A CHRISTMAS CATALOG
Isaiah 9:6,7
MOST HOMES HAVE AT LEAST ONE CATALOG, if not more. They come regularly. They come often. They come without request. But when the advent season arrives, they descend upon us in droves. Every trip to the mailbox ends with an armload of these slick winter catalogs. They are artfully done and can entice the most careful shopper to indulge. We can live without most of the things that are presented, but there is a catalog that should be in every home and heart. It’s a catalog of blessings, called the Holy Bible. Consider what it offers---free for the taking!
1. GRACE
“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (II Cor.9:8).
This gift of grace is just what we need to make a truly merry Christmas. And best of all, it will last the whole year through. The supply is abundant. One size fits all. There is no price tag on this item, because it is freely given.
When Billy Graham was driving through a small southern town, he was stopped by a policeman and charged with speeding. Graham admitted his quilt, but was told by the officer that he would have to appear in court. The judge asked, "Guilty, or not guilty?" When Graham pleaded guilty, the judge replied, "That’ll be ten dollars -- a dollar for every mile you went over the limit." Suddenly the judge recognized the famous minister. "You have violated the law," he said. "The fine must be paid--but I am going to pay it for you." He took a ten dollar bill from his own wallet, attached it to the ticket, and then took Graham out and bought him a steak dinner! "That," said Billy Graham, "is how God treats repentant sinners!"
2. HOPE
“But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet” (I Thess.5:8).
Take advantage of God’s fresh supply of hope. Even if you received some last year, your storehouse may be wearing thin. There’s plenty to go around. This item is very durable; you’ll need to avail yourself of it often.
At age 30 she was ready to give up. She wrote in her diary, "My God, what will become of me? I have no desire but to die." But the dark clouds of despair gave way to the light, and in time she discovered a new purpose for living. When she died at age 90, she had left her mark on history. Some believe that she and those who introduced antiseptics and chloroform to medicine did more than anyone to relieve human suffering in the 19th century. Her name was Florence Nightingale, founder of the nursing profession.
Job went so far as to wish he had never been born (3:1-3). But thank God, he didn’t end his life. Just as Florence Nightingale came out of her depression and found ways to help others, so too Job lived through his grief, and his experience has become a source of endless comfort to suffering souls.
Maybe you’re at the point of not wanting to go on. Being God’s child intensifies your desperation, for you wonder how a believer could feel so alone and forsaken. Don’t give up. Coming to the end of yourself emotionally could be the most painful experience you’ve ever encountered. But take courage. Cling to the Lord in faith and start all over. God can use this kind of "beginning from the end." — Mart De Haan. In Christ, the hopeless find hope (Daily Bread, July 12, 2005).
3. GOOD WILL
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14).
Good will—this is just the thing for those long winter evenings and short tempers. Your family, friends, and neighbors will be glad to have you share this item with them. In fact, it is really useless unless it is given away.
While still a young man, a certain Christian formed the habit of praying beside his bed before he went to sleep. Later, when he joined the army, he kept up this practice, though he became an object of mockery and ridicule in the barracks. One night, as he knelt to pray after a long, weary march, one of his tormentors took off his muddy boots and threw them at him one at a time, hitting him on each side of his head. The Christian said nothing, took the persecutor’s boots, put them beside his bed, and continued to pray. The next morning, when the other soldier woke up, he found his polished and shined boots sitting beside his own bed. It so affected him that he asked for forgiveness and after a time became a Christian. Oh, the mighty power of kindness!
4. JOY
“He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of His birth” (Luke 1:14).
Joy is not for children alone! Why should grown-ups miss out on all the fun? This is the genuine old-fashioned kind—nothing plastic here!
Guaranteed not to shrink. This superior product is available only from one source. If you are not completely satisfied, your misery will be returned with no questioned asked.
It is said that as Benjamin Franklin concluded a stirring speech on the guarantees of the Constitution, a heckler shouted, "Aw, them words don’t mean nothin’ at all. Where’s all the happiness you say it guarantees us?" Franklin smiled and replied, "My friend, the Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness; you have to catch it yourself."
5. LOVE
“And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love” (I Cor.13:13).
This item is not to be hung up or stored away when Christmas is over. The more you use it the better it gets. It works best and brings the greatest results when it is shared! It may tarnish if it is neglected. It needs constant attention and comes packaged with a handy pour-spout for liberal use where needed.
During World War II, Hitler commanded all religious groups to unite so that he could control them. Among the Brethren assemblies, half complied and half refused. Those who went along with the order had a much easier time. Those who did not, faced harsh persecution. In almost every family of those who resisted, someone died in a concentration camp. When the war was over, feelings of bitterness ran deep between the groups and there was much tension. Finally they decided that the situation had to be healed. Leaders from each group met at a quiet retreat. For several days, each person spent time in prayer, examining his own heart in the light of Christ’s commands. Then they came together.
Francis Schaeffer, who told of the incident, asked a friend who was there, "What did you do then?" "We were just one," he replied. As they confessed their hostility and bitterness to God and yielded to His control, the Holy Spirit created a spirit of unity among them. Love filled their hearts and dissolved their hatred.
When love prevails among believers, especially in times of strong disagreement, it presents to the world an indisputable mark of a true follower of Jesus Christ (Our Daily Bread, October 4, 1992).
6. PEACE
“Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9).
When you order this, you must specify your heart size. Beware of false imitations or cheap substitutes. Don’t be satisfied with anything but the real thing. This is a highly prized item. Order right away while you still have time!
Tim Hansel, in his book, Holy Sweat, said, “In my late twenties, a bunch of my friends and I decided to sail around the world. I have to admit, though, at the time I was a bit worried. I hadn’t even sailed before. I was uneasy and anxious. So I spent a lot of time reading the Bible and praying about it, until it dawned on me that God was whispering, ‘Tim, I’ll give you peace if you read some books on sailing. The reason you’re anxious is not due to lack of prayer, but to your lack of sailing knowledge.’ I wasn’t unprayerful; I was unskilled. So I took a step I needed to take to "let" God work his peace in my heart. I began reading about sailing.”
The reason many are sailing through life without peace is because they haven’t yet read the peace manual—the Word of God.
7. FAITH
“Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22).
This is a loosely packaged item to allow room for expansion. Be sure to read the fine print before ordering. It is easily lost if not held onto tightly.
Free delivery in time for Christmas by special messenger. Call night or day!
Give Me These Gifts
I want no frankincense, myrrh and gold
Like the wise men brought to the Child of old,
But this I crave with a great desire—
These gifts I ask with my soul on fire:
Peace of mind in this heart of mine,
Comrade love as a light to shine.
Like the golden gleam of an afterglow
Of sunset over a field of snow;
A woodfire, bright in the twilight gloam,
And the holy warmth of a loving home;
Friends who will take my reaching hand
Like the star of old in a distant land,
And guide my steps to a manger shrine
And the heart of a lowly Child, Divine!
- William L. Stidger
Within this catalog are priceless gifts your friends and loved ones will always treasure… gifts that will change the lives of those who have nothing. Introduce them to this marvelous and miraculous list of heavenly items and watch the transformation that takes place.
