
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It's that time of year.
The Christmas music has been
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playing in stores for
weeks, Christmas meals have been
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planned down to the last
mince pie, the trees are up -
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real ones and artificial
ones, family gatherings have
00:01:22.20\00:01:25.70
been anticipated for ages
and people have traveled, often
00:01:25.70\00:01:29.00
many miles, to be with
relatives, the kids are going
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to see Grandma and Grandpa
again, retailers are either
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breathing easy or
licking their wounds, Christmas
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lights are twinkling,
carolers have gone out
00:01:38.60\00:01:42.16
spreading Christmas joy,
work parties have been attended,
00:01:42.16\00:01:46.50
bonus checks have
been gratefully received,
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Christmas cards have
been sent and received from
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long-ago friends and
distant relatives, catalogs from
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companies you didn't even
know existed have arrived in
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your mailbox, people are
planning to enjoy one last
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splurge before starting
their diet in the new year,
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cantatas have been enjoyed
and the Hallelujah Chorus has
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moved hearts, nativity
scenes grace front yards, some
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people are enjoying a white
Christmas, and where I grew
00:02:16.73\00:02:19.60
up people are heading to
the beach and trying to avoid
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sunburn. Christmas. Andy
Williams sang that it's"The
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Most Wonderful Time of the
Year". And it's hard to argue
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with that. At Chrismas time,
people tend to be HAPPY. Life
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slows down for a day or
two, long enough for people to
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connect with loved ones and
friends. And in this culture
00:02:38.10\00:02:41.86
of ours, a major Christmas
tradition is gift giving. In
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fact, you could say
that maybe its the overriding
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Christmas tradition. We know
that Christmas is a religious
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tradition - a Biblical
tradition it's a Christian
00:02:52.40\00:02:55.56
tradition. Yet even atheists
participate in celebrating
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Christmas and in giving a
receiving gifts. In fact, if
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you went to any shopping
area at all, you'd get the
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impression that Christmas
is all about the gifts. Every
00:03:05.46\00:03:09.53
Christmas season, all across
the fruited plain, children
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sit on Santa's knee and
tell him they want bicycles and
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Lego sets and scooters and
dolls and video games and a
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whole lot more beside. Adults
will be wanting clothes and
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golf clubs and iPods and
camera gear - and video games
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and a whole lot more besides.
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What do you want for
Christmas? Some years ago I
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asked several people to
tell me about the best gift they
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had ever received.
Their response didn't really
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surprise me. I know for a
fact that some of them had
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over the years been given
some pretty impressive and
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expensive gifts, but not one
of them told me the best gift
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they'd ever received was
a new car or a vacation in
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Hawaii or a new flat-screen
TV set. Each of them told me
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a similar story. It was in
every case something like,"I
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remember years ago - it was
my birthday, and my daughter
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- she was just little
then - she went and made me a
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beautiful card, and she
decorated it, and she wrote
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the sweetest things on
there... And, you know, I
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still have that card. Nothing
I've ever been given means as
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much to me as that card
does." It wasn't the diamond
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ring, it wasn't the fur
coat, it wasn't a Rolex... but
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something from the heart,
something simple, something
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pure - something that
represents true, genuine
00:04:29.63\00:04:33.70
love. And doesn't that sound
like Christmas? Really, when
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you stop and think about
it, overeating, overspending and
00:04:38.53\00:04:42.76
overindulging don't have
a whole lot to do with the
00:04:42.76\00:04:46.10
birth of Jesus. So
what really matters most at
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Christmas time? How would
the sentence end if you were to
00:04:51.13\00:04:55.33
say,"All I Want for
Christmas is..." What would
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make Christmas truly special
for you? What's the essence
00:05:00.66\00:05:07.13
of the Christmas story?
I'm sure you might be able to
00:05:07.13\00:05:10.13
answer that question in a
number of ways, but there's a
00:05:10.13\00:05:12.83
Bible verse that for me
brings us back to the very
00:05:12.83\00:05:16.70
heart of it all. John
3:16 says,"For God so loved the
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word that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whosoever
00:05:22.96\00:05:27.53
believeth in Him should not
perish, but have everlasting
00:05:27.53\00:05:31.63
life." The reason Christmas
is observed at all, is that
00:05:31.63\00:05:36.73
long ago the decision
was made that Jesus would be
00:05:36.73\00:05:40.03
given to the human family.
00:05:40.03\00:05:42.70
God"gave" - and He gave
the greatest and most expensive
00:05:42.70\00:05:47.20
gift that could possibly
be given. Remember how the
00:05:47.20\00:05:50.70
prophet Isaiah put it in
chapter 9 and verse 6:"For
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unto us a child is born,
unto us a Son is given; and the
00:05:54.90\00:06:01.50
government shall be upon
His shoulder." (Isaiah 9:6).
00:06:01.50\00:06:05.20
Notice -"unto us a... Son
is given." Beyond the Christmas
00:06:05.20\00:06:09.90
lights on the houses, beyond
the Christmas trees, beyond
00:06:09.90\00:06:13.30
the mountains and mountains
of wrapping paper, beyond the
00:06:13.30\00:06:16.36
last-minute Christmas
shopping on Christmas Eve
00:06:16.36\00:06:18.60
(men, you know what I
mean ...) Beyond everything,
00:06:18.60\00:06:22.66
Christmas as a Christian
tradition stems from the fact
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that God sent Jesus into
the world. And what did He do
00:06:26.33\00:06:30.16
that for? As John 3:17 says,
For God sent not his Son into
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the world to condemn the
world; but that the world
00:06:37.50\00:06:41.00
through him might be saved.
00:06:41.00\00:06:45.23
God was so committed
to giving you and me every
00:06:45.23\00:06:47.80
opportunity to experience
character transformation, He
00:06:47.80\00:06:51.60
was so committed to you
and me being forgiven and
00:06:51.60\00:06:54.33
cleansed, and freed from
guilt, God was so committed
00:06:54.33\00:06:58.46
to us having everlasting
life, that He gave the
00:06:58.46\00:07:02.00
greatest gift given ever
by anyone to anyone ever. He
00:07:02.00\00:07:08.63
gave Jesus. He gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever
00:07:08.63\00:07:12.66
believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting
00:07:12.66\00:07:16.70
life. You know, there have
been some pretty remarkable
00:07:16.70\00:07:20.20
gifts given over the years.
00:07:20.20\00:07:22.10
Russian business tycoon
Roman Abramovitch bought his
00:07:22.10\00:07:25.00
girlfriend a fourteen million
dollar sculpture. English
00:07:25.00\00:07:29.20
soccer player David Beckham
is said to have spent eighty
00:07:29.20\00:07:31.43
thousand pounds on a bag
for his wife. An American movie
00:07:31.43\00:07:35.83
star evidently bought a
200-year-old Olive Tree for
00:07:35.83\00:07:39.06
her movie star husband,
for $18,000. For a tree! A
00:07:39.06\00:07:44.10
musician bought his son a
car for his 16th birthday - a
00:07:44.10\00:07:48.50
$360,000 car. Too bad the
boy didn't yet have his driver's
00:07:48.50\00:07:54.93
license yet. An Indian
businessman bought his wife a
00:07:54.93\00:07:57.43
sixty million dollar luxury
jet for her 44th birthday.
00:07:57.43\00:08:02.33
His brother obviously
felt the heat and so he brought
00:08:02.33\00:08:04.93
HIS wife a luxury yacht
shortly afterwards worth more
00:08:04.93\00:08:08.93
than eighty million. Of
course, there's India's Taj
00:08:08.93\00:08:12.93
Mahal. That was a gift given
by an Indian emperor to his
00:08:12.93\00:08:16.10
deceased wife. Impressive
gifts. But are they the gifts
00:08:16.10\00:08:21.83
that really matter most?
In a moment, What really does
00:08:21.83\00:08:26.90
matter most at Christmas?
And Joseph also went up from
00:08:26.90\00:08:31.56
Galilee, out of the city
of Nazareth, into Judea, unto
00:08:31.56\00:08:35.56
the city of David, which is
called Bethlehem (because he
00:08:35.56\00:08:39.03
was of the house and lineage
of David). To be taxed with
00:08:39.03\00:08:42.46
Mary his espoused wife, being
great with child. And so it
00:08:42.46\00:08:46.53
was, that while they
were there, the days were
00:08:46.53\00:08:49.16
accomplished that she should
be delivered. And she brought
00:08:49.16\00:08:52.46
forth her firstborn son,
and wrapped him in swaddling
00:08:52.46\00:08:55.73
clothes, and laid him in a
manger, because there was no
00:08:55.73\00:08:59.03
room for them in the inn.
00:08:59.03\00:09:00.83
Luke 2:4-7 [Music]
00:09:00.83\00:09:15.76
Today is a bible
question What is a good way
00:09:31.50\00:09:35.43
for me to share my faith?
00:09:35.43\00:09:37.83
A lot of people I work
with don't believe the way I
00:09:37.83\00:09:40.76
do, but I'm really concerned
about their eternal destiny.
00:09:40.76\00:09:43.56
How do I keep from sounding
like a religious nut and yet
00:09:43.56\00:09:47.83
show my interest in
their salvation? The fact that
00:09:47.83\00:09:51.23
you're concerned with
the salvation of others is a
00:09:51.23\00:09:53.23
really good sign. And I'm
glad you're sensitive to how
00:09:53.23\00:09:56.16
you'll be perceived - that
you want to reach out without
00:09:56.16\00:09:58.56
bringing your faith into a
type of disrepute. But don't
00:09:58.56\00:10:01.43
worry about that TOO much.
If you worry too much about that
00:10:01.43\00:10:04.80
you'll never share your faith
with anyone. The best advice
00:10:04.80\00:10:07.86
I can give you is to
encourage you to pray. Pray
00:10:07.86\00:10:10.83
and ask God to give you
opportunities. And as He
00:10:10.83\00:10:13.63
does, act on them. Try
to figure out what a person
00:10:13.63\00:10:16.73
might best respond to. If
you know someone likes to read,
00:10:16.73\00:10:20.10
share with them a book
that you can recommend as having
00:10:20.10\00:10:22.26
been a blessing to you.
00:10:22.26\00:10:23.46
You'll find a lot of books,
good books, on our website,
00:10:23.46\00:10:25.93
itiswritten.com.
Look for opportunities in
00:10:25.93\00:10:29.10
conversations. When you sense
a person is open to talking
00:10:29.10\00:10:32.10
about spiritual things,
gently introduce that sort of
00:10:32.10\00:10:35.50
topic. Ask questions. That
way you're not coming across
00:10:35.50\00:10:38.86
as an authority but you're
showing a genuine interest in
00:10:38.86\00:10:41.96
what others think. Also,
look for opportunities to serve
00:10:41.96\00:10:45.53
people, to do good to others.
00:10:45.53\00:10:47.36
Help people here or there and
this will open up an openness
00:10:47.36\00:10:51.43
to you and to what you
believe. If someone you are
00:10:51.43\00:10:54.46
connecting with
enjoys watching television,
00:10:54.46\00:10:56.46
recommend a religious TV
program they might watch.
00:10:56.46\00:10:59.06
Tell them about It Is
Written. Refer people to a
00:10:59.06\00:11:01.70
website you think that they
might like. One thing to keep
00:11:01.70\00:11:04.73
in mind is that God is
working in the lives of those
00:11:04.73\00:11:08.50
with whom you work. Pray and
ask God to help you see where
00:11:08.50\00:11:13.16
the openings are, the
opportunities, and when you
00:11:13.16\00:11:15.93
see them take those
opportunities and know that
00:11:15.93\00:11:19.23
God will bless you and
your witness. Oh, and one more
00:11:19.23\00:11:22.40
thought. In that work
setting, be sure that your
00:11:22.40\00:11:26.26
life speaks in favor of
your faith. If your faith hasn't
00:11:26.26\00:11:29.96
made you a better, happier
person, more likeable people
00:11:29.96\00:11:33.53
aren't going to want to your
faith for themselves. If you
00:11:33.53\00:11:38.13
have a Bible question that
you would like answered, go
00:11:38.13\00:11:40.13
to our website -
www.ItIsWritten.com. Click on
00:11:40.13\00:11:43.06
the questions tab.
Submit your question, and in a
00:11:43.06\00:11:47.96
future program we might
answer your question. If you
00:11:47.96\00:11:52.30
have a Bible question for
Pastor John Bradshaw, please
00:11:52.30\00:11:55.06
write to It Is Written, Box
O, Thousand Oaks, California,
00:11:55.06\00:11:58.80
91359. Or, visit our website
itiswritten.com and send us
00:11:58.80\00:12:04.16
your questions on-line.
00:12:04.16\00:12:06.16
[Music: Midnight
Clear]" And the angel said
00:12:09.33\00:12:30.56
unto them, Fear not,
for behold, I bring you
00:12:30.56\00:12:33.10
good tidings of great joy,
which shall be to all people.
00:12:33.10\00:12:37.16
For unto you is born this
day in the city of David a
00:12:37.16\00:12:40.46
Saviour, which is Christ
the Lord. And this shall be a
00:12:40.46\00:12:44.83
sign unto you: You shall find
the babe wrapped in swaddling
00:12:44.83\00:12:49.06
clothes, lying in a manger.
00:12:49.06\00:12:51.80
And suddenly there was with
the angel a multitude of the
00:12:51.80\00:12:56.36
heavenly host praising
God, and saying, Glory to God in
00:12:56.36\00:13:00.53
the highest, and on earth
peace, good will toward men."
00:13:00.53\00:13:05.73
Luke 2:10-14 Thanks for
joining me today. Even though
00:13:05.73\00:13:07.86
Jesus was not born on
December 25th, it has become
00:13:07.86\00:13:11.30
the day on which the
Christian world remembers the
00:13:11.30\00:13:13.53
great event when Jesus was
born in Bethlehem, when the
00:13:13.53\00:13:16.83
Messiah came into the world
to be its Saviour of all the
00:13:16.83\00:13:20.06
world. Christmas in
the Western World is
00:13:20.06\00:13:22.06
characterized by family
gatherings, house decorating,
00:13:22.06\00:13:24.83
food consuming and gift
giving - and sometimes it
00:13:24.83\00:13:29.13
seems as though we might
just miss the point. As you look
00:13:29.13\00:13:33.73
around, would you really get
the impression that Christmas
00:13:33.73\00:13:36.16
is actually about Jesus?
Or does it look like it's more
00:13:36.16\00:13:40.13
about sales and stuff and
possessions? I remember one
00:13:40.13\00:13:44.80
Christmas seeing a young
boy who had forgotten all about
00:13:44.80\00:13:47.53
the gifts he was given, but
he was having the time of his
00:13:47.53\00:13:49.93
life playing with the
wrapping that the gifts had
00:13:49.93\00:13:52.93
come in. He was having
more fun with a plastic bag than
00:13:52.93\00:13:55.76
he ever did have with the
expensive toys that he'd been
00:13:55.76\00:13:58.63
given. I hope yours is a
very Happy Christmas. So, let me
00:13:58.63\00:14:03.73
ask you, what would make this
Christmas happy for you? And
00:14:03.73\00:14:08.33
what would you really like
for Christmas?"And they came
00:14:08.33\00:14:13.36
with haste, and found
Mary, and Joseph, and the baby
00:14:13.36\00:14:16.56
lying in a manger. And
when they had seen it, they made
00:14:16.56\00:14:20.20
known abroad the saying
which was told them concerning
00:14:20.20\00:14:25.30
this child.
00:14:25.30\00:14:26.50
And all they that heard it
which were told them by the
00:14:26.50\00:14:29.53
shepherds." LUKE 2:16-18
This Christmas - while you're
00:14:29.53\00:14:31.73
enjoying your mashed potatoes
at Grandma's annual Christmas
00:14:31.73\00:14:34.53
feast - there are some
people who won't be getting very
00:14:34.53\00:14:38.33
much, or giving very
much, because they simply don't
00:14:38.33\00:14:41.96
have very much. Someone
just this week lost a job and
00:14:41.96\00:14:46.60
there's no money for extras.
00:14:46.60\00:14:48.03
Someone this week found
out that insurance won't cover
00:14:48.03\00:14:50.70
that claim, and now they're
in a jam. Someone yesterday,
00:14:50.70\00:14:55.30
perhaps, found out that
the investments they'd made to
00:14:55.30\00:14:58.03
fund their retirement
have collapsed, and now they're
00:14:58.03\00:15:01.16
not going to have nearly
as much as they thought they
00:15:01.16\00:15:04.76
would. So at Christmas,
what really matters? Is it the
00:15:04.76\00:15:09.20
'stuff'? Is it the gifts
and the Christmas tree and the
00:15:09.20\00:15:11.86
lights on the outside of
the house? What really matters
00:15:11.86\00:15:15.33
this Christmas? And let's
think about this from God's
00:15:15.33\00:15:19.13
point of view. We think about
what we want for Christmas,
00:15:19.13\00:15:22.53
that's one thing. But what
would God want? If God had a
00:15:22.53\00:15:26.53
Christmas wish list, what
do you think would be on it? If
00:15:26.53\00:15:29.90
God said, All I Want For
Christmas Is... how do you
00:15:29.90\00:15:33.60
think He'd finish the
sentence? World peace? Sure.
00:15:33.60\00:15:38.20
God would want that, wouldn't
He? Full churches? In many
00:15:38.20\00:15:41.83
cases, no doubt. No more
war, or violence in the streets?
00:15:41.83\00:15:46.60
Surely God would want to
see an end to oppression and
00:15:46.60\00:15:49.16
racism and hate and
violence of all kinds. But as
00:15:49.16\00:15:52.76
important as those things
are, they're secondary. That
00:15:52.76\00:15:56.63
is, peace in the world can
only come when there's truly
00:15:56.63\00:16:02.06
peace in the heart. In the
Proverbs, God tells us what
00:16:02.06\00:16:07.40
He wants for Christmas. In
Proverbs 23:26, God says,"My
00:16:07.40\00:16:13.86
son, give me thine heart,
and let thine eyes observe my
00:16:13.86\00:16:19.43
ways." God asks for
your heart this Christmas. A
00:16:19.43\00:16:25.73
simple request, but it is
not always easy for people like
00:16:25.73\00:16:29.20
you and me to fulfill.
Now, what do I mean by that, by
00:16:29.20\00:16:32.40
saying it isn't always
easy for a person to give his or
00:16:32.40\00:16:35.83
her heart to God? As sinful
human beings we wrestle with
00:16:35.83\00:16:41.20
our own will, our own
desires and wants, and sometimes
00:16:41.20\00:16:46.00
giving God our heart
seems like the toughest thing of
00:16:46.00\00:16:48.73
all. Now, not to give God our
heart would be for us to make
00:16:48.73\00:16:52.66
the same mistake as was made
by the people of Israel when
00:16:52.66\00:16:55.60
Jesus came the first time.
00:16:55.60\00:16:58.10
John wrote that"He came unto
His own, and His own received
00:16:58.10\00:17:01.60
Him not." Think of who the
people were who WERE prepared
00:17:01.60\00:17:06.03
to meet Jesus: a few humble
shepherds, and some wise men
00:17:06.03\00:17:10.16
from a foreign country. Then
there was Anna and there was
00:17:10.16\00:17:13.63
Simeon, but in a country
that was built upon the hope of
00:17:13.63\00:17:16.16
the coming of the Messiah,
that was precious few. When
00:17:16.16\00:17:22.33
Jesus came to the earth
the first time, that first
00:17:22.33\00:17:24.86
Christmas his parents
couldn't even find a place
00:17:24.86\00:17:26.93
for Jesus to dwell. I
sincerely hope it won't be
00:17:26.93\00:17:30.10
that way this Christmas.
00:17:30.10\00:17:31.93
Christ is looking
for a dwelling place this
00:17:31.93\00:17:34.13
Christmas. Not a stable,
not an inn - He's looking for a
00:17:34.13\00:17:38.70
heart."My son - my daughter
- give me your heart," God
00:17:38.70\00:17:43.93
asks. Paul wrote to the
Ephesians and discussed the
00:17:43.93\00:17:47.06
hope, in Ephesians 3:17
we read there, Ephesians 3:17
00:17:47.06\00:17:52.10
"That Christ may dwell in
your hearts by faith..." And
00:17:52.10\00:17:59.63
in Revelation 3:20, the same
Jesus is looking for a place
00:17:59.63\00:18:04.03
to rest. And He says,
Behold, I stand at the door and
00:18:04.03\00:18:09.63
knock. If anyone hears My
voice and opens the door, I
00:18:09.63\00:18:13.63
will come in to him and
dine with him, and he with Me.
00:18:13.63\00:18:18.83
What's most important
this Christmas? As important as
00:18:18.83\00:18:22.03
some of the trappings
and even the traditions of
00:18:22.03\00:18:24.23
Christmas have become, surely
the most important part of
00:18:24.23\00:18:27.86
Christmas is Christ - and not
simply the historical Christ,
00:18:27.86\00:18:32.80
the baby in the manger.
But the present day Christ,
00:18:32.80\00:18:36.13
looking for lodging, looking
to see if you'll give Him the
00:18:36.13\00:18:39.40
best gift you could give Him
- the gift of your heart. The
00:18:39.40\00:18:44.16
gift of your life."And
Simeon blessed them, and said
00:18:44.16\00:18:49.90
unto Mary his mother, Behold,
this child is set for the
00:18:49.90\00:18:54.06
fall and rising again of
many in Israel; and for a sign
00:18:54.06\00:18:59.23
which shall be spoken
against. (Yea, a sword shall
00:18:59.23\00:19:02.73
pierce through they own
soul also,) that the thoughts of
00:19:02.73\00:19:06.56
many hearts may be revealed."
00:19:06.56\00:19:08.46
Luke 2:34, 35
00:19:08.46\00:19:10.00
[?????] In Matthew 4:4,
00:19:11.43\00:19:21.60
the word of God says It is
written, man shall not live
00:19:21.60\00:19:24.46
by bread alone, but by every
word that proceeds from the
00:19:24.46\00:19:27.83
mouth of God. Every Word is
a one minute Bible-based daily
00:19:27.83\00:19:32.70
devotional presented by
Pastor John Bradshaw and
00:19:32.70\00:19:36.03
designed especially for
busy people like you. Look for
00:19:36.03\00:19:39.03
Every Word on selected
networks or watch it on line
00:19:39.03\00:19:41.80
every day on our website.
00:19:41.80\00:19:43.33
Itiswritten.com. Receive a
daily spiritual boost. Watch
00:19:43.33\00:19:48.10
Every Word. You'll be
glad you did. Here's a sample.
00:19:48.10\00:19:53.03
Astronomers in Australia
announced a few years ago
00:20:01.26\00:20:04.00
that they calculated the
number of stars in the sky.
00:20:04.00\00:20:07.20
Seventy sextillion.
That's seventy thousand million
00:20:07.20\00:20:10.13
million million. 70 followed
by 22 zeros. That's more
00:20:10.13\00:20:14.33
stars than there are
grains of sand in all of Earth's
00:20:14.33\00:20:16.76
deserts and beaches. And
the astronomers say their number
00:20:16.76\00:20:19.76
is likely way too low. In
Psalms 8:3-4 we read these
00:20:19.76\00:20:24.13
words."When I consider
they heavens, the works of thy
00:20:24.13\00:20:27.30
fingers, the moon and
the stars, which thou hast
00:20:27.30\00:20:29.53
ordained, what is man that
thou art mindful of him?" God
00:20:29.53\00:20:33.33
has made a universe that
vast, and yet He is still
00:20:33.33\00:20:36.60
'mindful' of the human
family. We serve a great, and
00:20:36.60\00:20:39.80
a big, God. If He made all
that - and He did - you can
00:20:39.80\00:20:43.63
be certain He can take
care of you and your burdens
00:20:43.63\00:20:47.36
today. I'm John Bradshaw
for It Is Written. Let's live
00:20:47.36\00:20:50.36
today by Every Word.
00:20:50.36\00:20:52.90
[????] Eyes for India
00:20:54.73\00:21:03.06
is giving sight to the
blind and you can be a part
00:21:03.06\00:21:05.53
of this amazing work that
God is doing. Fifteen million
00:21:05.53\00:21:09.13
blind people live in India,
more than any other country
00:21:09.13\00:21:12.40
in the world. And many of
the blind in India could see
00:21:12.40\00:21:15.53
again, if only they could
have simple cataract surgery.
00:21:15.53\00:21:18.26
It Is Written is making
that happen. Would you support
00:21:18.26\00:21:23.26
Eyes for India? For just
$75 you'll be given the gift of
00:21:23.26\00:21:28.66
sight to someone who
desperately wants to see.
00:21:28.66\00:21:32.56
Here's all you need to do.
00:21:32.56\00:21:33.83
Call 1.800.253.3000. That's
1.800.253.3000 to donate and
00:21:33.83\00:21:41.43
support Eyes for India.
Or, you can write to It Is
00:21:41.43\00:21:46.10
Written, Box O,
Thousand Oaks, California 91359.
00:21:46.10\00:21:50.90
You'll also find Eyes
for India on-line at It Is
00:21:50.90\00:21:55.20
Written.com. Every $75
you give gives someone the
00:21:55.20\00:21:58.93
precious gift of sight. Eyes
for India, doing the work of
00:21:58.93\00:22:02.83
Jesus in opening the eyes
of the blind and opening hearts
00:22:02.83\00:22:07.03
to the love of God. Call
1.800.253.3000 or write to
00:22:07.03\00:22:12.46
Box O, Thousand Oaks,
California, 91359. Or visit
00:22:12.46\00:22:17.80
itiswritten.com.
00:22:17.80\00:22:21.46
[???] "And she was a widow
00:22:23.06\00:22:32.43
of about fourscore
and four years, which
00:22:32.43\00:22:35.00
departed not from the temple,
but served God with fastings
00:22:35.00\00:22:38.56
and prayers night and day.
00:22:38.56\00:22:40.93
And she coming in that
instant gave thanks likewise
00:22:40.93\00:22:44.63
unto the Lord, and spake
of him to all them that looked
00:22:44.63\00:22:48.63
for redemption in Jerusalem."
00:22:48.63\00:22:51.03
Luke 2:37, 38 My Dad told me
many years ago about the gift
00:22:51.03\00:22:54.13
that meant most to him.
The Christmas in question was
00:22:54.13\00:22:57.33
many years before, and a
number of years before I was
00:22:57.33\00:22:59.56
born. One of my older
brothers had wanted to buy
00:22:59.56\00:23:02.60
Dad a gift, so he scraped
together what was then only a
00:23:02.60\00:23:06.33
few cents and went and bought
Dad a little bar of shaving
00:23:06.33\00:23:10.76
soap. And that touched my
father's heart - and was more
00:23:10.76\00:23:14.46
special to him than any
other gift he had ever received.
00:23:14.46\00:23:17.43
And why do you think that
was? Because it came from the
00:23:17.43\00:23:21.03
heart. It was given with
love - and a lot of it. The
00:23:21.03\00:23:24.73
innocent, giving,
self-sacrificing love of a
00:23:24.73\00:23:27.23
little boy doing something
sweet for his Daddy. See -
00:23:27.23\00:23:32.26
that's what's really
important. A gift that is
00:23:32.26\00:23:35.30
given from the heart.
This year, I wonder what you'll
00:23:35.30\00:23:40.33
give Jesus for Christmas?
I'm sure I can safely say He
00:23:40.33\00:23:44.46
doesn't really want or
need anything you can buy at a
00:23:44.46\00:23:47.30
department store or anything
you can order online. But
00:23:47.30\00:23:51.03
Jesus wants something given
from the heart. In fact, He
00:23:51.03\00:23:54.90
wants your heart. Just a
small thing - but it is what
00:23:54.90\00:24:00.06
He wants from you. Can
you give Jesus your heart this
00:24:00.06\00:24:05.53
Christmas?"And when
they had performed all things
00:24:05.53\00:24:09.23
according to the law of
the Lord, they returned into
00:24:09.23\00:24:13.56
Galilee, to their own city
Nazareth. And the child grew,
00:24:13.56\00:24:17.86
and waxed strong in spirit,
filled with wisdom. And the
00:24:17.86\00:24:22.20
grace of God was upon Him..."
00:24:22.20\00:24:24.76
Luke 2:39, 40 We wish for
you a Christmas filled with the
00:24:24.76\00:24:28.40
love and presence of God.
00:24:28.40\00:24:30.33
Whatever your circumstances
this year, we hope you'll
00:24:30.33\00:24:33.20
remember that God so loved
the world that He gave. The
00:24:33.20\00:24:36.56
birth of Jesus represents the
giving-ness and the love of a
00:24:36.56\00:24:39.50
great God. A God who inspired
the Bible writer to write,
00:24:39.50\00:24:43.96
"He that spared not His
own Son, but delivered Him up
00:24:43.96\00:24:47.16
freely for us all, how shall
He not with Him also freely
00:24:47.16\00:24:53.53
give us all things?" I
want to invite you to pray with
00:24:53.53\00:24:55.66
us. Christmas day, we have
a lot to be thankful for and
00:24:55.66\00:24:58.50
even if your Christmas
day is filled with, from your
00:24:58.50\00:25:00.93
perspective, even more
challenges than blessings, we
00:25:00.93\00:25:04.66
still have so much to be
thankful for as we pray to
00:25:04.66\00:25:07.53
the God who so loved
this world that he gave the
00:25:07.53\00:25:11.20
greatest gift that could
ever be given. Let's all pray
00:25:11.20\00:25:14.70
together. Our Father in
heaven. Today we thank you
00:25:14.70\00:25:19.63
and we thank you for
Jesus who was willing to give
00:25:19.63\00:25:22.93
himself for the lost people
of this lost world. And we
00:25:22.93\00:25:27.13
thank you that in your
goodness and in your love,
00:25:27.13\00:25:29.93
whatever our circumstances
today, we can know that there
00:25:29.93\00:25:33.53
is a God of love who truly
loves us and has prepared for
00:25:33.53\00:25:38.13
us a bright and a
hopeful future. How many more
00:25:38.13\00:25:42.80
Christmas days there can
be until Jesus comes back to
00:25:42.80\00:25:45.36
this world to take us home
we do not know. But until he
00:25:45.36\00:25:49.46
returns, I pray that you
will help us to be faithful, to
00:25:49.46\00:25:53.66
trust you, to believe in
you and to lean on you. You who
00:25:53.66\00:25:58.33
have given us so much, we
say to you: Thank you. And we
00:25:58.33\00:26:02.73
pray that you will continue
to bless us, not merely for
00:26:02.73\00:26:05.53
our own sake but so that
you would be glorified. You have
00:26:05.53\00:26:10.13
truly given us the greatest
blessings and for that today,
00:26:10.13\00:26:13.93
we say"Thank you" and we
pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
00:26:13.93\00:26:21.60
[Music] Perhaps our program
00:26:41.43\00:26:59.33
today has impressed you
with a personal need for deeper
00:26:59.33\00:27:01.60
Bible study. If you desire
to listen to God and follow
00:27:01.60\00:27:04.40
where he leads, we've got
a wonderful resource that can
00:27:04.40\00:27:08.16
help you to do that in a
systematic way. The Discover
00:27:08.16\00:27:11.66
bible guides. These Bible
guides are easy to use and
00:27:11.66\00:27:15.13
can be yours absolutely free.
00:27:15.13\00:27:18.06
If you live in North America,
we'll send you these full
00:27:18.06\00:27:22.13
color guides or you can
find them on our website:
00:27:22.13\00:27:24.13
itiswritten.com. Request
the Discover Bible Guides by
00:27:24.13\00:27:27.76
calling our toll-free number,
1.800.253.3000. You may also
00:27:27.76\00:27:32.46
request today's offer by
writing to It Is Written, Box
00:27:32.46\00:27:35.83
O, Thousand Oaks, California
91359. From all of us at It
00:27:35.83\00:27:41.06
Is Written, Merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year to you
00:27:41.06\00:27:46.30
as well. I hope you'll
join us next time. Until then,
00:27:46.30\00:27:49.56
please remember: It is
written: man shall not live
00:27:49.56\00:27:54.16
by bread alone, but by every
word that proceeds from the
00:27:54.16\00:27:58.43
mouth of God.
00:27:58.43\00:28:00.20