YOUR INVITATION TO A BIRTHDAY PARTY! >> >> Hello dear friend! Well, as you know, it's time for my birthday >> again. Last year, they had a real big party for me and it seems >> like they will again this year. After all, they've been >> shopping and preparing for it for months now, and there have >> been announcements and advertisements almost everyday about how >> soon it's coming! They really do go overboard about it, but >> it's nice to know that at least on one day of the year some >> people are thinking about me a little. You know, it's been many >> years now since they first started celebrating my birthday. Back >> then they seemed to realize and appreciate how much fun it is >> for the little children. Just the same, it seems that most folks >> are missing the point of it all. Like last year, for example: >> When my birthday came around, they threw a big party, but can >> you believe it?... I wasn't invited! Imagine! The guest of >> honor, and they forgot all about me! Here they had begun preparing >> for the festivities two months in advance, but when the big day >> came, I was left out in the cold! Well, it happened so many times >> in recent years, I wasn't even surprised. Even though I wasn't >> invited, I thought I'd just quietly slip in anyway. So I came in >> and stood off to the side. Everyone was drinking, laughing and >> having a grand time, when all of the sudden, in came this fat >> fellow in a bright red suit, wearing a phony white beard and >> shouting, Ho Ho Ho! He looked like he had more than enough to >> drink, but he somehow managed to weave his way running the floor >> while everyone cheered. When he collapsed into a big armchair, >> all the children went running over to him excitedly yelling, >> Santa!! Santa!! I mean, you'd have thought he was the guest >> of honor and the whole holiday was in his honor! Then he began >> telling them the most ridiculous stories you've ever heard ... >> that he lived at the North Pole with a crew of dwarfs and that >> every year on my birthday he rides in his sleigh pulled by a >> bunch of flying reindeers, delivering presents to children all >> over the world!! I mean there wasn't a word of truth in >> anything he said! Imagine telling such poor, little, >> impressionable kids such far-fetched fables! Finally I just >> had to leave, I walked out of the door, and it was hardly >> surprising that no one even noticed that I had gone. As I >> walked on the street afterward, I felt about as lonely and >> forlorn as stray dogs! I could hardly remember the last time >> I'd felt that low. Maybe you do not think I cry........... >> That little manger scene you had put in the corner of your >> living room was really touching!! It's sweet of people to >> commemorate my birthday like that. But did you know that >> nowadays, in some countries, the authorities won't even >> allow manger scenes to be displayed in the parks, streets, >> or public places anymore! Not to mention their schools! And >> I'm not talking about Communist countries! I'm talking about >> the good USA, Imagine!! What could be more innocent than a >> manger scene to remind people of my birthday?.... and yet >> they ban it! They've actually passed laws against it and >> made it illegal! What's this world coming to? Another thing >> that amazes me is how, on my birthday, instead of giving me >> presents, most people give presents to each other! And to top >> it all off, it's usually all kinds of stuff they don't even >> need! Let me ask you, wouldn't you find it odd if when your >> birthday came along, all your friends decided to celebrate it >> by giving each other presents and never gave you a thing? >> Someone once told me, well, it's because you're not around >> like other people are, so how can we give you a present? You >> know my answer to that one: Then give gifts of food and >> clothing to the poor, help those who need it. Go visit the >> lonely! I said, Listen, any gift you give to your needy >> fellowmen, I'll count as if you gave it to me personally! >> (See Mathew 25:34-40) >> Well sad to say, things are getting worse each year. You can >> just imagine my shock a few years ago when I began seeing >> them taking my name out of my birthday greeting and replacing >> it with an X What an insult!! Think of it!...X-mas!! What if >> I wrote you a birthday card and said Happy Birthday X! You'd >> probably never talk to me again! And that's just about how I >> feel, I mean what more could they do to push me right out of >> the picture on my own birthday? It reminds me of what >> happened recently to a friend of mine, a sweet elderly >> fellow. He's from the poorer side of town and he's been trying >> unsuccessfully for years to join the church. But it was a very >> exclusive church for the proper kind of folks, and they just >> did not think he was good enough to be a member, I found him >> one day sitting by the church steps with his head on his hands >> bowed and I asked him what was wrong, he told me about it, I >> put my arm around his shoulder and told him I knew how he felt. >> I've been wanting to enter that same church for twenty years >> and they've never let me in either! Well, there's an end even >> to my patience. So I'm going to let you in on a secret......... >> Now this is something I've been planning on doing for quite >> sometime, but the way things are going, I think I'm planning of >> holding my own party! How about that? It's going to be the >> biggest most fantastic feast you could possibly imagine! It >> might not happen this year, but I'm sending out invitations now >> anyway because I know you'll want to come. There's going to be >> room for billions, for everyone who wants to come! Some really >> famous old timers and celebrities are going to be there and >> I'll reserve you seat of honor right with them! (Mathew 8:11) >> So hold on to your hat because when everything is ready, I'm >> going to spring it as a big surprise and a lot of people are >> going to be left out in the cold, because they didn't answer >> my invitation!! Let me know right away if you'd like to come, >> and I'll reserve you a place and, write your name in large >> golden letters in my BIG GUEST BOOK!! >> >> Much Love, >> JESUS