Hollywood Christmas is the title of the new sermon series we started at Flatland. It is a look at how Hollywood portrays Christmas and what we really believe. This week we looked at a Chevy Chase movie… I don’t remember its name.

We should be more eager to celebrate God than we are to celebrate the holiday of Christmas.

It seems that we have a love hate relationship with Christmas. If there was one thing we can change about Christmas what would it be?

Finances is possibly the number one destroyer of Christmas. When we spend money we don’t have it causes serious stress and bad times. The borrower is a servant to the lender. So this Christmas don’t spend money you don’t have right now.

Establish what you can spend and then assign what can be given to those on your shopping list. Then only spend what you have designated to each person. Only use cash. Finally, in January start saving. Also, buy next years gifts in January when there are good deals but don’t overspend.

We need to put God on our shopping list. Matthew 6:21 [show]Matthew 6:21 [21]For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (ESV)
. Give God our time, our tithes, and offerings. Luke 6:38 [show]Luke 6:38 [38]give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you." (ESV)
When we trust God with our finances, it will lead to a stress free Christmas.

We need to spread holiday cheer. There are people that really struggle during Christmas. 1 John 3:17-19 [show]1 John 3:17-19 [17]But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? [18]Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. [19]By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; (ESV)
We need to put our faith into action.

As we connect with felt needs it will bless both the one who receives and the one who gives.