by David Brenneman
"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel." Isaiah 7:14
"Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; Those who would destroy me are powerful, being wrongfully my enemies; What I did not steal, I then have to restore." Psalms 69:4.
"I have become estranged from my brothers And an alien to my mother’s sons. For zeal for Your house has consumed me, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me." Psalms 69:8-9.
"But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lord, at an acceptable time; O God, in the greatness of Your lovingkindness, Answer me with Your saving truth." Psalms 69:13.
It's easy to get into the reason for the season right now. If you have television or are at all on social media or have a junk email account that gets all your spam emails...you know it's Christmas time.
Right now is a time where many are uplifted at the prospect and go out of their way to go the extra mile to be kind to others, sometimes anonymously. For others the grip of reality is quite different. The bulk of their losses in their lives of friends and family has happened in the month of December. To them after Thanksgiving comes a time to grieve.
Here in Isaiah we see that there's a promise of a coming Messiah. Sadly, the Pharisees and Sadducees, knew to be looking for His arrival and weren't actively seeking Him.
Next, we have a few examples of Christ in the Old Testament. Things that He spoke of concerning Himself. Jesus said that the Scriptures bear testimony of Him.
Yet then and now people are oblivious. The sheer volume of predictions concerning the coming Messiah are incredible! All fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ.
In today's world most are not looking for His promised return.
They aren't even looking for His promised help in their here and now.
Why celebrate Jesus as the reason for the season superficially? Why bother if all you're really interested in is getting a gift that's literally given because of Jesus? You can always do that at any time.
Jesus, no one ever born among men was and will ever be like Him.
We try our hardest to create a semblance of our own peace on Earth. We want a peaceful life. People rage in order to take things thinking that if only they did this or had that, peace would be theirs.
Stuff doesn't bring the peace of God that passes all understanding.
Entertainment doesn't bring the peace of God that passes all understanding.
Sports doesn't bring the peace of God that passes all understanding.
Hobbies do not bring the peace of God that passes all understanding.
It's the love of Christ Jesus that brings the peace of God that passes all understanding.
It's the true gift of salvation through Jesus Christ alone that brings us that kind of peace.
We are always going to be dealing with stress and strife in this world because of sin not because of anything else.
Jesus, at the right time, came to Earth. Born of a virgin, to two teenagers. At a time when the Romans held control over Israel.
I have been working on something for years because of Mark Lowry's "Mary, Did You Know?". Questions for a song about Joseph. Joseph doesn't garner much attention in things.
Do you wonder how Joseph managed? How do you raise the Son of God? How do you teach God anything? How do you care for Him? How did it make him feel to have such a responsibility?
Have you ever thought of the fact that Joseph taught the Son of God how to walk, when Joseph knew from the book of Genesis that once long ago He walked the Earth before mankind was?
He helped teach Jesus to eat.
Things like these have been on my mind since that song came out.
Jesus, through the writing of the Spirit of God, said clearly that He was coming and did so.
In the New Testament and the Old Testament we see that Jesus is indeed going to be returning.
While we go through this time of year...my Dear Reader...please remember to celebrate the real reason for it.
A Christmas song says something about the real importance.
"I live in a three-room shack it's not much to see
No special lights on my Christmas tree not this Christmas for me
I may not get a Christmas card or shoes for my weary feet
But when Jesus was born on Christmas morn
That was my gift to me
Son of God sent down from above
To cheer the whole wide world
Peace on earth goodwill toward all
And fill their Christmas with love"
- Christmas and Love
Charley Pride (C) 1970
If in fact Jesus is your Lord and Savior...it is because of His promises made His promises kept.
If you're reading this and Jesus isn't...He made that promise because of you and people like you.
Jesus made promises in the distant past, then again in the recent past of 2,000 years ago that are about the now and the forever.
Jesus is returning soon. Biblically fulfilled prophecies have been coming true in my lifetime and yours. There's really nothing left but His stepping into our world one more time to call His Church home to Heaven to be with Him forever.
Scripture shows over and over again that Jesus is the promise keeper. Are you really ready for this season or has your mind run off to other things?
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, this world will know that Jesus returned for His Church as promised.
My heart celebrates His promise kept 2,000 years ago today.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of Earth will grow strangely dim...in the light of His glory and grace...
All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.
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