TODAY ON "CHRISTIAN WORLD

NEWS" IT'S A ONE IN A MILLION

MILESTONE.

WE WILL GO ON A SPECIAL

OPERATION CHILD DELIVERY.

AND AN EXTREME CHRISTMAS

MAKE-OVER FOR VETERANS AND THEIR

FAMILIES.

AND EVEN YEAR HEARING THE

CLASSIC STORY OF CHRISTMAS

CAROL, WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE

FAITH THAT INFLUENCED THE

WRITING OF CHARLES DICKENS.

AND WELCOME TO OUR SPECIAL

CHRISTMAS EDITION OF "CHRISTIAN

WORLD NEWS," EVERY CHRISTMAS

GIFT-FILLED SHOE BOXES BRING JOY

TO MILLIONS OF CHILDREN AROUND

THE WORLD.

IT'S A MINISTRY THAT HAS GONE ON

FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS.

AND ONE SHOE BOX MADE ITS WAY

FROM WISCONSIN TO THE DOMINICAN

REPUBLIC.

GEORGE HAS THE STORY OF THE SHOE

BOX.

HI.

MY NAME IS EVELYN.

AND I AM 12 YEARS OLD.

THIS IS THE STORY OF A YOUNG

GIRL FROM A SMALL TOWN IN

WISCONSIN.

WITH A BIG DREAM.

I HAVE WANTED TO HELP THE

POOR FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.

I WAS TRYING SINCE I WAS SIX TO

HELP THE POOR.

EVELYN'S PRAYER WAS ANSWERED

WHEN HE HEARD ABOUT OPERATION

CHRISTMAS CHILD.

AN OUTREACH LED BY FRANKLIN

GRAHAM, THE SON OF BILLY GRAHAM.

THE IDEA IS TO FILL GIFT BOXES

AND SEND TO NEEDY CHILDREN

AROUND THE WORLD.

YOU WOULDN'T THINK THIS COULD

HAVE THAT IMPACT BUT FOR KIDS IN

AREAS OF DUMPS AND CONFLICT WAR.

TO GIVE THEM A GIFT THAT SOMEONE

KNOW WHO IS THEY ARE AND CARES

ABOUT THEM AND LOVES THEM.

EVELYN WAS THAT SOMEBODY.

SHE STARTED A SHOE-BOX CLUB AT A

LITTLE 8.

SHE STARTED YOUNG AND DONE A

LOT.

WE HAVE DONE THIS FOR FOUR

YEARS, AND IN THOSE YEARS WE

HAVE PACKED 2,000 SHOE BOXES.

I WANT TO TELL KIDS ABOUT JESUS,

KIDS HELPING KIDS IS MY MOTTO.

YOU SEE HER SHOE BOXES

TOUCHED MILLIONS OF LIVES

TOUCHED BY KINDNESS.

10 MILLION SHOE BOXES WILL BE

HAND DELIVERED THIS YEAR, BY

AIR, TRAINS AND EVEN BY ELEPHANT

ELEPHANTS.

IN DECEMBER REACHING A MILESTONE

DELIVERY SHOE BOXES TO 100

MILLION CHILDREN SINCE 1993.

INSPIRED BY HER PASSION TO HELP

THE POOR, 12-YEAR-OLD EVELYN WAS

PICKED BY OPERATION CHRISTMAS

CHILD TO DELIVER THE 100 MILLION

SHOE BOX IN THE DOMINICAN

REPUBLIC.

SHE TURNED TO HER FRIENDS AT THE

SHOE BOX CLUB FOR HELP.

THEY DECORATED IT WITH WHITE

PAPER COVERED WITH HAND PRINTS

FROM ALL THE CHILDREN SERVING IN

THE GROUP.

THANKS EVERYONE.

I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT

YOU GUYS.

THEN FOR SEVERAL WEEKS.

I LOVE YOU.

I AM PROUD OF YOU.

LOVE YOU.

YOU ARE SO AWESOME, SWEETIE.

THANKS DAD.

SHE CRISS-CROSSED AROUND THE

COUNTRY TAKING THE BOX ON TOUR.

AT EACH STOP PEOPLE PUT

DIFFERENT MOMENTOS IN THE BOX.

AND THEN ON A RECENT WEDNESDAY

MORNING.

THE LAST TIME WE WERE SITTING

IN A CAR TRAVELING THROUGH A

CITY, WE WERE IN NEW YORK,

DREAMING ABOUT THIS MOMENT.

AND NOW WE ARE HERE.

ARE YOU OVERWHELMED?

I AM, I AM.

PRACTICING MY SPANISH.

THOUSANDS OF MILES FROM HER

HOME IN WISCONSIN.

WOW, FINALLY HERE.

EVELYN'S PRAYER OF HELPING

NEEDY CHILDREN WAS ANSWERED.

[APPLAUSE]

WELL, IT'S A SIMPLE BOX WITH

SIMPLE TOYS.

IN THIS PARTICULAR BOX THERE IS

A STUFFED ANIMAL AND TISSUES AND

HYGIENE MATERIAL.

A BOOK.

BUT YOU KNOW FOR OPERATION

CHRISTMAS CHILD A SIMPLE BOX WAY

POWERFUL MESSAGE.

EACH BOX DELIVERED TO THESE KIDS

IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST.

AT EACH DISTRIBUTION THE GOSPEL

IS SHARED.

AND CHILDREN ARE GIVEN THE

OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT

CHRIST THROUGH A 12-WEEK

DISCIPLESHIP PROGRAM.

GOD IT DO ANYTHING, AND IF

YOU BELIEVE THAT GOD CAN DO

ANYTHING WITH YOU, ANYTHING CAN

HAPPEN.

I AM FINALLY HERE IN DOMINICAN

REPUBLIC.

I CAN DELIVER THIS BOX TO A

SMALL GIRL.

IN A SMALL VILLAGE IN THE

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.

EVELYN HANDED HER THE SPECIAL

SCHOOL BOX, FILLED WITH SCHOOL

SUPPLIES AND PAINT AND A BIBLE.

THE TWO GIRLS SPENT TIME GOING

THROUGH THE PRESENTS.

ONE SPECIAL ITEM WAS A

HEART-SHAPED NECKLACE LABELED,

BEST FRIENDS FOREVER.

BREAKING IT INTO AND GAVE ONE

HALF TO EVELYN AS A MOMENTO OF A

SPECIAL BOND.

CBN NEWS IN THE DOMINICAN

REPUBLIC.

AND CHRISTMAS IS A TIME TO

SHOW OTHERS JUST HOW MUCH WE

APPRECIATE THEM.

AND THAT'S WHAT MOTIVATED A

BUSINESSMAN IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA

TO DEVELOP A VOLUNTEER PROJECT

THAT IS BRINGING CHRISTMAS CHEER

TO VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

IT'S A CHILLY DECEMBER

MORNING WITH THIS GROUP OF YOUNG

VOLUNTEERS HARD AT WORK.

THEY ARE SPRUCING UP THIS

TOWNHOUSE AND DECORATING FOR

CHRISTMAS.

THE HOME BELONGS TO TONY KENNEDY

AND HIS WIFE, SILVIA.

TONY A 15-YEAR VETERAN OF THE

ARMY, A MARINE.

FOUGHT IN THE WAR IN IRAQ, HE'S

NOT USED TO BEING ON THE

RECEIVING END OF SERVICE.

BUT GETTING USED TO IT.

THIS IS DECORATED FOR VETS.

JESS JONES STARTED THE EFFORT

THREE YEARS AGO.

HIS MOTIVATION CAME FROM HIS

FATHER AND GRANDFATHER'S

MILITARY SERVICE.

HIS MISSION IS SIMPLE.

WE DO EVERYTHING FROM LEAF

BLOWING AND MULCHING, AND

INSTALLING PATIOS AND LAST YEAR

WE REPLACED GUTTERS AND A ROOF.

WE DID A HOUSE LAST YEAR THAT

WAS $8,000 OF WORK.

AND THE HOUSE BEHIND US IS

DECORATING.

IT RANGES FROM A SIMPLE CLEAN UP

TO A BIG RENOVATION.

AND A LOT HAPPENS

BEHIND-THE-SCENBEHIND THE

SCENES.

HOME DEPOT DONATED DECORATIONS.

AND A SWIM TEAM.

WE WANT TO DECORATE WITH

PRIDE.

JONES SAYS HIS EXPERIENCE ON

THE MISSION FIELD HELPS HIM WITH

ALL OF THAT.

IT ACTUALLY GAVE ME A LEG-UP

ON HOW TO DO IT.

HOW TO FIND PEOPLE.

HOW TO SELECT PEOPLE.

HOW TO ORGANIZE PEOPLE AND FIND

DONATION AND VOLUNTEERS.

AND MISSION WORK WAS DEFINITELY

A STEP INTO DOING IT.

DECORATED VET DECORATES SIX

TO EIGHT HOMES EACH CHRISTMAS.

TONY KENNEDY'S WIFE SAW A LOCAL

NEWS STORY AND SUBMITTED HIS

NAME.

I THOUGHT IF I COULD BRING

HOLIDAY CHEER TO MY HUSBAND THIS

CHRISTMAS SEASON, I WANTED THAT

OPPORTUNITY.

THE VOLUNTEERS CLEANED UP THE

YARD.

MADE WREATHS AND HUNG LIGHTS AND

DECORATED TWO CHRISTMAS TREES.

ONE OUTSIDE AND ONE INSIDE.

THE KIDS ARE MOVING WITH THE

PRECISION OF A MILITARY UNIT.

I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED.

WOW.

TONY IS NOT WORKING RIGHT

NOW.

AND THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH THE

REASON WHY I CONTACTED THE

ORGANIZATION.

BUT I HAVE TO SAY THIS HAS BEEN

-- I FEEL SO BLESSED THAT PEOPLE

ARE SO GIVING OF THEIR TIME.

THE FACT THAT THESE YOUNG

KIDS WOULD COME OUT HERE AND DO

SOMETHING FOR ME ON A SATURDAY.

I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED.

I TOLD MY WIFE, IT WAS PROBABLY

THE BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT I GOT

IN MY LIFE.

WITH THE CHILDREN OF

PRISONERS IN LIMA, PERU, WHEN A

VOLUNTEER FROM THEIR CHURCH

BROUGHT NEWS, HERE HOLDING A

CHRISTMAS PARTY IN A DANGEROUS

PERUVIAN PRISON.

THESE LADIES LINED UP WITH

THE EVENT FOR MOST DANGEROUS

PRISON IN SOUTH AMERICA.

THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE

THIS PRISON IS FOR 2,400 PEOPLE.

BUT NOW THERE ARE MORE THAN

10,000.

PRISONERS KNOWN FOR THEIR

VIOLENCE, GANGS AND DRUG

ADDITION.

SEEING THE PROBLEM UP CLOSE, FOR

YEARS SHE'S COME TO HELP THE

PRISONERS AND THE FAMILIEFAMILIES.

AND TODAY SHE CAME BACK WITH

GIFTS OF HOT CHOCOLATE AND MORE.

WE HAVE ORGANIZED FOR EIGHT

YEARS TOGETHER WITH ORPHAN

PROMISE TO HELP US BUY FOR THE

PRISONERS.

FOR A NEW HOURS THE GYM

FILLED UP WITH MUSIC, SANTA'S

HELPERS AND CHILDREN AND

HAPPINESS.

MEMBERS OF THE PRISON S CHRISTIAN

FELLOWSHIP HELPED.

SOME HAD THEIR FACES PAINTED AND

OTHERS DANCED WITH THE CLOWNS.

AND THE CHILDREN WATCHED THE

ANIMATED RELEASE OF CHRISTMAS IN

THE NEW SUPERBOOK SERIES.

TAKING THE TIME TO INVITE

PARENTS AND CHILDREN TO MAKE

ROOM FOR THE CHILD IN THE

MANGER.

IT'S A MANGER.

AND IN THIS MANGER IT'S

DESCRIBED AS THE SON OF GOD

WANTS TO BE BORN RIGHT NOW.

AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM,

OVER 360 CHILDREN RECEIVED

GIFTS.

PROBABLY THEIR ONLY CHRISTMAS

GIFT THIS YEAR.

AND MORE THAN 200 PARENTS AND

CHILDREN ASKED THE SAME JESUS

WHO WAS BORN IN A MANGER TO

BECOME THEIR FRIEND AND SAVIOUR.

STAN JETER, CBN NEWS.

COMING UP, CHARLES DICKENS

WROTE ONE OF THE GREATEST

CHRISTMAS CLASSICS EVER.

BUT DID HE BELIEVE HIS OWN

STORY.

WE BEING TELL YOU THE FAITH

BEHIND CHRISTMAS CAROL WHEN WE

RETURN.

IT BEGAN IN A PRAYER MEETING.

WHERE A COVENANT WAS MADE.

AND GREW INTO THE MOST POWERFUL

AND PROSPEROUS NATION THE WORLD

HAS EVER KNOWN.

BUT HAS AMERICA BROKEN ITS

COVENANT WITH GOD?

CAN THAT COVENANT BE RENEWED?

DOES GOD STILL HAVE A PLAN FOR

AMERICA?

*

WELCOME BACK TO "CHRISTIAN

WORLD NEWS," IT'S A HOLIDAY

TRADITION FOR MANY FAMILIES,

WATCHING CHARLES DICKEN'S

CHRISTMAS CAROL.

DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HIS WORK, FEW

KNOW ABOUT HIS FAITH.

WHAT IS TODAY?

TODAY?

WELL, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY OF

COURSE.

FROM THE SCREEN TO THE STAGE.

THE TRANSFORMATION FROM EBENEZER

SCROOGE FROM MISER TO GIVER,

STRIKES A CORD IN THE HEARTS OF

MANY, INCLUDING CHILDREN.

*

ALL OF THESE VERSIONS ARE THE

RESULT OF CHARLES DICKEN'S

CLASSIC NOVEL, A CHRISTMAS

CAROL.

THE ENGLISH WRITER LOVED THE

HOLIDAY.

HE WAS QUOTED SAYING, I WILL

HONOR CHRISTMAS IN MY HEART AND

TRY TO KEEP IT ALL THE YEAR.

MANKIND WAS MY BUSINESS AND

CHARITY AND MERCY AND

BENEVOLENCE WERE ALL OF MY

BUSINESS.

STUDYING DICKEN'S

EXTENSIVELY, AND EARNED AN HONOR

IN ST. ANDREWS ABOUT DICKENS.

THAT IDEA OF DICKENS, THE

TERM REAL CHRISTIANITY, A NUMBER

OF TIMES IN HIS LETTERS AND

WRITING, REAL CHRISTIANITY IS

BEING LIKE JESUS.

EARLY HE DISCOVERED THAT

DICKENS IS A CHRISTIAN AND HIS

THEMES THROUGH HIS WRITINGS.

ALL OF MY WRITINGS ARE

DERIVED FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT.

ALL OF MY GOOD PEOPLE ARE

HUMBLE, CHARITABLE, FAITHFUL AND

FORGIVING OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

I CLAIM THEM IN EXPRESSED WORDS

AS DISCIPLES AS THE FOUNDER OF

OUR RELIGION.

IN THE CHRISTMAS CAROL,

TALKING ABOUT SCROOGE AND HOW TO

LIVE LIFE.

THINKING ABOUT HUMANITY AND

TO DO UNTO OTHERS A WOULD HAVE

THEM TO DO ME.

FOR DICKENS THE GOLDEN RULE WAS

CRUCIAL.

COLLINS BELIEVES THAT THE

DEFINITIVE EVIDENCE OF DICKENS

IS THIS WORK WRITTEN FOR HIS

CHILDREN, ENTITLED, THE RIGHTS

OF MY LORD.

CRITICS ARE RIGHT, IT'S NOT A

GREAT PIECE OF LITERATURE.

BUT IT SHINES A BRIGHT LIGHT ON

DICKEN'S FAITH.

HE'S THE SOLE EDITOR THIS THING.

COLLINS CALLS, THE LIGHT OF

OUR LORD, A GOSPEL HARMONY.

IN THIS CASE DICKEN'S SUMMARIZES

THE LIFE OF CHRIST FOR THE NEXT

GENERATION, HIS CHILDREN.

MY DEAR CHILDREN, I AM

ANXIOUS THAT YOU KNOW ABOUT

JESUS CHRIST.

GOSPEL HARMONIES WERE KNOWN

DURING THAT TIME, A FAMILY WOULD

HAVE TWO BOOKS IN THIS HOME.

THE BIBLE AND THE GOSPEL OF

HARMONY.

THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN AN

IMPORTANT TOOL IN THE DICKEN'S

FAMILY FOR RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION

AND CHRISTIAN THINKING.

COLLINS SAYS THAT FEW PEOPLE

KNOW ABOUT THIS WORK OF DICKENS

OR HIS CHRISTIAN FAITH.

CRITICS DISMISSED THIS AS

UNIMPORTANT AND SUPERFICIAL AND

EDUCATORS FOLLOWED SUIT.

AND EVEN COLLINS FOUND HIMSELF

CRITICIZED IN HIS DISSERTATION

AT ST. ANDREWS.

THAT I WOULD BE SO AUDACIOUS

THAT THIS MAN WAS A MAN OF

FAITH.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN THAT

HOSTILITY THAN PEOPLE LIKE

DARWIN BETTER THAN LIGHT.

AND FOR THOSE DISCUSSING THE

FAITH OF DICKENS, TO SHINE THE

LIGHT ON ONE OF THE GREATEST

WRITERS IN HISTORY.

COLLINS BELIEVES THAT GOD WANTED

TO WRITE THIS BOOK, A BOOK

RELEASED THIS YEAR, WHICH IS THE

200TH ANNIVERSARY OF DICKEN'S

BIRTH.

ALL OF THAT WAS PROVIDED BY

OUR LORD, IT WAS ACTUALLY EASY

TO GET A PUBLISHER.

IT'S NOT ALWAYS TRUE, BUT IT'S A

GOOD FEELING WHEN YOU KNOW THE

SPIRIT OF GOD IS INVOLVED.

AND THIS IS NOT YOUR PROJECT.

HE DEDICATES THE BOOK TO HIS

GRANDCHILDREN, WRITING, MAY YOU

EACH FIND JOY AS DID DICKEN'S IN

OUR SAVIOUR.

COMING UP THE NATIVITY IN

OLIVE-WOOD, HOW THIS MAN BRINGS

THE HOLY FAMILY TO HIS ART.

GUESS WHO IS MISSING FROM

CHRISTMAS IN BETHLEHEM THIS

YEAR?

THAT'S A CAMPAIGN NAMED IN A

YOUTUBE VIDEO.

AND ONE PASTOR DECIDED TO DO

SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, I

HAVE NOTICED LESS AND LESS OF

CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS, AND MORE

AND MORE OF SANTA CLAUS EVEN IN

THE HEART OF BETHLEHEM.

I HAVE HAD PEOPLE SAY

CHRISTMAS FOR EVERYONE.

YES, EVERYONE CAN CELEBRATE

CHRISTMAS BUT YOU CAN'T TAKE

JESUS OUT.

CHRISTMAS IS NOT WITHOUT JESUS.

AND CORY PUT THIS MESSAGE IN

THE BUSIEST STREET IN BETHLEHEM

THAT SAYS:

PERSECUTION HAS DRIVEN MANY

CHRISTIANS OUT OF THE BETHLEHEM

AREA.

THEY HAVE DROPPED FROM 80% TO

10% OF THE POPULATION.

BETHLEHEM NEAR THE BIRTHPLACE OF

JESUS THAT TURNS OLIVEWOOD INTO

THE CELEBRATION OF THE SEASON.

ONE MAN HAS BEEN WORKING IN

THIS OLIVEWOOD WORKSHOP SINCE A

BOY, INHERITING AN ART THAT IS

PASSED FROM GENERATION TO

GENERATION.

THERE IS NO SCHOOL TO LEARN

THIS JOB.

AND ALSO WHAT COMES FROM YOUR

INSIDE, YOUR HEART.

MOST OF HIS CARVINGS

REPRESENT THE SCENES AND

CHARACTERS OF THE BIBLE.

AND AS HE SAYS, IT'S WHAT IS IN

YOUR HEART.

I AM HAPPY WITH JESUS.

HIS MAIN CARVINGS ARE

NATIVITY SCENES.

HE'S PRODUCED A NUMBER OF

DIFFERENT STYLES, BUT

CELEBRATING THE SAME THING, THE

BIRTH OF JESUS.

SHOWING HOW ONE PIECE OF WOOD

CAN BECOME A CHRISTMAS SCENE.

FIRST HE CUTS THE WOOD.

NEXT HE SANDS IT TO MAKE IT

SMOOTH.

AND NEXT WITH THE SKILLS HONED

FROM 35 YEARS OF CARVING, HE

CUTS BY HAND OF THE CHARACTER OF

THE NATIVITY.

AND FINALLY HE INSCRIBES A

PERSONAL GREETING.

GOING ALL OVER INCLUDING CENTRAL

AMERICA, HE HOPES THAT HIS

CARVINGS WILL BE A SPECIAL GIFT

AT CHRISTMAS OR ANY TIME OF THE

YEAR.

BUT WANTS PEOPLE TO REMEMBER THE

TRUE MEANING OF THE SEASON.

THE REAL MEANING OF CHRISTMAS

IS TO GO TO THE CHURCH AND PRAY

FOR JESUS.

AND TO CLEAN EVERYTHING INSIDE

AND BE A NEW PERSON.

THIS IS PAT ROBERTSON, THIS

IS AN IMPORTANT TIME IN THE

HISTORY OF AMERICA.

IT'S IN AN IMPORTANT TIME OF THE

HISTORY OF THE CBN.

AND WHAT YOU DO IS VERY

IMPORTANT NOW.

WE GOT TO GET THE GOSPEL OUT

HERE IN AMERICA.

AND WE HAVE TO HELP THE POOR AND

NEEDY.

FEED THOSE WHO ARE HUNGRY.

CLOTHE THOSE WHO ARE NAKED.

AND BRING MEDICAL ATTENTION TO

THOSE SUFFERING.

AND MORE THAN ANYTHING, BRING

HOPE TO THOSE WHO ARE WITHOUT

HOPE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

SO YOUR "700 CLUB" MEMBERSHIP

MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

I ASK YOU TO CALL IN, WE

APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.

DON'T SLACK, WE DON'T WANT OUR

HANDS TO BE EMPTY.

WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY, LORD,

HERE ARE THOSE THAT CAN COME TO

YOU BECAUSE OF MY LABORS.

AND THE PHONES ARE AVAILABLE,

TOLL-FREE LINE.

WE THANK GOD FOR EACH ONE OF

YOU.

DON'T HESITATE TO CALL AND DO IT

NOW.

WHEN YOU GIVE SMILES GROW

BIGGER.

WHEN YOU CARE, HOMES ARE

HAPPIER.

WHEN YOU COMFORT,

THE HURT GOES AWAY.

WHEN WE ALL COME TOGETHER TO

LOVE, MIRACLES HAPPEN.

"CHRISTIAN WORLD NEWS" YOUR

WINDOW TO THE LOCAL CHURCH.

FOR STORIES OF REVIVAL.

PERSECUTION.

AND THE IMPACT OF CHRISTIAN

LEADERS.

WATCH "CHRISTIAN WORLD NEWS."

THIS TIME OF YEAR

NEIGHBORHOODS ARE ABLAZE WITH

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS.

RECENTLY WENDY TALKED WITH

AUTHOR, ACE COLLINS ABOUT THIS

COLORFUL TRADITION.

ACE, NOTHING IS MORE THAN THE

SPIRIT OF THE CHRISTMAS THAN

SEEING THESE HOMES WITH THE

LIGHTING.

WHEN DID THIS TRADITION BEGIN?

IN THE 1940S AND 50S, IS WHEN

IT STARTED.

BECAUSE WHEN LIGHTS BECAME

AFFORDABLE, AND WE WERE IN AN

AUTOMOTIVE AGE, AND PILE IN CARS

AND GO LOOK AT LIGHTS IN THE

NEIGHBORHOODS.

BUT IT STARTED REALLY WITH

MARTIN LUTHER, HE TIED A CANDLE

ON A TREE.

AND I DOUBT HE ENVISIONED ALL OF

THIS TAKING PLACE.

THAT CANDLE IN THAT TREE TO HIM

REPRESENTED THE LIGHT OF CHRIST.

AND THAT LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATING

THE WORLD AND THESE CHRISTMAS

LIGHTS REPRESENT THAT

ILLUMINATION.

IS THERE A MEANING BEHIND THE

DIFFERENT COLORS?

THERE IS, THE WHITE IS THE

PURITY OF CHRIST.

AND THEN YOU HAVE THE RED LIGHTS

THAT REPRESENT THE BLOOD OF

CHRIST THAT WAS SHED ON THE

CROSS.

AND WE HAVE THE GREEN LIGHTS

THAT REPRESENT LIKE THE

EVERGREEN TREE, EVERLASTING

LIFE.

THINGS THAT DON'T DIE IN THE

BLEAKEST TIMES.

SO THE LIGHTS HAVE A BIG IMPACT

IN THE SEASON.

AND THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON

IS THEY REMIND US OF THE LIGHT

OF JESUS CHRIST.

THINK OF THAT, ONE LIGHT THAT

ILLUMINATED THE MANGER TO LIGHT

ALL THE WORLD.

THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.

UNTIL NEXT WEEK, GOOD-BYE AND

GOD BLESS YOU.