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Simeon The Faithful

Luke 2:25-32 CSB

[25] There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation, and the Holy Spirit was on him. [26] It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah. [27] Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for him what was customary under the law, [28] Simeon took him up in his arms, praised God, and said, [29] Now, Master, you can dismiss your servant in peace, as you promised. [30] For my eyes have seen your salvation. [31] You have prepared it in the presence of all peoples — [32] a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory to your people Israel.

The Scripture calls this Simeon a righteous and devout man who was waiting for the consolation of Israel.

In other words, Simeon was on a Christmas quest. Which is amazing when you consider this. This period of time that both Simeon and Anna lived in is known theologically as the Silent Years.

But wait, what are the Silent Years?

The Silent Years refers to the period of time between the Old Testament and the New Testament. It is also known as the Intertestamental Period.

During this period of time there is no recorded message from God. It seems like He did not speak to the prophets, nor give messages through them. Nevertheless, Simeon remained seeking the Messiah, as he clung hopeful to God’s promise to him.

How many of us can say we’ve remained faithful, hoping in anticipation for the fulfillment of a promise made to us by God during a time of silence? So many of us allow the time we’re in to directly impact our faith. Therefore, this Christmas, whether it is a season of communication or silence, cling to the Words of the LORD. Cling to His promises, so that you might see them in your lifetime, just as Simeon did. So that you might not miss out on what the LORD has for you.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Believe As Simeon.

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God Here With Us

13 And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? 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 7:13-14

Isaiah uttered the prophecy of the virgin birth of the coming Messiah on the behalf of God around 700 years before its fulfillment. King Ahaz of Judah was about to be attacked by Rezin, the king of Syria, and Pekah, the king of Israel. The two kings had conspired together to overtake Judah and place someone else on the throne.

When King Ahaz was advised about the impending doom, he and all his people were terrified at the news, and their hands trembled and their knees knocked together. But God, in His great mercy and in His grace, had other plans for Judah. He said, “No, nothing like that is going to happen here. Matter of fact, I will bring disaster on both of those kings and their countries. Then, He told Ahaz to ask for a sign, but Ahaz would not. So, God said alright then, since you will not ask for a sign, I will give you and the whole world a sign. The sign is, the virgin will give birth to a Son, and His Name shall be called Immanuel.

This was a prophecy about Jesus and His virgin birth. The virgin was Mary. Now, think about this. Mary could very well have read that same portion of Scripture herself, maybe several times before, or she could have heard that Scripture, but never once did she realize that the virgin prophesied about it was her. God Himself had prophesied about her that she would deliver hope to the world. Jesus is our hope, and the only hope for the whole world.

Ahaz and Judah found themselves in a hopeless situation. The two kings were way too strong for them. Therefore, they were terrified, but God…

When life happens, and it seems like the whole world has teamed up with all of hell against you and there is no way out. Remember the promise of Christmas. God is with us. The Scripture says, “…If God is for us, who can be against us?” NIV Romans 8:31b. God has sent His Son Immanuel, which means God with us because He is always with us. When trouble comes, or temptations, or persecutions, do not fear what the world will throw at you or what the enemy’s plans for you are; just remember that God has better plans because God is for you, and God is with you, and if He is with you, He will never leave you, nor will He let you be overcome by the enemy. Repeat it, God is with us.

Father, thank You for giving us Your Son Jesus, who is actually God with us. I surrender my will to You and ask that You be king of my heart. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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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 the song he explains that he is trying his best to get everybody something that they wanted, then he says, “But I didn’t know what to get you.” Our God, however, was not confused at what to get us. He gave us Jesus, born of a virgin, laid in a manager, 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 was just 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, and 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 us who are called by His name can 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 to 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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