Merry Christmas Game

Merry Christmas everyone.

May God bless you with a happy break.

Wish Jesus a Happy Birthday and enjoy the Christmas story found in Luke 2. 


DIRECTIONS: 
1. Have a Merry Christmas :)
2. Find everything on the list below the picture. Have fun!

3 wise men, 
2 shepherds, 
advent wreath, 
3 camels, 
carolers, 
ark, 
4 poinsettias, 
dove, 
7 sheep, 
baby Jesus, 
7 angels, 
donkey


See you January 2, 2017 for more Bible and missionary stories!

Mary Vee

A Time Between Time-The Rebellion and A Reason to Fight

By Mary Vee
Between the Old and New Testament

From the Historical records

The time in between time. 

Four hundred years are in the process of passing since God last spoke through a prophet to His people.

Remember we are counting backwards to year 0. The year is around 143 BC. (before Christ)

    400 BC                           300 BC                        200 BC                        100 BC                          Birth of Christ
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|

The Syrians ruled Judea.

These soldiers were equipped with the best, newest, and powerful weapons of the day: rams to break through strong city gates, bows and arrows, javelins, spears, armor, elephants, and military siege engines shaped like large crossbows having better accuracy than a catapult. What small army would dare fight them? 

A Jewish remnant did. 

This group of Jewish soldiers didn't even have the support of their entire nation. Many Jews chose to do as they were told by their captors, giving up the right to worship God and the laws He gave for living.

Last week, on his death bed, the priest Mattathias appointed his sons Simon and Judah to lead the rebellion in his place. Simon, his second son for his wisdom in judgement and Judah his third son for his courage and strength.

In a short time, three thousand Jews became frustrated with losing their freedom of worship. They joined Judah in a campaign against the Syrians and their leader Antiochus IV. Judah had brilliant battle plans. Attack a small group of Syrians here and there. Sneak up on a Syrian meeting and attack. He kept the attacks small, within their reach. Judah's men used rocks and farm tools for weapons and their strongest weapons: a knowledge of the hills, caves, and mountains and a desire to worship God. 

Judah and his men had one more huge advantage. A reason to fight.

The Syrian soldiers followed the orders of Antiochus IV. Their country had not been invaded.  They were not protecting their families or land. They were dominating a county they had conquered. The only reward these men had was the show of their power.

Judah and his men's reason to fight was to regain the control of the Temple in Jerusalem. The freedom of worship. Prior to this time the Jews had not rebelled against their captors. Those captors let them worship as God commanded. The reign of the Antiochus throne took away that freedom.

With so many men joining the rebellion, a problem rose. Where would they hide all of them in the hills? Judah devised another phase of his plan. Jewish soldiers would live at their homes, farm their land, and listen. Listen for Syrian activity. When they heard important information, they sent messengers to Judah. It was like having spies throughout the country.

The small Jewish army surprised Syrian soldiers, won the skirmish then quickly retreated to the hills. Antiochus hated these annoying outbursts. He made stronger rules against the Jews for their punishment.

Antiochus ordered his general to march into the area where the remnant soldiers hid. The general gathered a large army, armed with powerful weapons, and marched. With the eyes and ears of soldier farmers, Judah heard about the coming attack. He formulated an ambush while the Syrian soldiers still marched. The rebellion won the battle, killing most of the Syrian soldiers. Judah's army took the Syrian's powerful weapons, including the sword of the general. 

When news of the defeat reached Antiochus he became even more angry.

Who will win in the end? Come back next time to read the next events.


The timing of this story is very crucial. God sent His son, Jesus, to save and protect. 


*********************************************************************************************

sources: 
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*The Hanukkah Book by Marilyn Burns, Four Winds Press, Macmillan Publishing Company, 1981

Happy Birthday, Jesus

By Mary Vee

Let's sing happy birthday to Jesus. 

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday dear Jesus,

Happy birthday to you.

And now, the story behind Jesus' birth:

From Luke chapter 2 and Matthew chapter 2

The Birth of Jesus

Photo Courtesy

At that time, the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) Every man, woman and child returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now very pregnant.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son, wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there were no available hotel rooms for them.

The Shepherds and Angels

Photo courtesy

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, the angel was joined by many other angels—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. Everyone who heard the shepherds’ story was astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

The Wise Men from the East

Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, during the reign of King Herod. Wise men from eastern lands travelled to Jerusalem. They asked, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

Photo Courtesy

King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”

“In Bethlehem of Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:

‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”

Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”

The wise men followed the directions to the south. The star they had seen while in the east reappeared, filling the wise men with joy. It went ahead of them, guiding them to Bethlehem and stopping over the place where the child was living. They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and bowed to worship him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave the new king gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

AND

THANK YOU, GOD, FOR SENDING US YOUR SON

Happy Birthday, Jesus

By Mary Vee

Today is a day to sing happy birthday to Jesus. 

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday dear Jesus,

Happy birthday to you.

So many of us have heard the Christmas story in plays, and school/church music programs. This time, please take the time to read the words and think about what God has done for us.





From Luke chapter 2 and Matthew chapter 2

The Birth of Jesus

Photo Courtesy

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

The Shepherds and Angels

Photo courtesy

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

The Wise Men from the East

Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

Photo Courtesy

King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”

“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:

‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”

Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”

After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

AND

THANK YOU, GOD, FOR SENDING US YOUR SON

Hudson Taylor- The Sweet Bliss of Christmas

By Mary Vee

Year:  1868 

Hudson Taylor: age 36

From J. Hudson Taylor's Notes
A Special Christmas in China

Photo Courtesy

The wise men traveled from the east to find the Christ child.

We, the China Inland missionaries, had travelled from the United Kingdom to the west to bring news of the Christ child to the people living in the east.






We celebrated the birth of the Jesus, God's one and only Son, together in the main building. Gathered around meager furnishings of simple benches, a slab of wood balanced across two supports for a table, and bowls of rice with chopsticks we ate and sang praises to God. Thankful. Joyful. Blessed.

Most of the children in our compound had not seen an English Christmas. We didn't even have a Christmas tree. Yet we all experienced a wonderful joy living in China and sharing God's love with those who had never heard about Him.

The gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh presented to Jesus by the wise men represented an offering of great wealth and sacrifice.

The gift we bring the people of China, news of God's love and gift of salvation, is one of great wealth and sacrifice. God spared no expense to give His gift of salvation to all who would accept it.   

While we sit here in China, we think of you and pray that you, too, have already accepted God's gift.  If you would like more information about God's gift of salvation, you can speak to your local church or email our missionary, Mary Vee.


Merry Christmas to you and may your New Year be filled with God's blessings.

J. Hudson Taylor

Missionary to China--Inland China!

Blessed by God even in time of torment

Research resources: J. Hudson Taylor, An Autobiography by J. Hudson Taylor; It is Not Death to Die, a new biography of Hudson Taylor by Jim Cromarty; Hudson Taylor Founder, China Inland Mission by Vance Christie; J. Hudson Taylor, A Man in Christ, by Roger Steer, and Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret by Dr. &and Mrs. Howard Taylor.

The Best Christmas Present Ever

By Mary Vee

Since Christmas is this weekend, 
I wanted to show you your gift. 

It's the best present of all. 

The gift--is from God.

God loves you and wants you to be able to go to heaven. 

The colors listed below explain God's gift for you:

In the picture to the right are several colors.

Black describes sin, the things we've done wrong. The Bible says everyone has sinned. Lying, disobeying, taking something that doesn't belong to us are examples of sin. The punishment for sin is death, forever away from God, the one who made us.

But did you know God loves you so much that He sent His one and only Son to take your place and pay the punishment for sin?  

Red is used to describe God's love. The Bible says God showed His love for us in that while we were sinners, His Son, Jesus, took our punishment for sin by dying on the cross. Nothing else needs to be done. 

Blue is used to describe faith. If you believe Jesus died for your sins, and truly want Him to live in your heart, He will. By believing in Jesus you will have life for ever with God in heaven. When we put our trust in Jesus we will want to do the things He wants us to.

White is used to describe cleanliness. By believing Jesus died for your sins and asking God for His forgiveness, your heart is made clean--The Bible says you will be white as snow.

Green is used to describe growing. After you put your trust in Jesus spend time getting to know God, learn what He wants you to do, and how to obey Him. This can be done by reading the Bible, praying, going to church, and learning from others who believe in Jesus. When we choose to live the way God tells us to in the Bible, we will  grow like a healthy plant given sunshine and water.

Yellow is used to describe heaven. Those who believe in Jesus will go to heaven to live with God forever. The Bible says Jesus is preparing a mansion for you and the streets are paved with gold. There will be no tears or sorrow. We will be together with God.

If you would like to ask Jesus into your heart today and start serving God, you can pray to Him right now, He's listening!

Dear Jesus, I know I'm a sinner and can't go to heaven on my own no matter how hard I try. Please forgive me for the things I've done wrong. I believe that you took the punishment for my sins when you died on the cross because you love me. I also believe you rose from the dead and live in Heaven. Because Your Word is truth, I trust in You and will start learning how to obey You. Amen

If you asked Jesus into your heart, please email me at mimary_vee@yahoo.com so I can rejoice with you.

Photo courtesy of Mary Vee

A Christmas Present For You

By Mary Vee

Since today is Christmas, I wanted to show you your gift. 

It's the best present of all. 

The gift--is from God.

God loves you and wants you to be able to go to heaven. 

These colors listed below explain God's gift:

In the picture to the right you can see several colors.

Black is used to describe sin, the things we've done wrong. The Bible says everyone has sinned. Lying, disobeying, taking something that doesn't belong to us are examples of sin. The punishment for sin is death, forever away from God.

But did you know God loves you so much that He sent His one and only Son to pay the punishment for sin?  

Red is used to describe God's love. The Bible says God showed His love for us in that while we were sinners, His Son, Jesus, took our punishment for sin by dying on the cross.

Blue is used to describe faith. If you believe Jesus died for your sins, and truly want Him to live in your heart, you can go to heaven to live with God forever. When we put our trust in Jesus we will want to do the things He wants us to.

White is used to describe cleanliness. When you believe Jesus died for your sins and ask God for forgiveness, your heart is made clean--The Bible says you will be white as snow.

Green is used to describe growing. After you put your trust in Jesus you need to learn how to obey Him. You can do this by reading the Bible, praying, going to church, and learning from others who believe in Jesus. When we choose to live the way God tells us to in the Bible, we will grow like a healthy plant.

Yellow is used to describe heaven. One day, people who have believed in Jesus will go to heaven to live with God forever.

If you would like to ask Jesus into your heart today and start serving God, you can pray to Him right now, He's listening!

Dear Jesus, I know I'm a sinner and can't go to heaven on my own no matter how hard I try. Please forgive me for the things I've done wrong. I believe that you took the punishment for my sins when you died on the cross because you love me. I also believe you rose from the dead and live in Heaven. Because Your Word is truth, I trust in You and will start learning how to obey You. Amen

If you asked Jesus into your heart, please email me at mimary_vee@yahoo.com so I can rejoice with you.

Today's picture is of a salvation bracelet I received from my church in Greenville, Michigan.

Christmas Cherry Pie

By Mary Vee
 Dedicated to my friend Judy


Did you ever have to eat something you didn't like, do a chore you didn't want to do, work on homework you didn't feel like doing, be nice to someone you didn't want to be nice to?  I have named these "Cherry Pie" situations.  Let me tell you this story about my friend and me:

Several years ago, on the first day of school, two new students happened to be in the same lunch line. Neither had much money.

They stared at the salads, meats, and vegetables and introduced themselves.  "Hi, I'm Judy. I'm new at school this year."

"Hi, I'm Mary. I'm new, too."

Before they reached the dessert section Judy and Mary felt like long lost friends.  One would start a sentence, the other would laugh and finish the thought.

When they reached the dessert area, they looked at the row of cherry pie servings and rolled their eyes.  "I hate cherry pie." 


Judy snapped her fingers.  "I have an idea. Since you and I both hate cherry pie, let's buy one and split it."


Mary wrinkled her nose. "Are you kidding? No way."


Judy picked up the piece of pie. "It'll be a game.  We'll split the piece in half and see who can convince the people sitting near us that we actually love cherry pie.  Who knows, maybe someday we'll be in a special place where only cherry pie is served and we'll be expected to eat it."

"I don't know, Jude.  I really don't like that kind of pie."

Judy moved her tray toward the cashier.  "What if you were a missionary in the jungle somewhere and the people served you their favorite dish, something like snake or frog--"


"Well, that's different. Of course I wouldn't want to offend the people. I'd eat it."


Judy handed the cashier half the money for the cherry pie then looked at Mary. "Well? Maybe the person in the jungle will serve cherry pie."


"OK.OK.  I'll play the game."


Judy and Mary chose a crowded table and squeezed in the middle. Sitting across from each other they grabbed their forks and plunged into the pie. Judy raised her eyebrow. Mary smirked signaling the start of the game. They raised their forks then slid the dessert into their mouths.  Neither cringed, or shivered, or shouted YUCK!!


They talked about their previous schools and families laughing as though they were catching each other up on recent news while sliding new forkfuls of cherry pie into their mouths.


After a few minutes, a girl at the table looked their way.  "Do you know each other?  I've never seen either of you at school before."


Judy swallowed her pie. "Actually, we just met."


"Really?  I thought you were friends already. Good thing they had cherry pie today. You both seem to like it a lot."


Mary and Judy laughed so hard they nearly spit out their pie.


Years passed

Judy married a pastor, which meant she had many cherry pie opportunities.  Mary went on several short term mission trips, which meant she also had cherry pie, or snake, or frog, or something unusual--she didn't want to know what the food really was, but she smiled and ate whatever the people served.

In my family, "Cherry pie" became the name for situations when someone decided to do what needed to be done, even if he or she didn't want to do it.

This Christmas--

when you're served a "Cherry pie" situation--

think of Jesus, 

smile, 

and make someone happy.

Happy Birthday Jesus!