We are so programmed to the way of the world, that Christmas has lost its true meaning, it’s become commercialized. It has become like the churches a business for profits. What’s even more sad, most people celebrate Christmas without understanding the meaning. As for some children it’s giving them an attitude of expectation and entitlement to receive gifts. Some don’t even know the story of the birth of baby Jesus has anything to do with it. They are not being dedicated (christened) anymore or taught. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he or she should go, and when they are old, they will not depart from it.” And if only all children were to know and understand the love of Jesus for all of humanity, we’ll never have to deal with prejudices and the world would be a better place.

As I sat, meditate and reflect on the progression of the world since the plague(covid) had began, for us to believe we could ever go back to the way it used to be is just ignorance, nothing but ignorance. We must evolve from every thing especially something so bad as a pandemic that affected the entire world. Romans 8:28 “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” And we all have a purpose, and that is to live according to the will of God by obedience. To me, Life is a lesson that we all must go through to learn. It is not necessary about us alone, but for those who’s to come after us. How well learnt are we?

PTSD, that what Christmas has become for some which had began since Christmas 2019. The things we took for granted like hugs, kissing, shaking of hands, spending time together with love ones and friends, going to the malls, cinemas, clubs, library, gyms, schools…whatever we do to socialize ourselves. The amount of suicides that has taken place because of loneliness and isolation, and let’s not forget the innocence lives lost due to the pandemic and those who fought; had refused to take the vaccination. The mental affects that the pandemic had on the entire world, which today is still reverberating because it’s not over, Lord help us all. But faith and hope is the only way to keep moving forward.

I don’t know about others, but I can’t take advantage of this sadness in the world by over compensating for all that has been lost with the expectation of doubling or quadrupling like manufacturers, retailers and big businesses. I have to mention businesses, because I can’t believe that with the world crisis they are trying to make up for profits lost by putting up prices on merchandise knowing so many people had lost jobs, lives and have been put on lock down.Where do they expect people to find money? This pandemic opened up to us truth about the finances of people, the realization that people and even some businesses live and survives by paycheque to paycheque and let’s not forget credit. If this pandemic can put countries into deficit so much more it affects individuals, families and businesses. I am so not please with the idea that people who can hardly make ends meet trying to provide their families with gifts. I say forget the gifts and just have a potluck with family and friends and enjoy being together. Look at the lives that had been taken from us. “Death, nothing but death is surrounding us now. So let our priority change if nothing else after all this death. Realize that death is not prejudice if coming for every and anyone regardless of colour, religion, social status, gender, age and the list goes on.

I recall my first Christmas as a child and it wasn’t about gifts, but the cleaning of the house, putting up new curtains and the aroma of baking and us kids outside with running around with sparkles, seeing who’s will stay lite the longest. The first time eating apple and grapes and family visiting bring food so we can all eat together. We’d gone to church the day before and at Sunday school we were taught the story of Jesus. Christmas is the celebration of his birth and like the wise men we are to give gift to him for his birthday and the gift is to the less fortunate, Jesus didn’t need anything. At church they had gifts and envelopes for everyone to choose. The gifts was not toys, but things our entire family can use, like money, toilet paper, food etc.

This Christmas for me is sacrificing, not about gifts, but about love for the entire world. Christmas is not about being selfish but selfless. Remember just as we were in need and the Lord provides for us, we art to be following him to provide also for other, especially when we are in the position to help. Sometimes it’s just our presence and what little you can do in love. “Love is the greatest gift of all.” Acts 3:6 “Silver and gold I have none; but such as I have I give thee, in the name of Jesus!

Our Father, we who love, adore and worship you, we are asking, seeking and knocking on heavens door with our tears and prayers for us you knows you and for those who doesn’t. If there’s ever a time that is needed to feel your presence it’s now. I am not one who cries easily, but I can’t watch the news without crying, not even able to comprehend that which is happening in my own circle of friends and families.

We are not lamenting because of doomsday expectations or prophecy for those who don’t understand. I use the pronoun ‘we’ because I believe myself to be a part of one. It is a breaking point, “enough is, enough.” Regardless of your religious belief or having none, John 16:8 The Comforter will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. We are in bondage, held captive by the world system and believe ourselves to be free, but by our own hands and some how has forgotten about Jesus, even though we call His name. John 14:16, The Comforter, Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, our other helper has fallen upon us, that’s why I am crying. Not seeing what the world’s sees, but seeing what the Holy Spirit has revealed and continues to reveal. It’s not everyone that shall be moved, but if you’re faithful to God…Hallelujah!

“When you feel our hands slipping from you Lord, please, please hold on to us tighter, never letting us go, Amen!

Misconceptions of being Christ like is to always be, all loving and caring, helpful, kindhearted, forgiving, compassionate and the list goes on to all the lovey-dovey stuff. But never could I ever imagined it being a battle, a constant war that is never ending for walking in the light. I had to come to realization that I could not walk in the light without walking with it. Who would ever thought anything to do with God could require weapons and a state of mind of that of a warrior.

The discipline is to have the ability to fight like a warrior, but be gentle like a dove, Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be he therefore wise as serpent, (now we understand why the devil came to Adam and Eve as a serpent) and harmless as doves. Sorry, but I’ve learned that the dove don’t work with the demons of today. They play you till you’re broken. This is the reason for not just walking in the light, but with the light. The light is your strength, fortresses and salvation.

How many of us believe, goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives for being and doing good in this life? The devil tries to make us believe otherwise. I myself had felt the stripes of the whipped on my heart, mind and soul, it almost had left me bitter, angry and frustrated. When realized I was going in with my strength instead of that of the Lord. I had to understand only Jesus can be Jesus. When he said follow him it was not meant for us to try and become him. Matthew 16:24-26 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” It’s all about our own cross, remembering he said “their cross” not others. First we must overcome our own weaknesses to be empty vessels for God. “Aren’t we still Jesus disciples?”

Let the devil be liar and all that is of God be truthful in our lives. Don’t be confused, if you’re full then you have no room for what God has to download in you. Time to delete within you the confusion. Our relationship with our Father grants us access undeniable to all our we need to do and be. And when we are lifted up and strengthened, He said, “pull your brothers and sisters along with you.“

I thought of myself to be a lover and not a fighter. But I had to learn to put up my dukes to survive, sometimes even with tears in my eyes. I hate to have to fight, Lord knows and He reminds me always it’s His battle not mine. The envy, jealously and haters; all the demonic attacks the constant reminder of Ephesians 6:11-18 “Put on the whole armour of God…”

“God help us, the world is in a war and we need you. Speak Lord, speak Lord for your servant is waiting to hears you for such a time like this. Show us thy way, Lord.”

“Eli Eli Lena sabachthani” Matthew 27:46 “It is one thing when our flesh cries out to the Lord, but our spirit!” Jesus of all person who said, “to see me is to see the Father, John 14:9. The Father and I are one, John 10:30. I have to asked this question, “what happens to a man that is so deep within his soul, that would cause him to feel like God would ever forsaken him?” It’s like sin itself was awaken to know it wrong to exist within man. With the life and death of Jesus, something has broken loose on the cross concerning sin in man and yet we are unable to recognize and embrace it. All we can say is, “it’s the blood, we plead the blood of Jesus!” The cross is the finishing of what had already started within us through Jesus.

Sin has devoured our strength in and with God. It possesses and take control with no mercy. It broke the connection between God and man a relationship like Adam the first man had with God before eating the forbidden fruit. Man had gotten stuck in the grasp of sin, then Jesus came and cut us loose. When Jesus called out on the cross these words that we ourselves must say, “ Father into thy hands I commit my spirit” Luke 23:46. Jesus was giving back to God what Adam had lost, his complete surrender to God and God alone, his entire being. Jesus was naked on the cross, unlike Adam and Eve, his concern wasn’t shame and hiding from God, but feeling like his Father has left him. Isn’t it a coincidence that Jesus the man felt abandoned by the Father and Adam the man was hiding from the Father. Something for man to think about.

I couldn’t help but believe that our consciousness and emotions has a lot to do with sin. My reason for coming to this conclusion is Jesus was emotional in the garden of Gethsamane and on the cross. When Adam sin the first thing that both him and Eve did was to show emotions by running and hiding from God and clothing themselves with leaf, because they realized they were naked, Genesis 3:7.

There’s nothing like grief and pain to throw you off your game. It controls the very essence of our being. Grief to me means to love intensely and Pain is the pinnacle of our emotions like height or level, the reason you’re asked on a scale of 1 to 10 how bad is your pain? Grief and pain can cause a man to feel like God has forsaken them. It is the depth of emotions that allows us to cry out and feel like God has forsaken us. You can’t even begin to explain the intensity of emotions you’re feeling. The kind of cry that gets the attention of God. Heart and mind pain, emotions that connects flesh and the spirit.