Dec 10.97: Light For The Day - "Getting Ready For Christmas" 

If you're looking for Peace, Hope, and Joy
this Christmas, look to God. -- Anon.

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"Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." 
-- Romans 5:1(RSV)

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"Getting Ready For Christmas" 

It's coming -- a very confusing time of year for
many people: Christmas. Although it's supposed
to be a time of peace and joy, some consider it the
most depressing. A counselor friend of mine
mentioned that he sees more people during the
Christmas holidays than at any other time. 

Apparently, not everyone experiences the much-
talked-about joy of the season. One's own bad
feelings contrasted with other's good times can
make life seem doubly depressing. 

If that happens to you, if you're down when others
are up, you'll find Paul's words in Romans 5
helpful. He said we have: 

* Peace (v.1). Faith in Jesus brings the most
important source of comfort: strong fellowship
with God. 

* Hope (v.2). Loss of hope is always a problem
for those who are down. There can be no better
hope than a future spent with God -- and that's
the promise. 

* Joy (vv.3-4). The bad we endure is not
purposeless. God's plan is being carried out,
and our troubles will make us the kind of people
God can use. 

Even when things look bad, no one or no event can
take away the promise of Peace, Hope, and Joy. 
That can make any season a joyful one. 

-- J. David Branon 

The hope we have in Jesus Christ 
Brings joy into our heart; 
And when we know the love of God, 
His peace He will impart. 
-- Sper 

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-- Romans 5:1-5 (RSV) :

"1-Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ. 
2-Through him we have obtained access to this
grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our
hope of sharing the glory of God. 
3-More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings,
knowing that suffering produces endurance, 
4-and endurance produces character, and
character produces hope, 
5- and hope does not disappoint us, because
God's love has been poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit which has been given
to us." 
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