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Christmas, A Time for Becoming One

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(Ephesians 4:2-3)

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

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Merry Christmas!! Merry Christmas!!
Today is Christmas the day we celebrate Jesus coming here for us.
Say to your friends gladly.

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We received the biggest blessing ever when Jesus came to the earth.
We got the way for us to go to God through Jesus.
Originally, we had an impossible gap that separated us from God.

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However, Jesus died for us at the cross so we could go toward God.
Jesus restored the relationship between us and God.

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A long time ago, France and Germany were in war.
Soldiers firing their guns against each other in a very fierce battle.

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As usual, both of the soldiers prepared for battle the next day.
Even though, the next day would be Christmas Eve.
The stars in the sky were very bright and it was a beautiful night.

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Gazing out at the shining stars in the sky, the soldiers memoried of their childhoods and about their Christmas romances. At that time, a wonderful praise song was heard quietly through the night sky.

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A soldier in the German trenches stood up and began to sing in a beautiful tenor voice. "Silent night holy night~~. All is calm all is bright ~~." The soldier's praise song spread far into the distance because of the quietness of the night.

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And then, another soldier began to sing in harmony to the song.

However, this solider sang from in the French trenches.

The German army soldier and the French soldier praised together on the battlefield.

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One by one they began to sing the song together in both trenches.

While the soldiers were praising they put down their swords.
The praise that celebrates the coming of Jesus on Christmas Eve, filled the entire battlefield.

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The praising soldiers had tears forming in their eyes. They realized that they were not enemies that fought against each other but more like brothers who served God as the thrill of singing that song was now in their tears.

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A wonderful thing happened because all the soldiers became one and sang praise to the LORD. The two countries quit the battle and an armistice was declared.
Praise that began from just one German soldier made the battle end.

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That year they spent a wonderful Christmas the way Jesus really wanted.
They recovered their awkward relationships by praising together.
That is always what Jesus wants.

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We give thanks to God for offering Jesus on Christmas.

In honor of Jesus' birth, we have several celebrations.

Jesus will be pleased with our thankful hearts.

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At Christmas, all that Jesus really wants for us is to become of one mind and serve God. If you hate friends amongst yourselves, you should forgive them with Jesus' love. Jesus will be more pleased with that as your Christmas present than any other thing. We should be peacemakers between other friends like Jesus who is the peacemaker between God and us. Are there arguing friends around you? I hope that you will become a peacemaker between them during this Christmas season.