Q: Every year we say we're going to focus on the true meaning of Christmas, but then we get busy with shopping and entertaining and everything, and it never happens. How can we celebrate Christmas the way we should and still make it a fun time for our children? Or is it possible? - Mrs. C.H.
A: Yes, I believe it is possible to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas while making it an enjoyable time for our children - and I hope you'll do everything you can to make this true for your family this year.
Remember: At Christmas, we celebrate the greatest gift the human race has ever known - God's gift of Jesus Christ, His Son. God in His love and mercy saw our spiritual need, and on that Christmas night over 2,000 years ago He entered the world in the person of a tiny baby - a baby who grew up to become our Savior.
You see, the Bible says we are lost and separated from God - drifting through life without any purpose, and without hope either for this life or the next. But Jesus Christ came to bring us back to God - and when we believe in Him and commit our lives to Him, God forgives our sins and makes us part of His family forever. The Bible says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
Make Christ the center of your life this Christmas. As you give gifts, teach your children about the greatest gift of all - the gift of God's only Son. Read together the accounts of His birth also (you'll find them at the beginning of Matthew and Luke). Set aside time as well for the Christmas celebrations in your church. May this be the most joyous Christmas you have ever known.
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Affectionately known as the “World’s Preacher” for more than 60 years, the Rev. Billy Graham is one of the most influential and respected spiritual leaders of the 20th century. He has been a friend and spiritual advisor to ten American presidents and has preached the Gospel to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history — nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries and territories — through various meetings. Hundreds of millions more have been reached through television, video, film, and webcasts. Send your queries to "My Answer," c/o Billy Graham, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, N.C., 28201; call 1-(877) 2-GRAHAM, or visit the Web site for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association: www.billygraham.org.
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