By Maria #3607 6/06

Dear Family,

1. I hope that you have been enjoying a wonderful Christmas season thus far—with lots of souls saved, praises given to Jesus, abundant happiness, laughter, and joy for everyone! You've certainly been in my prayers. I have been praying for the supply of all your needs as you do whatever you can to reach out to, give to‚ and minister to others during this time of year when so many more people are open to receiving the message of Jesus' love.

2. Here is the second half of "Jesus' Christmas Wish List" that I promised you. I pray that you enjoyed the first installment‚ and that you've been able to give Jesus some of His gifts already from the last list. But if you haven't, there's still plenty of time‚ and this Letter has more ideas of ways that you can make Him very happy on His birthday.

3. I'm praying that the days leading up to Christmas, as well as Christmas Day itself, and those that follow‚ will be filled with all that you are praying for—good witnessing opportunities, protection as you're out and about, the ability to finish up any work and projects that need to be wrapped up before the New Year, happiness for your children and loved ones, continued supply of all your needs, good health, miracles‚ and the desires of your hearts!

4. Peter and I love you, dear Family! We wish you a joyful‚ soul-filled, rich, blessing-laden, memorable, spiritually satisfying, Merry Christmas—which we know our Husband is sure to bless you with!

Love, Mama

The Gift of Song!

12. (Jesus:) I would love to receive the gift of song this Christmas. It's been said that singing is one of the highest forms of praise, and I would love to listen to the beautiful praises from your heart in the form of song. You can sing with others, or you can sing alone. You can sing with your lips, or you can sing with your heart. However you want to package this gift and offer it to Me, I promise to love it.

13. Singing is such a beautiful way to express yourself. The heavens are alive with song and singing and music and dance. Whether you have a beautiful voice or not, or can sing on key or not, matters little to Me. I love the joyful sound of your heart!

14. This Christmas, sing to Me! Sing Me songs of praise, sing Me songs of love, sing Me songs of hope, of gratefulness, of joy, or of prayer. This gift will cheer My heart; it will kiss My Spirit, and top Me off with your love!

The Gift of Yieldedness!

15. (Jesus:) Would you like to know something I'd appreciate for Christmas? The gift of yieldedness. It would mean so much to Me to have you choose to yield something in your heart or life to Me—something that is costly‚ something that you have never had the faith to yield before, something that will show Me that you truly trust Me. So few people in the world yield any areas of their lives to Me, so when one of My children chooses to yield, it is a precious gift that I treasure.

16. I love to receive your gifts of yieldedness, because once you yield something to Me, I am able to bless you in special ways. I give you peace in that area of your life. I give you comfort that you had not felt before. I help you to feel My care and concern for you in ways that you never felt before. I answer your prayers. I do miracles for you. I show you that what you thought was impossible is possible. I give you more of My Spirit in your life.

17. Because I love you so dearly and deeply, I like to be in control of your life. Not so that I can make things more difficult for you, but so that I can make things easier for you. I know that your life fully placed in My hands—every part yielded to Me—is the best decision you can make. When you give everything to Me, there is no limit to what I can do for you. I am then able to provide for you and care for you to the utmost.

18. Yieldedness is a gift from the very depths of your heart‚ and gifts from the heart are those that are the most precious to Me on My birthday and throughout the year.

The Gift of Adoration!

24. (Jesus:) The gift of adoration is a gift that I desire at Christmas. Though I represent so much that is powerful and beautiful and magnificent, so few truly take the time throughout the year to adore Me, to worship Me, to bow down before Me in reverence and humility, to declare My greatness, to tell Me how powerful I am!

25. I love to hear all of your praises, and each one is special to Me—but try to take some time during this Christmas season to adore Me. Tell Me that I am powerful! Tell Me that you adore Me—My presence in your life, My love, My beauty, My intervention, My omnipresence, My care‚ My tenderness, My strength‚ My everything! Tell Me that you are My humble bride‚ and that I am your great Husband!

26. Tell Me that you are a mere mortal, but that I am the Master of the Universe! Tell Me that you are nothing, but that I am everything! Tell Me that you extol Me, you magnify Me, you exalt Me, you surrender to Me! Tell Me that I am royal, regal, and respected! Tell Me that I am illustrious, exquisite‚ and grand! Tell Me that I am more than your Savior, more than your Friend.—That I am your King, your Majesty, your Sovereign.

27. Although I am personal enough to live inside your heart, I appreciate the times when you remember and speak of My awesomeness and nobility. I want to know that you adore Me. I love to hear your adulation. Won't you do that for Me this Christmas?

The Gift of Prayer!

28. (Jesus: ) There are many ways to show your love to Me, and one of the more meaningful ways is to spend some time this Christmas season in prayer for your loved ones, friends, and acquaintances. This is one of those things done in secret (as a lot of times, no one knows about it except you and Me), but I will always reward you openly in the form of blessings that will come your way, as well as the spiritual inspiration you will feel when you see your prayers answered.

29. It is a sacrifice to pray for others‚ but a sacrifice that is pleasing to Me, and one which reaps rewards both in Heaven and in this life. Sometimes the person you are praying for won't even know you were praying, but you will smile a secret smile when you see their life changed, or enriched, or a need supplied, or a desire come to pass. Sometimes they will know you prayed for them, and then it can be a testimony to the power of prayer and how I can answer each and every need, whether big or small. It can be one of the ways that you witness this Christmas season, and put My promises to the test for the sake of others' faith and belief, as well as your own.

30. If you haven't made prayer for others much of a habit in your daily life‚ it can become one if you make a concentrated effort this holiday season to take some time daily in prayer for others, claiming My promises for them. You don't need to have a lot of verses or key promises memorized to be an effective prayer warrior. Just claim the ones you know‚ for I look on the heart and the desperation and sincerity of your prayer, and not at how skillful you are in quoting the Word.

31. Do your part in sacrificing some of your time to pray for others, and as you do so, My angels and ministering spirits will go to work for you, and you will soon see the results of your prayers!

The Gift of Giving!

37. (Jesus:) Christmas is the time of giving. It's when My Father gave His only begotten Son, Me, to the world. It's when I came to Earth that I might lay down My life in order to give eternal life to many—to all who would receive it. It's when My children give gifts to others in commemoration of the gifts that My Father and I gave them.

38. This Christmas, I ask you to give Me the gift of giving. Give unto others, as you would unto Me, for you are doing it unto Me. "Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, you have done it unto Me" (Matthew 25:40). So give unto My brethren, who are also your brethren: to a needy person, project‚ or Home; to the needy Family as a whole through WS; or to needy WS itself. As you give‚ as you pour out to others, whether of your abundance or of what little you have, you lend unto Me, and I will repay—with interest!—A hundredfold, both now and in the world to come!

39. I know that many of you, My dear ones, have little to give, yet you give and share anyway, and this makes Me so happy. You are like the poor widow of old who gave all that she had, even all her living, to My cause (Mark 12:41-44). Yet as she made herself poor, she gained great riches in return. As she gave, it was given unto her—goods and blessings, pressed down, shaken together, and running over for their abundance! As My servants have found down through the ages‚ you can never outgive Me. Whatever you give, whatever you spend, I will repay.

40. So cast your bread upon the waters this Christmas. It makes Me so happy to see you give unto others as I gave unto you, and I am made happier still by the chance to give unto you and reward you for giving unto others! You double My happiness, and you bring happiness into the lives of your brethren at the same time, and reap both spiritual and material blessings in return.

41. Give the gift of giving this Christmas—for My sake, for that of your brethren‚ and for your own!

The Gift of Sacrifice!

42. (Jesus:) Another gift I would love to receive is the gift of sacrifice. When I speak of this gift, I want to make it very clear that I'm not speaking of sacrifice in the form of self-punishment or any big work of the flesh, denying yourself or giving up something to do penance or gain grace‚ like the Catholics do during Lent. To Me, that serves very little purpose, and is not what I'm looking for this Christmas.

43. I want you to enjoy yourself this year! I'm suggesting these various gifts which you can give Me, not only for My sake‚ but because I know that as you reach out to others and give gifts to Me in these ways, it will only make you happier, more fulfilled, and you will have a more wonderful Christmas season this year than you have ever had in years past!

44. Some look on the word "sacrifice" as doing something that is a type of show—something painful and selfless you do to show others how much you love Me. But true sacrifice lies in many deeds done in love that others won't ever know about. It's giving and loving to your own hurt—and smiling and being cheerful while you're doing it.

45. True sacrifice is not saying, "This is hard for me, but I'll do it anyway," but saying‚ "I would be happy to do it, even if it's hard!" It's doing something for someone else that they don't know about, knowing that you're never going to be thanked for it, but that doesn't matter because you're doing it out of love. It's cheerfully visiting an old or boring relative and making them feel that you're having a great time. Sacrifice is giving a hand to someone—on their timetable‚ not yours. It's seeing someone in need, and reaching into your pocket and giving them your last bill, not necessarily your biggest one.

46. I made the ultimate sacrifice for you, but I don't ask for reimbursement. It would make My sacrifice pointless if everyone was trying to repay Me. So don't worry about trying to "work it up." Just be led of Me this Christmas. Follow My still, small voice pointing you toward those who need Me. All that I ask is that you continue the cycle of giving and sharing that I started two thousand years ago—showing My love, the way I taught My disciples, and am still teaching you now.

The Gift of Love!

52. (Jesus:) You know how it is about birthdays—everyone likes to feel special on that special day—that day that belongs to you. Well, I'm no different, and Christmas is My birthday. But I'm not into things so much. What's most important to Me is you—each one of you. Each one of you is the best gift I could ever wish for, and having you and your love is what makes Me feel needed and wanted more than anything else.

53. So at this special time of the year, when everyone likes to get together with those who mean the most to them—family and friends—I want to get together with you! You're part of My family, and that would make My birthday extra special this year, if I could have some special time with you.

54. It doesn't have to be a big, elaborate thing. I'm pretty easy to please in that way. I don't need balloons or decorations or cake or material presents—I just want to be with you. This will be something I can really anticipate: just the two of us having some quality time together.

55. To make it simple, we can do whatever you'd like to do together—just so long as we're together, you and Me. We can just sit and chat together‚ or tuck ourselves away somewhere for some uninterrupted time of enjoying each other's company. Or we can read together and stop and reflect and meditate on My Words. Or, for something that never fails to thrill Me, we can tell each other what we love about each other by having a little praise duet. I dwell in your praises, remember, and there's no end to the personal little praises and words of love we can share with each other.

56. Those are just some ideas, but I'll leave it up to you on just how and where and what we're going to do to celebrate My birthday together. This is how I really know you love Me and haven't forgotten Whose birthday it is. Can't wait for you to surprise Me!

The Gift of Giving to Children!

57. (Jesus: ) Every child I bring into the world is a unique and very precious creation. I absolutely love children, and it means a great deal to Me when someone goes out of their way to fulfill their needs and make them happy. When you take time for the children, you are, in essence, taking time for Me‚ because you are making Me happy by making them happy.

58. This is something you can give Me for Christmas: a personal sacrifice of time, money, personal preference or personal space to show the children around you that you love them, notice them, and care for them with no strings attached. Especially if you don't have children of your own, you may not realize how much it means to a child that they are loved and cared for. They know their parents and teachers love them, but when someone goes out of their way to show that they notice them and want them to be happy, it does so much for them. It reassures them that I love them, it builds their self-esteem, it brings them personal happiness and so much more.

The Gift of Brotherhood!

64. (Jesus:) Christmas is a wonderful time of renewal, and of getting a new chance to start over. If you have any feelings or grudges against your brethren, or hurts that haven't been resolved, this Christmas is a special opportunity to make things right. If you are able to forgive and renew a healthy relationship with those whom you feel have wronged you, this encourages Me and makes Me very happy.

65. I long for all My children to live in unity with one another, for that is one of the greatest samples of Christianity—the love, brotherhood, and camaraderie that those who believe in Me can demonstrate to the world. So often, though, the seeds of disunity and of bitterness prevent you from being able to live My vision and plan to the full, and these limitations you place on what I can be through you sadden Me.

66. I know it's difficult to take the first step sometimes, and you may rightly feel that it's the other party's place to come forward and make amends, but you would make Me very happy if you show yourself strong enough to take the humble seat even if it hurts. "How good and how pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell together in unity" (Psalm 133:1).

67. Your renewed unity will be pleasant to Me; your increased happiness will make Me happy; your fulfillment and extra zest for life will encourage Me; and your sample to your brethren, family members, and others around you will promote Me.

The Gift of a Thankful Heart!

68. (Jesus:) The gift of joy and a thankful heart is a gift that I love to receive at Christmas, and all throughout the year. You usually think of the gift of joy and happiness as coming from Me, and yes, it does. But it also gives Me great pleasure to see you happy, thankful, and appreciative of My blessings‚ great and small.

69. I love to see you smile! You have such a beautiful smile that lights up your face and makes Me smile back in return. I love to see you laugh. Your laughter is like medicine for your own spirit, and I love laughing with you. I love to hear your praises for all things, great and small! Each praise is like a kiss that tells Me you love Me and appreciate Me. Just as a husband and wife love to receive compliments from one another, so it is with you and Me as we exchange compliments and love words with one another.

70. The gift of praise and a thankful heart is something all of you can give Me, and it doesn't take anything more than a little effort on your part to remember to praise Me. Try to think of unique things about this special time of year to praise Me for—something that makes your heart glad, something that you enjoy doing or seeing.

71. Whenever something happens that makes you happy, or touches your heart‚ or makes you feel loved, praise Me for that gift, and then it will be a personal gift exchange between you and Me. I'm giving you these blessings that make you happy, and you're giving to Me by thanking Me for them—by smiling‚ by laughing, by having a joyful spirit.

72. You can even smile through your tears and praise Me through difficult circumstances or trying emotions, and those praises carry even more weight and blessing in return. It's easy to praise when all is going well, but when you praise in the midst of adversity‚ this shows even greater love, greater trust, and greater faith, and I can't help but bless you in return, and turn around and work things together for your good, because you love Me and trust Me.

73. So praise Me in your happy times and sad times, in your times of fellowship and times of loneliness, in your laughter and your tears, in your joy and in your sorrow, in health and in sickness, in abundance and in want‚ in success and in failure‚ in gain or in loss. Praise Me because you know that all things are in My hands and under My perfect control. Praise shows your trust and your faith, and is one of the most precious gifts you can give Me.

The Gift of a Better You!

79. (Jesus:) Give Me the gift of a more beautiful and better you! I know that you're thinking, "How can I be more beautiful to You? Should I work out more and do little things to make myself more attractive?" Well, the answer to that is yes, and more. You see, you are part of My body, and when you take care of yourself and make yourself more presentable to the world, it does help Me with how I want to use you. But I'm talking about more than that.

80. Your presentation, even to the world and to those that you're witnessing to‚ is mostly spiritual. You can clean up your spiritual life by throwing out the garb of the world. You can adorn your spiritual body with the beautiful garment, fragrance, and demeanor of the spirit, rather than the walk and talk and front that those of the world use to cover themselves with.

81. Remember the fruits of the Spirit?—Love, joy, peace, longsuffering‚ gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness‚ and temperance? (Galatians 5:22-23). As you live one of these in your life, it's as if you're putting on a beautiful piece of clothing of the spirit and you're clothing your spirit with it. This changes your appearance and it makes you more attractive to Me. This also goes with you when you interact with those you're witnessing to this Christmas, and it draws more people to learn about Me.

82. Think of this "more beautiful and better you" as a spiritual trip to the spirit spa‚ where not only is your skin and hair cleaned and made more healthy, but you're worked out and your body is cleansed of the poisons that would have hurt you or made you weak or run down. Take in more of My Word; listen to it and fill your mind with it. You're relaxing and letting go of all the stress that is built up in you after a long week of work.

83. Take off your spiritual dirty laundry—that would be what people see and interpret your personality to be—and let Me dress you in clean, heavenly clothes that will tell all that you have been with Me. Take away a nasty habit that you have and that causes you to react a certain way with people who are tough to get along with‚ and let Me instead choose a loving reaction that will smooth over personal conflicts and disagreements that might have otherwise arisen.

84. Let Me choose your spiritual hairdo. Rather than it being something cool and fashionable that will turn people to you, let it instead be something that reminds people that it's Me in you, and that's why you've got joy and purpose in your life. Let Me choose the fragrance that you wear. Let Me choose that which I love to smell on you rather than what you think is flattering to the image that you wish to portray.

85. Each of these things is a spiritual presentation of you. As you take on more of Me through My words to you, as you change yourself in the ways that I wish you to change in by what I've said to you through the Word that you've read or heard from Me directly in prophecy, and as you are open to being more of what I want you to be than what you are without Me, you'll be more beautiful to Me, and I'll love the effort on your part.

86. When you go to an event or party on Earth, you usually try to dress up for it in the way that is suitable for the people there and for the event that you're at. Consider this request to be almost the same in that you're coming into My physical presence and you're dressing up for it. You wouldn't consider coming into My presence with your "usual self" clothes on, would you? I dare say that many of your first reactions of coming into My presence would be, "But what will I wear...?" and you'd wonder what dress code there will be and what clothes would help you to best fit in.

87. Well‚ up here we see things differently, and what you're wearing, your hairstyle, hair color, makeup, scent, paraphernalia, etc., are all the spiritual things that you either have on your own because of where you've been, or who you've been hanging out with, and what you've taken on by fellowshipping with Me and others of My children. These are the things that adorn your spirit, and they are what we look at as your "look" in the spirit.

88. Change into something clean and beautiful by adorning your spiritual self with the fruits of the Spirit for starters, and you'll radiate and shine with luster and beauty! Choose love as your shirt, joy as your smile, peace as your makeup, and faith as your hairstyle. These will complement you better than anything else you have on your own. And when I and others look at you, we'll see your appearance to be that of Heaven, and you'll shine.

89. If you're not sure what I want you to "dress in," ask Me what suits you best and "wear" that while you're out and about. Better than styles‚ greater than fashion, and more hip than what's "in" at the moment are the everlasting fruits of the Spirit that I impart to you to take on as My child and teach others to do as well. Give Me the gift of your beauty through this.

The Gift of Recommitment!

95. (Jesus:) A gift that I would desire is the gift of recommitment. To give Me this gift is to renew your discipleship—your marriage vows to Me—and promise that you are going to walk into the coming year more obedient, more dedicated, and more in love with Me than before.

96. Take some time to remember why you chose to be a disciple in the first place. What was it that made you answer the call from Me to leave everything else behind and follow? Think about that, and then decide that you're going to recapture that spirit this Christmas and love Me and serve Me as if it was the first week in My service all over again.

97. Couples that have been married for many years often take time on one of their anniversaries to recommit themselves in love to one another, to remember all the good times they've had, and all the reasons why they feel their partner is worth dedicating their life to. Then they go through a second or third marriage ceremony to show that if they had a second chance, they'd do it all over again.

98. This is what you can do for Me with the gift of recommitment. Search your heart and find that love for Me‚ that passion for My Kingdom‚ that desire to leave everything else but Me behind‚ and then recommit yourself to Me for the coming year and beyond. This can all happen in a few short moments of prayer—no big ceremony is needed, as I will look on your heart and I will love and appreciate this precious gift that you are giving Me.

The Gift of Laughter!

99. (Jesus:) I would love to have and hear the gift of laughter! I would love it if the world was filled with joyous and godly laughter: jolly, infectious, festive‚ holy laughter, the kind that spreads joy to the world! "Happy is that people, whose God is the Lord!" (Psalm 144:15). I love to hear My people, and especially the young ones, filled with joy, and that joy being manifested in laughter. It reaches up to Me like praise does. It is very like praise and is often mingled with praise. It is joy to the world, and a joy for Me to hear.

100. There is much sadness in the world. The opposition specializes in it. I want My birthday celebration to be one of out-and-out joy. I love to turn to the opposition and say, "See how they are happy at this time? See how they celebrate My birth with joy and laughter? They don't even know your birthday! This is My day, and the world celebrates it joyously!" It really makes the Enemy mad, and that makes Me glad, because at least for that day many are not sad.

101. I am not talking about laughter born in being amused by others' troubles‚ or frivolous foolishness, or the sinister cackling of evil. But I am talking about the laughter that lifts spirits and transcends the confines of the physical world and fills the halls of Heaven with joyous celebration! Laughter can lift the spirits of humanity, and you all know how desperate that need is.

102. So go into the highways and byways and bring them into My Kingdom and cause them to burst forth in joy! Go into the places where people are lonely and spread laughter and sunshine. Go forth and make people laugh, and you will make My day! Let the Earth be filled with laughter!

The Gift of Hugs!

108. (Jesus:) Similar to the jack-in-the-box, I would love to receive a present that upon opening it, springs up a bubbling character with arms outstretched for a hug! Would you give Me the gift of hugs this Christmas? I love to hug you, and I do, every single day. I wrap My arms around you at the start of your day, and then continue to do so all day long. But so many times you don't feel My embrace, because your physical body and carnal mind don't comprehend this spiritual touch.

109. But there is one way that both you and I can feel each other's embrace. That's right‚ through hugging another. When you open your arms to hug someone in love, whether a close friend or a new acquaintance‚ you are opening your arms to hug and love Me. Just as I said, "Whatsoever you do to one of the least of My brethren, you have done it unto Me." And not only do you have an opportunity to feel My warm hug as you embrace another, but I have a chance to feel your hug in return.

110. I would love to be spoiled with your hugs on My birthday. I would love to receive a package from each of you that springs out not only one hug-in-the–box, but dozens upon dozens! You can give hugs every day. You can hug the same people several times a day. And each time you do, you'll be hugging Me and I'll be hugging you.

111. It may seem like such a simple gift for you to give Me, but love, no matter how simple it appears, is always a great gift to Me. Any act of love pleases Me, and it benefits you too, because love never returns void, and what you give to others will come back to you. I always bless love. This Christmas, how about some hugs?!

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