Christmas Promises
Christmas is the most wonderful mystery ever! The mystery isn’t in the bright lights, the decorated trees, the numerous ornaments, the shopping, Christmas cards or special gifts – it’s found in the heart of humanity. Each year we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ (the Lamb and the Lion). And God, with loving kindness and tender mercies, does not disappoint.
This parcel of “peace on earth, good will towards men” is the gift that never stops giving. This peace (which is perfect well-being, all necessary good, all spiritual prosperity, and freedom from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts, 2Peter 1:2 AMPC) is the heart (God’s)-to-heart (ours) kind. It’s a peace that: slides past all anxieties, doubts, and fears; kills the enemy against us and outlives temptation; calms exposed emotions, lies, or challenges; overrides sickness and disease – and attaches itself to faith, hope, and love.
What a festive time Christmas is… until it’s not. Poverty, pride, death, unbelief, hate, disease, racism, and crime, to name a few, have always been distractions from the true meaning of Christmas. We are reminded of our spiritual choices during Christmas, as our faith comes out to shout Hallelujahs to the King of Kings! More gifts – from the foot of the cross to underneath the tree – are His unmatchable power over anything/everything that could ever come against us, the presence of the Lord in our everyday lives and God’s protection in real time.
Our protection (Psalm 91 AMP) is a promise from God! We certainly need it as these are difficult times in which we live. Making the Lord our retreat, and the Most High our place of residence, sets our love upon God. He will rescue us from evil, disease, or calamity (deliver, cause to escape) and protect us, setting us on a high place.
We are talking about a personal relationship here, not just at Christmas time, but 365 days a year!
If you and I know and understand the name of God [have a personal knowledge of His mercy, love, and kindness—trust and rely on Him, knowing He will never forsake us, no, never] – then God will (through Jesus Christ): answer us when we call (respond to, speak); be with us in trouble (in afflictions, in distress); and deliver us (rescue, to bring into safety).
As if that were not enough, God of the Universe will honor us (to make rich, strong, heavy with honor)! He who knew no sin became sin so that we could live, but we get honored, yes, because of our love for God. He satisfies us with long life (to have abundance along the journey) and shows us salvation in Jesus (lets us see His deliverance and victory).
The protection within the promises of God is a Christmas blessing that has nothing to do with economics, political preferences, career status, intelligence, race, gender, physical attributes, or spiritual awareness. Christmas is our heart blessing! From the heart, all things flow (emotional, physical). It is there, hidden from the view and opinion of spectators, a place that holds our faith and trust in God. Sometimes, we ourselves are not even sure about what needs attention in our inner core. Our spiritual life is protected by His Divine grace from the temptations of Satan, and from the contagion of sin. Great security is promised to us who believe Jesus, especially in the midst of trouble. Godly wisdom keeps us from being afraid without cause, and faith keeps us seeking the Savior in all things.
We can know the Christmas story, sing the Christmas songs, buy gifts, decorate all over the place, and incorporate our favorite holiday foods. However, without a heart commitment it’s all for nothing! Let us not allow distractions to cloud our view of the gifts we have in Jesus (healing, deliverance, salvation, abundant life, peace, joy…) and the gift we are to Father God, because of our faithfulness towards Him. This includes not judging God’s faithfulness towards us by how we physically feel or by how things look, according to what we thought. We are all keepers of the “inner me,” as we walk by faith (the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen) and not by sight! Our greatest faith is illuminated during this glorious celebration as we recognize the very beginning, the cornerstone of our faith.
Raise a Hallelujah and make it count! Have a heartfelt Merry Christmas, with Jesus the reason for the season!
Gayle Smith, Author, Certified Christian Life Coach for Women
“However, without a heart commitment, it’s all for nothing! Let us not allow distractions to cloud our view of the gifts we have in Jesus.” This right here is my prayer for my brothers and sisters that we have a heart for the Lord that continues to grow, that we are sharing it with others throughout every moment and that NOTHING clouds our view of what God has given us through Jesus Christ. Thank you for this beautiful reminder, Gayle!
Thank you for your reply Ashley. I am so blessed when I hear how my writing encourages and agrees with the love of the Lord in the readers’ life! Blogs are my way of honoring Jesus and serving His daughters. It’s my pleasure.
Thank You for those inspiring readings !!! Wishing you a peaceful Holiday Season.
So good to hear from you Lila! I’m again feeling well ad thank God for His faithfulness. Trusting you too, are well.