What do you want for Christmas?
Lamentations 3:22-24 NKJ
22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”
So many people come to this time of the year. And they start to think about all the good things in life that they have and the things that they want and want to do for other people this special time of the season.
And they begin to take stock in the fact of how good they really do have it In their life and all, that the good Lord has given them to be thankful for.
When you truly do get down in your spirit just how good God is… You realize that it’s not a once a year event but it's an every day occurrence.
Well, charlie, aren’t you the optimist this morning? Yes I am and I thank God I am! You see I wasn’t always this way, there was a time when I found myself, on more than one occasion in agreement, with someone I should not have been in agreement with!
TBS. Every good and perfect gift, comes from the father of lights. With whom there is no variation!
You see, I have chosen to believe and align myself with the One who spoke light into existence! That darkness, no matter how hard it tries, can never extinguish the light and the good news it illuminates!
One agreement with any suggestion the accuser offers, no matter how innocent it may seem, to justify a thought or action one wants to do, will distort the truth and establish a common bond union, every time!
And one thing you seriously don’t want to be doing, is falling into any sort of agreement trap, the accuser has to offer!
For someone who would ask such a question. I would ask who are you agreeing with this morning, for all things good you’re looking for in life? What and who is your hope built upon?
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus' name
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
Serving God is an awesome Adventure… And waking up to his mercies and blessings which are new every morning is like, seriously waking up to it being...Christmas every day of the year
Ephesians 1:3-6 MSG
3-6 How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love,
Which means He chose us...realize this morning that you are special to God… Special enough that he chose you, special enough God would have me tell you how much He loves this morning!
3-6 to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.
You see as we read this scripture we see...our Christmas expectations and Gods willingness to be good to us, is not a once a year occurrence. But a non-ending, continual outpouring of His goodness to us and His lavish gift-giving by the hand of His beloved Son!
Colossians 1:27 NKJ
27. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
You see the world sings a very cleverly worded song this time year, called Santa Claus is coming to town. And suddenly everybody becomes conscience of the fact that somebody's been watching nonstop as to wether they’ve been naughty or nice…
And that someone is paying attention while you're sleeping as well as when you're awake...and if you want to receive any gifts at all you better be good for goodness sake!
Basically it's a song about right living. You know, trying to be good. Yes, It's a great concept and it certainly has got the attention of many a boy and girl!
But the fact is that Jesus already came to town and gave the greatest gift and continually offers to give,the greatest gift of all! And you don't have to do anything at all to get it....except receive it! Amen?
When you look at yourself, because of the relationship that you have with His Son. What so you see? God wants you to see and behold as in a mirror the glory of His Son who is in you by His Spirit.
As you do this, His Word says that you are being transformed from glory to glory. What does the promise from glory to glory mean to you?
Do you see yourself, as going from poor to rich, sick to healed, from losing to winning...from victory to victory one after another, with no limitations!
You should! Because God does and He has given and equipped you to live that way! So you dont have to be subject every time, of falling into the little carefully timed agreement traps, the devil constantly is bombarding, all who will fall into!
God doesn't see what the accuser points out nonstop to us, that are our disqualifications and our flaws! God doesn’t see our torn garments, our filthy rags, our actions, or our sin!
God, because of our exclusive relationship we have with Jesus, only sees Jesus perfection In, over and around our lives and He wants to be good to us, because He wants to be good to His Son!
It doesn't matter what time of year it is, because with Jesus it's Christmas every day of the year!
The world, what I really mean is the accuser, will and does say to you, like a broken record on auto play, “It can’t be that easy. Christmas every day of the year, come on now, who are you trying to kid??
You see…Of all people he knows it's true, because he has experienced, Gods goodness first hand and still relentlessly lies to all who will listen, when he says “You can’t be transformed just by beholding the glory of Jesus.”
Well, if it was that easy, everyone would be doing it...if it was that easy, there wouldn’t be all the problems in the world there is today!
He paints and throws a big canvas of lies, doubt an condemnation out with lipstick and rouge all over it, looking for any agreement at all to take root with his suggestions, so he can establish a toe hold to choke, all Hope and optimism off at the knees!
And because of all the lies that he has spread, he has the world convinced of the lie, that it's not, and nothing is that easy!
But you see God's word declares a different message! Did you hear me??
Gods word says that there Is Hope! God's Word declares that it is just that easy when you behold the glory of Jesus!
God's Word declares, nothing is impossible, when you put your faith and trust in Him!
Instead, the accuser has a big part of the world thinking not so fast, now wait just a minute here, that’s not the way it’s been done for the last six thousand years around here!
Everybody knows, If you’re going to change things, "you" must do something about you and yourself first. You must put in some effort! If you don’t put in effort, nothing will happen. If you don’t first start making changes with yourself, nothing will change.”
We’re not talking about New Year’s resolutions here! We’re talking about the choice between life, death and eternity!
When you, and that being the key word here, make it all about your self effort, the way the world thinks of it. Your chances for change and success... dramatically have just went out the window!
The world will never understand that as you are beholding the glory of the Lord. Jesus is the successful one in you, Jesus is the one doing the work in you! And you are being transformed and changed from The inside out!
Something that only God, through his son Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit is able to accomplish! It's not going to get accomplished by any effort of yours to get ahead in life, but only by the Spirit of the Lord!
TBS. in Zechariah 4:6 NKJ
6. So he answered and said to me:
“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:
‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,’
Says the Lord of hosts.
7. ‘Who are you, O great mountain?
Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain!
With shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”’”
Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,’
Says the Lord of hosts.
Let me ask you...By your might, by your power, how much is possible? Come on now, be honest! Very little, If any, right?
But the accuser still tries to use that tiny amount, keep you focused on what you think you can do yourself! And it's sad… Because he's very successful at doing it!
Those are the limitations that the accuser gets a lot of people, to willing and consistently impose upon themselves! Thereby limiting everything God wants to do and accomplish for them. (Which is a Glory to Glory mindset and everything that comes with it!)
But with a life of relationship with God and his son Jesus, It's just the opposite! There are no limitations set or imposed upon us! Because it's not based on our ability, but it's based solely upon His ability and love that He has for us!
By His Might, By His Power, By His Spirit, is there anything that’s not possible? The answer is and will always be no! Everything is possible through our relationship with Jesus and the possibilities are unlimited with the Lord in your life!
I don't know what your Bible says...but My bible says in
Phil. 4:13 NKJ
I can do all (how many?) things through Christ who strengthens me.
And the last time I checked.... "ALL ENCOMPASSES EVERYTHING"!!!! Yes "All still means All" even a 24/7/365 Christmas every day of the year, mindset! Amen?
Through who? Through who?
Who helps me?....Jesus Does!!
And to that I say "THANK YOU JESUS"
Not my ability, but His Amazing,
Unlimited, Never Ending...
12 baskets left running over...
Net breaking boat sinking load..
over the top...kind of Ability!!
Phil. 4:13 MSG. says it like this; Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.
We must never ever forget our identity! We are and will always be “A KINGS KID, WITH KINGS KIDS BENEFITS” Amen??
When God looks at us, if we have a relationship with His Son, He sees His Son’s perfection!
He doesn’t see our imperfections, they were and are washed in the blood, cleansed forever, never to be remembered again.
Thus, when we look in the mirror, we should see the same thing God sees..no not our ugliness, But His Son and His Righteousness...
living in us!
And because of that, He has given to us, and is continually willing to shower us, with every benefit that Jesus has available to Him, just as if He was giving them to His own son!
Praise God!
All the benefits that have been provided for us at the cross,
the moment we received what Jesus did for us by dying for our sins and accepting Him as our Saviour, became ours!
And they're ours to be enjoyed each and every day of the year! Beautiful gifts and blessings without end, to be opened up, each of them filled with His abundant life provision, appropriate for the day that God has planned out for us!
Praise God, is there anybody who can give God a shout up in this place, this morning?
If what we're talking about this morning don't get your fire going...then as my pastor used to say, "your wood is wet"
1 John 4:12-17 NKJ
12. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.
13. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.
14. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.
15. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
16. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
17. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
“as Jesus is, so are we in this world” That’s not a man made declaration! That a God inspired, divinely given, to make us aware of what He has created and provided for us to walk in continuously, “stand on scripture and thumb your nose at the accuser all day long” DECLARATIONS!
I make it a point to let you know this declaration quite often...
And it's a bold statement, worthy of repetition....and I can and will keep repeating it...but there comes a time and I have to ask you...and it’s a very important question?
It's one thing to hear it...but do you believe it to be true in your own life?? Can you come into agreement and let it take root and begin to flourish in your life?
You should, it’s the word of God!
And it's a word that he wants you to be aware of
It’s pretty straight forward isn’t it?
There is precision and clarity written there, as He is, so are we in this world,
(not as He is and if we do everything we know to do.. or can ask advice from others to do, in this world) No...what it says is "what He has we have"
And to that I say Hallelujah thank you Jesus!!!!
Right living...or the unlimited number of people who are trying to tell you how to live right (which are to numerous to count) is not going to reveal this revelation God has for you…
Only right believing…in the ability of God's son Jesus
Can make this promised truth...real in your life
You don't deserve it,
you can’t make it happen,
you can't buy it,
you can't earn it,
but you can have it
in the never ending abundance that only Jesus can deliver!
Remember what our earlier text said?
Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.
How much of Gods extravagances can one person handle? I guess that would be a personal preference! But that doesn't change their availability, because He has as much as you care to try each and every day of the year, if you can just believe and accept it.
Let me tell you, God is the ultimate plan maker and gift giver! And it all started with a babe in a manger, that came to deliver all those who would believe and make Jesus their Lord and Saviour!
To give you nothing less than his very best
on a nonstop and continual basis..
Praise the Lord… Amen?
Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts! Think about it…what can be easier than beholding the beauty of the Son and what He has done for us and made available to us?
I believe the Lord would have me remind all of us, to stop focusing on ourselves and our efforts and continually acknowledge and walk in relationship with Jesus and what we have been given!
Jesus is the reason for the season…
Jesus is the reason for every season!!
God wants us to rest assured in this life that He has given us!
There is nothing that’s been left out, God thought of everything we would ever have need of and included it with His Love, He gave on Calvary.
Every promise He ever made to us, has been guaranteed by it!
The same Love that He has for His own son!
He not only Loved us enough to send His Son to us to redeem us,
but Loved us enough to give us access to everything Jesus has as well, when we established a relationship with Him!
I’ll close with a question. No, it’s not what do you want for Christmas!
Are you waking up and living in His Extravagant Love Each and every day, as though was Christmas everyday of the year?
You should be, you can be and best of all, GOD wants you to be! Amen?
