Loving Christ at Christmas

Knowing Christ is Above All

Philippians 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

When Gary Chapman sat down and read through more than a decade worth of notes, he realized that what couples really wanted from each other fell into five distinct categories:

1. 1. Words of affirmation: compliments or words of encouragement

   2. Quality time: their partner’s undivided attention

   3. Receiving gifts: symbols of love, like flowers or chocolates

   4. Acts of service: setting the table, walking the dog, or doing other small jobs

   5. Physical touch: having sex, holding hands, kissing

“I really do feel that these five appear to be rather fundamental in terms of ways to express love to people,” says Chapman, the director of Marriage & Family Life Consultants, Inc. in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Chapman termed these five categories “love languages” and turned the idea into a book, The 5 Love Languages, which went on to become a huge bestseller. Chapman says that learning each other’s love language can help couples express their emotions in a way that’s “deeply meaningful” to one another.

Part 1) Using the 5 Love Languages

to Love Christ at Christmas

1) Words of Affirmation: Praising the Lord

Compliments or words of encouragement – This is technically praise and worship – the Lord loves your praise and worship… he feels your love when you praise him.

This is why praise and worship is so important, not just to praising him with your lips but praising him in all areas of our lives, so that our actions match our words.

Let Everything That Has Breath

1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.

2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.

3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.

4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.

6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

Biblical meaning of Praise

1. (v.) To commend; to applaud; to express approbation of; to laud; — applied to a person or his acts.
2. (v.) To extol in words or song; to magnify; to glorify on account of perfections or excellent works; to do honor to; to display the excellence of; — applied especially to the Divine Being.

3. (v.) To value; to appraise.

4. (v.) Commendation for worth; approval expressed; honor rendered because of excellence or worth; laudation; approbation.

5. (v.) Especially, the joyful tribute of gratitude or homage rendered to the Divine Being; the act of glorifying or extolling the Creator; worship, particularly worship by song, distinction from prayer and other acts of worship; as, a service of praise.

6. (n.) The object, ground, or reason of praise.

2) Spending Quality Time: Bible Reading. Meditation and Prayer

Giving God our undivided attention – spend time with him, in reading the word, in prayer, in worship, when the doors of the house of the Lord are open… be there, and be ready to fellowship with the Lord.

Heb.10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

John 17:17
Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.

Psalm 119 ►
Meditations on the Excellencies of the Word of God

9 How can a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed according to Your word.
10 With my whole heart I have sought You;
Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
11 Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.

20 My soul breaks with longing
For Your judgments at all times.

3) Gifts:

Give gifts to the Lord through the giving of your finances and material possessions to his work to support what he loves, as well as giving material things to others, for when we give to the poor we lend to the Lord.

Matthew 25;40 – And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

4) Acts of service:

Serve the Lord by serving others, setting the table, walking the dog, or doing a small job for those who can’t pay you back.

Matt 10:42 AMP

And whoever gives to one of these little ones [these who are humble in rank or influence] even a cup of cold water to drink because he is my disciple, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.”

5) Physical touch:

Take the time to entertain the spirit of God until you feel his presence.

Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God

(2 Samuel 12:1-12)

1{To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.} Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

If you have offended the Lord – apologize to him, if you feel he has offended you, forgive him (you don’t know the whole story).

Loving the Lord is easy, get to know him as a person, know what he loves and what he hates, connect with him, and talk with him and spend time with him.

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