Revelation TV Easter Cards 2018
This is the clip from Revelation TV advertising for sale this year's Easter cards written and produced by Poetree For Life. To order these cards please ring the Revelation TV Office on 0208 972 1400.
Many will be familiar with the well-known classic Charles Dickens novel, Great Expectations. Pip, the main character, did indeed have great expectations but his were of a worldly kind, and ultimately he came to learn through his failings where his true values lay.
Christmas comes with its own expectancy: it’s biblical! Joy and peace is the spirit that touched the earth on that first Christmas 2000 years ago!
‘Great Expectations’ were words that God decorated my thoughts with this year in my preparations for this special season. Great Expectations were with Mary after the angel Gabriel appeared to her. She was no ordinary ‘expectant’ mother; firstly she was a virgin and secondly carrying the one to save us – wow, that really was a Great Expectation!
Throughout the Bible we continually read of Great Expectations. In Luke chapter 2:11 it says: “Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you;…”
Following Jesus’ birth an angel appeared to shepherds in a field announcing great joy to the world. The shepherds went to search out the miracle in Bethlehem with `Great Expectations´ to see for themselves such wonder through their own eyes.
However, in common with Pip from the novel we can get consumed with earthly expectations leading up to and over the Christmas period from a western worldly perspective. With Christmas on its way the list of ‘worldly’ expectations can, more often than not, be longer than all the shopping present and Christmas card lists put together! There are all sorts of reasons why the true spirit of Christmas can get distorted. I believe that this is exactly where satan has been allowed to get away with becoming the ‘party pooper’ in this wonderful Christian season of the celebration of Jesus’s birth.
The joy and peace that Jesus came to give to those who love him is a supernatural gift – ‘wrapped, bowed and labelled’ with our name on it: so unique, priceless and treasurable.
All the traditional expectations at Christmas time can be so much fun! However, if we are not in a good place to rise to the demands (the presents, the giving and receiving of hospitality, cooking a succulent turkey etc.) then we may start to feel that Christmas brings a strain on our relationships, finances and at times, it can even bring stress to our physical and mental health – ring any bells?
There is no doubt in my mind that satan will be trying to hide amidst the tinsel looking for opportunities to come and steal our peace and joy through some of the demands that Christmas can place on us. The closer we can draw to God through faith, repentance and prayer on a regular basis, the further we distance ourselves from the ‘bad tidings’ satan is desperate to deliver.
Mary protected her precious gift, Jesus, at all costs, in a stable in dire circumstances. She remained close to him and wrapped him in swaddling cloths to keep him warm. In the same way our gifts of joy and peace need protecting.
Guarding something we love firstly starts with us recognising the true value of our treasure. Jesus never did things out of obligation and he doesn’t, I believe, expect us to do so either. He will put on our hearts the good deeds that He wants us to carry out and to whom and where and when, as long as we are in close relationship with him, we will hear His requests.
As I am moving further along my own spiritual journey I am learning more who I am in Christ and that the expectations he has of me are a joy to carry out, sometimes a challenge, but always bringing joy. My Christmas’ have become more simplified over the years. I reach out to where my heart points, trusting that God puts the desires on my heart in the first place. I have come to respect my limitations and the limitations of significant others in my life. In my home the pressure will be off this Christmas, however, this has only happened through learning by mistakes made in years gone by.
As children of God we are taught to guard our hearts and sometimes that means saying ‘no’ to unnecessary burdens. If you have ever encountered the peace and joy in your heart when an ungodly pressure has been released – you will probably agree, it is truly amazing!
I would be telling `pork pies´ (as opposed to mince!) if I said I wasn’t looking forward to a gift or two under the tree this year. However, I know that there is an amazing gift that has already been placed in the innermost centre of my heart.
So if anybody asks me what I am most looking forward to most this Christmas, it would only be honest for me to say with confidence: `Great Expectations’ for the peace and joy that Jesus brings when we put our faith in Him.
Wishing everybody the joy and peace of the Lord this Christmas, Love and glad tidings to all!
Love Eileen.
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Revelation TV Christmas Cards 2017
This is the clip from Revelation TV advertising for sale this year's Christmas cards written and produced by Poetree For Life. To order these cards please ring the Revelation TV Office on 0208 972 1400.
IN TOUCH MAGAZINE
The following article appeared in the December issue of `In Touch Magazine´ - the parish magazine of St James the Great in East Malling, Kent with a distribution of over 2,000.
