The History of the Christmas Card

The History of the Christmas Card

The custom of sending Christmas cards is now so well established that it is surprising to discover that it is only about one hundred years old.  Valentine cards were popular in the mid-eighteenth century, and New Year cards were exchanged in Europe a long time before Christmas cards became accepted, in the 1870’s.

Other early forerunners were the Christmas greetings that children brought home from school, done in their best handwriting on decorated paper, to present to proud parents.  Traders would also leave specially decorated visiting cards at Christmas.  But it is an Englishman, Sir Henry Cole, who is credited with the idea of the first Christmas card.

Cole was the first director of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.  He was a businessman with a keen interest in art.  In December 1843, he found he had little time to write individual Christmas greetings to his friends, so he decided to produce a printed card.  The artist John Calcott Horsley drew a design which Cole approved, and the first Christmas card was born.  It had a picture of a family enjoying the festivities, with two side panels showing acts of charity.  One thousand of the cards were printed and sold for a shilling each.

The idea was not an overnight success.  However, advances in the color printing process and the introduction of the halfpenny post for cards in the 1870’s meant that Christmas cards started to gain widespread popularity in England.  By 1880, the Post Office was having to broadcast it’s annual advice: “Post early for Christmas’, familiar to those who live in Great Britain.

At around the same time, Christmas cards were becoming popular in America through the work of Louis Prang, a German living in Massachusetts.  He introduced high-quality cars and helped to spread their appeal by organizing nation-wide competitions for the best design.  Many of the designs still seen today originated with the earliest Christmas cards.  Snow-scenes, pictures of festive feasting and nativity scenes were all popular.  Other early cards were more elaborate, coming in the shape of fans, stars, and scrolls.  Some even had silk finishes and pictures that could be ‘animated’ by pulling a tab.

This year, one of the best ways to bring someone Christmas cheer is to send them a card.  At the same time, take a minute to write a sentence of two of what they mean to you.  It’s one more way to show His love.

Reflections:

1)  How are you most encouraged through the Christmas season?  Music? Cards?

2)  Are Christmas cards a tradition for you?

Symbols of the Season

Symbols of the Season

There’s something different about Christmas!  Always has been.  The symbols, smells, and songs cry out the joyful reminder that hope is here.

The first Christmas day must have been a sight to behold.  As the faithful shepherds sat passing the time away, all heaven broke loose.  Luke penned the exciting event so eloquently in chapter 2 verses 10 & 11:  “But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” (NIV)

If the Bethlehem Times was in circulation, they would have scrambled to get such an earth-shaking headline.  Can you imagine the front page:  GOD ARRIVES IN BABY SIZED BODY or CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE WAS BORN IN A BARN?  But rather than using CNN, the Internet, AT&T, a Prime-Time Network, or a major newspaper, God handed the greatest news ever heard

to a handful of humble human heralds.  And He’s still giving that same message to anyone humble enough to receive it today.

As we savor the sights and sounds of Christmas this year, let the symbols that surround us help us recall the hope that Christ brings:

THE CHRISTMAS TREE:  The beauty and fragrance of the Christmas tree are a lasting tradition that ushers in this unique time of year.  Much is often made of the pagan roots that accompany the tree yet hold no connection to the reason we celebrate.  We are reminded of another kind of tree, one that was used to construct a cross and its color which signifies eternal life.  The babe of Christmas would grow in stature and give Himself for mankind.  Philippians 2:8 says, “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death-even death on a cross.”

THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS:  The bright and attractive glow of the Christmas lights can be seen on houses, trees and decorations.  Lights are always best displayed where darkness is most prevalent.  Such was the case when the Roman government brought a yoke of enslavement and the religious institutions bred lifelessness.  At that time, the divine light entered into a dark setting.  John 12:46 says, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”

THE CHRISTMAS GIFTS:  The thrill and anticipation of giving and receiving gifts brings Christmas to a long-awaited culmination.  Whether a bike, doll, dress, or tool, the gift is not the point as much as the spirit it is given.  Ultimately, they remind us of the greatest gift ever given.  Romans 6:23 reminds us, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

While we cherish the external signs that encompass our senses during this wonderful time of year, may we never lose sight of the internal meanings that truly make a difference in our spiritual lives.  Christ has a way of making Christmas special that way.  Always has.  Always will.

Savoring Our Savior,

Terry Risser

Copyright 2015 Terry Risser

Because of the Christ Child…

Because of the Christ Child…

Christmas has a way of pulling us in many directions.  For many, the driving forces of the season is about completing lists, attending events, and spending time with people.  All of these are good things but there is something deeper Christ wants to do.  After all, most of these are based on what we do rather than truly finding fulfillment in who He has created us to be.  As someone said, “We are not human “doings” but human “beings.”  See if the Christ child might help us to understand a little more of God’s plan as He brings security, acceptance, and significance that only He can fully offer.

I AM SECURE

Romans 8:1-2         I am free from condemnation

Romans 8:28          I am assured that all things work together for good

Romans 8:31-34     I am free from condemnation charges against me

Romans 8:35-39     I cannot be separated from the love of God

2 Cor. 1:21-22        I have been established, anointed and sealed by God

Col. 3:3                   I am hidden with Christ in God

Phil. 1:6                  I am confident that the good work that God has begun in me

                               will be perfected

Phil. 3:20                I am a citizen of heaven

2 Tim. 1:7               I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a 

                               sound mind

Heb. 4:16                I can find grace and mercy to help in a time of need

1 John 5:18            I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me

I AM ACCEPTED

John 1:12               I am God’s child…

John 15:15             I am Christ’s friend

Romans 5:1         I have been justified

1 Cor. 6:17            I am united with the Lord, and I am one spirit with Him

1 Cor. 6:19, 20      I have been bought with a price.  I belong to God.

1 Cor. 12:27          I am a member of Christ’s body.

Eph. 1:1                 I am a saint

Eph. 1:5                 I have been adopted as God’s child

Eph. 2:18               I have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit

Col. 1:14                I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins

Col. 2:10                I am complete in Christ

  

I AM SIGNIFICANT

Matt. 5:13,14         I am the salt and light of the earth

John 15:5               I am a branch of the true vine, a channel of His life

John 15:16             I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit

Acts 1:8                  I am a personal witness of Christ.

1 Cor. 3:16             I am God’s temple.

2 Cor. 5:17-21       I am a minister of reconciliation for God

2 Cor. 6:1               I am God’s co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9)

Eph. 2:6                  I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realm.

Eph. 2:10                I am God’s workmanship

Eph. 3:12                I may approach God with freedom and confidence

Phil. 4:13                 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me

Verses By Neil Anderson

We have been given a new identity because of the baby in the manger this Christmas.   We only need to kneel at the cross to find His answers to all that we need in our hearts.

Pastor Terry

Reflections:

1)  What area of identity tends to be most important (accomplishments, appearance, or accumulations)?

2) Which area of Christ offer speaks to you the strongest (security, acceptance, or significance)?

The Light of Christmas

The Light of Christmas

“I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”  Isaiah 49:6

Try to imagine a Christmas without lights?  Jennings Osborne probably can’t.  It seems a few years back, he lit his home in Little Rock, Arkansas, with 3 million of them.  Count ‘em…3 and six 0’s.  That’s 30,000 boxes of 100 and a glow that could give you a Coppertone suntan.  I’ll bet every Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club in the state were racing fast and furious to restock their shelves when Ol’ Jen paid a visit.  For some people, a few reindeer, a plastic Santa and a little manger scene just won’t cut it.  His life’s motto is, “If you’re gonna do it, do it big.”  And big he does.

Problem is, Osborne’s philosophy has often clashed with places where energy shortages have occurred and where they have frowned upon such grandiose displays this Christmas.  This new challenge has threatened to put a little damper on the Yuletide festivities.  Christmas without lights?  That’s like Starbuck’s without coffee.  McDonald’s without Big Macs and Firestone without tires.  But you get the point.  It’s just not the same.

Roy Rivenburg, L.A. Times columnist, gave some thoughtful (though not so helpful) suggestions that can bring a glimmer of hope in a low-wattage winter. 

-Require Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to switch to an energy-efficient fluorescent nose bulb.

-Use California’s vast, untapped reserve of hamster power.  Connect Christmas tree lights to the exercise wheels inside the hamster cage.

- Glow-in-the-dark tree ornaments.

-Synchronize all twinkling lights so that when Northern California bulbs flash on, Southern California lights flash off, thereby slashing peak electricity consumption.

Many years ago, there was another light shortage.  Worse than the kind some places have had over the past few years…actually a place with no light whatsoever.  C.S. Lewis described it so well: “It was always winter, but never Christmas.”  What a bleak and depressing depiction that is.  In some places around the world, the Christmas light is the one thing that makes the winter bearable.  It’s the proverbial light in the middle of the tunnel.

Israel was the place. Having faced years of captivity from the Assyrian empire around 700 B.C. (and later the Babylonians), a message came from Isaiah that would bring a radiant glimmer in the darkness through his suffering servant prophecy.  In Isaiah 49:6, he foretold, “I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”  Jump ahead 700 years and you find Simeon in the temple as he holds the baby Jesus in his hands and relates the fulfillment of Isaiah’s words in Luke 2:25.  He says, “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people.”  Ol’ Jen from Little Rock would have to agree with Ol’ Simeon from Jerusalem…God had done it up big. It’s good news to everyone!  We’ll never have a Light-shortage again.

Terry Risser

Reflections:

1)  Can you name a time where your life seemed the darkest?

2)  How did God reveal His light to you?

Copyright 2015- Terry Risser

Cross Training

Cross Training

If you are like most people, it probably makes sense that some kind of exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle.   But like most people, you probably have found that fitting it into your schedule is sometimes a challenge.  At times, our reasons are fairly legitimate but more often than not, they are as sour as expired milk.  Just like anything else in life, you have to find a way to pay now or you are going to have to pay later.

Steven Head, health educator with Sports Therapy Services in McLean, Virginia, doesn’t buy the “too busy” theory though.  He says, “We seem to find time for things that are important to us, no matter how busy we are.”  Ain’t it the truth?

Surveys reveal five common excuses for not beginning an exercise program:

1)      Intimidation.  Peg Jordan, spokeswoman for the Aerobics and Fitness Association in Sherman Oaks evaluated the statistics of 1,880 people about fitness motivation and found that more than 80% saw exercise as “too scientific, too complicated…so that beginners risked exposing their incompetence and ineptitude.”

2)      Impatience.  Susan Kalish, executive director of the American Medical Athletic Association in Bethesda, Maryland argues that “People want a quick fix.  Even though it took them 30 years to get out of shape, when they don’t get fit overnight, they blame their genes.”

3)      Unrealistic Expectations.  “People who exercise in search of the perfect body are doomed to failure,” says Kelly Brownell, director at the Yale University Center for Eating and Weight Disorders.  “But if they are looking to become healthier, happier, more energetic…then exercise can deliver.”

4)      Denial.  “Many people are in denial that health problems could happen to them,” says Carol Kleinman, a therapist in Maryland.  “Then when they have a heart attack or physical problem, all of a sudden they have the motivation to reorder their priorities to exercise.”

5)      Irrelevance.  Pam Peeke, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Maryland said that people falsely believe, “With today’s technology, it’s no longer necessary to move to exist.  Exercise doesn’t add to people’s income, and many people consider it another chore to add to a time-starved life.”

Peeke adds that physical movement is essential to health, especially in handling stress as her book, Fight Fat at Forty, contends that sedentary living turns our natural “fight or flight” response into an obesity-promoting “stew and chew.”

May I suggest that there is another kind of exercise that we know is important to a healthy spiritual life, and like others, we at times neglect to fit it into our schedules.  We even tend to use all the time-worn excuses from intimidation to irrelevance.  Of course I’m referring to studying God’s Word.  Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  Gives a whole new meaning to the idea of “working out” your salvation, doesn’t it?  

Terry Risser

Copyright  2015 - Terry Risser

The Great Escape

The Great Escape

Born in 1874 in Budapest, Hungary, Eric Weiss had little idea of the notoriety that he would one day gain as a world renowned performer.  After settling in Appleton, Wisconsin, his father Samuel would struggle to support his family as a Rabbi for the German Zion Jewish Congregation.  So at the age of 12, young Eric would leave home to make his way in the world and support his family.  His move to New York would change his life and introduce him to the world of big-time magic.

Originally, he touted himself as “Eric the Great” in his attempt to draw recognition through  his slight-of-hand card tricks at amusement parks, dime museums and Chicago’s World’s Fair in 1893 and would eventually become a “challenge escape artist.”  But as he picked up a book written by inter-

nationally known magician Robert Houdini, the ambitious young man decided to change his name to “Houdini,” hoping to somehow emulate his mentor.  Soon, a legend was in the making.

  

Before long, Houdini’s name would become synonymous with the ability to escape from any

restraint or difficult situation.  Young Harry began offering rewards to anyone who could successfully restrain him, first in handcuffs and straightjackets, then to coffins and the famous Water Torture Cell.   For the underwater escapes, he practiced holding his breath in the bathtub for more than four minutes.  Boldly, he would claim he could escape from any device…anytime, anywhere.  And sure enough, he did.

As imitators tried to take advantage of his success, Houdini originated new and more difficult escapes.  From those early years until 1926, his incredible ability captivated the entertainment world.  On October 22^nd of that year, he was in Montreal performing at the Princess Theatre when a young athlete from a local university asked if Houdini could actually withstand punches to his stomach.  Before he was able to tighten up, the man punched Houdini and unknowingly ruptured his appendix.   The next few days brought on a condition of internal gangrene known as peritonitis, an inflammation of the abdominal cavity.  On October 31^st, he died making the claim that each anniversary of his death, his followers could expect him to perform his greatest escape and return.  And each Halloween, many

trek to his gravesite and find things are still the same.

Many years have come and gone since Houdini’s passing and nothing has changed.  He finally met his greatest challenge and lost.  While he could escape everything else, the grave was an escape that only One other has performed and lived up to His billing. 

A couple thousand years ago, Jesus laid a bold claim far greater than Houdini’s.  In John 2:19-22, we read, “Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.’  The Jews replied, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?’  But the temple he had spoken of was His body.  After He was raised from the dead, His disciples recalled what He had said.  Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.” 

And since the day Christ arose, countless have made the trek to the empty grave of “The Greatest Of Them All.”   Truly you could say, there was nothing up His sleeves…except maybe a couple of nail-scarred hands.   

Terry Risser

Copyright  2015 - Terry Risser

Victory Celebration Prayers

Victory Celebration Prayers

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” James 5:16

During a football game, a touchdown or score will often elicit a celebration or even a taking of knee for prayer.   Looking at these different definitions of football, we find that they remind us of a very real battle that we are in that we will find victory.  Paul writes in Romans 7, “But thanks be unto God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  On this final day of our football prayer definitions, as Monday Night Football marks the conclusion of a weekend of games,  take time to invite God to work in you. 

Scheme:  A play or call devised to deceive or confuse the opponent.

Prayer:  Lord, help me to identify the schemes of the enemy.  He is constantly trying to trick me, trap me, and taunt me through enticing me into things He says are fine, and then cornering me when I have fallen with accusations of failure.   I resist the devil and he will flee from me as the Lord will be my shield and protector in any challenges he brings my way.

Signals: The code that a team uses to call their plays.

Prayer:  Lord, you are constantly wanting to talk to me through your voice, circumstances, challenges, and so much more. I ask that You would enable me to catch the signals You are offering to Me.  Thank you that Your communication did not stop in the Bible days, but You are desirous to direct Me and are looking for people who know the Shepherd’s voice.

Spot:  The exact location on the field that a player's forward progress is stopped, as marked by an official.

Prayer:  Father, cleanse the spots on my heart that create guilt, weight, and separate me from you.  The smallest spot can create the greatest chasm with you.  I ask that you would allow the blood of Jesus to be my victory today as without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin…but with the shedding of blood that you offered on the cross, as far as the east is from the west, so far have my sins been taken away from me.   I receive that today.

Stance:  The position that a player assumes prior to the snap of the ball.

Prayer:  I agree with the Apostle Paul, in Ephesians 6, who prayed that when challenges come, I am going to take a stand in the Lord.  You have given me a stable stance that causes me to plant my feet upon the Rock of Jesus Christ.  I ask that you would renew that stability where things have seemed to waver and I have found life creating an imbalance.  I stand in you today.

Sweep:  A play where the ball carrier runs to the outside with other players moving in front to block.

Prayer: Isaiah 43:2 says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.”  (Message) I speak that for my family, friends, church family, and personal life.  When it feels like the water is rising too high, help me to remember the spiritual buoyancy with which I am able to rise.  I will not be swept under today or tomorrow, but will hold strong to the Rock and the Fortress of Jesus Christ.

Turnover: When one team loses control of the ball and possession is assumed by the opposing team whether through a fumble or interception

Prayer:  I am going to exchange my problems for His grace.  I am pressed but not crushed, persecuted not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed. I going to trade my sorrows for the joy of the Lord. I am going to practice the principle of turnovers

Upright: Refers to the two poles on the goal post which are used to measure whether a field goal attempt is successful or unsuccessful.

Prayer: My prayer is that God would give me His character and His integrity to be like Him.  I make Psalm 64:10 my request which says, “Let the righteous rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in him; let all the upright in heart praise Him! “  God, may it be said by You and by others; there is an upright man who follows the Lord.

Veer:  An offensive team formation which designates a type of running play

Prayer:  Father, I realize the heart is deceitful above all things and can lead me down a path of pain.  When I am tempted to “veer’ tomorrow in some place in my life, I pray that you would enable me to see it ahead of time and be resolute in my decisions to follow You rather than follow the enemy, the world, or even my own flesh.

Victory Celebration: Various types of emotional displays over a team’s win.

Prayer: Today, I celebrate your victory on the cross and all that it has brought to us.  1 Corinthians 15:57 says, “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Name a victory you found in the past through salvation, healing, answered prayer, or God’s love to you.)

Though the schemes of the enemy will come, we can celebrate the victory Christ brought once and for all, the victory that He brings each day.

Terry Risser

Reflections:

1)   Name one of the greatest schemes the enemy uses to tempt you?

2)   Call upon Christ today and ask His Holy Spirit to give you power to   

      overcome.

Terry Risser

Copyright 2015- Terry Risser

Receivers of Grace

Receivers of Grace

“Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.” Psalm 143:1

Sunday is the highlight of the football week.   As teams compete for standings, God has called us to stand.   Ask His help today in your life and find His strength filling you whether you are facing minor obstacles or major battles.  Time and again in the Word, we find God offering freedom from the “penalty” of sin as grace is offered to all who desire to receive it.  Pray these prayers:

Pass:  Throwing the ball so that it ends up further downfield than it started. Prayer:  The un-offended life is a fulfilling life.  Lord, help me to learn to let things go.  We live in a world that is obsessed with respect.   Even in those times where people don’t give me what I want, I will resist the temptation to react and will pass those offenses onto You. 

Penalty: Punishment for an infraction of the rules.

Prayer:  Jesus, thank you for paying the penalty for my sins.  It was me who was supposed to go to the cross yet you took my place. Hebrews 9 says that Christ died to set us free from the penalty of death that was ours.  Forgive me for forgetting all that You have done and bring a new sense of freedom to me in that I no longer have the penalty over me but am free in Christ.

Personal Violation:  Rules violation committed by a player resulting in a penalty.

Prayer: In my past, there have been personal violations that have brought hurt to my life.  The people that have caused that pain have become a source of irritation at the least, and brought hatred at times, at the most.  I ask you, Lord, to begin the healing process in me as I take a step toward releasing them from my vengeance and allowing you to bring justice as only you can do.  Free me as I hand it over to You.

Protection: The blocking scheme used by offensive players to keep the defense from getting to the quarterback on passing plays.

Prayer:  I pray your protection on my home, family, friends, and my personal life.  Put a hedge of protection around me, cover me with your canopy, and undergird me as a Rock is a fortress in times of trouble.  I declare that you are the God who protects His children and is faithful in every situation. 

Receiver: The receiver who, on a particular play, is designed to be the first option for the quarterback to throw the ball to.

Prayer:  I thank you for the words of John 1:16 which say, “For of His fullness we have allreceived, and grace upon grace.” (NASB) I open my heart “wide” to be a “receiver” of your grace today as I respond to your forgiveness and love and keep my heart open as I give your forgiveness and love to others. 

Recover:  Taking control of a ball that has been fumbled.

Prayer:  Lord, I would ask that you would recover everything that has been lost in my life in the past.  Where there has been financial loss, I pray in the words of Zechariah 9, that you would restore twofold.  Where there has been relational loss, I pray that you would restore twofold.  Where there has been pain or sickness, you would restore twofold.  I thank you that you are a God who recovers my life from the things of the past.

Rush: An attempt by the defensive players to get to the quarterback so they can tackle him before he can complete a pass.

Prayer:  In the stress and rush of life these days, I give myself over to you to keep the pace that you have called me to go.  I’m deciding, with your favor, to not go too fast and not go too slow.  As you said, Jesus, in Matthew 11:28-30 “I can come to you when I’m weary or rushed and you will give me rest.”

Safety:  A defensive player who lines up the deepest in the secondary and defends the deep middle of the field against the pass. 1. A two-point score by the defense that occurs when one of its players tackles an opponent in possession of the ball in his own end zone. 2. A defensive player who lines up in the secondary between, but generally deeper than the cornerbacks.

Prayer:  Ezekiel 34:28 say that they will live in safety, and no one will make them afraid. I agree that perfect love casts out fear.  In those areas of my past where fear has set in, I will take hold of the safety that comes in following You.  I refuse to allow my past, circumstances or people to destabilize me but I will rest in the shadow of the Almighty where there is a security and safety as children of the Lord.

As we continue in this football prayer emphasis, let God lead you to grow in prayer and thank Him for all that He has done.  David wrote in Psalm 143:1, ““Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.”  May we find His protection in our lives.

Terry Risser

Reflections:

1)  Where do you need God’s protection most in your life?

2)  Commit that area to Him today and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you.

Copyright 2015- Terry Risser