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God Loved the World So Much...By Paul Hayden December 24, 2018 Christmas thoughts – 2018How many Christmases have you had? This will be 66 for me. I have been somewhat cynical about Christmas sometimes – not so much the day or the spirit, but all that seemed to surround and even engulf Christmas. The commercializing of Christmas bothered me even when I was a kid. I liked getting gifts, but not the advertising of Christmas, using the beautiful and wonderful birth of the Savior and Lord Jesus in order to SELL stuff. It really messed it up for me. So, I do what I can to simply ignore all the advertising and anything that distracts from the real inherent message of Christmas. The gift of our Lord – THE Lord of everything – He is the message of Christmas. John 3:16 – “God loved the world so much…that He gave His only Son.” Just think on those words. They are the words of Jesus Himself. He called Himself “the light of the world,” and “the way, the truth, and the Life.” He knew the world was messed up, even then. God made us, He created a world for us to enjoy and live in, He gives us life, and all that which sustains our lives. “Believing in Him” is so much deeper than mere acknowledgment. It is a life that dwells in His light. At this time of year, I now find myself being thankful, during a period when it seems good to remember what life is truly about, a time to reflect on God’s gifts to us. Most especially we can reflect on God’s love for us, When we were young, there was much to-do about the gifts you would get. As we mature, it is more about what we can give, and who we share life with, our friends, our families. As you can for yourself and those around you, bring the sweet fragrance of love into this time - tender, sensitive, uplifting music, sharing time with family and friends. My family is spread across the country, as are so many friends, so we cannot be together. But we can talk on the phone, or use the tech of ‘face time.’ Love those with whom you find yourself. Reach out and make some new friends, even. Merry Christmas! God bless you all. Lord, help us to love one another!
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 Paul Hayden is a Christian believer, and an American patriot, necessarily in that order. He is a student of the Bible, and is avidly interested in our role in the context of history, as understood through the heart and eyes of faith. Paul has lived and traveled somewhat widely, and now lives in the heartland of the U.S. (central Illinois), with his wife Donna - they have five grown children. Since December of 2016, he serves as the Editor-in-Chief of www.ConservativeTruth.org."I was raised by a Christian minister, Kenneth Hayden, until his death when I was 10. Then my mom married a farmer. So I was raised in a very down-to-earth home. My faith has grown through the years, but both in conjunction with the institutional church and through small groups and individuals, including books as well as group settings, where deep, sincere faith is shared that aligns with Biblical truth."
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