5th Day of Advent: Prince of Peace

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Isaiah 9:6

I have always struggled with anxiety and only when I rely on Jesus, do I have peace in my soul.  Jesus is my Prince of Peace.  He brought a Peace into my life that is unlike anything of this world.  The Peace that Jesus offers is amazing.  It's freeing to give Jesus control.

I think the greatest Peace is knowing that our life is already in the hands of God.  He is sovereign and in control of everything that will happen.  We just need to be still and listen to Him.  That's how I have experienced Peace in my life: Giving control to God (who ultimately has it in the first place!). When I give to Him what is rightfully His, then Peace follows.  

There is more to the peace that Jesus brings, more than our freedom from reliance and more than harmony but a peace with God.  Before Jesus, we were enemies of God (Romans 5:10). Now that Jesus intercedes and advocates for us, we are united back with God. The war is over between us and God because our rebellion is gone when we believe in Jesus. We are now at peace with God. He even calls us His children!  We have gone from enemies to children!!!!!

Peace is something we all desperately need at all times of the year but especially now.  We are rushing around not savoring the meaning of this season: the celebration of God's gift to us.  We have received the most important gift of all: Salvation!!  Jesus came down to save us, why do we overlook this fact every year?  What is robing you of your peace?  Jesus is the Prince of Peace.  His peace can be never taken away from us.  When we feel robbed of peace, that is the false imitation of worldly peace that we feel gone.  

This is one attribute that I continuously praise Jesus for this season, but I don't feel very at peace. Daily I need to exchange my version of peace for Jesus' True Peace.  How are you incorporating more peace into your life?

In His Love,

A

4th Day of Advent: King of Kings

  

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"They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings--and with Him will be His called, chosen and faithful followers."

Revelation 17:14

There is no other King like Jesus.  He rules over all other kings, humans, animals: all of creation.  He isn't a ruthless King, but loving, gentle and just.  He is the best King we could ever ask for.  One who laid down His life to pay the price His subjects couldn't.  Israel reject Him time and time again.  People still reject Him. 

This year, I am studying People of the Promised land with BSF, and we are in the second of 1 Samuel studying David.  David was chosen and anointed by God and went to the palace, not as king but as a servant of Saul (1 Samuel 16-17).  His rightful place was on the throne but he humbly served until it was God's timing.  Isn't this a picture of Jesus? He gave up His throne in Heaven to come here and humbly serve us until it was God's timing. 

Just because He is a King doesn't mean that He is not approachable.  He can be King of your heart if you let Him in!  So this year when you look at that manger scene, will you see the babe as a King?  The One who holds the power to open the scroll of God (Revelation 5:5).  The One who had all the glory in Heaven, yet left it so that He could save you.  How will you worship Him as the days are dwindling until Christmas Day?  What words of praise will you savor these next couple of days as you reflect on His majesty and grace?

In His Love,

A

3rd Day of Advent: Alpha and Omega

 

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"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." 

Revelation 1:8

Alpha and Omega.  They are the first and last letters of the Greek Alphabet, so translated to English Jesus is A and Z.  He is the Beginning and the End.  The One who was at the beginning of your life will also be at the end.  He is waiting for us there, yet simultaneously right with us today.  That's the amazing infinite and eternal nature of Jesus!!  He was in the beginning as Creator and will be at the end of times as Judge.  He is part of and in everything.  

This is one of the many attributes that allowed Him to die for the sins of everyone in the world.  Since He is eternal and infinite, He is not bound by time.  He could pay the price of our sins, the price being death, 2000 years before we were even born.  It is awesome how God reveals His plan and how intricate it really was.  

What words of praise can you offer Him for revealing such completeness about Himself?  In this scripture, He also reveals His eternal nature, which intertwines with His infinite nature of beginning and end.  Does it comfort you that He is the beginning and the end?  How has your praise for Him increased this Advent season?

In His Love,

A  

2nd Day of Advent: Bread of Life

 

"For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heave and gives life to the world...I am the Bread of Life.  Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."
At this the Jews began to grumble about him because He said,"I am the bread that came down from heaven."

John 6:33, 35, 40

The Israelites were hunger in the desert.  What did God provide to them?  Manna or bread.  Jesus was born in Bethlehem.  Guess what Bethlehem means? House of Bread.  Five thousand people needed food.  What did the young boy have in his lunch?  Bread.  Jesus is teaching about Himself.  What term does He use?  The Bread of Life.  There is a theme of bread in the bible but an even larger theme of God's provision and He using bread as the doughy glue to connect the Old and New Testaments. 

This year what jumped out at me when I read these passages was the response of the crowd.  The Jews would've known the stories about the Israelites wondering in the desert and how God provided Manna each morning for them to eat.  Instead of rejoicing that Jesus has come to provide and nourish in a way that they could never imagine, they grumble against Him.  They are confused and just question His position because He's "just the son of Joseph" (John 6:42).  They have head knowledge of the connection He's trying to make between Manna and Himself as the Bread come from Heaven, but not transformative heart knowledge.  How does that reflect you?

They are missing the truth that Jesus sustains and gives us our life eternal life! The Word of God is alive and feeds us when we read the Bible.  Just like drinking up Jesus as the Living Water, if we nourish ourselves with Jesus as the Bread of Life our souls will never go hungry or long for worldly things that don't satisfy (or less and less).  Our bodies can survive a few days without food but eventually we would starve and die.  The same is for our souls.  However, our souls are starved much longer than a few days.  If we deprive our souls of Jesus for our lifetime then we do die spiritually and physically.  That's a terrifying thought!  I want to feed my soul with the Living Water and Bread of Life, daily just like I feed my body with the nutrients it needs to function. 

How is your soul being fed by Jesus? 

In His Love,

A

1st Day of Advent 2018: Jesus is the Light of the World

When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, "I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

John 8:12

Every Advent season since 2014, it has been my tradition to fire up my writing skills and blog about a different name of Jesus each day.  You can check back to previous years here: 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017.  It's been FIVE years since I started this tradition, it's crazy but at the same time I long for this time to reconnect with Jesus in a deeper way before celebrating His birth.

The first name I chose this year is Jesus is the Light of the World because not only does Advent start today but Hanukkah starts tonight as well.  Celebrating light seems so needed in this dark world.  Jesus brings light and He is always able to snuff out the darkness in life.  He shines even when the darkness of this broken world tries to consume, even when our dark sins try to consume, even when no one else is a light in our lives, He will remain bright. 

Jesus is using I AM in His statement.  This is His divine, eternal, covenant name, showing the Jewish people that He is God.  They would've known that God uses I AM in the Old Testament and here Jesus is using it, making the connection that He is also God.  How amazing is that!!! 

Not only is He the Light, but He offers us an amazing promise.  If we follow Him, then we won't be in darkness anymore.  We will also have the same Light of Life!  I am no longer (for the most part) afraid of the darkness because I know Someone who spoke and Light entered the world (Genesis 1).   His Word is so powerful that it brings Light.  Light brings life because it shows you that you are dead in your sins (Romans 6:23) and alive only in Jesus (Romans 6:11).  Jesus can shine His Light into the dark parts of your life and change you.  Once those parts are in Jesus' Light, then you can truly change and become who He has created you to be.

This promise can only hold IF you follow Jesus.  So we need to make the commitment and actually follow Him.  The promise is so amazing that I don't even want to turn back from Jesus.  I know what it is like to be afraid of the dark (not just physical darkness but that spiritual dark pit I fell into before Him) and I don't need to be afraid anymore because Jesus is always with me.  What parts of your life do you need to bring into the Light? 

Lastly, imagine this amazing promise: After we are all in the new Heaven/Earth, there will be no need for the sun or moon or stars because Jesus and His Glory will shine bright enough to illuminate everything! (Rev 21:23)  Who in your life may need a little bit of Jesus' light?  The Holy Spirit shines through us, so let Him :)

Join me for this Season of Advent growing deeper in the understanding of Who Jesus is and Why we need Him in our lives!!

With His Love,

A