December 24th, 2024
This week as we celebrate Christmas, the reason for the season has been on my heart. While this time of year is probably not when Jesus was actually born, it’s a time when even secular radio stations are playing songs proclaiming the truth of His birth! However, we must remember as we see images of Jesus in a manger, that His purpose in coming was not to be born, but to die.
Robed in humility and fully surrendered, He came to do what we could not. In Him, we are restored to the intention of the Father from the beginning of time. Jesus came for everyone who would ever live, to bring us back to the fellowship of heaven through the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus demonstrated how to live in perfect unity with the Father. He was the perfect will of the Father wrapped in the most unexpected package. Even as He was crucified, the enemy didn’t understand the plan of the Father. The rulers of the age thought they had won! 1 Corinthians 2:8-10 says,
“ None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit.”
In the revelation of the Son of God is everything we need – atonement, freedom, healing, peace, restoration, provision, protection, and fullness of joy. He was born in obscurity but His coming was announced by angels. Luke 2:10-11 says,
‘The angel said to [the shepherds], “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great
joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a
Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”’
This Christmas season we want to remind you that Jesus is still the good news of great joy. That joy is not just for a few weeks in December as we sing Christmas songs, bake cookies, and wrap presents. Joy is eternal and it’s found only in Him!
1 Peter 1:8-9 says,
“Though you have not seen [Jesus], you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
The King James Versions says in this verse, “joy unspeakable and full of glory” and that line has been resounding in my heart this week.
Joy unspeakable and full of glory.
Joy that can’t even be expressed, full of the presence of heaven. That’s the result of our faith. When we believe in Him, though we haven’t yet laid on eyes on Him with out natural eyes, our spirits come alive. We encounter the One we were made for, and joy is the inevitable result. Joy is the evidence of His presence.
Psalm 16:11 says,
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy.”
1 John 1:3 says,
“That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed, our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.”
Our joy will be complete only through communion with the Father and Son by the Holy Spirit. We were made for Him!
Jesus is the greatest gift the world has ever been given and He came to give us joy — joy not based on circumstances or experiences but on His manifest presence. He is Emmanuel, God with us.
In John 15:11 Jesus said,
“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
The world can experience happiness, which is an emotion, but there is no joy except that which He gives by His spirit. It is our strength and life, and it’s found only in His presence.
It’s good news of great joy.
It’s joy unspeakable.
It’s joy the world can’t take away.
This Christmas, we encourage you to welcome the presence of God. We aren’t celebrating a baby still in a stable, but a resurrected Savior, clothed in glory. We are celebrating the One who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at our Father’s right hand awaiting the command to come back for His bride, for us. Jesus came as a baby, but He will return as a King. We encourage you to rejoice this week in the One who is your strength. He was wounded for our transgressions. He bore the lashes of a Roman torture device that tore the flesh from His body until He was unrecognizable, because He loves you. By those wounds, He made a way for our healing – bodily, spiritually, mentally and emotionally. His sacrifice 2,000 years ago still has the power to set every man, woman, and child free, today. His blood is still speaking and it’s more than enough! It can’t be said any better than in my favorite Christmas song:
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come, Let earth receive her king!”
Robed in humility and fully surrendered, He came to do what we could not. In Him, we are restored to the intention of the Father from the beginning of time. Jesus came for everyone who would ever live, to bring us back to the fellowship of heaven through the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus demonstrated how to live in perfect unity with the Father. He was the perfect will of the Father wrapped in the most unexpected package. Even as He was crucified, the enemy didn’t understand the plan of the Father. The rulers of the age thought they had won! 1 Corinthians 2:8-10 says,
“ None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit.”
In the revelation of the Son of God is everything we need – atonement, freedom, healing, peace, restoration, provision, protection, and fullness of joy. He was born in obscurity but His coming was announced by angels. Luke 2:10-11 says,
‘The angel said to [the shepherds], “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great
joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a
Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”’
This Christmas season we want to remind you that Jesus is still the good news of great joy. That joy is not just for a few weeks in December as we sing Christmas songs, bake cookies, and wrap presents. Joy is eternal and it’s found only in Him!
1 Peter 1:8-9 says,
“Though you have not seen [Jesus], you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
The King James Versions says in this verse, “joy unspeakable and full of glory” and that line has been resounding in my heart this week.
Joy unspeakable and full of glory.
Joy that can’t even be expressed, full of the presence of heaven. That’s the result of our faith. When we believe in Him, though we haven’t yet laid on eyes on Him with out natural eyes, our spirits come alive. We encounter the One we were made for, and joy is the inevitable result. Joy is the evidence of His presence.
Psalm 16:11 says,
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy.”
1 John 1:3 says,
“That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed, our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.”
Our joy will be complete only through communion with the Father and Son by the Holy Spirit. We were made for Him!
Jesus is the greatest gift the world has ever been given and He came to give us joy — joy not based on circumstances or experiences but on His manifest presence. He is Emmanuel, God with us.
In John 15:11 Jesus said,
“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
The world can experience happiness, which is an emotion, but there is no joy except that which He gives by His spirit. It is our strength and life, and it’s found only in His presence.
It’s good news of great joy.
It’s joy unspeakable.
It’s joy the world can’t take away.
This Christmas, we encourage you to welcome the presence of God. We aren’t celebrating a baby still in a stable, but a resurrected Savior, clothed in glory. We are celebrating the One who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at our Father’s right hand awaiting the command to come back for His bride, for us. Jesus came as a baby, but He will return as a King. We encourage you to rejoice this week in the One who is your strength. He was wounded for our transgressions. He bore the lashes of a Roman torture device that tore the flesh from His body until He was unrecognizable, because He loves you. By those wounds, He made a way for our healing – bodily, spiritually, mentally and emotionally. His sacrifice 2,000 years ago still has the power to set every man, woman, and child free, today. His blood is still speaking and it’s more than enough! It can’t be said any better than in my favorite Christmas song:
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come, Let earth receive her king!”
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