God's doing a new thing

As we prepare to close out this year and enter into 2010, be encouraged as God is ready to do "a new thing" in your life, ministry, finances, etc. In Isaiah 43:18-19, the Word declares for us to "forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?" God has a plan for your life and He is able to carry it out; will you perceive it in this coming year?

Forgive yourself

For all the mistakes that you may have made, this year or previous years, God has already forgiven you if you in Christ; it's time to forgive yourself. In Romans 8:1, the Bible declares "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." There is no need to live in condemnation when Christ has already set you free. This year, make a decision, not just a resolution, to live free in the Spirit of life.

Boast in the Cross

With modern technology, education, and more equality than has ever been available, there are more opportunities for all people to do great things. In Galatians 6:14, Paul declares "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." Paul was one of the most highly educated and skilled men of his time, but he did not boast of himself; he boasted in the Lord. Even though the opportunity is available, we must never forget the Cross, as the one who empowers us hung in our places at Calvary.

Reflecting on God's greatness

As we prepare for the coming year, many of us are reflecting on the triumphs and trials that we faced an overcame in 2009. In Philippians 4:8, Paul urges his readers the think on the great things that God has already done "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Instead of dwelling on the mistakes that you made or the things that may have lost, think on these things; the great things that God has already done.

What's next?

Christmas is a great time to gather with our families, exchange gifts, and share the love of Christ with one another, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Now that the holiday is over, where do we go from here? In John 10:10, Jesus proclaims that he came that we would have "life and it more abundantly." The celebration of Christmas extends far beyond December 25th, as we celebrate not only the birth of Jesus, but his life, death, and resurrection. As we prepare to return to our lives after the Christmas holiday, consider the abundant life that we have through Christ and give God the praise.

A promise fulfilled

People often make promises that do not keep; thankfully, God always keeps His promises (2 Peter 3:9). When Christ was born, Luke 2:25-38, the Bible describes two devout faithful people were able to witness the promised saviour, Simeon and Anna. They both were faithful in their service to their temple, and both were seeking the promised saviour with great expectation. Even in their old age, they kept their spirit of expectation, and were able to have a first-hand encounter with the saviour of the world.

Manifest miracle

At first, the shepherds were afraid when the saw one angel that proclaimed the birth of Christ, then astounded when an entire heavenly host appeared to proclaim Christ as saviour and Lord. Despite their fear and uncertainty, they continued on to see the miracle the angels proclaimed. In Luke 2: 20, the Bible declares that "the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told." The shepherds were on duty, and they unsure of what the angels proclaimed, but they had enough faith and curiosity to see the miracle manifest before their eyes.

Saviour and Lord of all

The salvation experience starts a remarkable transformation; it's an amazing process for all who accept Christ as their saviour. In Luke 2:11, the angels declared "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." Christ is more than our saviour, who saved us from our sins; he is our Lord, who has the ultimate authority over all that concerns us.

Someone to watch over me

On the night that Christ was born, an entire heavenly host of angels appeared to shepherds tending their flock. In Luke 2:8, the Bible declares that "there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night." The shepherds were watching their flock, their most precious asset; now the angels declared that they had a lamb that would watch over them; Christ, the lamb of God.

Born to set us free

With all of the holiday activities that we participate in, and look forward to, we can lose sight of the most important aspect of the birth of Christ. In Matthew 1:21, the Bible says "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." God loved us so much that he could no longer bear to witness the great sin in the world. Instead of destroying the world, for our sakes, he sent his son Jesus, just to set us free from our sins.

Gift of giving

At Christmastime, people are usually kinder to one another; it's just another miracle of the Christmas season. Imagine how the world would change if we practiced the same hospitality to one another every day. In Romans 12:13, Paul urges his readers to "share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." This Christmas, share with those in need; hospitality and kindness are free gifts! For everything else, even if you don't have much, don't be afraid to share what you have, as God will make up the difference.

Gift of love

Christmastime tends to be quite stressful for many people, particularly when they have a long list of people to buy presents. They worry if the gift will be well received, will they enjoy it, use it, or just return it. This year, try to give others the gift of love. In 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, the Bible says that "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." Love is a gift that is always appropriate, always needed, always in style, and usually returned to the giver.

No room for Christ

During this Christmas season, things get a little hectic. Between shopping, church activities, sending Christmas cards, and attending Christmas parties, it's easy to get distracted. In Luke 2: 6-7, the Bible says "the time came for the baby to be born, and she (Mary) gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." In many ways, we still struggle with making room for Christ in our hearts and our lives. Take just a few moments and reflect on the miracle of Christ's birth and give thanks to God for his greatest gift to the world.

Bow Down and Worship

Bowing down is a a symbol of submission in most cultures; in worship, it is a sign of surrender. At the time of the Christ's birth, a bright star led the three Magi directly to the house where Jesus was. In Matthew 2: 11, the Bible declares "On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh." Regardless of their social and political stature, even they bowed down to worship Christ, as they recognized that no man and no system is to be more highly regarded than Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords.

A Father's Prophecy

In Luke 1:76-77, Zechariah sings praises to the Lord after being silenced for nine months during Elizabeth's pregnancy. Then he speaks prophesies over his son, John the Baptist. He declares "and you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins." The angel spoke the promise over John and filled him with the Holy Spirit while he was still in his mother's womb, but Zechariah walked in his authority, as both the priest in the temple as well as in his home, and spoke those promises of God over his son.

Glorify the Lord

Mary was just a poor young girl but God selected her to be a great vessel for the Lord. When she realized the magnitude of what God has done in her, she can't help but praise God. In Luke 1:46-49, Mary praises God; she sings "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. " Even though Mary was the mother of Christ, she recognized him as her Lord and saviour, even while Christ was in her womb. Regardless of what the situation looks like, remember that God's promises are irrefutable.

Nothing is impossible

The concept of a virgin giving birth is a difficult concept for many to accept; in our natural understanding, it would be impossible. Mary, mother of Christ, thought the same thing. When the angel tells her that she will give birth to a son, her reaction was "How can this be?" In Luke 1:35, an angel answered Mary, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God." In verse 37, the angel declares "For nothing is impossible with God."We must remember that God is not bound by our natural understanding. He can do more than we can ever imagine because He is indeed sovereign.

Better late than never

The Bible makes several references to the benefits of waiting, especially when you are waiting on God's promises to manifest. In Luke 1, the Bible tells a story of a couple named Zacharias and Elizabeth. In verse 6-7,they are described as "righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and the ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years." As Zacharias was serving as priest, an angel appeared to him and told him he would have a son who would prepare the way for the Messiah; we know him as John the Baptist. Even in their barrenness, Zacharias and Elizabeth remained faithful in their service, and God blessed them mightily.

Greatest Gift of All

As we approach the Christmas season, it's easy to get wrapped up in the traditions of Christmas: shopping, giving gifts, cooking holiday meals, etc. In John 3:16, the Bible declares that "for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." All of those traditions are fun and great ways to bring our family and friends together, but they cannot compare to greatest gift all: Christ our saviour.

One Way to the Father

There are thousands of organized religions in the world that we live in. People have more options presented as a means to access God. In John 14:6, Jesus tells his disciples, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." New-age philosophy and technology have broadened the scope of religion, but has the potential to blur the true path to God through Jesus Christ.

God with us

As we embark on the Christmas season, we must remember why we celebrate it. Christmas is a celebration of Christ's birth, the promise of God being with us. In Matthew 1:23, the bible declares that"the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us." It's comforting to know that in the midst of all of the materialism, confusion, and despair that we face daily that God is still with us.

Garment of Praise

During the holiday season, many people experience the holiday blues, especially when they think about better days, before they lost their loved one, well-paying job, home, etc,. In Isaiah 61:1, the prophet proclaims "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. Verse 3 says that he was sent to "provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness, instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." Instead of giving in to a spirit of despair, put on your garment of praise, and praise God just because he is worthy.