Kudos to the OC

In Orange County, California, the only thing local leaders favor aborting is Planned Parenthood's current government contract. On March 11, behind a swell of area support, county supervisors voted unanimously to void the abortion merchant's $292,000 deal. Although the contracts were approved last year as part of a community health initiative, the county board only learned of Planned Parenthood's involvement after members voted in favor of it. According to various reports, none of the clinics receiving taxpayer money was named on the report that supervisors saw before voting.

A handful of concerned citizens, who were inspired by the undercover videos of UCLA student Lila Rose, followed the money trail directly to Planned Parenthood's door. Orange County bureaucrats had apparently buried the contract details in hopes of avoiding the controversy they now find themselves in.

Although the local clinics said the county's money wasn't funding abortion, Supervisor John Moorlach said, "Not to generalize, but when you contract a law firm that specializes in bankruptcies, they most likely will advise you to file for bankruptcy. If you go to Planned Parenthood, they are most likely to recommend their specialized surgical solution, which they provide and are compensated for, which appears to be a conflict of interest."

He called for a rare re-vote on the contracts, and it's encouraging to know that every commissioner in Orange County objected to the funding. Unfortunately, backdoor political deals like the one Orange County just overturned aren't unique to California.

Source: FRC

Buckling Under Pressure?

Five weeks into his tenure as Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman, Michael Steele finds himself in the familiar position of damage control. This time Steele is in hot water over comments he made to GQ magazine about abortion and same-sex "marriage."

Columnist Lisa DePaulo asked if he believed that women have the right to choose abortion. "Yeah. Absolutely," Michael replied. "Are you saying you don't want to overturn Roe v. Wade?" DePaulo pressed. "The states should make that choice," Steele responded. "That's what choice is. The individual choice rests with the states."

His comments were cavalier and flippant particularly as they relate to fundamental policy issues on which Republicans have staked out clear positions in their platform. Steele did release a statement clarifying his comments, but he didn't address his other troubling comments on same-sex "marriage."

Mr. Steele's comments only serve to reinforce the belief by many social conservatives that one major party (Democrats) is unfriendly to their values while the other (Republicans) gives only lip service to core moral issues. If such a visible Republican leader continues in this same vein, I'm sure many more will drop their affiliation with the GOP. The prospects of more social conservatives leaving may excite the "big tenters," but that will only last until they discover the Big Tent is empty.

Source: GQ Magazine, FRC

Economic Meltdown???

Did you know that, just since Barack Obama was elected, Americans have lost some $3 trillion in wealth, reports Investors' Business Daily, as the markets have plummeted some 30%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, for example, has collapsed from 9,625.28 on November 4, 2008 to 6,647.49 on March 4, 2009.

Naming Names!!!

Yesterday, while debating the Omnibus spending bill, the U.S. Senate took up Senator Roger Wicker's (R-Miss.) amendment to preserve what has become fairly commonplace in federal budgeting, the prohibition of U.S. taxpayer money being used through the United Nations to underwrite China's one-child policy in which women are coerced into having abortions and are forcibly sterilized. Unfortunately, the Senate defeated this amendment by a vote of 55-39, with three Democrats, Senators Robert Casey (Penn.), Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), and Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) supporting the pro-life amendment. The Omnibus is frozen in the Senate right now due to fiscal considerations coming from a surprising corner the Democrats' side.

These are the Democrat Senators who took a stance in supporting American taxpayers: Senators Evan Bayh (Ind.), Russ Feingold (Wis.), Ben Nelson (Neb.), Mary Landrieu (La.), Claire McCaskill (Mo.), Mark Begich (Alaska), Mark Warner (Va.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Mark Pryor (Ark.), Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), Bob Casey (Penn.), Blanche Lincoln (Ark.), and Joe Lieberman (Conn.)

Pro-Life=Terrorist? So Says Chris Matthews

On Tuesday, March 3, MSNBC host Chris Matthews called pro-life groups and individuals "terrorists" because they oppose the Kathleen Sebelius nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Is it Mr. Matthews' opinion that pro-lifers are terrorists because they oppose a nominee with views that are diametrically opposed to most of America? A nominee so radical it is difficult impossible to find an instance when she stood up as an elected official in support of life.

Does Mr. Matthews want pro-life groups to remain silent on a nominee who voted to weaken and eliminate measures like parental notification and waiting periods? A nominee who directed funds away from programs that support women and towards abortionists like Planned Parenthood.

Mr. Matthews should know better.

We have every right as citizens to object to a nominee who as governor hosted a private reception at the governor's mansion for the notorious late term abortionist George Tiller and his staff, and worked hard to block criminal charges against Tiller.

It is our duty to educate our fellow citizens about a nominee for an influential cabinet position whose views on abortion and health care reform are radically outside the mainstream.

Source:FRC

Dissention in the Ranks?

Not everyone in Obama's party is going merrily along with the new President's power surge. Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.V.), the longest-serving senator in U.S. history, is openly criticizing Obama's growing circle of policy "czars." Senator Byrd has taken his leader to task for trying to bypass the system and empower a group of unelected and unaccountable advisors. In a letter he wrote to President Obama, excerpts of which were reprinted on Politico.com, he accuses the administration of an executive branch "power grab." This hierarchy "can threaten the Constitutional system of checks and balances," Byrd wrote.

"At the worst, White House staff have taken direction and control of programmatic areas that are the statutory responsibility of Senate-confirmed officials... As presidential assistants and advisers, these White House staffers are not accountable for their actions to the Congress, to cabinet officials, and to virtually anyone but the president," he argued. "They rarely testify before congressional committees, and often shield the information and decision-making process behind the assertion of executive privilege. In too many instances, White House staff have been allowed to inhibit openness and transparency, and reduce accountability."

Source: FRC

Clueless!!!

Exactly what kind of stimulus did Speaker Nancy Pelosi have in mind? That's a question more Americans are asking now that details are trickling in about the controversial $825 billion "economic recovery" package. As it stands, more than 10 percent of the proposal $87 billion would allow states to expand their "family planning" services through Medicaid. The country's recession is crippling families, and the Democrats' solution is spending billions of dollars on contraception? On yesterday's "This Week" program on ABC, George Stephanopoulos pressed Speaker Pelosi for an explanation.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Hundreds of millions of dollars to expand family planning services. How is that stimulus?
PELOSI: Well, the family planning services reduce cost... The states are in terrible fiscal budget crises now and part of what we do for children's health... [is] to help the states meet their financial needs... [O]ne of the initiatives you mentioned, the contraception, will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So no apologies for that?
PELOSI: No apologies. No. We have to deal with the consequences of the downturn in our economy.

In other words, children are a burden to the economy, and Pelosi believes it's the government's responsibility to eliminate them. More than anything, her comments underscore the shortsightedness of these liberal policies. All reports indicate that the global family is on the decline. Although America's birth rate isn't plunging like that of European countries, it has slowed. The reason we don't find ourselves in a "demographic winter" is largely because of the fertility rates of our immigrants, many of whom come from cultures that value life. Overall, the U.S. is hovering at its replacement level, which is hardly enough to finance the Baby Boomers' retirement. If Pelosi and her Congress continue to deemphasize the family, America will travel even farther down the deadly path of our European friends.

In the meantime, Congress continues to spend outside of its means, proving that the nation will need more children not less to help pay the bills for Social Security, Medicaid, and other government entitlements that Democrats hope to expand. Obviously, there's a practical danger in suggesting that babies are problems or "punishments" (as President Obama called them) instead of blessings that build bridges to the future.

Source: FRC, ABC

A Man of Faith

I am a sports fan, and a fan of men of character. Tony Dungy, coach of the Indianapolis Colts, has been that for me and for countless Americans who admire him not just for his victories on the field but in life. Living in the public eye isn't always easy, but coach Dungy has inspired millions through his response to personal tragedy and professional success alike. A role model first and coach second, Dungy will have a legacy of service that outlasts any football record or championship. For seven years in Indiana, he used his celebrity platform to promote adoption, prison ministry, family values, outreach to the poor, and simple Christian decency.

As his own pastor said, Dungy came to Indianapolis with the understanding that "faith would come before football" and he managed to exceed expectations in both. In his retirement, coach Dungy said, "I remember... saying that our goal was to win... but that we needed to win the right way, we needed to win with the right kind of players that... our young men and women in this community could look up to and say, 'I want to be like him, or him, or him.'"

As Coach Dungy leaves a league that he made better simply for being in it, I thank him for his impact. May this new chapter for the Dungy family be the start of something even greater for the Kingdom he has so admirably served.

Source: FRC

Ignorance is not an Excuse

"I should have been more careful." In his hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, that was how Secretary of Treasure-designate Timothy Geithner explained his failure to pay more than $34,000 in taxes. Geithner, one of the more controversial nominees to Obama's new Cabinet, apologized for the "unintentional" mistakes. Not surprisingly, several Republicans still have serious doubts about Geithner's ability to handle billions of our tax dollars. Sen. Olympia Snowe (Maine) was not one of them. She brushed aside Geithner's personal scandal and said it shouldn't "preclude his nomination." I disagree. This isn't Geithner's money he would be mismanaging. It's ours.

Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, is also under investigation for tax fraud. If Geithner is successfully confirmed and Rangel refuses to step aside, it would mean the two people most responsible for crafting U.S. tax policy will be suspected tax cheats. Both have cited ignorance about our tax law as an excuse. Surely, it's not asking too much that the leaders in charge of writing and enforcing America's tax policy know what they are doing.

A World of Difference

Americans watched on television as President Bush's jumbo jet soared out of sight Tuesday, and with him, a long record of protecting the unborn. Although the Obama administration is not even a week old, the new President has already set to work undoing years of pro life and pro-family policy.

Minutes after Obama took the oath of office, the transfer of power was made complete on the White House website. The page, once home to a host of family values, now welcomes an extreme collection of anti-life, anti-woman, and anti-family agendas. Under the caption "civil rights," Obama pledges to fight for nationwide civil unions, repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, homosexual adoption, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, expanded "hate crimes," and over 1,100 costly same-sex benefits. He promises to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" as well as block a federal amendment to preserve marriage. In exchange for the support of groups like Planned Parenthood, the abortion business is also due for a rich payoff from the 44th president, including his support of abortion-on-demand, more funding for "family planning" programs, embryonic stem cell experiments, and tax-funded abortion.

This city may have changed overnight, but our values are enduring. We will continue to advance faith, family, and freedom in the next four years.

Source: FRC

Keeping Promises

After granting a 24-hour stay on the execution of the unborn, President Obama delivered yesterday on his promise of taxpayer funded promotion of abortion. Yesterday afternoon, the new administration inked the order overturning the "Mexico City policy" and freeing millions of federal dollars to international abortion groups. Of course, it was no accident that the new president postponed the act until the last possible minute on Friday, knowing the repeal would be buried in the weekend headlines. Issuing it now means that even the presidential blackberry will get more media coverage than his international abortion bailout. The end of "Mexico City" is nothing less than a tragedy for the world's poor.

Let The Games Begin

So much for a spirit of bipartisanship. While President-elect Obama pledged to make the government "open" and "transparent," House Democrats are making it virtually impossible for him to keep that promise. Today, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) kicked off the 111th Congress by stripping Republicans of any input in the legislative process. By a vote of 242 to 181, Democrats reversed a set of fairness rules that dated back to Newt Gingrich's Contract with America. As a result of the vote, House Republicans can no longer offer substantive alternatives, propose certain amendments to Democratic bills, or force a free and open debate.

This is a significant development given the big ticket items on Obama's agenda that will cost taxpayer's trillions of dollars and potentially chart a new cultural course for the country. By shutting down the opposition, Democrats will have a blank check to fast-track some of the most controversial policies of our day. Although minority leaders strongly protested the changes, they were powerless to stop them. As the GOP leadership wrote to Pelosi in an open letter yesterday, reverting to "undemocratic one-party rule" is especially dangerous now, as the government is experiencing an "unprecedented expansion of federal power and spending." Liberals may see this as reprisal for their unpleasant stint in the minority, but playing a game of political keep-away affects millions of Americans who deserve a voice in the legislative process.

Publicly, the Democrat's have tried to position themselves as uniters. This latest move by Speaker Pelosi would suggest their spirit of cooperation was nothing more than campaign rhetoric designed to dupe voters into handing over the keys to Congress to a party with no appetite for accountability. Contact Speaker Pelosi at (202) 225-4965 and remind her that Democrats were sent to Washington to represent popular interests not partisan ones.

Ceasar's Decree

We are in transition in Washington these days. The sitting President is preparing to leave and welcome his successor, I wish him well and I thank him and his family for what he has accomplished and what he has been willing to endure to keep our nation safe and free.

These days most people are focused, understandably, on the words and deeds of the incoming President. As the new administration of Barack Obama takes shape, we will certainly have much to say.

Political power has always attracted attention. The people's eyes naturally go to the wielder of the sword and the scepter. It was so in Biblical times. The Gospel of Luke tells us that "a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed." The Roman Empire was vast in those days. It stretched from Britain in the north, to Spain and Portugal in the west, deep into Africa and Egypt in the south, and as far east as modern day Syria. Caesar Augustus ruled all of this territory and the teeming millions who inhabited it.

Rome needed increased revenues, and Caesar knew how to get it. He first ordered that a census be conducted. He wanted a head count in order to apportion the amounts of money each provincial governor like Cyrenius, governor of Syria would be required to raise.

We can envision Caesar's imperial decree being inscribed by hand on vellum, a material made from the scraped clean hide of an unborn calf. From the Emperor's residence in the House of Hortensius on Rome's Palatine Hill, runners would have carried the document to waiting horsemen, the imperial couriers. From Rome, these horsemen would likely have proceeded in relay, changing horse and rider as each messenger reached the border of one of Roman Italy's 11 administrative regions. Passing through Latium and Campania to Samnium, to Apulia along the Appian Way, the riders would make for Brundisium, a port city on the east coast of Italy.

There, Caesar's decree probably would have been received aboard a Roman warship. It might have been a quinquereme, propelled by galley slaves who rowed in banks of five. On board this red cedar built craft, Caesar's order would cross the Mediterranean Sea to the Roman province of Palestine. Palestine was a distant outpost of the Empire, far from the most important of Rome's imperial holdings.

All this ordering and obeying, this saluting and receiving of salutes, this "hail caesaring" was necessary to bring millions of people together in their ancestral villages. And so Joseph, who was of the House and Lineage of David, also complied with Caesar's decree.

Thus were Joseph and Mary brought into Bethlehem. Caesar thought he knew what he was doing. He had never heard of Bethlehem. He had never heard of the Hebrew Prophet Micah. Micah had written: For out of you Bethlehem Ephrata...shall come one who is to be ruler in Israel; whose origin is of old...his greatness shall reach the ends of the earth; he shall be peace. (Micah: 5:2, 3, 5)

God knew what He was doing in Palestine. Today, we know that the birth of Jesus in that little town of Bethlehem was, is, and ever shall be more important than all the Caesars, all the kings, all the presidents who ever ruled. In Bethlehem's dark streets there appeared an everlasting light. It shines for us still.

The Powerful/The Corrupt

It's been two years since Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-Calif.) pronouncement that Democrats would make this "the most honest, ethical, and open Congress in history." So far, she and her colleagues have yet to make good on that promise, and there is absolutely no indication that liberals will lead a revival of integrity anytime soon.

Corruption has spun its web in America's highest halls of power, entangling both parties and bringing unprecedented disgrace to the nation's elect. The parade of allegations has wound its way through the offices of Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.), Rep. John Murtha (D-Penn.), and, more recently, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), who received a $40,000 campaign contribution from Fannie Mae during an alleged relationship with one of its executives. And let's not forget Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) for potentially inventing tax loopholes for wealthy oil companies.

The Democrats' trouble is even trickling down to eye popping state scandals. Following former Gov. Eliot Spitzer (N.Y.) down the path to public humiliation is current Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D), the object of outrage after allegations that he tried to "sell" Sen. Barack Obama's vacant senate seat. Although Obama's transition leader John Podesta insisted weeks ago that Obama was launching a new "Transparency Policy" for his administration, we have yet to see evidence of it. While investigators say Obama hasn't been implicated in the criminal probe, the next President has been surprisingly mum on questions about Blagojevich and their relationship. As Americans cast a weary eye toward their leaders, Obama's party owes the American people the candor they promised if, for no other reason, than to make good on his guarantee of "change."

If Democrats seek to expand government, perhaps they should first earn our trust with the authority they have. With more power comes more corruption. Considering the latest public betrayals, the argument for limited government has never been stronger.

Do They Deserve a Raise?

Members of Congress will return to Washington after Christmas with a lavish $4,700 stocking stuffer in their paychecks. It's the automatic salary increase that kicks off at the start of 2009. Surely those of us who are paying for it would agree the raises are hardly performance-based!

When Congress adjourned this month, it did so with a drab 20% approval rating. After helping spend America into a recession that's cost millions of Americans their jobs, Congress wants more compensation for their own! Adding to the pain, Democratic leaders plan to convene in January with a "stimulus" plan that could strip another trillion dollars in debt from already struggling families over the next two years. The proposal is lined with new spending projects for roads, infrastructure, "green" building projects, school beautification, and, potentially, government controlled health care.

For a snapshot of just how "essential" the line items are, the National Taxpayers Union combed through the wish lists and found this gem. In Alexandria, Virginia, the mayor (one of many vying for "emergency funds") requested $2.4 million to make the trolley motors hybrid and replace the contractors who drive them with unionized city employees. Of course, Congress greased the wheels for this sort of waste with its $152 billion package in February and $700 billion bailout seven months later. If this gets you mad like it did me contact your leaders and tell them to stop the spending madness. If Congress doesn't know where to start, I do. Refuse the $2,514,500 in Capitol Hill pay raises.

Source: FRC,National Taxpayers Union.

Obama's Undo List

In politics, some leaders have a to-do list. It appears President Obama has an "undo" list. Wall Street Journal, reporter Laura Meckler highlights some of the pro-life policies that the next White House will move quickly to reverse. Like President Bush, Obama can accomplish a lot through Executive Orders, which do not require Congressional approval to take effect but have the same legal weight as laws passed by the House and Senate. Even if the 44th President puts the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) on the back-burner, as his transition team now insists he will do, Obama could still do plenty of damage to the sanctity of life. The following is a pro-life "hit list" that Obama may target almost immediately. By Executive Order, he could:

Rescind the Mexico City policy, which would direct taxpayer dollars to groups that provide and promote abortion overseas;

Restore funding to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which condones forced abortion and sterilization policies in countries like China;

Direct the Department of Health and Human Services to change the conscience exemptions for health care workers who morally object to abortion and other practices;

Change the Department of Justice Sexual Assault Protocol, Defense Department pharmaceutical formulary, and USAID's Commodities Program to encourage the use of "Plan B," which can act as an abortifacient;

Create incentives to provide subsidized birth control at college health centers and other providers;

Make "emergency contraception" available over-the-counter for girls of all ages;

Rollback the abstinence-only education requirement for certain federal aid; and,

Permit the use of taxpayer funds for the destruction of human embryos through unethical stem cell research.

Source: FRC

More to the Center

President-elect Obama has asked the Pastor Rick Warren, pastor of California's Saddleback Church and bestselling author of The Purpose-Driven Life, to deliver the invocation at the presidential inauguration next month. I like his choice of one of America's leading evangelical pastors who is pro-life and pro-marriage for this honor.

It was magnanimous of Obama, in light of the fact that his debate with John McCain at Warren's church in August was one of the high points of the campaign for McCain. (This was the event where Warren asked, "When does life begin?" and Obama replied that the question is "above my pay grade.")

Warren has distanced himself from the "religious right" by emphasizing issues more popular with liberals, such as AIDS relief and global warming, I will say here that I do not agree with some of his positions. But he has also been consistent in his support for the unborn and for the natural definition of marriage. This has led left-wing groups like People for the American Way and the Human Rights Campaign to complain about Obama's invitation to Warren.

In a letter to President-elect Obama, Joe Solmonese challenged the selection of Warren saying, "Rick Warren has not sat on the sidelines in the fight for basic equality and fairness. In fact, Rev. Warren spoke out vocally in support of Prop 8 in California saying, 'there is no need to change the universal, historical definition of marriage to appease 2 percent of our population ... This is not a political issue -- it is a moral issue that God has spoken clearly about.' Furthermore, he continues to misrepresent marriage equality as silencing his religious views. This was a lie during the battle over Proposition 8, and it's a lie today." Solmonese's desire to exclude Pastor Warren from the inaugural, based upon his religious convictions, proves the validity of the concerns over the homosexual desire to silence the Church. Let's hope that Rick Warren will use his channel of communication to the new President to press him for more pro-family policies rather than simply being used by Mr. Obama to make political inroads with evangelicals.

Source: FRC

Unlikely Testimony

Luke 2:8-20 describes the experience of the shepherds when Jesus was born. Think about that for a moment. Out of the whole of Jerusalem society, God picked a band of shepherds to hear the news of Jesus' birth. That's intriguing because shepherds were among the lowest and most despised social groups.

The very nature of shepherds' work kept them from entering into the mainstream of Israel's society. They couldn't maintain the ceremonial washings and observe all the religious festivals and feasts, yet these shepherds, just a few miles from Jerusalem, were undoubtedly caring for sheep that someday would be used as sacrifices in the temple. How fitting it is that they were the first to know of the Lamb of God!

More significant, they came to see Him the night he was born. No one else did. Though the shepherds went back and told everyone what they had seen and heard, and though "all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds" (v. 18), not one other person came to see firsthand.

Scripture doesn't describe how the shepherds' search for the baby Jesus actually unfolded, but it's not unreasonable to assume that they entered Bethlehem and asked questions: "Does anybody know about a baby being born here in town tonight?"

The shepherds might have knocked on several doors and seen other newborn babies before they found the special Child lying in the feeding trough. At that moment, those humble men knew for certain that the angels' announcement was a word from God. After their encounter with Joseph and Mary and Jesus, the shepherds couldn't help but tell others about what the angels had told them. They became, in effect, the first New Testament evangelists.

The shepherd's story is a good illustration of the Christian life. You first hear the revelation of the gospel and believe it (Romans 10:9-10). Then you pursue and embrace Christ. And having become a witness to your glorious conversion, you begin to tell others about it (Luke 2:17).

May God grant you the life-changing spiritual experiences and the ongoing attitude of enthusiasm and responsiveness that causes you to tell others that you, too, have seen Christ the Lord.

Unvarnished Truth

Luke 2:7 sets the scene: "[Mary] gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."

That verse is explicitly concerned with a lonely birth. There were no midwives, no assistance to Mary at all. The Bible doesn't even mention that Joseph was present. Perhaps he was, but if he was typical of first-time fathers, he would have been of little help to Mary. She was basically on her own.

Mary brought forth the child; she wrapped Him in swaddling cloths; and she laid Him in a manger. Where usually a midwife would clean the baby and wrap Him, there was no one. Mary did it herself. And where usually there would have been a cradle or basket for the baby, there was none. Mary had to put Him in an animal's feeding trough.

When Christ entered the world, He came to a place that had some of the smelliest, filthiest, and most uncomfortable conditions. But that is part of the wonder of divine grace, isn't it? When the Son of God came down from heaven, He came all the way down. He did not hang on to His equality with God; rather, He set it aside for a time and completely humbled Himself (Philippians 2:5-8).

The Truth of the Nativity

by John MacArthur

The story of the first Christmas is so beloved that singers and storytellers across the centuries have embellished and elaborated and mythologized the story in celebration. However, most people now don't know which details are biblical and which are fabricated. People usually imagine the manger scene with snow, singing angels, many worshipers, and a little drummer boy. None of that is found in the biblical account.

Christmas has become the product of an odd mixture of pagan ideas, superstition, fanciful legends, and plain ignorance. Add to that the commercialization of Christmas by marketers and the politicization of Christmas in the culture wars, and you're left with one big mess. Let's try to sort it out. The place to begin is in God's Word, the Bible. Here we find not only the source of the original account of Christmas, but also God's commentary on it.

We can't know Jesus if we don't understand He is real. The story of His birth is no allegory. We dare not romanticize it or settle for a fanciful legend that renders the whole story meaningless. Mary and Joseph were real people. Their dilemma on finding no room at the inn surely was as frightening for them as it would be for you or me. The manger in which Mary laid Jesus must have reeked of animal smells. So did the shepherds, in all probability. That first Christmas was anything but picturesque.

But that makes it all the more wondrous. That baby in the manger is God! Immanuel!

That's the heart and soul of the Christmas message. There weren't many worshipers around the original manger-only a handful of shepherds. But one day every knee will bow before Him, and every tongue will confess He is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11). Those who doubt Him, those who are His enemies, those who merely ignore Him-all will one day bow, too, even if it be in judgment.

How much better to honor Him now with the worship He deserves! That's what Christmas ought to inspire.

Source: John MacArthur