WHAT A DIFFERENCE A BABY CAN MAKE!

During this season, we’re reminded of the earth-shattering impact that a Baby born in Bethlehm has had on our world.

In my message on December 23, I’m summarizing the wonderful short story by Francis Bret Harte (1836-1902) entitled “The Luck of Roaring Camp.” Harte is the only American author who truly captured the wild atmosphere of the California gold rush days.

“The Luck of Roaring Camp”is a home-spun story that colorfully illustrates how one little baby can make a tremendous difference in the world.

In my message, my brief summary doesn’t do it justice, so I’ve provided a link to the full story for your reading pleasure. It will take you about 15 minutes to read, but you’ll be rewarded for your diligence in wading through the 19th Century language and phrasing.

ENJOY AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!


http://www.classicreader.com/read.php/bookid.810/sec./

MIKE HUCKABEE - LOSING WEIGHT AND GAINING SUPPORT

If you follow this blog you know that I came out in support of Mike Huckabee for President a few months ago. He doesn’t have a perfect record as Governor of Arkansas (which public official does?), but right now, he has my prayers and support over the next 11 months.

According the latest polls, Huckabee has surged ahead of the other Republican candidates in both Iowa and South Carolina. South Carolina holds its Republican Primary on January 19, and according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll taken December 9-12, Huckabee was the choice of 24% of those polled. This compares with 17% for Fred Thompson, and 16% for Rudi Guliani, who is tied with Mitt Romney who also had 16%. Senator John McCain came in fifth with 13%.

Huckabee’s campaign has just hired former Ronald Reagan campaign strategist Ed Rollins as his new national campaign manager. Rollins is best known for managing President Reagan’s sweeping 1984 re-election.

As should be expected by Huckabee’s surge, both Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson have increased their attacks against Huckabee for everything from his immigration plan to his ethics.

One of the most interesting things about Mike Huckabee is the transformation that he brought about in his own life. He woke up one day and realized he was overweight and out of shape. He decided to make some changes. As a result, in 2003 he lost over 110 pounds and has since run several marathons. He wrote a book about his experience entitled, Quit Digging Your Grave with a Knife and Fork. Anyone who has ever tried to get in shape or stay in shape realizes that he must have a great amount of positive will power.

But is America ready for an ordained Southern Baptist minister as President? Frankly, I believe that Huckabee’s former job as a pastor may actually hinder his chances. There are doomsday liberals who are always shouting that the “religious right” is bound and determined to establish a “Theocracy” by electing a “preacher.” Nothing could be further from the truth. The religious right only wishes to bolster America by returning the our nation to the moral and religious foundation upon which our nation was founded. We don’t want a weekly sermon from the President, we want bold, courageous leadership by someone who possesses a dynamic personal faith in God.

I encourage readers of this blog to seriously consider the positions of Mike Huckabee. Don’t support him because he was once a Baptist preacher – support him because he has some workable ideas to fix some of America’s problems.

For instance, he has a revolutionary idea of doing away with the IRS. Click on this link if you want to see more:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWUxpS7anpo

What do you think?

WELCOME ABOARD YOUR FLIGHT TO NOWHERE

The title of this blog may sound like a line from Rod Serling as he introduced an episode of The Twilight Zone, but this story is true.

An Indian entrepreneur, Bhadur Chand Gupta, is selling tickets to his fellow countrymen on his “Gupta Airlines" Airbus 300 for $4 a ticket! However, there is a slight catch. The plane never leaves the ground. (Doing so would mean flying in circles because it only has one wing! And besides, the plane doesn’t even have engines.) Nonetheless, Gupta is selling thousands of $4 tickets to willing "passengers."

What gives? Gupta isn't selling airplane flights--he's selling fellow Indians just the chance to experience sitting in a real airliner. Fewer than 1% of Indians will ever travel on an airliner, so Gupta is cashing in on the mere desire of people to experience virtual flight.

Gupta bought the dismantled aircraft from an insurance company in 2003. He reassembled the plane (most of it) in a Delhi neighborhood and soon began offering his “non-flights” on his non-airline.

The plane has no lighting and the lavatories don’t function, but the passengers are seated in actual airline seats inside the fuselage which is cooled by a generator. Airline music is playing from the speakers, and the passengers are given a safety demonstration. They even hear “captain’s announcements” from non-pilot Gupta himself.

Gupta’s wife and other family members serve as a crew of six “flight attendants” who walk up and down the aisles with their drink trollies serving drinks and airline food to the passengers.

(Hold it! To have MEAL SERVICE on a flight isn’t very realistic today!)

During their simulated flight, the passengers hear Captain Gupta make several announcements such as “Prepare for takeoff” and “We will soon be passing through a zone of turbulence, please make sure your seat belts are securely fastened.” And, “We are about to being our descent into Delhi.” But the scenery never changes because the aircraft never moves.

Gupta reports his countrymen are traveling hundreds of miles across India just to have the experience that only 99% of them can only dream about. A $4 chance of sitting in a cramped airline seat for 30 minutes is as close to air travel as they will get--and they're happy to do it. When they leave the plane, they still have never flown, but they relish what it might be like to really fly.

When I first heard about this, I thought that anyone who’d pay money to sit on a grounded airliner couldn’t be very smart. But after thinking about it, I realize that these people are simply doing what millions of tourists do everyday at Disney World – they’re paying to experience what it’s like to have some of their dreams come true.

Of course, I couldn’t help but extract a spiritual analogy from this interesting story. To me, those Indians who pay $4 to experience “virtual flight” are like thousands of Americans who flock to our churches just to experience “virtual spirituality.” They listen to songs as if they are only piped-in, pleasant background music. They watch the ushers move up and down the aisles with offering plates – and they might even drop in a few bucks for the “show.” Then they hear someone deliver a message from the Bible. But they walk out of church exactly like those non-fliers in Delhi--their faith having never left the ground. They “experienced” a form of godliness, but they’ve never experienced the actual power of God. We shouldn’t be too quick to criticize those Indians when our churches are full of virtual worshippers!

It’s a yes or no question – “Have you ever flown?” Sitting in a dismantled aircraft doesn’t qualify.

It’s a yes or no question - “Do you know God?” Sitting in a pew and leaving unmoved and unchanged doesn’t qualify either.

Virtual spirituality may give a clue about what’s possible, but authentic spirituality can only be realized when you EXPERIENCE a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

For those of us who know, love, and serve God, we soar to heights unknown even without the aid of an aircraft! “For those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.” (Isaiah 40:31)

JESUS ISN'T WORRIED THAT PEOPLE SAY "HAPPY HOLIDAYS"

A CHRISTMAS LETTER FROM JESUS:

Dear Children,

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year. Historically, some of your predecessors decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival. Although I do appreciate being remembered anytime.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that, let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that, there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be plenty of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grapevine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. Remember to look up John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth, here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms--no matter how old they are--and remind them that I love them.

5. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take his or her own life this season, feeling so alone and hopeless? Since you never know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make all the difference.

6. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a 'Merry Christmas', that doesn't keep you from wishing them one.

7. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary-- especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

8. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no 'Christmas' tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity that believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

9. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of Mine.

Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember.

I LOVE YOU,
JESUS