Isaiah 9:6  

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Merry Christmas. Today, we celebrate the birth of a child, a savior born in a lowly manger.  We celebrate the greatest Love ever sent to earth in the form of man. My Christmas prayer for you is that you are prospering and in health even as your soul prospers.  That you would know the love of God that passes knowledge.  I wish you, Joy, Peace, and Love this Christmas and every Christmas to come.  

2 Timothy 3:15-16

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, and reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 

Without the word, there would be no wisdom to be saved in Christ Jesus.  The word can build hope when we have none and faith into things we do not see.  Everything that we are and want to is written in the word of God.  If we want health or prosperity, it is in the word.  Our lives have meaning because of the word.  The Bible isn’t just a book, but gold in the palm of our hands. 

Hebrews 8:10

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to be a people:    

He writes His laws into our hearts and puts them into our mind so we can walk in His ways. Without this covenant from God, we would be like the unsaved not knowing right from wrong. This is a new and better covenant showing the love and mercy of God. We have been set apart and called to be His people, and we are to walk closely to God.  

Hebrews 10:24-25

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.     

We were meant to come together and build each other up.  Everyone, at some time, will have a need that only a fellow Christian can help walk them through.  Isolation just gives the devil an open space to plant seeds of doubt, fear, and loneliness. We need to inspire each other to good works by our love for each other, without it we are just like the world.  

1 John 2:4-6

He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.  He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk, even as he walked.  

The Bible clearly gives us the keys to knowledge and understanding of how we are to walk as Christians.  We first must learn the word of God.  What does His word instruct us on how to live this life?  After we learn how Jesus walked on this earth, we copy what Jesus did while He was here.  Having the “love of God perfected” in us as we follow the word.   

2 Corinthians 4:8-9

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed: we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down but not destroyed.

Gods’ plan has never changed, and His word is just as real today for us in our time.  If we focus on the world around us, we would be in constant despair and troubled.  We need to remind ourselves that we know how this all turns out.  We were made for this time and given the strength to walk through the trials.  When we fall, we will rise and show the power and glory of Jesus Christ.  

2 Corinthians 2:10-11

To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; Lest Satan should get an advantage on us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Forgiveness goes beyond any offense done to us but encompasses our own forgiveness from Jesus. We all walk together in this world and face the same mistakes.  The point is that we don’t harbor a grudge for something we could be judged for ourselves. If the devil can lead us into offense and unforgiveness, he would gain a foothold into our lives.  We were never created to let the devil win.  

Galatians 6:9-10

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. 

The Bible reminds us that we can get weary in well doing.  That applies to the layman and the Pastor.  We are all a threat in the eyes of the devil and if he can wear us done, he will.  Our “well doing” reaches the hearts of the lost and sustains the hearts of the faithful. We have a dual purpose for the lost and the saved.    “If we faint not” we will reap a reward and we all need rewards and we all want to do good. 

8Galatians 5:16-17

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusteth after the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

How many times have we wanted to do the right thing, and we let our flesh take over. Walking in the Spirit takes practice and intention.  We can choose our emotions and our focus whether it brings life to us or death.  Somedays we will do better than other days, we are human, and it does take practice. We have the choice to rule and reign in this life through our Spiritual life.  Our contentment relies on our focus and the flesh is never satisfied.  

Joshua 24:15

If it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.  But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

When we choose to serve God, we draw a line in the sand for the guidance of our belief system. Christianity is a belief system modeled by God and His word.  A God who modeled love by the sending of Jesus to die for our sins.  Serving the Lord shouldn’t be considered a burden but a blessing for on this earth and eternity.  Jesus said His “yoke was easy and His burden light.”  Your life and the goodness it could contain depends on this choice.