Christmas Archives

In, but not of the world

Are there are occasions following politics where you forget that as a Christian, you are in , but not of the world (John 15:18-19)? This is especially important to recall during this Christmas season where we celebrate the miraculous birth of Christ.

Like our Lord and Savior , Jesus, We are sojourners in this temporal world . Yet because of Jesus’ virgin birth, life, and later His death and resurrection , our minds and spirits are also fixed on eternity (Colossians 3:2).

Do we have concerns about the present and all the worries that come from witnessing lies, evil and tyranny? You bet we do.

However, as children of God these concerns do not overwhelm or bring fear into our hearts for very long. For Jesus’ coming to the world gave us life abundantly( John 10:10). He did so by setting us free from the snares of sin and secondarily, this fallen world .

In Him, and through His love, we are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17), set apart to do good works for God’s will and purposes (Ephesians 2:10). The old nature, fixed only on temporal lusts and temptations, is dead and what Christ has resurrected, stands.

Jesus is truly the reason for the season, the Christ -Mas(s). Let’s give praise and thanks to Him for transforming us from wicked sinners, worthy of death, to God-fearing men and women seeking His heart and will for our lives. This is truth.

God’s truth feeds and strengthens us, while His purpose guides our paths. What can man do to us (Psalm 118:6) ? For God uses every trial and tribulation for the Christian’s greater good (Romans 8:28).

This means blessing in every way, shape, and form. God’s sovereign plan for our lives means even what is meant for evil against us is turned into good (Genesis 50:20).

No weapon forged against us shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17) because we are in , but not of the world. Our home is a new heaven and earth (Revelation 21), living forever with the Father and the Son.

The Creator of the heavens and earth , is the master craftsman, preparing those who love His Son, for eternity. For God is making us more like Jesus which each day that passes. Truly, He who has began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it (Philippians 1:6).

Tasked also in this effort is the Holy Spirit , who counsels and intercedes for us constantly. Even when all we have is groans , the Spirit speaks to God on our behalf (Romans 8:26-27).

The Spirit speaks powerfully to us through God’s Word and conversely the Word’s power is only made manifest to us through the Holy Spirit. Only when both are prevalent in our daily walk will we truly be able to stand fast in God, no matter the circumstances.

When the Christian has both of these engines firing, the Word and the Spirit, l0ok out! Through God’s mighty power, you will be able to accomplish what was formerly unthinkable in your former sinful and dead nature.

Don’t you realize God is calling you? He has given each one of us unique spiritual gifts ( Ephesians 4:7-16) to carry out “missions” tailored for these talents.

This is not for us to puff out our chests in pride (Romans 12:3-8); knowing this should humble us. God is not a respecter of persons (Romans 2:11-16), therefore , do not become conceited and certainly, do not elevate men, even pastors and presidents as better or smarter than you.

Do you know God’s calling on your life, or are you floundering? Ask through diligent prayer and study, for that is our communication with our eternal Heavenly Father.

And speaking of prayers how do you pray to your Father? Do rote, memorized supplications comprise your communication or do you seek Him with raw, vulnerable petitions?

Obviously God hears all of our prayers , but He desires intimacy with us. Our Heavenly Father wants us to love Him with all of heart, soul, mind and strength (Matt.22:37, Mark 12:30, Luke 10;27).

God already knows our every thought and feeling before we pray, for He is omniscient and omnipresent. He just wants us to get it.

Intimacy requires vulnerability and humility, which are considered weakness in the world. However, both are strengths in God’s eyes because it is in those traits we truly experience His power.

This Christmas , let us remember God’s loving gift to mankind, His only begotten Son, Jesus. Let us also never forget that because of Christ, we are in, but not of the world.

Season of Light

While driving recently, I found myself captivated by the beautiful hues and clever designs of Christmas lights adorning various homes . I thought, this beautiful season of light comes once a year, but for the Christian, we are to reflect God’s light daily.

While Christmas lights are powered by electricity, the God-fearing man or woman does not produce their own light. Our illumination is only reflective of God’s brilliance.

I will say it again: the Christian’s illumination is only reflective of God’s brilliance. It doesn’t matter how good we think we are or the amount of virtue signaling we do.

Our light shines to the degree that we are in God, through faith in Jesus. Prayer, study and obedience power our radiance.

In other words, diligent study of the Bible, fervent prayer, unbreakable faith in Jesus, and obedience to God’s commandments means the brighter your light.

On the flip side, let’s look at how to reflect the world’s darkness.

Just use your Bible as a paperweight, place your faith in dubious scientific predictions of doom and modern philosophies that produce narcissism and division. You can also disparage biblical laws and proscriptions as patriarchal or outdated.

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.–Matthew 5:14-16 (NKJV)

Is anything coming between your reflection of God’s light to others? I can raise my hand to that. For instance, Jesus tells us to love our enemies and to pray for those who curse us.

Really?

We are to do good for those who hate us and those who spitefully use and persecute us.(Matt. 6:43-48) I have a tough time with those verses because, frankly, they are hard. I would love to see verses like “I will smite thine enemies”, or something along that line.

Just picture the face of the worst political or cultural figure you can think of. Now, ponder how much they hate and revile you because of your faith in God and /or political ideology.

Finally, think of the blatant injustice in the aftermath of a certain January protest , a two-tiered justice system, subversion of parental rights, gender chaos, the on-going normalization of pedophilia and other perversion.

Honestly, I have had a hatred toward the practitioners of all these cultural and spiritual assaults. Yet, God wants me to love my enemies?!

Yes.

We are to love them, because He first loved us. Oh man!

If God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to sacrifice Himself for our sin (John 3:16), that means He loved us while we were His enemies. What made us His enemies? Sin.

Oh, you say your sins were not as bad as these guys in power right now? Sorry, but that’s no excuse. All sin is a heinous capital offense in God’s eyes, worthy of the death penalty.

We’re only saved because of our faith in Jesus: God’s infinite grace allowed this. God calls us to love and forgive others for their trespasses( sins and offenses) against us as He mercifully does for us. This, so we may be sons and daughters of our Father in heaven. (Matt.5:44-45).

The season of light reminds us Jesus is the light of the world. It is only in Him, we can overcome the darkness in our hearts to love and pray for our enemies. Jesus set the standard when He asked the Lord to forgive those crucifying Him “for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34)“.

“Love is love” the world declares as if love just happens. Love isn’t love as the world tells us. It must have an origin, a source. God is the origin of love and Jesus is the source for us. His love was sincere and without hypocrisy, yet, He boldly called out evil.

Paul encapsulated this in Romans 12:9:

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. (NKJV)

Just because we are called to love our enemies does not mean we are to act as doormats. We do not excuse , rationalize or condone the evil committed by our persecutors. Abhor is another word for hate. Therefore, we are to hate evil and wickedness just as God does. “Cling to what is good,” means we cling to everything that honors and glorifies God. For instance, praying for our enemies.

So with Christmas and New Years approaching, another season of light will come to an end for the world. But as Christians , may we take this season to ponder how much we reflect God to that darkness-filled lost world.

Merry Christmas!!