Getting lost in today's society are all the traditional pictures, such as: angels blowing trumpets over a stable, Jesus in his manager, and the shepherds and three wise men following the star to Bethlehem.

Instead, scenes of the Nativity have been replaced on cards by designs or jokes with little or no relevance to the Bible story and the true meaning of Christmas.

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8, NIV).

"Suppose you are in a hospital dying of cancer. I come to you and say, 'Let's take the cancer cells from your body and put them into my body.' If that were possible, what would happen to me? And what would happen to you? I would die in your place. I would die instead of you."

That's exactly what Jesus Christ did for you and me when he came to earth at Christmas 2000 years ago. He took our "cancer/disease" of sin upon himself and died in our place.

Admittedly, from a strictly human standpoint, the story of Christmas can be difficult to fully grasp and understand. Why would God in the form of his Son, Jesus, come to earth as a babe to take on himself the disease of mankind's sin?

What we need to understand is that God is a God of absolute holiness, which means that no sin or sinner could ever survive in his presence anymore than a moth could survive in a flame. Because we are all sinners, God's holiness would devour us before we could ever stand in his presence.

Furthermore, God is also a God of perfect justice and his judgment against all sin is death; that is, spiritual death and eternal separation from God in the place God calls hell. Consequently, God's judgment of death hangs over the head of every single one of us.

The good news is, however, that God is also a God of infinite love and because of his great love for you and me he gave his only Son, Jesus, on that first Christmas to come to earth as a babe to take on himself the disease of mankind's sin and die in our place. In other words, he took the penalty of your sins and mine and bore that judgment in his own body on the cross of Calvary so long ago. In other words, he took your sins and mine on himself and died in our place.

That's what the Christmas story is all about. It is the greatest Christmas gift of all time. It is God's Christmas gift to you and to me. The important question is: have you accepted God's gift of forgiveness and eternal life?

He Said: If those that call my name I will find them and they shall know me...what a wonderful biblical promise to start the new year's resolution, despite all the global turmoil.

Happy comimg 2009 Year from all of Us At FRESHX Cleaning Services 1.800.373.7491

John M. BetanCourt