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My Christmas Submission

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” ~ Luke 1:26-33

When we read these stories, we associate them with Christmas because Jesus was and is the only real Christmas present. He is the gift, as they say, the gift that keeps on giving. These are real and true accounts of events that actually took place just over 2,000 years ago. This is not a fairytale or a fable, but true and real history. The Word, which was God, and still is God, became flesh and was born of a virgin named Mary. She was not royalty, although she descended from the royal line of King David. She was not a famous author, although she composed a beautiful song of praise. She was not a famous general in a mighty army, yet she gave birth to the commander of heaven’s army, a force so powerful that the whole world must submit to His authority, and His kingdom will never, ever end.

Mary was not chosen because of who she was, or because she was extremely special, but rather, she was chosen because she was humble and willing, no matter the consequences, and her consequences could have been extremely dire. But she put her trust and her faith in God because she made Him her hope. She believed what God said through the angel Gabriel and was determined to follow her God.

Let us, therefore, not count the cost of following Jesus but grab the bull by the horns and believe Jesus for great and mighty things. For if we are willing to submit and obey, God will be willing to use us. What greater way to live our life than in service to the One who gave His life so that we might find our life in Him? God always partners with man to help man. He does not operate as a lone wolf or as a solitary soldier. Therefore, if you are willing and obedient, not filled with pride, but walk humbly before your God, He will see you, and He will use you.

Thank You, Father, that You do not use only the rich and famous but will use whoever is obedient and willing to be used. Help me make a decision this Christmas to live my life willingly for You and to be obedient to all Your commands. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Our Christmas Inheritance

16 Thus says the LORD God: If the prince makes a gift to any of his sons as his inheritance, it shall belong to his sons. It is their property by inheritance. 17 But if he makes a gift out of his inheritance to one of his servants, it shall be his to the year of liberty. Then it shall revert to the prince; surely it is his inheritance—it shall belong to his sons. ~ Ezekiel 46:16-17

The Father has given us Christians, His children, a share in the inheritance, thus making us coheirs with Jesus, His Son. It is, if you will, a Christmas present from our Heavenly Father. The Scriptures teach that the whole earth and everything in it are His, even the people, because He created everything. Jesus declared in Matthew 5:5,

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

That is a promise from our LORD and Savior. He looked for the most perfect gift that He could give us and found that there is no gift greater than the love of His Son Jesus, who gave His life for everyone who will accept His forgiveness. Then He made us joint heirs with Him so that we will reign and rule with Him. It was the perfect Christmas gift.

There is a Christmas song by Buck Owens called “Christmas Shopping,” and in it, he explains that he is trying his best to get everybody something they wanted, then says, “But I didn’t know what to get you.” Our God, however, was not confused about what to get us. He gave us Jesus, born of a virgin, laid in a manger, the perfect Lamb of God. But it doesn’t end there. The song says:

Well, I must’ve walked a hundred miles or more
I went to every store in town
My feet started swellin’ and my head started achin’
And I couldn’t find a place to sit down
But to tell you the truth well, I really don’t mind it
I could even walk another mile
’Cause on Christmas mornin’
When they open up the presents
Well it’s worth it just to see them smile

That is what Jesus did for us, but the only thing is, He did it to the extreme. He walked hundreds, even thousands of miles, during His earthly ministry, healing the sick, preaching the good news, raising the dead, feeding the hungry, and just all around doing good. Then He was falsely accused, found guilty, although there was no guilt to be found, wrongly sentenced to capital punishment on the cross, He suffered terribly, and there He died. But on the third day, He rose again and is coming back for us, those who love Him, to give us our inheritance. His death and resurrection are the perfect Christmas gift. For Him, it was worth it to go through all of that because, on Resurrection Morning, when the dead in Christ rise, we will be with Him forever. It will be our Christmas morning.

God declared through Ezekiel that if the prince gives a gift to any of His children, it shall belong to us. Therefore, what Jesus has given us, no one can take it from us; it is ours forever. So, don’t give up, and don’t give in; hold on to Jesus so that you will receive your Christmas Inheritance.

Father, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to die so that we might live. Help me to live my life pleasing to You so that when Jesus comes back, I might receive my Christmas Inheritance. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Peace On Earth

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.” ~ Luke 2:13-14

By the time the angel appeared to the shepherds, Jesus had already been born. The angel told them that a Savior had just been born. Then, a great multitude of heavenly hosts appeared with the angel praising God and declaring peace to those on earth with whom He is pleased. Isaiah prophesied that when Jesus, the coming messiah, is born, He will be called Prince of Peace.

On the night that He was betrayed, Jesus told His disciples,

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you … (John 14:27a).

Jesus gave us His peace so that we are not shaken, no matter what comes against us, so that in all situations, no matter what, we can have peace because peace comes from Him.

I read a story once about a king who loved paintings. He announced that any artist who could paint a picture depicting peace would be greatly rewarded. The day came, and many paintings were presented to the king. After examining them, the king chose two. One was a scene of a beautiful, calm lake, with water so still and so clear that even the inner surface of the lake was visible. The sky was blue with white fluffy cotton clouds floating and drifting lazily overhead. The air was so still that not a leaf was waving.

The second was of mountains, which were completely dry and lifeless. Over the mountains were thick, angry black clouds with lightning flashing and the wind blowing. The heavy rains were pelting down on the landscape, causing the river to swell and overflow. The storm swept over the scene, causing the trees to sway terribly. Everyone thought the first picture would surely win.

After a few days of being on display, the king announced, to everyone’s shock, that the second picture would be the winner. When questioned about his decision, he said, “Look at this tree bent to one side by the wind on the left side of the waterfall. Look at the nest on its branch. See how a bird is feeding its chicks with such tenderness, calmness, and love.”

That is the kind of peace that the Prince of Peace gives us. Even amidst the haste, noise, and confusion, even when problems threaten to topple our stability and our whole world comes crashing down, the Shalom Peace of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, will keep us and preserve our joy. We are not alone, the Prince of Peace is with us; therefore, we will say, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus Christ, Your Son. Thank You, LORD Jesus, that You give us Your peace that passes all understanding and will keep us calm and at peace even in the most difficult times. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Christmas Gift of The Holy Spirit

39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ~ Luke 1:39-41

The Scripture said, “In those days…”. In what days? The days just after the Angel Gabriel visited the virgin, Mary, to tell her the good news that she would bear the Son of God. The Holy Spirit then overshadowed her right after she accepted the assignment, and she conceived in her womb without knowing a man because all things are possible with God. Therefore, it was in those days that the Scripture speaks of right after Mary received the good news about her being the birth mother of Jesus, the Son of God, and the Savior of the world.

According to John, the brother of James, the angel Gabriel also told Mary that her cousin Elizabeth, who was old and beyond childbearing age, was also pregnant with her firstborn son, who would be the forerunner of Jesus. This forerunner that Isaiah described as ‘One Crying in the wilderness’ would grow up to be John the Baptist. Now, as Mary entered the house of Zechariah, she greeted her cousin Elizabeth, and as soon as she heard Mary’s greetings, little John the Baptist leaped in his mother’s womb, and his mother Elizabeth was also filled with the Holy Spirit.

That is one of the promises of Christmas. Not only do we receive salvation from Jesus, but we also are filled with the Holy Spirit. No good thing will our God withhold from us. He is kind and generous and ever so patient with us, even those who are wayward. For it is not His desire or His will that anyone perish. Jesus came as a baby in the manger. He grew into a man and went around doing only good. He healed the sick, raised the dead, and preached the Good News to those who lived in darkness. He suffered, died, and was buried, but was raised to life again on the third day. Now, He is seated at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for us.

His word still speaks because He still cares and loves us. So, the next time you are feeling like no one loves you, remember the Christmas gift of the Holy Spirit. He is the Comforter. He is the One who bears witness with our spirit that we are sons and daughters of the Most High God. We are not orphans. We are not left alone. We are not losers. We are precious in God’s sight because we are His children.

Thank You, Father, that we are loved by You. Thank You for giving us the promise of Your Holy Spirit. Fill me today, like You filled Elizabeth and the 120 believers in the Upper Room, as well as the early believers in the book of Acts. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Seek The Miraculous

14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. ~ Isaiah 7:14

Christmas Dreams is one of my favorite Christmas songs. One of the last lines Francesca Battistelli writes is:

I guess the person most excited for Christmas is me

Christmas is a magical time, especially as a child. The presents. Santa coming to visit. All the lights and decorations. The holiday specials. Everything is just so much more magical at Christmas time. The older I get, the less I look forward to pretend, make-believe magic but real magic.

Now, I’m not talking about witchcraft magic, but the impossible becoming possible, unexplainable magic. I’m talking about miracles. Christmas celebrates the most miraculous event in history: God lowering Himself to the form of man and being born of a virgin. No longer do I look forward to Santa coming or even the presents under the tree.

Each Christmas I grow older, I look forward to celebrating, honoring, remembering, and encouraging myself with the miraculous gift of Jesus. If God loved mankind enough to become one of us for 33 ½ years, 2000 years ago, then He loves us enough to still do miracles today. Why? Because He does not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Therefore, be encouraged this Christmas season as you look back on all the miracles He has done in the past and look forward to all the miracles He will do for you in the future. All you need to do is follow Him, ask, and believe.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Seek The Miraculous.

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Our Christmas Promise

2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for Me One who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. ~ Micah 5:2

This is Micah’s Christmas prophecy that came to pass over 2,000 years ago when Jesus was born of a virgin, the virgin Mary, right there in Bethlehem Ephrathah. It was just a little place with a little name but a huge promise. Ephrathah, though small and insignificant, would be the birthplace of the Promised Messiah. A ruler so great that there will be no end to His rule nor a transfer of His power. He will have an everlasting kingdom with an everlasting throne.

If such a great promise was spoken over an insignificant place and fulfilled, how much more can we who are called by His name look forward to great things? We do not have to be from a huge, important city. Nor do we have to have an earthly royal bloodline. Our name does not have to be great upon the earth in order for God to give us great promises. He uses the humble, the meek, and the insignificant and raises them up to greatness.

So, just because you were not born wealthy or come from a prominent family does not mean that God will overlook you. All you have to do is be a willing vessel, and God will fill you and use you. Even if you are broken, just like the potter fixes marred vessels, God will put you back together and mold you into a useful vessel. He is the repairer of the breach and all that is broken.

That is our Christmas promise from our LORD and Savior. He will love us, use us, and take care of us, no matter who we are or where we come from, as long as we are willing and obedient. That is His promise to us.

Father, thank You that I don’t have to be rich and famous for You to see and recognize me. But that you take notice of the lowly and the unimportant. I totally submit to you, LORD Jesus, make me a useful vessel that You can use, although I’m worn and broken. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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The Imitator

14 … For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. ~ 2 Corinthians 11:14b

In this life, we only truly have one real enemy, Satan. He lies, steals, and destroys but never creates. Satan isn’t a creator; he is a manipulator, transformer, and deceiver. See, evil can only manipulate what is already created; it can’t create something new. I think Rise of the Guardians depicts this perfectly.

The villain of the movie, Pitch, is like the Boogeyman. He hides in the shadows, instilling fear, so the moon sends guardians to bring hope to the people. Guardians such as Santa Claus, Toothfairy, Easter Bunny, and Sandman. Now, Sandman’s purpose is to give the children good dreams. But, after much trial and error, Pitch discovers a way to turn the dreams into nightmares. But he still can’t take total absolute control of Sandman’s dreams. How do we know? The eyes of the dreams Pitch stole were still gold, while the rest of the body was black. Just like in real life, there is only one creator, and the enemy is not it.

Has the enemy come after your dreams and turned them into nightmares? Has he manipulated your talents and corrupted your purpose? Has he only shown you the corrupted things? Don’t listen to his lies anymore. This Christmas, take a hold of your God-given dreams. Seek the LORD and His righteousness, and He will show you the Truth. Your True purpose, His true creation, and the true good things He has in store for you.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Look Through The Manipulation.

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Keep Christ In Christmas

7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. ~ Luke 2:7

I remember watching a TV show that had a Christmas episode. It was your normal Christmas special until they handed each other Christmas presents on Christmas morning but refused to say Merry Christmas. No. Instead, they said “Happy Holidays” to each other. I was baffled.

They’re celebrating Christmas on Christmas morning but say Happy Holidays to each other so that they can be politically correct and not offend anyone. It doesn’t even make sense. Even if they said Happy Holidays to the audience after the episode was finished, as I’ve seen other shows do, no. They had to make sure they didn’t mention ‘Merry Christmas’ because it’s politically incorrect.

Religion is under attack, especially Christianity. Why? Because Christ changes you. They know that Christmas is the celebration and remembrance of the birth of Christ, so they have to change the name as to not draw any positive attention to Him. They have to completely remove the true love of Christ from society in order to remove the Light and spread the darkness.

This Christmas, stand up for your religious freedoms promised to us by our founding fathers. They risked, and many gave it all up in order to ensure a better future for the generations to come. Religious freedom is currently at risk. Therefore, this Christmas pray for our nation, pray for our leaders, pray for those who write and pass laws in this nation, so that we might reach the throne room of God with our prayers and He might move on our behalf.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Keep Christ In Christmas.

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Micah’s Christmas Prophecy

2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for Me One who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. ~ Micah 5:2

Micah prophesied that a ruler so great that there will be no end to His rule, nor a transfer of His power will come from this place, Bethlehem Ephrathah. This is Micah’s Christmas prophecy of the coming Messiah that was fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth. The Savior of the whole world. This Messiah, Jesus Christ, will inherit an everlasting kingdom and an everlasting throne.

How is this possible, when kingdoms rise and fall all of the time? There has never been an everlasting kingdom. It will happen because His coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. In other words, His origin is from eternity. Jesus did not begin to exist at the time of His birth. Jesus existed even before time began. For John 1:1-5 declares that it was through the Word, Jesus, that all things were made, and without Him not one single thing was created. Jesus is not only the author and finisher of our faith, but He is the creator and upholder of all that exists in heaven and on earth and in the seas and oceans.

Not only is Jesus the ruler of an everlasting kingdom, but there will be no usurpers in His kingdom. No wars, nor lawlessness. No lack, nor want. No fear, nor dread. Only love, joy, peace, and the fulfillment of a true utopia. The sun will not even burn down on the heads of the citizens of that kingdom, because Jesus will be our light, and the Father will be our supplier.

Let us, therefore, live to this end. Let us purposefully live so that we will be chosen to enter into that kingdom when Jesus comes back to make up His jewels. We are His jewels. We who love Him and keep His commandments, and who look forward with a strong, burning desire to His return.

Father, thank You for choosing me. Thank You for giving me the opportunity to live for You. Now strengthen me this Christmas so that I might make my election and calling sure. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Accept Your Purpose

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus. ~ Matthew 1:18-25

One of my favorite movies is Rise of the Guardians. In the movie, Jack Frost is lost, trying his best to be visible to others. He tries and tries again but fails each time, so one night, he helplessly looks to the moon and asks what he’s doing wrong and what his purpose is. The very next day, he gets his answer, but he doesn’t want it to be true; he doesn’t want to accept it, and he blatantly denies it. This is how we all are today.

God created mankind to have a purpose, not to live life hopeless and without value. God wasn’t just talking to the people of Israel when He said, “For I know the plans I have for you” (Jeremiah 29:11). We know this because Paul writes that God is the God of both the Jews and the Gentiles, therefore, if He has plans for the Jews, He has plans for the Gentiles as well (Romans 3:29-30).

Therefore, when the LORD shows you the plans He has for you, don’t fight it. His plans are for our good and for our welfare. The plans we have for ourselves may seem good, but they can’t compare to the plans God has for us. Therefore, this Christmas, let go of your prejudices and preconceived ideas and cling to the good plans the LORD has for us.

Before the end of the movie, Jack Frost accepted and embraced his purpose, and in doing so, he was seen by someone for the first time. When you accept the plans the LORD has for you, the good things that you desire will be given to you. Joseph could have left Mary. He could have quietly divorced her as he had planned to do all along, and in doing so, he would’ve missed out on being the father of the Messiah. But Joseph trusted God and followed His every command, and in doing so, he was not only able to meet the Messiah, but he raised the Messiah.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Accept Your Purpose.

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