“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”. Isaiah 9:6 NLT
For many, Christmas is a very sorrowful time. Despite the razzamatazz, the tinsel and bright lights, the sounds of carols echoing throughout the churches and shopping areas, the school nativities, (all the times I have cried many times watching my own children and now grandchildren as they beam with pride as a donkey, an angel or as Mary or Joseph) and carol services and the endless mince pies and mulled wine; the smell of turkey cooking or burning in the oven, the wrapping of presents and telling the family to keep out of the kitchen!
Yet so many people mask a sadness and dread of what should be a glorious Christian celebration that marks the birth of Jesus Christ!
Too many are dealing with the recent death or anniversary of a loved one which overshadows the seasonal festivities.
I remember when my mom, at the relatively young age of 55 died late in the month of November and on Christmas day my dad sat sobbing in my kitchen while as a family with a very young daughter we were trying to ‘normalise’ Christmas for her sake! Christmas would be forever changed.
For many the fear of job loss, mortgage increases, depleted finances, homelessness, coping with sickness and the ups and downs of life. The increase of anxiety and depression and especially the awful numbers of suicides at this time of the year as well as all the other situations that we face.
It sounds so depressing, like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel!
Maybe that’s how you feel this Christmas.
Well, let me give you some good news!
Over two thousand years ago the Prophet Isaiah spoke these words, ‘for a child is born to us.’ He spoke those words out 600 years before that child, Jesus was born. He prophesied that a child would be born and that this child would change the world. That this child would be God in the flesh, so that God could experience man and man could experience God and have intimate relationship with him through Jesus.
Jesus is God’s gift to you and me.
The giving of gifts can be a joyous thing unless your love language is not the receiving or giving of gifts! (What are the love languages? We all give and receive love in 5 different ways: words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, and physical touch. These are called 'love languages' - a concept created by Dr Gary Chapman through his long-time work as a marriage counsellor.)
God’s love languages are all of the above, because He is love!
God so loved the world that he gave……….
God was very intentional in his giving. It was his very best gift, a unique extremely costly gift, knowing that some would receive it gladly and cherish the gift and share it with others, while others would reject His gift, abuse and defile his gift with anger and indifference. Yet despite it all God gave!
Jesus willingly became that gift, knowing what it would entail!
My challenge to each one of us this Christmas is, what have you done with Jesus this year, God’s gift to you?
Have you allowed your circumstances to so overwhelm you that Jesus’s name is no longer on your lips. Maybe you have walked away from Him, taken offence, allowed disappointment and hopelessness to creep in. Blamed him for the death of a loved one, blamed him for unanswered prayers, not healing you or setting you free and all the other countless reasons we come up with, that keep us out of His presence.
‘The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). John 10:10 AMPC
If the devil can keep you busy with the trials of life, then he’s free to steal your health, your peace, your joy and even your life!
Maybe you’re reading this and despite your circumstances you’re shouting his name from the roof tops, bubbling up with praise and thankfulness. You don’t go unnoticed! It costs to worship and praise God when going through hard times. Each tear is collected in a bottle and kept by God because they are precious to him.
‘You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.’ Psalm 56:8 NLT
The next time you are tempted to blame God, remember John 10:10!
‘And he will be called: Wonderful Counsellor…’
Sometimes we get into situations of our own making, other times it’s the fault of someone else, or we just fall into difficulties!
‘ Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colours. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open’. James 1:4-8MSG
Jesus is the best counsellor we will ever have, and we have access to him 24/7!
‘And he will be called Mighty God…..’
When we go through tough seasons of life, we need to know that God is bigger than anything that the devil or life can through at us!
‘[That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!
Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]—’ Ephesians 3:19-20 AMPC
‘And he will be called Everlasting father….’
Maybe you miss your own earthly father, or you have never known the love and protection of a loving dad; this Christmas open up your heart to allow him to heal the wounds and disappointments of the past and be the dad you really need or want!
My dad was a good man, but although physically present he was emotionally absent. I never heard him say I love you, or I’m proud of you or even well done. To him I was no trouble! I understood this as an adult because his own mom died when he was 10 yrs old, and his dad remarried a woman who didn’t want stepchildren. However, for me, as a child his lack of attention and love wounded my heart. He was incapable of giving and receiving love. Even when he became a Christian, sadly, he didn’t really pursue a relationship with God. He didn’t allow the word to change him. He missed out on receiving all that was rightfully his!
When I became a Christian, I was confronted by a God who was referred to as father!
(it was hard at times) However I made the choice to allow my heart to begin the process of healing and today, He (God) is the most wonderful dad I could ever have. I can be totally transparent with him, be real, be myself, and tell him the good, the bad and the ugly!
I find this very freeing, because, by being transparent with my heavenly dad, the enemy can’t hold things over me. It is so liberating to bring things into the light!
‘ Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favour to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it]’. Hebrews 4:16 AMPC
When I mess up, as I frequently do, I say to God, I boldly, but not arrogantly say, ‘It’s me again, I’ve messed up………….I need your help!’
May you also find freedom by bringing into the light those things that the devil wants to keep hidden and may you experience receiving the grace and mercy that he wants to give you.
You know, there’s nothing hidden from him concerning you! The only person we fool is ourselves! He’s just waiting for you to trust him!
‘And he will be called Prince of Peace.’
Biblical peace is a state of inner tranquillity and quietness, even in difficult circumstances, that comes from the Holy Spirit. It is a supernatural gift that surpasses human understanding. We receive peace from the Holy Spirit when we rest in the promises of God concerning our situation!
‘And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus’. Philippians 4:7AMPC
The world doesn’t know that kind of peace, but you and I can, by learning to rest in the promises of God, meditating on those promises so they form deep roots and a firm foundation of faith in our hearts.
“And I give them eternal life, and they will never, ever [by any means] perish; and no one will ever snatch them out of My hand. ]My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater and mightier than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are One [in essence and nature].” John 10:28 AMP
God is love. This is how He responds to each and everyone one of us, especially when we are less than loving towards him!
"Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.
It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].
It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness but rejoices when right and truth prevail.
Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].
Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].
And so faith, hope, love abide [faith—conviction and belief respecting man’s relation to God and divine things; hope—joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love—true affection for God and man, growing out of God’s love for and in us], these three;
but the greatest of these is love."
1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 AMPC
As I read this again today, it is a timely reminder that love is the most powerful force in the world! To choose to love and take no account of evil done to us is a tall order, but not an impossibility!
‘Such hope [in God’s promises] never disappoints us, because God’s love has been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us’. Romans 5:5 AMP
“May each one of us know the love of the Father this Christmas. May we be assured that “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who
have been called according to his purpose”. Romans 8:28
May the true Spirit of Christmas be continually revealed to you and may you never lose the wonder and awe of the exceeding abundance of His goodness and mercy towards you.
As you prepare to leave 2024 behind, take time to remember the good times, the fun times, those moments that made you smile, made you laugh, those moments that took your breath away, those answered prayers, those wonderful people he bought into your life, your family, your friends and thank God especially for His wonderful gift to the world and to each of us, Jesus.
“For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.” John 3:16 AMPC
Walk in God’s love and give it away!
May you remember and celebrate the real joy of Christmas and have a blessed, peaceful and prosperous 2025.
"Once in our world, a stable had something in it that was bigger than our whole world.The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God."
CS Lewis.
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