The Christmas Game

Encouraging prayer, God offers an open invitation for his people to talk with him anytime about anything encouraging prayer Dr. James Banks, author of the best-selling and many other books on prayer provides weekly biblical insight help you learn to love and valve. So here we are already December.

This will be here before we know it, but the question is when all the things to do and presents defined and traveling plans. How can we get through this time without being distracted from what it's all about James is not always so easy now it is you know I love Christmas but think about all the piled on.

Talk about Weibel.

Holly and mistletoe in the jolly old elf and red nose reindeer. I mean really honestly take a step back, what is that complex with someone shout really loudly and said, look over here, look over here to make me one look in another direction. A quieter one because what Christmas really is about is quite true that God came into the world because he loves us and wants us to be near him. I love the name Isaiah prophesied for Jesus Emmanuelle which means God with us. That's the challenge we face is walking through Christmas and what it's become. You know what Jesus yeah yeah because we we can find it were in such a mad rush that we don't rest in him. We actually find ourselves getting distant and I think that's part of what the distraction Christmas really is part of our adversary strategy to take our hearts away from what Matt smokes stemming sometimes we get so busy focusing on good things that we forget the best some true. Let's go there. Let's talk about just being with Jesus at Christmas about staying open to him will you know about this. I think we have to be careful. First, not to sound like Scrooge.

The Grinch his heart was two sizes too small. The secularizing of Christmas. It's such an easy target to hit.

But the remedy is in saying stop it you know how crazy I I I think that there is another way around this. I think that we can use a lot of these distractions actually as reminders.

So when you see the lights in the recent reindeer. Let them point back. Yeah, I mean we can't escape it. It's everywhere you look so let's use it and think about that.

We know that we can always praise God more gently.

I mean, I know I can and we can never praise him enough so try to make a game out of it if you like. Every time you see a re-praise God for his eternal love that never ends that will never leave you. I like that you can take almost anything to write me today I'm doing great tonight and doing Christmas lights you are going to Christmas parade with my daughter so know when I see them I'm going to let myself be reminded that Jesus is the light of the world and appraise import so you call this a game, but it is really a lot more than that a whole lot more important because it really does help so what about this. What you do with some of these Christmas songs look in your writing. I called David the Christmas game, but he thought that's funny, I started thinking about this the other night I was in Home Depot and the song is probably my least favorite but it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas blared over the speakers so that when one like this. Take a look at the five and 10 mix glistening once again with candy canes and silver lanes glow so it's all about the stuff yeah yeah I mean pistol Dolly on birds, but if it's a catchy two sticks in your head when whenever you hear Christmas, especially one like that, that misses the whole point of it. Instead of getting mad about it but the fact that there's a song at all points you back to him in interest. Praise God in your own heart.

I mean it wasn't for Jesus, there wouldn't be Christmas we wouldn't be celebrating at this time of year so so in a way even that song is because of him. So now here's a challenge.

What about the blowoff inflatable snowmen is what it is. Pick something different every day. Red glows red nose reindeer, you name it, but but I think the key is to pick one thing at a time. Just think of it like a ribbon tied around her finger to remind you to praise God and to thank him for Jesus and the rest, and I mean you could do it that way to write absolutely everything. Don't get mad getting it is an entirely spiritual sense, of course, this is like a spiritual jujitsu if you just but just pick something every day is a reminder that Jesus is with you and and will never leave you the greatest gift of all. And you know it helps so if I want to ask Robbie what with the good of the litigant pick today. I'm thinking I'll stick you like to dress up like elfin I've always line that love that line. You know it's the world's best cup of coffee congratulations so you know what else I can get coffee and and and congratulate to same time and ended up or lift your spirit, your boss. The network just send but I like it I like it.

I read all that matters all that matters nothing less than nothing more is being with Jesus and if we placed our faith in him and received his forgiveness. What he did for us at the cross is with and we just need to be reminded of it, and he'll help us with that he waited really well. So let's left wrap up wrap up that's a good word for Christmas with the prayer thanking them for that. So Jesus, thank you for this. This concept of taking the things it could be an irritation in the distraction and pointing them back to you. Lord help us to do that and see ways that we could make this a holiday that we grow even closer in inviting with you and the people that we love and see what a tremendous gift was really given us their Christmas Day Jesus name I pray, hear more from Pastor James by visiting the website James Banks.org or by visiting these church in Durham, North Carolina. May God bless you and encourage you as you pray