December 26, 2010

"But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people." John 2:10

Over the past several days I have been focusing on the announcement made by the angels to the shepherds that holy night. What was this "good news of great joy"? Why don't we see more joy in the church among believers?

We have recognized there should be joy in the presence of God and joy in the pardon from God and because of the peace of God though Christ. Also, you can find joy in the power of God. Christmas was impossible but impossible things happened so Jesus could be born!

How about another reason for joy?

You can take joy in the promises of God! In the events leading up to and culminating in the birth of Jesus there were 360 prophecies fulfilled. That means that 360 things that God predicted in advance were going to happen happened! And they happened exactly as they were foretold!

That incredible fact proves that God had His fingerprints all over the events that led up to the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ! And the accuracy of these predictions should give us joy in knowing that the promises of God are true and reliable!

Whatever His Word promises He will do!

There is no one else you know and love who could keep his promises 100% of the time! Every person over promises and under delivers. BUT NOT GOD!

If you are facing a difficult circumstance right now and you desperately need Him to be Who His Word says He is - rejoice! Jesus is everything He promises He is and He can do and possibly has already done what ever He says. What He can do is posted in His Word. Read it, memorize it and claim it!

Find joy in praising Him that He will do what He promises to do! Christmas proves it!

December 25, 2010

"But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people." Luke 2:1o

Joyous Christmas to you!

Here is another reason why the good news of Christmas brings reason for joy.

Christmas brings the joy of His presence, and the joy of His pardon, and the joy of His peace. Anyone of those is reason enough alone - but ALL of them are available to you through Christ!

Want more?

Find joy in His power!

It was the power of God that caused an elderly couple to conceive and give birth to John the Baptist, the greatest prophet ever! From their weakness came the strength of God! From their impotence sprang a miracle! His power brought Zachariah and Elizabeth great joy!

Why?

Because "nothing is impossible with God"! That is His power!

Through the power of God a virgin gave birth to the Son of God without ever knowing a man! It is impossible, but it happened! Because "nothing is impossible with God"! He has the power to accomplish everything He wishes to accomplish. And he can do it through weak human beings! Mary found exceeding joy through the power of God at work in her!

Christmas demonstrates the amazing power of God! Nothing is impossible because of His great power! And that power resides in you when you walk in Christ and His Spirit!

Perhaps you are facing some difficult challenges as you celebrate Christmas 2010. Find joy in the power of God! Take joy in the knowledge that "nothing is impossible for God"!

Merry Christmas!

December 24, 2010

"But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people." Luke 2:10

Christmas brings great joy. There is the joy of His Presence. Jesus came to be "Immanuel", "God with us". Because of Christmas you can live in the presence of God! Take joy in His presence!

Also, there is joy in His pardon. Jesus redeemed us by dying to pay the penalty for your sins. "The wages of sin is death", says the Scriptures. So, the sinless Lamb of God came to take away your sins and deliver you from the guilty and shame of sin! What joy there is in being pardoned!

This morning I want to remind you of another source of joy from the Christmas story. In addition to the joy of His presence and the joy from His pardon, there is the joy of His peace!

Peace has several aspects but essentially, peace comes from being reconciled with God. That reconciliation is possible once you have been pardoned from sin. When the barrier of sin is removed and you connect with the Father through the grace of Jesus, the net result is peace!

Jesus would be the Prince of Peace because He would come to reconcile His people to God.

He would be known as the Prince of Peace because he can give a rest from the burden of your sin and the nagging bondage of living in sin. God is given the central place in your life and when He filled the God-shaped void in yor life, you slowly grew in your knowledge and understanding of His peace. There is great joy in having that peace!

And, find joy in the fact Jesus not only provided for your peace - HE IS YOUR PEACE! That is a source of great joy!

December 23, 2010

"But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people." Luke 2:10

Christmas is supposed to be a season of joy. In this series of posts I am taking a closer look at this topic of joy. What is it and where does it come from?

Joy comes from God's presence. Christmas is when God came to us in the person of Christ.

Also, joy comes from God's pardon.

Jesus came to be our Savior. Savior from what? He saved us from the penalty of sin. As sinners we were spiritually dead and destined for eternal death. But Jesus, because He was without sin, took our sins upon Himself. He died for you and me.

Because He took our penalty, we can be pardoned.

It would be the equivalent of you receiving a death sentence because of a heinous crime you committed. You are arrested and tried and found guilty by a jury - because you ARE guilty. When you appear before the judge he sentences you to death and you are taken to death row. You remain there for several years until the time comes for your sentence to be carried out and you hear footsteps coming down the long hallway toward your isolated cell. Your heart quickens, a big lump develops in your throat and there is a sinking feeling in your stomach. "This is it!", you think to yourself. But, the guard opens the door and announces, "You are free to go!"

"What?", you reply.

"You are free to go. Report to the Warden and he will make sure you get your belongings."

"But........why........how?"

"The Warden's son volunteered to take your death sentence. He will die tonight in you place! Since he has taken your sentence you are free!"

As the news begins to sink into your consciousness, you feel a great sense of relief and then slowly a joy arises in you as you realize you are free! You will get to grow old! You will get to see your children grow up! You will live out your days in freedom because someone's son died in your place!

That is the pardon you receive in Jesus when you put your faith in Him. And that is why Jesus came at Christmas. He came to pay the penalty for your sins so you can be pardoned!

Joy results from God's presence and joy arises from His pardon. Christmas is where it all began!

December 22, 2010

"for behold, I bring you good news of great joy......" Luke 2:10

Like you, I have had good news and I have had bad news and good news is definitely better! But, not all good news brings great joy. The news about Christmas did! Why?

I want to examine this "joy thing" over the next few posts and perhaps you can gain a better understanding of what theangel was talking about and why you don't experience more of it.

How does that sound?

As meditated on this question, "What was it about Christmas that brought joy?" I came up with a number of answers that worked for me. We will see if they matter to you.

The first source of joy in the Christmas story is God's Presence!

God's greatest present was His presence! Jesus was "the Word that became flesh" to dwell among us! Jesus was "Immanuel", " God with us!

For centuries only the High Priest could enter presence of God and only on special occasions. But now, because of Jesus, God would realize His greatest desire and your deepest need could be met! He could dwell in you and you can live in His presence! Since that is exactly what you were created for, that brings joy!

Will you know the joy of His presence today? Will you enter in? Will you welcome Him into your spirit? Will you fellowship with Him by faith? Will you walk with Him in obedience? Will you commune with Him through prayer? Will you encounter Him in the Word? Will you partner with Him in service?

You will never know joy apart from the presence of God. And the good news of great joy is that Jesus has come to dwell in you!

December 21, 2010

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly." Romans 5:6

You are likely familiar with Murphy's Law which says, "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong". If there is any time of the year when Murphy's Law is most likely to happen it is surely at Christmas time! During Christmas there are so many plans made that something is certain to go wrong. And usually does.

When we think of the first Christmas it conjures up sentimental pictures of a sweet baby in a manger with mother Mary and Joseph looking on in wonder surrounded by shepherds and wise men. Such a tranquil scene!

But in real life, as the Christmas story was unfolding there was a series of things that seemingly went wrong. For Mary and Joseph it might have seemed like Murphy's Law was in play! What do I mean?

What a terrible time for the Caesar to get greedy and decide on a tax increase!

What a terrible time to get pregnant! Mary was engaged to be married to a fine young man and was waist deep in wedding plans when the angel showed up with his incredible announcement. If she went along with this amazing plan, there would be not dreamy wedding. She not only would forfeit her wedding, she would risk her reputation and her relationship with Joseph. In a matter of minutes her life went from great happiness to hardship.

What a terrible time to have to take a trip! Just days before Mary was due to deliver her baby she had to climb on a donkey and ride 60 miles on a donkey over rugged terrain. How hard is that? What else could go wrong to complicate things?

And what a terrible place to have to go! Bethlehem was a tiny out of the way place that happened to be the ancestral home of Joseph. Why else would anyone go there?

What a terrible time to go to Bethlehem! The place was crawling with cousins and aunts and uncles who had also come to register for the census and be taxed. There was only one place to stay in the whole town and by the time Mary and Joseph arrived, all the rooms were filled! They came all this way only to find themselves without a room. What else could go wrong?

What an awful place to have to deliver a baby! In a stable? Inside a manger? How humiliating! What else could go wrong?

And what a terrible time for the King to get parnoid and launch an assault against all baby boys in the land! What else could go wrong?

What a terrible place to have to flee! Just when they should have been heading back home to set up their lives, they had to make a midnight trip to Egypt!

For Mary and Joseph it must have seemed like Murphy's Law was in full effect! And yet the Scripture tells us "at just the right time Jesus was born"! What certainly looked like terrible timing was in fact, God's perfect timing! There was a greater law that Murphy's Law! What law was that? Mercy's Law! Mercy's Law says, "When everything seems to be going wrong - a miracle can still happen!"

Are things tough for you this Christmas? Does life seem to be going against you? Do circumstances seem to be conspiring against you? Are you asking, "what else can go wrong?" Have you convinced yourself you are a victim of Murphy's Law? Child of God, let me remind you of a higher law that is at work in your life - Mercy's Law. God's plan is right on time for your life!

Mercy's Law trumps Murphy's Law everytime and Christmas proves it!

December 20, 2010

"So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told." Luke 2:16-20

I am still focused on the good news this morning! This "good news of great joy" has never been more needed than it is at Christmas 2010 - and it has never been more powerful! I am rejoicing this morning in the fact that bad news ends but the good news only gets better! Forever! There is a day coming when we will only know good news!

So, what do we do in the mean time? How do "good news" people operate in a bad news world?

BELIEVE the good news!

I talked about that yesterday. Everyday you must awake and decided which you are going to believe and which you are going to allow to define your reality. Will you choose to be overcome by the bad news or will you stand firmly on the good news? Only you can decide and what you choose will shape your awareness, your attitude and your actions.

BEHOLD the good news!

The shepherds believed the good news but they still went to see it for themselves. Believing the news got them to the stable, but drove them into the world! Hearing the news charged them but seeing the good news changed them!

Every day you must SEE the good news! How?

See Him in your spirit as you pray. See Him in His words as you read and study. See Him in the beauty of nature and in the grace of other believers. See His Spirit as work through your hands. Sense His Spirit dwelling in your heart!

If you BELIEVE the good news. And if you BEHOLD the good news. You will naturally BECOME the good news!

That is exactly what the shepherds did! They told everyone they knew about what they believed and what they had beheld. That is what you must do! It is what I must do! How can you believe the good news and behold the good news without becoming the good news? I am not sure that is possible. If that happens either you don't believe or you are not beholding on a regular basis. OR there is some dysfunction or a disconnect in your faith.

Believe it. Behold it. Become it!

Christmas 2010 will change and Spotsylvania County 2011 will change when you decide to become the good news!