As you prepare for Christmas, where are your thoughts? Are you so consumed with responsibilities that the joy of the miracle Birth has been swallowed up with busyness?

Has the Baby in the manger touched you heart? Have you seen Christ’s faithfulness, protection, and love throughout the year? Did you know that what fills your heart comes out of your mouth? Think for a moment of what you’ve been talking about lately. That’s what occupies your heart. Is it Christ?

Our churches are full of members who’ve never trusted Christ as their Savior. They serve on committees, sing in the choir, and even sometimes teach in our Children’s Divisions. Yet they only have “head knowledge” of Jesus Christ. They believe He is the Son of God, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, was resurrected on the third day, and now sits on the right hand of God in heaven…just as Satan believes it. And—like Satan—they’ve never surrendered their life to Jesus Christ. They need to be told the truth. They need to know that it’s not about a religion, but a relationship. They need a “heart knowledge” of Jesus Christ.

When you think of Christmas, do you focus on the Baby in the manger…or the Savior on the Cross?

Oswald Chambers said, “It is shallow nonsense to say that God forgives us because He is love. The love of God means Calvary, and nothing less; the love of God is spelt on the Cross and nowhere else. The only ground on which God can forgive me is through the Cross of my Lord….to put forgiveness on any other ground is unconscious blasphemy. Forgiveness, which is so easy for us to accept, cost the agony of Calvary. Forgiveness is the divine miracle of grace; it cost God the Cross of Jesus Christ before He could forgive sin and remain a holy God. …His death was not something that happened to Him which might have been prevented: His death was the very reason why He came. The greatest note of triumph that ever sounded in the ears of a startled universe was that sounded on the Cross of Christ—’It is finished!’”

If a man is to be saved, there is only one way—the cross of Jesus. If a man is to have victory over temptation, there is only one way—the cross of Jesus. If we are to live daily abundant lives, there is only one way—the cross of Jesus.

Jesus came to this earth knowing there would be a cross…and He came anyway. He knew He would be beaten, scourged, mocked, and humiliated…and He came anyway. As He hung on that cross, He looked out and saw you and me…and all of mankind. Now He wants us to—faithfully—one-by-one, tell others of His great love for them.

How much does He love us? He stretched out His arms and said, “I love you this much!” Now He wants us to live in this world—in our daily lives, driving carpool, going to work, cooking meals, and constantly doing housework—to share His love with those He places in our paths (the postman, the grocery clerk, our neighbors, soccer coaches, and coworkers). That’s God’s plan!

People today don’t want to hear that Jesus is the only way. It doesn’t fit in the new religious order. And avoid the mention of blood of Jesus at all cost. It’s unpleasant and distasteful. It promotes violence in children. Forget about sin and personal accountability. That makes us feel bad about ourselves. Those are the attitudes today’s culture is promoting. Unfortunately, this kind of heretical teaching has maneuvered its way into the theologies of many congregations and many denominations in our land.

Proclaiming the cross of Jesus Christ has never been more challenging than it is today! Clearly, after 9/11 in America, God is back, but the cross of Jesus isn’t

What is your passion in life? What is it that gets your attention? What motivates you in this life? If your life is motivated by anything other than a passion for what Christ did on the cross, than your life is being impassioned by the wrong thing. It is the cross that declares our pardon and salvation. And it’s the cross that demands your passion, your commitment.

Our purpose is summed up in that we are to love the Lord with all our mind, soul, and spirit. We are to share His love with others. We are to walk along side others and point them to Jesus. We are to equip others to serve the Lord and glorify His name. These purposes are all wrapped up in the cross of Jesus Christ. And we will not back down from proclaiming it. For us, it’s still the cross. We will profess our loyalty and obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ in the face of a world that has rejected Him—a post Christian era.

I ask you if the cross of Jesus has made an eternal difference in your life? Or have adversity, pain, heartache and doubt distracted you from the cross? Perhaps you’ve allowed yourself to get so busy that you’ve neglected your quiet time, you’ve replaced your time with Him with schedules and agendas. Have other things drawn you away from the cross?

Would you let your words be those of Paul, “God forbid that I should glory in anything except for the cross of Jesus Christ.”

May your heart be occupied this Christmas season with thoughtful ways to share the wonder of God’s Gift of Love with others. May you be alert and available to recognize and make the most of each opportunity the Lord brings your way. May those around you sense God’s love flowing through you and may it impact their lives.

May this Christmas be different as you focus on the Baby in the Manger who grew to be our Savior on the Cross.

We at Redeeming the Time are praying that this Christmas season will be filled with precious memories of new friends, old friends, loved ones, and most of all of those in your sphere of influence that choose to surrender their lives to Jesus Christ. May this be a Christmas you will always remember–one that changes your life also!