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Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Politics won't change men's hearts, even for those who pushed through recent court decisions undermining marriage. Following Jesus by living a Cross-centered life is the key.

It's unthinkable that two plus two could ever equal five. But more unthinkable are recent Supreme Court decisions in America, The Defense of Marriage Act? Unconstitutional. California's Proposition 8 prohibiting gay marriage? Again, unconstitutional. Powerful politics from small sectors of society are determining our nation's future.

Every major policy shift from government leaves a trail of implications, some for good, but sadly, many for evil. The US Supreme court has bowed to interest groups and found gay marriage as valid as heterosexual marriage. The damage this will do to the youth of America is a story yet untold.

The U.S. Supreme Court chambers are adorned with a large display of the Ten Commandments. Recent decisions of the Supreme Court contradict the standards listed in those commands. The long road to American ruin is not only here, we are nearing its end.

The days before Christmas are busy with those last dashes to the mall. For merchants, it is another frenzy of selling. But there were no malls in Bethlehem; no lights, no friends. Indeed, Christmas had a humble beginning.

December 25th was not Jesus' actual birthday, but it is the date set aside long ago for us to honor that birth. For Mary His mother, that birth began a long period of pain and sorrow, a personal toll we seldom consider during this time of year.

In a few days we will celebrate the central event in human history, the coming of Jesus to live among us. But while Christians now enjoy the benefits of Jesus' birth, life, death and resurrection, there was one person who felt great pain when He came.

We can be so deep in bondage to sin that we don't even realize it. That's why we need the truth to set us free. Jesus not only knows the truth, He is the truth, and He wants to set you free from slavery to sin. That's the great liberation we all need, made possible only because God the Father sent the gift of His Son into the world.

Real freedom is not doing whatever you want, whenever you want. Rather, it's doing the will of God. That's freedom without regrets. To run life's race, we need to know where we're going. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." Freedom starts with truth, and truth is embodied in Jesus Christ. At Christmas we remember that Truth was born into the world, and that Truth can set us free.

When Jesus said, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free," He made possible the ultimate kind of freedom. True freedom has its roots in truth, and Christ said "I am the truth." For all among us trapped in addictions and oppression, Christ's gift of liberty is ours to take.

The prophet Isaiah wrote, "The Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor...to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners." Today, we'll learn about the last of four great gifts God gave us in sending His Son to earth so long ago.

At Christmas, we recall the light shining over Bethlehem and the birth of the One who brings light into our lives. The prophet Isaiah wrote "arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you." He looked forward to the coming of Jesus, and we can now look back to that wondrous day when He was born into this world.

The skies over Bethlehem had never before radiated this much glory. Massed angels brought the light of the noonday sun. As shepherds cowered in fear, the angels announced the light of the world. These days, darkness is everywhere, and that darkness seems to be increasing.

God loved all of mankind enough to send the greatest gift of all. As we run the last mile of the Christmas race, let's not forget the gift of God's Son, without Whom there would be no Christmas. That gift was the ultimate expression of love: the best God could offer to an undeserving human race.

We expend a lot of energy buying Christmas presents with traffic and parking hassles, and braving those big shopping crowds all for the joy of seeing a loved one open a gift. God wants us to open His gift of love just as badly as we want our kids to open theirs. That gift was offered first as a baby, but ultimately on a cross, that we might be reconciled to the Father.