CHRISTMAS IN THE SPIRIT - One Bread, One Body, 1/10/2008

Read through the whole Bible in 2008. See our reading schedules at:
http://www.presentationministries.com/brochures/ThroughBible.asp
and
http://www.presentationministries.com/brochures/FrAlPlanReadingBible.asp
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Thursday, January 10, 2008

1 John 4:19—5:4, Psalm 72, Luke 4:14-22
Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/nab/011008.shtml

CHRISTMAS IN THE SPIRIT

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me; therefore He has anointed Me." —Luke
4:18

We have four more days in the Christmas season. If we have the true
Christmas Spirit Who is the Holy Spirit, we are bringing the good news of
Jesus to the poor (Lk 4:18). That was the original meaning of giving
Christmas cards. In the Christmas Spirit, we are proclaiming liberty to
captives (Lk 4:18). Christmas should not be a time of enslaving,
compulsive behavior and indulgence but the beginning of a year of life and
freedom in Jesus. "Remember that you have been called to live in freedom —
but not a freedom that gives free rein to the flesh" (Gal 5:13).

If Christ is having His way this Christmas, we are opening the eyes of the
blind both physically and spiritually (Lk 4:18). We have let the Lord
enlighten our innermost vision (Eph 1:18), and we can see more clearly and
completely His plan of salvation and our part in it during 2008. If we
have the true Christmas Spirit, we are releasing prisoners by calling
ourselves and others to repent and break out of the prison of sin (Lk
4:18). We are calling people to total commitment to Jesus, for if we let
Jesus set us free we are free indeed (Jn 8:36).

This freeing of ourselves and others is what it means to celebrate
Christmas. A Christmas in the Holy Spirit is not an escape from reality
but the restoration of reality into the image and likeness of the Christ
of Christmas.

Prayer: Father, give me Christmas by Your standards.

Promise: "Everyone begotten of God conquers the world, and the power that
has conquered the world is this faith of ours." —1 Jn 5:4

Praise: Robert had his eyes opened and, through the power of Jesus, is now
celebrating a twentieth Christmas in sobriety.

(For a related teaching, order our leaflet, "Living in Reality", or our
four-tape audio series starting with AV 38-1 or two-tape video series
starting with V-38.)

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Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant my
permission to publish "One Bread, One Body" covering the period from
December 1, 2008 through January 31, 2008
†Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General Archdiocese of Cincinnati, July
30, 2007

The rescript is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be
free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have
granted ecclesial permission agree with the contents, opinions, or
statements expressed.

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