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Show THE Thursday, December 23, 2004 PYRAMID 11 Filljour schedule Sacrafice for mankind continued Continued from page 10 with quality time MT. PLEASANT- - This is As Christians we confess and proclaim the word became tlesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:14) This is the great message of the incarnation that Jesus Christ was born into human history in the fullness of time for the salvation of the world. This is what we seek to celebrate, the season when our schedules can be packed and our list expands beyond comprehension! In December, we can start adding so much to our schedule that we lose touch with the meaning of Christmas. We start asking ourselves, How did I get caught up with the holiday hustle and bustle? I thought Jesus was the reason for the to-d- o th life. What does God offer to proclaim and manifest to through the Son? He offers life in His all peoples in this particular never-endinseason in the churchs year presence. In 1 John 5:11, we And this is the of grace! read, Look over your planned record, that God hath given activities in this Advent Sea- to us eternal life, and this son; make decisions to cele- life is in His Son. He that brate the birth of the Lord, hath the Son hath life; and Jesus Christ, and join in the he that hath not the Son of annual community wide God hath not life. Notice the gift aspect of Christmas Eve service at First lYesbyterian Church, 7 both of the above verses. God gave and God hath p.m. given. A gift is something Merry Christmas! First Presbyterian Church that is neither earned nor Pastor Boge paid for by the recipient. Paul tells us about the gift of eternal life in Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is If we are not tesponsible for the thoughts that pass death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus our doors, we ai e at least l for t hose we admit Cln ist our Lord. Paul also refers to the gift and enteitain - Charles B. of God in Ephesians 2:8-9- , Newcomb For by grace are ye saved - Ceoi ge Macdonald through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift g season! First Presbyterian At Church, we want to give you some opportunities not to fill your schedule, but to have quality time with family and friends to prepare your heart and mind for the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I encourage you, this Advent season, to slow down and lighten up on the schedule. Add events to the calendar that will enhance the meaning of the Advent season. Learn to say no to the false activities There gifts were temporal, but His is eternal. In fact, we are told in the Bible that Gods love was so great that He gave His best as a gift to the world, one that could be received or refused. John 3:16 says, For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever in Him should not perish, but have everlasting and Yes to the events that will add spiritual depth to your Christmas experience with family and friends. . Standing as worth servants in the cause of the Lord Today, I write you from the airport as I await a flight that will take me far from home. I watch people come and go.. .all very busy and in their own woi Id, not paying any attention to the woman having difficulty with her two children, or the elderly man who struggles to stand and walk, and cannot seem to find a place to sit down. It is crowded here. I watch people fuss and see frustration at the woman with the small children and all the noise that they are making. It is noisy anyway with the iets coming and going and the constant barrage of overhead calls and announcements that are not always intelligible. This only adds to the confusion going on around me, however, it does not stop the throng from somehow getting on their planes that will take them closer to their destination and disregarding the needs of those around them. As for the elderly gentleman, I watch and notice at the way he squints and feels his way and I know that he cannot see very well. An attempt to ask directions of a stranger goes without answer, only annoyance. Others pass him by and bump into liim without thought of his presence there. It makes me ponder the beginnings of the Christ child. His mother, Mary, uncomfortable with labor pains and T the mom with children to move along; consoled and helped get needed supplies for her and the children. I helped the eklei ly man find a seat and his way onto my flight and olf again later. Today I chose to reach out and so must we all. There are those around us who are needing direction in their lives, because they do not see. There are those young ones, who with the pi oper example will follow after goodness. May we all be able to get the glue off our pants and fear out of our hearts in order to reach out and rescue. When we truly consider our circumstances, no matter where we may find ourselves at this time in our life, let us make an accounting of our actions, so that we may stand as woithv servants in (he cause of the Lord. May your Christmas season be filled with the hope and joy of the blessings of the great Redeemer and move you to charitable action toward your fellow man, just as the Savior did for each of us. Mt. Pleasant North LDS Stake Presidency not because I deserve am worthy of it, because I dont and Im not. But the only way I can fellowship with God, both now and in eternity, is if I have received the forgiveness that comes through a saving relationship with His Son. So, how does one receive the gift of life and forgiveness of sins? Jesus sard in Mark 1:15, Repent ye and believe the gospel. The apostle Paul reminded the elders at Ephesus of the message he preached was, Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21). Repentance is a change of mind or heart which, if genuine, is evidenced by action. It is a turning from wrong thinking and actions alike, as well as being genuinely sorry that we have broken 2:12), it or The gospel is about Christ and the fact the He died for our sins and rose again from the dead. All God asks is that we turn to Him from our sins and place our complete confidence of salvation m the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember, eternal life, everlasting life is a gift and all one simply has to do is reach out and receive it with a heart of faith. Someone the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Jesus Christ was born to be a sacrifice so God could give us what we could never gain by our merit, life and forgiveness. David Preston, Pastor Heritage Baptist Church seasons- - We're donning our holiday best to wish a very merry season to our customers, and thank you all for your valued business Am eRican Cl eaneRS Mt Pleasant lUbk-Ci- QamL, Mj fyUwtj MtkvA,ktt J fidure ofjfappiness Hope this season sets the scene for a spectacular Christmas for ou and vour famih. FOUNTAIN GREEN CITY Mayor Scott Coilard; Councilmembers: Dean Peckham, Scott Cook, Mary Gilgen, Seth Owens, Allen Olsen; City Recorder Maureen Lund; Treasurer Lola Stewart; Chief of Police Robert Nicholls; and Roger Aagard, Sewer & Water; Judge Ivo R. Peterson 9, Moses. If you want to have peace with God, then you need to experience Ilis forgiveness. And forgiveness is given for his names sake (Uohn of all places to be, sitting on a small donkey, this must have been painful' indeed. only a phone call away Joseph going from to find a comfortable place for his beloved wife to rest. Only to be turned away and ignored time after time. The city was busy with all the people, a veritable throng pouring into the city of David by decree of law. No inn-to-in- name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of Gods laws. of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast." Let me ask you another question. If you were to purchase a gift for someone you loved and offered it to them only to have them insist on paying or doing something for it, how would you feel? If we would be honest with ourselves, wed be pretty hurt or mad or insulted, wouldnt we? Sure we would. Yet religious people all around the world continue to refuse the gift God offers to them by trying to do something for it. Thats the nature of man. He constantly thinks he has to do something to inherit eternal life, when all along God stands by with His gift of grace, faith and eternal life extended just waiting for someone to receive it as He intended, freely. What else is offered to us Christ? Jesus through Again, simply put, total and complete forgiveness of our sins. Thats the only kind God offers. Notice what the apostle Paul said in Acts 13:38-3Re it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sin; And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of said, The heart is the hand of faith. Wont you, with a heart of faith, receive the greatest gift you could possibly ever receive? John 1:11-1- 3 says, He came unto his own and his own received him not. But as many as receive him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his n Let Central Utah Telephone bring you closer to Home. Long Distance Services Travel Calling Card bed could be found, only in a lowly stable could they find shelter with the animals. I think of the great Messiah cont muing in life with re- Internet Dial-u- p Competitive Long Distance Rates High Speed Internet jection from those who ignored His teachings, who paid no attention to the selfless giving He must have given over and over, culminating in giving His life for our cause and tne plan of the Call Lord. Then I thought, who am I not to follow such an example? So as I watched the happenings around me, my heart turns from indifference to love and my soul yearns to give too. So what is it that keeps me from reaching out, wnat is this glue on tne seat of my pants that keeps me sitting here observing all this? Is it fear? Is it trepidation? Some kind of embarrassment? Ap- today to have one simple bill for all your Telephone, Long Distance and Internet needs i Central Utah Telephone Skyline Telecom L athy? For Christ gave to me in so much abundance, how can it be that I sit and watch the unmet needs of others go and I not make an accounting for it? I cant! So today, I reached out. I helped by-m- Numbers Toll-Fre- e e O N G Bear Lake Communications DISTANCE All from a company you can trust! for the Holidays? 427-333-1 |