Why Advent Christmas ...?

Dr. Thamsing Lamkang *

Advent Christmas

In a simple truth Advent Christmas (or Pre-Christmas) simply means 'waiting or expecting' by preparing one self. Advent is a reminder for our spiritual preparation to get renewed or recharged, while we anticipate the 'Feast of Christmas'! It is important to have Advent Christmas, to remind ourselves about the 'First Coming of Jesus', and to prepare ourselves also for the 'Second Coming of Jesus'!

With clear conscience and of understanding spirit, Advent is a time to re-define our spiritual values in the sight of God. In life, we worry and gave too much concern to the worldly things that money can buy and neglect on the things above which money cannot buy. Such as; our salvation, relationship with God and people, forgiveness with reconciliation, restores the broken relationship; loving others etc. etc.

As a reminder to the believers to recheck if you still have your Eternal Crown received through the blood of Jesus Christ. Again, let me say this, it'll be wise to re-examine your Eternal cause this Christmas! I would also like to remind the Christian revolutionaries (national workers), "As you fight for the cause, don't neglect your Eternal Cause".

As the celebration began let Jesus be the centered of all your celebration because;

• It is not the time to party but time to seek the Lord.
• It is not the time only to give but time to give your own-life to Christ.
• It is not the time to hate but time to love and forgive.
• It is not the time to break but time to restore the broken relationship.
• It is not the time to meet people alone but time to meet people and Jesus.
• It is not the time to make friends alone but time to take friends to Jesus.
• It is not the time to lead others to bad parties (hell) but time to show the way to God.

The 'Ancient Romans' had a god called 'Janus'. It is from this name the month 'January' was derived. He is depicted in art as having a head with two faces. One face looks backward, the other forward. So, the Christmas season called Advent derived from this name. "It looks backward to the first coming of Jesus into history, also to look forward to Jesus' Second Coming at the end of world history."

Advent Christmas is an invitation for each one of us to be for our world what Jesus was for His world-a beam of light in the middle of darkness, a ray of hope in the midst of despair. So, if Jesus is to be born in today's world, it must be through you. You must be the beam of light in the midst of darkness. We must be the 'ray of hope' in the midst of our world of despair today!

The first birth of Jesus was a silent night in Bethlehem. But the preparations and celebrations are more evident today than His first birth, because 'He was born to live, live to die, and die to live, so that the world will celebrate Him through out eternity'!

WHEN IS ADVENT; in my opinion, Advent can be on any day before the Christmas Eve. In some countries, people celebrate Advent on the first Sunday of December while others on 5th December. But most people celebrate Advent on their convenient day before the Christmas. It all depends on your conviction of how you're preparing to celebrate Christmas. The day isn't important but what matter is your heart-beat for Jesus, is Christ the centered of your celebration?

'Advent Christmas' is for the 'spiritual preparation'; in preparation of your heart and your life to meet Jesus. 'Repentance' means confession of your sins accepting Jesus as your personal Savior and God. Forgiving one another as Christmas is a time to love and forgive others, because Jesus proved His divine love for men. As you prepare yourself why don't you begin to pray so that the birth of Jesus will make a big difference in your life this Christmas!!

This Christmas season, let us give the best gift and the most expensive gift to Jesus, and that is to surrender your life to Jesus! God bless you in all your Preparations and in all your celebrations!

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* Dr. Thamsing Lamkang contributes to e-pao.net regularly. The writer is Pastor, Lamkang Fellowship Dimapur, and also at Sports Resource Center and can be contacted at thams2000(at)yahoo(dot)co(dot)uk
This article was posted on December 07, 2011.

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